The Ark Awaits You
Parshat Noach
The Chagim are behind us and it's back to the regular routine. As much as I love the holidays and everything they bring, quite honestly, I love the regular routine too (maybe a bit too much). As a creature of habit, I prefer the set, organized schedule.
This week we read about the great flood in the Torah portion of Noach. The basic story we all know. The people were wicked and G-d destroyed them all, only sparring Noah, his family, and some of the animals.
The question to ponder is, why are we reading about this story right after the "spiritual high" of the holidays? Couldn't the rabbis have found a story a bit less depressing to start our regular routine with?!
Let me suggest the following.
There are many advantages of being organized and following a rigid schedule. Nothing is achieved without a plan and discipline. Yet, as a wise man once said "there are two types of people that never make any money, those that don't have a plan, and those that will never deviate from their plan". A plan is good and necessary but we also have to have an escape, every once in a while.
The word Tevah (ark in Hebrew) also means "a letter" (in the alphabet). Our sages explain, that on a spiritual level, in order to escape the raging waters, Noah was commanded to escape into the letters of Torah and holiness. The "Tevah" was an oasis to protect him from the flood. He was in dire need of a spiritual anchor in a G-d forsaken world.
Your life is good. Your routine and schedule are even better. But you also need to recharge and be re inspired, every once in a while. That inspiration can be found in the words, letters and practices of Yiddishkeit, Torah & Mitzvot. They are in fact meant to be an oasis in our lives.
The Ark Awaits You!
Shabbat Shalom
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