Which merit saved Noach from the flood? Rav Chaim Shmulevitz zt”l points out even the fact that the Jewish nation would emerge from Noach was not enough to save him. Rather, says Rav Chaim, the only thing that was powerful enough to save Noach was chen, as the verse says: וְנֹחַ מָצָא חֵן בְעֵינֵי ה‘ - But Noach found favor in the eyes of Hashem.
Ask around your Shabbos table: What can a person do to gain chen in Hashem’s eyes.
An Answer
In Sichos Musar Rav Chaim Shmulevitz writes that one of the secrets of gaining chen in Hashem’s eyes is to be humble, as Shlomo HaMelech wrote in Mishlei (3:34):
אִם־לַלֵצִים הֽוּא־יָלִיץ וְלַעֲנָיִים וְלַעֲנָוִים יִתֶּן־חֵֽן - If [one goes] to the scoffers, he will scoff; but [if he goes] to the humble, he evokes grace.
