October 11, 2026
How did the world fall to such depths that Hashem decided to destroy it, sparing only Noach and his family? The Ketav Sofer traces the origins of this process back to Noach's name. When Noach was born, his father – Lemech – declared: זה ינחמנו ממעשנו ומעצבון ידינו מן האדמה אשר אררה ה' – "This one shall console us from our work and the sorrow of our hands because of the land which was cursed by G-d" (5:29). Rashi explains that Noach invented farming tools which made farming easier and more efficient. Before Noach's time, people would just drop seeds on the ground and hope for the best. Noach invented the plow, which ensured that the seeds would penetrate the ground, take root, and grow. Farming became far more successful. The Ketav Sofer writes that this invention had the effect of distancing the people from Hashem. Until then, they realized full well that their success and good fortune depended on Hashem. But with the invention of the new tools, they felt confident and self-assured. They no longer saw themselves as dependent on Hashem, and this led them to act as they wished, without any restraint. No matter what we do, no matter how good we are at what we do, no matter what kind of skills, talents and resources we have, we must never forget that we depend on Hashem. Nothing we do can ever succeed without His assistance. Of course, this does not mean we can just sit back and relax, waiting for Him to do the job for us. Not at all. The Midrash speaks of how Noach worked tirele