Parashat Noach

The story of Noach and his taking the animals 'two-by-two' into the Ark is among the best known of the stories in the Torah and certainly warrants a closer reading than the simple one of a single family selected for survival from among the evil generation on earth which is wiped out by a flood.  

Noah is described as 'righteous' and 'unblemished' - but with a rider: 'in his generation'.  

Scholars argue whether this is a limitation on the extent of his goodness or an extension of it. If someone is good when his surroundings are evil, perhaps it is to his credit, even if his 'goodness' would not be notable in more wholesome environments. 

After the flood, Noah performs the simple act of offering a sacrifice in gratitude for his survival. The text says that this offering had a 'sweet savour' and on its basis G'd resolved never to curse the earth again. (Interestingly, this is a reference not to the flood but to the curse pronounced on Adam.) G'd acknowledges that humans are flawed and that they are likely to go astray but He also notes their simple virtues. Noah's gratitude was endearing. In the following verses, Noah gets drunk and is indecently exposed.  

In the ensuing generations we hear of the birth of Nimrod, an evil character, and then of the building of the Tower of Babel, another sinful act. Human behaviour does not warrant our ability to thrive on this precious earth. However, the sevenfold covenant which G'd utters in response to Noah's simple goodness protects these generations from devastating punishments. 

The earth is populated.

Human society progresses, with all its flaws.