“And God spoke unto Noah, saying, ‘Go forth from the ark, you, and your wife, and your sons, and your sons’ wives with you. Bring forth with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, both fowl, and cattle, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth; that they may swarm in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.’”
New Perception after the Flood
Coming out to “the new earth” is what happens to you after the ark. You view the earth differently, finding joy in everything. You begin to realize that everything around you is given to you as aid in your spiritual advancement. They help you and you help them, and any instance of suffering that transpires is there only for adjustment, to keep you from stumbling by reminding you that everything comes from one source—the Creator.
The suffering is now mitigated by your understanding that it’s for your own benefit. It allows you to verify where you are and how far you’ve deviated from the right path. You get to work, adjust your course, and come right back to a new ascent.
Looking at Suffering from a New Angle through a New Intention
We can sum up the whole notion of suffering with a simple example. A terribly thirsty man stands before a stream of pure spring water, trying to fill up his dirty cup. The water tastes disgusting and bitter to him. He cannot drink it, and he curses the dirty stream (as we often curse the Creator, who sends us suffering). When the man finally realizes that the problem is not with the water, but with his cup, he cleans his cup and the water tastes wonderful.
It is the same with us. People concern themselves only with their corporeal tribulations and curse the suffering that befalls them. They immerse themselves in their problems, blaming everyone around them. But those in whom the point in the heart awakens—who begin to seek entrance into the spiritual world—learn that suffering is helpful because it identifies the spot (desire) that needs checking and cleansing (correction). And the correction is done only by finding the right intention.
The desire remains, only the intention changes. You are no longer waiting for the next blow to come, but instead you actively try to make contact with the Upper One so He wouldn’t need to push or adjust your path. You advance upward joyously and without pain to where the infinite, pure Light of love and goodness awaits.
This Light is intended for you; the stream is always flowing with pure spring water for any who thirst for it. Understanding this concept is symbolized by Noah “going forth from the ark onto the new earth.”
New Earth, New Covenant, New Life
It is a “new earth” because the earth that was cursed by the Creator (your egoistic desires) began to yield fruit (egoistic desires joined with altruistic ones), enabling life to appear, which steadily brings man to the goal of Creation.
“And God said, ‘This is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth.’”
The bow in the cloud (a rainbow) is a restriction that the Creator takes upon Himself not to hold a true judgment over man: to not make any more floods and ruins, but despite your actions (for you are still egoistic by nature) to lead you only to maximum correction.
The rainbow has seven colors. The seven colors denote the seven qualities (Sefirot) that comprise our small but complete desire, the combination of the qualities of bestowal and reception—the Creator and the creature.
The Creator pledges to lead you through the good path, the path of love, even though you may perceive this path as fraught with suffering.
“And the sons of Noah that went forth from the ark were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth; and Ham is the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and of these was the whole earth overspread.”
The three sons beget all life on the earth. “Life” is everything that opposes egoism. If at times things around you appear lifeless—not opposing the ego, but self-serving, leading to ruin and death and tearing the world apart—stop, think about the goal, and continue your work on correcting yourself and the world. Everything is created with only one goal—to rejoin the Creator.
“What Is the Meaning of God Speaking to Noah to Go Forth from the Ark in the Bible Story?” is based on the book, The Secrets of the Eternal Book: The Meaning of the Stories of the Pentateuch by Semion Vinokur.
