"For Instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of the L-rd from Jerusalem." -- Isaiah 2:3

Jerusalem

Torah Verses

Excerpt Sources

Complete List of Source Books

Navigate the Excerpts Browser

Before accessing the excerpts, please review a word about copyright.

Are you more of an "I'll dive right in and figure it out" person, or a "Show Me How This Thing Works" person?  If the former, go right ahead and try the excerpts browers on the right side of this page and/or scroll through the excerpts that start below the following information -- although we still suggest reading the information first.  If you are the latter, click here for a video demonstrating the Excerpts Browser. Either way (or both), enjoy! 

This page is recommended for searches limited to specific Torah books, weekly portions (parshiot), chapters, verses, and/or sources (authors). For keyword and/or for exact phrase (including verse and source) searches of the entire excerpts database, we recommend using the Search Engine page.  For broadest results, use both pages and alternative search strategies. 

This page displays the full text of all or "sorted" (filtered) excerpts in the database.  Use the "Torah Verses" and/or "Excerpt Sources" browsers at the right to locate the excerpts associated with your desired Torah book, portion, chapter. verse, or author.  Or, simply scroll through the excerpts, using the "boxes" at the bottom of any page displaying excerpts to "jump" ahead or back. 

Also note that immediately below the chapter, verse, and keyword of each excerpt is a highlighted line comprised of multiple links.  Clicking on any of the links will limit (filter) the excerpts display to the selected category.  

Transcription of excerpts is incomplete.  For current status, please see "Transcribed Sources" on the Search Engine page.  To assist with completion, please see "Contributors" page. 

213

GENESIS | 6:9 Noah — GEN576 There were ten generations from Noah to...

GEN576 There were ten generations from Noah to Abraham, which informs [us] how great is His patience: for all those generations continued to anger Him, until Abraham our Father came and received the reward that was due them all. Pirkei Avot V:3  This mishnah is apparently very similar to the previous one. [There were ten generations from Adam to Noah, which informs [us] how great is His patience: for all those generations continued to anger Him, until He [finally] brought upon them the waters of the Flood.]  Both tell how the Almighty waited patiently through nine evil generations for the righteous man in the tenth. Yet how differently the two instances end: Abraham received the reward of all, but there was no cosmic destruction.  For Noah no reward is mentioned; he merely saved himself and his family, as the rest of the world was destroyed. What lay behind these two instances, to make the outcomes so very different?  As the Sages discern their characters, Noah and Abraham were utterly unlike in their senses of responsibility toward the people about them. When the Divine Ruler wanted Noah to build an ark because the deluge was coming, Scripture notes that this is about all he did: he built the ark.  We find no hint that he tried to change his fellow-men or save humanity.  At God’s awesome decision, he uttered not a word to implore the Creator to spare his fellow-men. He simply went and built his ark.  In Scripture we read, “These are the generations of Noah: Noah …. “ [this verse] One commentary wryly notes: This was the tragedy of Noah—he gave birth only to himself.  In Yiddish we might call Noah a tzaddik in peltz, a righteous person in a fur coat. The phrase derives from a parable of a group that finds itself freezing in an icy-cold room, whereupon one decides to achieve warmth.  Now, he can either build a fire in the grate or stove, which will warm everyone; or he can wrap himself in a sturdy fur-lined overcoat, to warm him alone.  If he chooses the fur-lined coat, Yiddish folklore dubs him (and by extension, anyone who acts to take care of himself alone), a tzaddik in peltz. Noah chose the peltz: he built an ark.  Abraham, however, was concerned with his fellow-men.  SINAI3 5

Share

Print
Source KeySINAI3
Verse6:9
Keyword(s)Noah
Source Page(s)(See end of excerpt)

Comment

Collapse Expand Comments (0)

You are replaying to

Your comment was added, but it must be approved first.

Please enter your name
Please enter your email adressPlease enter valid email adress
Please enter a comment
Please solve Captcha.
Add Comment
Back To Top