It is quite unbelievable that the second recorded action
that Noah takes after leaving the ark is planting a vineyard. He proceeds to
create wine and eventually gets drunk and sheds his clothes. What’s up with
that?
I think the simple explanation is escapism. After such a
devastating chapter in the history of mankind a man may feel compelled to curl
up in the corner of his tent as close as possible to what may be perceived as a
fetal position: alone, naked and with a total lack of cerebral capacity.
But I believe there is another aspect of Noah’s actions. He
rightfully recognized that, in a sense, the world had been recreated and thus
strived to reach the same state in which Adam had been when he was created.
Noah’s drinking issue was a deep yearning for spirituality.
I honestly think that many of the modern day substance
abusers are searching for some transcendental experience, and in my opinion
they do in fact get what they are looking for. The problem is that this method
is akin to hacking a computer system to extract information. You get what you’re
looking for but you also wreak havoc in the process.
The good news is that there are safer (and legal!) methods
of entering the realm of tranquility and elevation. It is by deep study of
certain texts and through different methods of prayer and introspection that
this can be done. Obviously, there is much room to elaborate on this topic, but
from my stand point what is most important is that people know that it is out
there.
In the words of the great sage Hillel in response to the
person who wanted him to teach all of the Torah while standing on one foot: “go
out and study the rest!”
