07-26-2012, 08:28 PM
Hi Rabbis,
Reading the Divine Code, I see that some things bring liability in a court and some things are stated as "forbidden." Take for instance, to bow down to an idol brings liability, but to read omens is forbidden.
But what does forbidden mean? Does forbidden mean it won't affect a person's place in the World to Come but it shouldn't be done? Does forbidden mean that it breaks one of the 7 commands? When something is "permissible," does that mean that it may be wrong but it's allowed under the 7 commandments? Would permissible mean that it's something that God "doesn't like" (really rough terms, sorry) but is ok for Gentiles? Or does it mean just everything that is not prohibited?
So for example, reading omens is forbidden. But it doesn't bring the death penalty. So does that make it permissible but it puts a Noahide on a "low" level? In other words, if breaking one of the 7 commandments means the death penalty, what does that mean for "related" acts that don't bring the death penalty?
Going through the daily readings of the Divine Code, I notice a place that says that it is important for a Noahide to learn what is prohibited and what is permissible. I'm getting a bit confused about what these terms mean. It's like there are three categories not just two, not simply prohibited and permissible, but rather capital crimes, forbidden acts that are not capital crimes, and "permissible." But I'm not sure if permissible includes forbidden acts that are not capital crimes.
I'm asking because I want to start actually memorizing the laws. It's easy to know the 7 main commands, but I want to memorize the general rules under each but in the correct way and level so I don't think that something is a capital crime when it is not, and I don't mistake a permissible act for a capital crime.
Thanks
Reading the Divine Code, I see that some things bring liability in a court and some things are stated as "forbidden." Take for instance, to bow down to an idol brings liability, but to read omens is forbidden.
But what does forbidden mean? Does forbidden mean it won't affect a person's place in the World to Come but it shouldn't be done? Does forbidden mean that it breaks one of the 7 commands? When something is "permissible," does that mean that it may be wrong but it's allowed under the 7 commandments? Would permissible mean that it's something that God "doesn't like" (really rough terms, sorry) but is ok for Gentiles? Or does it mean just everything that is not prohibited?
So for example, reading omens is forbidden. But it doesn't bring the death penalty. So does that make it permissible but it puts a Noahide on a "low" level? In other words, if breaking one of the 7 commandments means the death penalty, what does that mean for "related" acts that don't bring the death penalty?
Going through the daily readings of the Divine Code, I notice a place that says that it is important for a Noahide to learn what is prohibited and what is permissible. I'm getting a bit confused about what these terms mean. It's like there are three categories not just two, not simply prohibited and permissible, but rather capital crimes, forbidden acts that are not capital crimes, and "permissible." But I'm not sure if permissible includes forbidden acts that are not capital crimes.
I'm asking because I want to start actually memorizing the laws. It's easy to know the 7 main commands, but I want to memorize the general rules under each but in the correct way and level so I don't think that something is a capital crime when it is not, and I don't mistake a permissible act for a capital crime.
Thanks