For the Refua Shlema of Mordechai Tzvi ben Sara & Binyamin ben Blanka.
Be’ezrat Hashem in the Parasha we will read on
Shabbat Kodesh, Parashat Noach, there is an interesting passage about Noach
drinking wine (Bereshit 9:20-24). The Ben Ish Chai brings a piece of the Holy
Gemara that speaks about this issue. Chazal from Masechet Sanhedrin 70a explain
that there were 13 ‘Vav’im in the entire Wine Passage with Noach. This means
the letter Vav was brought up 13 times: “VaYachel, VaYitah, VaYesht, VaYishkar, VaYitgal, VaYar, VaYaged, VaYikach, VaYasimu, VaYelchu, VaYechasoo, VaYiketz, and VaYedah.” (And Noach begin…, And he planted…, And he
drank…, And became drunk…, And he uncovered…, And Ham saw…, And he
told…, And they took…, And they placed…, And they walked…, And they covered…, And Noach woke…., And he
knew….) These 13 Vav’im obviously symbolize something. Rashi explains on this
piece of Gemara that the Vav is written so many times in this Wine Passage in
Parashat Noach because it is such a “Vai, Vai,” incident. When someone says
“Vai, Vai,” they are weeping or suffering. This act of wine drinking was a low
point in Noach’s life. Rashi explains how terrible it is to reach this level.
The Ben Ish Chai agrees with the great Rashi,
but he explains that there is more that Chazal (who made up the Gemara) want to
say about this rather than just explaining it as Rashi did, which was on a
simple Pshat (meaning-of-the-words)
level. Chazal were very precise with what words to write when they made up the
Gemara. To sit down and write out each time one of the 13 Vav’im appears
throughout this wine passage seems like a waste of ink and parchment! But the
Ben Ish Chai further shows us that NOTHING IN THE TORAH IS MEANINGLESS. The
fact that Chazal went out of their way to list these Vav’im is not something
one should just look over. The Ben Ish Chai explains that these 13 Vavim break
down into 13 times the Gematriya (numerical value) of Vav (6), which equals 78.
Seventy Eight in Gematriya symbolizes two words: Lechem, which is bread and has
the Gematriya of 78 (Lamed-30, Chet-8, Mem-40) and Melach, which is salt and
also has the Gematriya of 78 (Mem-40, Lamed-30, Chet-8). 
Now when looking at the Wine Passage, we see
Chazal want to teach us Mussar
(rebuke/ethics). What are they telling us? There are two ways to drink
wine: there is the level of bread (Lechem=78, 13x6) and on the level of salt
(Melach=78, 13x6). When someone drinks wine on the level of bread, to be
completely full from wine and abuse the beverage, they end up falling into
Noach’s mistake of drinking and reaching a very low level of impurity (look in
the Torah at Mepharshim for more details). But when one drinks wine on the
level of salt, on a Kosher level with a health reason (as it is known that wine
is very healthy for your digestive track and overall health); they gain from
it. The Ben Ish Chai also adds that salt is a very important spice, so one can
benefit greatly when drinking wine, and adding the correct amount of spice to
one’s life can only benefit.
B’H this shows us on a general viewpoint that
everyone should take a specific action and always THINK how to do it in the
most Torah oriented BALANCED WAY. For example, there is a Midterm coming up and
it falls out exactly at Sunset Time, which usually I go to Minyan and pray
Mincha & Arvit. There are 3 general options one can follow: 1-Go to the
professor and completely threat him/her and ask Why they are trying to ruin
their religious level and their spirituality and create a whole mess. 2-Go to
the Midterm and just don’t say Mincha & Arvit (G-d forbid), here they avoid
controversy and they lazily choose to miss 2/3 of Prayer one is obligated to do
everyday. 3-Look for other Minyanim in the area, specifically Mincha at an
earlier time that would fit perfectly with enough time left over to go to the
Midterm in a relaxed fashion and find an Arvit minyan that is later on at
night. In Judasim, if one REALLY WANTS IT, they can live a life full of Mitzvot
& Avodat Hashem. Everything is possible. Just like its very possible to
pretend one did not have 12 years of a Jewish education and walk around College
just like another non-Jew, it is very very possible to be very Jewish and very
modern and PRACTICAL.
Look what only FOUR verses in the Torah can do. The Torah’s wisdom
is endless.
Judaism=Think.
Why am I Jewish and what is my purpose?
SHABBAT SHALOM!
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