This week’s Torah portion is Noach.
Last week God created the world and one Torah portion later humans have angered God so much God is ready to destroy all of humanity. God searches for righteous individuals and finds one who according to the Torah is “righteous in his time”. The Rabbis take this to mean that we cannot compare Noach the righteous individual of his time to any of our fathers or prophets who lived after him. The Rabbis are saying that Noach was not so righteous. Noach was not Jewish, as Abraham was the first Jew. Noah did not know the mitzvote. He was told of the general laws that are applicable to all people in the world for all time according to God. These laws are general not specific like the 613 mitzvote found in the Torah. I think the Rabbis are saying that following the 613 mitzvote makes you a better person. You are a righteous Jew if you follow the laws of the Jewish people. It is very hard to change and improve yourself or your life, living a Jewish life gives structure for change, a change for good. As we begin the New Year let us use our tradition for good to improve ourselves and the world.
Speak Your Mind