Noach - נֹחַ - Genesis / B'reisheet 6:9 - 11:32 Making Torah Personal

Studying the parsha through the lens of Mussar traits, for Noach, Equanimity / Inner Balance. The world has gone through 10 generations, and now, God brings a flood that destroys all except Noach, his family, and a cadre of animals who are saved in an ark--- 'teyva'. What went wrong? What can we learn from the text about the challenges humanity faces?

Bullet Points /key concepts:

God destroys the world by way of water, a flood.
Noah found favor with God, was righteous, and walked with God
Flood waters encompassed the earth and when dry land appears, all in the ark are saved.
God promises, through the Keshet, rainbow, that the world will never again be destroyed by a flood.
The genealogy of the 70 nations are given.
People build a tower, to make 'a name for themselves'. Their speech is confounded and construction is halted.

When God created the world, the first evaluative word in the Torah is that God said "it was Good". With Noach we see the presence of Evil and the poetic response of God's sorrow.

The very end of B'reisheet:

בראשית ו׳:ה׳-ח׳

(ה) וַיַּ֣רְא יהוה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכׇל־יֵ֙צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃(ו)וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יהוה כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃(ז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יהוה אֶמְחֶ֨ה אֶת־הָאָדָ֤ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֙אתִי֙ מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣יהָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה מֵֽאָדָם֙ עַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה עַד־רֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י נִחַ֖מְתִּי כִּ֥י עֲשִׂיתִֽם׃(ח) וְנֹ֕חַ מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י יהוה׃ {פ}

Genesis 6:5-8

These few verses occur at the end of B'reisheet, just prior to the beginning of Noach:

(5) יהוה saw how great was human wickedness on earth—how every form of their heart's planning was nothing but evil all the time.(6) And יהוה regretted having made humankind on earth. With a sorrowful heart,(7) יהוה said, “I will blot out from the earth humankind whom I created—humans together with beasts, creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I made them.”(8) But Noah found favor with יהוה.

Chizkuni, Genesis 6:7:2

כי נחמתי כי עשיתי, this is how G-d referred to sinful man; but when man was loyal and G-d fearing, He boasted with their loyalty, lauding them for their steadfastness and refusal to regret having accepted the Torah; (compare Numbers 23,21, לא איש אל ויכזב ובן אדם כי יתנחם, “I am not disappointed in this people. It does not cause Me any regrets.” (loosely translated by Sefaria editor) We find in that verse another allusion that change in attitude always first occurs in G-d’s creature, never in G-d, so that what appears as G-d changing course is really only His reaction to man’s perversity.

בראשית ו׳:ט׳

(ט) אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃

Genesis 6:9

(9) This is the line of Noah.—Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked with God.—

רש"י על בראשית ו׳:ט׳:א׳

אלה תולדת נח נח איש צדיק. הוֹאִיל וְהִזְכִּירוֹ סִפֵּר בְּשִׁבְחוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה (משלי י'). דָּבָר אַחֵר לִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁעִקַּר תּוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים:

Rashi on Genesis 6:9:1

אלה תולדת נח נח איש צדיק THESE ARE THE PROGENY OF NOAH: NOAH WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN — Since the text mentions him it sings his praise, in accordance with what is said, (Proverbs 10:7) “The mention of the righteous shall be for a blessing.” Another explanation is: since after stating “These are the progeny of Noah”, it does not at once mention the names of his children but declares that he “was a righteous man”, Scripture thereby teaches you that the real progeny of righteous people are their good deeds (Genesis Rabbah 30:6).

תָּמִ֣ים = honest, simple, innocent, naive ; complete, full (period of time) ; (biblical) upright, God-fearing ; (biblical) unblemished (offering)

The essence of bitachon -trust in God- is the Menuchat HaNefesh of the person who trusts. ~Chovot HaLevovot/Duties of the Heart, Gate of Trust, ch. 1]

בראשית י״ז:א׳

(א) וַיְהִ֣י אַבְרָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְתֵ֣שַׁע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיֵּרָ֨א יהוה אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔יהִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ לְפָנַ֖י וֶהְיֵ֥התָמִֽים׃

Genesis 17:1

(1) When Abram was ninety-nine years old, יהוה appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Walk in My ways and be wholehearted.

דברים י״ח:י״ג

תָּמִ֣ים תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה עִ֖ם יהוה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ (ס)

Deuteronomy 18:13

You must be wholehearted with your God יהוה.

Rise above the good and the bad ~ Rabbi Menachem Mendel Leffin, Cheshbon Ha’Nefesh /Accounting of the Soul

קדושת לוי, בראשית, נח ח׳

בפסוק את האלהים התהלך נח (בראשית ו, ט). כלומר נח הלך עם אלהים, דהיינו שלא היה לו כח להפוך מדת הדין לרחמים אבל אצל אברהם ויצחק כתיב (בראשית מח, טו) האלהים אשר התהלכו אבותי לפניו, כלומר שהם היו לפני מדת הדין כי היה להם כח להפוך מדת הדין לרחמים ובזה הבחינה היו האבות לפני האלהים:

Kedushat Levi, Genesis, Noach 8

Going back to the line: ‎את האלוהים התהלך נח‎, “Noach ‎walked with G’d;” the emphasis in this line is on the ‎attribute for G’d used, i.e. ‎אלוקים‎, the attribute of Justice. It was ‎beyond Noach’s kind of tzidkut, righteousness, to turn the ‎attribute of Justice into an attribute of Mercy through his ‎lifestyle. In this respect he was different from Avraham and ‎Yitzchok, concerning both of whom the Torah writes that they ‎‎“walked before G’d,” not merely “with G’d.” (Compare Genesis ‎‎17,1 and 48,15) In those verses the Torah wished to alert us to ‎the patriarchs’ ability to persuade G’d to substitute the attribute ‎of Mercy for the attribute of Justice, on occasion.

"when the Holy One, Blessed be He, created Adam, He took him and led him to pass before all the trees of the Garden of Eden and said to him: 'see how beautiful and excellent are my works. All that I have created, I have created for your sake. Be careful that you do not become corrupt and destroy My world.'" ~ Mesillat Yesharim, / Path of the Just, 1:14

The past is no more… the future is yet to come… the present is a fleeting moment… why worry? ~Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra, 12^th century sage from Spain.

בראשית ו׳:י׳-י״ג

(י) וַיּ֥וֹלֶד נֹ֖חַ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים אֶת־שֵׁ֖ם אֶת־חָ֥ם וְאֶת־יָֽפֶת׃(יא) וַתִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ חָמָֽס׃(יב) וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְהִנֵּ֣ה נִשְׁחָ֑תָה כִּֽי־הִשְׁחִ֧ית כׇּל־בָּשָׂ֛ר אֶת־דַּרְכּ֖וֹ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ {ס} (יג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֜ים לְנֹ֗חַ קֵ֤ץ כׇּל־בָּשָׂר֙ בָּ֣א לְפָנַ֔י כִּֽי־מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֛רֶץ חָמָ֖ס מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְהִנְנִ֥י מַשְׁחִיתָ֖ם אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Genesis 6:10-13

(10) Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.(11) The earth became corrupt before God; the earth was filled with lawlessness.(12) When God saw how corrupt the earth was, for all flesh had corrupted its ways on earth,(13) God said to Noah, “I have decided to put an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with lawlessness because of them: I am about to destroy them with the earth.

"I am required to support the entire world, as the verse says (Proverbs 10:25), 'The righteous are the foundation of the world… I am responsible for everything that happens in the world because I was created to fix the world. Even if others neglect their duty, as each person is required to fix the world, I must act as if there is nobody else beside me [to do it].' ~Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler, writing about himself, as quoted in Michtav M’Eliyahu, volume 3, p. 292.

And the wicked are like the driven sea that cannot attain silence, and whose waters disgorge mire and mud. “There is no peace,” said my God, “for the wicked.” ~ Isaiah 57:20-1]

בראשית ו׳:י״ד-י״ז

(יד) עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ תֵּבַ֣ת עֲצֵי־גֹ֔פֶר קִנִּ֖ים תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֶת־הַתֵּבָ֑ה וְכָֽפַרְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֛הּ מִבַּ֥יִת וּמִח֖וּץ בַּכֹּֽפֶר׃(טו) וְזֶ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֹתָ֑הּ שְׁלֹ֧שׁ מֵא֣וֹת אַמָּ֗ה אֹ֚רֶךְ הַתֵּבָ֔ה חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים אַמָּה֙ רׇחְבָּ֔הּ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אַמָּ֖ה קוֹמָתָֽהּ׃(טז) צֹ֣הַר ׀ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה לַתֵּבָ֗ה וְאֶל־אַמָּה֙ תְּכַלֶּ֣נָּה מִלְמַ֔עְלָה וּפֶ֥תַח הַתֵּבָ֖ה בְּצִדָּ֣הּ תָּשִׂ֑ים תַּחְתִּיִּ֛ם שְׁנִיִּ֥ם וּשְׁלִשִׁ֖ים תַּֽעֲשֶֽׂהָ׃(יז) וַאֲנִ֗י הִנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶת־הַמַּבּ֥וּל מַ֙יִם֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לְשַׁחֵ֣ת כׇּל־בָּשָׂ֗ר אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ֙ ר֣וּחַ חַיִּ֔ים מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָ֖רֶץ יִגְוָֽע׃

Genesis 6:14-17

(14) Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make it an ark with compartments, and cover it inside and out with pitch.(15) This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.(16) Make an opening for daylight in the ark, and terminate it within a cubit of the top.*terminate it within a cubit of the top Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Put the entrance to the ark in its side; make it with bottom, second, and third decks.(17) “For My part, I am about to bring the Flood—waters upon the earth—to destroy all flesh under the sky in which there is breath of life; everything on earth shall perish.

תיבה = chest, box, case; ark; word (esp. written); (music) bar, measure; (rabbinic) Holy Ark; letter box

When God tells Noah to enter the ark -- so teaches the Baal Shem Tov -- God is also saying, "Enter the word." Go deeply into the word. Which word? The words of prayer. God's instruction to Noah is also an instruction to all of us. We're meant to go deeply into the words of prayer. ~Nathan Martin

Bereishit Rabba on Parshat Noach 31:16
Make a tzohar for the ark:
R’ Aba bar Kahana said, “[Tzohar means] window.”
R’ Levi said. “[Tzohar means] precious gem.”

What are the deeper meanings of considering the Tzohar a window (which lets a limited amount of light in from the outside) or a gem, perhaps made of metal, which would reflect a limited amount of light from the inside?

Toward the end of the architectural instructions God tells Noah, צהר תעשה לתיבה – Make a tzohar for the ark (Genesis 6:16). The word צהר (tzohar) is a hapax legomenon - it appears once, and only once, in the Bible. (Interestingly, the phrase עצי–גופר, usually translated simply as gopher-wood, which appears two sentences earlier is also a hapax.)

The Ba’al Shem Tov in his עמוד התפילה (Pillar of Prayer)builds a spiritual system on the technical details of the ark. He starts by pointing out the the word תיבה, usually translated as “ark” can also mean “word.” When we are told to make a tzohar for the ark, we are really being reminded of the importance of illuminating the words of prayer. ~Rabbi Jeffrey Fox

בראשית ו׳:י״ח

וַהֲקִמֹתִ֥י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וּבָאתָ֙ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֔ה אַתָּ֕ה וּבָנֶ֛יךָ וְאִשְׁתְּךָ֥ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנֶ֖יךָ אִתָּֽךְ׃

Genesis 6:18

But I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the ark, with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives.

בראשית ז׳:א׳

(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יהוה לְנֹ֔חַ בֹּֽא־אַתָּ֥ה וְכׇל־בֵּיתְךָ֖ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה כִּֽי־אֹתְךָ֥ רָאִ֛יתִי צַדִּ֥יק לְפָנַ֖י בַּדּ֥וֹר הַזֶּֽה׃

Genesis 7:1

(1) Then יהוה said to Noah, “Go into the ark, with all your household, for you alone have I found righteous before Me in this generation.

תהילים קל״א:א׳-ב׳

(א) שִׁ֥יר הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יהוה ׀ לֹא־גָבַ֣הּ לִ֭בִּי וְלֹא־רָמ֣וּ עֵינַ֑י וְלֹֽא־הִלַּ֓כְתִּי ׀ בִּגְדֹל֖וֹת וּבְנִפְלָא֣וֹת מִמֶּֽנִּי׃(ב) אִם־לֹ֤א שִׁוִּ֨יתִי ׀וְדוֹמַ֗מְתִּי נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י כְּ֭גָמֻל עֲלֵ֣י אִמּ֑וֹ כַּגָּמֻ֖ל עָלַ֣י נַפְשִֽׁי׃

Psalms 131:1-2

(1) A song of ascents. Of David.

O LORD, my heart is not proud
nor my look haughty;
I do not aspire to great things
or to what is beyond me;but I have taught myself to be contented
like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child am I in my mind.-a

בראשית ז׳:ה׳

וַיַּ֖עַשׂ נֹ֑חַ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֖הוּ יהוה׃

Genesis 7:5

And Noah did just as יהוה commanded him.

Pesahim 113b: “There are three sorts of people whom God loves: one who does not get angry; one who does not become inebriated, and one who does retaliate for slights of honor.” The “one who does not get angry” is that person who does not manifest anger. The “one who does not get inebriated” is that person who is settled in his or her mind, balanced, and so knows, recognizes and trusts the Creator. The “one who does not retaliate” is that person who is able to remove anger even from her or his heart, so that in their heart they hold no grievance against another.
These three are suggested in the instructions for the Ark: “Make yourself an ark of gopher wood (atzei gopher)” means: do not get angry. Bitumen (gaphrit) signifies anger. In making an Ark of gopher wood you are to enclose anger, and not manifest it. “Make it an ark with compartments (kinim)” means: do not get inebriated, rather maintain inner balance. “Compartments (kinim)” are chambers, like one who has many chambers in their house has to be settled in their mind to know the location of each chamber and its use... “Cover it (vekhapharta) inside and out with pitch” means: be forbearing. “Cover it (vekhapharta)” signifies forgiving (tekhaper) from the depths of your heart, so that nothing remains of any anger against your fellow. (Mei Hashiloah)

משלי י״ב:כ״ה

(כה) דְּאָגָ֣ה בְלֶב־אִ֣ישׁ יַשְׁחֶ֑נָּה וְדָבָ֖ר ט֣וֹב יְשַׂמְּחֶֽנָּה׃

Proverbs 12:25

(25) If there is anxiety in a man’s mind let him quash it,
And turn it into joy with a good word.

בראשית ז׳:כ״א-כ״ב

וַיִּגְוַ֞ע כׇּל־בָּשָׂ֣ר ׀ הָרֹמֵ֣שׂ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ בָּע֤וֹף וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבַ֣חַיָּ֔ה וּבְכׇל־הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְכֹ֖ל הָאָדָֽם׃ כֹּ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁמַת־ר֨וּחַ חַיִּ֜ים בְּאַפָּ֗יו מִכֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֶּחָֽרָבָ֖ה מֵֽתוּ׃

Genesis 7:21-22

And all flesh that stirred on earth perished—birds, cattle, beasts, and all the things that swarmed upon the earth, and all humankind. All in whose nostrils was the merest breath of life, all that was on dry land, died.

בראשית ח׳:כ״א-כ״ב

וַיָּ֣רַח יהוה אֶת־רֵ֣יחַ הַנִּיחֹ֒חַ֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יהוה אֶל־לִבּ֗וֹ לֹֽא־אֹ֠סִ֠ף לְקַלֵּ֨ל ע֤וֹד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּעֲב֣וּר הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֠י יֵ֣צֶר לֵ֧ב הָאָדָ֛ם רַ֖ע מִנְּעֻרָ֑יו וְלֹֽא־אֹסִ֥ף ע֛וֹד לְהַכּ֥וֹת אֶת־כׇּל־חַ֖י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִֽׂיתִי׃ עֹ֖ד כׇּל־יְמֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ זֶ֡רַע וְ֠קָצִ֠יר וְקֹ֨ר וָחֹ֜ם וְקַ֧יִץ וָחֹ֛רֶף וְי֥וֹם וָלַ֖יְלָה לֹ֥א יִשְׁבֹּֽתוּ׃

Genesis 8:21-22

יהוה smelled the pleasing odor, and יהוה resolved: “Never again will I doom the earth because of humankind, since the devisings of the human mind are evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living being, as I have done.
So long as the earth endures,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Summer and winter,
Day and night
Shall not cease.”

בראשית ט׳:ב׳-ג׳

וּמוֹרַאֲכֶ֤ם וְחִתְּכֶם֙ יִֽהְיֶ֔ה עַ֚ל כׇּל־חַיַּ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם בְּכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּרְמֹ֧שׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה וּֽבְכׇל־דְּגֵ֥י הַיָּ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶ֥ם נִתָּֽנוּ׃ כׇּל־רֶ֙מֶשׂ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הוּא־חַ֔י לָכֶ֥ם יִהְיֶ֖ה לְאׇכְלָ֑ה כְּיֶ֣רֶק עֵ֔שֶׂב נָתַ֥תִּי לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־כֹּֽל׃

Genesis 9:2-3

The fear and the dread of you shall be upon all the beasts of the earth and upon all the birds of the sky—everything with which the earth is astir—and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hand. Every creature that lives shall be yours to eat; as with the green grasses, I give you all these.

בראשית ט׳:י״א

וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤י אֶת־בְּרִיתִי֙ אִתְּכֶ֔ם וְלֹֽא־יִכָּרֵ֧ת כׇּל־בָּשָׂ֛ר ע֖וֹד מִמֵּ֣י הַמַּבּ֑וּל וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֥ה ע֛וֹד מַבּ֖וּל לְשַׁחֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Genesis 9:11

I will maintain My covenant with you: never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”