He noahide

1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

commanded

the LORD

God

the man

saying

Of every tree of the garden

thou mayest freely eat

9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

9:4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

10:1 A non-Jew who accidentally violates one of his (Seven) Commandments is exempt from punishment, except for an accidental murderer. For if a Blood Avenger kills him, he is not killed. He104 has no City of Refuge and their courts do not execute him. To what do we refer? To someone who accidentally and without intention violates one of the commandments as, for example, if he had sexual intercourse with his friend’s wife and thought that she was his wife or that she was single. However, if he knew that she was his friend’s wife, but did not know that she was forbidden to him and thought this was permitted for him, or if he killed someone and he did not know that it is forbidden to kill, this is considered to be “close” to having committed the act “On Purpose”, and he is executed. This is not considered as an accidental sin for them since he should have learned what the Law is, and didn’t.

10:10 A non-Jew113 who wishes to perform another Torah Commandment114 (merely) in order to receive a reward is not prevented from so doing in the Halochically correct way. Thus, if he brings the Olah (burnt) offering, we accept it from him. If he gives charity, we accept it from him. It appears to me, however, that we give these monies to the Jewish poor since he (the Resident Convert) is sustained by Israel, and they have a commandment to keep them (the Jews) alive. However, if a non-Jew115 gives charity, we take it and give it to the non-Jewish poor116.

10:11 The Jewish Court must set up judges for the Resident Converts to judge them in accordance with these statutes. This is so that the world will not come to be destroyed117. If the Court sees that it can appoint judges from among them, then it should do so. If the Court sees that it must appoint Jewish judges118, then it may do so.

10:12 Two non-Jews who appear before you to be judged in accordance with Jewish Law and wish to be judged in accordance with the Torah, are so judged. One wishes to be judged so and the other not, he is not forced to be judged except by their own laws. If a Jew and a non-Jew appear before us and we can learn merit for the Jew in accordance with their laws, we judge them in accordance with their laws and we say to him, ‘this is your law’. But if the Jew has merit in accordance with our Law, we judge him by Torah Law and tell him ‘this is our Law’. It appears to me that we do not do this with a Resident Convert, but we always judge him by his laws. And so it appears to me that we treat a Resident Convert as we would a Jew, that is with respect and loving-kindness, since we are commanded to keep him alive119, as it says, “to the stranger who is within your gates you shall give, that he may eat of it” (Deut. 14:21). Our Sages have said that we do not double120 our saying of Shalom refers to the non-Jews121, but we do with a Resident Convert. And that that our Sages have commanded us to visit their sick and bury their dead along with Jewish dead, and sustain their poor along122 with the poor of Israel is for the “sake of peace”, since it says, “G-d is good to all, and His mercies extend upon all his works” (Psalms 145:9) and it says, “her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace" (Proverbs 3:17).

10:2 A non-Jew may violate one of the Commandments if he is forced105 to do so. Even if he was forced to worship idols, he may do so, since non-Jews are not commanded to Sanctify the Name. A non-Jewish child or a deaf person or a mentally-deficient person may never be punished, since these people are not obligated in the Commandments.

10:3 We ignore the request of a non-Jew who had converted and was circumcised and immersed, and now wishes to turn away from G-d and change his status to Resident Convert as he was before. Rather, he is to conduct himself like any other Jew, or he will be executed. A child can annul his conversion when he grows up if he had been immersed by the Court when he was a minor. He may only become a Resident Convert. However, if he didn’t annul his conversion at that time106, he cannot do so later, and he becomes a Righteous Convert. Therefore, the money from the marriage contract of a minor girl107 who the Court has immersed or the “rape fine” or the “seduction fine” will all be given to and held by the Court until she grows up and she does not reject her conversion. This is done lest she take the money, grow up, deny her conversion and utilize monies to which, as a non-Jewess, she has no rights, except by Jewish Law108.

10:4 A non-Jew who “blessed” G-d or worshiped idols or had relations with a married woman or killed someone, and then converted, is exempt from punishment. If he killed a Jew or had relations with a married Jewish woman and converted, he is liable for punishment. He is executed109 for killing the Jew or strangled for having relations with a married Jewish woman, for here his verdict changes.

10:5 We have already explained that all death penalties for non-Jews are by the sword, except if he had relations with a married Jewish woman or with an engaged girl. In those cases he is executed by stoning. If he had relations with a woman after she had come under the marital canopy, but had not consummated her marriage, he is strangled to death.

10:6 By Tradition we know that non-Jews are also forbidden to cross-breed animals, and are not permitted to graft trees, only110. They are not executed for these violations. A non-Jew who hits a Jew, even if he just injures him a bit, is not executed, even though he deserves it.

10:7 Circumcision was only commanded of Abraham and his descendents, as it says, “You and your descendents who will follow you throughout the generations” (Genesis 17:9). Ishmael’s descendents are excluded from this Commandment, as it says, “For through Isaac shall your descendents be called yours” (Genesis 21:12). Esau is excluded since Isaac said to Jacob, “and he shall give the blessing of Abraham to you and to your descendents” (Genesis 28:4). Since he, alone, was the descendent of Abraham who stood fast with his religion and his upright ways, it is his progeny who were commanded with circumcision.

10:8 Our Sages have said that the sons of Ketura, those who are the descendents of Abraham who came after Ishmael and Isaac, are obligated with (the Commandment of) circumcision. However, today, since the descendents of Ishmael have commingled with the children of Ketura, all of them are obligated with circumcision on the eighth day. However, they are not executed111.

10:9 A non-Jew who busied himself with Torah is liable with his life112. He must involve himself in their Seven Commandments only. Similarly, a non-Jew who “rested” as one would on Shabbos, even on a weekday, is liable with the death penalty. There is no reason to mention (that he is culpable) if he invented his own holiday. The principle here is that we do not permit them to make a new religion and create new commandments for themselves based on their own reasoning. They may only become Righteous Converts and accept upon themselves all the Commandments, or they must observe their own (Seven) Laws only, and not add or detract from them. If a non-Jew busied himself with Torah or made Shabbos or made up something new, we give him lashes and punish him and tell him that he is liable with the death penalty for doing this. But he is not executed.

8:1 Those courageous soldiers (or front-line troops) who cross the borders into non-Jewish lands, capture them and take prisoners are permitted to eat non-Kosher meats69, swine and so on, if they are hungry and could not find anything to eat except for these forbidden foods. They may also drink wine offered in the service of idolatry. By Tradition we have learned that “houses filled with all good” (Deut. 6:11) means beheaded boar, and the like.

8:10 Moses our Teacher did not bequeath the Torah and the Commandments to anyone but to Israel, as it says, “the Heritage of the Congregation of Jacob” (Deut. 33:4), and to anyone from the other nations who wishes to convert, as it says, “as you, as a convert” (Numbers 15:15). However, no one who does not want to convert is forced to accept the Torah and the Commandments. Moses our Teacher was commanded by the Almighty to compel the world to accept the Commandments of the Sons of Noah. Anyone who fails to accept them is executed. Anyone who does accept them upon himself is called a Convert Who May Reside Anywhere79. He must accept them in front of three wise and learned Jews. However, anyone who agrees to be circumcised and twelve months have elapsed and he was not as yet circumcised is no different than any other member of the nations of the world80.

8:11 Anyone who accepts upon himself and carefully observes the Seven Commandments is of the Righteous of the Nations of the World and has a portion in the World to Come. This is as long as he accepts and performs them because (he truly believes that) it was the Holy One, Blessed Be He, Who commanded them in the Torah, and that is was through Moses our Teacher we were informed that the Sons of Noah had already been commanded to observe them. But if he observes them because he convinced himself logically81, then he is not considered a Resident Convert and is not of the Righteous of the Nations of the World, but merely one of their wise.

8:2 Similarly, one may have sexual intercourse with a non-Jewish woman if his lust gets the better of him. But, he must not just have intercourse with her and go. Rather, he must take her home, as it says, “and when you see a Woman of Beauty among the captives” (Deut. 21:11). He may not have intercourse with her a second time until he marries her.

8:3 The Woman of Beauty is permitted only in the hour of capture, as it says, “and you see her among the captives” (Deut. 21:11). This is applicable whether or not she is a virgin. Even if she is a married woman this Law applies since there is no concept of forbidden interpersonal relationships among the non-Jews70. From “And you desire her” (ibid.) we learn - even if she is not pretty; from “unto her” (ibid.) we learn - and not with her friend, for you may not have relations with a second one; from “and you shall take her as a wife” (ibid.) we learn - you may not take two and have relations with one and leave the other for your father or brother. From where do we know that we do not coerce her (to have relations) during the war71, as it says, “and you shall bring her home” (Deut. 21:12). He must take her back to the city72 and only then he may have relations with her.

8:4 A Kohen, too, is permitted to have this one-time intercourse with a Woman of Beauty, for the Torah only permitted this to appease the (Evil) Inclination. But he may not marry her afterwards because she will then be a convert.

8:5 What are the details of the Jewish Law of the Woman of Beauty? (Even) after he has had the first intercourse with her, she still remains a non-Jewess. Now, if she accepts upon herself the Wings of the Shechinoh (Holy Presence)73, she immediately74 immerses in a Mikveh for purposes of conversion. If she does not wish to do accept this, she sits in his house for thirty days, as it says, “and she cries for her father and mother, for a month of days” (Deut. 21:13). He does not prevent her from weeping for her religion75. She grows her fingernails long and shaves her head so that she will appear despicable in his eyes. She is to remain in the house with him. When he comes in, he sees her, and when he leaves, he sees her. This is done so that he will come to loathe her. He discusses matters with her in order to induce her to convert for thirty days. If she accepts and he still wants her, she converts and immerses, as do all converts.

8:6 In all, she must wait three months: one month of wailing, and two months thereafter. He then may marry her with a Kesuba (marriage contract) and Kiddushin (sanctification). If he does not want her, he releases her on her own. If he sells her76, he violates the Negative Commandment “and you may not sell her for money, you shall not deal with her as a slave, because you have humbled her” (Deut. 21:14). The sale is invalid and he must return the money. If he first had relations with her and then seized her for the purposes of making her a maidservant, once he uses her as such, he violates a Negative Precept, as it says, “you shall not deal with her as a slave” (Deut. 21:14), that is, he must not have her serve him.

8:7 If (at first) she does not want to convert, (we) talk with her repeatedly for twelve months. If she still doesn’t want to (fully) convert, she may accept the Seven Noahide commandments, and he sends her away on her own. She then has the same status as any other Resident Convert. He cannot marry her, for we cannot marry anyone who has not fully converted.

8:8 If she became pregnant from their first intercourse, the child is a convert. However, it is not the father’s child in every respect77, since the mother was a non-Jewess. However, the Court immerses the child with (without?) their consent78. Tamar was born from a first intercourse with a Woman of Beauty, while Avshalom was born after the wedding. Thus Tamar was (Halochically) Avshalom’s sister on their mother’s side (only) and she was permitted to marry Amnon, as it says, “now speak with the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” (II Samuel 13:13).

8:9 A Woman of Beauty who does not want to forsake (her) idolatry after the twelve months is executed. Similarly, we do not make a treaty with a city which came and made peace with us until they completely relinquish their idolatry, destroy its places, and accept the rest of the Commandments commanded of the Sons of Noah. For any non-Jew who is under our jurisdiction and fails to accept the Noahide Commandments is executed.

9:1 Adam, the first man, was commanded with six commandments: 1) idolatry, 2) “blessing” (euphemistically) the Name (of G-d), 3) murder, 4) illicit sexual relations, 5) thievery and, 6) establishing a system of justice. Even though all of these have been received as a Tradition from Moses our Teacher and we can understand the rationale for them, nevertheless, from (verses in) the Torah (we learn that) it was these that they were commanded. A seventh commandment forbidding the eating of a limb torn from a live animal was added for Noah, as it says, “Even flesh, life is in the blood, do not eat of it” (Genesis 9:4). These commandments were universally applicable - until Abraham. With Abraham, circumcision was also commanded and he prayed Shacharis (the Morning Prayer). Isaac separated out a tithe and added another prayer in the afternoon and, with Jacob, the prohibition against eating the sciatic nerve was added, as was the Maariv (Evening) Prayer. In Egypt, Amram was commanded with other precepts82 and, with Moses our Teacher, the Torah was completed.

9:10 He is liable for punishment for eating any amount of the limb of a living animal or the flesh from a living animal. For measures and sizes were given for Israel only. Non-Jews are permitted to consume blood from a live animal.

9:11 The Law is the same regarding a limb or flesh which separated from the animal or beast. However, it appears to me, that a non-Jew is not executed for eating the limb of a live bird.

9:12 Any limb or flesh which falls off of a slaughtered animal, even though both its signs99 were cut is forbidden to the non-Jew because of the prohibition of eating a limb from a live animal as long as the animal is still quivering about100.

9:13 Anything which is forbidden to a Jew because of the prohibition of eating flesh from a live animal is also forbidden for a non-Jew. There are cases when it would be forbidden for a non-Jew, but not for a Jew. For a non-Jew, there is no difference if it is an animal or a beast, whether it was a non-kosher (species of) animal or a kosher (species of) animal. In all these cases, non-Jews are obligated in the prohibition of eating a limb or flesh from a live animal. Limbs and flesh which separated from the quivering animal are forbidden to a non-Jew because of this prohibition, even though a Jew slaughtered it through both its signs.

9:14 What must they do to fulfill their requirement regarding the Law of Justice? They have to set up magistrates and judges in each district to judge the people with regard to these Six Commandments; and they must issue warnings (about them) to the people. A non-Jew who violates one of the Seven Commandments is executed by means of the sword. 101How is this so? Anyone who worships idols or blasphemed or murdered or had sexual relations with one of those forbidden to him or stole even less than the value of a Prutah or ate any amount from a limb or the flesh of a live animal or saw someone else violate one of these and failed to judge and execute him, is himself executed by means of the sword. It was for this reason all residents of the City of Shechem deserved to be executed. For Shechem kidnapped102, and they saw and knew and failed to judge him. A non-Jew is executed by the testimony of one, and with one judge, without forewarning, and by the testimony of relatives, but not by the testimony of a woman103. A woman may not judge for them.

9:2 A non-Jew who worships idols is culpable83, if he worships the idol in its own peculiar way84. Any type of idolatry which would result in the death penalty in a Jewish Court, would be cause for a non-Jew to be put to death. Similarly, any act committed for which a Jewish Court would not assign the death penalty, would not be cause for the execution of a non-Jew. Yet, even though he would not be executed, all (acts) are forbidden (to him). We do not allow them to set up a monument nor plant an (idolatrous) Ashera tree nor make (human) forms, and so on, even for decorative purposes.

9:3 A non-Jew who “blesses” the Name, whether he “blesses” with one of the special Names85 or with one of the sobriquets86, in any language, is liable. This is not so with a Jew87.

9:4 A non-Jew who kills someone, even a fetus in its mother’s womb, is executed. Even if he kills someone who has an incurable, terminal illness, or tied someone up and placed him in front of a lion or he let him starve until he died is liable since he caused someone to die. Similarly, if he killed a Pursuer88 when he could have saved his friend by merely injuring one of the Pursuer’s limbs, is also executed. This is not the case with a Jew.

9:5 Six are forbidden to the non-Jew89: 1) his mother, 2) his father’s wife, 3) a married woman, 4) his maternal sister, 5) a male, and 6) an animal. From “and so a man will leave his father” (Genesis 2:24), we learn of the prohibition with his father’s wife; “and his mother” (ibid.) – this is learned in its literal sense; from “and cleave to his wife” (ibid.) we deduce - and not his friend’s wife; from “his wife90” (ibid.) - and not with a male; from “and they shall be as one flesh” (ibid.) - we learn about the animal or beast or bird since he and they are not of the same flesh; and it says, “she is indeed my sister the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother. And so she became my wife.” (Genesis 20:12).

9:6 A non-Jew is culpable if he has relations with the one whom his father had seduced or raped. What this really means is his mother. He is forbidden to his father’s wife even after his father’s death. He is forbidden to have relations with any male, whether a minor or an adult, nor with any animal whether young or fully-grown. He alone is executed and not the animal, since an animal is only killed if it had relations with a Jew.

9:7 A non-Jew is not liable for punishment with regard to his friend’s wife until he has intercourse with her in the normal way, and this only after she has already had marital relations with her husband. However, if she was only engaged or she was brought under the marital canopy91, but the marriage was not as yet consummated, he is not liable for having had relations with her, as it says, “and she, one who has had relations with a man” (Genesis 20:3). To what do we refer? To a non-Jew who had relations with a non-Jewess. But a non-Jew who had relations with a Jewess, whether in the normal fashion or not in the normal fashion is culpable. If she was an engaged girl92, he is stoned, as would be a Jew. If he had relations with her after she had come under the canopy, but the marriage was not as yet consummated, he is strangled to death, as would a Jew. If he had relations with a married Jewish woman has consummated her marriage with her husband, then (the Law) is the same as if he had relations with his non-Jewish friend’s wife, and he is killed by means of the sword.

9:8 A non-Jew who had relations with a maidservant who he united93 with his slave is executed because of the prohibition of having relations with his fellow’s wife. He is not culpable unless it was publicly known that she belonged to such and such a slave. From when is she considered permitted94? When he separates her from his slave and shakes loose her hair in the market. And when is one of their95 married women considered like one of our divorcees? From the time he expels her from his house and sends her off on her own, or from when she leaves on her own from his property. For the Gentiles do not have a written bill of divorce96 and the matter is not dependent upon him alone. Rather, whenever either he or she wishes to separate97, they (may) separate.

9:9 A non-Jew is liable to punishment because of thievery whether he stole from a non-Jew or a Jew, whether he stole or robbed money or kidnapped or withheld an employee’s wages or the like. Even if he was a worker and ate98 at a time when he wasn’t working, he, too, is a thief and is culpable, which is not the case with a Jew. A non-Jew is liable for thievery for stealing even the value of less than a Prutah (penny). If a non-Jew stole less than the value of a Prutah, and another came and stole from him, both are executed.

34:13 AND THE SONS OF JACOB ANSWERED SHECHEM AND HAMOR HIS FATHER WITH SUBTLETY. Now Hamor and Shechem spoke to her father and her brothers,140 but the patriarch did not answer them at all as his sons spoke in his place on this matter out of respect for him for since the affair was a source of shame to them, they did not want him to speak about it at all.There is a question which may be raised here. It would appear that they answered with the concurrence of her father and his advice for they were in his presence, and it was he who understood the answer which they spoke with subtlety, and, if so, why was he angry afterwards?141 Moreover, it is inconceivable that Jacob would have consented to give his daughter in marriage to a Canaanite who had defiled her. Now surely all the brothers gave that answer with subtlety, while Simeon and Levi alone executed the deed, and the father cursed only their wrath.142 [But if all the brothers shared responsibility for the answer and the plan, why did Jacob single out only Simeon and Levi for chastisement?] The answer is that the craftiness lay in their saying that every male of theirs be circumcised,143 as they thought that the people of the city will not consent to it. Even if perchance they will listen to their prince and they will all become circumcised, they will come on the third day, when they were in pain,144 and will take their daughter145 from the house of Shechem. Now this was the advice of all the brothers and with the permission of their father, but Simeon and Levi wanted to take revenge of them and so they killed all the men of the city.It is possible that Jacob’s anger in cursing their wrath142 was because they killed the men of the city who had committed no sin against him; they should have killed Shechem alone. It is this which Scripture says, And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with subtlety, and spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their sister, for they all agreed to speak to him craftily because of the base deed which he had done to them.Now many people ask: “But how did the righteous sons of Jacob commit this deed, spilling innocent blood?” The Rabbi (Moshe ben Maimon) answered in his Book of Judges,146 saying that “sons of Noah”147, Note 222. are commanded concerning Laws, and thus they are required to appoint judges in each and every district to give judgment concerning their six commandments148 which are obligatory upon all mankind. “And a Noachide who transgresses one of them is subject to the death-penalty by the sword. If he sees a person transgressing one of these seven148 laws and does not bring him to trial for a capital crime, he who saw him is subject to the same death-penalty. It was on account of this that the people of Shechem had incurred the death-penalty because Shechem committed an act of robbery and they saw and knew of it, but they did not bring him to trial.”But these words do not appear to me to be correct for if so, our father Jacob should have been the first to obtain the merit of causing their death, and if he was afraid of them, why was he angry at his sons and why did he curse their wrath a long time after that and punish them by dividing them and scattering them in Israel?142 Were they not meritorious, fulfilling a commandment and trusting in G-d Who saved them?In my opinion, the meaning of “Laws” which the Rabbis have counted among their seven Noachidic commandments148 is not just that they are to appoint judges in each and every district, but He commanded them concerning the laws of theft, overcharge, wronging, and a hired man’s wages; the laws of guardians of property, forceful violation of a woman, seduction, principles of damage and wounding a fellowman; laws of creditors and debtors, and laws of buying and selling, and their like, similar in scope to the laws with which Israel was charged, and involving the death-penalty for stealing, wronging or violating or seducing the daughter of his fellowman, or kindling his stack, or wounding him, and their like. And it is also included in this commandment that they appoint judges for each and every city, just as Israel was commanded to do,149 but if they failed to do so they are free of the death-penalty since this is a positive precept of theirs [and failing to fulfill a positive precept does not incur the death-penalty]. The Rabbis have only said:150 “For violation of their admonishments there is the death-penalty,” and only a prohibition against doing something is called an “admonishment.” And such is the purport of the Gemara in Tractate Sanhedrin.151 And in the Jerusalem Talmud152 they have said: “With respect to Noachide laws, a judge who perverts justice is to be slain. If he took a bribe he is to be slain. With respect to Jewish laws, [if after having heard both parties] you know perfectly well what the proper legal decision should be, you are not permitted to withdraw from the case without rendering a decision, and if you know that it is not perfectly clear to you, you may withdraw from the case. But with respect to their laws, even though you know the law perfectly well you may withdraw from it.” From this it would appear that a non-Jewish judge may say to the litigants, “I am not beholden to you,” for it is only in Israel that there is an additional admonishment — “‘Lo thaguru’ (ye shall not be afraid) of the face of any man,”153 meaning, “You shall not gather in, [i.e., restrain], your words before any man”154 and ogeir (gathering) as in the expression, gathering in summer, (Proverbs 10:5). — and surely he is not to be slain for failing to make himself chief, overseer, or ruler155 in order to judge superiors. [Ramban thus disagrees with Rambam, who writes that the people of Shechem had incurred the death-penalty by not having brought Shechem to justice.] Moreover, why does the Rabbi [Moshe ben Maimon] have to seek to establish their guilt? Were not the people of Shechem and all seven nations156 idol worshippers, perpetrators of unchaste acts, and practitioners of all things that are abominable to G-d? In many places Scripture loudly proclaims concerning them: Upon the high mountains, and upon their hills, and under every leafy tree, etc.;157, 12:2. Thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations, etc.?158, 18:9. For all these abominations have the men of the land done, etc.159 However, it was not the responsibility of Jacob and his sons to bring them to justice.But the matter of Shechem was that the people of Shechem were wicked [by virtue of their violation of the seven Noachide laws]148 and had thereby forfeited their lives. Therefore Jacob’s sons wanted to take vengeance of them with a vengeful sword, and so they killed the king and all the men of his city who were his subjects, obeying his commands. The covenant represented by the circumcision of the inhabitants of Shechem had no validity in the eyes of Jacob’s sons for it was done to curry favor with their master [and did not represent a genuine conversion]. But Jacob told them here that they had placed him in danger, as it is said, You have troubled me, to make me odious,160 and there,142 [i.e., at the time he blessed the other children], he cursed the wrath of Simeon and Levi for they had done violence to the men of the city whom they had told in his presence, And we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.161 They would have chosen to believe in G-d and trust their word, and perhaps they might have indeed returned to G-d and thus Simeon and Levi killed them without cause for the people had done them no evil at all. It is this which Jacob said, Weapons of violence are their kinship.162 And if we are to believe in the book, ‘The Wars of the Sons of Jacob,’163. See Eisenstein, Otzar Midrashim, p. 157, and L. Ginzberg’s, The Legends of the Jews, Vol. I, pp. 404-411. their father’s fear was due to the fact that the neighbors of Shechem gathered together and waged three major wars against them, and were it not for their father who also donned his weapons and warred against them, they would have been in danger, as is related in that book. Our Rabbis have mentioned something of this conflict in their commentary on the verse, Which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.164 They said,165 See also Bereshith Rabbah 80:9. “All the surrounding nations gathered together to join in battle against them, and Jacob donned his weapons to war against them,” just as Rashi writes there.164 Scripture, however, is brief about this because it was a hidden miracle,166 for the sons of Jacob were valiant men, and it appeared as if their own arm saved them.167 Scripture is similarly brief about the matter of Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees,168 and it did not at all mention Esau’s wars with the Horites. Instead, Scripture mentions here that there was the terror of G-d upon the cities that were round them,169 and they did not all assemble to pursue after the sons of Jacob169 for they would have fallen upon them as the sand which is on the sea-shore in multitude.170 And this is the meaning of the terror of G-d,169 for the terror and dread171 of the military prowess they had seen fell upon them. Therefore Scripture says, And Jacob came to Luz… he and all the people that were with him,172 in order to inform us that not one man among them or their servants was lost in warfare.173

1:29 "To you shall they be for food and for all of the animals of the earth:" The verse equated them with the beasts and the animals concerning food, and [so] did not permit Adam and his wife to kill a creature and eat meat. Rather, only all green herbs would they all eat together. And when the sons of Noach arrived (after the flood), He permitted meat to them, as it is stated (below, Genesis 9:3), "every crawling thing, which is alive, etc. like the green herb" which I permitted to Adam, "have I given you everything."

56a:10 I could say that it is pronouncing the name, as it is stated (Numbers 1:17), "And Moshe and Aharon took these men that they pronounced (nikvu) by name"; and its prohibition was from here: "You shall fear the Lord, your God" (Deuteronomy 6:13).

56a:11 [For] one, it requires [that the action be done to] the name by the name, and [it] is not [possible with this understanding of the word]. And also, it would be a positive prohibition; and a positive prohibition is not called a prohibition.

56a:12 And if you want, I could say the verse stated (Leviticus 24:11), "And he blasphemed (vayikov) […] and he cursed," which is to say that nokev is [the saying of a type of] a curse.

56a:13 And maybe [he is not guilty] until he does both of them (blaspheme and curse)? It would not come into your mind, as it is written (Leviticus 24:14), "Take out the curser," and it is not written, "Take out the blasphemer and curser." We understand from this that it is one thing.

56a:14 Our rabbis taught, [The verse could have said,] "a man." [So] what is the Torah teaching us by saying "any a man" (Leviticus 24:14)? It's to include idolaters, that they are prohibited in 'blessing' the name [of God], like a Jew; but they are only executed by the sword, because all executions mentioned for the Noachides are only by the sword.

56a:15 Is this [really] extrapolated from here? It is extrapolated from there: "the Lord" (Genesis 2:16) - this is [teaching the prohibition of 'blessing' the name [of God].

56a:16 Rabbi Yitzchak Nafcha says "We only need [the verse that says 'any man'] to include [blasphemy with] substituted names [in the prohibition], and according to Rabbi Meir."

56a:17 As we learned, "'Any a man who curses his God will carry his sin' (Leviticus 24:14). What is the Torah teaching us - was it not already stated (Leviticus 24:16), 'And he who blasphemes the name will surely be put to death?' Since it is stated, 'And he who blasphemes the name will surely be put to death,' it could be that he would only be liable [for the death penalty] on the explicit name (shem hameforash); from where [do we know] to include substitute names? [That is why] it teaches to say, 'a man who curses his God' in any case - these are the words of Rabbi Meir.

56a:18 But the sages say, 'On the explicit name with death and on substitute names with a prohibition.'" And [Rabbi Yitzchak Nafcha] is in disagreement with that of Rabbi Meisha.

56a:19 Since Rabbi Meisha said, "A Noachide who 'blesses' the name [of God] with substitute names is liable [for the death penalty] according to [the sages]."

56a:20 What is the reason? Since the verse stated (Leviticus 24:16), "like the stranger (convert), like the native" - that is when we require that he blasphemed the [explicit] name; but with an idolater, it is even with a substitute name.

56a:21 And Rabbi Meir - that "like the stranger (convert), like the native" - would did he do with it? The convert and the native with stoning, the idolater with the sword. You would think to say, Since [the idolaters] are included, they are included [completely (even with regard to the actual death penalty). That is why] it implies to teach us [otherwise].

56a:22 And Rabbi Yitzchak Nafcha according to [the sages] - that "like the stranger (convert), like the native" - would did he do with it? The convert and the native - that is when we require [that the action be done to] the name by the name; but with an idolater, we do not require the name by the name.

56a:23 [According to the sages], why do I need, "any a man?" The Torah spoke in the language of man (according to popular parlance).

56a:24 Our rabbis taught: The Noachides were commanded regarding seven commandments: (1) Justice, (2) Blasphemy, (3) Idol Worship, (4) Sexual Immorality (5) Murder, (6) Robbery (7) Eating the limb of a living animal.

56a:5 Shmuel said, "Since the verse stated (Leviticus 24:16), 'And he who blasphemes (nokev) the name, etc., in his blaspheming of the name will he be put to death.'"

56a:6 From where [do we know] that this [term,] nokev is an expression of ‘blessing?’ As it is written (Numbers 23:8), "What will I curse (nokev), that God did not curse" (wherein the usage of this word clearly reflects cursing); and its prohibition is from here: "God will you not curse" (Exodus 22:27).

56a:7 But I could say, it is [a term of] piercing, as it is written (II Kings 12:10), "and he pierced (vayikov) a hole in its door"; and its prohibition is from here: "and you shall destroy their name; you will not do so to the Lord, your God" (Deuteronomy 12:3).

56a:8 It requires [that the action be done to] the name by the name, and [this] is not [possible with piercing].

56a:9 But I could say he placed two names upon one another and pierced them. That would [only] be piercing and piercing again. But I could say, that he engraved the name on the blade of a knife and pierced [another name] with it. That is the power of the knife (and not the name) that is certainly piercing.

56b:1 Rabbi Chaninah ben (Gamla) said: Also regarding [eating] the blood of a living animal. Rabbi Chidka said: Also regarding castration. Rabbi Shimon said: Also regarding sorcery.

56b:10 Rav Chisda and Rav Yitzchak bar Avidimi answered that question. One said: (Exodus 32:8) "They have quickly turned from the path that they have been commanded to follow and have made themselves [a golden calf]." The other one said: (Hosea 5:11), "Ephraim is defrauded, robbed of justice, because he has witlessly gone after futility."

56b:11 What is the difference? Here is the difference: Someone non-Jewish who made an idol and didn't worship it. The one says "they have made" thinks the problem is the moment when the idol is made. The one who says, "he has witlessly gone after" the prohibition does not start until he goes and worships the idol.

56b:2 Rabbi Yossi said: All that is said in the [Biblical] passage of sorcery, a Noahide is enjoined about — (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one that useth divination, a soothsayer, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or one that consulteth a ghost or a familiar spirit, or a necromancer... and because of these abominations the LORD thy God is driving them out from before thee." — and they could not be punished unless they had been enjoined.

56b:20 A baraita teaches: Just as Israel was commanded to establish courts in every single town and every single city. So too the Children of Noah are commanded to establish courts in every single town and every single city.

56b:22 The school of Menace taught: There are seven mitzvot that were commanded to the Children of Noah: (1)Idol worship, (2) Sexual transgressions, (3) Bloodshed, (4) Theft, (5) Eating the limb of an living animal, (6) castration, (7) mixing two species together.

56b:23 Rabbi Yehudah says: The first man was commanded only against idol worship, as it says, "and the Lord God commanded the man." Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says: He was also commanded against blasphemy and also to establish courts.

56b:3 Rabbi Elazar said: Also regarding kilayim [hybridization]. Noahides are permitted to wear kilayim [i.e. mixed wool and linen], and to plant kilayim [i.e. specific combinations of plants], and are only forbidden from breeding [mixed species of] domesticated animal and grafting trees.

56b:4 How do we know this? Rabbi Yochanan said: The Torah says, (Genesis 2:16) "And the Lord God commanded the man saying, 'You may certainly eat of every tree of the garden.'"

56b:5 "And he commanded" means establishing justice. For it says (Genesis 18:19): "For I know concerning him that he will command his children after him."

56b:6 "Hashem" that is a reference to the prohibition against blasphemy. As it says (Leviticus 24:16), "Anyone who curses the name of the Lord shall be certainly killed." "God" is a reference to idol worship as it says (Exodus 20:2), "There shall not be for you any other gods." "Upon Man" this is the prohibition against bloodshed. And so it says (Genesis 9:6), "One who spills human blood etc...."

56b:7 "Saying" this is a reference to sexual transgressions. As it says (Jeremiah 3:1) "Saying, a man sends away his wife and she goes to live with another man." "From any tree in the garden" - but not something stolen. "You shall eat" but don't eat a limb from a living animal.

56b:8 When Rabbi Yitzchak came, he taught it differently. "And he commanded" is a reference to idol worship. "Elohim" is a reference to establishing justice.

56b:9 I understand why he thinks the word "Elohim" is a reference to justice since the Torah says (Exodus 22:7), and the litigants shall approach the judges (Elohim). But, "and he commanded" why does that suggest the prohibition against idol worship?

9:4 The sons of Noach were given seven commandments: courts, idolatry, [blasphemy,] forbidden sexual relations, bloodshed, theft, and [consuming] the limb of a living animal. Justice, how so? Just as Jews are commanded to set up courts in their cities, so too are the sons of Noach commanded to set up courts in their cities. Idolatry and blasphemy, how so? The sons of Noach are executed only with the sword. Forbidden sexual relations, how so? Any prohibited sexual relation that a Jewish court would inflict capital punishment, the sons of Noach are forbidden [from doing so]. And every prohibited sexual relation that a Jewish court would prohibit, the sons of Noach are put to death on their account according to Rabbi Meir. But the Sages say, there are many forbidden sexual relations on account of which a court would not inflict capital punishment and about which the sons of Noach are not warned. For engaging in a forbidden sexual relationship, a Jew is judged according to the Jewish law and idolators are judged by the law of idolators. I have only the prohibition on a young woman alone. Bloodshed, how so? An idolator [who kills] an idolator or an idolator who kills a Jew are liable. A Jew [who kills] an idolator is exempt. Theft, how so? One who stole or robbed or [took] a female war captive and so on, an idolator [who did so to] an idolator or an idolator [who did so] to a Jew, it is prohibited. A Jew [who did so] to an idolator, it is permitted. [Eating] from the limb of a living animal, how so? A limb loosely connected to an animal and it is not brought up [enough] for healing is prohibited for a son of Noach and one needn’t even mention a Jew. And if it is brought up enough for healing, it is permitted to a Jew, and one needn’t even mention a son of Noach. If one took a bird which is not an olive’s-bulk and ate it, Rabbi would exempt him and Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon would obligate him. And if the limb of it makes someone liable, shouldn’t the whole of it make someone liable? If one strangled it and ate it, he is exempt. Rabbi Hananya ben Gamliel said, on account of blood from a living animal. Rabbi Hidqa says, on account of castration. Rabbi Shimon says, on account of sorcery. Rabbi Yosei says, all that is said in the parsha of the sons of Noach they are warned, as it says, “Let no one be found among you who consigns a son or daughter to the fire . . . one who casts spells . . . for anyone who does so is abhorrent to God” (Deut 18:10-12). Is it possible that scripture has subjected [one to punishment] without forewarning? Rather it warns and after that subjects [one to punishment]. This teaches that it warns first and after that subjects [one to punishment]. Rabbi Elazar says, all kilayim are permitted to the sons of Noach to sow or to wear kilayim. It is prohibited to breed [mixed animals] or graft trees.