“Noah” means rest, comfort. Consolation?
.ותמלא הארץ חמס
The land was overrun by hamas. Consolation? Does Hamas rest?
The Midrash interprets hamas as theft. Theft of what by whom? Theft that justifies annihilation? In Genesis, God gave humans and animals “every plant and tree to eat.” He commanded the first human (“Adam”) on earth “to serve it and to protect/conserve it.”
Hamas is exploitation – uprooting a thing’s value and objectifying it: from plants, to the land, to animals, and human beings.
When your goal is to exploit resources to the extent of your desire, it becomes theft and annihilates all. When the goal justifies the means, there is only destruction.
So what do we do?
Work hard and build an ark. Against hope. Welcome others two-by-two, taking care of one another: people, animals, and all. So that we may be rewarded by seeing the divine rainbow. A covenant of hope, comfort, consolation.
