רפואה שלימה
רפואת הנפש ורפואת הגוף
We dedicate our learning today to the healing of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks
(Moreinu v'Rabeinu Yaakov Tzvi ben Liba)
(ט) אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃
(ד) אֵ֣לֶּה תוֹלְד֧וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ בְּהִבָּֽרְאָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם עֲשׂ֛וֹת יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶ֥רֶץ וְשָׁמָֽיִם׃
(א) זֶ֣ה סֵ֔פֶר תּוֹלְדֹ֖ת אָדָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם בְּרֹ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ אָדָ֔ם בִּדְמ֥וּת אֱלֹהִ֖ים עָשָׂ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ׃
(א) וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת בְּנֵי־נֹ֔חַ שֵׁ֖ם חָ֣ם וָיָ֑פֶת וַיִּוָּלְד֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם בָּנִ֖ים אַחַ֥ר הַמַּבּֽוּל׃
(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:
(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 .
(ו) אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי יא, ל): פְּרִי צַדִּיק עֵץ חַיִּים, מָה הֵן פֵּרוֹתָיו שֶׁל צַדִּיק מִצְווֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים
(משלי יא, ל):
וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם, שֶׁזָּן וּמְפַרְנֵס כָּל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בַּתֵּבָה, אַחַר כָּל הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה (משלי יא, לא): הֵן צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ יְשֻׁלָּם, בָּא לָצֵאת וְנִשְׁתַּלֵּם, אֶתְמָהָא, דְּאָמַר רַב הוּנָא מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי, נֹחַ כְּשֶׁהָיָה יוֹצֵא מִן הַתֵּבָה הִכִּישׁוֹ אֲרִי וְשִׁבְּרוֹ, וְלֹא הָיָה כָּשֵׁר לְהַקְרִיב, וְהִקְרִיב שֵׁם בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו, קַל וָחֹמֶר (משלי יא, לא): אַף כִּי רָשָׁע וְחוֹטֵא, זֶה דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל.
The fruits of a righteous person are likened to a tree of life; just as the tree blesses the world with its fruit the tzaddik does mitzvot and good deeds.
It teaches in Proverbs: "The one who takes souls is the wiser" - in this case meaning that Noah spent the entire 12 months on the ark feeding the animals and his family. The one who takes FOR souls and nourishes them, and learns from them. Proverbs states: the righteous is rewarded on Earth. Thusly, [feeling confident] he went out of the ark but a lion attacked and maimed him making him unable to attend to sacrificial duties. Shem, his son, did so in his place. If only the Generation of the Flood could have learned from the righteousness of Noah and family.
TROPE-ICAL Twist:
Read the verse a little differently, as if there were a munach revi'i on the first two words Eleh Toldot and then a kadma v'azla on "Noah Noah."
Was NOAH called by God? Could we translate the verse: This is what befell our protagonist "Noah Noah" the righteous tzaddik.
What does mentioning the name twice in rapid succession suggest to the reader of the Torah? What echoes or resonances do we hear once we know about other places where a biblical person's name is mentioned twice.
What is similar here to those other places? What is different?
NEW TESTAMENT THROUGH A JEWISH LENS
Jesus visits his friends Martha and Mary, and the sisters have opposite responses. Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, listening to his teaching.
Martha, on the other hand, focuses on the tasks at hand (probably preparing food and lodging for the travelers). She’s annoyed that Mary has left all the prep work on her, so she asks Jesus to have Mary help her.
“Martha, Martha.”
Jesus tells Martha that she is worried about so many things—and that Mary has taken advantage of the opportunity to learn from him (Luke 10:38-42).
38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
40 But Martha was distracted with 1all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part,
which shall not be taken away from her.”
(ב) בדרותיו. יֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דּוֹרְשִׁים אוֹתוֹ לְשֶׁבַח, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִלּוּ הָיָה בְדוֹר צַדִּיקִים הָיָה צַדִּיק יוֹתֵר; וְיֵשׁ שֶׁדּוֹרְשִׁים אוֹתוֹ לִגְנַאי, לְפִי דוֹרוֹ הָיָה צַדִּיק וְאִלּוּ הָיָה בְדוֹרוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם לֹא הָיָה נֶחְשָׁב לִכְלוּם (סנה' ק"ח):
(ז) אִישׁ, כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אִישׁ, צַדִּיק וּמֻמְחֶה, שֶׁכָּל מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה הָיָה נֹחַ נוֹטֵעַ אֲרָזִים וְקוֹצְצָן, אָמְרוּ לוֹ לָמָּה כְדֵין, אֲמַר לְהוֹן כָּךְ אָמַר מָארֵיהּ דְעָלְמָא דְּהוּא מַיְתֵי מַבּוּלָא עַל עַלְמָא, אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ אִין אֵיתֵי מַבּוּלָא לָא אָתֵי אֶלָּא עַל בֵּיתֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא גַּבְרָא, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמֵּת מְתוּשֶׁלַח אָמְרוּ לוֹ הָא לָא אָתֵי מַבּוּלָא אֶלָּא עַל בֵּיתֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא גַּבְרָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (איוב יב, ה): לַפִּיד בּוּז לְעַשְׁתּוּת שַׁאֲנָן נָכוֹן לְמוֹעֲדֵי רָגֶל, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא כָּרוֹז אֶחָד עָמַד לִי בְּדוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, זֶה נֹחַ, תַּמָּן אָמְרִין כָּרוֹז לֵיהּ לַפִּיד לֵיהּ, בּוּז, שֶׁהָיוּ מְבַזִּים עָלָיו וְקָרוֹ לֵיהּ בִּיזַיָא סָבָא...
(7) [Noah was in his generation] a man [righteous and whole-hearted]. Wherever 'a man ' occurs, it indicates a righteous man who warned [his generation]. For a whole one hundred and twenty years Noah planted cedars and cut them down [in full public view]. On being asked, 'Why are you doing this?' he replied: 'The Lord of the universe has informed me that He will bring a Flood in the world.' Said they [his contemporaries] to him: 'If a flood does come, it will come only upon your father's house!' They should have learned from what is written: In the thought of one who who is at ease there is a scorching fire that awaits (Rashi: of Gehinnom) (lappid buz); those believing all will be forever nakhon (ok) - they will slip and stumble on their feet. (Job 12:5). R. Abba interpreted: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: 'One herald arose for me in the generation of the Flood, viz. Noah.' For elsewhere people say, 'Arouse him, stir him up!' 'Buz' (contempt) intimates that they despised him and called him, 'Contemptible old man! ' ...For one hundred and twenty years Noah planted cedars and cut them down
Onto a different persona in Parshat Noah:
(8) Cush also begot Nimrod, who was the first man of might on earth. (9) He was a mighty hunter by the grace of the LORD; hence the saying, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter by the grace of the LORD.”
(א) להיות גבור. לְהַמְרִיד כָּל הָעוֹלָם עַל הַקָּבָּ"ה בַּעֲצַת דוֹר הַפַּלָּגָה:
(1) להיות גבור TO BE A MIGHTY ONE — Mighty in causing the whole world to rebel against the Holy One, blessed be He, by the plan he devised for the generation that witnessed the separation of the peoples (דור הפלגה) - to build the Tower of Babel (Genesis Rabbah 23:7).
Peter Bruegel the Elder, 1563
Van Valkenborch 1594
(א) שפה אחת. לְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶש: (ב) ודברים אחדים. בָּאוּ בְעֵצָה אַחַת וְאָמְרוּ לֹא כָּל הֵימֶנּוּ שֶׁיָּבֹר לוֹ אֶת הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, נַעֲלֶה לָרָקִיעַ וְנַעֲשֶׂה עִמּוֹ מִלְחָמָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר עַל יְחִידוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם. דָּבָר אַחֵר וּדְבָרִים אֲחָדִים – אָמְרוּ אַחַת לְאֶלֶף ותרנ"ו שָׁנִים הָרָקִיעַ מִתְמוֹטֵט כְּשֵׁם שֶׁעָשָׂה בִּימֵי הַמַּבּוּל, בֹּאוּ וְנַעֲשֶׂה לוֹ סְמִיכוֹת (ב"ר):
(1) שפה אחת ONE LANGUAGE — The Holy Tongue (Hebrew) (Midrash Tanchuma, Noach 19). (2) ודברים אחדים AND ONE SPEECH — They came with one plan, saying: “He has no right to select the heavenly regions exclusively for Himself; let us ascend to the skies and make war upon Him”. Another explanation (of דברים אחדים which is taken to mean “words referring to “One”): words regarding the Sole Being (God) in the Universe. Another explanation of ודברים אחדים is: they spoke דברים חדים “sharp” words; they said, “Once in every one thousand six hundred and fifty six years (the period that elapsed from the Creation to the Flood) there is a heaven-shaking, just as there was in the days of the Flood. Come. then, and let us make supports for it” (Genesis Rabbah 38:6).
(ג) וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֗הוּ הָ֚בָה נִלְבְּנָ֣ה לְבֵנִ֔ים וְנִשְׂרְפָ֖ה לִשְׂרֵפָ֑ה וַתְּהִ֨י לָהֶ֤ם הַלְּבֵנָה֙ לְאָ֔בֶן וְהַ֣חֵמָ֔ר הָיָ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם לַחֹֽמֶר׃
(ד) וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ הָ֣בָה ׀ נִבְנֶה־לָּ֣נוּ עִ֗יר וּמִגְדָּל֙ וְרֹאשׁ֣וֹ בַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְנַֽעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֖נוּ שֵׁ֑ם פֶּן־נָפ֖וּץ עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
(3) They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and burn them hard.”—Brick served them as stone, and bitumen served them as mortar.—
(4) And they said, “Come, let us build us a city, and a tower with its top in the sky, to make a name for ourselves; else we shall be scattered all over the world.”
From EPhilanthropy
https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/of-gems-and-towers-secrets-and-wine/
Of Gems and Towers, Secrets and Wine
March 17, 2011 By Maya Bernstein
In this week’s “Corner Office” interview in The New York Times Sunday business section, Romil Bahl, President & CEO of PRGX, a data mining firm, talks about the importance of creating a culture in which everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas. He says:
The best idea can come from anyone, and let’s open up our minds to getting thinking from cross-functional areas. That’s something that comes from that notion of equality and diversity … you have to get good people around you and then make sure they feel comfortable putting their ideas out there, because somewhere in there, there’s a gem.
Celebrate multiple perspectives, and build tolerance for the instability that may emerge when those perspectives are taken seriously. The Purim story can be read as an attempt to eradicate the confusion of multiple perspectives. In chapter 3 of the Megillah, Haman says to King Achashverosh, “There is one nation scattered and dispersed among the nations throughout the provinces of your kingdom, whose laws are unlike those of any other nation and who do not obey the laws of the King. It is not in the King’s interest to tolerate them.” In a sense, Achashverosh and Haman are trying to recreate an earth that is “all one language and one set of words” (Genesis 11). The story of the Tower of Babel is a story of tyranny. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks explains that the Netziv (R. Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin, 1817-1893), writing in Czarist Russia and foreseeing communism, sees Babel as the world’s first totalitarian regime, in which all freedom of expression is suppressed. The antidote to this is a scattering, and a wild diversity of tongues: “That is why it is called Babel, for there God babbled the language of all the earth, and from there God scattered them across the earth” (Genesis 11). The Megillah begins with an attempt to stifle diversity, and ends by celebrating it: “an edict was written…each province according to its script and to each nation according to its language, and to the Jews according to their script and language” (Chapter 8:9). Scattered babbles are difficult to hear and understand. Purim challenges us to listen more closely, and to find the gems in the cacophony.