B"H

10/21/2006

NOACH

TALMUDIC SOURCES

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Hashem Reveals to Noach the Future Event of the Mabul (Flood) and Commands Him to Build an Ark

Hashem's word came to Noach, "I have decided to destroy all human beings for the three major crimes of which they are guilty and foremost because they rob each other. Behold, I shall bring a flood which will destroy not only all living beings, but even raze and destroy three tefachim (one foot) deep into the ground!"

The king and queen impatiently waited for their son's wedding day. It was to be the major social event of the year. The preparations had been elaborate. The chupa and wedding hall were renovated at a cost of thousands, and the king spared no money to glorify the day.

Then misfortune struck. On the great day, the prince was found lifeless. He would never experience this day of joy. The king did not waste time. He hastened to the palace where the festivities were to be held, tore down the curtains of the chupa, trampled on the flowers and was about to demolish the poles. "Stop," screamed the queen and ministers. "We have invested thousands in the arrangements." Bur the king would not be halted in his destructive activity. "Of what use is all this to me now," he said sadly, "when my son lies dead?"

Similarly Hashem said, "I created the world and all that is in it for the sake of the human being. If there are no human beings, of what use is the earth? The mabul which annihilates the human race will also destroy the animals and vegetation and even dig three tefachim deep into the ground!"

Hashem then instructed Noach, "Make yourself an ark of Gopher wood containing three stories, the lowest for the refuse, the middle floor for the animals and the highest to be reserved for the human beings. It shall consist of entirely separate compartments!" Hashem explained to Noach the exact structure of the ark which he had to build, as if pointing it out with His finger. "Coat the ark from inside and outside with tar," he told Noach. "Go to the river Pishon and fetch precious stones to illuminate the ark. I want you to know that the deluge will destroy all living creatures, but you shall enter and live in the ark, you and your sons, your wife and your sons' wives!"

Upon hearing the words, "You shall be saved in an ark," Noach should have implored Hashem to be merciful and spare the world. But Noach did not seize the opportunity to intervene on behalf of his fellow human beings. He was different from Moshe who, as soon as he heard from Hashem the decree (Sh'mos 32:10), "And now leave Me alone that I may destroy them and I shall make you a great nation," argued, "How can I forsake the Jewish people for my personal benefit?" He prayed until Hashem forgave K'lal Yisrael, whereas Noach failed to pray for his generation.

Hashem continued to instruct Noach, "Bring to the ark all animals on earth! Take a male and a female of every species that is not pure, and seven males and seven females of all animals that the Torah in future times will declare pure."

From where do we learn that a person should avoid vulgar language?

Speaking to Noach, Hashem did not tell him, "Of all beasts that are tamay (impure) shall you take two," but the Torah states (7:2), "and of beasts that are not tahor (pure)," avoiding the more concise term tamay (impure).

This is a lesson that a person should always express himself in a refined manner, avoiding vulgar expressions.

"How can I fulfill your command?" Asked Noach. "Am I a hunter who can recognize all the different types of animals and catch them all?"

As soon as Noach had uttered these words, he lost the opportunity to fulfill the mitzva.

Hashem answered, "You need not catch the animals. They will come to the ark of their own accord!"

Hashem promised Noach, "I will establish My covenant with you, to prevent the decaying of the provisions which you take onto the ark. The covenant also will protect you so that the wicked men of the generation will not be able to harm you, nor will they be able to prevent you from entering the ark, in spite of their superior strength!"

Avram in Prison

Nimrod commanded his soldiers to bring Avram to the palace. Avram was arrested by the king's officers and taken to Nimrod.

Nimrod sat on top of his throne which was an artistic creation placed high on top of a spiraling tower comprised of seven different materials. Whoever approached it had to prostrate before the king. Avram was brought in and stood erect.

"Are you Avram, son of Terach?"

"I am"

"Then you are the traitor who had the audacity to burn my g-ds. Don't you know that I am the master of all creation? Sun, moon, and stars obey me!"

"Excuse me," said Avram, "this is new to me. Let me make only one request, and I will believe in you!"

"State your request!"

"The sun rises daily in the east and sets in the west. Command that tomorrow it rise in the west and set in the east!"

All ministers and nobles expectantly looked at the king. But Nimrod was strangely silent.

"Or else fulfill a different request of mine," Avram persisted. Reveal to me what my thoughts at this moment are and what I am about to do next."

There was perfect silence in the palace. All eyes turned towards the young man who had the courage to challenge the king. Nimrod was stupefied. No one had ever dared to use such words in his presence.

"Do not act so amazed," said Avram. "You are no g-d! You are a descendant of Kush. And if you deny it, how is it that you were not able to save your own father from death? The truth is that just as you could not save your father from death, so you could not save yourself either. You are not an immortal being!"

Avram raised his eyes to Heaven and Exclaimed, "Hashem, see the wicked and judge them."

Nimrod by this time had composed himself. "Soldiers," he called, "immediate imprisonment for this rebel!"

The soldiers rushed forward, bound Avram in chains and led him away.

Avram was thrown into the dungeon. He was held prisoner for a full ten years. Yet his belief in Hashem did not waver.

[Rabbi Moshe Weissman, The Midrash Says, The Book of Bereishis, p.87-9, p.120-1]

THE CHASSIDIC DIMENSION

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Genuine Satisfaction; Noach's Legacy

Adapted from likkutei Sichos, Vol. xx, p.285ff; vol. xxv, p.23ff

Our Potential

The Maggid of Mezritch interpreted our Sages' statement: "Know what is above you," as: "Know that everything 'above' - all that transpires in the spiritual realms - is 'from you,' dependent on your conduct. Each of us has the potential to influence even the most elevated spiritual realms."

The Torah alludes to this potential in the opening verse of our reading. "These are the chronicles of Noach. Noach was a righteous man."

The word noach refers to satisfaction and repose. By repeating the word, the Torah implies that Noach - and by extension, every one of his descendants - can sow these qualities in two different fields, both among his fellow men, and in the spiritual worlds above.

Every person affects his environment. Our thoughts, words and deeds can inspire peace and tranquility in our fellow men, helping create meaningful pleasure. And by establishing such conditions in our world, we accentuate similar qualities in the world above. To highlight our obligation to spread these virtues, this week's Torah portion is called Noach.

Being Sensitive to G-ds Cues

The name Noach is, however problematic, for the portion as a whole does not deal with these qualities. On the contrary, the majority of the portion describes the Flood, and its conclusion relates the story of the Tower of Bavel. These events - and conduct of mankind which led to them - are diametrically opposed to the satisfaction and repose personified by Noach.

The resolution of this difficulty underscores the interrelation between the patterns with which G-d imbued our world and man's response to them. Noach's birth was to begin a period of repose and satisfaction that would encompass the globe. Mankind had the option of taking an active part in this undertaking. Instead, each person continued to live with a narrow focus, concerned only with himself. What another person felt, or questions of Right and Wrong, did not matter. And as a result, "The world was corrupt... the land was filled with crime."

Waters of Blessing

Then it started to rain. On the verse: "And it rained for forty days and forty nights," our Sages commented: "At the outset, the water descended with mercy, so that if they had repented, the rains would have been rains of blessing. Since they did not repent, the rains became a flood."

The flood waters, then, were intended to be waters of blessing. For the blessing to be manifest, however, mankind had to make itself fit to receive G-d's influence, and therefore teshuvah - a return to G-d was necessary. As the rain began to fall, humanity continued to ignore this opportunity, refusing to make such efforts.

But even though mankind did not turn to G-d in teshuvah, the rains remained waters of blessing. The forty days of rain resemble the forty seah (measure = 13.3 litters) of a mikveh. Just as immersion in a mikveh is associated with re-experiencing the act of creation, so too the forty days and forty nights of rain brought about the dawning of a new age: "Noach saw a new world."

Therefore, the waters of the flood are called "the waters of Noach," because the intent - and the actual effect - was to bring rest and pleasure to the world. Ultimately, however, because man did not respond positively, this constructive outcome was coupled with destruction - the flood obliterated every living creature on the face of the Earth.

Kindness with Purpose

A similar motif applied with regard to the Tower of Babel, as reflected in our Sages' teaching: "There were ten generations from Noach to Avraham... All those generations repeatedly angered Him, until Avraham our father came and received the reward of them all."

The generations that preceded Abraham treated people with love.  Nevertheless, since they "repeatedly angered G-d," their conduct did not reflect the repose and satisfaction which G-d intended for mankind. Therefore He punished them, scattering them throughout the earth.

Avraham performed deeds of kindness and hospitality with a single purpose - to make all mankind conscious of G-d. Through his action, he displayed the desired form of repose and satisfaction, and therefore received the reward generated by all the comradely deeds of the generations which preceded him.

When the Rainbow Shines

On the ark were lions, tigers, and other predators, and yet they dwelt in peace with the other animals, anticipating the fulfillment of the prophecy: "The wolf will dwell with lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat." Thus our Torah portion foreshadows the ultimate repose and satisfaction that mankind will be granted in the era when "there will be neither famine nor war, neither envy nor competition, for good things will flow in abundance."

By vigorously following in the footsteps of Avraham, spreading kindness and love, we can help precipitate the coming of that age. And then, like Noach and his family, we will merit the shining of the rainbow. As the Zohar states "The rainbow reflects spiritual secrets... When you see the rainbow shining with bright colors, wait for Moahiach's coming."

[In the Garden of the Torah, Insights of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson on the weekly Torah Readings, volume 1, p.7-11]