Is It Prohibited for a Noahide to Gaze at a Rainbow?

Recently in our WhatsApp group someone quoted from the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 60:4:

“One who sees a rainbow recites the blessing… but it is forbidden to gaze at it extensively.”

This raised an important question: Does this apply to a Noahide as well?

It’s a thoughtful question because the rainbow is not just a Jewish symbol. It is the sign of the covenant between Hashem and all humanity.

Let’s look at this in a way that honors Judaism while protecting a healthy Noahide identity.

The Rainbow Is a Universal Covenant

In Book of Bereshiet (Genesis) 9:12–17, the rainbow is established as the sign of the covenant between Hashem and:

וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֛ין כׇּל־נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתְּכֶ֑ם לְדֹרֹ֖ת עוֹלָֽם

“between Me and you, and every living creature with you, for all ages to come.”

This covenant was made with Noach and his descendants. (meaning all of humanity)

The rainbow is therefore not exclusively Jewish but it is a universal sign of Divine mercy after judgment. For a Noahide, the rainbow is deeply meaningful.

But meaning does not automatically equal halachic obligation.

Where Does the Restriction Come From?

The discouragement against prolonged gazing appears in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 60:4:

הָרוֹאֶה קֶשֶׁת, מְבָרֵךְ, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, זוֹכֵר הַבְּרִית וְנֶאֱמָן בִּבְרִיתוֹ וְקַיָּם בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ. אָסוּר לְהִסְתַּכֵּל הַרְבֵּה בַּקֶּשֶׁת (רכ"ט).

When you see a rainbow you say: Baruch ata Adon Elokeinu melech ha'olam zocheir haberis vene'eman biveriso vekayam bema'amaro, [Blessed are You, Hashem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who remembers the covenant, is trustworthy in His covenant and fulfills His word]. It is forbidden to gaze too much at a rainbow.

Several sources are often cited to explain this:

Book of Ezekiel 1:28:

כְּמַרְאֵ֣ה הַקֶּ֡שֶׁת אֲשֶׁר֩ יִהְיֶ֨ה בֶעָנָ֜ן בְּי֣וֹם הַגֶּ֗שֶׁם כֵּ֣ן מַרְאֵ֤ה הַנֹּ֙גַהּ֙ סָבִ֔יב ה֕וּא מַרְאֵ֖ה דְּמ֣וּת כְּבוֹד־יְהֹוָ֑ה וָֽאֶרְאֶה֙ וָאֶפֹּ֣ל עַל־פָּנַ֔י וָאֶשְׁמַ֖ע ק֥וֹל מְדַבֵּֽר׃ 

Like the appearance of the bow that shines in the clouds on a day of rain, such was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. That was the appearance of the semblance of the Presence of G-d. When I beheld it, I flung myself down on my face. And I heard the voice of someone speaking.

Where the prophet describes a vision of Divine Glory with the appearance of a rainbow.

Talmud Bavli Chagigah 16a:

כׇּל שֶׁלֹּא חָס עַל כְּבוֹד קוֹנוֹ, רָתוּי לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בָּא לְעוֹלָם. מַאי הִיא? רַבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר: זֶה הַמִּסְתַּכֵּל בַּקֶּשֶׁת. רַב יוֹסֵף אָמַר: זֶה הָעוֹבֵר עֲבֵירָה בַּסֵּתֶר. מִסְתַּכֵּל בַּקֶּשֶׁת, דִּכְתִיב: ״כְּמַרְאֵה הַקֶּשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בֶעָנָן בְּיוֹם הַגֶּשֶׁם כֵּן מַרְאֵה הַנֹּגַהּ סָבִיב הוּא מַרְאֵה דְּמוּת כְּבוֹד ה׳״.

It is taught in the mishna: Whoever has no concern for the honor of his Maker deserves to have never come to the world. The Gemara asks: What is lack of concern for the honor of one’s Maker? Rabbi Abba said: This is one who looks at a rainbow. Rav Yosef said: This is one who commits a transgression in private. They proceed to clarify their opinions: Looking at a rainbow constitutes an act of disrespect toward the Divine Presence, as it is written: “As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord” (Ezekiel 1:28), and it is a dishonor to God to stare at His likeness.

It addresses the halachic concerns surrounding gazing at sacred manifestations.

The Zohar (I, 71b) associates the rainbow’s colors with Divine attributes. Later kabbalistic teachings further systematized this idea by relating them to the seven emotional sefirot (Chesed through Malchut).

In Jewish law and mysticism, staring at the rainbow is discouraged out of reverence because it reflects something associated with the “likeness of the Glory of Hashem.”

But these sources belong to the Jewish halachic and mystical framework.

They are not stated in Torah as a universal command.

What About the Seven Noahide Laws?

When we look at classical Noahide halachic works, including The Divine Code, we do not find:

A prohibition against gazing at a rainbow, an obligation to recite a specific blessing or a restriction on the length of time one may look.

The Seven Laws focus on fundamental moral and theological obligations like prohibition of idolatry, prohibition of murder, prohibition of theft and so on.

There is no explicit source that extends the Jewish halachic etiquette about the rainbow to Bnei Noach.

Therefore, from a strictly halachic standpoint, a Noahide who gazes at a rainbow for an extended period has not violated any prohibition.

Reverence vs. Obligation

That being said, there is an important distinction to make:

There is a difference between something being legally required and something being spiritually refined.

A Noahide who chooses to look briefly out of awe and then turn away in reverence is expressing yirat Shamayim (Awareness of G-d’s greatness)

But this remains voluntary.

We must be careful not to blur identities by turning Jewish halachic refinements into universal obligations where the sources do not say so.

Respecting Jewish law does not mean assuming every refinement applies to everyone.

Healthy Noahide identity includes knowing where our obligations begin and end.

What About the Concern of Idolatry?

Some have suggested that gazing too long at a rainbow could lead to improper focus or even idolatrous thinking.

The key distinction is that looking at something beautiful in creation is not idolatry, but attributing independent power or mystical force to it would be.

If one sees the rainbow and remembers the Creator, that is alignment with the covenant.

If one turns the rainbow into an object of superstition, that is something entirely different.

The issue is not the duration of the gaze but the issue is the orientation of the heart.

A Balanced Conclusion

So where does this leave us?

The rainbow is a universal covenant sign.

There is no explicit Noahide prohibition against prolonged gazing.

Avoiding extended staring may be a voluntary expression of reverence.

Jewish halachic refinements are not automatically binding upon Bnei Noach.

If a Noahide stands in wonder, looking at a rainbow and feeling gratitude toward Hashem, nothing has been violated.

If one glances briefly and looks away in awe, that too is beautiful.

What matters most is this:

Do we remember the One who placed the rainbow in the sky?

The rainbow is not meant to create fear but it’s meant to remind us that mercy restrained judgment.

And that covenant is for all of us.

Written by Sarah

The Road of Emunah

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