Chazal (Tana d'Bei Eliyahu) says that everyone must say, ויעקב יצחק אברהם למעשי מעשי יגיעו מתי, "When will my actions be like the deeds of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov."
The Ramchal (Derech Eitz Chaim) writes, "A person should ask himself and search in his heart, 'The tzaddikim of years ago, the fathers of the world, what did they do that Hashem loved them so much? What did Moshe Rabbeinu, Dovid Hamelech, and all the gedolim of the past do?' Then he should think, 'How good would it be for a person to live in this manner throughout his life?' Then he should check his ways and see whether he is acting in their ways or not... If a person thinks these thoughts, he is very close to attaining sheleimus [perfection in avodas Hashem].... At least, one should think a drop about these thoughts... and he will succeed in all his ways."
Therefore, as we read the parshiyos of Sefer Bereishis that tell us about the ways of the holy Avos, we should seek to emulate their exalted ways. One should contemplate the kind ways of Avraham Avinu and ask himself, "How am I with the middah of chesed? What can I do to improve my ways so that they will resemble the holy, kind ways of Avraham Avinu?"
The Shlah HaKadosh (Vayeirah 30) writes, "When you do favors for others, do it in a manner that the person who receives the favor will feel that he is doing you a favor. Avraham did this. He had his guests feel that they were doing Avraham a favor when they came to his home."
The Chasam Sofer (איש ה"ד) points out that Noach acted completely differently from the people of his generation. They would intentionally harm one another, as it states (Bereishis 6:12) הִשְׁח ִית כִּי נִשְׁחָתָה וְה ִנֵּה הָאָרֶץ אֶת א ֱלֹק ִים וַיַּרְא הָאָרֶץ עַל דַּרְכּוֹ אֶת בָּשָׂר כָּל, "Elokim saw the earth, and behold it had become corrupted, for all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth." In what way were they corrupted? Rashi (6:11) says that they were corrupted with avodah zarah and arayos. The Chasam Sofer adds that they were also corrupted in the way they dealt with others. Their sins weren't solely ben adam l'makom; they were also sinning ben adam l'chaveiro. They harmed others, and they weren't compassionate to other people's needs. The Chasam Sofer learns this from the word דַּרְכּוֹ, "His way", as it states הָאָרֶץ עַל דַּרְכּוֹ אֶת בָּשָׂר כָּל הִשְׁח ִית כִּי, "for all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth." The Chasam Sofer says that דַּרְכּוֹ, "His way", means Hashem's way.
The Chasam Sofer writes: "Hashem is וחנון רחום, kind and compassionate, and they corrupted אלקים דרכי, Hashem's ways. If they had gone in Hashem's ways, to be compassionate and kind to all, Hakadosh Baruch Hu would have had compassion on them, even if they sinned ben adam l'makom. But now [that they also sinned ben adam l'chaveiro] the decree was signed against them."
In contrast, Noach was kind and compassionate to all. The Midrash (Bereishis Rabba 30:5) says that this is the reason he was called נח. It is because he was ונח לשמים נח לבריות, kind to heaven and kind to the creations."
Midrash Tanchuma (Noach 5) states, "איש נח צדיק, Noach is called a tzaddik because he supported and fed Hakadosh Baruch Hu's creations [in the teivah]. Noach and Yosef are the two people [in Tanach] who are called "Tzaddik". They received this title...
