[Par-lite] Parshat Noach - shiur #1
Menachem Leibtag
tsc at bezeqint.net
Fri Oct 12 07:29:00 EDT 2007
*************************************************************
THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
*************************************************************
PARSHAT NOACH
The Mabul (the Flood) and Migdal Bavel (the Tower of
Babel) are undoubtedly the two primary stories in this week's
Parsha. However, each of these two stories is preceded by a
list of genealogies that appear to be rather irrelevant.
Furthermore, at the conclusion of Parshat Noach (see
11:10-25) we find yet another set of genealogies (that
introduces the story of Avraham Avinu).
In this week's shiur, we explain how these 'sifrei
toladot' (lists of genealogies) create a 'framework' for Sefer
Breishit and can help us better understand how these stories
(i.e the Flood and Migdal Bavel) contribute to its overall
theme.
INTRODUCTION
In our introductory shiur on Sefer Breishit, we discussed
the methodology that we employ to uncover the primary theme of
each sefer. We begin our shiur with a quick review of those
basic steps:
1) To identify the primary topic of each 'parshia'
2) To group the titles of these 'parshiot' into units that
share a more common topic. [Each of these units could be
considered as 'chapters' of the book .]
3) To group these 'chapter' divisions into larger units that
share a common topic or theme [similar to 'sections' of a
book].
4) To suggest an overall theme of the book, by analyzing the
progression of theme from one section to the next.
In our shiur, we will show how the various sets of
"toladot" in Sefer Breishit can help us apply this
methodology, and can point us in a direction that may help us
uncover its underlying theme.
FROM A LIST TO AN OUTLINE
In the following table, we list all of the 'parshiot' in
the first seventeen chapters of Sefer Breishit, joining
together only the most obvious groups of parshiot by noting
their specific and then more general topics.
Study this list carefully, noting how the specific topics
can easily group into more general topics:
PSUKIM SPECFIC TOPIC GENERAL TOPIC
====== ============= ============
1:1-2:3 7 days of Creation Creation of nature
2:4-3:15 the Gan Eden story Gan Eden
3:16 Chava's punishment Gan Eden
3:17-21 Man's punishment Gan Eden
3:22-24 Expulsion from Gan Eden Gan Eden
4:1-26 Cain's sin and punishment Outside Gan Eden
5:1-31 [Toladot:] Adam->Noach Dor Ha-mabul
5:32-6:4 Man's downfall [pre-Mabul]
6:5-8 reason for Mabul / Hashem [pre- Mabul]
6:9-12 reason for Mabul / Elokim [pre-Mabul]
6:13-8:14 Punishment - the Flood The Mabul
8:15-9:7 Leaving the Ark [post-Mabul]
9:8-17 'Brit ha-keshet' [post-Mabul]
9:18-29 Cham cursed/Shem blessed [post-Mabul]
10:1-32 [Toladot:] sons of Noach The 70 Nations
11:1-9 Builders of the Tower Migdal Bavel
11:10-32 [Toladot:] Shem->Terach Avraham Avinu
12:1-9 Avraham's aliya Avraham Avinu
12:10-13:18 Lot leaves Avraham Avraham Avinu
14:1-24 War of 4 & 5 kings Avraham Avinu
15:1-21 Covenant bein ha'btarim Avraham Avinu
Chapter 16 Yishmael's birth Avraham Avinu
Chapter 17 Brit mila - covenant Avraham Avinu
etc.
[To verify this, I recommend that you review this table (and
its conclusions) using a Tanach Koren.]
As you review this chart, note how the first set of major
topics all relate in one form or other to God's 'Hashgacha'
[providence], i.e. His intervention in the history of mankind
as He punishes man (or mankind) for wayward behavior.
In fact, just about all of the stories in Chumash (prior
to the arrival of Avraham Avinu) relate in some manner to the
general topic of 'sin & punishment' ['sachar ve-onesh']. For
example, after Creation we find the following stories:
* Adam & Eve sin & hence are expelled from Gan Eden
* Cain is punished for the murder of Hevel
* Dor ha-mabul is punished for its corruption
* 'Dor ha-plaga' is 'punished' for building the Tower
Afterward, the focus of Sefer Breishit shifts from stories
of 'sin & punishment' to God's choice of Avraham Avinu - and
the story of his offspring.
ENTER - 'TOLADOT'
However, within this progression of topics, we find a
very interesting phenomenon. Return to the table (above) and
note how each of these general topics are first introduced by
a set of toladot [genealogies]. For example:
* The toladot from Adam to Noach (chapter 5) introduce the
story of the Mabul (chapters 6->9).
* The toladot or Noach's children (chapter 10) introduces the
story of Migdal Bavel (11:1-9 / the Tower of Babel).
* The toladot from Shem to Terach (chapter 11) introduce the
story of Avraham Avinu (chapters 12-...)
In fact, as surprising as it may sound, even the story of
Gan Eden (chapters 2-3) is first introduced by toladot!
"These are the "toladot" of the heavens & earth..."
[See 2:4! / note the various English translations.]
Furthermore, later on in Sefer Breishit, we continue to
find toladot. Note how we later find: toladot of Yishmael
(see 25:12); toladot of Yitzchak (see 25:19); toladot of Esav
(see 36:1); & toladot of Yaakov (see 37:2).
The following table summarizes this pattern, and illustrates
how [some sort of] "toladot" introduces each of the main
topics in Sefer Breishit. As you review this table note how
the first several topics all relate to 'chet ve-onesh', i.e.
God's punishment of man (or mankind) for his sins, while the
remaining topics relate to the story of our forefathers - the
Avot!
CHAPTER TOPIC
======= =======
2 Toldot shamayim va-aretz
2->4 -> Man in (and out of) Gan Eden
5 Toldot Adam to Noach
6->9 -> ha-Mabul - The story of the Flood
10 Toldot Bnei Noach -
Shem, Cham & Yefet
11:1-9 -> Migdal Bavel - The Tower of Babel
11 Toldot Shem until Terach
12->25 -> God's choice of Avraham Avinu
25-35 Toldot Yitzchak
- story of Yaakov & Esav
36 Toldot Esav -
- story of Esav's children
37-50 Toldot Yaakov -
- story of Yosef & his brothers
Although this pattern is rarely noticed, these sifrei
toladot actually create a framework for the entire book of
Breishit!
In this manner, the toladot introduce each and every
story in Sefer Breishit. To explain why, we must first take a
minute to explain what the word toladot means:
WHAT IS A TOLADA?
The word toladot stems from the Hebrew word 'vlad', a
child or offspring. Therefore, 'eileh toldot' should be
translated 'these are the children of...'.
For example: 'eileh toldot Adam' (5:1) means - 'these are
the children of Adam' - and thus introduces the story of
Adam's children, i.e. Shet, Enosh, Keinan, etc. Similarly,
'eileh toldot Noach' introduces the story of Noach's children
- Shem, Cham, and Yefet. [See Rashbam on Breishit 37:2 for a
more complete explanation.]
Some of these toldot in Sefer Breishit are very short; as
they simply state that the person lived, married, had children
and died (e.g. the generations from Adam to Noach). Other
toldot are very detailed, e.g. those of Noach, Terach,
Yitzchak, and Yaakov. Nonetheless, every story in Sefer
Breishit could be understood as a detail in the progression of
these "toladot".
This explanation raises a question concerning the first
instance where we find toldot - i.e. toldot shamayim va-aretz
(see 2:4). How do the heavens and earth have 'children'?!
[Note how various English translations attempt to solve this
problem when they translate this pasuk!]
The answer to this question may be quite meaningful.
Recall that the first chapter of Breishit explains how God
created shamayim va-aretz (heavens and earth) from 'nothing'
(ex nihilo). Then, immediately afterward in the next chapter,
we encounter the first use of toldot:
"Eileh toldot ha-shamayim ve-ha'aretz be-hibar'am..."
(2:4).
So what does Chumash refer to as the toladot of shamayim
va-aretz, i.e what are the children of heaven and earth?
If we follow the progressive pattern of Sefer Breishit (as
illustrated by the above table) then 'toldot shamayim va-
aretz' must refer to man himself [i.e. Adam ha-rishon], for it
is the story of his creation that immediately follows this
introductory pasuk!
In other words, Adam ha'Rishon is considered the 'offspring'
of shamayim va-aretz. This interpretation could help explain
the significance of the pasuk that describes how God created
man in perek bet (the first topic of this unit):
"And Hashem Elokim formed man from the dust of the earth and
blew into his nostrils nishmat chayim - the breath of life"
(see 2:7). This second ingredient may reflect the aspect of
man which comes from (or at least returns to) heaven.
In contrast to the story of Creation in perek aleph,
which features a clear division between shamayim [note the
purpose of the 'rakiya' in 1:6], the special manner of God's
creation of man in perek bet may reflect his unique ability to
connect between heaven and earth.
[See Rashi on 2:5, where he explains that God created man so
that he could pray for rain - in order for vegetation to
grow. See also last week's shiur on Parshat Breishit.]
Similarly, the next set of toladot - from Adam to Noach
(see chapter 5) lead immediately into the story of the Flood.
Note how 9:28-29 - the psukim that conclude the Noach story,
are clearly part of the same literary unit that began with the
toladot in chapter 5 (i.e. they follow the same 'template').
This pattern of "toladot" that introduce stories continues
all the way until the very end of Sefer Breishit. Therefore,
we conclude that these sifrei toladot do more than 'keep the
sefer together'; they also help develop the theme of Sefer
Breishit.
We will now show how these toladot create not only a
framework for Sefer Breishit; they can also help us identify
its two distinct sections that create its primary theme.
Let's explain:
THE TWO SECTIONS OF SEFER BREISHIT
Despite this successive nature of the toladot in Sefer
Breishit, they clearly divide into two distinct sections.
1) God's creation of mankind (chapters 1-11)
w/ stories relating to 'sachar ve-onesh'
2) The story of the avot (chapters 12->50)
God's choice of Avraham's offspring to become His nation.
Even though the majority of Sefer Breishit focuses on the
family of Avraham Avinu (Section Two), in the first eleven
chapters (Section One), the Torah's focus is on mankind as a
whole.
For example. even when Section One includes special details
about Noach, it is not because he is designated to become a
special nation - rather, it is because through Noach that
mankind will be preserved. After the flood, the Torah tells
us how Noach's offspring evolve into nations, and their
dispersing (see chapter 10). Even though we find that Noach
blesses Shem and Yefet (see 9:25-27), the concept of a special
nation with a special covenant does not begin until the story
of Avraham Avinu.
In contrast, Section Two (chapters 11-50) focuses on the
story of Am Yisrael - God's special nation. In this section,
Sefer Breishit is no longer universalistic, rather it becomes
particularistic.
Therefore, this section begins with toldot Shem till Terach
(see 11:10-24) that introduce the story of Avraham Avinu, whom
God chooses in chapter 12 to become the forefather of His
special nation. The remainder of Sefer Breishit explains
which of Avraham's offspring are chosen [= 'bechira'], e.g
Yitzchak and Yaakov], and which are rejected [= 'dechiya'],
e.g Yishmael and Esav].
This explains why Sefer Breishit concludes precisely when
this complicated bechira process reaches its completion - i.e.
when all twelve sons of Yaakov have been chosen, and none of
his offspring will ever again be rejected.
[This may also explain the significance of Yaakov's name
change to Yisrael [see TSC shiur on Parshat Vayishlach.]
Our final table summarizes how the toladot help define
these two sections of Sefer Breishit:
I. UNIVERSALISTIC (chapters 1->11) - Creation of mankind
PEREK TOLDOT the STORY OF...
===== ====== ===========
1-4 'shamayim va-aretz' Man in (and out of) Gan Eden
5-9 from Adam to Noach 'dor ha-mabul' - the Flood
10-11 bnei Noach to 70 nations 'dor ha-plaga' - Migdal Bavel
II. PARTICULARISTIC (11->50) - God's choice of Am Yisrael
PEREK TOLDOT the STORY OF...
===== ====== ===========
11 Shem to Terach leads up to Avraham Avinu
11-25 Terach God's choice of Avraham & Yitzchak
25 Yishmael *his 'rejection' (dechiya)
25-35 Yitzchak Yaakov and Esav (their rivalry)
36 Esav * his 'rejection'
37-50 Yaakov The 12 tribes/ Yosef and his brothers
70 'nefesh' go down to Egypt
However, if our original assumption that each sefer in
Chumash carries a unique prophetic theme is correct, then
there should be a thematic reason for the progression of
events from Section One to Section Two. Therefore, to
identify the overall theme of Sefer Breishit, one must take
into consideration how these two sections relate to one
another.
To help uncover that theme, we must take a closer look at
the structure created by these toladot.
SHEM & SHEM HASHEM
Note once again from the above table how each general
topic in the first section of Sefer Breishit was first
introduced by a set of toladot. In a similar manner, each of
these units concludes with an event which in some way relates
to the concept of 'shem Hashem'. Let's explain how.
Our first unit, the story of Adam ha-rishon, concludes at
the end of chapter four with a very intriguing pasuk:
"And also Shet gave birth to a son and called him Enosh,
then he 'began' to call out in the Name of God ['az huchal
likro be-shem Hashem'] (see 4:26).
[Most commentators explain that 'huchal' implies that man
began to 'defile' God's Name (shoresh 'chillul'), i.e.
they didn't call in His Name properly - see also Rambam
Hilchot Avoda Zara I:1]
No matter how we explain the word huchal in this pasuk,
all the commentators agree that God's intention was for man to
'call out in His Name'. Note, however, how this pasuk
concludes the section that began in 2:4 with the story of Gan
Eden. Even though man was banished from Gan Eden and Cain was
punished for murder, God still has expectations from mankind -
man is expected to search for God, to 'call out in His Name'.
Despite this high expectation, the next unit of toladot,
which leads into the story of the Mabul, shows that man's
behavior fell far short of God's hopes. God became so enraged
that He decides to destroy His creation and start over again
with Noach. This unit which begins in 5:1 concludes in
chapter 9 with a special set of mitzvot for Bnei Noach (9:1-
7), a covenant ('brit ha-keshet' (9:8-17), and ends with the
story of Noach becoming drunk (9:18-29). However, even in
this final story (of this unit) we find once again a reference
to "shem Hashem":
After cursing Canaan for his actions, Noach then blesses
his son Shem:
"Blessed be God, the Lord of Shem..." (see 9:26-27).
Now it is not by chance that Noach named his son - Shem.
Most likely, Noach's decision to name his son Shem was rooted
in his hope that his son would fulfill God's expectation that
man would learn to call out "be-shem Hashem", as explained in
4:26!
[It is not by chance that Chazal consider Shem the founder
of the first Yeshiva, the house of learning where Avraham,
Yitzchak, and Yaakov studied, i.e. 'Yeshivat Shem ve-Ever'.]
Noach blesses Shem in the hope that he and his
descendants will indeed fulfill this goal. However, once
again, we find that the next generation fails. In chapter 10,
again we find a unit that begins with toladot - this time the
development of the seventy nations from the children of Shem,
Cham, and Yefet - and again, just like the two units that
preceded it, this unit also concludes with a story where the
word "shem" emerges as thematically significant, i.e. the
story of Migdal Bavel. As we will now explain, in this
story, once again mankind is not looking for God; rather they
are interested solely in making a 'name ['shem'] for
themselves!
MIGDAL BAVEL
When reading the first four psukim of the story of Migdal
Bavel, it is hard to pinpoint one specific sin: [Note,
however, the significant usage of the first person plural.]
"Everyone on earth had the same language and the same words.
And as they traveled from the east, they came upon a valley
in the land of Shin'ar and settled there. They said to one
another: Come, let us make bricks and burn them hard... And
they said, Come let us build us a city and a tower with its
top in the sky, and we will make a name for ourselves -
v'naaseh lanu shem - lest we shall be scattered all over the
world. Then God came down to see...." (see 11:1-7).
From a cursory reading, it is not clear exactly what was
so terrible about this generation. After all, is not
achieving 'achdut' [unity] a positive goal? Likewise, the use
of human ingenuity to initiate an industrial revolution,
developing man-made building materials, i.e bricks from clay
etc., seems to be a positive advancement of society.
Furthermore, there appears to be nothing wrong with simply
building a city and a tower. Why was God so angered that He
decided to stop this construction and disperse mankind?
Chazal focus their criticism of this generation on their
antagonistic attitude towards God (see Rashi 11:1). One key
phrase in the Torah's explanation of the purpose for the tower
reflects the egocentric nature of this generation:
"ve-na'aseh lanu shem" [we shall make a name for ourselves]
(11:4) [see Sanhedrin 109a].
Instead of devoting themselves to the name of God, this
generation devotes all of their efforts for the sake of an
unholy end. Their society and culture focused solely on man's
dominion and strength, while totally neglecting any divine
purpose for their existence. [See Ramban on 11:4!]
Although this generation's moral behavior was probably
much better than that of the generation of the Flood, God
remained disappointed, for they established an anthropocentric
society (i.e. man in the center) instead of a theocentric one
(i.e. God in the center). Their primary aim was to make a
'name for themselves', but not for God.
As God's hope that this new generation would 'koreh be-shem
Hashem' - to call out in His Name - never materialized - He
instigates their dispersion. God must take action to assure
that this misdirected unity will not achieve its stated goal
(see 11:5-7). Therefore, God causes the 'mixing of languages'
- so that each nation will follow its own direction, unable to
unify - until they will find a common goal worthy of that
unity.
AVRAHAM IS CHOSEN FOR A PURPOSE
Our analysis thus far can help us identify the thematic
significance this Migdal Bavel incident within the progression
of events in Sefer Breishit - for the very next story is God's
choice of Avraham Avinu to become His special nation!
In a manner similar to the earlier stories in Chumash, the
story of God choosing Avraham Avinu is first introduced, and
not by chance, by tracing his genealogy back ten generations -
so that it will begin with Shem - the son of Noach! The
thematic connection to "shem" becomes obvious.
From this perspective, the story of Migdal Bavel should
not be viewed as just another event that took place - so that
we know how and when the development of language began.
Rather, this story 'sets the stage' for God's choice of
Avraham Avinu, for it will become the destiny of Avraham, the
primary descendent of toldot Shem, to bring God's Name back
into the history of civilization; to 'fix' the error of
civilization at Migdal Bavel!
Therefore, it should come as no surprise to us that upon
his arrival in Eretz Canaan, the Torah informs us of how
Avraham Avinu ascends to Bet-El and builds a mizbeiach where
he 'calls out in God's Name':
"And Avraham came to the Land, to Shechem... and God spoke
to him saying: 'To your offspring I have given this Land'...
and Avraham traveled from there towards the mountain range
to the east of Bet-el... and he built there an altar - and
CALLED OUT IN THE NAME OF GOD"
[See 12:8 (and Ramban), compare 4:26).
Similarly, it should not surprise us that when the
prophet Isaiah describes the 'messianic age' (see Isaiah 2:1-
5) - he speaks of unity of mankind:
- when all nations will gather together once again, but this
time to climb the mountain of God (not a valley)
- arriving at the city of Jerusalem - to its special tower -
i.e. the Bet ha-Mikdash - 'the place that God has chosen for
His Name to dwell there' [see Devarim 12:5-12]
- thus rectifying the events that took place at Migdal
Bavel.
And when the prophet Tzefania describes ultimate redemption,
we find once again an allusion to Migdal Bavel:
'ki az ehpoch el amim safa brura, likro chulam be-shem
Hashem le-ovdo shchem echad'. (see 3:9)
In our shiur on Parshat Lech Lecha we will continue this
discussion, as we will discuss in greater detail the purpose
for God's choice of Avraham Avinu. Till then,
shabbat shalom
menachem
=============================
FOR FURTHER IYUN
A. In light of our discussion, we can better appreciate a
puzzling statement made by Ben Azai:
"Zeh sefer toldot ha-adam...
It is taught - R. Akiva says, 've-ahavta le-rei'acha
kamocha' - love your neighbor as yourself - klal gadol ba-
Torah - This is a great principle of the Torah.
Ben Azai says, 'zeh sefer toldot ha-adam' (5:1) - klal
gadol mi-zeh - is an even greater principle.
(Yerushalmi Nedarim 9:4).
How could one suggest that the very technical list of the
genealogies from Adam to Noach found in Breishit 5:1-32
constitutes even a principle, let alone one more important
than the famous dictum that one should love his neighbor as
himself!? One could suggest that Ben Azai's statement is
not referring specifically to the genealogies, but rather to
the overall structure of Sefer Breishit as formed by the
toladot, and thus its theme. Although it is very important to
'love thy neighbor', the theme of Sefer Breishit - that Am
Yisrael must lead all mankind to a theocentric existence - is
an even greater tenet of our faith.
B. What other parallels (or contrasting parallels) can you
find between Yeshayahu 2:1-6 and the story of Migdal Bavel?
[Be sure to relate to 'bik'a' and 'har' as well!]
C. See Tzfania 3:8-9 and its context, especially 'ki az
ehpoch el amim safa brura, likro chulam be-shem Hashem le-ovdo
shchem echad'. How does this relate to our explanation of
Migdal Bavel!?
Now, see Seforno in his introduction to Sefer Breishit.
Note how he explains the progression of events from the Mabul
until God's choice of Avraham Avinu! Does it become clear how
the Seforno understood this pasuk in Tzfania!!
[Be sure to find where he 'quotes' it.]
D. Am Yisrael is later commanded in Sefer Dvarim to establish
the mikdash 'ba-makom asher yivchar Hashem leshachein shmo
sham'! (Dvarim 12:5,11). Relate this to the above.
See also Shmuel II 7:22-27 and Melachim I 8:42-44).
E. The suggested thematic connection between Migdal Bavel and
the bechira of Avraham Avinu is supported by the Midrash that
states that Avraham was 48 years old when he recognized God
for the first time. Avraham Avinu reached age 48 on the same
year that Peleg died (see Rashi on 10:25), which according to
Chazal corresponds to the precise year of Migdal Bavel - 1996
to briyat ha-olam. Recall that Avraham was born in year 1948!
F. In case you 'can't wait' until next week, some preparation
for next week's shiur on Avraham Avinu & shem Hashem.
Note that when Avraham Avinu first arrives in Eretz
Yisrael, he builds a mizbeiach at Bet-El and calls out be-shem
Hashem (12:8). After his sojourn in Egypt due to the famine,
Avraham returns to this mizbeiach at Bet-El and once again
calls out be-shem Hashem! (13:4 / see also 21:33).
After reading this entire section (12:1-13:4) carefully,
try to explain why Bet-El is the focal point of Avraham's
aliya.
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