The Waters of Noach
Empathy is a G-d given gift can prevent the world’s degeneration and a cure for societal ills. Noah lacked this gift. It was given to us in generous measure at Mount Sinai. Let’s use it!
120 Years?
In this week’s portion, the Torah speaks of how Noach was told by G-d to build an ark so that he and his family would be saved from the flood that would destroy almost all of the world’s inhabitants.
Our sages in the Midrash tell us that Noach spent 120 years to build this Ark! Was the reason it took so long to build this ark due to Noach’s tardiness?
Again our sages inform us that, on the contrary, Noach’s extensive involvement in building the Ark was part of his mission to elicit a reaction from the corrupt people. When they would ask him why he is devoting his life to building the ark, he was to tell them about the impending disaster and encourage them to mend their ways.
Now, in spite of Noach’s involvement in the mitzvah of building the Ark for 120 years, the Zohar (the principle work of Jewish Mysticism) criticizes him for not praying for his generation. The prophet Isaiah, in this week’s Haftorah (supplementary reading from the Prophets), therefore, refers to the flood as “the waters of Noach,” because he could have averted the flood. The flood is therefore ascribed to him, as if he was guilty for all the sins of the people.
What was Noach Lacking?
A question can be asked:
Wasn’t the fact that he was involved in building the Ark for 120 years, and used this opportunity to tell people about the flood and their need to repent, sufficient? What more could one have asked of Noach?
The answer provided by the Rebbe (Likkutei Sichos) lies in the nature of Noach’s efforts to get the people to change. Noach was concerned not for the members of his generation, but for the fulfillment of G-d’s will. Noach was unlike Moses who was so concerned for the plight of the Jewish people that he was prepared to give his life for them, to the point where he said to G-d, “If you do not forgive them, erase me from your book.”
Moses’ life was Torah. And yet he was willing to have his association with Torah obliterated in order to save the Jewish people. That was the most powerful demonstration of concern for the people, not just the fulfillment of G- d’s will!
Unfortunately for the people of Noach’s generation, he did not possess this sensitivity. He just did his job as he was told; nothing less and nothing more. Noach lacked empathy.
Twin Imperatives
The lesson we learn from this, is that a Jew has to be concerned with two matters:
Firstly, like Noach, we should devote ourselves entirely to the fulfillment of G-d’s will. Lest anyone think that empathy is all that counts, the Torah makes it clear that Noach was a righteous man because he did all that was right.
However, the second lesson from the story of Noach is that it does not suffice to be devoted to fulfillment of G-d’s will exclusively when it comes to the welfare of the Jewish nation. We must follow Moses’ example, who was prepared to give his life for the Jews. One should make every effort to help everyone, and, particularly a member of our family, another Jew, not only because it is G- d’s will, but also because of our deep concern for every Jew, and we will not stop until every Jew is helped.
To be sure, as Jews we have to be concerned with all of humanity. But, there is a qualitative difference between the way we relate to a fellow Jew and the rest of society. Every Jew is bound together with every other Jew on three levels.
First, we all have the same source. Whether born as a Jew or convert in accordance with Jewish law, we all trace ourselves back to the Patriarchs and Matriarchs of Jewish people. More importantly, we all trace ourselves back to the revelation of G-d and the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Our Sages tell us that all of our souls, including the souls of the converts, were present at Mount Sinai, when G-d made a unique covenant with us and forever chose us to be His nation; a “holy nation and a nation of priests.”
Second, we share a common history. As Jews we’ve been subjected to relentless persecution and commensurate heroism and fortitude to remain steadfastly committed to G-d’s teaching to us.
Third, we have a common purpose and destiny. All of us are guided by the Torah and its commandments; whether we adhere to it or not it is our common purpose. Our destiny is to bring Moshiach and regroup in the Land of Israel with our reconstructed Bais Hamikdash-Holy Temple.
We are not just family in the biological sense, but in every other sense. We are bound by ropes and chains on multiple levels, notwithstanding our may differences and hues.
Indeed, when we stand together and display the powerful sense of love and unity with other Jews, we overflow with love. And from that overflow we have the capacity to love every human being, as Hillel taught in Ethics of the Fathers: Be the disciples of Aaron, who loved peace, pursued peace and who loved the creatures and brought them close to Torah.” The use of the word creatures indicates that he was advocating love of all people, even those whose only recognizable quality is that they are G-d’s creations.
Everyone has a Need for Moshiach
This explains the need for the Messianic Age expressed by many whose lives now are as perfect as you can get. They enjoy both the material and spiritual blessings. Why do they need and want Moshiach?
The answer is that while they may think they personally do not need Moshiach, but they are not likely to be blind to the fact that there are many people who do not share their spiritual and material blessings.
Wanting Moshiach, among other considerations, is our way of demonstrating empathy on the highest level.
In addition to the fact that Moshiach is G-d’s desire and our efforts to bring Moshiach demonstrates our desire to conform to G-d’s will, it is also the ultimate expression of empathy for all those who are suffering in the present state of Galus-exile.
From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Noach by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.
