[Par-lite] Parshat Noach - shiur
Menachem Leibtag
tsc at bezeqint.net
Wed Oct 29 17:39:12 EDT 2008
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THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
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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/brit bein ha’btarim
Avraham Avinu
Chapter 16
Yishmael's birth
Avraham Avinu
Chapter 17
Brit mila - another 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 God's choice 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 which members of his offspring
are chosen.
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!
CHAPTERS
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 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' - God's Name, i.e. His reputation. 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 the deeds of 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 Theo-centric 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 of the story of Migdal Bavel
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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