To understand why, we must first look at the preceding week: Parashat Breishit. As the first portion of the Torah, detailing the Creation of the world, it is read at the very end of Tishrei. This marks a vital transition. We are wrapping up a month packed with holidays and stepping back into the rhythm of everyday life.
The Rebbe reveals:
– The Shabbat of Parashat Noach is a day of general importance. For it is the first Shabbat after the six days of work following Shabbat Breishit – the ‘Shabbat of Creation’, which concludes the month of Tishrei. It is in this week that we begin our service within the context of real-world, mundane activities…
If the week of Breishit represents the “Creation” of our world for the new year, the week of Noach is when we begin to actively work within it. The holidays are behind us. The “Creation” is complete and has been placed into our hands. Now, it is time to act using our own strength.
The Rebbe explains that Shabbat Parashat Noach is an “all-encompassing”, general Shabbat as well. Shabbat Breishit contains the work of the entire year in potential. But Shabbat Parashat Noach – which sums up our first week of independent, everyday effort – is the defining moment when that potential is first brought into actual practice.
From the Rebbe’s explanations:
– The Zohar states that all the days of the following week are blessed from Shabbat. Thus Shabbat “Breishit” represents the blessing for the first week of ordinary mundane activity in the new year. Shabbat Parshat “Noach” represents the conclusion of this week, the day which infuses rest and perfection into this service. Thus Shabbat “Breishit” can be considered as the source of potential, while on Shabbat Parshas Noach we see how this potential is brought into actual expression…
Because this week sets the tone for the rest of the year, it is the ideal time for a true cheshbon tzedek (spiritual accounting). Now that our plans are in motion, it’s time to look at the reality we are creating: Do we like the reality we are building right now? Are our everyday actions truly matching the goals we set for the new year?
After all, the way we answer these questions today may shape our reality for the entire year ahead.
Excerpted from the Rebbe’s talk on the 4th Day of MarCheshvan, 5752. This week: listen to installments from this talk in “The Rebbe’s Talks” podcast on the main screen of the R4 app.
Happy listening and learning!
To be continued…
