0

When it comes to noahide Halacha, there aren’t necessarily “7” mitzvot, but rather categories of commandments. My question is, do all mitzvot which are “Ben Adam lechavero” count under the category of the 7 and apply to noahides?

1
  • 3
    A noahide can lend with interest, hold pajamas and upper millstones as collateral. Doesn't have to leave a corner to the poor, doesn't have a special prohibition against hitting his parents, doesn't have to let an ex-slave live wherever, Commented Jan 1 at 2:45

1 Answer 1

2

There are different classes of Mitzvos Bein Adam Lachaveiro (interpersonal mitzvos).

The first is moral.

The second is fraternal. Interactions that are okay strangers, but are just wrong to do to a brother or a friend. And then they end up Mitzvos Bein Adam Lachaveiro but specifically when the other party is Jewish or perhaps another believer in Hashem yisbarach.

For example, the Torah (Vayikra 35:25-26) describes the prohibition of charging interest as:

וְכִֽי־יָמ֣וּךְ אָחִ֔יךָ וּמָ֥טָה יָד֖וֹ עִמָּ֑ךְ וְהֶֽחֱזַ֣קְתָּ בּ֔וֹ גֵּ֧ר וְתוֹשָׁ֛ב וָחַ֖י עִמָּֽךְ׃ אַל־תִּקַּ֤ח מֵֽאִתּוֹ֙ נֶ֣שֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּ֔ית וְיָרֵ֖אתָ מֵֽאֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ וְחֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ עִמָּֽךְ׃

If your brother becomes impoverished and his hand (assets) become shaky among you, you must support him, [so too] the proselyte and the sojourner, [so] that he shall live with you. You shall not take from him interest or usury and you shall fear your God, and your brother shall live with you.

We are allowed to charge a non-Jew interest, and they are permitted to charge us interest because there is nothing immoral about wanting payment for not having one's money available for their own use or an investment. But when family needs money, charging interest is unbrotherly. This is why the borrower is referred to as "achikha -- your brother".

But all laws of morality apply to non-Jews. Subsumed under the umbrella prohibition against all forms of theft.

4
  • Could we have the source for that last sentence? Very interesting thanks for this
    – Rabbi Kaii
    Commented Jan 1 at 22:23
  • I don't think this is correct. What about Lashon Hara that only applies to Yisra'el
    – user15294
    Commented Jan 1 at 22:59
  • 1
    Lashon hara is true. Slander, motzi sheim ra, is not similarly limited. Nor is any geneivas daas, never mind one that damages another. Commented Jan 2 at 0:14
  • Perhaps a citation to hakdamas rav nissim goan would help.
    – אילפא
    Commented Jan 2 at 4:31

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .