WHAT TYPE OF TSADDIK ARE YOU? 

Our parsha opens with an introduction to Noach and his family and closes with an introduction to Avraham and his family. The Torah gives what appears to be a glowing report of Noach – describing him as “a tsaddik (righteous man) in his generation, one who walks with G-d.” And what about Avraham? In our introduction to Avraham, we are given only dry facts – he was the son of Terach, the brother of Nachor and Haran, the husband of Sarai. He accompanied his family on their journey from Ur to Cana’an, but landed up settling with them in Haran. And yet, we know that ultimately Avraham is chosen to father the Jewish People and not our tsaddik Noach.   

Why was Noach, the tsaddik, passed over? 

The great Chassidic masters explain that there are two types of tsaddik. One type of tsaddik is likened to a person who wears a fur coat in the dead of winter – he is warm while everyone around him is freezing. The other type of tsaddik is someone who plugs in a heater – he not only warms himself but warms the entire room as well. 

When G-d informs Noach that He is going to destroy the world, Noach listens obediently to all of the instructions regarding the building of the ark. But the midrash comments on the difference between Noach’s response to the g’zeria  (decree) of the mabul (flood)  and Avraham’s response after receiving news of G-d’s plan to destroy Sodom. Avraham immediately begs for mercy. He engages in lengthy negotiations despite the fact that G-d has described these people as very wicked and sinful. The Rabbis in the midrash note critically that when Noach hears that the ENTIRE world is to face destruction, he is silent. He does not beseech, he does not negotiate, he does not bargain for more time. Instead, he gets right to work on the ark. Noach was a tsaddik but he was more similar to the tsaddik in the fur coat. On the one hand, he was not influenced by the immoral culture around him nor did he succumb to peer pressure. But on the other hand, he did not influence his community either. He was curled up in his own bubble, so to speak. Noach was building that ark for 120 years and in all that time, he did not succeed in getting even one more person to join him!

But Avraham Avinu was like a heater. Avraham cries out for the people of Sodom; Avraham runs after strangers to bring them into his home; Avraham builds an alter and calls out in the name of G-d in each place that he takes up residence. Avraham interacts with his community and makes an impact on those around him. This is the tsaddik that is fit to father the Jewish people. 

Our MTC students, your daughters, are following in the ways of Avraham. When they signed up for MTC they knew they were signing up to add warmth, to expand their sphere of influence, to give and to love unconditionally. Little did we know just how much Am Yisrael would need this light in these dark times. I’ve repeated to so many friends how remarkable my students, your daughters, have been  – making sandwiches for soldiers, packing care packages, volunteering for families from the South all on top of their regular volunteer work and learning. I share in your nachas (pride) and thank you for sharing your tzaddikot with us here at MTC. 

May we see all our soldiers and captives brought home to safety and may Hashem spread His canopy of peace over us for many years to come. 

B’sorot Tovot and Shabbat Shalom.