TOLEDOT_GENESIS XXV:19-XXVIII:9

Many point out that the Tora does not hide the mistakes of its characters, the heroes are described with their strengths and weaknesses of character. This fact points to the authenticity of the sacred text, even for those who consider it to be a document produced by humans. 

For example, the conduct of the Patriarchs is not always impeccable. Avraham, at the insistence of his wife Sara, expels his concubine Hagar from his home with her son Yishmael, a fact of questionable morality. While, in our chapters, Rivka, wife of the second patriarch Yitschak, “manipulates” her son Yaacov and covers part of his body with skins to pose as his twin brother Esau before the old and almost blind father. When confronted by his firstborn son Esau to also grant him the blessing, Yitschak replies: “Bemirma“, by way of “deception”, your brother Yaacov snatched it.

The intrigues that will be woven between the sons of the third patriarch will have a deep root in his personality. This is what the exegetes point out, so Jacob could not protest the treatment that Joseph received at the hands of his brothers. Rabbi Yuval Cherlow deepens our questioning by pointing out that since the transmission of the patriarchs’ spiritual heritage occurred through a ploy, this fact calls into question the legitimacy of the Patriarchate succession and the authenticity of Judaism’s roots. Everything became Bemirma. 

It is interesting to note that Onkelos, the authorized translation into Aramaic interprets this word as Bechochma, which means “intelligently”. So, it was not a hoax, but a bold act to prevent a disaster. Had not Rivka received the augury that the older would serve the younger? This means that Esau would be subordinate to Yaacov, a message she received when she had not yet finished her period of pregnancy. 

Moreover, the blessing Yaacov initially obtained from his elderly father concerned the material abundance he would have, the fact that he would rule over others and have the power to bless and curse. But the transmission of patriarchy occurred on a second opportunity, when the father learned that Esau had decided to take revenge and, therefore, considered it opportune for Yaacov to absent himself from the paternal home for a reasonable period. This time, Yitschak instructed him to go to Padan, where he could marry a woman belonging to the family. He invoked God to pass on Avraham’s blessing to Yitschak and his descendants. On this occasion, we see clearly the patriarchal blessing of succession. 

Apparently, Yitschak consciously recognizes that the true heir, the link of continuity, will be Yaacov and not Esau. This is not the only case in which the conduct of the Patriarchs could be questionable. Had Avraham not demanded that Sara say that she was his sister and not his wife when he was forced to descend into Egypt because of the famine that reigned in the region? Did he not do something similar in the case of King Avimelech, who was punished for trying to make love to Sara? 

Even when Moshe appeared before Pharaoh to allow the Hebrew people to go out into the wilderness to “serve” God for a period of three days, wasn’t his real intention to escape Egyptian slavery altogether? Cherlow argues that perhaps the biblical narrative admits the viability of the ambiguous word when the purpose is right and just. Let us not forget that we are in the epoch of history that predates the giving of the Tora with its specific demands and norms. 

Perhaps, at first, a certain elasticity of conduct and speech was allowed to the biblical heroes, a way of acting that must be contrasted with the idolatrous cult of the time. Indeed, the Patriarch Avraham feared being killed by the Egyptians and seizing his wife Sara, whose beauty is mentioned for the first time. Avraham’s lack of precision in calling his wife a sister is understandable in the face of the aforementioned alternative. It is clear that moral and ethical sensitivity is a process that was accentuated and increased according to the experiences of the Patriarchs, a fact that was normalized and formalized with the delivery of the Tora on Mount Sinai.

JAYEI SARÁ_GÉNESIS XXIII-XXV:18

La Torá omite los detalles del desarrollo espiritual del primer patriarca Avraham. Capítulos atrás se nos informó que había recibido el mandato Divino de Lej Lejá: el instructivo de abandonar åel hogar de sus padres para fundar una nueva nación en una Tierra Prometida que le sería mostrada. Hay quienes dicen que Lej Lejá era un imperativo para que el patriarca se conociera a sí mismo y la dirección del viaje era Lejá: “a tí mismo”.

¿Cuál sería la misión de esta naciente nación? La respuesta inmediata es que tendrá que ser Or LaGoyim, una luz para las naciones. ¿Cómo logrará este cometido? La respuesta será dada a través de las narrativas de Bereshit, la revelación en el Sinai y la conquista de la Tierra Prometida después del Éxodo de Egipto.

A mediados del siglo XIX, Rabí Israel Salanter creó el movimiento Musar, cuyo propósito era la búsqueda de la perfección ética del individuo. Uno de sus muy citados dichos es: “En el comienzo quise perfeccionar el mundo y, como la tarea era muy difícil, decidí ocuparme de mí mismo”.

Meses atrás, Rabí Yehudá Amital, de la afamada Yeshivá Har Etzion de Israel, utilizó esta cita para proponer lo contrario, una tergiversación utilizada por muchos: “En un principio decidí perfeccionarme y como era una tarea muy difícil, decidí emprender el mejoramiento del mundo”. No hay duda de que existen ejemplos de individuos y sociedades que siguen el dictamen atrevido de Amital, quieren cambiar el mundo y las credenciales que muestran se resumen en la incapacidad de producir un cambio sustantivo en su sociedad. 

En el caso del patriarca se planteaba la doble tarea: el cambio individual –o sea, su transición de la idolatría que había observado en el hogar paterno al monoteísmo–, y la misión de propagar este mensaje al resto de la Humanidad. 

El Talmud recoge el testimonio de Rabí Akivá cuando se le cuestiona acerca de por qué Dios no había creado al hombre ya circunciso, si su deseo era la práctica de la circuncisión. De acuerdo con Rabí Akivá, el mundo que Dios creó no es perfecto, ni tampoco lo es el ser humano. La tarea del hombre es mejorar el mundo y perfeccionarse a sí mismo. Por lo tanto, la práctica del Brit Milá sirve para recordar que la persona tiene esta tarea por delante, debe trabajar sobre sus emociones e intelecto, y doblegar sus pasiones para tonificar su alma y espíritu.

El nombre del patriarca, que en un principio se llamó Avram, sufre una transformación con la adición de la letra “he” y se convierte en Avraham: Av hamón goyim, el padre de multitudes. Ahora su nombre señala el norte de una misión de carácter global; su interés será la Humanidad, a la cual tiene que llevar el mensaje de la existencia de un solo Dios. 

El caso de la primera matriarca es similar. En un principio, su nombre era Sarai. La terminación con la letra “yod”–que en hebreo significa posesión– alude tal vez a su tarea de purificar su propio ser, centrarse en el desarrollo espiritual de su persona. Cuando un sustantivo es transformado con la letra “yod” al final, quiere decir “mío”, tal como en el caso de la palabra “shulján” y “shuljaní” (“mesa”, y “mi mesa”, respectivamente). El nombre Sarai también cambia: se suprime la “yod” al final, y se sustituye por la “he”. De esta manera, su nombre se transforma en Sará, para convertirse simbólicamente en Em hamón goyim, la madre de multitudes.

La tarea de los patriarcas tenía la doble vertiente: el ingrediente personal y la misión universal. Está claro que para ser “Or LaGoyim”, una luz para las naciones, se requiere primero el mejoramiento personal, el crecimiento espiritual del individuo para que, a través de su comportamiento y enseñanzas, pueda ser un factor transformador de la sociedad.

CHAYE’I SARA_GENESIS XXIII-XXV:18

The Tora omits the details of the spiritual development of the first patriarch Avraham. In previous chapters, we were informed that he had received the Divine mandate of Lech Lecha: the instruction to leave his parents’ home to create a new nation in a Promised Land that would be shown to him. There are those who say that Lech Lecha was an imperative for the patriarch to know himself and the direction of the journey was Lecha: “yourself.”

What would be the mission of this nascent nation? The immediate answer is that it will have to be Or LaGoyim, a light unto the nations. How does one accomplish this task? The answer will be given through the narratives of Bereshit, the revelation at Sinai, and the conquest of the Promised Land after the Exodus from Egypt.

In the mid-nineteenth century, Rabbi Israel Salanter created the Musar movement, whose purpose was the search for the ethical perfection of the individual. One of his much-quoted sayings is: “In the beginning, I wanted to perfect the world and, as the task was very difficult, I decided to take care of myself.”

Months ago, Rabbi Yehuda Amital, of the famed Yeshiva Har Etzion of Israel, used this quote to propose the opposite, a misrepresentation used by many: “At first I decided to perfect myself and since it was a very difficult task, I decided to undertake the improvement of the world.” There is no doubt that there are examples of individuals and societies who follow Amital’s bold judgment, want to change the world and the credentials they show are summed up in the inability to bring about substantive change in their own society. 

In the case of the patriarch, the double task was posed: individual change – that is, his transition from the idolatry he had observed in his paternal home to monotheism – and the mission of spreading this message to the rest of humanity.

The Talmud records the testimony of Rabbi Akiva when asked why God had not created an already circumcised man if his desire was the practice of circumcision. According to Rabbi Akiva, the world God created is not perfect, nor is the man. Man’s task is to improve the world and perfect himself. Therefore, the practice of Brit Milá serves to remind the person of this task ahead, to work on his emotions and intellect, and bend his passions to tone his soul and spirit.

The name of the patriarch, who was originally called Avram, undergoes a transformation with the addition of the letter “he” and becomes Avraham: Av hamon goyim, the father of multitudes. Now this name points to a global mission. Avraham’s interest will be humanity, to which he must carry the message of the existence of One God. 

The case of the first matriarch is similar. At first, her name was Sarai. The ending with the letter “yod” – which in Hebrew means possession – perhaps alludes to her task of purifying her own being, focusing on her spiritual development. When a noun is transformed with the letter “yod” at the end, it means “mine,” as in the case of the word “shulchan” and “shuljani” (“table,” and “my table,” respectively). The name Sarai also changes: the “yod” is deleted at the end and replaced by the “he“. In this way, her name is transformed into Sarah, to symbolically become Em hamon goyim, the mother of multitudes.

The task of the patriarchs had a double aspect: the personal ingredient and the universal mission. It is clear that to be “Or LaGoyim“, a light unto the nations, requires first personal improvement, the spiritual growth of the individual so that, through his behavior and teachings, he can be a transforming factor of society.

The history of the Jewish people is the subject of this text, a history that has its beginning with the first patriarch Avraham. While the Tora is a religious document with an ethical-spiritual message, at the same time, it is the story of the epic of the people who will be chosen by God to bring His message to humanity. 

The Tora is a composite: spirit and matter, human beings and Creator. It is the encounter between “heaven and earth”, the first elements mentioned in Bereshit. It is a thin fabric of religious imperatives and everyday concerns, a fact that comes to light in the complexity of the character of its protagonists. The first patriarch is an outstanding individual, who will radically change the perception of a unique Supreme Being and the meaning of this faith for human behavior. 

However, Avraham should not be confused with God, he is an exceptional human being, but with the limitations that nature imposes on man. Avraham is an idealist willing to break entirely with his past and listen to the Divine command to undertake a great adventure. Because it is not only about Lech Lecha, the physical abandonment of the paternal home, Avraham is also required to break with the thinking of the time so that he can embark on an unknown and dangerous intellectual journey. As an iconoclast, he will break with the idolatry of the past and preach the novel notion of the existence of a God who is not visible to the eyes, but who can be internalized by feeling, thought, and faith. Avraham responds to the precarious food situation of the Promised Land by fleeing to Egypt, at which point he considers that, to save his physical integrity, he must ask his beautiful wife to pose as his sister. 

The founder of monotheism would be supposed to have faith in God to save him from any immoral attempt by the Egyptians – at least that’s what the Judeo-Spanish exegete Nachmanides thinks – and not to require his wife to lie for fear of death. In defense of the attitude assumed by Avraham, the exegete Radak affirms that a person should not rely on miracles, on Divine intervention and, therefore, Avraham’s attitude was correct. There is even the argument that Sarai, his wife, (her name is later on changed to Sara) was a close relative as if åshe were a sister. 

However, one can understand the terror that must have gripped the patriarch at a time of ever-present despotism, when human life lacked great value in the eyes of monarchs. Avraham was possessed by unconditional faith, but simultaneously manifested the weaknesses of a human being. Even Sarai’s beauty, which comes to light on the trip to Egypt, has a double meaning. On the one hand, there is “yofya“, her dazzling face, but at the same time, there is his “chen“, grace and charm as a reflection of her spirit and sensual delicacy. 

At first, Avraham had been attracted by Sarai’s inner beauty, by her sensitivity and warmth. Now, faced with the carnal desires of the Egyptians, Avraham realizes that the superficial beauty that his wife radiates can become the reason for his downfall. They will be fundamental themes of the sacred text: the immediate satisfaction of a desire or the postponement of its realization.

Perhaps, the fundamental message of the Bible will be to bear witness that only God is perfect, while a man will always aspire to perfection, because even the patriarchs, the fundamental messengers of faith, were at times found wanting. But, unlike others, patriarchs will teach the reality of amendment, the possible return to the Creator. The first two patriarchs only succeeded with some of their sons, while the others went astray along misleading and confusing paths. Only in the case of the third patriarch, Yaacov, do we see that after mistakes and successes, trials and errors, resentment and fidelity, his descendants set out on the path of faith and fraternal solidarity, to engender the twelve tribes that will give birth to the people chosen by God, the People of Israel.

MITZVAH: TORA ORDINANCE IN THIS PARSHA

CONTAINS 1 POSITIVE MITZVA 

1. Genesis 17:10 Circumcision precept

LEJ LEJÁ_GÉNESIS XII-XVII

La historia del pueblo judío es el tema de este texto, historia que tiene su comienzo con el primer patriarca Avraham. Por un lado, la Torá es un documento religioso con un mensaje ético-espiritual; pero, al mismo tiempo, es el relato de la epopeya del pueblo que será escogido por Dios para llevar Su mensaje a la Humanidad. 

La Torá es un compuesto: espíritu y materia, seres humanos y Creador. Es el encuentro entre “cielo y tierra”, los primeros elementos mencionados en Bereshit. Es un fino tejido de imperativos religiosos y preocupaciones cotidianas, hecho que sale a relucir en la complejidad del carácter de sus protagonistas. El primer patriarca es un individuo fuera de serie, que cambiará radicalmente la percepción acerca de un Ser Supremo único y el significado de esta fe para el comportamiento humano. 

Sin embargo, Avraham no debe ser confundido con Dios, es un ser humano excepcional, pero con las limitaciones que la naturaleza le impone al hombre. Avraham es un idealista dispuesto a romper enteramente con su pasado, a escuchar el mandato Divino para emprender una gran aventura. Porque no se trata solamente de Lej Lejá, el abandono físico del hogar paterno, también se le exige que rompa con el pensamiento de la época para que pueda embarcarse en una travesía intelectual desconocida y temeraria. Como el gran iconoclasta, romperá con la idolatría del pasado y predicará la novedosa noción de la existencia de un Dios que no es visible para los ojos, pero que puede ser interiorizado por el sentimiento, el pensamiento y la fe. Avraham responde a la precaria situación alimenticia de la Tierra Prometida huyendo a Egipto, momento en el cual considera que, para salvar su integridad física, debe pedirle a su bella esposa que se haga pasar por su hermana. 

Se supondría que el fundador del monoteísmo tuviera suficiente fe en Dios para que lo salvara de cualquier intento inmoral por parte de los egipcios –al menos así piensa el exégeta judeoespañol Najmánides– y no le exigiera a su esposa que mintiese por temor a la muerte. En defensa de la actitud asumida por Avraham, el exegeta Radak afirma que la persona no debe apoyarse en el milagro, en una intervención Divina y, por lo tanto, la actitud de Avraham fue correcta. Incluso está presente el argumento que Sarai, (nombre que luego será cambiado por Sará) su esposa, era una familiar cercana, tal como si fuera una hermana. 

Sin embargo, se puede comprender el terror que debe haberse apoderado del patriarca en una época en la que el despotismo era absoluto y la vida humana carecía de gran valor a los ojos de los monarcas. Avraham estaba poseído por una fe incondicional, pero simultáneamente manifestaba las debilidades de cualquier ser humano. Incluso la belleza de Sarai, que sale a relucir en el viaje a Egipto, tiene un doble sentido. Por un lado, está “yofyá”, su rostro deslumbrante, pero al mismo tiempo está su “jen”, la gracia y el encanto que son reflejo de su espíritu y delicadeza sensual. 

Al principio, Avraham había sido atraído por la belleza interior de Sarai, por su finura y primor interno. Ahora, frente a los deseos carnales de los egipcios, Avraham se da cuenta que la belleza superficial que irradia su esposa puede convertirse en el motivo de su perdición. Serán temas fundamentales del texto sagrado: la satisfacción inmediata del deseo o la postergación de su realización; la necesidad material frente al imperativo espiritual; y la verdad absoluta frente a la necesidad circunstancial.

Tal vez, el mensaje fundamental de la Biblia será dar testimonio de que solamente Dios es perfecto, mientras que el ser humano será siempre un aprendiz de la perfección, porque incluso los patriarcas, los mensajeros fundamentales de la fe, eran imperfectos. Pero, a diferencia de otros, los patriarcas enseñarán la posibilidad de la enmienda, el retorno hacia la verdad proveniente del Creador. Los primeros dos patriarcas solamente tuvieron éxito con algunos de sus hijos, mientras que los otros se extraviaron por senderos equívocos y confusos. Sólo en el caso del tercer patriarca, Yaacov, vemos que después de errores y aciertos, rencor y fidelidad, su descendencia se encamina por el camino de la fe y la solidaridad fraternal para fundar las doce tribus que darán a luz al pueblo elegido por Dios.

MITSVÁ: ORDENANZA DE LA TORÁ EN ESTA PARASHÁ

CONTIENE 1 MITSVÁ POSITIVA 

1. Génesis 17:10 Precepto de la circuncisión

NÓAJ_GÉNESIS VI:9-XI

Nóaj representa una segunda oportunidad para el ser humano. Después de diez generaciones, a partir de la época de Adam y Javá, Dios decide destruir la Humanidad, empezar de nuevo y poblar la tierra con la simiente de Nóaj. Esta decisión se debió al comportamiento inmoral del hombre que violó las leyes que el primer hombre había recibido. De acuerdo con la tradición judía, Dios le había encomendado seis normas básicas de conducta a la Humanidad a través de Adam, pero su descendencia se apartó rápidamente del cumplimiento de estas. 

El libertinaje se impuso, fueron violadas las leyes fundamentales contra el incesto y se irrespetó la propiedad ajena. Dios seleccionó a Nóaj porque no se había contagiado del comportamiento de sus contemporáneos y demostró que era posible atenerse a una conducta diferente y ser fiel al a enseñanza de sus ancestros. Aunque la Torá califica a Nóaj como un Ish Tsadik, “un hombre justo”, algunos expositores consideran que esa denominación es relativa. Era justo cuando se le comparaba con sus congéneres de la época, pero de haber vivido en la generación del patriarca Abraham, no habría recibido el mismo reconocimiento. 

Dios decidió eliminar la Humanidad a través de un diluvio. Llovería sostenidamente durante muchísimos días, e incluso brotarían las aguas desde el interior del globo. La superficie de la tierra quedaría inundada y solamente los peces sobrevivirían al desastre. Para asegurar la continuidad del ser humano y del mundo animal, Dios le ordenó a Nóaj que construyese un arca de dimensiones considerables para albergar allí una pareja de cada especie, con lo que se podría poblar nuevamente la tierra. De algunos animales logró reunir siete parejas. 

La Torá especifica las dimensiones del arca, que era aproximadamente de unos ciento ochenta metros de largo, treinta metros de ancho y dieciocho metros de alto. Una embarcación enorme para la época. No obstante, Rambán cuestiona estas dimensiones y sugiere que eran totalmente inadecuadas para dar albergue a ejemplares de cada uno de los animales y aves. Especialmente cuando se considera que también era necesario cargar suficientes alimentos para un año, las dimensiones del arca resultan insuficientes. ¿Qué hizo Nóaj para incluir ejemplares de cada una de las especies? 

Según Rambán, todo se debió a un milagro. Maravillosamente, el arca pudo incluir todos estos animales. Rambán continúa planteando: si era necesario un milagro, ¿para qué se construyó una nave tan grande? Cualquier lancha habría sido suficiente, ya que todo dependía de un evento sobrenatural. Responde Rambán que las dimensiones del arca tenían el propósito de atraer la curiosidad de la gente, que constantemente indagaba por qué se estaba construyendo. De esa manera, Nóaj podría prevenir a todos sobre el propósito Divino de destruir el mundo, a menos que los hombres y las mujeres alterasen su conducta inmoral. De acuerdo con el Midrash, Nóaj tardó ciento veinte años en la construcción, tiempo suficiente para que cada ser humano pudiera percatarse del peligro que le acechaba por el incumplimiento de las leyes que Adam había recibido. 

El diluvio ocurrió porque la Humanidad no respondió a las advertencias de Nóaj. Rambán cuestiona: ¿por qué fue así? ¿Por qué no respondió la gente a las exhortaciones de este Tsadik? Rambán sugiere que la actitud de la gente fue consecuencia de la falta de convencimiento de Nóaj. De acuerdo con él, Nóaj no creía que la gente reaccionaría a sus advertencias; por lo tanto, su planteamiento no fue efectivo. De antemano pensó que sus intentos eran vanos. La falta de confianza de Nóaj en la posibilidad de Teshuvá, su noción fatalista acerca de la imposibilidad de cambio en el comportamiento humano fue un factor que condujo al desastre. 

De acuerdo con una interpretación de Rabí Meir Shapira, fundador de la Yeshivá Jajmei Lublin, el arco iris que apareció en los cielos después del diluvio como señal –un Brit– de que Dios nunca repetiría un diluvio para exterminara la Humanidad, era también un mensaje dirigido a Nóaj. El arco iris aparece muchas veces después de una tormenta, cuando las nubes se interponen entre el sol y la superficie de la tierra y desatan su furia a través de truenos y relámpagos. El arco iris es una demostración de que, incluso en los momentos de mayor oscuridad diurna, existe la posibilidad de que los rayos del sol penetren las nubes para que el cielo se vea iluminado y a todo color. El arco iris fue una señal para Nóaj y su descendencia. 

Tal como la naturaleza puede cambiar de la oscuridad a la luz, no se debe menospreciar la capacidad del ser humano para regenerarse, para enrumbarse en un proceso de Teshuvá, para el retorno a las raíces éticas que el judaísmo predica. La luz del estudio y la espiritualidad puede penetrar y eliminar los nubarrones de intolerancia y agresividad, resultado de la ignorancia y la adulteración de los valores. el arco iris Nóaj representa una segunda oportunidad para el ser humano. 

NOACH_GENESIS VI:9-XI

Noach represents a second chance for the human being. After ten generations, starting from the time of Adam and Eve, God decides to destroy humanity, start again, and populate the earth with the seed of Noach. This decision was due to the immoral behavior of a man who violated the laws that the first one had received. According to Jewish tradition, God had entrusted six basic standards of conduct to mankind through Adam, but his offspring quickly turned away from their fulfillment. 

Debauchery reigned, the fundamental laws against incest were violated, and the property of others was disrespected. God selected Noach because he had not been infected by the behavior of his contemporaries and demonstrated that it was possible to adhere to be different and faithful to the teaching of his ancestors. Although the Tora qualifies Noach as an Ish Tsadik, “a righteous man,” some expositors consider that denomination to be relative. It was so when compared to his peers of the time, but had he lived in the generation of the patriarch Avraham, he would not have received the same recognition. 

God decided to eliminate humanity by way of a flood. It would rain steadily for many days, and waters would also gush from the interior of the globe. The surface of the earth would be flooded and only fish would survive the disaster. To ensure the continuity of the human being and the animal world, God ordered Noah to build an ark, a boat, of considerable dimensions to house a pair of each species so that the earth could be repopulated. From some animals, he managed to gather seven pairs. 

The Tora specifies the dimensions of this ark, which was approximately one hundred and eighty meters long, thirty meters wide, and eighteen meters high. A huge boat for that time. However, Ramban questions these dimensions and suggests that they were totally inadequate to shelter specimens of each of the animals and birds. Especially when we take into account that it was also necessary to carry enough food for a whole year, the dimensions mentioned are insufficient. What did Noach do to include specimens of each of the species?

According to Ramban, it was all due to a miracle. Wonderfully, the ark was able to include all these animals. Ramban goes on to ask: if a miracle was necessary, why was such a large ship built? Any boat would have been enough since everything depended on a supernatural event. Ramban replies that the dimensions of the ark were intended to attract the curiosity of the people, who constantly inquired why it was being built. In this manner, Noach could warn everyone about the Divine purpose of destroying the world, unless men and women altered their immoral behavior. According to the Midrash, Noah took one hundred and twenty years to build the ark, long enough for every human being to realize the danger that awaited from the breach of the laws that Adam had received. 

The flood occurred because mankind did not respond to Noah’s warnings.  Ramban asks: why was it so? Why didn’t the people respond to this Tsadik’s exhortations? Ramban suggests that the attitude of the people was a consequence of Noah’s lack of conviction. According to him, Noah did not believe that people would react to his warnings; therefore, his approach was not effective. He thought his attempts were in vain beforehand. Noah’s lack of confidence in the possibility of Teshuva, and his fatalistic notion about the impossibility of change in human behavior was additional factor that led to the disaster.

According to an interpretation by Rabbi Meir Shapira, founder of the Yeshiva Chachmei Lublin, the rainbow that appeared in the heavens after the flood was a sign – a Brit – that God would never repeat a flood to exterminate mankind, at the same time was a message addressed to Noach. The rainbow appears many times after a storm when clouds come between the sun and the earth’s surface and unleash their fury through thunder and lightning. The rainbow is a demonstration that, even in moments of greatest daytime darkness, there is a possibility for the sun’s rays to penetrate through the clouds so that the sky looks illuminated and in full color. The rainbow was a sign for Noah and his offspring.

Just as nature can change from darkness to light, so is the capacity of man to regenerate, to embark on a process of Teshuva, a return to the ethical roots that Judaism preaches, and this should not be underestimated. The light of study and spirituality can penetrate and eliminate the clouds of intolerance and aggressiveness, the result of ignorance and adulteration of values. The Noach rainbow represents a second chance for human being.