Parshat Noach

The world had become immoral and corrupt and God decided to destroy it with a great flood. He commanded Noach (Noah) to build an ark made from acacia wood, three stories tall. He was to bring his wife, his three sons Chom (Ham), Shem, and Yafet, and their wives.

They took with them seven pairs of every kosher animal and bird and one pair of every other living creature. They also took all of the food necessary to sustain the animals and themselves.

It rained for forty days and nights which caused great waters to cover the earth. The ark drifted around the waters until it came to rest on top of Mt. Ararat. Noach sent out a raven to see if the waters have subsided. Later he sent out a dove, with the same assignment, and again there was no place to for the dove to land. The dove was released a second time, and it returned with an olive branch in its mouth. Finally, the dove was released a third time, and it did not return at all.

Noach and his family left the ark to repopulate the earth. He offered sacrifices to G-d for sparing his family. G-d placed a rainbow in the sky as a reminder that he would never again destroy the world by a flood.

Over time, Noach’s ancestors founded many nations. They all spoke one language and one city decided to build a great tower to heaven. G-d destroyed the tower and dispersed the people by confusing their languages. This is known as the Tower of Babel.

Ten generations elapsed from Noach to Avram. Avram lived with his father Terach in the city of Ur in the Chaldees (Ur Kasdim). It was there, as an adult, that Avram heard the call from G-d to spread the word of monotheism and the Oneness of G-d.

Noach was a righteous and wholhearted in his generation

This seems to be a very strange statement about Noach. First, what does it mean to be a “tzadik” (righteous)? Second, what does the Torah mean by “in his generation”? Rashi writes:

“There are some among our Rabbis who explain it to his credit: All the more so had he been in a generation of righteous people, he would have been even more righteous. But, there are some who explain it to his discredit: In comparison with his own generation he was considered righteous, but had he been in the generation of Avraham, he would not have been considered of any importance.”

Rashi’s comments come the Talmud (Sanhedrin 108a) and are based on the following logic. First, if Noach was righteous when all of those around him were evil, he would be even more righteous had he lived in a generation filled with righteous people. The other point is based on the logic that in Noach’s generation, it was not too difficult to be considered righteous. Noach didn’t even plead to G-d to save the world or other people like Avraham with Sodom and Gemorrah. He simply accepted G-d’s commanded and saved his own family. In this way, the sages compare Noach and Avraham like comparing silver to gold. Silver shines compared to brass, but it lacks luster when compared to gold.

Why was Noach considered to be a “just man” or a “righteous man”? The Torah is silent on this issue. What then, do we understand about the word “tzadik”? It is derived from the word “tzedakah” which is usually translated as “charity”. A related word is “tzedek” which is often translated as “justice”.

In chapter one of his treatise, Likutei Amarim or Tanya (from its opening word) outlining the philosophical foundations of CHABAD (an acronym for Chochmah, Binah and Daas; wisdom, understanding, and knowledge) Chassidim, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi writes about the concept of a tzadik (with additional commentary by Yosef Weinberg):

“We have learned (Tanya) in Niddah: An oath is administered to him (before a Jew is born), ‘Be righteous and not be wicked; and even if the whole world tells you that you are righteous, regard yourself as wicked.’ This calls for an explanation, for we have learned in the Mishnah (Avos), ‘Be not wicked in your own estimation’. Furthermore, if a person considers himself wicked, he will be grieved at heart and depressed, and consequently will not be able to serve G-d joyfully and with a contented heart; while if his heart will not be at all grieved by this self-appraisal, he may be led to irreverence, G-d forbid.”

“The above can be more clearly understood. We find in the Gemara (Berachot 7a) five distinct types: a righteous man who prospers (materially and spiritually; he knows only good); a righteous man who suffers (in both material as well as spiritual sense: spiritually he has not yet vanquished all his evil, and in the material sense too he is wanting); a wicked man who prospers (in whom there is some good); a wicked man who suffers (spiritually and materially); and an intermediate man – the Beinoni.”

“The gemara explains: the righteous man who prospers, is the consummate (complete) tzadik; the righteous man who suffers, is the imperfect (incomplete) tzadik. In the Zohar it is explained that the righteous man who suffers is one whose evil nature is subservient to his good nature. In the gemara (Berachot 61b), it is stated that the righteous are judged by their good nature; the wicked are judged by their evil nature; intermediate men are judged by both.”

“Rabbah declared: I, for example, am a Beinoni. Said Abaye to him: Master, you make it impossible for any creature to live…”

“To understand all the aforesaid clearly (we need an explanation). And also to understand the statement of Job: ‘Lord of the Universe! You have created righteous men, You have created wicked men…’ for He does not decree which persons are to be righteous and wicked. We must also understand the essential nature of the rank of Beinoni. He is certainly not one whose deeds are half virtuous and half sinful; for if this we so, how could Rabbah err in calling himself a Beinoni-when it is known that ‘his mouth never ceased studying the Torah’, so much so that even the Angel of Death had no dominion over him.”

This selection from Tanya can be further understood if we look at a selection from
J. Immanual Schochet:

“Another distinction is between the basic definition of tzadik as one who does all he is to do, and the one who goes beyond the legal requirements of the law. The latter is usually referred to as a chassid. The term chassid displays not only fear and awe of G-d, total submission to the Divine Will, but a person who conducts himself with love and benevolence towards his Creator. He follows the Torah purely for the sake of the Divine Will, like a child that ingratiates himself with his father and mother…”

“Thus, when using the term tzadik, we must, first of all, distinguish between a) the figurative sense of the term (which includes one who has sins, but these are outweighed by his virtues and merits), and b) the essential, literal sense of the term (which applies only to one who is altogether sinless). Secondly, even in the latter category there are imperfect saints (who still possess a yetzer hara, or evil inclination, albeit totally suppressed to the point of no longer tempting them) and b) the perfect saint (who no longer has a yetzer hara because he has converted and sublimated it into a yetzer tov, a good inclination).”

What are we to make of these concepts? What do they have to do with Noach and ourself. Clearly, we can all strive to be the best we can be. We are not expected to live up to anyone else’s potential except our own. These elaborations come from one side of the religious spectrum, but there essential point is still valid regardless of where we fall on the denominational spectrum. One must strive for goodness and holiness the best way he or she knows how; strive to be a “mensch”. Was Noach such a person? The Torah calls him an “ish tzadik” but the sages debated this term. The Torah is silent on whether he challenged G-d to save the world. Noach lived before Avraham and so we are left to wonder if Noach was being tested to become the Avraham of his generation and begin the path toward monotheism. We don’t know anything about Noach’s life or his fundamental beliefs. He obviously believed in G-d, which would make him monotheistic like Avraham. He dutifully obeyed G-d’s command. Is he to be faulted for this? The word “noach” ( ) means “quiet”, or “rest”. Maybe Noach just wanted to be left alone to do what he was asked and nothing more. This is only a theory on my part.

In Jewish law, there is the concept of “lifney mishuras ha-din”; going above the letter of the law. Yes, according to tradition, we must dutiful obey G-d’s commandments. However, there are times when the moral thing to do is go beyond what the law says. Later in the Torah we learn the concept of “doing what is good and right before the eyes of the Lord”. This, the sages say, can sometimes take precedence over the literal meaning of a law (although the law can not be violated). It does not seem that Noach followed this principle but Avraham certainly did (as we will learn in our next parsha). The lesson for us, is to keep striving to become a better person, enhancing our spirituality, and climbing the ladder (sulam) of Judaism ever higher.

	Oceanside Jewish Center Weekly Parsha By Jonathan Wolf
	Parshat Noach The world had become immoral and corrupt and God decided to destroy it with a great flood. He commanded Noach (Noah) to build an ark made from acacia wood, three stories tall. He was to bring his wife, his three sons Chom (Ham), Shem, and Yafet, and their wives. They took with them seven pairs of every kosher animal and bird and one pair of every other living creature. They also took all of the food necessary to sustain the animals and themselves. It rained for forty days and nights which caused great waters to cover the earth. The ark drifted around the waters until it came to rest on top of Mt. Ararat. Noach sent out a raven to see if the waters have subsided. Later he sent out a dove, with the same assignment, and again there was no place to for the dove to land. The dove was released a second time, and it returned with an olive branch in its mouth. Finally, the dove was released a third time, and it did not return at all. Noach and his family left the ark to repopulate the earth. He offered sacrifices to G-d for sparing his family. G-d placed a rainbow in the sky as a reminder that he would never again destroy the world by a flood. Over time, Noach’s ancestors founded many nations. They all spoke one language and one city decided to build a great tower to heaven. G-d destroyed the tower and dispersed the people by confusing their languages. This is known as the Tower of Babel. Ten generations elapsed from Noach to Avram. Avram lived with his father Terach in the city of Ur in the Chaldees (Ur Kasdim). It was there, as an adult, that Avram heard the call from G-d to spread the word of monotheism and the Oneness of G-d. *Noach was a righteous and wholhearted in his generation* This seems to be a very strange statement about Noach. First, what does it mean to be a “tzadik” (righteous)? Second, what does the Torah mean by “in his generation”? Rashi writes: “There are some among our Rabbis who explain it to his credit: All the more so had he been in a generation of righteous people, he would have been even more righteous. But, there are some who explain it to his discredit: In comparison with his own generation he was considered righteous, but had he been in the generation of Avraham, he would not have been considered of any importance.” Rashi’s comments come the Talmud (Sanhedrin 108a) and are based on the following logic. First, if Noach was righteous when all of those around him were evil, he would be even more righteous had he lived in a generation filled with righteous people. The other point is based on the logic that in Noach’s generation, it was not too difficult to be considered righteous. Noach didn’t even plead to G-d to save the world or other people like Avraham with Sodom and Gemorrah. He simply accepted G-d’s commanded and saved his own family. In this way, the sages compare Noach and Avraham like comparing silver to gold. Silver shines compared to brass, but it lacks luster when compared to gold. Why was Noach considered to be a “just man” or a “righteous man”? The Torah is silent on this issue. What then, do we understand about the word “tzadik”? It is derived from the word “tzedakah” which is usually translated as “charity”. A related word is “tzedek” which is often translated as “justice”. In chapter one of his treatise, Likutei Amarim or Tanya (from its opening word) outlining the philosophical foundations of CHABAD (an acronym for Chochmah, Binah and Daas; wisdom, understanding, and knowledge) Chassidim, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi writes about the concept of a tzadik (with additional commentary by Yosef Weinberg): “We have learned (Tanya) in Niddah: An oath is administered to him (before a Jew is born), ‘Be righteous and not be wicked; and even if the whole world tells you that you are righteous, regard yourself as wicked.’ This calls for an explanation, for we have learned in the Mishnah (Avos), ‘Be not wicked in your own estimation’. Furthermore, if a person considers himself wicked, he will be grieved at heart and depressed, and consequently will not be able to serve G-d joyfully and with a contented heart; while if his heart will not be at all grieved by this self-appraisal, he may be led to irreverence, G-d forbid.” “The above can be more clearly understood. We find in the Gemara (Berachot 7a) five distinct types: a righteous man who prospers (materially and spiritually; he knows only good); a righteous man who suffers (in both material as well as spiritual sense: spiritually he has not yet vanquished all his evil, and in the material sense too he is wanting); a wicked man who prospers (in whom there is some good); a wicked man who suffers (spiritually and materially); and an intermediate man – the Beinoni.” “The gemara explains: the righteous man who prospers, is the consummate (complete) tzadik; the righteous man who suffers, is the imperfect (incomplete) tzadik. In the Zohar it is explained that the righteous man who suffers is one whose evil nature is subservient to his good nature. In the gemara (Berachot 61b), it is stated that the righteous are judged by their good nature; the wicked are judged by their evil nature; intermediate men are judged by both.” “Rabbah declared: I, for example, am a Beinoni. Said Abaye to him: Master, you make it impossible for any creature to live…” “To understand all the aforesaid clearly (we need an explanation). And also to understand the statement of Job: ‘Lord of the Universe! You have created righteous men, You have created wicked men…’ for He does not decree which persons are to be righteous and wicked. We must also understand the essential nature of the rank of Beinoni. He is certainly not one whose deeds are half virtuous and half sinful; for if this we so, how could Rabbah err in calling himself a Beinoni-when it is known that ‘his mouth never ceased studying the Torah’, so much so that even the Angel of Death had no dominion over him.” This selection from Tanya can be further understood if we look at a selection from J. Immanual Schochet: “Another distinction is between the basic definition of tzadik as one who does all he is to do, and the one who goes beyond the legal requirements of the law. The latter is usually referred to as a chassid. The term chassid displays not only fear and awe of G-d, total submission to the Divine Will, but a person who conducts himself with love and benevolence towards his Creator. He follows the Torah purely for the sake of the Divine Will, like a child that ingratiates himself with his father and mother…” “Thus, when using the term tzadik, we must, first of all, distinguish between a) the figurative sense of the term (which includes one who has sins, but these are outweighed by his virtues and merits), and b) the essential, literal sense of the term (which applies only to one who is altogether sinless). Secondly, even in the latter category there are imperfect saints (who still possess a yetzer hara, or evil inclination, albeit totally suppressed to the point of no longer tempting them) and b) the perfect saint (who no longer has a yetzer hara because he has converted and sublimated it into a yetzer tov, a good inclination).” What are we to make of these concepts? What do they have to do with Noach and ourself. Clearly, we can all strive to be the best we can be. We are not expected to live up to anyone else’s potential except our own. These elaborations come from one side of the religious spectrum, but there essential point is still valid regardless of where we fall on the denominational spectrum. One must strive for goodness and holiness the best way he or she knows how; strive to be a “mensch”. Was Noach such a person? The Torah calls him an “ish tzadik” but the sages debated this term. The Torah is silent on whether he challenged G-d to save the world. Noach lived before Avraham and so we are left to wonder if Noach was being tested to become the Avraham of his generation and begin the path toward monotheism. We don’t know anything about Noach’s life or his fundamental beliefs. He obviously believed in G-d, which would make him monotheistic like Avraham. He dutifully obeyed G-d’s command. Is he to be faulted for this? The word “noach” ( ) means “quiet”, or “rest”. Maybe Noach just wanted to be left alone to do what he was asked and nothing more. This is only a theory on my part. In Jewish law, there is the concept of “lifney mishuras ha-din”; going above the letter of the law. Yes, according to tradition, we must dutiful obey G-d’s commandments. However, there are times when the moral thing to do is go beyond what the law says. Later in the Torah we learn the concept of “doing what is good and right before the eyes of the Lord”. This, the sages say, can sometimes take precedence over the literal meaning of a law (although the law can not be violated). It does not seem that Noach followed this principle but Avraham certainly did (as we will learn in our next parsha). The lesson for us, is to keep striving to become a better person, enhancing our spirituality, and climbing the ladder (sulam) of Judaism ever higher.