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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 simple answer is that He knows future as we know the past: He knows that it will happen, but His knowledge does not make it be. He just knows what will be done independently.)
Whether a question or not, the Mabul story is proof that we do control our actions; – we spoiled His plans!
If we control our actions completely, then we are 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 Daddy Terach, and worship idols. He said ‘Let’s wait and see. If Avram survives Nimrod’s furnace, I’m on his side. Hashem is the true G-d. And if Avram gets burnt, then I’m on Nimrod’s side’.
Avram came out safe, and Haran professed belief in Hashem. Nimrod, unimpressed, tossed him into the furnace. Haran was toasted to death, nebech.
(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!)
Why wasn’t Haran saved?
Well, his faith was inferior and shallow. He 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 societal norms…)
And he assumed he would be saved as Avram was. Anyone who assumes a miracle will not achieve it (Rashi).
Here’s why: A miracle is when Hashem revokes nature. He overcomes His wishes that the world operate regularly. Overcoming our own nature, – our will to live – and offering 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; he is not prepared to die. He has not forgone his own wishes, and 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’s the greatest miracle of all…
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Society
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. 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. Hamburg and Paris hardly exist. But Lakewood and Bnei Brak do.
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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What He Cannot Do
‘And they cannot be stopped from doing all they choose to..’ [- G-d’s comment about the builders of the Tower of Babel]
Hashem considered Himself powerless against their plans. Yet He intervened by confusing their language. He was not powerless at all. What gives??
Free choice is the basis of our world. Hashem ties His own Hands with regards to intervening. He may intervene in a roundabout fashion, creating circumstances that favor one choice, but He will not oppose us directly.
Hashem said: these people have banded together and can do anything they choose to. So let us intervene indirectly; confusing their communications.
When Hashem discussed the people He flooded in the Mabul, He said ‘and all their thoughts are purely evil, all day’. He expressed that there was no hope for even indirect intervention, for in all circumstance they would seek out evil. As Hashem will not oppose man directly, this doomed them.
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Revisiting Ur Kasdim
When Avram was throw into the furnace at Us Kasdim, he was saved. His brother Haran was thrown in too, yet was was toasted. Why?
The Pasuk relates that Hashem addressed Avram at the Bris Beis HaB’sarim “I am Hashem who saved you from Ur Kasdim to give you this land” This infers that Avram was saved in order that he be given Eretz Yisroel. He had a great destiny awaiting, so Hashem saved him. Haran did not.
What does it mean that a person has a future – if he dies now, how can he have a future??
Hashem has a certain plan schemed out. But ultimately we control events. We can decide to kill that man with a future.
We are rewarded or punished for our actions because they matter, they truly do!