Noach and Cheshvan – The Month of the Scorpion: Finding Inner Strength (2024)

Chodesh Tov from Antwerp: Reflections for Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan and Parashat Noach

As the days grow shorter and we approach Shabbat earlier each week, I want to take a moment to share words of inspiration for Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan, from here in Antwerp.

May this month be filled with simchot (joy), yeshuot (salvations), and nechamot (consolations). May the hostages be freed, our soldiers protected, and may we hear only good news.

I dedicate this post to the ilui nishmat (elevation of the soul) of my dear husband, Ben Rebbe Yehudah, and my maternal grandmother, Sarah Fradil bat Dovid, a true Eishes Chayil, whose yahrzeit falls this Motzei Shabbat.

The Symbol of Cheshvan: What Can We Learn from the Scorpion?

Each Jewish month is symbolized by a sign. Cheshvan is symbolized by the scorpion—akrav. Why a scorpion?

One insight: the scorpion is always thirsty, always seeking water. Cheshvan is the beginning of the rainy season in Eretz Yisrael, a time when we, too, thirst for physical and spiritual nourishment.

But there’s a deeper message. In Hebrew, akrav (עקרב) contains the letters:

• Ayin-Kuf (עק): from “Osim b’eimah” – they serve with awe,

• Reish-Bet (רב): from “Ratzon Konam” – the will of the Creator.

In our tefillot, we say angels “perform with awe the will of their Creator.” After the awe-filled days of Elul and Tishrei, we are now returning to routine. But the message of akrav is clear: even in routine, we must continue to serve Hashem with the same awe and kavanah we had during the High Holidays.

Mar Cheshvan: Bitterness or Whispered Connection?

Why is Cheshvan called Mar Cheshvan—“bitter” Cheshvan?

Chassidic sources teach that “Mar” can also be read as “Me-rashrashin” (מ רששים), meaning “we whisper.” In Tishrei, we whispered many prayers. Now, in the quiet of Cheshvan—with no festivals—we are challenged to continue whispering prayers with just as much intensity.

And while there are no Yamim Tovim, we still have Shabbat each week—holier than Yom Tov. Shabbat is our weekly gift, a day of menuchah, spiritual connection, and elevation. Let’s use this Rosh Chodesh that leads straight into Shabbat as an opportunity to realign ourselves with Hashem’s presence in our daily lives.

Parashat Noach: Righteousness, Responsibility, and Empathy

The Torah describes Noach as a "Tzadik Tamim b’dorotav"—a righteous man, perfect in his generations. Yet Chazal question this praise. Was Noach truly great? Or was he righteous only relative to his generation?

Unlike Avraham or Moshe, Noach did not plead for his generation. When Hashem tells him the world will be destroyed, he builds the Teivah—but we hear no prayers, no begging for mercy, no empathy toward the sinners.

Avraham begged for Sodom. Moshe offered his life for Am Yisrael. But Noach remained silent. This lack of intercession is why Chazal view his righteousness as incomplete.

The Generation of the Flood: When Theft Seals a Decree

What ultimately sealed the fate of the Dor HaMabul?

Not idolatry. Not immorality. Chazal teach: “Their fate was sealed because of gezel”—robbery. Not grand theft, but petty, trivial stealing. A society so lacking in empathy and respect for others’ property could no longer be sustained.

Hashem, the Baal HaRachamim, often sends subtle warnings. But the people of the flood had nothing truly theirs—no possessions, no integrity. The world’s purpose, Olam Chesed Yibaneh (a world built on kindness), was shattered. In response, Hashem chose to rebuild from the ground up.

The Teivah: More Than Survival

The Teivah wasn’t just a physical refuge. Its measurements—like those of the Mishkan—reflected deep spiritual truths. It symbolized a spiritual center, a Beit Hashem, in a dark, chaotic world.

Noach and his family spent an entire year in this ark—not to rest, but to serve. They fed every animal, day and night. The Midrash describes how they barely slept. Even Noach was injured while feeding a lion. Why such hardship?

Because the Teivah was a training ground. Noach was being taught the essence of chesed—giving without thanks, serving without recognition. This was the foundation for the new world.

The 40 Days of Rain: Symbolic Rebirth

Why did the rain last 40 days?

• 40 days: the time for fetal formation.

• 40 se’ah: the measure of a mikvah.

• 40 days: Moshe spent receiving the Torah.

This was not merely destruction—it was a spiritual cleansing. The flood was a boiling mikvah to purify a world corrupted by heated desires and moral decay.

15 Amot Above the Mountains: The Hidden Name of Hashem

Why does the Torah tell us that the water rose 15 amot above the tallest mountains?

The number 15 corresponds to the letters Yud-Heh, the Divine Name found in “Shechinah Beineihem”—the presence of Hashem between husband and wife. Immorality had erased holiness from relationships.

The flood's waters symbolically rose with the letters of Hashem’s name—15 amot—reminding humanity to restore holiness and bring the Shechinah back into our relationships.

Nimrod and the Tower of Babel: A New Corruption

At the end of the Parsha, we read about Nimrod and the Tower of Babel. Unlike the generation of the flood, they were united. But they used unity to rebel against Hashem.

They wanted a world built on human ego and power, not divine purpose. Hashem responded not with destruction, but with dispersion—each nation receiving its own language, forcing people to reconsider what true unity means.

A Final Thought: Choosing Light Over Warmth

Chazal give a powerful parable:

A man who is cold can wrap himself in a fur coat—or light a fire. The fur coat warms only himself. The fire warms everyone.

Noach built a fur coat. Avraham lit a fire.

As we begin Cheshvan and reflect on Parashat Noach, we’re invited to ask ourselves: Am I warming only myself, or am I creating light for others?

Let’s strive to live with empathy, serve Hashem with awe, and build a world of chesed and holiness.

May this month of Cheshvan be filled with growth, unity, and spiritual elevation. Shabbat Shalom and Chodesh Tov.