Noach - Day #4

Noach נֹחַ - Rest  

Torah Portion: Genesis 6:9-11:32        

Genesis 8:15–9:7  

8:15 Elohim spoke to Noah, saying, 16 “Go out of the ship, you, your wife, your sons, and your sons’ wives with you. 17 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, including birds, livestock, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply on the earth.”

18 Noah went out with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives with him. 19 Every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, whatever moves on the earth, after their families, went out of the ship.

20 Noah built an altar to Hashem, and took one of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 Hashem smelled the pleasant aroma. Hashem said in His heart, “I will not again curse the ground anymore for man’s sake, because the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth. I will never again strike every living thing, as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”

9 Elohim blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth. 2 The fear of you and the dread of you will be on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the sky. Everything that moves along the ground, and all the fish of the sea, are delivered into your hand. 3 Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As I gave you the green herb, I have given everything to you. 4 But flesh with its life, that is, its blood, you shall not eat. 5 I will surely require accounting for your life’s blood. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man’s brother, I will require the life of man. 6 Whoever sheds man’s blood, his blood will be shed by man, for Elohim made man in His own image. 7 Be fruitful and multiply. Increase abundantly in the earth, and multiply in it.”

Today’s Meditation: 

A common thread throughout the first nine chapters of Genesis is “be fruitful and multiply” (verse 9:1). Many believe this is the first commandment that Hashem gives man. It is considered the “great Mitzvah,” meaning the greatest commandment. What is truly interesting is that in the Talmud, it is believed that when every soul from heaven is delivered to the earth, the Mashiach (Messiah) will come. That is genuinely an interesting thought.

This is an area that each of us really needs to give prayerful consideration. Do we allow Hashem to dictate how many children we have, or do we do things (birth control, abortion, etc.) that inhibit His plans? Think of the souls that Hashem has placed into His creation that were interrupted by our selfishness and family planning ideas. This is something to pause and pray about for a moment.

Today’s Challenge:

Do some research today on the forms of birth control available. Look at what they actually do. Do they prohibit and destroy a fertilized egg from implanting into the uterus? If so, then is birth control actually destroying conception, a created being? You may be surprised by what you discover.

Noach - Day #3

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.

Noach - Day #2

Noach נֹחַ - Rest  

Torah Portion: Genesis 6:9-11:32

Genesis 7:1–16               

7 Hashem said to Noah, “Come with all of your household into the ship, for I have seen your righteousness before Me in this generation. 2 You shall take seven pairs of every clean animal with you, the male and his female. Of the animals that are not clean, take two: the male and his female. 3 Also of the birds of the sky, seven and seven, male and female, to keep seed alive on the surface of all the earth. 4 In seven days, I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights. I will destroy every living thing that I have made from the surface of the ground.”

5 Noah did everything that Hashem commanded him.

6 Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came on the earth. 7 Noah went into the ship with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, because of the floodwaters. 8 Clean animals, unclean animals, birds, and everything that creeps on the ground 9 went by pairs to Noah into the ship, male and female, as Elohim commanded Noah. 10 After the seven days, the floodwaters came upon the earth. 11 In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the sky’s windows opened. 12 It rained on the earth forty days and forty nights.

13 In the same day Noah, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth—the sons of Noah—and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered into the ship— 14 they, and every animal after its kind, all the livestock after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. 15 Pairs from all flesh with the breath of life in them went into the ship to Noah. 16 Those who went in went in male and female of all flesh, as Elohim commanded him; then Hashem shut him in.

Today’s Meditation: 

What about the verse, “Entered into the ship”? I have always thought of Noah and his family just walking up the plank behind the animals, silent and willing. But today I had another thought. What if Noah said, “It’s time to get in the boat”? And some of his sons started wailing, “No, I don’t want to! This is crazy!” And what if they resisted? Would Noah try to calm them down and remind them of Hashem’s promises to save them? What if his sons thought, “But what about all our friends? What will they think?” Would peer pressure be extreme on his sons and daughters? What would ultimately bring them into the boat? Would Noah be shouting at them? Ordering them to enter?

What brought them into the boat was obedience. Their father did this extravagant thing. He got instructions from Hashem on how to build a boat, and with the help of his sons and daughters, they built it. It must have been a truly miraculous experience. They must have been overwhelmed when they saw the completed boat and the animals from all over the world entering it. The next step was to obey their father and board the ship. Would you have done that? Would you have left everything behind without hesitation?

Today’s Challenge:

Think today about what you would be willing to give up to “get on the boat” with Hashem? Would you give up everything? You may think you have already done that when you decided to join His Covenant and follow His Commandments. But, really, have you? Take some time to reflect on this.

Noach - Day #1

Noach נֹחַ - Rest  

Torah Portion: Genesis 6:9-11:32

Genesis 6:9-22                

6:9 This is the history of the generations of Noah: Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with Elohim. 10 Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 The earth was corrupt before Elohim, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 Elohim saw the earth, and saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

13 Elohim said to Noah, “I will bring an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them and the earth. 14 Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch. 15 This is how you shall make it. The length of the ship shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a roof in the ship, and you shall finish it to a cubit upward. You shall set the door of the ship in its side. You shall make it with the lower, second, and third levels. 17 I, even I, will bring the flood of waters on this earth, to destroy all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky. Everything that is in the earth will die. 18 But I will establish My covenant with you. You shall come into the ship, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ship, to keep them alive with you. 

They shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, of the livestock after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort will come to you, to keep them alive. 21 Take with you some of all food that is eaten, and gather it to yourself; and it will be for food for you, and for them.” 22 Thus Noah did. He did all that Elohim commanded him.

Today’s Meditation:

What does it mean to walk with G-d (v. 9)? The word walk in Hebrew is “halakh”. It means to be in a relationship and fellowship. For Noah, in a time when corruption seemed rampant, it meant he was in a good relationship with Hashem. He wasn’t going with the mainstream; he was instead walking closely with Hashem.

I imagine that Noah paid a price to be walking with Hashem. Perhaps some people disliked him for that reason, leading them to shun or mock him. And consider the criticism he faced when he began building a gigantic boat. The laughter and jeers were most likely unbearable. It didn’t matter. He still walked with G-d. Because of his righteousness, Hashem saved him and his family from destruction. And He preserved the lineage for the future Mashiach (Messiah).

Today’s Challenge: 

Today, consider how you can walk a little closer to Hashem. Imagine you are taking Him everywhere you go. Would that make a difference?

B'reisheet - Day #7

B'reisheet בְּרֵאשִׁית - In the Beginning

Torah Portion: Genesis 1:1-6:8

Haftarah: Isaiah 42:5-43:10

Shabbat Reading #7: Genesis 5:25–6:8

5:25 Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven years, then became the father of Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of other sons and daughters. 27 All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years, then he died.

28 Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, then became the father of a son. 29 He named him Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, caused by the ground which Hashem has cursed.” 30 Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah for five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of other sons and daughters. 31 All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died. 32 Noah was five hundred years old, then Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

6 When men began to multiply on the surface of the ground, and daughters were born to them, 2 Elohim’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives. 3 Hashem said, “My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; so his days will be one hundred twenty years.” 4 The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also after that, when Elohim’s sons came in to men’s daughters and had children with them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

5 Hashem saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil. 6 Hashem was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in His heart. 7 Hashem said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the surface of the ground—man, along with animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky—for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in Hashem’s eyes.

Today’s Meditation:

Everyone has thoughts on who the “Sons of G-d” are and the “Daughters of Men” (Genesis 6:1). Many people believe that the “Sons of G-d” are demons or fallen angels. I have a different thought. My idea is that the “Sons of G-d” are actually the set-apart Hebrew people of G-d, descending from Adam, including Seth’s line. Throughout Scripture, the terms “sons” or “children” refer to individuals in a covenant relationship with Hashem. 

So, that leaves us with the question: who are the daughters of men? I have this unique theory that there was a “pre-creation” (Genesis 1) before Hashem created Adam and the Garden. This population, both male and female, was likely not following Hashem, so He then created a set-apart Hebrew people through Adam. If this were true, then at some point His set-apart people meet up with His first creation of people, and they begin to marry. This is the Bible’s first sign of mixed marriages. And the result does not fare well. The descendants of these mixed marriages become corrupt and sinful, so much so that Hashem wishes He had not created them. This is just an idea.

Amidst all this corruption, one man stands out, Noah. He found favor with G-d. Hashem always has a remnant that genuinely loves and serves Him. I would like to be part of this group. Those who love Hashem with their whole heart, soul, and being.

Today’s Challenge:

Do you desire to be a “son/daughter of men” or a “son/daughter of G-d”? I want to be a daughter of Hashem. I want to be picked to be a part of His remnant. I challenge you and myself to find out how we can do that.

This Week’s Haftarah: Isaiah 42:5 - 43:10

42:5 Hashem Elohim, He who created the heavens and stretched them out, He who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, He who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it, says:

6 “I, Hashem, have called you in righteousness. I will hold your hand. I will keep you and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations, 7 to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison.

8 “I am Hashem. That is My name. I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to engraved images. 9 Behold, the former things have happened and I declare new things, I tell you about them before they come up.”

10 Sing to Hashem a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the islands and their inhabitants, 11 Let the wilderness and its cities raise their voices, with the villages that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing.  Let them shout from the top of the mountains!

12 Let them give glory to Hashem, and declare his praise in the islands. 13 Hashem will go out like a mighty man. He will stir up zeal like a man of war. He will raise a war cry. Yes, he will shout aloud. He will triumph over his enemies.

14 “I have been silent a long time. I have been quiet and restrained myself. Now I will cry out like a travailing woman. I will both gasp and pant. 15 I will destroy mountains and hills, and dry up all their herbs. I will make the rivers islands, and will dry up the pools, 16 I will bring the blind by a way that they don’t know. I will lead them in paths that they don’t know.  I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. I will do these things, and I will not forsake them.

17 “Those who trust in engraved images, who tell molten images, ‘You are our gods,’ will be turned back. They will be utterly disappointed.

18 “Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind,  that you may see. 19 Who is blind, but my servant? Or who is as deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is as blind as he who is at peace, and as blind as Hashem’s servant? 20 You see many things, but don’t observe. His ears are open, but he doesn’t listen. 21 It pleased Hashem, for His righteousness’ sake, to magnify the law and make it honorable. 22 But this is a robbed and plundered people. All of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prisons. They have become captives, and no one delivers, and a plunder, and no one says, ‘Restore them!’

23 Who is there among you who will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come? 24 Who gave Jacob as plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Didn’t Hashem, He against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in His ways, and they disobeyed his law. 25 Therefore, he poured the fierceness of his anger on him and the strength of battle. It set him on fire all around, but he didn’t know. It burned him, but he didn’t take it to heart.”

43 But now Hashem, who created you, Jacob, and He who formed you, Israel, says: “Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the Rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you.

3 For I am Hashem your Elohim, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I have given Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia, and Seba in your place. 4 Since you have been precious and honored in My sight, and I have loved you, therefore I will give people in your place, and nations instead of your life.

5 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. I will bring your offspring from the east, and gather you from the west. 6 I will tell the north, ‘Give them up!’ and tell the south, ‘Don’t hold them back! Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the ends of the earth—7 everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, yes, whom I have made.’”

8 Bring out the blind people who have eyes, and the deaf who have ears.9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the peoples be assembled. Who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified, or let them hear, and say, “That is true.” 10 “You are my witnesses,” says Hashem, “With my servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.

Before me there was no god formed, neither will there be after Me.”

Today’s Haftarah Meditation:

What promises do we have from our great and mighty G-d? If only we could understand that He requires us to be active in our love for Him. That means following His commandments and displaying true worship to Him in every moment of our waking lives. He says, “But now Hashem who created you, Jacob, and He who formed you, Israel, says: 'Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you. For I am Hashem your Elohim, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

He knows our name. He has redeemed us. And He will be with us through every trial and test, for He is Elohim.

Today’s Haftarah Challenge:

In this verse, think about how He has redeemed you. How many times has He pulled you out of deep waters? Or rescued you from the fire? Reflect on His mercy and goodness.