Parashah Roundup: Noach 5760

by Steve Brizel

An Overview of the Parsha

R Yitzchak Etshalom explores two versions of the flood within the Parsha, the different perspectives of Torah and science, and the spiritual responsibilities of Noach: link

R Sir Jonathan Sacks explores the common thread of the denial of collective responsibility in the first 11 chapters of Breishis: link

The Generation of the Flood

R Yissocher Frand explains why transgressions committed in private lead to a violent society: link

Click here to read moreNoach - A Tzadik for His Generation-His Rise and Fall

The Nesivos Shalom, as elucidated by R Yitzchak Adlerstein, suggests that Noach's personality was rooted in Yirah, as opposed to Avraham Avinu, whose essence was Ahavah: link

R Aharon Lichenstein explores and contrasts Noach's personality with the personality of Moshe Rabbeinu and the cause of Noach's downfall: link 1, link 2

R Mayer Twerky explains why the waters of the Flood are called “waters of Noach” (Isaiah 54:9): link

R Baruch Simon delves into how Noach both walked with God and spiritually declined after leaving the Ark and the meaning of “dorosav”: link 1 (audio), link 2 (audio)

R Michael Rosensweig, R Avraham Gordimer and R Ozer Glickman contrasts the roles and accomplishments of Noach and Avraham: link 1, link 2, link 3, link 4
Alcohol Abuse and its Consequences

R Berel Wein, based on the examples of Noach after the flood, as well as Lot, exhorts us to avoid the deleterious aspects of alcohol abuse and its affects on future generations: link

The Significance of the Rainbow

R Ephraim Buchwald, based on R Saadyah Gaon, Ramban and R Samson Raphael Hirsch, discusses the meaning of the rainbow: link

R Dovid Gottlieb explores the covenant and the rainbow between God and Noach: link (audio) and the permission given to eat meat after the flood: link

R Chaim Navon explores various rationales for punishment by mankind of a murderer: link

The Noachide Laws

R Asher Weiss and R Yaakob Neuberger explore the scope and depth of the Noachide Laws: link 1 (audio), link 2 (audio)

R Dovid Gottlieb examines why a non Jew is prohibited from keeping Shabbos and the role of this Halacha with respect to prospective Gerim: link (audio)

The Generation of the Tower of Bavel

R Ezra Bick, based upon Ibn Ezra, Ralbag and the Netziv, posits that the generation of the flood erred in seeking to establish an intellectual and political totalitarian society: link

R Chaim Navon suggests that one must exploit the positive aspects of civilization, while rejecting those elements so as not to repeat the mistakes of the generation of the Tower of Bavel: link

R Shlomoh Riskin suggests that the generation of the tower of Bavel was so preoccupied with material success that it lost any sense of interpersonal values and the importance of a friend and/or partner in life: link

Avraham and Terach

R Dovid Horwitz examines the relationship between Avraham and Terach: link

Last year's roundup: link