After two years of a strong sense of flood – perhaps we are beginning to see some ‘dry land.’
The return of the living hostages filled our hearts with gratitude, and we will continue to pray for the return of the remaining 13 killed captives; only then will we know rest regarding this deeply painful issue that has accompanied us since the disaster of October 2023.
Our portion, which deals with matters of water, emphasizes the destructive power of the Flood—intended to “purify” the world from the corruption with which human beings had corrupted the earth. And the hero of the portion, Noah, who found favor in the eyes of God—was chosen to lead the remnant and to begin again from the waters. And he has a wife, whose name, according to the text, is not known: “And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.” (Genesis 7:7)
She is one of the portion’s quiet heroines, together with her daughters-in-law.
If we look throughout the Torah, we can notice that names appear only when a person has some significant role in the narrative and its continuation. Others, who have no central role or from whose actions the Torah does not teach a lesson, remain anonymous.
In most cases, the nameless remain so. But there are times when the Sages choose to fill in the gaps. A famous example is the daughter of Pharaoh, who is identified in many midrashim as “Batyah, daughter of Pharaoh,” the wife of Mered (I Chronicles 4:18).
Such is Noah’s wife. The Sages give her a name and find it appropriate to link her to another figure: Na’amah, sister of Tuval-Cain. “Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Naamah was the wife of Noah…” (Bereishit Rabbah 23:3).
According to the Midrash, this Naamah was the daughter of Lamech, and therefore a descendant of Cain – the first murderer in Scripture. The connection at first seems puzzling, but if we deepen our look at what lies beneath it, it appears to be another of the lessons this portion seeks to teach us: despite his terrible sin and the punishment placed upon him, Cain does not disappear or fall silent mourning his fate. Instead, he attempts actively to repair what he corrupted, as if seeking now to build the world also for the sake of his brother who will not merit it.
“Cain left the Lord's presence, and dwelt in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. He became the builder of a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. To Enoch was born Irad. And Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech. Lamech took himself two wives, the name of the one was Adah and the name of the other was Zillah. Adah bore Jabal, who was the father of those who dwell in tents with livestock. His brother's name was Jubal, who was the father of all who play the lyre and pipe. As for Zillah, she bore Tubal-Cain, who forged every instrument of brass and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah” (Genesis 4:16–22).
And why is she called Naamah? The midrash continues: “Because her deeds are pleasant.” (From the Hebrew word for Pleasant - Naaim).
Perhaps the connection the Sages wish to plant in our consciousness between her and Noah’s wife teaches us about her decisive role in continuing to build the world after the Flood—in a post-traumatic situation and despite the loss. She is the one who, together with Noah, struggles to continue life despite the corruption of humankind.
She is the one who quietly, calmly, plants hope—hope of construction in the face of evil, cruelty, and the twisted ways of others.
She is the one who does not surrender to destructive tendencies, who fights the evil inclination in order to bring light into a place of darkness. She symbolizes—precisely as a descendant of Cain—the positive human power to return to one’s good root, to repair what is broken, to struggle against destructive impulses and, nevertheless, to rise and be restored.
Naamah — whose deeds are pleasant.
After the great waters that have stormed through our land since the outbreak of the war—and even before—calm somewhat, and we may be able to see again “dry land,” it is fitting to remember Na’amah. Her pleasant deeds. The hope she planted in the ever-old, ever-new world: that always—always—it is possible to fix what is damaged. That always—always—one can rebuild after destruction.
And if any of you have heard apocalyptic prophecies in recent months about our future here, on this land, I would like to say: there will be no more flood. God promised. Signed. Set a rainbow in the cloud. Swore. But storms—of different sorts—there are and will be.
And I say: as long as we remember that there is some “Naamah” within us, there is hope. And we can still build and repair—especially when it seems that all is lost.
May we receive, this Shabbat, good news regarding the fallen—regarding all the soldiers—and then we will be able to rise again and build this land, and find favor in the eyes of God and human beings.
Shabbat Shalom and a good and blessed month to us all.
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Rabbi Nathalie Lastreger is the Rabbi of the Masorti Family Minyan, Kfar Vradim, and President of the Rabbinical Assembly of Israel.