NOAH, WITH HIS SONS, HIS WIFE, AND HIS SONS' WIVES, WENT INTO THE ARK BECAUSE OF THE WATERS OF THE FLOOD. OF THE CLEAN ANIMALS, OF THE ANIMALS THAT ARE NOT CLEAN, OF THE BIRDS, AND OF EVERYTHING THAT CREEPS ON THE GROUND, TWO EACH, MALE AND FEMALE, CAME TO NOAH INTO THE ARK, AS GOD HAD COMMANDED NOAH.

 (Bereishit 7:7-9)

 

THEY CAME TO NOAH INTO THE ARK, TWO EACH OF ALL FLESH IN WHICH THERE WAS BREATH OF LIFE.

 (Ibid. ibid. 15)

 

 

"Two of each shall come to you to stay alive" - He informed him that they would come, two of each, on their own; he would not have to hunt them in the mountains and on the islands. Then he would later bring them into the ark. And He specified that they come male and female. This was the general rule. Afterwards, He commanded that Noah take of every clean animal seven of each; in this case He did not say that they would come on their own, but that Noah should take them, for those who come to be saved and to preserve their seed come on their own, but He did not decree that those who come in order to be offered as sacrifices come on their own to be slaughtered, but Noah took them, for the command of 'seven of each' was so that Noah be able to use them for sacrifices.

                                                                                                                                 (Ramban, Bereishit 6:20)

 

 

"Noah... went into the ark because of the waters of the Flood" - Said Rabbi Yochanan: Noah lacked perfect faith, for had not the waters reached his ankles, he would not have entered the ark.

"Two of each came to Noah" - Falsehood came and wanted to enter. Noah said to him: You may not enter, unless you wed a spouse. Falsehood went and sought a wife. He met Curse, and she said to him: >From where do you come? He told her: From Noah - I wanted to enter the ark, but he refused to admit me unless I had a wife. She replied: And what will you give me? He said to her: I stipulate with you that all which I accumulate you may take. She listened to him, and the two entered the ark. When they exited the ark, Falsehood went and accumulated, and Curse kept taking first. Came Falsehood and said to her: Where is all that I accumulated? She replied: Was this not our condition, that all which you accumulate, I take? He had no answer. Therefore it is written "He hatches evil, conceives mischief, and gives birth to fraud" (Psalms 7:15). The parable says: Falsehood begets - but Curse takes all.

                                                                                                                                 (Yalkut Shimoni, Noah, 56)

 

 

AND THE DESCENDENTS OF NOAH, TOO,

DO YOU RECALL WITH LOVE

Devorah Weissman

 

Dedicated in deep sorrow to the memory of Natan Yosef,

son of my mentors and friends, Mrs. Blu Greenberg and Rabbi Yitz Greenberg

 

We begin with two literary quotes which reflect different approaches to our subject:

Dr. Meir Weiss once told me that when Herman Cohen was in Poland, he prayed Yom Kippur eve in a Hassidic synagogue. When they reached the passages of "Shema koleinu" - "Hear our voice" - there was a great spiritual awakening. And when they reached the passage "For My house shall be a house of prayer for all the nations", the cantor recited the passage in a tearful voice. Herman Cohen thought to himself, how deeply does a Polish Jew sense the great vision which the prophet foresees for the world, that all the nations will recognize and realize that all people are one and will pray together in one house of prayer.

After the prayer, Herman Cohen approached the cantor, blessed him, and said to him: Why did you cry at the passage "For My house shall be a house of prayer for all the nations"? He replied, "How can I not cry at the thought that the House of our Holiness and our Glory will be filled with goyim?" (S. H. Agnon, A Bundle of Stories, p. 173)

            Many Faces

            I have seen you in many aspects,

            In act, in speech and in thought,

            In beauty, in power and in fine attributes.

            In emotion and in the longing for good.

            In secret counsel I laud you

            Every man blows wind through my harp,

            The melody and the voice of silence.

            Peace to my soul.

            The revelation of your presence

Is in every stranger, in all that is new,

In the alien and in the sojourner,

In your love - multi-faceted.

(Zeev Falk, 5746)  (This song of prayer appeared in a small volume, Siddur Katan, published in Yerushalayim in 5753, and which I was privileged to receive as a gift from Prof. Falk, z"l.)

Agnon, with his characteristic irony, points out the conflicting tendencies in Jews' attitudes toward the nations of the world - on the one side, universalism, and on the other, particularism which sometimes borders on negation of the stranger. Today, too, there is a debate between the different positions, each based upon varying traditions within Jewish culture.

In the account of the Creation, we see an interesting phenomenon: All flora and fauna are divided into different species. In Chapter 1 of the Book of Bereishit, we find the following expressions: In passage 11, "...fruit trees that yield fruit, after their kind...", in passage 12 "... sprouting growth, plants that seed forth seeds, after their kind, trees that yield fruit, in which is their seed, after their kind", in passage 21, "and all living beings that crawl about, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and all winged fowl after their kind," and in passage 25 "....the wildlife of the earth after their kind, and her-animals after their kind, and all crawling things of the soil after their kind...". Only in regards to man, is this phrase absent. Man is created in the image of God and in His likeness. Just as God is one, so man, created in His image and His likeness, is one. (It is interesting to note that modern science assigns all mankind to one single species: homo sapiens sapiens. (The literal meaning of the Latin original is " A wise wise man" - if only... !) There are no other species of man.).

In Tractate Avoth (3:18), Rabbi Akiva says:

Precious is the human being, who was created in the image [of God].

It was an act of still greater love that it was made known to him that he was created n the image, as it is said, For in the image of God He made man.

Precious are Israelites, who are called children to the Omnipresent. It was an act of still greater love that it was made known to them that they were called children to the Omnipresent, as it is said, You are the children of the Lord your God.

Precious are Israelites, to whom was given the precious thing. It was act of still greater love that it was made known to them that to them was given that precious thing with which the world was made, as it is said, For I give you a good doctrine, do not forsake My Torah.

And in Tractate Yevamot (61a) appears the problematic passage, "You are called Man, gentiles are not called Man." This sentence is found in a very specific context, relating to impurity caused by a cadaver. But just as in the case of the famous teaching "Whoever teaches his daughter Torah, it is considered as though he taught her obscenity," which was interpreted out of its specific context of the laws relating to the sotah, and was applied for generations in order to distance women from the Bet Hamidrash, so was the passage in Yevamot exploited as a supporting source by Jewish racists until our day.

In an article entitled "You Are Called Man...", published in 1984, the year in which the Kach party was elected to the Knesset, my teacher, Prof. Moshe Greenberg, wrote the following:

"The Jewish national renaissance developed a set of educational concepts which served its goals: Independence and political sovereignty, the settlement of Eretz Yisrael, the renewal of Hebrew culture. Emphasis was placed upon the history of ancient Israel in its land, and on the negation of a galut existence. In this tendentious view there is a kind of misrepresenting simplicity, but at least one could ascribe to its credit the constructive goal - the necessity of the hour - at which it aimed.

But together with this, they did not deal with one broad area, which called for a new posture.

The return to political activity, as a nation among the nations, necessitated new patterns of relating to the non-Jew - patterns unknown heretofore to the Jewish people - on two fronts: The external one - between nation and nation - based on the principle of mutuality, and the internal - between Jew and the gentile who dwells in the territory under his jurisdiction - the guiding principle for which must be justice and brotherhood. (Here, on this latter front, the Torah provides the great rule from which may be derived many ramifications for our times: "Now when there sojourns with you a sojourner in your land, you are not to maltreat him; like the native-born among you shall he be to you, the sojourner that sojourns with you; be loving to him as one like yourself, for sojourners were you in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God" (Vayikra 19:33-34). The unfathomable hatred which we suffered, the oppression with which we were - and are - oppressed blocked any examination of the subject on our part. It seemed as though the legacy which we inherited from our fathers suits our situation, even today.

This legacy flows in a certain channel, whose primary sources are: Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi, the Maharal of Prague, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Ladi... and Rabbi Avraham Yitzhak HaCohen Kook. Its message is that the election of Israel means inherent difference - in the terminology of the Middle Ages, a difference of "form" - between Jew and gentile."

I thought it proper to quote Prof. Greenberg extensively, because, like him, I am of the opinion that it is one of the most burning issues with which we must cope as modern religious Jews. It is essential to establish a different understanding of the election of Israel, one which lays greater emphasis on our responsibility and our duties which derive from the Torah - and not upon essential differences between us and the nations of the world. The nation which historically suffered so much from racism, must beware even "the dust of racism." In contrast to the illustrious names which Greenberg mentioned, one can draw inspiration from Maimonides, Rabbi Shimshon Rafael Hirsch, Shadal, and many thinkers of recent generations. Even in the works of HaRav Kook (senior) one can find varying statements on the subject. It seems that Jewish thought throughout history speaks on this subject with many voices.

It may be that our generation, too, with the current war and the disturbing rise in anti-Semitic incidents throughout the world, does not exactly invite Jewish liberalism vis a vis the nations. But it seems to me that despite this we must attempt to develop a humanistic and universalistic approach, perhaps an expansion of the of "Covenant of the Rainbow" with the sons of Noah. From the story of the Tower of Babel in this parasha, we learn that universal unity, especially when imposed without consideration for people, is undesirable, even dangerous. But sequestration and animosity between social groups which are the end result of particularism is no less dangerous. Divine intervention forestalled the danger of forced and inconsiderate

conformity, and made possible a particularism offered to man as a prospect for a better world. But it is in man's hands to exploit this possibility or, God forbid, to transform particularism into punishment.

We must strive for balance between love for the Sons of Noah and love of Israel. May I add my personal belief that - on the basis of anthropological considerations - the universality evident in the Torah is more authentic and faithful to the spirit of the Torah than xenophobia. Hatred and animosity towards the other, is, to our sorrow, the lot of all mankind. In certain tribes, the word "human" is identical with the name of the tribe. This is to say, we did not need divine revelation to implant a negative attitude to the goyim. The new idea that originated with the Torah is the belief that all human beings were created in His image, and that also the Sons of Noah are lovingly remembered by God.

Dr. Devorah Weisman heads the Kerem Institute for Preparation of Teachers for Humanist-Jewish Education in Yerushalayim.

 

 

Torah Morality Is Not Tribal Morality

Now that because of our many sins the exile is prolonged, Israel must separate itself from the vanities of the world, and must hold on to the seal of The Holy One, Blessed Be He, which is truth; Israel must sanctify itself even by [refraining from questionable] acts which are legally permitted (Yevamot 20a); he should not lie, neither to Jew nor to gentile, and not deceive them in anyway, as is written,: "The remnant of Israel will not perform iniquities and will not speak falsely, and their mouths shall not house deceptive tongues" (Tsefania 3:13). Furthermore it is written "And I will sow her in the land as My own" (Hosea 2:25) - a person sows one kur of seed in order to harvest a number of kurim, so The Holy One, Blessed Be He sowed Israel among the nations in order that it be joined by converts (Pesahim 87b) As long as they [Israel] deal with them honestly, they will cleave to them. The Holy One, Blessed Be He, is stringent even regarding theft of the wicked, as is written,: "And the land was rife with lawlessness".

(Bereishit 1:11)

 

"It once happened that Rabbi Shim'on ben Shetah purchased a donkey from an Ishmaelite. His students noticed a precious stone hanging from its neck. They said to Rabbi Shim'on: Rabbi, 'It is the blessing of the Lord that enriches' (Proverbs 10:22). He replied: I bought a donkey; I did not buy a precious stone. He went and returned the stone to the Ishmaelite. The Ishmaelite said of him: Blessed is the God of Shim'on ben Shetah!"

(Devarim Rabba 3:3)

 

And thus in the Yerushalmi (Bava Metsia 2:5) "The elderly sages purchased wheat from the gentiles, and discovered a hidden bag of coins, and they returned it. Proclaimed the gentiles: Blessed is the Lord of the Jews! And so there were many cases where they returned things in order to sanctify His Name.

 (Orhot Tsadikkim, Gate 23, The Truth)

 

 

Dependence Upon Earth Deconsecrates

"Noah, first man of the soil" - Because he was dependant upon the soil, he became unconsecrated. At first he was a righteous and wholehearted man, but now, a man of the soil.

(Tanhuma)

 

The Raven, Too, Has Merits

The dog who used to guard Hevel's sheep guarded his corpse from all the beasts of the field and from all the fowl of the air, and Adam and his helper sat and wept and mourned over him, but they knew not what to do, because they had no established burial custom. A raven, whose companion had died, said: I will teach this man what to do. What did he do? He took his companion, and dug in the earth and, in their sight, buried him. Said Adam: I shall do as did this raven, and he took Hevel's corpse, dug in the earth, and hid it. The Holy One, Blessed Be He, rewarded the ravens generously in this world. What was their reward? That they give birth to their offspring and they see that they are white, and they flee them, thinking them to be offspring of serpents, and The Holy One, Blessed Be He, brings them mosquitoes and provides them their food and nourishment, as is written: "Who prepares for the raven his prey", and yet more, they cry that there be rain on the earth, and The Holy One, Blessed Be He, listens to they cry and sends rain on the face of the earth, as is written, "Who gives the beasts their food, to the raven's brood what they cry for".

 ( Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer)

 

He Who Makes Peace In His Heights (and, as it were, between ourselves and Him), He Shall Make Peace Upon Us

"This is the sign of the covenant which I give" - it has been said, as rationale for this sign, that He did not place the bow with its two ends facing upwards, which would make it seems as though from the heavens he is being shot at, "He shoots his arrows and scatters them over the earth", but He did the opposite, to demonstrate they will not shoot at him from heaven, for this is the custom of warriors, to turn the bow in their hand when they call for peace with those who oppose them. And furthermore, the bow has no string with which to shoot the arrow.

 (Ramban, Bereishit 9:12)

 

"Come, Let Us Build Ourselves A City and a Tower"

The story of the building of the city and the tower also expresses the danger inherent in the power of man's rule, when technical achievements cease to be means and they become the goal for which man exists. This idea is expressed sharply in a late midrash called "Pirkei D'Rabbi Eliezer" which states:

The tower had seven levels on its east side and seven on its west; they would carry the bricks on this side and descend from the other; and if a man fell and died, no one would pay attention, but if a single brick would fall they would sit and cry: Woe unto us, when will another come up in its place!"

This is the meaning of the rule of technology, which puts man into a framework, a social and civilizing assignment from he may not deviate; This midrash describes the

situation in which man becomes an instrument, a tool for raising bricks; the technical production becomes the goal. Therefore no tears are spilled for a man who falls from the top of the tower, because there will always be a replacement.

 (Y. Leibowitz, Seven Years of Discussion on the Weekly Parasha, p. 33)

 

 

Editorial Board: Pinchas Leiser (Editor), Miriam Fine (Coordinator), Itzhak Frankenthal and Dr. Menachem Klein

Translation: Kadish Goldberg

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