Comments on: Mr. October

By: Mariner Fan

Mariner Fan — Sun, 05 Nov 2006 06:26:53 +0000

A-Rod’s biggest mistake was leaving Seattle for the bright lights of New York. In Seattle, he would have remained a Tzadik “Be’Dorosav” and may have had a Parsha named for him. Moving to NYC was like moving to the generation of Avraham.

By: Dovid Gottlieb

Dovid Gottlieb — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 05:08:21 +0000

MP’s point is, I believe correct.

Even the more favorable opinion in Chazal must address the fact that Noach didn’t fight for the survival of the world. In fact, R. Levi Yitzchok is actually providing a defense (of sorts) of Noach. The more typical understanding is that he didn’t care as much as Avraham. But R. Levi Yitzchok explains that it wasn’t that at all; rather he didn’t see himself as capable or worthy of arguing with Hashem (when in fact he may have been).

I thank AlanLaz for his source reference and would add that there is a similar discussion about the famous Gemara in Gittin that ascribes the churban to “anvisanuso shel R.Zachariah ben Avkulos.” See, for example, the comments of the Maharatz Chiyus there.

And finally, see the Meshech Chochmah and Beis Yisroel (of Gur) who both discuss the positive and admirable aspects of Noach’s humility.

By: Joel Rich

Joel Rich — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 00:12:50 +0000

BTW note the language of Rashi on the 1st line of parshat noach, the 1st opinion (positive) is introduced by “yesh miraboteinu dorshim” while the 2nd opinion is introduced by “vyesh shedorshim” perhaps implying that the wise try to look at the positive?
KT

By: MP

MP — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 21:50:00 +0000

In response to Bob Miller:
Noach *was* a tzaddiq. The question may be whether he had the capacity to encounter/deal with (if not confront) the world around him but chose to instead shrink from that world. One thought to take from “Reggie” Gottlieb’s article is that (as AlanLaz noted and as I believe Rabbi Dr. Twerski emphasizes) a lack of confidence in dealing with the world around us and the situations we find ourselves in is a form of false (and self-defeating) modesty.

By: Bob Miller

Bob Miller — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 21:14:03 +0000

This post is more of the “frum bad press” Noach gets, perennially. Sermon after sermon, blog after blog—Enough already! We get the idea!

The first opinion in Rashi keeps getting pushed aside. Noach was not Avraham (who but Avraham was?), but was definitely a Tzaddik, as HaShem attests.

We don’t need analogies from Avoda Zara (Yankee worship).

By: AlanLaz

AlanLaz — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 19:43:01 +0000

Interestingly, the Be’er Moshe calls Noach’s modesty an “Anava Pesulah.”