Noahidism or B’nai Noah—sons of Noah—refers to, arguably, a family of watered–down versions of Orthodox Judaism. A majority of Orthodox Jews, and most members of the broad spectrum of Jewish movements overall, do not proselytize or, borrowing Christian terminology, “evangelize” or “witness.” In the U.S., an even larger number of Jews, as with this writer’s own family of orientation or origin, never affiliated with any Jewish movement. Noahidism may have given some groups of Orthodox Jews a method, arguably an excuse, to bypass the custom of nonconversion. Those Orthodox Jews are, in any event, simply breaking with convention, not with a scriptural ordinance. Although Noahidism is based ,MP3], Tạləmūḏ]תַּלְמּוד ,upon the Talmud (Hebrew “instruction”), not the Bible, the text itself does not explicitly call for a Noahidism per se. Numerous commandments supposedly mandated for the sons of Noah or heathen are considered within the context of a rabbinical conversation. Two only partially overlapping enumerations of seven “precepts” are provided. Furthermore, additional precepts, not incorporated into either list, are mentioned. The frequently referenced “seven laws of the sons of Noah” are, therefore, misleading and, indeed, arithmetically incorrect. By my count, precisely a dozen are specified. Although I, honestly, fail to understand why individuals would self–identify with a faith which labels them as “heathen,” that is their business, not mine. The translations will follow a series of quotations pertinent to this monotheistic and ,MP3], tạləmūḏiy]תַּלְמּודִ י ,talmudic (Hebrew “instructive”) new religious movement (NRM). Indeed, the first passage quoted below was excerpted from the translated source text for Noahidism: Our Rabbis taught: [Any man that curseth his God, shall bear his sin. It would have been sufficient to say], “A man, etc:” What is taught by the expression any man? The inclusion of heathens, to whom blasphemy is prohibited just as to Israelites, and they are executed by decapitation; for every death penalty decreed for the sons of Noah is only by decapitation. Now, is [the prohibition of blasphemy to heathens] deduced from this verse? But it is deduced from another, viz., The Lord, referring to the ‘blessing’ of the Divine Name. — R. Isaac the smith replied; This phrase [“any man”] is necessary only as teaching the inclusion of substitutes of God’s name, and the Baraitha is taught in accordance with R. Meir’s views For it has been taught: Any man that curseth his God shall bear his sin. Why is this written? Has it not already been stated, And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death? Because it is stated, And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death, I might think that death is meted out only when the ineffable Name is employed. Whence do I know that all substitutes [of the ineffable Name] are included [in this law]? From the verse, Any man that curseth his God-shewing culpability for any manner of blasphemy [even without uttering the Name, since the Name is not mentioned in this sentence]: this is the view of R. Meir. But the Sages maintain: [Blasphemy] with use of the ineffable Name, is punishable by death: with the employment of substitutes, it is the object of an injunction. [but not punishable by death]. This view [of R. Isaac the smith] conflicts with that of R. Miyasha; for R. Miyasha said: If a heathen [son of Noah] blasphemed, employing substitutes of the ineffable Name, he is in the opinion of the Sages punishable by death. Why so? — Because it is written, as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land [when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death]. This teaches that only the stranger [i.e.. a proselyte], and the native [i.e., a natural born Israelite] must utter the ineffable Name; but the heathen is punishable even for a substitute only. But how does R. Meir interpret the verse, “as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land”? — It teaches that the stranger and citizen are stoned, but a heathen is decapitated. For I would think, since they are included [in the prohibition], they are included [in the manner of execution too]: hence we are taught otherwise. Now how does R. Isaac the smith interpret the verse, “as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land”, on the view of the Rabbis? — It teaches that only a stranger and a native must revile the Name by the Name, but for a heathen this is unnecessary. Why does the Torah state any man? — The Torah employed normal human speech. Our Rabbis taught: seven precepts were the sons of Noah commanded: social laws; to refrain from blasphemy, idolatry; adultery; bloodshed; robbery; and eating flesh cut from a living animal. R. Hanania b. Gamaliel said: Also not to partake of the blood drawn from a living animal. R. Hidka added emasculation. R. Simeon added sorcery. R. Jose said: The heathens were prohibited everything that is mentioned in the section on sorcery. viz., There shall not be found among you any one, that maketh his son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them [sc. the heathens in Canaan] out from before thee. Now, [the Almighty] does not punish without first prohibiting. R. Eleazar added the forbidden mixture [in plants and animals]: now, they are permitted to wear garments of mixed fabrics [of wool and linen] and sow diverse seeds together; they are forbidden only to hybridize heterogeneous animals and graft trees of different kinds.… Surely it has been taught: Just as the Israelites were ordered to set up law courts in every district and town, so were the sons of Noah likewise enjoined to set up law courts in every district and town! — But Raba answered thus: The author of this Baraitha [which states that social laws were added at Marah] is a Tanna of the School of Manasseh, who omitted social laws and blasphemy [from the list of Noachian precepts] and substituted emasculation and the forbidden mixture [in plants, ploughing. etc.]. For a Tanna of the School of Manasseh taught: The sons of Noah were given seven precepts. viz., [prohibition of] idolatry, adultery, murder, robbery, flesh cut from a living animal, emasculation and forbidden mixtures. 〜 Multiple authors. “Sanhedrin Tractate of the Talmud— Chapters 56a and 56b.” Hebrew–English edition of the Babylonian Talmud. Isidore Epstein, translator. Volume 20. London: Soncino Press. 1969. Pages 306–385. Noahide commandments, whose number is well known and appears in the Talmud, for they are in truth broad categories, each containing many particulars. 〜 Reb Moshe Steinerman. Newly Born Jew: Noahides and Conversion to Judaism. Jerusalem, Israel: The Library of Jewish Law, 1998. Page 11. The Seven Noahide Laws are: 1. Avodah Zarah: Prohibition on idolatry. 2. Birchat HaShem: Prohibition on blasphemy and cursing the Name of God. 3. Shefichat Damim: Prohibition on murder. 4. Gezel: Prohibition on robbery and theft. 5. Gilui Arayot: Prohibition on immorality and forbidden sexual relations. 6. Ever Min HaChay: Prohibition on removing and eating a limb from a live animal. 7. Dinim: Requirement to establish a justice system and courts of law to enforce the other six laws. 〜 Steve Cohen. What about the Noahide Laws? Brentwood, Tennessee: The Apple of His Eye Mission Society, Inc. 2015. Pages 2–3. To the Gentiles who were not prepared to enter the fold of Judaism, a moral code, known as the seven commandments of the sons of Noah, was offered. It consisted of the precepts: “The practice of equity, prohibitions against blaspheming the Name, idolatry, immorality, bloodshed, robbery, and devouring a limb torn from a live animal” (Sanh. [Sanhedrin tractate of the Talmud] 56a). By righteous conduct, based upon these fundamental laws, they would earn the divine approval. 〜 A. Cohen. Everyman’s Talmud. London: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. or New York: E. P. Dutton & Co. Inc. 1949. Page 65. Practically speaking, there are no normal people that convert to Judaism. Therefore, it has to be some sort of internal calling, a spark that can’t be explained logically. This calling, if unanswered can be emotionally painful, filled with loneliness, confusion and grief. Therefore, you must address this yearning seriously. People who are seeking to better understand this calling, usually start out inside the B’nei Noach, Noahide movement, fulfilling the Torah commandments for gentiles. Many might even find themselves in the false messianic Judaism movement which is mostly just a Christian cult used to convert Jews to Christianity. Anything that even has a trace of Judaism seems to spark the interest of the searching non–Jew. G–d protect those lost in such a false movement as Messianic Judaism which believe in Jesus as they secretly call him. Thousands of Jews have been trapped by the snare of these pretend to be Jews. It is quite common for spiritually searching people to get caught up in spiritually fulfilling eastern religions only to latter find them to be lacking any real substance. 〜 Nahum Rakover. Law and the Noahides: Law as a Universal Value. Rachel Steinerman, editor. Safed, Israel: Ilovetorah Jewish Outreach Network. 2019. Page 19. Over many centuries, the long and bitter conditions of exile — including the great social, philosophical, and spiritual revolutions that swept the world — not only had a marked effect on the way Torah is practiced and taught, but on what is practiced and taught.