March 2002 - אֲדָר .. נִיסָן תשס״ב Adar..Nisan 5762

According to rabbinic interpretation of the book of Genesis, there are laws which God gave to Noah that apply to all of humanity. While Jews are obligated to all of the mitzvot in the Torah, non-Jews are only accountable to the so-called Noachide laws. The seven Noachide laws as traditionally enumerated are: the prohibitions of idolatry, blasphemy, bloodshed, sexual sins, theft, and eating from a living animal, as well as the injunction to establish a legal system (Tosef., Av. Zar. 8:4; Sanh. 56a).

Nonrabbinic sources of the period of the Mishnah (1st and 2nd century CE) have a divergent tradition. The Book of Jubilees (7:20ff.) records a different list of six commandments given by Noah to his sons: to observe righteousness, to cover the shame of their flesh, to bless their Creator, to honor parents, to love their neighbor and to guard against fornication, uncleanness, and all iniquity.

What the rabbinic and nonrabbinic sources seem to agree on is the prohibition against sexual impropriety and the requirement to follow the law. In the rabbinic texts the mitzvah of observing the law comes in the requirement to establish a legal system. In the nonrabbinic apocryphal book of Jubilees this mitzvah is implied in the instruction to be righteous. In the TaNaKh, the Hebrew Bible, righteousness (tzedek) is the human obligations to do the mitzvot of the covenant. From this we learn that dina malkhut'kha dina, the law of the land is the Jewish law.

To me, one of the most important obligations of good Jew is to participate in the legal system of our country. March 5, 2002 is a primary election in our State and there are several ethically important ballot propositions.

Below are some comments on two propositions gleaned from the Board of Directors of California Church IMPACT.

Proposition 40 is a $2.6 billion bond measure proposed by the State Legislature which would enable habitat protection, recreation land acquisitions, clean water projects, air pollution control activity, and similar environmental protection measures across the state. A YES vote on Proposition 40 would contribute to our efforts to be good stewards of God's creation by investing in these critical environmental protection measures.

Proposition 42 is a legislative constitutional amendment which would mandate that General Fund revenues from sales taxes on automobile fuel be spent exclusively on transportation projects. I recommend a NO vote on Proposition 42. During the current fiscal year, California is facing a $12 billion shortfall, with programs affecting the most vulnerable in line for significant budget reductions. Proposition 42 will unnecessarily tie the hands of the State Legislature in meeting critical human needs.

However you intend to vote on March 5th, I hope that you will feel as deeply as I do that voting is not only a great privilege but it is an important mitzvah for all citizens of this great country.

—Rabbi Harry A. Manhoff, Ph.D.

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