Genisis Rising: Noach | Rabbi Shai Finkelstein | November 4th

to um say that the SH is the SH is for the entire academic year of 2025 2026 is sponsored by their families. Okay. So we will continue with Noah. You remember Noah? >> Yeah, I do. >> Yeah. You can forget him after we speak about him for almost 3 weeks. Okay. So we are on page three. >> Page three. Now let's talk about So now we are in the 19th century. Ravhir was uh from 1800 to 1880 1880. Um interesting by the way many people think that he was like you know the modern Orthodox model. Uh not exactly. Okay. Uh definitely not. Um we're a little bit far away from being a um and also he created more of a notad. That's also another thing. Um and we'll talk not not here, not today, probably in a different setting. Uh we'll talk a little bit about religious. What does it mean? Where it came from? What does it mean? What its challenges? Uh so we will bzan talk about it later on now not like not today and not in the near future and not in the probably but in a different setting. Uh but it's always very very interesting to understand all those definitions you know modern autodox light autoduct central very less autoducts it's like almost like coke coke zero diet coke and all that. So um so at the end of the day you know there's always sweet there's something sweet in each one of them. Some of it it's real some of it is sweetened. So whatever it is okay about so he was 500 years old when he gave birth. He meaning his wife gave birth. Okay. When he had children says when you read the genealogy you see that people gave birth not in 500 years old. They did it when they were much younger. I mean much younger can be 140 but it's not 500. So you can probably estimate or or think he claimed that what that he really did not want to get married and to have a family. He couldn't believe that he will be successful in being able to raise a family of righteous people in light of what of a generation that is what corrupt and terrible only 20 years after God told him he's going to destroy the after he trained himself for 500 years. So let's say for 485 years whatever since he understood he trained himself to walk to walk in God's path without family without anything only then he dared to to get married and to have children. So, Noah basically could not believe that he will be able to build a family in light of this generation. Now, this is interesting because what can you do if you don't think that you will be able to raise your family here with this generation? go somewhere else. >> You're just going to go somewhere else. You know, Aam did it. A did it before before he was commanded. We know that they were already on the journey from but then they stayed in because of different things but they realized that they can't stay where they are. So they decided to to go by the way it happens all the time not only with Jewish immigration with any immigration. People immigrate from one place to another. Why? Because they can't see themselves fit in that specific place financially, economically, socially, whatever it is. Religiously, people go and pick up and and live but no stayed. So in a way, I think is trying to portray on one hand a very righteous Noah who can believe that he can do it, but at the same time a very weak no doesn't believe in himself. He does not believe that the strength of a family. He does not believe that he can do it. He just basically succumb to what to the reality and say I'm not doing it. Okay. So then he have three children. So then has an extensive interpretation of each character and uh each attribute. So let's see. Yeah. Had three sons. Page three, we talk about three children. So page three, so after the flood, humanity basically is associated with three sons, so he says like that. If we will carefully look into these names, We will find in them a hint to major distinctions in terms of character and attributes and you can derive from here a great comfort. People are different. So here says something really beautiful. It says look God created all humanity different. You would think that after the flood God would recreate humanity as one that everyone will be the same. It will be much easier. Right? You can see that even after the flood, God maintained white what we call diversity. Okay, there is diversity of people and different uh thoughts and different opinions and different people because God truly believed that what that if all of us will be the same. It's not the harmony he's looking for. So a we all know the difference between and unity versus what? Confirmity. I think it's called confirmity or >> conformity. >> Confirmity. Thank you. That's a and b which is also very interesting is that mdal the Babylonian tower that they built they thought that what that is a wonderful thing says god not interested I'm interested that what that you will have a harmony of voices and sounds and you will create some kind of unity and why by the way this is a side note that's nothing to do with is because god himself is everything and he's still one. >> That's only if you assume that the problem with the tower of babel is that they wanted to be they wanted after us. I I would always assume that the problem was they wanted to go under >> right so we have many interpretations to what they wanted to do and this is not our issue but they started with I'm not saying that that was their goal. I'm saying that that's how they started. That's what the puk says which means that what initiated helped them to initiate the project. Why did they do the project? Yes, there are many interpretations. They wanted to fight God. They wanted to put the pillars to the heaven. They wanted to uh create one kingdom only for them. Whatever has to say. that what helped them or or really created the environment for them to start it was so says um so let's look into these three names. So there are three different approaches that you can find with children. So let's start with shem. What was the first job that Adam received? >> To give names. What does it mean to give names? >> You find the essence. >> You find the essence. Exactly. Especially in Hebrew. Not talking about English. I'm not I'm not that aware that it it works in English, but definitely in Hebrew that when you give a name, you define it. By the way, to the extent to the extent that we have inal that when you give a name to a baby, God almost like plant it in your mouth. Okay? And every name has obviously has has a meaning. So he says it's come to teach you a person can express the definition of the items and the objects and this is how he place their also their spiritual place. This is interesting. When I name something, I don't name it only for a purpose of uh physical things but also for its spiritual thing which is very interesting. It means also that everything that has a name has a spiritual content. That's basically what what he says. Everything that is being defined by a name has some kind of a spiritual content. Okay. So that's Shem. So Shem represents what? Definitely the spirituality but not spirituality like uh you know something sublime. So spirituality that is connected to what? To this physical world. Not nothing. It's it's not away. It's in the physical world. or so he wants it he wants to claim and this is a little bit of a Hebrew grammar he wants to say come from the word ham or him or imm she's the one to what to carry the baby in is a language of of a condition If so you have both. So what does it mean? He says like that. I will explain in a minute. So first I'll explain and then I will try to illustrate it with the Hebrew grammar. He wants to say that comes from the word heat. Heated. It's boiling. Whenever you put things in boiling water, two reactions, you can probably expect two reactions. If you put your finger there, you will get burnt. If you put eggs there, you will get half eggs, right? I think so. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I think so. Yeah. You can understand how many times I do it in my life. Um, so basically, you have a place that it's boiling and it can create two reactions. He wanted to say that Ham definitely has that feeling of warmth and love and excitement but too much passion and excitement and love not good. So therefore he says that is not defined. You know what isa is um says it's um >> bubbly. Bubbly. Okay. Okay. So when it goes up it's like it's it's trying to bring something that from within but if you don't pay attention it will spill over. It will go over everywhere. It will go all the places which means has a tremendous potential but at the same time tremendous danger if you allow this to be unlimited. Okay. So yeet it's not does not mean only beauty yi but also from the word p or petty what is petty >> is naive naive who believes to everyone and very easily he's too open to um to be influenced by others. So every external impression or expression basically takes over this person muet but it's also the word mufet. What is mufet? A wonder or a sign. When you see a wonder it immed it's it's immediately what takes over your heart. You don't even think when you see something like wow you don't think for a second. You know how many of you go to magic shows? magic shows magic magic >> you go when you see magic like that I mean I'm talking about like a n do you ask yourself how did he do that or you say wow >> it depends right yeah I knew so first most of us would say wow and then I can't believe he did it how did he do that and then you google it and you try to figure out and then it's not magic anymore right okay good the idea of yeet he says so first is there is very open to every external influence. A B is also what he's his heart is being taken he's being taken over by what? By external impressions. And then he says also aesthetics, beauty also attracts your heart. And you know when something is very beautiful look very beautiful you don't check it well right say oh my gosh it's so beautiful but then you don't really check the details okay so represents what spirituality passionate and being very um being very passionate and have tremendous passion So is what is the power of imagination? So we have spirituality, we have passion and emotions and we have aesthetics, beauty and imagination. Um I'm skipping a bit. So we have now three different path. So these three sons and are not only the pillars of humanity but also each one of us has these three pillars in his or her life. What do we have? We'll get there. By the way, you can answer that question by yourself. spirituality definition everything is defined Michael just give me just a second um and then he says so if a person's soul is healthy so if you are a healthy person spiritually you will have all these three forces working together. So your spiritual will be elevated. Your passion will be elevated meaning you will be passionate but you will use that passion for wholesomeness and who aspire to beauty and aesthetics. So you will have all these three three ideas spirituality passion and imagination. Yes Michael >> what is thehat I don't know I know only to that there's very complicated yeah look So, um continues and he says um very funny. Yeah. Meaning when you have this attribute of do not let it lead you. Do not let beauty and aesthetics to what to misguide you. Which by the way was the first scene of It was the imagination and the beauty that was helped the problem. There was no passion there. It was not a passion fruit. Okay. It's it's many things but not a passion fruit. Not the dragon fruit and not the star thing. Okay. Everything that you bought for Roshashana. Okay. This is not a fruit. Yes. >> So um obviously all these things make a more interesting person, a more diversified person, a fuller person. But how is that done with God? Why did God want? >> So I think I hinted to it a bit earlier saying that I think Hashem is interested that a person through his or her complexity will create a harmony. This what it means. God has everything. God is Hashem and God is Elohim. God is full of revenge and God is full of mercy and compassion. So you need to take all the things that even might be even mutually exclusive and to make them one hard challenging difficult but could be much easier will not work. >> I think I think if not today next time. >> Yes. Okay. So then he says So then he says the following. He says if I will prioritize okay or categorize. So Shem is like the perfect guy right? He defines everything. Everything is spiritual. Wonderful. When I put ye and H. So who is the least uh candidate for being uh someone uh great h too passionate too impulsive by the way to some extent someone who can really relate to him and because he was so passionate he lost it. Is my question clear? >> After before >> someone who was very passionate, >> ohven Ruven and part of Ruven's issues is what Jacob told him. You are too impetuous. You are too pushed. And then when Ysef was what Tuk Shimon and Ruven had to convince Yakov to send Binyamin, he says, "Kill my two children." Yakov looked at him and said, "You want me to kill my grandchildren? >> We can kill our common enemy, which is you, but not my grandchildren." Right? So the thing is obviously it's not that God forbid he was not smart. That's not the issue. The issue is that sometimes those this passion takes over someone and he lose it. So what's the beauty? The beauty and that's what option said. something really interesting. Says beauty and aesthetics and this aspirations for beauty is also somewhat of a fence for too much passion and and why because you you need to be polite. Yeet is not only the beauty of a museum, it's also politeness, you know, to be mannered. So let's say you are really hungry and you want to eat but what do you have on your table? Fork and a knife and you have a plate. So if you are a modern man and you are very very hungry you're not going to eat with your hands right now, right? What would you do? You will need to what? To sit down and eat. So it will it will limit a bit this uncontrolled I call it uncontrolled. That was the word I was looking for. An uncontrolled passion and emotions that takes over you. Okay. So then he says, however, he says it's still very subjective, right? Those things when it's about politeness and and manners, it's it's very subjective. He says we will see in the future the those differences that we will see comes to play when we talk about the new nations that came after the flood. He says the differences that we see between nations, it's not to show that there was a decline. They all were brought to So it comes to teach us what? says when we look at the world in front of us 19th century Germany we'll see people who are very very talented in spiritual things and we'll see some people who are some nations who are very talented in music and some with art and some with passion don't lose hope >> Germany right mean >> get from what we're discussing now that what happened to how they what they did to us in World War II >> we're not there yet 19th century >> was it >> might be he didn't discuss the sha he did not is trying to explain Noah and his three children and the three pillars of humanity and then he just wanted to say that if you see different nations don't lose hope somehow they will come together as they came to God wanted to save this diversity. Now just one second. We should believe that what that all the different races were born for what to this divine ideal that everyone will come together. Now as you can see in my class I'm trying to tell you the time of the commentator. Now we have something very interesting. What do we know about now? So you know what before that basically his point was what diversity among nations when you see nations that are focused on spirituality and some people on the art and beauty and some on music and some on uh different cultures whatever it is don't lose hope it's a divine plan that's what God wants somehow at the end of the the day everyone will be we want all of them to recognize God as a king and we need to lead everyone together, right? Okay. Now, let's go to 19th century. What do we know about? >> Who did he really fight against? >> Uh, not only reform >> too what we will call. Okay. He masculim reforming on one hand and on the other hand what the mish like he created a school for what? For rabbis to finish their doctorate and to be rabbis. Okay. To be involved with worldly issues and to obviously lead communities. He by the way he built in Frankfurt. Okay. He built his own kaya. He himself detached himself from the older kaya saying I can't live with you. So he came with few families and because he was very inspirational and it was very dynamic. So he obviously created a big kila now. So he had to deal with both of them which in a way they represents what >> the to some extent. Okay. You have the people who are very interested in art, culture, imagination, passion, compassion. And then you have the people who are only only interested in what in spirituality with with nothing to do with reality. So I guess thought that he is like a like a that he can what include all of them. And then he took it and he extended it to other nations. You look at nations and now you have in the 19th century you have nationalities, Mameish nationalities and you see around the world and you see what some nations that are really into art and culture for example >> Greek >> France >> Hungary >> Germany >> Austrohungary >> Austrohungary okay you have people who are really passionate with home not home of love necessarily but with blood and other things. Okay. And then you have the people of the spirit which is mostly >> us. >> And somehow he wants to justify not only our place but also our place as leaders. So as you can see unlike the Iban Ezra Rambam Radak everything we saw before that we're talking about what we're talking about to see if Abraham and Noah and if Noah was still righteous and if he inspired his children look what said he had to address the issues of the day it takes Noah it takes he looks at that and he says that what gods want he wants everything together not one and that's it so That's not good. You focus only on one thing to you focus on also one thing. Me and my movement try to focus on what? On all three things together. >> Balance >> and to try to find the balance between them. What >> you mean? Yeah. So he was uh very good to God and he was very good to the other creatures. So whenever he says it basically nullifies what he says before it comes to to add to what was before. So therefore it says to come to tell you the generations before were wicked and his children are righteous. Why does it say those are the generations of it should say he had three kids meaning his actions are his descendants. Um a fruit of a righteous person is a is a is a eternal tree. Why did he say why to say it twice? No saw the world in its destruction and Noah saw the world when it was rebuilt which by the way not too many people can see it by definition. And we also know with Lot's wife, she wanted to see a world being destroyed and that was the la the last thing that she saw. Yes. Survivors of the Holocaust have seen both. There are not too many. That's true. Which by the way means what? To see Yeshu after Hurban, you also need to have tremendous strength and to believe that you can build despite the destruction that you experience. Now, let's continue. He did righteous things with the other creatures. We don't know exactly what he did. So, he says, but it was only then. Okay. So now I skip a beat and then it says you see two lines from the end of that paragraph. One second follow the path of the ancestors. That's what Jacob says. Meaning my ancestors they both walked in front of God. They didn't need helpers to become righteous. However, so after we gave him all those praises, we say there is a huge difference between Noah and the other. The avot were able to walk without anyone helping them. However, when it comes to Noah, if Hashem will not hold him to grab him in his shirt, he will not be able to what to stand. >> So that's that's even Noah was always falling and Hashem had to what to hold him up. So what does it mean? What does it mean regarding Noah? After saying to him all those praises, what does it mean about Noah? So look, I think you can see it even without Noah. You can see sometimes even I I'm not going to call them leaders, but people who do something if you don't tell them you did well, good job, a pat on their shoulder, what will happen to them? >> They will fall. They need reinforcement. >> Exactly. Positive reinforcement. You do good. You do well. You are great. There is no one like you. Okay. Even though they might think that you are really kidding them because really I just, you know, put the plate in the sink. Okay. So, I didn't do I didn't save the world yet, but you know, you did a good job. You helped me a lot. That why are you laughing? That's what you do and that's what you get. So, so the thing is is what is that you need to have this positive reinforcement Noah needed that all the time. Now, why? So, once it's because maybe he just didn't have, you know, what Ara had, he didn't have what it takes in order to be a really true leader. B, it might be that the generation was so terrible, so corrupt, they mocked him and he stayed. He didn't go. So, every day, you know, they're telling him, "No, you are a terrible person. What are you doing? come and join us for uh I don't know whatever and he needs to resist it so he needs this help and see it might be that he also had doubts he also had doubts don't forget every day God says to you I'm going to destroy the wall build the ark how many years it took him to build the ark >> no not 600 20 years. So for 120 years, you need to believe that what God told you is true and just imagine you start building the ark. People look at you like you are really out of your mind and you tell them, "God is telling me he's going to destroy the world." Okay, you know what? Maybe I believe you. Two weeks later I come to you and says God didn't. Three years later I come and tell you God didn't. Obviously it affects as well. Which means it might be that he couldn't stand. What does that mean? He couldn't stand on his feet to have this faith and belief that what that it will it will happen. >> You need reinforcement. >> Yeah. So the idea is is unlike Abraham and Yakov you will we will call them today in the in the business world self starters okay they can do it by themselves they they don't need anyone to help them and they can do it and they can be challenged and they will be fine by the way I'll just it's it's really interesting when Awam came to Israel and there was a famine what did he do >> he left to Egypt who told him He can do it. >> No one. >> No one. We spoke about it in the bet. Why would he make a decision like that? >> That's what he needed to do. You know, not for every question you're going to ask God and you're going to make a decision. And it might be that you will pay for that decision. And he did. Sah was taken. He had to lie. She had to lie. So yes, you you make decisions and you don't wait for God to tell you what to do every step of the way. No, I couldn't do it. How do I know that? Even to enter the ark, God had to tell you what. And then to leave the ark, same thing. Everything he needs to be told what to do. A person that needs to be told what to do on everything that he does is definitely not a a selfarter. That's a B. When no one says to him what to do, what does he do? >> Plant a vineyard. >> He has nothing to do. There's no mission. There's no sense of mission. And if there's no sense of mission, you are done. I just recorded the class before I came here. So uh it's for [clears throat] but at the end of S after S's passing you would think that Ara is done also there was no one else to tell him what to do right so um but he's not done he's doing three more things make sure that is getting married he himself gets gets married again and third he has he's having kids with her three things why wait for but the idea is is that there is no such a selfarter always finds a mission always find something to do that will will be meaningful there's no such a thing I'm just wasting my my my life with no to some extent after he did what he did he didn't find any other mission not judging him or blaming him I'm just that those are the facts. Okay. So now let's talk a little bit about the spiritual and the ethical uh situation in the world. That really that was environment. This is one of the most difficult sukim to understand because it says that God regretted what he did and he was sad sad. How can you say he regret what he didn't know? Obviously we have issues with that but not now. And then says I'm going to erase the men that I created on this earth. I regret that I created all of them and therefore I'm going to destroy them. Now obviously we also know that what >> that despite the fact that God says he will destroy everyone, he didn't. He saved Noah, his three children, their wives and selected animals. So he didn't do what he even said he will. But whatever that this is not for today. This is a horrifying thought after 600 years >> 1600 years of human history. 1600 years. I don't know how many people lived at that time, but let's say a 100,000 people. Only one person, one family were worthy to stay alive. >> When you when you think about it, it's really amazing. We don't know how many people were there because always the Torah says Banimu vanote and then they mention some of the names but that's it. We don't know what does it mean banimu or not. Okay. I don't know if the rate of of birth was that from the age of 30 they start having children until the age of 950. Uh I don't know that sounds like many children but I don't know exactly what happened and how many were eaten by dinosaurs will not eat them. Right? Dinosaurs are veggies. Okay. And is going to build his entire future. Yeah. >> On this person and later generations who look at and they will look at what God did. glance over the entire history. He basically says all the events, everything that took place in history is something that what that whatever God wants that's what you will have. >> [snorts] >> So basically, Hashem showed that even after the destruction, if there is one person who is worthy, he's going to be the one. And that gives strength to people who believe in God. saved Sodom if that's the one. >> No, he saved one person in order to save humanity. There was no one there to save them, but there were still others to save the rest of the world. Not everything was destroyed. Just do I never really thought about this interpretation to that verse. We say it on on Friday nights, right? What does it mean? Ah, I love it. We say it every week. Now let's see if we understand what is >> what is set. Now obviously it's not sitting >> return >> what dwell >> survive >> so survived the flood a little hard to put it in >> oversaw >> oversaw okay he was there and then what do we say meaning the throne, God's throne which is kingdom was there in the mabul and it continued to be after the mabul. Now who survived after the mabul? Only the people who are attached to god which was whom Noah and his children and therefore that gives strength to everyone who will be attached to hashem. So you would think that the strength will bring what? War, bloodshed and all those things. So it's it's a very I'm not saying that that's the only interpretation, but it's a very interesting interpretation of for that verse. So let's just finish up with two more sentences. Shorech. So he wanted to claim the following. When the Torah says, the Torah could say what? >> Destroyed. What does it mean? >> So what is >> interrupt? You say >> corrupt. >> Corrupt. So that we say today he wants to claim is that you are preventing something to to fulfill its full potential. For example, when you see people put graffiti on a wall, what do you tell them? >> Stop. >> Stop. Right? But after you tell them stop or slash you tell them don't, what do you tell them? >> H No, I'm not I'm not I'm not talking about rectifying it. I'm saying you will call this act as >> not destroy. To destroy is to take a hammer and to break it. >> Violet. Okay. >> Violet. >> But I don't know if that's the English even >> the what? So I'm saying the word I don't know how you say it exactly in English but it's not to destroy >> corrupt not corrupt it's to >> it's to mar a rar okay I'll take it um not okay that he's as a killer is what we found in mit. So there are different but here he wants to say that was basically that humanity tried to to prevent the world to reach its full potential. So what does it mean and how do we understand it next week? My suggestion hold on to it.