Nachal novea; makor chochma -
A flowing river; the source of wisdom (Mish. 18:4)

Parshas Noach

(Genesis 6:9-11:32)

""Make for yourself (Noah) an ark (Hebrew: taeva)." (Genesis 6:14)

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In the following paragraphs, based on the teachings of Rabbi Nachman and his disciple, Rav Noson, we will explain some of the practical lessons that can be derived from the story of Noach's (Noah's) ark and why that wicked generation was punished via deluge and not some other means.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE CRIED FOR THEM BEFORE THE FLOOD"

The holy Zohar mentions that when Noach left the ark, after the waters of the flood had abated, and saw that the population of the entire world had been destroyed, he began to cry over the massive carnage. Hashem then said to Noach, "Foolish leader. Now, after the world's population has been destroyed, do you choose to cry for them, you should have cried for them before the flood [in order to gain atonement for them]. Conversely, Moshe (Moses) was even willing to die in order to gain forgiveness for the Jews for the sin of the Golden Calf. (Zohar Chodash: Parshas Noach: pp. 24, 25) Rav Noson says that Noach did not pray for the sinful people of his generation because he did not understand, as other great Tzaddikm such as Moshe understood, the extent of Hashem's compassion for His creatures, even for the wicked. Although Noach himself was a very righteous man, as the Torah describes, "Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his generations; Noach walked with Hashem." (Genesis 6:9), he was unable to lower himself, in order to to associate with the wicked people of his generation and relate to them on their level so he could slowly influence them to return to Hashem. In addition, when a Tzaddik associates with the wicked, with the intention to bring them back to Hashem, he inevitably discovers the good character traits that every human being has hidden within him. If Noach would have associated with the sinners, he would have eventually discovered their good points. This would have caused Noach to truly feel for their poor spiritual plight, inspiring him to pray on their behalf, to enlist Hashem's help in orchestrating their eventual return to Him. Futhermore, the good points that he would have found in the wicked could have been cultivated, develooed and used as a starting point for Noach to influence them to return to Hashem.

NOACH'S FEAR PREVENTED HIM FROM DOING HASHEM'S WILL

Noach feared for his own spiritual survival. so he did not associate with the wicked. His lack of personal involvement with sinners distorted his perspective of them. Since he viewed them from a distance, he was unable to detect any good in them, and therefore was not motivated to pray on their behalf, for he felt that their spiritual situation was irredeemable. Conversely, the greatness of Moshe and other Tzaddikim of his ilk, was that they were able to descend to the filthy places, associating with the most wicked and vile sinners, and as a result of their unrelenting efforts, influence them to return to Hashem. They understood Hashem's great compassion, even for the wicked, and that He desires that they return to Him. Therefore, they persisted in extricating the wicked from the side of evil.

Noach superimposed his own misgivings about the wicked onto Hashem and thus felt that Hashem had given up all hope on them, and therefore did not care for them any longer, abandoning them to their fate of destruction. Noach didn't realize that Hashem still loves the wicked despite their evil ways, and insists that the righteous make every attempt to bring them back to Him (through prayer and by befriending them, influencing them to repent). Since Noach mistakenly thought as many people do, that Hashem is devoid of understanding and compassion for human frailty, and that He has such demanding and harsh standards that even Noach himself was not sure if he would be fortunate enough to be saved from the fate of his generation. Noach realized that the evil deeds of his generation had a bad influence even upon someone like himself. This is why Noach feared for his own survival, and disassociated himself from the people of his generation. He didn't want to take any chances of being dragged down even further, therefore he made no attempt to bring them back to Hashem. So Noach ignored the spiritual plight of his generation and resigned himself to focus on his own survivial, contrary to Hashem's wishes.

THE ARK: PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL HAVEN

Due to these misconceptions, Hashem rescued Noach through the ark and not some other means. Noach's ark was no mere boat. The Zohar relates that its construction, on the spiritual level, involved and was associated with the deepest mysteries of the universe which imbued it with the most awesome spiritual energies. "Noach's ark is Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)," meaning that everything associated with the ark's construction hints and alludes to all the aspects and ramifications associated with repentance. In other words, the ark was not only a physical haven from the destructive flood waters and the corruption of his generation, but it was a spiritual refuge which enabled Noach, his family, the animals, and vegetation (his food supplies) to absorb and be nourished from the powerful spiritual energies that were contained in the ark.

Noach was commanded by Hashem to enter the ark together with his family, all the animals, all the vegetation and food supplies that the ship could hold. Since Noach lacked the proficiency to save the world from a physical and spiritual holocaust, he was forced to reside together with the lowest elements of this earth, the animals and vegetation for one year. The ark functioned like a spiritual escalator, automatically elevating its residents to a special closeness with Hashem. Noach had failed to do this on his own. Nevertheless, Hashem gave Noach this gift, and through the spiritual energies contained in the ark, assisted Noach to spiritually elevate his family and all of the lowly animals that were on board. The result would be to empower Noach to elevate the lowest elements of society to the side of holiness after he left the ark, facing a new and different world. In addition, Noach's ride up the spiritual escalator in the ark together with the lowly animals, would emphasize that his failure to attempt to influence the lowest elements of society to remm to Hashem, despite his own personal righteousness, was the specific area where he had failed, and would need to correct.

THEY DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE THE ARK

After the flood waters dried from the face of the earth Hashem conunanded Noach and all those who were inside the ark with him to leave, as the verse says, "Hashem spoke to Noach, 'Go forth from the ark: you and your wife, your sons -- every living creature that is with you..." (Genesis 8:15-17) "[The fact that Hashem had to command the residents of the ark to leave implies that they didn't want to leave due to the spiritual bliss they experienced there. Therefore, this verse implies that] if they refuse to leave, then force them to leave even against their will!" (Rushi) Every incident mentioned in the Torah is recorded not merely as a historical notation, but so we can derive guidance on how to successfully conduct our lives in accordance with Hashem's will. Therefore, every person interested in spiritual pursuits can relate to the incident of the refusal of the ark's residents to leave. Every person interested in coming close to Hashem dreams and wishes that he could be relieved of having to deal with the material world and its obligations, free to spend all of his time in the study hall and synagogue communing with Hashem. The voyagers of the ark found it very difficult to leave the spiritual bliss of the ark, to confront the very difficult challenges that are associated with the material world. The same is true of the spiritually inclined individual who finds it equally as difficult to leave the spiritual haven of the study hall and synagogue in order to confront the challenges of the material world, an environment that is hostile and runs contrary to his goals.

THE NECESSITY FOR BALANCE
BETWEEN SPIRITUALITY AND PHYSICALITY

Hashem demands that we leave the study hall and synagogue, especially according to the necessity to fulfill our material obligations, in order to improve and develop the material world, so that it will be a better place to live, providing more opportunities and a better environment through which Hashem can be served. Therefore, Hashem was not only addressing those in the ark to leave their spiritual haven and cultivate the world, but all people who pursue spirituality, that in order to have the proper balance between the needs of the soul and the body, one must temporarily leave his spiritual environs in order to take care of his physical needs. This is not merely a good suggestion, but it is an imperative and the will of Hashem. Since this world is comprised of many opposite and conflicting elements, one must experience both sides of the spectrum in order to have the proper balance. When one experiences a broad base, from both sides, his intellectual horizons and capacltv are increased. The more we increase our intellect the better we are able to perceive and discover more about Hashem. Therefore, as Rabbi Nachman taught, Hashem demands that we traverse both tracks, that of the study hall and that of the material world. This enables us to experience Hashem both on the intellectual level, in the study hall, and on the emotional level, through our encounters with the material world which can give us the opportunity to experience every aspect of Hashem possible for humans, as the verse commands, "In all your ways [through your every spiritual and physical activity get to] know Him Hashem)." (Proverbs 3:6) This is why Hashem designed the Torah and the world such that it can only function properly through balance and the middle road, as the verse says, "You shall not deviate from the word that they (the spiritual guides and experts) will tell you to the right or the left [but follow the middle path, just like the spiritual experts who emulate Hashem and themselves serve Him in a balanced way]." (Deut. 17:11)

THE RAINDOW:
REPRESENTING PATHWAYS OF REPENTANCE AND THE TZADDIK

Noach was well aware of the awesome power of the forces of evil to lure a person away from Hashem, and was therefore reluctant to leave the confines of the ark. In order to reassure him, Hashem showed Noach the sign of the rainbow, which represents the pathways of repentance and the ability to find Hashem everywhere, even in the darkness of the material world, as the verse says, "I (Hashem) have set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth." (Genesis 9:13) Rav Noson savs that the cloud refers to the spiritual darkness of the material world. The Zohar says that the tricolored rainbow represents the Tzaddik HaEmes (the most righteous person of the generation). This means that the Tzaddik HaEmes has the ability to reveal Hashem's light even through the thickest and darkest cloud which obscures all light, to those people who have fallen to the depths of evil, as the verse says, "If I make my bed in hell, behold You (Hashem) are there [through the Tzaddik shining Hashem's light to the those most remote from Him, they come to realize that Hashem is with them even in their place of darkness]." (Psalms 139:8) [The three colors of the rainbow are associated with the right, left, and center, indicating that the Tzaddik embodies every aspect of the spectrum and in particular the middle path, the way of Hashem. The rainbow is referred to as the rainbow of the covenant. The Zohar says that each Tzaddik is strongly connected to Hashem through the bond of a strong covenant. This is why the rainbow symbolizes the Tzaddik]. (Lekutai Halachos: Orach Chiam: Hilchos Shabboss 7:69, 70)

MANKIND DROWNED IN A SPIRITUAL FLOOD OF WISDOM,
MANIFESTED AS A PHYSICAL FLOOD OF WATER

The underlining cause for the sins committed by the generation of the flood was that society established laws and customs that were in direct conflict with the good and proper ways of Hashem's middle path, which He had taught them. Their laws and social customs were based upon their own rationalizations, which made all forms of extreme, degenerate behavior permitted. What impact did this degenerate behavior have on the universe? The world was created and is controlled by Hashem. This finite world is unable to bear or tolerate Hashem's infinite light therefore Hashem constricted His great light into the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Through these spiritual letters, He was able to create and is able to safely manipulate the universe, much the way one uses a computer. Knowledge is limitless, therefore the spiritual energies associated with knowledge are limitless as well. Knowledge is associated with the same spiritual energies that are contained in water, as the verse says, "The world shall be full of the knowledge of Hashem, as the waters cover the sea." (Isaiah 11:9) Thus the spiritual energies associated with knowledge creates a limitless spiritual ocean. On the physical level, this means that the possible solution for any decision or problem is limitless, having many different points of view. Which method or opinion is right? For example, in our modern society there are many conflicting views on how to deal with society's problems, issues such as crime, abortion, drugs, poverty, race relations, etc. There are countless points of view on each issue. Since each viewpoint has its merits and deficiencies, which opinion should we follow? Due to the fact that man's intelligence is limited, he might come to destructive and wrong conclusions. Therefore, Hashem provided man with the guidance on how to properly deal with every conceivable problem, through His word. The nature of a set of rules is that it limits one's actions to a specific response or course of action. Therefore, Hashem's word and rules helps man safely navigate through the sea of wisdom, preventing him from drowning in the flood of information which contains an endless deluge of possible solutions and points of view. This is why the Hebrew word for 'word' is taevah, which is the very same name given to Noach's ark and the basket that Moshe (Moses) was placed in as an infant (c.f. Exodus 2). Thus, the laws of Hashem -- His word -- is the only way that man can clearly know what is truly the correct and proper course of behavior, preventing him from drowning in the sea of wisdom.

NO BOAT TO TRAVERSE THE SEA OF WISDOM

The fact that the generation of the flood chose to ignore the word of Hashem resulted in them having no vehicle or boat to help them safely traverse the sea of wisdom. Therefore, they came to the wrong conclusions about and solutions for their society's problems, causing society to drown and deteriorate to the point where immoral violent, and degenerate behavior became the accepted and right practice. As we mentioned above, when a person uses any form of knowledge he activates the spiritual energies associated with water. Therefore, Rav Noson says, that the spiritual energies created by the generation of the flood, through their use of every point of view other than Hashem's word, caused the spiritual energies connected with the sea of knowledge to flood the spiritual worlds. The light associated with these spiritual flood waters was so great that the ehtereal Hebrew letters that Hashem uses to constrict His light were unable to contain the massive flood of light. There is a rule that whatever occurs on the spiritual level Is eventually manifested on the physical level. Therefore, the flood of light that was created by their degenerate behavior, legitimizing every sort of negative philosophy other than Hashem's ways, eventually manifested itself as an actual world-wide physical flood. Noach and his family escaped in the taevah, Hebrew for both ark and word. This teaches us that Noach merited to be saved from the fate of his generation because he restricted his behavior, following only the word of Hashein. Just as a boat prevents the boundless waters of the sea from drowning its passengers, so the word of Hashem saves mankind from drowning in erroneous wisdom and knowledge. Because Moshe was destined to convey the word of Hashem to the world through the giving of the Torah, Hashem orchestrated that as an infant, he was saved in a taevah, a floatation device, in the waters of the Nile, similar to Noach's experience at the time of the flood, to teach that man's only chance for survival and to stay afloat in the sea of wisdom is to be guided by the word of Hashem. (Lekutai Elalachos: Orach Chaim: Hilchos Ne'sea'as Ka'pi'yim 5:9)

We therefore see the importance and awesome responsibility of the leaders of each generation. They must carefully direct society and each individual, through the guidance derived from Hashem's word, to follow the middle path as outlined by the Torah. Any deviation is the path that leads to malcontent, degeneracy, and destruction. May we soon see the coming of the righteous redeemer who will restore the world to the proper path. Amen!

STORY

We mentioned that Noach fulfilled Hashem's will and experienced a spiritual elevation, coming closer to Hashem through his traveling on the ark. The following true story mentioned in the Talmud illustrates how a similar experience occured to another great Tzaddik...

It was reported that when Nicanor had gone to fetch doors [for the great eastern gate of the Temple Court] from Alexandna, Egypt on his return a storm arose in the sea and threatened to drown him. The other passengers took one of his doors [the massive door for the Temple's gate] and cast it into the sea and yet the sea would not stop raging. When they prepared to cast the other [door] into the sea, he [Nicanor] arose and clung to it saying, "Cast me in with it!" [They did so, and] the sea immediately stopped raging. He [Nicanor] was deeply grieved about the other [door]. As he arrived at the harbor of Acco, it [the first door which had been lost at sea] broke through and came up from under the sides of the ship. - Another version says that a great fish swallowed it and spat it out on the dry land... [Years later, when the Jews became wealthier (Rashi),] all the gates in the Temple were changed for golden ones with the "exception of the Nicanor gates, because of the miracles wrought for them. But some say, because the bronze of which they were made had a golden hue. Rav Eliezer bar Ya'akov said, "it was Corinthian bronze which shone like gold. [The reason why Nicanor did not try to prevent the other passengers from casting the first door into the sea was because the craftsman in Jerusalem could have fashioned another door using the remaining door as an example. However, when they wanted to cast the remaining door into the sea, the craftsmen in Jerusalem would not have had any means of reproducing it. Nicanor risked his life for the door, because he based his act upon the rule, all those who are on a mission in the perfommce of a commandment of Hashem are protected from harm both going and returning. In the merit of his risking his life he was saved. (Ain Ya'akov)] (Talmud: Yoma 38a)

HITHBODEDUTH (secluding oneself)

Rabbi Nachman taught that as well as reciting the mandatory daily prayers contained in the prayer book, we should also speak to Hashem, just as we would confide in our best friend: in seclusion, in the language and style with which we feel most comfortable. This is based on the advice of our sages, just to mention two sources: "Rebbe Yitzchak said: 'Why were our forefather's barren? Because Hashem desires the prayers of the righteous.'" (Talmud: Yevamoth 64a) "Hashem seeks nothing other than to hear the prayers of Israel." (Medrash Tehillim 116:1). In these sessions, one can openly discuss anything and everything with Hashem. One can praise Him, unload and unburden his feelings, aspirations, problems and wants. These encounters not only strengthen one's faith in Hashem, relieve stress and worry, help to accomplish goals, sharpen the mind and build an intimate and personal relationship with Hashem, but they cultivate the notion that Hashem really exists and can be counted on for all one's needs. The following is an example of a Hithbodeduth session:

Have compassion upon me and help me that I no longer [make the mistake of] exchanging light for darkness. Bring me out from darkness to light, from the darkness of the desire for this world and its philosophies and fantasies. Bring me to the pure light of the Torah and the true Tzaddikim. Help me to merit to exhaust all of my energies, all the days of my life, in striving to come close with sincerity to the true Tzaddikim. (1 Lekutai Tefilos 115)

HALACHA

Based on the advice of our sages (Talmud: Megilah 28b), Rabbi Nachman stressed that everyone should study at least one law from the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law) (or its equivalent, other books which are based on the Shulchan Aruch) everyday without fail. This study is a great spiritual remedy. A legal conclusion determines what is permitted or forbidden after sifting through the various opinions. Study of the codes help separate and rectify the evil of one's sins. (Sichot Haran 29)

[The recitation of the Shema is a Biblical precept, once in the morning and again in the evening, where we declare our faith in Hashem and His unity]. Although it is required to enunciate every word of the Shema clearly and correctly, with the correct grammatical pronunciation, if one has not done so, one has still fulfilled his obligation. (Maran) This does not mean that he failed to mention a letter or word, for if he skipped a word or letter he definitely has not fuffliled his obllgatlon. This refers to the case where one did not pause long enough between two distinct words, of which the last letter of the first word is the same as the first letter of the word that follows it (devukos), or he failed to emphatically enunciate the zayin in the word tiz'keru. The Talmud says that In the merit of taking care to enunciate the words of the entire Shema, the heat of purgatory wlil be cooled for that person. This is measure for measure in that he aroused the heat of his energies of concentration to focus on each word to read it properly. (Mishna Brurah) (Shulchan Aruch: Orach Chaim: 62:1)

Volume 4, Issue 2