Noach: Harmonizing the Spiritual and Material

The Midrash states:4

At the beginning of the Creation of the world, the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He, ascended solely from the water. [After] the generation of the Flood arose and rebelled against Him…. the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Let these sinners be removed and… let the waters that abided there previously return, as it is written,5 ‘And the rain descended and was on the earth for forty days and forty nights.’ ”

From this Midrashit is apparent that the state of the world, as it was covered with the waters of the Flood, resembled its state at the beginning of its creation,6 “when all existence was water covering water.”7 This was an exalted state, a world that praised G‑d, for “the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He, ascended solely from the water.”

At first glance this seems to call for explanation: How is this Midrashic interpretation of the nature of the waters of the Flood consonant with the simple understanding of the waters of the Flood, that they were intended “to obliterate all flesh”?8

A possible resolution can be offered based on Rashi’s9 comments: “Initially, when G‑d caused the rain to descend, He caused it to descend in a merciful manner, so that – were the people to repent – the rains would be rains of blessing. When He saw that they did not repent, the rains turned into the Flood.” Thus, at the outset, G‑d caused the water “to descend in a merciful manner,” so that it would be “rains of blessing.”10

Nevertheless, that resolution is not satisfying because it was only initially – and conditionally, i.e., were the people of that generation to repent – that the rains would not destroy the world, but instead would be “rains of blessing.”11 And indeed when the people did not repent the water did not become “rains of blessing,” but floodwaters. By contrast, according to the Midrash, even when the waters of the Flood inundated and covered the entire world, they still reflected a lofty and positive state.

There is a well-known teaching of the Alter Rebbe12 that the waters of the Flood were not intended merely to punish the people of that generation, but also to cleanse the world, like the purity engendered by the waters of a mikveh. For this reason, they descended for 40 days, paralleling the 40 seah of water that a mikveh must contain.13

Nevertheless, this teaching also does not completely resolve the issue. According to this explanation, the function of the floodwaters, the spiritual purification of the world, is related to the sins of the generation of the Flood who brought impurity to the world;14 the Flood came to purify the world from this impurity. However, according to the Midrash – which posits that the situation of the world when covered by the waters of the Flood resembled its situation at the time of Creation “when all existence was water covering water” – the Flood did not merely remove impurity; its purpose was entirely positive, one of fundamental goodness and holiness,15restoring the world to its initial state, “when all existence was water covering water.” In that initial state, the world was above and removed from all connection to sin (not merely purification from sin), for the possibility for sin did not exist in the world. Instead, the world’s entire being involved solely “the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He.”

It is possible to explain that these words of the Midrash allude to a fundamental concept of inclusive scope regarding the Torah. By way of introduction, as is well known, our Sages state16 that the Torah is one of the entities that existed “before the world.” And they declared,17 “The Torah preceded the world by two thousand years.” However, it is axiomatic that “the true interpretation of a verse never departs from its straightforward meaning,”18 and the straighforward meaning of the words of the Torah is the manner in which these words are understood in this material world. Thus, the stories in the Torah must be understood literally and the mitzvos of the Torah must be fulfilled according to their simple meaning.

Nevertheless, “The Torah preceded the world.” The intent is not chronological precedence, for time as we know it only began with the creation of the world. Instead, the concept of precedence refers to the Torah’s existence on a higher spiritual level, for in every one of the Torah’s words, there also exists an inner, spiritual meaning that reflects the way the Torah is understood in the higher, spiritual realms, a plane of existence far loftier than the material.

This concept applies not only to the Torah’s commandments but also to its stories.19 True, all the stories of the Torah actually occurred, with all their details in accord with the straightforward understanding of the Biblical narrative. Nevertheless, since “The Torah preceded the world,” the stories of the Torah must also contain a spiritual meaning that reflects the way the Torah exists in the higher realms.20

{Indeed, there is a well-known axiom,21 “The Torah describes the supernal realms and merely alludes to this lowly earthly plane.” The meaning of this axiom is that not only can the words of the Torah be interpreted according to their inner, spiritual meaning (as the Torah exists in the higher realms), but rather, that is their fundamental meaning.22 The source and the origin of the Torah is how it exists in the spiritual realms, as it is written,23 “I was a delight… for Him,” i.e., for G‑d, as He existed before the creation of the world. Our Sages24 thus describe the Torah as “A cherished treasure hidden for You.” And it is from that lofty plane that the Torah descended, level after level, until it became enclothed in matters of this physical world on the material plane. This process is alluded to by the verses,25 “From heaven, I spoke to you,” and “From heaven, He caused you to hear His voice.” Thus, in essence, “The Torah describes the supernal realms,” the spiritual reality. However, as it descends to this physical plane, it can – and must – also be understood according to its simple meaning as it exists in this realm.

This leads to a further point: Since “evil does not abide by You,”26i.e., with G‑d, we are compelled to develop a different understanding of those matters described in the Torah that according to their simple meaning appear undesirable: evil deeds,27 punishments, and the like. As these matters exist in the Torah in the higher realms, planes on which evil cannot possibly exist, they are understood in a manner that reflects only holiness and goodness.28

This concept is reflected in Rambam’s words:29 “There is no difference between…the Divine source of the verses ‘Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz’30 and ‘I am G‑d, your L‑rd…’31 or ‘Hear, O Israel.’32 It is all from the mouth of the Almighty. It is all ‘G‑d’s perfect Torah,’ pure and holy truth.” True, the simple meaning of the words “Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz” refers to a woman of ultimate depravity (indeed, even her very conception came about through the violation of the Seven Universal Laws Commanded to Noach and his Descendants33) – seemingly, the polar opposite of “I am G‑d your L‑rd.” Nevertheless, this does not affect nor detract from the holiness of these words as they are written in the Torah, to the extent that there is no difference between the holiness of these words and the holiness of “I am G‑d your L‑rd,” because “It is all ‘G‑d’s perfect Torah,’ pure and holy truth.”²⁶ In essence, the subject is not Timna, the woman as she existed on this material plane. The subject is the Torah’s discussion of her and this discussion is “perfect, pure, and holy truth.”

Surely, the above applies as the Torah exists in the higher, spiritual realms. On that plane, “Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz” is in essence nothing but a spiritual reality, existing in a world that is solely holy, for on that elevated plane, “Evil does not abide by You.”

This fundamental concept helps us understand a seemingly incredulous story regarding the reading of the tocheichah34 by the Alter Rebbe:35

The Alter Rebbe himself would serve as the Torah reader. Once he was not in Liozna for Shabbos Parshas Ki Savo,and his son, the Mitteler Rebbe – at that time a youth before bar mitzvah – heard the Torah reading from another person. He experienced such distress upon hearing the curses enumerated in the tocheichah that when the Alter Rebbe returned, he was unsure whether his son would be able to fast on Yom Kippur.36

When the Mitteler Rebbe was asked to explain the severity of his response, for after all, this same passage is read every year, he replied, “When my father reads it, they do not sound like curses.”

On the surface, explanation is necessary: When the Alter Rebbe would read from the Torah, pronouncing every word and letter carefully with its vocalization and cantillation, certainly, the simple meaning of the Torah’s words could be heard (and, as cited above, “the true interpretation of a verse never departs from its straightforward meaning”).¹⁵ What then did the Mitteler Rebbe mean by saying, “When my father reads it, they do not sound like curses”?

In resolution: On this plane, the curses enumerated in the tocheichah are to be understood according to their simple meaning. However, as “the Torah describes the supernal realms,” i.e., in those realms of holiness that are entirely sacred and have no connection to the existence of evil (and hence, neither to the punishment meted out for evil acts), even curses solely relate to matters of holiness and blessing.

The Alter Rebbe37 interprets the tocheichah of Parshas Bechukosai in a similar vein, explaining that “in truth, the curses are solely blessings.” In support of the Alter Rebbe’s words, the Tzemach Tzedek38 cites a story from the Talmud39 that reflects the same concept: Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai once sent his son Rabbi Eliezer to Sages who were passing through his town so that they would bless him. However, the Sages conveyed their blessings couched in words that appeared as curses,40causing Rabbi Shimon’s son distress. However, when he repeated their words to his father, Rabbi Shimon assured him that “they are all blessings.”41

To relate these concepts to the story of the Alter Rebbe cited previously: When the Alter Rebbe would read the Torah, the inner meaning of the Torah’s words as they describe the higher realms could be heard (by the Mitteler Rebbe) and on that plane, from its very beginning, the tocheichah is entirely goodness and blessing.

{This concept is further clarified according to the Alter Rebbe’s interpretation42 of the phrase korei baTorah, usually translated as “reads from the Torah” or “studies the Torah.” Korei also means “call” or “summon”: “Through reading and studying the Torah, a person calls G‑d to come to him like a person calls for a friend to come to him or a child calls for his father43 to come to him, join him, and bond as one.” Similarly, in the present context, when the Alter Rebbe would read the Torah, he would call forth and elicit the revelation of the Torah as it exists in the higher realms, i.e., the Torah, as G‑d sees it,44 and on that level, evil has no foothold, as stated above.}

The abovementioned teaching of the Midrash concerning the Flood can be explained in a similar manner: The fact that the Flood served to punish the generation who perished in its waters and to purify the earth from the impurity that their sins brought about reflects only the manifestation of the Flood on this material plane. However, since the Flood is chronicled in the Torah, we are compeled to conclude that the Torah also reveals how the Flood and all the details associated with it also exist on a loftier plane, in a realm where there is no conception of evil or sin.

This is precisely the intent of the Midrash: to teach that the waters of the Flood that covered the entire earth45 also manifested a dimension that is entirely holy,46 resembling the state of the earth at the beginning of Creation, “when all existence was water covering water” and “the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He, ascended solely from the water.”

This is also the inner dimension of the Alter Rebbe’s explanation cited previously, that the waters of the Flood resemble the waters of a mikveh.47 There are also instances where immersion in a mikveh is solely intended to engender a higher level of holiness (not merely to purify one from impurity). For example, the Kohen Gadol would immerse five times on Yom Kippur.48 After the first immersion, he had already been purified from all possible impurity. The subsequent immersions were all merely to increase his sanctity, to enable him to ascend to progressively higher levels of holiness.

A similar explanation can be given regarding the waters of the Flood,49 which resemble the waters of a mikveh. The Flood’s purification of the world from the impurity brought about by the sins of the people of that generation reflects only the manifestation of the Flood on this lower, material plane. In the higher, spiritual planes, (in realms that are entirely holy), the Flood does not resemble the type of immersion for purification from impurity, but rather the type of immersion necessary to ascend from levels of purity and holiness to even higher levels of purity and holiness.

To give an example from everyday human experience – one experienced even by non-Jews – in our material world: Every father inherently harbors a genuine and powerful love for his child in his heart. At the core, his feelings are solely love and goodness. However, if the son will transgress, this love will manifest itself in the need to administer corporal punishment to his son. Indeed, the greater the father’s love for his son, the more severe the son’s punishment will be. Indeed, “one who restrains his rod, hates his son.”50

A further insight regarding the positive nature of the waters of the Flood: At the conclusion of Hilchos Mikvaos,51 Rambam writes that the waters of a mikveh allude to “the waters of pure knowledge.”52 When immersing, a person is totally covered by the waters of a mikveh to the extent that all that is visible is the water of the mikveh. So too, in the spiritual parallel, a person must immerse his soul in “the waters of pure knowledge” to the extent that his own identity is imperceptible; all one sees is “the waters of knowledge” in which he is submerged.

This is the spiritual significance of the Flood covering all existence with water; that the world be inundated in the waters of knowledge to the extent that its existence is not perceivable, only that of “the waters of knowledge.”

This is also the inner, spiritual import of the waters of the Flood. By stating that the Flood came “to obliterate all flesh”⁵ and “obliterate the earth,”53the Torah intends to teach that it came to nullify the world’s material orientation, submerging the world in “the waters of knowledge” to the extent that the existence of any entity other than G‑d could not be perceived.

G‑d’s intent is not that all other existence would cease to be, but rather it would be perceived as nothing other than a manifestation of G‑dliness,54 as will be the state of the world in the Ultimate Future.55 To quote Rambam:56“In that era,… the occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G‑d…, as it is written,57 ‘the world will be filled with the knowledge of G‑d as the waters cover the ocean bed,’ ” i.e. the state of the world in the Ultimate Future will be comparable to a flood58 (as indicated by the phrase, “as the waters cover the ocean bed”). The occupation with “the knowledge of G‑d” (“the waters of knowledge”) will inundate and “fill the earth” to the extent that “the occupation59 of the entire world will be solely to know G‑d.”60

This description parallels the state of the world at the time of its creation when “all existence was water covering water” and “the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He, ascended solely from the water,” i.e., the world was not perceived as a separate entity. Instead, just as when an entity is immersed61 in water, all that is perceived is the water,62 similarly, at the time of Creation it was – and in the Ultimate Future, it will be – patently obvious that the entire existence of the world is the G‑dly energy that creates it and maintains its existence.

Nevertheless, having explained the positive import of the Flood, i.e., its existence in the higher realms, a question of a different and opposite nature arises: Since the Flood represents such a lofty state – the world’s being subsumed in “the waters of knowledge” – what is the inner meaning of the oath G‑d took not to bring another flood63and His promise,⁵⁰ “There will never be another flood to obliterate the earth”? Since this oath and this promise are recorded in the Torah, it is understood that in truth they preclude the possibility that the spiritual import of the Flood described above occur again.

In resolution: There is a difference between the initial state of Creation when “all existence was water covering water” and dry land had yet to be created,64 and the state of the world during the Flood, which occurred after dry land was created. In that instance, dry land already existed and yet it was covered with water.

To explain the spiritual dimension of the difference between these two states in a spiritual sense: The virtue of the state in which “all existence was water covering water” that was manifest at the beginning of creation was that the world did not appear as a separate entity, but instead, was totally subsumed to the Divine life-force that maintains it. Nevertheless, there was still a drawback to this state. Within the context of its own being, the world did not feel batel; it was not yet fit for such a lofty state. The virtue of “all existence being water covering water” was possible only because dry land – the world as it exists in its own context – had yet to be created.

The ultimate Divine intent, however, is that this bittul be drawn down and affect the world as it exists in its own context. This goal is reflected in the precise wording of the prophecy of the Ultimate Future, “The world willbe filled with the knowledge of G‑d as the waters cover the ocean bed.” The intent is not that the world will be transformed into water, but as it exists as the world, it will be “filled with the knowledge of G‑d as the waters cover the ocean bed.” The virtue of water covering all existence will be manifest in the world itself.

To make that possible, a preparatory step of “immersion” was necessary, that the world be inundated with the waters of the Flood. This would “obliterate the earth,” temporarily nullify the existence of the earth, and enable it to be covered entirely with water. The bittul experienced then would make it possible that even afterwards when “the earth became dry,”65 (“it dried up as it should be”),66 this bittul would be drawn down within the earth itself.

This is the purpose of the waters of the Flood according to their spiritual intent: to prepare the world so that it would be able to accept this bittul67and in that way, enable it to proceed to the revelations of the Ultimate Future, when “the world will be filled with the knowledge of G‑d as the waters cover the ocean bed.”

{Based on the above, it is possible to explain the Midrash’s68interpretation of the verse,69 “Then the offering of Yehudah and Yerushalayim will be pleasing to G‑d, as in the days of yore and as in bygone years.” The Midrash states that “the days of yore” refers to “the era of Noach.” This interpretation requires explanation: The verse cited refers to the era of the Ultimate Redemption when the world will reach a state of consummate perfection. Why then is that time compared to the era of Noach when evil was rampant?70

That question can be resolved based on the above explanation: Noach’s era began the process of preparing the world and grooming it for the consummate perfection it will reach in the Era of Redemption when “the world will be filled with the knowledge of G‑d as the waters cover the ocean bed.” The waters of the Flood laid the spiritual groundwork for this development by inundating the entire world.71

On this basis, we can understand G‑d’s taking an oath that “there will never be another flood to obliterate the earth.” The prophet describes G‑d’s motive in creating the world with these words,72 “He did not create it for chaos; rather, He formed it for the sake of stability.” G‑d desired that the world exist according to an ongoing natural order, as He promised Noach after the Flood,73 “As long as the earth exists, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” However, the establishment of the natural order was not His ultimate intent. Rather, He desired that the world as it exists within the natural order itself be a medium for the manifestation of all the lofty revelations described above.

Therefore, from the outset, G‑d did not desire that the world remain in a state where “all existence was water covering water,” even though “the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He, ascended… from the water,” for then the natural order would not exist. Instead, G‑d contracted this revelation, enabling “dry land to appear”74and making possible the existence of the world as we know it.75

Since the immersion of the world in the waters of the Flood prepared it for and enabled it to reach its consummate perfection, there was no longer a necessity to obliterate the existence of the world. He therefore took an oath that there would never be another flood, for the ultimate intent is for G‑dliness to permeate the world as it exists in its own framework.76

As is well known, the Shelah77states that Rashi’s commentary on the Torah contains “wondrous teachings.” On the phrase, “the earth became dry,” Rashi comments, “It dried up (naaseh grid) as it should be (kihilchasah).”78Those words contain an allusion to the lofty spiritual state to which the earth is progressing, i.e., that the consummate Divine revelations be manifest within the very framework of the world’s existence, when compared to its lofty spiritual state during the Flood (which resembled all existence being “water covering water,” as at the beginning of creation).

The waters of the Flood allude to the Torah (“the waters of knowledge”) as it exists above the framework of natural existence. “The earth became dry” alludes to the Torah as it descends to this material plane and enclothes itself in matters of this world. It is the descent of the Torah and its manifestation in matters of this world where the realm of halachah is revealed.

The Torah “is not in the heavens”79 and a halachic ruling may be rendered only by a person living on this material plane, a soul enclothed in a body,80 for halachah constitutes directives as to how to conduct oneself in day-to-day affairs. Similarly, halachah involves introducing change into the world, as indicated by the verse,81 “The ways (halichos) of the world are His,” on which, our Sages commented,82 “Do not read halichos (‘ways’), but rather halachos (‘Torah laws’),” implying that the effect of the Torah in the world, “the ways of the world,” is achieved through the halachos of the Torah. Moreover, in this manner, the world continually progresses83 toward its ultimate purpose.

It is possible to explain that this concept is alluded to in Rashi’s words, “It dried up as it should be (kihilchasah).” Kihilchasah shares the same root as halachah. The advantage achieved when the world became dry over its previous state when the waters of the Flood covered it is that through “dry land,” living within the structures of the world according to the halachah, Torah Law, one reaches the Torah’s objective and facilitates the change it brings about in the world.84

The above explanation of the positive import of the Flood is also relevant to the time of year when Parshas Noach is read, the beginning of the month of Marcheshvan. The month of Tishrei, replete as it is with festivals,85 can – in a positive, spiritual sense – be compared to a flood. At that time, a person is immersed86 in matters of goodness and holiness to the extent that he forgets about his material affairs.87 Since the person’s thoughts are focused only on spiritual matters, his entire being is absorbed in them.88

When a person emerges from the month of Tishrei and enters the month of Marchesh­van, the story of the Flood – and particularly, its conclusion – are read from the Torah, to teach that the purpose of the Flood of Tishrei is “the drying of the land” that follows it. The bittul brought about by “the waters of the Flood” of Tishrei should carry over into the “dry land” of Marcheshvan.

Simply put, the ultimate goal of the festivals of Tishrei is to carry forward the holiness elicited in that month into one’s daily life – his “dry land” – throughout the year.89This empowers a person’s Divine service to permeate even his material concerns, enabling him to conduct himself in a manner in which “All your deeds will be for the sake of Heaven,”90 and he will “Know G‑d in all your ways.”91

Through such Divine service, we hasten the fulfillment of the prophecy, “the world will be filled with the knowledge of G‑d as the waters cover the ocean bed.” May this take place in the immediate future.

Likkutei Sichos, Volume 30, P. 16ff. Adapted from sichas Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan, 5746 [1985]