Weekly Dvar Torah: Abraham vs. Noah

The Mishna teaches that there were ten generations between Adam and Noah, and they so angered G-d that He had to destroy them in the flood.

Then the Mishna continues, that there were ten generations between Noah and Abraham which angered G-d, until Abraham took all their reward for any good that they did.

Seemingly, both groups had a lot of evil, but certainly they had some good as well, but G-d wouldn’t give them any reward, however, the first group had to be destroyed without any recognition for any good, but the second group had some good, and their reward went to Abraham.

What was so different?

Noah was commanded to build the ark for 120 years, so that when people will see him building an ark they’ll ask him why this crazy structure, he would warn them of the impending flood which will punish them for their evil behavior.

But Noah didn’t take the initiative to raise the alarm to tell his generation that they should do Teshuva (repent for their sins), he was what is called “a Tzaddik in a fur-coat,” he was comfortable with his good lot, and he would not care to worry about his neighbors.

So, the problem was twofold, 1) the evil of these ten generations was so destructive that there was no redemption, 2) Noah didn’t feel any reason to try to guide them to reverse course.

Abraham, however, first he searched on his own to discover G-d in a world of idol-worship, and he successfully managed to discover a G-d of monotheism, and this became the gold standard of the world till today.

Secondly, Abraham didn’t suffice with his great discovery, he was not comfortable with his own lot, he went out to the world and proclaimed one G-d for all, and he and his wife Sarah were busy converting the world to a G-d of unity.

Not only did he care for himself, but against all odds he educated the world, he stood up to the mighty Nimrod, et all, as he was called אברהם העברי = Avraham from the other side, Abraham was one-man vs the rest of humanity, and slowly but surely, he educated the world of the one G-d who created the world.

That’s why Abraham earned whatever reward his generations deserved, because he went out of his way to help them, and to educate them, to bring them onto the right path, if any reward was due, it was all thanks to Abraham, and he should be the one getting this reward.

Noah, however, even though he was a G-d fearing righteous man, yet he kept to himself, he didn’t get out of his comfort zone, therefore he didn’t influence his generations to do good, and he didn’t earn any reward for any good they may have done.

Like the difference between eating permissible foods which are eventually used to serve G-d, vs non-permissible foods which are forbidden and completely rejected without any value.

The message is clear, a person is sent to this world to make this place a home for G-d, we cannot rest on our laurels and feel good about ourselves and our families, we must make sure that G-d will feel comfortable anywhere and everywhere in His world.

And the reward is more G-dly revelation, feeling the closeness of G-d, we enjoy the fruits of our labor by getting more of the results of what we worked for.

That’s why there are thousands of Shluchim who didn’t settle for the comforts of good solid Jewish communities, they did not lock themselves up in neighborhoods of established shuls, schools, kosher supermarkets and kosher pizza shops, but they went out to the wilderness to create new communities where eventually they will all have the same.

Be a Abraham, don’t settle for the comfy Noah.

Have a teachable Shabbos,
Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Yosef Katzman