Note: This post was written for the Bnai-Noach list
As a female from the tribe of Judah, there are many things that are closed off to me. I cannot be a Kohen or a Levite. If the Temple stood, neither my father nor I could eat trumah (the Kohen's portion of sacrifices). Since I am not a Levite, nor are my male siblings, we could not sing in the Levitical choir if the Temple stood. We could not aid the Kohenim as the Leviim do. One could say that we are not able to fully participate in our own religion, even today. Today, should I (G-d forbid) divorce my husband, I would be unable to marry a Kohen. Kohenim have other restrictions that I do not have. They are forbidden to attend funerals of those not of their immediate family. They cannot be under the same roof as a corpse, even going so far as to avoid walking or driving under a tree that covers both the road and a funeral home. And there are yet other restrictions in marriage and with reguard to the dead that they cannot do. The Kohenim still get to deliver the priestly blessing, something I nor my father cannot do. They are called first to the Torah, the Leviim are called second. Only after they have been called, would my dad be called to read or say the blessing over the Torah. When the Temple stood, there were even more restrictions, duties, and privaleges the Kohenim and Leviim had that I or my father, being of Judah, would not have. Does that mean the Kohenim or Leviim are superior to me or that G-d loves them more than me? Does G-d love men more than me because they have more obligations than I (what is manditory to them, if not gender specific, is at most optional for me)? Is lighting of Shabbat candles, going to the mikvah after the period of nidah (time of separation of husband and wife due to menstruation), and the few other positive time bound mitvot enough for me as a woman? There are further questions of a similar nature which I can ask.
I would answer that G-d loves me no less than a Kohen or Levi, that He loves me no less than He loves my dad, that He loves me no more than He loves my non-Jewish, Noachide neice (my sister, who was adopted, chose to renounce her Judaism in the face of the Jewhatred we encountered when we moved to the "wrong" side of our small city, thus her and her offspring are non-Jews). Nor is the Kohen or Levi superior to me, nor are Jewish males superior to me. Nor am I or any Jew superior to those who follow the Noachide laws. Different does not mean supperior, nor do different roles in HaShem's plan for the entire world mean any of our differing roles is superior or somehow less important. All the world's people are important. Following whatever G-d's will for us is, be it to be a Kohen, Levite, male or female Jew, or Noachide, is what is important. G-d commands, shall we not obey what He has commanded for us? Or perhaps it is our own will that is most important? I have a hard time thinking anyone on this list believes that it is our own will that should take precedence.
Just as the Kohenim are restricted in whom they can marry within the Jewish people, the Jewish people are restricted in whom we can marry. We are permitted to marry a fellow Jew (divorced or never married is irrelivent for a non-Kohen), be that Jew a born Jew or a convert (Kohenim can marry the daughter of a convert, but not the convert herself). Just as the restrictions the Kohenim have does not make them superior, so to the restrictions above and beyond the forbidden marriages Jews must follow does not make us superior. The Jewish people need the Kohenim, and thus they remain somewhat separate. So to with Jews and Noachides. How could we possibly be a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation", how could we possibly be a "light unto the nations", if we cease to exist because all of our children are non-Jews due to intermarriage? The answer is, if we disappear in that way, we cannot fulfill our covenantal obligations, as we would not be. That does not make us superior any more than the Kohenim are superior. As I have said before, with the one religion G-d made, there are priests and lay people. The Jews are the priests, and even though I cannot become a Kohen, G-d in His infinite wisdom, made it possible for Noachides, the lay people, to become priests if they so wish by following Halachic processes.
Now, about holidays and what a Noachide can do. In addition to following the very concrete 7 categories of laws, the Noachide can do many things. Let me mention, before I start, that many Christians only celebrate Christmas and Easter, as well as national non-religious holidays. Most Muslims only have Ramadan and national non-religious holidays. Are they therefore deprived? I do not think such Christians and Muslims would say so. Yes, you may say, but there is also their sabbath. True, but a Noachide too can celebrate Shabbat, provided he or she does not do so in the way Jews do. One can do most of it, but leave out on mitvah. For example, one can spend Shabbat in prayer and rest, but the rest should not be as Jews do. I know of no Christian who abstains from turning lights on and off on their sabbath. Does that make the sabbath any less meaningful as a day of rest to them? I think not. So, on Shabbat, study (I always study on Shabbat), read, say psalms, read the Genesis stories about creation and the day of rest, dig into them, learn from them, and thus commemorate the day of rest.
Celebrate Sukkot (as R. Katz said, it is for everyone), repent every day and every new month (Jews are not confined to Yom Kippur in our repentance). Sing psalms and songs of praise to HaShem -- it is not necessary to sing these in Hebrew, nor are you restricted in what melody you can use. Some of my favorate Jewish songs of praise were written fairly recently. Praise of G-d is not restriced to the siddur, Jew and Noachide alike can pray spontaneously, and sing unto the L-RD a new song...just keep idolatry out of it, of course :-) Celebrate Independence Day, Thanksgiving, or other national secular holidays. Celebrate the history of your particular culture. But keep your mind and will on following G-d's will in all things. Noachism, like Judaism, demands that G-d's will be followed not only in worship, but in business, in public interatctions. Honor your parents, as Noachides have long ago accepted that mitvah upon themselves.
The Noachide laws are, like the rules parents make for us, a demonstration that
G-d loves you, that He wants you to do what is good and right. They are G-d's
gift to the world. Let us praise Him with song and even dance (if you are a
better dancer than me, that is
May we all rejoice in the very imporatant roles G-d has given us!
