Q:
Why are the laws of the Rambam so harsh against the bnei Noach, the gentiles?
A:
Well, I don’t know if they’re the laws of the Rambam. You mean the laws of the Torah; that’s what you mean because it’s not the Rambam that manufactured these laws.
But anyhow I think you’d better elucidate. What do you mean by harshness? Explain which laws are harsh.
Q:
That a ben Noach is put to death for stealing.
A:
The truth is that these are not merely laws of the Torah. Up til not long ago all the gentiles themselves practiced this. The penalty for stealing was death. So the gentiles did not consider this a harsh law. The fact that recently they changed their minds about it doesn’t mean that the law was considered harsh from the beginning of time until now.
And therefore, when the Torah was given to us or when the bnei Noach received their Torah, it certainly wasn’t considered harsh. And therefore we have to say it’s not harsh even now.
The truth is if they would execute thieves, it would be the best thing for the public and the best thing for the thieves. You want to rehabilitate the thief? The best thing is to put him in an electric chair. That’s the best way to rehabilitate him.
And you see what’s happening as a result of coddling criminals. If you are kind hearted to the wicked, it amounts to being wicked to the kindly. Because all this leniency to criminals just turns out to be a pogrom on the decent and law-abiding public.
TAPE # 38 (December 1973)
