WHAT IS A GER TOSHAV – AND WHO ARE WE AS NOAHIDES?

בס "ד

There’s often confusion about words like Ger Toshav, Ben Noach, or Noahide. What exactly did Maimonides (the Rambam) mean when he wrote about non-Jews who believe in G-d and live righteously?

Let’s unpack it step by step — simply and clearly.

What Did the Original Text Say?

In his Mishneh Torah (Laws of Idolatry, chapter 10), Maimonides wrote that the Jewish people may not make peace treaties with idolaters who continue their pagan worship. If a non-Jew stops serving idols and accepts the Seven Noahide Laws — the universal moral code given to humanity through Noah — he may live among the Jewish people.

Such a person was called a Ger Toshav — literally, a resident stranger. He was allowed to live in the Land of Israel, was protected, and even supported by the community.

But then Maimonides adds something crucial:
today, we can no longer officially accept a Ger Toshav, because that required the observance of the Jubilee Year — an ancient biblical cycle that hasn’t been practiced for centuries.

The category does exist in principle but is contingent upon the Beit HaMikdash, which we are still awaiting; in the current practical, legal sense, it is not operative.

What Does That Mean for Us Today?

Even though the legal status of Ger Toshav no longer applies, many rabbis throughout history explained that the spiritual reality behind it still does.

In other words:
if a person rejects idolatry and keeps the Seven Laws of Noah, he may live like a Ger Toshav — even without the formal title.

That’s what we call today a Ben Noach oder Noahide:
a non-Jew who recognizes the G-d of Israel and lives by the moral code of the Torah.

So, while there’s no official certificate or ceremony, the identity and calling are very real.

Then Who — and What — Are We?

“If the concept of a Ger Toshav who abandons pagan worship and accepts the Noahide laws doesn’t exist in the technical sense… Who and what are we?”

We are modern Noahides — people striving to live by the principles of the Torah without becoming Jewish.
While the formal status of Ger Toshav no longer exists, the spiritual category of “righteous non-Jews” absolutely does.

Maimonides calls them Chasidei Umot HaOlam — the righteous among the nations of the world.
They have a share in the World to Come because they live according to G-d’s will, out of conviction and love of truth.

So, we are not undefined. We belong to a very old, universal tradition — one that goes back to Noah himself.

Should Noahides Then Consider Converting?

“If this teaching is correct, should we Noahides be considering conversion instead?”

Not necessarily.
According to Maimonides, the Seven Laws are not a “lesser” version of the Torah — they are the foundation of divine morality for all humankind.

Judaism is the covenant of the people of Israel;
the Noahide path is the covenant of all humanity.

If someone feels a deep, sincere calling to join the Jewish people, conversion is a beautiful and valid path.
But it’s not required — and not the goal for everyone.

The world needs both Jews und Noahides.
One guards the Torah within Israel; the other lives its ethical truth among the nations. Together, they reveal the unity of G-d in the world.

How Can We Be Something That “Doesn’t Technically Exist”?

“How can we be something that doesn’t technically operate? Isn’t that creating a new religion?”

No — it’s not a new religion. It’s a rediscovery of an ancient truth.

The Seven Noahide Laws were never meant to replace or compete with Judaism.
They were given long before Sinai — to all humanity — as a moral framework for civilization.

Legally, the “Ger Toshav” category no longer functions.
Spiritually, the calling it represents — to reject idolatry, honor G-d, and pursue justice — is alive and well.

So we’re not inventing something new; we’re reviving something timeless.
We’re giving it fresh language for a modern world.

In Summary

• A Ger Toshav was a non-Jew in ancient Israel who lived there under the Seven Laws of Noah.
• Today, the legal status no longer exists, but the calling still does.
• Modern Noahides follow this same moral path — out of love for G-d and truth.
• Conversion is not required; being a Noahide is a complete and holy path of its own.
• This is not a new religion — it’s the oldest moral covenant in the world.

In short:
We are not inventing something new.
We are remembering who we’ve always been — children of Noah, partners with Israel in building a world of justice, peace, and reverence for the Creator.

Von Angelique Sijbolts
With thanks to Rabbi Tani Burton for the feedback

Source
Rambam Mishneh Torah – Avodat Kochavim Chapter 10

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