RABBI DAVID ETENGOFF: PARASHAT HASHAVUAH
  • Blog: Rabbi David Etengoff: Parashat HaShavuah
  • Sefer Bereishit 5782&5783
  • Sefer Shemot 5782&5783
  • Sefer Vayikra 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5782&5783
  • Sefer Devarim 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bereishit 5780& 5781
  • Sefer Shemot 5780&5781
  • Sefer Vayikra 5780&5781
  • Sefer Bamidbar 578&5781
  • Sefer Devarim 578&5781
  • Sefer Bereishit 5778&5779
  • Sefer Shemot 5778&5779
  • Sefer Vayikra 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5778&5779
  • Sefer Devarim 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bereishit 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bereishit 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bereishit 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bereishit 5771&5770
  • Sefer Shemot 5776&5777
  • Sefer Shemot 5774&5775
  • Sefer Shemot 5772&5773
  • Sefer Shemot 5771&5770
  • Sefer Vayikra 5776&5777
  • Sefer Vayikra 5774&5775
  • Sefer Vayikra 5772&5773
  • Sefer Vayikra 5771&5770
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5771&5770
  • Sefer Devarim 5776&5777
  • Sefer Devarim 5774&5775
  • Sefer Devarim 5772&5773
  • Sefer Devarim 5771&5770

10/14/2012

Parashat Noach 5773, 2012: "Walking With Hashem, or Before Hashem?"

0 Comments

Read Now
 
                          Parashat Noach 5773, 2012:

         Walking With Hashem, or Before Hashem?


                              Rabbi David Etengoff

Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, my sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, and Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam, Yehonatan Binyamin Halevy ben Golda Friedel, and Moshe Reuven ben Chaya.

Who was Noach and who was Avraham? This simple question is crucial in helping us analyze the nature of genuine tzidkut (righteousness) and inauthentic tzidkut. Noach is described in Sefer Bereishit 6:9 as: “…et HaElokim hithalech Noach” (“Noach walked with G-d”). In contrast, regarding Avraham, the text (ibid. , 17:1) states: “…hithalach lfani v’heyah tamim” (“…walk before me and be complete,” Rashi, 1040-1105). The Midrash Rabah to Sefer Bereishit (middle of the fifth century CE) notes this intriguing disparity in language. In 30:10, Rabbi Yehudah explains this difference in allegorical terms:

“This may be compared to a nobleman who has two sons, one who is grown and one who is young. He says to the youngster: “Walk with me,” whereas he says to the grown son: “Come and walk before me.” So, too, was it the case regarding Avraham whose [spiritual] strength was great and thus Hashem said: “Walk before Me.” In contrast, Noach who was [spiritually] weak, was merely described as “…et HaElokim hithalech Noach.” (“…and Noach walked with G-d.”)

Rashi summarizes this Midrash in his commentary to Sefer Bereishit 6:9. He adds that Noach needed to be supported by Hashem (“tzarich saad l’tamcho”), whereas Avraham grew stronger and stronger on his own (“hayah mitchazak u’mehalach b’tzidko m’aluv”). Indeed, as Avraham continued to grow spiritually through each of the ten trials presented to him by Hashem, he also grew in the recognition of his responsibilities toward his fellow man. Thus, Avraham, in awe and with dignity, beseeched Hashem for mercy on behalf of the men, women, and children of S’dom. He cared deeply about others, and became the master of the special and holy midah (moral quality) of chesed. He truly walked before Hashem, as he forged new paths of spiritual response to the crises and trials with which he was presented.

Noach was an entirely different story. He was, as the Yiddish statement goes, a tzadik im peltz (someone who was wrapped in furs while those around him remained cold). When Hashem told him that he was about to destroy the entire world by the impending Great Flood, we never see Noach entreat Hashem on behalf of the populace of the world. He remained silent and seemingly uncaring regarding the fate of his fellow man. In stark contrast to Avraham, therefore, Noach appears to be spiritually immature. He could only follow alongside of Hashem when He was metaphorically leading him directly by the hand. He did not, because he could not, respond in a morally creative manner to the pressing requirements of his time, even when they encompassed the needs of the entire world. How different, indeed, was Avraham, the “steward of mankind,” whose watchword was clearly: “What about them?” This means he boldly and unhesitatingly asked the question: “What about those in the world who need Divine mercy and protection, and need an advocate to bring this to G-d’s attention?”

On some level, at least, our challenge in this world is to decide whether we will follow in the footsteps of Noach, or those of Avraham. One thing is clear: Only when we honestly recognize our obligations to mankind in general, in conjunction with our singular responsibilities to all Jews everywhere, can we claim the title of being “bnei Avraham” (the children of Avraham).

Let us hope and pray that each of us will follow Avraham’s path. Then, we will be able to be active participants in bringing Mashiach Tzidkanu (the Righteous Redeemer). May Hashem give us the strength and wisdom to be part of this glorious world-building process. V’chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email rdbe718@gmail.com.

My new audio shiurim for Women on Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis, may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd

*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. They are available here:  http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn.

**Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613.

*** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my new blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org

Share

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

Details

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

    Author

    Talmid of Rabbi Soloveitchik zatzal

    Categories

    All
    Parashat Hashavuah

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Blog: Rabbi David Etengoff: Parashat HaShavuah
  • Sefer Bereishit 5782&5783
  • Sefer Shemot 5782&5783
  • Sefer Vayikra 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5782&5783
  • Sefer Devarim 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bereishit 5780& 5781
  • Sefer Shemot 5780&5781
  • Sefer Vayikra 5780&5781
  • Sefer Bamidbar 578&5781
  • Sefer Devarim 578&5781
  • Sefer Bereishit 5778&5779
  • Sefer Shemot 5778&5779
  • Sefer Vayikra 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5778&5779
  • Sefer Devarim 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bereishit 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bereishit 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bereishit 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bereishit 5771&5770
  • Sefer Shemot 5776&5777
  • Sefer Shemot 5774&5775
  • Sefer Shemot 5772&5773
  • Sefer Shemot 5771&5770
  • Sefer Vayikra 5776&5777
  • Sefer Vayikra 5774&5775
  • Sefer Vayikra 5772&5773
  • Sefer Vayikra 5771&5770
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5771&5770
  • Sefer Devarim 5776&5777
  • Sefer Devarim 5774&5775
  • Sefer Devarim 5772&5773
  • Sefer Devarim 5771&5770