With the recent observance of Shavuot (a two day festival in the diaspora that recalls and celebrates the giving of the Torah to Moses and the Jews at Mt Sinai in 1313 BCE, 2448 years since creation on the 6 Sivan) the Festival of the time of the giving of our Torah, parsha Noach has lingered.
Normally, a pilgrimage festival to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem; however, sadly, due to our sins, the Temple has been destroyed and now we compensate by using our lips in praise and song. So on this festival of the giving our Torah, we increase Torah study, read Megillah Ruth and have many dairy dishes.
Re-reading parsha Noach, for which several life and societal lessons can be gleaned, two highlights have been appearing to me in reflection. Firstly, the uncovering of Noah’s nakedness by Ham (whose lineage is not only to be the Canaanites but also the Egyptians to make a few), while his other two son’s, Seth and Japheth took the added measures of walking backward and raising a cloth thus to conceal their father’s nakedness.
Rabbis, great sages, scholars, learned laymen and novice have heard and explored its meaning for millennia. On the surface, it sheds a light on shame and it’s proliferation; how it can be handled by the individual (and when the individual is unable) and those around them! it teaches …
(photo credit: Matsada, Eretz Israel, 2016; Curtis, C.)