Posted on 10/30/19
It’s logical that parsha Noach, symbolic of a passive and restful state (menuchas hanefesh), should follow Breishis, a parsha of unbridled creative maneuvering. The Beis Halevi explains that the phenomenon of creation is based on the verse that G-d finished creating the world on the seventh day. He notes that if creation was finished on the seventh day, then by definition there had to be something created on the seventh day itself. For this he explains that passive rest was created on the seventh day whereas on the six days preceding each day had something new created in the world that didn’t exist before. In this beautiful explanation the Beis Halevi is presenting the idea that on each day another "melacha" was performed representing something new whereas the seventh day was a mere continuation of all creation.
What's to be gleaned from the thrust of this Beis Halevi? We know the Mishna in Pirkei Avot says that the world stands on three things, Torah, Avoda and Gemilut Chassadim. In a world based on creativity, we must search out how one can be creative in these three endeavors.
For Torah, in applying a part of the Beis Halevi’s idea, we can arrive at a "creative" drash for the need of creative Torah. The Mishna in Pirkei Avot says that all Torah that has no melacha with it will in the end become batul. As we said before melacha by maase Breishis signifies something anew, a chiddush that wasn't there before. Therefore, this line in Pirkei Avot is saying that all Torah that has with it no chiddush will in the end become batul (as no personal new insights are being added. Certainly, reviewing a sugya and knowing it better would be included in fulfilling chiddush. To complete pardes, the simple peshat would be that Torah without engagement in business will become batul due to an overabundance of time, the remez would be that melacha is hard work, accentuating the news to delve into a sugya with all of one's strength and the sod would be that melacha refers to a woman, as by Yosef, melacha symbolized ishus, for the word is used when he returns to Potiphar. This is symbolic of the idea that one needs a wife's support and encouragement to not halt in learning).
How can creativity in avoda be explained? I was once at a lecture and the rabbi told a story about a certain gadol of whom it was observed that he took an exorbitant amount of time to finish the bracha of Refa'einu in shemonah esrei. It turned out that he was reciting hundreds of names of sick people in this section of the prayer. I would call that creative avoda.
What about gemilut chassadim? I was electrified this past Sukkot when eating in a downtown Manhattan Sukkah erected by Chabad. As I was eating inside, Jews, one after another, were led to the Sukkah by the Chabad person and given the four species to shake. I heard one person ask if the Chabad person was sure the pitom was okay. Another wanted to confirm whether the directions in which the lulav was being shaken were correct. This is creative chesed and in tune with the Gemara that says every Jew is fit to sit under one Sukkah. (There's no greater example of practicing chesed than in marriage. I was once by my late relative Rav Avrhom Genechovsky zt”l in Bnei Brak and we were trying to figure out the best method of transportation to take in order to arrive at a certain place. His wife recommended one way. The deliberation seemed to have gone on, but then Rav Avrohom said that his wife said what should be done and therefore that's the final word on which approach to follow. That is creative chesed).
As much as bringing creativity to the forefront is necessary, living with an inner peace, menuchas hanefesh, is just as important. This is symbolized by an unbounding, pure faith in G-d. Rabbi Frand points out that the iconic figure who represented such a phenomenon was Yosef. When Yosef was summoned from jail to help interpret Pharoh’s dreams, Yosef first asked to shave and attain new clothes. Rabbi Frand notes that here Yosef was being asked to appear before a despot who slaughters people at a whim and yet he still had the composure to ask to be groomed and appear in a presentable fashion. This requires a state of menuchas nefesh. Furthermore, his complete faith in G-d is exhibited as he constantly says it’s not I who is the source of the ability to interpret your dreams but rather it’s G-d that is behind it.
We know we are commanded to follow the ways of our Creator. Our Creator produced an ingenious universe out of nothing and remains deliberate in His ways, many times using rachamim and not din to judge His children. Similarly, we should engage in creative methods to maximize our Torah, avoda and gemilut chassadim, yet approach it with deliberation, sensitivity and an inner serenity.