By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.
SAN DIEGO — Look at the world Noach lived in. Greed, oppression, corruption, sexual excess, and worse. Wait. What’s changed? Look at our world. How do we cope without an ark to escape into? Floods, figuratively at least, surround us. Our response, our Jewish response, is to continue to be resilient, to build, to grow, to move forward…always as menschen. Noach serves as a special role model. He was a mensch in a world where there were no menschen.
The parasha describes Noach as an Ish Tzaddik Tamim Hayah BeDorotav, a wholehearted, righteous man, “righteous in his generation.” Rav Bahya ben Joseph ibn Pakuda, the author of Chovot Halevavot, the “Duties of the Heart,” describes the ideal of t’mimut as “…complete harmony between inner and outward actions.” We see in Psalm 15:2 that this ideal refers to someone “who lives without blame, who does what is right, and in his heart acknowledges the truth…”
Noach, the blameless, wholehearted person, reminds us that during a worldwide indescribable event of horrific proportions, one that tears at our spirit, we hold ourselves in noble ways with integrity, devotion, compassion, righteousness, and faith and bring light to the dark that surrounds us. Even if imperfectly.
How can we do this amid such challenge? First, think of who in the Torah we admire most? These heroes acted free of fear of what others think. These Torah giants certainly cultivated self-compassion and courage, took risks, made mistakes, were flawed while they nurtured a resilient mindset, and filled their hearts with gratitude and faith. They lived in a manner fully consistent with their values, purpose, and goals. Do you? Are you stiving to be tzaddik tamim?
We learn in this week’s Torah reading of two traumatic events, the flood, and the dispersion. Hashem saw the wickedness amongst humans and decided to abolish life on His earth. Fortunately, the mensch Noach found favor in Hashem’s eyes, and he was spared from the flood. What followed is the dispersion – recall that the offspring of Noach decided to “make a name” for themselves and turn from Hashem by building a tower “with its top in the sky,” and could do so because they spoke one language. They loved one another.
What does Hashem do? He insured they could no longer speak one language, could no longer understand each other, and He scattered them throughout the world. Rashi tells us this happened because even though people rebelled against Hashem, He spared them because they were kind to one another. Imagine that. Kindness saved them. We know what we need to do. What keeps us from being truly, authentically, genuinely, sincerely, honorably kind to one another?
Interestingly, and not coincidentally, we find in this week’s parasha the word for “violence” used in Genesis 6:11 is the Hebrew word “חמס” – “chamas.” The word “chamas” is the Hebrew word for violence. If my scan is correct, I found it used 68 times in the Torah. Further, the 11th century Egyptian commentator Ibn Ezra says that this word describes two crimes in particular: theft and the exploitation and rape of women. Hashem makes it clear as we read in the parasha. “חמס” – “chamas” brought the Flood of His judgment during Noach’s time. Right now, we see Israel and so many colleges, and cities in America and around the world, also filled with “חמס” – “chamas,”seemingly bringing destruction around the world.
Let us take a look at what it says in our parasha this week about violence:
“The earth became corrupt before God; the earth was filled with lawlessness.
וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְהִנֵּ֣ה נִשְׁחָ֑תָה כִּֽי־הִשְׁחִ֧ית כׇּל־בָּשָׂ֛ר אֶת־דַּרְכּ֖וֹ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ {ס}
When God saw how corrupt the earth was, for all flesh had corrupted its ways on earth,
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֜ים לְנֹ֗חַ קֵ֤ץ כׇּל־בָּשָׂר֙ בָּ֣א לְפָנַ֔י כִּֽי־מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֛רֶץ חָמָ֖ס מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְהִנְנִ֥י מַשְׁחִיתָ֖ם אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Hashem said to Noach, “I have decided to put an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with lawlessness because of them: I am about to destroy them with the earth.
וְאַ֨ךְ אֶת־דִּמְכֶ֤ם לְנַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶם֙ אֶדְרֹ֔שׁ מִיַּ֥ד כׇּל־חַיָּ֖ה אֶדְרְשֶׁ֑נּוּ וּמִיַּ֣ד הָֽאָדָ֗ם מִיַּד֙ אִ֣ישׁ אָחִ֔יו אֶדְרֹ֖שׁ אֶת־נֶ֥פֶשׁ הָֽאָדָֽם:
But for your own life-blood I will require a reckoning: I will require it of every beast; of humankind, too, will I require a reckoning for human life, of everyone for each other!
שֹׁפֵךְ֙ דַּ֣ם הָֽאָדָ֔ם בָּֽאָדָ֖ם דָּמ֣וֹ יִשָּׁפֵ֑ךְ כִּ֚י בְּצֶ֣לֶם אֱלֹהִ֔ים עָשָׂ֖ה אֶת־הָאָדָֽם׃
Whoever sheds human blood,
By human [hands] shall that one’s blood be shed;
For in the image of Hashem
Was humankind made.”
Noach lived in a world that was filled with this violence, but he set himself apart as a man who walked with Hashem. Noach believed in Hashem and kept himself from the violence and wickedness of this world. Noach was a righteous man, a mensch, even though he did not extend compassion to his fellow man – or so it seems. We see Noach’s foibles, his failings, and we learn there is always room for improvement. This is what Hashem calls us to do and be as well – righteous people who are blameless and innocent regarding the wickedness that surrounds us. We are called to be a people like Noach.
Noach saw the wickedness and violence that filled the earth in his time, but he did not give up or lose hope. He kept his faith in Hashem and continually walked with Hashem, as we would be wise to do as well, in our own way.
Perhaps the “ark” gives us a hint as to what we can do to grow our kindness. Remember that the Hebrew word, teva, ark, may also be understood to mean “word.” The Baal Shem Tov teaches us that when Hashem instructed Noach to enter the teva, He was saying to go into the word, the word of prayer.
The parasha tells us that Noach was told to make a tzohar, a window, in the ark to bring in light. He was told to bring a stone that adds and reflects light. He did so and we see that even in the darkness of the ark, there must be room for, and always is room for, light. Every step of our lives ideally brings light to our world, and like Noach, we must build – or be – a window to reflect light in the darkness surrounding us…to be a tzaddik tamim.
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Efraim of Sudlikov, the “Degel Machaneh Efraim,” grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, that light is always hidden in our darkness, even in today’s time of immense darkness. He teaches us that we have the responsibility to uncover the light during dark times. There will always be dark times in our lives. Our ability to find light, peace, rests on our ability to accept (not like) the storms, to be grateful for what occurs and to see it as a part of the Hand of Hashem, to remain unruffled, tranquil, serene. Indeed, the name Noach means “rest” and “comfort,” as a reminder to us that he was able to stay peaceful during the storm in his life.
This may help us understand how he did so…he found stillness in the “word.” When adversity blooms in your life, when the storm comes, when war surrounds us, we can take refuge in the word of Hashem, in His prayers. As it says, “Be still, and know that I am Hashem,” (Psalm 46). We read, “So do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your G-d” (Isaiah 41). And in Psalm 91, we read, “He will cover you with His feathers and under His wings you will find refuge.” There is peace in His words.
We can take advantage of this plan and enter our personal teva, and see how His words help us find consolation, comfort and release. After all, our fear, our anxiety, our sadness lies in our thoughts. This is the flood of Noach. But this is especially so when we face unusual duress, distress, and darkness. This is particularly when He listens to our cry – when we are especially sincere and turn with authenticity to Him. Do we need to read all Tehillim, every word of every prayer? No, says Hasidic tradition.
“Hitbodedut,” popularized by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, means intense silent prayer in a private space, “Even when one cannot speak at all or says only a single word – it is also very good!” (Likutei Moharan, Part II, 96:1).
The lesson is clear. Let’s seek out the righteousness of Noah, not the arrogance of Babel. Perhaps a simple song at the Shabbos table can help us bring this to mind.
*
Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly D’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family are members. They are also active members of Congregation Adat Yeshurun. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com