NOAH AND THE GENERATION OF SIN

בס "ד

UNE RÉFLEXION SUR PARSHAT NOACH 5786

A righteous man amidst corruption

Genesis 6:9 says:

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.

Chazal connect this verse with Psalm 1:1-2

1 Happy is the man that hath not walked in the counsel of the wicked,  nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of the scornful.	א  אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ–    אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָלַךְ, בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים;וּבְדֶרֶךְ חַטָּאִים, לֹא עָמָד,    וּבְמוֹשַׁב לֵצִים, לֹא יָשָׁב.
2 But his delight is in the law of the L-RD; and in His law doth he meditate day and night.	ב  כִּי אִם בְּתוֹרַת ד’, חֶפְצוֹ;    וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ יֶהְגֶּה, יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה.

Le Midrash Shocher Tov (1:12) applies these words to Noah and explains that Psalm 1 actually reflects three generations:

• The counsel of the wicked → the generation of Enosh.
• The path of the sinners → the generation of the Flood.
• The seat of the scoffers → the generation of the Tower of Babel.

Noah remained steadfast, even though he lived within these three corrupted worlds.

The generation of Enosh – Idolatry

During the time of Enosh, a dangerous trend began. Rachi on Genesis 4:26 explains that the Name of G-d was profaned. People gave G-d’s holy Name to idols and even to men, turning them into deities. This was the birth of idolatry.

Rambam (Mishneh Tora Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 1:1) describes how people of that generation made a great mistake: they saw the heavenly bodies as rulers appointed by G-d and believed it was His will to honor them. They built temples for the stars, offered sacrifices, and bowed before them. They did not deny G-d, but placed intermediaries between Him and man. This was the beginning of avodah zarah – idolatry.

The generation of the Flood – Corruption and violence

The sins of the generation of the Flood were so great that the earth itself became “filled with violence” (Genesis 6:13).¹

• Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer 22 lists three core sins – idolatry, sexual immorality, and bloodshed.
• Rachi on Genesis 6:11 emphasizes that chamas primarily means theft. According to the Talmud, this was the sin that finally sealed their fate.
• Bereishit Rabbah 26:5 teaches that they engaged in extreme sexual immorality, even against the natural order.

Their society was utterly corrupted – morally, socially, and spiritually – and therefore it had to be erased.

The generation of the Tower of Babel – Scoffing and arrogance

After the Flood came a new generation. Their sin was not primarily murder or theft, but arrogance and rebellion against Hashem.

Rachi on Genesis 11:1-4 explains:

• “One language” → Hebrew, the holy tongue.
• “One speech” → a united plan to rise up against G-d.
• Some even said: “Let us ascend to the heavens and wage war against Him.”
• Others mocked, saying: “Once every so many years there is a flood. Let us build supports for the heavens so it will not collapse again.” (Genesis Rabbah 38:6).

Their unity was powerful, but it was misused. Therefore, unlike the generation of the Flood, they were not destroyed but scattered.

Noah – walking with Elokim

Noah is described as someone who “walked with Elokim.” The Name Elokim is often associated with din – justice and judgment. Noah remained righteous in a world of sin because he constantly remembered that G-d judges with truth. This gave him yirah – awe and reverence for G-d.

His secret? Not merely reading the Torah, but immersing himself fully in it. He surrounded himself with Elokus – divine presence. In this way, he built an inner teivah / ark for his soul, even before constructing the physical Ark. This inner ark shielded him from the corruption around him.

A lesson for Noahides today

Today, Noahides can take inspiration from Noah. By studying and living by the Les sept lois noahides – in both their principles and their details – one builds a personal ark. Not only as protection from physical storms, but also from the moral and social storms of the modern world.

These seven laws include prohibitions against:

• Avodah zarah (idolatry),
• Giluy arayot (sexual immorality),
• Shefichut damim (bloodshed).

By living according to these commandments, one creates a protective space – a spiritual ark – in which to remain safe despite the influences of neighbors, friends, and media that often portray a “normal” world that is far from G-d’s intention.

Conclusion

The three generations – Enosh, the Flood, and the Tower of Babel – demonstrate how mankind can go astray: through idolatry, through utter moral corruption, and through arrogant mockery of G-d. Noah, however, remained upright. His example teaches us that even today, by holding fast to G-d and His commandments, we too can build an ark of spiritual protection and walk with Elokim.

Par Angelique Sijbolts
Nous remercions le rabbin Tani Burton pour ses commentaires.

1. Note: The Hebrew word for “violence” here (חָמָס – chamas) is linguistically similar to the modern name “Hamas”. ↩︎

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