The Noahide Laws

8:4. Concerning the seven commandments that were prescribed to the children of Noah: Setting up courts of justice, [prohibitions against] idolatry, blasphemy, fornication, bloodshed, robbery, and [eating] a limb [torn] from a living animal.

“Setting up courts of justice”—How so? Just as Israel is commanded to establish courts in their towns, so also the Noahides are commanded to establish courts in their towns.

“Idolatry and blasphemy”—How so? With respect to a non-Jew who worships idols and a blasphemer: the only death penalty a Noahide receives is execution by sword.

“Fornication”—How so? Any illicit sexual relation for which an Israelite court inflicts the death penalty, Noahides are warned against, and for every illicit sexual relation against which an Israelite court warns, Noahides are executed—the words of R. Meir, but the sages say there are many illicit sexual relations for which it is not the case that the court inflicts the death penalty and the Noahides are warned. One who violates a sexual prohibition according to Israel is judged by the laws of Israel, and one who violates a sexual prohibition according to the Noahides is judged by the laws of the Noahides, and the only [difference] is the case of [sexual relations with] a betrothed young woman.

5. “Bloodshed”—How so? A non-Jew who [kills] a non-Jew or a non-Jew who kills a Jew is liable; but a Jew who kills a non-Jew is exempt.

“Robbery”—How so? Theft, robbery, a captive woman, and similar cases. A non-Jew against a non-Jew or a non-Jew against a Jew is prohibited, but a Jew against a non-Jew is permitted.

6. “A limb from a living animal”—How so? A dangling limb on an animal that can’t be healed or dangling flesh on an animal that can’t be healed is prohibited to Noahides and even more so to Israelites. If it can be healed, it is permitted to Israelites and even more so to Noahides.

If one took a bird that was less than an olive’s bulk and ate it, the rabbis declare him exempt but R. Eleazar ben R. Simeon declares him liable, for if one is liable on account of a limb from a living animal, should one not be liable for the entire animal?

If he strangled it and ate it, he is exempt.

R. Ḥananiah ben Gamaliel says: Also concerning blood from a living animal.

R. Ḥidka says: Also concerning castration.

R. Simeon says: Also concerning witchcraft.

R. Yosi says: All that is said in the [biblical] section of the Noahides, they [the Noahides] are warned against, as it is said: There shall not be found among you one who passes his son or daughter through the fire, one who practices divination, a soothsayer, an augur, a sorcerer, a charmer, a medium, a wizard, or a necromancer, for they are an abomination to the Lord (Deuteronomy 18:10–11).

7. Is it possible that scripture would inflict punishment without first giving a warning? [No], rather scripture warns and afterward punishes, to teach that it warned first and afterward punished.

8. R. Eliezer says: Concerning mixed seeds, it is permitted for Noahides to sow them and to wear mixed fibers but it is prohibited for them to cross-breed animals or graft trees.

Translated byChristine Hayes.