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Question about innocent people and idolatry.
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pixelman Wrote:Dear Michael,
That seems to imply that true ignorance of the severity of idolatry is bliss, if those that don't know aren't told (since they won't be held liable).

A common misunderstanding arises because there are two dimensions of benefit that a Gentile can receive for observing the Noahide Commandments, according to the two levels of motivation for which they could be fulfilled.

(a) The lower level of benefit is that by simply refraining from transgressing the Noahide Commandments, for whatever reason (e.g. out of intellectual conviction, or fear of punishment by the society's legal system, or due to lack of opportunity), one removes himself from liability to capital punishment for those sins, by either the law enforcement system or by the Hand of Heaven. Furthermore, the society at large benefits, because an individual's observance of any and all of the Noahide Commandments serves to maintain the overall well-being of the society. However, this lower level of observance is not sufficient to make the Gentile worthy of being resurrected by G-d for an eternal life of spiritual reward in the World to Come.

(b) The higher level of benefit (resurrection for an eternal life of spiritual reward in the World to Come) is achieved if the Gentile *attaches* himself to the "Tree of Life," which is G-d's eternal holy Torah that He gave through Moses (see Proverbs 3:18). This attachment of the Gentile to holiness, which is achieved through purposefully being a "pious Gentile," is accomplished in the manner explained by Rambam in Laws of Kings 8:11, which you cited:
"A Gentile who accepts these seven commandments and observes them meticulously is one of the “pious Gentiles,” and will merit to have a portion in the World to Come ... provided that he accepts and fulfills them because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah and informed us [the Jewish people] through Moses, our teacher, that Noah's descendants had previously been commanded to fulfill them."

So in reference to your question, the true "bliss" that a Gentile can earn is the eternal bliss of the World to Come. This bliss is not something that is received automatically through ignorance. Instead, it is received through an active process of properly directed learning, faith, and purposeful fulfillment.

pixelman Wrote:Also, which are "the aspects that are universally logically binding according to adult human intellect"? Since the 7 laws are meant to be defined by the Oral Law, and Laws of Kings 8:11 says the following [see above], how can "universally logically binding according to adult human intellect" apply?

Only some of the Noahide Commandments, at their basic level, are universally logically binding according to adult human intellect. For example, a mentally sound person has a firm conviction that if he is out minding his own business, he would not want someone to walk up to him and murder him or rob him. The person also understands intellectually that if predisposed people would be allowed to commit those injurious acts at will with no threat of punishment, the society would be reduced to living by the law of the jungle. Therefore, murderers and robbers are liable to be punished by a court of law, and by the Hand of Heaven, even if they have no knowledge of the Torah.
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RE: Question about innocent people and idolatry. - by Director Michael - 11-30-2009, 08:58 PM

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