Parashat Noach
Cheshvan 3, 5786 / October 24-25, 2025Torah: Genesis 6:9-11:32
Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1-55:5
This d'var torah is offered in honor of our son, Robert Flom, and his bride to be, Meredith McEachern, who are marrying this Sunday in Detroit. We're keeping a son and gaining a daughter! Mazal tov and much love always!
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On November 3, we'll be at Ein Ya'akov Yevamot, p. 47 (BT Yevamot 63b) -
'... אל תצר צרת מחר' - 'Do not worry about tomorrow's trouble..."'
Ein Ya'akov (Glick edition) is available for on-line reading or as a downloadable PDF at:
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A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria:
https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents
A pointed Hebrew text version with different pagination is available at Sefaria:
https://www.sefaria.org/Ein_Yaakov?tab=contents
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Please feel free to pass this on to a friend, and please cite the source.
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A CORRIDOR THROUGH THE RUBBLE?
Chaverim yekarim / Dear friends:
This d'var torah is a very lightly edited version of a letter I sent to the editor of the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles. I think it's self-explanatory. I doubt it will be accepted for publication, as it greatly exceeds the Journal's word count limitations.
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Dear Mr. Suissa:
I apologize for the length, but I feel I must speak on this.
As I was reading Tanvi Ratna’s piece, “A Corridor Through the Rubble: What Gaza’s Peace Really Enables”, (https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/384369/a-corridor-through-the-rubble-what-gazas-peace-really-enables/) originally a Substack post (https://tanviratna.substack.com/p/a-corridor-through-the-rubble-what), which was published in the October 15, 2025 Jewish Journal, a classic midrash about Migdal Bavel, the Tower of Babel, came to mind. We’re reading about Migdal Bavel in this week’s Parashat Noach.
"And they said, 'Come, let us build us a city, and a tower with its top in the sky, to make a name for ourselves; else we shall be scattered all over the world."' Genesis 11:4
The Midrash, Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer comments, "The tower had seven ramps from the east and seven from the west. The bricks were hauled up from one side, and the descent was on the other. If a man fell down and died, no attention was paid to him. But if one brick fell down, they would sit and weep, saying, 'Woe is us. When will another be brought up in its place?'" In short, human life meant nothing to the builders – the construction of the building was all that mattered.
"Turris Babel" by Athanasius Kircher
Ratna’s piece discusses plans for a “GREAT Trust” that will turn Gaza into an international business and investment playground – shipping hubs, railways, ports, fiber lines – all managed by sovereign wealth funds and international corporations under rules the trust would establish for itself. One might expect manufacturing, as well. But there’s no mention of housing, schools, hospitals, or any other things that might benefit the residents of Gaza. (Nor for that matter, Trump or Kushner hotels and casinos, but that might be another story.) This omission seems intentional.
Ratna writes:
“…it’s a hybrid model: an international trusteeship that pools land parcels, securitizes infrastructure corridors, and allocates revenue streams from energy and logistics assets.
“This model allows for risk to be sliced, priced, and reallocated. It gives Gulf EPCs like ACWA Power and Qatari Diar a clear procurement pathway. It offers Western sovereign wealth funds arbitration cover. And it offers Israel a chance to outsource Gaza’s future while reducing day-to-day control.”
The whole thing reads like a prospectus. What’s not discussed at all is what happens to people – because people are not mentioned. Not Gazans, not Palestinians, not Israelis. On her Substack page, Ratna has this note: “The rights accorded to Palestinians in this plan remain shrouded in some mystery and were the source of much debate around the leak.” (Note: The “GREAT Trust” documents were apparently leaked)
This is Migdal Bavel on a scale not previously seen, all for the benefit of uber-capitalists who care nothing for anyone other than themselves, and possibly their major shareholders. We can be certain that the muscle for this endeavor, the ones who will be called upon to ensure that the project goes forward when the people of Gaza resist, which they surely will, will be US and Israeli military personnel – or hired mercenaries answerable only to their financier masters.
Enormous investment in a business venture devoid of any assistance or hope for the residents promises profits for a few – but not peace for the region.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Rabbi Emeritus
Temple B’nai Hayim
Affiliation for identification purposes only
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Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Richard A. Flom
Rabbi Emeritus
Temple B’nai Hayim
.אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם? הַלוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1
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Rabbi Emeritus
Temple B’nai Hayim
.אֵיזֶהוּ חָכָם? הַלוֹמֵד מִכָּל אָדָם
Who is wise? The one who learns from every person.
Ben Zoma - Pirkei Avot 4:1
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