This Women&#39;s class was presented by Rabbi YY Jacobson on Tuesday, 30 Tishrei, 5779, September 9, 2018, at Ohr Chaim Shul, Monsey, NY

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noah

noach

baal shem tov

anger

relationships

noach's nakedness

cham shem yafeth

How to Deal with Difficult People

Women's Noach Class

Every Person Is Your Mirror

Henry Kissinger’s Suit

There is an old Jewish anecdote about former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger who decides to make for himself a custom-made beautiful three-piece suit of the finest material. During his next trip to Italy, he has himself measured by a world-renown designer, who subsequently gives him the material for his suit.

When he arrives in Paris and presents the material to the skilled tailor, the man measures his body and says: “Sorry, Mr. Kissinger, but a man your size needs at least another two inches of material.”

Surprised, Dr. Kissinger continues his journey to London. There, the tailor says, “I am sorry, Mr. Secretary of State, but to turn this into a suit&nbsp;for your physique, I need another three inches of the material.”

Disappointed, he arrives in Beijing. There the widely acclaimed Chinese tailor remarks, “I really don’t understand what you were thinking, Mr. Kissinger. Your body is far larger than this material. We need another five inches.”

An angry Dr. Kissinger arrives in Tel Aviv. He presents the material to a local Jewish tailor. The tailor measures him and says: “You actually don’t need so much material, but I will cut off some of it and will turn the remainder of it into a stunning suit.”

Kissinger is astonished. “Can you explain this to me,” he asks the tailor. “I have traveled the world, and everybody claims that I need much more material. What is going on here?”

“Oh, it’s quite simple,” the Israeli tailor responds. “In Italy, you are a big man; in Paris, you are even a bigger man; in London, you are a great man, and in Beijing, you are a giant.

“But here in Israel, you are a small man.”

The Debate on Noah’s Persona

What is nothing but a classic Jewish joke becomes reality when it comes to one of the most important figures in the Hebrew Bible—the man who single-handedly saved civilization: Noah. What the tailor told Kissinger is what we&nbsp;actually did&nbsp;to poor Noah. We cut him down half-his-size, which is both astounding and problematic.

The Torah states in the opening of this week’s portion:

This is the history of Noach. Noach was a righteous man; he was wholesome in his generation; Noach walked with G-d.

The Talmud,<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn1" name="_ednref1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref1')">[1]</a> and Rashi, ever sensitive to nuance, take note of the fact that the words, "in his generation" are superfluous. Obviously, Noach lived and functioned in his generation. Why could the Torah not say simply “Noach was a righteous man, wholesome he was; Noach walked with G-d?"

The Talmud offers two opposing explanations. In the words of Rashi:

Among the sages, there are those who interpret this as praise of Noach: If he was righteous in his [corrupt] generation, certainly he would have been even more righteous had he lived in a generation of righteous people. Others interpret it negatively: In relation to his wicked generation he was righteous; had he been in Abraham's generation he would not have amounted to anything.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn2" name="_ednref2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref2')">[2]</a>

Who was Noach? is the question. Was he really a man of extraordinary stature or just a cut above the rest? Did G-d save him because he was a “perfect tzaddik,” or there was nobody better?

Why Denigrate a Hero?

Yet there is something disturbing about this discussion. The Torah is clearly trying to highlight Noach’s virtue. “But Noah found favor in the eyes of G-d,” is how the previous portion concludes.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn3" name="_ednref3" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref3')">[3]</a> Then, we have the above verse: “This is the history of Noach. Noach was a righteous man; he was wholesome in his generation; Noach walked with G-d.”&nbsp;Later in the portion G-d says to Noach: “I have found you righteous before Me in this generation.” G-d, clearly, is trying to extoll Noach. What drove some Rabbis to denigrate him and say that relative to other generations he would amount to nothing special?

Besides, when you can choose a complimentary interpretation and perspective, what drives some to choose a negative and condescending interpretation?<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn4" name="_ednref4" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref4')">[4]</a> It runs against the instructions of the Torah to give people the benefit of the doubt.&nbsp;

What is more, Noach is the only person in the entire Tanach who is called a Tzaddik, a perfectly righteous individual. G-d tells Noach: “I have found you to be a tzaddik before me in this generation.”<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn5" name="_ednref5" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref5')">[5]</a> And we, the Jews, say: Yes, but not really…

There are various interpretations. One of my favorite ones was presented by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, in 1964.<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn6" name="_ednref6" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref6')">[6]</a> Not only were the Rabbis not trying to minimize Noach’s virtues; they actually wanted to highlight his praises even more. Equally important, they were trying to teach us all a transformative lesson.

Who Can Change the World?

What did Noach accomplish? He saved all mankind. In the absence of Noach, humanity would have become extinct soon after it has begun. Single-handedly he ensured the continuity of life on earth. He is the man who builds an ark, rescues all living organisms, and ensures our world would survive.

An achievement indeed, if there was ever one.

And who is the individual who achieves this feat? A person called by the Torah “a man of the earth.”<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn7" name="_ednref7" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref7')">[7]</a> The only story the Torah tells us about Noach, outside of constructing the Ark and spending a year in it during the Great Flood, is that he was a farmer; he planted a vineyard, became intoxicated, and exposed himself. That’s all. The last thing we hear about him is that he lay there in his tent, drunk and bare.

The Rabbis deduce from the text that “Noach, also, was of those people who were wanting in faith: he believed and he did not believe that the Flood would come, and he would not enter the Ark until the waters forced him to do so.”<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn8" name="_ednref8" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref8')">[8]</a>

Noach was a fine man, who lived a decent, moral life, and tried to do what G-d wanted, but was not without his flaws, doubts, and struggles. Compared to Abraham he would not amount to much.

But look what this simple fellow achieved! In a society dripping with greed and temptation, Noach held to his morals, walked with G-d, and swam against the tide, saving the planet from destruction. Civilization survived not because of a towering, titanic figure; but because of a simple man who had the courage to live morally when everyone around him behaved despicably.

Remarkably, by degrading Noach and stating that in other generations Noach would be eclipsed, the Rabbis turned him into the most inspiring figure, someone who serves as a model for all of us ordinary men and women. Noach is my hero, the hero of the ordinary cut-of-the-mill individual who is no great thinker, warrior, leader, or man of transcendence. By explaining the biblical text the way they did, the Sages turned Noach into a symbol for us ordinary people, who appreciate a fine cup of wine and a little schnaps, how we can make a difference in people’s lives.

The message of Noach is life-changing. You don’t need to be Abraham or Moses to transform the world. Noach was just another kid on the block, but look what he did! With your own courage not to toe the line of corruption, fakeness, and falsehood, with a little gentleness, friendliness, compassion, kindness, and goodness you can save lives, ignite sparks, and create an “ark” of sanity amidst a raging flood.

Noach was not a saint? Thank goodness. I have heard enough about saints in my life; now tell me about real people, who struggle with fear, doubt, and pain. Tell me about the guy whose IQ was not 180; he was not valedictorian of his school; he did not get a full scholarship to Oxford; he was not a tycoon or bestselling author. He was not a guru or a holy man. He was not the greatest warrior, thinker, artist, or leader. He was just a guy trying to do the right thing when everyone around him descended to greed and apathy. And look what he accomplished.

In the presence of great moral giants, he might be eclipsed, the Talmud says. Standing near Abraham he would appear insignificant. And that is exactly what made him so significant! He set a standard for those of us who appear in our own eyes as insignificant.

Uniform Biographies

Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner, dean of Yeshiva Rabanu Chaim Berlin and author of Pachad&nbsp;Yitzchak, laments&nbsp;in a letter about biographies published on the lives of Jewish leaders and rabbis. They are “cookie cutter” biographies, in which every one of them was born a holy genius. At the age of six, he knew the entire Tanach by heart, and at the age of twelve he mastered the Talmud, and his mother had to force him to eat. There is almost no trace of struggle, failure, crisis, doubt, anxiety, temptation, confusion, adversity, and the winding viscidities of the path toward individual self-discovery. Besides it being a dishonest portrayal, it deprives the biographies of having educational value. How can I try to emulate a flawless and brilliant saint?

It is an educational mistake to see spiritual success in the absence of struggle and the repression of authentic emotions. Look at Noach. He was a flawed man, and he saved the world!

One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked, he came upon a young girl&nbsp;who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one.

Puzzled, the man looked at the girl&nbsp;and asked what she was doing. Without looking up from his task, the girl&nbsp;simply replied, ‘I’m saving these starfish, Sir.’

The old man chuckled aloud, ‘Young woman, there are tens of thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?’

The girl&nbsp;picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water, and turning to the man, said, “It made a difference to that one!’”

So today, decide to emulate Noach: A simple man who was true to his soul and his G-d. In your own way, stand up to lies, greed, and promiscuity. Become a beacon of light, love, and hope. Construct an ark where others can find shelter from a flood of pain and insanity. Stop giving the excuse that you are just a regular guy, minding your own business. All of us can be Noach’s.

"I'm only one, but I am one. I can't do everything but I can do something, and what I can do, I ought to do.”<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_edn9" name="_ednref9" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref9')">[9]</a>

___________

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref1" name="_edn1" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn1')">[1]</a> Sanhedrin 108a

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref2" name="_edn2" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn2')">[2]</a> In the Talmud ibid. it’s a debate between Rabbi Yochanan (derogatory) and Reish Lakish (complimentary). Rabbi Chanina continues to say: “Rabbi Yochanan’s view may be illustrated by the parable of a jar of wine stored in a cellar filled with jars of vinegar. In such a place, the fragrance of the wine is sensed, because of the vinegar’s fumes; in any other place, its fragrance might not be sensed. Rabbi Oshaiya said: Resh Lakish’s view may be illustrated by a vial of fragrant oil lying amid excrement: if its fragrance is sensed even in such surroundings, how much more so amid spices!” 
Perhaps we can suggest that these two sages’ dispute is connected to their own life story. Rabbi Yochanan was raised in piety and holiness; Reish Lakish was a gangster and gladiator who later became one of the greatest Torah sages of his age (Talmud Bava Metizah 84b). Reish Lakish, remembering his past, and knowing the dark side of human nature and its great potency, teaches that if Noach could succeed in his corrupt generation to live morally, certainly he would have been righteous in a more spiritual generation. Reish Lakish understood the depth of the human struggle against darkness and the enormity of the challenge some people face, and he could only stand in awe of Noach’s moral standing in his generation. Rabbi Yochanan, on the other hand, could not fully appreciate what Noach had to contend against. Yet the questions in this essay are still unanswered.

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref3" name="_edn3" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn3')">[3]</a> Genesis 6:8

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref4" name="_edn4" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn4')">[4]</a> In the Ethics of our Fathers (1:6) we are enjoined to “judge every person favorably,” giving them the benefit of the doubt. It is the sages who go so far as to declare that "the Torah is loath to speak negatively even of a non-kosher animal" (Talmud Bava Basra 123a; Pesachim 3a), a lesson derived from this very portion of Noach!&nbsp;If the clause "in his generations" can be understood both ways, why propose a negative interpretation? In the words of the famed Polish-Italian Talmudic sage and commentator the Beer Sheva (Rabbi Yissachar Ber Eilenberg, 1550-1623):

"כל ימי הייתי קוהה מאחר שאין לו הכרע אם לגנאי או לשבח נאמר בדורותיו, א"כ קשה על רבי יוחנן למה משכו נפשו לדורשו לגנאי" (באר שבע סנהדרין דף קח, א).

“All my life I was grinding (my teeth). Since the term “in his generation,” can be explained positively or negatively, why did Reb Yochanan’s soul compel him to explain it disgracefully?”

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref5" name="_edn5" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn5')">[5]</a> Genesis 7:1

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref6" name="_edn6" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn6')">[6]</a> The Rebbe shared this during a public address (“farbrengen”) on Shabbos Parshas Noach 5725, October 10, 1964. Published in Likkutei Sichos vol. 5 pp. 281-283.

On another occasion, the Rebbe shared another explanation (Likkutei Sichos vol. 25 Parshas Noach). Briefly: The sages had some independent criticism of Noach for not trying to save his generation (see Zohar Bereishis 66; 107). When they observed the term “in his generation,” they understood that this was written to underscore the flaw of Noach. They felt it was important to bring out this flaw not in order to denigrate Noach (especially since in his position he may have done the best he could) but to caution others not to follow in the same direction. What is more, Noach himself would appreciate this interpretation so that his behavior (which may have been right during his time, under those unique circumstances) should not serve as a paradigm for others at other times.

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref7" name="_edn7" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn7')">[7]</a> Genesis 9:20

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref8" name="_edn8" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn8')">[8]</a> Rashi to Genesis 7:7, quoting Midrash Rabah Bereishis 32:6

<a href="javascript: void(0);" id="_ednref9" name="_edn9" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn9')">[9]</a> My thanks to Rabbi Moshe Kahn (Melbourne) for his assistance in developing this insight.

The Talmud, ever sensitive to nuance, takes note of the fact that the words, &quot;Noah was a righteous man, perfect was he&nbsp;in his generations&rdquo;&nbsp;are superfluous.&nbsp;&ldquo;In his generations&rdquo; can be seen as a compliment or as a criticism. One interpretation is that&nbsp;even&nbsp;in his generations he was righteous. Even living amidst such a degenerate society, he shined. a second interpretation is the exact opposite.&nbsp;Only&nbsp;in his generations is he described as a righteous individual;&nbsp;relative&nbsp;to the people around him he was perfect. Yet compared to people of higher caliber, he would &ldquo;amount to nothing.&rdquo;

This is disturbing. Why would one choose a critical view when one can choose a complimentary one? If the clause &quot;in his generations&quot; can be understood both ways, why propose a negative interpretation?&nbsp;

In truth, by degrading Noach, the Rabbis turned him into one of the most inspiring figures in history, a role-model for the ordinary woman and man.&nbsp;

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flood

Thank Goodness, Noach Was No Saint

Essay Noach

The Hero for the Simple People

Three Lives, Three Worlds

There is a fascinating and insightful Midrash on the opening of this week’s portion. The Torah begins:

נח ו, ט: אֵ֚לֶּה תּֽוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ:

Genesis 6, 9: These are the generations of Noach, Noach was a righteous man; he was perfect in his generations; Noach walked with God.

The Midrash, always sensitive to nuance, wonders why the single verse mentions Noach not once, nor even twice, but three times? The repetition of a name three times in a single sentence is obviously superfluous. The Torah could have stated: “These are the generations of Noah, who was a righteous man, perfect in his generations. He walked with G-d.”

The Midrash offers the following extraordinary insight.

תנחומא נח ה: אלה תולדות נח נח וגו' את האלהים התהלך נח, ג' פעמים בפסוק למה? זה אחד משלשה שראו ג' עולמות נח, ודניאל, ואיוב. נח ראה עולם בישובו, וראהו בחרבנו, וחזר וראהו בישובו, דניאל ראה בנין בית ראשון וראהו חרב וחזר וראהו בנוי בבנין בית שני, איוב ראה בנין ביתו וחרבנו וחזר וראה בישובו.

The Torah is intimating that there was not one Noach; there were three Noach’s. We are being introduced to three distinct Noach’s. There is Noach before the flood, during the flood, and after the flood.

Noach, explains the Midrash, was one of the few individuals in history who lived three lives, in three completely different worlds. First, Noach saw a settled, safe, and predictable world. That was Noach #1. Then Noach saw his entire world destroyed by the flood—that was Noach #2. And then he saw the world rebuilt and civilized after the flood. That was Noach #3.

To survive and thrive in each of the three eras, you need a completely different set of skills and resources. The first Noach grew up and came of age in a world that he, his father, grandfather, and great grandfather were accustomed to. There is routine, order, and comfort.

But then Noach encounters a new reality—one that reduced the entire planet to an ocean, without a single survivor, not among humans, or animals, birds, insects, or even trees or bushes. Just imagine what that does to a person. Everything you knew is suddenly gone. The “skills” required to cope and survive in such a world are of a different nature; it is about resilience and alertness.

But then Noach was forced to reinvent himself yet a third time, as he was summoned to leave the Ark and rebuild the world; to get back into normal life. How do you do that after living on the edge in a world gone mad? How do you integrate back into normal living after you faced the abyss and watched your boat submerged in a titanic flood, and your planet consumed in the waters? How do return to civilization as a normal person?

Now you need a new set of skills—the ability to recover after such devastation; the power to smile again, not the innocent idyllic smile of youthful innocence; rather the joy that comes from conviction and resolve to still believe in the possibility of love, joy, and kindness.

It was far from simple. The only story we know of Noach after the flood is that he planted a vineyard and became inebriated. Did Noach suffer from PTSD? Did Noach need to numb his tremendous pain from the devastation?

An Entire Generation

An entire generation of Jews understood this Midrashic insight all too well.

Many of our parents, grandparents, or great grandparents have grown up in pre-War Europe. Despite the many challenges facing them in the beginning of the 20th century, many of them enjoyed a relatively calm childhood. The world was not a perfect place, but it was a fine place, with many pleasant moments and experiences.

And then, as Adolf Hitler took Europe by storm, their entire universe was shaken up and brutally destroyed, as Germany unleashed its torrents of genocide, abuse, and brutality against our people. Some of our relatives watched parents, children, siblings, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, relatives, and friends, be sent to breathe their last breath ingesting Zyklon B and their bodies burnt in the crematoriums. Six million vibrant lives were cut down through bullets, fire, gas, beatings, hanging, torture, disease, or live burial.

Nobody prepared anybody for this harrowing experience. As I once heard from former Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi Yisroel Meir Lau, when he tried describing his experience in Buchenwald, at the age of six: “I was six-year-old, surrounded by the stench of death. I would compare myself to a cockroach or a little bug. They may not have large brains, but they have an instinct to do anything they can for survival. They will try everything. And that is what I also understood and did.”

And then the survivors had to yet reinvent themselves, a third time. The survivors of the War now faced the challenge of “normalcy.” Can you ever be normal again? Can you ever laugh again as though the world was a fun place? How do you transform yourself from a creeping insect, trying to find a droplet of water, or a crumb of bread, without an SS guard shooting you, into a dignified human being who has the freedom to live, breathe, and love?

This was not easy—and will one day be recorded as one of the great miracles in the annals of human history. For the most part, the survivors recreated a new world for themselves and all of us, a world of generosity, love, and moral dignity.

From the Furnace

Last week the Jewish world lost a unique and extraordinary individual, a personal family friend, a philanthropist, an activist, and a Holocaust survivor, Mr. Benny Fishoff, at the age of 97. Born in Lodz, Poland he lost his entire family during the Second World War.

He once shared with me the following moving reflection:

The third chapter of the book of Daniel describes the Jewish exile to Babylonia. The king of Babylonia (present-day Iraq), Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed the First Temple in 586 BCE had three Jewish attendants, Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah. When they refused to bow down to a Pagan idol which he erected for people to worship, the king had them thrown into a burning furnace to be burnt alive. Yet miraculously they emerged unscathed. From that moment on, their names are not mentioned any longer in the Tanach as part of Jewish life in Babylonia.

The Talmud asks this question:

סנהדרין צג, א: רבנן להיכא אזול? אמר רב בעין הרע מתו. ושמואל אמר ברוק טבעו. ור' יוחנן אמר עלו לארץ ישראל ונשאו נשים והולידו בנים ובנות.

What happened to the three sages? The Talmud offers three explanations. The third was offered by Rabbi Yochanan: “They went up to the Land of Israel; they married, and they gave birth to sons and daughters.”

The Talmud states this as a novelty because it was no small feat. When people have a near-death experience, and they are saved by a hairs-breath, the trauma often leaves them paralyzed. They can’t function normally in the world. Here, three Jews were plunged into the burning furnace because of their loyalty to Judaism and the G-d of Israel. What did they do afterward? They did not withdraw; they did not give up on life and on Jewish destiny. They returned to the Holy Land from where they were exiled, they got married, and they brought a new generation of Jews to the world.

Benny said to me words I will never forget: You want to know the greatest miracle of the generations of survivors? That we tried to rebuild normal lives! Yes, we were not always successful; yes, we have our share of challenges that we transmitted to our children. But we try our best to be normal. We try to smile, to be happy, to love, to help people, to give our children a dignified future.

Think about it: Unlike Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah who emerged unscathed, the Jews who survived the holocaust watched the burning furnaces of Auschwitz and Treblinka consume their loved ones. Their families were not saved from the crematoriums of Belzec, Chelmno, and Majdanek. Here then is a far more dramatic question: What did the survivors of this unspeakable calamity do when they came out of Hitler’s furnace?

The words employed in the Talmud provide the best answer: “They went up to the Land of Israel; they married, and they gave birth to sons and daughters!”

The generation which exited the gates of the Nazi hell rebuilt the Land of Israel, literally and figuratively—rebuilding Jewish life the world over. Second, most of them got married, and third, they chose to give birth to a new generation of Jews.

And this, Benny, told me, is the greatest miracle in human history.

We often lament about our parents and grandparents, who surviving the Holocaust, often did not lead the most emotionally functional lives. Children of survivors have suffered from the silence, from the repressed pain, from the mid-night screaming, from the PTSD. The pain is deep and real. What we sometimes fail to realize is that after the hell they have been through, that was expected. The miracle is that most of them fought courageously to lead normal lives—to find love once again, to raise families, to trust, to be happy, to celebrate life. And because they did it, we are here today.

From the ashes, they recreated life.

Our Own Three Worlds

In a far different way, this remains a challenge for many of us, even if in a far more benign way.

Many of us, in our own little or big way, experience three worlds, demanding of us to reinvent ourselves again, and again, and yet again. We live not one life, but at least three lives.

We begin our youth often in a “civilized, settled world.” We enjoy the innocence, calmness, stability, and security of youthfulness. We expect things to be a certain way, we rely on routine, and we are sheltered by the feeling that life is good, beautiful, and fragrant.

If you can stay in this world forever—by all means! Do not leave!

But not all of us get this privilege. Sooner or later, spaghetti hits the fan. Some of us encounter a new reality, where our old world is devastated. Our sheltered cocoons blow up and we become vulnerable to sadness, madness, suffering, and loss. The loss of a loved one; the divorce of our parents and the breakdown of our family; mental or emotional challenges; financial crisis; broken relationships; trauma and anxiety—all leaving our hearts shattered into one thousand pieces. Some of us have known the pain of abuse and molestation, physical, verbal, or emotional. Some of us have known the pain of addiction and self-destruction, following or preceding the experience of our world inundated by a massive “flood.” All we search for is an Ark, where we can run and hide.

But then we must have the courage to reinvent ourselves yet a third time—to become yet a new “Noach,” one who can create a new world—a world of laughter, love, light, hope, and promise; a life of healthy attachments, faith, and joy; a life filled with the conviction that goodness is more powerful than evil, and light can dispel darkness.

Yes, this new world lacks that idyllic innocence and ignorance of childhood, but it contains a depth, maturity, and profundity that allows it to become a real foundation that can’t crumble.<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

G-d says to Noach, “go out of the ark,” and build a new world. Even when it raining outside, look up and you might see a rainbow, knowing that above the clouds, the sun is always shining. At every moment, you are a manifestation of the infinite light and love of the Divine. The clouds will pass, and your sunlight and sunshine will emerge.

___________

<a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> See at length Sichas Shabbos Bereishis 5721

Summary:

The Midrash, always sensitive to nuance, wonders why the single verse in the opening of the portion mentions Noach not once, not twice, but three times? The repetition of a name three times in a single sentence or verse is obviously superfluous. The Torah could have stated: &ldquo;These are the generations of Noah, who was a righteous man, perfect in his generations. He walked with G-d.&rdquo;

The Midrash offers the following extraordinary insight. The Torah is intimating that there was not one Noach; there were three Noach&rsquo;s. As the portion continues, we are being introduced to three distinct Noach&rsquo;s. There is Noach before the flood, during the flood, and after the flood.

An entire generation of Jews understood this Midrashic insight all too well. Many of our parents, grandparents, or great grandparents, some even sitting right here today, have grown up in pre-War Europe. Despite the many challenges facing many in the beginning of the 20th century, scores of them enjoyed a relatively calm and serene childhood. The world was not a perfect place, but it was a fine place, with many pleasant moments, experiences, and joys.

And then, as Hitler took Europe by storm, their entire universe was shaken up and brutally destroyed, as Germany unleashed its awesome torrents of genocide, abuse, and horrific brutality against our people. They were forced to discover a new person in themselves. And then, when the war ended, they needed to find a new &ldquo;Noach&rdquo; inside of their souls.

In a far different way, this remains a challenge for many of us, even if in a far more benign way. Many of us, in our own little or big way, experience three worlds, demanding of us to reinvent ourselves again and again and yet again. We live not one life, but at least three lives.

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benny fishoff

chananya mishael azarya

What I Heard from Benny Fishoff About Holocaust Survivors

A Tale of Three Noachs

This story of the Tower of Babel has long intrigued scholars and historians alike who have even gone so far as attempt to locate its exact location in Iraq. What exactly was their crime? Why was G-d upset with the idea of people constructing a united city and tower?&nbsp; 

A strange passage in Talmud tells us what happened to the Tower. A third of it was burnt; a third of it was submerged in the earth; and a third of it remains intact till this very day.

But why? Why did it happen that way? And what is the lesson here?

There are three explanations for the sin behind the Tower: it was a war against G-d; it was the first communist totalitarian regime; it replaced G-d with science. The first dimension has been destroyed from the consciousness of civilization. The second is submerged in the earth and occasionally rears its ugly head. The third aspect is alive and well.

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communism

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Three Philosophies Behind the Tower of Babel

2020: The Year Man Thought He Became God

The Raven &amp; The Dove: The Flood Recedes and Noah Sends Out a Raven Followed by a Dove. Why These Two Birds? And What Does This Story Tell Us of the Journey Necessary for people Recovering from Personal &ldquo;Floods?&rdquo; When Cynicism Replaces Innocence.

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When Cynicism Replaces Innocence

The Raven & The Dove

It would seem that Noah is the ideal forefather for the Jew; the man who, like Noah, will always be alone amongst the nations, and who lives life based on his own inspired standards and not based on popular trends.

But no. Noah is clearly not Jewish. As a matter of fact, all non-Jews are called by the Torah &lsquo;the children of Noah&rsquo;. Only Abraham who is born ten generations later will be chosen as the &lsquo;first Jew.&rsquo; Why?

Noah is a hard man to understand. On the one hand he is paid the highest of compliments, and is the only man that the Torah itself explicitly coins as a &ldquo;A Tzadik (righteous man), perfect in his time.&rdquo; He saved civilization, and every human alive today is one of his descendants.&nbsp; Notwithstanding the ridicule of his neighbors and acquaintances, he trusts G-d implicitly and singlehandedly builds an enormous ark that takes him 120 years! He is a lonely man of faith who rejects world opinion and peer pressure, and retains his integrity despite living in the most morally depraved generation in the history of humanity.

The defining difference between Abraham and Noah is not found in their own levels of faith and piety, rather it is found in how much of that piety they influenced upon others. The hallmark of the Jew is not only that he believes, but that he inspires others to believe. It is not only that he is good, but that he infuses his surroundings with goodness. And that is where Noah failed.

This class will explore the essential meaning of what it means to be a Jew, and why only Abraham and not Noah had what it takes to become the father of the Jewish faith.

We will also learn the history of the name &lsquo;Jerusalem&rsquo;: Who named the city? When? Why? And what does the name even mean? And what does this have to do with Noah?

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Civilization Was Saved Because of Him. But Only Abraham Became the Father of Judaism. This Teaches Us the Essence of Judaism

Why Was Noach Not the First Jew?

Insanity
One of the loveliest stories told by the Chassidic master Rabbi Nachman of Breslov goes like this (1):
A king was informed by his chief minister that there had been a blight on the crops that year. They were affected so greatly that anyone eating the grain would become insane. "But," said the minister, "there is no need for us to worry. I have set aside enough grain from last year's harvest for the both of us that will last until the harvest of the following year."
The king shook his head. "No," he said. "I will not allow myself any privileges other than those shared by my subjects.
"We shall eat of the same grain," the king continued, "and we shall both go insane together with the rest of the population. But here is what we shall do. You and I will mark our foreheads with an indelible imprint, so that when we go insane, I will look at you and you will look at me and we will know we are insane."
The path toward healing
Some time ago I encountered a woman. She was particularly kind and compassionate, but I noticed that she never smiled; a steady paleness and gloom seemed to settle across her face all the time.
When I asked her about it, she related to me that when she was three, her father&nbsp;became an alcoholic. He would come home every evening drunk and knock her head against the brick wall in the kitchen.
Her mother would stand nearby silently, covering her eyes with her hands. "When dad would conclude with the beating," the woman related to me, "Mom would tell him, 'Do you have to do it so hard?'"
Recovery is a miracle. In the face of severe physical or mental abuse, for a person to rehabilitate himself and reclaim his lost innocence and zest for life is nothing short of a miracle.
The ability for us to perform this miracle in our lives was sewn into the fabric of our existence as a result of the flood described in this week's Torah portion, which occurred, according to the Jewish tradition, in the year 1656 after creation (2105 BCE).
Why the flood?
"And G-d said to Noach: The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence; behold, I shall destroy them (2)." Thereafter, a forty-day-long titanic shower descended from heaven and flooded the earth, putting an end to all of its inhabitants.
Growing up in Yeshiva and learning this story each year, I could never comprehend how G-d could actually wipe out an entire world because of its wrongdoings. Even G-d Himself apparently came to the same conclusion after the flood. The Torah relates how following the flood G-d vowed that "I will never again curse the earth because of man; neither will I again smite everything living, as I have done. All days of the earth, the seasons for seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall never cease (3)." What changed?
Also, why from all ways to destroy civilization, did G-d choose the flood?
The workings of addiction
The Lubavitcher Rebbe explained the tragic tale of the flood in this fashion (4):
The world ought to be a spiritual and G-dly place and man ought to be a spiritual, sacred creature. This is their ultimate purpose and destiny. But during the millennium preceding the flood, the human race defined itself exclusively as a beastly and criminal race. Man corrupted himself and his environment so severely that healing was no longer possible. The world turned into an unredeemable hell. Destruction was inevitable, a natural consequence of ten centuries flooded with abuse and evil.
Is this not the tragic consequence of all addiction? After decades of frying your brain day after day with alcohol, drugs or other destructive substances or behaviors, you finally manage to kill the last vestige of your soul and your rationality. At this point, healing is not possible anymore. Your mind loses its last ounce of control over your life and you just watch yourself wither away and die.
During the time of Noach, man and his world did not yet possess the potential for rehabilitation and self-renewal. Why? Because the spirituality and holiness accessible to the world during the pre-flood era was a gift from above and not intrinsic to the very chemistry of humanity. Like a student who grasps all of the profound teachings of his mentor, but lacks the ability to conceive of an original thought, man was a recipient of the light, but did not own the light. Therefore, as long as man was a loyal pupil of G-d, he remained connected to the source of life. Once man rejected G-d, his existence became valueless and purposeless.
The rains of the flood, described in Kabbalah as "a cosmic Mikvah," (5) did not only destroy an unsalvageable world; they also cleansed it and purified it, leaving in their wake a new world with a new nature. The mighty waters that were emitted from heaven impregnated the truths of spirituality and G-dliness into the very fabric of the earth (6). Like a pupil who had been trained by his mentor to think on his own, humanity in the post-flood era absorbed the goodness and harmony of its creator within its very structure. From now on, even if man would alienate himself entirely from his Divine source, he could always recreate himself through the light engraved in the depth of his being.
The flood granted our world the gift and the miracle of recovery. Even in the face of the most horrific abuse, we retain within ourselves a sacred space, an untouchable innocence, from which we can always experience the wonder of rebirth. Though insanity -- in all of its forms -- may pervade our lives, our souls preserve a memory of a sane world, a world filled with innocence, love, and inner security.
1) Rabbi Nachman (1772-1810), a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Tov and one of the most emotionally charged masters in the Chassidic world, would regularly convey his ideas through stories and parables. 2) Noach 6:13. 3) Ibid. 8:21-22. 4) Likkutei Sichos vol. 15 pp. 51-54. 5) Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi writes, that the 40 days of rains that flooded the earth corresponded to the 40 sa'ah of the spiritually cleansing waters of the mikvah (Torah Or Noach p. 8c.). - A Sa'ah is approximately 2.19 U.S. Gallons. Torah law mandates that a Mikvah contain a minimum of 40 sa'ah of water. 6) That's why G-d established the rainbow as a symbol of his covenant to never destroy the earth again (Ibid. 9:8-15). What is a rainbow? When the clear, crystal-like water droplets suspended in the atmosphere refract the light of the sun, they unleash the spectrum of colors contained in the sun's light and a rainbow appears. The pre-flood world lacked the rainbow, because the moisture that had risen from the earth to catch the light of the sun was too coarse a substance to refract the light of the sun. The rainbow attests to the world's new sense of refinement and spirituality in the post-flood era and hence its innate potential for recovery and rebirth (Likkutei Sichos Ibid. Week In Review vol. 10 No 5). My gratitude to Shmuel Levin, a writer and editor based in Pittsburgh, PA for his editorial assistance.

The Genesis Of Recovery - Did G-d Really Have To Destroy the World?

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Did G-d Really Have To Destroy the World?

The Genesis Of Recovery

<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 120%; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">This essay explores the Torah's choice of language when describing Shem and Yafes covering their father's nakedness. We go on to explain the words of the Baal Shem Tov that the other person is always a mirror of you. If you are pure, you see purity in others. But is this true? Can&rsquo;t I be pure and see filth in the other person? A blueprint for dealing with difficult people and judging others for their compromised behavior.

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criticizing

The Other Person Is Always Your Mirror

How to Deal with Obnoxious People

As the flood waters recede, Noah opens the window of the ark and sends out the raven, which "kept going and returning until the waters dried from upon the earth (1)." It would seem as if the raven did its job admirably, and the story should have ended right there. Instead, the text describes a drawn-out process in which Noah sends out a dove three times to determine whether the waters had subsided from the face of the ground. The first time, the dove returns to the ark, as it could not find a place to rest, because the earth is still engulfed in water. The second time the dove returns with a plucked olive leaf, indicating that the water has receded significantly. Seven days later, Noah sends the dove a third time. This time, it does not return any more. At last, the dove encountered a space to dwell. The earth was once again habitable.

Why the need to send two birds, a raven and a dove? And why did he first send out the raven and only afterward the dove?

The raven has a long-standing negative reputation. Because of its black plumage, croaking call, and diet of carrion, the raven has long been considered an unkind bird. Psalm (ch. 147) describes G-d's mercy in feeding all creatures, even "the raven's children who call out." Why are the raven's children singled out? Because ravens do not care for their young as do other birds (2), which is one of the reasons that the raven is singled out as a non-kosher bird (3).

Modern Western culture has continued this trend. The famous Edgar Allan Poe poem portrays the raven as a grim, spectral presence. One particular flock of ravens has attained notoriety by taking up residence at the Tower of London, site of many gruesome beheadings and royal murders. To this day, the Beefeater guards warn visitors from getting too close, lest the ravens supplement their usual diet of carrion with a tourist's finger or toe.

The dove, on the other extreme, is a symbol of tenderness, loyalty and kindness. The image of the dove bearing an olive branch – originating in this week's Torah portion (4) - resonates in the communal consciousness. The Song of Songs compares time and time again the beautiful bride to the dove. The rabbis praised the dove for its extraordinary singular loyalty to its mate, unique in the animal kingdom (5). Not only is the dove a kosher bird, but it is the one chosen by the Torah to be offered in the Holy Temple as a sacred, divine offering, testifying to its sublime potential.

In Kabbalistic and Chassidic terminology, the raven represents the attribute of gevurah -- aggression, strength and sternness. The dove, in contrast, represents the quality of chesed, kindness, tenderness and empathy (6).

Based on this contrast between the raven and the dove, we can appreciate the deeper rhythms behind the Noah story. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Initially, Noah felt that the proper approach in a post-flood universe must be that of the raven. It must be tough, rough and unkindly. After all, humanity deteriorated because it was spoiled rotten and it thus grew arrogant and depraved (7). Humanity received too much love, too much generosity, and this allowed people to lose their priorities and to forfeit their moral compass. Now, Noah assumed, we must start all over again, with the raven showing the way. The "new world order" must be based on sternness, strength and discipline. Aggression and strict judgment must prevail if we want to ensure that civilization does not revert again to chaos.

This approach of Noah holds true in many of our own lives as well. People who have experienced a "flood," in one form or another, people who have felt the turmoil and pain of life, often feel that the only way to build a new life for themselves is by adopting the perspective and the attitude of the raven. They develop a rough shell, a dense crust, an aggressive disposition. They become tough, strong, and stern. Sometimes they become cynical and suspicious and their hearts shut down. They devour, as they are scared to embrace.

Can we blame them? No. They are afraid to be abused again. They can't endure the pain twice.

But soon Noah discovered that with a raven you can’t rebuild a world. The raven is good to remain in the peripheral; the raven "kept going and returning until the waters dried from upon the earth." The raven is important to give borders to love, and create limits for vulnerability. The raven will hover over the new world, protecting it from a kindness and a love that could turn destructive. But who must to lead the way in settling the new world and rebuilding a shattered civilization? Only the dove. The primary driving force in life must be love, loyalty and compassion.

Each of us has disappointments on life. Some of them are caused by other people; others are caused by the workings of the world. Some people feel that they have been let down by those who were supposed to care for them most. We can understand if they have learnt to develop a "raven" attitude to protect themselves in the future; even Noah himself did just that. Yet the human soul is capable of much more: of not allowing the pain of life to deprive it from its greatest power – its ability to love.

The Modern Flood

During the past seven decades the Jewish people have been attempting to recover from a flood that destroyed a third of our nation. One and a half million children were sent to the gas chambers, and nobody uttered more than a pips.

Understandably, Jewish hearts were swelling with bitterness, mistrust and profound pain. They could have easily turned into "ravens," projecting hatred and cynicism unto their children and grandchildren. But learning from Noah's example, they replaced the raven with the dove. The survivors, for the most part, built families and showered their children with love, confidence, and hope. Sure, many children of survivors suffered (and suffer till today) from the paralyzing silence that pervaded their homes. But we can all testify that most of our parents and grandparents did they best they can to protect and nurture their loved ones and give them an opportunity to celebrate life. Will we, the recipients of that courageous choice, ever be able to thank them adequately?

Only if we, the second, third and fourth generations, continue being guided by the dove, giving love, confidence and hope to the people around us (8).

1. Genesis 8:7. 
2. Midrash Tanchuma Eikev 3. 
3. Leviticus 11:15. Talmud Sanhedrin 108b about the conversation between Noah and the raven (see Maharal in Gur Aryeh to Parshas Noach about how to understand this "conversation.") 
4. Genesis 8:11. 
5. Midrash Rabah Shir Hashirim. 
6. See Sefer Halikutim – Tzemach Tzedek under the entries of "orev" and "yonah." 
7. Midrash Rabah Noach. 
8. The essay "The Raven and the Dove," by my brother, Rabbi Simon Jacobson.

The Raven and the Dove: After A Flood, It&#39;s Easy to Ger Jaded

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The Raven and the Dove: After A Flood, It's Easy to Ger Jaded

Essay Parshas Noach

Don't Allow Cynicism to Replaces Love

Let us closely examine which story the Bible chooses to record following the devastating flood, the greatest natural disaster of all times, which wiped out almost all of humanity. It is the ambiguous story of the Tower of Babel. And here is how it reads<a id="_edn1" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref1')">[1]</a>:&nbsp;&nbsp;
"The whole earth was of one language and of common purpose ... And they said one to another: '...Let us build for ourselves a city and a tower whose top shall reach the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over the face of the entire earth.'&nbsp;&nbsp;
"And G-d descended to look at the city and tower which the sons of man built, and G-d said, '...Shall it not be withheld from them all they proposed to do?...' G-d scattered them across the face of the earth, and they stopped building the city."&nbsp;&nbsp;
Is Construction Evil?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This is a strange story. Why did G-d interrupt their project? What was their sin? Their motives for building a city with a tower "whose top shall reach the heavens" are quite understandable, even noble. Mankind was only just reconstructing itself after the Flood, which had wiped out the entire human race, save for Noah and his family. Noah and his children were, according to tradition, still&nbsp;alive, thus giving the people a first-hand report of the Flood. If fledgling humanity were to survive, they needed to construct a strong city and tower that could possibly avoid the next disaster.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
What was wrong with their scheme? Hasn't the Bible made it a moral imperative to "Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it<a id="_edn2" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref2')">[2]</a>"?&nbsp;&nbsp;
Subduing the world never meant obliterating nature, or despoiling the environment. It meant responsible stewardship and making ourselves less vulnerable to nature through every possible natural mean. Why did G-d disapprove of their seemingly wonderful undertaking?&nbsp;&nbsp;
One of the possible answers is this: In stating their objective for creating the city and the tower, the people declared, "Let us build for ourselves a city and a tower whose top shall reach the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves." Their motive behind this dramatic construction plan was to immortalize their legacy in concrete structure; the endurance of their names in the annals of history.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
But what's the big deal? Who among us does not crave to be remembered? Who among us would mind securing a place in Who's Who? How many of us would crave to read about ourselves in the newspapers&nbsp;or on the websites (as long as the name is spelled right)? How many of us really loathe seeing our names carved in glory on concrete walls, on the printed page and in the lasting pages of history books? Does G-d really care&nbsp;that much&nbsp;if people want to make a name for themselves?&nbsp;&nbsp;
Can You Ever Forget?&nbsp;&nbsp; The answer is simple. When you have observed a flood in which the entire human race has perished, have you nothing else to think about but securing for yourself a name and a legacy?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Imagine somebody gazing at a home swiftly being consumed by a flood. Instead of running to rescue the people inside the home, this person stands and reflects how he can be sure to make a name for himself in the process. This would be grotesque. Can't you ever forget about your ego? Is there never a moment you are capable of saying to yourself, "Forget&nbsp;my&nbsp;legacy!&nbsp;Human lives need to be saved!"&nbsp;
There are such people. They are PR addicts, at all expenses. A tragedy strikes and their only concern is: How do I use this to make a name for myself? How do I seize the opportunity to get my name out there yet again? These people usually need help. Their inner core is all-but-dead. In the long run, it is likely to harm their PR too, since they have nothing truly “inside” to give and display to the world.&nbsp;&nbsp;
When an entire generation has observed the consequences of a Flood that destroyed virtually the entire human race and becomes consumed instead with how to secure its legacy rather than with how to rebuild civilization and recreate a world founded on moral goodness and kindness, something is profoundly wrong. A worm has crept in to the very foundation of the project, and will ultimately prove destructive to the entire edifice. Corruption, manipulation, deceit and abuse of power are likely to flourish in the new city and tower.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
This is true of every grand campaign undertaken to help humanity. If the objective is self-aggrandizement rather than service to G-d and His children, the&nbsp;very core is&nbsp;tainted.  And the consequences of this blemish will likely be manifested in the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;
To Touch a&nbsp;Heart&nbsp;&nbsp; Six decades ago our people experienced the greatest “flood” in our long and bloody history, with the murder of a third of the Jewish people, including one-and-a-half million children. Hundreds of communities were systematically wiped out and nobody uttered a pips.&nbsp;
In the aftermath of this titanic destruction, there were those who succumbed to basic human nature and asked one question: How do I make a name for myself as a grand leader, activist or visionary? But there were others who had one question on their mind: What do I do to rebuild a shattered people?&nbsp;
In our own lives we often observe people whose lives have been destroyed by a “flood,” in one form or another.&nbsp;Our question at such a time must&nbsp;always&nbsp;be: How do I rebuild a broken heart? How can I ignite a tortured soul? How can I help a survivor? How do I bring more light into a dark world? How do I increase acts of goodness and kindness? What new mitzvah can I undertake to heal the world? How do I extend myself to be there for another person? What can I do to change my corner of the world and make it a more moral and holy place?&nbsp;&nbsp;
What will I do today and tomorrow to move our aching planet one step closer to redemption?&nbsp;&nbsp;
(This essay is based on an address given by the&nbsp;Lubavitcher&nbsp;Rebbe&nbsp;in November 1959<a id="_edn3" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_ednref3')">[3]</a> to a group of wealthy Jewish leaders on how we ought to respond to the "flood" of the Holocaust that exterminated a third of the Jewish people.)&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<a id="_ednref1" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn1')">[1]</a> Genesis 11:3-9.&nbsp;
<a id="_ednref2" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn2')">[2]</a> Genesis 1:28.&nbsp;
<a id="_ednref3" href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="ty.scrollTo('_edn3')">[3]</a> Published in&nbsp;Likkutei&nbsp;Sichos&nbsp;vol. 3 pp. 750-753.&nbsp;

PR Addicts - History's First Self Promoters

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tower of bable

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History's First Self Promoters

PR Addicts

<span style="font-size: 8.5pt; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">This class, presented to women, Noach 2011/5772, explores a&nbsp;peculiar story in the Midrash Rabah on Noach. Alexander the Great visiting the King of Keitza to see how he runs his country. He observes how the monarch deals with two people coming to the king because one found a treasure in a newly bought filed and wants to return it. The seller refuses to accept it. The story may serve as an allegory to appreciate the tension in the human psyche between the two souls within us.&nbsp;

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The Battle of the Two Souls within the Human Psyche

Alexander The Great Discovers Idealism In The African Mountains

<span style="font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">In a text based class, on Likkutei Sichos vol. 10 Noach, we explore the Torah's choice of language when describing Shem and Yafes covering the father's nakedness. We go on to explain the words of the Baal Shem Tov that the other person is always a mirror of you. If you are pure, you see purity in others. But is this true? Can&rsquo;t I be pure and see the filth in the other person? It depends what you see. A blueprint for dealing with difficult people and judging compromised behavior.

Likuttei Sichos Noach: Obsessed by the Faults of Others?

How to Deal with Difficult People: When the Other is a Mirror of You

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