Dvar Torah for Parshat Noach

Based on Likutey Halakhot, Hilkhot Hekhsher Keilim 4:30-32

"Theses are the toldot (chronicles, offspring) of Noach: Noach was a tzaddik...." (Genesis 6:9)
""Noach, Noach.' Noach above, Noach below." (I Zohar 59b)
"This is to teach you that the major offspring of righteous people is their good works." (Rashi)

This week's dvar Torah is in memory of Reb Noson Tzvi (ben [son of] Yerachmiel Moshe) Kenig who passed away suddenly Tuesday morning at the age of 58.

Each of us born with a mission in life, to make the world a better place by actualizing his/her potential for good. For even though Hashem (God) created the world, He left many things undone so that mankind could complete them and thereby become His partners in creation. In a material sense we see this clearly in many ways. For example, bread does not grow "ready-to-eat" out of the ground. Plowing, planting, etc., all have to take place till we have a loaf of bread. As we've written before, the holy Zohar teaches us that Creation took place so that each of us can be aware of Hashem. Thus, making the world a better place means making God-awareness more available to people (including yourself!). This is accomplished in proportion to the holiness, purity and God-awareness one invests in the performance of each mitzvah. The invested holiness also brings the physical materials used in the mitzvah's performance to their perfection.

""Noach, Noach.' Noach above, Noach below." Each of us has two spirits within. One is an upper-spirit that is "parental," that contains our potential. The other is a lower, "child" spirit, that we are have to bring up. The upper-spirit represents the sefirah chokhmah (wisdom) which must teach and educate properly so that the "child's" full potential is reached.

"The major offspring of righteous people is their good works." Our flesh-and-blood children are, no matter how often we may wish or think it otherwise, independent beings who, despite all our worst efforts, are responsible for their own destiny. And so are we for ours, despite the mistakes of others. We must develop within ourselves, and encourage and nurture within our charges, the ability to tap into the God-given upper-spirit over and over again.

Reb Noson Tzvi was an extremely accomplished person. He founded and administered the Breslov Kollel (graduate yeshiva) in Benei Braq with its 300 scholars; at great personal cost he acquired and published many Breslov manuscripts that were not in print; compiled indices and anthologies to Likutey Moharan and Likutey Halakhot; authored original works on the Kabbalah of the Arizal and of Reb Moshe Kordovero as well as 15 books in the revealed Torah.

All this was in addition to work that he did for the community at large and for the Breslov community in particular. If you have read any Breslov Research Institute publication, including the weekly dvar Torah, you have benefited from his scholarship. His indices and anthologies are indispensable for anyone who desires to research a lesson in Likutey MoHaran or a topic in Likutey Halakhot.

Although he was a physically imposing figure, he always spoke gently. When one spoke to him one felt that Reb Noson Tzvi had all the time in the world for him. He personified the Mishna, "Shamai says: Make your Torah study primary; say little, but do much; greet every person pleasantly" (Avot 1:15).

When Reb Shmuel Shapira passed away nine years ago Reb Levi Yitzchok Bender said the following. "The Breslov "factory of Judaism" [i.e., Rebbe Nachman's teachings which inspire intensity and dedication to prayer and Torah study] has lost an all-star worker. No one individual can fill his shoes. But if each of us makes extra effort to do the best he can, we can pick up the slack." Amen!

agutn Shabbos!
Shabbat Shalom!