“These are the offspring of Noach — Noach was a righteous man…. And Noach had… three sons: Shem, Cham, and Yafes.” (Bereishis 6:9–10)
Rashi’s bothered why the pasuk seemingly interrupts the introductory clause about Noach’s offspring to discuss Noach’s character traits, and only then returns to the names of his offspring.
Rashi famously states: This teaches that the primary offspring (i.e., creations) of the righteous are his good deeds.
If we think about this statement in the context of Noach, it’s nothing short of mind-boggling. If there’s one individual in the history of the world whose greatest accomplishment is his children, it’s Noach! We’re all Bnei Noach; Noach populated the entire planet! Surely his greatest accomplishment is his offspring! Nevertheless, Chazal say, no, it’s his good deeds. Why? (Rabbi Yissocher Frand)
Iwas at a writing workshop where the moderator asked us to each share something about herself. We went around the table, and the responses were pretty standard. I didn’t feel I knew anything about anyone afterward, other than their names (if I’d even remember them).
The Maharal explains that a person’s children are something external to him whereas his good deeds become an internal part of him. What does this mean?
The Torah says that the first man was called Adam because he was taken from the ground (adamah). Yet, the Maharal asks, everything came from the earth, including the animals. So why is only man’s name taken from the adamah?
The Maharal answers that man is more related to the “adamah” than any other creature. When someone looks at a piece of land, he looks at what that land can produce. The Maharal says, don’t look at it merely as “earth.” Instead say, “Here lies the potential for sustaining food that can keep the world alive.”
But then the moderator surprised me. “Now,” she said, “let’s do that again. This time you have to say something about yourself that has nothing to do with your family or your job.”
Ooooh. Caught us. I squirmed. What on earth should I offer? Hi, my name is Faigy and I live in Eretz Yisrael? So did everyone else at the table! Did I dare venture something revealing about my real self? Nope, I tossed that idea. I didn’t know these ladies at all. How could I trust them enough to share something real about myself? (Am I paranoid, or simply careful?)
When it was finally my turn, I said something innocuous like, “My name is Faigy, and I’m a first-generation American.”
