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 Thoughts on the a Post-Flood  Program for Today

By (Rabbi)Shlomo Yaffe

All the Torah speaks to us as new and relevant in every moment and every situation

In this week’s Torah portion Noah -upon emerging from the ark into a world that would need to learn to transcend the errors of the Antediluvian Epoch  is instructed upon the fundamental ethical laws that apply to all Human beings -given by G-d – the Noahide Laws

Maimonides writes “Moreover, by Divine ordinance, Moshe, our teacher, commanded us to sway all human beings to accept the commandments enjoined upon the descendants of Noach. “

This means that every Jew is responsible to encourage all denizens of the world to act in accordance with the Seven Noachide Commandments and their associated values. In the olden days there was great potential danger involved in this type of activity -- for it could be misconstrued as an attempt to proselytize. In our generation, however, there is no danger in this respect

As Jews we must be concerned with the welfare of all peoples, for the world was "formed to be a place where all can live in felicity “–rather than anarchy
As Isaiah states (45:18)
יח  כִּי כֹה אָמַר-ה בּוֹרֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים, יֹצֵר הָאָרֶץ וְעֹשָׂהּ הוּא כוֹנְנָהּ--לֹא-תֹהוּ בְרָאָהּ, לָשֶׁבֶת יְצָרָהּ; אֲנִי ה, וְאֵין עוֹד.               
18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens, He is God; that formed the earth and made it, He established it, He created it not a waste, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD, and there is none else.

The foundation and basis of the Seven Noachide Laws -- is love and brotherhood. Even the word Noach indicates - pleasantness and friendliness. And when all humankind observes the Seven Noachide Laws they are called "pious (righteous), which indicates kindness and love.

In reaching out to encourage the observance of the Seven Noachide Laws we must also show kindness and emphasize the goodness and pleasantness which their observance will bring to the world and society. This is especially true in the United States of America, and after the 20th Century horrors perpetuated by Fascism and Communism (and those horrors continue today in States influenced by these ideas)

The only durable morality is that based on a Divine Lawgiver. Any set of ethics derived from human intellect is subject to argument and refutation.

Indeed, one of the core premises of the American experiment is that there must be complete freedom of religion and government should not in any way be involved in favoring one religion over another “The Establishment Clause” of the First Amendment to the US Constitution.
However, the premise that morality must flow from G-d is deeply rooted in our Nation and its Constitution.

To quote the landmark Supreme Court of the United States ruling in Zorach Vs. Clauson (1952)

“We are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being. We guarantee the freedom to worship as one chooses”
In other words – because G-d is so crucial to the American ethos – we must be free to relate to G-d as we see fit. However -it is equally understood that our Institutions and society stand and are successful based upon “The presupposition of a Supreme Being”

The Noahide Laws represent universal values that transcends Creed, Race or Nationality.

It is our job the help realize their vision in each and ever society we live in. Not for the sake of the Jewish people but for the sake of All, bar none.
We are challenged today to bring the harmony that emerges from shared basic values.

These Noahide values that do not diminish the great variety of Human expression and experience, but rather,  enhance our ability to be free to do so in a nation and planet that become a  “safe space” by virtue of those values. We must find ways to help all of us get there - together.

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