Once the waters have dried up, G-d instructs Noach to leave the ark with his wife, his sons, and the sons’ wives (8:15). However, when Noach exits, the exit order is himself, his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives (8:18). Why did the exit order change from what was instructed?

Many commentaries explain that G-d’s instructions were meant to permit intimacy between Noach and his wife. The Malbim suggests that while personal restrictions were lifted, Noach was more concerned about caring for and establishing his sons and their families before tending to his own personal circumstances. This selflessness was on full display as Noach cared for everyone on the ark, and it continued as they ventured out into the new world. While Noach may not have been the most charismatic extrovert, there is much to be admired for his quiet generosity and attentiveness to those around him.

Parshat Noach starts by declaring that “these are the toldot [typically toldot is used to denote children] of Noach,” and digresses to expressly point out that Noach was righteous and moral (6:9-10). Only in the following passuk (verse) are Noach’s three sons named. Why does the Torah seem to interrupt its narrative to share this?

Rav S. R. Hirsch suggests that character is a person’s primary “product,” In this case, toldot alludes not to Noach’s progeny but rather to the good deeds that would follow after him. Noach’s fortitude to remain righteous and walk with G-d despite the corrupt world around him is critical to produce offspring and serve as the example for the future of all humanity. As we begin the journey of the Torah, we are given the foundational ingredients for our development of character: introspection, faith, and inner strength.

Parshat Noach contains the story of Noach and the flood, including the re-establishment of human civilization. Noach’s first act upon resettling in the land was to grow a vineyard (9:20). Why did Noach grow grapes first, and not wheat or barley?

The Sforno explains that Noach mistakenly planted for enjoyment rather than for need, a misstep that would later cause him to curse one of his grandsons, Canaan (9:25). Rabbi Henach Leibowitz further explains that while planting a grapevine is necessary for the future service of G-d (Kiddush, Havdalah, bris, etc), the connotation and association of producing for pleasure rather than for necessity was inappropriate. This distinction is an essential early lesson in doing the right thing. Sometimes doing something is not technically wrong, yet it may still not be appropriate for the person or the moment.

Parshat Noach relates the cause, result, and aftermath of the flood. As the flood began, the passuk (verse) tells us that the springs of “tehom rabah” opened up (7:11). While the phrase means “the great deep,” tractate Sanhedrin 108a explains that the use of the term “rabah” is a direct reference to the misdeeds of that generation, previously described as the great evil of man, or “rabah ra’at ha’adam” (6:5). How are the “great” springs opening up an appropriate punishment for the “great” evils of those that perpetrated those evils?

The book Toldot Yitzchak explains that the misdeeds of the generation were “rabah,” which means “great,” but also means “excessive.” People followed their passions, lusts, and desires too far, and could not get enough. As an appropriate consequence, they were punished with excessive amounts of water, a resource when taken in proper quantities would be a blessing. While the generation of the flood perished, we have the opportunity to appreciate the lesson that it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Being measured and balanced will give us just the right amount of happiness and fulfillment in all that we do.

From the beginning of the Torah through the end of this week’s Parshat Noach, the Torah relays a four-act drama on the theme of responsibility and moral development. Though the stories may seem unrelated, when read in sequence they present the maturation of humanity, which echoes the maturation of the individual.

The first thing we learn as children is that we control our own actions, and that we must accept personal responsibility for the consequences of those actions, something Adam and Chava learned when they were punished for their decision to eat from the tree of knowledge. The second lesson is that of moral responsibility, as Cain is held responsible for his killing Hevel. The third lesson is the realization that we have a duty not just to ourselves but to those on whom we have an influence, or collective responsibility, a lesson Noah failed in the beginning of our Parsha when he failed to save anyone other than himself and his immediate family. Finally, we learn that man cannot just focus on his own kind but there is an Authority beyond mankind to whom we respond, illustrated by the story of the tower of Bavel.

The subtlety and depth of the Torah is remarkable, which makes its study and analysis so rewarding. It was the first, and is still the greatest, text on the human condition and in this instance our psychological growth from instinct to conscience, from “dust of the earth” to morally responsible agents of the Torah and its lessons.

Parshat Noach has G-d proclaiming Noach as being both a “Tzaddik” (righteous), and “Tamim” (perfect). What’s tricky about that is that the term “Tzaddik” denotes a person that’s been accused of something and has been proclaimed righteous, while the term “Tamim”  describes a person that required no defense or exoneration. So which one was Noach?

In “Darash Moshe”, Rav Moshe Feinstein explains that if you’re an individual, working on yourself and no one else, your goal should be to perfect your actions and in using the guidelines of the Torah to achieve that perfection. However, if you’re a leader, or in a position to influence others, many times that involves saying or doing things that can sometimes lead to allegations and accusations. For this reason, many people would rather stay away from communal affairs and lead a quiet life. However, G-d told Noach and us that although Noach could have kept to himself and become perfect, He preferred that he and we stand up for the Torah, even if it means facing opponents as a result. The biggest scholars of our past weren’t known as Tamim, but as Tzaddikim (righteous people), because they stood for something. And the best way for us to achieve this goal is to find ONE Mitzvah (consider reading Guard Your Toungue, learning an Aliya a day, outreach, supporting underprivileged and/or abused women and children, etc,) that we’re willing to embrace and stand up for. By becoming a “mini-Tzaddik” in one aspect, may we grow in rank, and one day become Tamim (perfect) Jews.

In Parshat Noach, the Torah introduces the episode of the building of the Tower of Bavel with a description of the building materials which were used. Rashi comments that since Bavel was a plain, having no mountains and rocks, the inhabitants of the area were forced to manufacture their own bricks. Of what significance is this information to the overall understanding of the entire episode?

Rashi comments on the verse “of common purpose” that the inhabitants of Bavel conspired against the notion that G-d is the sole power over the entire universe. It was their perception that the world was theirs, devoid of Divine authority, and they conspired to attack the authority that resided in the heavens. The reason for the emphasis on the brick being used as a building material is succinctly captured by the Ibn Ezra who comments on the verse “and the brick served them as stone”, saying that they used bricks instead of stone. Their preference for bricks reflected their perception that they were living in a world which they themselves created (when a person bakes bricks, using them to construct his home, they may have the feeling that their abode is separate from G-d, for they themselves have processed the materials used to construct it). They deluded themselves into believing that G-d no longer exercised His authority over this world.

All too often, we ourselves become blinded by mankind’s technological advancements. As man progresses in his technological pursuits, he becomes more prone to losing sight of the fact that G-d is the ultimate authority in this world.

Parshat Noach has G-d proclaiming Noach as being both a “Tzaddik” (righteous), and “Tamim” (perfect). What’s tricky about that is that the term “Tzaddik” denotes a person that’s been accused of something and has been proclaimed righteous, while the term “Tamim”  describes a person that required no defense or exoneration. So which one was Noach?

In “Darash Moshe”, Rav Moshe Feinstein explains that if you’re an individual, working on yourself and no one else, your goal should be to perfect your actions and in using the guidelines of the Torah to achieve that perfection. However, if you’re a leader, or in a position to influence others, many times that involves saying or doing things that can sometimes lead to allegations and accusations. For this reason, many people would rather stay away from communal affairs, and lead a quiet life. However, G-d told Noach and us that although Noach could have kept to himself and become perfect, He preferred that we stand up for the Torah even if it means facing opponents because of it. The biggest scholars of our past weren’t known as Tamim, but as Tzaddikim (righteous people), because they stood for something. And the best way for us to achieve this goal is to find ONE Mitzvah (consider reading Guard Your Toungue, learning an Aliya a day, outreach,supporting underprivileged and/or abused women and children, etc,) that we’re willing to embrace and stand up for. By becoming a “mini-Tzaddik” in this one aspect, may we grow in rank, and one day become Tamim (perfect) Jews.

Aliya Summary: This Aliya recounts the story of the Tower of Babel. Noach’s descendants gathered in the Babylonian valley and started building a tower, in an attempt to reach the heavens and battle G‑d. G‑d disrupted their “plan” by causing them each to speak a different language, thus destroying their communications. This caused them to disperse and settle in different lands. The Torah then lists the ten generations of Shem’s descendants. The tenth generation is Abram (later to be known as Abraham), who married Sarai (later to be known as Sarah).

Commentaries contrast the two sinful generations in this Parsha. Dor HaMabul (floor generation) was destroyed because their sins included the destruction of society by total disregard of a person for his fellow. Dor HaPlaga (tower generation) sinned against G-d alone, not against each other. In both cases, the basic tenets of creation were ignored, and it documented for us to learn from.

Aliya Summary: Noach planted a vineyard, made wine, became drunk and fell into a deep drunken slumber — while naked. Noach’s son, Cham, saw his father naked, assaulted him, and informed his two brothers of their father’s state. The brothers, Shem and Yafet, modestly approached their father and covered him. When Noach awakened, he cursed Cham’s son, Canaan, and blessed Shem and Yafet. This section then names Noach’s seventy grandsons and great-grandsons, the antecedents of the “seventy nations,” and their adopted homelands.

There are at least five different periods during which nature did not behave as we know it today:

(1) The “time” before this world – previous worlds, assuming they existed, did not necessarily have the same laws of nature; (2) the indeterminable time of B’reishit – G-d’s act of Creation of something from nothing; (3) the Six Days of Creation, during which G-d commanded things to happen, no doubt in very different ways from the nature He also created; (4) the first 1656 years of this world, throughout the ten generations from Adam to Noach, when the laws of nature also seem to differ from what we experience today, (5) the “year” of the Flood. These “lapses” in the Rules of Nature can explain a variety of scientific issues related to time and the age of the earth… and everything in it.