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ViewPoint

The Sad Reality We Are Dealing With
January 1998

The following ViewPoint was intended to provoke thought and discussion.

In last month's ViewPoint: Chanukah - Making the Darkness Glow and Glow, I pointed out what the Rebbe said concerning Chanukah, that "...when the Jew adds a new Chanukah candle every night, it serves to remind the Jewish people that they must increase their endeavors to spread the light throughout the world every day. It reminds them of their commitment to progress continuously, come what may..."

Thank G-d we are finally seeing more Orthodox Jews committed to teaching B'nei Noach. Rabbi Yosef Hodakov is teaching a Tanya class to B'nei Noach in Fort Worth, Texas. Nathaniel Segal has devoted considerable time and energy to developing The Seven Noahide Commandments Pages, and the Orthodox Jew who responded to November's ViewPoint wants to become more involved with the B'nei Noach movement.

I received only one response to last month's ViewPoint. The response was from an Orthodox Chassidic Jew, and he said, "I read your ViewPoint and what can I say? You're right, but how to progress from here, I'm not sure. Hashem should help us, for I think it will take His intervention to move us outside the box of conventional thinking."

Unfortunately, not one Orthodox Jewish scholar from a yeshiva and not one Orthodox rabbi in any community, contacted me to say he had determined to fully learn and teach the complete Sheva Mitzvos to B'nei Noach. No commitment, no increase in endeavoring to spread the light of Torah to the non-Jews.

This does not really surprise me. Why? Despite the fact that the CB"N WebSite is seen only by a fraction of Orthodox Jews concerned about non-Jews, I think perhaps an attitude and belief is extant among certain Orthodox Jews concerning teaching the non-Jews, which is perhaps reflected in an email I recently received from an Orthodox Jew:

"No Orthodox Rabbi is going to make it his full time project to do outreach to the Gentile world. When scripture predicts the Gentile coming to the Jew, it's speaking of (a) inspiration from watching a Jew observe his 613 commandments; and (b) the Messianic era in which there will not exist Jewish assimilation. The Jewish nation will then be able to direct it's attention to the world. Unfortunately, the Messianic era is not revealed and there is too much Jewish assimilation. This is the sad reality we are dealing with..."

Concerning (a) I rhetorically ask:
Isn't teaching the Sheva Mitzvot a mitzvah? According to the Chatam Sofer (Chosen Mishpat, Responsum 85) it is! According to the Rambam in Hilchos Melachim, the Jews serve as "a light unto the nations" (Isaiah 42:6) teaching them the Sheva Mitzvot and instructing them in proper behavior! Even the commentary of the Radak on Isaiah 42:6 teaches this! Inspiration? If you want to inspire B'nei Noach, perform the mitzvah of teaching the Sheva Mitzvot and we will truly be inspired!

Concerning (b) when a non-Jew approaches a Jew (in relation to the teaching and learning of the Sheva Mitzvot):
During his 1984 Yud-Tes Kislev farbrengen, the Rebbe stressed how important it was for Jews to use all their energy at every opportunity to teach the Sheva Mitzvos and Chassidus to non-Jews! In fact, Sichos in English documents show that the Rebbe clearly stated that the teaching of the Sheva Mitzvot precedes the coming of Moshiach! We even learn this as a g'zerah shava or heikesh (comparison), when two different topics are placed next to one another. In the Mishneh Torah's Hilchos Melachim U'milchamoteihem (The Laws of Kings and Their Wars), Chapters 8-10 (concerning the Sheva Mitzvot B'nei Noach) precede and are placed directly next to Chapters 11 and 12, which culminate the Rambam's Mishneh Torah and teach about Moshiach and the Messianic Era:

"...In the future, the Messianic King will arise and renew the Davidic dynasty, returning it to its initial sovereignty. He will build the Temple and gather the dispersed of Israel..."

The bottom line and "sad reality" in all this is: another Chanukah has passed and B'nei Noach are still in darkness, and we have heard a few more excuses why we won't or can't be taught the Sheva Mitzvot B'nei Noach. We don't accept those excuses - we want and encourage Orthodox Jews to perform the mitzvah of being or leGoyim - a Light unto the Gentiles! We don't and won't accept the "sad reality" being pressed upon us!

Again, as I stated last month - Mishle (Proverbs) 6:23 teaches that "a mitzvah is a lamp and Torah is light." Chassidus teaches that every mitzvah is a lamp which lights up the darkness of our material world. And this is why I am again continuing the theme of the November 1997 ViewPoint. Until B'nei Noach are taught the halacha for the Sheva Mitzvot, they are not performing the mitzvot, and the light of Torah is not lighting up the darkness of our material world, G-d forbid.

May it please Hashem that the Orthodox Jews determine to fully learn and teach the complete Sheva Mitzvos to B'nei Noach today. May this take place in the immediate future, and together we can be partners in stopping Jewish assimilation and in bringing about the Ultimate Redemption.

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