We Should Take A Lesson From Avraham

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In this week's parsha, Noach, we are told of two generations, the generation of the flood (Dor Hamabul), in the time of Noach, and the generation of the dispersion (Dor Haflaga), in the time of Avraham, their sins and their punishment. 

The Mishnah in Pirkei Avos says, "There were ten generations from Noach to Avraham, to let us know how much patience (Hashem) has, because every generation was continuously angering (to Hashem), until Avraham came and received all their merit." 

If those ten generations were angering to Hashem, what merit did they have for Avraham to receive? 

Also, earlier in the same Mishnah it says, "There were ten generations from Adam until Noach, to let us know how much patience (Hashem) has, because every generation was continuously angering (to Hashem), until He brought upon them the water of the flood." 

Here it doesn't say that Noach received their merit, and it makes sense, because, what merit did they have? But if they did, why wouldn't Noach receive it? And when you contrast the beginning of the Mishnah with the end, Avraham received the merit, while Noach didn't. What was the difference between Avraham and Noach, that Avraham received it, yet Noach didn't? 

To understand this, we first have to understand the difference between the generation of the flood, which included and was the culmination of the ten generations from Adam until Noach, whose punishment was to be obliterated by the flood. and the generation of the dispersion, which included and was the culmination of the ten generations from Noach to Avraham, whose punishment was to be dispersed. 

When looking at their punishments, we see that they are opposites. When it comes to the punishment in this world, the generation of the flood had it worse, they were completely obliterated from the earth, while the generation of the dispersion were merely spread all over the world. On the other hand, when it comes to their punishment in the world to come, the generation of the dispersion has it worse, everyone agrees that they have no portion in the world to come, but with regards to the generation of the flood, there are differing opinions, the Mishnah and one opinion in the Zohar say, that they have no portion in the world to come, however there is another opinion in the Zohar that says, that they do have a portion in the world to come. Why are the punishments so different, they are diametric opposites? 

The punishment has to match the sin. By understanding the sin of the two generations, we will understand why they received the subsequent punishment. 

What was the sin of the generation of the dispersion? Our sages say, "They stretched out their hand against Hashem to have war with Him." Their whole mission in life, was that they shouldn't be dispersed. They said, "let's make for ourselves a name," meaning, that they should exist forever, so they started to build a city and a tower. The purpose of the city is that they should be together. A tower has two purposes, first, that even from the distance it can be seen as a city. Second, that on top of the tower there would be watchmen, to spot an enemy that wants to enter the city. 

So what was their great sin? The problem is that they made this goal their whole life, the purpose of their existence. But they didn't have a higher value, a spiritual reason for their existence, they totally cut G-d out of their lives, and focused only on their physical goal, to make for themselves a name. The problem with only having a physical goal, is that when something is threatening the goal, they will do anything to protect it, even if it means to stoop to a new low, doing things that are horrible, terrible and even unimaginable, irrespective of who gets hurt or what the fallout of their actions is. And for what? Just that they should be remembered in history. However, if they were to have a higher value, a spiritual reason, if their focus was on Hashem, they would not do anything that He doesn't want. 

You would think, that the people who were the survivors of the great flood, would see to it that it wouldn't be repeated. That they would evaluate the situation and the reason that the flood happened, the corruption, the robbery and the lawlessness, and they would realize the importance of having Hashem in their lives. But instead, they cut Hashem totally out of their lives, and focused on a physical shallow goal.  

The one saving grace that they had, was that they were united with love and friendship, as it says, "They were of one language and a singular cause." 

Since their sin was against Hashem, they couldn't have a portion in the world to come. However, since their sin wasn't against each other, there was love and friendship and there was no breakdown of society, there was no reason to obliterate them, so they were dispersed all over the world. In other words, since their sin wasn't in the physical, there was no reason to destroy them in the physical world. 

On the other hand, the generation of the flood's sin was not against Hashem, it was between man and his fellow. There was robbery, corruption and a complete breakdown of society. It couldn't continue on that way. Since their sin was between man and his fellow, in this world, they were obliterated, and since their sin wasn't against Hashem, there is an opinion that they do have a portion in the world to come. 

Of course, the actions that are between a person and Hashem also affect the physical world, because the whole purpose of creation is to fulfill Hashem's will. And the actions that are between a person and his fellow also effect above, because they are mitzvahs of Hashem. Nevertheless, what is between man and his fellow, primarily affects this world, and what is between man and Hashem, primarily affects the world to come. 

Now we will understand what merit the generation of the dispersion had. Since they were loving to each other and there was friendship, there was a lot of good being done, so there was a lot of merit. However, since they were in a battle against Hashem, they couldn't receive that merit. On the other hand, the generation of the flood had no merit to begin with. 

And now we will understand why Avraham received the merit while Noach did not. Avraham's work in this world, was to bring people closer to Hashem, through love and kindness. In doing so, all the merit that was being built up, was now released to him. 

This is similar to when a person who is not following in Hashem's ways, does good. Unfortunately he can't enjoy it, and because his merit is in the world, the negative forces get nourishment from them. However, when he does teshuva, all his merit is released from the negative forces and given to him. 

Why was it given to Avraham? Because he worked to bring the people closer to Hashem. On the other hand, Noach didn't work to bring the people closer to Hashem, therefore, even if there was some merit, he wouldn't have received it. 

What possible merit did the generation of the flood have, that Noach didn't receive? According to the opinion that they do have a portion in the world to come, it is because they did teshuva when the flood waters began to rise, and that is the merit they had. 

Another reason that the generation of the flood had a worse punishment in this world. Is because, when someone does something against his fellow, he is not forgiven until he corrects the wrong and/or asks for forgiveness from the one who he sinned against, and that person forgives him. And being that the generation of the flood didn't obtain forgiveness from the ones that they hurt, they were punished.

You may ask: According to the second opinion in the Zohar, the generation of the flood did teshuva when the flood began, Hashem forgave them and they receive a portion in the world to come. How can Hashem forgive them for sins against people, if they didn't ask them for forgiveness?

There are two things parts to a sin against a fellow. First is the fact that he hurt his fellow, and for that he has to ask him or her for forgiveness personally. Second, when one sins against a fellow, he is also sinning against Hashem. And for the part that is against Hashem, He could forgive him.

So if he tries to obtain forgiveness from the one he hurt and he really means it, and although he tried several times, he won't forgive him. Or in a case, that when he realized that he has done wrong by his fellow, the fellow isn't anywhere that he can ask him for forgiveness, either because he passed away or he can't be found. Then if he asks with a true heart, Hashem will forgive him, but that is only in the spiritual realms, in the physical world it doesn't help.

So perhaps when the flood began, they finally saw the error of their ways, and asked for forgiveness with all of their hearts. It was impossible to find the people they wronged at that time, so Hashem forgave them. But being that in the physical world, they were not forgiven, they were still punished.

The lesson here is, that it is not enough to be righteous for yourself, but it is important to be like our forefather Avraham, and bring our Jewish brothers and sisters closer to Hashem, with love and kindness. And if we do, we will reveal the good that is waiting to be released into the world. And we, together with the ones we bring closer to Hashem, will be able to finish the work of our ancestors, which is also waiting to be completed. Only we, the last generation, can complete what they started, and when we do, we will merit to see the coming of Moshiach. May he come soon.