1 FAITH IN THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH · Sukkat Shalom B'nei Noach

Having faith in the coming of the Messiah is 1 of the 13 principles of Jewish faith. Maimonides (Rambam) – a main codifier of Torah law – expressed this point as follows:

“I believe by complete faith in the coming of the Messiah, and even though he tarry in waiting, in spite of that, I will still wait expectantly for him each day that he will come.”[1]

Having faith in the coming of the Messiah is important because it is directly related to the belief in the Tanakh that speaks of the coming of the Messiah. In addition to the belief in the coming of the Messiah, there is the expectation of his coming. Faith is a passive attitude, expectation is a proactive approach. If you are expecting guests in your house, you clean your house and make your preparations for the arrival of those guests, this proactive approach must be adopted in the expectation of the Messiah.

The above-mentioned brings us to the question of whether this important point of faith to Jews, is also significant to Noahides. And the answer to that is: yes. The 13 principles of the Rambam are also good and applicable to non-Jews, as they all come from the Yeshodei Ha’Torah (Fundamental Principles of the Torah) part of Rambam.

There is however this caveat: Note that while a non-Jew is only obligated in some of these 13 principles of faith, a Jew is obligated to accept all of them. Yet, since they are all true and are foundations of faith in Torah, they are all relevant for Noahides who have faith in G-d and Torah as traditional Judaism teaches.

By Angelique Sijbolts

Sources:

[1] Rambam, Principles of the Faith, Principle 12.

[2] Background and Principles of an Affirmation by Chassidei Umot Ha’Olam – Ask Noah International.

Wat is de betekenis van de Messias voor Noachieden

Thanks to Dr. Michael Schulman for the feedback

Translated by Withney Ann Sieverink-McNair and Angelique Sijbolts