Rabbi Shaanan Gelman

Parshat Lech Lecha Agency and Influence   Pirkei D’Rebi Eliezer [1] , the 8 th Century aggadic work, lists off several biblical figures who at one point in their lives were considered to be the rulers over the world, conferred with supreme authority and uncompromised influence, among them we find a figure briefly mentioned in last week’s   parsha [2] and who is featured prominently in the midrashei Chazal on Parshat Lech Lecha – a despot and tyrant by the name of Nimrod.   Nimrod, we are told “ruled over the entire world, from one end to the other” starting from the moment the great flood ended.   This is based on a verse in last week’s sidra : בראשית פרק י ( ח) וְכ֖וּשׁ יָלַ֣ד אֶת־נִמְרֹ֑ד ה֣וּא הֵחֵ֔ל לִֽהְי֖וֹת גִּבֹּ֖ר בָּאָֽרֶץ: Cush also begot Nimrod, who was the first man of might on earth. ( ט) הוּא־הָיָ֥ה גִבֹּֽר־צַ֖יִד לִפְנֵ֣י יְקֹוָ֑ק עַל־כֵּן֙ יֵֽאָמַ֔ר כְּנִמְרֹ֛ד גִּבּ֥וֹר צַ֖יִד לִפְנֵ֥י יְקֹוָֽק : He was a mighty hunter by the gr...

  Window Dressing [1] Noach 5781 Rabbi Shaanan Gelman   Towering over the Kentucky countryside, seemingly rising out of nowhere, is a unique tourist attraction that draws almost 1 million people annually, primarily Evangelical Christians. It is called The Ark Encounter, and it is a 510-foot long replica of Noah’s Ark. Throughout 2017 and 2018, weather conditions weakened the property on which the ark rested, causing a significant landslide that prevented access to the attraction from the main road leading to it. Repairs cost approximately $1 million.   In May 2019, its owners filed a suit against their insurance company, claiming that they acted in bad faith, as they failed to protect their clients against rain.   Sensing the hilarious irony of this claim, spokesperson Melany Ethridge of the Ark Encounter clarified that the waters were not quite biblical in nature.   "Contrary to some reporting, the damage to certain areas of the Ark Encounter th...