Chapter 3 

 

                                       Moshe and Noach- A Tikkun of Emuna and Tefilla

 

 

Q:  Is there any evidence in the Torah connecting Noach to Moshe?

A:  Yes there is, as seen from the following numerous similarities between Moshe and Noach in two sets of episodes:

 

 

PART 1: THE MABUL AND THE YAM SUF:

 

First, let us note the similarities between the episodes of the Mabul and the Yam Suf:

 

1) Both episodes involve a mix of two populations - one evil and one good:

 

a) The evil people of Noah's generation were mixed with the righteous Noach and his family.

b) Similarly,  the evil Pharaoh and the Egyptians were mixed with the Bnei Yisrael.

 

2) Both Noach's generation and Pharaoh refused to repent after ample time and warnings were given to them:

 

a)  For 120 years while Noach made the ark, his generation was warned that they either repent or a flood would wipe them out. They did not repent.

b) Similarly, Moshe warned Pharaoh to let Bnei Yisrael out - but Pharaoh refused to repent and send Bnei Yisrael out of Egypt.

 

3)  In both episodes Hashem decided to destroy All the evil population while saving the good population:

 

a) Hashem told Noach  “ ….I am about to bring the floodwaters upon the earth to destroy All flesh…” (Genesis 6-17). 

He then tells Noach that only his family will survive,  “ But I will establish my covenant with you…” (Genesis 6-18).

 

b) Similarly, Hashem tells Moshe that He will destroy all the Egyptian army “…and he (Pharaoh and all his army) will pursue them, and I will be glorified through Pharoah and through his entire army…” (Shemot 14-4).

And of course: “…Hashem saved Israel from the hand of Egypt…” (Shemot 14-30).

 

4)  Both Noach and Moshe were the leaders of their respective good populations.

 

HEBREW IN BLUE MEANS MATCHING WORDS

(This is when the book is printed in color)

 

5)  In both episodes the expression "on that very day" (בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה) is used to commence the salvation of Noach and family/ Moshe and Bnei Yisrael - by entering or exiting a particular place:

 

a) Regarding Noach,  the verse reads: “On that very day ( בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה) Noach came.... into the ark" ( Genesis 7-13).

b) Similarly, for the exit from Egypt it also reads: " ....and it was on that very day

בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה that all the legions of Hashem left Egypt."  (Shemot 12- 41).

 

6) The above expression also indicates that in both episodes the event occurred in public view during the daytime.

 

a) That is, Bnei Yisrael left in the daytime, not at night as would thieves that are escaping.

b) Similarly, for the flood, Noach entered the ark in public view to counter the potential future claim of the population - that Noach only succeeded in entering the ark because it was night, but if he would have tried during the day time they would have killed him.

 

7) In both episodes water ( מַיִם )  is used as the destructive agent:

 

a)  The Mabul/flood in Noach's generation destroyed the population, as per: “… I am about to bring the floodwaters ( מַיִם ) upon the earth…” (Genesis 6-17).

b) Similarly, in the Yam Suf:  “The water (הַמַּיִם)  came back and covered the chariots…” (Shemot 14-28).

 

8) In both episodes heat is used in the destruction:

 

a) At the Mabul the water was very hot.

b) While, at the Yam Suf, heat was used against the Egyptians in making the mud hot.

 

9) In both episodes Hashem stopped the evil people from reaching the good people once they had already entered the ‘safe area’:

 

a) In the Mabul some people tried to get into the Ark (safe area) once Noach and his family had already entered, but Hashem blocked them with wild animals.  This is as per the explanation of the verse: "...Hashem closed off in front of them".(Genesis 7-16).

 

b) Similarly,  at the Yam Suf the Egyptians were blocked with the cloud and fire from getting into the Yam Suf (dry land-safe area) once it had already split and the Bnei Yisrael had already entered. This is seen in the verse: “It (cloud) came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel…and the Bnei Yisrael came within the sea on dry land…” (Shemot 14-20).

 

 

10) Both episodes are concerned with the subject of FAITH regarding entering the place of salvation before or after the water begins:

 

a) In the episode of the Mabul, Noach enters the ark only after the rain had started. This was because of his lack of faith as explained by Rashi in his comments to the verse:  "went into the ark because of the waters of the flood`` (Genesis 7-7).

 

b) While the opposite occurred when Nachson ben Aminadav of Yehuda entered the water before it split, causing it to split because he had faith. This is as per the verse that reads: `` why do you cry out to me`` (Shemot 14-15), where Rashi comments that Hashem is telling Moshe that Bnei Yisrael should just walk into the sea because: ``...the faith they had in me when they went out of Egypt are sufficient to split the sea (Rashi)".

 

11) Both Noach and Bnei Yisrael were safe in dangerous waters:

 

a) Noach in the Ark on top of the waters as per: “.…and the ark drifted upon the face of the waters.” (Genesis 7-18).

b) While Bnei Yisrael was safe inside the walls of water as per: “…and the water was a wall for them on their right and on their left.”(Shemot 14-22).

 

12) Hashem's   רוּח  (spirit-wind) is used in both episodes to control the waters:

 

a) In the Mabul, the  ‘Rouach’  is used (as per the simple meaning) to decrease the water as per: ``and G-d caused a spirit (רוּחַ) to pass over the earth``( Genesis 8-1). Rashi comments that this means “a spirit of consolation....``.

 

b) In the Yam Suf, a ‘Rouach’ is used to split the water as per: ``and Hashem moved the sea with a strong east wind (בְּרוּחַ).”

 

13)  We also see the same order of the words ``Charva`` and ``Yavash`` in both episodes:

 

1. The Mabul episode:

``…and behold the surface of the ground had dried (חָרְבוּ)." (Ber. 8-13).

And then in (Genesis 8-14) it reads: `` and in the second month on the 27th day of the month the earth was dried (יָבְשָׁה).``(Mesiach Ilmin) explains (Charav means damp land while Yavash means totally dry land).

 

    b) The Yam Suf episode:

 (Shemot 14-21) reads: ``He turned the sea to damp land (לֶחָרָבָה) and the water split.``  Then in (Genesis 14-22) it reads: ``the children of Israel came within the sea on dry land (בַּיַּבָּשָׁה).”

14) In the Mabul episode the above ‘charva’ and “yavash’ words are separated by nine words while in the Yam Suf by eight words - almost identical.

 

15)  In both episodes the land first became damp, and then only later when it became dry, did Noach and Bnei Yisrael walk on it:

 

a) For the Mabul it reads: ``the earth was dried`` (Genesis 8-14), and then in (Genesis 8-15) Hashem commands: `` go forth from the ark....``.

b) Similarly, in the Yam Suf episode it reads: ``the children of Israel came within the sea on dry land (בַּיַּבָּשָׁה) .”  (Shemot 14-22).

 

16)  The same word ``baka`` is used in both episodes to create the Mabul and the Yam Suf :

 

a) The Mabul episode reads: ``...all the fountains of the great deep (tehom) Burst forth (נִבְקְעו).” (Ber. 7-11).

b) While in the Yam Suf it reads: `` and the waters split (וַיִּבָּקְעוּ) .``

(This is also noted by Gur Aryeh).(Shemot 14-21)

 

We can also note that the opposite occurred. That is, in the Mabul, the "Baka" resulted in water covering the dry land ( i.e. the flood) - while in the Yam Suf it caused the sea to split and the dry land to be exposed.

 

17)  In both episodes, waters from the deep (תְּהוֹם) destroyed the evil people:

 

a) The mabul reads: “....all the fountains of the great deep (תְּהוֹם) burst forth.” (Genesis 7-11).

b) Similarly, in the Yam Suf in the ‘song at the sea’ (Shemot 15-5) it reads: `` Deep waters`( תְּהֹמֹת) would cover them….`` .

  

18)  Both Noach and the Bnei Yisrael did not want to leave the place of the salvation:

 

a) Noach did not want to leave the ark.

b) While, again, Bnei Yisrael did not want to leave the area of the Yam Suf because they were collecting valuables at the site. This is as per Rashi’s comment on the verse: “Moshe caused Israel to Journey (from the Yam Suf)…” (Shemot 15-22).

The language “caused” indicates that Moshe pressured them to voyage on.

 

19) Both episodes involve the subject of Forcing animals/people away from the ark/Yam Suf:

 

a) That is, Hashem told Noach after the flood to: “…have them go out with you…”         (Genesis 8-17).  Rashi comments on the language of the verse saying that it means that Noach is to take them out if they don’t want to go out.

b) Similarly, for the Yam Suf, (as noted in #18 above), Moshe pressured them to voyage on.

 

20)  Both Noach and Bnei Yisrael now have a new lease on life and a promising future:

 

a) Noach is to repopulate the Earth.

b) Bnei Yisrael is to get the Torah at Har Sinai.

 

21)  Both Noach and Bnei Yisrael soon misuse their potential and sin with liquid:

 

a) Noach gets drunk and his son castrates, etc. him as per: “And Noach, the man of the earth debased himself and planted vineyard and he Drank ( וַיֵּשְׁתְּ) from the wine and got drunk….”  (Genesis 9-20).

Rashi comments on his sin that: “he made himself profane for he should have engaged in a different planting.”  That is other less harmful plants (Mizrahi).

 

b) While Bnei Yisrael's next stop is Marah where they sin by complaining in an aggressive manner about lack of good drinking water as per: “The people complained against Moshe saying ‘what shall we drink (נִּשְׁתֶּה).”  (Shemot 15-24).

Rashi again comments on the liquid related sin saying: “for they did not consult with Moshe using gracious language …rather they complained.” In addition, they soon descend from the exalted level of Har Sinai with the Golden calf and immorality.

 

21) It is interesting to note that the Yam Suf episode was already linked to the Mabul episode by Chazal (our sages). They explain that Pharaoh decided to kill the Bnei Yisrael by throwing them into the Nile because he reasoned that since Hashem had promised after the Mabul never to destroy again with a flood, and that since Hashem only punishes Midda Keneged Midda (punishment matches the sin), then Hashem won't be able to punish him for killing the Jews with water.

 

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PART 2:   THE MABUL AND THE CHEIT HA EIGEL