Parashat Noach: The Transformative Power of the Rainbow

Editor’s Note: Rabbi Address is on a well-deserved vacation. Our D’var Torah this week comes from Rabbinic Pastor Carl Viniar.

When my children were very young, we were watching The Wizard of Oz on TV. As you may remember, the opening scenes were in black and white (actually, sepia-toned). I said that when I was a boy, we watched the whole movie in black and white, because our tv was a black and white set. One of them asked, quite sincerely, “but could you see in color?”

I recall that conversation whenever we get to this Torah portion. I think about seeing colors and the impact of Noah seeing the rainbow. The rainbow was transformative.

Noah had just gone through a horrible time. All of his friends were dead. He had only his immediate family and a zoo.

The world before the flood was a war zone. Commentators say there was sexual lawlessness, rampant robbery, and the complete disregard for others. That world was now gone.

But for Noah it was the only world he had. He had to start over.

The rainbow was the sign from God that God would not destroy the world again. So, Noah knew he could deal with what God had done in the past and could move into the future without the worry of losing his world again.

His world could go from black and white to color. And he was 600 years old when the flood started.

Who are we to say we are too old to deal with what life throws at us?

Most of us, as we age, deal with difficult change at some point. We lose friends, family members and spouses. Maybe we are forced to move. Or our job ends. Each trauma causes a radical shift in our life, and we have to figure out what to do next.

The first thing Noah did when he had to deal with his radical change was get drunk. But he didn’t have the resources many of us have, like friends, religious community, a support network.

But like Noah, some people do not have those important resources. If you know someone who is out there without community, invite them to join yours. Become their resource, their community.

Noah stepped off that rocking boat and on to dry solid ground. I bet it didn’t feel too solid. It definitely took a while for him to get acclimated.

So, he built an altar and planted vineyards. He got into action after facing disaster. And he lived for another 350 years.

He lived for all those years because he had a purpose (he had to repopulate the earth, that must have kept his mind off the flood), and he stayed active. Every time we see the colors of the rainbow, we should remind ourselves that we are here for a purpose. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said that if you find something you like to do that needs to be done, you are on purpose. Just stay on the lookout, and really live your 350 years.

One last thought: The world was destroyed in Parashat Noah by a flood which occurred because of the immoral behavior of humankind.

Do we believe that there is a connection of connection between moral behavior and occurrences in the natural world?

Most people I know would say no.

But perhaps our treatment of the planet, and our disregard for the needs of others and of future generations is immoral behavior, sufficient to invite floods.

In this past month Helene and Milton accepted the invitation.

May the rainbow remind us to be on good behavior.