Here are 4 questions to start with at the beginning of this portion:

 

His father had other kids - but did Noah know?

 

When the Rabbis ask why he did not pray for others - why don't they ask why he didn't pray for his siblings?

 

Oh - I guess I should take a stab at some of these.

 

 

The Talmud asks if the flood hit Israel and basically they think Israel was spared.

 

So why did the ARK not land in Israel but instead go to Ararat (Turkey)?

 

Sorry for asking another question.

 

But let's go "Top Down" as the systems analysis methodology would suggest.

 

"The world was filled with ..."

 

And then "the waters covered the earth" - sounds like Bereishis - Creation again - right?

 

We ALWAYS need a little do-over! Makes us ALL feel better ...

 

Again back to tradition:

 

I would guess Noah told any siblings he was in touch with about the upcoming flood - and asked them to HELP.

 

Because of Greed and Corruption probably NOBODY HELPED.

 

Many people don't want to leave what they know - so we have the 10-Days-of-Penitence in Judaism - to try to put a little push towards introspection and reaching upwards.

 

I may be wrong but I have found the ancient world sorely lacking on introspection - except with the Spiritual Heroes 

(not Super Heroes - but Great People like Abraham and Sarah and Moses and Ziporah  ...  etc

 

So the Almighty says in our Torah

 

CORRUPTION

CORRUPTION

CORRUPTION

 

Right at the beginning of the Bible - and hopefully we

 

can all learn how GREAT RESPONSES can come from ALL OF US - Noahs and Families - 

 

to hit the REBOOT button ....

 

Just we gotta TAKE SOME INSPIRATION FROM THE ANIMAL WORLD

 

AND FEED THEM AND TAKE CARE OF THEM

 

AND BRING A LITTLE CULTURE EVEN TO THE TURKEYs of Ararat (in the world) :)

 

Lots of Love from Israel

 

Rabbi A