What we’re going to discuss today is the sugya of the mabul. Now, if you want to study the mabul, the source of studying the mabul is the gemara in Sanhedrin.
The first thing we’re going to discuss today is what brought about the sin that caused the mabul. We’re going to study this aspect. We want to understand what caused man to fall to the point they did?
We have previously discussed the sin of the dor hamabul and we showed you the words of Rabeinu Tam, who says that if a person starts with a little bit of ta’avah and he allows himself to do whatever he wants, there’s no end to it.
I wanted to just point out that this was clearly demonstrated in the generation of the mabul.
Today, I want to share with you something that I heard from my Rebbi (HaRav Meir Halevi Soloveichik, zt”l) many years ago. It’s what you would refer to as a Brisker chiddush. One of the uniquenesses of the Briskers, is that they took nothing for granted. All assumed understandings were always re-analyzed and re-studied in order to find the emes. I remember hearing this chiddush from my Rebbi and thinking, “Wow! That’s an interesting devar Torah!” And then I realized it wasn’t a devar Torah. They generally don’t say divrei Torah. What they try to find is the emese pshat in the pesukim. Let me share with you this wonderful chiddush.
