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A THOUGHT ABOUT PARSHAT NOACH 5785
Noah is the forefather of all people living today. His story, as recorded in the Torah, offers profound insights into righteousness, prayer, and how we should convey knowledge and morality to others. Let’s begin with Genesis 6:9
| 9 These are the generations of Noah. Noah was in his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted; Noah walked with G-d. | ט אֵלֶּה, תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ–נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה, בְּדֹרֹתָיו: אֶת-הָאֱלֹקים, הִתְהַלֶּךְ-נֹחַ. |
Noah: The Tzadik and Tamim
Noah is described in the Torah as both a tzadik (righteous man) and tamim (wholehearted or perfect) in his generation. A tzadik is someone who aligns their actions, thoughts, and emotions with G-d’s will. This person lives not for themselves but for the benefit of others, serving as an extension of G-d to protect and guide the world. We see this in Noah, whose strong moral character earned him the role of building the ark and saving the world from the Flood. His close relationship with G-d is highlighted in the verse, “Noah walked with G-d.”
Noah’s unique bond with G-d was the reason G-d revealed His plan to bring a flood upon the earth. Noah was instructed to build the ark, a project that took him 120 years, as inferred from
| 3 And the L-RD said: ‘My spirit shall not abide in man for ever, for that he also is flesh; therefore shall his days be a hundred and twenty years.’ | ג וַיֹּאמֶר ד’, לֹא-יָדוֹן רוּחִי בָאָדָם לְעֹלָם, בְּשַׁגַּם, הוּא בָשָׂר; וְהָיוּ יָמָיו, מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה |
During this long period, Noah actively tried to lead the people of his generation—who were filled with wickedness—to repentance. As described in Sanhedrin 108a,, in which Rabbi Yosi of Caesarea teaches:
“What is the meaning of that which is written: “He is swift upon the face of the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth; he turns not by way of the vineyards” (Job 24:18)? This teaches that Noah the righteous would rebuke the people of his generation and say to them: Repent. And if you do not, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will bring a flood upon you and float your corpses on the water like wineskins filled with air that float on water, as it is stated: “He is swift upon the face of the waters.””
Despite Noah’s efforts, no one besides his immediate family heeded his call to repent. Only Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives entered the ark, while the rest of humanity perished in the Flood.
Noah in His Generation
In both the Mechon-Mamre translation and the Stone Edition of the Tenach, the Hebrew word tamim is rendered differently—either as “wholehearted” or “perfect.” While Noah was surrounded by a corrupt generation, he remained unaffected by their wickedness. However, this raises a question: why does the Torah emphasize that he was righteous “in his generation”?
The Talmud offers two interpretations. Reish Lakish explains that Noah’s righteousness was remarkable given the negative influences around him. He suggests that Noah would have been considered even more righteous had he lived in a more virtuous generation. In contrast, Rabbi Yochanan argues that Noah was only considered righteous relative to his generation, and had he lived in the time of Avraham, he would not have stood out as much (Sanhedrin 108a). (Sanhedrin 108a)
Rashi is het eens met Rabbi Yohanan he implies that “relative to his generation, Noah was righteous, but had he been born in Avraham’s generation, he would not have been considered important at all.
Rashi supports Rabbi Yochanan’s view, implying that compared to Avraham, Noah would not have been considered exceptional. The major distinction between them, as highlighted in the Zohar, (Addenda Volume I 12:92) is that Noah did not defend or pray for his generation, whereas Avraham immediately interceded for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah when G-d informed him of their impending destruction.
This leads to an interesting question: what might have happened if Noah had not only called for repentance but also prayed for his generation, as Avraham did? We cannot know for sure, but this comparison emphasizes the power and importance of prayer in influencing outcomes.
The Differences Between Noah and Avraham
Noah was the grandson of Chanoch and Metushelach, and he received all his knowledge about G-d from them. This contrasts with Avraham, who grew up in a culture steeped in idolatry but discovered G-d through his own intellect and reasoning. Avraham urged others to use their intellect to seek G-d from within, while Noah struggled to convey the message effectively to his contemporaries. The people did not internalize Noah’s teachings, which were learned rather than discovered through personal spiritual insight.
This difference between Noah and Avraham offers us an important lesson: it is not enough to simply impart knowledge. We must ensure that the knowledge is embraced and internalized by others, rather than imposed from the outside. People must seek and find G-d within themselves, just as Avraham did.1
Lessons for Today: The Virtues of Noah
Rabbi Bahya describes Noah’s virtues in a way that can be applied to our lives today, offering practical wisdom on how to live as righteous individuals in a sometimes challenging world.
- Noah as a tzadik: He did not engage in violence to achieve his objectives, unlike his generation, which was known for random acts of violence.
This teaches us that we should approach conflicts and challenges with peace and morality, especially when we aim to share the Seven Noahide Laws with others. These laws, derived from the Torah, are meant to guide all humanity, and we should present them in a way that fosters kindness and understanding.
- Noah as tamim: He was consistent and thorough in practicing his virtues.
This teaches us to remain steadfast in our principles, even when circumstances become difficult. Our integrity should be deeply rooted, and not only surface-level. Like Noah, we may sometimes find ourselves in environments that do not adhere to Torah values, but we are called to stand firm in our beliefs. - Noah walked with G-d: During Noah’s time, many people worshipped the sun, moon, and stars. However, Noah believed solely in G-d’s existence and His active role in the universe.
Today, Noahides seek to walk with G-d in the same way, recognizing Him as the one true G-d and King of the world. We reject the idea of independent powers or intermediaries, instead embracing a direct relationship with G-d.
Conclusion: The Power of Faith and Prayer
The story of Noah provides us with key lessons about the significance of deep faith, prayer, and how we share knowledge with others. Noah’s righteousness, though limited by his approach, shows us the importance of striving for virtue and integrity, even in a world that may seem far removed from G-d’s values. Moreover, by comparing Noah to Avraham, we learn how powerful prayer and genuine intercession can be, and the critical role of personal discovery in one’s relationship with G-d.
We are called to follow in the footsteps of both Noah and Avraham: to live righteously, to pray for others, and to inspire people to seek G-d from within themselves.
By Angelique Sijbolts
With thanks to Rabbi Tani Burton for his feedback
Used Sources:
- Torah Like Fire & Water – the Lubavitcher Rebbe on Rashi and Rambam translated/arranged by Rabbi David Sterne p. 36-37 ↩︎
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