Believing but Not Quite Believing
(HaRav HaGaon Rav Yaakov Sasson Shlit”a)(translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds United Kingdom)
It is stated both in our Parashah and by chazal that Hashem commanded Noach to build the ark. During the ensuing 120 years Noach was influencing his generation to repent, he would go and build the ark and inform people that HaKadosh Baruch Hu will bring a flood on the whole world. That the whole world will be destroyed because of people’s sins that contravened all boundaries. In the end, since they didn’t repent, HaKadosh Baruch Hu brought a flood on Earth. Then Noach, his sons and their wives entered the ark, as it states, “Hashem said to Noach, ‘Come into the ark, you and your family… Noach, along with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, came into the ark ahead of the waters of the flood” (Bereishit 7:1-7:7).
Our chachamim (Midrash Rabbah) analyse the passuk, why does it state, “Noach, along with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, came into the ark ahead of the waters of the flood”? Surely it should have stated, “Noach, along with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, came into the ark because of Hashem’s instruction”! Our chachamim therefore explain that Noach only entered the ark after the flooding waters descended with rage and the water reached his ankles. Then he and the members of his family were literally forced to enter the ark. This is how he entered the ark “ahead of the waters of the flood” and not due to Hashem’s command. Our chachamim explain that Noach was “lacking in faith”, “a believer but not quite a believer”, as if chas-veshalom he wasn’t personally sure that indeed the flooding waters will actually fall . Therefore he didn’t hurry to enter the ark, until the waters strained him!
The gaon the tzaddik Rav Yaakov Galinsky z”l (1920-2014), (in his work Vehigadata, Parashat Noach) asks how could it be that Noach, about whom the Torah testifies was a “righteous man, faultless”, how may it be said that he was chas veshalom lacking in faith? Wasn’t he literally a prophet and he knew prophetically from Hashem that the Flood will come. How is it conceivable that a person of this spiritual standing was a “believer but not quite a believer”? What does this all mean?
When we consider this we may understand this as follows, for 120 years Noach was building the ark. For 120 years he warned his generation about the looming Flood. How could it be that not one person of his generation repented! Noach was certainly an extraordinary person, a person who projected on his surroundings, it is inconceivable that his influence was so lacking in value! Indeed Noach was convinced that he will almost certainly succeed in influencing a number of people. In truth, Noach, his wife and his three sons and their wives were eight people. If Noach had succeeded in making one more person repent, this would have sufficed to save the whole world as this would have brought the total to nine, and HaKadosh Baruch Hu would have combined with them. Therefore during all of Metushelach’s life the Flood never came, for it was in the ability of the nine tzaddikim to protect the world. Eventually, Metushelach died and they eulogised him for seven days [see Sanhedrin 108b]. Noach thought that at least now someone will be aroused to repent, due to the mussar (inspirational words) that Metushelach used to tell his generation [Maharsha ad loc.]. Yet no one repented!
And behold, “On that day all the wellsprings of the great deep burst forth and the floodgates of the heavens were opened” (Bereishit 7:11). A person was able to tangibly see that the Flood began to descend and animals were entering in pairs into the ark! Noach was convinced that now at least one person will repent! Therefore he delayed entering the ark! If so why did the chachamim criticise him and say he was “a believer but not quite a believer”. At the end of the day he had hoped that at least someone would repent and that the Flood will never come!
However based on Noach’s high level there was a claim against him. If Noach had been so sure that for Hashem miracles and nature are the same thing, with no distinction between them, then when the Flood waters began to descend [albeit relatively gradually] he should have run to the ark! Every person by nature when they sense a real danger, they don’t delay, they rush to be saved from the danger! Yet Noach delayed, he waited, perhaps someone will repent, “then there will be rain of blessing” (Rashi Bereishit 7:12), he showed through his conduct that the fulfilment of the miracle [which would have come incredibly fast] was not clear and decisive in his eyes!
The gaon Rav Yaakov Galinsky continues and teaches us mussar. What may we learn from this? Let us reflect! So many prophecies have been related from the mouths of our prophets concerning the complete redemption and they stated, “even though that it may delay, despite this I will wait for it” [see Habakuk 2:3], three times a day we pray [in the Amidah] “we hope and expect Your salvation for every day’! We yearn, definitively! Yet we must strengthen ourselves, that these things be with “complete faith”! And not chas veshalom “believing and not quite believing”!
In merit of the expectation and the complete belief, may we merit with the true help of Hashem to witness soon the complete redemption with the coming of Mashiach Tzidkeinu speedily in our days, Amen.
Shabbat Shalom!
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