Rabbi's Blog

Historically speaking, most movements have been started as a result
of the lack of the right thing being done. A benign example is the
creation of sugar substitute. Saccharin, one of the earliest sugar
substitutes, was created to curb weight gain or or to serve as an
antidote for sugar. Creating and inventing substitutes for the real
thing is a cop out and a way to avoid the real issue. I challenge
you, the reader, to come up with different things in life and in the
world that were created but at best worked as a Band-Aid approach and
not a true solution to the problem it’s purportedly solving.
Instead of creating the substitute, man should either learn to eat
foods without adding sugar or compensate by either exercising more or
eating less. In terms of “outreach”, the task of reaching out to
mankind was only a result of the failure for man to do the right
thing in the first place. Once mankind strayed off the righteous
path, a new concept labeled “outreach” was born to correct that
which was lacking.

If one were to ask; “Who was the first person ever hired to do
outreach and fail miserably”? The answer would clearly be Noach
(Noah). Noach was effectively hired out by God to give mussar and
rebuke to the people of the world to follow the commandments of the
time. Perhaps he did a little, as people expressed curiosity as to
what and why he was building a mammoth structure. He had one hundred
and twenty years’ time to go out and correct their ways, but
instead he chose to remain isolate, focusing on building. But perhaps
it just wasn't his personality to go be outgoing, reaching out to
approach people. Why would this be his failing? In fact, we are all
familiar with Rashi’s comment on Noach being a Tzadik perhaps in
his generation, but certainly not one compared to Avraham’s time.
Was he righteous or not? Did he try to save the world, or did he not
care about everyone else?

Perhaps we can suggest that Noach did try to save the world but IT
did not work. Noach didn’t fail, but rather the people of the world
failed to absorb the lessons and teachings of Noach. Noach did not
necessarily do outreach by tapping people on the shoulder or do cold
calling to invite them for services. Rather, Noach’s forte’ was
somewhat unique and perhaps lacking in our day and age. In my humble
opinion, the method Noach used was the process of gradual or
subconscious assimilation of ideas: knowledge defined as
“osmosis”. There are many things a person knows not through
birthright or even through wealth, but rather through a process of
“osmosis”.

The notion of a “chilul HaShem” - desecrating God’s name,
versus a “Kiddush HaShem” is the key factor to bringing Jews
back, to bringing them closer to true Torah Judaism. Why would any
non-observant Jews want to become observant and religious if they
witness observant Jews desecrating God’s name. (I am referring here
to sins of disproportion to the norm of “even a Tzadik may sin some
times in this world”.) Then there is the unassuming, quiet Jew who
goes about his business and is known to be honest, who only has a
good word to say about others, who treats others with respect
regardless of whether he knows them or not. The power of
kiruv/outreach can be accomplished through the process of osmosis. If
a Jew acts like a Jew is supposed to act, quietly demonstrating midos
and honesty, he is, in essence, emanating an incredible method of
bringing others close to home.

The Midrash Rabbah in Breishis 26:2 quotes a verse from Tehilim
92:14,15: “Sh’tulim B’Veis Hashem, B’Chatzros Elokeinu
Yafrichu”: “Planted in the House of Adonoy, in the courtyards of
our God they will blossom”. “Od Yenuvun B’Seiva D’Sheinim
V’Raananim Yihiyu”: “They will be fruitful in old age; they
will be full of sap and freshness”. The Midrash explains that the
one who planted in the House of Adonoy is referring to Noach, whom
God planted in the Teivah (the ark). The second half of the passuk,
“in the courtyards of our God they will blossom”, refers to Noach
having children born named Shem, Cham and Yafes. The verse, “they
will be fruitful”, refers to Noach and “they will be full of sap
and freshness”, refers to Noach having his three children. The
analogy of Noach being planted is because plants and flowers are
looked and smelled by those in their surroundings. Hashem held back
the birth of Noach’s children until he was five hundred years of
age while all the other men in his time had children at at the ages
of one hundred or maybe at two hundred years. Generally speaking,
people have more energy and strength to raise children when they are
younger. Hashem made it a point to show Noach’s greatness that his
children survived the flood despite having an old father raise them.
The because they saw and experienced the sincerity of their father,
and even though he was older they absorbed his parenting and teaching
through osmosis.

The verses the midrash commented on was from Psalm 92, which is the
Shir Shel Yom, the Psalm of the day for Shabbos Kodesh. By
experiencing and observing a perfect day of Shabbos, we instill and
plant ourselves in the House of Hashem and will ultimately blossom.
The blossoming process is that which surrounds all of us, whether it
be our own children or those around us in the courtyard of life. The
responsibility of observant Jews is to become better more dedicated
Jews. I believe that by raising the level of existing religious
observance and attitude, we will, in turn, raise the consciousness,
dedication, and observance of non-religious Jews around us.

In today’s day and age the best kind of Kiruv is just being a good
all-around Jew and letting people observe that. Jews who are
suspicious of religious Jews are keen enough to discern between lip
service and sincere service to Hashem. Noach lived a righteous life
and survived while the men of his generation did not pick up
Noach’s uniqueness of serving Hashem. To the contrary, they poked
fun at him; they despised and ridiculed him. We know what happened to
that generation, and we saw how Noach was able to re-build a new
world. We, too, should stand up to the ridicule and pressure by just
acting in a manner which creates a Kiddush Hashem, taking notice of
how many people start coming closer to Hashem. One doesn’t
necessarily need to go to them; they will seek out the truth and come
to you. Ah

Gut Shabbos

Rabbi Avraham Bogopulsky