Not in your house, not in your apartment… but in a floating zoo. That’s Noah’s story. And in Bereshit Rabbah 34, we get a glimpse into his heart as the floodwaters recede and the possibility of freedom dawns.
The verse opens simply: “God spoke to Noah, saying: ‘Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you’” (Genesis 8:15-16). Simple, right? But the Midrash, that beautiful, ancient method of interpreting scripture, asks: why the repetition? “God spoke to Noah, saying: Go out of the ark” – why say it twice?
The Midrash sees this redundancy as an opportunity to dive deeper, to hear Noah's inner voice. It interprets the first command – "Go out of the ark" – as a plea from Noah himself. A plea to be released.
Think about it. Noah wasn’t just sitting around waiting for instructions. He was a righteous man, a leader, a man responsible for the survival of… well, pretty much everything. The Midrash imagines Noah saying, in essence, "Release me from this confinement so that I can thank You! Through me, the righteous will give You glory when you show kindness to me!”
The text then cleverly connects Noah’s plea to Psalm 142:8: "Release me from confinement [masger] to thank Your name. The righteous, through me, will give glory [yakhtiru] when You perform kindness with me.” Masger, confinement. The Midrash sees this as a direct reference to Noah, imprisoned in the ark. After all, the Torah itself says, “The Lord shut it [vayisgor] for him” (Genesis 7:16). Talk about locked down!
And the word yakhtiru, "will give glory," is related to keter, a crown. It's as if Noah is saying, "The righteous will crown You through me!” It’s a powerful image. Noah isn’t just asking for freedom; he’s offering to be an instrument of praise, a conduit for gratitude. He understands that his release will be a testament to God's kindness, an opportunity for humanity to recognize and celebrate the Divine.
It’s interesting to note that Noah is specifically mentioned in the Rosh Hashanah liturgy: “You also lovingly remembered Noah and granted him salvation and mercy.” His story resonates deeply with themes of remembrance, salvation, and divine grace that are central to the High Holy Days.
The Midrash concludes by emphasizing the kindness God showed to Noah: “When You perform kindness with me – You performed kindness with me and said to me: 'Go out of the ark.'” It’s a beautiful, circular way of looking at the story. Noah asks for release, promising gratitude. God grants the release, demonstrating kindness. And the cycle of praise and blessing continues.
So, what can we take away from this? Perhaps it’s a reminder that even in our own moments of confinement – physical, emotional, or spiritual – we can find strength in expressing gratitude and offering ourselves as instruments of praise. Maybe, like Noah, our release isn't just about escaping the ark, but about embracing the opportunity to give glory and recognize the kindness in our lives.