Noach נֹחַ - Rest
Torah Portion: Genesis 6:9-11:32
Genesis 7:17–8:14
7:17 The flood was forty days on the earth. The waters increased, and lifted up the ship, and it was lifted up above the earth. 18 The waters rose, and increased greatly on the earth; and the ship floated on the surface of the waters. 19 The waters rose very high on the earth. All the high mountains that were under the whole sky were covered. 20 The waters rose fifteen cubits higher, and the mountains were covered. 21 All flesh died that moved on the earth, including birds, livestock, animals, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. 22 All on the dry land, in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died. 23 Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the ground, including man, livestock, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him on the ship. 24 The waters flooded the earth for one hundred fifty days.
8 Elohim remembered Noah, all the animals, and all the livestock that were with him in the ship; and Elohim made a wind to pass over the earth. The waters subsided. 2 The deep’s fountains and the sky’s windows were also stopped, and the rain from the sky was restrained. 3 The waters continually receded from the earth. After the end of one hundred fifty days, the waters receded. 4 The ship rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on Ararat’s mountains. 5 The waters receded continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were visible.
6 At the end of forty days, Noah opened the window of the ship which he had made, 7 and he sent out a raven. It went back and forth until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8 He himself sent out a dove to see if the waters were abated from the surface of the ground, 9 but the dove found no place to rest her foot, and she returned into the ship to him, for the waters were on the surface of the whole earth. He put out his hand, and took her, and brought her to him into the ship. 10 He waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out of the ship. 11 The dove came back to him at evening and, behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. So Noah knew that the waters had abated from the earth. 12 He waited yet another seven days and sent out the dove; and she didn’t return to him anymore.
13 In the six hundred first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth. Noah removed the covering of the ship and looked. He saw that the surface of the ground was dry. 14 In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.
Today’s Meditation:
Water has great significance in the Bible. The flood, the crossing of the Red Sea, the commandments of washing, and the water from the rock. We must also remember that our bodies are composed of approximately 60% water. We just read about how Hashem separated the waters last week. Bottom line: water is a necessary part of our existence. We can’t live without it.
In today’s reading, Hashem uses water to cleanse the earth, just like when you go into a mikvah before you enter the Temple area. You must be cleansed to enter into the presence of Hashem. So, what do we do today? Some still use mikvahs in synagogues, while others are baptized with water. Meanwhile, some of us consider how we can be cleansed daily through genuine repentance. Whichever way you choose, it is essential to be cleansed from sin and renewed daily by repentance.
Today’s Challenge:
Take some time today to think about active sin in your life. Or even the sin that you have held on to. See if you can find a way to be cleansed of your sin. Come clean before Hashem today.
