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I Get Shituf

By Shifra Chana Hendrie

All human beings are descended from Noach. Therefore the term Ben Noach is the raw general term used for all human beings. All human beings (other than Jews who are obligated to 613) are obligated to keep the Seven Laws of Noach, which are the Creator's basic fundamental prescription for "an inhabitable, sustainable world" (the Rebbe).

 It is also important to realize that Noach’s world was filled with idolatry and evil, to the point where the Torah says that G-d “regretted” that he had made man. He chose Noach to carry on the human mission through his descendants, because Noach was the only one in his time who was able to form a true relationship with G-d. We are all descended from him. 

 The primary Divine mission of the nations is to create the vessel (an inhabitable world based on fundamental order and morality) and the Divine mission of the Jews is primarily to bring down the higher light and wisdom of G-d /Torah into the world. 

 Not all humans do currently keep the seven, obviously, and if they don't, in a sense they are undermining, rather than fulfilling, this mission. If they do keep them, they are legitimate followers or successors to Noach. Sometimes the term Ben Noach (descendant of Noach) is used not to refer to all humans, but to allude to someone who is doing this mission as a true son of Noach. It is typical in Torah that terms have both general and more specific meanings, and understanding them properly depends upon context. 

 The Rebbe (and also other holy leaders) urged their followers to reach out to the world with these seven laws. The Rebbe even said that if the seven laws had been followed there could not have been a holocaust. In an effort to create awareness of the seven laws of the children of Noach (Sheva Mitzvot Bnei Noach) various people worked hard to create outreach programs and learning resources for these people. The people who actively engaged, learned, and began to follow the seven mitzvot were at that time named Noachide, or Noahide. That specific term is not used in the Torah, and this is why people are saying it's made up. 

 Taking on the seven mitzvot does move a non-Jew OUT of the idol worshiper (opposing/undermining the Divine mission) category, and INTO a more appropriate and aligned place. But it does not make them part of the Jewish mission, which is to bring G-d's light/Torah into the world. 

 The innovation of Rabbi Katz's work, which as far as I have been able to ascertain until now is completely source-based and Torah-true, is that he has brought into the discussion another category or level on the path toward holiness that moves from idol worshiper to Ben Noach / akum to Torah/Jew. This category is NOT new, it is actually mentioned all over the Torah. And that is the category of Ger. 

 As I said before, there are many terms in Torah which have both a general and specific meaning, and often more than one, and in all of these cases understanding depends upon context. This is known to all who learn Torah, it's not new. It's basic. 

 Somehow, possibly because in the 1900 years of exile it was a danger to life to talk to non-Jews about Torah, Ger has somehow come to be assumed to mean "convert according to Jewish law" in all cases. Without getting into the complex halachic distinctions, which I don't yet fully understand, it is extremely simple even on a basic level of Torah learning to see that that is not always the case. In fact, the term ger can and is used to refer to a convert (who becomes a Jew), to a slave owned by a Jew, to a ger toshav (someone who "dwells with the Jews" to paraphrase) and possibly more, and each of these categories depends upon time, place and situation, with myriad distinctions and implications in Torah law. 

 But the basic point is that there is a category, in ALL times and places and situations, that is k’Ger Toshav, "like a Ger Toshav". To keep it simple, this refers to any descendant of Noach (non-Jew) who wants to move into a close, direct, and committed relationship with Hashem. At this point he is no longer going to take the easy way out by relying upon any other figure to make rules or do the work for him, whether this is a yoshke or astrology or (maybe?) even a rabbi who he appoints to do his learning and thinking for him. Living as a Ger implies commitment, continued growth and self-responsibility in coming closer and closer to Torah and Hashem. 

 Let's be real, of course we all rely upon others at times, and appropriately so. This is one of the distinctions I personally feel has been seriously missing in the Ger discussions. NONE of us is meant to function alone, NONE of us is meant to be so arrogant that we think that we know it all. We each have our piece and there is a structure in Torah that has Divine roots and MUST be observed. Have a question in halacha/law? You don't meditate for the answer. You ask someone who is an expert and has no agenda, i.e. a rav. Don't know how to learn something on your own? Guess what, even rabbis and scholars learn from others much of the time. BITUL - the open-hearted humility and respect that allows a human being with an ego and a limited perspective to open to Divine consciousness - IS REQUIRED, wherever and whoever you are. This is KEY. 

 BUT... that doesn't mean that you're exempt (as a Jew or Ger) from moving up and in, level after level, under your own free will, and with your own mind and heart. We are all meant to grow, in accordance with Hashem's plan and instructions and Torah, beyond any limits imposed by anyone, including ourselves. To find new depths of the Torah and to make them come alive. We each have a portion in Torah that our lives and commitment and consciousness will help us reveal. But it has to be from within the structure of the Torah, which is designed not to be static, but to continuously deepen and expand. 

 This is also not new... it is the entire process of what's been happening since the Torah was given on Sinai, from the chumash, to the mishnah, to the gemara, to Kabbalah and chassidus and everything in between. And everything continues to deepen and grow in accordance with Divine Law... yagdil Torah v'yaadir. 

 A GER in our context (who is only one of the many kinds of gerim) is a non-Jew who, of his /her own free will has come to realize that there is a G-d in the world. A real G-d, the prime cause, the Creator of heaven and earth. He realizes that that G-d has a plan. And the GER wants to be a part of that plan. It's not just that he wants to do the minimum, enough not to be bad or get in trouble. He wants to CONNECT. He wants to GROW. For this reason he is willing to abandon all levels of shituf (ascribing a portion of G-d's power to some other entity or force, and being satisfied with that) and GO DIRECTLY FOR G-D. 

 Because a GER has awakened his inner soul's desire and free will to connect to G-d and G-d's mission, he naturally feels an affinity and love for Torah, for Jews, for Israel. And when this is sincere, it seems that the Torah gives him a place, NOT as a Jew (unless he undergoes full halachic conversion, which makes him a Jew and part of the Jewish people), but as someone who, in a sense, "dwells with the Jews", i.e. is a part of the Jewish mission -- to bring Divine light and Truth into the world. 

 The distinguishing factors between any old Ben Noach (akum, which is an acronym for ovdei kochavim u'mazalot, or someone who serves the stars and constellations, i.e. astrology, i.e. shituf), which IS permissible but NOT desirable because it is not the ultimate TRUTH and does nothing to reveal the TRUTH... and a GER TOSHAV (who "dwells with the Jews and is part of the Jewish mission) are: He connects to the One G-d, and that connection pulls him up in holiness and out of shituf. This is a natural progression and one goes with the other. 

 The connection is out of free will. He's not obligated/commanded, and therefore he has gone beyond the letter of the law. He loves the Jews, the Torah, Israel. He recognizes these as truth. He loves G-d, so what G-d loves, he loves. He is NOT part of the Jewish people. He IS part of the Jewish mission. 

He may not be a Shabbos goy, because he has recognized and committed to the distinctions of holy and mundane. (maybe more reasons too?) He may learn Torah, because he is now, at least in part, on the side of "revealing the Divine light". He may participate out of free will in most mitzvot. He is not commanded except in the seven mitzvot. He may NOT “keep” or observe Shabbat halachot like a Jew, but he may CELEBRATE Shabbat in his own way because he loves holiness and G-d. He is committed to grow in his connection to all of the above. He feels a sense of mission to reveal the truth in the world, if only in his/her private world. 

 These, as I see things so far, are the basics. Pursuing ONENESS with Hashem out of free choice and LOVE, rather than submission to a moral code and who cares. 

 One last point. The Noachide movement is an important step, because it offers non-Jews a kosher relationship with Torah and the world. In olden times this was required of EVERY non-Jew (ben Noach) and when the Jews were in their power in Israel they were obligated to enforce these laws and compel the non-Jews to obey on pain of death. Obviously in our times this doesn't apply. We can't force, even if we would want to. 

So Noachide has evolved as a heartfelt attempt to persuade and educate the non-Jews who are open and searching to leave false religions and keep these laws. It has a very important place in our times. But it is a beginning for many, not an end. The path forward seems to be within the awakening Ger.

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