Our Way or the Highway?

Q. If other people and religions are wrong and only the law and commands in Israel are the true path, what should others do if they want to have a relationship with God?

A. Thanks for your question, although you’re working under a big assumption: that our path is the only path. It’s true that our path is the right path for us, but the Torah provides a path for others, as well.

Most religions will tell you that their way is the only way – for everyone. If you don’t join them, you’re condemned. Judaism is not that way. Sure, conversion is an option, but there’s another path. The Talmud tells us that “The righteous of all nations have a share in the World to Come” (Sanhedrin 105a).

What does the Torah require for a non-Jew to be considered “righteous”? Well, the Torah has 613 commandments for Jews, but it also outlines seven commandments that apply to everyone in the world – Jew and non-Jew alike. These are called the Seven Noahide Laws because they apply to all the descendants of Noah (which is every human being since the Great Flood). They are:

(1) Not to steal; (2) not to commit murder; (3) not to worship idols; (4) not to blaspheme; (5) Not to commit acts of sexual immorality; (6) not to eat a limb torn from a live animal; and (7) to establish courts of justice. (Not eating the limb of a live animal may not seem to be of the same magnitude as, say, not to murder, but God specifically commanded that of Noah’s descendants in Genesis 9:4. The obligation to establish courts of justice applies to a society, rather than an individual, so a person really only has to concern himself with six out of the seven Noahide laws.)

As noted, one could always convert to Judaism and voluntarily take on all 613 commandments, but one would have to analyze the risk vs. the reward. With more commandments, one would have the potential to earn more reward, but also the potential to fall short in more areas. If someone’s born not Jewish, they get to choose their path.

Of course, keeping the Seven Noahide Laws is the baseline, not the apex. Even one who chooses not to convert can still work to get closer to God. Two ways I can recommend are prayer and acts of kindness.

Prayer is quite simple: just talk to God! Develop a relationship with Him. The closer you get to Him, the closer He will be to you.

As far as performing acts of kindness, Deuteronomy 28:9 tells us to “walk in God’s ways.” The Sages explain, “Just as He is compassionate, so should you be compassionate. Just as He is righteous, so should you be righteous. Just as He is holy, so should you be holy” (Sifre). The more we act like God, the better we’ll be able to “understand” God (insofar as a human being can!).

I hope this helps!

------------------------------

Rabbi Jack's book Ask Rabbi Jack is available from Kodesh Press and on Amazon.com.