The Thirty Mitzvos of a Ben Noach
Parsha Pages | May 26, 2024
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The Thirty Mitzvos of a Ben Noach

Parsha Pages | June 27, 2025

The Gemara (Chullin 92a) quotes Ulla who says that the verse, "And I took the thirty silver coins and I threw it into the house of HaShem, to the treasurer" (Zecharyah 11:13), refers to the thirty Mitzvos that Bnei Noach accepted upon themselves. As Rashi (DH Sheloshim) mentions, these Mitzvos are not discussed anywhere in the Gemara.

A number of commentators offer suggestions to identify these thirty Mitzvos. All of the opinions follow the general assumption that the thirty Mitzvos are subdivisions of the seven Mitzvos of Bnei Noach.

The Rama miPano in Asarah Ma’amaros (Ma'amar Chikur ha'Din 3:21) enumerates the thirty Mitzvos as follows (the first Mitzvah in each group represents the category of the seven Mitzvos of Bnei Noach):

  1. AVODAH ZARAH (not to worship idols or practice idolatry in any form)
  2. Ma'avir ba'Esh
  3. Kosem
  4. Me'onen
  5. Menachesh
  6. Mechashef
  7. Chover Chaver
  8. Ov
  9. Yid'oni
  10. Doresh El ha'Mesim
  11. GILUY ARAYOS (not to engage in illicit or incestuous relationships)
  12. Peru
  13. Revu
  14. Ba Al ha'Zachor
  15. Kil'ei Behemah
  16. Sirus
  17. Harkavas ha'Ilan
  18. SHEFICHUS DAMIM (not to murder)
  19. Soter Lo'o Shel Yisrael
  20. BIRKAS HAShem (not to curse HaShem)
  21. Kavod ha'Torah
  22. La'Asok ba'Torah she'Nitnah Lahem
  23. GEZEL (not to steal)
  24. Lo la'Asok ba'Torah Shel Yisrael
  25. DINIM (appointing courts and judges to keep law and order)
  26. Lo Yishbosu
  27. EVER MIN HA'CHAI (not to eat a limb detached from a live animal)
  28. Dam Min ha'Chai
  29. Neveilah
  30. Basar ha'Mes

Parsha Math

“and from you five will chase after 100” (VaYikra 26,8)
Why will five Jews be able to chase after 100 non-Jewish enemies?
The holy Ostrovtze Rebbe explains based on the Gemara cited above derived above.

  1. How many possible merits would 100 bnei Noach have? (100 X 30) ___________
  2. Each Jew has how many possible merits? (613 plus 7 rabbinic Mitzvos) ___________
  3. Five Jews have a total of how many merits? (5 times answer #2) ___________
  4. Who has more merits Jews (answer #3) or non-Jews (answer #1) ___________
  5. How many more merits does that group have? (answer #3 – answer #1) ___________

The final number of extra merits confirms the “why” question above

The Gemara (Chullin 92a) quotes Ulla who says that the verse, "And I took the thirty silver coins and I threw it into the house of HaShem, to the treasurer" (Zecharyah 11:13), refers to the thirty Mitzvos that Bnei Noach accepted upon themselves. As Rashi (DH Sheloshim) mentions, these Mitzvos are not discussed anywhere in the Gemara.

A number of commentators offer suggestions to identify these thirty Mitzvos. All of the opinions follow the general assumption that the thirty Mitzvos are subdivisions of the seven Mitzvos of Bnei Noach.

The Rama miPano in Asarah Ma’amaros (Ma'amar Chikur ha'Din 3:21) enumerates the thirty Mitzvos as follows (the first Mitzvah in each group represents the category of the seven Mitzvos of Bnei Noach):

  1. AVODAH ZARAH (not to worship idols or practice idolatry in any form)
  2. Ma'avir ba'Esh
  3. Kosem
  4. Me'onen
  5. Menachesh
  6. Mechashef
  7. Chover Chaver
  8. Ov
  9. Yid'oni
  10. Doresh El ha'Mesim
  11. GILUY ARAYOS (not to engage in illicit or incestuous relationships)
  12. Peru
  13. Revu
  14. Ba Al ha'Zachor
  15. Kil'ei Behemah
  16. Sirus
  17. Harkavas ha'Ilan
  18. SHEFICHUS DAMIM (not to murder)
  19. Soter Lo'o Shel Yisrael
  20. BIRKAS HAShem (not to curse HaShem)
  21. Kavod ha'Torah
  22. La'Asok ba'Torah she'Nitnah Lahem
  23. GEZEL (not to steal)
  24. Lo la'Asok ba'Torah Shel Yisrael
  25. DINIM (appointing courts and judges to keep law and order)
  26. Lo Yishbosu
  27. EVER MIN HA'CHAI (not to eat a limb detached from a live animal)
  28. Dam Min ha'Chai
  29. Neveilah
  30. Basar ha'Mes

Parsha Math

“and from you five will chase after 100” (VaYikra 26,8)
Why will five Jews be able to chase after 100 non-Jewish enemies?
The holy Ostrovtze Rebbe explains based on the Gemara cited above derived above.

  1. How many possible merits would 100 bnei Noach have? (100 X 30) ___________
  2. Each Jew has how many possible merits? (613 plus 7 rabbinic Mitzvos) ___________
  3. Five Jews have a total of how many merits? (5 times answer #2) ___________
  4. Who has more merits Jews (answer #3) or non-Jews (answer #1) ___________
  5. How many more merits does that group have? (answer #3 – answer #1) ___________

The final number of extra merits confirms the “why” question above

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