The Rainbow Blessing and God's Enduring Covenant Love

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Noach 7:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"Then God remembered Noah" (Genesis 8:1). [Let our master teach us: One who has seen the bow in the cloud, what must he bless? Thus] our masters taught: One who sees the bow in the cloud must recite a blessing. What does he bless? "Blessed is the One who remembers the covenant, and is trustworthy in His covenant, and upholds His word." This, then, is from the Mishnah. From where in the Torah is it derived? Scripture teaches, saying: "I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of a covenant" (Genesis 9:13). The deed of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like the deed of flesh and blood. How so? With flesh and blood, all the days that the one he loves is alive, the love is in its place; but if he dies, the love is annulled. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, is not so. Abraham died, yet His love endured for Isaac his son, as it is said: "And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son" (Genesis 25:11).

Themes

CovenantLoveNoahWorshipBlessing

Biblical References

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