Pictutre Your Ccosity in 4ADASSAU A Righteous Man Can't Be Satisfied Shabbat Noach: Genesis 6:9-11:32; Isaiah 54:1-55:5. RABBI ELIEZER COHEN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS T Jean Rosen Elaine Sturman Julie Sturman Did you Know? HADASSAH affects the issues you care about here and in Israel Healing Teaching Research Social Action Youth Programs Education GREATER DETROIT CHAPTER JOIN HADASSAH (810) 683-5030 The Women's Zionist Organization of America SAVE THIS DATE!!! Congregation Beth Achim's "Goods and Services Auction" Sunday, November 10, 1996 Our guest auctioneer is WOMC's "Matinee Mindy" Markowitz. Silent Auction from 7:00prn to 8:30pm; Live Auction starts at 8:30pm. $18/person admission include§„wine, snacks and sweet-table Call Congregation Beth Achim at (810) 352-8670 for more details. Cl) w THANK YOU I-- CD CC LLI 1=1 LU 32 to all of the special people who have sent their best wishes, prayers and donations. From the bottom of our hearts, Ava, Phil, Mara and Paige Vinton Fine Judaica One-Of-A-Kind Creations At TRADITION! TRADITION! Call Alicia R. Nelson (810) 557-0109 For An Appointment his week's sedrah, Noach, tells the story of the flood that destroys the wicked and the survival of the righteous Noah and his family While the nature of the cor- ruption of the wicked is rather unclear and subject to interpre- tation, it would seem that Noah is the epitome of righteousness; the verse says explicitly that "... Noah was a righteous man—per- fect he was in his generation— Noah went with God" (Genesis 6:9) Yet the Talmud (San. 108A) brings Rabbi Yochanan's opinion: "In his generation but not in oth- er generations." Noah was considered right- eous only compared to his wicked contemporaries, but, as the great medieval commentary, Rashi, paraphrases: "Had he been in the generation ofAbraham, he would not have been considered much." According to this opinion, God saved the "best" of his generation from destruction, but Noah's righteousness and perfection were only relative. Noah is described as: "... A righteous man—perfect in his generation—Noah went with God." How could Rabbi Yochanan disparage such a man? What could there be in this description to indicate some lack? If Noah truly was "perfect" and "went with God," what more could he do? It seems to me, that Rabbi Yochanan understands that hu- man perfection is something im- possible to achieve and, therefore, this description of Noah must of necessity be relative. The truly righteous individual must always strive to perfect himself—to im- prove. -/The verse indicated that Noah's character had reached a plateau; it was in a static state. Likewise the phrase "Noah went with God" indicates a compla- cency, a satisfaction with one's achievement rather than a per- petual quest. On the other hand, God ap- pears to Abraham and commands him (Genesis 17:1): "...Go before Me and become perfect." Abraham is not given the comfort of merely "going with God"—but is com- manded to "go before Me." For Abraham , the challenge is to strike out on "his own," to Rabbi Eliezer Cohen is rabbi of Congregation Or Chadash. take risks, to assert his own ini- tiative, to push himself in his own personal quest for the righteous life... and to "become" perfect. Abraham is not told to "be" per- fect—to achieve a certain level of attainment and to stop the quest, but to always be in the process of perfecting himself, always be "be- coming perfect." Rabbi Eliezer Cohen Much the same principle can be seen in the Talmud (Ber. 64A) "And Rabbi Abin the Levith said: "One who takes leave of his friend should say: 'Go to Peace'... One who takes leave of the dead should say: 'Go in Peace.' It is only the dead who are in the static state of Peace—the living must always continue to strive to ar- rive to Peace."' The truly righteous are never satisfied with themselves or with the present condition; they strive, struggle and work to become bet- ter. This is the folklore of the "tri- als of Abraham." It also must be understood that Noah's self-satisfaction with his own piety was personal and to a certain degree selfish. Noah resisted the corruption of his so- ciety, but while resisting the in- fluence of the evil upon himself we don't see that he influenced anyone else in his goodness. Again, this self-satisfaction and fear of contamination is con- trasted with Abraham. Abraham continually interacted with oth- ers and influenced them, not by attempting to impose his will or life-style upon them, but simply by setting an example of right- eousness and piety in his rela- tions with all.