This week?s Parsha commentary is dedicated to the memory of Rehavam Ze?evi, Israel?s Minister of Tourism, who was brutally assassinated by a Palestinian terrorist on Wednesday, October 17, 2001, in the heart of Jerusalem. Zeevi was a dedicated general, a passionate idealist and a principled public servant. He loved the Land of Israel and devoted his life to building and securing the Jewish people and their homeland. May his memory be for a blessing.
Those Darn Critics
This week?s Parsha recounts the story of Noah and the flood. At the end of last week?s Torah reading, the Parsha stated that as mankind began to grow and multiply in the generations after Adam, G-d grew increasingly displeased with their conduct. The Torah states, ?G-d saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every product of the thoughts of his heart were always evil? And G-d said, ?I will blot out man whom I created from the face of the earth? for I have reconsidered My having made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of G-d (Parshat Bereishit, Chap. 6, verses 5, 7-8).? At the beginning of this week?s Parsha, the Torah tells us why Noah was special: ?? Noah was a righteous man, perfect in his generations, Noah walked with G-d (Chap. 6, verse 9).?
The Question:
What does the Torah mean when it says that Noah was ?perfect in his generations??
The Answer:
Rashi (1040-1105), citing the Talmud in Tractate Sanhedrin (108a), says: ?Some of our rabbis explain it to his [Noah] credit: had he lived in a generation of righteous people, he would have been even more righteous. But there are some who explain it in a condemnatory fashion: compared to his own generation, he was righteous, but had he lived in the generation of Abraham, he would not have been considered of any [importance]?. Rabbi Meir?l of Premishlan (1780-1850; cited in Menachem Beker?s Parperaot LaTorah) says that we can learn an important lesson from Rashi?s interpretation ? that even a righteous person such as Noah is not immune from people who will seek to besmirch others at any cost. Thus, despite the fact that the Torah states explicitly that Noah was ?righteous? and ?perfect?, there are still those who are willing to ignore this and seek ways to find fault with him. The truth, however, says Rabbi Meir?l, is that Noah was righteous and those who say otherwise are wrong.
The Lesson:
It is difficult to imagine a more moral or just campaign than that currently being waged by the United States against the Taliban. After the string of attacks that Osama Bin-Laden has perpetrated against America and its interests over the years, culminating in the horrific acts of terror on September 11, one would assume that the entire Western world, without exception, would stand behind the United States at this difficult hour. Yet, even as America intensifies its attacks on terrorist targets in Afghanistan, voices of protest and condemnation have already begun to be heard. Thousands have marched in various European locales to express their rejection of America?s tactics and a vocal, albeit small, number of pseudo-intellectuals in the United States have suggested that Bin-Laden?s terrorism was merely a ?response? to American policies, as if that somehow justifies the murder of 5,000 innocent people. Of course, such reactions are morally obscene and intellectually obtuse, for the simple reason that America has no choice but to fight those who seek its destruction. However, as anyone who has followed Israel?s struggle with terror over the years knows quite well, such reactions are unfortunately nothing new. Regardless of how horrific Palestinian terrorism has proven to be, it seems there is always someone sufficiently stricken with naivet? who will be willing to excuse it or minimize its significance.
Just after the news broke on Israel television this past Wednesday that Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi had been shot by a Palestinian assassin, former Meretz Party leader Shulamit Aloni had the audacity to say that it was because ?Israel treats the Palestinians like rats.? Such thinking only serves as proof of what Rabbi Meir?l of Premishlan said above ? that no matter how clear the lines are between good and evil, there will always be someone who will seek to find fault and will prefer to denigrate the victims rather than condemn the perpetrators. However, also as Rabbi Meir?l suggested, the best way to deal with such nay-sayers and mudslingers is to simply ignore them. We must remain confident in the justness of our cause and not allow the words of the weak to undermine our determination, for ultimately, the truth will prevail.
No Free Lunch
In preparation for the flood, G-d tells Noah to build a large ark with three levels in which he is to house himself, his family, the animals and provisions. The Torah states, ?Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood? This is how you should make it ? three hundred cubits the length of the ark, fifty cubits its width and thirty cubits its height (Chap. 6, verses 14-15).?
The Question:
As large as the ark was, how could it possibly have had enough room for Noah and his family, all the different types of animals and birds, as well as enough food for all of them?
The Answer:
The Ramban (Nachmanides; Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, 1194-1270) asks this question, saying: ?It is known that there are a great many beasts and some of them ? such as elephants, rams and others ? are very large; likewise, the creeping things upon the earth are very many. Of the fowl of the heavens there are also innumerably many kinds? If you would gather a full year?s supply of food for all of them, [you would find] that this ark and ten others like it could not hold it!? The Ramban answers by saying that ?this was a miracle of a small space containing a great quantity.? In other words, G-d performed a miracle and enabled the ark to hold much more than it normally would have.
The Ramban then raises another intriguing question: if a miracle was necessary for the ark to hold its vast contents, then why did Noah have to build such a large structure in the first place? If he would have to rely on a miracle in any event, then why couldn?t he build a small boat and allow the miracle to do the rest? The Ramban offers two answers to this question: 1) G-d ?saw fit to make it large so that the people of his [Noah] generation should see it, wonder at it, converse about it? so that perhaps they would repent.? Thus, G-d wished to give the wicked people of Noah?s generation a chance to change their ways, so He had Noah build a large and imposing ark, which would necessarily attract attention and spark a great deal of interest in what Noah was doing and why he was doing it. 2) He ?made it large to reduce the miracle, for such is the way with all miracles in the Torah or in the Prophets: whatever is humanly possible is done, with the balance left to Heaven.? Here, the Ramban is teaching us an important principle about miracles ? namely, that we can not sit back passively and expect miracles to do our work for us. Rather, we must each do our utmost, and put in our maximum effort, for that is what G-d wants of us. Success ultimately comes from G-d, but we too must be partners in bringing about the miracle.
The Lesson:
In recent weeks, the world around us seems to have gone topsy-turvy. The terror attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the anthrax scare sweeping America, the war on terror in Afghanistan and now the assassination of an Israeli government minister ? the rush of events has left us bewildered and confused. In that sense, the story of Noah?s ark takes on added significance. As the flood of events around us seems to be on the rise, we can each learn from Noah?s example and build ourselves an ?ark? of our own to protect us. On the individual level, our family, our friends and our communities can each serve as an ?ark?, providing us with shelter and security from the uncertainties of the world at large.
On the national level, the State of Israel is the ark of the Jewish people, preserving us from the storms of assimilation and the torrential downpours of anti-Semitism that have stricken Jews worldwide. In either case, as the Ramban noted above, it is up to us to do our best to build up these ?arks? and strengthen them. On a practical level, this also means that Israel as a nation can not sit back and merely hope that Divine intervention will save it from its enemies, but must actively pursue and punish those who threaten it. Israel must crush Palestinian terror and protect its citizens to the best of its ability, at the same time putting its faith in G-d that He will enable us to prevail. For as the Ramban said, help from Above is something that must be earned.
Those Darn Critics
This week?s Parsha recounts the story of Noah and the flood. At the end of last week?s Torah reading, the Parsha stated that as mankind began to grow and multiply in the generations after Adam, G-d grew increasingly displeased with their conduct. The Torah states, ?G-d saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every product of the thoughts of his heart were always evil? And G-d said, ?I will blot out man whom I created from the face of the earth? for I have reconsidered My having made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of G-d (Parshat Bereishit, Chap. 6, verses 5, 7-8).? At the beginning of this week?s Parsha, the Torah tells us why Noah was special: ?? Noah was a righteous man, perfect in his generations, Noah walked with G-d (Chap. 6, verse 9).?
The Question:
What does the Torah mean when it says that Noah was ?perfect in his generations??
The Answer:
Rashi (1040-1105), citing the Talmud in Tractate Sanhedrin (108a), says: ?Some of our rabbis explain it to his [Noah] credit: had he lived in a generation of righteous people, he would have been even more righteous. But there are some who explain it in a condemnatory fashion: compared to his own generation, he was righteous, but had he lived in the generation of Abraham, he would not have been considered of any [importance]?. Rabbi Meir?l of Premishlan (1780-1850; cited in Menachem Beker?s Parperaot LaTorah) says that we can learn an important lesson from Rashi?s interpretation ? that even a righteous person such as Noah is not immune from people who will seek to besmirch others at any cost. Thus, despite the fact that the Torah states explicitly that Noah was ?righteous? and ?perfect?, there are still those who are willing to ignore this and seek ways to find fault with him. The truth, however, says Rabbi Meir?l, is that Noah was righteous and those who say otherwise are wrong.
The Lesson:
It is difficult to imagine a more moral or just campaign than that currently being waged by the United States against the Taliban. After the string of attacks that Osama Bin-Laden has perpetrated against America and its interests over the years, culminating in the horrific acts of terror on September 11, one would assume that the entire Western world, without exception, would stand behind the United States at this difficult hour. Yet, even as America intensifies its attacks on terrorist targets in Afghanistan, voices of protest and condemnation have already begun to be heard. Thousands have marched in various European locales to express their rejection of America?s tactics and a vocal, albeit small, number of pseudo-intellectuals in the United States have suggested that Bin-Laden?s terrorism was merely a ?response? to American policies, as if that somehow justifies the murder of 5,000 innocent people. Of course, such reactions are morally obscene and intellectually obtuse, for the simple reason that America has no choice but to fight those who seek its destruction. However, as anyone who has followed Israel?s struggle with terror over the years knows quite well, such reactions are unfortunately nothing new. Regardless of how horrific Palestinian terrorism has proven to be, it seems there is always someone sufficiently stricken with naivet? who will be willing to excuse it or minimize its significance.
Just after the news broke on Israel television this past Wednesday that Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi had been shot by a Palestinian assassin, former Meretz Party leader Shulamit Aloni had the audacity to say that it was because ?Israel treats the Palestinians like rats.? Such thinking only serves as proof of what Rabbi Meir?l of Premishlan said above ? that no matter how clear the lines are between good and evil, there will always be someone who will seek to find fault and will prefer to denigrate the victims rather than condemn the perpetrators. However, also as Rabbi Meir?l suggested, the best way to deal with such nay-sayers and mudslingers is to simply ignore them. We must remain confident in the justness of our cause and not allow the words of the weak to undermine our determination, for ultimately, the truth will prevail.
No Free Lunch
In preparation for the flood, G-d tells Noah to build a large ark with three levels in which he is to house himself, his family, the animals and provisions. The Torah states, ?Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood? This is how you should make it ? three hundred cubits the length of the ark, fifty cubits its width and thirty cubits its height (Chap. 6, verses 14-15).?
The Question:
As large as the ark was, how could it possibly have had enough room for Noah and his family, all the different types of animals and birds, as well as enough food for all of them?
The Answer:
The Ramban (Nachmanides; Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, 1194-1270) asks this question, saying: ?It is known that there are a great many beasts and some of them ? such as elephants, rams and others ? are very large; likewise, the creeping things upon the earth are very many. Of the fowl of the heavens there are also innumerably many kinds? If you would gather a full year?s supply of food for all of them, [you would find] that this ark and ten others like it could not hold it!? The Ramban answers by saying that ?this was a miracle of a small space containing a great quantity.? In other words, G-d performed a miracle and enabled the ark to hold much more than it normally would have.
The Ramban then raises another intriguing question: if a miracle was necessary for the ark to hold its vast contents, then why did Noah have to build such a large structure in the first place? If he would have to rely on a miracle in any event, then why couldn?t he build a small boat and allow the miracle to do the rest? The Ramban offers two answers to this question: 1) G-d ?saw fit to make it large so that the people of his [Noah] generation should see it, wonder at it, converse about it? so that perhaps they would repent.? Thus, G-d wished to give the wicked people of Noah?s generation a chance to change their ways, so He had Noah build a large and imposing ark, which would necessarily attract attention and spark a great deal of interest in what Noah was doing and why he was doing it. 2) He ?made it large to reduce the miracle, for such is the way with all miracles in the Torah or in the Prophets: whatever is humanly possible is done, with the balance left to Heaven.? Here, the Ramban is teaching us an important principle about miracles ? namely, that we can not sit back passively and expect miracles to do our work for us. Rather, we must each do our utmost, and put in our maximum effort, for that is what G-d wants of us. Success ultimately comes from G-d, but we too must be partners in bringing about the miracle.
The Lesson:
In recent weeks, the world around us seems to have gone topsy-turvy. The terror attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the anthrax scare sweeping America, the war on terror in Afghanistan and now the assassination of an Israeli government minister ? the rush of events has left us bewildered and confused. In that sense, the story of Noah?s ark takes on added significance. As the flood of events around us seems to be on the rise, we can each learn from Noah?s example and build ourselves an ?ark? of our own to protect us. On the individual level, our family, our friends and our communities can each serve as an ?ark?, providing us with shelter and security from the uncertainties of the world at large.
On the national level, the State of Israel is the ark of the Jewish people, preserving us from the storms of assimilation and the torrential downpours of anti-Semitism that have stricken Jews worldwide. In either case, as the Ramban noted above, it is up to us to do our best to build up these ?arks? and strengthen them. On a practical level, this also means that Israel as a nation can not sit back and merely hope that Divine intervention will save it from its enemies, but must actively pursue and punish those who threaten it. Israel must crush Palestinian terror and protect its citizens to the best of its ability, at the same time putting its faith in G-d that He will enable us to prevail. For as the Ramban said, help from Above is something that must be earned.