Noach: Walking it Back | Rabbi Ari Kahn | October 23rd 2025

waiting for a while for people to decide that they wanted to sponsor the Shir. It's like every week I would look at all the other Shir were being sponsored and all the other rabbis have uh [clears throat] and I knew the day would come that I would be replaced by younger, better-l looking rabbis, but these guys aren't. I mean [laughter] I guess older more experienced also goes for something but uh but Rabbi Michael and Jerry have decided to dedicate this year. This is for the >> for the entire year and and it should been that's for the grand. So uh Israel is so uh so all of you got here today from what they were all the doom they were speaking about this was quite miraculous to be able to fight through the traffic and the security guards and so on and so forth but if [snorts] nothing else we are survivors and we have made it so let us begin. So I want to raise a problem which afterwards you can decide if it's really a problem. I'm not convinced it is and I'm going to as we go I'm going to raise it but then as we continue I am going to give various reasons why I'm not convinced it is but we'll make believe it is and in peret this is after the flood there's so many Bob Dylan references that I could have had this week and uh I think we're saving desolation row for uh for stone home so you guys could do your homework if you need to go back and listen. Yeah. Well, hard rain is going to fall on I mean, I'm just saying is that there's there's just so much and okay, I'm going to leave you with this as formal homework, but after the flood and perket, we find and I'll just read a little of it that God blesses Noah and his children and he and he now this is interesting whether it's a blessing or at this point it's a command. It actually sounds like a command. The only thing is that a little bit later it's going to come again. Right? So, but nonetheless they are being commanded pro. Now, this is interesting because you could argue whether this goes back to Adam as well, but leave Adam. We're not concerned with Adam right now. But it continues and it tells us some other things. Now, I'm not um translating any of this. All that I'm pointing at is that we have a legal section over here. The way the Gmorra is going to process this, and that's in source number two using these verses, it's going to introduce something which I presume most of us know as quote unquote Noahide laws or know as Chevitzv Noah. So why are they called the chevitzv Noah? This sounds like uh like an like like like an underhanded softball pitch right now like really easy and saying why is it called Noah? So apparently if I look at the section that Noah was commanded regarding seven laws. So therefore that's why there which include things like if we just look at the Gmorra source too Noah's children were commanded regarding seven different mitzvot idolatry sexual sins murder spilling of blood gel robbery eating the limb of a live animal sus to cause something to be unable to have children to mix species and rahuda [clears throat] says is that well let's let's just stop there for a second. So, I have a real simple question, and this is going to be a legal question, and if there are any lawyers over here, you we're going to give others a chance as we go on. But if this were a courtroom and we had this information and we go back to the days before the flood and we say, "Hold it a second. You can't judge society based on laws that have not been introduced as of yet." Right? I'm ju I'm just saying what I think is obvious and and and again if you think I'm overstating the question then I said I apologize I'm overstating it but nonetheless there seems to be a problem over here if the mitzvah are in fact Noah then how could the people prior to the flood be held on account I'm going to say it again that any good lawyer you don't even need a good lawyer any good lawyer can get up in front of the judge and say you know excuse me a second this is very nice that you want to uh find them guilty and so on and so forth. And this whole generation is guilty, but you don't have any laws on the books yet. So that so I suggest to you fix up your legislation, go ahead and teach people the laws and then we can possibly judge them. So I'm I'm I'm saying that as the question and again I'm fully admitting that it may not be an insurmountable question. Well, I hope it's not insurmountable because otherwise this year would be really really short, right? I mean, I mean, I do want to say some other things. Now, if we go back a little bit, and this is right before the floods, verse number three, now is a more important word than I'm letting on right now. So, um, but but you know what? I'll let on could mean to change something from holy to unholy to become [snorts] as opposed to become to become something with a lack of holiness. And it really would be a catchphrase and a key of some type of a degradation taking place. So then that becomes a catch word telling us something bad is happening and daughters were born to them. Now I I've remarked in previous years that this is really unremarkable because if you look at human history I suspect that you're pretty close to 5050% in terms of males and females being born. Yes, you'll argue that it's 50 point something something something. And yes, uh the female fetuses tend to do a little bit better than male fetuses. I'm aware of that. You don't have to correct me. I studied enough of biology as well. But what's troubling is as it continues, but Elohim now beneath that there will be judges who will be called Elohim. And these are the sons of the powerful and they saw that the girls were good. And brother just appreciate now go in the very beginning of Berata. Don't we have the same kind of tune that God saw that it was good right? And God saw that it was good and then we had something good happen and so on. But over here instead we have an act of violence. And they went and they took women anyone who they wanted to. And again I've said this every single year. This is not romantic. If anybody thinks this is romantic then we need to have a conversation especially if you're a male who practices these kinds of things. This is taking by force. And God's response is notice the word judgment. God is not going to put up with this. And now my question goes back. Why or how can judgment take place if we don't have laws on the books which is understood as going to give them a stay of a number of years. Um and we'll skip that. That just things more complicated. And God sees all of this bad this evil that exists with man on earth and all of his thoughts aren't through evil all the time. I will point out that even if you're going to again you're going to be a good lawyer and you want to uh give an excuse, what would the excuse be? Well, what do you want? Their parents were doing drugs, right? What drugs? They ate from the itto ra. So therefore, where did all this rah come from? From eating from the doat to ra. But I'll point out that the data ra also had to. So over here, it's an interesting dist distilling which had taken place where they're able to push all the good aside. Actually, the good is here also. The girls were good and let's go take them and their hearts are bad. So therefore this is a just such an interesting way again if you keep in mind that there is an over the background and then you see what has been played out over here. So you realize that this is not good and God had second thoughts. Now this is a terribly difficult verse in terms of theology. We're going to reconcile this this this I uh I give you guarantees or you get your money back today. Not you. Your your money's gone. But uh that um I don't know where, by the way. I have no idea where that went. But anyway, but that we will try to come back to. We will try to uh explain. And that's it. I'm wiping them all out. So again, I'm I'm just asking on a a very technical question. How does God go about judging when the judging seems to be something which is unfair just for a sense of completeness and and and in order to give you some of you an opportunity to get upset with me, I'll read the the taramon because I I find it interesting and I'm I'm just going to warn you about this before you come and tell me that we're blaming the victim, right? I don't like victim blaming. So then you can say, so why am I blaming the victim? I'm not. What I'm really talking about is a pervasive spirit of the times whereby what these men are doing actually has an impact on the victims as well. So let's just look at the keton. This is translation back into Hebrew. By the way, it didn't say that. It said benote. It put it already put the tovote or the nice or the pretty right there. Okay. The sons of the powerful of the of the big. So that also maybe I need to explain a little bit but I won't yet. So did you notice the very slight uh additions over here? Slight the slight additions over here were that they um they saw they were pretty. So therefore now they've internalized that being pretty is or being attractive is something which is attracting and therefore let's go ahead and make ourselves more attractive. And therefore it talks about makeup. It talks about about their getting their hair done. It talks about dressing inappropriately. I mean, Caramun could have run a bay. I mean, this is uh I mean I'm just saying this is great. This is great. But but again, I'm not saying this at all to blame the victim. I'm talking about instead that there seems to be an attitude which is over here which is really again talking about an attitude of uh again of ra which is here the the word right is is the desire was put in instead of baru instead of choice. So again, you have a choice of eating from the tree of sorry I keep going back there of eating from the tree or eating the tree of life and they knowledge of good and bad and now and that's a tree which even when Eve saw it was one which was and so and there's there seems to be lust which is what has been processed and and and I'm going to ask because I think you understand the answer because I think I already said it that do they have choices which means again if this goes to court the the first thing that they're going to say is, "Well, there's no laws on the books." And the second thing they'll say is that we're we're crack babies. Like, what what do you want from us? This is uh this is who we are and and and therefore we have very very limited capacity and uh therefore again you have no right to judge us. So keep that in mind as well. Yes. So what do we have so far? Crack babies. I mean what a whole list of uh things that will be edited out later. Okay. Um the next here it says all that I want you to see there's judgment is all over this. There's din there's judgment and judgment is being used and the only thing interesting at the very end it writes I'm going to give you an extension of 120 years and let's see what you do with it. And I think some of you know that those 120 years did not work out well either. And then we eventually have our cataclysm. Good. Good. But obviously if I'm already asking these questions, I can go back. Although there's reason to say that this is going to be a weaker argument. But first, well, not yet. This one's this one's okay. We'll get to the weaker one in a moment in the next source. Over here, we go back to Ken and He. And my question is going to be how could cayenne be judged for killing Hebell if was only introduced murder was only introduced after the flood then again if you were cayenne's lawyer I'm not saying you want to be cayenne's lawyer but if you're cayenne's lawyer what are you going to say you're going to say well there's no law on the books like what's the problem but again there's this real interesting back and forth God didn't accept his offering and he gets depressed What's the matter? Notice there if you do better, you have a choice. You have a choice. But it's interesting if any psychiatrists are here that there's depression and God is saying you have a choice. And again that that that itself is fascinating. shall yes I acknowledge God says I acknowledge you were created with the but you can control it so that's really interesting just in terms of the preamble to our legal case that's going to take place because over here he's depressed and he feels overwhelmed by certain forces bringing him in a certain direction and God is saying okay yes you are a victim of the human condition you know what the human condition is that we make choices and there are things that pull in different directions and you've allowed yourself to be pulled in one direction. By the way, similarly to the generation of a flood who they have been pulled in one direction. The only good that they see is when they see hot women. That's the only good thing in their lives. Not that they have a yates or tove to do good things and to make good choices and to be decent people, but rather they decide to be completely controlled by the dark parts of their personalities. And over here, I'm going to say it again. It clearly has to be a choice otherwise you can't judge them. And that's part of what God's conversation is taking place. Although [clears throat] we may not understand it enough yet, but over here when you go back to Cayenne, there is a conversation that takes place. And God says, "You can do better." Now, by the way, if it wasn't for that verse, being told you can do better, then we can have this conversation again. Well, how [clears throat] can you ever judge kind? Well, he chooses to leave God's advice aside. Now, it's really interesting that the word being used over here, by the way, I could have used the word, right? He spilled his blood. I could have used the word. He murdered him. So, it's really interesting. He uses the word harga. Hara legally at least har could be manslaughter. Rzak is predetermined, premeditated murder. But so this is again interesting because God engages in conversation and the conversation is where is not just where is he? relational where is he your brother and loyodati I don't know that may not be completely true or maybe he's saying I don't know if he went to hell went to heaven I don't know maybe may I don't know I I don't think he's being clever I don't think he's being honest but then and especially because of his continuation am I my brother's keeper and the answer to that is yes malita And God says, "Yes, you are and your brothers, but meaning, oh, you don't know where he is. His his blood is seeping into the earth and this is something that you have complete responsibility for." And then God continues that opened its mouth and therefore you will wander the earth. So I I will note that if it were first to be murder and he was warned there were aid them and there was hatra somebody gave him proper warning so then he should be taken out and to be killed but he's not killed. Now you could tell me this goes back to a legal issue. Or you can also point out if you're clever, who's clever? You can point out the punishment for killing somebody bish is to go into galut. And therefore, again, if we're going to be overly legal right now, he goes off into exile and it's called hara. And even though even though there could well be some premeditation, God punishes him, but he doesn't punish him for murder, but he gets punishment. And I'm going to say it again. A good lawyer would jump all over this and say, "Hold a second. Why are you giving him this punishment?" Because why not first degree? Meaning you see what I'm doing with this, right? It's not why isn't it first degree? Well, that law is not on the books. Well, this law is on the books, which is meaning how did this punishment come into it? And nonetheless, God believes that man should have responsibility. So there's actually this engagement. There's this insistence we can do better. You can fight this. He doesn't. And again, there's engagement, right? Which is important. Ahe where is he? And and I hear the emphasis really strongly on your brother. Yeah. >> Sorry, but Don't be sorry. Don't be sorry. >> You'll see why I should be sorry. Um, >> I'm a little traumatized by your last book, Rabbit, because >> you should be sorry. >> Okay. [laughter] >> You kind of suggested there that Cain and Abel have the same mother but different fathers. >> Did I say that? >> And wait, >> did I say that? >> And if the father is the snake, >> did I say that now? >> Then him being a brother is a if he's a half brother and killing him might not be a, you know, not a person. It's a half person. And >> so you So you've been reading my old essays. >> You I bought it. [laughter] >> Who told you to believe it? >> Yeah. You don't get your money back. >> Um th those who don't know, there is a whole mystical stream that will claim that Kane and Heil did not have the same father, but they do have the same mother. and she may and they may actually be twins which is really interesting then without the same father which is also biologically possible and um and they are nonetheless brothers and I'll tell you a secret about [clears throat] Judaism even if they are not literally brothers we treat others brothers when it says it does not have to necessarily exclusively be only directed if somebody is a biological brother from both the the father and the mother. And it doesn't mean that you're allowed to hate your sister because that's not what the verse says. So let's not be o overly literal. I know that you live by the word and this is your livelihood. Do you get paid by the word or no? No. Okay. >> Go ahead. Cons. Now you can spy. >> It's maybe that's a good punishment because maybe how would he know that it was mur? I mean, >> so you're asking, you know, you're not asking a good question. You're just repeating my question. >> No, >> I No, what I'm saying is that it makes sense that maybe he didn't get such because he didn't really know what he was. Maybe he >> Right. And once you Right. >> I think I said this, right? >> Yes. I have a bunch of witnesses and it's recorded. We can play back the tape. >> But I like your question. Actually, I asked that question. Yeah. No, no, that that's I did. And and that's what I'm saying is that even the acknowledgement I went a little further even acknowledging that it's only Harria because they don't know about murder. So then you can get them off of Harria as well. Then say, "Hold it up. What are you talking about?" Yeah. >> And I think there were no witnesses >> and there's no witnesses. There's no witnesses because he's clever. Okay. Let's And any witnesses that were there would have been a anyway. Okay. So except >> except for God. >> God God's also Okay. So, let's continue. I see you like my question so much that you think they're yours in source. In source number, >> how did he even know that what he was doing was a murderous? >> Didn't he just see his brother kill an animal? >> But how did he know that what he was doing? I I didn't he just see an animal be killed that when he's I was by the way I was thinking about that because there is a mage that says oh he didn't know that if he pounds him repeatedly that he will die then I was thinking but he just saw aita I mean he should have a pretty good idea yeah so I thought I thought that my answer is better than your question >> okay >> okay so everybody's had a long vacation feels free to speak here has no concern I'm not going to Um, in in source number and Gil, you started this in source number it's fine. In source number six, we're just going back a little bit more. And again, here it's where I'm not convinced the question is as good. But, um, God says, you know, eat from all the trees and eat from the tree of life and eat from the tree of life and eat from the tree of life. So, of course, we decide that, right? Don't think about the elephant in the room. So, what do they have to go after after the elephant and that is the tree of going to the Zohar? What's the tree called? The tree of death. If one's the tree of life, the other's the tree of death. So therefore, yes, we'll have some of that, which is absolute insane. By the way, they should get off on insanity right now. But but but but hold off because that's I'm I'm getting ahead of myself a little bit now. Um and she gives it also to her man and together they ate very by the way that actually is very nice. She shares they both eat and and so on. Salvich wrote about this he thought that if you know after the whole sales pitch of the serpent that this will give you power you will be like God. He said, "No man in history ever ever would have shared it with a woman." And therefore, it's and and therefore he found it fascinating that she just turns right away. Oh dear, look, I got this thing. Power, right? Could have destroyed the patriarchy right here. Okay. They they understood their nakedness. And they hid and God calls out. Now this is very similar to right where where's your brother again it's the other way around the where's your brother similar to aka where God is asking this kind of question you know like uh where are you there's where's your brother where are you and um the answer is disappointing but and God said who told you I mean this is the tree I command you do not eat so here it's a little bit better because Again, I could say, how could they be judged? Well, they could be judged because they were told not to eat it. But I'm I'm just pointing out that this concept of of of judgment and responsibility has been various places here along the way. And one last thing over here that is with the various punishments that unfold in we're told that God does something to deal with man's embarrassment because he's all embarrassed and naked at this point. So we're told comes from the word loa to cover up embarrassment. So over here, Adam and Eve are embarrassed because they feel naked and they're hiding from God and so on. Now just the first way to get out of all of our problem and someone should have said this to me from the beginning. Well, look at the Raam. The Raam understands this differently. The Rabam is in source number seven and he says that Adam received six of the seven Noahide laws. So right now why they call the seven Noah had laws because Noah got the seventh that before there there were six. So if you didn't know this that's why you're here to learn. And what were they and so on and so forth and by the way if we now play it back cursing God murder Gileay Gazelim having a justice system. If you go back to the sons of the powerful, the sons of the judges are the ones taking whatever they want. That shows there's no justice system. It shows there's stealing. There's guileo taking place. Which means according to the Rambam, I just now solved most of my my problem. And he then says, by the way, this line of the Rambam, he's going to say three things. Um, two out of the three I understand. The third one I can guess and I'm not convinced my guessing is better than anyone else's who says they don't know what he means here. But let's break it down. The authority by which we don't murder is not because it's one of the seven Noahide laws or not because it was said to Adam but rather the authority of all 613 of our mitzvot or because God said it to Moshe. Um later on the Rambam which is in source number nine is commentary to the Mishna in which all of you should recognize perigion. So what is perigion? Of course, it's peridhan. So, what is Ram going to be talking about in peridan? The ganasha and why Jews don't eat a gidan. And here he'll say where it's bolded. Moche which means that there's a whole argument that takes place. Are Jews essentially Ben Noah therefore we have the seven plus a whole bunch of others or are we just something different? The rabb's arguing that the authority of all of our commandments is what God said to Moshe. Theoretically, God could have said, "You can eat a that's fine." He didn't say that. But why don't we ate eat? Ram just said very clearly because God said to Moshe, if I go back to source number seven when he saysu our orientation toward the six laws that God taught to Adam, we have them on authority because God said them to Moshe. The hadaten, that's point number two. What does that mean? theatim that these commandments >> logical >> are I was gonna say rational logical that that these are things that we should not need to be told. So now the rabbi just now gave me two separate points which are really interesting. One is he said Adam already knew it. Now can I therefore blame all the generations after Adam? So the question will be to what extent did Adam ever communicate? Did he ever teach this? Did he ever have a lesson with his boys? Oh by the way guys killing is not right. Why? Well God said so. Okay. Or did he not have to have that conversation? Why? Because killing is not right. So the Ram just now actually says both. Again about the communication I don't know. But the point that everyone should have known these things, you should know not to curse God and you should know not to murder and you should know not to commit sexual outrage and you should know not to steal and you should know that you need a legal system. Which means we can look at all kinds of countries which are considered today to be enlightened countries that can enact all kinds of rules that will be again I'm not going to say identical but would really pretty much be in [clears throat] this spirit because these are rational laws. He he then has this third phrase. So you can figure out what that third phrase means. People have been arguing it for the last 800 years or so. Noah. So if you're wondering what that seventh one that Noah died, Noah was also told about a min. Just in case you're wondering as well where uh the ramen gets it from, I'll just point out to one source. There are others in Berid rais. And I want you to read this one carefully. Not just as giving the raom his authority. Adam was worthy to have received the entire Torah because the word safer is used there. He is my creation of my hands. That's why God's by the way. God's involved in this. I created him but I'm not giving it to him. I already gave him six. There you got the Rambam. I gave him six, but he could not keep them. How in the world are I going to give him 613? This is not this is not going to work out very well. Which is interesting because God's basic approach is that according to this midash is that Adam is capable of 613. I should give him but it's not that his creation man is not capable. man is capable but rather what we're seeing here and we'll use this word especially for the Darwinists among us what we see over here is at least spiritual devolution taking place and even Adam who's created by God in the garden of Eden in a perfect sense or placed in the garden of Eden and we find God saying well I would have wanted to give him but I can't because look what he has become um so that should fill all of this a it. In order to get to the next part and we have to get to is the Ramban, I just want to get to Noah after the flood. Source number 10 continues where we began today. Noah has given these laws. You can decide one or seven. Notice that word again, right? We that hopefully you now you now know that that's a word to note. Rashi here will tell us and oh I didn't give a number to it. It's 12 and a half. He made himself unholy. Again there are two major construction projects in the Torah. One is the Mishkan and the other is the ark which really makes the ark in certain sense holy and also especially this animal 7 by7 which will then be used in the first misbak is right there. You can draw a parallel between the building of the ark and building of the Mishkan. He gets off of the ark and it's a holy place. We're told the midrashim say the garra says they were not supposed to be intimate there. It's a place of holiness of now he walks off and now he now by the way you also can't stay in the Mishkan all the time. You need to live life as well. But over here he should have done something else. Now what is he talking about? Go back to source number 10. He became a man. He became a farmer. So now what's the first thing that you plant? The answer most likely should be tomatoes. >> Don't ask me why, but uh that seems the first thing that's >> pizza. >> Pizza. >> I'm I'm >> now do you know how they make pizza? I don't like fresh tomatoes. >> Okay, we're going to leave the pizza argument right now. >> Meat. >> Well, you have to work on your tomato sauce first for a while. Once you have that, yeah, the the dough will be interesting anyway. Um, but that's not what he plans. No, the reason I say tomatoes is because they grow fairly quickly and then you can have some sense of success. It's very important for our young farmers to feel that they've succeeded with something rather than to wait something which is seasonal and you have to wait much more time. This was an educational comment. This was nothing to do with pizza right now. This had this had to I just want to know how many people are going to go get pizza today because of these these ideas that were planted. So but but he plants a vineyard. Now why does he plant a vineyard? How [clears throat] does he plant a vineyard? That's the continuation of Rashi. But says and then he got himself completely n completely drunk and it was not a pretty sight. Now the easy thing to say here and I hope that you understand this clearly is that we have two people in early Bereset who are witnesses and survivors of uh catastrophes. One of them is Noah and the other of them is Lot. And they both end up becoming drunk and doing embarrassing things. So I can't say that. Oh, that's just a kind of a coincidence. Okay. You'll say, "Oh, Noah, sorry, Load, but his daughters gave him to drink." Yeah, but he drinks till he gets himself drunk. And there could be some PTSD, right? I I I find it interesting all the people now talking about dealing with the soldiers of PTSD. This whole country has PTSD, but it's not it's hollow. It's post, right? I I just think that we uh we perpetually live through trauma and yes, we have to deal with it. But but getting yourself drunk and again that's what I find interesting over here and it sounds quite deliberate and especially there there may be some survivors guilt as well over here but he gets drunk and so sees his father's nakedness and he goes and he talks about it. So, we're going to pause there for a second. the the rashian 12 it says look right he sorry the 12 and a half he should have planted other things that he when he went into the into the ark he actually brought various saplings and things with him which means he was planning this for a while but it actually identifies two things and one is toim so over Here you can read through your not now if you want but he does use eventually the theory of conservation of uh of figs argument by saying well it's the only fruit we've seen previously because God covered which is then interesting as well that the covering of nakedness and over here it's going to cause him to become uncovered will be from the drinking over here. So there's something deeper. But he also talks about teenim or figs and now maybe we'll help the fig sales as an aphrodesiac. And therefore uh just the Noah lo connection gets a little bit stronger perhaps but I'm not going to spell all of this out because some of you are too young. That's >> okay. She ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra rather I say some of you are too old. I mean it's um it's it's interesting. Nonetheless, if we go back to the source number 10, the narrative in we have it and they walked backwards. This to me is so interesting because you know as our we've been proceeding in history, we have our devolution taking place. This is the first walking backwards and uh that's the title for today, walking it back. That's the title over here. They walk backwards and as they do this because they didn't want to see something which was inappropriate for them and they they had this this sense that the others didn't have till now and this this over here is a pivotal moment which means on the one hand the whole embarrassing Noah scene is difficult especially this is the final scene. This is this is where we leave Noah, but and one of his sons or grandsons, we were not going to get into the section, acts very much like the pre flood generation of uh of looking at something and being inappropriate and taking and so on. And by the way, you also have by by Eve looking and then taking from the tree. You you also have similar language taking place. And over here they don't want to look. I mean that that becomes critical. They don't want to look and they walk. Eve sees the tree. That's the beginning. She sees the tree. They don't want to look and they walk backwards. There the end of the story. God there's this covering with clothing. And over here that's what they take away from the story that even even the sinner deserves to be covered. Even the sinner doesn't deserve to be embarrassed. There's a really strong statement over there. And that's why this is different. So, as I said, you feel like going through the rest of the of the you can. It's rich. There's a lot there. And instead, what we're going to do is we're going to move over to the Ramban because the Ramban is essentially going to answer all of our questions in a different way. and then we'll see how far we can get. So when I looked at the Ramban, I started see I presented to you in order which is of course terrible. I mean that's the way it should but I had actually seen on puzzv. So let's remember puzzv that was my guarantee to you right? That was the one I said I will explain that god regretted. Right? So let let's make sure we read that PK again and then we'll be able to hopefully make some sense in this. So there's the Ramban Peric V Pikv where do we have that in our uh sources itself in should be towards the >> source number three. So you would say that a god who's all knowledgeable should certainly know about this and not be terribly surprised what happened. So let's start with it's down. It says it's twothirds of the way down 3/arters of the way down. There are those who say that God was sad about Adam's heart. This is not what he says. No, it's God's heart. So what's the first thing that he tells us? This is in fact a euphemism. This is or it's an anthropomorphism. It's giving it's using human qualities to write about God. God does not have a heart per se, but it's saying it the way that a human would say it. And what's going on that they caused there to be a bitterness and sadness in God with their sins? Why is it that it's in his heart to himself? And this is what's great in the Ramban because he didn't do what's going to be the mode of bea divine behavior moving throughout Tanakh. And what's that? When he has something to say, he says it. When he wants to tell man what he's thinking, he communicates it. Now this statement in the Ramban will go back to the heart of our problem right man pre flood is acting in a bad way and what's my problem how can they be punished and what does the Raman say well God feels very upset about this bitter about this again all anthropomorphisms and he says all this to himself because he doesn't send a prophet now right there you have to stop so now you could did I answer my question or do I make my question worse? Which is it? It does help with the language of the verse because but he doesn't send a prophet and he gives other examples of this. The next line which is the Ramban what I did over here is actually I just want to explain the methodology. It's very simple. I saw this random statement to the Ramban. So then I went through the Ramban in the entire section, the pre previous section, post section and then I found the rest of it. And I I feel bad for people who like read one line in a commentary and then decide that oh now I know everything about it. in puzziml is the next missing piece which we already saw from the Rambam but he's going to say it clearer and that's these are these this is stealing and and violence when he explains to Noah he says what had happened but because stealing something is some I'll say it a little differently every kid already knows about this at least in kindergarten right all basic morality we learned in kindergarten and they this is if you don't know the word muskelet you see in the middle over here that this is a logical commandment this is something we all should have known here so here's where he followed up the n'vi thing there's no need to tell people please don't grab the pretty girls cuz you're in mood that that's not the way that works and I don't have to warn you about this and that's something which is both interpersonally and in terms of God it's something which is wrong now the whole first part of the Ramban alid he will describe the devolution he'll talk about the benlohim and he says you know who the benlohim are it is that first generation of people who are created by God. You have Adam and Eve and then their immediate children. And then what you have is a devolution taking place. You have these people who have these divine attributes who therefore have so much capability. But what's happened instead is that that capability has been used for crime. The capability has been used for abuse. the power like so much of human history where powerful men abuse instead of using their power to protect. See, in a in a certain sense, what I really want to do is to string together the various things that we've seen because the generation of the flood should have known about God's response to Cayenne. And what's that? And what's the answer? Absolutely. And what should powerful men have done? Protected their sisters. And sisters doesn't always mean based upon biology, literally my sister. Because brother doesn't always mean literally my brother. And therefore, there's a bas decency which needs to have to be lived by. And we see the the absence of that decency. We see people taking which isn't theirs. And that's the point over here to that the Ramban makes. I have to explain to somebody how does society work if it's just going to be a place that everybody uses their power to take other things from people. That is not called society. That is the jungle. That it that is not something I need to explain. And what's fascinating with the Ramban over here is he introduces this by talking about the capa that we have the capacity to understand. Again, that's why he kept pointing out the tora, but we've ignored the to misused the to we've exploited it. That's really what it is. We've exploited the tove to come into the story in a way which is selfserving. And it all comes back to lust and then to violence. And I have to explain to people that that is something which is unethical. And I want to go back to the court because I kept on saying something which was wrong. Nobody corrected me. I kept on saying if you were a lawyer, you'd be able to win the case. But I want to stop a second and what if you were the judge? Well, the lawyer wins the case. So then the judge Okay. And I I gave you an excuse before. Or what if somebody's criminally un insane? So what if somebody stands in front of a judge and the person has committed all these outrages, raped, pillaged, steal, murder, and so on. Say, "Listen, no one ever told you this, and you don't have the capacity to understand it. There's fancy words in Latin that we could use to explain all of these things, but uh does the judge say, "Oh, okay. Let's let him out to society and say,"Well, no. [laughter] My job is to protect society. And if legally I can't put you in a prison, then I put you in a place that I can put you. Which means what God is doing in this is he's protecting society. And essentially what he gets up to the society which causes the flood to take place. It's a society that doesn't understand the decency. They're capable of decency, but but they make believe they're not. And again, if I want, I can go back to cayenne already where God says to him, you're capable of you. Yes. Yes. Yes. You're upset and yes, you're depressed. And no, you don't have to be. You can make a choice. There's also this capacity of doing something which is good and something which is decent. And that's one of the reasons that I love so much this behavior. And you note another element over here. Two brothers w working together. How much of bat are brothers absolutely not getting along and if I would have asked you where's the first time you see two brothers getting along right sham and y and what they do is is is again I'm going to call it heroic just because there's no previous example of this and yes the flood generation is followed by the tower generation where they over work together to the point that there can be no differences shame and yaf are very different they have different lives. They have different directions. They do different things. And that's part of what the Torah's editorial is going to be is that they or even uh you can say notes blessings. They're going to be able to work together but from separate realms. Oshame and you're going to have the beauty of yeaf and they're going to work together but from separate points. The generation of the tower doesn't do that. The other thing which was really interesting about this and this is what we're not going to really have time to play out the way that we should and that is there seems to be in parad kadoshim this and again there's always the possibility of false positives when you see correlations but there's so much in kadoshim obviously in source 16 about interpersonal relations I love that there's a thing about the karmaka, how to use a vineyard. A vineyard, as so much of Jewish agriculture, it's used for social justice. If you're going to plant a field, you don't plant it to get stoned drunk and naked on the floor or the tent. You do it in order to take care of the disenfranchised, take care of the poor. You give them to eat as well. You let them take the clusters. You let them take the corners of the field. You let them take other things. So, it's interesting how karmaka is there. And then what? And it's followed. Lo and don't steal, right? Going back to the generation of the flood, right? Do don't use my name to swear in vain. Of course, what do we finally get to? Oh, we have along the way a couple of more really good things. is right all of these things. It sounds like it's a really strong response to the pre flood generation in terms of their behavior and and the next thing again now we're just getting fancy. The the the next thing right afterwards is atu and not to make sh there is this teaching in source 17 and 18 that that and he represent shness that one one represented the animal the other represented the fl the planting and the mit it's in source 18 if you've never heard this that right and we'll skip a little And it says, of course, what's the exception? Who's the latter with piston? The cohen. The co and and what does the cohen have? The classic coin is Auron. What does Auron have? He has love for his brother. So it's really interesting. hatred of the brother metamorphosizes it into this law of shates and the one who has love of his brother he then he he then is able to wear the two of them together by the way in sits you're able to wear wool and linen together which is essentially saying that all of us are supposed to be kenim and all are supposed to be our own it can't be in any other area but by say it can and then it's really interesting that that follows directly into the korak narrative where the korak narrative is the other place the earth opens up and swallows and Korak very much becomes and this is all ultraabolistic I apologize but I'm not making any of this up and that uh that that Korak is the jealousy that he has is like the jealousy of Cayenne for he and Mosha's most modest man becomes like like a he character but I'm saying that all all of that is over here in the in the subtext the other thing which is interesting in source 16 is the lack of respect for the elders Dak and again that takes you back to this place where you have this uh this son or grandson of Noah who's exploiting him and embarrassing him and and so on. So to me it's screaming. I don't know if it's screaming to you or whispering. To me para kadoshim is screaming at this because because what does para kadoshim do? It talks about decency. And what what do we find in this generation? A lack of decency. So therefore my question from the very beginning was how in the world can we judge a generation where they did not receive the laws yet? Well that seems to be well the raom you can say well he did get the laws. Now the question is you know to what extent was it passed on? But the Rabb also says, but they're logical. But the Ramban says, "No, there's no N'vi here." God says this to himself because he does not send a Na'vi. He does not send a prophet. Why doesn't he send a prophet? Because there are certain things we need to know. I don't need a prophet to tell me the things that I can't, you know, these kinds of basic things of human decency. That's things that we know. And you know what? And if you would have sent a prophet and I get the feeling that they would have found some loophole and it wouldn't have worked out all all that well. So therefore the it seems to be again that para kadosian teaches decency and the pre flood generation teaches us what happens when there's no decency. And the biggest you know misstep that I had in the beginning was again in that question that I raised by saying well what would a good lawyer do? Who cares what a good lawyer would do? A good lawyer hopefully gets paid and cashes the check and so on and so forth, but that's not a good justice. I'm not making fun of lawyers. I have two daughters-in-law who are lawyers. I asked them which one are going to sign the papers to lock me away at uh at some point and they agreed which one by the way. No, it's not it's not about lawyers. What it comes down to is about God's responsibility as society. And God sees a society where there's no decency, God pushes the restart button and says we have to start all over again. And after the flood and after the vineyard is planted and after Noah's embarrassment, there is this one shining moment and that's the two brothers walking together respecting their elder in order to make sure that there is decency. So there is an act of decency and I'm going to say it again which echoes God's care even for the ones who are sinned and are now naked for Adam and Eve. You'll be shame and he covers them. Here we have walking backwards going back to what Adam was expected of Adam for the very beginning and therefore what they were able to do is to go back and to find the decency. But so many of the people that we find in early liberation were unable to and again things which are basically logic or not logical are not the things that one would think that we need to teach. Unfortunately we find uh that we live in a generation maybe we've always lived in generations like this is that uh is that things that go without saying sometimes also need to be said. Shabbat shalom.