Saturday 17 October 2020

Parsha: Noah, "The Flood Waters were 'Boiling'"


The Torah Temimah writes that,  "Vayashoku Hamayyim" that the flood waters were "boiling." (Noah: 8:1)

Why is it valuable for us to know that Flood which drowned was also boiling?  Why is "boiling" water necessary if the Flood drowned all the life on dry land? If the Aggadah tells us that the fish were exempt from punishment, then why would the point of this boiling water be to kill the fish?
Many years ago, I heard a d'var Torah on this subject. This information is here to teach us that two distinct processes were at work here meant to cleanse and purify the earth.
  1. Immersion or T'vilah. These drowning waters were to cleanse the earth through immersion, like a Miqveh.
  2. Hag'alah.  The boiling water would purge all impurities in a similar way to kashering pots and utensils for Passover
The knowledge gives us insight into purifying ourselves and our environment.


Shalom,
RRW

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