The Torah starts out in Parashat Breishit (Genesis) with the famous narrative about creation.The great commentator Rashi teaches us that although the Torah , as an operating manuel for the Jewish people, could have started in the book of Shmot (Exodus), our creator wanted us to learn about the nature of our relationship, and our capacity to receive divine blessing. Here, in Parashat Noach, we find that the same cosmic creative force that established the world can destroy it at will.
Why the sudden change? Perhaps it is to teach us of the temporal nature of life, and that just as G-d can creative life in an instant, he can also extinguish it, in an instant, or gradually. The ability to live our lives with the perspective that each day of life is truly a gift from our creator can be the key to living a happy, full life.
