The Ramban writes in Bereishit (1:29) on the verse “Behold I have given to you all herbage of yielding seed that is on the surface of the entire earth” that originally man was only allowed to eat from the vegetation of the earth, but from the flesh of the animals, man was not permitted. Only until Noach was such permission granted (9:3, Sanhedrin 59b).
The Ramban explains that this was granted to Noach specifically, for since he saved their species, he would be permitted to slaughter them for their meat.
At first glance the connection between the saving of the animals and their slaughter seems perplexing. How is it logical to say that since he saved them from their death and extinctions, their death would come from his hand? Wouldn't it follow and be more fitting to say that since he saved them from death he couldn't be the one to cause their death?
In fact, we find a similar parallel for such a concept later in the Torah. The first plague that G-d decreed upon Egypt was the turning the Nile River into blood. The plague of blood came through the hands of Aharon and not Moshe; as Rashi explains, “since he was saved through the Nile it would have been wrong for him [Moshe] to be the instrument to inflict a plague upon it”. So too, one could argue that since the saving of the animals came through the hands of Noach, that hand could not be the instrument in their death. For if Moshe was barred from causing pain to the Nile since he was saved through it, Noach; who saved the animals all the more so could not be the the once to slaughter the animals.
In truth the only person through whom the permission to slaughter the animals could be granted was Noach and his children. The most fitting of conduits to such a privilege could only be given to those that are of such spiritual and selfless stature as of Noach and his children who toiled for forty days and forty nights with great care in serving and feeding the animals. Only those so attuned to the sensitivity of the animals could be the ones to kill them and consume them for their own pleasure.
This level of sensitivity to animals is echoed by Rav Shamshon Rephael Hirsch:
There are probably no creatures that require more the protective Divine word against the presumption of man than the animals, which like man have sensations and instincts, but whose body and powers are nevertheless subservient to man. In relation to them man so easily forgets that injured animal muscle twitches just like human muscle, that the maltreated nerves of an animal sicken like human nerves, that the animal being is just as sensitive to cuts, blows, and beatings as man. Thus man becomes the torturer of the animal soul, which has been subjected to him only for the fulfillment of humane and wise purposes . . . (Horeb, Chapter 60, Verse 415)
This is perhaps what the Ramban is telling us, in connecting the permission to slaughter the animals and eat their meat and Noach saving them from extinction. That by caring for them they showed that they were most capable of not losing their humanity and sensitivity to them while using them for their own benefit.
Shabbat Shalom.
In this weeks parsha the Torah tells us of G-d's creation of the world and all within it. Six days G-d created and on the seventh He rested. Each day was dedicated to different creations. and the pinnacle of creation was Man. The Torah writes "Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness (1:26)." This hakdama or introduction indicates to us that man's creation was done with great care and deliberation. The Abarbanel points out the command to creating Man was different than previous commands where G-d said "Let the earth bring forth..." G-d couched man's creation in this form to point out this very idea, that man's creation was on a wholly different level than previous creations.
Yet, the mefarshim are puzzled with a fundamental issue in the verse. When telling us of the great idea to make Man, the Torah uses the plural "Let us make man" which would seem to indicate their is more than one creator. this would obviously be completely antithetical to the basis of Judaism and Monotheism yet nonetheless G-d uses this phraseology. And in truth Moshe himself raised this very issue. The Midrash tells us that when Moshe wrote the Torah and came to this verse he exclaimed "why G-d would you create the pretext- Pitchon Peh for heretics to maintain their belief of plural divinity!" Yet G-d replies "write! whoever wishes to err will err".
The question though is why? What can be gained by using this specific way of expression? Why risk the possible error of many people throughout the generations due to this verse?
To answer this very question Rashi cites Chazal "from here we learn of he great humility of G-d, for he consulted the Angels before creating man, so too we should always consult others before embarking upon a new idea". This is amazing, seemingly this lesson of G-ds humility in consulting the Angels is justification enough to risk heresy How can this be so? How can we better understand this idea?
Perhaps we can glean a deep insight from this question. Very often we are lead to belief that the results of any particular action are a reflection of the correctness of the deed itself. but very often this is not true. for very often what one course of action is correct may not necessarily lead to the result that we desire, yet the reaction or course of action was nonetheless correct, this is very often true in interpersonal relationships where we cannot control the result or consequence of others behavior . Sometimes being non confrontational and timid is the correct response even though this may not lead to appeasing the other person but may in fact even cause them more outrage. This goes for responding in a more aggressive stance as well. Yet the results of our actions cannot be the litmus of success and failure regarding the initial decision.
Clearly Hashem felt that this lesson of humility, or seeking guidance and counsel is worth teaching in this particular context, despite the possible error that may come from this verse. For nothing can be allowed to get in the way of acting with forethought, with clarity of mind of purity of intention, when embarking upon a course of action, not even the possibility of the great error of heresy!
This should serve for us as a lesson in the appreciation of seeking counsel and spur us to take heed of those greater and more wiser among us
Shabbat Shalom
