Overview of the Weekly
Reading: Noach
To be read on 3 Cheshvan
5766 (Nov.5)
Genesis 6:9-11:32; Haftorah: Isaiah 54:1-55:5 (which
mentions "the waters of Noach")
Noach is the 2nd Reading out of 12 in Genesis and
2nd overall, and 15th out of 54 in overall length.
G-d told Noach that
the world was filled with perversion and He will destroy it through
a flood. He ordered Noach to build an ark, promising to save him and
his family. He also told him to bring into the ark seven pairs of every
clean animal and two pairs of every unclean animal, and seven pairs
of every bird, as well as food for his family and for the animals. It
rained for 40 days and nights, and all was destroyed. The water remained
for a year. G-d then commanded Noach to leave the ark, and promised
that He would never again cause such mass destruction by flood. Noach
offers sacrifices from the clean species. G-d placed a rainbow in the
sky as a sign of this covenant. As a result of an unpleasant incident,
Noach cursed his son Cham, whose son was Canaan, that he would always
be slave to his brothers. The Torah then chronicles the generations
of Noach’s sons. The earth had one language, and the people decided
to build a tower to heaven. G-d saw this, and made the people speak
different languages so that they could not understand each other. He
then scattered them across the world. The chronicles continue through
to Avram, who married Sarai. They settled in Charan.
FROM THE MASTERS OF
KABBALA (K:0266/Noach)
From the holy
Zohar, teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
(Z::0266/Noach)
"The entire earth had one language." The builders of
the city spoke the Holy Tongue [Hebrew], which the ministering angels
know, and did not speak any other language. For this reason it is written,
"Shouldn't they be prevented from accomplishing all their objectives?"
(ibid. 11:6) Had they spoken a different language, which the ministering
angles do not know, they could not have accomplished their objectives,
because witchcraft has no permanence.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on
our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the holy Ari,
Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Safed (A::0266/Noach)
This is the meaning of "...to work it", [which, according
to the Sages, refers to] the active commandments, for [by performing the
active commandments] we draw down masculine water upon us; "...and
to guard it" refers to the passive commandments, which guarded the
garden so that evil could not attach itself.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on
our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the Rabeinu
Bachya (S::0266/Noach)
Here G-d speaks to Noah alone [not to his children] when He says
"this is the sign of the covenant which I have established between
Me and all of mankind." At this point G-d took Noah into His confidence
and revealed a mystical aspect to him that He had not revealed to his
children. This is the deeper meaning of the words, "this is the sign
[i.e. visible symbol] of the covenant." [Gen.9:17]
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section on
our KabbalaOnline
site.
FROM THE CHASSIDIC
REBBES (V::0266/Noach)
"G-d said to Noah, 'Come you and all your house into the ark'."
(7:1)
The Zohar explains that the name Noah ("Noach" in Hebrew),
from the root meaning to rest, is an allusion to Shabbat, which is also
derived from the Hebrew word meaning cessation of work. Moreover, in
the same way that the ark was the means by which Noah and his family
were saved from the Flood, so too is the holy Shabbat the "lifesaver"
that rescues the Jew from drowning in the world's deluge...
(Avnei Eizel)
A
MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE
from the Chabad
Master series, produced by Rabbi Yosef Marcus for
www.ascentofsafed.com and www.kabbalaonline.org
MOSHIACH THIS WEEK
(M::0266/Noach)
The Zohar states that the rainbow is one of the signs of the future
Redemption. Commentators note that the rainbow indicates the purification
and refinement that the world underwent by means of the Flood. Before
the Flood the clouds were very coarse, thus preventing a reflection of
sunlight. Thereafter, however, the clouds became more refined; they reflected
sunlight, thus bringing about a rainbow. This, then, is the connection
between the rainbow and the future Redemption. The entire world will attain
the peak of refinement with the coming of Moshaich.
(Living With Moshiach)
[Reprinted with permission from L'Chaim Magazine (www.lchaim.org).]
An
essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here) (W::0266/Noach)
Noah was was "pure in his generation" (Gen. 6:9); he
feared that believing in the Flood would cause it to come.
The portion opens with the verse, "These are the generations of Noah;
Noah was a righteous man" (Gen.6:9). Why do we need to know that
he was a righteous man? Rashi explains that since the Torah is, in any
case, mentioning Noah's name, it is appropriate to praise him. However,
this is puzzling because Noah was already mentioned at the end of last
week's Torah reading, where it is written, "and Noah found grace
in the eyes of G-d" (Gen.6:8). Why not praise him there? Rather,
the Torah chooses to praise Noah here, where it speaks about his good
deeds and his attainment of spiritual levels that he reached as a result
of his own efforts. Previously, it had said that "Noah found grace".
Having found something infers G-d's help, not what we accomplish through
our own efforts.
The first verse continues, "He was pure in his generation."
Why qualify Noah's purity? Rashi says that some commentaries understand
it in a positive way, that even in a righteous generation, he would have
been considered great. Others see it in a seemingly negative context,
that he was only great compared to his lowly, sinful generation; in Abraham's
generation, he would not have been so outstanding. The Chozeh of Lublin
makes a wonderful point: If you can interpret it positively for Noah,
why would you possibly wish to present a negative portrayal? The Talmud
requires us always to judge a person favorably. He posits that it was
Noah himself who saw himself that way, who considered himself as utterly
incomparable to a righteous one such as Abraham. Thus, the commentators
are not being critical of Noah's spiritual status but rather reflecting
Noah's own humble attitude towards himself.
Rashi comments on the verse, reporting that Noah and his family entered
the ark "because of the water of the flood" (Gen. 7:7). The
previous verse already said that the flood had begun. We would expect
Noah's family to have boarded the ark then. Rashi says that Noah was "small"
in faith. He believed and yet did not believe that the flood would be
so vast, so he did not enter the ark until the water forced him in! Rebbe
Yechiel Michel of Zlotshuv (as quoted in Ohev Yisroel) asks how could
Rashi suspect such a great person as Noah to be lacking faith? He explains
like this: The word "emuna", meaning "faith",
can denote the faith that a certain event will undoubtedly occur. Another
interpretation of the word "emuna" is "trained"
or "nurtured", as in "And he [Mordechai] trained [in Hebrew,
'uman' - as a parent raises a child] Hadassah [Esther]." In
other words, there is a certain strength in "emuna" that
makes something happen.
When you truly believe, you can actually help actualize a particular
event. It is a cliche, but worth repeating: do not underestimate the power
of faith! Noah, as one who was close to G-d, understood this. Of course,
he believed totally in G-d and in whatever G-d told him. Nevertheless,
he was afraid to totally believe in the Flood because he did not want
to help cause it. He was wary that his very powerful faith could make
the Flood happen!
This is what Rashi referred to by saying that Noah was of "small
faith". He made his faith small, at first believing in the Flood's
immanence, but then forcing himself to not believe in it; finally, the
waters of the Flood forced him into the ark, leaving him no choice. The
Shlah writes that maybe Noah was not so great, since he did not argue
with G-d when told that the world was going to be destroyed. But from
the above we can justify it, Noah did not want to let himself believe
it.
Worries concerning mundane matters are sometimes referred to as "the
waters of Noah". In addition to the destruction, the Flood also purified
the world, and brought rest (in Hebrew, "noach") to G-d.
So also there is inner purpose to the worries that flood our lives. The
worries are meant to force us into prayer and strengthen our faith in
G-d. This is the inner dimension of the verse, "Come to the ark".
The word in Hebrew for "ark" is "teva", which
also means "word". "Come to the word", G-d is telling
us. When the flood of worries tries to engulf us, have faith in G-d. Instead
of drowning, you will be lifted above the water by the "teva"
- words of prayer. This is true all year long, but especially now, right
after the holidays when we have been earnestly working on ourselves. If
we practice now doing things right, it will be easy all year long!
In the middle of the Torah reading, G-d promises to never again destroy
the world with a flood (Gen. 9:8-17). The symbol of this promise is the
rainbow. We all agree the rainbow is very pretty, but what is the inner
connection between the appearance of a rainbow and the promise not to
bring another flood? The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains very logically that
before the Flood, the clouds were so thick that the sun could not shine
through. There was no possibility of a rainbow. The Flood, which purified
the world, also purified the clouds so the sun could shine through, and
a rainbow could form.
Thus, the rainbow's existence is a direct result of the cleansing of
the world. Its appearance is a reminder to G-d not to destroy the world
again because the world is still pure. Similarly, a rainbow is a symbol
and a reminder of the final redemption that will also come in the merit
of the cleansing and purifying of the world through our teshuva.
The Zohar states that when you see the rays of the rainbow, look for the
feet of Mashiach (you thought I was going to say pot of gold, didn't
you?...)
Shabbat Shalom - Shaul
P.S. Please also read my weekly Shabbat Law, below.)
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For all our insights for this parsha:
from four years ago
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