page_title: Noach (parsha)
section_title: Genesis chapter 9
hierarchical_section_title: Noach (parsha) / In classical Rabbinic interpretation / Genesis chapter 9
caption_attribution_description: العربية: 9 change me! الكتاب المقدس التوضيح من الكتاب من الفصل Беларуская (тарашкевіца)‎: Біблійная ілюстрацыя да Кнігі Роду, разьдзел 9 Deutsch: Biblische Darstellung Buch change me! Kapitel 9 Ελληνικά: Βιβλική εικονογράφηση του βιβλίου της change me! Κεφάλαιο 9 English: Biblical illustration of Book of Genesis Chapter 9 Español: Ilustración bíblica de libro del change me!, capítulo 9 Français&#160;: Illustration biblique du livre de la Genèse chapitre 9 עברית: 9 האיור המקראי של change me! פרק हिन्दी: {{{hi}}} अध्याय change me! की पुस्तक की बाइबिल चित्रण Bahasa Indonesia: Ilustrasi Alkitab dari Kitab Kejadian pasal 9 Italiano: Illustrazione biblica del libro della change me! Capitolo 9 日本語: change me!9章の本の聖書の実例 Jawa: Ilustrasi Alkitab saking Kitab Purwaning Dumadi pasal 9 한국어: change me! 9 장 장부의 성경 그림 Bahasa Melayu: Ilustrasi Alkitab dari Kitab Kejadian pasal 9 Nederlands: Bijbelse illustratie van change me! hoofdstuk 9 Português: Ilustração bíblica do Livro de change me!, capítulo 9 Русский: Библейские иллюстрации Книга Бытие Глава 9 中文: 圣经change me!第9章的书籍插图
context_page_description: Noach, Noiach, Nauach, Nauah, or Noah is the second weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes Genesis 6:9–11:32. The parashah tells the stories of the Flood and Noah's Ark, of Noah's subsequent drunkenness and cursing of Canaan, and of the Tower of Babel.
  The parashah has the most verses of any weekly Torah portion in the Book of Genesis. It is made up of 6,907 Hebrew letters, 1,861 Hebrew words, 153 verses, and 230 lines in a Torah Scroll. In the Book of Genesis, Parashah Miketz has the most letters, Parashah Vayeira has the most words, and Parashah Vayishlach has an equal number of verses as Parashah Noach.
  Jews read it on the second Sabbath after Simchat Torah, generally in October or early November.
context_section_description: The Rabbis interpreted Genesis 9 to set forth seven Noahide laws binding on all people: (1) to set up courts of justice, (2) not to commit idolatry, (3) not to commit blasphemy, (4) not to commit sexual immorality, (5) not to commit bloodshed (see Genesis 9:6), (6) not to commit robbery, and (7) not to eat flesh cut from a living animal (see Genesis 9:4). Rabbi Hanina taught that they were also commanded not to consume blood from a living animal. Rabbi Leazar taught that they were also commanded not to cross-breed animals. Rabbi Simeon taught that they were also commanded not to commit witchcraft. Rabbi Johanan taught that they were also commanded not to emasculate animals. And Rabbi Assi taught that the children of Noah were also prohibited to do anything stated in Deuteronomy 18:10–11: "There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one that uses divination, a soothsayer, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or one that consults a ghost or a familiar spirit, or a necromancer." The Tosefta instructed that Israelites should not tempt anyone to violate a Noahide law.
  Rabbi Shimon ben Eleazar deduced from Genesis 9:2 that even a one-day-old child scares small animals, but said that the corpse of even the giant Og of Bashan would need to be guarded from weasels and rats.
  Rabbi Tanhum ben Hanilai compared the laws of kashrut to the case of a physician who went to visit two patients, one whom the physician judged would live, and the other whom the physician judged would die. To the one who would live, the physician gave orders about what to eat and what not to eat. On the other hand, the physician told the one who would die to eat whatever the patient wanted. Thus to the nations who were not destined for life in the World to Come, God said in Genesis 9:3, "Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you." But to Israel, whom God intended for life in the World to Come, God said in Leviticus 11:2, "These are the living things which you may eat."
  The Gemara noted the paradox that mother’s milk is kosher even though it is a product of the mother’s blood, which, due to Genesis 9:4, is not kosher. In explanation, the Gemara quoted Job 14:4: “Who can bring a pure thing out of an impure? Is it not the One?” For God can bring a pure thing, such as milk, out of an impure thing, such as blood.
  It was taught in a Baraita that Rabbi Eleazar interpreted the words of Genesis 9:5, "And surely your blood of your lives will I require," to mean that God will require retribution (in the Afterlife) from those who shed their own blood (by committing suicide).
  Similarly, the Tosefta cited Genesis 9:5–6 for the proposition that just as one is liable for injury done to another, so is one liable for injury done to one's self. And Rabbi Simeon ben Eleazar said in the name of Rabbi Hilpai ben Agra, which he said in the name of Rabbi Johanan ben Nuri, that if one pulled out one's own hair, tore one's own clothing, broke one's utensils, or scattered one's coins, in a fit of anger, it should be seen as if that person did an act of service for an idol.
  The Midrash also read Genesis 9:5, "And surely (וְאַךְ‎, ve-ach) your blood of your lives will I require," to include one who strangles one's self. But the Midrash taught that the principle of retribution for suicide did not apply to one in the plight of Saul (who committed suicide to save himself from the Philistines) or one like Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (who risked their lives to sanctify God's name), as the word אַךְ‎, ach implies a limitation on the general rule.
  Rav Judah read the words of Genesis 9:5, "And surely your blood of your lives will I require," to teach that even a single judge could try a non-Jew (under the seven Noahide laws, as "will I require" is stated in the singular).
  A Midrash read Genesis 9:5, "at the hand of every beast will I require it," to teach that when a murder is committed in secret, even if no one knows of it and a court cannot punish the murderer, still God will avenge the victim's blood.
  Rabbi Akiva
caption: God made a promise never again to destroy all the living things on the earth with a floor. (1984 illustration by Jim Padgett, courtesy of Sweet Publishing)
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