Questions:
- Are Bnei Noach commanded to have the same beliefs as Jews, e.g.:
- Belief in G-d?The Oneness of G-d?
- The prohibition of having other gods besides G-d Himself?
- Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvah 416—the ban on idolatry is multifaceted
| With regard to idolatry, the entire prohibition is considered to be one commandment, and yet this one commandment has many specific details. For [Bnei Noach] share equally in the selfsame prohibition against idolatry as Israel, to the extent that they are liable in any case where a Jewish bet din would condemn an idolator to death. | וכן ענין עבודה זרה כלו נחשב להם מצוה אחת ויש בה כמה וכמה פרטים, שהרי הם שוים בה לישראל לענין שחיבים בכל מה שבית דין של ישראל ממיתים עליה (שם נו ב). |
I The Opinion of the Chazon Ish: Bnei Noach are forbidden to worship other gods, but their mitzvah might not necessarily include a specific concept of Hashem as long as their beliefs do not interfere with their fulfillment of the Sheva Mitzvot
2. Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz זצ”ל, Chazon Ish, Yoreh De’ah, 62:20—is shituf permissible?
| It appears that the status of a person who violates the mitzvah of “you shall not have any other gods before Me”) applies when he refers to an idol as “my god”, but if he says to the idol, “you are a god”, he is simply acknowledging an idolatrous practice, but it is not considered worship. And one should carefully study Tosafot (Sanhedrin 63a), where it says that Bnei Noach are forbidden to hold heretical beliefs. And it would seem that, indeed, Bnei Noach are forbidden to hold heretical beliefs. Is it not true that the acceptance of the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven is the foundation of the Noahide Commandments? However, it may be that the prohibition does not apply to verbal expression but rather to one’s thoughts. And perhaps Bnei Noach are not liable for the heresy of shituf as long as they fulfill the seven mitzvot of the Master of the World—but this requires further study. | ונראה דהדין מקבלו דוקא כשאומר אלי, אבל כשאומר אל אתה אינו אלא מודה בכו”מ אבל אין זה עובד. ולפ”ז אולי היו מזכירין בלשון זה ויש לעייןבדברי תוס’ (סנהדרין סג: ד”ה אסור) דאכתי יהיה ב”נ מוזהר משום מינות דנראה דב”נ מוזהר במינות דהלא קבלת מלכות שמים הוא חיסוד של צווי ז’ מצוות, ואפשר שאין האיסור בדיבור אלא בלב, ואפשר דבמינות של שיתוף אין ב”נ מוזהר כל שיש קיום לצווי ז’ מצוות מפי אדון עולם וצ”ע. |
3. Tosafot, TB Sanhedrin 63b—possible leniency regarding shituf?
| It is forbidden for a person to enter a business partnership [with an idolator]: Rabbi Shmuel said, all the more would we not accept his oath. Rabbenu Tam says, it is permitted to accept his oath rather than lose one’s money, as it is stated in Avoda Zara 6b, one may collect a debt for a verbal loan because it is akin to rescuing his money from their hands, and we are unconcerned that the idolator may utter some form of recognition of a god—for we have doubts as to whether he will actually do that, whereas the lender’s potential loss of money is virtually guaranteed. However, these days everyone swears oaths in the name of a deity even without attributing any actual godliness to it. And even if they add the Name of Heaven to the idol, their real intention is the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Even if they combine the Name of Heaven and something else (like an idol), we do not find that it is forbidden to cause that person to do this and the prohibition of lifnei iver does not apply—for Bnei Noach are not forwarned regarding shituf. | אסור לאדם שיעשה שותפות – אמר ר’ שמואל כ”ש שבועה עצמה דאין לקבל הימנו ור”ת אומר מותר לקבל הימנו השבועה קודם שיפסיד כדאמר בפ”ק דמס’ ע”ג (דף ו:) דמלוה ע”פ נפרעין ממנו מפני שהוא כמציל מידם ולא חיישינן דילמא אזיל ומודה ואע”ג דהתם ספק והכא ודאי מ”מ בזמן הזה כולן נשבעים בקדשים שלהן ואין תופסין בהם אלהות ואע”פ שמה שמזכירין עמהם ש”ש וכוונתם לדבר אחר מ”מ אין זה שם עבודת כוכבים גם דעתם לעושה שמים ואע”פ שמשתפין שם שמים ודבר אחר לא אשכחן דאסור לגרום לאחרים לשתף ולפני עור ליכא דבני נח לא הוזהרו על כך: |
4. Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim 8:11—conditions for a Noahide’s share in the World to Come
| Anyone who accepts upon himself the seven mitzvot and is careful to observe them is regarded as the pious of the nations of the world, and has a share in the World to Come. But this is only if he accepted this upon himself because he was commanded to do so by the Holy One, Blessed is He, in the Torah, and informed by Moses our teacher that the children of Noah were previously commanded. But if he does them because they seem rational to him, he is neither a ger toshav nor a “pious of the nations” but one of the “wise of the nations”. | כָּל הַמְקַבֵּל שֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת וְנִזְהָר לַעֲשׂוֹתָן הֲרֵי זֶה מֵחֲסִידֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם. וְיֵשׁ לוֹ חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וְהוּא שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל אוֹתָן וְיַעֲשֶׂה אוֹתָן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁצִּוָּה בָּהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּתּוֹרָה וְהוֹדִיעָנוּ עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה רַבֵּנוּ שֶׁבְּנֵי נֹחַ מִקֹּדֶם נִצְטַוּוּ בָּהֶן. אֲבָל אִם עֲשָׂאָן מִפְּנֵי הֶכְרֵעַ הַדַּעַת אֵין זֶה גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב וְאֵינוֹ מֵחֲסִידֵי אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם וְלֹא מֵחַכְמֵיהֶם: |
5. Kesef Mishna, loc cit.
| It appears to me that the Rambam is speaking according to his own logic, but it makes sense. | נראה לי שרבינו אומר כך מסברא דנפשיה ונכוחה היא: |
6. Deuteronomy 4:6-8—the intellectual appeal of Torah wisdom
| And you shall guard them carefully, and do them, for it is proof of your wisdom and understanding in the eyes of the nations, who will hear about all of these statutes and say, “what a wise and understanding people this great nation is!” For what great nation is there that has a god close by like Hashem, our G-d? And what great nation is there that has righteous statutes and laws, such as that which is found throughout this Torah, which I place before you this day? | וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֮ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֒ כִּ֣י הִ֤וא חׇכְמַתְכֶם֙ וּבִ֣ינַתְכֶ֔ם לְעֵינֵ֖י הָעַמִּ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֚ת כׇּל־הַחֻקִּ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְאָמְר֗וּ רַ֚ק עַם־חָכָ֣ם וְנָב֔וֹן הַגּ֥וֹי הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּֽה׃ כִּ֚י מִי־ג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל אֲשֶׁר־ל֥וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים קְרֹבִ֣ים אֵלָ֑יו כַּיהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹקֵינוּ בְּכׇל־קׇרְאֵ֖נוּ אֵלָֽיו׃ וּמִי֙ גּ֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל אֲשֶׁר־ל֛וֹ חֻקִּ֥ים וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֖ים צַדִּיקִ֑ם כְּכֹל֙ הַתּוֹרָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם׃ |
7. Rashi, loc. cit.
| “For it is proof of your wisdom and understanding, etc,”: For this reason you will be regarded as wise and understanding in the eyes of the peoples. “Righteous statutes and laws”: Proper and acceptable [laws] | כי הוא חכמתכם ובינתכם וגו’. בָּזֹאת תֵּחָשְׁבוּ חֲכָמִים וּנְבוֹנִים לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים: חקים ומשפטים צדיקם. הֲגוּנִים וּמְקֻבָּלִים: |
II The Opinion of the Sefer HaChinuch: The prohibition on idolatry includes a requirement to believe in Hashem and a prohibition on shituf and intermediaries
8. Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvah 26 “You Shall not Have any Other gods Before Me”, not to believe in any other gods
| And this mitzvah is included in the Seven Mitzvot that all peoples have been commanded. | וזאת המצוה היא מכלל השבע מצות שנצטוו כל בני העולם בכללן. |
9. Rambam, Hilchot Shavuot 11:2, not to combine Hashem’s Name with that of any other god in an oath (Shituf type A)
| It is forbidden to swear an oath combining anything else with His Name. Anyone who combines something else with the name of the Holy One, Blessed is He in an oath will be uprooted from the world. For there is no one else to whom it is fitting to show honor when one takes an oath in His Name other that the One G-d, Blessed be is Name. | וְאָסוּר לְהִשָּׁבַע בְּדָבָר אַחֵר עִם שְׁמוֹ. וְכָל הַמְשַׁתֵּף דָּבָר אַחֵר עִם שֵׁם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּשְׁבוּעָה נֶעֱקָר מִן הָעוֹלָם. שֶׁאֵין שָׁם מִי שֶׁרָאוּי לַחְלֹק לוֹ כָבוֹד שֶׁנִּשְׁבָּעִין בִּשְׁמוֹ אֶלָּא הָאֶחָד בָּרוּךְ הוּא: |
10. Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvah 417—belief in G-d and none else is the most basic belief
| The basis of this mitzvah is well-known, for it is the root of the belief of all people in the world and it is the strong pillar of faith that all wise people rely upon. | שרש מצוה זו ידוע, כי זה עקר אמונת כל בני העולם, והוא העמוד החזק שלב כל בן דעת סמוך עליו. |
11. Minchat Chinuch, ibid.—Bnei Noach are commanded to believe in Hashem as Jews are, but do not have a separate positive commandment, as Jews do
| All people are commanded regarding this; Bnei Noach are also commanded. However, since the verse states, “Hear, O Israel, the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rd is One”, it means that Jews specifically fulfill a positive commandment by believing in G-d, while Bnei Noach do not, and “the Holy One, Blessed is He, wanted to grant merit to Israel, therefore he expanded the Torah and mitzvot for them” (Avot 6:X)… | והנה כל באי עולם מצווים ע”ז דב”נ גם כן מצווה על ע”ז אך כתיב שמע ישראל היינו דישראל מקיים מצות עשה ולא ב”נ ורצה הקב”ה לזכות את ישראל ולפיכך הרבה להם תורה ומצות כמ”ש הרהמ”ח במצוה שלפני זה: |
12. Rambam, Hilchot Avoda Zara 2:1—the prohibition on intermediaries
| Regarding this, the verse states, “be careful lest your hearts go astray” (Deuteronomy 11:16), meaning, do not make the error of worshipping any other as an intermediary between you and the Creator. | וּבָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה צִוָּה וְאָמַר (דברים יא טז) “הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם פֶּן יִפְתֶּה לְבַבְכֶם”. כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא תִּטְּעוּ בְּהִרְהוּר הַלֵּב לַעֲבֹד אֵלּוּ לִהְיוֹת סַרְסוּר בֵּינֵיכֶם וּבֵין הַבּוֹרֵא: |
13. Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvah 26—even if one concedes that Hashem rules over his other god
| One may not believe in any god other than Hashem alone, as the verse states, “you shall not have any other gods besides Me”… …and even if one acknowledges that the Holy One, Blessed be He, rules over himself and his god, he has still transgressed this commandment… | שלא נאמין באלה בלתי ה’ לבדו – שלא נאמין אלהים זולתי השם יתברך לבדו, שנאמר (שמות כ ג) לא יהיה לך אלהים אחרים על פני ואפילו מודה שהקב”ה שולט עליו ועל אלהותו, עובר על לא יהיה |
III The Opinion of Rambam: Shituf is a form of idolatry; Bnei Noach are required to believe in Hashem in order to fulfill the Sheva Mitzvot; belief in Hashem’s non-corporeality is a necessary aspect of Emunah; any belief in “god incarnate” is heresy
14. Rambam, Hilchot Avodat Zara 9:4—the Christians are idolators
| The Christians are idol worshippers, and Sunday is their day of worship. Therefore it is forbidden to transact business with them in Eretz Yisrael on Thursday and Friday of any week, and it goes without saying on Sunday itself, which is forbidden in all places. This applies on any of their festivals. | הנוצרים עע”ז הֵם וְיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן הוּא יוֹם אֵידָם. לְפִיכָךְ אָסוּר לָתֵת וְלָשֵׂאת עִמָּהֶם בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹם חֲמִישִׁי וְיוֹם שִׁשִּׁי שֶׁבְּכָל שַׁבָּת וְשַׁבָּת וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן עַצְמוֹ שֶׁהוּא אָסוּר בְּכָל מָקוֹם. וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין עִמָּהֶם בְּכָל אֵידֵיהֶם: |
15. Chazon Ish, Yoreh De’ah 19:21—worshipping a created being constitutes idolatry
| Included in this is anyone who worships a created being, and the Christians worship that man. | בכלל זה גם העובד לנפש נברא, והנוצרים הרי עובדים לאותו האיש |
16. Rambam, Hilchot Teshuvah 3:7—the heresy of believing that G-d has a physical form
| There are five types of people who are considered heretics… …and one who says that there is one G-d, but he has a body and form. | חֲמִשָּׁה הֵן הַנִּקְרָאִים מִינִים… …וְהָאוֹמֵר שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם רִבּוֹן אֶחָד אֲבָל שֶׁהוּא גּוּף וּבַעַל תְּמוּנָה. |
17. Rambam, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 1:7—the unity of G-d
| This G-d is one. He is not two or more, but one, unified in a manner which [surpasses] any unity that is found in the world; i.e., He is not one in the manner of a general category which includes many individual entities, nor one in the way that the body is divided into different portions and dimensions. Rather, He is unified, and there exists no unity similar to His in this world. If there were many gods, they would have body and form, because like entities are separated from each other only through the circumstances associated with body and form. Were the Creator to have body and form, He would have limitation and definition, because it is impossible for a body not to be limited. And any entity which itself is limited and defined [possesses] only limited and defined power. Since our God, blessed be His name, possesses unlimited power, as evidenced by the continuous revolution of the sphere, we see that His power is not the power of a body. Since He is not a body, the circumstances associated with bodies that produce division and separation are not relevant to Him. Therefore, it is impossible for Him to be anything other than one. The knowledge of this concept fulfills a positive commandment, as [implied by Deuteronomy 6:4]: “[Hear, Israel,] G-d is our L-rd, G-d is one.” (Translation by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger) | אֱ-לוֹהַּ זֶה אֶחָד הוּא וְאֵינוֹ שְׁנַיִם וְלֹא יֶתֶר עַל שְׁנַיִם. אֶלָּא אֶחָד. שֶׁאֵין כְּיִחוּדוֹ אֶחָד מִן הָאֲחָדִים הַנִּמְצָאִים בָּעוֹלָם. לֹא אֶחָד כְּמִין שֶׁהוּא כּוֹלֵל אֲחָדִים הַרְבֵּה. וְלֹא אֶחָד כְּגוּף שֶׁהוּא נֶחְלָק לְמַחְלָקוֹת וְלִקְצָווֹת. אֶלָּא יִחוּד שֶׁאֵין יִחוּד אַחֵר כְּמוֹתוֹ בָּעוֹלָם. אִלּוּ הָיוּ אֱלֹהוּת הַרְבֵּה הָיוּ גּוּפִין וּגְוִיּוֹת. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין הַנִּמְנִים הַשָּׁוִין בִּמְצִיאוּתָן נִפְרָדִין זֶה מִזֶּה אֶלָּא בִּמְאֹרָעִין שֶׁיֶּאֶרְעוּ בַּגּוּפוֹת וְהַגְּוִיּוֹת. וְאִלּוּ הָיָה הַיּוֹצֵר גּוּף וּגְוִיָּה הָיָה לוֹ קֵץ וְתַכְלִית שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לִהְיוֹת גּוּף שֶׁאֵין לוֹ קֵץ. וְכָל שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְגוּפוֹ קֵץ וְתַכְלִית יֵשׁ לְכֹחוֹ קֵץ וָסוֹף. וֵאלֹהֵינוּ בָּרוּךְ שְׁמוֹ הוֹאִיל וְכֹחוֹ אֵין לוֹ קֵץ וְאֵינוֹ פּוֹסֵק שֶׁהֲרֵי הַגַּלְגַּל סוֹבֵב תָּמִיד. אֵין כֹּחוֹ כֹּחַ גּוּף. וְהוֹאִיל וְאֵינוֹ גּוּף לֹא יֶאֶרְעוּ לוֹ מְאֹרְעוֹת הַגּוּפוֹת כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא נֶחְלָק וְנִפְרָד מֵאַחֵר. לְפִיכָךְ אִי אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיִּהְיֶה אֶלָּא אֶחָד. |
IV A Question Arising from the Rambam’s ruling in Hilchot Issurei Bi’ah: Why is it necessary to teach a potential convert faith fundamentals if even as a non-Jew he is required to know and believe these things?
18. Rambam, Hilchot Issurei Bi’ah 14:2—what to teach a person who wants to convert to Judaism
| …and we inform him about the fundamentals of the religion, which are the unity of Hashem and the prohibition against idolatry, and we elaborate on these. | וּמוֹדִיעִין אוֹתוֹ עִקְּרֵי הַדָּת שֶׁהוּא יִחוּד הַשֵּׁם וְאִסּוּר עַכּוּ”ם. וּמַאֲרִיכִין בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה. |
V Belief that the Torah is from G-d and in the prophecy of Moses: according to Hilchot Melachim 8:11, a necessary part of faith
VI Belief in all Fundamentals of the Jewish Faith: the pious of the nations have a share in the world to come—conditionally
19. Rambam, Hilchot Teshuvah 3:5—people who have no share in the World to Come
| These are people who have no share in the World to Come, but rather are cut off and lost, judged by the greatness of their wickedness and sins forever and ever: heretics, those who deny the possibility of prophecy, those who do not believe that the Torah is from Hashem, those who deny the fact of the resurrection of the dead and the coming of the redeemer… | וְאֵלּוּ הֵן שֶׁאֵין לָהֶן חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא אֶלָּא נִכְרָתִים וְאוֹבְדִין וְנִדּוֹנִין עַל גֹּדֶל רִשְׁעָם וְחַטָּאתָם לְעוֹלָם וּלְעוֹלְמֵי עוֹלָמִים. הַמִּינִים. וְהָאֶפִּיקוֹרוֹסִין. וְהַכּוֹפְרִים בַּתּוֹרָה. וְהַכּוֹפְרִים בִּתְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים וּבְבִיאַת הַגּוֹאֵל. |
20 Ibid., 5, 8—apikorsim and kofrim
| The pious among the nations have a share in the World to Come. These are considered apikorsim: one who says that there is no prophecy and no way for communication to take place between the Creator and the heart of a person; one who denies the prophecy of Moses; and one who says that the Creator is unaware of peoples’ actions. Each of these three is an apikoros. These are considered deniers of the Torah: one who says that the Torah is not from Hashem, even one verse, or one word—if he claims that Moses said it of his own accord, he is a kofer; one who denies the Torah’s explanation, meaning, the Oral Law, and who denies the authority of its representatives, as Tzadok and Baytus did; one who claims that the Creator exchanged one mitzvah for another, and that the original Torah has been nullified, even though it was given by Hashem (such as the Christians and the Arabs claim). | חסידי אומות העולם, יש להם חלק לעולם הבא. שלשה הן הנקראים אפיקורסין:* האומר שאין שם נבואה כלל ואין שם מדע שמגיע מהבורא ללב בני האדם, * והמכחיש נבואתו של משה רבינו, * והאומר שאין הבורא יודע מעשה בני האדם.כל אחד משלשה אלו הן אפיקורוסים.שלושה הן הכופרים בתורה:* האומר שאין התורה מעם ה’, אפילו פסוק אחד, אפילו תיבה אחת, אם אמר משה אמרו מפי עצמו, הרי זה כופר בתורה, * וכן הכופר בפרושה והוא תורה שבעל פה, והמכחיש מגידיה, כגון צדוק ובייתוס, * והאומר שהבורא החליף מצוה זו במצוה אחרת, וכבר בטלה תורה זו אע”פ שהיא היתה מעם ה’, כגון ההגרים.כל אחד משלשה אלו כופר בתורה. |
By Rabbi Tani Burton
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