Only a few weeks ago we read the book of Dvarim (Deuteronomy) and listened to the words of Moshe Rabbenu as if we were standing there in front of him. It is as if the Torah was written in a slower pace, so that we would learn Moshe’s words carefully.
Last week, in Bereshiet (In the beginning) we read at lightning speed. Biologists might say that every sentence according to science counted for thousand upon thousands of years.
Seven days to create everything. Mankind shaped. Mankind disappoints. 4 sins among Mankind; first Adam’s sin, then Cain’s sin followed by Lemech and if that’s not disappointing enough the collective sin of the Son’s of HaShem. All that in one parashat.
Then turn the page so to speak and enter the story of Noach. This parashat basically starts with what you could call Noach’s resume. As if to say; “People, we found a good one!”
Noach - iesh tzadik - tamim haja bedorotav. Noach – a man righteous and whole-hearted in his generations…
In his generations? What does that mean? Some credit Noach to be righteous enough for the times he was living in. Rashi writes: “He was righteous compared with his generation; but had he lived in Avrahams generation he would have been naught”. A lot has been commented on the difference of Noach’s closeness to HaShem versus Avrahams.
Compare this:
Noach iesh tzadik – tamim haja bedorotav Eht HaElohim hithalech Noach.
Noach walked – with God Versus Avraham: HitHalech Lefanai VeHaja tamim. Avraham walked in front of HaShem… Big difference it is as if there was a greater trust between HaSham and Avraham. Since it takes trust to walk in front – in order to announce HaShem.
Still, Noach was chosen to be saved and to save. Save seven pair of all clean animals and two pair of all the unclean.
Question I have is ….is the Torah telling us that the state of affairs was so bad that this Noach - was the best HaShem could find? And yet, out of this Noach, mankind would continue? Just like the Torah painstakingly describes Noach to be fit for the role lest we doubt HaShem, so does the Torah continue to painstakingly describe the circumstances why HaShem took the drastic steps to destroy what he had given to us one parashat ago.
As if to make clear that HaShem rather would spare mankind. As if to assure us that He had no other choice. The Midrash and also Rabbi Yohanan in Sanhedrin agree that HaShem had no choice after violence was being committed:
Ki-Malah Ha-Aretz Chamas Mi-Pneihem
For the earth was filled with violence…
Yet in the time it took for Noach to build the ark, plenty of time was given for Mankind to repent. Even the first rain, says Rashi, served more as a warning. Had mankind repented, it would have been a blessed rain.
I couldn’t find any references to the following, but you could say that the state of Haolam – the earth - during the flood was that of the first day in Bereshiet. For in the second sentence of the Torah the last word is Mayim (water). Thus describing the darkness, the earth and just the waters.
Because after all, during the flood HaShem made the waters cover the highest mountain, and so the complete earth was back to where it was during the first day.
What does HaShem say after the flood had abated: no more floods. All of mankind is equal. And he blesses Noach almost the same as he did with Adam. A complete new beginning. With a distinct difference. Adam was made directly in the likeness of God. Noach was not. Therefore Noach beginnings came with different warnings.
Mankind is equal. Mankind shall not lift up sword against nation. The latter statement being a direct reaction against the Chamas from before the flood.
But the actual first thing HaShem said was tye new dietary law of eating flesh. Something mankind had not done for 1656 years since creation. But with the new law the Torah also includes a rule to withhold Mankind from becoming bestial by clearly stating; But flesh with its soul – its blood you shall not eat… Rashi explains this as the first forbidding rule that not only states not to eat flesh from an animal that’s alive, but also forbids the eating of blood from an animal.
We’re on our way to becoming kosher…
A covenant between mankind and HaShem is signed by ways of the sign of the rainbow. Whenever the rainbow appears it would serve as reminder of the briet (the covenant).
But many generations later while mankind is multiplying and the first monarch Nimrod rules… mankind divides and starts to become subordinate again. Three reasons are given for building the Tower. One is that the Semites wanted to commemorate the victims of the flood. The second is that the Hamites wanted to use the tower as a way to wage war with HaShem and third is that the offspring of Japheth wanted to erect a gigantic temple to their idols….
Midah ke-neged Midah…
And so these three reasons to build… also became the three reasons for punishment... that - of no longer one common language but instead many languages.
And so again we see punishment… a new beginning and again punishment for mankind’s failing.
A direct comparison with Bereshiet.
Parashat Noach is yet another clean start with a somewhat unhappy ending… but in this case we at least are also somewhat more developed with more laws to adhere to and a somewhat greater morality to follow for the length of an exact ten generations long period of time.
Until next week, when a star player arises, so chosen by HaShem and when HaShem decides to concentrate his efforts of development on a smaller group of people… you know… the chosen ones.
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