Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 29 Tishri, 5784
Parsha Bereshit: (Genesis 1:1 – 6:18) 
Seventh Portion: Genesis 5:25 – 6:18

Shabbat Shalom!

To summarize our takeaways so far this week – this is what I’ve written:

• The Path of Ascension begins with curiosity and not judgement
  • The Path of Imprisonment begins with judgment and not curiosity
• If someone’s curiosity causes doubt and defensiveness, be curious about our own doubt and defensiveness and NOT their motives for curiosity.
  • Curiosity with the intent to manipulate and sow seeds of doubt is problematic for THEM – but doubt and defensiveness is a problem for US.
• The tree of life is within us. Choose life within with curiosity and not judgment
  • The tree of knowledge of good and evil pushes us externally. Judgement is always outward to avoid the judgment within

Yesterday, we left off with Enoch – who “walked with God” after having his son Methusaleh.  Let’s dig into our portion:

We immediately jump BACK into the pattern of the men before Enoch.

• Methusaleh fathered Lamech. He also fathered sons and daughters. He died.

And then the pattern breaks again.

• Lamech fathered a son. He named him Noah. AND, the Torah explains WHY he was named Noah (From Genesis 5:29):

29And he named him Noah, saying, “This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands from the ground, which the Lord has cursed.”

So this connects us back to Adam and Chavah, doesn’t it?  So let’s do a quick count.  Since Adam:

1. Seth
2. Enosh
3. Kenan
4. Mahalalel
5. Jared
6. Enoch (Breaking the pattern)
7. Methusaleh
8. Lamech (Breaking the pattern)

Now. Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared all died. 5 men.

Enoch did NOT die.  He was “taken by God.”

Methusaleh died. 6^th man.

Lamech was the seventh man. From Adam.  7 generations. 7 is connected to the Sabbath, is it not?  And what did Lamech create? Noah. For the purpose of rest.  There is something BEAUTIFUL about that, isn’t there?

Noah was born with the purpose of rest. And we read this on the day of rest.  The Sabbath.

And we dig into Noah’s life and the life around him.  And I think some of this will sound familiar to us.  To summarize Chapter 6:1-18

• Daughters were born to men
• “Sons of nobles” saw the “daughters of men” were beautifying themselves and took wives from whomever they chose.
• Basically, we get introduced to the Nephilim – angels. Who were on the earth back then.
• The sons of nobles would come to the daughter of man and they would bear children.
• The children between sons of nobles and daughters of man were the mighty men. The men of renown.
• Hashem saw the evil of man was great in the earth.
• Hashem planned to wipe them out. Hashem was going to “begin again.”
• Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Now let’s stop.  I have some questions here.

• Who are the “sons of nobles?” Are they the same as the Nephilim?
• What about the “daughters of nobles?”
• What about the “sons of men?”

Without digging too deep right now. It would seem that nobility had to do with power.  Because we read: Genesis 6:2: “That the sons of the nobles saw the daughters of man when they were beautifying themselves, and they took for themselves wives from whomever they chose.”

The “sons of nobles” seem to have power.  They had choice. Nobility is connected to power and choice at least it would seem.  And Hashem seems to be a little concerned about this.

Genesis 6:3: “And the Lord said, “Let My spirit not quarrel forever concerning man, because he is also flesh, and his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.”

So – Hashem understood that man was flesh.  He was not just a soul – there was a body around, and there were animal instincts.  And – it was still concerning.

But I digress a bit.  There has been a LOT of thought put into this by people wiser than I.  I want to share three explanations here – taken from this article.

1. Angels taking a risk: The idea is the angels warned Hashem what would happen if He created men on earth. That they would become corrupt.  The angels told Hashem, they could do a MUCH better job, and Hashem knew that wasn’t true.  Of course they went down, and were corrupted too.
   • This interpretation gives me great comfort to consider that if Angels were corrupted coming down here, we can be a little less “judgy” of each other when we stumble and fall. This is the condition of freedom.  And remember, freedom is curiosity and not judgment
2. Corrupt Authorities: This is a literal take on the passage. That those who had risen to prominence among humanity became corrupt.
3. Fallen Humans: This is the idea that there were “spiritually great” humans living among humanity. They were spiritually higher than other humans – ascended masters, so to speak. They fell from their spiritual heights and became corrupted.
   • This interpretation challenges me to continue to push myself towards growth and development spiritually, and not “coast” on my past experienced.

So – all of this to say. This weeks takeaways seem to be:

• The Path of Ascension begins with curiosity and not judgement
• If someone’s curiosity causes doubt and defensiveness, be curious about our own doubt and defensiveness and NOT their motives for curiosity.
• The tree of life is within us. Choose life within with curiosity and not judgment
• Learn to balance the comfort of stumbling, with the challenge of pushing ourselves towards spiritual growth.

I am curious as to your thoughts on this!  Shabbat Shalom!

Here are my thoughts from the last two years:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 27 Tishri, 5783

Shabbat Shalom! Below is where we were at a year ago!

Todays portion begins with Methuselah – who was Enoch’s son. We know Enoch’s unique gifting was following God.

Methuselah fathered Lamech. Who was the father of Noah.

And that becomes the focal point of the story.

It’s interesting this week; we were just about to enter the promised land of freedom and liberation. We celebrated Simchat Torah and then started over. And in this weeks portion, we covered the creation of the universe, the birth of Adam and Eve; the fall; Cain and Abel, then a bloodline to Noah, with a pit stop to talk about Enoch.

I’m really chewing on this. It’s almost chaotic in a sense. The pacing of the Torah lately (as we came to an end) was REALLY slow. Almost methodical. Now it’s fast – like a sprint.

I wonder if that’s how freedom and liberation feels? Given the birth of six children; I can remember the pacing of the pregnancy – it felt sooooo slow. But then boom a kid is born and it turns into a sprint!

Our spiritual lives are likely the same way. Things feel very slow and methodical – can’t we just get to where we are going? Then BOOM. We are in spiritual speed! Insights are coming left and right! Things get unstuck. Growth happens.

That’s my take away this morning. If you are in the slow pace of growth, take time to appreciate it. If you are going fast; almost chaos? Appreciate it. We are all exactly where we need to be today!

Shabbat Shalom!

Enjoy your sabbath!

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 26 Tishrei, 5782

Parsha Bereshit

It is Shabbat a day of rest. Today’s portion of the Torah is about the state of humanity leading up to the flood.

The portion today discusses the corruption of humanity; how much we have gone astray as a people. But ends with hope; “But Noah found favor in the eyes of Hashem.”

Rabbi Isaac Meir Alter of Gur (19th century) writes this:

“We all have at least one spark within us through which we will find favor in God’s eyes. That spark is the secret of humanity’s continued existence”

I had never considered the story of Noah as internal to me. I am challenged to think about how internally I see myself as corrupt. I often have self doubts, don’t do what I think I should. Yet, there exists in each of us that spark. That Noah inside that finds favor with Hashem.

How often do we get in our way and wring our hands in anxiety because of the corruption internal to us. I know if y’all could see the inner workings of my brain and the thoughts I had every moment of every day, I would die of shame. In talking with others, it seems I am not alone.

Why would we want to approach Hashem (if you believe in a creator) if we believe he will reject and wipe us all out? And yet he doesn’t. He sees the spark of good. How often do we ignore that spark? How often do we tell ourselves we are corrupt, and wear that identity, ignoring the spark that finds favor?

Just something to chew on today – I hope you are all getting rest today – the day designed by God for that purpose.

Please feel free to leave your thoughts. I’m open to engaging (even critically) around these ideas!