On March 3, a new sefer Torah was presented to the United Nations, with the words “Unity and Peace” inscribed on its cover. This special gift to the U.N. was commissioned by Rabbi Yakov David Cohen of the Institute of Noahide Code, an officially designated nongovernmental organization (NGO), recognized by the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSEC). Participants included U.N. diplomats, NYC Commissioner of International Affairs Edward Mermelstein, NY City Councilmember Inna Vernikov, Joel Eisdorfer (chairman of NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ Jewish Advisory Council and his former Senior Adviser), NYPD Chief Richie Taylor (commanding officer of the Community Affairs Unit), other Jewish NGO U.N. delegates, community rabbis and community leaders.
Participants marched with the Torah from the U.N. General Assembly building across First Avenue to a nearby U.N. building for a kosher luncheon. At the luncheon, Rabbi Cohen welcomed guests, describing the Institute of Noahide Code’s mission: “My NGO promotes Torah, not just for Jewish people, but all people. When God gave the Torah to the Jewish people, he also gave seven fundamental laws and guidance. Just as Jews have to study more and keep the Sabbath, non-Jews have the responsibility as well as an opportunity to be part of Torah. When Moshiach will come, there won’t be any need for money or power. The world will be filled with goodness, mitzvos, justice, peace, love and respect for all nations and for all people. Everyone will experience Hashem, everyone will serve Hashem and we will see the Third Temple in Jerusalem, the holy city and the eternal capital of the Jewish people.”
Referring to the week’s Torah portion, Tetzaveh, Rabbi Cohen said: “The Torah is truth from beginning to the middle to the end. The Torah is for all humanity, Jews and non-Jews alike. When the Torah was given at Mount Sinai, there was a cataclysmic event: 613 commandments were given to Jews. But there were also seven fundamental ones given to non-Jews. Everyone has a part to play in the Torah. Jews have a more significant role. When the Torah was given, there was no echo. Everything stood still. Time stood still. It only happened once. It will never happen again. Why? Because it permeated the entire world. Everyone experienced Torah.
“In 1990, the Lubavitcher Rebbe [stood] right down the street on 43rd Street, which is Isaiah Wall, which quotes the prophet Isaiah’s prophecy: There will come a time ‘where nations shall not learn war. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and there shall be war no more.’ The Rebbe said the prophecy of Isaiah had begun to unfold when the leaders of the world, Presidents Gorbachev and Bush, met to sign the nonproliferation treaty.”
Rabbi Aharon Raskin, of Chabad of Downtown Brooklyn and Congregation Beth Abraham, helped build the Noahide Institute decades ago. He said: “This morning, we have dedicated a holy Torah in the United Nations. The word ‘Torah’ means lessons and instruction. Torah is called the book of light. The Rambam, who was from Spain and later immigrated to Egypt, says that the objective of Torah is the United Nations. The objective of Torah is to create peace and unity throughout the entire world. The classic commentator, Rashi, born in France, says the Torah was created for peace.
“The world was created for the sake of Torah, not only for the Jewish people but all the nations of the world. Our dear Rebbe has instructed us to teach these laws of the Torah to all the nations of the world. Today, the significance of bringing the Torah into the United Nations is to declare to the world a clarion call that we dedicate ourselves to spread light, the light of righteousness, ethics, values, peace and redemption, and the ultimate light, the light of the coming of Moshiach that will usher in peace for the entire world.”
Steven Cohn, long-time counsel to the Noahide Institute, listed the seven ‘Mitzvos Bnei Noach,’ which this NGO promotes: belief in one God, respect all life, respect the institution of marriage and family, respect others’ property, establish a legal system to ensure justice, and prohibit blasphemy and idolatry.
For more information, go to www.noahide.org.
