‘A seemingly minor detail in our Parshah, is the cause of a dispute among the Rabbis. The Torah says that G-d commanded Noah to put a tzoar in the Ark. This word comes from the Hebrew root for illumination, and seems to indicate some sort of light source. According to some this was a window; according to others a precious jewel that gave off light. This argument is very interesting and can be seen to have deeper significance than a discussion on the source of illumination in the Ark. A precious stone illuminates from within. It is a self-contained source of light not susceptible to outside stimuli. A window on the other hand looks outward. It not only lets in light but allows the person within to be affected by what is occurring outside. It connects the person with the natural world, the source of its illumination. These two aspects of light can be seen to provide guidance on philosophical enlightenment. Is our world determined and influenced by the natural world and what happens outside, or are we a self contained island impervious to, and thus protected from, outside influence. Do we look out to the world and risk being corrupted or do we enclose ourselves in walls, and risk suffocation. Can we indeed combine the two? This Shabbat may provide an answer. It is Shabbat Rosh Hodesh. These two days, encapsulate the above two approaches. Rosh Hodesh celebrates the cyclic natural world, the rhythm of nature. It calls upon us to find G-d in nature, interacting with the outside world and being influenced by it. Shabbat, on the other hand, is a self contained island that serves to insulate us from the world. Its light comes not from natural sources, but from the Divine light beyond the six days of material creation. While Rosh Hodesh symbolises the Jewish people’s interaction with history, Shabbat has often served to safeguard us the many vicissitudes of that history. This Shabbat, however being both Shabbat and Rosh Hodesh, serves to teach us that we can, and indeed need, to combine both. We need both the interaction and influence of exterior forces and the ability to cosset ourselves on our own. We need both the Shalom of Shabbat and the Tov of the Hodesh: the good that comes from the natural, material world. Indeed the Parshah seems to indicate just this combination. After the flood, Noah opens the window he made; indicating there was possibly both a stone and a window. So, Shabbat Shalom and Hodesh Tov.

 ALIYAH BY ALIYAH SYNOPSIS

Parshat Noach

·               has  153  verses;

·               is the  2nd  in Genesis,  2nd  in the Torah

PAST PARSHAH PUZZLE

Veiled punishment.

‘I will surely hide My face on that day..’.

PARSHAH PUZZLE

Don’t consume the fruit of your labours.

WEEKLY HALAKHA