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I am not a rabbi, nor am I Jewish. If anything I’m a Noahide. So I want to ask strictly speaking what is the prohibition of tattoos in Torah?

From my fast study it seems that only a tattoo for idol worship, tattooing Gods Name are prohibited.

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  • sefaria.org/Leviticus.19.28 Commented Jul 18 at 17:41
  • This is what I found, so obviously there are differing opinions sefaria.org/…
    – user24193
    Commented Jul 18 at 18:04
  • @RaulValdezJr. are you asking what the law is for you, as a Noachide, or for Jews in general? Commented Jul 18 at 18:28
  • Then you're confusing everyone here. Ask simply: what is the law for Jews about tattoos? (Then you can perhaps choose to ask a different question: as a Noahide, which of the Jew-only laws would it help or hurt if I kept?)
    – Shalom
    Commented Jul 18 at 20:52

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The Torah commands:

וְשֶׂ֣רֶט לָנֶ֗פֶשׁ לֹ֤א תִתְּנוּ֙ בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֔ם וּכְתֹ֣בֶת קַֽעֲקַ֔ע לֹ֥א תִתְּנ֖וּ בָּכֶ֑ם אֲנִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃ You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves. I am the Lord. [Leviticus 19:28]

This prohibits tattoos. The Mishnah confirms it. [Makkot 3:6]. However, paint and stick-ons are allowed, but discouraged because they may appear to be tattoos – the concern is marit ayin, the appearance of a transgression.

There are no penalties for tattoos. Tattoo removal is not mandatory. Therefore, Holocaust survivors and other victims don’t have to go through the pain, risk and expense of having their tattoo removed. There are no restrictions on the burial to Jews who have tattoos, no limit on their participation in synagogue rituals, and someone with a tattoo may convert to Judaism.

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    I believe this question was aimed at answering for non jews
    – Rabbi Kaii
    Commented Jul 18 at 18:28

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