Parshas N o ac h By: Malka Schneps
Why was Noach saved from I have made them. But No- as well as all future tzaddikim. the mabul? Our instinct might ach found favor in the eyes of be to answer this question by Hashem.” (Bereishis 6:7–8) The (3.) Have emunah. The pareciting the famous pasuk, “... Ohr HaChaim Hakadosh like- suk states, “Noach found favor Noach ish tzaddik, tamim hayah wise concludes that chein is the in Hashem’s eyes.” Noach had b’dorosav… — Noach was a tzad- reason Noach was saved. chein because he realized that R’ Elimelech Biderman, he is always under Hashem’s dik, he was perfect in his generations; Noach walked with shlit”a, notes seven ways watchful eyes, and everything Hashem” (Bereishis 6:9). In oth- through which a person can that happens is from Hashem. er words, we might conclude acquire chein in Hashem’s eyes: that because Noach was a tzad(4.) Avoid machlokes. The dik who walked with Hashem, (1.) Avoid anger. The Chare- Chofetz Chaim in Shaar Hatevuhe was saved. But we would be idim learns this from the name nah (ch. 11) cites the Gemara in wrong. Noach was Menachos 29b that not saved because whoever places his trust in Hashem he was a tzaddik; Noach was pleasant in Noach was saved will receive Hashbecause he found em’s compassion his speech, his deeds, chein in Hashem’s in this world and eyes. and all of his ways, which the next. If a perWe see this in son trusts Hashem, is why he had chein. numerous sources. he will accept that According to both whatever befalls the Gemara (Sanhim is from Hashhedrin 108a), which states that Noach. Noach means pleasant, em, and he will not enter into Noach had been sentenced to and the Zohar Hakadosh states a machlokes with other people, death along with the genera- that Noach was pleasant in his but rather turn to Hashem for tion, and according to the Mi- speech, his deeds, and all of his needs. Likewise, it says, drash (Bereishis Rabbah 29:1), his ways, which is why he had “Chein is poured onto your Noach was spared from the chein. Chein is spelled ches-nun, lips” (Tehillim 45:3). When a mabul only because he found which is the reverse of the let- person purses his lips to avoid chein in Hashem’s eyes. In fact, ters in Noach’s name. machlokes, he acquires chein. this is explicitly written in the Torah: “Vayomer Hashem emcheh (2.) Have righteous descen- (5.) Guard your eyes. The es ha’adam asher barasi mei’al pnei dants. The Sefer Hayashar Beis Avraham, zt”l, learns this ha’adamah… V’Noach matza chein (which is attributed to the Rab- from the pasuk, “V’Noach matza b’einei Hashem — And Hashem beinu Tam) states that Hashem chein b’einei Hashem — But Nosaid, “I will blot out man, finds chein in those who are an- ach found favor in the eyes of whom I created, from the face cestors of tzaddikim. Noach was Hashem.” Noach guarded his of the earth… for I regret that the ancestor of Avraham Avinu eyes, so he had chein.
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