Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Noach Volume 25, No. 2 1 Marcheshvan 5771 October 9, 2010 Sponsored by Mrs. Esther Liberman and family in memory of husband and father Yaakov Azriel ben Aharon David a"h Today's Learning: Tanach: Yehoshua 17-18 Mishnah: Kilayim 2:7-8 Halachah: O.C. 551:8-10 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Avodah Zarah 56 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Terumot 54 The Gemara (Zevachim 113a) records the opinion of the Sage Rabbi Yochanan that the Flood waters did not cover Eretz Yisrael. The Gemara explains that Rabbi Yochanan learned this from the verse (Yechezkel 22:24), "Are you a land that is not clean [of the ritual impurity associated with the corpses of the Generation of the Flood]? [You are a land] that has not been rained upon!" The Sage Rabbi Oshia disagrees with Rabbi Yochanan and holds that the Flood rains did fall in Eretz Yisrael. He reads the same verse as follows: "You are a land that has not been cleansed! [Are you] not [a land] that has been rained upon?" The Tosafot ask: How can anyone argue that the Flood rains did not fall in Eretz Yisrael? Do we not read (in our parashah-7:19), "All the high mountains which are under the entire heavens were covered"? Perhaps, the Tosafot answer, the verse means that the mountains of Eretz Yisrael were covered with the hot vapors from the Flood waters so that living there was impossible. However, no rain actually fell there. R' Chaim Palagi z"l (Izmir, Turkey; 1788-1868) quotes R' Shmuel Eliezer Eidels z"l (Maharsha; died 1632) who writes that the Tosafot's answer explains why Hashem did not send Noach to Eretz Yisrael for safety instead of having him build an ark. Because of the hot vapors, Noach would not have been safe in Eretz Yisrael. Alternatively, Hashem wanted Noach to build the ark so that his generation would see him laboring on the ark for 120 years and they might heed the warning and repent. (Artzot Ha'Chaim p.34) ******** "Noach was a righteous man, tamim / perfect in his generations." (6:9) "For it is you that I have seen to be righteous before Me in this generation." (7:1) R' Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook z"l (1865-1935; Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael) notes that the second verse above does not describe Noach as tamim / perfect. He explains: A "tamim" is a person who furthers the Jewish People's inheritance in Eretz Yisrael, as Tehilim (37:18) states, "Hashem knows the days of the temimim / perfect, their inheritance will be forever." Noach should have perceived his being imprisoned in the teivah / ark while Eretz Yisrael remained relatively unscathed [see front and back pages] as a form of exile from that Land. This experience should have motivated him to take affirmative steps to secure a future settlement in Eretz Yisrael, much as, ten generations later, Avraham invested in land in Eretz Yisrael. But Noach did not do so. This is why our Sages compare Noach unfavorably with Avraham. (Quoted in Shemuot Ra'ayah) ******** "I will remember My covenant between Me and you and every living being among all flesh, and the water shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh." (9:15) So what if Hashem promised never to bring another flood on the entire world? He can always destroy the world through fire or some other means! Why, in fact, did He choose a flood as the way to destroy the world? R' Yehuda Loewe z"l (Maharal of Prague; died 1609) explains that everything Hashem does is extremely precise. Thus, He had a precise reason for choosing water to destroy mankind. Mankind is meant to be the superior tzurah / form among all of Creation. Therefore, when mankind failed, it was destroyed by something formless--water. In G-d's precision world, formless water is the tool for wiping out mankind, the pinnacle of all forms. It follows that a promise not to destroy the world by flood is a promise not to destroy the world at all. (Gevurot Hashem ch.14) ******** "It came to pass, when they migrated from the east they found a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there." (11:2) This verse states that mankind was migrating when it happened upon this valley and decided to settle there. Where were they heading? R' Avigdor Nebenzahl shlita (rabbi of the Old City of Yerushalayim) explains: On the occasion that our verse describes, Avraham Avinu was leading mankind to Eretz Yisrael. However, when they reached the future site of Bavel (Babylon), the place found favor in the people's eyes, and they decided to remain there. This, writes R' Nebenzahl, explains why, much later, the Jewish People were exiled to Bavel of all places, for Bavel is the place for those who reject Eretz Yisrael. (Yerushalayim B'mo'adehah p.35) ******** "Hashem dispersed them from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city." (11:8) Rabbeinu Nissim z"l ("Ran"; Spain; 1290-1380) explains the dispersal of the generation of the tower-builders as follows: There was nothing sinful per se in the plan to build a tower. It cannot be, as some explain, that they intended to make war against G-d; there is no way the entire world would have gone along with such a ludicrous idea. Indeed, if such a plan was feasible, then they were not punished harshly enough, whereas, if the plan was not feasible, they were merely fools who did not deserve punishment. Rather, the reason for the dispersal of the generation was that it would have been bad for the world in general and for the Jewish People of the future in particular if the entire world were united in idolatry under one king. For example, to where would Avraham have fled from Nimrod if there had been no other cities in the world? Indeed, the Gemara (Pesachim 87b) teaches that if all of the Jewish People ever lived in one kingdom, there is no question that we would have been exterminated already. (Derashot Ha'Ran: Drush No. 1) ******** "Now these are the chronicles of Terach: Terach fathered Avram . . ." (11:27) According to one midrash, Avraham (then called Avram) was three years old when he recognized G-d. According to another midrash, he was 40 (according to some versions, 48). R' Avraham Korman z"l (1917-2002; Israel) notes that Rambam z"l (1135-1204) combines the two opinions. Rambam writes (Hil. Ovdei Kochavim 1:3-4): "After Avraham was weaned [in Biblical and Talmudic times, this occurred at the beginning of the child's third year], his thoughts began to roam, and he began to wonder, `How can the world exist without someone managing it?' Eventually, at the age of 40 (according to some versions, 48), he recognized his Creator." R' Korman continues: The above illustrates an essential approach to understanding midrash. When we find seemingly conflicting midrashim, we should not assume that two sages are arguing about historical facts. Rather, they may be looking at different aspects of the same story, each of them providing one building block which, with others, tells the whole story. (Ha'aggadah U'mahutah p.13) ******** The Thieves of Eretz Yisrael "The dove came back to him in the evening -- and behold! It had plucked an olive leaf with its bill!" (8:11) The Midrash Rabbah asks: Where did the dove find an olive branch? The Sage Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said, "From twigs from Eretz Yisrael." Rabbi Levi said, "From Har Ha'zeitim / The Mount of Olives, for Eretz Yisrael was not washed out by the Flood." [Although Flood rains did not fall in Eretz Yisrael, rain waters that fell in neighboring countries flooded the Land and made in uninhabitable. However, the waters were not forceful enough to kill all of the trees. (Etz Yosef citing Ramban)] R' Moshe Zuriel shlita (former mashgiach ruchani of Yeshivat Sha'alvim) asks: What is the significance of the fact that the waters flooded the entire world with a fury, while Eretz Yisrael was flooded more gently? It must be that the holiness of Eretz Yisrael tempers the Midat Ha'din / Attribute of Strict Justice. Consistent with this, notes R' Zuriel, the Zohar (II p.151a) teaches that those who die in Eretz Yisrael are "taken" by a merciful angel, while those who die in the diaspora are "taken" by a "damaging angel." R' Zuriel continues: The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 25b) gives the following advice for escaping from highwaymen who join one's caravan. If one is planning to travel a short distance, he should tell his new companions that he is traveling a longer distance. [For example, if one is really traveling until Exit 9, he should tell them that he is traveling until Exit 18. That way, they may delay in attacking him and he will reach his destination unharmed.] The Gemara relates that when students of Rabbi Akiva [who lived in Eretz Yisrael] used this trick, the highwaymen praised their teacher, but when students of Rav Yehuda [who lived in Bavel] used this trick, the highwaymen insulted their teacher. The Gemara concludes: "Look at the difference between the thieves of Bavel and the thieves of Eretz Yisrael." So, says R' Zuriel, there has always been a qualitative difference between the worst elements in Eretz Yisrael and the worst elements of the rest of the world. Indeed, the midrash relates that Avraham Avinu noticed the difference between the gentiles of Eretz Yisrael and those of Mesopotamia as soon as he arrived in the Land. (Drishat Zion)