Parashat Noah- Malala Yousafzai- Tzadik Bidorotah

…Noah ish tzadik tamim haya bidorotav et haEhlohim hithalech Noah.

Noah was a pure, righteous man in his generation; Noah walked with God. (Breishit 6:9)

Commentary abounds on this first verse of our parasha. What is the meaning of tamim? Is there a special implication in haya bidorotav? How does one walk with God, and what is the implication or significance? Commentaries are divided on whether these qualifications elevate or degrade Noah in his righteousness.

Tamim- pure, simple, whole. The simple son of the Hagaddah is tam. A child without knowledge is tam. But tam also means pure or whole. Where is Noah on this spectrum?

Haya bidorotav- he was in his generation. Would Noah, placed in another generation, be a pure, righteous man? Or is it only in comparison to the evil of his generation that he can be called a tzadik?

Et haEhlohim hithalech Noah- with God, Noah walked. What is the significance of this? Does Noah need God to bolster him? Or is this a privilege awarded for his purity and righteousness?

Throughout history individuals have arisen who seem to occupy a special place. Often these individuals must fight extreme prejudice or violence. We see this with Noah. We see this with Avraham. In modern times we have seen this with Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel. Most recently the world has watched the struggle of a 14-year-old girl, Malala Yousafzai. Malala was shot last week by a Taliban gunman for being an advocate for girls’ education. The two shots failed to kill her, and her voice continues to be heard, even as she struggles to regain consciousness.

In reading about Noah, pure and righteous in his generation, I cannot help but think of Malala. A child, pure and simple, Malala understands the evil in the world. She has looked into its eyes and not remained quiet. To stand proud and speak out in the face of evil all around, whether as an adult or as a child, like Malala has done since she was 11, is to walk with God. When we think of those in history who are pure, righteous individuals, Malala Yousafzai’s name should be on that list. May she remain whole.