https://www.asknoah.org/forum/ Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:02:18 +0000 MyBB https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=2058 Sat, 24 Jun 2017 09:14:44 +0000 Maximilian]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=2058
My question is:

Is it suitable for a Noahide to become a judge or another juridical person who works in court? As a judge you have to serve the national law, which sometimes contradicts the noahide law.
Doesn't a judge put the national law above the noahide law and isn't that some type of disrespect to G-d and the G-dly Law?

Thank you very much!]]>
My question is:

Is it suitable for a Noahide to become a judge or another juridical person who works in court? As a judge you have to serve the national law, which sometimes contradicts the noahide law.
Doesn't a judge put the national law above the noahide law and isn't that some type of disrespect to G-d and the G-dly Law?

Thank you very much!]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=2008 Thu, 17 Mar 2016 05:37:54 +0000 GentileLaw]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=2008
I hope your group is doing well.

Could you please point me in the direction of an translated-into-English work I can study or read to find out the laws and principles regarding the Torah regulations regarding judges and witnesses? I'm looking to write a basic article about the subjects.

Thanks,
David]]>
I hope your group is doing well.

Could you please point me in the direction of an translated-into-English work I can study or read to find out the laws and principles regarding the Torah regulations regarding judges and witnesses? I'm looking to write a basic article about the subjects.

Thanks,
David]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=1975 Mon, 06 Jul 2015 19:05:50 +0000 joshua]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=1975 https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=1917 Thu, 06 Mar 2014 07:52:43 +0000 amenyahu]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=1917
Theft is the physical taking of someone else's property without their consent. Thinking in terms of the Seven Commandments, including a positive obligations to have officers to support righteous courts of justice, when is it justified for a "justice officer" (as opposed to today's police force which do more to fail justice) to take or seize someone else's belongings? You know that today's police grab almost anything of value: money, cars, guns; they go into people's houses and properties and for various reasons take things, sometimes for profit, sometimes because they feel they have the power too (like taking the vehicle of individuals because they don't have the government piece of paper), but other times for investigation. Based on Seven Commandment justice, what constitutes as theft and what is not? When are justice officers justified in seizing someone's property?]]>
Theft is the physical taking of someone else's property without their consent. Thinking in terms of the Seven Commandments, including a positive obligations to have officers to support righteous courts of justice, when is it justified for a "justice officer" (as opposed to today's police force which do more to fail justice) to take or seize someone else's belongings? You know that today's police grab almost anything of value: money, cars, guns; they go into people's houses and properties and for various reasons take things, sometimes for profit, sometimes because they feel they have the power too (like taking the vehicle of individuals because they don't have the government piece of paper), but other times for investigation. Based on Seven Commandment justice, what constitutes as theft and what is not? When are justice officers justified in seizing someone's property?]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=1894 Sun, 25 Nov 2012 22:52:22 +0000 amenyahu]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=1894
Does the commandment for Dinim ["Judgments"] include the prohibitions against adding commandments and the establishment of a new religion? If not, where do those prohibitions come from (are they part of the basic categories of the 7 Commandments)?

Is there any place for a jury in the commandment for Dinim, in the way that even capital crimes are judged by a jury of peers?

Is a witness necessary, mandatory to convict of a capital crime? Or is it possible to convict a person of a capital crime only using circumstantial evidence (fingerprints, DNA, witnesses that do NOT see the suspect committing the crime but see other things like the suspect going into the murder house at a certain time or falsifying an alibi, murder weapon, etc)?]]>
Does the commandment for Dinim ["Judgments"] include the prohibitions against adding commandments and the establishment of a new religion? If not, where do those prohibitions come from (are they part of the basic categories of the 7 Commandments)?

Is there any place for a jury in the commandment for Dinim, in the way that even capital crimes are judged by a jury of peers?

Is a witness necessary, mandatory to convict of a capital crime? Or is it possible to convict a person of a capital crime only using circumstantial evidence (fingerprints, DNA, witnesses that do NOT see the suspect committing the crime but see other things like the suspect going into the murder house at a certain time or falsifying an alibi, murder weapon, etc)?]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=1892 Tue, 30 Oct 2012 19:51:41 +0000 Gergely_Hungary]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=1892
I have the following questions about the law 'Establish Laws and Courts'. I have only little information about the details of this Law. Maybe one of the most important is that I (and everybody in a society) is obligated to keep the laws of the state. But this fact raise many questions. Since the laws of a state are man-made they are necessarily in some extent contradictory, deficient and generalising, etc. On the other hand there is a gradation between the laws (for example: constitution, law, decree). To what a degree should I strictly obey a rule? For example if in a library there is an inscription: "Switch off your mobile" (which is not a law) and I didn't switch it off, am I violate one of the Noahide Laws? This question is not because I didn't want to switch off my mobile in libraries, but there can occur situations where the observance of a general rule (or only a warning) is not the logically best choice (nor I neither the society make a profit out of the actual observance).

My second question is similar. If I heard about some rule or regulation, that I am obligated to install for example a ventillating system over my fireplace, can I say that I will not install such a system in my home, because it is to expensive and I don't need it, and if an inspection will occur, at most I will pay penalty.

The third example is connected to a presentation that I have heard about the topic: working as pharmacist in pharmacy, laws and ethic. The presenter demonstrated with a few example the dilemma of pharmacists, because they have to obey several laws but moral obligations and customs, too. He showed that in many cases a specific law is outdated or imperfect, therefore most people in the field (doctors and pharmacists) simply transgress these laws, because their job is to help the patients based on professional, economical and logical considerations and in some cases a law instructs otherwise. The presenter also turned in some cases to the legislative, but they said that they didn't have to interpret the law or they didn't understand why the presenter was worried about small things (in other words why is he so extremely law-abiding).

These are only a few examples in the topic, but I hope that the better understanding of the details of this Noahide Law will help to act properly in other cases, too.

Thank you and best wishes,
Gergely, Hungary]]>
I have the following questions about the law 'Establish Laws and Courts'. I have only little information about the details of this Law. Maybe one of the most important is that I (and everybody in a society) is obligated to keep the laws of the state. But this fact raise many questions. Since the laws of a state are man-made they are necessarily in some extent contradictory, deficient and generalising, etc. On the other hand there is a gradation between the laws (for example: constitution, law, decree). To what a degree should I strictly obey a rule? For example if in a library there is an inscription: "Switch off your mobile" (which is not a law) and I didn't switch it off, am I violate one of the Noahide Laws? This question is not because I didn't want to switch off my mobile in libraries, but there can occur situations where the observance of a general rule (or only a warning) is not the logically best choice (nor I neither the society make a profit out of the actual observance).

My second question is similar. If I heard about some rule or regulation, that I am obligated to install for example a ventillating system over my fireplace, can I say that I will not install such a system in my home, because it is to expensive and I don't need it, and if an inspection will occur, at most I will pay penalty.

The third example is connected to a presentation that I have heard about the topic: working as pharmacist in pharmacy, laws and ethic. The presenter demonstrated with a few example the dilemma of pharmacists, because they have to obey several laws but moral obligations and customs, too. He showed that in many cases a specific law is outdated or imperfect, therefore most people in the field (doctors and pharmacists) simply transgress these laws, because their job is to help the patients based on professional, economical and logical considerations and in some cases a law instructs otherwise. The presenter also turned in some cases to the legislative, but they said that they didn't have to interpret the law or they didn't understand why the presenter was worried about small things (in other words why is he so extremely law-abiding).

These are only a few examples in the topic, but I hope that the better understanding of the details of this Noahide Law will help to act properly in other cases, too.

Thank you and best wishes,
Gergely, Hungary]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=1860 Mon, 04 Jun 2012 14:48:29 +0000 amenyahu]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=1860
I'm speaking to a fellow Noahide, one much more learned than me who has studied a lot more Jewish sources than me, including Hirsch's Nineteen Letters and the commentaries of Ramban, who has gone through much more extensive Jewish learning than a simple reader like myself. He brings up a question that I find difficult to budge.

In the Path of the Righteous Gentile it states.

"The Children of Noah are commanded to establish courts of law that will carry out justice and maintain human righteousness and morality in accord with the Seven Universal Laws.[1] A court system that perverts justice by handing down rulings in conflict with the Seven Universal Laws is an instrument for driving G-d’s blessings out of the world. Anyone who fails to establish a court system, that is, who lives in a community or city in which there are no courts, and who does nothing to correct the situation, is punishable by death. One who establishes or maintains courts of law that operate contrary to the Seven Universal Laws is similarly liable." (Chapter 12, Chapter 1, Law 1)

The Noahide I'm speaking to points to the fact that we are not living in a righteous governmental system that upholds the Noahide laws. Even the page on AskNoah that speaks of this law admits we don't live in a time where governments uphold the seven commandments. In his eyes, we are not keeping this law as long as this is the current state of affairs. So if this law has to do with an observant community and no community is observant of this law and the other six, then aren't we guilty of breaking this law? I'm understanding this law as setting up a court that actually upholds the seven commands, not just setting up any court to go with any legal philosophy.

I live in a country that doesn't respect the Seven Commandments. I can't think of a country, not even the current secular government of Israel, that upholds the Seven Commandments. Yet I continue to live here. I know that personally I try to live according to HaShem's commandments and be a good example. I don't know if the videos I produce are enough. But if I didn't do such videos, but just tried my all to keep the laws that I can keep but under a godless, anti-Sheva-Mitzvos government, then am I breaking this law of courts of law? According to G-d's standard, am I guilty? Are we Noahides/Gentiles guilty?

I have pointed out to this person that seeing the law as he does, then the vast majority of "observant" Noahides throughout history, from the Syrian Naaman who returned to his own country, to the G-d-fearers of old, up until today, all of whom lived under governments that didn't uphold the seven commandments, are guilty. And thus according to Rambam who says that one only has a place in the world to come if he is careful to do all the commands [because G-d commanded them to Moses], not one Noahide has reached that level. So whether we think of the World to Come or just this world, we're all guilty. There is something within me that disagrees with this interpretation of this "seventh" commandment, but I don't think I have a good response at all apart from the fact that just as Jews are not punished for not being able to perform most of their laws because of the current state of the Temple, in the same way Noahides are not punished for this law because many of them are not in the position to change the current world government system except to teach their children and do their best with their example in the eyes of those around them.

Do you or Rabbi Weiner have an answer for this?]]>
I'm speaking to a fellow Noahide, one much more learned than me who has studied a lot more Jewish sources than me, including Hirsch's Nineteen Letters and the commentaries of Ramban, who has gone through much more extensive Jewish learning than a simple reader like myself. He brings up a question that I find difficult to budge.

In the Path of the Righteous Gentile it states.

"The Children of Noah are commanded to establish courts of law that will carry out justice and maintain human righteousness and morality in accord with the Seven Universal Laws.[1] A court system that perverts justice by handing down rulings in conflict with the Seven Universal Laws is an instrument for driving G-d’s blessings out of the world. Anyone who fails to establish a court system, that is, who lives in a community or city in which there are no courts, and who does nothing to correct the situation, is punishable by death. One who establishes or maintains courts of law that operate contrary to the Seven Universal Laws is similarly liable." (Chapter 12, Chapter 1, Law 1)

The Noahide I'm speaking to points to the fact that we are not living in a righteous governmental system that upholds the Noahide laws. Even the page on AskNoah that speaks of this law admits we don't live in a time where governments uphold the seven commandments. In his eyes, we are not keeping this law as long as this is the current state of affairs. So if this law has to do with an observant community and no community is observant of this law and the other six, then aren't we guilty of breaking this law? I'm understanding this law as setting up a court that actually upholds the seven commands, not just setting up any court to go with any legal philosophy.

I live in a country that doesn't respect the Seven Commandments. I can't think of a country, not even the current secular government of Israel, that upholds the Seven Commandments. Yet I continue to live here. I know that personally I try to live according to HaShem's commandments and be a good example. I don't know if the videos I produce are enough. But if I didn't do such videos, but just tried my all to keep the laws that I can keep but under a godless, anti-Sheva-Mitzvos government, then am I breaking this law of courts of law? According to G-d's standard, am I guilty? Are we Noahides/Gentiles guilty?

I have pointed out to this person that seeing the law as he does, then the vast majority of "observant" Noahides throughout history, from the Syrian Naaman who returned to his own country, to the G-d-fearers of old, up until today, all of whom lived under governments that didn't uphold the seven commandments, are guilty. And thus according to Rambam who says that one only has a place in the world to come if he is careful to do all the commands [because G-d commanded them to Moses], not one Noahide has reached that level. So whether we think of the World to Come or just this world, we're all guilty. There is something within me that disagrees with this interpretation of this "seventh" commandment, but I don't think I have a good response at all apart from the fact that just as Jews are not punished for not being able to perform most of their laws because of the current state of the Temple, in the same way Noahides are not punished for this law because many of them are not in the position to change the current world government system except to teach their children and do their best with their example in the eyes of those around them.

Do you or Rabbi Weiner have an answer for this?]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=584 Sun, 03 Apr 2011 18:28:29 +0000 davidPeterson]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=584
I wanted to know..what are the punishments for violating the noahide laws?

Does the punishment vary depending on which law was broken?

thanks.]]>
I wanted to know..what are the punishments for violating the noahide laws?

Does the punishment vary depending on which law was broken?

thanks.]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=543 Sun, 09 Jan 2011 08:26:23 +0000 Director Michael]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=543 Visitor R.M. to the web site Wrote:What do you do about people who don't keep the laws?There are a few ways that this problem can be addressed in the present time:

1. Torah-faithful individuals and organizations, both Jewish and Noahide, have an obligation to do outreach to Gentiles to educate them about the Seven Noahide Commandments. Through education, and sincere and open communications, more people are going to learn about what these commandments are, and more people will start to observe them. People should be told why (spiritually, morally and intellectually) these commandments should be observed, and what the rewards are (both spiritually and in practical, physical ways) for individuals and societies who keep them.

2. Modern nations have secular civil and criminal codes of law, and a system of courts and law enforcement. These secular laws always include at least a few of the Noahide laws, at least to some extent. For example, it is common to have laws against murder, injury, theft, extortion, rape, incest, cruelty to animals, bribery and perjury. So more and more citizens of each country should invest efforts to ensure that those existing laws which relate to the Noahide Commandments are strenghtened and enforced within the secular court systems.

3. When the Messianic redemption occurs, all the nations will start to keep the Seven Noahide Commandments. To help accomplish this sooner, each person should increase in deeds of goodness and kindness, while observing these commandments, repenting for past transgressions, and expending more effort to learn about the details of these precepts and teach them to others. At this critical time, every second counts!]]> Visitor R.M. to the web site Wrote:What do you do about people who don't keep the laws?There are a few ways that this problem can be addressed in the present time:

1. Torah-faithful individuals and organizations, both Jewish and Noahide, have an obligation to do outreach to Gentiles to educate them about the Seven Noahide Commandments. Through education, and sincere and open communications, more people are going to learn about what these commandments are, and more people will start to observe them. People should be told why (spiritually, morally and intellectually) these commandments should be observed, and what the rewards are (both spiritually and in practical, physical ways) for individuals and societies who keep them.

2. Modern nations have secular civil and criminal codes of law, and a system of courts and law enforcement. These secular laws always include at least a few of the Noahide laws, at least to some extent. For example, it is common to have laws against murder, injury, theft, extortion, rape, incest, cruelty to animals, bribery and perjury. So more and more citizens of each country should invest efforts to ensure that those existing laws which relate to the Noahide Commandments are strenghtened and enforced within the secular court systems.

3. When the Messianic redemption occurs, all the nations will start to keep the Seven Noahide Commandments. To help accomplish this sooner, each person should increase in deeds of goodness and kindness, while observing these commandments, repenting for past transgressions, and expending more effort to learn about the details of these precepts and teach them to others. At this critical time, every second counts!]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=542 Sun, 09 Jan 2011 07:48:08 +0000 Director Michael]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=542 Visitor S.A. to the web site Wrote:Was the establishment of a governing group done so that man could take care of his own problems and not require G-d to wipe out a whole race?These are really two different issues. The Noahide Commandments are indeed intended to establish a settled environment and develop harmony within mankind. In modern times, most countries have loosely based at least some of their laws on a few of the Noahide Commandments. This is definitely a step in the right direction. Once a country does this, the legitimacy of the government - in G-d's estimation - depends upon whether or not it follows the laws it has put on the books. (If a government systematically violates the laws that it itself has established, the expectation is that G-d will eventually bring it down. That is what happened to the former Communist regime in the USSR, for example, as pointed out by the Lubavitcher Rebbe.)

On the other hand, remember that the commandment to establish courts of law was given to Adam in the Garden of Eden, before his sin. So we see that G-d wants the world to have righteous courts of law, even in ideal situations (such as the future Messianic Era), when all mankind is righteous and has no problems. The study, practice and oversight of G-d's commandments is itself a Divine command that G-d desires for all time. This commandment was given again to Noah after the Flood, when G-d also made an everlasting covenant that He would never again wipe out the whole human race. That covenant has constantly protected the human race ever since.]]> Visitor S.A. to the web site Wrote:Was the establishment of a governing group done so that man could take care of his own problems and not require G-d to wipe out a whole race?These are really two different issues. The Noahide Commandments are indeed intended to establish a settled environment and develop harmony within mankind. In modern times, most countries have loosely based at least some of their laws on a few of the Noahide Commandments. This is definitely a step in the right direction. Once a country does this, the legitimacy of the government - in G-d's estimation - depends upon whether or not it follows the laws it has put on the books. (If a government systematically violates the laws that it itself has established, the expectation is that G-d will eventually bring it down. That is what happened to the former Communist regime in the USSR, for example, as pointed out by the Lubavitcher Rebbe.)

On the other hand, remember that the commandment to establish courts of law was given to Adam in the Garden of Eden, before his sin. So we see that G-d wants the world to have righteous courts of law, even in ideal situations (such as the future Messianic Era), when all mankind is righteous and has no problems. The study, practice and oversight of G-d's commandments is itself a Divine command that G-d desires for all time. This commandment was given again to Noah after the Flood, when G-d also made an everlasting covenant that He would never again wipe out the whole human race. That covenant has constantly protected the human race ever since.]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=264 Sun, 26 Apr 2009 16:57:40 +0000 Joachim ben Noach]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=264
Is the entire Choshen Mishpat (jewish civil law) area of halacha applicable to non-Jews?

Thank you.]]>
Is the entire Choshen Mishpat (jewish civil law) area of halacha applicable to non-Jews?

Thank you.]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=111 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 02:30:06 +0000 saidjake]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=111 Thanks,
Jake]]> Thanks,
Jake]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=52 Mon, 23 Jul 2007 15:05:38 +0000 Torahstudent]]> https://www.asknoah.org/forum/showthread.php?tid=52 Is there a moral right for a country/organization to demand of it's citizens/members that they shall be prepared to die for their own country/organization?
Thanks!]]> Is there a moral right for a country/organization to demand of it's citizens/members that they shall be prepared to die for their own country/organization?
Thanks!]]>