How can the Parasha help us grow this week?
Welcome back to the 7th year of Darchai Noam!
In this week’s Parasha we read about the flood which wiped out the wicked inhabitants of Earth. We also read about the righteous Noach, in whose merit the world was sustained after the flood. The Parsha begins with a description of Noach’s merits:
“Noach was a righteous man (איש צדיק), perfect in his generation (תמים היה בדרתיו). Noach walked with G-d” (Breishit 6:9)
High praise indeed. We may understand what righteous means and we may understand what perfect means. But what does “perfect in his generation” mean? The words “in his generation” seem to modify the word “perfect”, but it is not clear how these words add to our understanding of Noach.
In his commentary to this pasuk, Rashi brings two different interpretations as follows[1]:
- Rashi explains that there are those among our Rabbis who interpret these words as praise of Noach. In other words, Noach was able to be righteous even though he was surrounded by wicked people. Thus, if he would have lived in a more righteous generation, he would have been even more righteous.
- Rashi then says that there are those who interpret these words in a negative sense. In other words, Noach was only considered to be righteous when compared to the standard of his generation. If Noach would have lived in the generation of Avraham Avinu he would not be considered anything special at all.
If we examine Rashi’s words carefully, we will find a very subtle, but important message. When Rashi brings the positive interpretation, he states “there are those among our Rabbis”. However, when he brings the negative interpretation, he states “there are those who interpret these words in a negative sense”. It is interesting that only those that interpret the words in a positive sense are called “our Rabbis”.[2] This can teach us the importance of looking for the positive way of describing our fellow man.
However, if we look a little deeper, we can see that even the second, seemingly negative, interpretation can actually be understood in a positive light. Rav Chaim Kanievsky quotes his uncle, the Chazon Ish, who explains as follows[3]. It is well known that people can be strongly influenced by their surroundings. Peer pressure can be very difficult to resist and spending time with people who are a negative influence can have a negative effect. The impact may be subtle, but it is very real and over time can be quite damaging. The Torah is full of exhortations encouraging us to associate with righteous people as much as possible.[4]
The Chazon Ish explains that Noach was surrounded by a generation of extremely wicked people. No matter how great Noach was, this constant negative influence to which he was subjected had an unavoidable effect on him. He was understandably not able to reach his full potential. Had he been living in the generation of Avraham, he would have had access to that great tzaddik and he would have been able to develop his own spiritual potential even further. Thus, even though Noach’s actual level of greatness (which was achieved under very difficult circumstances) was nothing special when compared to better generations, his potential level of greatness was extremely high, and could have been achieved had he lived under more favourable conditions.
Thus, according to this understanding, both interpretations agree that Noach’s actual level of righteousness was very admirable in the circumstances, however he could have reached even higher had he born in a better generation. The dispute between the two opinions is how to understand the words “in his generation”. According to the first (positive) interpretation, the words are referring to Noach’s potential level of righteousness had he lived amongst tzaddikim. According to the second (apparently negative) interpretation, the words are commenting on Noach’s actual level of righteousness that he was able to achieve in his circumstances.
It takes a bit of work, but the Chazon Ish was able to interpret even a negative description in a favourable light!
The Chofetz Chaim gives us a powerful incentive to work on this trait of looking for the good in other people[5]. If we judge others favourably and with compassion then Hashem Himself will look for the good in us and will judge us favourably – middah k’neged middah (measure for measure). And we desperately need Hashem’s compassion and favourable judgement in order to pass our tests and be written in the Book of Life.
For instance, the Chofetz Chaim explains[6] that for a mitzvah to earn full credit in the world to come, it needs to meet certain rigorous standards. The Chafetz Chaim himself claimed that he did not merit to perform one single mitzva absolutely perfectly![7] Let’s take an everyday example – making a bracha on food.
To make the bracha correctly – our hands must be clean, the place must not have a bad smell, our mouths must be empty, we must not need to go to the bathroom, we have to make sure that we recite the bracha that is appropriate for that food[8], if eating more than one type of food we need to recite the brachot in the correct order, we should hold the food in our right hand (or left hand for a lefty)[9], the bracha should be said slowly with attention to the meaning of the words, extra attention should be paid to the meaning of Hashem’s Names, one must hear the bracha clearly, one cannot be distracted or performing another activity while reciting the bracha, the recitation should not just be a dry recital of words but rather a genuine outpouring of gratitude and one may not interrupt between the bracha and swallowing the first bite.[10]
When we arrive in Heaven after 120 years, all of our acts in this world will be analysed. How many of our mitzvot will be able to stand up to that level of scrutiny? We may have a lifetime of accumulating mitzvot but the actual credit that is left for us may not be so impressive. If we make it a habit to judge others favourably and give them the benefit of the doubt, then Hashem will do the same for us. He will look for all of the possible justifications for our less than perfect mitzvah performance (e.g. we were under pressure, we were busy, we didn’t understand the severity of the halachot, we found the details to be too complicated and numerous etc.)
So how do we judge others favourably? It can be very difficult at times, but here are some tips that might help: try to think of a time when we were in a similar situation and consider whether we applied the same standard of judgement to ourselves; try to think of reasonable justifications for the other person’s behaviour (e.g. perhaps they are sleep deprived or under pressure at work or maybe they are in the middle of a fight with a family member); or try to think of creative explanations that can explain their behaviour.
Let’s try something this week:
- Remember the effect that the wicked generation had on Noach. Try to associate with people that will exert a positive influence.
- Let’s do our best to interpret the actions of other people in a favourable manner. Sometimes this requires a lot of work on our part, trying to find a favourable way to explain behaviour that appears to be negative. But it is worth the effort – for our own sake (because we will be judged the same way) as well as for the sake of the other person and our relationship with them.
Shabbat shalom, Rabbi Ledder
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[1] Rashi to Breishit 6:9, based on the Midrash Tanchuma 5 and the Midrash Breishit Rabbah 30:6.
[2] This idea was heard from R’ Yaakov Brody of Mevo Choron, Israel.
[3] This idea is published in טעמא דקרא by Rav Kanievsky. I heard it from Rav Moshe Donnebaum.
[4] See for example the first chapter of Tehillim, Pirkei Avot 1:4 and the Rambam Hilchot Deot 6:1.
[5] This idea was inspired by “The Other Side of the Story”, by Yehudis Samet, Artscroll 1996, pp70-3.
[6] Sefer Shmirat HaLashon, Shaar HaTevunah, 4.
[7] Likutei halachot of the Chofetz Chaim.
[8] This can be quite complicated with certain foods.
[9] In the case of bread, one should hold it with all ten fingers representing the ten mitzvot associated with bread, each of which is an act of chessed (see Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 167:4, based on the Yerushalmi). In addition, the bread should be lifted up when saying Hashem’s name in the bracha (Magen Avraham).
[10] As I am writing this, I said a bracha on a cup of coffee and only when I finished the bracha did I realise what a dismal bracha it was. As Avraham said to his father Terach: “do your ears hear what your mouth is saying”?!