13 Oct NOACH: COMPLIANCE WITH PRECISION

The Torah tells that
after G-d commanded
Noach to construct
the ark, “Nocah did
in accordance with
everything G-d had commanded him – so
he did” (6:22).
The final clause – “Ken Asa” (“so he did”)
– seems to have been added to emphasize
that Noach built the ark precisely as G-d
had commanded, without deviating even
one iota from the specific instructions
that he had received. We all know that
even the most skilled and reputable
contractors usually fail to complete their
projects to the customer’s complete
satisfaction. There is always some
detail, minor or major, that is not done
the way the customer wanted. Noach,
however, completed his project – the
ark – in precise compliance with G-d’s
instructions, without overlooking or
disregarding even a single detail.
Intriguingly, a similar verse appears later
in the Parasha, following G-d’s command
to Noach that he enter the ark with his

family. The Torah writes, “Noach did
in accordance with all that G-d had
commanded him” (7:5). Rashi explains
that this refers to his entering the ark. It
is striking that in this context, the Torah
does not add, “Ken Asa.” In this instance,
there is no emphasis on the fact that
Noach complied precisely with G-d’s
instructions.
The reason is found in Rashi’s startling
comments two verses later (7:7). The
Torah tells that Noach and his family
entered the ark “because of the waters of
the flood,” and Rashi explains that he did
not go into the ark until he was forced to
by the floodwaters. Noach, Rashi writes,
was ambivalent. He did not fully believe
that Hashem would bring the flood, and
so he did not go into the ark immediately
after he was told to. He waited until the
heavy rains compelled him to seek refuge
in the ark.
This easily explains why the phrase “Ken
Asa” is omitted in the context of Noach’s
entry into the ark. In this case, he did not,
in fact, comply precisely with Hashem’s

command. Although he was, of course,
a righteous man who faithfully obeyed
G-d, his obedience in this instance was
imperfect.
The question then becomes, why was
Noach ambivalent? He spent 120 years
building the ark in preparation for the
flood that G-d told him would come. Did
he really not believe that G-d would flood
the earth?
Rav Yosef Salant (Jerusalem, 1885-
1981), in his Be’er Yosef, explained
that Noach of course did not question
G-d’s ability to bring the flood, or if He
would tell the truth, but he thought that
in His infinite mercy, G-d might rescind
the decree. After all, G-d waited 120
years after issuing the decree, and then,
as Rashi (7:4) brings from the Gemara,
he waited an additional seven days so
that the people could mourn the passing
of Metushelah, a righteous man. Noach
waited to see if G-d would further delay
the flood in the hope that the people
would repent.
Nevertheless, Noach acted wrongly

because he was explicitly commanded to
go into the ark. We are to comply with
Hashem’s instructions without making
our own calculations. Compelling as
our own reasoning might seem to us,
they can never get in the way of our
strict compliance with the Torah’s
commands. We must strive to reach the
level of “Ken Asa” – where our obedience
is complete, unwavering, unhesitating
and uncompromised, driven by a fierce
desire to faithfully serve our Creator.