Parshas Noach: Kindness at it’s Best:

Rabbi Yissochar Dov Merling

This week’s Parsha discusses the Tzaddik Noach. Many people have tried to explain the difference between Avrohom Avinu and Noach. When I was in Yeshiva, R’ Chaim Dov Keller zt”l would insist that we must not degrade Noach. The Torah calls Noach a Tzaddik and a perfect or complete person. They don’t say that about you and me!

Why then do some of our Rabbis explain differences between Noach and Avrohom? It would seem to me to be true, that if Noach was such a great person, that the question must be asked why is Noach not one of the Forefathers of the Jewish people?!

The Midrash relates that Avrohom Avinu learned his life’s work of doing kindness FROM NOACH! He met up once with Noach’s son, Sheim and asked him, “How did you all merit to leave the Teivah?” To which Sheim replied, ”In the merit of doing extensive kindness to the animals in the Teivah.” Avrohom said to himself, ”If the reward for kindness is so great, even kindness to animals, all the more so kindness done to people!” And with that, he embarked on his lifelong service of Chessed.

If so, we must understand why Noach was not counted as one of our Forefathers. Therefore, we must distinguish between Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov, and Noach.

Rashi tells us that there was an internal difference in the way each of these great men related to Hashem. Noach walked with Hashem- he needed support, while Avrohom walked before Hashem- he strengthened himself and stayed righteous on his own. This is hard to understand since we know that no one can overcome their evil inclination without help from Above. How can we claim that Avrohom was able to stay righteous on his own?

Perhaps, in light of Rabbi Benzion’s shlita remarks this past Shabbos, we may understand this in the following way. When being asked to invite guests, there are those who will be willing to do it, despite the background or personality of the individual. Others, though, may be hesitant for fear that their guest’s lack of background may influence their family negatively. Perhaps this was the difference between them. Noach definitely cared about his generation, but he felt he needed a support to ward off the negative influences, and therefore he did not involve himself and bring evil people into his house. Avrohom, on the other hand, was confident that Hashem would help him to not be influenced by the negative aspects of his guests, Arabs, or the like, and insisted on performing kindness, trusting that he would be protected. He would tell his guests to leave their Avoda Zara outside or wash it off their feet (Arabs used to worship the dust from their feet) and invite them to eat. After eating, when they owed him for his kindness and food, he would demand that they bless Hashem instead of paying him. That way the people all walked away with the memory and message that Hashem runs the world. So, despite what happened at the beginning of the meal the Bentching brought the message home.

So we see, Avrohom didn’t say there’s too much at stake, forget it, I’ll stay away from people, rather he devised a plan how to accomplish the goal of giving others the greatest kindness of all: the knowledge that Hashem is in charge.

Avrohom was proactive about inviting people. May we all merit to build homes of kindness.