Shalom Friends;
Our Parshat HaShevua, Noach is sponsored by Jack and Chana Kaminker and family of Ramat Beit Shemesh who dedicate this vort Lilui Nishmas Jack’s Father Aryeh Shlomo Leib ben Elyaqum. To the Kaminker family, many thanks for your sponsorship and your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShevua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShevua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
skype: mark.burt3
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Over a decade ago, this author wrote a vort contrasting No’ach and Avraham. The first part of this vort will be a refresher, followed by further sources, commentaries and perspectives gleaned from Rabbi Shmuel Goldin’s Sefer “Unlocking the Torah Text” for Sefer Breish’t on our Parshat No’ach.
The opening posuk of our Parshat tells:
“…No’ach was a righteous man and perfect in his generations, and No’ach walked with Hashem.” (Sefer Breish’t, Perek 6, posuk 9 as rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Chumash)
The Imrei Shefer comments on the Midrash regarding the words; “These are the generations of No’ach …” that the flood was directly attributable to No’ach’s behavior. According to the Midrash, “he [No’ach]… caused the flood by not protesting against the corrupt actions of the members of his generation.” (Torah Gems, Aharon Yaakov Greenberg, Sefer Breish’t, page 56)
However, in learning Perek Cheilik, Gemora tractate Sanhedrin, the gemora indicates that No’ach protested the immorality of his generations rather vigorously, often debating his evil contemporaries.
Shem Mishmuel writes;
Noach was a Tzaddik; it was built in [as was the circumcision he bore at birth], and nothing he did changed or developed in any way. Avraham was a totally self-made man. His origins were idolatrous; indeed his father, Terach was an idol-seller! Everything about Avraham’s origins was sordid….Through Avraham’s own efforts and tenacity, he achieved tremendous greatness and was able to pull down kedushah from Hashem to himself and his family. (Sefer Shem Mishmuel on Parshat No’ach, page 17)
Shem Mishmuel brings a midrash on a posuk from Tehillim 65:5;
Happy is the man whom You choose and cause to approach You” — happy is the man whom G’d chose even though he did not draw near. And happy is the man who drew near even though he was not chosen. Who is this? It is Avraham… but he wasn’t drawn near; rather, he drew himself near. (Bamidbar Rabbah 3:2)
Rabbi Shmuel Goldin provides additional sources, commentaries and perspectives in his Sefer “Unlocking the Torah Text” for Sefer Breish’t on our Parshat No’ach:
The first posuk of Parshat No’ach describes No’ach as “righteous, complete in his generations.” The Torah goes on to say, “No’ach walked with Hashem.” (Sefer Breish’t, Perek 6, posuk 9 as rendered to English in Rabbi Goldin’s sefer, “Unlocking the Torah Text”, pages 42-43)
These two statements serve as the foundations for the following Rabbinic observations:
1/ “Righteous, complete in his generations.” Rabbi Yochanan said: The qualification “in his generations” indicates that No’ach can be considered righteous only when judged against members of his own evil generation. Had he lived at another time, however, he would have not been considered righteous. Reish Lakish said: The qualification “in his generations” indicates that No’ach was righteous in spite of his generation. Had he lived at another time, however, he would have been even more virtuous. (Rabbi Goldin citing Talmud Bavli Sanhedrin 108a)
Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe in his commentary Levush Haora notes that both Rabbi Yochanan and Reish Lakish agree upon the mediocre nature of No’ach’s righteousness. Even Reish Lakish, who interprets the text to No’ach’s benefit, believes that No’ach could have been better. No’ach, according to Reish Lakish, failed to live up to his potential because of the evil influence that surrounded him. (Rabbi Goldin citing Rabbi Mordechai Yaffe, Levush Haora on Sefer Breish’t, Perek 6, posuk 9)
2/ “No’ach walked with Hashem.” Avraham, however, describes his relationship with Hashem as follows: “the Lord before Whom I walked.” (Rabbi Goldin rendering to English Sefer Breish’t, Perek 24, posuk 40) Avraham walked before Hashem; No’ach only walked with Hashem. This textual context indicates that No’ach needed assistance and support while Avraham strengthened himself and walked in righteousness on his own. (Rabbi Goldin citing Rashi on Sefer Breish’t, Perek 6, posuk 9)
Rabbi Goldin proceeds to ask these questions, among others not listed here, regarding this comparison between No’ach and Avraham and provides commentary ( “Unlocking the Torah Text”, pages 43-46):
What force compels the Rabbis to view No’ach as mediocre and limited? Why do they insist on comparing No’ach to Avraham, invariably to No’ach’s detriment?
As a rule, each hero in Torah is viewed in his own right and not in contrast with another.
The most obvious behavioral contrast between No’ach and Avraham lies in their vastly differing responses to the calamities that are about to visit their worlds. When Hashem informs No’ach concerning the impending flood, destined to destroy all of creation, No’ach is tellingly silent. He does not plead for Hashem’s mercy, nor does he argue for justice. Accepting the pending destruction of the world as inevitable, No’ach sets himself to the fulfillment of Hashem’s instructions. Without a word, with no apparent thought given to the fate of those around him, he builds the ark [teva] to insure the survival of his own family and the animals that he will bring into the ark.
In stark contrast stands Avraham’s dramatic reaction to the news of the impending destruction of the cities of Sodom and Amora, Avraham enters into dramatic debate with his Creator on their behalf…. He does not rest until Hashem agrees that the inhabitants of the cities will be spared if ten righteous tzaddikim are found among them.
One simply cannot remain silent in the face of other people’s pain. No’ach’s submissive acceptance of such pain dooms him to mediocrity. Avraham’s struggle, on the other hand, even on behalf of people he knows to be evil, marks him for greatness.
Avraham… is constantly struggling with his destiny even when it means that he must actively confront his Creator. This confrontation is not limited to the debate concerning Sodom and Amora but, instead, characterizes Avraham;s relationship with Hashem at all times.
Our tradition’s choice of Avraham over No’ach was not a foregone conclusion. One could argue that, theoretically, the model represented by No’ach is the preferable one. After all, isn’t it our task to follow Hashem’s will, to respond to His wishes without question? And yet we choose Avraham.
While other faith traditions preach a stoic acquiescence to Divine will, Judaism mandates active engagement and struggle. Our relationship with Hashem is one of partnership, a partnership which permeates every element of our existence. We have the right — no, the obligation — to pray, to plead, even to wrestle with our Creator. And while we will ultimately accept Hashem’s will at the end of the struggle, who knows what the struggle itself will have achieved? Who knows whether or not, on some level, our efforts have resulted in the bending of Hashem’s will in our direction? Who can assess how the process has fundamentally changed us, thereby transforming Hashem’s verdict concerning our destiny?
The Rabbis reject No’ach and embrace Avraham. In doing so they remind us that Hashem prefers engagement over passive submission.
The greatest blessing, therefore, that Hashem could give to Avraham was “Walk before Me and become complete.” (Rabbi Goldin rendering to English Sefer Breish’t, Perek 17, posuk 1) Partner with Me, Hashem says to Avraham and to us. Never rest, never stop, meet the challenge of each day, and travel towards completeness.
The message of the above, when translated to our modern-day matzavim, seems to make this comparison; there is the Yid who learns his Gemora or whatever Sefer he is learning daily at whatever time he sets aside each day for learning, gives of himself for his Shul Kehilla, for his neighborhood but doesn’t reach beyond. And there is the Yid who does all of the above and reaches beyond, [“outside the box”, if you will], who puts aside comfort, vacation, entertainment, trips to Chutz L’Aretz, 5 Star Hotel Accomodations in order to fight for his brother [whereever he is and who he, in all probability has never previously met] and for his beloved Eretz HaKodesh.
The Land of Israel activists continue fighting on behalf of their Jewish brethren, for Kol B’nai Yisrael, doing — “…everything possible to warm up the entire area.” We often must face hostility, and worse, from within our own ranks and governance. In turn we need the help, support and swelling of the ranks of all who support Jewish survival in our Divine legacy, Eretz Yisrael and who are inspired by the heroism of activists against our generation’s often hostile media and political and government leaders.
May all who subscribe to these Parshat vorts live in happiness and good health to at least a full 120 years.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them and that the twice expelled families of Amona be restored to their rebuilt homes, at government expense; both due to alt-leftist-agendized, supreme court legalized Yassamnik gunpoint. May our dear brother Jonathan Pollard be liberated and truly free — which can only occur when he is home in Israel and carrying for his ill wife Esther Yocheved bat Rayzl Bracha, and that the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zechariah_Baumel remains of Zachariah Baumel, as should the remains of the two chayalim from the Gaza War of five years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
Chodesh Tov and Good Shabbos!
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Moshe Burt is an Oleh, writer and commentator on news and events in Eretz Yisrael. He is the founder and director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network and lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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