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Parshat Noach The Book of Genesis Parshat Noach A free excerpt from the Kehot Publication Society's new Chumash Breishis/Book of Genesis with commentary based on the works of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, produced by Chabad of California. The full volume is available for purchase at www.kehot.com. For personal use only. All rights reserved. The right to reproduce this book or portions thereof, in any form, requires permission in writing from Chabad of California, Inc. THE TORAH - CHUMASH BEREISHIT WITH AN INTERPOLATED ENGLISH TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY BASED ON THE WORKS OF THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE ¢ȱȚȱŘŖŖŞ THE TORAH - CHUMASHby BEMIDBAR ȱȱ ,) $ $)'&%") $"( )'$(")%$ $ %##$)'- ( %$ ) ,%'!( % ) "ȱȱ*+) ' Chabad of California ŝŚŗȱ ¢¢ȱǰȱȱǰȱȱşŖŖŘŚ?@IB978DQ řŗŖȬŘŖŞȬŝśŗŗȱȦȱ¡ȱřŗŖȬŘŖŞȬśŞŗŗ2I 81214?61<96?B>91>3 ȱ¢ Kehot Publication&E2<9C8542I Society ŝŝŖȱȱ ¢ǰȱ¢ǰȱ ȱȱŗŗŘŗřKehot Publication Society 1CD5B>&1B;G1IB??;<I>$5G-?B; ŝŗŞȬŝŝŚȬŚŖŖŖȱȦȱ¡ȱŝŗŞȬŝŝŚȬŘŝŗŞ 1H Order Department: Řşŗȱ ȱǰȱ¢ǰȱ ȱȱŗŗŘŗřOrder Department: ŝŗŞȬŝŝŞȬŖŘŘŜȱȦȱ¡ȱŝŗŞȬŝŝŞȬŚŗŚŞ !9>7CD?>F5>E5 B??;<I>$5G-?B; 1H ǯǯ GGG;58?D?><9>53?= ȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ <<B978DCB5C5BF549>3<E49>7D85B978DD?B5@B?4E35D89C2??;ȱȱǰȱȱ¢ȱǰȱ ȱǰ ?B@?BD9?>CD85B5?69>1>I6?B=G9D8?ED@5B=9CC9?>ȱ ǰȱȱȱȱǰȱ ǯ 9>GB9D9>76B?=81214?61<96?B>91>3 ȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȂ ¢ȱǰȱ ǯ)85!58?D<?7?9C1DB145=1B; ?6#5B;?C">I?>5989>E38>3 DZȱşŝŞȬŖȬŞŘŜŜȬŖŗşŖȬŗ DZȱşŝŞȬŖȬŞŘŜŜȬŖŗşśȬŘȱǻǼȱ ($ Published in the United States of America 5$-+3*'&+/4*' /+4'&4#4'30( .'2+%# The Book of Genesis Parshat Noach GENESIS Bereishit Noach 2 Lech Lecha Vayeira Chayei Sarah Toldot Vayeitzei Vayishlach Vayeishev Mikeitz Vayigash Vayechi EXODUS Shemot Vaeira Bo Beshalach Yitro Mishpatim Terumah Tetzaveh Ki Tisa Vayakheil Pekudei LEVITICUS Vayikra Tzav Shemini Tazria Metzora Acharei Mot Kedoshim Emor Behar Bechukotai NUMBERS Bemidbar Naso Beha’alotecha Shelach Korach Chukat Balak Pinchas Matot Masei DEUTERONOMY Devarim Va’etchanan Eikev Re’eh Ğ Ki Teitzei Ki Tavo Netzavim Vayeilech Ha’azinu Vezot Habrachah q s NoachŢ Overview n the previous parashah, Bereishit, we saw how God created the world and gave humanity the mission of transforming it into His home, and how humanity then spurned that mission, abandoning it en masse. IThis being the case, we would expect the next act in this Divine drama to be the incep-- tion of the Jewish people, the nation designated to cultivate Divine consciousness and steer humanity back onto the course of living life in God’s presence. The time is seem-- ingly ripe: the stage is set; all the props are in place; there even appears to be a suitable candidate for the protagonist who will serve as the progenitor of this new people: parashat Bereishit ends teasingly with the words, “Noah found favor in the eyes of God.”1 Yet the Torah keeps us in suspense, postponing the genesis of the Jewish people until the next parashah. Evidently, some additional groundwork needs to be laid before the world will be ready for the advent of a chosen people. The detailed description of this groundwork is the subject of Parashat Noachǰȱ ȱȱȱĞȱȱǯȱȱ was the man whom God singled out to build the ark, through which human and animal life would be spared from the Flood that would wipe out the incorrigibly iniquitous hu-- man race, allowing it to begin anew. What was this groundwork? What additional steps had to be taken before the world could begin its upward climb toward the birth of the Jewish people and the giving of the ȱȱȱǵȱȱȱȱǰȱ ȱęȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ name of this parashah, since, as we have already pointed out, the names of the parashiot disclose their essential message and lesson. The word (in this case, the name) Noach means “rest” and “tranquility.” Yet the events in this parashahȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱǯȱȱ¢ȱĚȱȱ¢ȱ and indiscriminately destroys all life on earth is certainly the epitome of upheaval and ǰȱȱȱȱ ȱȱęȱȱȱȱparashah: the cursing of Ham and the forced dispersion of humanity from the Tower of Babel. However, if we look at the underlying purpose of these incidents and their ensuing results, we can see that the name Noachȱȱ¢ȱȱęĴǯȱȱ¢¢ȱȱȱ ȱĚȱ¢ȱȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȬȱȱ 1. Genesis 6:8. ŮŮ OVERVIEW OF NOACH spiritual state that necessitated it. The antediluvian world was still relatively young, and all forms of life possessed the full vigor of youth—as evinced most strikingly by the ex-- ¢ȱȱ¢ȱȱ£ȱȱǯȱȱȱȱ ȱĴDZȱȱ ȱȱȱǰȱ¢ȱȱĚ¡ǰȱȱDzȱȱ ȱȬ- most impossible for them to change. This was no less true of the spiritual dimension of life than of the physical dimension: once people’s characters were molded and their modes ȱȱǰȱȱ ȱ¡¢ȱĜȱȱȱȱǯȱȱȱȱ norms were all the while becoming increasingly corrupt, the overwhelming majority of humanity became progressively entrenched in a downward spiral of degenerating moral Ĵȱȱǯ ȱȱȱȱǯȱȱĴȱ ȱĞȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ¢Ȭ- ¢ȱȱ¢ǰȱȱ ǰȱȱ¢ȱȱǰȱȱĚ¡ǰȱȱȱȱ change. The “new world” Noah beheld upon emerging from the ark2 was one in which the winds of repentance (teshuvahǼȱ ȱ ȱ¢ǰȱȱȱǰȱȱĴȱ ȱ chronically unwholesome their behavior might become. ǰȱ ȱ ȱȱĞȱȱǰȱȃȱȱ ȱȱȱȱĚȱȱ ȱ destroy the earth,”3 He was not reconciling Himself to people continuing to sin as they ȱǰȱȱ ȱ ȱĴȱȱ¢ȱĚȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱȱȱǯȱǰȱ ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱ¢ȱĚȱȱ earth, He altered reality in such a way that it would never again become necessary to bring ȱȱĚȯȱȱȂȱȱȱȱȱȱĴǰȱȱȱ ȱȱ now provided them with a novel mechanism that they could use to counteract and even ȱȱěȱȱȱǯȱ ȱǰȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱęȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱ of Creation, namely, promoting and disseminating Divine consciousness in the world until it ultimately would be transformed into God’s natural home. It was therefore also a crucial step in laying the groundwork for the genesis of the Jewish people. The mes-- sage of hope that the Torah is supposed to convey to the world is that it is never too late; that God is always waiting to welcome us back with open arms; and that we can always ȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ imaginable. The lesson of this parashah remains perennially pertinent to our lives. When we are confronted with a particularly trying situation or turbulent phase in our lives, it would ȱȱ ȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱǯȱ¢ȱ ȱȱ¡ȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱĚ Ȭ- ters but rather resolutely stood his ground, we can not only come away unscathed from ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱęȱȱ ȱǰȱȱȬ- ing strengthened. By focusing on the opportunity inherent in the challenge rather than ȱȱęȱĜ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱǰȱ ȱȱȱȱ Ě ȱȱȃȱ ȱȱȄ4—the waters of tranquility and rest. And if, as was Noah, we are wise enough to use the experience advantageously, we can thereby help transform the whole world into an environment more conducive to Di-- ȱǰȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱęǯ5 2. Vayikra Rabbah 30:8. 3. Genesis 9:11. 4. Isaiah 54:9. 5. Based on Likutei Sichot, vol. 20, pp. 285-287. Ůů FIRST READING X ONKELOS W 6:9 ~q q q jj q s q s q j u u o ~n L r s s v¶j Qr r _ n Êr ¸V n¯q ~_ n q sR q sO s ] j ËÊv Àp ~oU r ~q ru j q q uj n s r uj r l n jz q s j nu q q wÐsv Àp q j vn Qn Ò~k wvr ~p X RASHI W r ~l s j s j q q j nr r r q s r r j un j qq q j n 4s n j n j ~n s n q z ~n q s q s s j su p ~o j p q j n r ~o o s j n uj j o q j u o q j n r r r r j ~q o ~q r u r r r j n u n q p o q ~k p p z s r jz un oo n o r sz j un p r p z sz u u nz u p j q r sz j n s { n l q n u n q p z p o s j su qq n p z r j pp q j j o q j n u r ~p sz r uj q r p z j ~u ru q j p z pp q z j o p z r q p z j s ~s nz jsu u o su q o z o r s s uj r p r l q uj oo qu j n q r p z j q s j p q j n ~ru q j nz jsu p z z o j o s u n q r r n u n q s uj r r u u ~n p z ~r ~p q r sz j pp q n qu q ~p oo qqu j n ~j r ~u ru q j p z s s uj r r u u ~n j u n q r r s s n ~j q j n s ~s ~ru q j s j s s~z s uj p z rr q p z j p q j n n s~k r ~p u j n r z k p r ~r 4s r r j ~q p z ~l q r j j o q j n o ~s ~u r r j ~q j u q s ¨¡§£¥¦¨ ¢££¦¨³ ££´£³² ¨¥´£³² £´£³² ££¦³¨ X CHASIDIC INSIGHTS W disparages Noah. The Maggid of Mezerich, however, ǰȄȱȱȱ ȂȱȱȱĞȱȱ ęȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡DZȱȱ ¢Ȭęȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱĚȱȱ- ȱȱȱȱȱȱ¡¢ȱ ȱ- ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǰȱȱ ȱȱȱȱǰȱȱǰȱ¢ȱ ȃȱȱȱǯȄ8) ȱȱ ȱȱ ǯȱ ȱ ȱȱȱ- He lived in corrupt times: ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱȱĞǰȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱ- ȱDZȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ǰȱȱȱ¢ȱ ¢ȱ¢ȱȱȱ¢ȱěȱǷ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱěȱȱȱ ǯȱȱȱ ¢ȱȱȱ Ȃȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱȱǯ ȱ ȱ ȱ DZȱ ȃ¢ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ Ȃȱ ȱ ȱǰȱȱȱȱȂȱȱ ȱ ǵȱĞȱǰȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱǯȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȂ ¢ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ Ğȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱǯȄ ȱ¢ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱĚ- ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱǯ ȱ¢ȱȱȱȱȱęĴȱȱȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¡ȱ ȱ ȱ ȃȄȱ - ȱ ȱ DZȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ - ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ - ¢ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ- ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱǯȱȱȱ ǰȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȂȱǰȱǰȱǰȱ ȱȱ ȱȱȱ ǯȱ ȱǰȱ ȱ ȱ¢ȱȱȱ ǰ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ7 ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ¢ȱ ȱ ¢ǰȱ ȱ not ȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ ǻȱȱȱ ȱȱ ȱęĞ¢Ȭǰ ¢ȱ ȱȱȱȱȱ ǯ9 ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȂȱȃ- [ A CLOSER LOOK \ ǽşǾȱ ȱ ȱ ęȱ ȱ ȱ DZ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ¢ȱ ¢ȱȂȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱǰȱDZȱǻǼȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱ¢ȱȱǰȱȱ ȱȱȱǰȱȱǻǼȱȱȱȱȱ- ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ¢ȱ Ğȱ ȱȱȱ beyondȱ ȱȱ ȱ ȱǵ10 ȱǯȱ ȱȱȱ¢ȱȱȱȱ 11 ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ ȱȱǯ ȱ ȱ ȱ ¢ȱ ¢ǰȱȱȱȱȂȱ- ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ- ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱ ȱ ȱ £ȱ ȱ ǰȱ ȱ ȱ ǯȱ ǰȱȱȱȱȱǰȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ ȱȱȱ ȱȱȱȱȱǯȱ ǯ12 ȱȱȱȱȱȱȱȱ Ȃȱ- 7.
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