HaMaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Noach Volume VI/ Number 2 (236) 4 Marchesvan 5752/October 12, 1991 Parasha Overview There were ten generations from Noach until Avraham, and each of them angered Hashem, until Avraham came along and received the reward that had been due to all of them (Avot, ch.5). These generations are the subject of this Parasha. In the 600th year of Noach's life, Hashem brought a flood upon the world. Noach's generation deserved this punishment because of their numerous sins, but their fate was sealed for the sin of petty theft - stealing amounts so small that no human court could enforce the law against them. Only Noach and his family were saved. After the flood, Noach's three children began the process of repopulating the world. But though their numbers grew, the emerging nations did not disperse over the face of the earth. Within a few centuries, therefore, their large numbers gave them courage to rebel against Hashem. This rebellion took the form of building the Tower of Bavel, and Hashem punished them measure-for- measure by causing them to speak many different languages and to therefore disperse throughout the world. However, from these largely sinful generations emerged one person - Avraham - who, like Adam and Noach before him, would have a chance at a fresh start. But unlike previously, when all of mankind could have shared equally in the Torah and its reward, in the "new world order" only Avraham's descendants would be the "Chosen People." This is the meaning of Avraham's receiving "the reward that had been due all of them: (Tiferet Yisrael) Midrash Tanchuma (Noach section 3) comments on this Parasha: "Blessed is the King of Kings who chose Yisrael from among the seventy nations of the world and gave us the Written Torah and also the Oral Torah which interprets that which is written." What is the connection between this statement of the Midrash and our Parasha? R' Tzadok Hakohen explains that the Midrash alludes to G- d's hope that the ten generations between Adam and Noach would rectify Adam's sin and thus receive the Torah. However, because these generations refused to accept the Torah - which in many verses and statements of Chazal is compared to water - they were punished with the waters of the flood. Another ten generations then passed until the advent of Avraham, a person who kept all of the Torah's laws (Pri Tzaddik). Why did the first ten generations end with the world's near destruction, while the next ten, also sinful, generations did not? Chazal place some of the blame for the flood on Noach himself, for despite his personal righteousness, he made no effort at "Kiruv" - outreach to his misguided generation. Even though he was given 120 years notice of the coming flood, he failed to pray for Hashem to show mercy (Alshich). This is why our Haftara (Yishayahu 54:1- 55:5) refers to the flood as "the waters of Noach" (54:9) (Imrei Shefer). Avraham, on the other hand, brought his entire generation to "Gan Eden" with him (Sefat Emet: Avot, ch.5, quoting Zohar). According to its simplest meaning, this Haftara is a prophecy of our eventual consolation over the long exile from our home. Its opening verse - "Rejoice, barren one who has not given birth" - would thus be interpreted with regard to Yerushalayim who has until now been barren, but with the arrival of Mashiach will once again be fruitful (Rashi; Radak). However, this verse may also be applied to Noach, for unlike his ancestors who fathered children in their first century, Noach was childless until the age of 500. Rashi explains that had his children reached the age of majority (i.e. 100 years) before the flood, they would have been accountable for their own sins and would not have been allowed on the ark (Imrei Chaim). So weak was Noach's influence over his generation, that his own children would have been lost. The prophet promises that the generations after the redemption will be more numerous and more righteous than generations past. This, explains Alshich, is in response to Yerushalayim's complaints: "So what if I will eventually be rebuilt? What about all of the children that I might have had?" Alshich's interpretation can serve as the basis for another connection between our Parasha and Haftara, for the Torah can voice a similar complaint: "How can I be repaid for the twenty generations from Adam to Avraham in which I was abandoned by the wayside?" Having concluded the reading of our Parasha with the introduction of Hashem's servant, Avraham, we read in the Haftara G-d's promise that descendants of Avraham will arise whose righteousness will be so great that they are well worth the Torah's wait. Such "Tzadikim" can only arise through Avraham's influence and deeds, accomplishments that are the subject of next week's Parasha. ************************************ From our Sages... Noach was a "Tzaddik with a fur coat." R' Mendel of Kotzk explains that when the house is cold, one has two options. He can put on a coat or sweater, or he can turn up the heat. The latter benefits everyone, while the former warms only the person with the coat. Noach saved himself and his family, but no one else. He chose to put on a coat. (Itturei Torah) "And he sent out the raven, and it went and returned [immediately]." (8:7) Rashi writes: The raven suspected Noach of coveting his mate. The raven is the symbol of cruelty, for the mother raven abandons her newborns and does not feed them. When the raven saw that Noach sent him out into a world covered with the waters of the flood, he suspected Noach of cruelty. This is the meaning of Rashi's statement, for cruelty is the raven's mate. (Avnei Ezel) The raven's behavior, according to the above interpretation, demonstrates the principle that one will always see his own faults in others. ************************************** From the Sages.... R' Yochanan says, "The rain of the flood did not fall in Israel." (Zevachim 113a) The Torah says, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the world has become full of theft" (B'reishit 6:13). The fate of the generation of the flood was sealed for the sin of stealing. Measure-for-measure, writes R' Eliyahu E. Dessler, Noach was saved in the merit of giving. Imagine the effort that Noach and his family must have expended to feed tens-of-thousands of species of animals for the full year that they were in the ark. [The Midrash teaches that Noach never slept during that year.] We can readily understand why Noach deserved to be bitten by a lion and left lame for the "sin" of one time arriving late with that animal's food. Noach had achieved such a lofty level in his performance of "Gemilut Chasadim" - kindness to others - that the slightest deviation was considered a great sin. While Noach's rescue from the flood was truly miraculous, it shows that his righteousness was incomplete. Otherwise he would not have needed rescue at all - he would never have been in danger. Eretz Yisrael was never endangered by the flood, for the rain did not even fall there. [Ed. note: See Tosfot, Zevachim 113a, "Lo", for an explanation of what effect the flood did have on Eretz Yisrael.] This difference between Eretz Yisrael and the rest of the world parallels the difference between the kindness of Avraham and that of Noach. Eretz Yisrael is the land "to which G-d's eyes are always turned." One who lives there feels G-d's ever-present kindness, and is thus moved to emulate G-d and perform his own unending acts of kindness. Such was Avraham, who sought out opportunities to do "Chesed", and felt badly if they did not arise. Noach, on the other hand, performed acts of kindness because he felt obliged to, but he did not suffer if he lacked the opportunity. He therefore could not be saved in Eretz Yisrael. (Michtav M'Eliyahu, II p.155) Advice from R' Eliyahu, the Vilna Gaon Youth is the time for gathering in Torah knowledge. Old age is the time to process that knowledge until all of its implications have been discovered. "If there is no Torah, there is no flour." If one has not gathered Torah (knowledge), he cannot have flour (he has nothing to process). But also, if he has no flour (if he has not processed his knowledge), he has no Torah (he will forget it all). (Commentary to Mishlei 6:8) If you see something that no one else is learning, learn it! (Commmentary tot Berachot 63a) "The heart of a wise man is to his right, and the heart of a fool to his left" (Kohelet 10:2) A wise man looks at the pages to his right - the portion of the book that he has completed - and reviews them constantly. A fool looks to the left - counting how many pages remain. (Oral Tradition; see Commentary tot Mishlei 17:24) If your teacher is too sharp for you, find a new teacher. This is what R' Meir did when he could not understand R' Akiva, and he was eventually able to return to R' Akiva. (Commentary to Mishlei 25:6; see Eruvin 13a) When an angel offered to study with the Vilna Gaon, the latter refused, preferring to succeed through his own efforts. R' Eliyahu also instructed his student, R' Zalman of Volozhin, to refuse the offer. (Heard from R' Kalman Winter, Shlita) When R' Chaim of Volzhin was 19, he complained that he had reviewed "Seder Moed" (one of the Talmud's six divisions) fourteen times and was still not comfortable with it. He asked if he would have to review it 101 times in order to understand. R' Eliyahu replied, "One is obligated to review throughout his days." (Keter Rosh section 57) ******************************** The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Daily Mishnah Me'ilah 3:5-4:1 (Learn two Mishnayot every day) Daily Halacha Orach Chaim (Mishnah Berura) 312:4-6 (Learn three paragraphs each day) Daf Yomi Yoma 70 (Learn two sides of a page each day) Shmirat HaLashon 2:9-10 or Guard Your Tongue: Chapter 8:1-2 Rambam Chapter/Day: Hilchot Keylim: Chapter 4 ******************************* The hard copy distribution of this week's HaMaayan is sponsored by: Mrs. Esther Liberman and family in memory of their husband and father Yaakov Azriel ben Aharon David A"H