noah

Noah

 

The Torah portion of noach describes the great flood g-d brought upon the world due to its wickedness. In chapter 7 verse 23 it records what was left of the world and it says; "vyishar ach noach vasher ito batevo"- only noach and those with him in the ark survived. Rashi comments on this verse and says: " lvad noach"-only noach that is the simple explanation however the Midrash says that he was sighing and spitting up blood due to the burden of caring for all the animal and beasts. Rashi continues and says; "some say that he was late feeding the lion and he bit him which on this is said (proverbs 11:31) "if the righteous on earth get their deserts, how much more the wicked man and the sinner".

The Rebbe questions rashi's intention in using the word "lvad"-alone, in explaining the word "ach" usually translated as "only".  Which here it is meant to convey that only noach and those in the ark survived and not those mention in the preceding verses. However this is really obvious; that is the whole point of this Torah portion! Hence rashi explain that the word "ach" here is not only telling us that only he remained but rather he remained alone. Though he was with his family the entire world was destroyed and he felt isolated and alone by comparison to the population that he lived in before.

However rashi is still troubled why didn't the verse say that by using the word "lvad" in the text itself and not the word "ach" which implies only and not alone.

Hence rashi gives another explanation for the word "ach" it means that he was sighing and spitting up blood. This is hinted in the Hebrew spelling of the word "ach".

A person who is broken by troubles usually sighs and says "oih" that is hinted in the letter

"Aleph" of "ach" and "kiha" which means spitting is hinted in the "chof" of the word "ach". However one might ask where were Noah's sons? Certainly they where helping him! Ether they where all spitting up blood then it should say "ach" about all of them.

To this rashi adds another explanation. He was late in feeding the lion and he bit him. Noah alone fed the lion being the kings of the beast and felt it proper with respecting him by serving him alone and not sending his sons. The biting of the lion ad Noah being late is hinted in the word "ach" as well.  The "aleph" is "ichar" he came late-"ochal"-food, "arei"-lion. The "chof" is "chishoe"-he bit him.

However one might ask; how can the lion be so temperamental that if Noah who took care of him every day cam late he should bite him? Even more so this was a special lion that g-d chose of all the other ones and was more fine and tame. How could he have bit him?

To this rash adds and says: it was for the tzadik to get his punishment on this world and not the next. The lion bite noach to save him from punishment in the next world.

Hence the verse saying "ach" Noah- only Noah was because there was something here that only Noah was experiencing and not anyone else in the ark.