Shabbat Noach - 5787

Shabbat Noach - 5787

Rabbi Hal Miller

  These are the offspring of Noach, Noach was a righteous man, perfect in his

  generations, Noach walked with God. [Bereishit 6:9 ]

What are these offspring, what are Noach's generations, and what is the Torah telling us that Noach walked with God?

The word here is toldot, which usually refers to descendants or derivatives, which Rashi and Ramban translated as offspring. Ibn Ezra and Radak say it means here 'events', as in this being a history of Noach's days. Rav Hirsch combines them, as do Sforno and Or HaChayim, saying that the term here includes Noach as opposed to only those who would follow him, as he is now a second Adam, repopulating the world. Rav Moshe Feinstein cites a different Rashi that toldot here refers to the good deeds done in Noach's lifetime, that all the mitzvot done is the important part of what a person leaves behind. Given the rest of our verse about Noach being righteous, all this makes sense, although Rashbam says the word only applies to Noach's later descendants.

There is much written about the middle part of our verse, as to whether Noach is being complimented or condemned, a topic we will leave for another time.

The plural word b'dorotav, "in his generations" also has many interpretations. Radak says that it includes his generation and those that followed the Flood in which Noach still lived. Ramban explains the word refers to the generations up to and including that of Noach, saying that there had been many since humanity began to corrupt itself, and now only Noach was left innocent. Or HaChayim follows this and says that Noach was unable to save anyone from his generations, thus stood out alone from them. Talelei Oros brings the Beis Yosef that the word refers only to the generation of the Flood and that of the Tower of Bavel.

Ramban follows Onkelos that Noach walking with God was proof that Noach feared God and put no faith in the sorcerers and diviners of his time. Others compare our verse with Bereishit 17:1 and other places where the Torah tells us Avraham walked before God, as to say that perhaps Noach was not at the level of Avraham. Rashi says Noach needed God's support to stay on the straight path, but Avraham did not require that support. Kol Dodi looks at it from a different viewpoint, that walking with God meant Noach could see the justice being meted out and was thus able to maintain his faith, whereas Avraham did not necessarily see all of God's promises come about yet went forward with faith that they would eventually be fulfilled in the future, even if not in his lifetime. Rashi also notes that the word walked is in the past tense, and says that it serves both for past and future. If we look at it as past, then our verse seems to be explaining how Noach was considered righteous and perfect, and if we look at it as future, our verse seems to be explaining what is to come with Noach at the helm.