AVRAHAM TO THE PRESENT

 

A HISTORICAL & SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE

OF THE SEVEN UNIVERSAL LAWS  -  PART THREE

 

by Ashirah Yosefah

 

 

In “The Faith of Noach” (Part Two in this series), it was explained how the Divine Presence, which once walked about Gan Eden in the cool of the day, was gradually withdrawn from the earth into the Seven Heavens in response to mankind’s progressive sins against G-d.  The more distant and veiled the Divine Presence, the greater the spiritual darkness that prevailed upon the earth.

 

The events which precipitated this progressive withdrawal of G-d’s Presence were 1) Adam’s sin, 2) Cain’s murder of Abel, 3) Enosh calling on idolatrous gods, 4) the Generation of the Flood, 5) Nimrod and the construction of the Tower of Babel, 6) Sodom and Gomorrah’s theft and sexual perversion, and finally, 7) the pièce de résistance which resulted in the Divine Presence being removed to the Seventh and Highest Heaven was the combination idolatry, sexual immorality and witchcraft in Egypt.[1]   Egypt was the ruling world empire at the time of Avram, who was later named Avraham. 

 

Avram was ten generations removed from Noach.  Noach lived in Mesopotamia.  Avram lived in Ur Kasdim and later Haran.  The Seven Universal Laws were known in the world, but few followed them.

 

 Avram’s father Terach was an idol maker; Avram grew up in an environment devoid of G-d, yet he allowed himself to question, to search, to examine, to use his intellect to refute and reject the religious systems that surrounded him.  His quest was sincere and his desire to know G-d was granted.  Hashem revealed Himself to Avram through Creation and Avram responded accordingly.  As a result, his deeds began to draw the revealed Divine Presence back to earth. 

 

Avram became the founder of a revolutionary movement which called into question the basis of every existing religion in his day.  It was in every way an overt, grass-roots movement, with Avram boldly proclaiming his discoveries about G-d to anyone and everyone who would listen.  As a result, the Midrashim tells us that he and his entire family were chased out of Ur Kasdim. 

 

Avram was a lonely revolutionary.  Despite promoting a religion completely contrary to the prevailing world order, he and Sarah converted hundreds of people from idolatry to belief in the One True G-d.  As a result G-d changed his name to Avraham, which is an acronym for Av Hamom Goyim – Father of Many Nations.  Rabbi Uziel Milevsky, in his Parasha commentary on Lech Lecha, states that this name conveys the meaning that “eventually Avraham would become the spiritual leader of all mankind.”  Rabbi Milevsky notes that “According to traditional belief, this aspect of G-d’s promise has yet to be fulfilled.  In the future, Avraham’s ideals will become the paramount theology in the world.”[2]

 

The world dimension, namely, universality, is always present in Tanach.  Rabbi Ben Zion Bokser, in his book Judaism and the Christian Predicament, (1966), provides an interesting perspective on this aspect of universality:

 

“Avraham’s call has as its motivation that ‘all the families of the earth shall be blessed’ through him (Genesis 12:3).  The prophetic writings, especially the Book of Jonah, are emphatic in their inclusion of the non-Jewish world in G-d’s concern and in the recognition that all men have the capacity to respond to G-d’s word in deeds of penitence and in growth towards moral and spiritual perfection.”

 

Rabbi Bokser continues with a longer passage wherein he quotes from Yalkut Shemeoni on Leviticus 18:5:

 

“Probing into all the implications of the verse, “Ye shall therefore keep My statutes and Mine ordinances, which if a man do he shall live by them” (Leviticus 18:5), one teacher asked, ‘Whence may it be demonstrated that a gentile, when he conforms to the moral law of the Torah, becomes the equal of a High Priest in Israel?’  From the words, ‘which if a man do he shall live by them’ [the term man being universal and referring equally to Jew and gentile].  Similarly it is said ‘This is the law of mankind, Hashem G-d. [II Samuel 7:19] – it is not stated, ‘This is the law of Priests, Levites and Israelites, but [the more inclusive term] the law of mankind.’  In similar manner, too, Scripture does not say, ‘Open the gates, that Priests, Levites and Israelites may enter,’ but ‘Open the gates that a righteous goy, keeping faithfulness, may enter’ [Isaiah 26:2, goy means a people or nation generally, Jewish or gentile].  And again, it does not say, ‘This is the gate of the L-rd, Priests, Levites and Israelites shall enter into it,’ but, ‘the righteous shall enter it,’ [Psalm 118:20, which is more universal].  Likewise, it does not say, ‘Rejoice in the L-rd, O ye Priests, Levites and Israelites,’ but, ‘Rejoice in the L-rd, O ye righteous’ [Psalm 33:1].  And finally it does not say, ‘Do good, O L-rd, to the Priests, Levites and Israelites,’ but, ‘unto the good’ [Psalm 125:4, which clearly refers to good men among all nations].  It is thus abundantly demonstrated that even a gentile, provided he adheres to the moral discipline of the Torah, is the equal of the highest ranking priest in Israel.”

 

Rabbi Bokser writes, “The Rabbis found Biblical support for their conviction that men outside the Jewish faith might rise to high spiritual and moral attainments, to win Divine approval.”  He then goes on to ask the question, “If the entire complex of belief and disciplines that constitute Judaism are commanded of us, are they all not necessary, and how could one who does not abide by them be deemed as having satisfied G-d’s will for mankind?”

 

A valid question.  Why is it that Jews have 613 Torah Commandments and the nations have seven?  Rabbi Bokser continues:

 

“The Rabbis resolved this apparent paradox by differentiating between a universal system and a particular dimension in the Jewish religious system.  The universal dimension was summed up by the so-called seven Noahide commandments (Sanhedrin 56a).  These include the practices of equity in human relations and the prohibition of blasphemy, idolatry, unchastity, bloodshed, robbery, and cruelty to animals.  … Judaism represents the universal religion expressed through the unique system of rite and law that are native to the historic experiences of the Jewish people. … For the Jewish people [are] seen as a holy community through which G-d work[s] His purpose in history, and through which men [can] meet the Divine imperative pressing on their life.”[3]

 

The Tanach’s perspective on this ‘holy community’ was beautifully summed up by the prophet Isaiah:

 

“I created you, and appointed you a covenant people, a light unto nations, opening eyes deprived of light, rescuing prisoners from confinement, from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.”

(Isaiah 43:6-7)

 

Avraham was the spark that drew Divine Light back into a spiritually dark and murky world.

 

G-d commanded Avraham, ‘Go away from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father’s house …” (Genesis 12:1).  Could not G-d have said, “Leave Haran and go to where I show you”?  Why did He specify ‘your land’, ‘your birthplace’, and ‘your father’s house’?  There are no superfluous words in Torah.  This seemingly redundant repetition is a clue that there is something here to be learned.

 

Rabbi Uziel Milevsky provides an answer in his commentary on Parasha Lech Lecha:  ‘Your land’ refers to Ur Kasdim, Avraham’s country of origin.  ‘Your father’s house’ refers to his family members and circle of close friends.  If Ur Kasdim was Avraham’s country of origin, what is meant by ‘your birthplace’?  Rabbi Milevsky answers:

 

“The commentators explain that the Hebrew term for ‘birthplace’ – moldadetecha – is associated with the word yaldus, which means ‘childhood’.  It refers to one’s cultural milieu and the unique set of attitudes, values, and goals one absorbs during one’s childhood.  Hence we see that G-d commanded Avraham to disassociate himself from every aspect of his former life …”

 

Avraham’s commitment to Hashem and his determination to walk in His ways began to draw the Divine Presence back to earth.  In Abraham’s merit, the Divine Presence descended from the Seventh Heaven to the Sixth.  When his son Isaac allowed himself to be placed upon the altar, It descended from the Sixth to the Fifth, and in the merit of Ya’akov, whose name was changed to Israel, the Divine Presence descended to the level of the Fourth Heaven. 

 

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had Ruach haKodesh, they were mighty prophets, and G-d granted them the foresight and vision to see into the future of their people.  The Sages tell us that the Patriarchs kept the Seven Universal Laws and, through their gift of prophecy saw what the Sinai Revelation would bring and obeyed those laws as well, even though they had not been commanded concerning them.  Their premise for this is found in G-d’s blessing of Isaac wherein He states, “because Avraham listened to My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”  (Genesis 26:5)  In his commentary on this verse, Rashi notes that ‘charge’ refers to the Torah which had not yet been given, and ‘commandments’ refers to matters such as robbery and theft which are included in the prohibitions of the Seven Universal Laws.

 

Further on in Torah, there is more evidence for the existence of the Seven Universal Laws during the times of the Patriarchs.

 

When Joseph was seventeen years old, before he was sold off into Egypt, there arose a conflict between Joseph and some of his brothers while they were tending the flocks together.  This is referred to in Genesis 37:2, but the details are provided in the Talmud and the Midrashim.  The conflict was between the two codes of law:  The Seven Universal Laws for all mankind and the Torah commandments for Israel that the Patriarchs foresaw and practiced.  Mosaic Law allows Jews to eat the meat of an animal that has been ritually slaughtered, even if the animal still exhibits some movement in its limbs.  The Seven Universal Laws do not require ritual slaughtering, but they prohibit man from eating an animal’s meat unless every trace of movement has stopped.  Joseph had gotten into an argument on this subject with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, who are referred to as ‘sons of Leah’ in the passage in Genesis.  His brothers felt that following the Mosaic Law exempted them from the prohibition of eating meat from an animal that was still twitching.  To prove their point, they slaughtered an animal and did exactly that.  Joseph felt they were in the wrong and reported the matter to their father.   This was the proverbial ‘final straw’.  All of Joseph’s brothers envied him for being their father’s favorite and resented his predisposition to having prophetic dreams about ruling over them.  When the opportunity arose, they sold him into slavery. 

 

Twenty-two years later, when Joseph and his brothers were reunited and he freely forgave them for what they had done, his deed merited the Divine Presence being drawn down to the Third Heaven.

 

Rashi, in his commentary on Parasha Va-Yiggash, tells us that before Yaakov and his family settled in Egypt, Judah went ahead of them and established a school in Goshen for the study of the Seven Laws and the Torah laws they had already been taught by Avraham, Isaac and Jacob.  Rashi further tells us that during the period of Egyptian slavery the tribe of Levi remained in this House of Study preserving the Divine laws.  So it was that the Divine Presence descended to the Second Heaven. 

 

While they were in Egypt, Pharaoh issued a decree that all the Hebrew baby boys were to be murdered.  Amram, a Levite, encouraged all the Israelite men to divorce their wives, lest more boys be born to such a fate.  Miriam, Amram’s daughter, contested her father’s wisdom and countered that his decision was worse than Pharaoh’s because his decision would result in neither boys nor girls being born to Am Israel and, as a result, their people would cease to be.  Amram heeded his daughter’s plea.  When he remarried his wife Yocheved and their son Moshe was born, the Divine Presence returned to the First Heaven in readiness for the deliverance of Israel from Egypt in accordance with G-d’s promise to Avraham.  G-d was about to call out and commission His nation of priests.  He called Israel out of the world, as represented by Egypt, in order to prepare and equip Israel to be sent back into the world as His witnesses. 

 

G-d’s Presence had departed from earth in Gan Eden.  Avraham’s solitary quest to teach the reality of the One G-d to the world opened the way for the Shechinah to return, level by level as the deeds of the Patriarchs merited it.  Then came Moshe, who had fled Egypt only to be sent back by Hashem to be the vehicle of Redemption by whom G-d would keep His promise to Avraham.  With the Redemption of Israel came the return of the Divine Presence.  G-d left His heavenly abode and returned to earth when His Presence rested over Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:10) during the Revelation of the Torah.

 

The Rambam states in his Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Melachim, Chapter 8, Law 11, that G-d instructed Moses during his forty days in the Presence of Hashem atop Mount Sinai that Israel was to keep the 613 Commandments of Torah and the righteous of the nations were to be instructed in and to keep the Seven Universal Laws of the pre-existing covenant that had been reaffirmed by G-d with Noach after the Flood.

 

Rabbis Chaim Clorfene and Yaakov Rogalsky, in their book The Path of the Righteous Gentile, comment that:

 

“The Mosaic and Noahide Laws were inextricably bound together.  The Children of Noach, the righteous Gentiles, were obligated to fulfill the Seven Commandments because they were given on Mount Sinai, not because they were given to Noach.  And the Children of Israel were commanded to teach the Seven Commandments to the righteous Gentiles.  … This was the beginning of the true universal religion in which Israel, the Jewish people, is the priest and the Children of Noach, the righteous Gentiles, its faithful laymen.”

 

The Tanach and Jewish historical records indicate that whenever the Jewish people lived in Israel, the responsibility to teach the Seven Commandments was generally observed.  The Babylonian Talmud in Pesachim 87b notes that during the 410 years of the First Temple and the 420 years of the Second Temple, Gentiles who wanted to dwell in Israel had to agree before a Beit Din of the Sanhedrin to keep the Seven Laws.  This qualifies a Ben or Bat Noach as a Ger Toshav.  As such, they were also allowed to enter the Temple and to offer sacrifices.  Zechariah 14:17-19 tells us that this will again be allowed during the Messianic Era.

 

On the global scale, however, until very recent history, observance of the Seven Universal Laws was more or less limited to non-Jews living in the Israel.  Rabbis Clorfene and Rogalsky tell us Hashem’s remedy for this problem in The Path of the Righteous Gentile:

 

“…in the year 4800 of creation, nearly two thousand years ago, G-d took a drastic step to remedy the situation.  He destroyed His Holy Temple, the centre of religious Jewish life, and exiled his people to every corner of the planet, where they remain, for the most part, to this very day.  As the Talmud states (Sukkah 52b), ‘The Jewish people went into exile only in order to make converts, meaning to teach the nations faith in the One G-d. … The intention was for the Jewish people to proclaim the faith in the G-d of their fathers and to bring all the peoples of the world into communion with G-d and Israel by teaching them the Seven Commandments of Noach.”[4]

 

Unfortunately, teaching the Seven Universal Laws in the nations of Jewish exile became a life-threatening situation.  These nations had their own state religions and most of them were intent on converting Jews, not being taught by them.  Teaching the Universal Laws would have amounted to religious and political insurgence, and Jews were not exactly the most favored residents in many of these nations.  It was a centuries-long struggle just to survive persecution and avoid assimilation in order to keep Torah and Jewish tradition alive.  However, this situation changed in 1948 with the declaration of the State of Israel and the beginning of the return of Jewish exiles from the nations of the world.  Now that Jews are back in Israel, there are no excuses.  It is incumbent upon us, under Torah, to teach these Seven Laws and to impress them upon the nations as the means which the One True G-d has provided for the nations to approach Him and to live their lives in accordance with His Will. 

 

The Seven Commandments are the starting point.  Rabbi Yoel Schwartz, the Av Beit Din for Bnei Noach on the developing Sanhedrin, in his book Light Unto the Nations, writes concerning the Seven Laws:

 

“Their general principle is that all mankind is subject to them, and that disregard to them brings a punishment carried out by a court system, whereas fulfillment of them brings both material and spiritual benefits of an appropriate kind, including a portion in the World to Come (Sanhedrin 105a).”

 

Rabbi Schwartz explains that that the duties of the Torah for the nations can be divided into two areas.  The Seven Commandments, as we just mentioned, and a second area of ideals of ethical behavior and good character traits, which Rav Schwartz says “are the personal, private service of the individual himself.  An individual who does not fulfill these ideals cannot be punished through the courts, but G-d Himself metes out punishment as is deemed necessary in any given instance, and the fulfillment of them also brings merit.”

 

Rabbis Clorfene and Rogalsky give three reasons for the present growth in observance of the Seven Universal Laws.  They say that 1) the spiritual deterioration of mankind has reached a stage of desperation, with atheism abounding, 2) that the spirit of ecumenism that has been fostered by world media has softened world opposition to Judaism’s view of the relationship between G-d and non-Jews, and 3) that it is now the appointed and prophesied time spoken of by the prophet Zechariah when “ten men of all the languages of the world shall take hold of the corner of the garment of him who is a Jew, saying, ‘We will go with you, for we have heard that G-d is with you.’ (Zechariah 8:23)”

 

An expert in the Third Temple, Rabbi Clorfene maintains that the present spiritual awakening among the nations and the revival of Bnei Noach is all part of the preparation necessary for the building of the Third Temple, may it happen in our days.