And for this, the Yona has a most important message: While you’re in Teiva, before it is time to leave (i.e., before you have finished davening) you have to have the sense that there is nothing else that exists aside from these words of davening. There is no need to start rushing to or planning your upcoming appointment, because there is nothing else in the world to run to! There is no place to rest your feet, and surely no business associate to meet with, because – for the time being – there is no world at all to speak about except for your Teiva.
[In fact, this illuminates also (at least ד"עה צחות) the interpretation of Chazal (quoted in Rashi) regarding the response of the Yona upon its’ second return. Chazal say that the olive branch was a message to Yona that it preferred to receive its’ livelihood from the Eibishter than from a human being.
Now, Noach had sent it with the simple task; - to ascertain whether there was any dry land upon which to embark. What, about that, warranted a response about its’ preferences in livelihood sources? It sounds like טענו חטים והודה לו בשעורים?!
But according to the above, it’s understood. The idea of sending out the Yona is symbolic of rushing through the end of davening to anticipate what we’ll be doing afterwards, which is usually earning a living. It is not paying attention to the Source of our livelihood, and, instead, pursuing physical (and human) vessels. To this the Yona reprimanded, very appropriately, that livelihood is best coming directly from the Source, from the Eibishter, which is where it truly originates in any case, so don’t run from there to pursue your human providers].
And, of course, all this applies to the other idea of the Teiva as well, - learning Torah. There, too, it can happen, that as the end of seder nears, one worries about how much time is left, or whether he has a good portion of lunch waiting for him. But the proper approach is to know that while I’m learning there is nothing else that exists, and no other place to take refuge, except these words of Torah.
Let us use the week of Noach to renew our inspiration to apply ourselves better to our davening. Let us ensure that our davening is one that is worthy of a Yid, worthy of a chosid, worthy of a Tomim. And this will bring about – as Chazal say – עולם חדש ראה, that our lives and our world will become refined and enhanced, and all that we do will be on a loftier plane!
L’chaim! May we all apply ourselves to the avoda of Parshas Noach, especially the increase in avodas hatefilla – בא אל התיבה... ותרם מעלה ארץ, and this should bring to the ultimate olam chodosh ro’oh, the new world of (as the Rebbe proclaimed on Shabbos Noach 5752) HASHEM HU HO’ELOKIM HASHEM HU HO’ELOKIM HASHEM HU HO’ELOKIM HASHEM HU HO’ELOKIM HASHEM HU HO’ELOKIM HASHEM HU HO’ELOKIM HASHEM HU HO’ELOKIM HASHEM HU HO’ELOKIM!!! with the immediate revelation of Moshiach Tzidkeinu TUMYM!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
לזכות 'ר ברוך מרדכי בן 'חיה אסתר ש"ל רפוק"ו רפוט"ו אויוש מתוך בריאות הנכונה ס"וכט לזכות ב"ש ד בן מרים, 'שיק"ל רפושוי"ת ומ, ממשט"ו אויוש בטוב! ג"ה נרו הנ לזכות ת"ה רה אהרן בן, חנה ק"ל רפושו. ט"ו אויוש
