Resources: • Adventist Mission Website: http://wjafc.globalmissioncenters.org/
This website is the new resource provided by the Office of Adventist Mission of the General Conference of the Seventh-day
• Website: www.jewishadventist.org
We pray every week for the leaders of the Jewish Ministry,
Shabbat Shalom Newsletter
751
Shabbat - Noach
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21 October 2017 1 Cheshvan 5778
This issue
A must website. To subscribe to our newsletter. To download some resources (Hebrew Sabbath School, and other documents). To order the book “Comfort, Comfort my people…” and many other things. •
Professional Urban Development: The WJAFC provides:
Shalom Adventure Magazine online: www.ShalomAdventure.com
If you would like to read articles, watch videos, learn things about Judaism and Israel, this website is just for you.
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WJAFC: If you would like to share with people, this forum on facebook is a good place for that.
• Photos: https://get.google.com/albumarchive/1131446298409925652
- Professional Urban training for Jewish Ministry
91?source=pwa We have posted a lot of pictures on Internet during the last years. Don’t hesitate
- Teaching for theological students
• Russian Website: http://www.boruh.info/ This website is in Russian, many articles
- Help to plant new congregations. - Support for AdventistJewish dialogue with scholars and rabbis
and the parasha are posted on it every week.
A weekly Journal of information and training published by the World Jewish Adventist Friendship Center Under the umbrella of the General Conference —Office of Adventist Mission
Carlos Muniz English Edition: Richard-Amram Elofer Russian Edition: Alexandra Obrevko French Edition: Sabine Baris Portuguese Edition: Carlos Muniz Dutch Edition: Hubert Paulleta
Hubert Paulleta 8
Weekly Jewish-Adventist Journal of Information
to look at them.
Journal of Information and Training — Issue 750 — 14 October 2017 / 24 Tishrei 5778
Richard Amram Elofer
News 1 Parasha’s comments 2-4 Haftarah 4-5 Apostolic Writings 5 Stories & Traditions 6 Inspirational Corner 6, 7
Emails: English: richard@elofer.com
Alexandra Obrevko
Russian: sashok_l@mail.ru French: sabinebaris@gmail.com Portuguese: cdmuniz@gmail.com Dutch: hpauletta@hotmail.com
Credit photos: Richard Elofer, Alexandra Obrevko, Jael Wells Cuellar Hubert Paulleta, Laurent Baris and Advent Digital Media
for more information: contact us at www.jewishadventist.org
Sabine Baris
We pray every week for the Jewish Friendship Ministry. I suggest our partners to pray from October 22 to 28 for Wilian Cardoso, José Reginaldo. They are both of them leading the Jewish-Adventist Friendship Center in Manaus, Brazil. Thank you for your prayers for them and their family.
News Succoth, in Brazil
The Jewish people celebrated during the last weeks three of their feasts, Rosh Hashana (Feast of the Trumpets), Yom Kippur (the day of Atonement), and Succoth (the feast of Tabernacles). Most of our congregations involved in Jewish ministry “mark” these feasts in order to learn and to teach about the fulfilment of these feasts by Yeshua Hamashiach. We have received this news from Carlos Muniz in Brazil with some pictures
by our members and thus they ended this celebration with the kiddush and fruits. Following are pictures from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Manaus.”
Sao Paulo Manaus
“On Shabbat, October 7th took place in the Jewish Adventist congregations in Brazil the feast of Succoth. The feast was remembered and celebrated with joy as the members of these congregations learned how G-d is caring for his people, who felt their dependence on Him. One of the most interesting point of this feast, is the building of huts (succoth in Hebrew), they were built
Rio de Janeiro
Parasha for this Week
Parasha Overview: Noach
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he Torah teaches us that there are ten generations between the creation and Noach. Adam’s descendants have corrupted the world with immorality, idolatry and robbery, and G-d resolves to bring a flood which will destroy all the earth’s inhabitants except for the righteous Noach, his family and sufficient animals to re-populate the earth. G-d instructs Noach to build an ark. After forty days and nights, the flood covers even the tops of the highest mountains. After 150 days the water starts to recede. On the 17th day of the 7th month, the ark comes to rest on Mount Ararat. Noach sends out a raven and then a dove to ascertain if the waters have abated. The dove returns. A week later Noach again sends the dove, which returns the same evening with an olive leaf in its beak. After another seven days Noach sends the dove once more; the dove does not return. G-d tells Noach and his family to leave the ark. Noach brings offerings to G-d from the animals which were carried in the ark for this purpose.
“The clean animals, the animals which were not clean, the birds, and all that walked the earth came two by two to Noah, to the ark. They were male and female, as G-d had commanded Noah.” (Genesis 7:8,9)
Noach
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Genesis 6:9 - 11:32 Credit: fineartamerica.com
Noah’s Ark and God’s Word
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ur text begins with the story of Noach and the Great Flood; “These are the generations of Noach. Noach was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noach walked with God. And Noach had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” (Genesis 6:9–12). G-d commands Noach to build an ark (“Teiva”). He tells Noach to bring two of each species of non-kosher animals and seven of each kind of kosher animals into the Ark to save them from the flood. Noach spent 120 years building the ark, thus giving the people a chance to change their wicked ways. But they just laughed at Noach and the ark. In the end, only Noach, his wife Na’ama, their children and wives were saved from the Great Flood. The Torah refers to the ark as “Teiva.” In Hebrew, “Teiva” also means a “word.” Chassidic Rabbis make the follow-
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ing connection: Just like the physical Ark-Teiva saved Noach and his family, the same is with the spiritual “Teiva” which refers to the “Word” of the Tanach or Bible. Rabbi Zalmen Marozov applies the meaning of “teiva” to the words of Jewish prayer, but I prefer to apply it to the Bible. The temptations, challenges, and problems that confront a person every day are like a Great Flood which can totally encompass a person. To protect ourselves, we too have to enter into the “Teiva” — the spiritual ark — the Bible. For through His Word, one can connect to G-d and draw the strength to keep one’s head above “the water.” Thus, it is important to make “Bible Studies” a regular part of our life.
New Restful Order
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abbi Azriel Schreiber says that The word Noach, or “Noach” in Hebrew, literally means “rest.” It seems that until his birth there were many aspects of life that were running amuck and getting out of hand. With his birth things calmed down a bit, and rest came down to
the earth. Hence his name. However, his presence was not enough to offset the corruption within humanity which had brought about the havoc in world activity. The result was the Great Flood which brought about the destruction of almost the entire human race. Noach was then given the chance to rebuild the world in a more proper, and restful order than that which had previously existed.
The Sin of Stealing
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he Torah states: “And God said to Noah: ‘The end of all flesh is come before Me, for the earth is filled with corruption (chomos)’.” (Genesis 6:13). Rabbi Yochanan said, “Come and see the power of corruption. The generation of the flood violated everything, but the final decree against them was not signed until they were guilty of stealing” (Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 108a). The Midrash defines the term chomos, found in this verse, as stealing less than the value of a prutah (a so insignificant amount of money, that a court will never sue the thief). Rabbi Alexander Ziskind explained the severity of stealing even a small amount
in the following manner: When one steals a few dollars from another person, he is actually causing more damage than might initially appear. The victim might have invested the money and received a profit, and when his children would have inherited his money, they too could have gained profit from it. The same with their children and children’s children until the end of time. This could amount to a fortune and ultimately the thief will be judged in the heavenly court for this accounting. We must realize the gravity of stealing even small sums and resolve to keep far away from this crime.
God’s Love and Compassion
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here is a particularity in the Tanach, it is the use of the personal pronoun Ani or Anochi. The Torah states: “For in seven days I [Anochi] will send rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.” (Genesis 7:4) One who reads carefully will find a characteristic distinction
between these two pronoun in respect to G-d. Wherever Anochi is written, G-d does not stand “remote”, “confronting” his creatures, but rather, conducts Himself with them with love and compassion. Ani by contrast denotes the personality from whom a motion issues forth, Who sends something to someone but Who Himself remains in His place. Rabbi Hirsch affirms that Anochi stems from the root Anach which occurs as an independent noun “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” [Anach] Then the Lord said, “Behold, I am setting a plumb line [Anach] in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them;” (Amos 7:8). According to the sages of Israel Anach is also the name of a precious gem, the onyx and according to the text of Avodah Zarah 8b the onyx is used as a base for the Torah and for the distinction of Israel, in whose midst the Torah dwells, and thus the distinction of any nation in whose midst Israel —and its Torah— dwells. Accordingly the verses of Amos can be interpreted as “I put into their midst a gem that bears
my holy Word. My people’s mission is not independent, unto themselves, but is “to preserve My onyx” thus the vision shown to Amos “This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line (Chomet Anach), with a plumb line in his hand.” (Amos 7:7) Israel’s mission is to be a Chomet Anach, that means to preserve an onyx and surround it like a wall. Their mission is to bear the Sanctuary of My Torah. This word Anach is the root of the “I” (Anochi) used by G-d. Then there is profound significance to the Anochi here. G-d says to Noach: I am about to bring death and destruction upon the world, nevertheless, I am G-d — I have not changed; I continue to act with love and compassion; even today I act as Anochi, who embraces everything, bears and abides everything, and the purpose of this harsh decree, too, is for the good of the larger whole. Rabbi Hirsch says that “This concept is expressed in the books of the prophets by the name H’ pronounced as Elohim, the attribute of mercy revealing itself as the attribute of justice.”
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G-d vows never again to flood the entire world and designates the rainbow as a sign of this covenant. Noach and his descendants are now permitted to slaughter and eat meat, unlike Adam. According to the Jewish tradition, G-d commands to Noach and his sons the Seven Universal Laws: The prohibition against Idolatry, Adultery, Theft, Blasphemy, Murder, Eating meat torn from a live animal, The obligation to set up a legal system. The world’s climate is established as we know it today. Noach plants a vineyard and becomes intoxicated from its produce. Ham, one of Noach’s sons, delights in seeing his father drunk and uncovered. Shem and Yafet, however, manage to cover their father without looking at his nakedness, by walking backwards. For this incident, Canaan is cursed to be a slave. The Torah lists the offspring of Noach’s three sons from whom the seventy nations of the world are descended. The Torah records the incident of the Tower of Bavel, which results in G-d fragmenting communication into many languages and the dispersal of the nations throughout the world. The Parasha concludes with the genealogy of Noach to Avram.
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his text of Isaiah is a beautiful text full of promises for Israel. G-d starts to describe the situation of Israel which is “a barren woman” a woman desolated, divorced but with a future. She will have many children. “‘Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,’ says the L-rd” (Isaiah 54:1). Israel must, as a spiritual nation extend her tents, she has to be a light for the nations and help them to give up their g-ds in order to help all the nations to worship the G-d of Israel “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.” (Isaiah 54:2-3) Even though G-d was angry, upset against Israel, he will get her back and will be her husband and her G-d for ever, “Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame …
“They said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top shall reach the sky. Let us make ourselves a name, so that we will not be scattered all over the face of the earth.’” (Genesis 11:4)
credit: freebibleimages.org
Haftarah Overview Isaiah 54:1-55:5
Kosher Food
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he Torah states: “Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and its mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate; Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, ” (Genesis 7-7-8) G-d commanded Noach to build a Teivah (ark), and told Noach to bring two of each species of non-kosher animals and seven of each kind of kosher animals into the Ark to save them from the flood. Right after the flood humankind would be permitted to eat meat. However through this text we see that the concept of clean and unclean food was given to Noah, that means kosher food laws are Noachic laws for every human kind and not only for the people of Israel.
Lessons From Noah’s Ark
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Don’t miss the boat. 2. Build on high ground. 3. Two heads are better than one. 4. If you can’t fight or flee - float! 5. For safety’s sake,
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travel in pairs. 6. Stay below deck during the storm. 7. Don’t forget that we’re all in the same boat. 8. Don’t listen to critics — do what has to be done. 9. If you have to start over, have a friend by your side. 10. Plan ahead . . . . It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark. 11. Take care of your animals as if they were the last ones on earth. 12. When things get really deep, don’t sit there and complain - shovel! 13. Remember the woodpeckers. An inside threat is often bigger than the one outside. 14. Speed isn’t always an advantage. The cheetahs were on board but . . . . so were the snails. 15. Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone might ask you to do something REALLY big.
Two and Two
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he Torah states: “two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noach, as God had commanded Noach.” (Genesis 7:9). They came to Noach in pairs as G-d has commanded Noach. G-d commanded Noach to take in the animals. the Bible says “Noach did all that the LORD had commanded him” (Genesis 7:5). Noach did all what was possible for him to do, but the gathering of the
animals was not under his control, the implementation of this part of the Mitsvah did not depend on Noach. It was not within Noach’s power to determine that they should come to him in pairs, and that only those that had kept the purity of their breed should come. Rabbi Hirsch reminds us that here we have a manifestation of that truth that is so significant throughout the Bible. The G-d Who commands man is non other than the Lawgiver and Director of nature; in other words: He is G-d. He Who gave Noach the command, which Noach was to obey of his own free will, also led the animals to him in such a manner that he was able to fulfill the command. The G-d of nature is none other than the G-d of mankind. Gd’s Word rules the nature, Gd’s Word is given also to man, so that he should obey it of his own free will. This is one of the guiding principles of the Bible: “He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.” (Psalms 147:15–18).
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Apostolic Writings — Matthew 24
he time of Noah and the flood was not an easy time. Crimes were everywhere, to the point that God made a horrific statement: “God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupted, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” (Genesis 6:12). That is why he decided to start again humanity with one man, Noah. This nad never happened before and never happened after. Opening the Apostolic Writings we see that Yeshua who knew perfectly the Tanach (Hebrew Bible) and quoted it many times, has spoken about the time of Noah. In his sermon on the end of time reported by Mattatyahu (Matthew), who was one of the talmidim of Yeshua, the time of Noah is compared to the last days, right before the coming of the Mashiach. “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matt 24:37–39). Thus this parasha was well known by Yeshua. However to understand the text, let’s look at the context. Yeshua was walking towards the Mount of Olives, close to Jerusalem, so close to Jerusalem that his disciples were contemplating the beautiful city with the magnificent temple, they were proud of the city of God, and the beautiful buildings. They showed them to Yeshua “Yeshua left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.” (Matthew 24:1), with sadness Yeshua answered: “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” (Matthew 24:2). What a surprise for the disciples, for them this city was so cherished
by G-d that only the end of the world could be a time of such a destruction, that is why asking Yeshua: when that will happened, they identified that time with the end of time: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). It is in this context that Yeshua spoke about the time of Noah, comparing the last days to the time of Noah. But when Yeshua describes the time of the end with all its disasters, desolations, and corruptions and destructions, he opened a small window of hope, saying: “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.” (Matthew 24:32–34). Saying: “From the fig tree learn its lesson” Yeshua was referring to a wellknown episode of his ministry, an episode which astonished each one among his auditors, and particularly the disciples. Yeshua was walking “And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, ‘How did the fig tree wither at once?’” (Matthew 21:19–21), since that time, a comparison has been made between the fig tree and the people of Israel, Yeshua was not very happy that Israel did not bring the fruits they were expecting to bring, that is why Yeshua was upset with the fig tree, even though it was not yet the season of the fruits, but now,
at his speech about the end of time, he came back to the lesson of the fig tree: “From the fig tree learn its lesson” this fig tree will be green again, that means that this fig tree will bring fruits again, and he said: “as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.” If we accept the comparison between the fig tree and Israel, even though Yeshua announced the destruction of Jerusalem, there will be a time when the fig tree (Israel) will turn green again, there is hope for the people of Israel, at the end of time, there will be a revival among the Jewish people, that is one of the great lesson Yeshua wanted to give with the story of the fig tree. Coming back to the parasha for this week, let’s remember that Noah was able to be a pure and righteous man among all the corruption and violence in his generation. He succeeded to be so by the grace of G-d and with the help of G-d because he was a man of emunah (faith). In the letter written to the Hebrews it is said, “by faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” (Heb 11:7). An important question is raised here for each one of us. Are we people of faith who can rely on G-d in this difficult time? Are we able to receive the only righteousness which has a value before God, righteousness that comes only from the Messiah? If yes, then we are one of the righteous of this generation, waiting for the manifestation of his glory through his soon return.
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For your Maker is your husband — the L-rd Almighty is his name — the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; … The L-rd will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit… For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.” (Isaiah 54:4-7) To be sure that G-d will not revoke his covenant with Israel, he is reminding to Israel the covenant with Noach. “To me this is like the days of Noach, when I swore that the waters of Noach would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.” (Isaiah 54:9). As the covenant with Noach is still valid, the covenant with Israel is still valid and be until the end. “‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the L-rd, who has compassion on you.” (Isaiah 54:10).
Stories and Traditions
T Inspirational Corner v Noah and his family were not alone in fearing and obeying God. But Noah was the most pious and holy of any upon the earth, and was the one whose life God preserved to carry out his will in building the ark and warning the world of its coming doom. Methuselah, the grandfather of Noah, lived until the very year of the flood; and there were others who believed the preaching of Noah, and aided him in building the ark, who died before the flood of waters came upon the earth. (1 SP 70)
Wine
he Midrash tells that when one drinks one cup of wine, he becomes like a lamb, docile and peaceful. After two cups, he becomes like a lion, boastful of all the great things he believes he will accomplish. After three cups, he dances like a monkey. After four cups, he rolls in the mud like a pig.
Joy of Study
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Rabbi was seeking someone to instruct his young son in the wisdom of Torah. He finally found a young man who had a good reputation as a teacher. After interviewing him, the Rabbi was satisfied with his abilities. “But before I hire you,” the Rabbi said, “I have to ask you one final question: Do you yourself enjoy studying Torah?” “What difference does it make?” asked the young man. “As long as I sincerely want your son to study and will make every effort to teach him, I should be qualified for the job!” “You are mistaken!” the Rabbi replied. “A teacher transmits whatever he enjoys. If you enjoy studying Torah, then you will transmit this feeling and my son, too, will enjoy studying. However, if your goal is only that my son should learn and grow up to be a scholar, then all he will learn from you is that he, too, will enjoy when someone else studies!”
Kindness Rewarded
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here was a poor Jew who labored in the field. One day, the prophet Elijah appeared to him and said, “You are destined to be blessed with six years of extraordinary wealth. You have the choice whether to have them now or the last six years of your
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life?” Confused, the man said, “Let me go home and consult my wife.” Elijah agreed. When he told his wife about the strange offer, she said, “Ask for the six years to begin now.” The next day he again met Elijah in the field and told him of his wife’s decision to begin the years of wealth immediately. Elijah agreed and said, “Go home. Before you arrive home your wealth will already have arrived!” As the man was talking to Elijah, his children, who were playing in the yard, found a great treasure. When the man returned home he was greeted by his wife and children who excitedly told him of the great fortune that they found. They all gave thanks to G-d for the wonderful gift. The wife then said, “Since G-d has been so good to us and blessed us with six years of wealth, we must be extremely kind and generous. We must take advantage of our good fortune and use our wealth properly, to give lots of charity and help others.” They excelled in giving charity during these six years and kept a detailed ledger of the charity they distributed. Six years later, Elijah the prophet appeared to the man and told him that it was time to return the fortune. The man responded, “Six years ago, when you offered me the fortune, I didn’t make any decision before asking my wife. Now too, I want to consult with my wife first.” Elijah agreed. He went home and told his wife that Elijah has come back to claim their fortune. His wife replied, “Go and tell Elijah that if he found someone more trustworthy than us, we will gladly give it back. After examining their charitable records for the past six years, it was decreed in heaven that the fortune should stay with them for the rest of their lives. Kindness is always rewarded if not in this world in the world-to-come.
Relying on G-d
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Jew who didn’t have the funds to marry off his daughter, went to the Rabbi of Kotsk to ask for the Rebbe’s advice and blessing. The Rebbe sent him to a wealthy Chassid who lived in another town, along with a letter recommending that he help the poor man. The man was sure that as soon as the wealthy Chassid would read the Rebbe’s letter, he would give him all the necessary funds for the wedding. To his great dismay, after reading the letter and hearing his dire situation, the Chassid offered him only a few rubles. It didn’t even cover the cost of the trip! He left very disappointed and heartbroken. A while later, as he was walking on the road, a carriage stopped next to him. Out came the wealthy Chassid who handed the poor man an envelope full of money. “Here, you have everything you need for the wedding. In addition, my driver will drive you home to your village!” The poor man was stunned. “If you were going to give me the money, why didn’t you give it to me when I was at your home? Why did you cause me all this sorrow?” The Chassid replied, “You see, when you came to my home, you were certain that you would get what you need because you relied on me and on the letter of the Rebbe. Somehow, you forgot to rely on G-d almighty. To tell you the truth, as a result, I wasn’t moved to give you all your expenses. But after you left, you realized then that you had no one to rely on except G-d. I’m sure you prayed sincerely from the depth of your soul that G-d help you. As a result, my heart was stirred and I felt that I had to help. This is why I’m here now!”
Kids Parasha Noach
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Inspirational Corner v Noah, by his preach-
Genesis 6:9- 11:32 “And G-d said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And G-d saw that the light was good. And G-d separated the light from the darkness. G-d called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And G-d said, ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.’ And G-d made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And G-d called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.” (Genesis 1:3-8)
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ing and example in building the ark, condemned the world. God gave all who chose an opportunity to repent and turn to him. But they believed not the preaching of Noah. They mocked at his warnings, and ridiculed the building of that immense vessel on dry land. Noah’s efforts to reform his fellow-men did not succeed. But for more than one hundred years he persevered in his efforts to turn men to repentance and to God. Every blow struck upon the ark was preaching to the people. Noah directed, he preached, he worked, while the people looked on in amazement, and regarded him as a fanatic. (1 SP 70)