Cubism – Noach
讛ַ砖ִּׁ注讜ּ专 诪ֻ拽ְ讚ָּ砖ׁ 诇ִ专ְ驻讜ּ讗ַ转 砖ִׂ诪ְּ注讜ֹ谞ָ讛 讘ַּ转 砖ָׂ专ָ讛
讜ְ讝ֶ讛 讗ֲ砖ֶׁ专 转ַּ注ֲ砖ֶׂ讛 讗ֹ转ָ讛ּ 砖ְׁ诇ֹ砖ׁ 诪ֵ讗讜ֹ转 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 讗ֹ专ֶ讱ְ 讛ַ转ֵּ讘ָ讛 讞ֲ诪ִ砖ִּׁ讬诐 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 专ׇ讞ְ讘ָּ讛ּ 讜ּ砖ְׁ诇ֹ砖ִׁ讬诐 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 拽讜ֹ诪ָ转ָ讛ּ. (讘专讗砖讬转 讗, 讜-讝)
In a previous shiur we explored how Noah's Ark in fact was a floating Beit HaMikdash. It is the only parsha in the Torah, aside from the parshiyot discussing the Mishkan, which specifies precise measurements.
As in the Mishkan, the unit of measure of the ark, was the 讗ַ诪ָּ讛. In this shiur I would like to explore this unit of measurement in greater depth and try to understand why the 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 specifically is the unit of measurement that is fitting for a structure that houses HKB"H's Shechina, like the ark, the Mishkan and the Beit Mikdash.
First of all, what is an 讗ַ诪ָּ讛? What is the origin of the word?
An 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 is the middle finger on your hand, the longest finger of the five fingers. Each finger has a name. The 讗ֲ讙讜ּ讚ָ诇/讙ּ讜ּ讚ָ诇/讘ּ讜ֹ讛ֶ谉 = thumb. The 讗ֶ爪ְ讘ַּ注 = index finger. The 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 = middle finger. The 拽ְ诪ִ讬爪ָ讛 = ring finger. The 讝ֶ专ֶ转 = little/pinkie finger.
The measurement in question is called an 讗ַ诪ָּ讛, because it is defined as "the distance from your elbow to the end of the middle finger, the 讗ַ诪ָּ讛", around a half a meter (专ַ诪ְ讘ָּ"诐 = 45.6cm, 讞ַ讬ִּ讬诐 谞ָ讗ֶ讛 = 48cm, 讞ֲ讝讜ֹ谉 讗ִ讬砖ׁ = 57.6cm).
There is a machloket in the Mishna (讻诇讬诐 讬讝, 讬) as to the size of an 讗ַ诪ָּ讛. According to R' Yehuda, there are two distinct 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 measures, the first for measuring a building structure (讗ַ诪ַּ转 讘ִּ谞ְ讬ָ谉), which he specifies as six 讟ְ驻ָ讞ִ讬诐 (handbreadths), and a second for measuring the vessels of the Mikdash (讗ַ诪ַּ转 讻ֵּ诇ִ讬诐), which he specifies as five 讟ְ驻ָ讞ִ讬诐. R' Meir on the other hand says there was a standard 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 measure for all the components of the Mikdash, of six 讟ְ驻ָ讞ִ讬诐, except for the Mizbechot (inner/outer) for which there was a separate measurement. The Rambam is posek according to R' Meir, i.e an 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 is six 讟ְ驻ָ讞ִ讬诐 (专诪讘"诐, 讻诇讬诐 讬讝, 讬).
As we can already see, the Torah "focus" regarding the etymology and symbolism (which we will soon explore) of the word 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 centers around the human arm and hand.
The English translation of the word 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 is "cubit", derived from the Latin word "cubitum", meaning "elbow". While it is true that one endpoint of this measurement is the elbow, the English translation (derived from the Latin, derived from the Greek), as it invariably does, completely misses the essence of this term (the focus is not on the elbow, but the hand). This is one of the numerous reasons we commemorate the fast of the 10th Tevet, because on the 8th Tevet, Ptolemy ordered 72 Jewish chachamim to translate the Torah to Greek (诪讙讬诇讛 讟 注"讗), which Chazal say plunged the world into "darkness" for three days (诪讙讬诇转 转注谞讬转 讬讙). Translation of the Torah (into any language other than Lashon HaKodesh) minimizes it and distances us from its true meaning.
Just this last week, the American secretary of state gave a keynote address in Greece applauding the contribution of the ancient Greek culture to modern civilization and Western values (obviously playing to a local audience). Although the secretary of state is a staunch supporter and friend of Israel, his speech was severely lacking. Not once does he mention the Bible. It was the Greek's perversion of the Bible (to a large degree) that has culminated in the apocalyptic mess the world is currently in.
However, it is not the "cubitists" or the Greeks, or secretaries of state that interest me, it is the Torah.
The question I would like to answer in this shiur is why the primary unit of measure in HKB"H's Beit HaMikdash, the physical structure that is capable of housing the Shechina, is the 讗ַ诪ָּ讛?
The answer to this question is hidden within the word itself. If you reorder the letters of the word 讗ַ诪ָּ讛, you get the word 讛ָ讗ֵ诐 – the "mother".
It seems "counterintuitive" that the Beit HaMikdash is designed with a "feminine" unit of measure, when all who perform Avodah in it are male and the area in which women are allowed to enter is but a small fraction of the entire structure (the ramparts above the Ezrat Nashim).
However, this is exactly what the Ramban hints to in his introduction to sefer Shmot. The Ramban asks why sefer Shmot contains the detailed description of the Mishkan? Would this description not have been more fitting in sefer Vayikra, together with the details of the Avodah performed in it?
The Ramban answers that the purpose of sefer Shmot is to detail the Exodus of Am Yisrael from bondage in Egypt and their redemption as a nation. This redemption was not complete until Am Yisrael built the Mishkan and reacquired the reality that previously existed in the time of the Avot and Imahot. The Cloud of Shechina resting over the tent, the candle that remained lit perpetually and the blessing in the dough. When the Mishkan was built - the Shechina was present in the Ohel Moed, the Menorah (the 谞ֵ专 诪ַ注ֲ专ָ讘ִ讬) remained perpetually lit, and there was blessing in the Lechem HaPanim on the Shulchan.
Who is more associated with the tent, the Avot or the Imahot? The answer is simple. When the angels asked Avram 讗ַ讬ֵּ讛 砖ָׂ专ָ讛 讗ִ砖ְׁ转ֶּ讱ָ? What did Avraham reply - 讜ַ讬ֹּ讗诪ֶ专 讛ִ谞ֵּ讛 讘ָ讗ֹ讛ֶ诇 (讘专讗砖讬转 讬讞, 讟). The "tent", the equivalent of the Mishkan/Beit HaMikdash is associated with the Imahot, 讛ָ讗ֵ诐 – the "mother", not the Avot.
The question above remains "Why then is the Beit HaMikdash on Har HaBayit predominantly a maledomain, not a female domain?" The answer is because it is necessary for the men to frequent the Beit HaMikdash, not the women, because the woman herself is a Beit Mikdash. The Shechina more naturally resides in women than in men, the woman's intrinsic spiritual design is more conducive to housing the Shechina (谞讚讛 诪讛 注״讘; 驻专讬 爪讚讬拽, 讗讞专讬 诪讜转, 讝; 专砖"专 讛讬专砖 讜讬拽专讗 讻讙, 诪讙). The man has to construct this structure artificially and externally to himself, to achieve the same result.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the unit of measure for defining a structure that can house the Shechina is feminine. In the "marital" relationship kiveyachol between HKB"H and Am Yisrael, HKB"H is likened to the "groom" kiveyachol and Am Yisrael to the bride, the feminine.
Shlomo HaMelech in Shir HaShirim which, in its entirety is an allegory to the Beit HaMikdash, repeatedly refers to its various components using the allegorical feminine.
In building the "house", the home, the active figure is the mother, not the father. Sarah was the active one in preserving the integrity of her home when she told Avraham to marry her maidservant Hagar and later to banish Hagar and Yishmael. Rivka was the active one in preserving the integrity of her home when she commanded Yaakov to get the blessing instead of Eisav and when she convinced Yitzchak to send Yaakov away to Charan to find a wife. The active ones in building and preserving the integrity of their home were Rachel and Leah – they actively "collaborated" in both marrying Yaakov and giving birth to the Twelve Tribes, Yaakov was seemingly a "passive" participant in this. Although there appeared to be sibling rivalry between the two, both sisters made sacrifices in order to not shame the other. Rachel revealed the simanim to Leah and Leah davened to not have a seventh son in order to not embarrass Rachel that she would have only one son in the Twelve Tribes, less than the maidservants Bilha and Zilpa. Instead, Leah's seventh fetus was converted into and born a girl – Dina (讘专讻讜转 住, 注"讗).
This concept of the mother figure actively building the "home" is the meaning of the passuk 讞ַ讻ְ诪讜ֹ转 谞ָ砖ִׁ讬诐 讘ָּ谞ְ转ָ讛 讘ֵ讬转ָ讛ּ 讜讻讜' (诪砖诇讬 讬讚, 讗), not only their own, "private" homes, but also the "national" home, the Beit HaMikdash, using the measure of an 讗ַ诪ָּ讛.
Am Yisrael are slaves to HKB"H 讻ִּ讬 诇ִ讬 讘ְ谞ֵ讬 讬ִ砖ְׂ专ָ讗ֵ诇 注ֲ讘ָ讚ִ讬诐 注ֲ讘ָ讚ַ讬 讛ֵ诐 讜讻讜' (讜讬拽专讗 讻讛, 谞讛) and the female version of slave is a maidservant, an 讗ַ诪ָּ讛.
Perhaps the most direct reference to the "feminine" aspect of the word 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 and its association with a "hand" is when Pharaoh's daughter Bitya, stretched out her hand to retrieve Moshe from the bullrushes. 讜ַ转ֵּ专ֶ讚 讘ַּ转 驻ַּ专ְ注ֹ讛 诇ִ专ְ讞ֹ抓 注ַ诇 讛ַ讬ְ讗ֹ专 讜ְ谞ַ注ֲ专ֹ转ֶ讬讛ָ 讛ֹ诇ְ讻ֹ转 注ַ诇 讬ַ讚 讛ַ讬ְ讗ֹ专 讜ַ转ֵּ专ֶ讗 讗ֶ转 讛ַ转ֵּ讘ָ讛 讘ְּ转讜ֹ讱ְ 讛ַ住ּ讜ּ祝 讜ַ转ִּ砖ְׁ诇ַ讞 讗ֶ转 讗ֲ诪ָ转ָ讛ּ 讜ַ转ִּ拽ָּ讞ֶ讛ָ (砖诪讜转 讘, 讛). Rashi quotes two possible commentaries from the Gemara (住讜讟讛 讬讘, 注"讘) for the phrase 讜ַ转ִּ砖ְׁ诇ַ讞 讗ֶ转 讗ֲ诪ָ转ָ讛ּ, either Bitya sent her maidservant, or she stretched out her hand. If you are interested in dikduk, Rashi here explains how a few dots change the meaning of the same letters to mean either hand (讗ֲ诪ָ讛) or maidservant (讗ַ诪ָּ讛).
The females are the ones who are active in preserving the integrity of the home and the "appendage of action" in the human body is the arm/hand. The arm/hand is synonymous with action, for example 讻ֹּ讞ִ讬 讜ְ注ֹ爪ֶ诐 讬ָ讚ִ讬 (讚讘专讬诐 讞, 讬讝), or in our parsha 讝ֶ讛 讬ְ谞ַ讞ֲ诪ֵ谞讜ּ 诪ִ诪ַּ注ֲ砖ֵׂ谞讜ּ 讜ּ诪ֵ注ִ爪ְּ讘讜ֹ谉 讬ָ讚ֵ讬谞讜ּ (讘专讗砖讬转 讛, 讻讟). The symbolic measurement corresponding to this concept is the 讗ַ诪ָּ讛, which in effect is the length of the entire arm, from the elbow to the end of the longest finger in the hand.
From all of the above, one might mistakenly think that the males in Am Yisrael are "superfluous", since "everything" centers around the "female" – the active role in the home, in the structure of the Beit HaMikdash, in housing the Shechina, etc. However, this is obviously not the case.
Chava made this catastrophic mistake in Gan Eden. The 谞ָ讞ָ砖ׁ duped her into thinking that she could leave Adam, the man, out of the equation completely and create new life all on her own (see shiur on Eikev 2026). Chava was 讛ָ讗ֵ诐 – the "mother" 讜ַ讬ִּ拽ְ专ָ讗 讛ָ讗ָ讚ָ诐 砖ֵׁ诐 讗ִ砖ְׁ转ּ讜ֹ 讞ַ讜ָּ讛 讻ִּ讬 讛ִ讜讗 讛ָ讬ְ转ָ讛 讗ֵ诐 讻ׇּ诇 讞ָ讬 (讘专讗砖讬转 讙, 讻).
Which brings us to the next level in deciphering the word 讗ַ诪ָּ讛. The gematria of "讗ַ诪ָּ讛" is the same gematria as "讗ִ诪ָּ讗 讗ַ讘ָּ讗". In last week's shiur we explored the intermingling of the left (male) and right (female) attributes of Gvura and Chessed. The midpoint, the "combination" of the two is the attribute of Tiferet.
Avraham was Chessed and Yitzchak was Gvura. Both "passively" followed their wives' derech in maintaining the integrity of their homes – they did what their wives told them! (With Avraham, HKB"H explicitly told him to do so 讻ֹּ诇 讗ֲ砖ֶׁ专 转ֹּ讗诪ַ专 讗ֵ诇ֶ讬讱ָ 砖ָׂ专ָ讛 砖ְׁ诪ַ注 讘ְּ拽ֹ诇ָ讛ּ).
Although Rachel and Leah were active in establishing their home and preserving its integrity, Yaakov was not totally the "passive" male in the equation. Unlike Avraham and Yitzchak, Yaakov took an active role in trying to preserve the integrity of his home, the unity between his sons. Yaakov is Tiferet, the balance between Gvura and Chessed – the mid-point between the two, just as the 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 is the middle finger in the hand. Without the counterbalancing of the male attribute Gvura (Torah), the female attribute Chessed, is not anchored.
Therefore, the 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 measurement reflects this intermingling of Chessed and Gvura in the Beit HaMikdash, which is an underlying principle of many of the components, for example the Shulchan (Chessed) and the Menora (Gvura) standing alongside one another and the Mizbeach HaKetoret (reflecting the unity of the Twelve Tribes) in between the two.
Therefore, the 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 is also a tikkun for 讛ָ讗ֵ诐, Chava.
Another gematria of 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 is 诇ֵ讜ִ讬, the tribe who performs the Avodah in the Mikdash.
So far, we have been speaking about the connection between the 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 and the Beit HaMikdash, but the first time the word 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 appears in the Torah is in our parsha, Noach, in reference to the measurements of the ark. We said above that the 转ֵּ讬讘ָ讛 was a kind of floating Beit HaMikdash, which explains the use of the word 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 here. But what is the connection between 转ֵּ讬讘ַ转 谞ֹ讞ַ and the "female"?
The first connection is that what typified the ark were "pairs", Noach and his wife, his sons, Shem, Cham and Yefet and their wives … the animals – male and female, 讗ִ诪ָּ讗 讗ַ讘ָּ讗.
The next, deeper connection was Noach's wife. The Midrash tells us that Noach's wife was named Na'ama (讘专讗砖讬转 专讘讛 讻讙, 讙). There is a machloket whether the Na'ama in question was the daughter of Chanoch, who never died and became the angel 诪讟"讟(住驻专 讛讬砖专 谞讞, 注诪' 讻讚), or the daughter of Tuval Kayin. Accordingly, there is a machloket whether she was a positive figure or a negative one. The first opinion (R' Aba bar Kahana) says she was called Na'ama - 砖ֶׁ讛ָ讬讜ּ 诪ַ注ֲ砖ֶׂ讬讛ָ 谞ְ注ִ讬诪ִ讬诐, that she was a tzaddikah. The other opinion (Rabanan) say very negative things about her (re: 讝讜讛专, 讞诇拽 讗 谞讛, 讗), which I will not repeat here.
I prefer to go with the positive view of Na'ama (R' Aba bar Kahana), also repeated by the Midrash Aggadah, Ramban, R' Bachyei, the Radak, the Maharal/Gur Aryeh, Siftei Chachamim and others – that she was a tzaddikah. If she was not, why would HKB"H have saved her by allowing her in the ark?
I have not found any source for this, but following the logic regarding the 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 above, it is highly possible that Na'ama played some active (unbeknownst to us) role in protecting the integrity of Noach's home and raising a family that were worthy of being saved from the 诪ַ讘ּ讜ּ诇. The gematria of 谞ַ注ֲ诪ָ讛 is 讘ָּ讟ַ讞 讘ָּ讛ּ 诇ֵ讘 讘ַּ注ְ诇ָ讛ּ and 讘ְּ诇ִ讬 驻ְּ讙ָ诐.
As in many of my other shiurim, this shiur on the 讗ַ诪ָּ讛 measure also illustrates the unfathomable depth of the Torah. How every letter has meaning and symbolism and is ordered by Divine providence and is in no way random or superfluous.
Shabbat Shalom
Eliezer Meir Saidel
Machon Lechem Hapanim
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