God spoke to Noach, saying: ‘Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons, and your sons’ wives with you
The words translated as “God spoke” appear countless times in the Pentateuch. In most of these appearances the Name of God that appears is His essential four-letter Name, Havayah. However, there are three instances in the entire Pentateuch when the Name is Elokim.
One of the three is the first verse of our reading. The second time is at the beginning of parashat Va’eira, “God spoke to Moses and said to him, ‘I am Havayah’” (וַיְדַבֵּר אֱ-לֹהִים אֶל מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי הוי'). The third time is in the verse introducing the Ten Commandments: “God spoke all these words, saying” (וַיְדַבֵּר אֱ-לֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה לֵאמֹר).
The difference between the two Names is that Havayah denotes compassion, while Elokim reveals God’s harsh judgment. The first two verses in our reading are, “God spoke to Noach, saying: ‘Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons, and your sons’ wives with you” (וַיְדַבֵּר אֱ-לֹהִים אֶל נֹחַ לֵאמֹר. צֵא מִן הַתֵּבָה אַתָּה וְאִשְׁתְּךָ וּבָנֶיךָ וּנְשֵׁי בָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ). Rashi does not elucidate what the judgment in these verses is. On the contrary, since these words are addressed to...
