Parshas Noach
Rabbi Yissocher Frand
It is not easy to completely characterize the hero of this week’s parsha. Avrohom Avinu was a Tzadik. Yitzchak Avinu was a Tzadik. Yaakov Avinu was a Tzadik. The characterization of Noach is less cut and dry. The pasuk does acknowledge his Tzidkus: “...Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his generations...” [Bereshis 6:9]. The fact that the Torah writes such about Noach is, of course, in and of itself, a great accolade. And yet, there is something very perplexing about the personality of this individual, whose family were the sole human survivors of the Deluge.
The pasuk states: “And Noach and his sons and his wife and the wives of his sons came into the Teivah, because of the flood waters (mipnei mei haMabul).” [Bereshis 7:7]. Rashi infers from the words mi pnei mei haMabul that “Noach, too, was one of those with little faith “m’ka tnei Amanah” – he believed but he did not fully believe.”
We may talk about a person who is a great ma’amin (believer). Noach was apparently not a great ma’amin! Despite what he was told by Hashem, he did not enter the Teivah until he had no choice but to do so because of the onslaught of the torrential rains. Up until the last minute, he was hedging his bets and hesitated to enter the Teivah.
How do we reconcile this status of being a “small believer” with the pasuk’s earlier description of Noach as “Ish Tzadik, Tamim haya b’Dorosav“?
Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev was universally known for his uncanny ability to be melamed zechus on Klal Yisrael– always putting a positive spin on their actions, and defending them from accusations of spiritual laxity on their part. (He would take any situation and find a positive aspect about apparently incriminating behaviors. The classic story is that he came across a Jew greasing the axles of his wagon while wearing tefillin. Others recoiled at that sight: “How dare you wear tefillin while engaging in such unseemly labor?” Reb Levi would smile and say with satisfaction, “Ahh, look at this holy Jew. Even when he is greasing the axles of his wagon, he still wears tefillin!”) Such was the personality and philosophy of life of the great Chassidic master, Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev.
If there was anyone who would be able to justify Noach’s actions and could reconcile these seemingly contradictory facets, it would be Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev.
Indeed, in his sefer Kedushas Levi he writes that Noach was a great Tzadik. He interprets the expression “m’ka tnei Amanah” (a small believer) to mean that Noach did not believe in himself. He did not see himself as a Tzadik. Reb Levi Yitzchak explains that there are two types of Tzadikim. There is a Tzadik who feels confidence in his righteousness and he knows that “Tzadik gozer v’HaKadosh Baruch Hu Mekayem” (The Almighty follows the orders, so to speak, of a Tzadik). He knows that a Tzadik has incredible powers and can in fact – as it were – overrule the Master of the Universe!
As to the “complaint” against Noach – why did he not pray for his generation (as, for example, Avraham prayed for the salvation of Sodom) and ask that the decree of the Flood be annulled – Reb Levi Yitzchak explains, that is what is meant by “Noach was a small believer”. He did not see himself as any better than the people of his generation. Simply, he did not realize that he had the credentials to petition the Almighty to annul this decree! “On the contrary,” writes Rev Levi Yitzchak, “he considered himself to be just another member of the “Dor haMabul.” Consequently, he reasoned – “if I am going to be saved from this Flood, the other people in the generation will be saved as well, because I am no better than they are!”
“M’ka tnei amanah” does not mean that he had insufficient faith in the Word of G-d, but rather that he did not have the confidence and Emunah in himself. That is why he waited when the water was up to his ankles and then up to his knees and up to his thighs before entering into the Teivah at the last minute.
This attitude on his part explains many of Noach’s actions, which might imply criticism:
Why did he not pray for his generation? It is because his attitude was “Me? The Master of the Universe should listen to me? Why would my prayers be worth anything? Who am I?”
This approach reconciles how Noach could at the same time be an “Ish Tzadik – Tamim haya b’dorosov” and on the other hand also “M’ka tnei ha’Amanah“. This is a different interpretation of the idea “M’Ka tenei ha’Amanah.”
I heard this vort from my wife who heard it from Rabbi Shmuel Silber at his shiur this morning. However, Rabbi Silber added two additional points:
There is a kabbalistic concept of Gilgulim (soul transmigrations). A person enters this world with a job to do. If he does not fulfill his assigned mission, his soul is “recycled,” so to speak, and returns to this world in another body to be given a “second chance” to fulfill that mission. It is written in the “heilege sefarim” (holy books) that Moshe Rabbeinu was a Gilgul of Noach.
Moshe served as the “tikkun” (corrective action) for Noach. Moshe Rabbeinu was the most modest person on the face of the earth and yet he believed in himself and he believed in the power of his personal prayer. When the Ribono shel Olam said “I will destroy them (the Jewish people) in a moment” (Achaleh osam c’rega h), by the aveira of the Egel Hazahav (Golden Calf) or by other sins, Moshe stood up and fought to defend Klal Yisrael. This was the Tikkun of the Neshama of Noach through the personage of Moshe Rabbeinu.
The second point Rabbi Silber added was that we begin our day with the prayer: Modeh Ani Lefanecha, Melech Chai v’Kayam she’he’chezarta bee nishmasi b’chemlah, Rabbah Emunasecha! What is the meaning of the expression “Rabbah Emunasecha“? Rabbi Silber suggested that perhaps it can be interpreted as “You have so much faith in me!” I woke up again this morning. Why? It must be because You think I can do the job. Your Emunah in me is so great that You return my soul every single morning, manifesting Your confidence in my ability to fulfill my mission in life.
As modest and as humble as a person must be, nevertheless he must have self-confidence (emunah Atzmis).
There is a sefer Shaarei haAvodah (some say it is written by Rabbeinu Yona in the 1200s) which notes that the first Bracha of the Shmoneh Esrei invokes the Supreme Power who is “Elo-kei Avraham, Elo-kei Yitzchok, v’Elo-kei Yakov“. The Shmoneh Esrei is known as Avodah (service). The first thing we must remind ourselves when we start our job of Divine Service is that “I have a distinguished lineage (yichus)! I descend from Gedolim! I am a Rebbishe Einekel! (Grandchild of a Holy Rabbi).”
My Zeida was Avraham. My Zeida was Yitzchok. My Zeida was Yaakov. I am a somebody. I am not a nobody. A person must know that.
True, a person cannot have the attitude “It is my strength and the power of my hand that is responsible for my great wealth.” [Devorim 8:17] But a person needs to have faith in who he is and what he can do. This was the shortcoming of Noach, which was corrected by Moshe Rabbeinu.
