פרשת נח
In this week’s parsha, Hashem decides to destroy the world on account of humanity’s corruption. However, there is a question as to what exactly was the iniquity that sealed humanity’s fate. The Midrash in Breishis Rabba 26:5 seems to imply that sexual immorality was the root cause of the flood by saying that all of mankind, even arguably decent people, were worthy of such punishment because of the severity that such decadence entails. However, the Gemara in Sanhedrin 108a claims that the verdict was only sealed on account of the rampancy of theft among the general populace. Nevertheless, the Ramban seems to give an entirely different reason. The Ramban, at the end of parshas Breishis, explains that G-d created man with the intention that he should become an elevated and spiritual being, rising above the animals and all base behaviors. Hashem made man straight and gave him the opportunity to ascend and become the pinnacle of all creation. Man’s failure to succeed in this lofty mission mandated justice and this, according to the Ramban, is why Hashem brought the flood upon the world. There seems to be a general lack of clarity as to what the real problem was that caused the flood. How do we understand these seemingly contradictory statements?
Rav Yerucham Brodiansky, the illustrious Mashgiach of Kol Torah, answers that all of these reasons are in fact all one reason but are in different places on the same spectrum. Rabbeinu Yona in the first gate of Shaarei Teshuva says that if a person doesn’t work on controlling his instincts and harnessing his desires, he will inevitably fall into the clutches of sin and continue spiraling down the destructive path of immorality. Rav Brodiansky goes on to explain that indeed the beginning of the moral breakdown that occurred at the time of the flood began with a lack of aspiration towards holiness like the Ramban said. People stopped aspiring towards the spiritual and the pursuit of physicality was welcomed and allowed to enter the fabric of society, leading people to increase in the pursuit of their lusts and licentiousness ruled the streets. The situation became so severe that people would even steal in broad daylight due to their lack of self-restraint and the intensity of their lusts would overwhelm them, leading them to do things that those living in normal societies would generally frown upon and shy away from. Chazal tell us that the decree of the generation of the flood was sealed on account of theft, not just because theft is an evil act. To do such a heinous crime without shame in public and in broad daylight indicated that the people had thrown off any resemblance of self-restraint and had given up on the lofty role that humanity was supposed to fill. This is what warranted the destruction of mankind. When people become animals and reach a point of no return, it defeats the very purpose of creation and the lofty vision that G-d has for man; that he should become an elevated and angelic being.
Furthermore, we see from this week’s parsha that even giving in to the smallest whim of one’s desires has the potential to lower a person’s spiritual standing greatly. After the flood, Noach merely plants a vineyard and the Torah testifies that Noach “debased himself.” Rav Ahron Kotler explains that the Torah uses such strong language to teach us that the very act of planting the vineyard was itself an ugly expression of material desire. Even though wine can also be used for good purposes, like making one happy, of all activities that one could possibly engage in after the flood, Noach chose to facilitate something known to be primarily a means to carnal pleasure and intoxication. Why choose something so based in physicality? Rav Aharon continues that this act didn’t only affect Noach. It affected all of his descendants as well. The pasook calls Noach a “man of the earth” on account of his act. We see a similar language in the tefilla Aleinu where we praise Hashem for separating us from all the “families of the earth.” Noach’s act of planting the vineyard was a statement that he was choosing to pursue his base nature. All of humanity until this day has followed in Noach’s footsteps and are known as his descendants, “the families of the earth.” For the Jewish people, it took the Exodus of Egypt and the giving of the Torah to overcome Noach’s choice! We can see from here just how monumental even a small move towards embracing one’s lusts can be in directing even the future of all humanity.
We should all appreciate that human beings and especially Jews have incredible potential for holiness and we all possess the ability to transcend our own personal nature. The Or HaChaim in parshas Yisro says that if one fully commits himself to the Torah, he has the potential to even ascend beyond the holiness of the angels! According to the Or HaChaim, it would seem that the only reason why we don’t see such results in our own lives is because we haven’t completely committed ourselves to the Torah’s program. We are distracted by so many little things in life and forget the lofty picture of what we could be. Rav Abba Shaul says that a person needs to truly shift his perspective in life to raise himself from the stupor of pursuing his own materiality. We all have wants and desires and unfortunately, for many of us, the Torah feels as if it is bridling our self-expression. However, if we would channel our desires into aspiring for greater levels in avodas Hashem, we will find ourselves greatly liberated from this ideological prison. Instead of feeling trapped and forced to harness our desires, we can channel the human impulse to desire into something positive and even use it as a means to improve in our service of G-d.
Rav Yitzhak Zilbershtein of Bnei Brak used to stress to people that one cannot underestimate the tremendous potential and power of the spirituality inherent in one’s soul. Rav Elchanan Wasserman said about his rebbi, the Chofetz Chaim, that his level of holiness was so great that it gave him the privilege of seeing what others could not. Rav Elchanan said his rebbi really knew everything. He knew what was going on all over the world and could sense things that would happen even in the future. Because of the Chofetz Chaim’s incredible mastery over his eyes, he could truly see everything, and the Chofetz Chaim’s restraint over his own desires allowed him to grasp things beyond standard human consciousness. In truth, Rav Zilbershtein would point out, not only the Chofetz Chaim is capable of such a feat. Really every Jew has the potential and opportunity to reach such heights. Existence could be quite exquisite if we would only make the decision to control our eyes and harness our other desires as well. However, the Rebbe of Shomer Emunim would encourage people that whenever a person is able to overcome any one of his base desires, such an accomplishment is tremendous and will not go unappreciated. Said the Rebbe of Shomer Emunim, “Whenever a person overcomes a taava, he can ask Hashem for anything he wants and his tefillos will certainly be answered.”
May we all be zoche to overcome our attraction to the physical and become the spiritual people we are supposed to be!!!