Noach Parshah Thoughts
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Who Is Really In Charge
The backstory of the Mabul is that Hashem created the world and it did not work out. He ‘reset’ the world, starting anew.
Little Us can screw up His Masterplan. Ah, the power of Man!!
This underscores that we control our own actions totally. Some people ask if Hashem knows the future, then He also controls it. Can we do other than what He knows to be true? (The answer is that He knows future like we know past: He knows that it has/will happened, and His knowledge does not make it be. He just knows what independently is.) Question or not, this story is ultimate proof that we indeed control our actions; – we actually spoiled His plans.
If we control our actions completely, we are completely responsible for them.
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How To Do Miracles:
Haran, Avram’s brother, wasn’t sure whether to follow Avram and serve Hashem, or to follow Dad Terach worshipping idols. He said ‘Let’s wait and see what happens to Avram. If he survives Nimrod’s furnace, I’m on his side. I’m convinced that Hashem is the true G-d. And if Avram gets burnt, then I’m on Nimrod’s side’.
Avram came out safe, so Haran professed belief in Hashem. Nimrod was unimpressed and tossed him into the furnace. (Amazing how Nimrod ignored the marvelous miracle of Avram walking out of the furnace, continuing to punish anyone who not worshiping fire as he did. We believe what we choose!). Haran was toasted to death, nebech.
When he witnessed Avram’s miracle he believed in Hashem. Why wasn’t he saved?
This faith was inferior; it was shallow. He was not logically convinced, rather just went along with the victorious party. Jumping on the bandwagon doesn’t merit miracles. Sorry.
(Question: is our own faith real, or are we following our societies…)
Another answer is that he assumed he would be saved as Avram was. Anyone who assumes a miracle will not achieve it (Rashi).
Here is why: A miracle means that Hashem revokes nature. He overcomes His wishes that the world operate in the regular way. Overcoming our own nature, – our will to live – and preparing to give our lives for Hashem, justifies Hashem overcoming His ‘nature’ and preference. However if someone assumes a miracle, he has not overcome his nature at all, because he is not prepared to die.
If he has not forgone his own wishes, neither will Hashem.
Its one thing to die for Hashem. How about living for Him? We can live, yet be devoted that His will, not ours, be done. And that is the greatest miracle of all…
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Society
What was the Tower of Babylon so terrible that it warranted destruction?
The Ran explains that unified mankind, one group under one authority, is the most dangerous situation possible. If wickedness takes government, the world is all over. There is no escape, for there is no alternative group.
This was the plan of the builders of the Tower. They wanted to form a single, controllable society.
Hashem deliberately spread them apart, to form separate and competitive societies. This allows for option: people can break the norms of society, following their conscience instead.
We like to talk of globalization today and the pervasiveness of the internet. Perhaps there are two sides to the picture.
And we need to be aware of the cage society places around us, and stand ready to break free. Question assumptions. Rethink issues. Be real.
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For The Love Of Tzaddikim
The Torah in this and last week’s parshos details many generations. Mr. X lived this many years and bore Mr. Y. And then he had other children and lived Z years. Why does it only mention one son by name? Was it the main son? The eldest?
Nope. (For example, it mentions Sheis, Adam’s youngest). What happening is that the Torah is tracing down to Noach and Avraham. The gentlemen mentioned are links in that chain.
To the Torah only righteousness matters. All else, earth shaking as it may seem, is periphery, mere noise. The Torah is not giving an account of the generations and the principal men in each. That’s left to historians. What the Torah is doing is cherishing tzaddikim.
It ought to be all that matters to us too. Hampurg and Paris hardly exist. But Lakewood and Bnei Brak do. We need to know that.
And sometimes all we can do is know that we need to know that…
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Responsibility
Noach was tasked to gather all animals two by two. However, says Rashi, they came by themselves. So why was Noach commanded to it?
Noach was responsible; it was his task. Hashem helped out. But it counted for Noach.
This is often the case. Faced with responsibility, we need to accept that duty. Its our job. If someone else helps out, we are tremendously grateful. We are well aware that it was our job, not theirs.
Before getting married, a Rav told me ‘Always remember; the husband needs to say ‘Asartem, Aravtem, hadliku es ha’ner’ – he is responsible to bring Shabbos in. His wife helps, but the onus is on him. And he is ever so grateful for her help!’
The Torah expresses here: ‘the animals came to Noach… as Hashem commanded Noach’; the animals coming – of their own – was accrued to Noach. It was considered his accomplishment, for it had been his job.
When we accept ownership of the job, its accomplishment is ours too, even if someone else actually did the work.
Welcome obligation!
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Mabul Revisited
We read from Emanual Velikovsky’s ‘Earth In Upheaval’ about whale skeletons found high in Vermont mountains, piles of splintered animal bones crushed into the crevices of the rock of Gibraltar, huge rocks originating in the alps now found cross-country atop other mountains, starfish remains found at Himalayan peaks and so on, marks of a catastrophic upheaval on earth.
Today, more than ever before, the mark of the Mabul becomes evident.
We wondered a few things; did Noach take each type of horse (about 267 varieties, meaning over 500 horses, between male and female) or other animal, or only one main type of each?
What happened after the mabul; when the lions were let out what did they eat?
Probably a deer or sheep. So did the deer survive with only one of the pair left?
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kollel parshah | Tiferet Ramot 83-21, Jerusalem, Israel, 97290
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