Maghen Abraham - Thoughts From Mayer Sasson

"… I have been caused to alter my decision that I made them…Noach found grace in the eyes of G-d." (6, 7-8)

Found grace

It says in the gemara "Rabbi Yishmael taught, upon Noach a decree was made (to die in the Deluge) but he found grace in the eyes of G-d."

This seems wondrous: If Noach did not deserve to be saved from the Deluge and a decree was even made on him as well because of some defect or sin – how can the gemara say that he was saved because he found grace in the eyes of G-d? Is there favoritism here? Why it clearly states about G-d that "… he does not look more favorably…."?

We knowwhat the holy Or Hachaim said about the words "Noach found grace in the eyes of G-d" – that indeed Noach was righteous but his righteousness was not enough for him to be saved from the Deluge. However, Noach did merit to fulfill several known mitzvahs that has special power to find grace in the eyes of G-d.

We know that the holy books explain that the Torah is eternal and belongs to every single generation by every Jewish person. Therefore it is worth our while to investigate – what is the special mitzvah that Noach performed in whose merit he found grace in the eyes of G-d to save him from the Deluge, so that we also merit to be saved from the "Deluges" that threaten to wash out the world.

We will first explain what the Chatam Sofer taught us that since Noach did not reprimand the people of his generation and did not pray for them like Avraham Avinu did for the inhabitants of Sdom he was punished that he was only saved from the Deluge by being closed into the Ark for a full year. There are many ways that G-d had to save Noach from the Deluge without his having been closed up in an Ark, so why was he saved specifically in this manner?

He was actually punished measure for measure; since Noach was distanced from the people in his generation and he served G-d in solitude, not connecting with them to have them repent, therefore he was closed off in the Ark in separation from the entire world.

The Chatam Sofer refers to that written in Midrash Tanchuma "Our Rabbis said, for 12 months in the Ark he did not sleep, not by night and not by day, for he was busy feeding he animals with him."

Since G-d behaves strictly with the righteous like a thread of hair, Noach was punished to be closed in the Ark for 12 month for not having reprimanded the people of his generation.

Thus, we can understand how Noach found favor in G-d's eyes according to that written "from every pure animal take seven". Rashi explains that "pure" are the animals that will be pure for the Jews. We learn from here that Noach learned Torah.

That is what the Baal Haturim wrote pertaining to the words "with G-d did Noach walk"  "את האלקים התהלך נח" – the last letters spell out חכם- -wise man. This means that Noach merited to be a righteous man because he studied Torah and he was wise in the wisdom of Torah.

Now we can understand how Noach found grace in G-d's eyes to be saved from the Deluge according to the praise written of the holy Torah, "The quality of its grace is in its scholars".

That is the explanation of the gemara. Noach was also sentenced by the decree (to die in the Deluge) because he had not reprimanded his generation and did not pray for them but he found grace in the eyes of G-d – because he studied Torah by day and night.

SHABBAT SHALOM!!