From The Rabbi’s Study…Shabbat, November 1,2, 2024/30 Tishrei, 1 Cheshvan 5785
The Torah portion this Sabbath continues with G-d decides to destroy the wicked world by means of a flood. G-d chooses Noah, a righteous man, and his family to be saved. Noah, his family, and the animals enter the ark and are saved from the flood. The earth dries, and G-d promises, through the symbol of a rainbow, that He will never again destroy the world with a flood. The genealogical tables of the seventy nations are presented. The next story is about the people building the Tower of Babel, whose construction is foiled by G-d by confusing their languages.
From all the people in the world G-d found Noah to be a righteous man. Since the world had so many people that were doing wickedness, Noah for his generation appeared righteous. Being righteous is a virtue. If Noah lived in Abraham’s generation, he would not have been considered righteous. Since everyone around him was wicked, it was much more difficult to remain living a righteous life.
The Tower of Babel illustrates how people that focus on one thing, e.g. “building a tower to reach G-d” and being like gods! Each person only concentrated on the building and they paid no notice if a person slipped or fell to their death. It is also a way to explain the many many dialects and languages in the world. If you realize that there were other nations and people during this era.
Jewish tradition holds that non-Jews are bound by seven laws, presumed dating from that era of the most righteous non-Jews, and Noah. These are known and called the Seven Noahide Laws based on rabbinic interpretation of Genesis 9:1-6.Note that there are six negative and one positive: Not to deny G-d (e.g., through idolatry), Not to blaspheme G-d, Not to murder, Not to engage in incestuous or adulterous relationships, Not to steal, Not to eat the limb from a living animal, and to set up courts to ensure obedience to the six others.
*eating a part of a living animal: This was done by pagans, and the poor to keep the animal alive, while cutting off a leg to eat. This is one example of the cruelty towards any animal.
The first law of cruelty in modern eras was in the early 1900’s, and no it was not cruelty to children or women, it was for HORSES in NYC. The heat and humidity were causing horses to drop from exhaustion or dying on the streets while transporting people and merchandise. ASACP
Then later, with the Triangle Fire where women were locked in a factory and could not leave when a fire erupted. The women jumped to their deaths. This started the laws for reform in the working conditions and no child labor! Louis Brandeis the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice!
Shabbat Shalom v’ Am Ysreal Chai,
Rabbi Helene AInbinder
