Marcheshvan 3, 5777/November 4, 2016
Noach is referred to by Torah as "a righteous man," "pure in his generations," (Genesis 6:9) and later, as "a man of the earth." (ibid 9:20) Righteous and pure are obvious praises of Noach's moral stature. In a generation characterized by Torah as thoroughly depraved and riddled by decadence, (and later described by our sages as the absolute most evil generation in all history), Noach's righteousness and purity shone like a beacon that, alas, not one among his contemporaries was willing to honor or heed.
Disregarded by his fellow man, Noach was most definitely noticed by G-d for his singular goodness. We are told already at the end of last week's reading that "Noach found favor in the eyes of HaShem." (ibid 6:8) Why did G-d 'take a shine to' Noach? What did Noach do that brought him favor in G-d's eye, and why, at the conclusion of the flood, after he emerged with his family and all the animals he saved, was he referred to as "a man of the earth?" After distinguishing himself as the builder and master of the ark, shouldn't Torah have called him "a man of the sea?"
The main thrust of the story of Noach emphasizes his physical rescuing of "all flesh,"man and beast alike, from the thunderous floodwaters and raging tempest that engulfed and swallowed the earth. But the narrative of the flood is preceded and followed by hints and subtle references that Noach was much more than a two-dimensional super-hero who delivered man from mortal peril. Before and after the flood Noach was already creating revolutionary change in society, and establishing the foundations of human civilization that would emerge from the aftermath of the flood, providing the proper conditions for the future developments in man's relationship with G-d.
We are told that Lamech named his son Noach, saying, "This one will give us rest [in Hebrew, noach] from our work and from the toil of our hands from the ground, which HaShem has cursed." (ibid 5:29) As we know, G-d had cursed the earth upon ejecting Adam from the garden of Eden, saying, "cursed be the ground for your sake; with toil shall you eat of it all the days of your life. And it will cause thorns and thistles to grow for you, and you shall eat the herbs of the field. With the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for you were taken therefrom, for dust you are, and to dust you will return." (ibid 3:17-20) G-d meant what He said, and for the first ten generations of humankind, man had to literally scratch out a subsistence existence, living off the meager offerings of the earth. But then, as Midrash teaches, Noach, fulfilling the prophecy of his father Lamech, changed man's reality in a way far greater than even that of the technological revolution which has so transformed modern life. Noach invented the plow, thereby allowing man to break up the hard surface of the earth, and sew the seeds of life giving and nourishing grains and plants. Noachintroduced agriculture to the world. He effectively lifted the curse imposed upon the earth by G-d, and by doing so created the requirements for human settlement, for towns and cities and markets to arise, for commerce and law and political associations to come into being.
As wonderful as the blessing would prove to be, the first result of Noach's visionary efforts was staggering prosperity which accelerated the already existing corruption of man. The ills of man, which had previously caused G-d consternation, now grew so rampant that G-d "regretted" having created man, and now determined to "blot out man, whom I created, from upon the face of the earth." (ibid 6:7)
It was Noach, creator of the plow to whom G-d turned to rescue all life on earth and to redeem mankind through himself and his own seed, instructing him to build an ark and fill it with the beasts of the earth. The man who had unlocked the blessing of the earth would now use his engineering knowledge and technological know-how to keep alive G-d's creation.
Having laid down the foundations for the development of human civilization and then rescuing man from his own corrupt devices, Noach would reemerge after the flood to add his own "final touches" in preparing the way for future generations. Noach, ever the active builder and planner for mankind, now turned his thoughts toward G-d, and "built an altar to HaShem, and he took of all the clean animals and of all the clean fowl and brought up burnt offerings on the altar," (ibid 8:20) an act of faith and gratitude which greatly pleased G-d. Noach understood that creating the conditions for prosperity and civil society was not enough, if man didn't acknowledge the source of all earthly blessings, and thank G-d appropriately.
Noach's final act, and one which would lead to his downfall, was the planting of a vineyard and the making of wine. We learn immediately that wine, like all of G-d's material blessings, is given us for a higher purpose, and not to be abused, but by planting a vineyard and cultivating wine, Noach had effectively provided the groundwork for the future service in the Holy Temple. The preservation of all flesh, including the pure animals, the introduction of agriculture and the specific creation of the culture of wine-making forms the basis for the Temple offerings. In short, the most basic components which enable human society are the very elements with which we are commanded to show our love and gratitude to G-d, (animal and meal offerings and wine libations), forming our bond and covenant with G-d which permeates all levels of our beings as individuals and as a society.
The covenant which G-d placed "between Me and between you, and between every living soul that is with you, for everlasting generations," (ibid 9:9) is the final gift bequeathed by Noach to mankind, for it is this covenant which formed the basis for the creation of the nations which would emerge in time and stand before G-d, ultimately enabling the prophetic vision of "a house of prayer for all nations," (Isaiah 56:7) to become a reality.
Noach was a righteous man, a pure man, and, perhaps, most importantly, a man of the earth, for it was Noach's dedication to improving man's life on earth as a show of faith in G-d and an act of bringing man closer to G-d , which is the essential message of Torah for all mankind and, in our day, just as in Noach's day, the only thing which binds us to G-d and prevents our perilous descent into chaos and depravity. For all this, we thank Noach.
-The Temple Institute
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