Community Torah Corner - October 24, 2025

Good morning, this week’s parashah, Noah, tells us the story of someone who was called “a righteous man in his generation.” But the rabbis argue about what it really means. Was Noah truly righteous, or just “the best of a bad crowd?" In other words, was he good because he was great, or just because everyone else was terrible?

Noah does everything God tells him. He builds the ark, gathers the animals, saves his family, but there’s one thing he doesn’t do: he never tries to save anyone else. He doesn’t argue with God, or warn his neighbors, or pray for the world. He just focuses on surviving.

Later in the Torah, Avraham faces a similar situation. When God plans to destroy Sodom, Avraham argues back — “God, what if there are righteous people there?” He fights for others. That’s the big difference between Noah and Avraham. Noach is righteous — but Avraham is responsible.

And that’s the message for us. It’s good to be a decent person, to make the right choices, to “build your own ark” when the world feels crazy. But Judaism asks for more: to care about what happens outside the ark too. To stand up for others, to speak out, to make a difference even when it’s hard.

When we see a “flood” of negativity: gossip, bullying, injustice, hate we can’t just hide and wait for it to pass. We have to be the ones who bring light into it, and stop it. That’s what it really means to be “righteous in your generation.” Not just to survive it — but to help change it.

Thank you and shabbat shalom.