Noach
A Rainbow of Meaning
Dear Friend,
Who doesn't love rainbows? They are so beautiful and colorful. Catching sight of them before they fade is exciting.
But did you know that the rainbow has a spectrum of Jewish meaning as well?
In this week’s parshah, Noach, we read that after the epic flood that wiped out the entire known world, G‑d showed Noah a rainbow as a sign that He will not destroy the world again. In fact, our sages teach that when a rainbow appears it is a message that our behavior is not so great, and that we really deserve to be flooded again.
For this reason, when you do see one (and I don’t mean the kind your lawn sprinkler makes) there is a unique blessing to say.
And it has another shade, perhaps less known. It is a reflection of G‑d’s divine glory, which Ezekiel describes “like the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud on a rainy day.” Because of this, the sages of the Talmud caution that we are not to stare at a rainbow.
Either way, next time you see a rainbow, stop for a moment, reflect on its meaning, and say the special blessing.
May your week be full of bright, shining colors!
Moshe Rosenberg
on behalf of the Chabad.org Editorial Team
P.S.: Like a rainbow has variety of colors, our weekly magazine has all types content. Let me know your favorite by sharing a comment.
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