Nature in the Parasha
Parashat Noach
The blessed rain has been falling and cleansed the land for us to
happily begin our New Year routine on the freshly washed earth. As we enter Parashat
Noach with the Sukkah decorations packed away, we inhale the moist scent of
Cheshvan aroused by the after-rain. During this month, the world began anew
after the flood had purified it from its kelipah (husk) of impurity and
lust. Therefore, during the month of Cheshvan, which always is about the
cleansing scent of renewal, I begin my new kind of writing for you, Nature
in the Parasha. So many life-lessons can be gleaned from Nature. I hope to find
a Nature description in each parasha, delve into its depth and share it
with you.
Nature’s Speech
Nature has messages for people. In
the Torah, both trees and animals are described as talking. For example, the trees
asked the olive tree to be king over them (Shoftim 9:8). The Talmud
mentions that the raven spoke (Sanhedrin 108b), and in our parasha the
dove told Noach a message. It is not necessarily that these animals and plants
actually spoke, but rather that if they would be able to speak, they would have
expressed the messages attributed to them. This also applies to Perek Shira
(Nature’s Song). It is also possible that the angels appointed over the plants
and animals are the one that speak (Pardes Yosef, Bereishit 8:11). The
popular proverb, “Actions speak louder than words,” also applies to nature. By
observing the happenings in Nature wisely, we may actually be able to
understand their language and hear their messages for us. In the ark, Noach had
developed a special relationship with the animals in his care. He had developed
a sensitivity for their language and understood the message of the dove, as it
states, “The dove came to him at the evening time, and in her mouth was an
olive leaf torn off, so Noach knew that the waters had abated from off the
earth” (Bereishit 8:11).
The Message of the Dove
Rashi explains that “in her mouth” means ‘a word in her mouth’ i.e. ‘speaking.’ The word
טרף/taraf, which is translated
‘torn’ can also mean food, like in Eishet Chail (Mishlei
31:15). Why
did the Torah specify which kind of leaf the dove brought to Noach? A leaf from
any tree would be proof that the waters had abated. Yet, the olive leaf is
bitter and the dove’s message was to prefer the bitter over the sweet when we
receive it from Hashem’s hand. The dove said, “Rather that my food be
bitter as an olive, but from the hand of G-d, than as sweet as honey but from
the hand of mortal men” (Babylonian Talmud Eruvin 18b, Bereishit
Rabbah 33). What does it mean to receive food from the hand of G-d? Isn’t
everything from G-d even if we receive it through other people who are His
messengers? While it is true that everything we receive is from G-d, there are
different levels of receiving directly and indirectly from Hashem. If, for
example, you have just prayed very hard for a job, and then the very next day
out of the blue someone calls to offer you the kind of job which fits you perfectly,
then you really feel how its beshert – from the hand of Hashem. Thus ‘and
in her mouth was an olive leaf torn off’ can also mean that the dove was
telling Noach to pray for his food, just as she did (The Taz on Bereishit
8:11). The dove knew that it always had a sustaining meal at Noach’s table.
Nevertheless, it preferred the bitter olive leaf, which it had torn from the
branch by itself with Hashem’s help. Rather than receiving free gifts from
people, working and earning our own livelihood feels like a more direct way of
receiving from Hashem, since Hashem is rewarding us directly for our effort. The
Torah teaches us about the importance of effort and that Hashem rewards our
effort rather than the level we reach (Mesilat Yesharim 1). By putting
in hard effort to attain our livelihood “through the sweat of our brow,” we
attain true freedom like the dove (Malbim).
The Land of Israel – Protected from Planetary
Calamities
The flood had been pouring down for forty days and
nights, everything in the entire earth had perished safe for Noach and those
with him in the Ark (Bereishit 7:23). The world had become one vast
emptiness of water, desolate from all animals and vegetation, so from where did
the dove get an olive leaf? Only seven days prior, the water covered the entire
earth (ibid. 8:9-10). How could an olive tree grow and produce leaves within
the deep water of the flood’s aftermath? Furthermore, the word טרף/taraf – torn testifies that the dove tore off the leaf
from a tree-branch rather than just finding it floating on the face of the
water (Rav Yosef Bechor Shor, Bereishit 8:11). The Midrash explains that
the dove brought the olive leaf from the Garden of Eden (Midrash Bereishit
Rabbah 33:6). However, how would Noach know then that the water had abated
from the earth, since no water entered into the Garden of Eden? It is possible
that the gates of the Garden of Eden were closed in order to prevent the
floodwaters from entering. Yet, when the water subsided the gates opened.
Another possibility conveyed by the same Midrash is that the dove brought the
olive leaf from the Mount of Olives in Eretz Yisrael, for the waters of
the flood did not pour down on the Land of Israel. This fact is testified by the
prophet, “Son of man, say unto her: You are a land that is not cleansed, nor
rained upon (גֻשְׁמָהּ/gushma) in the
day of outrage” (Yechezkiel 23:24), (Midrash Bereishit Rabbah
33:6). Although, the water from the rest of the world gushed out and entered
the land of Israel, since it did not rain continuously on the land, the windows
of heaven were not opened. Therefore, the trees in the land of Israel endured,
although in the rest of the world all trees were destroyed and uprooted by the
flood (Ramban, Bereishit 8:11). I found this concept of protection very
assuring for us who live in the Land of Israel. People from outside of Israel
may be worried about us here in the Land, and certain Rabbis may even warn
their congregation against coming here because they think it is dangerous. Yet,
the Torah teaches us repeatedly that Eretz Yisrael is the safest place on
earth, protected from planetary calamities.
The Secret Purity of the Dove and Olive
It is known that the secret of the olive is
the secret of Yesod. (See The Seven Fruits of the Land of Israel with their Mystical &
Medicinal Properties, pp. 277-305
for a detailed explanation of the correlation between Olive and Yesod). Yesod
is connected to purity and the olive leaf therefore symbolized that the
earth had been purified from its kelipah (Be’er Mayim Chayim). The dove brought particularly an olive leaf rather than
any other plant, because olive trees do not receive grafting. The nature of
doves is similar to the olive in this way, as they are known to be faithful to
their mate. This is why Israel is compared to the dove (Yalkut Shimoni,
Shemot 27:375). The olive leaf
in the mouth of the dove thus symbolizes the rectification for the generation
of the flood, which was steeped in immorality and even cattle, beast and fowl
did not consort with their own species (Rashi, Bereishit 6:12). Unlike
the raven who was afraid of the coldness in the aftermath of the flood, the
dove, who was righteous, was protected. Likewise, the olive leaves symbolize
the righteous, as they are evergreen and withstand the cold and wind of winter.
Faithfulness and modesty also protect us not only from sexual diseases, but
moreover, tzniut creates a protective energy field all around our aura,
to protect us from any kind of negative influence.
Enlightening the World
“The dove came to him at the evening
time…” What difference does it make to us whether the dove brought the olive
leaf at night or in the morning? During the evening we need light, therefore
the Midrash teaches that the dove brought light to the world. “Just as the dove
brought light to the world, so shall you bring olive oil and light the candles
before me… (Midrash Tanchuma 5). This teaches us that the dove brought
not only an olive leaf but moreover olives from which Noach made oil יצהר/yitzhar related to the word tzohar
that would bring light into the Ark (Kli Yakar). In my newly
released book, The Seven Fruits of the Land of Israel with their Mystical &
Medicinal Properties, I elaborate
on the secret of the jug of oil that Noach made from the olives that the dove
brought. I hope you will read there how this jug of oil went from hand to hand
throughout the generations until it eventually wound up to miraculously burn
for eight days in the Temple.
The Olive and the Light of Chanukah
The dove came immediately after the
flood with an olive leaf in her mouth, symbolizing the olive oil in the
Menorah. This alludes to the fact that through the holiness of the Chanukah
candles we have the ability to overcome the evil waters of the flood that
threatens us in every generation. The evil kingdoms who desire to annihilate
the Torah and the Jewish people from the world are the personification of the
floodwaters. The dove brought the olive leaf at the evening time which alludes
to the heels of Mashiach, as it states “and it shall come to pass, at the time
of evening, there shall be light” (Zechariah 14:7), (Likutei
Halachot, Orach Chaim, Birkat Hashachar 5). The flood represented the
aspect of sin through which one separates from the light of Hashem’s
supervision, and thereby maims the eyes. This is rectified by the Chanukah
candle, which pulls down Hashem’s supervision even below ten handbreadths, to acknowledge
Hashem’s presence in every place, even in the lower realms. This knowledge
pushes away the waters of the flood of confusion. Therefore, when Noach saw the
olive leaf he knew that the waters had abated and the sin of the generation of
the flood had been rectified (Likutei Halachot, Chosen Mishpat, Sheluchin
3).
The Healing Effect of Olive Leaves
The word טרף/taraf is also used in connection
with healing, “Come, and let us return to Hashem; for
He has torn (טרף/taraf), and He will heal us, He has smitten, and He will bind us
up” (Hoshea 6:1). The dove brought the evergreen olive leaf from
the Garden of Eden to heal Noach who was coughing blood from his hard toil
taking care of the animals in the ark (Rabbi Yehoshua Zambrowsky, Ateret Yehoshua on Parashat Noach). In
my book about the Seven Fruits p 327. I mention a wealth of health benefits of
olive leaves. These health benefits include olive leaves ability to help cure arthritis,
lower the blood-pressure, and protect against colds and flues.
Flying out of Exile
I’d like to conclude our weekly Lessons from Nature with a
beautiful Torah from a Chassidic commentary called Yeteiv Lev on
Parashat Noach, The dove alludes to the Shechinah. As it states the
congregation of Israel is compared to the dove (Babylonian Talmud, Berachot
53b). (This commentary assumes that we know that the congregation of Israel and
the Shechinah are one). Moreover, Israel is compared to the olive, because we
have the ability to repent, just like the olive whose oil is extracted by means
of crushing. “The dove came to him at the evening time…” alludes to the time of
exile. “Behold an olive leaf is torn in its mouth,” to glorify in Israel and
extract its oil like from an olive, when they will repent for the sake of
Hashem. “Then Noach knew that the waters had subsided” – that the exile had
ended from the land. May we merit the final geulah (redemption) in the merit of
the teshuvah we have done during the previous holidays! May the oil extracted
from the crushing of our heart during repentance merit to burn brightly in the
Temple!
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