Noach
נחThe Flood & The Tower
47 translated essays · 88 total
תרל"א(1870)
Forgotten Words of Noach· Essay 1
“With God’s help, regarding Parashat Noach.” The author introduces his comment by invoking divine assistance as he turns to teach on Parashat Noach. “I do not remember properly.” He notes that he cannot recall the teaching precisely, hintin…
Noach's Rest in His Root· Essay 2
In the Zohar, Noach is the aspect of Shabbat. The Sefat Emet opens by linking Noach to the spiritual quality of rest embodied in Shabbat. As it is written: “And He rested on the seventh day.” The verse affirms that Shabbat represents divine…
Mitzvos Born of Devotion· Essay 3
In Rashi: “The primary offspring of the righteous are mitzvot and good deeds.” The Sefat Emet opens by noting that Rashi defines the true legacy of tzaddikim not as physical children but as their mitzvot and deeds. And he did not write: “Th…
Theft of Stolen Vitality· Essay 4
In the Midrash: “The violence arose… there was no rest among them…” The Sefat Emet begins by citing the Midrash that describes how corruption stirred within the generation, leaving no inner rest. The explanation: violence results from not k…
Noach תרל"א
בעזהש”י פ’ נח איני זוכר כראוי. בזוה”ק נח הוא בחי’ שבת. The Zohar says that “Noach” is the idea of Shabbos שכתוב בו וינח ביום השביעי. As it says and ‘He rested – וינח on the Seventh day פי’ זה כי ענין המנו…
תרל"ב(1871)
Noach תרל"ב 1· Essay 1
“With God’s help, Parashat Noach.” The Sefat Emet opens this teaching with a customary invocation, acknowledging that all insight comes with divine assistance, and situates the discourse within Parashat Noach. Summary: The teaching begins b…
Righteous Offspring of Good Deeds· Essay 2
“In the Midrash and Rashi: the offspring of the righteous are mitzvot and good deeds.” The Sefat Emet begins by explaining that what a tzaddik produces in the world is not physical children alone, but the spiritual outcomes of their mitzvot…
Torah Vitality Within Everything· Essay 3
My revered grandfather, may his memory be a blessing, said in the name of our holy teachers that the Ark of Noah is the ark — the “teivah” — of Torah and prayer. The Sefat Emet explains that “teivah” means both “ark” and “word,” so Noah’s A…
Noach תרל"ב
במדרש ורש”י ז”ל תולדותיהם של צדיקים מצות ומעש”ט. כי כל מעשה שעושה הצדיק הוא בדביקות וביטול אל שורש החיות שהוא מהשי”ת וזהו פי’ מעשים טובים דכ’ מחדש בטובו בכל יום מ”ב ופי’ אא”ז בשם [הרב מפ…
תרל"ג(1872)
Noach תרל"ג 1· Essay 1
“With God’s help — Noach, Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan.” This opening line serves as the Sefat Emet’s heading, situating the teaching in the portion of Noach and noting that it was offered on Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan. Such headings often signal…
Shabbos as Noach's Ark· Essay 2
In the Zohar it is stated: Noah is Shabbat, and he produces offspring. Shabbat, like Noah, is the source from which renewal and spiritual outcomes emerge. Although it seems that creation occurred on the weekdays and Shabbat is rest, in trut…
Nullifying to Inner Vitality· Essay 3
You formed Your world from the beginning, etc. The Sefat Emet opens by affirming that creation begins from a primordial, inner divine root. The form of all created beings is spiritual. The essence of every creature exists first as a spiritu…
Noach תרל"ג
בזוה”ק נח הוא שבת ואיהו עביד תולדות. אף דלכאורה בכל יום מימי המעשה הי’ בריאה ובש”ק נח מ”מ אדרבה בש”ק שחוזר הכל לשורשו וזהו פי’ מנוחה מזה בא תולדות ע”י הביטול לשורש כנ”ל וז”ש וישבות כו…
תרל"ד(1873)
Noach תרל"ד 1· Essay 1
“With God’s help.” This opening formula invokes divine assistance before beginning the teaching, as is customary in many manuscripts of Sefat Emet. “Noah.” This indicates the beginning of the teaching on the portion of Noach, introducing th…
The Tzaddik Justifying Creation· Essay 2
“‘These are the generations of Noah’ — in the Midrash and Rashi: the primary offspring of the righteous are mitzvot and good deeds.” The Sefat Emet opens by redefining “generations” as spiritual products — righteous deeds rather than physic…
Refuge in Torah Words· Essay 3
My holy grandfather, may his memory be a blessing, said in the name of the rabbis that the Ark of Noah represents the words and letters of the Torah, such that any person can insert himself into each word of Torah and prayer, and through th…
Recognizing All from Hashem· Essay 4
Rashi writes that Noah needed support, whereas Abraham strengthened himself in his righteousness independently. The Sefat Emet begins by citing Rashi’s distinction: Noah required external assistance to remain righteous, while Abraham’s inne…
Borders Set for Israel· Essay 5
“Remember the days of old… When He gave the nations their inheritance… He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel.” The Sefat Emet begins by noting that the Torah ties the arrangement of all natio…
Noach תרל"ד
תולדות נח במד’ ורש”י עיקר תולדותיהם של צדיקים מצות ומעש”ט. אף כי פשט הפסוק כי כל הברואים נק’ תולדות נח כי נתקיימו בזכותו. אבל הכל הי’ משום שהי’ צדיק. ולהבין מה פי’ צדיק. בזוה”ק מאן דנטיר ברית …
תרל"ה(1874)
Noach תרל"ה 1· Essay 1
“With God’s help.” A traditional opening phrase indicating that the teaching begins under divine assistance and intention. “Parashat Noach.” This signals that the forthcoming teaching of the Sefat Emet relates to the weekly Torah portion of…
Offspring Through Self-Nullification· Essay 2
“In the Zohar it is written that Noah is an aspect of Shabbat.” The Sefat Emet begins by identifying Noah with the spiritual quality of Shabbat, a state of rest and inner wholeness. “Rashi writes that the primary offspring of the righteous …
Nullifying Self to Prayer Words· Essay 3
It is written in the books that the ark through which Noah was saved is every single word of Torah and prayer, and that a person must nullify himself to the word that he brings forth from his mouth. The Sefat Emet teaches that the “ark of N…
Israel's Unity from Babel· Essay 4
It is a mitzvah to remember the deeds of the Generation of the Dispersion, as it is written “Remember the days of old… when He separated the children of man,” and it appears connected to what is written, “Behold, they are one people.” The S…
תרל"ו(1875)
Noach תרל"ו 1· Essay 1
“With God’s help.” A traditional opening invoking divine assistance before beginning the teaching. “Parashat Noach.” This marks that the following teaching pertains to the weekly Torah portion of Noach.
Joining Two Worldly Dwellings· Essay 2
“He was perfect in his generations; in the Zohar: ‘Noach Noach, Shmuel Shmuel,’ etc.” The Sefat Emet begins by noting the double expression used for certain tzaddikim, indicating layered spiritual stature. “For every tzaddik has two powers …
Theft Sealing the Verdict· Essay 3
The decree of destruction was sealed only because of robbery. The Sefat Emet teaches that although the generation of the Flood sinned in many ways, the final sealing of judgment came specifically due to theft, which corrupted society at its…
Holy Tongue United Creation· Essay 4
“In the verse ‘Remember the days of old…’ when He separated human beings, He set the borders of the nations. The explanation is that we must remember the kindness of God, for all of this was for the benefit of Israel. For why did God give t…
Noach תרל"ו
תמים הי’ בדורותיו בזוה”ק נח נח שמואל שמואל כו’ Noach was perfect in his generation (Bereishis 6:9). The Zohar says that we find by tzadikim their name is mentioned twice in a row, Noach Noach, Shmuel Shmuel etc כי יש לכל צ…
תרל"ז(1876)
Noach תרל"ז 1· Essay 1
“With God’s help.” This introductory phrase signals that the teaching begins under divine assistance, a standard opening in many manuscripts of the Sefat Emet. “Parashat Noach.” This identifies the section as the Sefat Emet’s teaching on th…
Guarding the Covenant Within· Essay 2
“Read: ‘Noach, Noach, a righteous man…’ In the Zohar: Noach is the aspect of Shabbat.” The Sefat Emet opens by linking Noach to Shabbat, indicating that Noach embodies the spiritual root of rest, wholeness, and inner connection. It is taugh…
Awakening Before Divine Help· Essay 3
In Rashi: Noah required support, etc. The Sefat Emet begins by citing Rashi’s comment that Noah needed divine assistance. Surely every person requires the help of the Creator. He explains that dependence on God is universal and not unique t…
Reclaiming Lost Unity· Essay 4
“Regarding the generation of the dispersion, the teaching of the Mishnah was fulfilled: a gathering that is not for the sake of Heaven will not endure, and so He took from them the power of unity and the power of the holy tongue.” The Sefat…
תרל"ח(1877)
Noach תרל"ח 1· Essay 1
“With God’s help.” A traditional opening phrase indicating that the teachings that follow are offered with humility and reliance on divine assistance. “Parashat Noach.” This identifies the section as the Sefat Emet’s teaching on the Torah p…
Noach as Shabbos Unity· Essay 2
Rashi states: Regarding Abraham it says “I walked before Him,” but Noah required support. Abraham could advance spiritually on his own, while Noah needed divine assistance. For the Mishnah in Avot teaches: “With ten utterances the world was…
תרל"ט(1878)
Guarding the Inner Point· Essay 1
In Rashi: Noah required support, etc. The Sefat Emet begins by addressing Rashi’s statement that Noah needed divine support, setting the stage for a comparison between different levels of righteousness. Surely Noah, about whom Scripture tes…
Unity Reserved for Israel· Essay 2
“Regarding the Generation of the Dispersion we wrote elsewhere: Why was unity taken from them, when the Blessed One said, ‘Behold, they are one people, and now nothing will be withheld… is anything too wondrous for God?’” The Sefat Emet rec…
Noach's Need for Support· Essay 3
“‘With God…’ Noah needed support… If the intention is support from the Creator, is there anyone who does not need divine support?” The Sefat Emet asks: if the verse means Noah required God’s help, that is obvious—every human being requires …
תר"מ(1879)
Derech Eretz Before Torah· Essay 1
The sin of the generation of the Flood was in the aspect of “the knowledge that precedes Torah,” for there are two thousand years of chaos until the Patriarchs, when the two thousand years of Torah began. The Sefat Emet explains that the ge…
Noach Restoring Unity's Crown· Essay 2
“In the Midrash: ‘Bring my soul out of confinement… in me the righteous will be crowned,’ etc.” The Sefat Emet opens by citing the Midrash, which links the verse about emerging from confinement to the idea that the righteous are ‘crowned’ t…
תרמ"א(1880)
Noach the tzaddik versus the Avos· Essay 2
"These are the offspring of Noach…" (Bereishis 6:9) — Noach needed support, while Avraham strengthened himself in his righteousness on his own. The Midrash contrasts the two tzaddikim: Noach required Divine "support" to remain righteous, wh…
The ark, Torah, and Shabbos as rescue· Essay 3
In Rashi: He had many means of relief and rescue before Him, so why did He burden him with this construction? … Perhaps they would repent… Rashi asks why Hashem made Noach toil for 120 years building the teivah (ark) when He could have save…
Desire, wisdom, and self-nullification to Hashem· Essay 4
The three mishnayos in Avos: "With ten utterances the world was created … in order to exact punishment …"; "There were ten generations from Adam to Noach …" (Avos 5:1-2). The Sefas Emes groups three consecutive Mishnayos in Pirkei Avos — th…
תרמ"ב(1881)
Renewal of creation needs protection· Essay 2
In the Midrash: "These" — it disqualified the earlier ones, "tohu va'vohu (chaos and void)…"; for Noach attached the creation to its root, and for this he is called "tzaddik yesod olam (the righteous one, foundation of the world)," and he i…
Surviving the flood through Hashem's chesed and emunah· Essay 3
In the Midrash on "You destroy men of blood and deceit; Hashem abhors… but I, through Your abundant chesed…" — it expounds this regarding Noach and Dovid (see there). The Midrash applies the pasuk from Tehillim to Noach and Dovid, both of w…
History's staged ascent toward unity for Heaven's sake· Essay 4
Concerning the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion — that the generations were progressing and being rectified, level after level, in line with the count of the Mishnayos in Avos: "ten generations from Adam to Noach…
תרמ"ג(1882)
תרמ"ד(1883)
41 more essays from this section await translation.