The Seven (Eight) “Noahide Laws”

There are seven Universal Laws - known as the “Seven Noahide Laws” whose performance G-d obligated upon all of mankind, both Jew and Gentile. These commandments may be regarded as the foundations of human morality. The Talmud (Sanhedrin 56.a-b) relates these seven Noahide Laws, the observance of which all mankind may attain spiritual perfection, and without which moral depravity will ensue.

According to tradition the first six Laws were given to Adam and the generations before the Flood and the seventh was added after the Flood and appears in verse 4 above-eating flesh cut from a live animal. As I wrote above, this seventh Law actually comprises of two prohibitions. This is the view of Rabbi Hanania ben Gamliel as written in the Talmud-the prohibition to drink the blood of a living animal as well as not cutting and eating its flesh while it is alive.

The gematria of the words “Seven Laws”- שבע מצות is 908=17=8 or + 2 words=19=10=1.

The Talmud in Sanhedrin 56.a-b lists these Laws: 

Our Rabbis taught: seven precepts were the sons of Noah commanded: Laws [Social Legal System]; to refrain from blasphemy, idolatry; adultery/incest; bloodshed [Murder]; robbery; and eating flesh cut from a living animal.

R. Hanania b. Gamaliel said: Also not to partake of the blood drawn from a living animal…

תנו רבנן שבע מצות נצטוו בני נח דינין וברכת השם עבודה זרה גילוי עריות ושפיכות דמים וגזל ואבר מן החי

רבי חנניה בן גמלא )גמליאל( אומר אף על הדם מן החי...

Let us analyze the gematriaot of these Seven Laws according to their spelling in the Talmud:

1.    Laws-                                                                                 דינין=124
2.    Blasphemy-                                                           ברכת השם=967
3.    Idolatry-                                                                  עבודה זרה=299
4.    Incest-                                                                    גילוי עריות=745
5.    Blood spilling-                                                   שפיכות דמים=910
6.    Robbery-                                                                             גזל =40
7.    Eating flesh from a living animal-                    אבר מן החי =316

3401=8

 Seven = Eight

As related above, the 7^th Law comprises of two prohibitions-Eating the flesh and drinking the blood of a live animal.

It is interesting to note that the joint gematria of these two prohibitions- אבר מן החי - דם מן החי is 2333+6 words=17=8 counting final Nuns and Mem as 700 and 600.