Remembering the Rainbow: Noah.22

 Remembering the Rainbow

D’var Torah for Parashat Noah

By Rabbi Boaz D. Heilman

October 26, 2022

Every season has its beauty, often expressed through colors. But the most wondrous of all natural phenomena is undoubtedly the rainbow. The rainbow is more than beautiful colors, however. It awakens in us a sense of awe and wonder. It stirs feelings of hope and gratitude. Yet at the same time, rainbows also bring up memories of dark clouds and storms. In the story of Noah and the flood (this week’s Torah portion, Noah, Genesis 6:9—11:32), the rainbow assumes yet another meaning: it stands for God’s promise never again to destroy all life. 

God establishes a covenant (b’rit) with Noah, the first of three that the Torah speaks of. The second covenant will be with Abraham, the third with Moses.

For God’s part in this covenant, God reaffirms Creation, establishing it forever. In our text, this is symbolized by the use of the number seven. Just as this number appears in the first story of creation, so it reappears in this portion to reinstate existence following its near annihilation. It is on “the seventh day” that the flood begins; on the 17th day of the 7th month does Noah’s ark come to a rest on top of Mount Ararat. Seven days Noah waits for the return of the dove with the olive branch in its beak. And then there are the seven (visible) colors of the rainbow. 

Throughout the Torah, the number seven symbolizes God’s Presence and involvement in all that exists. The story of Noah’s Flood is more than about God’s anger—it is also about the possibility of forgiveness and redemption

But in return for God’s promise, God expects something back from us. Grace is not a one-way street. For the first time, God establishes a moral code for all humanity, with the expectation that, as our role in the covenant, we live by it. The early rabbis deduced seven commandments from the blessings that were given to Noah and his descendants. Known as the Noahide Laws, these are:

    1. Establish courts of law.

    2. Do not practice idolatry.

    3. Do not curse God.

    4. Do not engage in forbidden sexual relations.

    5. Do not murder.

    6. Do not rob.

    7. Do not eat flesh from a living animal.

The rainbow that appears at the end of the flood signifies more than God’s oath: It reminds us of our moral obligations. Extending from one end of infinity to the other, it signifies the eternal bond that exists between us and the Creator, recalling to us not only the fear of the storm, but also of our sacred role in the ongoing process of Creation.

In the Jewish tradition, it is customary to say a blessing upon seeing a rainbow: Baruch ata Adoani, Eloheinu Melech ha’olam, zocheir ha-brit v’ne’eman bivrito v’kayam b’ma-amarav: “Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Eternal Sovereign of the Universe, who remembers the Covenant, is faithful to the Covenant, and keeps His promise.” It’s our way of saying, “Thank you for this message of hope; just as you remember, so do we, too, remember to follow your path and observe your commandments.”

© 2022 by Boaz D. Heilman