Parashat Noach

"THE NOACHIAN PRECEPTS"

The previous Parashah ends by introducing a mysterious new creature, the nefilim, the result of sexual relations between the “sons of god” the and the daughters of men. The word “nefilim” may come from the root word “nafal” meaning “fall,” thus nefilim may mean “the fallen ones” which may be a reference to the fallen angels. Interesting to note that in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Tanakh from the mid-3rd century BCE, “nefilim” is translated as “giants.” Unfortunately, the nefilim further contributed to the moral corruption of mankind beyond the hope of repentance, therefore, God decided to give man a second chance to start over and live a moral life in accordance with His standard of ethics.

By this time, Torah says that “the earth was filled with violence,” “ha’aretz chamas.” But just one man, Noach, was found to be a “righteous man,” “ish tzadik,” therefore, God decides to cleanse the perverted DNA of mankind through a global flood and start over with Noach and his family as the new human nucleus.

Just a quick note: there are three passages in this week’s reading that indicate that the flood was global, thus, had a global effect in reshaping the earth’s geography. 1) Bereishit 7:19: “all the high mountains under the heavens were covered.” 2) Bereishit 8:9: ”for the waters were all over the earth.” 3) Yeshayahu 54:9: ”the waters of Noach will never again cover the earth.”

The story of Noach and the flood is known throughout the world and appears in different cultures, but only as that, a story. Most of the time the only thing that we remember from reading this Parashah is again just that, a story: the story of Noach's ark, the flood, and the rainbow. But this sidra is much more than that and it has within it profound teachings because this is not just a story, it is part of God's dealings with humanity and, thus, part of human history.

To better understand the history of Noach we first need to read some passages from the Brit Chadashah to see how the Jewish believers viewed this passage. Beginning with the apostle Saul's letter to the Romans 1:18: “For the burning anger of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who wickedly repress the truth, even though what is knowable about God lies plainly before their eyes, for God has shown them. For since the creation of the world His invisible characteristics are perceived intellectually in the things which have been created, that is, both His eternal power and divine nature are discernible, so that they have no excuse."

The people in Noach's time had no excuse for not knowing God, just as the people of today. Everything in nature declares that there is a God who created it all. If we are intellectually honest we can perceive a Creator behind the wonders of molecules, atoms and genes. The scientific "discoveries" attest to the existence of God and not of man's intelligence. Science should not be in conflict with the belief in God as evidenced by the fact that more and more modern scientists turn around and believe in the existence of God, as did the scientists of old.

Continuing reading in the letter to the Romans: “Therefore, God delivered them over in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, to the dishonoring and perverting of their bodies among themselves: they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever." The ten generations from Adam to Noach had ended in failure; mankind behaved as described in this passage and had stumbled into a downward spiral until God resolved that all the inhabitants of the earth would be wiped out, with the exception of Noach, his family, and enough animals to replenish the entire creation; Noach would become the father of mankind after the Flood.

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