ASKMOSES: Your mini-series, “Noah,” takes us back to a time 4,000 years ago. Tell us about your journey.

VOIGHT: I had a conversation with Wil Smith while we were filming “Enemy of the State.” He said, “Stories in the Bible, a lot of ‘em can’t be true. Take Noah and the Ark. I mean, of course, that couldn’t be true.” Wil’s a very funny, witty guy, of course, and I think what he was saying was that it sounded too fantastical to be true. And to some degree, I have to say that I agreed with him.

ASKMOSES: What changed your mind?

VOIGHT: As an actor, I’m a great advocator of research. So when I was approached for the role, I sought out information from archaeologists, anthropologists and other scientific sources; people who are often wary of religious philosophies. Quite remarkably, they all seemed to verify a flood taking place around that time period. This helped in my confidence in portraying the character of Noah.

ASKMOSES: Did you consult the Torah?

VOIGHT: Most definitely. In fact, one of the remarkable aspects of Judaism, and I’m not Jewish, is the scholarship passed down from generation to generation. They immerse themselves in this rich, wonderful text, of which the story of Noah is a part. Great minds like Maimonides, the Maharal, the wonderful Chassidic masters and great contemporary minds like the Rebbe. The story of Noah has been examined and contemplated for thousands of years. As a result, we’ve come up with some wonderful insights from the original Hebrew words that give us a depth to the story. I felt I was standing on good legs when I did the piece.

ASKMOSES: How do you see the story of Noah?

VOIGHT: Noah was a man who had a belief in G-d prior to his conversations with G-d, but everyone else around him was devoid of that belief. They thought he was mad. Noah felt G-d must be very unhappy at the state of His creation. As the only person to have this sensibility, Noah was left in despair. Then one day G-d came and spoke to him, confirming his beliefs. So, in a most remarkable way, he found out that G-d existed.

ASKMOSES: Having portrayed the character, what lessons do you think Noah learned?

VOIGHT: Noah learned that G-d was his friend, and that G-d would help him. G-d came to Noah and saved his family, but determined that His creation was so disappointing to Him, so deficient and bent on evil, that He had to destroy it. So, even with G-d on his side, Noah endured great hardships. Facing deep sadness over the tremendous loss of life, Noah was despondent and felt he carried the responsibility of future generations of man to come. Then G-d came to him during this time of despair, and a covenant was made: the rainbow. So Noah learned there’s responsibility, there’s hope and there’s always G-d. We don’t ever have to feel that we’re away from G-d, that we’re unattended. We can return to our purpose and follow through on the seven very important laws of Noah, outlining the prohibitions of idolatry, blasphemy, homicide, illicit sexual relations, theft, eating the limb of a living creature and failing to establish courts of justice.

ASKMOSES: How do you think Noah felt going on the Ark with his family, knowing that he was leaving an entire world behind?

VOIGHT: It took a hundred and twenty years to build the Ark, because G-d didn’t want to bring the flood. He wanted people to change. I think of G-d as the deepest, truest, most loyal friend of all humankind. In terms of having to learn those lessons, most people learn best from mistakes. Unfortunately, we have to face ourselves and feel terrible remorse before we change.

ASKMOSES: How does this apply to your own self?

VOIGHT: I don’t believe there’s a ceiling to growth and learning. People say to me now, “Gee, Jon. You seem to be at peace.” I’m saying, “Well, yes, I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned from some very big mistakes and I’m growing a bit more happy about life.” I can say, “L’Chaim” and appreciate that life has been a tremendous adventure for me.

ASKMOSES: At a recent farbrengen, you—

VOIGHT: I what?

ASKMOSES: That’s what we’re asking you!

VOIGHT: I borrowed somebody’s hat! (Laughing) I was at the University of Texas making a film called “Varsity Blues.” While I was there, I was looking for this book on the dietary laws because I remembered reading it and then losing track of it after I lent it to somebody. I thought it was a wonderful book because it was so full of interesting philosophy. So I said, “Is there a Chabad here, because I think maybe they can help me.”
The hotel that I was staying in got the Chabad rabbi on the phone. “Rabbi, Jon Voight.” So the rabbi says, “Come down, we’re having a farbrengen!”
There was a group of people, some young, some older. Infants with their mothers. We sat around in this little place and we ate and we talked. The rabbi shared stories of the Ba’al Shem Tov that are so full of information, so rich with humor. But they’re powerful tales, very resonant and meaningful.

ASKMOSES: They say that a Chassidic story is when the heart fools the mind.

VOIGHT: (Laughing) That’s great! Everything I just said is perhaps claimed in those simple words.

ASKMOSES: What do you think the story of Noah can teach us today?

VOIGHT: That’s an interesting question. The purpose of the story of Noah’s Ark is to get the word out that G-d lives, that He’s attending to us, that He’s given us His instructions to follow. (Smiling) We gotta stop being deaf, dumb and polite and start listening to our better self.

ASKMOSES: Any final words for our readers?

VOIGHT: I think to be appreciative of everything we all have. I want to recommend that we say a little word of gratitude for being here in this adventure of life, grateful for all the gifts we’ve been given. And that we dedicate ourselves to helping other people enjoy the benefit of these very blessings.

I sought out information from archaeologists, anthropologists and other scientific sources; people who are often wary of religious philosophies. Quite remarkably, they all seemed to verify a flood taking place around that time period