Full Forty

As we begin learning the Parshios of Sefer Beraishis, there can be a instinct to gloss over the portions of the stories that we are familiar with, relying on the notions ingrained in our minds since childhood, in order to focus on the parts of the Parsha less familiar. As is often the case, however, if we question that which we already “know”, and take the time to think critically about our preconceptions, we may find that there are important lessons and messages to be found even in the Pessukim that seem the most elementary. With that in mind, let us explore one specific aspect of the Mabul.

One hundred and twenty years after telling Noach to begin constructing the Teiva, Hashem spoke to him once again, instructing him to begin gather his family and the various species of animals, into the Teiva. Noach is then informed him of the impending Mabul: “Ki L’Yamim Od Shiva Anochi Mamtir Al HaAretz Arbaim Yom”. Hashem chose to tell Noach not only when the Mabul would begin, in seven days time, but also for how long it would last—forty days. As the Parsha continues, the Pessukim provide a detailed timeline of the events that followed.

The length of the Mabul itself, as foretold in this Passuk, is of course a well-known fact, a piece of information at the fingertips of any school-aged child. As with any such fact, however, we must always ask one more question: Why?

The purpose of the Mabul, as Hakadosh Baruch Hu told Noach, was “L’Shaches Kol Basar Asher Bo Ruach Chayim”, to destroy every living creature upon the earth. It stands to reason that this goal certainly have been met in a split second—the Kol Yachol does not require time to execute His will. That being the case, it is clear that there is a specific reason that the Mabul had to last for this specific amount of time.

In fact, as the Pessukim go on to tell us, while the rainfall lasted for only forty days, Noach was in the Teiva for much longer, as the water first sat and then drained. In fact, according to some Shitos, the entire “Teiva experience”, so to speak, lasted over a year. Why then was it important to tell Noach that the Mabul, the rainfall, would last forty days—he was to be confined to the Teiva for much longer than that.

It appears, then, that there is a significance to the number forty in relation to the Mabul. The rain was to last this specific amount of time, and Noach had to know that this was the plan, even though he would not be able to leave the Teiva until later.

Interestingly, this is not even the only time this number appears in the Parsha. After the water beagn the recede, and the mountain tops could be seen, the Passuk tells us: “VaYehiu Miketz Arbaim Yom VaYiftach Noach Es HaChalon.” Noach waited forty days at that point before opening the window of the Teiva. There is no record of Hakadosh Baruch Hu telling Noach to wait this amount of time, but somehow he seemed to know that it would be appropriate. Surely the period of time is the same as the actual Mabul for a reason—we cannot assume that it was merely coincidental.

The question then begs: what is the connection between the number forty and the Mabul? Why did the rain last exactly that long, and what is it supposed to teach us.

The truth is that throughout the various Medrashim, there are a variety of explanations given by Chazal, for the period of forty days, some of which are brought by the Meforshei HaChumash on this Passuk. Chizkuni, for example, offers two connections. First, he notes that the punishment administered by Beis Din for any Lav is “Arbaim Makos”, forty Makos. The number forty is therefore appropriate, as the Dor HaMabul, about whom it was said “Ki Hishchis Kol Basar Es Darko Al HaAretz” was certainly deserving of Malkos. Additionally, he notes that they were “Over” on the entire Torah, which was given to Moshe Rabbeinu over the span of forty days.

Rashi, however, brings another explanation: the forty days of the Mabul correspond to the forty days of Yetziras Havlad, the creation of a baby. Rashi then adds another sentence, explaining that this was an appropriate punishment for the Dor HaMabul, which was involved in Zenus: “Lehehitraich L’Yotzram LaTzur Tzuras Mamzerim,” which literally means that they troubled The Creator to create the form of a Mamzer.

Questions abound.

First, how are we to understand the simple words of Rashi? The Gemarah in Bechoros tells us that the Yetziras HaVlad takes forty days. That is, forty days after conception, the fetus is considered to be fully created and ready for development—a fact that is important in connection to certain Halachos in Tumah and Tahara. The connection between this appearance of the number forty and the Dor HaMabul, however, seems difficult to establish. Rashi adds that the sinners of that generation caused Hakadosh Baruch Hu to create the “Tzura” of a Mamzer, which apparently was Matriach the Tzur Olamim. Obviously, a Mamzer does not look different than any other child, what then is the Tzura of a Mamzer? In addition, is there anything that is truly difficult for the Kaviyachol? Why was creating the Tzura of a Mamzer, whatever that may be, a Tircha? It seems that in order to fully understand the connection between the Mabul and Yetziras HaVlad, as indicated by the shared number forty, we must first understand this final sentence of Rashi.

In addition, we must understand why Rashi, the Avi HaMeforshim, chose this Pshat in the Passuk among the others. The two connections brought by Chizkuni can be found in the same Medrash in Beraishis Rabbah as that quoted by Rashi. Why did Rashi choose this example of forty, which seems a little more difficult to understand, as we have seen, rather than one of the others that is more familiar and accessible? Sometimes when there are conflicting Medrashim we see that Rashi cites more than one, but here he limits his words to this one approach, indicating that he felt it is the most closely connected to Pshat—why?

Before attempting to explain these ideas, it is important to establish that the lessons of the nuber forty, as seen from the Mabul, can be directed only at us. First, in the most practical sense, those who did not survive the Mabul certainly had no lesson to learn as once the rain began there was no way for them to save themselves—each one perished during those forty days. In addition, the connections cited by Chizkuni—Malkos and Mattan Torah—certainly did not apply to the members of the Dor HaMabul personally as they lived well before Kabalas HaTorah and we not subject to the punishment of Beis Din. Rather, it is clear Hashem wished to send a message to us, those who would learn the Parsha of the Mabul, by choosing to make the Mabul last exactly forty days. It is upon us to discover what that lesson could perhaps be.

If we think about it, the number forty is a constant presence in the Torah and in our lives. As we noted, the Torah was given to Moshe over forty days, but each time he returned to Har Sinai, to daven for Klal Yisroel after the Eigel and to receive the Luchos Shenios he was there for forty days as well. In fact, later, when Moshe davened for himself in the hopes of entering Eretz Yisroel, he stood before Hashem for another forty days. In addition, the trip of the Meraglim took forty days, and the resulting punishment was Yom L’Shana, a forty year stay in the Midbar. There are recurring examples of the number forty as well: the period between Rosh Chodesh Elul and Yom Kippur, devoted to Teshuva and Tzeaka, for example, spans forty days.

It seems though, that each of these uses and examples of the number forty, come from the same source: Yetziras Havlad. For example, the Pirush Sifsei Kohen on Parshas Mishpatim explains that Moshe’s time on Har Sinai was akin to the creation of a new person, and so it required forty days, like Yetziras HaVlad itself. Similar ideas are written about each of the ideas tied to the number forty. It seems then that if we understand what happens during the forty days of Yetziras HaVlad, we may perhaps gain an insight into the significance of this number.

As we know, a person is comprised of two separate, yet somewhat co-dependent, parts: his physical being, the Chelek Hagashmi, and his Neshama, the Chelek Haruchani. While we may assume that these entities, while distinct, develop at the same time, this may not be the case.

In Parshas Ki Seitzei the Torah tells us “Arbaim Yakeno”, that a person receives forty Malkos for his transgressions, in practice, however, only thirty-nine are administered. The Maharal, in Gur Aryeh there, asks why this is the case: why does the Torah tell us forty Malkos should be given if really on thirty-nine are permitted. In the process of his answer, which is a little complicated to detail here, the Maharal explains that the forty Malkos are, again, related to the Yetziras HaVlad. Maharal explains that the first thirty-nine days of Yetziras HaVlad are devoted to the creation of the physical corpus of the new baby, the Chelek HaGashmi, and on the fortieth day, it receives its Neshama, the Chelek Eloka Mimal. Thus, the fortieth of the Malkos, which is not given to the Choteh, is related to the Neshama, the Chelek HaRuchni.

We can learn from the words of the Maharal what the number forty truly represents. It takes forty days to prepare a physical body, the Chelek Hagashmi, to accept the Chelek HaRuchani, the Neshama. Only after forty days has the physical representation of the new baby reached a point that it is ready to enter the Olam Harcuhani. Any time the number forty appears, then it can be understood in this light: allowing something to reach a level of Shelimus, such that it can attain new heights in Ruchnias.

When a person does an Aveira and he requires Malkos to erase the Chet, and allow his body to prepare itself for a new attempt at Rucnhias. Similarly, we have forty days starting with Rosh Chodesh Elul during which we prepare ourselves for the renewing Tahara of Yom Kippur. The forty days of Kabalas HaTorah are easily understood in this light as well: that was the amount of time needed for Moshe Rabbeinu to be ready to bring the Luchos to Klal Yisroel, for them to being their new journey as Mikablei HaTorah.

With this in mind, we can understand the forty days of the Mabul as well. The world had reached a level of utter degradation, “Ki Malah HaAretz Chamas”, and required a total transformation. The forty days of the Mabul were nessecary to prepare the world to being anew, to try once more to fulfil a Tafkid of elevated Ruchnias. When Noach saw that the waters had receded, then, perhaps he understood that the world was ready to accept physical beings once again, but felt himself unready, and thus waited the requisite forty days before attempting to leave the Teivah.

Perhaps this is why Rashi chooses this aspect of forty among the others: This is in fact the most basic instance of the number forty, from which all others stem. At the root of the forty Malkos and forty days of Kabalas HaTorah is the forty days of Yetziras HaVlad. But then why did Rashi add his final sentence, “Lehehitraich L’Yotzram LaTzur Tzuras Mamzerim”? Could we not have understood the need for forty days just based on Yetziras Havlad?

Perhaps Rashi wished to teach us something about the fusion of the Chelek HaRuchani and the Chelek HaGashmi. A Mamzer is a child that comes about as a result of an illicit relationship—he is by definition the product of an act that is purely physical. One may therefore assume that the Mamzer is unworthy or incapable of accepting the Chelek HaRuchani—perhaps his origins preclude a pursuit of Rucnias. Rashi therefore adds that the Yetzirah of the Mamzer also takes forty days, he too receives his Neshama at the end of the Yetizrah process. Though perhaps out of the ordinary, requiring some sort of Tircha on the part of the Ribono Shel Olam, his Chelek HaGashmi is joined by a Neshama nonetheless.

That really is the message of the Mabul: no matter the level of Hashchasa, no matter the depths sunken to, Hashem can help us return to the path of Ruchnias. In the scheme of things, forty days is not a long time, and it can happen in moments as well: we can be recreated, so to speak, experiencing a rebirth, ready to once again suffuse our Chelek HaGashmi with the Ruach Elokim.