Are Christians, Muslims, Samaritans, Bahais, etc considered Noachide, and do they have a part in the world to come?
What about Karaite and Falasha Jews?
1 Answer
In traditional Judaism, all non-Jews are referred to as Noahides, and they are obligated to adhere to the Noahide Code.
The seven Noahide laws are traditionally enumerated as follows:
Not to worship idols.
Not to curse God.
To establish courts of justice.
Not to commit murder.
Not to commit adultery or sexual immorality.
Not to steal.
Not to eat flesh torn from a living animal.
According to Maimonides (Hilchos Melachim 8:11), "Anyone who accepts upon himself the fulfillment of these seven commandments, and is meticulous in their observance, is considered one of 'the pious among the gentiles' and will merit a share in the World to Come."
Maimonides adds a caveat (ibid.):
"This applies only when he accepts them and fulfills them because the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded them in the Torah and informed us through Moses, our teacher, that Noah's descendants had been commanded to fulfill them previously.
However, if he fulfills them out of intellectual conviction, he is not a resident alien, nor of 'the pious among the gentiles,' nor of their wise men."
With this information in hand, we can now proceed to analyze each person on a case-by-case basis.
