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Noah – Guard your Actions Noah was a righteous person in his generation. With God, walked Noah. What does it mean to be righteous in his generation? Would Noah be considered righteous in our generation? How about when Abraham was alive? During the days of Moshe? Rabbi Akiva? Was he the best of the worst? Does this mean that he was a bit of a rabble rouser, but compared to everyone else alive during his days, he was the best? As we study the Torah portions in the coming weeks we learn that Abraham is the first Jew. Why wasn’t Noah? God did repopulate the Earth from him and his family. Perhaps there’s foreshadowing in our story. While Noah is righteous enough in his generation to build the Ark, bring his sons, daughters in law, wife and animals onto the Ark, he immediately does something not so righteous upon getting off the Ark. At the ripe old age of six hundred, after forty days and nights of rain, one hundred and fifty days of rising water, another forty days of the Ark resting on Mt. Ararat, one raven’s failed attempt to find land, a seven day wait, a dove’s attempt to find land (failing also), another seven day wait, a second dove’s attempt (success), another seven day wait (totaling two-hundred and fifty-eight days trapped on the Ark), Noah gets off the Ark, builds an Altar to God, plants a vineyard, makes wine and gets drunk. Altar building – righteous. Getting drunk and passing out – not so much. Not only does he get drunk and pass out, but his son, Ham sees him in his nakedness. Ham goes to tell his brothers causing a great embarrassment to Noah. Shem and Yaphet, walking backwards in order not to see Noah, their father, naked, cover him with a blanket. Shem and Yaphet receive a blessing. Ham a curse. Noah’s actions led to disrespect by his child. He was lucky that his two other sons showed the proper kavod (respect) for their father (which is why they receive blessings). The sin of Ham (seeing his father naked, gossiping to his brother, perhaps even more {see other commentaries}) are due to the unrighteous act of Noah. (Please keep in mind that wine is used to sanctify God, particularly as part of Kiddush. It is, however to be consumed in moderation.) Perhaps Ham was set up to fail based on Noah’s actions. What it teaches us is that each of our children will react different to the same situation. Noah did not raise his children differently. They were all on the Ark together, experiencing the same things. Yet Ham reacted negatively to Noah’s indiscretion, as opposed to using it as an opportunity to perform as Mitzvah (as Shem and Yaphet did). We cannot expect the same from each of our children all of the time. We cannot be righteous all of the time, but we must be careful to guard our actions in front of our children. AS A FAMILY: Try to name the animals that Noah took onto the Ark, in Hebrew.
FOR FURTHER
DISCUSSION:
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