Rabbi, Benjamin D. Sternman is the spiritual leader of Adat Chaverim in Plano, Texas. Rabbi Sternman received his bachelor’s degree from Cornell, followed by his MBA. He entered the world of corporate finance and soon found that while he loved solving the mathematical puzzles required for his work, he didn’t feel it was completely fulfilling. He finally decided to trade the world of high finance for the life of a Reform rabbi – and he has never looked back. Rabbi Sternman joined Adat Chaverim in 2012 and is thrilled to have found his own spiritual home within the congregation.
In Parshat Noah, G‑d instructs Noah to build a large wooden teivah (“ark”). A great deluge, wipes out all life from the face of the earth; but the ark floats upon the water, sheltering Noah and his family, and two members of each animal species.
Rain falls for 40 days, the waters churn for 150 days more. Then the ark settles on Mount Ararat, and Noah dispatches a raven, and then a series of doves, “to see if the waters were abated from the face of the earth.”
Noah builds an altar. G‑d swears never again to destroy all of mankind because of their deeds, and sets a rainbow as a testimony of His new covenant with man.
The people defy God by building a great tower to symbolize their invincibility; G‑d confuses their language, causing them to abandon their project and disperse across the face of the earth, splitting into seventy nations.
Previous Talks on Parshat Noah
