Wednesday, October 30, 2024

The Noah candidate #parashatnoah#devartorah#parashathashavua

According to an African fable, four fingers and a thumb lived together on a hand. They were inseparable friends. One day, they noticed a gold ring lying next to them and conspired to take it. The thumb said it would be wrong to steal the ring, but the four fingers called him a self-righteous coward and refused to be his friend. That was just fine with the thumb; he wanted nothing to do with their mischief. This is why, the legend goes, the thumb still stands separate from the other fingers.

This tale reminds me that at times we may feel we’re standing alone when wrongdoing surrounds us. At the end of last week’s Torah portion we learned that in Noah’s day, “ YHVH saw how great was human wickedness on earth—how every plan devised by the human mind was nothing but evil all the time.” (Gen. 6:5).  YHVH said to Noah, “I have decided to put an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with lawlessness because of them: I am about to destroy them with the earth.” (Gen. 6:13) God saved Noah because “Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked with God.—” (6:9)

Neither the  yetzer hara, the evil inclination, nor being swayed by bad friends, nor swept up by the crowd should veer us from the right path. We too should embody Noah’s qualities of being righteous, blameless, and walking with God. Like Noah we shall never truly be alone for God will be at our side encouraging us, helping us, and strengthening us to do what’s right.

I remember reading JFK’s book Profiles in Courage when I was a teenager.  The book is about the courage of elected leaders who face opposition from their electorates, political action committees, and popular opinion. The book features the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers by taking unpopular positions for the greater good.  November 5th is election day. We must vote for candidates who have Noah’s qualities and aren’t afraid to stand up for what is right and what’s best for our country no matter.

 

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