Wednesday, Mar-Cheshvan 3 5784 / October 18, 2023

In this week’s Parsha, Noach, the Torah tells us that after the waters of the Great Flood receded, "Noach sent forth a dove to see if the waters abated from the face of the earth.  When the dove didn’t find a resting place, it returned to The Ark."  Noach waited seven days, "Again, he sent forth the dove out of The Ark. And the dove came back in the evening with an olive leaf in her mouth; Noach knew that the waters were abated from the earth." 

Our Rabbis explain that with the, "leaf in her mouth," the dove was saying to Noach, "I prefer my food, even when bitter as the olive leaf, by the hands of the Holy One, blessed be He, and not sweet as honey through the hands of people."

In the Grace-after-Meal, we thank G-d for the food we eat and pray, "Our G-d, our father; tend us, nourish us, sustain us, feed us and provide us with plenty, and speedily, L-rd our G-d, grant us relief from all our afflictions. L-rd our G-d, please do not make us dependent upon the gifts of mortal men nor upon their loans, but only upon Your full, open, holy and generous hand that we may never be shamed or disgraced."

A Jew who didn’t have the funds to marry off his daughter, went to the Rabbi of Kotsk to ask for the Rebbe's advice and blessings. The Rebbe sent him to a wealthy Chassid who lived in another town, along with a letter recommending that he help the poor man.

The man was sure that as soon as the wealthy Chassid would read the Rebbe's letter, he would give him all the necessary funds for the wedding. To his great dismay, after reading the letter and hearing his dire situation, the Chassid offered him only a few rubles. It didn't even cover the cost of the trip!  He left very disappointed and heartbroken. He realized that all he can do now is pray to G-d to help him.

A while later, as he was walking on the road, a carriage stopped next to him. Out came the wealthy Chassid who handed the poor man an envelope full of money.  "Here, you have everything you need for the wedding.  In addition, my driver will drive you home to your village!"

The poor man was stunned.  "If you were going to give me the money, why didn't you give it to me when I was at your home?  Why did you cause me all this sorrow?"

The Chassid replied, "You see, when you came to my home, you were certain that you would get what you need because you relied on me and on the letter of the Rebbe. Somehow, you forgot to rely on G-d Almighty. To tell you the truth, as a result, I wasn't moved to help you. However, after you realized that you had no one to rely on except G-d and you prayed sincerely from the depth of your soul that G-d should help you, my heart was stirred, and I felt that I had to help. This is why I'm here now!"

All our needs are provided by G-d, but most of the time we don’t see it. Our sages say, “Whoever gives life gives sustenance.” G-d has many messengers. Realizing that everything is from G-d, whether health, children, or sustenance, would make our lives much easier and happier.       

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

WITH SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL

Thursday, Mar-Cheshvan 4 5784 / October 19, 2023

This month is called Mar-Cheshvan.  There are two reasons why “Mar” is added to the name Cheshvan.  “Mar” means a “drop.”   Because Cheshvan, is the month when the rains begin to fall in Israel. Thus, “Mar” (rain drops) is added to the name Cheshvan.

Another reason: “Mar” also means “bitter.”   Coming from the month of Tishrei which has many holidays (Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hoshana Raba, Shmini Atzeret & Simchat Torah) the month of Cheshvan, which has no holidays, feels spiritually bitter.  Although there are other months which have no holidays, the contrast from Tishrei to Cheshvan is felt much more, thus, the name “Mar-Cheshvan.”

The first Beth Hamikdash (Holy Temple) was completed this month by King Solomon. By G-dly decree the dedication was postponed for almost a year and was celebrated in Tishrei.  But, when Moshiach will come, Cheshvan will be compensated with great celebrations. May it be speedily in our days.

In the beginning of this week's Parsha, Noach, G-d commands Noach (Noah) to build an ark.  Noach builds the ark for 120 years.  The ark had three floors: a top floor for people; a middle floor for animals; and bottom floor for garbage. G-d then commands Noach to enter the ark.  On the 17th of Cheshvan, the Great Flood began. 

The Torah calls Noach a Tzaddik B'dorotav, "Righteous in his generation."  Based on this expression, the Rabbis debate whether Noach was only righteous compared to the wicked people in his generation or whether he would have been called righteous in the generation of Abraham, as well.

The prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 54) refers to the Great Flood as Mei Noach, "The waters of Noach", thus placing partial responsibility for the flood on Noach! How could a righteous person (Tzaddik) like Noach, who was saved from the Flood, be blamed for the Flood?

Our sages explain the apparent contradiction with the following parable:  Many people were sitting in a cold room.  Two of the people decided they couldn't stand it anymore.  One person went and put on his fur coat.  Although he was now comfortable, everyone else was still freezing.  The other person decided to get wood and make a fire.  He not only warmed himself, but everyone else in the room too.

Abraham was like the second person. When G-d wanted to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorra, Abraham prayed to G-d to save the people of those cities.  But Noach was similar to the first person.  Noach was indeed righteous, but he didn't go out of his way to save the rest of his generation. He neither called people to repent nor prayed that G-d spare the people. Noach’s lack of concern is the reason the Great Flood is called, "The waters of Noach."

The lesson is obvious: It is not enough to be concerned only about our own needs.  We also have to do our best to help others, for we are responsible for each other.

HAVE A VERY GOOD, HAPPY, HEALTHY AND SUCCESSFUL DAY

WITH SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ISRAEL

B"H

Friday, Mar-Cheshvan 5 5784 / October 20, 2023

Questions & Answers on this week's Parsha, Noach, the story of Noach (Noah) and The Great Flood.

Q.   Why was he named "Noach"?

A. Noach comes from the word comfort. The Torah tells us that his father, Lemech, named his son Noach (Noah) saying, "This one shall comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands from the ground which G-d had cursed." He was called "Noach" for he brought "comfort" to the world.

Q.   The Torah tells us (Genesis 5:32) that Noach was 500 years old when the first of his three sons was born. What is the reason that, unlike anyone else in that generation, Noach didn't have children until such a late age?

A. G-d knew that as a result of the sins of that generation, He would bring The Great Flood. G-d said, “If Noach will have children at a younger age and they will be sinners, as the rest of that generation, I will have to destroy them along with everyone else and I don’t want to cause this pain to Noach, who is a righteous man.  If, on the other hand, they will all be righteous, then Noach will be forced to build a much larger ark, or many more arks to accommodate all his descendants.” Thus, G-d prevented Noach from having children until the age of five hundred. As a result, at the time of The Flood he didn't have any grandchildren yet.

It took Noach 120 years to build The Ark, in order to give the people a chance to repent. Even when this didn’t help and the people didn’t repent, G-d still didn’t bring the waters with destructive force. He still gave mankind a chance to repent. Only when this too didn’t help, did G-d send the waters with tremendous destructive force.

Our sages ask: Why does the Torah describe Noach as being, "A righteous man in his generation."

Rashi, in his commentary, brings two opinions; 1) It emphasizes the great virtue of Noach--that even in his generation, where everyone was wicked, Noach was righteous. Had he lived in the generation of Abraham, he would have been even more virtuous. 

2) According to other opinions, the term in his generation has a negative implication: Noach, they say, was righteous in comparison to his generation, who were all wicked. But had he lived in the generation of Abraham he would not have had such great merit compared to Abraham.

Said Rabbi Yechezkel of Kuzmir:  This is the price of leadership. There will always be those who will find fault with a leader no matter how good his intentions are.  This is the quality of true and just leadership. Great leaders are not ones who try to do things in order to please everyone, but who do what is right, regardless of the criticism. For one who always tries to please everyone in the end pleases no one.

SHABBAT SHALOM

Montreal candle lighting time: 5:42 / Shabbat ends: 6:43