Parshat Noach Answers

Noach 5722

בראשית פרק ז

(ד) כִּי לְיָמִים עוֹד שִׁבְעָה אָנֹכִי מַמְטִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה וּמָחִיתִי אֶת כָּל הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה:

(יא) בִּשְׁנַת שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה לְחַיֵּי נֹחַ בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי בְּשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה נִבְקְעוּ כָּל מַעְיְנֹת תְּהוֹם רַבָּה וַאֲרֻבֹּת הַשָּׁמַיִם נִפְתָּחוּ:

(יב) וַיְהִי הַגֶּשֶׁם עַל הָאָרֶץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה:

(יז) וַיְהִי הַמַּבּוּל אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם עַל הָאָרֶץ וַיִּרְבּוּ הַמַּיִם וַיִּשְׂאוּ אֶת הַתֵּבָה וַתָּרָם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ:

(יח) וַיִּגְבְּרוּ הַמַּיִם וַיִּרְבּוּ מְאֹד עַל הָאָרֶץ וַתֵּלֶךְ הַתֵּבָה עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם:

(יט) וְהַמַּיִם גָּבְרוּ מְאֹד מְאֹד עַל הָאָרֶץ וַיְכֻסּוּ כָּל הֶהָרִים הַגְּבֹהִים אֲשֶׁר תַּחַת כָּל הַשָּׁמָיִם:

(כ) חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה מִלְמַעְלָה גָּבְרוּ הַמָּיִם וַיְכֻסּוּ הֶהָרִים:

(כד) וַיִּגְבְּרוּ הַמַּיִם עַל הָאָרֶץ חֲמִשִּׁים וּמְאַת יוֹם:

בראשית פרק ח

(א) וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹקים אֶת נֹחַ וְאֵת כָּל הַחַיָּה וְאֶת כָּל הַבְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ בַּתֵּבָה וַיַּעֲבֵר אֱלֹקים רוּחַ עַל הָאָרֶץ וַיָּשֹׁכּוּ הַמָּיִם:

(ב) וַיִּסָּכְרוּ מַעְיְנֹת תְּהוֹם וַאֲרֻבֹּת הַשָּׁמָיִם וַיִּכָּלֵא הַגֶּשֶׁם מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם:

(ג) וַיָּשֻׁבוּ הַמַּיִם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ הָלוֹךְ וָשׁוֹב וַיַּחְסְרוּ הַמַּיִם מִקְצֵה חֲמִשִּׁים וּמְאַת יוֹם:

Alef.

1. On the one hand, the Tora states (7:12) that the Flood was constituted of forty days and nights of release of water from above and below. On the other hand, the Tora states (7:24) that the Flood was on the earth 150 days. The question is was any additional water released during the balance (110 days) of the Flood, or was all of the destruction due to only forty days of water being introduced from the depths and the heavens?

2.  It seems to me that there are only two solutions: Ibn Ezra posits that additional water was added past the original forty days, while Wiesel and Cassuto do not think so, with the assuaging of the waters already beginning immediately after those first forty days.

3.   Ibn Ezra: The waters increased…

      Wiesel, Cassuto: The waters had risen…

4.   Ibn Ezra believes that this is the first time that no additional water was added to the world following the beginning of the Flood.

5.   Although Beraishit 1 and the beginning of Beraishit 2 lists events that take place following man’s Creation:

בראשית פרק א

(כו) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּבְכָל הָאָרֶץ וּבְכָל הָרֶמֶשׂ הָרֹמֵשׂ עַל הָאָרֶץ:

(כז) וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹקים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹקים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אֹתָם:

(כח) וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹקים וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם אֱלֹקים פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁהָ וּרְדוּ בִּדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבְכָל חַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת עַל הָאָרֶץ:

(כט) וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקים הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת כָּל עֵשֶׂב זֹרֵעַ זֶרַע אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ וְאֶת כָּל הָעֵץ אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ פְרִי עֵץ זֹרֵעַ זָרַע לָכֶם יִהְיֶה לְאָכְלָה:

בראשית פרק ב  

(א) וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וְכָל צְבָאָם:

(ב) וַיְכַל אֱלֹקים בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה:

(ג) וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹקים אֶת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹקים לַעֲשׂוֹת: פ

(ל) וּלְכָל חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ וּלְכָל עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְכֹל רוֹמֵשׂ עַל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר בּוֹ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה אֶת כָּל יֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב לְאָכְלָה וַיְהִי כֵן:

(לא) וַיַּרְא אֱלֹקים אֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְהִנֵּה טוֹב מְאֹד וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי: פ

the subsequent material in Chapter 2 expands upon the account of the Creation of man and what happens to him already mentioned in Chapter 1.

בראשית פרק ב

(ד) אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם:

(ה) וְכֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ וְכָל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִצְמָח כִּי לֹא הִמְטִיר יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקים עַל הָאָרֶץ וְאָדָם אַיִן         before 1:26

לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה:                                                

(ו) וְאֵד יַעֲלֶה מִן הָאָרֶץ וְהִשְׁקָה אֶת כָּל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה:

(ז) וַיִּיצֶר יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקים אֶת הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה:   detail of v. 27                                

(ח) וַיִּטַּע יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקים גַּן בְּעֵדֶן מִקֶּדֶם וַיָּשֶׂם שָׁם אֶת הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר יָצָר:

(ט) וַיַּצְמַח יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקים מִן הָאֲדָמָה כָּל עֵץ נֶחְמָד לְמַרְאֶה וְטוֹב לְמַאֲכָל וְעֵץ הַחַיִּים בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן וְעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע:

(י) וְנָהָר יֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד וְהָיָה לְאַרְבָּעָה רָאשִׁים:

(יא) שֵׁם הָאֶחָד פִּישׁוֹן הוּא הַסֹּבֵב אֵת כָּל אֶרֶץ הַחֲוִילָה אֲשֶׁר שָׁם הַזָּהָב:

(יב) וּזֲהַב הָאָרֶץ הַהִוא טוֹב שָׁם הַבְּדֹלַח וְאֶבֶן הַשֹּׁהַם:

(יג) וְשֵׁם הַנָּהָר הַשֵּׁנִי גִּיחוֹן הוּא הַסּוֹבֵב אֵת כָּל אֶרֶץ כּוּשׁ:detail of v. 29                                                                                                 

(יד) וְשֵׁם הַנָּהָר הַשְּׁלִישִׁי חִדֶּקֶל הוּא הַהֹלֵךְ קִדְמַת אַשּׁוּר וְהַנָּהָר הָרְבִיעִי הוּא פְרָת:

(טו) וַיִּקַּח יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקים אֶת הָאָדָם וַיַּנִּחֵהוּ בְגַן עֵדֶן לְעָבְדָהּ וּלְשָׁמְרָהּ:

(טז) וַיְצַו יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקים עַל הָאָדָם לֵאמֹר מִכֹּל עֵץ הַגָּן אָכֹל תֹּאכֵל:

(יז) וּמֵעֵץ הַדַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע לֹא תֹאכַל מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי בְּיוֹם אֲכָלְךָ מִמֶּנּוּ מוֹת תָּמוּת: 

(יח) וַיֹּאמֶר יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקים לֹא טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ אֶעֱשֶׂה לּוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ:

(יט) וַיִּצֶר יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקים מִן הָאֲדָמָה כָּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה וְאֵת כָּל עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וַיָּבֵא אֶל הָאָדָם לִרְאוֹת מַה יִּקְרָא לוֹ וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא לוֹ הָאָדָם נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה הוּא שְׁמוֹ:

(כ) וַיִּקְרָא הָאָדָם שֵׁמוֹת לְכָל הַבְּהֵמָה וּלְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּלְכֹל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה וּלְאָדָם לֹא מָצָא עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ:

(כא) וַיַּפֵּל יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקים תַּרְדֵּמָה עַל הָאָדָם וַיִּישָׁן וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעֹתָיו וַיִּסְגֹּר בָּשָׂר תַּחְתֶּנָּה:detail of v. 27-8                                            

(כב) וַיִּבֶן יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקים אֶת הַצֵּלָע אֲשֶׁר לָקַח מִן הָאָדָם לְאִשָּׁה וַיְבִאֶהָ אֶל הָאָדָם:

(כג) וַיֹּאמֶר הָאָדָם זֹאת הַפַּעַם עֶצֶם מֵעֲצָמַי וּבָשָׂר מִבְּשָׂרִי לְזֹאת יִקָּרֵא אִשָּׁה כִּי מֵאִישׁ לֻקֳחָה זֹּאת:

(כד) עַל כֵּן יַעֲזָב אִישׁ אֶת אָבִיו וְאֶת אִמּוֹ וְדָבַק בְּאִשְׁתּוֹ וְהָיוּ לְבָשָׂר אֶחָד:

(כה) וַיִּהְיוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם עֲרוּמִּים הָאָדָם וְאִשְׁתּוֹ וְלֹא יִתְבֹּשָׁשׁוּ:

6.   It would have been expected that the birth of Adam and Chava’s third child

בראשית פרק ד

(כה) וַיֵּדַע אָדָם עוֹד אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן וַתִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ שֵׁת כִּי שָׁת לִי אֱלֹקים זֶרַע אַחֵר תַּחַת הֶבֶל כִּי הֲרָגוֹ קָיִן:

(כו) וּלְשֵׁת גַּם הוּא יֻלַּד בֵּן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ אֱנוֹשׁ אָז הוּחַל לִקְרֹא בְּשֵׁם יְקֹוָק: פ

should have been mentioned in close proximity to the births of Kayin and Hevel (immediately following 4:2), or at the very least, right after Hevel’s murder at the hands of Kayin (4:15) before discussing Kayin’s own descendants (4:17-24).

7.  RaShI and Ibn Ezra are advocates of the rule “Ein Mukdam U’Meuchar BaTora” (the events in the Tora do not follow a chronological sequence.) This would allow for an interpretation of the “plus perfect”, i.e., the past perfect, “this had already happened in the past”. The “Vav HaHipuch” form of verbs frequently used in the Bible which take future tenses and turn them into past tenses would seem to reflect the Hebrew language’s aversion to such an interpretation in the sense that past and future are blended together in single word forms, then it would be greatly confusing if we could not assume that at least the contents of the stories are being presented in chronological order.

Beit.

Ibn Ezra:

   How can there be “forgetfulness” with respect to HaShem that He has to “Remember” Noach?

The remembrance of Noach’s good deeds comes before HaShem at that particular moment.

RaMBaN:

   a.  (Essentially the same question that Ibn Ezra poses.)

The “Remembrance” of Noach was due to the covenant that HaShem Entered into with this Tzaddik.

b. Since Noach’s family is also save, why doesn’t the text state that HaShem Remembered them?

   They are included in the Memory of Noach.

c.  Why should HaShem “Remember” the animals in the Ark if they don’t have the ability to make moral choices and therefore can’t be judged as to whether or not they are worthy of being remembered?

   HaShem “Remembered” the purpose for Creating the world, which depended upon animals being part of that Creation.

d.  Why does He Decide at this particular point to remove the water and allow the inhabitants of the Ark to emerge?

   Because had they stayed any longer in the Ark, they would have died.

e.  Why aren’t birds and fish included in the “Remembrance”?

   They are included in the “Remembrance” of the animals.

Rabbeinu Bechaye:

Why does the verse mention that HaShem “Remembered” both Noach and the animals?

To demonstrate that HaShem’s Divine Supervision Applies to all equally.

Ibn Kaspi:

How is it possible that the same Divine Supervision Applies equally to Noach and the animals?

Logically, it does not and therefore the verse should not be interpreted in that manner.

Cassuto:

(The same question asked by Ibn Ezra and RaMBaN.)

God’s “Remembrance” is to be understood as His Acting upon a Promise that He originally Made. In this case, He Promised to Save Noach from the Flood that He was Bringing to Destroy the inhabitants of the world, and He is now Acting upon that Promise to Make it come true.

Gimel.

Ibn Kaspi is bothered by the ostensible implication that the word “Ad” somehow reflects the existence of some type of physical barrier that does not allow the subject of the sentence to proceed any further.  But that is not the case in this particular verse, where the word “Ad” is an adverb defining the length of time or the phenomenon that would occur marking the end of the raven’s sojourn outside of the Ark.

Daled.

1. א) Perhaps the Rabbis thought that once the text stated that Noach was aware of the fact that the floodwaters had disappeared, then why didn’t he take the initiative and leave the Ark without God’s Commanding him to do so. Consequently they assume that there was some sort of assurance demanded by Noach before  he and those with him would set foot on dry land.

בראשית פרק ח

(יג) וַיְהִי בְּאַחַת וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה בָּרִאשׁוֹן בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ חָרְבוּ הַמַּיִם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ וַיָּסַר נֹחַ אֶת מִכְסֵה הַתֵּבָה וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה חָרְבוּ פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה:

(יד) וּבַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי בְּשִׁבְעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ יָבְשָׁה הָאָרֶץ: ס

(טו) וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹקם אֶל נֹחַ לֵאמֹר:

(טז) צֵא מִן הַתֵּבָה אַתָּה וְאִשְׁתְּךָ וּבָנֶיךָ וּנְשֵׁי בָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ:

(יז) כָּל הַחַיָּה אֲשֶׁר אִתְּךָ מִכָּל בָּשָׂר בָּעוֹף וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּבְכָל הָרֶמֶשׂ הָרֹמֵשׂ עַל הָאָרֶץ הוצא הַיְצֵא אִתָּךְ וְשָׁרְצוּ בָאָרֶץ וּפָרוּ וְרָבוּ עַל הָאָרֶץ:

ב) The Midrash inferred from the verse in Yeshayahu:

ישעיהו פרק נד

(ט) כִּי מֵי נֹחַ זֹאת לִי אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי מֵעֲבֹר מֵי נֹחַ עוֹד עַל הָאָרֶץ כֵּן נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי מִקְּצֹף עָלַיִךְ וּמִגְּעָר בָּךְ:

"For this is as the waters of Noah unto Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee"

that as long as there was the possibility that another Flood would be sent by God, Noach had no interest in disembarking from the Ark. The prospect of having children and flourishing, only to be wiped out by another devastating catastrophe, according to the Midrash, had no appeal for Noach.

Similarly, the people have to be assured by HaShem that there will not be another far-reaching destruction before they agree to return from Bavel:

Yeshayahu 48:

ישעיהו פרק מח

(יז) כֹּה אָמַר יְקֹוָק גֹּאַלְךָ קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲנִי יְקֹוָק אֱלֹקיךָ מְלַמֶּדְךָ לְהוֹעִיל מַדְרִיכֲךָ בְּדֶרֶךְ תֵּלֵךְ:

(יח) לוּא הִקְשַׁבְתָּ לְמִצְוֹתָי וַיְהִי כַנָּהָר שְׁלוֹמֶךָ וְצִדְקָתְךָ כְּגַלֵּי הַיָּם:

(יט) וַיְהִי כַחוֹל זַרְעֶךָ וְצֶאֱצָאֵי מֵעֶיךָ כִּמְעֹתָיו לֹא יִכָּרֵת וְלֹא יִשָּׁמֵד שְׁמוֹ מִלְּפָנָי:

(כ) צְאוּ מִבָּבֶל בִּרְחוּ מִכַּשְׂדִּים בְּקוֹל רִנָּה הַגִּידוּ הַשְׁמִיעוּ זֹאת הוֹצִיאוּהָ עַד קְצֵה הָאָרֶץ אִמְרוּ גָּאַל יְקֹוָק עַבְדּוֹ יַעֲקֹב:

(כא) וְלֹא צָמְאוּ בָּחֳרָבוֹת הוֹלִיכָם מַיִם מִצּוּר הִזִּיל לָמוֹ וַיִּבְקַע צוּר וַיָּזֻבוּ מָיִם:

(כב) אֵין שָׁלוֹם אָמַר יְקֹוָק לָרְשָׁעִים: ס

"Oh that thou wouldest hearken to My Commandments! then would thy peace be as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea; Thy seed also would be as the sand, and the offspring of thy body like the grains thereof; his name would not be cut off nor destroyed from before Me. Go ye forth from Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans; with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye: 'The LORD hath Redeemed His servant Jacob. And they thirsted not when He Led them through the deserts; He Caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them; He Cleaved the rock also, and the waters gushed out.' There is no peace, Saith the LORD concerning the wicked". 

(Yitz Greenberg: Having children in a post-Holocaust age is an act of courage, optimism.

Bava Batra 60b

And from the day that a Government has come into power which issues cruel decrees against us and forbids to us the observance of the Torah and the precepts  and does not allow us to enter into the 'week of the son'  (according to another version, 'the salvation of the son'),  we ought by rights to bind ourselves not to marry and beget children, and the seed of Abraham our father would come to an end of itself. However, let Israel go their way: it is better that they should err in ignorance than presumptuously.)

ג) Although Noach was in effect the “caretaker” of the world, in the sense of the human and animal species, he was only a surrogate for HaShem, Who, once the Flood was over and the water had receded, Wished to Resume His previous Position as the true Caretaker of the World.

2.  The difference between the two Midrashim re Noach’s offering sacrifices has to do with what gave him the idea.

Beraishit Rabba posits that the catalyst was the extra Kosher animals that Noach had been Commanded to take onto the Ark. He deduced that there was some immediate special purpose for having specifically these animals available to him.

Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer asserts that the idea came to Noach because of feelings of gratitude towards God for having saved him from the Flood. Only after he was overcome with such feelings did he hit upon the idea of offering the extra Kosher animals as sacrifices.

3. א) According to this Midrash, the sacrifice represents the attribute of Mesirat Nefesh, i.e.,   readiness for self-sacrifice on the part of the individual who brings the sacrifice.

ב) Avraham, on the one hand,  and Chanania, Mishael and Azarya on the other, apparently shared similar attitudes with regard to the readiness for self-sacrifice, since they were ready to be cast into a fiery furnace—Avraham in the Midrashic descriptions of his encounter with Nimrod, and C., M. and A. who according to the book of Daniel are cast into the furnace upon Nevuchadnezzar’s orders. Since so many generations separate these men, the Midrash refers to them as grandfather and grandsons. But by attaching this idea to Noach’s sacrifices, the Midrash suggests that the potential for people like these descending from Noach justifies the preservation of mankind despite their serious transgressions.

ג)  To say that Hashem “Smells” a goodly smell from the Korbanot is extremely anthropomorphic. Consequently the verse is interpreted by the Midrash that this is a reference to a Divine Recognition that within the human species there are exceptional spiritual individuals who justify the preservation of the entire species.