Q & A - WITH RABBI RISKIN
Question:
Do we have any kind of obligation to teach Torah to Gentiles? I have heard it said in your name that we are even commanded to convert them to Judaism. Is this true?
Answer:
We most certainly do have an obligation to convert every human being to the seven Noahide Laws of Morality:
- Thou shalt not murder
- Thou shalt not commit adultery
- Thou shalt not steal
- Thou shalt not blaspheme G-d
- Thou shalt not serve idols
- Thou shalt not eat the limb or drink the blood of a living animal
- Thou shalt establish Law Courts for proper social order.
In fact, Maimonides rules that just as it is our responsibility to reach out to Jews in order to teach them the 613 commandments, so we must actively reach out to Gentiles – and even coerce them, if need be – to accept these Seven Noahide Laws (Maimonides, Laws of Kings 8: 10). The Lubavitcher Rebbe zt”l likewise urged Chabad emissaries to go out and teach these Seven Laws of Morality to the world.
It is not incumbent on us convert Gentiles to Judaism because as long as they keep these seven laws, they contribute to the general morality of the world and they have a share in the World to Come. Still, I would argue that we should expose the Gentile world to our Bible and to the rest of our commandments. Maimonides sees this exposure as part of a commandment to love G-d, which he takes to mean, “Make G-d Beloved to all the people of the world”, citing how Abraham and Sara exposed everyone who came into their tent to G-d and His Laws. (Maimonides, Book of Commandments, Positive Commandment 3). Maimonides also maintains that at the End of Days, during the Messianic period, “everyone will return to the true religion,” which we would define as Judaism. However, this will not be the result of our proselytizing, but a natural choice based on their recognition of the Truth.
