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Reading Room
ViewPoint
Torah u'Mesorah...
for B'nei Noach
October 2000
Reader Response
The following ViewPoint
Response has been edited to protect the privacy of the responder(s).
B'nei
Noach Response:
It is my opinion that the lack of mesorah (tradition) that is
one of the most vexing problems for Noahides. We are being taught a
bit about the seven laws. But when it comes to holy days, and rituals,
and rites of passage, etc. ad nauseum........there is nothing
concrete for us to do. Without such things of significance in our lives.......it
just becomes one monotonous day after another. I exaggerate to make
the point, but surely there is something we can do to mark the "important"
times. I have actually been told that if Hashem thought we needed
them, He would have given them. And that He did not, therefore I just
"think" it is necessary, when in fact it is not.
All I know for
sure that, now on Rosh Hashana, I feel very much like the stepchild,
standing outside the candy store with my nose pressed to the window,
longing to go inside, but only able to look and not touch. It is a heart
wrenching thing for me, and I am sure that I am not alone.
CB"N's
Response:
I understand how you feel. This is why I use ViewPoint - to somehow
elicit a response from the rabbis - a response of action. I sincerely
appreciate all that has been done by the Jewish community so far, but
it still doesn't seem to have been enough. And I can understand why.
After two thousand years of persecution by the non-Jews (Christians),
the Jewish people haven't had much experience or freedom to teach the
Seven Laws of Noah and all that goes with them.
As a ben Noach,
I am called a ger toshav - a stranger in the gate. Your metaphor
about the candy store window is very close to how it really is. As a
stranger in the gate, we can stand within the passageway of the gate
and look two directions. We can look into the city (Judaism) and watch
and see the life they experience, including the Holy Days, etc. And
we can look back the other way, outside the city, into the world where
we live, and watch and see the life they experience. Inside the city
is righteousness and holiness; outside the city is perhaps a glimpse
of scattered righteousness. Being B'nei Noach and observant of the Seven
Laws of Noah is our passport to enter into the city; we can walk into
the city to visit, but we can never live in the city, we can never mingle
for an extended time. But we do have three choices:
- We can stay
outside the gate and remain in the world we live in, and not look
inside the city at all. Continually standing in the gate and looking
into the city and beholding their way of life can possibly vex the
soul - and create tremendous frustration within us.
- We can live
within the gateway. We can look into the city, and even visit, and
then return to our place within the gate. We can go outside the gate
into the world, perform our tasks and daily requirements, and then
return to the gateway.
- We can choose
to live in the city. Instead of being a ger toshav, I am free
to choose to become a ger tzedek (a full convert).
We have choices.
But I still agree with you - we need straight and detailed answers from
the orthodox Jewish community. These issues must be studied and explored.
And the answers are in the Torah. Ben Bag Bag gives direction on how
to find the answers. And it is a mitzvah for the Jews to do this
- it is not our mitzvah.
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u'Mesorah... for B'nei Noach
October 2000
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