Parshat Noach
Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer

"And Noach, a man of the earth, commenced to plant a vineyard." (Bereshis 9:20). As we know, this agricultural undertaking was the ruination of Noach and much of his offspring.

Why did Noach get involved in drunkenness? One would think that his actions were a response to the despair which he must have felt at seeing his entire world destroyed. It was a case of post-traumatic stress syndrome, of escaping from a fate of nothingness.

As logical as it may sound, the above explanation does not seem to be what Chazal had in mind. Rashi quotes a Midrash which explains that Noach brought vines into the ark with him upon the onset of the flood. This would imply that Noach did not suddenly engage in heavy drinking as a result of depression; rather, he planned all along to produce wine and (apparently) consume it liberally.

It may be suggested that Noach's downfall was rooted in his basic religious commitment, which itself is the subject of dispute and question. We know that Noach was able to valiantly defy society's norms when it came to his personal lifestyle prior to the flood. Noach also built the ark in the presence of his opponents and was unscathed and uninfluenced by their castigation. He was a pioneer, and he did that which he knew was right.

However, after the flood, things changed. No longer was Noach the lone, brave tzaddik in the midst of sinners. He was never again to be unique and able to display his courage for God's laws. At this point, Noach was disheartened, as the ability to stand out and be noticed for taking on religious challenges was forever gone. Rather, he and his small (then seemingly righteous) family were to carry on, unfettered by opponents and a battle to overcome society's negative influences. Noach was thus despondent, as he needed to stand out, to be challenged and noticed for being a tzaddik. This was his lifeblood, his adrenalin.

This is why Noach is contrasted by Chazal with Avrohom Avinu. Avrohom was committed to Hashem at all times and in all circumstances. Thus, the phrase that Noach "walked with God" differs from the description of Avrohom walking "before" God, and our sages take this to imply that Noach needed assistance to remain righteous, while Avrohom could sustain his level of piety on his own. What the rabbis may have intended to convey is that Avrohom was internally righteous under all circumstances, whereas Noach's observance was situational and internally unstable.

We are often in scenarios in which we are able to stand out as the tzaddikim of the group. This is easy for some people, as they enjoy the challenge and function at maximum levels under such circumstances. However, most of us are part of a religious Jewish society in which we are all generally similar. Such homogeneity often breeds complacency. We learn from the story of Noach that it is precisely in these cases that we need to strive for greater heights in avodas Hashem. Precise observance of mitzvos with greater zeal, as well as setting aside significant time to immerse ourselves in Torah learning in a serious environment, are goals and priorities which must be strengthened regularly, regardless of the fact that we may not get special attention for these actions.

We are the Bnei Avrohom. Let's walk before Hashem.

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