Over the past decade, identity theft and fraud have been steadily increasing. In fact, researchers found that almost one third of Americans have been victim of identity theft, in some way, shape, or form. Every year, over 300,000 Americans fall victim to various forms of identity attacks, including phishing (fraudulent e-mails and websites), vishing (fraudulent phone calls), and smishing (fraudulent text messages).  

When identity theft occurs, of course, the victim is the one having his/her identity stolen. But from a figurative and more spiritual standpoint, the perpetrator is the one whose identity is actually being stolen. By involving himself in another person’s personal information and trying to pretend to be someone else, the identity thief is stealing his own personalistic essence and potential.  

Hashem created each person with a unique mission, providing him with his own set of strengths, weaknesses, and experiences. Given these individual decks of cards, each of us are meant to play with our own cards, and not look at someone else’s deck.  

Perhaps, the single greatest quality of Noach was that he produced himself! In a world that was filled with חמס, which the commentaries describe as theft, Noach found and connected with himself, hence, the Torah says: אלה תולדות נח נח – These are the offspring of Noach, Noach.  

When one is busy stealing other people’s things, it shows a tremendous lack in the value and appreciation of the self. People who steal are not happy with what THEY have and with THEIR lot in life; as such, they need to try and acquire (by force) things from other people. In the short term, of course, it appears as if they are actually gaining something; however, in the long run, they are actually losing themselves much more than they are gaining. The object, person, or money that was stolen doesn’t make the thief worth more. On the contrary, it makes him worth less, or perhaps better stated, worthless. 

From a spiritual standpoint, there is a form of identity theft – the notion of not valuing oneself and comparing oneself to others – that is even more common than the financial identity theft attacks that occur via phishing, vishing, and smishing.  

But Noach gives us hope, because despite living amongst an entire population that was plagued in a spiritual identity theft crisis, Noach remained true to himself. Noach was an איש, a man. He was a צדיק, a righteous man. And he was a תמים, a completely righteous man. But his greatest attribute was that he was נח, he remained honest and committed to himself.  

He valued his own personal mission and appreciated his unique set of strengths, talents, and experiences. Unlike the rest of the world who were heavily involved in spiritual, emotional, and physical identity thefts of sorts, Noach truly found himself and stayed focused on his particular assignment of life.

We can do the same.

Good Shabbos!