Parshat Noach
Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer

"And Noach bore three sons: Shem, Cham and Yefes." (Bereshis 6:10) The Gemara (Sanhedrin 69b) asks why Noach's sons are listed in this order, as we know from elsewhere that Shem was the youngest of his brothers. The Gemara answers that the Torah lists Noach's sons in the order of their wisdom ("derech chochmoson"), and Shem is thus understandably enumerated first (as he was the forerunner for our Avos and the teachings of Torah).

Tosafos (s.v. "Ella", ibid.) comments that the Gemara's explanation leaves a question unanswered, as - if order of wisdom is applied by the pasuk - why is Yefes listed last, rather than Cham? That is, Yefes ("Beauty") represents culture and secular knowledge, and he was the predecessor of ancient Greece. Certainly Yefes should precede Cham, who embodies the animalistic side of Man, bearing unbridled passion and committed to base hedonism. Why, then, is Cham listed before Yefes?

I suggest that the Gemara's definition of wisdom ("chochmo") as employed in the pasuk is not knowledge of information or skills. Rather, chochmo refers to knowledge of absolute truth - knowledge of God. FOOTNOTE HERE Although Yefes was the embodiment of secular intelligence, his failure to recognize God places him below Cham. Yefes - who fails to see God's Hand in his mastery of the sciences, the beauty of the universe, and the structures and systems which were all put in place to function in tandem - is on a lower level than Cham, who simply lacks a heightened capacity to derive God's existence and works from his intellect. Yefes can thus be placed beneath Cham, as the lack of real chochmo exhibited by Yefes exceeds Cham's shortcomings in the area of emunah.

We are in a position to try to understand God from the study of Torah as well as from concentrating on the universe. When we think of the purpose and clear planning behind every natural structure and organism, as well as all of its subparts and their interworkings and functions - we should be spellbound, for humans cannot duplicate such objects and systems, and such facets of nature point to an unmistakable Creator Who established them with utmost precision and intent. The more we think about why each living thing works as it does and has the natural features with which is was endowed, how the mind and senses function, how molecular systems are built and relate, the more our emunah should flourish. Yefes, however, represents a lack of objectivity about the wonders of the universe, and his thirst for knowledge is misdirected and misused.

May we follow the paths of Shem and use Yefes' knowledge according to the bracha given to Noach, that such wisdom be contained in the tents of Shem (Bereshis 9:27) and be utilized and understood for the sake of God's service.

FOOTNOTE: This fits in with the Gemara's earlier example of listing people in the order of their wisdom, in which it is proffered that Avrohom Avinu is listed with his brothers in such order. Again, we know nothing about the level of knowledge of worldly information or skills attained by Avrohom Avinu or his brothers. Thus, it may very well be the knowledge of God which is intended.

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