The Bnei Noach Goal

What is the ultimate goal of the Bnei Noach?

What is the birthright all about?

The Bnei Noach Laws are only part of and not the conclusion of the birthright given to all peoples at birth.

The answer to these questions is also found within the same Torah text that our laws come from. A simple statement that the Creator recorded in His Written Torah forever; it is there for us, the future descendants of Noach avinu  – Noah our father. It was through Noach that the Creator used to repopulate the earth and thus He left us a nugget to cling onto:

Genesis 6:9 “Noah walked with G-d”

That is the goal of all Bnei Noach!

The Bnei Noach Laws came down orally from Adam to Noah then they became written down at Mount Sinai to be recorded forever.

Even though hundreds of years passed between Noach and Mount Sinai and after the Creator saw Noach’s whole life, when it came time for Him to command Moshe to record Noach’s life in the written Torah – the Creator had Moshe write these words in Genesis 6:9 “Noach was a righteous man – Noach walked with G-d” – there is so much we can learn from those words alone when studied out.

We the children of Noach can follow in our father’s footsteps and reject the corrupt ways and false religions of the world around us and walk in the ways of our Creator, His simple rules is not a religion but a moral code to live by. The simple observance of His instructions that I introduced you to in part 4 is what makes us righteous before our Creator; nothing has changed since that day. Being righteous does not mean being perfect as one of the major false religions of this world has miss led so many into believing.

Proverbs 24:16 “For though the righteous one may fall seven times, he will rise…”

Righteousness is not about being perfect; it is not about perfect obedience, it is about the getting up and trying again after the fall.

Teshuva/Repentnace

Below is not an all-inclusive teaching on the subject of teshuva/repentance and the Bnei Noach. There is much more written and taught on the subject. What I want to bring out in this blog is one of the simple principles of repentance that the Creator teaches us in the first part of His Written Torah.

The Sages and Torah teachers of Israel has a basic principle regarding the study of the Torah, it goes something like this, “When a subject is first introduced in the Torah, it contains all the elements of that subject.”

With that, let’s look at this first element of teshuva mentioned by our Creator and see how it ties in to the falling and rising of the righteous of Prov. 24:16

We find this first element in the conversation with Cain after he had fallen by not bringing a proper offering to the Creator.

Genesis 4:6-7 “And the Creator said to Cain, “Why are you annoyed, and why has your countenance fallen? Surely, if you improve yourself, you will be forgiven. But if you do not improve yourself, sin rest at the door. Its desire is toward you, yet you can conquer it.”

Here we are shown a person who has fallen in his walk – what is missing in this conversation from the Creator is His dwelling on what caused the fall – His concern was the attitude the one had – the negative attitude displayed because of the fall, that led to even to a greater sin. The Creator goes on to tell us through this story that when one falls, simply get up and improve yourself and you will be forgiven. That’s it that is the basic element of teshuva/repentance.

The Artscroll translation uses the English word ‘forgiven’ where other translations uses ‘lifted up’ the root of the Hebrew word is used in other place in the Hebrew Scriptures in relation to the repentance process – and being lifted up is what being forgiven does to the repentant.

Walking with the Creator is not about the condemnation of the fall but the joy of righteousness in the rising up after it.

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov has a teaching that goes something like this, “Today’s fall is higher than yesterday’s assent.”

What this is telling us is that in line with Prov 24:16, when a righteous person falls, his fall happens after yesterday’s assent. He has already risen higher on the ladder but today’s fall is in a higher place, his rise will take him even higher up the spiritual ladder thus any future fall will be on a higher level than his past ascent.

This is the life of the Bnei Noach, it is the walk with the Creator – we are created to have a life of improvement, He knows that improvement does not come from perfection but from a series of falling and rising.

Conclusion:

In conclusion I want to leave you with the words that are found in the Overview section of the Artscroll Tanach/Hebrew Scriptures – Torah, Prophets & Writings.

“Tanach – Textbook of the Soul

It is only logical that the Creator of the universe to provide man with a code of conduct; otherwise man would be like a helpless creature thrashing about in an impenetrable maze…

The Torah is meant to shape people as well as deeds, because it is only human beings who are G-d’s standard bearers and whose personal example can inspire others to serve Him.”

Terry W. Hayes

5/2016

References:

Artscroll The Stone Edition Tanach