The Mighty Nimrod | October 14th, 2026

See today's text here!

In this episode of The Daily Derech, Rabbi Marcus Rubenstein explores Parashat Noach, Hilchot Shabbat, and a teaching from Menorat HaMaor about divine justice and measure for measure.

The Parashah section examines Nimrod, Noah’s great-grandson, whose extraordinary power over animals led him to believe he could rule humanity without God. According to the Midrash, Nimrod promoted the Tower of Babel and opposed Abraham, who challenged his arrogance and affirmed the supremacy of God.

The Rambam discusses when destructive labor violates Shabbat. Destruction intended to create something new in the same place can incur liability, while purely destructive acts generally do not. Labor must also be intentional from beginning to end to incur Torah-level liability.

Menorat HaMaor presents three rabbinic explanations for the Flood, connecting the generation’s sins with the punishment of water. These teachings illustrate measure-for-measure justice and emphasize faith that God ultimately holds wrongdoing accountable, even when justice is not immediately visible.

Today's text: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13Zuy0d4tdCfKzmcCQyU8loFkSg2e9Veo/view?usp=sharing

Learn more at exploringjudaism.org/thedailyderech and reach out to Rabbi Rubenstein here.