BAIS HAVAAD ON THE PARSHA 5773 PARSHAS NOACH

Parshas Noach contains the account of one of the most (in)famous cooperative efforts in human history: the (abortive) construction of the Migdal Bavel. The Torah makes no mention of how such cooperation was achieved, and it is particularly striking that no emperor, king or leader of any sort is mentioned. All of humanity apparently managed to agree on the enterprise and coordinate their efforts on their own, and so successfully that Hashem himself acknowledged that "nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do". In this journal we explore the general questions of whether and how a community, or any multiplicity of people, with common needs or goals can ensure that everyone involved contributes fairly to the common good, both initially, as well as after the fact when some have expended their own resources and are demanding compensation from the others who will benefit from their efforts.(AUDIO HERE) PRINT VERSION HERE