This week’s Torah portion, Noach, introduces Noach by saying “These are the offspring of Noach, Noach was a righteous man perfect in his generation.” (Gen. 6:9) One would assume that if the Torah introduces Noach’s offspring, it would immediately enumerate his children; yet the Torah details Noach’s piety. Why does the Torah deviate by discussing Noach himself and not his children?
Rashi explains that Noach grew up amongst a generation of sinners. They were morally corrupt in every sense – immoral activity, stealing and the like – yet Noach had the inner fortitude to stay righteous. He constantly worked on his inner self to elevate himself over the world around him. This, Noach’s great piety and constant good deeds, is his true offspring. This is his greatest accomplishment. True, he had children who were going to carry his name and lineage, but the greatest legacy he left was his own strong character.
The Torah thus teaches us that the main “offspring” of a person is the good deeds that he performs in his lifetime. This is how he is remembered. People will recall the charity he dispensed, how he helped his fellow man, and prayed and studied with devotion. This is the ultimate legacy a person can strive for.
Many people, when raising children, want to protect them from the potential societal ills lurking in the world-at-large, such as immoral activity and the like “to protect the children’s innocence.” What one may neglect to realize that, although he is a mature adult, he must also protect himself from unnecessary influences so he can continue to grow spiritually. A person doesn’t stop spiritually growing when he stops growing physically. Rather, it is a lifetime goal to constantly strive to be a better person, by performing good deeds and studying our Torah. This is the greatest lesson we can impart to our children: That life is made for constant growth.
Let us utilize the lesson of our Rabbis to further grow in our spiritual beliefs so we can create a legacy we’re proud of.