A couple of weeks ago I had opportunity to attend the Bat Mitzvah of a friend’s daughter. The event was held on Shabbat/Shemini Atzeret at a local Reform Synagogue. Part of the Shabbat worship/Bat Mitzvah ceremony included the calling forth of pre-selected individuals to open and close the doors of the Aron (ark) where the Torah scrolls are housed. I was one of the individuals selected by the family to have the honor of opening the doors of the Aron prior to the Torah service. As I stood on the platform in front of the Aron and gently opened the left-sided door (as another woman opened the right-sided door) before me stood the most ornate and impressive Torah scrolls I had ever seen.
Two larger scrolls housed inside the Aron were ornately dressed in bejeweled mantels with the Etz-Chayim adorned in large silver plated filigree crowns. A third Sefer Torah was smaller in size and a bit plainer in appearance but still lovely to look at. The rabbi selected the smaller/plainer scroll for the Bat Mitzvah girl to carry throughout the sanctuary and to read from.
Later, during the reception that followed, I commented to the girl’s father regarding the impressive appearance of the community Torah scrolls. The father explained that it was best for his daughter to carry the smaller/plainer scroll due to her petite size and frame. Being ethnically Asian (adopted by the family) the Bat Mitzvah girl was less than 5 feet tall and certainly weighed under 100 lbs. In this way she would not be overburdened in carrying the Torah for as her father commented; “the larger Sefer Torah might be nicer to look at but the smaller Sefer Torah is lighter to carry”.
I later thought about the truth of this statement regarding my own situation. I have, for the last three years, worshipped with a small Torah community that follows a triennial cycle of weekly Torah readings. We study the Torah in lighter portions that are “easier to carry” and not overburdening, so to speak. This past Simchat Torah we completed our three year triennial rotation and rolled the scroll back to Genesis 1. For the next three years we will again follow a system of triennial readings, although it will be different from our previous schedule.
Previously we worked our way through the Torah from Genesis-Deuteronomy chapter by chapter in sections that took three years to complete. This time we have decided to adopt a triennial schedule, used in Conservative synagogues in the US, in which 1/3 of each weekly parashah (based on the yearly cycle) is read and studied. Because we are adopting this system in the third year of its rotation, each week we will consider the concluding 1/3 of the weekly parashah.
This past week the Torah portion from parashah B’reisheet was Genesis 5:1-6:8. In reading through the verses I immediately became disheartened. This portion of scripture begins with the genealogy of mankind through the godly line of Adam to Noah and ends with a few short verses about mankind’s depravity and HaShem’s plan to destroy all people and creatures with the exception of Noah. Not only was this portion “light” and “manageable” it seemed almost “too skimpy” compared to the vast richness and depth of Genesis 1-4 that precedes it.
Yet, in the midst of this portion the concepts of rest from burden and easing of toil regarding Torah were once again presented to me.
And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed. (Genesis 5:28-29 KJV)
Noah’s name contains the same Hebrew root (nun-chet נח) as the word nuach (נוּח) which means “rest”. Numerous conjectures are given regarding the concept of rest ascribed to Noah. According to Zohar (Bereshit, Section 1) when G-d cursed the earth after Adam sinned, Adam questioned how long the earth would be subject to the curse. G-d told Adam that the curse would remain until a descendent of his would be born circumcised. Lamech’s son was born circumcised and therefore he named his son “rest” (Noah) with the understanding that through him the curse upon the earth would be eased and mankind would find rest. As an adult, Noah invented farming tools which aided man greatly regarding the work and toil of tilling the ground.
Along the same lines Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer presents the tradition that the curse on the earth brought upon Adam would be in effect only during his lifetime. Noah, being the first descendent of the godly line to be born after Adam’s death was named “rest” with the anticipation that the curse of the ground would begin to abate at the time of his birth. Another midrash explains that until the time of Noah the earth would produce only thorns and thistles when wheat was planted, after Adam had died and Noah was born, the curse began to lighten as the ground would produce wheat along with weeds of thorns and thistles. [1]
Yet, the sages take note of the fact that Noah’s name does not correspond to its interpretation as given in Genesis 5:29. Although Noah’s name means “rest” (nuach) the name is interpreted as bringing “comfort” (y’nachamenu) to mankind regarding the curse of the ground. Although rest (nuach) and comfort (nacham) sound similar in Hebrew the actual meanings of the two words are different as are the root words they are based upon. Noah is based upon the root nun-chet (נח) while nacham (comfort) is based upon the root nun-chet-mem (נחם).
Genesis Rabbah 25:2 explains that “the name does not correspond to the interpretation and the interpretation does not correspond to the name” regarding Genesis 5:29. In order to read the text without discrepancy it should state “he called his name Noach” (rest) for “this one shall give us rest (yanichenu) ,or, “he called his name “nacham” (comfort) for he shall give us comfort (y’nachamenu). But in the literal Hebrew Lamech names his son “rest” (Noah) because he will give mankind “comfort” (y’nachamenu). In order to reconcile this discrepancy some English translations, including the Stone Chumash, translate y’nachamenu as “rest” instead of the more literal “comfort”. In this way Genesis 5:29 then reads; “And he called his name Noah, saying, “this one will bring rest . . .” This translation reflects Rashi’s rendered of the verse based on the understanding that rest and comfort are very closely related concepts. Another midrash, found in the Sefer HaYasar attempts to reconcile this discrepancy by explaining that “in general” Lamech’s son was referred to as “Noah” but the birth name given to him was actually Menachem (the comforter). [2]
Interestingly, nacham (nun-chet-mem) is found two additional times in the ending section of this parashah (chapter 6) both related to G-d’s decision to bring the flood upon the earth. In Genesis 6:6; “And HaShem reconsidered (vayinachem) having made man on earth and he had heartfelt sadness”. And in Genesis 6:7; “for I have reconsidered (nicham’ti) having made them.” In relation to HaShem in this scenario nacham is understood as reconsideration rather than comfort.
According to Rashi, at this point in human history G-d turned from dealing with mankind from a perspective of Divine Mercy and instead began to deal with mankind from a perspective of Divine Justice. In this way, nacham (comfort) in a broad/general sense encompasses the idea of re-evaluating a situation. G-d re-evaluated the situation of man upon the earth and reconsidered what to do with mankind as a whole. Nacham in its most primary understanding speaks of a new orientation, of viewing things differently than before. [3]
Some of the commentators understand that when Noah brought rest (through the invention of farming tools and/or the abating of the curse upon the ground with the death of Adam) it provided mankind with freedom and leisure that had not been previously known. This leisure lead to the activities described in Genesis 6; in which the “sons of the rulers saw that the daughters of man were good and they took themselves wives from whomever they chose”. “Sons of the rulers” is the Hebrew B’ney-HaElohim which literally means “sons of G-d”. Because judges in Torah are referred to as elohim this phrase could be understood as speaking of the sons of rulers and princes who forcefully subjected women of the general populace to be taken as wives. Yet, many commentators understand B’ney-HaElohim to be referring to the godly descendents of Seth while the “daughters of man” (implying a less spiritual position) refer to the descendents of Cain. [4]
With more free-time and leisure on their hands, the men of the godly line began to notice the beauty and desirability of women in the general populace and to socially interact with them in a way in which marriages resulted. The men of godly descent could take whomever they desired as a wife from among the ungodly line of Cain for such women were not spiritually selective regarding the mates they would have. Ultimately the spiritual depravity of mankind resulted to the point that “every product of the thoughts of his heart was but evil always”.
In this way Noah (rest) brought “comfort” (y’nachamenu) in the sense that mankind’s perspective of his earthly situation was re-evaluated and reconsidered. Instead of viewing life as horrible and never-ending fruitless toil, with Noah came rest regarding the curse of the ground that provided comfort and leisure leading to a reorientation of life in general and marriage in particular. This reorientation toward wickedness caused G-d to respond by reconsidering and re-evaluating His interactions with mankind.
The extent of this reorientation is also seen in the genealogy of Noah. Of the generations listed in Genesis 5, Noah begat children at a much older age, hundreds of years beyond those of the previous generations (not until he was 500 years old). Various midrashim explain why this is so. One tradition is that Noah refused to marry believing that his offspring would perish in the flood. HaShem however ordered him to take a wife and produce children that the world could be repopulated after the flood. Another tradition has it that HaShem caused Noah to be impotent until age 500 (100 years prior to the flood). In this way, Noah’s sons would be “young adults” when the flood arrived, mature enough to withstand the rigors of living upon the ark and yet young enough to avoid being tainted by the evil society in which they lived. Whatever the case, Noah’s advanced age in fathering children hints at the fact that he had re-evaluated his own existence and had reoriented his thinking regarding marriage and fatherhood in a way that was much different than the generations prior to him.
Interestingly, the sages (Sanhedrin 98b) understand one of the names of Messiah to be Menachem (the comforter) based on Lamentations 1:16. This presents something of a connection between Messiah and Noah. Although Noah’s name is not literally “comforter” the “rest” his name represents is closely connected to the concept of comfort for all mankind which is related to a change in perspective.
In Matthew 11:28-30 Yeshua speaks of rest that he will give to those who are labored and heavy laden. Ironically, this passage which focuses on rest for one’s soul and a yoke that is easy and light is one that has caused much burden and toil among scholars and commentators regarding its intended meaning. Generally, the labor and heavy burden that Yeshua refers to is understood as the rulings of the rabbis, scribes, and Pharisees, also known as the Oral Law. The term “yoke” as used in the Talmud often describes the whole Torah (written and Oral Law altogether). With this in mind, Yeshua’s lighter yoke is understood to be his teaching and perspective on the written Torah which is light and easy as compared to rabbinic standards which include burdensome halachah and numerous fences.
David Bivin (New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus) disagrees with the popular understanding of Yeshua’s yoke as the written Torah unencumbered by oral tradition. For Yeshua taught his disciples that the Pharisees sit in Moses seat (have authority to determine halachah) and that their rulings should be heeded (cf. Matthew 23:2-3). Drawing heavily on the use of “yoke” in the apocryphal text of Ben Sira (chapters 6 and 51), Bivin understands Yeshua’s “yoke” to be an invitation for prospective disciples to join his “traveling school” and to take on advanced and serious Torah study (yoke) which is burdensome and difficult. Although such intense study presents a very real burden, Yeshua assures that his “yoke is easy” for studying Torah with him will be “so exhilarating that you won’t even notice the yoke’s weight”. [5]
Bivin considers Matthew 11:28-30 to be a “context-less saying” based on its sole occurrence in Matthew’s gospel and variation in the setting of preceding passages (including woes to the cities of Galilee and Yeshua’s thanksgiving to the Father) as compared to Luke’s gospel. [6] However, based on the arrangement of Matthew’s account, Bivin’s conjecture regarding Yeshua’s yoke as being an invitation to intense study makes some sense.
Matthew 11 begins with the account of John the Baptist sending two of his disciples to Yeshua to question if he is The Coming One (expected Messiah). Yeshua’s reply includes quotations from Isaiah 35 and 61, as well as the admonition that “blessed in he who is not offended because of me”. The Greek word translated “offended”, in 11:6, is skandalizo (σκανδαλίζω) which figuratively can mean to “stumble” or “trip-up”. Yeshua is warning his audience that understanding his role as Messiah is something that is not easy to grasp and could cause one to stumble. Naturally then he might invite the disciples of John and others to join his traveling school and take on the burden of learning of him, a burden that would prove to be light, easy and exhilarating in the end.
But one detail that Bivin’s conjectures do not answer is why Yeshua’s audience is burdened and heavy laden to begin with. What is it that is causing this burden? Why exactly are they heavy laden? Perhaps it could be suggested, based on the early content of Matthew 11, that the burden and heaviness is due to a lack of clarity regarding Yeshua’s role and purpose, which was the basis of John the Baptist’s question to him regarding “the Coming One”. Yet, Yeshua’s words are recorded in the immediate framework and theme of woes that he pronounces on the impenitent cities of Galilee which had witnessed his mighty works firsthand. The judgment upon these cities (Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum) will be so severe on the Day of Judgment that the judgment upon Sodom will seem light in comparison.
The cities in which Yeshua had been most active would see the most severe judgment. Undoubtedly many listening as such woes were pronounced had been following Yeshua from town to town, learning from him, and seeking out his miracles. Yet, as the gospels attest, many were undecided about him. Much like the inhabitants of the cities of Galilee the crowds following Yeshua had witnessed his mighty works firsthand. Would such severe judgment come upon them also? Such doubts and questions about HaShem’s severe and unrelenting judgment would certainly make one feel burdened and heavy laden.
Perhaps it is to such burdened individuals that Yeshua is speaking in Matthew 11:28-30, to those who were struck by the woes pronounced upon the Galilean cities and who felt heavy personal responsibility and doubt regarding G-d’s judgment upon them. Perhaps it is to these that Yeshua encourages “come to me” (or “follow at my side”, even more closely than before), in order to find rest. The Greek word in v. 28 translated “rest” is anapauo (ἀναπαύω) which is used in the LXX to translate both nuach (rest) and nacham (comfort). In v. 29 Yeshua again speaks of “rest”; for those who take his yoke upon them will “find rest for your souls”. The Greek word for “rest” in this verse is anapausis (ἀνάπαυσις) which is used in the LXX to translate nuach (rest).
Like Noah, Yeshua offers rest (nuach) to mankind that is closely associated with and related to comfort (nacham). Noah brought mankind “rest” (nuach) from the physical and burdensome rigors of the cursed ground that resulted in nacham (comfort and leisure) that led to a re-evaluation of life and a new orientation regarding the physical union of man and woman in marriage. In the same way, Yeshua offers “rest” (anapausis/nuach) on a spiritual level, rest for the soul regarding G-d’s severe judgment leading to destruction. As Menachem (the comforter) predicted in Lamentations 11:16, Yeshua gives comfort (anapauo/nacham) to those who closely follow him, and learn of him, through a re-evaluation of life and a new orientation regarding the spiritual reality of judgment ahead and the World to Come.
. . . . . . . .
Being instructed to remain on the platform, standing to the left-side of the Aron, I watched as the Bat Mitzvah girl joyfully brought the Sefer Torah around to the congregation in attendance that day. As she made her way back to the platform she eventually brought the Torah to me. In a helpful and humorous manner the rabbi whispered that I should go ahead and touch the Torah Scroll adding, “don’t worry; you won’t be struck by lightning”.
Little did he realize that each erev Shabbat I touch a Sefer Torah, one that is much smaller and much plainer than the one the Bat Mitzvah girl carried that day. The community I attend, with a tight and limited budget, owns what is considered a “practice” Torah scroll designed for a pre-bar/bat mitzvah boy or girl. It stands roughly 2 feet in height and is adorned with a simple royal blue embroidered mantel. There are no decorative crowns upon its plain wood etz-chayim and its simple metal breastplate is not encrusted with jewels. It is plain and simple, non-burdensome and light. But upon its non-kosher paper are contained words that are full and rich with meaning even in sections that on the surface seem to be “manageable” or even “mundane”.
Actually, I might have hoped that lighting would have manifested as I touched the Sefer Torah at the Reform synagogue where my friend’s daughter’s Bat Mitzvah took place on Shemini Atzeret. For such a sign may have provided a burden of proof . . .that the unsuspected goy on the platform is part of the covenant too : )
[1] Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer as cited in Rabbi Nosson Scherman, The Stone Edition Chumash, Mesorah Publications, Brooklyn, New York, p. 27.
[2] Jewish Encyclopedia entry, Noah, available at: http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=318&letter=N&search=noah
[3] The Westwood Kehilla, Reflections Vaeschanan 5767: Comfort at Last, available at: http://sites.kehilla.org/homepage/parsha-reflections-1/reflections-vaeschanan-5767-comfort-at-last
[4] Rabbi Nosson Scherman, The Stone Edition Chumash, Mesorah Publications, Brooklyn, New York, p. 27.
[5] David Bivin, New Light on the Difficult Words of Jesus, En-Gedi Resource Center, Holland, Michigan, p. 25.
[6] David Bivin, Jesus’ Yoke and Burden, available at: http://www.jerusalemperspective.com/Default.aspx?tabid=27&ArticleID=1872
