Miracle Making

If the creation stories in last week’s parasha were not sufficiently implausible this week’s reading brings us the report of Noah’s Ark and asks us to stretch our belief even more.

For two thousand years the rabbis have advised us not to delve too deeply into the mysteries of creation.  This admonition was not intended to cut off research or debate; there are too many rabbinic texts that speak about the mechanics of the universe for us to claim that they were uninterested in or afraid of the questions.  However, it does ask us to direct our speculations away from interesting, but non-practical concerns, and toward the needs of the world in which we live.  Besides, creation can be totally implausible since it is not a human achievement but is - at the core of Jewish belief - the willful act of the Creator God who is as inexplicable as the universe itself.

But that was last week.  This week’s reading is very much focused on what we do in our world.

Noah’s story - one of the most popular, well known and reiterated biblical texts - achieves its universal appeal and has so many cross-cultural cognates because it is so very human.  Here is Noah a man who: is imperfect but trying; has a wife who never speaks up; has grown children who work with him although, in the end, have limited respect for the old man; invents vineyards but succumbs to their product; but who is, throughout, striving to do the will of a God who he does not really know.  Upon reflection, his achievement in building the ark and saving all the land based creatures (including people) is no more plausible a miracle than creation itself.

We dismiss creation as a mystery but agonize over the details of Noah’s marine architecture and questions like, where did he put the waste matter in the ark?  The only difference between the stories is that we expect miracles of God but not of humans.  But Noah did perform a miracle.  He used the abilities and insights, with which The Creator blessed him, and built the ark.  Then Noah joined his sons’ skills with what had to have been some considerable knowledge of the animals in order to save them all.  What would have happened had he demurred?  Perhaps there were others who did not answer or could not hear God’s call?  Noah heard, responded, and partnered with God to create a miracle - to rescue creation!

Rabbi Steve Denker