Midreshet Lindenbaum - PARSHAT NACH

Parshat Noach
Rav Menachem Leibtag

1. QUESTIONS FOR PREPARATION
2. SHIUR ON PARSHAT NOACH
3. QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER IYUN

Parshat Noach - Questions for Self Study Part I:

PARSHAT NOACH / Questions for self-study

PART I - QUESTIONS FOR THE 'SHABBOS TABLE'

SIGNIFICANT NAMES

1. To the best of your memory, why was Noach named "Noach"?
AFTER you answer this question, see 5:28-29!
In your opinion, does this Biblical reason for Noach's name have anything to do with the Flood? If so, explain why & attempt to support your answer. If not, explain why not.
Now, review the Adam ha'rishon's punishment, as described in 3:17-19. Can you relate this in anyway to the reason for Noach's name as described in 5:29?
[If it's not Shabbos, a calculator will now come in handy.] How old was Adam ha'rishon was Noach was born?
[Was he still alive? / base you answer on the genealogies recorded in chapter 5!]
How old was Adam was Lemech (Noach's father) was born?
[Was he still alive? Again, base your answer on 5:1-28.]
Based on the above questions, can you explain why Lemech named his son Noach (as explained in 5:29)?

2. In your opinion, why do you think that Noach named one of his children SHEM? In your answer, relate to 4:26 (& 12:8)!
Relate this as well to Noach's blessing to Shem in 9:26!
Relate this as well to the famous Midrash of Chazal that SHEM established the first Yeshiva, together with his great grandson Ever!

3. Based on the relative life spans of Shem's offspring (as described in 11:10-25), can you explain you specifically Ever is identified as the 'second Rosh Yeshiva'? Based on the genealogies in chapter 10, were Shem and/or Ever alive during the life of Avraham?
Where either alive during the lifetimes of Yitzchak and Yaakov?

4. Can you suggest a reason for the Biblical names of Noach's two other children, CHAM & YEFET?
Relate to the countries into which their children dispersed, as described in 10:1-15. As you review those names, attempt to identify the various continents where this dispersion took place. Does this correspond to anything that you are familiar with?

PART II - QUESTIONS FOR PREPARATION (for weekly shiur)

A Divine Duality

1. In Breishit 6:5-8, God declares His intention to destroy all of mankind, and provides a reason for this decision (note also that this forms an independent 'parshia'). Then, however, in 6:11-13 we find another declaration of intent, with the explanation phrased somewhat differently.
a) Compare the reasons given for the planned destruction. Are they the same or different? If they are the same, explain the reason for the repetition. If they are different, explain the primary differences between them. Can you suggest a thematic explanation for the need for two parallel passages?
b) Note the name used to refer to God in each of the two passages. What is the significance of the switch? Can you relate this to our discussion of the first two perakim of Sefer Breishit?

2. Next, compare God's commandment to Noach in 6:13-22, to His commandment in 7:1-5. Again, what names were used for God in the two passages? Again, what is similar and what is different? [Note the opening and closing psukim of each unit.]

3. Finally, notice God's instructions to Noach AFTER the Mabul: compare 8:20-21 to 6:5-8, and compare 9:9-17 to 6:11-19. Relate this to your answer to the above questions.

A New Beginning

4. After the Mabul, (in 9:1-7) God presents Noach with a set of instructions that are meant to now guide mankind's behavior. Review these psukim. Would you consider them MITZVOT? If so, how many mitzvot do they include? If not, how would you define them?

5. Then, compare these psukim to God's instructions to Man after his creation (on the sixth day) in 1:28-31.
a) What is similar and what is different? Would you consider this a 'contrasting parallel'? If so, explain how.
b) Based on the events of the MABUL, can you explain the reason for this 'new' relationship between man and God?
c) Would you say that man is now on a 'higher' or 'lower' level? [Relate to the phrase "yerek eisev" and its context in both 9:3 and 1:29-30!]
6. What other parallels can you find between the story of Creation as detailed in the first chapter of Sefer Breishit and the Torah's description of the events that conclude the Mabul in 8:1-9:29? Can you suggest a reason for this parallel?

PARSHAT NOACH

The MABUL (the Flood) and MIGDAL BAVEL (the Tower of Babel) are undoubtedly the two primary stories in this week's Parsha. However, each of these two stories is preceded by a list of genealogies which appear to be rather irrelevant.
Furthermore, at the conclusion of Parshat Noach (see 11:10-25) we find yet another set of genealogies (that introduces the story of Avraham Avinu).
In this week's shiur, we'll attempt to explain how these "sifrei toladot" (lists of genealogies) form the 'backbone' of Sefer Breishit and can help us better understand its theme.

INTRODUCTION

In our introductory shiur on Sefer Breishit, we discussed the methodology that we employ to uncover the primary theme of each sefer. We begin with a quick review of the basic steps:
1) To group its "parshiot" together into units that share the most common topic. [Each of these units could be considered as 'chapter' like division.]
2) To group these 'chapter' divisions into larger units that share a common topic or theme.
3) To determine the overall theme of the "sefer" by studying the progression of theme from 'unit' to 'unit'.
In our shiur, we will show how the "toladot" in Sefer Breishit can help us apply this methodology.

FROM A LIST TO AN OUTLINE

In the following table, we list all of the 'parshiot' in the first seventeen chapters of Sefer Breishit, joining together only the most obvious groups of "parshiot" by noting their specific and then more general topics.
Study this list carefully, noting how the specfic topic group into more general topics:

PSUKIM SPECFIC TOPIC GENERAL TOPIC

1:1-2:3 7 days of Creation Creation of nature

2:4-3:15 the Gan Eden story Gan Eden

3:16 women's punishment "

3:17-21 man's punishment "

3:22-24 expulsion from Gan Eden "

4:1-26 Cain & Hevel outside Gan Eden

5:1-31 TOLADOT from Adam->Noach DOR HA'MABUL

5:32-6:4 man's downfall "

6:5-8 reason for Mabul (Hashem) "

6:9-12 reason for Mabul (Elokim) "

6:13-8:14 story of the Mabul "

8:15-9:7 man post-Mabul "

9:8-17 "brit ha'keshet" "

9:18-29 Cham's sin, Shem's blessing "

10:1-32 TOLADOT "bnei Noach" The 70 Nations

11:1-9 Migdal Bavel ( Their dispersion)

11:10-32 TOLADOT Shem->Terach Avraham Avinu

12:1-9 Avraham's ALIYAH "

12:10-13:18 Lot & Avraham "

14:1-24 War of 4 & 5 kings "

15:1-21 Brit bein ha'btarim "

chap. 16 Hagar & Sarah "

chap. 17 Brit Milah "

etc.

I recommend that you go over this list using a Tanach Koren to verify this division of its parshiot into topics.
As you review this chart, note how the first set of major topics all relate in one form or other to God's "hashgacha" [providence], i.e. His intervention in the history of mankind as He punishes man (or mankind) for wayward behavior.
In fact, we can summarize the first eleven chapters by stating that we find several stories of 'sin & punishment': Adam in Gan Eden, Cain's murder of Hevel, The generation of the flood ("dor ha'mabul"), and The builders of the Tower ("dor ha'plaga"). Afterward, the focus of Sefer Breishit changes to God's choice of Avraham Avinu and the story of the Avot.

ENTER - "TOLADOT"

However, within the progression of these stories we find a very interesting phenomena: Note how each of these general topics is first introduced by a set of "toladot" [genealogies]. For example:

* The TOLADOT from Adam to Noach (chapter 5) introduce the story of the MABUL (chapters 6->9).
* The TOLADOT or Noach's children (chapter 10) introduces the story of MIGDAL BAVEL (11:1-9 / the Tower of Babel).
* The TOLADOT from Shem to Terach (chapter 11) introduce the story of Avraham Avinu (chapters 12->...)

In fact, as surprising as it may sound, even the story of Gan Eden (chapters 2->3) is first introduced by "toladot";
"These are the TOLADOT of the heavens & earth..." (see 2:4!)
The following table summarizes this pattern, and illustrates how some sort of "toladot" introduces each of the main topics in Sefer Breishit. [As you review this table note how the first several topics all relate to "chet v'onesh', i.e. God's punishment of man (or mankind) for his sins.]:

CHAPTERS	TOPIC
2	TOLDOT SHAMAYIM V'ARETZ
2->4	-> Man in (and out of) Gan Eden
5	TOLDOT ADAM - The genealogy from Adam to Noach
6->9	-> ha'MABUL - The story of the Flood
10	TOLDOT BNEI NOACH - Shem, Cham & Yefet
11:1-9 ->	MIGDAL BAVEL - The story of the Tower of Babel
11	TOLDOT SHEM - Shem until Terach
12->	-> God's choice of AVRAHAM AVINU

Although this is rarely noticed, the SIFREI TOLDOT actually create the FRAMEWORK of Sefer Breishit! In fact, this pattern continues until the very end of Sefer Breishit. Note how we later find TOLADOT of: Yishmael (25:12); Yitzchak (25:19); Esav (36:1); (Yaakov (37:2).
In this manner, the TOLADOT introduce each and every story in Sefer Breishit. To explain why, we must first take a minute to explain what the word TOLADOT means:

WHAT'S A TOLADA?

The word "toladot" is derived from the Hebrew word "vlad", a child or offspring. Therefore, "ayleh toldot" should be translated "these are the children of...".
For example: "eyleh toldot ADAM" (5:1) means - "these are the CHILDREN of Adam" - and thus introduces the story of Adam's children, i.e. Shet, Enosh, Keinan, etc. Similarly, "eyleh toldot Noach" introduces the story of Noach's CHILDREN - Shem, Cham, and Yefet. [See Rashbam on 37:2 for a more complete explanation.]
Some of these "toldot" in Sefer Breishit are very short; they simply state that the person lived, married, had children and died (e.g. the generations from Adam to Noach). Other "toldot" are very detailed, e.g. those of Noach, Terach, Yitzchak, and Yaakov. Nonetheless, EVERY story in Sefer Breishit is introduced as part of someone's "toladot".
This explanation raises a question concerning the first instance where we find "toldot" - i.e. TOLDOT SHAMAYIM V'ARETZ (see 2:4). How do the heavens and earth have 'children'?! Note how various english translations attempt to solve this problem The answer to this question may be quite meaningful. Recall that the first chapter of Breishit explains how God created SHAMAYIM v'ARETZ (heavens and earth) from 'nothing' (ex-nihilo). Then, immediately afterward in the next chapter, we encounter the first use of "toldot": "eyleh TOLDOT ha'SHAMAYIM v'ha'ARETZ b'hibaram..." (2:4)
What are the TOLADOT of "SHAMAYIM v'ARETZ", i.e what are the CHILDREN of heaven and earth? If we follow the progressive pattern of Sefer Breishit (as illustrated by the above table) then "toldot shamayim v'aretz" must refer to ADAM ha'RISHON. In other words, Adam ha'Rishon is considered the 'offspring' of "shamayim v'aretz". This interpretation could help explain the significance of the pasuk that describes how God created man in PEREK BET (the first topic of this unit):

"And Hashem Elokim formed man from the dust of the EARTH and blew into his nostrils NISHMAT CHAYIM - the breath of life."

(see 2:7 / This second ingredient may reflect the aspect of man which comes from (or at least returns to) heaven.)
In contrast to the story of Creation in PEREK ALEPH, which features a clear division between SHAMAYIM [note the purpose of the "rakiya" in 1:6], the special manner of God's creation of man in PEREK BET may reflect his unique ability to connect between heaven and earth. [See Rashi on 2:5, where he explains how man is needed to pray for rain in order for vegetation to grow.] The next set of TOLADOT - from ADAM to Noach (see chapter 5) introduce the story of the Flood. This pattern of "toladot" introducing stories continues all the way until the very end of Sefer Breishit. Therefore, we conclude that these "sifrei toladot" do more than 'keep the sefer together'; they also help develop the theme of Sefer Breishit.
In this manner, the "toladot" create a framework for Sefer Breishit; however, they also help us identify its two distinct sections that create its primary theme. Let's explain:

THE TWO SECTIONS OF SEFER BREISHIT

Despite this successive nature of the TOLADOT in Sefer Breishit, they clearly divide into TWO distinct sections.
1 ) God's creation of mankind (chapters 1->11)
w/ stories relating to "schar v'onesh"
2 ) The story of the Avot (chapters 12->50)
God's choice of Avraham's family to become His nation

Even though the majority of Sefer Breishit focuses on the family of Avraham Avinu (Section Two), in the first eleven chapters (Section ONE), the Torah's focus is on mankind as a whole. Even though we find special details in Section One about Noach, it is NOT because he is designated to become a special nation. Rather, it is because through Noach mankind will be preserved. After the flood, the Torah tells us how the Noach's offspring evolve into nations, and their dispersement (see chapter 10). [Even when we find that Shem and Yefet receive special blessings (see the conclusion of chapter 9), the concept of a SPECIAL nation with a special covenant does not begin until the story of Avraham Avinu.]
In contrast, Section TWO (chapters 11->50) focusses on the story of AM YISRAEL - God's special nation. In this section, Sefer Breishit is no longer UNIVERSALISTIC, rather it becomes PARTICULARISTIC. Therefore, this section begins with TOLDOT SHEM till TERACH (see 11:10-24) that introduce the story of Avraham Avinu, whom God chooses in chapter 12 to become the forefather of His special nation. The remainder of Sefer Breishit explains which of Avraham's offspring are CHOSEN [= "bechira"], e.g Yitzchak and Yaakov], and which are REJECTED [= "dechiya"], e.g Yishmael and Esav]. [Note that Sefer Breishit concludes when this BECHIRA process is finally completed, i.e. when ALL twelve sons of Yaakov are CHOSEN, and no one is ever again rejected. This may explain the significance of Yaakov's name change to Yisrael - see shiur on Parshat Va'yishlach.]
Our final table summarizes how the "toladot" help define these two sections of Sefer Breishit:

I. UNIVERSALISTIC (chapters 1->11) - Creation of mankind

PEREK	TOLDOT	===> the STORY OF...
1-4	"shamayim v'aretz"	Man in (and out of) Gan Eden
5-9	from Adam to Noach	"dor ha'mabul" - the Flood
10-11	Bnei Noach to 70 nations	"dor ha'plaga" - Migdal Bavel

II. PARTICULARISTIC (11->50) - God's choice of Am Yisrael

PEREK	TOLDOT	===> the STORY OF...
11	from Shem to Terach	leads up to Avraham Avinu
11-25	Terach	God's choice of Avraham & Yitzchak
25	Yishmael	his 'rejection' ("d'chiya")
25-35	Yitzchak	Yaakov and Esav (their rivalry)
36	ESAV	his 'rejection'
37-50	YAAKOV	the 12 tribes/ Yosef and his brothers 70 nefesh" go down to Egypt

If our original assumption that each sefer in Chumash carries a unique prophetic theme is correct, then there should be a thematic reason for the progression of events from Section One to Section Two. To uncover that theme, we must take a closer look at the structure created by these "toladot".

SHEM & SHEM HASHEM

Note once again from the above table how each general topic in the first section of Sefer Breishit was first introduced by a set of "toladot". In a similar manner, each of these units concludes with an event which in some way relates to the concept of "shem Hashem". Let's explain how.
Our first unit, the story of Adam ha'rishon, concludes at the end of chapter four with a very intriguing pasuk:

"And also Shet gave birth to a son and called him Enosh, then he 'began' to call out in the Name of God ["az huchal likro b'shem Hashem"] (see 4:26)

[Most commentators explain that "huchal" implies that man began to 'defile' God's Name (shoresh "chilul"), i.e. they didn't call in His Name properly - see also Rambam Hilchot Avodah Zara I:1]
No matter how we explain the word "huchal" in this pasuk, all the commentators agree that God's intention was for man to 'call out in His Name'. Note however how this pasuk concludes the section which began in 2:4 with the story of Gan Eden. Even though man was banished from Gan Eden and Cain was punished for murder, God still has expectations from mankind - man is expected to search for God, to 'call out in His Name'.
Despite this high expectation, the next unit of "toladot", which leads into the story of the MABUL, shows that man's behavior fell far short of God's hopes. God becomes so angered that He decides to destroy His creation and begin over again with Noach. This unit which begins in 5:1 concludes in chapter 9 with a special set of mitzvot for Bnei Noach (9:1-7), a covenant ("brit ha'keshet" (9:8-17), and ends with the story of Noach becoming drunk (9:18-29). However, in this final story of this unit we find once again a reference to shem Hashem:
After cursing Canaan for his actions, Noach then blesses his son Shem:

"Blessed be God, the Lord of SHEM..." (see 9:26-27)

Now it is not by chance that Noach named his son - SHEM. Most likely, Noach's decision to name his son Shem was based on his hope that his son would fulfill God's hope that man call out b'shem Hashem, as explained in 4:26! [It is not by chance that Chazal consider Shem the founder of the first Yeshiva, the house of learning where Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov studied, i.e. "yeshivat shem v'ever".]

Noach blesses Shem in the hope that he and his decedents will indeed fulfill this goal. However, once again, we find that the next generation fails. In chapter 10, again we find a unit that begins with "toladot" - this time the development of the seventy nations from the children of Shem, Cham, and Yefet - and again, just like the two units that preceded it, this unit also concludes with a story about SHEM - the story of Migdal Bavel. However, this time they do not call out in God's Name, instead their goal is to make a "SHEM" for themselves!

MIGDAL BAVEL

When reading the first four psukim of the story of "migdal Bavel", it is hard to pinpoint one specific sin: [Note, however, the significant usage of the first person plural.]

"Everyone on earth had the same language and the same words. And as they traveled from the east, they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another: Come, LET US make bricks and burn them hard... And they said, Come LET US build US a city and a tower with its top in the sky, AND WE WILL MAKE A NAME FOR OURSELVES - v'naaseh lanu SHEM - lest WE shall be scattered all over the world. Then God came down to see...." (see 11:1-7)

From a cursory reading, it is not clear exactly what was so terrible about this generation. After all, is not achieving 'achdut' (unity) a positive goal? Likewise, the use of human ingenuity to initiate an industrial revolution, developing man- made building materials, i.e bricks from clay etc., seems to be a positive advancement of society. Furthermore, there appears to be nothing wrong with simply building a city and a tower. Why was God so angered that He decided to stop this construction and disperse mankind?
Chazal focus their criticism of this generation on their antagonistic attitude towards God (see Rashi 11:1). One key phrase in the Torah's explanation of the purpose for the tower reflects the egocentric nature of this generation:
"v'naase LANU SHEM" [WE shall make a NAME for OURSELVES] (11:4) [see Sanhedrin 109a]

Instead of devoting themselves to the NAME OF GOD, this generation removes Him from the picture altogether. The builders of the tower united for the sake of an unholy end. Their undertaking emphasized man's dominion and strength. Although this generation's behavior is far better than the generation of the Flood, God was still disappointed, for they established an anthropocentric society (i.e. man in the center) instead of a theocentric one (i.e. God in the center). Their primary aim was only to 'make a name' for themselves, but NOT for God. Once again, God's hope that man would "korey b'shem Hashem" never materialized. God found it necessary to 'scatter' mankind, most probably in the hope that the next time that the nations may gather together, it would be for a more ideal purpose.

FROM "BRIYAH" TO "BECHIRA"

The Migdal Bavel incident forms the conclusion of Section One of Sefer Breishit, for the story of Avraham Avinu now begins, as it is introduced by "toldot SHEM"!
Hence, Migdal Bavel should not be viewed as just another story about mankind, nor simply as the history of the development of language. This key story sets the stage for God's choice of Avraham Avinu, for it becomes the destiny of Avraham, the primary descendent of "toldot SHEM", to bring God's Name back into the history of civilization; to fix the error of mankind at MIGDAL BAVEL!
Therefore, it should come as no surprise to us that when Avraham Avinu arrives in Eretz Canaan, he climbs to Bet-El and builds a mizbayach and then 'calls out in God's Name' (see 12:8).
It should also come as no surprise to us that we later find that Isaiah speaks of the final goal when all mankind with unite once again, to climb the mountain of God at the Bet Ha'Mikdash in Yerushalayim - the "tikun" of Migdal Bavel (see Isaiah 2:1-5). However, as this week's shiur is only on Parshat Noach, we will wait for next week's shiur on Parshat Lech L'cha to continue this idea, in order to appreciate the fuller meaning of God's choice of Avraham Avinu.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER IYUN

A. In light of our discussion, we can better appreciate a puzzling statement made by Ben Azai:
"Zeh Sefer TOLDOT ha'Adam...
It is taught - Rebbe Akiva says, "v'ahavta l'ray'acha kamocha" - LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF - klal gadol ba'Torah - This is a GREAT PRINCIPLE of the Torah.
Ben Azai says, "zeh SEFER TOLDOT ha'ADAM" (5:1) - klal gadol m'zeh - is an even GREATER principle. (Yerushalmi Nedarim 9:4)

How could one suggest that the very technical list of the genealogies from Adam to Noach found in Breishit 5:1-32 constitutes even a principle, let alone one more important than the famous dictum that one should love his neighbor as himself!?One could suggest that Ben Azai's statement is not referring specifically to the genealogies, but rather to the overall structure of Sefer Breishit as formed by the TOLADOT, and thus its theme. Although it is very important to 'love thy neighbor', the theme of Sefer Breishit - that Am Yisrael must lead all mankind to a theocentric existence - is an even greater tenet of our faith.

B. What other parallels (or contrasting parallels) can you find between Yeshayahu 2:1-6 and the story of Migdal Bavel? [Be sure to relate to "bikah" and "har" as well!]

C. See Zfania 3:8-9 and its context, especially - "ki az eh'foch el amim SAFA B'RURA, li'kro ku'lam b'SHEM HASHEM, u'luvdo shchem ECHAD." How does this relate to our explanation of Migdal Bavel!?
Now, see Seforno in his introduction to Sefer Breishit. Note how explains the progression of events from the mabul until God's choice of Avraham Avinu! Does it become clear how the Seforno understood this pasuk in Tzfania!! [Be sure to find where he 'quotes' it.]

D. Am Yisrael is later commanded in Sefer Dvarim to establish the Mikdash "ba'makom asher yivchar Hashem l'shakeyn SHMO sham"! (Dvarim 12:5,11). Relate this to the above.
See also Shmuel II 7:22-27 and Melachim I 8:42-44).

E. The suggested thematic connection between Migdal Bavel and the "bchira" of Avraham Avinu is supported by the Midrash that states that Avraham was 48 years old when he recognized God for the first time. Avraham Avinu reached age 48 on the same year that Peleg died (see Rashi on 10:25), which according to Chazal corresponds to the precise year of Migdal Bavel - 1996 to Briyat ha'olam. Recall that Avraham was born in year 1948!

F. In case you "can't wait" until next week, some preparation for next week's shiur on Avraham Avinu & SHEM HA'SHEM. Note that when Avraham Avinu first arrives in Eretz Yisrael, he builds a mizbayach at Bet-El and calls out b'SHEM HaSHEM (12:8). After his sojourn in Egypt due to the famine, Avraham returns to this mizbayach at Bet-El and once again calls out b'SHEM HaSHEM! (13:4 / see also 21:33).
After reading this entire section (12:1-13:4) carefully, try to explain why Bet-el is the focal point of Avraham's aliyah.

For more articles by Rav Menachem Leibtag, visit his web site, www.tanach.org

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