Chapter Previewהַקְדָּמָה
In this aliyah, the Torah describes the full force of the Mabul as the waters rise and cover even the tallest mountains, wiping out all life on the dry land. We see the Yad Hashem keeping the teivah afloat above the destruction, carrying Noach and the animals safely through the raging waters. After one hundred and fifty days, Hashem remembers Noach and the animals, and He sends a wind to make the waters begin to subside.
We then follow Noach's efforts to see if the earth is ready for habitation. He opens the window of the teivah and sends out first the raven, and then the dove in a series of missions. Through the dove's return with an olive branch, and its eventual departure, Noach tracks the gradual drying of the land until the earth is completely dry and ready for them to step out.
All introductions, summaries, and contextual notes are the editor's commentary and are not part of the original text.אַלע הַקְדָּמוֹת, סִכּוּמִים, און הערות זענען דעם רעדאַקטאָר'ס באַמערקונגען און זענען נישט קיין טייל פונעם אָריגינעלן טעקסט.
פָּסוּק א
Pasuk 1
וַיְהִיAnd it wasהַמַּבּוּלthe floodאַרְבָּעִיםfortyיוֹםdaysעַלuponהָאָרֶץthe earthוַיִּרְבּוּand increasedהַמַּיִםthe watersוַיִּשְׂאוּand they liftedאֶת—הַתֵּבָהthe arkוַתָּרָםand it roseמֵעַלfrom aboveהָאָרֶץ׃the earth
פָּסוּק ב
Pasuk 2
וַיִּגְבְּרוּAnd swelledהַמַּיִםthe watersוַיִּרְבּוּand increasedמְאֹדgreatlyעַלuponהָאָרֶץthe earthוַתֵּלֶךְand driftedהַתֵּבָהthe arkעַלuponפְּנֵיthe surface ofהַמָּיִם׃the waters
פָּסוּק ג
Pasuk 3
וְהַמַּיִםAnd the watersגָּבְרוּswelledמְאֹדveryמְאֹדmuchעַלuponהָאָרֶץthe earthוַיְכֻסּוּand were coveredכָּלallהֶהָרִיםthe mountainsהַגְּבֹהִיםthe highאֲשֶׁרthatתַּחַתunderכָּלallהַשָּׁמָיִם׃the heavens
פָּסוּק ד
Pasuk 4
חֲמֵשׁFiveעֶשְׂרֵהtenאַמָּהcubitsמִלְמַעְלָהfrom aboveגָּבְרוּswelledהַמָּיִםthe watersוַיְכֻסּוּand were coveredהֶהָרִים׃the mountains
פָּסוּק ה
Pasuk 5
וַיִּגְוַעAnd expiredכָּלallבָּשָׂרfleshהָרֹמֵשׂthat movedעַלuponהָאָרֶץthe earthבָּעוֹףamong the birdsוּבַבְּהֵמָהand among the cattleוּבַחַיָּהand among the beastsוּבְכָלand among allהַשֶּׁרֶץthe swarming thingsהַשֹּׁרֵץthat swarmעַלuponהָאָרֶץthe earthוְכֹלand allהָאָדָם׃mankind
פָּסוּק ו
Pasuk 6
כֹּלallאֲשֶׁרthatנִשְׁמַתthe breath ofרוּחַthe spirit ofחַיִּיםlifeבְּאַפָּיוwas in his nostrilsמִכֹּלfrom allאֲשֶׁרthatבֶּחָרָבָהwas on dry landמֵתוּ׃died
פָּסוּק ז
Pasuk 7
וַיִּמַחAnd He blotted outאֶת—כָּלallהַיְקוּםthe existenceאֲשֶׁרwhichעַלuponפְּנֵיthe face ofהָאֲדָמָהthe earthמֵאָדָםfrom manעַדtoבְּהֵמָהanimalעַדtoרֶמֶשׂcreeping thingוְעַדand toעוֹףbird ofהַשָּׁמַיִםthe heavensוַיִּמָּחוּand they were blotted outמִןfromהָאָרֶץthe earthוַיִשָּׁאֶרand there remainedאַךְonlyנֹחַNoachוַאֲשֶׁרand those whoאִתּוֹwere with himבַּתֵּבָה׃in the ark
פָּסוּק ח
Pasuk 8
וַיִּגְבְּרוּAnd they swelledהַמַּיִםthe watersעַלuponהָאָרֶץthe earthחֲמִשִּׁיםfiftyוּמְאַתand one hundredיוֹם׃days
פָּסוּק ט
Pasuk 9
וַיִּזְכֹּרAnd rememberedאֱלֹהִיםGodאֶת—נֹחַNoachוְאֵתand —כָּלallהַחַיָּהthe wild beastsוְאֶתand —כָּלallהַבְּהֵמָהthe domestic animalsאֲשֶׁרthatאִתּוֹwere with himבַּתֵּבָהin the arkוַיַּעֲבֵרand caused to passאֱלֹהִיםGodרוּחַa windעַלoverהָאָרֶץthe earthוַיָּשֹׁכּוּand subsidedהַמָּיִם׃the waters
פָּסוּק י
Pasuk 10
וַיִּסָּכְרוּAnd were stopped upמַעְיְנֹתthe fountains ofתְּהוֹםthe deepוַאֲרֻבֹּתand the floodgates ofהַשָּׁמָיִםthe heavensוַיִּכָּלֵאand was restrainedהַגֶּשֶׁםthe rainמִןfromהַשָּׁמָיִם׃the heavens
פָּסוּק יא
Pasuk 11
וַיָּשֻׁבוּAnd returnedהַמַּיִםthe watersמֵעַלfrom uponהָאָרֶץthe earthהָלוֹךְgoingוָשׁוֹבand returningוַיַּחְסְרוּand decreasedהַמַּיִםthe watersמִקְצֵהat the end ofחֲמִשִּׁיםfiftyוּמְאַתand one hundredיוֹם׃days
פָּסוּק יב
Pasuk 12
וַתָּנַחand restedהַתֵּבָהthe arkבַּחֹדֶשׁin the monthהַשְּׁבִיעִיthe seventhבְּשִׁבְעָהon sevenעָשָׂרtenיוֹםdayלַחֹדֶשׁof the monthעַלuponהָרֵיthe mountains ofאֲרָרָט׃Ararat
פָּסוּק יג
Pasuk 13
וְהַמַּיִםand the watersהָיוּwereהָלוֹךְgoingוְחָסוֹרand diminishingעַדuntilהַחֹדֶשׁthe monthהָעֲשִׂירִיthe tenthבָּעֲשִׂירִיin the tenthבְּאֶחָדon the firstלַחֹדֶשׁof the monthנִרְאוּwere seenרָאשֵׁיthe tops ofהֶהָרִים׃the mountains
פָּסוּק יד
Pasuk 14
וַיְהִיAnd it wasמִקֵּץat the end ofאַרְבָּעִיםfortyיוֹםdayוַיִּפְתַּחand he openedנֹחַNoachאֶת—חַלּוֹןthe window ofהַתֵּבָהthe arkאֲשֶׁרwhichעָשָׂה׃he had made
פָּסוּק טו
Pasuk 15
וַיְשַׁלַּחAnd he sentאֶת—הָעֹרֵבthe ravenוַיֵּצֵאand it went outיָצוֹאgoing outוָשׁוֹבand returningעַדuntilיְבֹשֶׁתthe drying ofהַמַּיִםthe watersמֵעַלfrom uponהָאָרֶץ׃the earth
פָּסוּק טז
Pasuk 16
וַיְשַׁלַּחAnd he sentאֶת—הַיּוֹנָהthe doveמֵאִתּוֹfrom with himלִרְאוֹתto seeהֲקַלּוּwhether subsidedהַמַּיִםthe watersמֵעַלfrom uponפְּנֵיthe face ofהָאֲדָמָה׃the ground
פָּסוּק יז
Pasuk 17
וְלֹאand notמָצְאָהfoundהַיּוֹנָהthe doveמָנוֹחַa resting placeלְכַףfor the sole ofרַגְלָהּits footוַתָּשָׁבand it returnedאֵלָיוto himאֶלtoהַתֵּבָהthe arkכִּיforמַיִםwaterעַלwas uponפְּנֵיthe surface ofכָלallהָאָרֶץthe earthוַיִּשְׁלַחand he sent forthיָדוֹhis handוַיִּקָּחֶהָand he took herוַיָּבֵאand he broughtאֹתָהּherאֵלָיוto himאֶלtoהַתֵּבָה׃the ark
פָּסוּק יח
Pasuk 18
וַיָּחֶלAnd he waitedעוֹדyetשִׁבְעַתsevenיָמִיםdaysאֲחֵרִיםotherוַיֹּסֶףand he addedשַׁלַּחto sendאֶת—הַיּוֹנָהthe doveמִןfromהַתֵּבָה׃the ark
פָּסוּק יט
Pasuk 19
וַתָּבֹאAnd she cameאֵלָיוto himהַיּוֹנָהthe doveלְעֵתat the time ofעֶרֶבeveningוְהִנֵּהand beholdעֲלֵהa leaf ofזַיִתan olive treeטָרָףpluckedבְּפִיהָin her mouthוַיֵּדַעand he knewנֹחַNoachכִּיthatקַלּוּsubsidedהַמַּיִםthe watersמֵעַלfrom uponהָאָרֶץ׃the earth
פָּסוּק כ
Pasuk 20
וַיִּיָּחֶלAnd he waitedעוֹדstillשִׁבְעַתsevenיָמִיםdaysאֲחֵרִיםotherוַיְשַׁלַּחand he sentאֶת—הַיּוֹנָהthe doveוְלֹאand notיָסְפָהdid she continueשׁוּבto returnאֵלָיוto himעוֹד׃anymore
פָּסוּק כא
Pasuk 21
וַיְהִיAnd it wasבְּאַחַתin the firstוְשֵׁשׁand sixמֵאוֹתhundredthשָׁנָהyearבָּרִאשׁוֹןin the firstבְּאֶחָדon the firstלַחֹדֶשׁof the monthחָרְבוּdriedהַמַּיִםthe watersמֵעַלfrom uponהָאָרֶץthe earthוַיָּסַרand removedנֹחַNoachאֶת—מִכְסֵהthe covering ofהַתֵּבָהthe arkוַיַּרְאand he sawוְהִנֵּהand beholdחָרְבוּhad driedפְּנֵיthe face ofהָאֲדָמָה׃the ground
פָּסוּק כב
Pasuk 22
וּבַחֹדֶשׁAnd in the monthהַשֵּׁנִיthe secondבְּשִׁבְעָהon sevenוְעֶשְׂרִיםand twentyיוֹםdayלַחֹדֶשׁof the monthיָבְשָׁהwas dryהָאָרֶץ׃the earth
Chapter Summaryסִכּוּם
The aliyah begins with the waters of the Mabul swelling fifteen cubits above the highest mountains, completely blotting out all human and animal life on the dry land, leaving only Noach and those with him alive inside the teivah. After one hundred and fifty days of flooding, Hashem remembers Noach and the animals, stopping the fountains of the deep and the rain from the sky so that the waters steadily recede. The teivah comes to rest on the mountains of Ararat, and as the mountain tops become visible, Noach sends out a raven and then a dove to test the ground. Once the dove does not return and the earth is completely dry on the twenty-seventh day of the second month, the stage is set for Noach to finally leave the teivah.
לְמַעֲשֶׂהWhat To Take Home
Look at how the Torah describes the turning point of the entire Mabul: "And Elokim remembered Noach and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark." Think about this for a moment. The world was completely wiped out, a total churban, and what is the zechus that brings Hashem's mercy to start drying up the waters? It was the fact that Noach was locked in that tight ark, working day and night to feed and care for every single animal, from the lion to the smallest bird. The midrashim tell us he barely slept because the feeding schedules were constant. This is the great chiddush of the parsha: the key to surviving the storm and bringing yeshuos to the world is not found in lofty, detached spiritual heights, but in the simple, exhausting, daily avodah of caring for another.
Sometimes we look at the storms raging in the world around us, or the personal floods of worry and parnassah that threaten to overwhelm our own homes, and we feel completely helpless. We think we need to do something dramatic to merit a yeshua. But the Torah is teaching us that Hashem remembers us when we are busy remembering others. When you step outside of your own worries to feed another neshama, to listen to a friend who is struggling, or to help your spouse with the heavy load at home, you are building the very zechus that quietens the stormy waters.
Today, find one small, concrete way to ease the burden of someone else in your circle. Whether it is taking over a chore at home, checking in on a neighbor, or helping a coworker with a difficult task, do it with the mindfulness that this quiet chesed is the ultimate avodah that brings Hashem's rachamim down into the world.