פרשת נח

Dvar Torah

Rules Are Made To Follow

(בראשית ו:ה) ... וְכָל יֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבֹת לִבּוֹ רַק רַע כָּל־הַיּוֹם

(בראשית ו:יד) עֲשֵׂה לְךָ תֵּבַת...

(Barashit 6:5) ...and all the desires of his heart, only evil all day.

(Barashit 6:14) ...make for yourself an ark...

In this week’s Parasha, we are taught to the generation in which Noach lived. The Torah teaches us that because of the many crimes committed, Hashem was going to bring a flood to destroy the world.  Hashem told Noach to build a Taivah (some translate as ark), in which he and his family and 2 of anything that lived, would be saved.  The Torah goes to great length to inform us of the specific measurements commanded by Hashem to Noach for this Taivah.

This seems odd.  In reality, the Taivah was not built large enough to house Noach and family, all the animals and birds, and food supply necessary for them.  How then, did they fit?

The answer, of course, is that it was completely a miracle that everything fit and that everyone managed aboard the U.S.S. Taivah.  The question then is, if it was to be a miracle anyway, who cares about the dimensions of the structure?

The answer is explained in the end of last week’s Parasha.  When introducing this generation, the Torah says, that the people did whatever it was that their heart desired.  The sin of this generation that needed forgiveness, was the idea that we don’t need to listen to instructions, laws, or Mitzvot.  In counteracting this, Hashem specifically gave Noach explicit building instructions to show that the only way to live is to live by the code of laws, provided to us.  Indeed, the measurements made no difference, the point was the lesson of following instructions.

With this in mind, how should we view the Torah, and Mitzvot given to us by Hashem?

Shabbat Shalom!

Parsha Questions

1) How many generations were there from אדם to נח including them? (Can you list them? See סדר תולדות עולם)

2)  נחis introduced to us asצדיק תמים היה בדורותיו . Explain what this means.

    (see רש"י בראשית ו:ט)

3) What were the names of נח’s children? (בראשית ו:י)

4) Why did Hashem decide to destroy the people of נח’s generation? Explain

    (see רש"י בראשית ו:יא)

5) Why did Hashem tell נח to build aתיבה  (ark), as opposed to saving him via some other method? (see רש"י בראשית ו:יד)

6) How was there going to be light in the תיבה for the entire year? (see רש"י בראשית ו:טז)

7) What was each of the floors of the תיבה used for? (see רש"י בראשית ו:טז)

8) Which human beings were saved from the מבול? (Include ant that you may think were around before and after.)

9) How many of each כשר animal was brought into theתיבה ? Non-כשר were brought? (ז:ב and בראשית ו:יט-כ)

10) When Hashem called נח to the תיבה, he is called צדיק and not צדיק תמים as he was earlier in the פסוקים, why is this? (see רש"י בראשית ז:א)

11) What date did it begin to rain? (see רש"י בראשית ז:יא)

12) For how many days did rain come (fall) upon the land? (בראשית ז:יב)

13) How high above the highest mountain did the water go? (see רש"י בראשית ז:כ)

14) When and where did the תיבה come to rest? (בראשית ח:ד)

15) What are the seven מצוות given to the נח בני that non-Jews must observe? (בראשית ט:א-ח) (see Talmud Sanhedran 56a)

16) What is the sign that Hashem will not bring another מבול to destroy all flesh? (בראשית ט:יג)

17) What ברכה is said when one is seen? (You should know it be heart! If noy, you can look in a Siddur between Shachris and Mincha.)

18) Name two generations in which this sign never appeared. (see רש"י בראשית ט:יב)

19) Who was the strongest person during those days? (בראשית י:ח)

20) What did he do that was innovative?

21) What positive מידה did the people have in the days of נמרד that we can learn form? (בראשית יא:א)

22) What did the people build to fight Hashem? (בראשית יא:א-ד)

23) What did they call that place after the dispersion? Why? (בראשית יא:ט)

24) What were the names of תרח‘s sons? (בראשית יא:כו)

25) What happened to הרן? Explain.

26) Who did אברם marry?

Classroom Check-in!

Questions about what we are learning in class

1) When saying Mashiv Haruach what are we doing?

2) What should one do if they do not remember whether or not they added Mashiv Haruach?

3) What is Mesorah?

4) What role does Mishnah play in our Jewish heritage?

5) Do you remember when Amelia Bedelia first began learning about Torah She Ba’al Peh?

Torah Math

In this week’s Parasha the Torah tells us of the flood that killed everyone except those on the Teiva. The Pisukim tell us that Hashem told Noach to bring his wife, three sons and three daughters-in-law besides all of the animals.  We are familiar with the Medrash that tells us that Og the giant was also saved, but did you know that we can find this in the Pasuk itself:

When telling of the survivors the Torah says “only Noach and those with him...

 אַךְ נֹחַ = עוג

) בראשית ז:כג)

Each equals 79, check it yourself!!!

 TORAH TRIVIA!

Super Stumper Question:

This a question to ask others and discuss the answers.

Answer to last week’s Question:

Q: How is it that we would read from the Torah 5 consecutive day and it is not a long holiday?

A: We would read 5 different Torah readings when Rosh Hashana begins on a Thursday (like this year). Each day of Rosh Hashana, Shabbat, Tzom Gedalia, Monay. 

Question of the week:

Q: Who invented music???

A: Coming Soon!

Kollel Quiz 

#1 Who Am I?

1. I am lightly.

2. I recognize you.

3. Wait for me.

4. Now you can wrap.

#2 Who Am I?

1. Human.

2. Animal.

3. Trash.

4. Fish.

Submit this answer by clicking here

 FOOD Section!

Can you guess what this recipe connects to this week’s Parsha?

Rainbow Cake

What you will need:  

Cake:

6 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

3 tsps. Almond extract

Food coloring,

Yellow, red, and green

1 1/2 cups margarine, melted and cooled

(I use oil)

1 32 oz. jar raspberry jam

Glaze:

1/3 cup margarine

1/2 cup cocoa

1/3 cup nondairy creamer

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Line a 10x15 pan with wax paper, (can use 3 pans if desired)

Layer 1: In  a mixer bowl, combine 2 eggs and 1/2 cup sugar and beat well.  Add 1 cup of flour, 1 tsp. of almond extract and a few drops of yellow food color.  Continue beating for 2 minutes.  Fold in 1/2 cup of melted margarine.  Pour into prepared jelly roll pan, spreading batter to all the corners.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Cool cake on rack.

Layer 2:  Repeat above but instead add a few drops of red food color.

Layer 3: Repeat above but instead add a few drops of green food color.

To assemble:  Turn first layer out, upside down on aluminum foil.  Spread well with 1/2 cup raspberry jam.  Turn second layer over first and press gently, making sure layers are completely joined. Spread with raspberry jam and press third layer over.

Glaze:  In a 1-quart saucepan melt margarine, stir in cocoa.  Cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Stir in remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.  Spread on cake while hot.  Let cold and harden.

Once cool cut into 2x1 inch cookies.

Enjoy!!!

Fall in Portland, Organ. (Mt Hood)