Studying the parsha through the lens of Mussar traits, Awareness / Zehirut זהירות --
What can we learn from the text about being more aware of the world around us? What messages are in the text that allude to this quality? What challenges us about this
middah?
להזהיר to enlighten, shine; warn, alert, caution
זהיר caution, care ; beware, watch out, take care
זהר to shine, to illuminate, brilliance
“Self-awareness is central to any Mussar work.” ~Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe
Zehirut … can be understood to contain aspects of both “awareness” and of “mindfulness”.
Zehirut, “connotes watching and overseeing, and hints at a separate presence above things observing, which is symbolic of the self watching itself and taking note.” ~Rabbi Yaacov Feldman
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, {Babel] 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:
(ה) וַיַּ֣רְא יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכׇל־יֵ֙צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃ (ו) וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃ (ז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶמְחֶ֨ה אֶת־הָאָדָ֤ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֙אתִי֙ מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה מֵֽאָדָם֙ עַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה עַד־רֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י נִחַ֖מְתִּי כִּ֥י עֲשִׂיתִֽם׃ (ח) וְנֹ֕חַ מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
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.
Watchfulness is recognizing the great responsibility in all of one's actions. The word "watchfulness" (Zehirut) is from the word "Zohar" - shining light. Thus, to be watchful is to shine light on all one's deeds. For one who is not watchful walks in darkness, the darkness of habit. The mind of one who learns torah becomes illuminated, and thus since his mind has light, he has the power to see and he becomes watchful. ~Shaarei Orah V.1, pg.252
(ט) אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃
(9) This is the line of Noah.—Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked with God.—
I have created the evil inclination, and I have created the Torah as its antidote" ~Kidushin 30b.
Mark well these three things, and you will not fall into the clutches of sin. Know where you came from, where you are going, and to whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning. ~Akavyah ben Mahalalel, Pirkei Avot, 3:1
The first is that one should grasp the quality of remorse, and put it into his heart that there is great punishment for him who has transgressed the commandment of the Great King. As the Scriptures say, "Give glory to the Lord your God, before it grow dark" (Jer. 13:16). And when a man thinks about the dark days which will reach the one who has sinned against the God of Jacob, then he will be exceedingly afraid and he will have remorse for his deeds. And he will say in his heart, "What have I done? How is it that the fear of God was not always before my eyes? And how is it that I did not fear punishment for my wrongdoing? And how is it that I could not rule over my evil inclination when tempted by the pleasure of one moment? And how have I sullied my pure soul, the soul which was breathed into me from the Source of Holiness? And how have I changed the Great World that stands and endures forever and ever for this transitory little world? And how is it that I did not remember the day of death which will leave my soul nothing but my corpse and a bit of earth?" And he should multiply in his heart thoughts concerning this matter. And this is the subject of which Jeremiah spoke, "No man repenteth of his wickedness saying, 'What have I done' " (Jer. 8:6).
(א) עֲקַבְיָא בֶן מַהֲלַלְאֵל אוֹמֵר, הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים וְאִי אַתָּה בָא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה. דַּע מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ, וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן. מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ, מִטִּפָּה סְרוּחָה, וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, לִמְקוֹם עָפָר רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה. וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן, לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
(1) Akabyah ben Mahalalel said: mark well three things and you will not come into the power of sin: know from where you come, and where you are going, and before whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning. From where do you come? From a putrid drop. Where are you going? To a place of dust, of worm and of maggot. Before whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning? Before the King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.
"know what is above you" - since this "looking" is not with one's physical sense sight, but rather with one's intellectual sense of sight (reiat hasechel) Thus, he said "know". Tosfot Yom Tov
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).
...the essence of "watchfulness" involves putting matters to mind, ~Mesillat Yesharim, 5:18
...the single way (haderech hameyuchad) to drill feelings of fear of sin into the inner heart is through the way of mental imagery and imagination.. Rabbi Dessler, Michtav m'Eliyahu Vol.5 pg.146 -
"would that it were that they abandoned Me but kept My Torah, for the light within it would bring them back to the good" ~Eicha Rabbah 2
(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.
G‑d has many ways to save someone; why did he make Noah toil to build the ark? In order that the people of his generation should see him occupied with the task for 120 years, and they should ask him, “Why are you doing this?” and he would tell them that G‑d is bringing a flood upon the world. Perhaps this would cause them to repent. ~Rashi; Midrash Tanchuma
"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.
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
(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׃ (יח) וַהֲקִמֹתִ֥י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וּבָאתָ֙ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֔ה אַתָּ֕ה וּבָנֶ֛יךָ וְאִשְׁתְּךָ֥ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנֶ֖יךָ אִתָּֽךְ׃
(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. 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. (18) But I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the ark, with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives.
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
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.”
... you are unable to see in darkness, rather you can see only where there is light. The reason is because the eye itself does not really see (intrinsically), nor does the ear really hear by itself (intrinsically). Thus, if the voice is far away, you cannot hear it. But the eye of G-d sees intrinsically and the ear hears intrinsically. For it itself is the hearing and "[He knows what is in the dark] and light dwells with Him" (Daniel 2:22). Therefore He knows what is in darkness and does not need any other light..Rabbi Avraham Azoulai - Ahava b'Taanugim
Torah brings to watchfulness;
(א) עֲקַבְיָא בֶן מַהֲלַלְאֵל אוֹמֵר, הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים וְאִי אַתָּה בָא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה. דַּע מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ, וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן.
(1) Akabyah ben Mahalalel said: mark well three things and you will not come into the power of sin: know from where you come, and where you are going, and before whom you are destined to give an account and reckoning.
Rabbi Avraham Azoulai - Ahava b'Taanugim (continued) - "Know what is above from you" - some explain that if you look at these three things [in yourself], you can know and recognize that there is a seeing eye above. For from the fact that you yourself have a seeing eye you can infer and know that: "Will He Who implants the ear not hear or will He Who forms the eye not see?" (Tehilim 94:9). Thus he said "know what is above from you" (from yourself).
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?
הִנֵּה עִנְיַן הַזְּהִירוּת הוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הָאָדָם נִזְהָר בְּמַעֲשָׂיו וּבְעִנְיָנָיו, כְּלוֹמַר, מִתְבּוֹנֵן וּמְפַקֵּחַ עַל מַעֲשָׂיו וּדְרָכָיו, הֲטוֹבִים הֵם אִם לֹא, לְבִלְתִּי עֲזֹב נַפְשׁוֹ לְסַכָּנַת הָאֲבַדּוֹן חָס וְשָׁלוֹם וְלֹא יֵלֵךְ בְּמַהֲלַךְ הֶרְגֵּלוֹ כְּעִוֵּר בַּאֲפֵלָה.
The idea of watchfulness is for one to be cautious of his deeds and matters, namely, contemplating and watching over his deeds and ways whether they are good or evil; not abandoning his soul to the danger of destruction, G-d forbid, and not walking through the course of habit like a blind man in darkness.
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ לְנֹ֔חַ בֹּֽא־אַתָּ֥ה וְכׇל־בֵּיתְךָ֖ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה כִּֽי־אֹתְךָ֥ רָאִ֛יתִי צַדִּ֥יק לְפָנַ֖י בַּדּ֥וֹר הַזֶּֽה׃ (ב) מִכֹּ֣ל ׀ הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה תִּֽקַּח־לְךָ֛ שִׁבְעָ֥ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֡ה אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹ֣א טְהֹרָ֥ה הִ֛וא שְׁנַ֖יִם אִ֥ישׁ וְאִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃ (ג) גַּ֣ם מֵע֧וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם שִׁבְעָ֥ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה זָכָ֣ר וּנְקֵבָ֑ה לְחַיּ֥וֹת זֶ֖רַע עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ד) כִּי֩ לְיָמִ֨ים ע֜וֹד שִׁבְעָ֗ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ מַמְטִ֣יר עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָ֑יְלָה וּמָחִ֗יתִי אֶֽת־כׇּל־הַיְקוּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔יתִי מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃ (ה) וַיַּ֖עַשׂ נֹ֑חַ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֖הוּ יְהֹוָֽה׃
(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. (2) Of every pure animal you shall take seven pairs, males and their mates, and of every animal that is not pure, two, a male and its mate; (3) of the birds of the sky also, seven pairs, male and female, to keep seed alive upon all the earth. (4) For in seven days’ time I will make it rain upon the earth, forty days and forty nights, and I will blot out from the earth all existence that I created.” (5) And Noah did just as יהוה commanded him.
(21) And all flesh that stirred on earth perished—birds, cattle, beasts, and all the things that swarmed upon the earth, and all humankind. (22) All in whose nostrils was the merest breath of life, all that was on dry land, died. (23) All existence on earth was blotted out—humans, cattle, creeping things, and birds of the sky; they were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.
(6) At the end of forty days, Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made (7) and sent out the raven; it went to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. (8) Then he sent out the dove to see whether the waters had decreased from the surface of the ground. (9) But the dove could not find a resting place for its foot, and returned to him to the ark, for there was water over all the earth. So putting out his hand, he took it into the ark with him. (10) He waited another seven days, and again sent out the dove from the ark.
(15) God spoke to Noah, saying, (16) “Come out of the ark, together with your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives. (17) Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds, animals, and everything that creeps on earth; and let them swarm on the earth and be fertile and increase on earth.” (18) So Noah came out, together with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives. (19) Every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that stirs on earth came out of the ark by families. (20) Then Noah built an altar to יהוה and, taking of every pure animal and of every pure bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar. (21) 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.
(22) So long as the earth endures, Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat, Summer and winter, Day and night Shall not cease.”
(א) וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־נֹ֖חַ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֑יו וַיֹּ֧אמֶר לָהֶ֛ם פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֖וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ב) וּמוֹרַאֲכֶ֤ם וְחִתְּכֶם֙ יִֽהְיֶ֔ה עַ֚ל כׇּל־חַיַּ֣ת הָאָ֔רֶץ וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם בְּכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תִּרְמֹ֧שׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה וּֽבְכׇל־דְּגֵ֥י הַיָּ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶ֥ם נִתָּֽנוּ׃ (ג) כׇּל־רֶ֙מֶשׂ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הוּא־חַ֔י לָכֶ֥ם יִהְיֶ֖ה לְאׇכְלָ֑ה כְּיֶ֣רֶק עֵ֔שֶׂב נָתַ֥תִּי לָכֶ֖ם אֶת־כֹּֽל׃ (ד) אַךְ־בָּשָׂ֕ר בְּנַפְשׁ֥וֹ דָמ֖וֹ לֹ֥א תֹאכֵֽלוּ׃ (ה) וְאַ֨ךְ אֶת־דִּמְכֶ֤ם לְנַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶם֙ אֶדְרֹ֔שׁ מִיַּ֥ד כׇּל־חַיָּ֖ה אֶדְרְשֶׁ֑נּוּ וּמִיַּ֣ד הָֽאָדָ֗ם מִיַּד֙ אִ֣ישׁ אָחִ֔יו אֶדְרֹ֖שׁ אֶת־נֶ֥פֶשׁ הָֽאָדָֽם׃ (ו) שֹׁפֵךְ֙ דַּ֣ם הָֽאָדָ֔ם בָּֽאָדָ֖ם דָּמ֣וֹ יִשָּׁפֵ֑ךְ כִּ֚י בְּצֶ֣לֶם אֱלֹהִ֔ים עָשָׂ֖ה אֶת־הָאָדָֽם׃ (ז) וְאַתֶּ֖ם פְּר֣וּ וּרְב֑וּ שִׁרְצ֥וּ בָאָ֖רֶץ וּרְבוּ־בָֽהּ׃ {ס}
(1) God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fertile and increase, and fill the earth. (2) 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. (3) Every creature that lives shall be yours to eat; as with the green grasses, I give you all these. (4) You must not, however, eat flesh with its life-blood in it. (5) But for your own life-blood I will require a reckoning: I will require it of every beast; of humankind, too, will I require a reckoning for human life, of everyone for each other!
(6) Whoever sheds human blood,
By human [hands] shall that one’s blood be shed;
For in the image of God Was humankind made. (7) Be fertile, then, and increase; abound on the earth and increase on it.”
They do not speak honestly.
No one regrets their own wickedness
And says, “What have I done!”
They all persist in their wayward course
Like a steed dashing forward in the fray.
Jeremiah would bemoan on the evil of his contemporaries' affliction with the disease of this trait. They would turn a blind eye to their deeds, not putting heart to consider what they were doing, whether to do or refrain from doing it.
Regarding them he said: "no man regrets of his evil, saying, What have I done? Each one running to his own course, as the horse rushes into the battle." (Jer. 8:6)
The explanation is that they would pursue and go by the momentum of habit and conduct, without leaving themselves time to consider their deeds and ways. Thus they fell into evil without even seeing it.~ Mesillat Yesharim, Zehirut, Chapter 2