G – d and the TITANIC

B"H

Tonight, exactly 100 years ago, the TITANIC sank. Because the sinking of the ship was such a great tragedy, people are fascinated by the disaster until today. Movies were made, the wreck located and all kinds of dishes, furniture or personal belongings were exhibited. TV stations from all over the world have been broadcasting documentaries this week. How the TITANIC was vulnerable and finally sank. If the crew made mistakes eventually leading to the sinking of the ship ? Whether the ice – berg could have been spotted out much earlier or if there was a so – called MIRAGE leading the crew to false conclusions and noticing the ice – berg too late ?

The question is where we can see G – d in this tragedy ? The first thing coming into my mind when hearing about the TITANIC is the TOWER OF BAVEL (BABYLON). Can it be that the people building the TITANIC were making the same mistake as Nimrod and his generation ? Thinking that a ship like the TITANIC is unsinkable, no matter what is happening. Nimrod thought that his TOWER would be so powerful and pave the way to G – d’s abode that Nimrod himself will be able to catch G – d and kill Him. 

Nimrod as well as the builders of TITANIC thought that mankind is everything. We are able to create the best, mightiest and biggest houses, machines, towers, computers or ships. Nothing can stop us and our inventions seem to be so perfect that no one will be able to destroy them; impossible because we have thought and taken care of everything. No way that something may go wrong. 

The more we trust in ourselves, machines, technology or science and the more we leave out G – d, the more surprises we will have. I am not saying that G – d let all those travellers on the TITANIC die in order to show His power. However, we should still learn from this disaster and never ever feel too powerful and comfortable. There is no reason for us of being arrogant, as there will be always someone on top of us beating us with our own weapons: G – d.

The Lifespan before and after the Mabul (Flood)

B"H

Starting with Adam HaRishon until the last generation before the Flood (Mabul), the human lifespan was almost 1000 years. Let us look at Adam who died of the age of 930, Seth (Shet) died at the age of 912, Methushelach died at the age of 969, Lamech (the father of Noach) died at the age of 777 and Noach died at the age of 950. 

The change came with Noach's son Shem who died at the age of 600 years. After Shem, the human lifespan went down to 400 years and with Peleg (the son of Ever) even down to approx. 200 years. Avraham died at the age of 175 and Yaakov at the age of 147.

It is not a secret that there were many changes after the Mabul. First of all, G - d gave a kind of a punishment. Kabbalistic literature teaches us that, after all those different sins (Adam and Eve, the generation of Enosh, Noach's generation and Nimrod building the Tower), G - d removed his Shechinah (presence) back to the fourth heaven. Meaning, that His Shechinah wasn't as strong as it used to be in the days of Adam. 

Besides G - d changing our human DNA after the Flood, what exactly was the reason for people getting that old ? Among many other commentaries, the ETZ YOSEF states on Talmud Sanhedrin 108: People in Noach's generation were never sick due to a very different kind of air they were breathing. A clean air and still being connected to the first humans as well as creation itself. 

I just wish that I was able breathing this kind of air for two minutes. Not in order to become 1000 years old but just to get a taste of creation.

Link: 

Where are the skeletons from Noach's Flood ?

Parashat NOACH - פרשת נח

An old factory building. Seen in Tel Aviv.

Photo: Miriam Woelke

B”H 

This Week's Torah Reading

This Shabbat, the Jewish world is going to read Parashat NOACH (NOAH). Almost everyone, sooner or later, has come across the story about Noach, his Ark and the Flood. However, Parashat Noach doesn't only consist of Noach and the survival of his family but also includes the "Tower of Bavel" built by evil Nimrod. 

In Noach's time, the world was still almost perfect. Adam and Eve (Chava) had messed up their task in Gan Eden (Paradise) and thus caused a change in humanity (humans became mortal, had to do Tikunim and did not have the perfect souls of Adam HaRishon anymore). Nevertheless, life was still great and easy. Noach's generation had plenty of food, illnesses didn't exist yet and a human life lasted for several hundred years. See Metushelach (Noach's grandfather) with a life span of 969 years or Noach himself who lived for 950 years. 

While going through all kinds of commentaries, I couldn't stop think about the Ark and suddenly had an idea. Maybe this kind of comment already exists somewhere but here is my short interpretation: 

The inside of Noach's Ark could symbolically also be seen as a small world with its own rules. Noach and his family went into the Ark and thus lived according to those rules. Why not comparing the life inside the Ark to the Torah life ? When a Jew lives according to the Torah, he a kind of separates himself from negative things in this world. This kind of separation may be the Ark. I am inside of it. In my own little world, so to speak. 

The question is: How far should such a frum Jew separate himself from the reality of this world ? Can he totally separate himself in order to be the perfect Zaddik without damaging his own personality ? Is it really that positive to separate oneself and maybe loose touch with the daily reality ? 

Noach was separated while being inside the Ark but, as soon as he left, he got confronted with the sad reality. Besides him and his family, almost everyone else had died in the Flood. The world was not the same anymore when he left the Ark. Life was different and some commentators claim that Noach couldn't deal with it, became depressed and started drinking. 

Is a total separation into Holiness (Kedusha) and Torah life what G - d wants from us ? How about all those beautiful things in life such as nature, music or art ? The sense of humor or the wisdom of other people. 

Every human being was created with an individual task and most tasks have something to do with other people. We are in this world in order to do Tikunim (soul rectifications) and most of our dealings have to do with our direct environment. Helping others or influencing them in a positive sense. As soon as I lock myself in a room and only deal with myself and Torah, I am unable to do my Tikunim I am only able to do when I relate to other people. 

Every person needs a balance in life and according to psychology it is not good when a person puts himself into an "Ark" and doesn't come out anymore. When a person only deals with one subject but ignores anything else. Each of us needs to do something completely different from time to time. Go out, speak to other people and simply enjoy life. 

Shabbat Shalom & and have a great, healthy and successful new month (Mar Cheshvan).

Links:

Nimrod und der "Turm von Bavel"

"Sefer Brit Menucha" zum "Turm von Babylon (Bavel)"

Parashat Noach 2009 / 5770

Migdal Bavel - The Tower of Bavel, Part 1

B"H

The Torah Parasha at the time when a Jew is born has an enormous influence on him. At least this is what many Rabbis claim. For converts to Judaism is may be the Parasha of the week when they either converted or went to the Mikveh. I am not sure about that but I heard a Chabad Rabbi in Zfat claiming this opinion.

I think it was Rabbi Yitzchak Luria who stated that a Jew's birth doesn't prove his goal in life but the moment when he was conceived. That particular time would be his Parasha.

To make a long story short and going according to the majority: My personal Parasha is YITRO, as I was born in Shevat. And, as we all know, Yitro is full of commandments and all kinds of Mitzvot. Now look at my huge Tikkun (soul rectification) in this world. At least accoding to Parashat Yitro. 

My most beloved Parasha is NOACH and not Yitro. The reason is not the amount of Mitzvot but because I grew up with Parashat Noach. In school we heard about Noach and had to draw pictures of the Ark. On TV and in cartoons you always see Noach, the Ark and all the animals inside. I found that great and a really nice "story". Moreover, I have never had any doubt that the Flood really took place. 

Parashat Noach has never left me and I consider it as MY PARASHA because I have dealt with it for years. I took the content apart. From Noach, his times, his generation to the Tower of Bavel (Migdal Bavel). I have been collecting anything on Parashat Noach. Any commentator, any Talmudic remark, anything. Unfortunately, when you google "Tower Bavel" you get to plenty of Christian and satanic sites which have nothing to do with the real meaning. Instead, the real and kabbalistic meaning is mentioned in "Sefer Brit Menucha". An extremely complicated book.

Most people may think that it can't be too complicated taking apart the commentaries on Parashat Noach. This is a big mistake and not many are aware of the huge amount of incidents happening in the Parasha. First of all, Noach's generation consisted of certain reincarnations missing their final Tikun. These souls were reincarnated in the generation of the Tower and later on in the generation of Sodom. 

Where did those souls come from and what is so significant about them ? 

Rabbeinu Bachya states in his commentary on Bereshit that the generation of the Tower (Dor Haflagah) was using G - d's most secret names including the Shem HaMeforash "Y - H - V - H" and this is the reason why they were punished. 

The book "Megaleh Amukot" states that Nimrod's generation was again reincarnated in the people of Sodom and later in Korach. Further commentaries say that those souls were also active in Egypt and later on when Moshe and  the Jews were walking through the desert. 

What was the real purpose of the Tower of Bavel ? The Etz Yosef states that Nimrod wanted to built a tower inside the tower. By using G - d's names, offering a Ketoret (spices) and doing other things, the Dor Haflagah succeeded in confusing some angels and G - d had to react. However, the incident didn't happen with Noach but much much earlier with Adam HaRishon, and neither did everything end with the destruction of the Tower.

"Sefer Brit Menucha" on the "Tower of Bavel"

B"H

This Shabbat is "Shabbat Noach" where we read about about Noach, his generation and the Flood (Mabul). Many Jews still discuss whether Noach was a righteous person (Zaddik), as he obviously hadn't warned his generation that G - d was to bring about a Flood. According to Talmud Sanhedrin, Noach had warned his generation but got fed up, as people called him an old fool. After a while, Noach stopped warning others and continued silently with building the ark.

Many times, Noach is compared to Avraham. Why was Noach called "Zaddik" and was he a real "Zaddik" when we compare him to Avraham.
However, I think that we have to look at the times. Noach definitely was a Zaddik in his generation because he didn't associate with all the evil behaviour of his environment. This may sound so easy but it isn't. Especially not when you are the only one showing some moral in a completely corrupt society where people love about you.

Studying Parashat Noach is anything but easy, as there is plenty of Kabbalah, incl. soul reincarnation, involved.

Also part of Parashat Noach is the story of the "Tower of Bavel - Migdal Bavel". There are people who overlook the deep meaning of the story with Nimrod and his Tower. Okay, the people built a tower and G - d caused a mess with the languages, so what ?

What is fascinating is that there are countless of kabbalistic explanations when it comes to Nimrod and the Tower. Also here we find different soul reincarnations and their purposes. The people building the tower were split into a few groups with different purposes. Some were still scared after they heard about Noach's Flood. They wanted to sin but nothing being afraid of G - d's punishment. Others wanted to fight G - d and kill him.

The kabbalistic book "Sefer Brit Menucha" deals with the names of the angels and their tasks. The book is extremely hard to understand. If ever !
I bought it and I am still struggeling. Rabbi Chaim Vital wrote a commentary on the book but after going through his book I learnt that his commentary is even worse to understand than "Brit Menucha" itself.

At the end of the book, its author, Rabbi Avraham of Rimon, describes the angel world of the Tower of Bavel. How Nimrod was able to influence the angel world and almost got them to the point where they followed his will. At this point, G - d hat to act !

Rabbi Avraham doesn't tell us too much about what was going on outside the Tower but rather what was going on INSIDE. How offerings influenced angels and about Nimrod's magic powers.

Today we like to think that those old generations were mayby foolish. Look at us today ! If Nimrod came along, he would laugh about our lacking intelligence !


The entire "Brit Menucha" on PDF:

http://hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=31194&st=&pgnum=1&hilite==