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Parashat Lech Lecha
Bereishit 12:1 - 17:27

12:1 Vayomer HASHEM el-Avram LECH LECHA me'artzecha umimoladetecha umibeit avicha el-ha'aretz asher ar'eka
HASHEM said to Avram, "Go from your land, from your birthplace, and from your father's house, [and go] to the land that I will show you.

When Avram was in Charan, G-d told him to leave his father's house, and to abandon his city.  From then on, he was to head twoard the land G-d would later indicate to him.

G-d commanded Avram to exert much effort, to travel and to stay in strange cities, to leave the comfort of his home.  There were four reasons for this:

1. Until then, Avram had suffered greatly at the hands of the people of his city.  There were many wicked people who insulted him.  They would associate themselves with him in order to harm him because he admonished them and explained that the idols they worshiped were vain and useless.  The people said Avram was a powerful magician; he escaped unharmed from the fiery furnace, by his magic, not because of his righteousness. G-d told him to leave this place so that he would not suffer any more.
2. Avram's father dealt in idols, and worshiped them religiously, as we saw in Parashat Noach.  It was unseemly for Avram to live in the same city as his father.  G-d, however, did not want the people to speak against Avram, which they would have done and said he was abandoning his father if he had left during his father's lifetime. The Torah therefore states that Avram left his homeland after "Terach died in Charan" (Bereshit 11:32).  This, however, does not mean that Terach died before Avram left Charan.  Terach actually lived 205 years, Avram was 135 years old when his father died. When Avram left his father's house he was only 75 years old.  Thus, Terach lived for over sixty years after Avram left.  When Terach died, Yitzchak was already 35 years old.  The Scripture wishes to teach us that Terach was wicked, and was therefore considered as if he were dead. (Bereishit Rabbah)  All the wicked are considered dead even while they live.  The righteous, on the hand, are considered alive, even after they die.  The wicked are concerned only with their bodily pleasures, not with their souls. Therefore, even during their lifetimes they are considered dead.  A body without a soul cannot be said to be "alive."  Since Terach was wicked, Avram was commanded to leave him.  He no longer had an obligation to honor his father or to help him.
3. Avram had publicized G-d's existance in the world. Without Avram, people would not even have known that there is a G-d in heaven.  G-d wanted the whole world to know of Avram's greatness. Until now, he was like perfume sealed in a small vial, laying in a cemetery.  No one is aware of its beautiful fragrance, both because the vial is sealed, and because it is in an unsavory place.  Avram was like a precious stone whose value is not recognized.  He lived in the unsavory environment of Charan, whose populace was very wicked.  G-d wanted him to travel about in the world to publicize his good name.
4. Avram and Sarai were both sterile, and it was only in the Land of Yisrael that they would have the merit to have a child miraculously.(Rashi)  Also, changing one's location is one of the four things that can change a person's destiny. (Mizrachi; Zohar - Pinchas) 

As Avram leaves his home to begin a new life, G-d blesses him with seven different benedictions.  So too, at the threshold of their new lives, as they leave their parents' home, newlyweds receive a sevenfold benediction, the Sheva Berachot.  The fourth benediction refers to the perpetual renewal of the human being in the divine form.  In the last three benedictions, a prayer is uttered that G-d may comfort Tziyon, cause happiness to the young couple, and bring about complete exultation in restored Judea and Jerusalem.


The blessings are:

• Blessed are You, HaShem our G-d, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine.
• Blessed are You, HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who has created everything for your glory.
• Blessed are You, HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Creator of Human Beings.
• Blessed are You, HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who has fashioned human beings in your image, according to your likeness and has fashioned from it a lasting mold. Blessed are You HaShem, Creator of Human Beings.
• Bring intense joy and exultation to the barren one (Yerushalayim) through the ingathering of her children a midst her in gladness. Blessed are You, HaShem, Who gladdens Tziyon through her children.
• Gladden the beloved companions as You gladdened Your creatures in the garden of Eden. Blessed are You, HaShem, Who gladdens groom and bride.
• Blessed are You, HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, Who created joy and gladness, groom and bride, mirth, glad song, pleasure, delight, love, brotherhood, peace, and companionship. HaShem, our G-d, let there soon be heard in the cities of Yehudah and the streets of Yerushalayim the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the grooms' jubilance from their canopies and of the youths from their song-filled feasts. Blessed are You Who causes the groom to rejoice with his bride.

The souls of the righteous are fashioned at the foot of the heavenly throne to go and inspire the human bodies and to guide them along the right path.  When G-d sends thse souls from the holy spheres down to the lower regions, He blesses them with a sevenfold benediction just as He blessed Avram when he went into the impurity of Kenaan.  The soul has the same function that the body of Avram had in a pagan land.  It is also אָב־רָם (av-ram), the "supreme father" of the body.  Thus G-d says to the soul, "Go away from your land, from the neighborhood of your birth, and from your Father's home, to the body I shall show you..."  Avram went as G-d had told him.  But Lot, his nephew, doggedly stayed with him.  So too, the evil inclination slips into the body just as the soul arrives.  The argument which will take place between Avram and Lot reflects that inner conflict in the human body between the good and the evil inclinations until they come to a parting of the ways, Lot choosing places of pleasure and debauchery, Avram choosing that difficult land where one seeks and finds G-d (Zohar Kodesh).


venivrechu vecha - and through you, will be blessed

Sod

A Kabbalistic approach sees in the words venivrechu vecha a message that the blessing will filter down from above, seeing that Avraham represents the highest emanation - so that he will be the first one to receive it from G-d - and he will channel it through the lower emanations.  All the blessings the Gentile nations receive will come to them only via Avraham.  This is also why David said, "praise Him, all you peoples,... for great is His steadfast love for us and His faithfulness endures forever" (Tehillim 117:1-2)  The structure of these two verses indicates that the Jewish people and their relationship to G-d are the only reason that G-d suffers the existence of the other nations at all.


Avraham's Blessings

Because Avraham was so righteous, he deserved to be blessed; therefore G-d gave him sixteen blessings:

1. The first blessing G-d gave Avraham was, "I will make you into a great nation."  Understanding this to mean that his family line would be large, Avraham was not satisfied.  He said, "Noach fathered seventy nations.  How will I be different from ?"  G-d replied, "You will father a great nation - the people Yisrael."  The whole world descended from Noach, since only he and his wife and children survived the flood; and they repopulated the world (they were then divided into many nations).  The people Yisrael, on the other hand, would be a single nation, and they all would be considered the descendants of Avraham. (Bereishit Rabbah 39)
2. Avraham was born without fully developed reproductive organs.  G-d promised him that he would be regerated to be able to have children   This was G-d's intent when He said, "I will make you into a great nation."
3. A nomadic existence usually results in three things: (i) It prevents a couple from having children.  (ii) One's expenses when traveling are much greater than while at home.  His wealth is thus diminished.  When a person moves from place  to place, many of his possessions are lost, and unforeseen expenses come up.  Uprooting oneself from city to city can result in many dangers, even in loss of life, because of the hardships of travel as well as changes of climate. (iii) A person's reputation is diminished, especially when eh travels through foreign lands where he is not known.  Also, it is difficult to dress well while traveling; and one's good qualities are not recognized.  G-d promised Avraham that although he would wander through distant places, none of the above problems would occur.  
4. The fourth blessing was that Avraham's reputation would constantly grow   In many ways, he was like a king of the entire civilized world.  He possessed great genius; all the kings of the east and west would come to seek his advice.  Avraham was so great that he even minted a coin which was universally accepted as negotiable tender.  It was similar to the coins struck by kings, who issue coins containing their name.  Only four people ever struck coins that were universally accepted  Avraham, Yehoshua, King David, and Mordekai. (Bereishit Rabbah). Avraham's coins had an old man and woman on one side, and a young man and woman on the other.  (Tosefot Bava Kama 96)  The old man and woman were Avraham and Sarah, while the young couple was Yitzchak and Rivka.  Yehoshua's coin had a bull on one side, and a giant aurochs (r'em - the R'em is also mentioned in BaMidbar 23:22, 24:8, Yeshayahu 34:7, Tehillim 22:22, 29:6, 92:11, Iyov 39:10.  Some identify this creature with the giant unicorn or rhinoceros) on the other.  He came from the tribe of Yosef, which was very powerful, like these two mighty creatures.  Moshe had thus said in his blessing to Yosef, "He has the majesty of a firstborn bull; his horns are the horns of the aurochs" (Devarim 33:17). On Kind David's coin, one face had a crook and pouch, the tools of the shepherd.  The other face had a picture of a tower, representing the lofty fortress that Kind David built.  This alluded to the miracle that a shepherd boy such as he had risen to become king.  Although David was king when he minted those coins, he did not hide his humble beginnings.   Mordekai's coin contained a picture of sackcloth and ashes on one side, and a gold crown on the other.  This alluded to the fact that he had begun in such anguish that he was covered with sackcloth and ashes (when Haman issued the decree to kill all Jews).  In the end, however, he became viceroy to King Achashverosh.  Since Avhraham, Yehoshua and Mordekai were commoners, it can be considered unusual that they struck their own coins.  But David was a king; what was so unusual about his minting a coin?  The unusual aspect of King David's coins was that they were accepted even in other countries.  Coins issued in one land are generally not accepted elsewhere.
5. The first blessing of the Amidah (Shemoneh Esrei - the "Standing Prayer" which consists of eighteen blessings) would be ordained to honor Avraham, his son, and his grandson.  The Amidah therefore begins:  "Blessed are You, Ad-nai, our G-d and G-d of our fathers; G-d of Avraham, G-d of Yitzchak, and G-d of Yaakov..."  This blessing then concludes with the words, "Blessed are You Ad-nai, Sheild of Avraham."  The second blessing in the Amidah speaks of G-d's power in resurrecting the dead.  This is a great honor for Avrham: the Amidah begins with his praise; only then does it speak of G-d's greatness.  The first blessing has another advantage.  One must bow twice when reciting it, once at the beginning of the blessing, and a second time when one says, " Blessed are You Ad-nai, Sheild of Avraham."
6. At first, Avraham only had complete control of 243 (of the 248) parts of his body.  There were five parts over which he had no control.  One cannot control his eyes and ears and avoid sin, since the eye can see without one willing it, and the ear can inadvertently hear something.  When Avraham became circumcised, he gained full control of these organs as well.  He did not hear or see anything unless he wanted to.  No other person ever achieved this.  Avraham was perfect in all 248 organs.  The numerical value of Avraham (אַבְרָהָם) is 248.
7. G-d granted Avraham a great benefit in adding the Hebrew letter ה (heh) to his name.  When he was born, he was named Avram (אַבְרָם) .  This was the name he had until he was 99 years old.  After that, his name was changed to Avraham.  The addition of the letter heh was particularly significant, since heh is the one letter (repeated) in the Tetragrammaton.
8. Avraham had great success in his business affairs.  Even other people who had dealings with him were blessed, whether they bought from him or sold to him.  Even before a deal was completed, as soon as a person began to speak to Avraham about a business transaction, the blessing would take effect.
9. All sick people in Avraham's time were cured.  This was certainly true when Avraham visited a sick person and prayed for him; but even when Avraham passed by in the street and a sick person looked at him through the window, he would be healed, although Avraham was not aware of him.  One may ask the question, since Sarah was sterile and Avraham certainly prayed for her, why was she not cured?  The prayers of the righteous only help to bring about miracles for others, not for themselves.  This is similar to the case of an important person who is in prison.  He cannot free himself; he must depend upon others to work to set him free.  The same is true of prayer; the saint can help others through his prayers, but not himself. (Yafeh Toar p. 210)
10. G-d told Avraham, "Until now, all blessings were in My hand. I would bless whomever I pleased, as I blessed Adam and Noach.  But from now on, all blessings are given to you, and you will be able to bless whomever your please.  I will agree to both your blessings and your maledictions.  This last item was a great honor to Avraham.  If a person violates the Torah's commandments and scoffs at the words of the sages, he is not cursed by G-d, but by an angel.  It is thus written, "Those who despise Me shall be cursed" (1Shmuel 2:30).  G-d does not say, "I will curse them," but "[they] shall be cursed."  The cruse is automatic; it is beneath G-d's dignity to curse the wicked.  In the case of Avraham, however, G-d had said, "He who curses you, I will curse."  If a person went against Avraham, G-d Himself would curse him, because Avraham's honor was very precious to G-d.
11. G-d blessed Avraham with success.  He would have children, property, a good old age, and would inherit the (Holy) Land.  He would be blessed with tranquility, and would have an extraordinary number of servants.  He would have success in whatever he did.
12. Rain and dew come because of Avraham's merit.  Other nations are worthy of good only so Yisrael should be able to derive benefit from them.
13. When Avraham came to the land of Kenaan, G-d promised him, "To your offspring I will give this land" (12:7).  This meant that Avraham's descendants would own all the land in question.  This was fulfilled after the Exodus from Egypt, when Yisrael conquered all the cities of Kenaan, as discussed in Sefer Yehoshua.
14. G-d promised that there would be three Patriarchs:  Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov; and four Matriarchs: Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah.  Other than these, we do not refer to any individuals as "Patriarchs" (or "Matriarchs").  Avraham was so precious in G-d's eyes, that He decreed that none other than the above mentioned three should be given the title Patriarch.  The three Patriarchs were very important (in G-d's scheme,) and are therefore often referred to as the Avot Olam (fathers of the world).
15. Avraham was called "G-d's friend."' G-d thus called him, "Avraham, My friend" (Yeshayahu 41:8).
16. Avraham is considered G-d's partner.  G-d wanted to create the world to make His greatness known in it.  Since it was Avraham who publicized G-d's greatness in the world, G-d honored him greatly and called him His partner in creation. (Bereishit Rabbah 41; Yafeh Toar 259)

5 Vayikach Avram et-Sarai ishto ve'et-Lot ben-achiv ve'et-kol-rechusham asher rachashu ve'et-hanefesh asher-asu veCharan vayetze'u lalechet artzah Kena'an vayavo'u artzah Kena'an
Avram took his wife Sarai, Lot, his brother's son, all their possessions they had acquired, and the souls that they had made in Charan, and they set out to go to the land of Kenaan. They came to the land of Kenaan.

ve'et-hanefesh asher-asu veCharan - and the souls that they had made in Charan

With Avram were also a large number of people who had begun to believe in G-d.  As we saw in the Parashat Noach, Avram was very good at convincing people to believe in G-d. When he was 52 years old, he began spreading his doctrine in the world.  Sarai spoke to the women, bringing them to true belief.  In this manner, the two of them proselytized many people.

7 Vayera HASHEM el-Avram vayomer lezar'acha eten et-ha'aretz hazot vayiven sham mizbe'ach l'HASHEM hanir'eh elav
HASHEM appeared to Avram and said: "To your descendants I will give this land." There he built an altar to HASHEM Who had appeared to him.

When Avram entered the land of Kenaan, he built an altar to G-d.  He thanked G-d for His promise that Avram would inherit the land, and that he would have "offspring."  Avram worshiped G-d with his whole being.  After desiring for so long to "contemplate" the Almighty, Avram is carried away with thankfulness and humility before G-d "Who appeared to Him."  He builds his first altar with these feelings, although thoughts of "his descendants and the possession of this land which had just been announced " (Rashi) remain on his mind.

9 Vayisa Avram haloch venasoa hanegbah
Avram journeyed, traveling steadily southward.

Avram then began to migrate toward the south of the Holy Land, heading in the direction of Yerushalayim and Mount Moriyah, destined to be his inheritance.  Wherever he went, he remained for about a month and then went to another city.  He continued until he came to Yerushalayim. (Rashi)

Although Avram was a prophet, he did not experience G-d or see a vision of Him until he came to the Holy Land.  When G-d spoke to him, it was nothing more than a kind of divine inspiration (Rauch HaKodesh).  But when Avram entered the Holy Land and built an altar, G-d appeared to him, and he was able to see a clear vision of the Divine.  It is therefore written, "There he built an altar to HaShem who had appeared to him" (12:7) Avram derived much inner security from this experience.  He then loudly proclaimed the existence of G-d so that all would hear.  The Torah thus concludes, "He called in G-d's Name" (12:8).

10 Vayehi ra'av ba'aretz vayered Avram Mitzrayim lagur sham ki-chaved hara'av ba'aretz.There was a famine in the land. Avram went down to Egypt to live there temporarily, for the famine was severe in the land.

While Avram was in the land of Kenaan, there was a very severe famine in this area; so Avram was forced to leave the Holy Land and move to Egypt.  It is normally forbidden to leave the Holy Land and live somewhere.  But famine is among the very worst of calamities.  If Avram had been able to buy food, even though it was expensive, Avram would not have left merely to save money; he was too perfect for that.  But food had become totally unavailable, so he had no choice.

11 Vayehi ka'asher hikriv lavo Mitzrayimah vayomer el-Sarai ishto hineh-na yadati ki ishah yefat-mar'eh at
As he came near and was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "Behold, I now realize that you are a woman of beautiful appearance.
12 Vehayah ki-yir'u otach haMitzrim ve'amru ishto zot vehargu oti ve'otach yechayu
It will happen when the Egyptians see you that they will say, 'This is his wife.' They will kill me and let you live.
13 Imri-na achoti at lema'an yitav-li va'avurech vechaytah nafshi biglalech.  Please say [therefore] that you are my sister, so that it will go well with me for your sake, and my life will be spared because of you."

In Egypt, people were not used to seeing beautiful women.  Avrama was therefore afraid that they would kill him in order to take his wife.  He knjew that they were not godfearing  and would not hesitate to commit such an atrocity.  Avram asked Sarai to begin calling him "brother" as soon as they set out on their journey.  She would then become accustomed to addressing him in this way, and would not accidentally make a mistake.  The Torah therefore says that he told her, "Please say that you are my sister."  From that time on, she should begin addressing him as "brother."

Murder was against the law in Egypt.  But Avram was concerned, since it was also against the law to take another man's wife.  If they killed him, they would be done with him once and for all; while if they took his wife, they would be in constant violation of the law.

14 Vayehi kevo Avram Mitzrayimah vayir'u haMitzrim et-ha'ishah ki-yafah hi me'od
And it was when Avram was entering Egypt, that the Egyptians beheld the woman, because she was very beautiful.
15 Vayir'u otah sarei Far'oh vayehalelu otah el-Par'oh vatukach ha'ishah beit Par'oh
Pharaoh's officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh. The woman was taken to Pharaoh's house.

When they came to Egypt, and had to pass through customs, the agents wasked about the contents of the chest.  It was heavy, and obviously full.  Rather than allow them to open the chest, Avram declared that he would pay any duty they requested.  Seeing that Avram was ready to pay anything rather than open the chest, the customs inspector became suspicious.  They forcibly opened the chest, and discovered an extraordinarily beautiful woman inside.  She was so beautiful that her face seemed to glow in the twilight.

The customs inspectors began to fight over her, each one promising Avram huge amounts of money if she were given to him.  The Torah then says, "The woman was taken to Pharaoh's house."  All the officials argued about who would get her.  When they could not come to any agreement, they all said, "She is so beautiful that she should be brought to Pharaoh, king of Egypt.  No commoner can be worthy of her.

Sarai was brought to Pharaoh's palace on the first night of Pesach.  He was so happy that he gave many gifts to the officials who had told him about her.  Avram was also given many gifts.  Avram was the beloved of G-d - he could have received this and more in an honorable fashion, not as the result of such shameful experience.

G-d had actually arranged this.  What happened to the Patriarchs is an allusion to what will happen to their descendants.  Avram came to Egypt and suffered there very much, but in the end, he went out with great wealth.  The same thing happened to his children. They were also in Egypt and suffered very much because they were enslaved; but in the end, they also went out with great wealth.

This also teaches us that a man should always strive to honor his wife, since blessing comes to a home only because of the woman of the house.  Rava thus advised the men of the city Mechuza, "Honor your wives and you will become wealthy."  Rabbi Chelbo derived it from this verse, which can also be read, "It went well with Avram because of her." (12:16)

It is important to tell this to the ignorant who often curse and insult their wives.  This is a serious sin.  Besides the fact that it is wrong, it is also spiritually dangerous.  When there is no peace between husband and wife, the Divine Presence leaves them.

When Sarai was take to Pharaoh's palace, she considered herself to be in great spiritual danger.  The entire night of Pesach, she wept and prayed. Avram also prayed in the manner that he knew.  The angel Gavri'el then came and told her in the Name of G-d not to be afraid at all; He would protect her from Pharaoh.  The angel remained with her all night, assuring her that she was under his protection.  He would punish Pharaoh until he submitted.

18 Vayikra Far'oh le-Avram vayomer ma-zot asita li lamah lo-higadeta li ki ishtecha hi
Pharaoh summoned Avram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she is your wife?

19 Lamah amarta achoti hi va'ekach otah li le'ishah ve'atah hineh ishtecha kach valech
Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I would take her as my wife? Now here is your wife; take [her] and go."

Pharaoh continued berating Avram:  "It was your statement that chased all my troubles.  Since you said that Sarai was your sister, I decided to take her as a wife so as to have children just like you.  We have a tradition that most children are like their mother's brother."

Pharaoh then said, "Let bygones be bygones. Just take your wife and leave, the sooner the better.  I'm not saying this because I am angry at you for tricking me.   I'm merely giving you good advice.  You know as well as I do that Egyptians are immoral. I don't want you to stay in Egypt lest something bad happen. (Rashi)

20 Vayetzav alav Par'oh anashim vayeshalechu oto ve'et-ishto ve'et-kol-asher-lo
Pharaoh assigned men to him and they escorted him and his wife and all that was his.

Pharaoh had given Avram many gifts on Erev Pesach when he had taken Sarai.  He now gave him many more gifts along with a great deal of money so that Avram would forgive him.  The Torah later says, "Avram was very wealthy in livestock, silver and gold." (13:2)

If one things about this, he will see that a great miracle happened to Avram.  Pharaoh did not take back all the presents he gave Avram when he thought that Sarai was his sister.  He would have had a good excuse, he had given him the gifts erroneously, thinking that Sarai his sister.  No one voiced such an argument.  It therefore appears that a great miracle occurred; G-d closed their eyes to the fact that Avram was leaving with all the gifts. (RaMBaN; Zohar p. 83)

G-d had done all this in order to enhance Avram's reputation.  It was known that the Egyptians were great sorcerers, and no one had the power to overcome them.  Avram, however, was able to leave Egypt with great wealth.

13:1 Vaya'al Avram miMitzrayim hu ve'ishto vechol-asher-lo veLot imo haNegbah
Avram went up from Egypt; he, his wife, and all that was his, together with Lot into the south.
2 Ve'Avram kaved me'od bamikneh bakesef uvazahav
Avram was very wealthy in livestock, silver and gold.
3 Vayelech lemasa'av miNegev ve'ad-Beit-el ad-hamakom asher-hayah sham aholoh batchilah bein Beit-el uvein ha'Ai
He proceeded on his journeys from the south to Beit-el, until the place where he originally had his tent, between Beit-el and 'Ai.
4 El-mekom hamizbe'ach asher-asah sham barishonah vayikra sham Avram beshem HASHEM
To the site of the altar which he made there at first; and there Avram called in the Name of HASHEM.

The Negev is in the south of the Holy Land.  Since Egypt is to the southwest of the Land of Yisrael, as soon as Avram crossed the border, he was the Negev.

The Torah states that "He proceeded on his journeys."  This indicates that when he returned to the Holy Land from Egypt, he stopped in the same inns that he had stopped in when he went to Egypt.  He did this in order to repay his debts.  During the time of famine, when Avram was in financial difficulty, he borrowed money from a number of people. Now that G-d had given him wealth, he wanted to repay his debts.  Avram would never cheat another person.

14 Va'HASHEM amar el-Avram acharei hipared-Lot me'imo sa na eynecha ure'eh min-hamakom asher-atah sham tzafonah vanegbah vakedmah vayamah
HASHEM said to Avram after Lot had parted from him: "Raise your eyes and look out from the place where you are: northward, southward, eastward and westward.
15 Ki et-kol-ha'aretz asher-atah ro'eh lecha etenenah ulezar'acha ad-olam
For all the land that you see I give to you and to your descendants forever.
16 Vesamti et-zar'acha ka'afar ha'aretz asher im-yuchal ish limenot et-afar ha'aretz gam-zar'acha yimaneh
I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if one can count the dust of the earth, then your descendants too will be countable.
17 Kum hithalech ba'aretz le'orkah ulerochbah ki lecha etenenah
Rise, walk the land through its length and breadth, for to you I will give it.
18 Vaye'ehal Avram vayavo vayeshev be'Elonei Mamre asher beChevron vayiven-sham mizbeach l'HASHEM
Avram set up his tent, and he came and settled in the Plains of Mamre which are in Chevron, and he built there an altar to HASHEM.

G-d told Avram to "walk the land," and when Avram did this, he took possession of the land by pacing it out  .  From that time on, the land of Kenaan belonged to Avram.  Yisrael then was able to take possession of the land as an inheritance from Avram.  NO one could argue that they had illegally taken the land by force.  Avrama took leagal possession of the land at G-d's word, and Yisrael inherited it from him legally.  It is therefore rightfully theirs.

After G-d had shown Avram all this, and he had paced out all the land of Kenaan, he set up his household in Chevron, in the house of a good man whose name was Mamre.  Here he built an altar to G-d for his escape unharmed from Pharaoh;  and because G-d had informed him that he would have children and that all the land would be his.

 14:1 Vayehi bimei Amrafel melech-Shin'ar Ari'och melech Ellasar Kedorla'omer melech Elam veTid'al melech Goyim
This happened in the days of Amrafel, king of Shinar; Arioch, king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer, king of 'Elam, and Tidal, king of Goyim.
2 Asu milchamah et-Bera melech Sedom ve'et-Birsha melech Amorah Shin'av melech Admah veShem'ever melech Tzvoyim umelech Bela hi-Tzo'ar
They waged war against Bera, king of Sedom, Birsha, king of 'Amorah, Shin'av, king of Admah, Shem'ever, king of Tzevoyim, and the king of Bela, which is Tzo'ar.

Parashat Noach
Bereishit [Gen.] 6:9-11:32

6:9 Eleh toldot Noach Noach ish tzaddik tamim hayah bedorotav et-ha'Elokim hithalech Noach
This is the history of Noach. Noach was a righteous man, flawless in his generation; Noach walked with G-d.

 toldot - history [generations]

The word toldot refers to "happenings"; it is what is described in Mishlei 27:1 as "for you do not know what the day will bring."  This is based on the verse following in which Noach is described as Vayoled Noach (Noach fathered/begot).  These words are read as belonging to what the first verse told us, i.e. the three virtues which Noach practiced as opposed to his peers.  Being a tzaddik, a righteous person, meant not engaging in violent means to gain one's objectives.  The Torah stated in v11 that his generation was guilty of random violence.  His second virtue was that he was tamim (perfect), that he was consistent and thorough in the way he practiced his virtues.

The Torah applies the term tamim to the parah adamah (red heifer), i.e. a cow that was uniformly red hair.  Even two hairs of a different color disqualify such an animal from fulfilling its designated purpose - "an animal which is without blemish" (BaMidbar 19:2).

Mum is a Hebrew term which describes a character defect in human beings.  This is why Torah describes Noach as tamim "free from blemish."


Noach ish tzaddik - Noach was a righteous man

According to the Peshat of the text the reason that Noach's name is mentioned three times in this verse is because of the three levels of perfection he had attained, i.e. he was righteous, perfect, and he walked with G-d.

"The righteous man walks in his integrity; happy are the children who come after him" (Mishlei 20:7).  

Shlomo told us in this verse that a person cannot be considered as righteous (tzaddik) until he has walked in integrity when serving Hashem.  What is this "integrity" which Shlomo talks about here?  It means that one performs G-d's mitzvot because of love and reverence of Him., not because one hopes to benefit by this in the eyes of one's peers and by attaining honor in their eyes.  It is appropriate for man to perform good and kind deeds to the  best of his ability without bragging about them.  In fact, he should endeavor to refrain from even mentioning that he has performed such deeds.  Anyone who does tell about this and claims credit for such good deeds is actually considered as a sinner.  It is the mark of a righteous person who walks in integrity with his G-d that he does not boast about his virtues and the good deeds he has performed.

"The wise in heart will accept the mitzvot, whereas the one who speaks foolishly will be afflicted" (Mishlei 10:8).

What Shlomo meant was that the person who is truly wise gets hold of G-d's mitzvot with his hands and performs them without speaking about this with his lips.  The foolish person is the exact reverse of the wise man.

As to the second half of the verse in Mishlei 20:7 quoted previously, "happy are the children who come after him" Shlomo refers to the ability of parents to confer merits on their children after them.  This is analogous to G-d saying in Shemot 20:6 that "He [G-d] will perform kindness to thousands of generations of descendants of the righteous."  This is applicable in the event that their ancestors performed the mitzvot from a sense of love for G-d, whereas a different statement in Devarim 7:10 in which G-d is portrayed as extending kindness to one thousand generations refers to ancestors who performed G-d's mitzvot only out of a sense of awe and fear of the consequences if they would fail to do so.

In other words, the accumulated merits of the fathers are a source of benefit for their children in the eyes of G-d.

It is possible the opening verses in Parashat Noach are intended to praise Noach in three stages, each stage being superior to the preceding one.  The Torah mentions last that Noach "walked with G-d."  This virtue of walking with G-d is a very great virtue indeed, a virtue which is superior to perfection.  Perfection, on the other hand, is superior to the virtue described as righteous (tzaddik); the Torah states that Noach had attained these three levels of moral achievements progressively until he had qualified for the description et-ha'Elokim hithalech Noach.

6:10 Vayoled Noach shloshah vanim et-Shem et-Cham ve'et-Yafet
Noach fathered three sons, Shem, Cham and Yafet

Shem et-Cham ve'et-Yefet - Shem, Cham and Yafet

Yafet appears to have been the eldest of the three brothers seeing that in 10:21 the Torah states, "brother of Yefet, the elder." 

Cham appears to have been the youngest, as Torah writes in 9:24, "and he realized what had been done to him by his youngest son."

The reason Torah mentions Shem first was because he was the most outstanding of Noach's children. This is why Yafet had to be mentioned only after Shem.

6:11 Vatishachet ha'aretz lifnei ha'Elokim vatimale ha'aretz chamas
The earth was corrupt before G-d, and the earth was filled with violent crime.

vatishachet ha'aretz lifnei ha'Elokim - The earth was corrupt before G-d

This is reference to the idolatry practiced by man.  The Torah alluded to the fact that the sins of mankind included both trespasses against G-d as well as trespasses against society.  They corrupted religion and they corrupted the basics of procreation.  These latter sins also included indiscriminate robbery among the people.  The Torah refers to this by writing vatimale ha'aretz - "and the earth was filled with violent crime"  and the repetition ki-male'ah ha'aretz - "the earth is filled with violent crime" (v13).

The Torah reports G-d's decision to bring on the deluge in connection with the report of the violence, therefore it is clear that this sin weighed most heavily and that the decree to destroy mankind was not sealed until G-d had reviewed the indiscriminate violence on earth (Sanhedrin 108).

Support for this view is found in two verse of Sefer Yeshayahu.  Yeshayahu 54:14 states, "You shall keep away from oppression [do not engage in it] and you shall have no fear, and from ruin and it shall not come near you."  Yeshayahu had said previously (v9), "that this is like the deluge to Me..."  In other words, Yeshayahu [in the name of G-d] warns the people that the deluge had been due to the violence and oppression practiced by people against each other.

The reason why this was the most critical sin was that it is a trespass against common sense.  If there were no G-d at all, mankind would have to legislate laws controlling violence as otherwise civilization would collapse of its own.  A society which did not even observe such a code of laws could not expect to endure.

Just the very occurrence of the deluge is proof positive that the universe was a creation and that a Creator presides over it and watches it; it proves that the same Creator punishes those who are guilty and saves the ones who deserve to be saved such as Noach and his family.  It proves further that G-d's supervision is not limited to the celestial spheres but that it extends to our "lower" world also.  Just as Adam was the ancestor of all mankind after him, so Noach became the ancestor of all mankind after the deluge.

Just as Adam had three sons, Kayin, Hevel, and Shet, so Noach had three sons, Shem, Cham, and Yafet.  Just as two of Adam's sons were his mainstay whereas the third one was cursed, so you find that one of Noach's sons was cursed.  Just as Adam's third son was the one who became the link to posterity, so Noach's third son is the true link to posterity as only the descendants of Shem are the ones who will qualify for resurrection.

6:12 Vayar Elokim et-ha'aretz vehineh nishchatah ki-hishchit kol-basar et-darko al-ha'aretz
 and beheld that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted its way on the earth.

vayar Elokim et-ha'aretz - G-d saw the earth

At this point the Torah reverts to G-d's Name Elokim to indicate that the Attribute of Justice enters the picture at this stage.  Seeing that the sins of that generation were so great the Attribute of Justice was poised over them.


vehineh nishchatah - for all flesh had corrupted

What precisely did this corruption consist of?

"For all flesh had corrupted its way on the earth," they were all destroying their own seed.  They did not want to procreate and used sexual union for pleasure only.  This is what is meant by Yeshayahu 57:5, "the ones who slaughter the children."

Our Sages (Niddah 13) comment on this that they squeezed out their semen before impregnating their wives.  Seeing that they had become guilty of destroying semen which becomes a fetus after forty days, they were punished with a deluge which poured rain on them for forty days (Pirke de Rabbi Eliezer 22).

Actually, the people of that time were guilty of four sins:

• idolatry
• sexual licentiousness - including incest
• murder
• gratuitous violence

The sin of corruption did not only include humans but it had also corrupted the behavior of the animals.  This is why our Sages (Sanhedrin 108) explained, "the ones who had become guilty of wasting hot semen were punished by a deluge of hot water."  This fact is based on the words used at the end of the deluge in 8:1 "vayashoku hamayim" (and the waters cooled off).

6:13 Vayomer Elokim le-Noach ketz kol-basar ba lefanai ki-male'ah ha'aretz chamas mipeneihem vehineni mashchitam et-ha'aretz
G-d said to Noach, "The end of all flesh has come before Me. The earth is filled with violent crime because of them, and so, I will destroy them with the earth.

ketz kol-basar - The end of all flesh

Wherever you find debauchery and idolatry, a general destruction takes place which does not differentiate between the guilty and the innocent. (Rashi)  Nonetheless, Noach was spared.  A tzaddik gamur, a perfectly righteous person, remains invulnerable even at a time when the angel of death receives the power to strike and no longer differentiate between the righteous and the sinful.  But even he must not defy the angel of death.  He should not expose himself to the danger but had best take refuge in his home, just as Yisrael did in Egypt on the night when the firstborn of the Egyptians perished (Shemot 12:22).  That is why G-d shut Noach in the Ark.


Gematria

vayomer Elokim le-Noach ketz kol-basar - G-d said to Noach, "The end of all flesh has come before Me.

The word ketz (end) alludes to the days of the Flood, 190, which is the gematria of ketz: 40 days of rain (7:12), and 150 days of surging water (7:24) (Peirush HaRokeach)


Sod

Whenever a person commits a sin, an angelic Prosecutor is created.  This Prosecutor is called Ketz (End).  It is this angelic being that ultimately punishes each person for his sin; it is not satisfied with anything less.  In order to fulfill it destiny, this Prosecutor must attack its creator and wage battle against him, until it is consumed by this action.  This End cannot be done away with unless the individual responsible for its creation repents completely (Zera Berach, Pt. 1)

6:14 Aseh lecha tevat atzei-gofer kinim ta'aseh et-hatevah vechafarta otah mibayit umichutz bakofer
Make for yourself an ark of cedar wood. Make the ark into compartments and caulk the inside and outside with tar.

G-d told Noach to take trees from the area of the Ararat Mountains. These are in the est of Turkey toward Baghdad (Bereishit Rabbah).  This wood is very strong and water resistant.  In Hebrew it is called gopher wood.  Some say this is balsa wood, which is very light and buoyant (Abarbanel).  G-d also commanded Noach to divide the ark into compartments.  It would be separated into different levels and sections; these, in turn, would be divided into smaller rooms.  In this manner, all the animals would be able to be kept separate.

6:16 Tzohar ta'aseh latevah ve'el amah techalenah milmalah ufetach hatevah betzidah tasim tachtim shni'im ushlishim ta'aseha
Make a skylight for the ark, and finish it to one cubit at the top. Place the opening of the ark in its side. Make a lower deck, a second and a third deck.

The ark's opening had to be left in its side, rather than on top as in the case of other ships; the flood rains would be very heavy, and would swamp the ark if it were open on top.

The was divided into three levels.  The uppermost deck was for Noach and his family, the middle one for the animals, and the bottom deck was for waste (Sanhedrin, Chapter 10)

6:19 Umikol-hachai mikol-basar shenayim mi-kol tavi el-hatevah lehachayot itach zachar unekevah yihyu
From all living things, from all flesh, two of each shall you bring to the ark, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.

G-d told Noach that these animals were not merely to survive, but "to live."  He should take as good care of them as he does of himself.  They would all be needed to replenish the world (RaMBaN).

Noach complained, "How could I ever have the strength to bring together all the animals in the world?"

The angels in charge of each species then descended, and each brought it species to the ark (Pirkei Rabbi Eliezer; Targum Yonatan).



The Covenant

8:20 Vayiven Noach mizbeach l'HASHEM vayikach mikol habehemah hatehorah umikol ha'of hatahor vaya'al olot bamizbeach
Noach built an altar to HASHEM, and took of every [ritually] clean animal and of every [ritually] clean bird, and brought up burnt-offerings on the altar.

After Noach had completed the evacuation of the ark, and had arranged all things in their proper places, he began to think, "Why did G-d command me to bring seven of each kosher (clean) creature into the ark?  If it was only to replenish the world, a single pair would be enough.  G-d's command indicates that He wishes that I offer some of them as a sacrifice (Bereishit Rabbah 34).

He also learned this another way.  At first the kosher animals came just like the others, a single pair.  Then G-d told Noach to bring an additional six pair of each kosher species into the ark.  These Noach was to bring in personally, with his own hands.  Noach deduced that G-d intended that he should bring these additional ones as sacrifices  G-d had therefore commanded him to bring them in with his own hands, that he have a portion in preparing for this important act (RaMBaN)

The Hebrew word for "built" here is וַיִנֶן (vayiven), from the root בנה (banah), meaning "build."  This word can also be associated with the root (byn) בין, meaning "understand."  It would then be related to the word (binah) בינה, "understanding."  The Midrash takes this to be the meaning of vayiven:  "Noach understood an altar." This means that he understood that he should offer sacrifices, for the reason mentioned earlier (Bereishit Rabbah).

9:3 Kol-remes asher hu-chai lachem yihyeh le-ochlah keyerek esev natati lachem et-kol
Every moving creature that lives, shall be yours for food; like the green vegetation [which I gave previously] I have [now] given you everything [for food].

 9:4 Ach-basar benafsho damo lo tochelu
Nevertheless, flesh with its lifeblood, you shall not eat.

The new era spelled the end of the vegetarian diet which had been in force from creation for 1656 years.  Far from calming man's behavior, this diet had been powerless to prevent him from becoming cruel, egoistic, and perverse.  Accordingly, a new orientation was now called for.  It was part of a new method of moral training, which was to permit all of creation to raise itself up, progressively, to holiness.

"The whole universe is like a temple where all sing the glory of G-d (Tehillim 29:9).  At every rung of the ladder extending from the depths of life on earth to the sublimest regions of the spirit, all the elements reach upwards and strive to come ever closer to the holy, Divine source of life and blessing.  Indeed, in nature there exists a hierarchical order which extends right down to inorganic elements, differentiated by the measure of the vitality which they receive from the supreme source of the Divine light.  This sequential connection of the spheres of creation encompasses the mineral, vegetable, animal, and human realms.  The continual rise of each constituent occurs step by step.  Thus, rain falls on the earth, it waters the earth, it helps the seed to germinate.  The seed assimilates and transforms elements in the earth to grow into a plant.  The plant is eaten by animals, and the vegetable element, thanks to this transmigration, reaches a level of existence where the soul begins to shine forth on the purely physical world.  Ultimately, man consumes the flesh of the animals, which becomes part of the man himself.  The animal comes ever closer to the source of light contained in the spiritual soul.  In this way, the different elements of nature ascend to the threshold of the metaphysical world, where the unfettered human soul will rejoin the heavenly sphere of absolute holiness" (Rabbi M. Cordovero)

Seen in this perspective, the authorization for eating meat is a part of the universal uplifting of the spheres of creation to the heights of holiness.   Thus the change in diet, coming at the beginning of a new epoch in human history, is characteristic of profound changes in the physical and moral development of the human race from that time onward.  Although the Torah authorizes eating meat for the reasons given above, it does so only on certain conditions, thus limiting and restricting the allowed practice.

9:9 Va'ani hineni mekim et-beriti itechem ve'et-zar'achem achareichem
Behold, I am making a covenant with you and with your offspring after you.

Gematria:

mekim et-beriti itechem - I am making a covenant with you 

The final letters of these words spell מֵתִים (metim) (the dead).  This is an allusion regarding the Resurrection of the Dead, for G-d has established His covenant to bring them back to life.

9:12 Vayomer Elokim zot ot-habrit asher-ani noten beini uveineichem uvein kol-nefesh chayah asher itchem ledorot olam
G-d said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I pledge between Myself and you, and between every living creature that is with you, for the generations of all time. 

9:13 Et-kashti natati be'anan vehayetah le'ot berit beini uvein ha'aretz
I have set my [rain] bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Myself and the earth.

Et-kashti natati be'anan - I have set my bow in the clouds

The stars and celestial phenomena, from the time they were created, were destined to serve as "signs" for man (Bereishit 1:14).  The moon became Yisrael's emblem, the sun symbolized the other nations, the stars were designated as a pledge to Avraham regarding his descendants.  Here the rainbow appears as a sign of the covenant established with Noach for the salvation of mankind.

Why was the rainbow chosen as a symbol of peace between HaShem and mankind?  HaShem said, "When I brought the Mabul (Flood), My bow was drawn against man.  The rainbow resembles a reversed bow, signifying that there shall be no more "arrows from Heaven" sent to destroy humanity (Rashi)

Periodically the rainbow appears in the sky to reassure us that despite our sins, Hashem will not annihilate us.  However, the rainbow is also an ominous reminder that without HaShem's covenant, we too would be judged like Noach's generation.

It is forbidden to stare at the rainbow because HaShem's shechinah appears in it.  However, it is proper to gaze briefly at it and recite a blessing, reminding ourselves that HaShem promised not to bring destruction upon us depsite our sins.  This consideration should serve to evoke in our minds thoughts of teshuvah (repentance).


Et-kashti natati be'anan - I have set my bow in the clouds

The plain meaning of these words is that the rainbow is to serve as a sign just as when Yaakov and Lavan erected a mound (pile of stones) as a monument, i.e. a symbol of their treaty in Bereishit 31:52.  Another example of such a symbol is found when Avraham and Avimelech concluded a treaty in Bereishit 21:30 and Avraham set aside seven sheep to serve as a visible symbol of their treaty, (as testimony that he had dug the well).  Any symbol which is displayed in front to two partners to a treaty or agreement is called אות (sign)."  This is particularly evident when the removal of the foreskin is referred to as the "sign" (אות), of the covenant between G-d and the Jewish people (Bereishit 17:11).  Just as circumcision is the symbol of a special relationship between Avraham and his descendants and G-d, so the rainbow was a symbol of a new relationship between G-d and mankind which would preclude the recurrence of a deluge.

Remember that this sign of the rainbow is not one that is visible on a daily basis whenever there are clouds in the sky as the wording of the Torah might suggest.  The rainbow is also not visible on every rainy day.  However, in a generation which is guilty of sins it appears in order to remind people of G-d's commitment.  During the generation of King Chiskiyahu, a rainbow was never observed; neither was it observed during the generation of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.  The reason was that both these people were so righteous that their accumulated merits served as sufficient protection for the people of their respective generations.  It is also reported (in the same section of the Midrash) that in the time of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi there never appeared a rianbow in the sky.  Such phenomena explain why the word לדרת (ledorot) in ledorot olam (Bereishit 9:12) "for the generations of all time" is spelled with the respective letters ו (vav) missing.  This was a hint that there would be generations which do not require this sign as reassurance that there would not be another deluge.


Sod

kashti - My bow

A Kabbalistic approach, the word קשּׁתי (kashti) is derived from קשׁה, hard, severe.  It is a reference to the attribute of Justice, the "hard" attribute.  G-d said that it should become the sign of the covenant, i.e. the sign of circumcision.  The Torah very significantly did not say את הקשת נתתי בענן, "the rainbow I have placed in the cloud." in other words "the well-known rainbow."  The reason G-d refers to "My rainbow," is to remind us that the cloud He speaks of is not one of the regular clouds which appear in the sky every day.  He does not speak of the kind of cloud which discharges rain.  G-d speaks of the ענני הכבוד (Ananei HaKavod), Clouds of Glory, such as when we are told in Shemot 16:10 "the Glory of HASHEM appeared in the cloud" (the prelude to Yisrael receiving meat and bread from heaven at the hands of G-d).  The meaning of the words in that verse, kvod HASHEM nir'ah be'anan, "the glory of HASHEM appeared in the cloud." (Shemot 16:10), is "the Attribute of Justice will then become manifest in the cloud."  Also, "as the appearance of the bow which shall be on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the semblance of the Glory of G-d."  The Kabbalists consider that the continuous spectrum of colors in the rainbow reflects the Divine attributes in their nuanced variety.  The Yechezkel 1:28 says, "Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about; this was the appearance of the likeness of the Glory of HaShem.  And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard the voice of One that spoke."

And just as the rainbow is a binding-together of a sevenfold radiation, so too is the light emanating from G-d's Presence to be considered the radiance of a sevenfold goodness.  Our daily prayers allude to these seven attributes of the Divine light in Sim Shalom: "Bless us all alike, our Father, with the light of Your countenance, for by the light of Your countenance have You given us, HaShem our G-d, a Torah of life, loving kindness, charity, blessing, mercy, life and peace."

Consequently, the seven colors are in some way the projections of the attributes of Divine love.  Because of this, G-d proclaimed: "At a time when I bring clouds over the earth, the bow will be seen in the clouds.  I shall remember My covenant..." (Bereishit 9:14-15)

9:24 Vayiketz Noach miyeno vayeda et asher-asah lo beno hakatan
Noach awoke from his wine [induced sleep] and he realized what had been done to him by his youngest son.

Cham was the youngest of Noach's sons.  Why then did Noach curse Kenaan, Cham's son instead of Cham?  Actually, there were two reasons why Noach did not curse Cham himself:

• He was not able to curse Cham effectively since G-d had already blessed him as we read in Bereishit 9:1 "G-d blessed Noach and his sons."
• Had Noach cursed Cham he would have only be able to make such a curse apply to his body but not his descendants (seeing that any offspring of Cham which had already been born would not have been included in the curse).  This is why he chose to curse Kenaan who as Cham's firstborn so that even if he were to father a thousand children they would all be included in the curse.  When the verse tells us that Cham's offspring were: Kush, Mitzrayim, and Put, and Kenaan (10:6), in that order which at first glance gives the impression that Kenaan was the youngest of the four, the Torah enumerated these sons after the curse, at a time when Kenaan had already been demoted from his rank as the firstborn.  Proof that Kenaan was indeed Cham's firstborn son is when the Torah said in 9:21 "He (Cham) the father of Kenaan saw his father's nakedness, etc."  If Cham had already had other sons at the time, why would the Torah describe him as the father of Kenaan rather than as the father of his older brothers.  No doubt at the time when this occurred Kenaan was the only son whom Cham had fathered.

9:25 Vayomer arur Kena'an eved avadim yihyeh le'echavHe said, "Cursed is Kenaan. A slave of slaves shall he be to his brothers."

According to the peshat (plain meaning) of the text, Noach made the curse fit the sin of his son.  He who had shamed his father by viewing his nakedness and not only not covering his father's nakedness, but calling in his brothers to show them that spectacle, in other words, making sport of his father, was cursed by becoming an object of derision as a punishment for having made his own father an object of derision.

Shem and Yafet who had covered their father's nakedness and put the blanket on their shoulders in a dignified manner walking backwards, were rewarded by G-d in a manner fitting their sensitive conduct.  Yisrael, the descendants of Shem who later on received the Torah were given the commandment of tzitzit (fringes) on their garments as a form of distinction.  The descendants of Yafet will merit proper burial at the time of the final war before the arrival of the Mashiach, the war between Yisrael and G-d and Magog.  We know from 10:2 that Gomer and Magog are descendants of Yafet.  From this entire episode we can learn that when two people between perform a single commandment, they receive a reward for having performed the entire commandment.  Furthermore, the one who commenced the performance receives a greater reward.  Yechezkel 39:11 states "I will provide a burial ground for Magog."  This is his reward for his conduct vis-a-vis his father Noach although in the war under discussion he attacked Yisrael.  The Torah stresses the difference between the relative merit acquired by Shem and that acquired by Yafet in our episode of covering their father, by not writing "they took the garment," but by writing "Shem and Yafet each took the garment..."  The word ויקח (vayikach) is in the singular.  This is an allusion that Shem made the greater effort of the two.

10:1 Ve'eleh toldot benei Noach Shem Cham vaYefet vayivaledu lahem banim achar hamabul
These are the histories of Noach's sons, Shem, Cham and Yafet. Children were born to them after the Flood.

The reason the Torah spends so much space on the details of the this list of descendants of Cham is to inform us about how many nations were descended from him is to make us aware that Avraham a descendant of Shem, merited to become the father of the Jewish nation.  The Torah hints that the only reason that there was a need for seventy nations in the first place was to ensure that out of these would emerge at least the one nation that G-d has chosen to become special to Him.

10:11 Min-ha'aretz hahi yatza Ashshur vayiven et-Nineveh ve'et-Rechovot ir ve'et-Kelach
Ashshur departed that land, and he built Nineveh, Rechovot Ir and Kalach.

Ashshur was one of the sons of Shem as we are told in v22 that Shem's sons were Elam, Ashshur, Arpachshad Lud and Aram.  Seeing that most of the people alive during the generation of the Tower were descendants of Shem, the Torah mentioned that Ashshur had left that land (the valley including Bavel).  He had not had part in the uprising against G-d that those people were planning (Bereishit Rabbah 37:4).  The words min-ha'aretz hahi mean that Ashshur dissociated himself from these poeple and their land as he realized they were preparing to rebel against G-d.  This also explains Tehillim 83:9 "Also Ashshur made common cause with them," That on this occasion Ashshur was on the side of G-d, the psalmist had to contrast this with a future occasion when also Ashshur joined the forces of evil planning to wipe out the Jewish people.

10:14 Ve'et-Patrusim ve'et-Kasluchim asher yatze'u misham Plishtim ve'et Kaftorim
[Also] the Patrusim, and the Kasluchim, from whom came the Pelishtim and the Kaftorim.

The Torah stresses this in order to tell us that the nation of the Plishtim (Philistines) have their origin in bastardy.  The two above-mentioned nations engaged in wife-swapping and the Plishtim emerged as a result of this incest (Bereishit 37:5).  You will find that all these descendants of Mitzrayim have names which end with the letters ים (sea) an allusion to their evenutal demise in the sea (Pessikta Zutrata).

11:1 Vayehi chol-ha'aretz safah echat udevarim achadim
The whole earth had one language, with conforming words.

In the year 1996 after creation (1764 b.c.e.) a great tragedy occurred.  As mentioned earlier, the Great Flood occurrec in the year 1656 (2107 b.c.e.).  We can see that the Tower of Bavel was built a mere 340 years after the Great Flood.

These people had the audacity to rebel against G-d.  They did not learn a lesson from previous times, from the generation of Enosh and the generation of the flood, who were wiped out for their sins.

The generations following the Great Flood showed little gratitude.  In stead of thanking G-d for allowing them to live, and for making their ancestors survive the flood, they began to rebel against Him.  Even though barely 340 years had passed since the Great Flood, they had forgotten their pain and were sinning once again.  Even though people started sinning right after the Great Flood, the merit of Shem protected them, and G-d gave them a chance.  The numerical value of Shem (שֵׁם) is 340.

Since people lived such long lives in those days, 340 years was considered a short time.  Today, when a person thinks back forty years, it seems like but yesterday.  In those days, the same was true of 340 years.

Furthermore, the effects of the Great Flood was so great that it left much evidence in its wake.  It took many years before the world was restored.

What these people did was based on a basic error.  They knew that the flood had occurred 1656 years after creation, and they became obsessed with the idea that this was a cyclic phenomenon, that G-d would bring a flood every 1656 years.  They tried to figure out a way to escape a future flood.  They would build a very tall structure, which could not be washed away by any flood; then, if G-d ever brought another flood to the world, they would have a safe place to wait it out.

In building the Tower, the people said that they were making it "lest we be scattered on the face of all the land" (11:4).  They were saying, "We shall make ourselves a shelter  so that if another flood comes, we will not be dashed about and scattered all over the land."

These people also used their "one language" to say many things that were disrespectful to G-d.  Their philosophers argued that G-d has no interest in our world.  They claimed that the direction of the world was left to the planets and stars, that it would be beneath G-d to be concerned with mere flesh and blood and to answer eauch one as if He recognizes him.  Much later, Aristotle had a similar opinion, teaching that G-d is only concerned with the astronomical.

Their intent was to place int he heavens an idol holding a sword in its hand, as if it were ready for battle.  This alluded to the fact that they were waging war against G-d, by not accepting His authority.  They assumed that G-d did not direct the lower world; they brazenly proclaimed, "Even though we are rebelling against G-d, He can do us no evil.  We are under the direction of the stars and planets."

When the Tower of Bavel was built, Avraham was 48 years old.  They also showed disrespect for him.  Since he did not yet have any children, they would humiliate him and say, "Look at the eunuch!  He is like a mule that can have no children."

Because of their disrespect for G-d and Avraham, these people became separated from G-d.  The Torah therefore says that "they migrated from the east."  This cannot be speaking of a geographical migration, since the tower was built in Bavel, which is in the east.  (Actually, the word the Torah uses here for "east" is קֶדֶם (kedem), and not the more usual מִזְרַח (mizrach). The word kedem also means "ancient times;" the word therefore alludes to G-d.)  This phrase indicates that these people "migrated" away from G-d. (Bereishit Rabbah)

They sought out a place large enough for all of them to plot together.  They found such a large fertile area in the land of Shinar, in the vicinity of Bavel. (Bereishit Rabbah; Rashi)

This was a major find, because there had never been a place like this.  G-d had recently created it, just for them.  If a person wishes to head in a certain direction, he is given every opportunity from on high.  G-d therefore created a beautiful area, where they would be able to carry out their plans. (Yafeh Taor, p. 231)


The Ten Generations from Noach to Avraham

These short chapters record the ten generations from Noach until Avraham.  The Torah provides this genealogy to teach us that the world was created by G-d, to refute the opinion of some philosophers who say that it always existed.  From these genealogies, we learn that Avraham knew Noach.  He repeated the story of the Flood to his children as he himself had heard it from Noach.  Noach also told Avraham the story of Adam, as he had heard it from his grandparents.  Yitzchak and Yaakov also knew Shem; from him they heard the whole story of the Flood and what had occurred in the ark.  Yaakov told all this to his children.  In this manner, there was a direct tradition, going all the way back to creation. (RaMBaN).

1st Generation: Shem, son of Noach, born 1558 after creation; died in 2158.

2nd Generation: Arpachshad, born two years after the flood in 1658; died in 2096.

3rd Generation: Shelach, born in 1693; died in 2126.

4th Generation: Ever, born in 1723.  He was a great genius, and he founded an academy in which the Patriarchs studied (Yaakov studied there for 14 years). Ever died in 2187.

5th Generation: Peleg, born in 1757; died in 1996, the same year which the builders of the Tower were punished.

6th Generation: Re'u, born in 1787; died in 2026.

7th Generation: Serug, born in 1819; died in 2049

8th Generation: Nachor, born in 1849; died in 1997.

9th Generation: Terach, born in 1878; died in 2083. He invented a method of stamping coins with various figures and inscriptions.  He was also the greatest of the idolatrous priests. (Shalshelet HaKabbalah)

10th Generation: Avraham, born 1948; died in 2123.

32 Vayihi'u yemei-Terach chamesh shanim umatayim shanah vayamot Terach beCharan
The lifetime of Terach was two hundred and five years. Terach died in Charan.

In some Torah scrolls, the word חָרָן (Charan) is written with the letter נ (nun) reversed (the word Charan means anger) and this alludes to the fact that until the time of Avraham, divine anger was directed against the world.  The twenty generations from Adam until Avraham angered G-d, bringing upon themselves the catastrophes of the Great Flood and the separation of nations.  When Avraham came along, the world was improved and much good came about. (Rashi)


Biblical Characters of Parashat Noach

אנוֹשּׁ (Enosh)

(3rd generation) Enosh was born in the year 235 (3526 b.c.e.). Adam, Shet, and Enosh all looked alike. Since Adam was created by G-d, all his features were perfect; he was absolutely handsome. Although Shet and Enosh were born in a natural manner, from a woman, they looked exactly like Adam. This is alluded to in the verse, "And Shet was ALSO born a son, and he named him Enosh" (Bereishit 4:26). The word "also" would normally be superfluous, but it comes to teach us that both Shet and Enosh resembled Adam (in looks and in deeds) (Zohar 1:36, 1:54, 1:56)

Then people became wicked, they began to worship idols. Even Enosh himself became caught up in this error (Yad, Avodat Kochavim). Some say that he did not engage in idolatry until after Adam died (RaMBaN).

Idolatry began as the result of a logical mistake. Enosh said to himself, "G-d created the stars and planets with which to direct the world. Since He placed them in the heavens in a place of honor, we too must respect them. This is the same as the honor we show to a king's ministers. When we honor them, we are actually showing respect for the king himself." None of these people thought that the sun and stars were gods, they were not fools or idiots. But they thought that it was G-d's will that they respect these astronomical bodies. 

Four things changed in the days of Enosh son of Shet, the soil of the hills became hard and non-tillable; corpses began to decompose and smell; people's faces took on a resemblance to those of monkeys; and people became susceptible to harm from demons (Bereishit Rabbah 23:6).

• They lost the handsome appearance of previous generations and began to look like apes. 
• Authority was given to the evil, maleficent Forces to attack them. Until this time, such Forces were afraid of humans, just as a person is afraid of a lion. The world was set up so that man dominated even such entities, but the sin of Enosh's generation caused this to be reversed. 
• Although it had been decreed that man die because of Adam's sin, a human body would then decay in the grave without being attacked by worms. From Enosh's time on, it was decreed that worms and maggots would be able to invade the grave. The Mishnah therefore teaches, "Be extremely humble, for man's hope is the worm" (Avot 4:4; Zera Berach, Part 1). One must be very humble, since it was the pride of Enosh's generation that led to the decree that worms could attack the grave. 
• All the mountains that had been made for man's enjoyment were transformed into rocky crags, which were totally useless. 

Enosh misled the world through his pen, with which he recorded all the forms and shapes of idols. And this is what is meant by "the pen of Enosh" (Yeshayahu 8:1; Zohar 2:192b)

 Zohar, Shemot, Section 2, Page 192b 

We have found in the Book of Enoch (Chanoch) the following: “An only son [Tr. note: Aharon.] will be born unto Him of the White Head, [Tr. note The Supernal Priest] and when they of the asses’ flesh [Tr.note: The mixed multitude, cf Yechezkel 23:20]. shall come, they will mislead him through him who puts pearls into bells of gold without knowing what he does, and an image will be fashioned with a chisel.” What does heret (“chisel”-or more literally “style”) here signify? It alludes to the “style of a man (enosh)” (Yeshayahu 8:1), namely, to the style of the wicked Enosh, the grandchild of Adam (Bereishit 5:6), who corrupted the world by chiseling images and idols with that “style”.

Enosh died in the year 1140 after creation (2621 b.c.e.)


קינן (Keinan)

(4th generation) Keinan was born in the year 325 after creation (3436 b.c.e.).

Alexander the Great explored an island in the Indian Ocean.  There he found a tribe with an extremely feminine appearance.  They subsisted on raw fish which they swallowed alive.  It is said that Keinan is buried on that island.  Keinan was a great genius, knowing all things, even how to dominate the demons.  He was able to figure out that G-d would bring a flood to destroy the world.  All this is found on a monument (on that island) engraved in clear Hebrew script.  It is also written that in his time, the ocean rose and flooded a third of the world (Abarbanel, quoting Josephus).

Keinan died in 1235 (2526 b.c.e.)


מהללאל (Mahalalel)

(5th generation) Mahalalel was born in 395 (3366 b.c.e.).  He died in 1290 (2471 b.c.e.).

Chronology of Sefer Bereishit - Parashat Noach


Year 1536
Decree of flood. G-d warns Noach

Year 1556
Yefet born

Year 1557
Cham born

Year 1558
Shem born

Year 1651
Lemech dies

Year 1656
Metushelach dies seven days before the flood
THE GREAT FLOOD

Year 1657
Noach offers sacrifice
Noach's drunkenness
Kena'an cursed

Year 1658
Arpachshad born

Year 1693
Shelach born

Year 1723
'Ever born

Year 1757
Peleg born

Year 1787
Reu born

Year 1819
Serug born

Year 1849
Nachor born

Year 1878
Terach born

Year 1908
Nimrod born

Year 1938
Nimrod becomes king. Begins 40 year war with Yefet

Year 1948
Avraham born

Year 1949
Nachor II born

Year 1950
Charan born

Year 1951
Avraham recognizes G-d at the age of three

Year 1958
Sarah born

Year 1978
Nimrod defeats Yefet

Year 1996
Peleg dies
TOWER OF BAVEL. World divided into seventy nations
Avraham comprehends G-d
Kedorla'omer rebels against Nimrod
Sedom founded

Year 1997
Nachor dies
Tzoar founded

Year 2003
Avraham goes to Kenaan for the first time

Year 2006
Noach dies

Year 2013
War of four kings
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MeAm Lo'ez; Bachya; Rashi