The
Noahide Campaign refers to a campaign by
Orthodox JewsOrthodox Judaism is a formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized in the Talmudic texts and as subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim.Orthodox...
of the
ChabadChabad is an acronym for Chochmah, Binah, and Da'at, the three levels of Sefirot related to cognition according to the Kabbalah....
movement to influence all non-Jews to follow the
Noahide LawsThe Seven Laws of Noah , often referred to as the Noahide Laws, are a set of seven moral imperatives that, according to the Talmud, were given by God to Noah as a binding set of laws for all mankind...
. This was one of the
Mitzvah campaignsMitzvah Campaigns, or Mivtzo'im is a term coined by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, leader of the Chabad movement, to refer to his various initiatives calling his followers, and all Jews, to reach out to less affiliated Jews and encourage them to undertake specific...
of the Lubavitcher
RebbeRebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the identical Hebrew word Rabbi. It mostly refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...
, Rabbi
Menachem Mendel SchneersonMenachem Mendel Schneerson , known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe or just the Rebbe amongst his hasidim, was a prominent hasidic rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch movement...
, leader of Chabad.
Aside from prescribing laws for Jews, the Torah contains a universal moral code directed to all non-Jews, known as the Noahide laws. Briefly, this code forbids non-Jews from murder, blasphemy, idolatry, adultery, robbery, tearing off flesh from a living animal and consuming it, and failing to set up courts of justice to enforce the above laws.
Rabbi Schneerson taught that according to
MaimonidesMoses Maimonides, also known as Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon or the acronym the Rambam , was born in Cordoba, Spain on March 30, 1135, and died in Egypt on December 13, 1204....
, the Jewish people were entrusted with the mission of promoting this message to all mankind, but have been largely unable to carry it out historically due to the threat of religious persecution.
He believed that without these laws it is impossible for non-Jews to attain true ethical behavior and that in general, non-Jews are still wanting in basic observance of the Noahide Code, never mind complete observance.
He taught that the Messianic age is imminent, and concluded that it is therefore vital to help prepare non-Jews for that age by teaching them the Noahide Code.
The
Noahide Campaign refers to a campaign by
Orthodox JewsOrthodox Judaism is a formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized in the Talmudic texts and as subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim.Orthodox...
of the
ChabadChabad is an acronym for Chochmah, Binah, and Da'at, the three levels of Sefirot related to cognition according to the Kabbalah....
movement to influence all non-Jews to follow the
Noahide LawsThe Seven Laws of Noah , often referred to as the Noahide Laws, are a set of seven moral imperatives that, according to the Talmud, were given by God to Noah as a binding set of laws for all mankind...
. This was one of the
Mitzvah campaignsMitzvah Campaigns, or Mivtzo'im is a term coined by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, leader of the Chabad movement, to refer to his various initiatives calling his followers, and all Jews, to reach out to less affiliated Jews and encourage them to undertake specific...
of the Lubavitcher
RebbeRebbe , which means master, teacher, or mentor, is a Yiddish word derived from the identical Hebrew word Rabbi. It mostly refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement...
, Rabbi
Menachem Mendel SchneersonMenachem Mendel Schneerson , known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe or just the Rebbe amongst his hasidim, was a prominent hasidic rabbi who was the seventh and last Rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch movement...
, leader of Chabad.
Aside from prescribing laws for Jews, the Torah contains a universal moral code directed to all non-Jews, known as the Noahide laws. Briefly, this code forbids non-Jews from murder, blasphemy, idolatry, adultery, robbery, tearing off flesh from a living animal and consuming it, and failing to set up courts of justice to enforce the above laws.
Rabbi Schneerson's campaign
Rabbi Schneerson taught that according to
MaimonidesMoses Maimonides, also known as Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon or the acronym the Rambam , was born in Cordoba, Spain on March 30, 1135, and died in Egypt on December 13, 1204....
, the Jewish people were entrusted with the mission of promoting this message to all mankind, but have been largely unable to carry it out historically due to the threat of religious persecution.
He believed that without these laws it is impossible for non-Jews to attain true ethical behavior and that in general, non-Jews are still wanting in basic observance of the Noahide Code, never mind complete observance.
Applicability to all Jews
He taught that the Messianic age is imminent, and concluded that it is therefore vital to help prepare non-Jews for that age by teaching them the Noahide Code. He taught that the closer we draw to this age, the more important this activity becomes. He predicted that non-Jews will be receptive, as they sense subconsciously that they need the Noahide Code.
The Rebbe called numerous times to involve every single Jew in this campaign, whether great scholars, Jewish community workers, lay leaders, or simple laborers, pointing out that Maimonides obliges everyone to join. The Rebbe especially charged all his Shluchim with this task, and emphasized that it even involves reaching out to non-Jews in places uninhabited by Jews.
He deduced from this that failure to engage in this campaign is also detrimental to Jews living among non-Jews. Conversely, he declared that concerted efforts to promote the Noahide Code carry the secondary advantages of bringing material prosperity and boosting Jewish pride.
He emphasized that God grants every single individual the ability and opportunity to play an active role in the Noahide Campaign.
Establishing classes in the Noahide Laws
He instructed Jews to delve into the relevant Torah sources; he said that this will infuse one with additional inspiration to implement this campaign. He declared that one should not suffice with influencing one individual, or with teaching on a superficial level; rather, large group classes must be established to teach the Noahide laws in all their details, and not just the dry do’s and don’ts, but the mystical meaning underlying these laws.
Promoting the Jews' role as teachers to mankind
He maintained that Jews must promote awareness of what he maintained to be their divinely appointed role to teach the Noahide Code until this role becomes world-famous. He predicted that not only will non-Jews accept this message, but they will even assist the Jewish people in this task. Similarly, he taught that Jews must publicize amongst non-Jews the concept of G–d’s Absolute Unity as taught by Chasidic philosophy until it too becomes world-famous.
Non-Jewish participation in the Noahide Campaign
He believed that creating Noahide communities of many thousands is an attainable goal.Moreover, he taught that non-Jews themselves should be urged to actively spread the Noahide laws, such that the numbers of Noahides will multiply exponentially until the Noahide movement encompasses all mankind.
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