This is the progeny of Noah; Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his generations; Noah walked with God.
~ What are odd things in this verse?
~ If you were to rewrite the verse, how would you do it?
~ If you were to break this verse in smaller units, what would they be?
~ How does Rashi explain one of the irritants of the verse?
~ How does Rashi explain another irritant?
~ Which side do you take, and why?
~ Can we compare Noach with Abraham? Why or why not?
אלה תולדות נח נח. נח לעליונים נח לתחתונים וכל שנכפל שמו בידוע שהוא צדיק כמו אברהם אברהם. ומקשי' בירושלמי והכתיב תרח תרח ומשני הדא אמרה שעשה תרח תשובה:
אלה תולדת נח נח, “these are the generations of Noach, Noach;” [the name of Noach is repeated because] he Noach for the Higher Ones and Noach for the Lower Ones. (Bereshit Rabbah, 30:4) Whenever we encounter a person’s name twice in a row, it is known that this was a righteous person, like Avraham, Avraham (Gen. 2:11). [This interpretation is been challenged] In the Jerusalem Talmud [where it is pointed out that we find the same repetition of the name regarding Avraham’s father] Terach, Terach, and it teaches that Terach did teshuvah.
~ What does Da'at Zekenim (Rashi's grandsons) say about the verse? What is another irritant they see?
תּוֹסֶפְתָּא לָמָּה נֹחַ נֹחַ תְּרֵי זִמְנִי. אֶלָּא כָּל צַּדִּיק וצַּדִּיק דִּי בְּעָלְמָא אִיתּ לֵיהּ תְּרֵין רוּחִין. רוּחָא חַד בְּעָלְמָא דֵין ורוּחָא חַד בְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵּי. והָכִי תִּשְׁכַּח בְּכֻלְהוּ צַּדִּיקֵי משֶׁה משֶׁה, יַעֲקֹב יַעֲקֹב, אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם, שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמוּאֵל, שֵׁם שֵׁם. בַּר מִיִּצְּחָק דְּלָא כְּתִּיב בֵּיהּ כְּמָה דִכְתִּיב בְּהוּ. בְּגִין דְּיִצְּחָק בְּשַׁעֲתָּא דְּאִתְּקְרָב עַל גַּבֵּי מַדְבְּחָא נָפְּקַתּ נִשְׁמָתֵּיהּ דְּהֲוַתּ בֵּיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. וכֵיוָן דְּאִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ בְּאַבְרָהָם, בָּרוּךָ מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִּים תָּבַתּ בֵּיהּ נִשְׁמָתֵּיהּ דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵּי. בְּגִין דָּא תִּשְׁכַּח דְּלָא יִחֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךָ הוּא שְׁמֵיהּ אֶלָּא עַל יִצְּחָק בְּגִין דְּאִתְּחַשַׁב כְּמֵתּ וְעַל דָּא רָמַז קְרָא ואָמַר (איוב ז) הֵן בִּקְדוֹשָׁיו לֹא יַאֲמִין וגו'.
Tosefta Why is "Noah Noah" (Gen. 6:9) written twice? Each and every righteous person in the world has two spirits. One in this world, the other in the World to Come. And so we find that all righteous are named twice: "Moses, Moses" (Ex. 3:4), "Jacob, Jacob" (Gen. 46:2), "Abraham, Abraham" (Gen. 22:11), "Samuel, Samuel" (I Shmuel 3:10) "Shem, Shem" (Gen. 11:10) with the exception of Isaac, for whom it is not written as it is to the others. This is because when Isaac approached the altar to be sacrificed, the soul that was within him in this world left him. And because it is said of Abraham, "blessed are You who resurrect the dead", the soul of the World to Come was returned to him. And that is why you find that the name of the Holy One of Blessing was unified only on Isaac, because he was already considered as dead. The verse therefore states: "Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones" (Iyov 15:15).
Are the Zohar and Da'at Zekenim saying the same thing?
These are the generations of Noach, Noach was a righteous person, complete in his time (Genesis 6:9) It appears to me that the person who deals with serving the Blessed and Exalted Creator in all their deeds, meaning, even in physical things such as eating and drinking, that that person eats and drinks in holiness, in any instance trying to distance from the dross and to raise the spirituality in themselves, then in every time that they raise up and get to a different, more complete, level, this is called "generation". This is because the first aspect that they were acting on, all the days they are acting on that aspect, that aspect is called "generation". And after they fall into a different aspect, behold, that person is like one who came into a different generation. And this is the meaning of "a generation goes and a generation comes", as just explained, that the one who falls from one's first aspect in which they were acting until now, that aspect is gone from them, like "a generation goes". "And a generation comes" it is also as explained, that they came to a different aspect, and the text says that nevertheless the person needs to get through the method "and the land [eretz] stands forever", meaning, that the corporeality [artziut], that is, physicality, needs to be maintained so that one will act in it with holiness, as explained, and "stands forever [le'olam]" really means to the Upper World [olam]. And a person that acts as described come to a different aspect every moment, but to one who does not act with holiness, none of this applies, since they do not go to any other aspect at all.
~ What is Noach a symbol for?
~ How does one get to be righteous?
~ According to the Noam Elimelech, what are the generations of Noach? How does any of this apply to us, as individuals?
~ Are the "aspects" outside of us? Do we rise above?
אלה תולדות נח כו׳. ע"פ הפסוק "אני בצדק אחזה פניך אשבעה בהקיץ תמונתך", לפי שכשהאדם סובר בעצמו שהוא צדיק, אז הוא נופל ממדריגתו, אף אם היה באמת צדיק, ע"י המחשבה הזאת הוא נופל ממדריגה שלו, אבל כשהאדם אף שהוא צדיק הוא סובר במחשבתו שלא יצא עדיין ידי חובתו כל צורכו, והוא בעצמו ולבו כדבר הדמיון ותמונה שלא בא עדיין אל השורש והעצם העבודה, אז הוא שבע ודשן במדריגתו יעמוד חזק וקיים ומוסיף והולך. וזהו מאמר דוד המלך ע"ה "אני בצדק", פירושו כנ"ל, כשאני בעצמי בצדקת תם וישר, אז "אחזה פניך", ע"ד הכתוב בזוהר הק׳ (ח"א פט, א) "במחזה לאמר, הוא לשון תרגום, לפי שלא היה נימול ולא היה שלם במדריגתו, נגלה עליו בלשון תרגום", וזה גם כאן "אחזה פניך" לשון תרגום, פירוש אני נופל מן המדריגה שהיתה בי מתחילה, רוח אלקים דבר בי בלשון חיבה, אבל "אשבעה בהקיץ תמונתך", פירוש כשאני סובר שאני ב'תמונתך', פירוש בדמיון העבודה, אז 'אשבעה בהקיץ', כי תתמכני בימין צדקך להשביעני ברב טובך מדריגות גדולות למעלה ולמעלה עד אין סוף.
These are the generations of Noach, Noach was a righteous person, complete in his time (Genesis 6:9) [this can be understood] through the verse "I will see Your face through justice, I will be satisfied, when awaking up [I will see] Your image" (Ps 17:15). The moment a person thinks that they are righteous they fall from their level. Even if they are a truly righteous person, through this thought they fall from their level, but, if person, being righteous, thinks that they have not fulfilled their obligation completely, and if they think that they have not that they have not yet reached the root and the essence of Service, then they are full and grow fat in their level, and stand firm, and continually increase. And this is what King David PBUH said "I through justice/righteousness": when I am truly in just/righteous, complete and direct, then "I will see Your face". This is [understood] through what is written in the Holy Zohar [Zohar, Lech Lecha 26:295 or Part I 89a] "in a vision, saying... saying is an expression of a translation, since he was not circumcised and was not complete in his level, [God] revealed through a translation". And this is also "I will see Your face" - an expression of translation/indirectedness. Meaning, I fall from the level that was in me at the beginning, the spirit of God talked to me with a loving expression, but "I will be satisfied, as I wake up, [I see] Your image". Meaning, when I think I am "in Your image", meaning, in the imagination of Service, then I will be satisfied as I wake up" because "You supported me with Your right hand of righteousness" (Machzor Rosh Hashanah, Musaf, First Day of Rosh Hashanah, Avodah 61) to bring me back in Your abundant goodness to the higher level, higher and higher, endlessly.
~ What is the greatest danger to a righteous person? Why?
~ How far in righteousness can one go? Why?
~ How does the Noam Elimelech reinterpret the end of the "HaYom" prayer for Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur?
וזה רמז לנו הפסוק גם כאן, שאם תסבור אתה בעצמך שצדקת, עדיין לא פעלת כלום, כיון שנפל לך זאת המחשבה, עדיין לא נכנסת אל העבודה העיקרית אלא כמו תולדה במקום אב, אבל [לא] אל השורש הצריך הנרמז אל האב, וזהו "אלה תולדות נח", ר"ל שאינו אלא תולדה כנ"ל, באם יסבור בעצמו "נח איש צדיק תמים". וק"ל.
And this is the hint of the verse also here, that if you think of yourself in your own right that you are righteous, then you have accomplished nothing; since this thought fell on you, you have not entered the essence of Service - you are in a secondary stage, like a secondary act (toledah) in the place of a primary one (av). You did not get to the root, needed and implied in the primary action, and this is "these are the generations of Noach", since he thought himself "Noach a righteous man, complete". And this is easy to understand.
~ What happened to Noach, in this re-reading of the Noam Elimelech?
~ What does the word "generations" indicate about Noach, according to the Noam Elimelech?
או יאמר "צדיק תמים היה בדורותיו", דהצדיק ע"י מעשיו הקדושים שעושה איזה דבר קדושה, הוא ממשיך את הבורא ב"ה יתעלה לעוה"ז, נמצא עושה טובה לדורותיו שמזכה להם, ששכינתו יתברך עמהם ע"י הצדיק, וכשהצדיק עולה במדריגה יתירה, אזי הוא גורם לקשר ולהמשיך את שמו יתעלה בכל העולמות, וזהו "איש צדיק תמים היה בדורותיו", ר"ל שתמימות צדקתו היה מועיל לדורותיו, וגם זאת הועילה צדקתו "את האלקים התהלך נח", פירוש גם לעולמות העליונים היה משפיע להם, וזהו 'את' אלקים, פירוש עם אלקים, דהיינו עולמות עליונים, גם שם היה מתהלך נח. והבן.
Or you could say "righteous, complete he was in his generations" - that the righteous, through the holy actions that they do, in some holy thing, [the righteous] continue [the Presence of] the Holy Exalted One of Blessing in this world, and we find that the righteous did goodness for their generations, on that they bring merit to the generations, since the Blessed One's Shechinah is with the generations through the righteous, and when the righteous reach an additional level, then they cause the Exalted Name to be connected and continue in all the worlds, and this is "a righteous man complete (tam) he was in his generations". Meaning, that the completeness (temitut) of his righteousness was helpful to his generations, and also this helped his righteousness. "Noach walked with 'ET' God" meaning, that also the Higher Worlds were affected by him, and this is "ET" God, meaning, with e-lohim, that is, the Higher Worlds, there, too, Noach walked. And this - sit with it to understand.
~ How long is the range of the righteous and their actions, according to the Noam Elimelech? What are the levels of the righteous' influences?
~ What effect does the righteous' actions have? Where?
There are three attributes that G’d employs in His continuous relations with the creatures in His universe; they are אהבה, “love,” גבורה, “power,” and תפארת, “harmony, splendour.” When G’d relates to His creatures with the attribute of אהבה, “love,” all parts of the universe are filled with all manner of “good” (welcome) phenomena. When He has recourse to the attribute of גבורה, “power,” the result is that the creatures affected will feel the opposite of comfortable. When G’d employs the attribute of תפארת in relation to His creatures, the world will also feel an abundance of goodness, as it is G’d’s purpose and desire to be able to glorify in His choicest creation, man. When G’d is able to do this, He inundates the universe with love. We must not misunderstand the attribute of גבורה by regarding it as something negative. While the attribute of גבורה, when active, may appear to the people affected by it as something negative, unwelcome in the extreme, it is designed to enable G’d to again relate to all His creatures with love, once that attribute has accomplished its purpose.
This is what we are told in Job 8,7 (by Bildad) והיה ראשיתך מצער ואחריתך ישגה מאד, “though your beginning may be small (painful), in the end you will grow very great.” The overriding function of the attribute of גבורה is to carry out retribution in the world so that G’d will afterwards be able to pour out all His goodness on His creatures. Historically, the person who had realized this better than anyone else, was Nachum, nick-named, איש גם זו, who whenever something happened to him that was unpleasant, painful, etc., immediately reacted by saying: גם זו לטובה, “this too will eventually be revealed as having been a positive, constructive event.” (Taanit 21).).
It is generally known that Avraham symbolizes the attribute of love, whereas Yitzchok symbolizes the attribute of power, and Yaakov symbolizes a merging of these two attributes, resulting in what we call תפארת, harmony. When the Talmud in Pessachim 117 first thought that it would be appropriate to sign the first benediction of the amidah prayer by referring to G’d as the G’d of Avraham, Yitzchok, and Yaakov, it concluded that the reason the sages who formulated this prayer did not do so, was because they wanted to stress that ultimately, what G’d is all about is the attribute of love, the attribute personified best in the personality of Avraham. [The Maharshah on that section of the Talmud points out that the letters in the word והיה are the same as the letters in the tetragram, i.e. the name of G’d symbolizing the attribute of Mercy. Ed.] The other two attributes’ function is auxiliary, i.e. to help G’d be able to fully display His attribute of love.
Let us try and explain the subject by means of a parable. A tree has numerous branches; each of these “branches” is perceived as being “rooted” in the tree’s trunk. The trunk itself possesses one root that includes all the other roots of its branches. The word אחד “one,” alludes to this as the letters ח+ד=12, whereas the letter א =1. The Zohar II,162, commenting on B’rachot 17, that when saying the word אחד in the kriyat sch’ma, one must not draw out the letter א as it refers to this “void,” refers to the line from the Sefer Yetzira that even spending time on trying to understand the true meaning of G’d’s uniqueness is forbidden [as it may lead one astray. Ed.]