Sod Yesharim - Parshas Noach
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PARSHAS NOACH
A discourse by HaGaon Rabeynu Gershon Chanoch of Radzin ZTs"L
(The photo to the left is of a friend of Isbitz-Radzin in Israel Today.)
“These are the generations of Noach. Noach …”
Zohar, Noach, 59b
“Rabbi Chiya opened and said, “And Your people are all righteous – they will forever inherit the land. They are the bud of My planting, the work of My hands in which I will take pride.” (Isaiah, 60). Fortunate are you, Israel, who study the Torah, and know the ways of the Torah. For this you will inherit the world to come. Come and see. All of Israel has a portion in the world to come. Why? Because they guard and receive the covenant which the world exists upon, as it is written, “If it were not for My covenant day and night, I would not have established the laws of heaven and earth (that is to say, the laws of nature.)” (This verse tells us that Torah observance of the Jews does no less than make the laws of nature possible. However, you may understand the “laws of heaven and earth in a different way.) …
Rabbi Elazar said, “when the verse says, “these,” (as in “these are the generations of Noach”), it comes to disqualify whatever came before. What came before in Parshas Bereshis that “these” comes to disqualify? “And a river came forth from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided into four branches (“heads.”) The river flowed forth and entered the garden, watering above, satisfying it, allowing it to produce fruits (souls) and increase its seeds. In this way the river satisfied the garden, and in doing so satisfied itself. (Providing for the fruits gave the river contentment.) This is the meaning of the two verses (in the second chapter of Bereshis), “for on it He rested,” (meaning the river), “and He rested on the seventh day.” (Meaning the garden). This is the secret of how it (the river) brings forth generations and no other.
(The River watering the Garden is the secret of the zivvug of Yesod and Malchus)
Questions on the Zohar.
2. “What does Noach and his generations have to do with the way the existence of the world depends on the fulfillment of the covenant, which we call, ‘the Torah?’ ”
3. According to the Zohar, what does “these” in first verse in parshas Noach come to disqualify from parshas Bereshis, and why?
4. According to the Zohar, what is the connection between the river which flowed forth from Eden and the mention of rest in parshas Bereshis?
While learning this passage of the Sod Yesharim, consider the questions,
1. What is the difference between the covenant that God made with Noach, the covenant that He made with Avraham, and the covenant at Mount Sinai?
2. What are human actions that last forever? What does it mean to be connected on the inside, and what does it mean to be connected on the outside?
Sod Yesharim, Continued.
With this, the Zohar is explaining the difference between the covenant that God made with Noach and the covenant that God made with Avraham Avinu. Desire is a part of life. Man's desire drives him to satisfy physical pleasures, magnify his wealth, and increase his honor. If you limit your own desires, and give honor to God and His desires, then measure for measure, God will send the Shechina to rest upon you. The more you give honor to God, the greater you will experience a revelation of Godliness in your life. The people of Noach’s time, hedonists par excelance, were prodigious in running after their own desires and pleasures. They were the epitome of selfishness. The thought of restricting your own desires and fulfilling God’s desire was considered ludicrous. Noach was the only one of his own Generation who put himself and his desires aside in order to give honor to God. This is why Noach is called an, “Ish Tsaddik Tamim,” a whole-hearted, righteous man. This is why God chose him to be the sole progenitor of mankind.
(Examples of limiting man's own desires in deference to God's desires is really very simple. God's desires are one and the same with the commandments, the seven noachide laws which are binding upon all of mankind, and the 613 laws commanded to the Jewish people. Let me offer a simple example. If I want to drive to the beach, but it is saturday, then refraining from using the car out of respect for God's law is a way of limiting my own desire and fulfilling God's desire. If I just ate meat, and want to drink milk an hour later, but my religious senseblility keeps me waiting the full six hours required by the Rambam, then again, I am limiting my own desires and giving honor to God.)
However, the progeny of Noach was not connected to the inner light. Noach’s descendants (until Avraham) where just the garments, even though from God’s point of view even the garments contain eternal life. Yet from man’s point of view, man can only acquire something in which he has a deep grasp and tangible understanding.
(On 8 oct. 07 Rav Brandvine Shlit"a discussed how the surrounding light, or as the Sod Yesharim puts it, the "garments," represents a general feeling of sanctity without any deep understanding of the meaning. The inner light is a deep understanding of the meaning.)
This has an Halachic application. The Rosh brings the following scenario. (Baba Metzia, quoted in the hagahaos oshr”i, ch. 2, siman 9) A Jew bought tin from a Gentile supplier to make his roof. He and the supplier both assumed that it was tin. He changed his mind and sold it to a different Jew. After the transaction, the second Jew discovered that it was tin plated silver. Rabbi Eliezar of Mitz said the second Jew was exempt from returning the metal, since the Jew who bought from the Gentile didn’t know, and had no intention in buying the silver. Rabeynu Tam agreed with Rabbi Eliezar of Mitz.
The point is that his acquisition reached only as far as his knowledge of what he was acquiring. He paid him the rate for tin (and not for silver.) This case in the Rosh is based on the mishna in Baba Metzia (second chapter, or in the B.T. on daf 25b), “If he found a treasure in a pile of stones or in an old stone wall, he can keep it. (he has acquired the lost treasure.)” The Gemara explains, “if you bought a house, and then you found a treasure in one of the walls, or in a pile of stones on the property, then you don’t have to return it to the previous owner, because it could have been there for ages. ”
Noach didn’t have a real apprehension in the depths of the covenant because the birrur in the world was not yet complete. (Birrur is the refinement, or the clarification between the significant and the extraneous, between good and evil.) Noach only had an understanding of the garments, the external elements of the world. Still, Noach merited eternal life. The internal aspect of life was apprehended with the covenant that was forged with Avraham. It is an all-encompassing covenant (not only external), and it endures forever. This is as it is said of Avraham (Bereshis, 18:19), “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, (and they shall keep the way of God, to do justice and judgment …)”
A permanent acquisition was rooted in Avraham whereby he would only be content with something that was eternal and all-encompassing. (Eternal actions are actions that fulfill the desires of the Eternal One.) We see that this is not the case with Noach, for the moment he left the Ark and saw that he had a future (was a “ben olam haba”), the moment he was sure that he would not be decimated by the flood, his mind was put at ease. But this ease and surety actually disturbed him, as we see, “he made wine (and became drunk.).” All of his contentment was in the wine, even though wine is only a temporary enjoyment. Therefore most of his descendants were also given over to temporary enjoyment. Many wicked men came from his descendants, which is something we do not find with the Patriarchs. Even though Yishmael came from Avraham, still, Yishmael is not called, “the seed of Avraham,” but rather a decendant of Noach, for God said to Avraham, “your progeny shall be called through Yitschak.”
We find that Avraham always limited activities that were not, “eternal.” This is why the Zohar in parshas Noach begins with the verse, “and Your people are all righteous, the will always (eternally) inherit the land ...” and follows by commenting, “Fortunate are you, Israel, who study the Torah, and know the ways of the Torah. For this you will inherit the world to come. Why? It is because they guard the covenant.” This distinguishes Israel from the peoples of the earth. Every way in which Israel limits themselves (in avodas Hashem) is an expression of their connection to the source. They are united (devukim) with the Torah, and the Torah is the center column (which unites all of the sefiros). By virtue of Israel’s connection to the source which is all-inclusive, they only delight in matters which are eternal and all-inclusive. Truly, God rewards all the people of the earth for good behavior, as we find in the Talmud, “God does not withhold the earnings of all of his creations.” God is absolutely fair, and does not defraud anything or anyone. Noach, too, rejoiced in his portion.
The creation of the world, and the generations of Adam were like a fruit that only ripened with the coming of Avraham. With Avraham, the time was ripe to forge a deeper covenant with God. (This is a covenant that allows deeper understanding of God's desires as expressed in the Laws of His Torah. The fullfilment of such laws with fear and love allows a man to know God.) Avraham received the reward of all of the generations from Noach until his lifetime, including the reward of Noach. All of Noach’s reward was that Avraham would be born ten generation later among his descendants. In the merit being Avraham’s progenitor, Noach too merited the world to come. (Avraham was Noach’s “future.”) Only because of Avraham, Noach was also “eternal.” However, the light and the understanding was given only to Avraham, so the main acquisition of the inheritance of God and the knowledge of God in the world was exclusively with Avraham. This is why Rabbi Chiya opened parshas Noach by saying, “and Your people are all righteous,” because the covenant that God forged with the Patriarchs includes all of Israel, and in the merit of this covenant, “nothing will be pushed into exile.” (See Shmuel 2, 14:14) and they will forever inherit the land, meaning that the covenant that God formed with the Patriarchs is an eternal covenant, as opposed to a temporary agreement.
PARSHAS NOACH
A discourse by HaGaon Rabeynu Gershon Chanoch of Radzin ZTs"L
(The photo to the left is of a friend of Isbitz-Radzin in Israel Today.)
“These are the generations of Noach. Noach …”
Zohar, Noach, 59b
“Rabbi Chiya opened and said, “And Your people are all righteous – they will forever inherit the land. They are the bud of My planting, the work of My hands in which I will take pride.” (Isaiah, 60). Fortunate are you, Israel, who study the Torah, and know the ways of the Torah. For this you will inherit the world to come. Come and see. All of Israel has a portion in the world to come. Why? Because they guard and receive the covenant which the world exists upon, as it is written, “If it were not for My covenant day and night, I would not have established the laws of heaven and earth (that is to say, the laws of nature.)” (This verse tells us that Torah observance of the Jews does no less than make the laws of nature possible. However, you may understand the “laws of heaven and earth in a different way.) …
Rabbi Elazar said, “when the verse says, “these,” (as in “these are the generations of Noach”), it comes to disqualify whatever came before. What came before in Parshas Bereshis that “these” comes to disqualify? “And a river came forth from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided into four branches (“heads.”) The river flowed forth and entered the garden, watering above, satisfying it, allowing it to produce fruits (souls) and increase its seeds. In this way the river satisfied the garden, and in doing so satisfied itself. (Providing for the fruits gave the river contentment.) This is the meaning of the two verses (in the second chapter of Bereshis), “for on it He rested,” (meaning the river), “and He rested on the seventh day.” (Meaning the garden). This is the secret of how it (the river) brings forth generations and no other.
(The River watering the Garden is the secret of the zivvug of Yesod and Malchus)
Questions on the Zohar.
2. “What does Noach and his generations have to do with the way the existence of the world depends on the fulfillment of the covenant, which we call, ‘the Torah?’ ”
3. According to the Zohar, what does “these” in first verse in parshas Noach come to disqualify from parshas Bereshis, and why?
4. According to the Zohar, what is the connection between the river which flowed forth from Eden and the mention of rest in parshas Bereshis?
While learning this passage of the Sod Yesharim, consider the questions,
1. What is the difference between the covenant that God made with Noach, the covenant that He made with Avraham, and the covenant at Mount Sinai?
2. What are human actions that last forever? What does it mean to be connected on the inside, and what does it mean to be connected on the outside?
Sod Yesharim, Continued.
With this, the Zohar is explaining the difference between the covenant that God made with Noach and the covenant that God made with Avraham Avinu. Desire is a part of life. Man's desire drives him to satisfy physical pleasures, magnify his wealth, and increase his honor. If you limit your own desires, and give honor to God and His desires, then measure for measure, God will send the Shechina to rest upon you. The more you give honor to God, the greater you will experience a revelation of Godliness in your life. The people of Noach’s time, hedonists par excelance, were prodigious in running after their own desires and pleasures. They were the epitome of selfishness. The thought of restricting your own desires and fulfilling God’s desire was considered ludicrous. Noach was the only one of his own Generation who put himself and his desires aside in order to give honor to God. This is why Noach is called an, “Ish Tsaddik Tamim,” a whole-hearted, righteous man. This is why God chose him to be the sole progenitor of mankind.
(Examples of limiting man's own desires in deference to God's desires is really very simple. God's desires are one and the same with the commandments, the seven noachide laws which are binding upon all of mankind, and the 613 laws commanded to the Jewish people. Let me offer a simple example. If I want to drive to the beach, but it is saturday, then refraining from using the car out of respect for God's law is a way of limiting my own desire and fulfilling God's desire. If I just ate meat, and want to drink milk an hour later, but my religious senseblility keeps me waiting the full six hours required by the Rambam, then again, I am limiting my own desires and giving honor to God.)
However, the progeny of Noach was not connected to the inner light. Noach’s descendants (until Avraham) where just the garments, even though from God’s point of view even the garments contain eternal life. Yet from man’s point of view, man can only acquire something in which he has a deep grasp and tangible understanding.
(On 8 oct. 07 Rav Brandvine Shlit"a discussed how the surrounding light, or as the Sod Yesharim puts it, the "garments," represents a general feeling of sanctity without any deep understanding of the meaning. The inner light is a deep understanding of the meaning.)
This has an Halachic application. The Rosh brings the following scenario. (Baba Metzia, quoted in the hagahaos oshr”i, ch. 2, siman 9) A Jew bought tin from a Gentile supplier to make his roof. He and the supplier both assumed that it was tin. He changed his mind and sold it to a different Jew. After the transaction, the second Jew discovered that it was tin plated silver. Rabbi Eliezar of Mitz said the second Jew was exempt from returning the metal, since the Jew who bought from the Gentile didn’t know, and had no intention in buying the silver. Rabeynu Tam agreed with Rabbi Eliezar of Mitz.
The point is that his acquisition reached only as far as his knowledge of what he was acquiring. He paid him the rate for tin (and not for silver.) This case in the Rosh is based on the mishna in Baba Metzia (second chapter, or in the B.T. on daf 25b), “If he found a treasure in a pile of stones or in an old stone wall, he can keep it. (he has acquired the lost treasure.)” The Gemara explains, “if you bought a house, and then you found a treasure in one of the walls, or in a pile of stones on the property, then you don’t have to return it to the previous owner, because it could have been there for ages. ”
Noach didn’t have a real apprehension in the depths of the covenant because the birrur in the world was not yet complete. (Birrur is the refinement, or the clarification between the significant and the extraneous, between good and evil.) Noach only had an understanding of the garments, the external elements of the world. Still, Noach merited eternal life. The internal aspect of life was apprehended with the covenant that was forged with Avraham. It is an all-encompassing covenant (not only external), and it endures forever. This is as it is said of Avraham (Bereshis, 18:19), “For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, (and they shall keep the way of God, to do justice and judgment …)”
A permanent acquisition was rooted in Avraham whereby he would only be content with something that was eternal and all-encompassing. (Eternal actions are actions that fulfill the desires of the Eternal One.) We see that this is not the case with Noach, for the moment he left the Ark and saw that he had a future (was a “ben olam haba”), the moment he was sure that he would not be decimated by the flood, his mind was put at ease. But this ease and surety actually disturbed him, as we see, “he made wine (and became drunk.).” All of his contentment was in the wine, even though wine is only a temporary enjoyment. Therefore most of his descendants were also given over to temporary enjoyment. Many wicked men came from his descendants, which is something we do not find with the Patriarchs. Even though Yishmael came from Avraham, still, Yishmael is not called, “the seed of Avraham,” but rather a decendant of Noach, for God said to Avraham, “your progeny shall be called through Yitschak.”
We find that Avraham always limited activities that were not, “eternal.” This is why the Zohar in parshas Noach begins with the verse, “and Your people are all righteous, the will always (eternally) inherit the land ...” and follows by commenting, “Fortunate are you, Israel, who study the Torah, and know the ways of the Torah. For this you will inherit the world to come. Why? It is because they guard the covenant.” This distinguishes Israel from the peoples of the earth. Every way in which Israel limits themselves (in avodas Hashem) is an expression of their connection to the source. They are united (devukim) with the Torah, and the Torah is the center column (which unites all of the sefiros). By virtue of Israel’s connection to the source which is all-inclusive, they only delight in matters which are eternal and all-inclusive. Truly, God rewards all the people of the earth for good behavior, as we find in the Talmud, “God does not withhold the earnings of all of his creations.” God is absolutely fair, and does not defraud anything or anyone. Noach, too, rejoiced in his portion.
The creation of the world, and the generations of Adam were like a fruit that only ripened with the coming of Avraham. With Avraham, the time was ripe to forge a deeper covenant with God. (This is a covenant that allows deeper understanding of God's desires as expressed in the Laws of His Torah. The fullfilment of such laws with fear and love allows a man to know God.) Avraham received the reward of all of the generations from Noach until his lifetime, including the reward of Noach. All of Noach’s reward was that Avraham would be born ten generation later among his descendants. In the merit being Avraham’s progenitor, Noach too merited the world to come. (Avraham was Noach’s “future.”) Only because of Avraham, Noach was also “eternal.” However, the light and the understanding was given only to Avraham, so the main acquisition of the inheritance of God and the knowledge of God in the world was exclusively with Avraham. This is why Rabbi Chiya opened parshas Noach by saying, “and Your people are all righteous,” because the covenant that God forged with the Patriarchs includes all of Israel, and in the merit of this covenant, “nothing will be pushed into exile.” (See Shmuel 2, 14:14) and they will forever inherit the land, meaning that the covenant that God formed with the Patriarchs is an eternal covenant, as opposed to a temporary agreement.
posted by Betzalel Philip Edwards @ 10:55 PM
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