בס”ד

The Prohibition of Theft: An Introduction for Noahides

The laws of the Torah — and the Seven Noahide Laws along with them — are given forever. Their validity never expires. And even when we cannot fulfill a commandment in practice, studying it still carries its own reward: we are rewarded for the learning itself, independent of the physical act.

There is a difference between how these laws function today and how they will function in the Messianic era. Today, the emphasis is on preventing evil — on not transgressing the will of Hashem. In the Messianic era, the world itself will change, evil will cease to exist, and humanity will be occupied instead with knowing Hashem and doing His will.

A Belief Not Yet Internalized

Often, the root of sin is not ignorance. We know what Hashem wants from us — we simply have not internalized it. We haven’t absorbed it into ourselves. Perhaps our love for Hashem isn’t yet strong enough; perhaps we forget, even briefly, everything He has given us. And out of this lack of awareness, we drift into acting against His will.

The Talmud tells the story of a thief who prays to Hashem for success — while in the act of stealing. It’s a paradox: on one hand he is transgressing; on the other, he is praying. But it is a striking picture of belief that hasn’t been internalized.

Consider the generation of the Flood. They knew the Seven Noahide Laws — this wasn’t a secret to them. Yet the verdict against them was sealed primarily because of robbery. Not taking what isn’t yours is, at its core, a test of faith: if you truly believe that Hashem provides everything you need — air, water, food — at every moment, there is no need to take what belongs to someone else.

Two Forms of Theft

There are two categories:

Both are forbidden. In a time with an empowered Noahide court, either could carry a serious penalty.

Is there a minimum amount? No — even something worth a single penny counts as theft.

What about taking something “as a joke,” intending to return it? It’s still forbidden. An earthly court won’t punish it, since it isn’t severe enough by human standards, but it remains improper behavior. The same applies to simply borrowing something without asking.

When is it permitted? When the owner gives consent — sampling fruit in a store with the grocer’s permission, free samples, or a gift freely given, like a piece of candy handed to a child.

When does borrowing without permission become theft? The determining moment is when the item leaves the owner’s space. If I say I’m “just borrowing” something but it’s still sitting in the owner’s house, it isn’t yet theft. The moment I take it to my car or my home, it becomes theft — even with every intention of returning it.

Suspiciously cheap goods. If an item’s price is far too low, or it’s known to come from a thief or a criminal source, buying it is forbidden as well.

Digital Theft in the Modern World

In ancient times, theft was almost always physical. Today, it takes many new forms — and all of them fall under the same prohibition, even without a physical object changing hands:

Ideas and intellectual property are property too. Using someone’s ideas or text without giving credit is forbidden; citing the source or quoting properly makes it permissible. Copying copyrighted material without the owner’s permission is likewise forbidden — unless the owner explicitly grants permission to use and share it.

The Small Things We Rarely Notice

Much of what falls under this prohibition is easy to overlook, simply because of habit or a lack of awareness:

Saving a Life: The Exception

May you take a boat that isn’t yours to save someone drowning? Yes — the sanctity of life stands above all else. Three conditions apply:

  1. You intend to return the item.
  2. You pay for any damage or use, if necessary.
  3. You use it only for what’s needed — you may not, for example, keep the rescued boat afterward for a joyride on the river.

Kidnapping and Moving Boundaries

Kidnapping is one of the gravest forms of theft — a capital offense under an empowered Noahide court.

Moving a boundary — even by a finger’s width, such as shifting a fence into a neighbor’s land — is itself considered theft (gezel, “taken by force”), even without physically lifting or removing soil. Taking produce or fruit from someone else’s land without touching the boundary itself is theft as well, and restitution is required.

Respecting Privacy

Though technically distinct from theft, the Torah places great weight on respecting privacy — partly because of the harm of a jealous or ill-intentioned gaze on someone else’s property. In the modern world, this includes:

The Gravity of Rape

Rape stands among the most severe crimes in both the Seven Noahide Laws and the 613 commandments. It is treated as a form of theft, and it is also linked, in the verses, to murder. This underscores the importance of establishing courts of justice — one of the Seven Noahide Laws itself — to ensure a just and protected society.

Questions and Answers during the Class

If I’m at work and spend time periodically on the Sukkat Shalom Bnei Noach website when I should be working — is that time theft? It depends. If it comes at the expense of your work — meaning your tasks aren’t getting done — then yes, it could be considered theft. If you’ve already completed everything you need to do for the day and have time to spare, there’s no issue.

Tasting something in a store when you’re certain you won’t buy anything — is that okay? If the store owner is aware that some customers taste without buying, and accepts this in advance, it is not theft. The owner’s consent is what determines this.

Is praying on company time theft? Again, it depends. If your work is already done, or if you have a break the employer allows you to use as you wish, praying during that time is fine. If urgent work is waiting and you stop to pray instead, that is not acceptable.

I never meet the owner where I work. Consult the manager, who represents the owner. If the manager agrees, it’s permitted.

Some pens and notebooks from the office end up in my bag, and I use them when working from home. What about using a piece of paper as a grocery list because I remember at home that I’m out of something? Using supplies for the purpose of doing your work — even at home — is generally fine, since it serves the employer’s interest in your work getting done.

If my neighbor’s house is on fire, do I need permission to take his ladder to rescue him? No. When a life is at risk, no permission is required — you act immediately. The intention to return the item, or to pay for any damage afterward, still applies.

I bought something online, thought it didn’t work, received a replacement from the seller, and then got the original item working after all. What should I do? This is not considered theft. The seller already accounts for this possibility when sending a replacement — there’s no intent to take something without permission.

Sometimes we know we’re doing something wrong — most of us do. When we recognize that we’ve done something improper, teshuva is called for: returning the item and, where appropriate, giving tzedakah.

Do Noahides have a fixed percentage to give as atonement — say, 10% or 20%? No, there’s no fixed amount. You may give what you choose — 10%, 15%, 20%. What matters most isn’t the amount but the awareness: learning how to avoid the same mistake going forward.

What if theft happened one or more generations ago, the original owner can no longer be found, but you know a house or business was stolen? You can bring this to the awareness of the current owner. They can then decide how to respond — often through giving tzedakah.

What is considered blasphemy? Blasphemy literally means cursing the name of Hashem. There are two holy names of Hashem, both written in the Torah in Hebrew, each consisting of four letters. Cursing these names, under certain conditions, is considered blasphemy. There is also an extended meaning: holding heretical views — denying the existence of Hashem or denying that we should believe in Him — is, according to some authorities, considered blasphemy as well. In short, cursing Hashem or behaving toward Him in a dishonorable manner falls under this prohibition.

Why aren’t today’s courts called “Noahide courts,” even though they enforce similar laws — not to kill, not to steal? Even though civil courts today may unconsciously uphold some of the same principles, they lack the authority and recognition of an actual Noahide court. In practice, they only enforce part of the Seven Noahide Laws — they will judge for murder and for theft, for instance, but they will not judge for blasphemy, and they will not judge for idol worship. We hope for the day when a true Noahide court exists, one whose purpose is to ensure society is genuinely conducted according to all seven commandments. Today’s situation is only a partial achievement.



By Rabbi Moshe Bernstein

Sources:

Deuteronomy 26:10-11. Rashi, Deuteronomy 26:10. Sefer HaSichot 5748, Vol. 2, p. 636 – Explanation of the spiritual concept of the “first,” serving G-d with joy, and its radiation over the entire course of life.



If you want more questions for contemplation, SEE THE OTHER BLOGS FROM RABBI MOSHE BERNSTEIN

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