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Get Out of the Ark!

Letters and Numbers of Torah - Noach

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Get Out of the Ark!: Letters and Numbers of Torah - Noach

The words "order the animals to leave the Ark" (Genesis 8:17) are written as if pronounced "forcibly remove the animals from the Ark." Why was it so difficult to leave the Ark and what can we learn from this about bringing holiness into our daily lives?

Handouts:	Noach
Audio:	Listen to Audio \| Download this MP3
Topics:	Parshah, Flood, The, Ark, Noah's, Noach

Aaron L. Raskin

Rabbi Aaron L. Raskin is the official Chabad emissary to downtown Brooklyn, rabbi of Congregation B’nai Avraham in Brooklyn Heights, New York and Dean of Brooklyn Heights Jewish Academy. He is the author of the books, “Thank You God for Making Me a Woman", "Letters of Light", "By Divine Design", and "Guardian of Israel", and the co-author of "The Rabbi & The CEO".

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15 Comments

Wellington Belo Horizonte, Brazil October 19, 2014

Thanks for this great teaching.

Baruch Hashem. Reply

David Alan Northam Ajax April 2, 2014

thank you Reply

Lorena Los Angeles October 4, 2013

Thank you, Rabbi Raskin! I feel blessed. Reply

Uri Yitzchak Orlando, FL/U.S.A October 19, 2012

Thank you Rabbi Raskin for this wonderful Torah insight Reply

catherine new york October 19, 2012

Phil Your voice as a "Christian Gentile " is somewhat angry and does miss the good rabbis message. In simple words that maybe even you can understand the learned rabbi speaks about the safety of the world of Torah and closeness to God and the need to leave that world so others in the dark world outside of the knowledge and understanding of God can have the chance to learn and understand the light and safety and wonders of Gods beautiful presence. You my friend have instead decided to miss that boat entirely. From one Christian to another get off your righteous Bible and maybe then you will learn and understand that its not about who is right or better. Its about kindness love and knowing that it is ONLY because of the knowledge and love of God that the Jewish nation has shown over the centuries and now through chabad that people like you even know about Noah. Reply

Phil Little Santa Ana, CA October 18, 2012

Solomon did not speak to any animals You say that Solomon "spoke of,...beasts, fowl, creeping things, fishes". That's saying that Solomon spoke ABOUT those creatures, not to them. And the scripture references you quote don't have anything to do with what you say re: Solomon
I am a Christian, and a "gentile". I have no idea what the Targum Sheini is. (I guess probably everyone else who reads this website does know what that is, huh?) Reply

Anonymous atlanta October 13, 2012

EMES! KING SOLOMON, **SOURCES FYI 1 KINGS 5:13,14 & 10:24, "& he, (KING SOLOMON), spoke of, ...the BEASTS, FOWL, CREEPING things, FISHES...ALL people came, to hear the, WISDOM of SOLOMON...& ALL EARTH, sought SOLOMON'S presence, to hear, the WISDOM, with which, **G-D**, had endowed him." (also, targum sheini) Reply

lonely Knoll Lowry, MN October 3, 2012

When G-d spoke light, water, and creatures-it was My dear friend there was a donkey which spoke to a terrible sorcerous prophet.
There also was a command made to a worm to distroy the shady tree that graced Jonah with shade, and "it" OBEYED G-d.
It is written that all things recognize their maker....even the Rocks!
The sea parted, the lions mouths were sealed, even Satan was cursed to crawl on the dust of the Earth after He & Eve communicated GAMES. Who are these creatures who communicate?!
Some even say Human Beings Are animals, but many do not listen, and many more do not obey.
Actually when Solomon parleyed about his Idolotrous travels he spoke to all the various creatures of those odd domains & was himself somewhat polluted by those interactions and came to the conclusion that all was: Vanity.
When Able's blood cried out, G-d heard this murdered soul's Anguished cry. If the body passed what exactly cried out? DNA? "Life?" The tiniest essense of that soul cried out, It was biological. There are various levels of communication Reply

Phil Little Santa Ana, CA August 2, 2012

@Rabbi Raskin re: Solomon You, in fact, do NOT know that King Solomon could speak to animals. The Bible does not say anywhere that Solomon could do that. Maybe that is you "rabbinical" opinion, but it is based on nothing. If you're going to be a spiritual leader among people, stop speaking falsely, and stop saying that you know something which you do not know. And there isn't any Jewish text anywhere which states that King Solomon could communicate with animals. God gave mankind the complete truth in His word, which is the Holy Bible. And you will eventually answer to Him personally for stating things which are not true. I don't care how big your temple in NYC is, or how great people say that you are. Reply

michael Swanger lima, ohio February 27, 2012

plants I can't find anything in Genesis 7&8 concerning plants. My thinking is the animals had to have food so the only plant brought into the Ark would be either animal, bird or human food. I think because plants, trees.etc, have seed that when the waters receded,land dried,etc. that plant/trees could spring up on their own. Also seeds could scatter worldwide. Another thought, could the animals,birds,etc been babies or in egg form? This saves space on the boat and would require less food. Also very young would not be aware of all the sin of mankind,birds,etc. before the flood. Remember the world was corrupted also in the gene pool. Thanks Reply

Rabbi Aaron L Raskin New York, NY November 8, 2011

Re: Were the animals given a certain awareness Animals have instinct even though they don't have intellect. They can sense danger and also feel security. When Moshiach will come they too will have a greater sense of awareness.
No doubt in the ark they felt this security and were afraid to leave.

Pertaining to communication, we know that king Solomon was able to speak to the animals so they do communicate. Reply

Natan Łódź, Poland November 8, 2011

it's worth the time. I appreciate wisdom & knowledge connected in Your lecture. So I become yous student. Reply

Anonymous October 30, 2011

Were the animals given a certain awareness? The way you speak of the animals, you know what they were thinking. Did they have a gift of communication or something obvious to show what they thought?

I am not being a skeptic-- I am serious and I'd love to hear your answer! Reply

sarahSimcha Rochester October 29, 2011

Biblical Year A Biblical year is 10 months, correct?
Then why is it said that they were in the ark 1 Biblical year- 365 days? Isn't that a year on a pagan calendar?:) thanks! Reply

Junfei Pang shanghai, China October 29, 2011

where were the plants? were there only animials on the Ark? Where were the plants? Reply

Letters and Numbers of Torah

Rabbi Raskin looks at the hidden meanings of the sizes and numerical values (gematria) of the Hebrew letters in the weekly Torah portion.

Get Out of the Ark!: Letters and Numbers of Torah - Noach

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