“These are the generations of Noach … Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood ….” (Bereshit, 4:9–14) Concerning the ark, God gave Noach advice and protection until the days of wrath would pass, and similarly all whose hearts are not yet refined can receive advice from the ark as to how to find refuge and protection from all evil that upsets the world. Thus we find in the words of our sages (Tanna Dvei Eliyahu Rabba, Ch. 6), “If a man sees that suffering is coming upon him, he is to run to the inner chambers of the Torah, and it will give him advice as to how to survive.” Advice from the ark based on that is written in the Gemara (Pesachim, 113b), “There are three whom the Holy One, blessed be He, loves—one who does not get angry, one who does not get drunk, and one who forgives.” One who does not get angry is one who does not show any anger through actions. One who does not get drunk is one who possesses a settled mind, recognizing and believing in the Creator of the world. One who forgives means one who removes the anger from his heart, not leaving in his heart any grudges against his fellow man. The ark hints at these three aspects. “Make yourself an ark of gopher wood” means not to get angry, for gopher (gaphrit) or brimstone teaches of anger (cf. Rashi, ad. loc.) We are rather to take the anger and make an ark out of it, to make it a closed structure. Close the anger inside and don’t reveal it in external actions. “Make rooms in the ark” teaches of the next stage, order. In other words, don’t act like a drunk in a state of disorder, but rather attain peace of mind, for one who has many rooms must have a sense of order to know the location and function of each one. The order of the Mishna called Kanim teaches of this.14Kan means nest, hence room; thus, organization of space. The mishnayot in Kanim deals with sacrifices brought from birds.Therefore one who doesn’t have peace of mind and a pure heart cannot understand the true depths of the Torah in the order of Kanim. “Seal it from within and without with pitch.” This is the third stage. Do away with all anger and forgive. “Sealing with pitch” or “ve’chaparta” in Hebrew is comprised of the same letters as “atonement,” capara, meaning to atone from the depth of your heart, so as not to leave even a residue of the anger against your fellow man. With the very measurements of the ark we may derive the word for tongue, lashon (Lamed Shin Nun) in Hebrew. “Three hundred cubits in length [Shin], fifty in width [Nun], and thirty in height [Lamed],” meaning not to have a lying tongue. Also, these measurements teach of the way of service commanded in the Shema, with all your heart, all of your soul and all of your possessions.” “With all your heart,” or Levaveicha, is Lamed (30). “With all your soul,” or nafsheicha, is Nun (50). “With all your possessions” or me’odeicha is Shin (300), for me’odeicha, “possessions,” also translates as “much,” hence expansion. Thus me’odeicha signifies all one can fathom and expand upon in his mind, and the most one can fathom is hinted at in the letter Shin, the penultimate letter in the alphabet, the most we could ever fathom in our lifetimes. God hid the secret of the final letter of the alphabet, Tav, in the world to come. Furthermore, whenever the sages wanted to express a very large amount they said three hundred (Shin), as in (Chullin 90b), “three hundred kor,” or the three hundred Cohanim in the Mishnaic order Middot (Ch. 3, Mishna 8). “Make a light for the ark” means to know that everything is in God’s hands, as light stands for clarity and knowledge. “Complete it to a cubit from above” means to constrict one’s self in all receptions of Divine effusion, so as not to be greedy. “Place an entrance on the side of the ark,” in other words, similar to the explanation of the Midrash on the verse (Bamidbar Rabba, Ch. 19:16; Tehilim, 34:15), “seek peace and run after it Seek peace where you are, and run after it elsewhere.” This means that as far as you are concerned, do not create any obstacles to peace, rather run after your fellow man in the pursuit of peace to bring him close to you. However, this too is not always necessary, for in everything there is a certain amount of uncertainty. Sometimes we encounter people who are not fit to bring home, yet still we are not supposed to altogether reject them. And this is the meaning of, “place the entrance on the side,” as if to deal with them in a way that is not readily apparent. “Make lower second and third sublevels,” meaning that Noach was commanded to know how to conduct himself with his three sons, each according to his level. With Ham he was to conduct himself on the lower level, speaking to him only on the surface. With Yaphet, on the second, and Shem on the third, with whom Noach could speak from the depth of his heart and reveal all his secrets. All these were advice for Noach as to how to conceal himself before he had achieved completion. Then immediately after he had left the ark and had in fact achieved completion, he proceeded to do the opposite of what he was advised to do. This is as it says, “and he drank and became drunk.” Then he became angry with Ham, not exercising patience. When one achieves true completion it is then permitted for him to extend himself, for in such a state everything is according to God’s will.
אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ וְכוּ' עֲשֵׂה לְךָ תֵּבַת עֲצֵי גֹפֶר וְכוּ'. עִנְיַן הַתֵּבָה, שֶׁנָּתַן הַש״י עֵצָה וַהֲגָנָה לְנֹחַ עַד שֶׁעָבְרוּ יְמֵי הַזַּעַם, וְכֵן לְכׇל מִי שֶׁלֹּא נִזְדַּכֵּךְ לִבּוֹ עֲדַיִן יוּכַל לִלְמוֹד עֵצוֹת אֵיךְ יִסָּתֵר עַצְמוֹ וְיָגֵן בַּעֲדוֹ מִכׇּל רָע הַמִּתְרַגֵּשׁ בָּעוֹלָם, וְכֵן אָמְרוּ חַזַ״ל [תנדבא״ר פ״ו] אִם רוֹאֶה אָדָם שֶׁיִּסּוּרִין בָּאִין עָלָיו יָרוּץ לְחַדְרֵי חֲדָרִים שֶׁל תּוֹרָה וְהִיא נוֹתֶנֶת לוֹ עֵצָה אֵיךְ לְהִנָּצֵל. וְעִנְיַן הַתֵּבָה הוּא עַל פִּי מַה דְּאִיתָא בַּגְּמָרָא (פסחים קי״ג:) שְׁלוֹשָׁה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹהֲבָן מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ כּוֹעֵס וְאֵינוֹ מִשְׁתַּכֵּר וּמִי שֶׁמַּעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו, מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ כּוֹעֵס הַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַרְאֶה שׁוּם כַּעַס בְּפוֹעַל, וְאֵינוֹ מִשְׁתַּכֵּר הַיְנוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ יִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת וּמַכִּיר וּמַאֲמִין בְּבוֹרֵא עוֹלָם, וּמִי שֶׁמַּעֲבִיר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו הַיְנוּ שֶׁמֵּסִיר הַכַּעַס גַּם מִלִּבּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה בְּלִבּוֹ שׁוּם תַּרְעוֹמוֹת עַל חֲבֵרוֹ. וְעַל אֵלּוּ הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה מְרַמֵּז הַתֵּבָה, "עֲשֵׂה לְךָ תֵּבַת עֲצֵי גוֹפֶר" הַיְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא תִכְעוֹס כִּי גׇפְרִית מוֹרָה עַל כַּעַס וְזֶה "עֲשֵׂה לְךָ תֵּבַת עֲצֵי גוֹפֶר" הַיְנוּ שֶׁתִּסְגּוֹר אֶת הַכַּעַס וְלֹא תִכְעוֹס בְּפוֹעַל. "קִנִּים תַּעֲשֶׂה אֶת הַתֵּבָה" הַיְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא תִשְׁתַּכֵּר רַק תְּהֶא בְּיִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת, כִּי קִנִּים הוּא חֲדָרִים כְּמוֹ מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ חֲדָרִים הַרְבֵּה צָרִיךְ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ יִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת לֵידַע מְקוֹם כׇּל חֶדֶר וְתַשְׁמִישׁוֹ, וְגַם מַסֶּכֶת קִנִּים מוֹרָה עַל זֶה וְלָכֵן מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ יִשּׁוּב הַדַּעַת וְלֵב טָהוֹר אֵינוֹ מֵבִין לַאֲמִתָּם אֶת עוֹמֶק ד"ת הַנִּמְצָא בְּמַסֶּ' קִנִּים. "וְכָפַרְתָּ אוֹתָהּ מִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ בַּכּוֹפֶר", הַיְנוּ שֶׁתַּעֲבוֹר עַל מִדּוֹתֶיךָ, כִּי וְכָפַרְתָּ הַיְנוּ שֶׁתְּכַפֵּר מֵעוֹמֶק לִבְּךָ, שֶׁלֹּא יִשָּׁאֵר בְּלִבְּךָ רׁשֶׁם מִכַּעַס עַל חֲבֵרְךָ. וְהַשִּׁעוּרִין מֵהַתֵּבָה הֵם אוֹתִיּוֹת לָשׁוֹן, ג׳ מֵאוֹת אוֹרֶךְ וַחֲמִשִּׁים רֹחַב וְלמ"ד קוֹמָה, וְהַיְנוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה לְךָ לְשׁוֹן שֶׁקֶר. וְגַם אֵלּוּ הַשִּׁעוּרִין הֵם נֶגֶד "בְּכׇל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכׇל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכׇל מְאֹדֶךָ", למ"ד אַמּוֹת גּוֹבַהּ כְּנֶגֶד בְּכׇל לְבָבְךָ, נ׳ רוֹחַב נֶגֶד בְּכׇל נַפְשְׁךָ וג׳ מֵאוֹת אוֹרֶךְ נֶגֶד בְּכׇל מְאֹדֶךָ, כִּי מְאֹד הַיְנוּ בְּכׇל מַה שֶׁיּוּכַל הָאָדָם לְשַׁעֵר בְּדַעְתּוֹ וּלְהוֹסִיף, וְעַל זֶה רוֹמֵז אוֹת הַש׳ כִּי הַש׳ הִיא אַחֲרוֹנָה שֶׁבְּא״ב כִּי סוֹד הַת׳ הוּא כָּמוּס לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא וְלָכֵן בְּכׇל מָקוֹם שֶׁרָצוּ חֲכָמִים לְגַזֵּם גָּזְמוּ בִּשְׁלוֹשׁ מֵאוֹת כְּמוֹ (חולין צ׳:) ג׳ מֵאוֹת כּוֹר וג׳ מֵאוֹת כֹּהֲנִים שֶׁבְּמַסֶּ' מִדּוֹת פ״ג מ״ח. "צוֹהַר תַּעֲשֶׂה לַתֵּבָה" הַיְנוּ שֶׁתֵּדַע כִּי הַכֹּל בִּידֵי שָׁמַיִם, כִּי צׁהַר הַיְנוּ בְּהִירוּת וִידִיעָה. "וְאֶל אַמָּה תְּכַלֶּנָּה מִלְמַעְלָה", הַיְנוּ שֶׁתְּצַמְצֵם בְּכׇל קַבָּלוֹת הַשְׁפָּעָה שֶׁלֹּא תִּהְיֶה רַעַבְתָן. "וּפֶתַח הַתֵּבָה בְּצִדָּהּ תָּשִׂים", הַיְנוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּבוֹאָר עַל פָּסוּק (תהלים ל״ד, ט״ו) "בַּקֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם וְרָדְפֵהוּ" וּכְמוֹ דְּאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (במדבר רבה פרשה י״ט, ט״ז) בַּקֵּשׁ שָׁלוֹם מִמְּקוֹמְךָ וְרָדְפֵהוּ מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר הַיְנוּ מִצִּדְּךָ וּמִכֹּחֲךָ לֹא יִהְיֶה שׁוּם מְנִיעָה לַשָּׁלוֹם, אַךְ גַּם לִרְדּוֹף אַחַר חֲבֵרוֹ לְקָרֵב אֶת עַצְמוֹ לַחֲבֵרוֹ גַּם זֹאת אֵין מֵהַצּוֹרֶךְ כִּי בְּכׇל דָּבָר נִמְצָא סָפֵק כִּי יוּכַל לִהְיוֹת שֶׁזֶּה אֵינוֹ רָאוּי לָבוֹא אֶל בֵּיתְךָ, אַךְ לִדְחוֹתוֹ ג״כ אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי, וְזֶה פֵּי׳ "בְּצִדָּהּ תָּשִׂים" לֹא בְּפִרְסוּם. "תַּחְתִּיִּים שְׁנִיִּים וּשְׁלִישִׁים תַּעֲשֶׂהָ", הַיְנוּ שֶׁנִּצְטַוָּה נֹחַ לֵידַע אֵיךְ לְהִתְנַהֵג עִם ג׳ בָּנָיו בְּכׇל אֶחָד לְפִי מַדְרֵגָתוֹ, עִם חָם כְּפִי מַדְרֵגָתוֹ הַיְנוּ תַּחְתִּיִּים שֶׁתְּדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ רַק לְפָנִים וְעִם יֶפֶת שְׁנִיִּים וְעִם שֵׁם שְׁלִישִׁים, הַיְנוּ שֶׁתְּדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ מֵעוֹמֶק הַלֵּב וְכׇל סוֹדוֹתֶיךָ תְּגַלֶּה לוֹ. וְכׇל זֶה הָיָה עֵצוֹת לְנֹחַ קוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּשְׁלַם אֵיךְ יַסְתִּיר עַצְמוֹ, כִּי מִיָּד כְּשֶׁיָּצָא מִן הַתֵּבָה שֶׁאָז הָיָה הַשְׁלָמָתוֹ אָז עָשָׂה הֵיפֶךְ מֵאֵלּוּ הַדְּבָרִים כְּמ״ש "וַיֵּשְׁתְּ וַיִּשְׁכַּר" וְכָעַס עַל חָם וְלֹא עָבַר עַל מִדּוֹתָיו, כִּי כְּשֶׁאָדָם נִשְׁלַם אָז מוּתָּר לְהִתְפַּשֵּׁט, כִּי אָז הַכֹּל רְצוֹן ה׳.
“These are the generations of Noach … Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood ….” (Bereshit, 4:9–14)
Concerning the ark, God gave Noach advice and protection until the days of wrath would pass, and similarly all whose hearts are not yet refined can receive advice from the ark as to how to find refuge and protection from all evil that upsets the world. Thus we find in the words of our sages (Tanna Dvei Eliyahu Rabba, Ch. 6), “If a man sees that suffering is coming upon him, he is to run to the inner chambers of the Torah, and it will give him advice as to how to survive.” Advice from the ark based on that is written in the Gemara (Pesachim, 113b), “There are three whom the Holy One, blessed be He, loves—one who does not get angry, one who does not get drunk, and one who forgives.”
One who does not get angry is one who does not show any anger through actions. One who does not get drunk is one who possesses a settled mind, recognizing and believing in the Creator of the world. One who forgives means one who removes the anger from his heart, not leaving in his heart any grudges against his fellow man. The ark hints at these three aspects. “Make yourself an ark of gopher wood” means not to get angry, for gopher (gaphrit) or brimstone teaches of anger (cf. Rashi, ad. loc.) We are rather to take the anger and make an ark out of it, to make it a closed structure. Close the anger inside and don’t reveal it in external actions. “Make rooms in the ark” teaches of the next stage, order. In other words, don’t act like a drunk in a state of disorder, but rather attain peace of mind, for one who has many rooms must have a sense of order to know the location and function of each one. The order of the Mishna called Kanim teaches of this.14Kan means nest, hence room; thus, organization of space. The mishnayot in Kanim deals with sacrifices brought from birds.Therefore one who doesn’t have peace of mind and a pure heart cannot understand the true depths of the Torah in the order of Kanim. “Seal it from within and without with pitch.” This is the third stage. Do away with all anger and forgive. “Sealing with pitch” or “ve’chaparta” in Hebrew is comprised of the same letters as “atonement,” capara, meaning to atone from the depth of your heart, so as not to leave even a residue of the anger against your fellow man.
With the very measurements of the ark we may derive the word for tongue, lashon (Lamed Shin Nun) in Hebrew. “Three hundred cubits in length [Shin], fifty in width [Nun], and thirty in height [Lamed],” meaning not to have a lying tongue. Also, these measurements teach of the way of service commanded in the Shema, with all your heart, all of your soul and all of your possessions.”
“With all your heart,” or Levaveicha, is Lamed (30). “With all your soul,” or nafsheicha, is Nun (50). “With all your possessions” or me’odeicha is Shin (300), for me’odeicha, “possessions,” also translates as “much,” hence expansion. Thus me’odeicha signifies all one can fathom and expand upon in his mind, and the most one can fathom is hinted at in the letter Shin, the penultimate letter in the alphabet, the most we could ever fathom in our lifetimes. God hid the secret of the final letter of the alphabet, Tav, in the world to come. Furthermore, whenever the sages wanted to express a very large amount they said three hundred (Shin), as in (Chullin 90b), “three hundred kor,” or the three hundred Cohanim in the Mishnaic order Middot (Ch. 3, Mishna 8).
“Make a light for the ark” means to know that everything is in God’s hands, as light stands for clarity and knowledge. “Complete it to a cubit from above” means to constrict one’s self in all receptions of Divine effusion, so as not to be greedy.
“Place an entrance on the side of the ark,” in other words, similar to the explanation of the Midrash on the verse (Bamidbar Rabba, Ch. 19:16; Tehilim, 34:15), “seek peace and run after it Seek peace where you are, and run after it elsewhere.” This means that as far as you are concerned, do not create any obstacles to peace, rather run after your fellow man in the pursuit of peace to bring him close to you. However, this too is not always necessary, for in everything there is a certain amount of uncertainty. Sometimes we encounter people who are not fit to bring home, yet still we are not supposed to altogether reject them. And this is the meaning of, “place the entrance on the side,” as if to deal with them in a way that is not readily apparent.
“Make lower second and third sublevels,” meaning that Noach was commanded to know how to conduct himself with his three sons, each according to his level.
With Ham he was to conduct himself on the lower level, speaking to him only on the surface. With Yaphet, on the second, and Shem on the third, with whom Noach could speak from the depth of his heart and reveal all his secrets. All these were advice for Noach as to how to conceal himself before he had achieved completion. Then immediately after he had left the ark and had in fact achieved completion, he proceeded to do the opposite of what he was advised to do. This is as it says, “and he drank and became drunk.” Then he became angry with Ham, not exercising patience. When one achieves true completion it is then permitted for him to extend himself, for in such a state everything is according to God’s will.