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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier
At the end of פרשת בראשית, Genesis 6:8, it states: “And Noach found favor in Hashem’s eyes.”
The Sforno explains, that despite that Noach was a צדיק תמים, a righteous person both in his ideology and actions, his family would not have been saved if not for Hashem’s extraordinary benevolence.
Though Noach had courageously exhorted his generation to practice civility; due to his lack of indoctrinating them with the knowledge and acceptance of a Supreme Being – the Almighty – who gifted us with a fulfilling manner of living, only would he merit to be saved. “For a righteous person, exemplary in his ways, personally can only save oneself if he diligently enables others to embrace an exemplary life, then he will merit that his offspring will also be saved…” מדה כנגד מדה.
This same imperative that one has to selflessly expend effort to enable others to be aware of Hashem and his gift of true living (Torah) is expounded again by the Sforno, in תודלות ‘פ, 26:5. The Torah states that Hashem promised קחצי וניבא, our patriarch Isaac, that he would be blessed and protected due to the merit of his father, our patriarch Abraham, who hearkened to all the principles of Torah. Didn’t יצחק have his own exemplary deeds, such as his selfless willingness to be sacrificed on the עקדה, Akeidah, and devotion to mitzvos and Torah?
Due to Avrohom Avinu’s efforts to enlighten, influence, and impress others; his daily commitment to Torah and mitzvos served as a shining, true example of his teaching. Whereas Yitzchok due to his exemplary personal dedication, his actions didn’t have the same impact. Only when he started to promulgate the idea of Hashem to the masses did he merit Divine protection.
“יעקב אבינו, our patriarch Jacob, from his youth studied in Yeshivas, and it’s only natural and logical that he took of his time to engage all those that desired to know the ‘ways of Hashem’.”
The משך חכמה 9:20 quotes the Midrash that comments, “Noach was first given the title איש צדיק, the righteous person, whereas after the Flood he is called איש האדמה, the “earthy” person (one involved with one’s mundane). In contrast משה רבינו, Moses, was initially characterized as the איש מצרי, the Egyptian; while at the end of life, he is termed איש אלוקים, the “person of G-d”.
There are two paths of life: one where one dedicates their life in service of Hashem, disengaging from a society that is antithetical to one’s aspirations by entering into isolation. The other is a trajectory of life, where one transcends personal growth in order to facilitate the edification of many others. Initially one would argue that the latter manner is incorrect for one not only precludes advances in their knowledge of Torah, but one also forgets. (See נצי”ב “הרחב דבר”inמא:נא פ’ מקץ) Nevertheless, the Torah emphatically is teaching us that when one sacrifices for another as משה רבינוdid to save a fellow Jew from being persecuted, one merits to develop into an איש אלוקים, a lo y title! Noach on the contrary due to his lack of dedication to the masses relinquished his previous greatness.
The Sfas Emes, פ’ קדושים, שנת תרנ”ב teaches a profound understanding of one’s obligation. Rav Akiva taught, “ואהבת לרעך כמוך, And you shall treat your friend with the same manner you want to be loved” as an overriding principle to all of מצוות. The primary purpose of all Torah study and mitzvos is that all of the Jewish people merit to be suffused by Hashem with קדושה, an elevated sense of “holiness”, the transcendence of being self-centered to cleave unto and embrace Hashem. Therefore it is imperative that every action – every mitzvah – be done for the sake of all of Klal Yisroel; to subserve oneself to the greater community!
בן עזעי added another idea of encompassment; “זה ספר תולדות האדם, This is the account of the descendants of Adam” (Genesis 5:1). The Torah is indoctrinating us that every action must be accomplished with the keen sensitivity that all generations, past, present, and future are being affected by one’s actions. The more one’s actions are ingrained with this concept the more נחת רוחone will bring to Hashem!
Rav Aharon Kotler זצ”לconstantly exhorted and demanded that every line of Torah learned must be with the aforementioned principle. In the same vein, Rav Yisroel Salanter זצ”לsaid, “When a Jew in Warsaw doesn’t dedicate oneself diligently at all times to Torah; a Jew in Paris desecrates the Shabbos.” The concept of one’s focus in life is to ask what can I do to enhance the spiritual accomplishments of all is the dynamic that defines even personal mitzvos and learning.
The יערות דבשexplains the verseועמך כולם צדיקים, And your people are righteous (Isiah 60:21) in the following manner: Chazal interpret the verse, “that even the people who are devoid of proper focus are full of mitzvos like the seeds of a pomegranate” – for when we are united as a nation, Hashem doesn’t (want to) recognize one’s faults but only sees our collective accomplishments. Again, we are taught that with the proper attitude and focus, we share our spiritual accomplishments as if each and every person is part of it!
These ideas are both inspiring, elevating, and obligatory; one must judge every action as to its impact on Klal Yisroel, the requirement to elevate all of Klal Yisroel and the onus on all to transcend their own spiritual growth for the benefit of others.
