Rashi, the great French medieval commentator on the Torah, comments on the opening of our weekly Torah portion in a very provocative manner.

Through bringing multiple perspectives on the righteousness of Noach, he challenges us to consider: What does it mean to be a righteous person (Tzadik)?

Here are the sources referred to in this episode:

The Torah calls Noach a Tzadik (Righteous Person).
How is that discerned?
Is it innate, or is it relative to one's context?
https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.6.9?lang=bi&aliyot=0&p2=Rashi_on_Genesis.6.9&lang2=bi

The Tzadik turns the quality of Judgement/Severity to Compassion:
https://www.sefaria.org/Bereshit_Rabbah.73.3?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

The Righteous fall but keep getting up - seven times:
https://www.sefaria.org/Proverbs.24.16?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Joseph *just* passes his test to become a Tzadik: https://www.sefaria.org/Sotah.36b.11?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

This is what makes him a Tzadik, and enables him to be a channel for life to flow through him:
https://www.sefaria.org/Zohar%2C_Miketz.4.35?vhe=Vocalized_Zohar,_Israel_2013&lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

The Righteous One is the foundation of the world:
https://www.sefaria.org/Proverbs.10.25?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

All of us are righteous:
https://www.sefaria.org/Mishnah_Sanhedrin.10.1?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

A Tzadik is someone who enjoys serving G!d:
https://www.sefaria.org/Ba'al_Shem_Tov%2C_Noach.1.1?vhe=Sefer_Baal_Shem_Tov._Lodz,_1938&lang=bi

We're all potential Tzadikim and the world needs multiple Tzadikim to each do their bit: https://www.sefaria.org/Me'or_Einayim%2C_Yitro.30?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Thank you for listening to The Spirit of the Torah from Applied Jewish Spirituality (AJS) - https://www.appliedjewishspirituality.org/

In every episode, Rabbi Daniel Raphael Silverstein explores insights arising from the Hebrew calendar or our weekly Torah portion, and related practices that can help us to effect positive change in our lives.

The intro and outro music is Shiviti by Dreamers - https://linktr.ee/dreamersmusic

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