Sounds… intense, right? That’s what Noah faced. But what happened after the floodwaters receded? You might think it was all sunshine and rainbows, but the story, as the Legends of the Jews recounts, is a little more complicated.
Even after the year of punishment was over, Noah didn’t just throw open the ark doors and say, "Alright, everyone out!" No, he waited. Why? Because, as Ginzberg tells us, "As I entered the ark at the bidding of God, so I will leave it only at His bidding." He wasn't about to make a move without divine instruction.
But here's where it gets interesting. When God did tell Noah to leave the ark, Noah hesitated. He refused! Can you imagine? After all that, he was reluctant to step back onto dry land. The reason? He feared God might send another flood after he and his family had repopulated the earth. He wouldn't budge until God swore – swore! – that He would never again destroy the world with a flood.
Talk about survivor's guilt! When Noah finally emerged, he was overcome with grief at the devastation. He wept bitterly, questioning God: "O Lord of the world! Thou art called the Merciful, and Thou shouldst have had mercy upon Thy creatures." It's a very human reaction, right? To see such destruction and to question the divine plan.
But God, in turn, rebuked Noah. He reminded Noah that He had warned him about the impending flood, giving him the opportunity to plead for humanity. But, as God says, Noah was too busy building his ark to worry about anyone else. Ouch. It's a harsh lesson about responsibility and the importance of interceding on behalf of others.
Noah, realizing his mistake, sought to atone for his inaction. He offered a sacrifice to God. Interestingly, Noah didn't perform the priestly duties himself; his son Shem did. Why? Well, legend has it that Noah had been injured by a lion in the ark – a hungry lion he’d forgotten to feed! This left him with a physical defect, disqualifying him from performing priestly duties. The sacrifices included various animals – an ox, a sheep, a goat, turtle doves, and pigeons. These were likely chosen, the text suggests, because Noah believed they were designated for sacrifice, as God had instructed him to bring seven pairs of them into the ark.
The altar, we are told, was erected on the very spot where Adam, Cain, and Abel had offered their sacrifices, and where the altar in the Jerusalem Temple would later stand. Talk about a place steeped in history!
After the sacrifice, God blessed Noah and his sons, granting them dominion over the world, just as He had done with Adam. He commanded them to be fruitful and multiply. The text notes that during their time in the ark, humans and animals had practiced abstinence, as "while a public calamity rages continence is becoming even to those who are left unscathed." However, Ham, along with a dog and a raven, broke this rule and were punished. Ham’s punishment, according to this tradition, was that his descendants would have dark skin.
As a sign of His promise never to flood the earth again, God set His bow in the cloud – the rainbow. Even when humanity sins, the rainbow serves as a reminder that their sins won't bring about another deluge. The text adds a fascinating detail: when people were particularly righteous, the rainbow wouldn't even appear, because there was no need for a reminder of God's promise.
God then granted Noah and his descendants permission to eat meat, something that had been forbidden since the time of Adam. However, they were forbidden from consuming blood. God also established the seven Noachian Laws, a set of moral principles binding on all of humanity, not just the Jewish people.
One of the most important of these laws was the prohibition against murder. "Whoso would shed man's blood, his blood would be shed," God declared. Even if human courts failed to punish a murderer, divine justice would prevail. And even animals that killed humans would be held accountable.
So, what does this all mean? The story of Noah's exit from the ark is more than just a tale of survival. It's a story about responsibility, atonement, and the establishment of a new moral order for humanity. It reminds us that even after the worst of times, there is always the possibility of renewal, and that with renewal comes the responsibility to build a better world. A world, perhaps, where we don't need rainbows quite so often.