PARSHA - Noach. Geula now!

In this week's Torah portion, Noach, we read the famous story of Noach and the flood. It was at the express command of G-d that Noach first entered the ark, as it states, "Come you and all your household into the ark." It was also at G-d's express command that he left it, as we are told, "Go forth from the ark, you and your wife and your sons......"

Thus it is difficult to understand why Noach sent out the raven and the dove to determine if the Flood had ended. If Noach was supposed to wait until G-d told him it was time to leave, why did he send the birds out to see if the waters had abated? Why wasn't he content to wait for G-d's command?

So by sending the birds from the ark, Noach was expressing his strong desire to leave it. Rather than waiting for G-d to come to him, he did all in his power to facilitate his exit. Noach sent the birds out in the hope that the Flood had receded and it was already permissible for him to leave.

When G-d saw Noach's efforts and observed his intense longing to go out, He then hastened to issue His command. In fact, the command "Go out of the ark" was given in the merit of Noach's exertions.

Exile, is likened to the mabul (Flood), for in exile our perceptions of reality are mevulbal (confused). The confusion of exile is so great that the falsehood of the world is often mistaken for truth. And in such circumstances we cannot wait until G-d will come and tell us to go out of exile.

Learning from the example of Noach, we must also do all in our power to hasten our departure from exile. We must expend all necessary efforts to put an end to it immediately.

We must believe that at any minute the exile can end and Moshiach will come. We must also increase our performance of good deeds, and bombard G-d with petitions and prayers that He remove us at once from the exile and bring us to Redemption.

When G-d will see our strong desire and intense longing to leave exile, most assuredly He will hasten to send our Moshiach. In the merit of our efforts He will certainly fulfill our hearts' desire, and bring Moshiach to us at once! Amen!

Candle lighting time for L.A. is 5:52 pm

Shabbat Shalom!