About Rabbi Jack Abramowitz
Rabbi Jack Abramowitz served as Director of Programs for NCSY before becoming Associate Director of the Pepa and Rabbi Joseph Karasick Department of Synagogue Services. Rabbi Abramowitz holds degrees in Jewish studies, communications and Higher Education Administration. Among his accomplishments, he authored NCSY's Torah on One Foot series of educational pamphlets and created negiah.org, the first abstinence web site for Jewish teens. Rabbi Abramowitz is the author of The Shnayim Mikra Companion on Torah, The Nach Yomi Companion volumes 1 and 2 on the books of the Prophets and the Writings, and The Tzniyus Book.

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Taryag: A Mitzvah a Day

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Noachide Laws #4 – Blasphemy


Aside from the 613 mitzvos that God gave the Jews, He commanded 7 things of all mankind. These are called the “sheva mitzvos b’nei Noach” – the seven laws for the descendants of Noah. Six, or possibly all seven, of these mitzvos were originally commanded to Adam; they were re-stated to Noah after the flood, to be passed down to his descendants, the entire population of the world.

Blasphemy is perhaps the most reprehensible thing there is. It is so unthinkable that this mitzvah is called “birkas Hashem,” blessing God, when, of course, we really mean the opposite (God forbid). Like Jews, non-Jews are not permitted to curse God. We see this throughout the Book of Job. When Job’s life goes completely down the tubes, he is advised to “curse God and die.” This does not mean that doing so would cause Job to be Divinely struck dead; it means that he would be liable of the capital crime of blasphemy–and Job was a non-Jew.

This mitzvah includes not only a prohibition against blasphemy but also against desecrating God’s Name. The obligation of non-Jews to pray also falls under the aegis of this category.



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