Kevin Bemel ·
The Secret to Facing Up to Adversity
“And Noah built an altar to G-d and he took from every tahor animal and every tahor bird and he brought up burnt offerings on the altar.” (Bereshis/Genesis 8:20). Noah and his family leave the ark at G-d’s command and the first thing he does is bring offerings. Surely the Creator does not expect us to do such a thing. So what does He expect?
The parsha for this Sabbath is Noach. In it, we read about G-d choosing Noah to save humans, animals, birds, and creeping things from total destruction in the flood He is bringing on account of the tremendous corruption among people. Rain falls for 40 days and nights and the waters churn for another 150 days. After they recede he brings an offering to G-d.
But then Noah defiles himself when he plants a vineyard and gets drunk on wine. One of his sons, Ham, reveals his base character when he sees his father naked and inebriated in his tent then goes and tells his other brothers who handle the incident properly and are blessed for it. The parsha concludes with a listing of the descendants from Noah that formed the 70 nations, the story of the tower of Babel and dispersions of the nations, and finally the ten generations from Noah to Abraham.
Whenever I think about the story of Noah I am reminded of Bill Cosby’s routine. If you have not heard it I highly recommend it. Much of Cosby’s interpretation of how Noah behaved rings true with our commentators. For example, after G-d gives Noah instructions for building the ark Cosby’s Noah replies, “Right . . . what’s a cubit?” Would we have been any less bemused if we were in Noah’s place?
Noah is one of the best-known personalities in the Tanach. Yet rarely is he discussed in the context of his greatest contribution. Many commentators have written extensively about the backhanded compliment given to Noah at the beginning of the parsha, that he was a righteous man, in his times. His memory has been preserved in religious as well as popular lore for building the ark. One commentary I read called him the first conservationist because he saw to it that all of the species of animals survived the flood. At this point, his list of accomplishments ends.
But his most significant service to the world did not begin until after the flood was over. G-d orders Noah out of the ark. And Noah begins rebuilding the world. Imagine what kind of perseverance it took to do this after having lived in a world so depraved G-d destroyed it, then through years of insults while he built the ark, and then months in the ark mucking out stalls. He gets out of the ark to a decimated world and has to start all over again. Noah was a survivor.
Have you had to muster such indefatigability? Will you be able to when you need it? No matter how exhausted you are by adversity and no matter how hopeless rebuilding your decimated life and the world may seem, the message of Noah is that to be one of G-d’s children you must pick up that first brick and start all over again.
But before you heft it, you would be wise to remember the first thing Noah did when he set foot on dry land. He built an altar and brought offerings thanking G-d. When faced with destruction and despair, remember Noah and his legacy, choose that moment to thank the Almighty for saving you, and for giving you the chance to keep going.
Question – How do you find the strength to be thankful amidst anguish?
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