The Rainbow
PARASHAT HASHAVUA
PARASHAT NOACH
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In loving memory of Esther Okon zl, on
the occasion of her yahrzeit.
May her love of Am Yisroel, Torah and Family be an inspiration to us all.
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Dedicated in memory of Joseph M. Lipstein
whose yarhzeit is Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan,
by Sidney and Cheryl Lipstein
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The Rainbow
By Rav Amnon Bazak
I.
The Covenant and the
Sign of the Covenant
The word covenant (brit) appears in the Torah for the first time at the
beginning of Parashat Noach:
God
said to Noach: The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is full
of violence because of them, and behold, I shall destroy them, with the earth.
Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood
And behold, I shall bring a flood of
water upon the earth to destroy all flesh with the breath of life in it, from
under the heavens all that is in the earth will die. But I shall establish My
covenant
with you, and you will come into the ark you and your sons and your wife and
the wives of your sons with you. (6:13-14, 17-18)
God commands Noach to come into the ark and thereby be delivered from the utter
destruction of every living thing by the Flood. But what covenant is God
referring to?
According to Ibn Ezra, the reference here is to an oath that is not explicitly
mentioned in the text, in which God had promised Noach that he and his family
would be saved from the Flood. However, the literal text would seem to lean in
favor of the interpretation of Ramban, who explains that here God promises Noach
for the first time that He will save him and his family from the Flood, and this
promise is formulated in the language of establishing a covenant.
Still, it is difficult to ignore the repetition of this expression later on in
the parasha, after the Flood is over:
God
said to Noach and to his sons with him, saying: Behold, I establish My
covenant
with you and with your progeny after you, and with all the living creatures
which are with you the birds, the animals, and all the beasts of the field
with you, of all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the field. And I will
establish My
covenant
with you, and all flesh will no longer be cut off by the waters of the Flood,
nor will there be another Flood to destroy the earth. (9:8-11)
Following the Flood, God expands the personal covenant with Noach and his family
and turns it into a covenant with all of humanity that is, Noachs
descendants. Just as Noach and his family were saved from the Flood by virtue of
the personal covenant that God promised to establish with them, so all of
mankind will henceforth benefit from this covenant, and God will not bring
another Flood to annihilate them. The covenant is no longer directed
specifically and personally towards those who entered the ark; it is a covenant
with all that go out of the ark. God expands the ark, as it were, to the
dimensions of the entire world, and the whole world will now enjoy the same
special protection that existed for the ark in the face of the Flood. The
emphasis on the special covenant which is now forged with all of humanity finds
expression, inter alia, in the fact that the word covenant appears in
the parasha seven times, making it a key word in the text.
At the same time, owing to the eternity of this covenant, the personal promise
given within the framework of the personal covenant is not sufficient, and God
establishes a sign of this new level of covenant:
And
God said, This is the
sign of the covenant which I forge between Myself and you, and all living creatures
which are with you, for all generations: I have set My bow in the cloud, that it
may be a
sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall be, when I bring clouds
over the earth and the bow appears in the cloud, that I shall remember My
covenant
between Me and you and all living creatures of all flesh, and the water shall
not again become a Flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow will be in the cloud,
and I shall see it and remember the eternal
covenant
between God and all living creatures of all flesh which is upon the earth. And
God said to Noach, This is the
sign of the covenant
which I have established between Me and all flesh which is upon the earth.
(9:12-17)
The rainbow, then, is the sign of the covenant between God and humanity, and
it serves a special purpose it reminds God of the covenant when He sees it:
And it shall be, when
the bow appears in the cloud, that I shall remember My
covenant
And the bow will be in the cloud, and I shall see it and remember the
eternal covenant
The rainbow is a phenomenon that God has established in
nature, but this permanence is required, as it were, by God, as a reminder not
to bring another Flood to destroy the world.
Obviously, this cannot be understood literally. There is no forgetfulness
before the Throne of Your glory God needs no reminders. It is more reasonable
to suggest that the rainbow is mainly a calming signal to humanity, announcing
that they need not fear another Flood. In any event, conceptually the rainbow is
not meant to lead a person to any sort of action; rather, it tells him that God
sees it and will not bring another Flood.
II.
The Rainbow
Why is it specifically the rainbow that is chosen as the sign that there will
not be another Flood?
The commentators suggest different directions in interpreting the significance
of the rainbow. Chizkuni refers us to the concluding verse of the unit
describing the Divine Chariot at the beginning of Sefer Yechezkel, which
is the only other place in all of Tanakh where the word keshet
(bow) is used in this sense: Like the appearance of the blow that is in the
cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness around; it was
the appearance of the likeness of Gods glory (Yechezkel 1:28). On the
basis of this verse, Chizkuni argues that the rainbow represents Gods
manifestation in the world, and this manifestation in and of itself proves that
there will not be another Flood:
If it were My intention to destroy them when there is heavy rain, then I would
not show them the likeness of My glory, for a king does not show himself among
his subjects when they are censured by him.
The problem with this interpretation is that it is theologically complicated; it
suggests that God is reminded of His covenant by looking at something that
resembles the appearance of the likeness of Gods glory, a problematic
assertion.
Most of the commentators maintain that the sign of the rainbow is related to the
more common meaning of the word keshet in Tanakh the bow as a
weapon. Furthermore, this is no ordinary bow, it is Gods own bow: I have
placed
My
bow in the cloud. What does this mean?
In several places in Tanakh, we find the bow mentioned as a weapon of
God. Examples include such verses as, I bend Yehuda for Me as a bow (Zekharia
9:13); He has drawn His bow like an enemy (Eikha 2:4), and others.
Arrows, too, are invoked metaphorically to describe God waging war (see
Devarim 32:23, 42, among other sources). In the context of our parasha,
it would therefore seem that the (rain)bow symbolizes the weapon by means of
which God brought the Flood.
Indeed, it is highly symbolic to liken the rain of the Flood to arrows released
with great force from a bow. The same idea arises from the prophecy of
Chabbakuk (3:9-10):
Your
bow is made bare, sworn are the rods of words, Selah; You cleave the earth with
rivers. The mountains have seen You and they tremble; the rush of water passes
over; the deep has sounded its voice and has lifted its hands on high.
Accordingly, Ramban explains that the sign of the bow expresses the end of
hostilities, since the curved side of the rainbow points heavenward, while the
open side opposite the direction in which the arrows are released points
towards the earth:
For the rainbow is not fashioned with its legs facing upwards, so as to appear
that it is used for shooting from the heavens
Rather, it is fashioned in the
opposite manner, showing that it will not be used for shooting from the heavens.
This is the manner of combatants to reverse it [the bow] in their hands in
this way when they call for peace to their opponents.[1]
Furthermore, the rainbow does not have a bowstring upon which to place arrows.
However, it may be that the bow represents a cessation of hostilities in a
slightly different sense. The word kashti (My bow) does not appear by
itself in our parasha; in all three instances in which it is used, it
appears along with the word cloud and it is this combination that represents
the sign of the covenant: I have set
My bow in the cloud,
that it may be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall be,
when I bring clouds over the earth and the
bow appears in the cloud,
that
the bow will be in the cloud, and I shall see it and remember the eternal covenant
Hence,
it is not the rainbow alone that is the sign of the covenant, but rather its
appearance in the cloud. Clouds appear in Tanakh as a screen or covering
for instance, for Gods glory,[2]
for the covering over the Ark of the Covenant,[3]
and for the Mishkan.[4]
Setting the bow in the cloud therefore symbolizes the act of covering or
hiding the bow, a sign of a ceasefire, like returning a sword to its scabbard.
God covers one of His weapons of war and promises not to use it any more.[5]
When clouds fill the sky and the rainbow appears, it is a sign that the bow is
still covered; it will not be used against all flesh.[6]
III.
The Rainbow vs. Circumcision
The special nature of the rainbow as a covenantal sign between God and mankind
relates to another subject. There are many similarities between the unit in our
parasha dealing with the rainbow and the unit in Parashat Lekh-Lekha
(chapter 17) that deals with circumcision (brit mila). The main
similarities may be set forth as follows:
Parashat Noach |
Parashat Lekh-Lekha |
1.
In both units,
God announces a special covenant that He is about to establish with people: |
|
I shall
establish My covenant with you (9:11) |
I shall
establish My covenant between Me and you (17:10) |
2. In both units, the covenant forged between God and man is given a sign: |
|
And God said,
This is the sign of the covenant which I forge between Myself and you (9:12) |
And you shall
be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a sign of the
covenant between Me and you (17:11) |
3.
Both covenants
are eternal: |
|
And the bow
shall be in the cloud, and I shall see it, to remember the eternal covenant
(9:16) |
And I shall
establish My covenant between Me and you, and your progeny after you for all
their generations, as an eternal covenant (17:7) |
4.
In both
covenants there is an emphasis on the connection to the phenomenon of karet
(cutting off): |
|
The covenant
of the rainbow will prevent the cutting off (hakhrata) of the world:
And I shall
establish My covenant with you, so that all flesh will no longer be cut off by
the waters of the Flood (9:11) |
The covenant
of circumcision works the opposite way: whoever does not fulfill the covenant
will be cut off (karet) from the world:
An
uncircumcised male who does not circumcise the flesh of his foreskin that soul
will be cut off from its people, and he has violated My covenant (17:14) |
5.
In both units,
the giving of the sign is preceded by the blessing of fertility: |
|
Be fruitful
and multiply and fill the earth (9:1) |
And I shall
multiply you exceedingly
and make you exceedingly fruitful (17:2-6) |
6.
Both covenants
involve a change that will apply from that point onwards: |
|
Nor will
there be another Flood to destroy the earth (9:11) |
Nor will your
name be called Avram anymore (17:5) |
7.
In both units,
the words covenant and flesh appear several times. |
These parallels serve to highlight the fundamental differences between the two
covenants, which involve three main areas.
First, the rainbow is a sign for humanity in general, and the covenant is
between me and all flesh that is upon the earth (9:17). The covenant of
circumcision, in contrast, is forged with Avraham, and it pertains only to the
progeny of Yitzchak: I shall establish My covenant with him as an eternal
covenant for his progeny after him (17:19). The word flesh (bassar) is
used in the two units in almost opposite senses: the covenant of the rainbow is
forged with all flesh, in the inclusive sense, while the covenant of
circumcision is limited to the progeny of Avraham and Yitzchak and is dependent
upon the circumcision of the flesh of your foreskin. In this way, God creates
a special bond with a specific group within humanity.
Second, the universal covenant of the rainbow relates to the entire world, which
is referred to in this covenant as the earth. The covenant expresses the
connection between all of mankind and the entire world: I shall establish My
covenant with you (1) and all flesh will no longer be cut off by the waters of
the Flood (2), nor will there be another Flood to destroy the earth (9:11). The
Flood will not come again to destroy mankind, nor to destroy the earth
suggesting that the entire world is meant for all of mankind. The covenant of
circumcision, which is limited to Am Yisrael, is likewise connected to a
more limited geographical area: I shall give you and your progeny after you the
land of your sojourning the entire land of Kenaan as an eternal possession
(17:8).
Third, there is no human partnership in the sign of the rainbow; it is performed
entirely by God: I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be as a sign of
the covenant between Me and the earth (9:13). The covenant with the children of
Avraham, in contrast, creates a special bond that requires action on mans part.
Therefore, the descendants of Avraham and Yitzchak are commanded to actively set
the sign of the covenant in their own flesh: And you shall be circumcised in
the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me
and you (17:11).
Of course, these three differences are interrelated. God forges a fundamental
covenant with all of mankind throughout the entire world, and this covenant
obligates God, primarily, not to destroy the world again. This covenant, more
than anything else, symbolizes the universal bond between God and the world. The
covenant of circumcision, on the other hand, is a unique covenant with the
descendants of Avraham, awarding them the right to the land. This covenant is on
a higher level, and is also more demanding: it requires man to engrave a sign on
his own body, and whoever violates this requirement is punished with karet.
But the reward that comes with this covenant is also much greater: I shall give
you and your progeny after you the land of your sojourning all of the land of
Kenaan as an eternal possession, and I shall be their God. (17:8)
We may therefore say in summary that the appearance of the rainbow is a
universal message, and for this reason the rainbow can be seen anywhere in the
world. The rainbow is a sign for all descendants of Noach that is, all of
mankind. In contrast, we find that circumcision is a sign that expresses a
special bond with God that was attained by the group of Avrahams descendants
a special group among the descendants of Noach. This special bond involves far
greater commitment, but at the same time it promises greater closeness to God.
Translated by Kaeren
Fish
[1]
This resembles the custom for handing over a knife: the person holding the knife
turns the blade towards himself, holding the handle out towards the receiver.
[2]
And
Gods glory rested upon Mount Sinai, and cloud covered it for six days (Shemot
24:16)
[3]
A cloud of incense shall cover the
kapporet which is upon the Covenant, that he shall not die (Vayikra
16:13)
[4]
And on the day that he erected the
Mishkan the cloud covered the Mishkan (Bamidbar 9:15)
[5]
This
also explains the midrash: And the bow will be in the cloud and I shall
see it for I have drawn My sword and brought a Flood with it, but from now
on, I see it, that it is not drawn (Pesikta Zutreta [Lekach Tov],
Bereishit 9:16). The setting of the bow in the cloud means that the bow
is perceived as not drawn.
[6]
We shall not elaborate here on the famous question of what exactly in the
natural phenomenon of the rainbow was introduced in the wake of the Flood.
Briefly, in Ibn Ezras view, something new was actually introduced into nature:
If we were to believe the Greek scholars, [who claim] that the rainbow is
created by sunlight, then we must say that God strengthened the light of the sun
after the Flood, and this is a correct interpretation for one who understands
(Ibn Ezra on Bereishit 9:14). He therefore understands the words, I have
set My bow in the cloud to mean, Behold, I have right now set My bow in the
cloud (ibid. 13). Ramban rejects this interpretation: We are forced to accept
the Greek teaching that the rainbow appears as a result of the sunlight shining
in the moist air, for in a vessel that is holding water, placed in the sun, the
likeness of a rainbow appears. And if we look more closely at the wording of the
text we can understand this, for God says, I have set My bow in the cloud. He
does not say, I place in the cloud, as when He says, This is the sign of the
covenant which I set. The word kashti (My bow) indicates that
previously God possessed the bow already. Therefore, we must understand the text
as saying, The bow which I set in the cloud from the day of Creation will, from
this day onwards, be a sign of the covenant between Me and you, for so long as I
see it I shall be reminded that there is a covenant of peace between Me and
you. In Rambans view, then, the natural phenomenon had indeed existed since
the six days of Creation; what was new at this stage was the significance that
was now attached to it. From this point onwards, this natural phenomenon would
serve as a sign that God would not bring another Flood.