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The Noahide Laws

 

The 66 Noahide Laws

(as per Dr. Aaron Lichtenstein; based on the Rambam)

[52 Negative, 14 Positive]

I. No idolatry
1) "Against entertaining the thought that there exists a deity except Hashem." (Negative 1)
2) "Against making any graven image [& against having anyone else make one for us]." (Negative 2)
3) "Against making idols for use by others." (Negative 3)
4) "Against making any forbidden statues [even when they are for ornamental purposes]." (Negative 4)
5) "Against bowing to any idol [& not to sacrifice nor to pour libation nor to burn incense before any idol, even where it is not the customary manner of worship to the particular idol]." (Negative 5)
6) "Against worshipping idols in any of their customary manners of worship." (Negative 6)
7) "Against causing our children to pass [through the fire] in the worship of Molech." (Negative 7)
8) "Against practicing Ov." (Negative 8)
9) "Against practicing Yiddoni." (Negative 9)
10) "Against turning to idolatry [in word, in thought, in deed, or by any observance that may draw us to its worship]." (Negative 10)

II. No blasphemy
1) "To acknowledge the existence of G-d." (Positive 1)
2) "To fear G-d." (Positive 4)
3) "To pray to Him." (Positive 5)
4) "To sanctify G-d's name [in face of death, where appropriate]." (Positive 9)
5) "Against desecrating G-d's name [even in face of death, when appropriate]." (Negative 63)
6) "To study the Torah." (Positive 11)
7) "To honor the scholars, and to revere one's teacher." (Positive 209)
8) "Against blaspheming." (Negative 60)

III. No theft
1) "Against stealing. [i.e., by stealth]" (Negative 244)
2) "Against committing robbery. [i.e., openly]" (Negative 245)
3) "Against shifting a landmark." (Negative 246)
4) "Against cheating." (Negative 247)
5) "Against repudiating a claim of money owed." (Negative 248)
6) "Against overcharging." (Negative 250)
7) "Against coveting." (Negative 265)
8) "Against desiring." (Negative 266)
9) "A laborer shall be allowed to eat of the fruits among which he works [under certain conditions]." (Positive 201)
10) "Against a laborer eating of such fruit [when certain conditions are not met]." (Negative 267)
11) "Against a laborer taking of such fruit home." (Negative 268)
12) "Against kidnapping." (Negative 243)
13) "Against the use of false weights & measures." (Negative 271)
14) "Against the possession of false weights & measures." (Negative 272)
15) "That one shall be exact in the use of weights & measures." (Positive 208)
16) "That the robber shall return [or pay for] the stolen object." (Positive 194)

IV. No murder
1) "Against any person murdering anyone." (Negative 289)

V. No adultery
1) "Against [a man] having union with his mother." (Negative 330)
2) "Against [a man] having union with his sister." (Negative 331)
3) "Against [a man] having union with the wife of his father." (Negative 332)
4) "Against [a man] having union with another man's wife." (Negative 347)
5) "Against [a man] copulating with a beast." (Negative 348)
6) "Against a woman copulating with a beast." (Negative 349)
7) "Against [a man] lying carnally with a male." (Negative 350)
8) "Against [a man] lying carnally with his father." (Negative 351)
9) "Against [a man] lying carnally with his father's brother." (Negative 352)
10) "Against engaging in erotic conduct that may lead to a prohibited union. [That is, petting by persons whose marriage would be illicit.]" (Negative 353)

VI. Courts of justice
1) "To appoint judges and officers in each and every community." (Positive 176)
2) "To treat the litigants equally before the law." (Positive 177)
3) "To inquire diligently into the testimony of a witness." (Positive 179)
4) "Against the wanton miscarriag of justice by the court." (Negative 273)
5) "Against the judge accepting a bribe or gift from a litigant." (Negative 274)
6) "Against the judge showing marks of honor to but one litigant." (Negative 275)
7) "Against the judge acting in fear of a litigant's threats." (Negative 276)
8) "Against the judge, out of compassion, favoring a poor litigant." (Negative 277)
9) "Against the judge discriminating against the litigant because he is a sinner." (Negative 278)
10) "Against the judge, out of softness, putting aside the penalty of a mauler or killer." (Negative 279)
11) "Against the judge discriminating against a stranger or an orphan." (Negative 280)
12) "Against the judge hearing one litigant in the absence of another." (Negative 281)
13) "Against appointing a judge who lacks knowledge of the Law." (Negative 284)
14) "Against incrimination by circumstantial evidence." (Negative 290)
15) "Against punishing for a crime committed under duress." (Negative 294)
16) "That the court is to administer the death penalty by the sword [i.e., decapitation]." (Positive 226)
17) "Against anyone taking the law into his own hands to kill the perpetrator of a capital crime." (Negative 292)
18) "To testify in court." (Positive 178)
19) "Against testifying falsely." (Negative 285)

VII. No limb of a living animal
1) "Against eating a limb severed from a living animal, beast, or fowl." (Negative 182)
2) "Against eating the flesh of any animal which was torn by a wild beast which, in part, prohibits the eating of such flesh as was torn off an animal while it was still alive." (Negative 181)



The 30 Noahide Laws

(based on Rav Shmuel ben Hophni Gaon)

1) The singularity of G-d (That is, to believe in G-d)
2) No idolatry
3) No blasphemy
4) To pray
5) No false oaths
6) No suicide
7) No murder
8) No adultery
9) Formal marriages via bride price & marriage gifts
10) No incest with a sister
11) No homosexuality
12) No bestiality
13) No castration
14) Not to eat an animal that died naturally
15) Not to eat a limb of a living creature
16) Not to eat or drink blood
17) Not to crossbreed animals
18) [Justice]
19) To offer ritual sacrifices
20) No theft
21) To respect father & mother
22) No Molech worship
23) No witchcraft
24) No soothsayers
25) No conjurers
26) No sorcerers
27) No ghost meeting
28) No consulting devil-spirits
29) No wizardry
30) No consulting the dead

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