The 7 laws of Noah or the Charter of Nations

Inscription on the frontispiece of UNO
"The nations will forge plough shears from their swords and billhooks from their lances; a people won't draw any more the sword against another people, and the art of combats won't be taught anymore", Isaiah [ II-4 ]

Certain precisions are prerequisite before approaching the meaning of these commandments. First, six among the seven laws were already known and held as imperative by humanity since the creation of man, Adam. The Creator just added the 7th one ordering it to Noah, who reconstituted humanity from his three sons, Chem, Ham and Japhet, after the Flood. These laws were also in force among the Hebrews until the time of the Gift of the Torah mount Sinai. As such, it is of prime importance that citizens of the Nations accept these 7 laws as “having been re-ordained by the Creator at mount Sinai and taught initially as commandments for the descendents of Noah”. If this condition, which cannot suffer any compromise, is not met, and that one accomplishes them as dictated by human reason, one cannot be considered as applying these laws and be called a Just among the nations. These laws are exposed by Maïmonide in chapters 9 and 10 of the book of the Laws of the Kings. A sumary is presented here below, however, these laws require specific commentaries known as "deductions and ramifications".

1. Faith in one single G.d
The prohibition of idolatry, the pagan worships - faith in one single God. Any individual must believe in a single Creator of the universe. In the One who created the world and the humans, who knows the acts and the thoughts of His creatures, exerts His providence to their attention and judges them according to their acts. It is a one God, it is Him that it is advisable to serve and it is to Him that it is
advisable to address one's prayers. The concrete application of this injunction is formal prohibition to embark on worship of any other divinity. This prohibition excludes any possibility of believing in another creator of the universe.

2. The respect oughed to G.d
Humans have the duty of revering the Creator who gave them life. This implies prohibition to pronounce any blasphemy or any like designation. The aim of this prohibition is to encourage all humanity to respect its Creator and to adopt a behavior of self-control and mastery on language in our relationship with Him. The respect of G.d in our language also leads us to praise Him and to address Him prayers, which always improve our nature.

3. The respect of human life
Man was created in the image of his Creator. Their life is a gift of the Most-High and no one hase the right to withdraw it. It is advisable to stick to the perpetuation of mankind, that G.d empowered with means of living on earth and fashioning it. That implies a formal prohibition of killing anyone, including the embryo in the belly of his/her mother. The murder of only one person is equivalent to the murder of whole humanity and constitutes an attack towards the Creator, with the image of whom Man was created. This prohibition also relates to the abortion - except if the life of the mother is in danger - and the euthanasia, even when the patient has reached unbearable sufferings. Man does not have any right of decision concerning the lifespan of others. The right to life rests exclusively between the hands of the Creator.

4. The respect of the property of others
Each one is granted by G.d certain earnings and riches and no one has the right to dispossess it. The concrete application of this principle is the formal prohibition of theft, in any manner that it may be exerted, and of any form of appropriation of the belongings of others, be it carried out by ruse or by force or in any other illegal way. This prohibition covers the refusal with dues or wages and the kidnapping of a human person. The respect of other's property normally inspires acts of charity and kindness as well as the desire to provide assistance to the needy.

5. The respect of family integrity
The Creator initially set up man and woman in one single entity within which would blossom two complementary existences. Marital life and the rules which govern it constitute the base of the perpetuation of mankind as well as family and social integrity. This integrity is characterized by the keeping of values of decency. The concrete application of this principle is a prohibition of any incestuous or immoral union and of unions against nature.

6. The establishment of a fair and sound courts system
So that all the principles expressed here can prevail, it is appropriate that the various human structures of society obtain courts whose judges are invested by a duty to make these principles respected. Whoever knows a litigation must resort to these judges and conform to their decisions. Not to enforce a rule of Law, is tantamount to encouraging iniquity and violence. This principle allows to scale the ideals regarding our personal lifes to the level of the social organization. It is the guarantee for all the other laws.

7. Respect of animals
The duty is brought on us to respect all living creatures with whom G.d populated the world. While not prohibiting to consume animal meat, the Bible affixed precise limits to the use which man can make of animals in order to provide for his needs. The concrete application of this rule is the prohibition of the consumption or amputation of the one of its members of an animal while it is still alive. This proscription is a decree from the Bible, imposed to Noah and to his descendants after the Flood: "All that moves, all that lives will be suitable as food... however, any creature, as long as its blood maintains its life, shall you not eat" (Genesis 9-4). This prohibition invites us not to remain indifferent to the suffering of animals, contributes to strengthen our sensitivity to the suffering of our kin, keeps us from harming them and incites us to relieve their distress.