Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz
Why was Avraham chosen to be the father of the Jewish nation and not Noach, who preceded him and is described by the Torah as a tzaddik (righteous person)?
Rabbi Chaim Mintz responds:
Righteousness of Avraham and Noach
Avraham was not the first to recognize Hashem (God), or even the first tzaddik. Noach was a great tzaddik, as were Chanoch, Mesushelach, Shem, and Eiver. However, while these individuals were themselves righteous and shared their wisdom with those who sought them out, they were not proactive in spreading the truth of Hashem’s existence to the world.
Avraham’s Unique Mission
What made Avraham special was his relentless drive to spread the knowledge of Hashem to the world. He actively fought for this truth, even endangering his life to teach others. The Rambam explains that this is what made Avraham fit to be the father of the chosen people.
Noach’s Passive Approach
Hashem had Noach spend 120 years building the teivah (ark), giving the world a chance to see his work and inquire why he was doing it. When they did, Noach warned them of the impending flood, rebuking them in the hope they might repent. But his efforts were passive – he spoke only when questioned, and despite the long period, he failed to convince a single person to do teshuvah.
This cautious approach stemmed from the dangers of engaging these people. The violent, hostile people of his generation even threatened to kill him if he tried to board the teivah, and Noach reasoned that he was not obligated to put his life on the line for the sake of Hashem. Additionally, Noach was afraid of being influenced by their wickedness, and so he focused on preserving his own righteousness rather than trying to engage with and change the world around him.
Fearlessness of Avraham
Avraham, by contrast, was fearless in his mission to spread the truth of Hashem. The Rambam (Avodah Zarah 1:3) details how Avraham engaged his community, challenging their idol worship, smashing their idols, and preaching that Hashem is the only One, and only He is worthy of devotion.
His compelling arguments won him many followers, and as his influence grew, King Nimrod attempted to kill him by throwing him into a fiery furnace, but he was miraculously saved by Hashem. Avraham then escaped to Charan, where he continued to proclaim the existence of one G-d, traveling from city to city and gathering tens of thousands who embraced the path of truth and service to Hashem.
Avraham’s Emunah and Leadership
The reason behind these two approaches lies in their differing levels of emunah (faith) and service to Hashem. Of Noach, it says, (Bereishit 6:9) “Noach walked with Hashem,” while Avraham said about himself (Bereishit 24:40), “Hashem, before Whom I have walked.” The Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 30:10) compares Noach to a young child who needs his father’s support to walk. He wasn’t strong enough to stand on his own and needed Hashem’s assistance to keep safe, so he avoided spiritual danger by remaining in a protective environment.
Avraham, by contrast, was steadfast in his emunah, like a mature son who is able to walk ahead independently, spreading truth fearlessly, unaffected by the evils around him. This active and independent faith is central to understanding why Avraham was chosen.
Lessons from Noach and Avraham
There are important lessons to be learned from both of these tzaddikim. If a person recognizes that he is vulnerable to the spiritual dangers of the world, he must follow the lead of Noach, withdrawing and protecting himself from those dangers, by enclosing himself in a safer, holier environment.
At the same time, it is incumbent upon us to follow Avraham’s example and strengthen our emunah, learn mussar (Jewish ethics), and clarify the principles of Judaism. This will enable us to go out and spread the truth of Hashem and Torah to our fellow Jews.
Avraham: Father of the Jewish Nation
In Short, Avraham was chosen to be the father of the Jewish nation because he alone put his life on the line to take up the mission of spreading Hashem’s truth and bringing the world closer to Him.
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