Reading Notes: Noah and the Ark (Part B)

Here is the continuation of Part B of the story of Noah and the Ark. This latter half of the reading goes into more detail regarding the timeline of the flood and reaction of Noah and the sinners. It also provides information as to how Noah was able to understand how to build the ark and which animals to allow on board.

Plot

• There is a book that exists, "the Holy Book" or the Torah, which contains all celestial and earthly knowledge
• Adam received the book initially but an angel gave it to Noah so he could understand how to build the ark
• Adam and Eve cut up and eat the son of Samael to stop him from crying but it doesn't work
• Adam receives the Torah from God to defend himself against Samael and remove the curse that they received from eating his son
• Only the animals that lay down at the entrance of the boat were allowed to enter
• The animals that stood standing defended the ark against sinners when the flood began to rise
• The flood waters first passed through Gehenna (Hell) and became extremely hot so that they would burn the sinners as well as drown them
• At the time of the flood Noah did not have enough faith to perform miracles, he was simply better than the rest of man around him
• Noah doesn't enter the ark til flood waters reached his knees
• A giant, Og, and a unicorn, Reem, followed along behind the boat during the storm but are not mentioned after the initial boarding of the ark
• The flood lasted a year but the rain lasted for 40 days and nights which referred to how long it took for a baby to be born from someone from the sinful generation.
• Cain died during the flood, which finally avenged the death of Abel
• The raven was an unclean animal that was allowed on the boat and did not fulfill Noah's wishes when he sent him in search of land. He did not return to the ark
• A week later Noah sent a dove which returned to him with part of an Olive branch
• Noah becomes enticed by Satan to start a vineyard
• We learn that the fall of man occurred from Adam eating of the forbidden fruit, which was a grape, and became drunk

Depiction of the Forbidden Fruit with the snake (Satan). Found on flickr.

Bibliography

Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg (1909) found in the Noah Unit