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Why does the Torah (תורה) call Noach a tzaddik tamim yet also portray him as lacking emunah (אמונה), drunk, and even sensed by animals as their equal? The shiur builds on the Rambam (רמב"ם) in Moreh Nevuchim to distinguish tzelem Elokim (humanity's shadow-reflection of God requiring constant internal conflict to overcome physical drives) from d'mus Elokim (the harmonious merger of body and soul achieved by Avrohom). Noach represents tzelem; Avrohom inaugurates d'mus — explaining why only Avrohom is the av of Knesses Yisroel.
The shiur opens with a series of fundamental questions about Parshas Noach. First, what is the nature of the bris (covenant) Hashem (ה׳) made with the world after the flood? A bris requires bilateral contribution, yet what did humanity contribute to warrant Hashem's promise never to destroy the world again? Second, why are Noach, Shem, and Ever — who learned Torah (תורה) and even ran a yeshiva attended by Yaakov Avinu — completely disconnected from the spiritual lineage of Knesses Yisroel, while Avrohom Avinu becomes the first av? What changed between the first ten generations (Adam to Noach) and the second ten (Noach to Avrohom)? The shiur then presents the enigma of Noach himself. On one hand, Noach is called tzaddik tamim, spent 120 years building the teivah to inspire teshuvah, learned Torah, cared for the animals in the ark without sleeping day or night, and brought korbanos afterward. On the other hand, Noach is described as mikatei emunah (אמונה) (lacking full faith), was struck by a lion (indicating the animal did not fear him as it should a true tzelem Elokim), was suspected by the raven of wanting to live with its mate, and immediately became drunk upon exiting the ark. How can the same person embody such contradictory spiritual realities?
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Parshas Noach
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