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What's the Biblical source of the seven noachide commandments?
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Bereshit 2:16
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ויצו יי אלקים על־האדם לאמר מכל עץ־הגן אכל תאכל
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Va'Ytzav Hash-m Elokim Al ha'Adam Leimor Mi'Kol Etz ha'Gan Achol Tochal
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Genesis 2:16
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And the LORD G-d commanded the man, saying: 'Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat'
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1
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"Va'Ytzav" - this refers to Dinim, as it says "Asher Yetzaveh Es Banav (...La'asos Tzedakah u'Mishpat)"
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דינין
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2
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"Hash-m" refers to blasphemy - "V'Nokev Shem Hash-m..."
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ברכת השם
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3
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"Elokim" refers to idolatry - "Lo Yihyeh Lecha Elokim Acherim"
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עבודה זרה
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4
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"Leimor" refers to Arayos - "Leimor Hen Yeshalach Ish Es Ishto...v'Haysah l'Ish Acher"
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גילוי עריות
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5
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"Al ha'Adam" refers to murder - "Shofech Dam ha'Adam"
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שפיכות דמים
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6
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"Mi'Kol Etz ha'Gan" - not from theft
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גזל
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7
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"Achol Tochal" - not a limb of a living animal
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אבר מן החי
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From The Kuzari (3:73)
"G-d, the Almighty commanded Adam saying, 'From all the trees of the garden you may eat'" (Bereishis, 2:16) is an allusion to the seven Noachide commandments.
The interpretation of this verse is as follows:
- "commanded" refers to laws (concerning monetary matters),
- "G-d" refers to blasphemy,
- "Almighty" refers to idolatry,
- "Adam" refers to murder,
- "saying" refers to adultery,
- "from all the trees of the garden" refers to thievery,
- "you may eat" refers to eating the flesh of a live animal.
{It is quite obvious} that the verse has little connection with the above laws. However, the Sages intended {their references} as a hint which helps one remember something which the entire nation knows the seven Noachide commandments.
From the Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 56b
(English translation by Soncino)
Whence do we know this? R. Johanan answered: The Writ saith: And the Lord G-d commanded the man saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.[1] And [He] commanded, refers to [the observance of] social laws, and thus it is written, For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.[2] The Lord is [a prohibition against] blasphemy, and thus it is written, and he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death.[3] G-d is [an injunction against] idolatry, and thus it is written, Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.[4] The man refers to bloodshed [murder], and thus it is written, Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.[5] Saying refers to adultery, and thus it is written, They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and became another man's.[6] Of every tree of the garden but not of robbery.[7] Thou mayest freely eat but not flesh cut from a living animal.[8]
Notes:
- Gen. 2:16
- Gen. 18:19. Thus 'command' relates to justice and judgment.
- Lev. 24:16 'The Lord' being used in connection with blasphemy.
- Ex. 20:3.
- Gen. 9: 6.
- Jer. 3:1. Thus 'saying' is used in connection with adultery.
- Since it was necessary to authorize Adam to eat of the trees of the garden, it follows that without such authorisation i.e., when something belongs to another it is forbidden.
- By interpreting thus: Thou mayest eat that which is now ready for eating, but not whilst the animal is alive. It is perhaps remarkable that a verse, the literal meaning of which is obviously permission to enjoy, should be interpreted as a series of prohibitions. Yet it is quite in keeping with the character of the Talmud: freedom to enjoy must be limited by moral and social considerations, and indeed only attains its highest value when so limited. Cf. Ab. VI, 2: No man is free but he who labours in the Torah.
The 7 laws of Noah in the Bible
1. Do Not commit blasphemy - Gen. 3:1
1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman: 'Yea, hath God said: Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'
2 And the woman said unto the serpent: 'Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;
2. Do not worship idols - Gen. 3:5
5 for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.'
3. Do not steal - Gen. 3:6
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.
4. Do not murder - Gen. 4:8
6 And the LORD said unto Cain: 'Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door; and unto thee is its desire, but thou mayest rule over it.'
8 And Cain spoke unto Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9 And the LORD said unto Cain: 'Where is Abel thy brother?' And he said: 'I know not; am I my brother's keeper?'
10 And He said: 'What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground.
5. Do not commit sexual immorality - Gen. 6:1-4
1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives, whomsoever they chose.
3 And the LORD said: 'My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for that he also is flesh; therefore shall his days be a hundred and twenty years.'
4 The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bore children to them; the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.
6. Establish courts of justice - Gen. 6:5-7
5 And the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.
7 And the LORD said: 'I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and creeping thing, and fowl of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them.'
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
7. Do not eat the flesh of a live animal - Gen. 9:3-4
3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be for food for you; as the green herb have I given you all.
4 Only flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
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