The Chief Rabbis of Israel are a legally recognized entity and they have influence over legal proceedings within the nation of Israel. They are also recognized as a supreme halakhic (Jewish law) and spiritual authority. Seeing that Israel is the world’s only Jewish State, and the Chief Rabbis are the supreme authority on Jewish law in Israel, it is safe to say that their opinion on Noahide Law would carry weight in the Jewish community and would also be considered authoritative. Lets see what some of the Chief Rabbis of Israel have had to say about Noahide Law.
“The Chief Rabbinate is recognized by law as the supreme halakhic and spiritual authority for the Jewish people in the State of Israel. The Chief Rabbinate Council assists the two chief rabbis, who alternate in its presidency. It has legal and administrative authority to organize religious arrangements for Israel’s Jews. It also responds to halakhic questions submitted by Jewish public bodies in the Diaspora. The Council sets, guides, and instructs those agencies subject to its authority concerning their activities and scope… The Rabbinical Courts are part of the State judicial system. They have exclusive jurisdiction over marriage and divorce by Jews and have parallel competence with district courts in matters of personal status, alimony, child support, custody, and inheritance. Religious court verdicts are implemented and enforced – as for the civil court system – by the police, bailiff’s office, and other agencies.”
SOURCE: "Israel Cabinet Ministries: Ministry of Religious Services". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 10/02/2020 from: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/israeli-ministry-of-religious-services
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Non-Jews may not live in Israel unless they follow the Noahide Laws
In 2016 Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef stated that non-Jews are not permitted to live in Israel unless they follow the Noahide Laws. He also made it clear that the only reason some non-Jews are allowed to live in Israel is because they are needed to serve Jews.
Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef argues that Jewish law prohibits non-Jews from living in Israel unless they have accepted Noachide laws, adding that some non-Jews live in Israel to serve the Jewish population.
In a recording of Yosef’s weekly Saturday night lecture obtained by Channel 10, the rabbi can be heard saying, “According to Jewish law, it’s forbidden for a non-Jew to live in the Land of Israel – unless he has accepted the seven Noachide laws.”
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The seven Noachide laws include prohibitions on idolatry, blasphemy, murder, illicit sexual relations, stealing and eating the limb of a living animal, plus a positive commandment to establish court systems.
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The reason some non-Jews are allowed to live in Israel, Yosef continued, is to serve the Jewish population. “Who will be the servers? Who will be our assistants? Therefore, we leave them here in the land,” he said.
SOURCE: 'Sephardi Chief Rabbi Says non-Jews Forbidden From Living in the Land of Israel'. Haaretz. Mar 28, 2016. Retrieved 10/02/01 from: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-chief-rabbi-gentiles-can-t-live-in-the-land-of-israel-1.5423368
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Blessing over "The Divine Code"
Let's take a look at a new book on Noahide Law that was published in 2008 called "The Divine Code". According to the book's description on Amazon it was endorsed by the Chief Rabbis of Israel.
World-wide interest in the Seven Commandments for the Children of Noah (all non-Jews) is growing rapidly, and great numbers of people around the world have already committed themselves to observe these commandments. However, until the publication of this landmark volume, a comprehensive, clear, and expertly researched English-language guide for observance and study of these Divine precepts has been lacking. The Divine Code, Volume I, is the result of an historic project by Ask Noah International. Originally compiled in two Hebrew volumes by Rabbi Moshe Weiner and endorsed by prominent Torah scholars, including a Chief Rabbi of Israel, it examines the Torah-law foundations and details of the Noahide precepts. Unique among the previous popular overviews of the subject, this authoritative text is footnoted with extensively researched Talmudic and post-Talmudic sources, and supplied with additional explanations and enlightening Editor's Notes throughout. It identifies and applies the fundamental principles by which the practical requirements for righteous living are determined for pious non-Jews.
SOURCE: Retrieved 13 April 2017 from: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Code-Expanded-2nd/dp/0981481167
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Thankfully for us, the people at Ask Noah International who are behind the project to publish "The Divine Code" have uploaded some free chapters of the text to their website. We were able to download these chapters and read through their them. We were looking for the modern opinion on Noahide Law, and here is what we found:
“All the Gentiles of the world were henceforth eternally commanded to accept upon themselves and to fulfill these seven Divine precepts, because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah, and He made known through Moses our teacher that the descendants of Noaĥ had previously been commanded to do them.[7]
Footnote 7: Rambam, Laws of Kings 8:11.
SOURCE: http://asknoah.org/wp-content/uploads/the-divine-code-web1.pdf
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All Gentiles (non-Jews) of the world are commanded to accept the Noahide Laws? Well that does sound like it is in line with what we read from the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia (here). Now that we know what the Noahide Laws are, discriminatory Jewish religious laws, the idea that a modern Jewish scholar is suggesting the whole earth is commanded to follow them is a bit unsettling. But wait, there is a footnote at the end of the paragraph. Footnote 7 tells us to reference “Rambam, Laws of Kings 8:11″. "Rambam" is short for the Mishnah Torah which was published by the legal scholar Maimonides, here is what Laws of Kings 8:11 says:
8.11 “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.” - (Mishneh Torah (Rambam), Laws of Kings and Wars, 8.11)
SOURCE: Maimonides. 'Laws of Kings and Wars'. Retreived 10/02/2020 from: https://halakhah.com/rst/kingsandwars.pdf
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If a woman does not give up her “idolatry” she is executed? Non-Jews under Jewish jurisdiction who refuse to accept the Noahide Commandments are executed? Again, this does sound pretty extreme, and this is being advocated in modern Jewish texts? But even if we disagree with this extremely biased, bigoted, and murderous statement, does this law really apply to the whole world, or does it just apply in Israel? National injustices are a different question than the global implementation of Noahide Law. Does the Rambam have anything to say about Noahide Law on an international scope? We found the answer to this question on the very same page as verse 8:11. Verse 8:13 states the following:
“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.” – (Mishneh Torah (Rambam), Laws of Kings and Wars, 8.13)
SOURCE: Maimonides. 'Laws of Kings and Wars'. Retreived 10/02/2020 from: https://halakhah.com/rst/kingsandwars.pdf
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The Mishneh Torah (aka Rambam) has compelled the entire world to accept Noahide Law, and those of us who refuse are executed? Well now that is something serious indeed. It is shocking to think that a modern day Rabbi would be referencing such materials.
Please Note: Noahide apologists will often state that the command to implement Noahide Law globally is not applicable in an age where there is no Temple or Sanhedrin (Judaism's highest legal court) - Rabbi Schneerson disagreed with this sentiment and said there was no need for any established Temple of Sanhedrin to implement Noahide Law, and Rabbi Schneerson is elevated to the leadership of world Jewry in both national and international proclamations (here). We will be discussing this further in another article.
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What did the Chief Rabbis have to say about "The Divine Code"
Rabbi Yona Metzger was a Chief Rabbi of Israel from 2003-2013.
He gave his official approval to “The Divine Code”, here is what he said:
Letter of blessing, from Israel’s Chief Ashkenazic Rabbi, Rabbi Yona Metzger:
With the Help of Heaven, Adar II 26, 5768 / April 2, ’08
The honorable book was brought before me, of great quality and quantity, by Rabbi Moshe Weiner (may he live for many long and good days), called “Sheva Mitzvot HaShem,” which is about the Seven Commandments for the Children of Noah, and is a “Shulkhan Arukh” for all the Torah Laws for Gentiles.
As I skimmed through the pages, I very much enjoyed seeing how the Rav who wrote this gathered and explained, intelligently and with sharpness and depth, all the Torah Laws that are related to and result from this topic, which very few have been involved in. It seems to me that no one else has come to address it, and now that this Rav has authored and categorized it, he should be happy, and happy is his lot, and from Heaven he has merit.
Because of the importance and uniqueness of this book, and since many of the matters included in it are relevant to nations whose language is not Hebrew, I see great importance and benefit in translating the book into the English language. This will enable multitudes of Gentiles to learn it, and receive maximum benefit from it. Here I sign with much blessing to the Rav who authored this book, that he and this book of his should merit to be accepted with love and affection among the other parts of Torah. The merit of spreading out and instilling belief in the Creator of the world amongst all the people of the world, which is the aspect of perfecting the world in the Kingdom of G-d, should stand for him and his household as a blessing in every way possible for good, spiritually and materially, with health, happiness and much joy. Amen, may it be His will.
With great honor,
Yona Metzger
Chief Rabbi of Israel
SOURCE: Retrieved 10/02/2020 from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8aETd3tQ69fQ3NfTVFPN01TcUE/view
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Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger stated: “I very much enjoyed seeing how the Rav who wrote this gathered and explained, intelligently and with sharpness and depth, all the Torah Laws that are related to and result from this topic”. But some of these referenced Torah laws advocated the killing of Gentiles (non-Jews) who do not adhere to the Seven Noahide Laws. Rabbi Yona Metzger is a Chief Rabbi of the Jewish state, his knowledge is used to execute legally binding statements on behalf of the Israeli government, so we would expect that Rabbi Yona Metzger would understand the breadth and depth of the Jewish laws as they are referenced in “The Divine Code”.
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Rabbi Shlomo Amar was also chief Rabbi of Israel from 2003-2013.
He gave his official approval to “The Divine Code”, here is what he said:
Letter of blessing from Israel’s Chief Sefardic Rabbi, Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar,
President of the Great Rabbinical Court of Israel.With the Help of Heaven, Tammuz 6, 5768 / July 9, 2008
I saw the good book, well-written and aptly titled “Sheva Mitzvot HaShem,” compiled and authored by the Rabbi and great scholar, Rabbi Moshe Weiner, may he live for many long and good days. I have also seen the immense work that was required to explain all the matters of the Seven Commandments for the Children of Noah, and this was done very well, written in simple, clear language, so that the reader can easily comprehend it. I bless him that G-d should send him success in all his endeavors, to continue in his holy work, and to author and publish more works in excellent physical health. And may it be G-d’s will that he see blessing in the work of his hands, that he has prepared for the sake of G-d, blessed be He.
Waiting for G-d’s salvation and mercy,Shlomo Moshe AmarChief Rabbi of Israel
SOURCE: Retrieved 10/02/2020 from: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8aETd3tQ69feW1oTkljaGxNZ0E/view
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Chief Rabbi Amar blessed the work and seemed to agree with its conclusions. But Rabbi Moshe Weiner in his book “The Divine Code” stated that Noahide Law is commanded upon all Gentiles of the world and referenced religious materials which call for the execution of Gentiles (non-Jews) who do not accept the Noahide Laws. It would be hard to believe that the Chief Rabbi made such a proclamation in ignorance… can we really assume that the legally recognized supreme authority on Jewish law in Israel would actually agree with the ideas presented in “The Divine Code”?
The Chief Rabbinate's agreement with Noahide Law is just another example of the Israeli governments involvement in the agenda (see more here).
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