The Noahides, Part 2
Learn about this old-new spiritual practice that is gaining traction across the world
Noahides are people who follow the seven laws of the children of Noah, derived from the Book of Genesis. These laws are:
Do not worship false gods
Do not murder
Do not steal
Do not be sexually immoral
Do not eat a limb removed from a living animal
Do not blaspheme (curse God)
Set up or only live in a place that has a court system.
These laws become the foundation of the life of a Noahide.
Belief in one God with one name is required. This means that belief in Jesus and his divinity makes one ineligible to be a Noahide because it contradicts the core belief of one God with one name. This is not to disrespect Christianity; rather, it recognizes that Christians already have a covenant with God within which they live.
Within the last few years, religious law for Noahides has been codified in Brit Shalom, Covenant of Peace. A prayer book, Brit Olam, has been written as well.[i] There is flexibility in practice because cultures and nations are very different and need to adapt the laws to their particular needs. For example, Jewish boys accept the mantle of religious responsibility when they become bar mitzvah at age 13; girls do the same at age 12, when they become bat mitzvah.[ii] However, in western cultures, where children reach emotional maturity later, the appropriate age for accepting religious responsibility might be a few years older. The Noahide laws are for all the world, so these kinds of cultural differences are recognized.
What Noahides Do
One of the first things spiritual seekers do when they discover the Noahide movement is to study Jewish wisdom literature. They also take course, including some specifically for Noahides. Numerous rabbis are providing information online about the movement, what being Noahide means, and how to live a Noahide life. Zoom classes and online videos are available; as are many podcasts. Facebook groups give people the opportunity to share with each other, to form online friendships, and to find other Noahides in their regions.
Some Noahides find rituals important and follow Jewish rituals because as yet this movement has not developed (and may never develop) its own. Whether to celebrate Christmas and Easter as secular holidays is an issue many struggle with; these holidays may have had tremendous meaning and joy in the past. Several rabbis whose material I read or heard recommend celebrating those with family members who are still Christian, but not at home.
People do their best to live up to the seven commandments. One Facebook user described a difficult life and an unexpected spiritual experience that saved him from making a tragic mistake. That experience brought him eventually to the Noahides. He posted,
“And now I worship the One true God. I follow the commandments He gave me as a Gentile. Commandments that are not meant to slip me up and catch me in sin. They are commandments of love that He gives me to live a healthier and happier life as He created me and knows what’s best for me. I love and worship Him alone and through His commands make the world a better place around me for me and my fellow man. When I fall short, I repent and I seek His guidance to discipline myself to avoid having to repent so that I may please Him and stay in His blessing. It’s that simple.”[iii]
Some people make a private declaration of intent to live as a Noahide. This can be a powerful experience, especially if one uses a specific formula as opposed to their own words. The formula joins them to others.
It is also possible to go to an Orthodox Jewish bet din or religious court and formally commit to being a Noahide there. This is not the same as converting to Judaism. Rather, it is a commitment to live according to those Jewish laws that are permitted to non-Jews. These are spelled out in Brit Shalom and Brit Olam.
Problems
In my investigation of the Noahide movement I uncovered three major types of problems.
First is that in their search for knowledge, many people come upon anti-Semitic information that purports to be the truth about Judaism. For example, they may find that the word “goy” is translated as a derogatory term for non-Jews. Years ago as a student at a midwestern university, I was the first Jew many classmates had ever met. I learned from them that the term is sometimes translated as cow, other times as dung or dog. But in truth, it is simply the Hebrew word for non-Jews: gentile. Like any word, it can be used disrespectfully, but it is not a disrespectful word. Rather, it is a common Hebrew word that is used to refer to the great majority of humanity.
Second is that leaving a majority faith is difficult socially. People often do not respect people who belong to minority groups, and being a member of the Noahide movement makes one a minority. Activities that are common among the majority culture may feel uncomfortable for someone who is deeply into an Orthodox Jewish lifestyle. For example, cookouts are a common social event in summer, with a potluck buffet, lots of drinking, and some kind of sports activity. However, religious Jews, and hence many serious Noahides, avoid those activities. They may feel uncomfortable with the free mixing of men and women, which can lead to improper behavior or thoughts; they may have decided to eat only kosher food so have to stay away from the buffet; they no longer drink much; and they mdiscover they’d rather be home learning Torah than jumping around after a basketball with a bunch of half-lit friends. To their friends, they have abandoned relaxation and friendship, but they feel that they have exchanged some activities for others that for them have higher value.
Third, breaking with one’s religion of birth often causes a rift in the family. I experienced this myself when, raised in a Reform Jewish family, I became Orthodox.[iv] This can be both lonely and very, very painful. One needs to develop a thick skin and treat with patience and respect both strangers and family members who find one’s new spiritual identity troublesome.
Where are Noahides?
The Noahide World Center website has this map:
As you can see, Noahides are found in many countries, especially in Europe, Africa and Latin America. People find each other through word of mouth, Facebook and other social media connections, as well as other ways.
Conclusion
The Laws of Noah have been around for thousands of years, but only within the last 60 or so have they been actively introduced to the world. The time is right. Christianity has lost its grip on the west and many people, including young people raised with no religious education, are searching for a moral and spiritual code. The excesses and licentiousness of progressives and, on the other end of the spectrum, the barbarism and uncontrolled antisemitism seen beginning on October 7 have caused many people who were previously happily agnostic to look for a more formal code of ethics.
To be a Noahide means a simple belief in one Creator who is Master of the World, with no belief in supernatural or miracle occurrences necessary. The wealth of Jewish writings on law, ethics, and spirituality can be used as guides. The Noahide movement is the natural answer for many people and may provide, as the movement gains traction in the world, a pathway to that peaceful, neighborly future that we all desire.
[i] Both books are available online as well as at many Jewish bookshops.
[ii] Bar (bat) mitzvah mean “son (daughter) [responsible for] mitzvot.” One reaches this milestone and one’s status changes. One is a bar mitzvah or a bat mitzvah. In liberal Jewish communities, where keeping mitzvot is not considered to be a matter of obligation, the ceremony marking the status change is considered the important thing, so one has a bar or bat mitzvah [celebration].
[iii] Post by Russ Thomas on Facebook, http://facebook.com/groups/simplynoahidegroup/ , accessed June 10, 2024.
[iv] When I was sitting shiva (during the first week after the death of a close relative) for my sister, my mother’s cousin’s wife yelled at me and told me she wished I and all Orthodox Jews would die.
Well done!