The Thirty Mitzvot of the Bnei Noach

Although there are only Seven Noachide Commandments, it is possible to subdivide them into 30 subdivisions. There are two versions of the 30 Noachide Commandments:

1. The 30 Noachide Commandments recorded by Rabbi Shmuel ben Hofni, Gaon.
2. The 30 Noachide Commandments recorded by Rabbi Menachem Azaria de Fano

N.B. - Please note that some of these additional commandments should be treated as a list of recommendations and not as the actual accepted Halacha. For further explanation of this you should consult your Local Orthodox Rabbi or the new Shulchan Aruch for Bnei Noach: ‘The Divine Code’.

The Talmud (Chullin 92a) mentions that Bnei Noach have thirty mitzvot (commandments):

'Rav Yehuda Says: This verse (Zacharia 11:12) refers to the thirty righteous persons among the nations of the world, whose merit sustains the nations of the world. Ulla said: This verse refers to the thirty commandments which the Noachites have accepted. But they keep only three of them. One, they do not draw up marriage contracts for homosexuals. Two, they do not merchandize (human) flesh in the marketplace. Three, they do have respect for the Torah (and for Torah scholars).'

As Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) tells us, Chazal (the Sages) do not elaborate on the nature of the 30 commandments, but various commentaries offer suggestions. The basic thesis with which they work is that the 30 commandments are subdivisions of the seven Noachide commandments.

Rabbi Menachem Azaria de Fano ???? ???? ????? ????? 1548-1620 (also known as the REMA mi'PANU ???? ?????) in his book ??? ???? ?????? Asarah Ma'amaros, Ma'amar Chikur Din 3:21 ???? ???? ??? ? ??? ? ??? ?? (Amsterdam 1649), enumerates the 30 laws as follows:

The REMA Mi’Panu’s 30 laws in transliterated Hebrew And translated into English in the original Hebrew   1st Category   ?????? 1  AVODAH ZARAH / Avodat Elilim IDOLATRY: ????? ?????? 2  Ma'avir Ba'esh Passing a child through fire in the worship of molech ????? ??? 3  Kosem Stick divination ???? 4  Me'onen  Divining of auspicious times ????? 5  Menachesh Interpreting of omens / Superstition ???? 6  Mechashef Witchcraft / Sorcery ???? 7  Chover Chaver Charming / using incantations ???? ??? 8  Ov  Consulting mediums ??? 9  Yidoni Consulting oracles ?????? 10  Doresh El ha'Mesim Necromancy ???? ?? ?????   2nd Category   ???? 11 GILUY ARAYOS SEXUAL SINS: ???? ????? 12 Peru * Be fruitful. ??? 13 Revu * Multiply seed. ??? 14 Ba Al ha'Zechur Don’t draw up marriage contracts for homosexuals. ???? ????? ????? ???? ?????? 15 Kilayei Behemah Cross-breeding of animals ???? ???? 16 Sirus Castration ???? 17 Harkavas ha'Ilan Grafting trees ????? ????   3rd Category   ?????? 18 SHEFICHUS DAMIM MURDER: ??????  ???? 19 Soter Lo'o Shel Yisroel Striking a Jew ???? ???? ?? ?????   4th Category   ?????? 20 BIRKAS HASHEM BLASPHEMY: ???? ?? 21 Kavod ha'Torah * Honour the Torah (and Torah scholars). ???? ????? 22 la'Asok ba'Torah she'Nitnah Lahem * Studying relevant parts of the Torah. ????? ????? ?????? ???   5th Category   ?????? 23 GEZZEL THEFT: ??? 24 Shelo la'Asok ba'Torah Shel Yisrael No to study non-relevant parts of the Torah. ??? ????? ????? ????? ?????   6th Category   ???? 25 HADINIM LEYISHUVO SHEL OLOM * ESTABLISHMENT OF A SYSTEM OF JUSTICE: ?????? ?????? ?? ???? 26 Velo Yishbosu Not to observe the Sabbath ??? ??????   7th Category   ?????? 27 EIVER MIN HACHAY EATING ALL OR PART OF A LIVING CREATURE: ??? ??  ??? 28 Dam Min ha'Chay Blood of a living creature ?? ?? ??? 29 Nevelah Eating an animal that died without proper slaughter. ???? 30 Basar Hames Human flesh. ??? ???

Commandments 2 to 10 are from Deut. 18:10-11

The Seven Noachide Commandments are shown in capital letters.

The commandments that are followed by an * are positive commandments, and those that do not are to be understood as prohibitions.

ADDITIONAL LAWS:

Rav Saadiah Gaon adds:

1. Tithing *
2. Levirate marriage *

Rav Nissim Gaon adds:

1. Obedience to God *
2. Knowledge of God *
3. Worship of God *

Ran and Rama add:

1. Charity *

These 30 commandments of the Bnei Noach are from the Cairo Genizah and were written by Rabbi Shmuel ben Hofni, Gaon.

Bio: Chabad.org - Rav Shmuel bar Hofnii

(see the book by A. Greenbaum, 'Thirty Commandments According to R. Samuel ben Hofni.' Published in Hebrew, Sinai, 1973).

(See also the appendix of the Encyclopedia Talmudica, Vol.3, in the section headed 'Ben Noah').

1 The singularity of G-d (That is, to believe in G-d) * Genesis 2:16 2 No idolatry Genesis 2:16 3 No blasphemy Genesis 2:16 4 To pray * Genesis 20:7 5 No false oaths Genesis 21:23 6 No suicide Genesis 9:5-6 7 No murder Genesis 9:5-6 8 No adultery Genesis 20:3 9 Formal marriages via bride price & marriage gifts * Genesis 34:12 10 No incest (with a sister) Genesis 12:13 11 No homosexuality Genesis 2:24 12 No bestiality Genesis 2:24 13 No castration Genesis 5:17 14 Not to eat an animal that died naturally or without proper slaughter Genesis 9:3 15 Not to eat a limb of a living creature Genesis 9:4 16 Not to eat or drink blood Genesis 9:4 17 Not to crossbreed animals Genesis 8:20 18  [Justice]   (the original manuscript was damaged here)   19 To offer ritual sacrifices * Genesis 8:20 20 No theft (including kidnapping) Genesis 2:16;6:11 21 To respect / honour father & mother * Genesis 9:22-23 22 No Molech worship (passing a child through fire Deuteronomy 18:10 23 No divination Deuteronomy 18:10 24 No Divining of auspicious times Deuteronomy 18:10 25 No Interpreting of omens / Superstition Deuteronomy 18:10 26 No Witchcraft / Sorcery Deuteronomy 18:10 27 No Charming / using incantations / conjuring Deuteronomy 18:10 28 No consulting mediums Deuteronomy 18:10 29 No consulting oracles Deuteronomy 18:10 30 No consulting the dead (necromancy) Deuteronomy 18:10

The laws that are followed by an * are positive admonitions, and those that do not are to be understood as prohibitions.

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