FROM A PAGE IN NOACH'S DIARY (9:2)

FROM A PAGE IN NOACH'S DIARY (9:2)

If we truly do live by the law of the jungle, what prevents man from becoming the hunted?

 

FROM A PAGE IN NOACH'S DIARY (9:2)

Dear Diary,

Even among the ancient ones, I would be considered old.  Having now lived over 600 years, I have seen many changes, including the advent of idolatry, the invention of musical instruments, the growth of the world's population and all the problems   associated with "progress". I thought I had seen it all.  But this past year…with the Flood and all, you can imagine.

At my age, to be responsible for all the thousands of birds and beasts is no picnic: Each one demanding specific foods at different times.  You see this limp that I got, that's from the lion that once kicked me when I was late with dinner.  And the stench, you wouldn’t believe it.

For the most part however, I got along with the animals fairly well.  Maybe it should all be attributed to the promise G-d made to Adam that man shall have, “Dominion over the fish, over the fowl, over the cattle and over every creature that creeps upon the planet.”

What I can’t understand is why now, after the Flood, G-d has decided to place, “The fear and dread of man upon every beast?”  Why the need for this fundamental change that sets up this unbridgeable chasm between humans and animals?

Let me share with you one of my innermost thoughts on the subject, and you - Dear Diary - can keep it for the sake of posterity.  At first, man being created, “in the image of G-d” was pretty close to perfect.  Even the animals sensed that Adam possessed a spiritual entity that made him - and the human race alone - worthy of being the Creator’s guardian upon earth.  Man, under Divine direction, was to “work and guard” the planet, bringing all that was in it closer to G-d and to perfection.

But over the years man changed.  As he behaved more and more like an animal, his G-dly image became dulled.  Soon Homo sapiens resembled nothing more that a two-legged creature and even the animals knew it.  Following the rule of the jungle whereby the strong rules the weak (and most beasts are stronger than man) G-d has to now place a fear of humans upon the animal, lest man become the hunted.  Thus, man’s primary role has changed from perfecting the world to first perfecting himself in order to regain the image of G-d.

This is all theory, you understand. But if I am right, I guess I should tell my children about this. So let me go and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

                                                                                                                  Signed, Noach