Noach: Uplifting Creation

“And G-d saw the earth and behold it was corrupted, for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.”(Genesis 6:12).
 
The Torah tells us explicitly that the earth became corrupted because its inhabitants became corrupted. We hereby learn that the deeds of humans have a profound influence on all of creation, for upright deeds create a climate of positive energy that builds and gives life. Conversely, evil deeds create a climate of negative energy that leads to famine, war, disease and destruction, Heaven forbid.
 
During the generation of the flood, Man’s influence on the environment was utterly detrimental. The Torah says, “Hashem saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth” (ibid, 5), for “they took for themselves wives from whomever they chose (ibid, 2).” Rashi explains that the leaders of the generation descended to an alarming degree of immorality, indulging in wanton adultery, sodomy, and even relations with animals. Once man – the prime of creation – became so corrupt, the plague spread to the lower levels of creation, namely, the animals, the plants and the soil. Rashi tells us that the birds and animals began interbreeding outside their species. Then, the grains followed suit (see Yerushalmi, tractate Kla’im, first mishna). The “Pnai Moshe” on the Yerushalmi states emphatically, When the generation of the flood became so immoral, even the fruits strayed; the earth also strayed wantonly. A person would plant wheat seeds, and wild oats would grow.” From the Pnai Moshe’s explanation, we learn that human promiscuity leads to promiscuity in the lower orders of creation. The earth was so promiscuous, that the flood had to wash away three whole cubits of spiritually-contaminated topsoil.
 
With the above in mind, we can now fully understand what the Torah intends when it says, “For the earth was filled with wrongdoing” (Genesis 6:13). Consequently, man influences the state of the earth and all four levels of creation – human, animal, plant and mineral – for better or for worse.
 
Our sages teach us that the measure of good is five-hundred times more powerful that the measure of bad (see Rashi on Exodus 34:7). Therefore, the deeds of a righteous person are 500 times more powerful and influential than the deeds of the wicked. We see this in nature: a few grains of high-nitrogen fertilizer (mineral) make the grass (plant) greener. A calf (animal) eats the grass, enabling a Sabbath observant individual to eat roast beef on Shabbat. Those humble grains of fertilizer ascend the ladder of physical and spiritual refinement, ultimately becoming the protein in a person’s muscles and the vitamin B12 in his brain that give him the power to learn Torah, pray, and sing to Hashem on Shabbat. What a beautifully sublime thought, and it’s reality! Man is capable of taking the simplest physical matter and elevating it to the highest level of spirituality.
 
Indeed, each individual who seeks Hashem and dedicates his life the service of Hashem in prayer, Torah learning and good deeds merits the assistance of all creation. Why is all of creation so willing to help? All of creation depends on the Divine service of Israel. Each creation – whether mineral, plant, animal, or human – aspires to attain its particular soul correction; that’s why the water in the well would ascend by itself to the buckets of our holy ancestors (see Rashi on Genesis 24:17 and on Exodus 2:20), and tens of thousands of deceased souls would frequent the Baal Shem Tov and Rebbe Nachman of Breslev in search of their soul correction.
 
Rebbe Nachman of Breslev teaches (Likutei Moharan II: 11) that when a person prays in the field, all the neighboring plants, grasses, and trees help him, and add power to his prayer. Even when a person is not in the field, all the creations in the immediate surroundings join in to add a wonderfully enhanced dimension to that person’s prayer.
 
In light of these amazing principles, we can conclude that reciting reciting such prayers as Psalm 148 and Perek Shira have the power of purifying a person, granting the reign over creation, and initiating an abundance of material and spiritual blessings. Each of us has the power to purify the earth, and it’s our duty to influence of all creation for the very best.