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October 15, 2004/Tishri 30 5765, Vol. 57, No. 7
Righteous path leads to Israel
Torah study
RABBI SHLOMO RISKIN
Parshat Noah/Genesis 6:9-11:32
"Noah ...became drunk, and he uncovered himself within his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside" (Genesis 9:20-22).
The name Canaan first appears in the Bible in the story of the degradation of Noah. Canaan is Noah's grandson, the son of Ham. Mentioning Canaan in this story may seem out of place. Noah perhaps did not realize what would happen if he drank wine to excess. Ham is the talebearer, reporting Noah's nakedness to his brothers Shem and Yafet, who cover their father without looking at him to protect his honor.
Why does the story mention Noah's grandson Canaan? Most traditional commentators maintain that Canaan castrated his grandfather, rendering him impotent - that this is what Ham actually saw and reported to his brothers. The Land of Canaan, Israel, ultimately would be taken over by Abraham and his progeny, descendants of Shem.
To attempt to understand the message of the Torah and its significance for us, we look at the subsequent reference to the land of Canaan, at the end of this week's Torah portion: "Terah took his son Abram; his grandson Lot, the son of Haran; and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and they set out together ... for the Land of Canaan; but when they had come as far as Haran, they settled there" (Genesis 11:31). The text tells us that Abram's father initially meant to go to Canaan, but when he reaches Haran, he chooses or is forced to remain there, perhaps by illness, age or lack of funds to complete the journey.
In the next verse, which begins a new Torah portion, God appears to Abram, commanding him: "Go forth from your native land and from your father's house to the land that I will show you" (Genesis 12:1). Why does God elect Abram, and why is Abram willing to follow the divine command? Abram's father Terah wanted very much to bring his family to Canaan. The Torah records how, when Abram has conquered the four terrorist kings of the region, King Melchizedek of Salem, a priest, brings him bread and wine and blesses God for delivering Abram's enemies into his hand (Genesis 14:18-20). Salem is the ancient name for Jeru-Salem, the city of peace. It seems that the land of Canaan, of which Salem is the capital, has a tradition reaching all the way back to Adam of ethical monotheism, a God of the universe who ultimately destroys terrorists and rewards righteous lovers of peace.
Perhaps Abram's father Terah knew of ethical monotheism in Canaan and wanted his children to be brought up in that environment. If so, Abraham, as he was called after accepting the covenant, is continuing his father's geographical and spiritual journey. God is confident Abraham will accept the divine command because his father has primed him to do so. Only those who truly aspire to ethical monotheism are worthy of making Canaan, Israel, their eternal homeland. Canaan the grandson of Noah forfeits his right because, instead of following in Noah's path of righteousness and wholeheartedness, he destroys his grandfather's ability to convey these values to succeeding generations.
Abraham continues the path of his father and endeavors to educate a household dedicated to righteousness and justice. His descendents will be privileged to live in Israel, as long as they subscribe to an ethical lifestyle. As Rashi states in his opening of the Book of Genesis: "the entire land (Canaan - Israel) belongs to the Holy One Blessed be He; He created it and He will give it to whoever is righteous in His eyes" (Genesis 1:1, Rashi).
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin is the leader of Efrat, Israel.
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