Thursday, April 11, 2019

Support for Noahide Law comes from across the Jewish spectrum


Public Law 102-14 enshrined the Jewish Noahide Laws as the foundation of American civilization and states that it is our responsibility to educate the nation and world to return them to these Jewish laws (here). But the Rabbi they chose to commemorate in the Law, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, was the leader of something called the Chabad-Lubavitch movement who are perhaps the most vocal proponents of Jewish Noahide Law. This Chabad-Lubavitch Movement has even been reported to be antagonistic towards Zionism at times, but not always. Isn’t it possible that Noahide Law is only supported by this one sect of rather wayward Jews? Does Noahide Law have support from across many denominations of Judeo-Zionism? The answer is 100% yes.  Jews of all sects and denominations, both inside and outside of Israel, have shown support for Jewish Noahide Law.  Here we will discuss some organizations which are not under the umbrella of the Chabad-Lubavitch Movement, but still, support Jewish Noahide Law: The Noahide World Center, The Chief Rabbinate of Israel, The unofficial Sanhedrin in Israel, and the organization United With Israel.


THE NOAHIDE WORLD CENTER

Noahide World Center


The Noahide World Center is a Noahide Organization located in Jerusalem.  The center does not have any official connection to the Chabad-Lubavitch Movement alone.  Some of their goals according to their website are to establish Noahide communities worldwide and to have these communities recognized by the national institutes of the Jewish people, meaning the national institutes of Israel:
To help establish Noahide communities around the world and to provide them with support.” and “To establish a link between the Non-Jewish world and Jewish tradition and rabbis, including formal recognition of the Noahides by religious and national institutions of the Jewish people.” – http://noahideworldcenter.org/wp_en/?p=11



The Chief Rabbinate of Israel

The Noahide World Center with its mission to have Noahides recognized by the national institutes of the Jewish people (a.k.a Israel) has been blessed by the Chief Rabbis of Israel, Rabbi David Lau, and Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef, both of whom are the state-appointed spiritual and in many cases legal heads of the Jewish state.  Both Rabbis commended the Noahide World Center for working to bring forth the Torah from Jerusalem to the world. Neither Rabbi David Lau nor Rabbi Yitchak Yosef seems to be members of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement:


Letter by Chief Rabbi David Lau
http://noahideworldcenter.org/wp_en/?p=577
9 Adar I 5774
February 9, 2014
To: Rabbi Oury Cherki
“Brit Olam”
Jerusalem
Hearty wishes of Shalom,
A Letter of Blessing

I am happy to hear about the important activities of your organization, which tries to reach out to the peoples of the world who have complete faith in the word of G-d and who accept for themselves to observe the Seven Mitzvot which the Bnei Noah were commanded to perform.
Our sages noted the high status of those who observe the Seven Mitzvot of Bnei Noah, as
the Rambam wrote in his book, Mishna Torah: “Anyone who accepts the Seven Mitzvot and is careful to perform them – is considered a righteous person among the nations of the world and he has a portion in the World to Come. And this is true as long as he accepts them and performs them because the Holy One, Blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah, and He told us about them through our Teacher Moses.” (Hilchot Melachim 8).

These Seven Mitzvot serve as a framework for mending human society. Whoever follows the events throughout the world can clearly see how much the world is in need of fixing.
Let us hope and pray that we will soon have the privilege of seeing the words of Isaiah come true: “And many nations will go and say, let us rise up to the Mountain of G-d, to the House of the G-d of Jacob, and He will teach us His ways and we will go along His pathways. For the Torah will emanate from Zion and the Word of G-d from Jerusalem.” (Chapter 2).
Happy you are indeed to have the privilege of being involved in the important labor of disseminating the values of truth throughout the world.

With all manner of blessings,David Lau, Chief Rabbi of Israel





Letter by Rishon Lezion Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Yosefhttp://noahideworldcenter.org/wp_en/?p=1647

13 Sivan 5774 
June 11, 2014

To: The Righteous People of the Nations, Bnei Noach Throughout the world
Shalom and Blessings, and hearty wishes for success:

In this brief note I want to express my recognition and my appreciation for your important decision to become closer to the Creator of the world, to accept the Word of G-d, and to observe the seven mitzvot of Bnei Noach. These commandments are the practical way to improve the world, and in this way the blessing of the Holy One, Blessed be He, to our Patriarch Abraham will come true: “And all the families of the world will be blessed through you.” We are witness to the fulfillment of the words of the prophets, “And many nations will go and say, let us rise up to the Mountain of G-d, to the House of the G-d of Jacob, and He will teach us His ways and we will go along His pathways. For the Torah will emanate from Zion and the Word of G-d from Jerusalem.”

I want to bless you that your important decision will spread throughout the entire world, and we will thus be involved in the fulfillment of the prophecy, as is written, “All the nations of the world will know that G-d is Elo-him,” and the entire world will be filled with the glory of G-d.

I also want to extend my blessings to Brit Olam – the Noahide World Center – which is active in these matters. I wish you wisdom and success in enhancing the Torah and exalting it. Let us hope and pray that we will have the merit to see His name spread throughout the entire world and that the final redemption will come soon, Amen.

With blessings of Torah,
Yitzchak Yosef, Rishon Lezion, Chief Rabbi of Israel 
President of the Great Rabbinical Court


THE SANHEDRIN 


In January of 2005, an unofficial ceremony took place in Tiberias Israel to reinstate the Great Sanhedrin, the highest legal authority of the Jewish religion. While the Sanhedrin is not yet legally recognized by the state of Israel, it is the goal of the body to become a legitimate institution. This endeavor seems to be supported by some of the Chief Rabbinate and Rabbinical Judges of Israel, evident from their attendance at later launching events. The Sanhedrin is said to have members from every sect of Judaism: Hareidi, religious-Zionist, Sephardi, Ashkenazi, Hassidic, and many others… it is obvious this is not a Chabad-Lubavitch endeavor. Later in 2005 and in 2006, this very same unofficial Sanhedrin made up of many different sects of Judaism sent emissaries to the United States to help build Noahide Communities there and declared they wanted to see the fall of all other religions on earth. They also hosted a ceremony where many Noahide converts came to Israel to pledge their allegiance to the Sanhedrin and to learn to proselytize the new faith.  Again, the point here is that the Sanhedrin which supports the Noahide Law Movement is not the product of one group or sect, it has support from across the ideological board in the Jewish world and is located inside the Zionist state of Israel.

The Rabbis Of The Sanhedrin Come From Across The Spectrum
A unique ceremony – probably only the second of its kind in the past 1,600 years – is taking place in Tiberias todayThe launching of a Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish-legal tribunal in the Land of Israel…. One of the leaders of today’s attempt to revive the Sanhedrin is Rabbi Yeshai Ba’avad of Beit El… But the goal is to have one rabbinic body in Jerusalem that will convene monthly and issue rulings on central issues. This is the need of the generation and of the hour.”… Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, who heads the Temple institute in Jerusalem, is one of the participating rabbis. He told Arutz-7 today, “Whether this will be the actual Sanhedrin that we await, is a question of time – just like the establishment of the State; we rejoiced in it, butwe are still awaiting something much more ideal. It’s a process. Today’s ceremony is really the continuation of the renewal of the Ordination process in Israel… Rabbi Ariel said that the rabbis there included many from the entire spectrum: Hareidi, religious-Zionist, Sephardi, Ashkenazi, hassidi, and many others – such as Rabbi Yoel Schwartz, Rabbi Adin Shteinzaltz, and many others… We can’t expect a great consensus; that’s not how things work here. But sometimes that’s how the process goes, from the bottom up.” 


Members Of The Chief Rabbinate Of Israel Seems To Approve Of The Sanhedrin
In November of 2005 a state appointed and state paid Chief Rabbi attended a meeting of the nascent Sanhedrin to show his support for the body; Chief Rabbi Arussi of Kiryat Ono.
Since it was launched in Tiberias last year, the Court of 71 rabbis has strived to fulfill the halakhic (Jewish legal) requirements for renewing authenticsemicha (rabbinic ordination passed down from Moses) and for reestablishing the Great Court, which was disbanded 1,600 years ago. At Sunday’sconference, distinguished members of the Court, led by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (Steinsaltz), presented a humble, yet exhilarating plan to widen the scope and acceptance of the Court to truly move toward becoming the restored Sanhedrin of old… Also participating in the conference were Rabbi Yisrael Rozen, who heads the Tzomet Institute, and Rabbi Ratzon Arussi, Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Ono and a member of the Chief RabbinateBoth spoke about the relationship of Torah Law with the law of the State of Israel, with Rozen focusing on the grassroots desire for honest and sincere leadership in Israeli society following the crisis of the Disengagement, and Arussi outlining the critical importance of the formation of a unified court of Torah monetary law. Rabbi Ratzon Arussi addresses those attending the conference…  The prevailing opinion of most of the senior members of the Sanhedrin is that the Sanhedrin has not yet achieved full halakhic (Jewish legal) status on par with its status before it was disbanded 1,600 years ago, but that its restoration is truly underway… 


The Sanhedrin Sends Emissaries To The USA To Help Build Noahide Communities And Wishes To See The Fall Of All Other Religions On Earth
The court of 71 rabbis, known as the Sanhedrin, which was reestablishedlast October in Tiberius following the reinstitution of rabbinic semikha, decided, after numerous requests from the Noahide community, to assist the movement in forming a leadership council… Rabbi Michael Bar-Ron, with the Sanhedrin’s blessing, travelled to the United States to meet with representatives of the Noahide movement and select members for the High Council. Bar-Ron, an ordained student, talmid samukh, who currently sits on the Sanhedrin, is also one of the Sanhedrin’s spokesmen… Bar-Ron organized a small conference in California where six of the council’s future members were selected and also addressed the annual convention of the Vendyl Jones Research Institute – one of the Noahide organizations represented on the council. At the VJRI convention, Bar-Ron met five more of the Noahide leaders who will be joining the council… A third goal of the creation of the High Council and the Sanhedrin’s efforts in regard to the Noahide community, is to “transform the Noahide movement from a religious phenomenon – a curiosity many have not heard of – into a powerful international movement that can successfully compete with, and with G-d’s help bring about the fall of, any religious movement but the pure authentic faith that was given to humanity through Noach, the father of us all,” said emissary Bar-Ron… Although Judaism does not require or encourage non-Jews to become Jewish, the observance of the Seven Laws of Noah is incumbent upon humanity and widespread observance is to be worked toward, even through active proselytization, something that is anathema to Judaism… 


Noahide Converts From Around The World Pledge Allegiance To The Sanhedrin And Noahide Law
A group of non-Jewish delegates have come to Jerusalem to pledge their loyalty to the Laws of Noah. They appeared before the nascent Sanhedrin, which established a High Council for B’nai Noach. The ten delegates appeared before a special session of the Jewish High Court of 71 Rabbis led by its Nassi (President) Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz… “Each one [of the B’nai Noach] comes with a name he has made in the world, as a teacher and example in his community of observance of the seven laws of Noah,” said Rabbi Michael Bar-Ron, the Sanhedrin’s emissary who facilitated the council’s organization, introducing the delegates. “At great physical and financial expense, they have flown across the world to Jerusalem, the holy city, to pledge before the court and all mankind, their allegiance to the Seven Laws of Noah, the laws of the Creator.” Each of the Noahide representatives stood before the Sanhedrin and pledged: ” I pledge my allegiance to HaShem, G-d of Israel, Creator and King of the Universe, to His Torah and its representatives, the developing Sanhedrin. I hereby pledge to uphold the Seven Laws of Noah in all their details, according to Oral Law of Moses under the guidance of the developing SanhedrinWe are setting up a global mission here – not to recruit people, but to bring them to the realization that there is one G-d.”…Within the nation of Israel there is one tribe that deals with the Temple – the priests. We Jews are a specific tribe in the world that was chosen to be a tribe of priests – hereditary priests. Because of this we have special duties. Being a priest does not mean we are cut off from the other people. While the people of the world are all different units in the armies of the Lord, we are a special commando unit that maybe doesn’t get paid more, but has special assignments that may be more dangerous.” Rabbi Even-Israel spoke about the difficulties that would confront the B’nai Noah movement as it grows: “When we are speaking in general, almost every human being can more or less accept the laws of Noah, but when we get to particulars we will come toserious points, at which we disagree with Christianity and Islam…”The Nassi added that while there are those who doubt the ability of the Sanhedrin to be more than an idea leading up to the true reestablished court, the Noahide Council cannot be doubted or criticized due to its pure motives and unprecedented mission…“Anyone who reads the Bible can see that your Torah is your constitution, your Bill of Rights and your deed to the Land of Israel. We have plans to publish Noahide prayer books, children’s books and documentaries on science and the world through the lens of the Torah.” “We have heard that G-d is with you,” Long concluded. 



UNITED WITH ISRAEL 



“United with Israel” is an organization that connects pro-Israel activists globally.  They feature information about the Noahide Laws and Public Law 102-14 prominently on their website, advertising their recognition in the United States with what would seem like a sense of approval and pride. “United with Israel” has shown no indication of being a Chabad-Lubavitch only affiliated organization.

About United With Israel
“United with Israel is a global, grassroots movement comprised of individuals who are deeply committed to the success and prosperity of Israel. Our primary mission is to build a massive network of pro-Israel activists and foster global unity with the People, Country and Land of Israel. In short, we seek to fight and win the battle of public opinion for Israel. We maximize the incredible power of social media to spread the truth about Israel to the entire world.” 


United With Israel Supports Noahide Law and Public Law 102-14
The “Seven Laws of Noah” or the “Noahide Laws,” are a set of moral laws commanded by God and binding on all “children of Noah,” namely, all of humanity. According to Judaism, any gentile who adheres to the Noahide laws is regarded as a Righteous Gentile and is assured of a place in the World to Come.

Jews don’t believe in proselytization or seeking converts. We don’t believe there is any reason for non-Jews to convert and become Jewish. The Noahide Laws are regarded as the way through which non-Jews can have a direct and meaningful relationship with God. As the saying goes, “Any non-Jew who keeps these seven goes to Heaven!” It is interesting to note that according to most rabbis and decisors of Jewish law, non-Jews are not only not obliged to observe the other mitzvot of the Torah, but they are actually forbidden to do so.

In recent years, the term “Noahide” has come to refer to non-Jews who strive to live in accordance with the seven Noahide Laws. The rainbow is the symbol of the Noahide movement
U.S. Recognition of Noahide Laws

In 1983, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, better known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, said that it was time to revitalize this long-dormant role of the Jewish people. In 1987, then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation speaking of “the historical tradition of ethical values and principles, which have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization when they were known as the Seven Noahide Laws, transmitted through God to Moses on Mount Sinai.” In 1991, the United States Congress declared and established “Education Day” in honor of the birthday of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the leader of the Chabad movement. In the words of Congress:

“…Whereas Congress recognizes the historical tradition of ethical values and principles which are the basis of civilized society and upon which our great Nation was founded; Whereas these ethical values and principles have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization, when they were known as the Seven Noahide Laws…”

In January 2004, Sheikh Mowafak Tarif, the spiritual leader of Israeli Druze, signed a declaration calling on non-Jews living in the Land of Israel to observe the Noahide Laws.
In earlier times, a gentile living in the Land of Israel who accepted the Seven Laws in the presence of a rabbinical court was known as a Ger toshav, or “resident stranger.” Jewish law only allows the official acceptance of a Ger Toshav as a resident in the Land of Israel during a time when the Jubilee Year (yovel) is in effect. There is much discussion in the codes as to whether some of the laws that apply to a Ger Toshav may be applied to some modern gentiles. A Ger Toshav should not be confused with a Ger Tzedek, who is a person who ultimately prefers to proceed to total conversion to Judaism, a procedure that is traditionally only allowed to take place after much thought and deliberation and only after the potential convert has been turned away a number of times. 

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