| What
is Shabbat Shalom?
Jews all
over the world read a portion of the Torah, the Five Books of
Moses, in the synagogue every Shabbat morning. The cycle begins
right after the Feast of Tabernacles and concludes the following
year at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles. Traditionally, Jewish
families discuss the Torah portion at their Shabbat Table, bringing
new insights, each year, to the same inspirational words and
stories that they have been reading for years. In this weekly
column, Sondra Oster Baras, CFOIC Heartland's Israel Director,
shares her personal reflections on the weekly Torah
portion.
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Noach
(Noah)
Genesis 6:9 -
11:32
This week, we
read the story of Noah and the flood. "And these are the
descendants of Noah, Noah was a righteous man, innocent he was in
his generations." (Genesis 6:9) Many commentators have
questioned the use of the word generations - why the plural and why
the addition of the word at all? If Noah was a righteous man and he
was innocent, what does it matter which generation he was
in?
Noah lived
a very long life - 950 years, of which 600 years were before the
flood and 350 years afterwards. Indeed, his life spanned many
generations, not just quantitatively by qualitatively. In fact, he
lived until after Abraham was born.
Our sages
noted this life span and the fact that the next major hero
mentioned in the Bible is Abraham, in order to compare Noah to
Abraham. Rashi, the classic Biblical commentator who lived some
1,000 years ago, quote the early Midrashic debate as to the extent
of Noah's righteousness. One opinion considers Noah a truly
righteous man. This theory explains that since Noah managed to be a
righteous man throughout a period in time in which he was
surrounded by evil people doing the most horrible of sins, he would
certainly have been an even more righteous man had he lived
surrounded by goodness and righteousness.
The other
theory explains that Noah was only relatively righteous - relative
to his own generation. Had he lived in Abraham's time, compared to
Abraham, he would have been considered mediocre. But compared to
the folks that made up his neighborhood, he was a good
guy.
I find both
of these arguments fascinating. The first argument assumes that
people have it easier doing the right thing when they are
surrounded by others who aspire to righteousness. The importance of
your environment and the influence your friends and neighbors have
on you is significant. It also assumes that it takes extraordinary
strength of character to rise above a negative environment. And it
is this strength of character that determines the ability of a
person to be righteous - for if Noah used that same strength of
character in an easier environment, he would have been a
saint!
The second
argument sees Noah as uninfluenced by his neighbors but as someone
who follows his own consciousness regardless of where he is. He is,
indeed a good man, but not a man who takes unusual initiatives. He
remains consistent in his deeds and would not be influenced by his
neighbors, whether for the good or for the bad. Noah was not
Abraham, for Abraham immediately beseeched G-d to save the people
of Sodom and Gemorrah and Noah did nothing to try and save the
people of his time. He lived in his own world, did the right thing,
but did not go the extra mile.
May we all
have the strength to withstand the negative influences that
surround us and to take initiatives to make our world a better
place, even when things are going relatively well.
Shabbat
Shalom from Samaria,
Sondra
Sondra
Baras
Director, Israel Office
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May 23 - June 2, 2011
Israel Tour
 With Pastor Gary Cristofaro,
First Assembly of God, Melbourne, FL
May 23rd - June 2nd, 2011
Eilat Extension
June 3rd- June
6th
Israel Host for the Tour: Sondra Oster Baras, Director,
CFOIC Heartland - Israel
Only CFOIC Heartland
gives you the inside story of Israel!
Meet the people who
are settling the Land of Israel. Listen to stories of faith and
courage. Experience the Heartland of Biblical Israel like never
before!
Click here for details!
Request
your brochure today!
today!
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The Choosing of a Chosen People
A
5 part series on Genesis
by
Sondra Oster Baras 
Watch the trailer here!
Sondra Oster Baras, director of CFOIC Heartland's Israel office,
takes you on a journey through the Book of Genesis, which lays the
foundation for the creation of God's chosen people.
Order the DVD
set...
Each purchase of this DVD series goes
100% to support the Israel Office!
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