Last week the reading of the Torah began once again. Yes, on Simchat Torah the end of Deuteronomy and the beginning of Genesis are read to show the never-ending nature of Torah. Just as we complete the last book, we begin the first, and this is how it’s been forever. But on the Shabbat after Simchat Torah, the first chapters of Genesis begin to again capture the imagination of our People.

We read about creation; both versions are found in the first and second chapters. This week we’re introduced to Noah. Of Noah it is written in the text that he was “righteous in his generation,” and of course the rabbis of old said, “‘Of ‘this’ generation’”? Why not just write that Noah was righteous. And they answer their own question: in any other generation his righteousness might be questioned. He was good compared to the evildoers around him, but he wasn’t nearly as good as Abraham. Pointing to the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham argues with God, asking if the inhabitants would be saved if ten decent folks could be found among the others. Noah? Well, God said the world would be destroyed and Noah didn’t question God. Noah just built his ark.

We read about the all the patriarchs and matriarchs. We learn quickly that there’s a reason why Judaism has no saints. The characters in Genesis are flawed and still their place in our chain of tradition is sacred.

There are so many lessons in Genesis (just consider what I wrote about Noah), and so much drama surrounding those lessons making it, in my opinion, the most fascinating of the Five Books of Moses, the Torah.