Noach Was a Non-Believer
Adapted from Rabbi Braun’s Sermon in 5775
On the plane home from Israel in July I had the opportunity to watch the movie Noah. I was curious as to how the biblical characters would be depicted and how the story would be told. It was a spectacular disappointment. One of the things that really stood out was that Noah was mean and cruel with murderous tendencies towards his grandchildren. That is certainly not the Noah that we are familiar with. We picture Noah as great and righteous, beloved by God, a hero’s hero.
Although no traditional commentator comes anywhere close to Aronofsky’s Noah there are those who don’t paint Noah in the best possible light.
Consider the following astounding Midrash. In today’s parsha chapter 7 verse 7 we read: ז) וַיָּ֣בֹא נֹ֗חַ וּ֠בָנָיו וְאִשְׁתּ֧וֹ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנָ֛יו אִתּ֖וֹ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה מִפְּנֵ֖י מֵ֥י הַמַּבּֽוּל
Noah and his children, his wife and his children’s wives came entered the ark because of the waters of the flood. Rav Yochanan writes in the Midrash (BR 32) that “Noah was of those lacking faith for were it not for the waters of the flood coming up his body he would not have entered the ark!” In other words, Noah entered literally because of the flood waters and not because of the divine command.
That is a pretty damning comment! This poor man spent decades building this ark based on God’s command and now we have thrown him to the dogs. Yet the Midrash says it and Rashi quotes it in varied form!
What makes the comment all the more astounding is that there seems to be a better and simpler way to read the text. All of the Spanish medieval commentators read it this way. In verse 4 God tells Noah that in seven days the flood will begin that will last for 40 days and 40 nights. Verse five informs us that Noah did everything that God commanded him, and in seven we are told that Noah and family enter the ark. They explain that Noah actually entered the ark 7 days before the flood began, not as the waters were coming. He entered the Ark at God’s command. When the verse says that he” entered the ark because of the waters of the flood” it simply means that Noah entered because God told him that the flood was coming.
And then in verse 10 we read that the waters came. That is the simpler reading. Why then would the Midrash go out of its way to malign Noah? What could be pushing it?
The commentators ask the same question. The Radak, Rabbi David Kimchi (13th century Spain) writes “I have no reason or explanation for the Midrash that paints Noah as one who did not really believe!”
R. Yochanan b”r Aharon Luria, in his Meshivat Nefesh (15th century Alsace) reads the Midrash with profound astonishment. He writes: how dare we suspect a person who God tells us is righteous and has done everything that he commanded him! Yet the Midrash does and Rashi does and the Chizkuni does. They don’t see Noah as truly righteous and full of faith. What do they pick up on? What hints to them that there is a deficiency?
I think that there are some textual clues and other Midrashim but the primary issue always comes back to Noah’s relationship to the community around him, or the lack thereof!
The Torah does not contain a single conversation between Noah and his neighbors. Not once does Noah petition God to save the world or the other people destined to die in the flood.
Yes, Noah was righteous; he was a tzaddik and did what was correct, honest and ethical. He listened to God and was obedient. But the clear message from our Midrash is – that is not sufficient, it is not enough. A truly great person must be not only honest and ethical and God fearing, they must care for the community as well. You have to care about the people around you and their welfare. Otherwise there is an element greatness that is lacking! I think that the midrash’s comment and its reading of the reason for entering the ark is a signal that Noah was good, but not great – good as an individual but not great as a member of the community!
Rabbi Ovadiah Seforno (6/8) captures the sentiment best when he writes; כי אמנם צדיק המשלים עצמו בלבד, הוא ראוי שימלט עצמו בלבד, אבל המשלים גם את זולתו, הוא ראוי שימלט גם את זולתו, כי בזה יש תקוה שיחזירם בתשובה
A tzaddik who has perfected only himself, only merits that he himself be saved. But one who looks to perfect the other, also merits that others should be saved even if they are not yet righteous because there is hope that you will perfect them in the future.
