3

Assuming these are witnesses who warned him of the penalty immediately before he acted, as specified in Sanhedrin, if a gentile committed murder (or any other violation of the Noachide Law) and then converted, and in a couple of years the witnesses of the original murder show up to testify:

Can he be convicted and executed?

If so, by what execution method does he die?

Would the type of execution depend on the type of violation?

5
  • dupe judaism.stackexchange.com/q/6429/759
    – Double AA
    Feb 27, 2013 at 17:39
  • @DoubleAA But the source cited in the answer below is a direct opposite of the ones in the referenced question :) - can we merge the two?
    – gt6989b
    Feb 27, 2013 at 19:51
  • @DoubleAA overlapping concepts, but not completely so, in that this one only addresses murder, and addresses penalty concepts that the other doesn't. I'd say not a dupe, but certainly related. Answers to this could refer to answers to that.
    – Isaac Moses
    Feb 27, 2013 at 23:21
  • @IsaacMoses Murder makes it more specific, so still a dupe. Is penalty really that different from liability?
    – Double AA
    Feb 27, 2013 at 23:26
  • @DoubleAA, actually, the other question is about Teshuva, which sounds like between the individual and God, while this one is explicitly about what what a court may do. A priori, there's no reason to assume that answers to these would be identical.
    – Isaac Moses
    Feb 27, 2013 at 23:29

2 Answers 2

9

Chemdas Yisroel (R' Meir Dan Plozky Zatzal) 42 says that in such a case the convert would not be executed.

1
  • This is a great source, very xomprehensive :). Covers galus for homicide and theft as well. Thank you.
    – gt6989b
    Feb 27, 2013 at 16:31
7

The Mishneh Torah, in Hilkhot Melakhim u-Milchamot 10:6-7[4-5], says:

ו [ד] בן נוח שבירך את השם, או שעבד עבודה זרה, או שבא על אשת חברו, או שהרג חברו, ונתגייר--פטור. הרג בן ישראל, או שבא על אשת ישראל, ונתגייר--חייב; והורגין אותו על בן ישראל, וחונקין אותו על אשת ישראל שבעל--שהרי נשתנה דינו.

ז [ה] כבר ביארנו שכל מיתת בני נוח בסיף--אלא אם כן בעל אשת ישראל נערה מאורסה, ייסקל, ואם בעלה אחר שנכנסה לחופה קודם שתיבעל, ייחנק

In English( based on Eliyahu Touger's translation):

6[4] A gentile who converts after cursing God's name, worshiping false gods, engaging in relations with a colleague's wife, or killing a fellow gentile is exempt from punishment.

In contrast, if he converted after killing a Jew or having relations with a Jew's wife, he is liable. He is decapitated for killing the Jew and strangled to death for engaging in relations with a Jew's wife. He is given the latter punishment because the laws governing him have changed.

7[5] It has already been explained that gentiles are always executed by decapitation except in cases when one engages in relations with the wife of a Jew while she is a consecrated maiden. In the latter instance, he is stoned to death.

If he engaged in relations with a Jew's wife after they married, but before they ever engaged in relations, he is executed by strangulation.

In short:

  • If a Ben No'ach violated one of his laws, involving only himself( e.g. Avodah Zarah) or other Benei No'ach, if he converts, he is exempt from punishment.
  • If he committed the violation against a Jew, even if he converts, he is punished:
    • In general, he is executed by decapitation( by sword).
    • If he engages in relations with the wife of a Jew:
      • if while she is a consecrated maiden, he is stoned.
      • if after she is married, he is strangled.

I edited the translation, and summarized, based on the Moachon Mamre edition's version. In printed text it says a Ben No'ach who converts is stoned for engaging "in relations with the wife of a Jew or a consecrated maiden"(אלא אם בעל אשת ישראל או נערה מאורסה יסקל).

0

You must log in to answer this question.

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