Noach Themes Conversation

Theme 1– Righteousness

Discussion

1. Describe someone you consider to be a tzaddik today.
2. Would you want to be a tzaddik?
3. To what extent do you think that being a tzaddik depends on one’s surroundings?

Text

1. What did Noach do to earn the title tzaddik?
2. Some people criticize for not trying to get the people around him to repent. What do you think of this criticism?
3. What do you think is the difference between צדיק and תמים?
4. Ibn Ezra says איש צדיק-במעשיו, תמים-בליבו. What is Ibn Ezra saying?

Quotes

1. “כי אדם אין צדיק בארץ אשר יעשה טוב ולא יחטא” (קהלת ז, כ).
2. “הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ כִּי כָל דְּרָכָיו מִשְׁפָּט אֵל אֱמוּנָה וְאֵין עָוֶל צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא” ( דברים לב, ד).
3. “זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה וְשֵׁם רְשָׁעִים יִרְקָב.” (משלי י, ז).
4. “אַל תְּהִי צַדִּיק הַרְבֵּה וְאַל תִּתְחַכַּם יוֹתֵר לָמָּה תִּשּׁוֹמֵם” (קהלת ז, טז).
5. “יוֹדֵעַ צַדִּיק נֶפֶשׁ בְּהֶמְתּוֹ וְרַחֲמֵי רְשָׁעִים אַכְזָרִי.” (משלי יב, י).

Theme 2—Floods and Natural Disasters

Discussion

1. What are some of the floods and natural disasters in history that you know of?
2. What are some of the natural disasters that we fear might happen in the future? What can we do to prevent them?
3. To what extent would you say that the flood during the time of Noach was a natural disaster?

Text

1. Why do you think God chose to destroy the world through a flood?
2. Read ו, ה-י”ב. What are the words that the Torah uses to describe the sins of the people at the time of Noach? What might be the difference between them?
3. Can you think of sins that are bad enough to warrant the destruction of entire communities?

Quotes

1. “והיה בענני ענן על הארץ ונראתה הקשת בענן וזכרתי את בריתי אשר ביני וביניכם… ולא יהיה עוד המים למבול לשחת כל בשר” (בראשית ט, י”ד-ט”ו)
2. “Bad things do happen in the world… But out of those situations always arise stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things” (Daryn Kagan).
3. “Sometimes it takes a natural disaster to reveal a social disaster” (Jim Wallis).
4. “Even with all our technology… it takes one big disaster to wipe all that away and remind us that, here on Earth, we’re still at the mercy of nature” (Neil deGrasse).
5. “The rain begins with a single drop” (Manal Al-Sharif).

Theme 3—Survival

Discussion

1. If you had to choose 3 things to bring with you as your home and community are about to be destroyed, what would they be?
2. Who would you describe as survivors? In what sense are they survivors?
3. How do you think you would feel if you were Noach at the time of the flood?

Text

1. How do you think Noach might have felt as he watched the floodwaters rise?
2. What are some of the challenges Noach was going to face after the flood was over?
3. After the flood, Noach planted a vineyard and got drunk. Can you explain that?

Quotes

1. “גם נצח ישראל לא ישקר” (שמואל א ט”ו, כ”ט)
2. “בכל דוד ודור עומדים עלינו לכלותינו והקדוש ברוך הוא מצילנו מידם ” (מההגדה של פסח)
3. “Humor is one of the best ingredients of survival” (Aung San Suu Kyi).
4. “Survival is a privilege which entails obligations. I am forever asking myself what I can do for those who have not survived” (Simon Wiesenthal).
5. “Survival can be summed up in three words, never give up” (Bear Gryllis).

Theme 4—Vegetarianism-Pros and Cons

Discussion

1. Name some people you know who are vegetarians. What are their reasons?
2. Present 2 arguments in favor of vegetarianism and 2 arguments against
3. What are some of your favorite meat dishes and what are some of your favorite vegetarian dishes?

Text

1. What were we permitted to eat at the time of creation?
2. What were we permitted to eat after the flood? Why do you think there is a difference between the two time periods?
3. Based on the above, do you think the Torah is in favor of vegetarianism today?

Quotes

1. ִּֽ”אין שמחה אלא בבשר ואין שמחה אלא ביין” (רמב”ם הלכות שביתת יום טוב ו, י”ז-י”יח)
2. “If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian” (Linda or Paul McCartney).
3. “Animals are my friends. And I don’t eat my friends” (George Bernard Shaw).
4. “Don’t kid yourself, Jimmy. If a cow ever got the chance, he’d eat you and everyone you care about” (Troy Mcclure).
5. “I tell vegetarians, “Hey, vegetables are living things too. They’re just easier to catch” (Kevin Brennan).

Theme 5—Cities and Tall Buildings

Discussion

1. Would you prefer living in a city or a town? Why?
2. How do you feel about tall buildings?
3. What are the pros and cons of living in a city?
4. What is your favorite city in the world? Why?

Text

1. Read 11:1-9. What did the people build and why?
2. Why does God seem to disapprove of their actions?
3. What does this story teach about the Torah’s attitude toward cities and tall buildings?

Quotes

1. “עוד ישמע בערי יהודה ובחוצות ירושלים קול ששון וקול שמחה קול חתן וקול כלה” (מתוך שבע ברכות).
2. “The city is not a concrete jungle, it is ahuman zoo” (Desmond Morris).
3. “A city is not gauged by its length and width, but by the broadness of its vision and the height of its dreams” (Herb Caen).
4. “We built tall buildings but we have not become any taller” (Dejan Stojanovic).
5. “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us” (Winston Churchill).