This Shabbat we study from the Parsha “Noach” (Genesis 6:9) after the protagonist of The Great Flood. Noach (Noah), the only righteous man in a world consumed by violence and corruption, is told by G-d about the coming disaster and is instructed by G-d to build a great ark for Noah, his family and two members of each animal species (male and female). The Parsha details this story of survival and also tells of Noah’s later fall to drunkenness, the sin of his son Ham and the good deed of his sons Shem and Japheth. The story of the Tower of Babel is also in this Parsha, as is a chronology of the ten generations from Noah to Abram (later Abraham), and the latter’s journey from his birthplace of Ur Casdim to Charan, on the way to the land of Canaan.

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From Chabad.org

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Rashi describes Noah as a man of “small faith” who had doubts whether the flood would actually happen. In fact, according to the great commentator’s understanding, he didn’t enter the Ark until the rains actually started and the floodwaters pushed him in. That explains why many people look down on Noah, especially when they compare him to other Biblical superheroes, people of the stature of Abraham or Moses.

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Personally, this is precisely what makes Noah my kind of hero. He’s real. He’s human. He has doubts, just like you and me. I know we are supposed to say, “When will my actions match those of the great patriarchs of old?” but I confess, for me that’s a tall order. Noah, on the other hand, is a regular guy. He is plagued by doubts and struggles with his faith. But at the end of the day, Noah does the job. He builds the ark, shleps in all the animals, saves civilization and goes on to rebuild a shattered world. Doubts, shmouts, he did what had to be done. 

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There is an old Yiddish proverb, Fun a kasha shtarbt men nit– “Nobody ever died of a question.” It’s not the end of the world if you didn’t get an answer to all your questions. We can live with unanswered questions. The main thing is not to allow ourselves to become paralyzed by our doubts. We can still do what has to be done, despite our doubts.

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Of course, I’d love to be able to answer every question every single one of my congregants ever has. But the chances are that I will not be able to solve every single person’s doubts and dilemmas. And, frankly speaking, I am less concerned about their doubts than about their deeds. From a question nobody ever died. It’s how we behave that matters most.

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So Noah, the reluctant hero, reminds us that you don’t have to be fearless to get involved. You don’t have to be a tzaddik to do a mitzvah. You don’t have to be holy to keep kosher, nor do you have to be a professor to come to a Torah class. Perhaps his faith was a bit wobbly in the knees, but he got the job done. My kind of hero.

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From an article by Rabbi Yossy Goldman

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Ham saw his father, Noah, drunk and naked in his tent. What did he do? He went and told his brothers. Shem and Yefet saw their father, took a blanket, and covered him without looking. If you see what needs to be repaired and how to repair it, then you have found a piece of the world that Gd has left for you to complete. If you only see what is wrong and how ugly it is, then it is you yourself that needs repair. In either case, it is impossible that you should ever see something and there is nothing you can do.

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Rabbi Tzvi Freeman

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The Zohar (I:72b) states that the rainbow is one of the signs of the future redemption. Commentators note that the rainbow indicates the purification and refinement that the world underwent by means of the Flood. Before the Flood the clouds were very coarse, thus preventing a reflection of sunlight. Thereafter, however, the clouds became more refined; they reflected sunlight, thus bringing about a rainbow. This, then, is the connection between the rainbow and the future redemption: The entire world will attain the peak of refinement with the coming of Moshiach.

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Rabbi J. Immanuel Schochet

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This week’s portion is titled Noah, and is named after the famed builder of the ark. It is during this portion that we learn of the cataclysmic flood that destroyed life, save that of Noah, his family, and the animals he brought on board with him. The Torah explains why this dramatic act was needed. Humankind had devolved into a moral abyss. Immorality in all of its forms was rampant. Hatred amongst the peoples of the earth was complete. There was one exception to this rule, Noah. Despite living in the most depraved of circumstances he maintained his dignity and righteousness. Noah “went with Gd,” as the Torah tells us. This means that Gdliness ennobled his life and the lives of those around him. 

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An island of decency in a sea of depravity was the hallmark of Noah. And so Gd despaired of Noah’s generation and decided to begin anew the task of creating a human species worthy of its vaunted status. Even after it had been decided On High to destroy the existing life, people were given ample opportunity to change their ways thereby obviating the need for the flood. During the long tenure that construction on the ark continued people would ask Noah, “Why are you building this large craft?” To these queries he would reply, “Because Gd has wearied of human immorality and has decreed that the world will be destroyed should people choose not to repent.” Needless to say the people chose to scoff at Noah and his dire warnings instead of taking them to heart and changing their evil ways. Even when the rains of the flood started the people could have changed and transformed those destructive rains into rains of blessing, but still they remained hard-hearted. 

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When the rains turned menacing they became known as the “Mayim Rabim” (multitude of waters). Noah and his family remained safely insulated from the destruction going on outside. They miraculously survived the flood and lived to rebuild humanity. Upon their emergence from the ark seven special laws were commanded to Noah, and through him to all humanity. The laws are aptly called the Seven Noahide Laws. These laws include: 1. Belief in one Gd / Not serving idols. 2. Not blaspheming Gd. 3. Not murdering. 4. Not stealing. 5. Not committing immoral sexual acts. 6. Not being cruel to animals. 7. Establishing courts of justice. These laws are meant to be the basis for all human society for all future generations. These laws clearly establish codes of decency expected of every human being.

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Our Rabbis teach us that the flood waters are also present in every generation. They are represented by the numerous anti-spiritual influences found all around us. These waters may appear very tempting and good at first glance, but when one takes a step back and analyzes what he is seeing, the destructiveness becomes apparent. 

The ark represents different things depending on who is looking. For the Jew the ark is the protection afforded by our Torah that is to be found in our synagogues, Jewish schools, and our homes. The walls of these edifices safeguard us from the destruction found in the outside realm. 

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For the non-Jew, the ark represents strict adherence to the Seven Noahide Laws. Those laws are the Torah’s clear instructions as to what should be the goals and aspirations of all humanity. It is precisely those laws that allow all of humankind to achieve,in an overt way, its predestined state of superiority and Gdliness. Whichever group we may belong to it is of critical importance to make sure the walls of our “ark” are watertight. This means that humanity must reject secularism (an existence devoid of Gd).

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On the other hand, we see some people who in the name of Gd perform atrocities that are beyond words to describe. That is precisely why the Seven Laws are so important. Anyone who wants to serve Gd must do so on His terms. When one uses Gd’s name for evil he has in fact desecrated the Holy Name. This is most hateful in the eyes of Gd.

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During these trying times we must find refuge in our personal, communal, and even national arks. We must make sure that negative influences are securely locked out. Better still, we must allow the light of the enlightened to shine forth transforming the surrounding darkness into life-giving light!

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Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort

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