It states (Bereishis 6:8) 'ה בעיני חן מצא ונח, "Noach found favor in the eyes of Hashem." What did Noach do to receive chen, favor in Hashem's eyes?
The Or HaChaim says, "There is a single mitzvah or perhaps three or four mitzvos that are mesugal for chen." Noach performed those mitzvos, and Hashem found chen in him (however, the Or HaChaim doesn't specify which mitzvos are mesugal for chen).
Some say, as we wrote above, that Noach had emunah that everything occurs 'ה בעיני, according to Hashem's hashgachah pratis, and with this emunah, he attained chen in Hashem's eyes.
The Ben Ish Chai (Ben Yehoyada, Beitzah 16.) writes that bitachon is mesugal for chen. The hint is that the word בטחון is comprised of two words: טוב- חן. "With בטחון, one merits חן and טוב, chen and Hashem's kindness." This is hinted in the pasuk (Tehillim 84:12), 'ה יתן וכבוד חן בתמים להולכים טוב ימנע לא, "Hashem will give chen and honor; He will not withhold good from those who go with bitachon."
The Chareidim (Mitzvas Asei 1) writes, "Noach was always calm and tranquil. It states, ונח 'ה בעיני חן מצא, and the Midrash explains that his calm and tranquil attitude found favor with Hashem. This is because tranquility comes from the side of kedushah, and anger comes from the side of tumah."
So, according to the Chareidim, Noach found favor in Hashem's eyes because of his nature of נח, calmness, and avoidance of anger.
The Gemara (Succah 49:) states, "If a person has chen, you can be certain that he fears Hashem." Here we have another explanation of how Noach attained chen. Noach had chen because of his yiras Shamayim.
It states (6:8) 'ה בעיני חן מצא ונח, "Noach found favor in Hashem's eyes." The Beis Avraham zt'l taught that Noach found chen 'ה בעיני because he was cautious with his eyes.
Stories Illustrating Chen and Yiras Shamayim
The Skulener Rebbe of Monsey Shlita related that someone once came to his father zt'l seeking a segulah for parnassah. The Rebbe told him to say היראה פרשת (printed after shacharis in many siddurim). The man thought the Rebbe didn't understand him, so he explained that he wasn't seeking a segulah for yiras Shamayim; he was seeking a segulah for parnassah. The Rebbe replied with the pasuk (Tehillim 111:5), ליראיו נתן טרף, "Hashem provided food for those who fear Him.' When you fear Hashem, you will have parnassah."
Reb Yehudah of Nasod zt'l was once on a train in a private compartment when an elderly woman came aboard. Fearing the prohibition of yichud, the Rav jumped off the moving train. His students asked him, "Why were you moser nefesh? There was nothing to fear. She's an old woman!" He replied, "I wasn't afraid of her. I was afraid of the aveirah of yichud."
Chassidim would come to the Koznitzer Magid zt'l to receive counsel and brachos, but he didn't admit women into his room. Once, when the gabbai wasn't around, an elderly woman entered the Magid's room. The Koznitzer Magid hurried to the window and was ready to jump out. Fortunately, just then, the gabbai returned. Later, the gabbai asked, "The woman was old, and you're ill. What were you afraid of? Why were you ready to risk your life and jump out of the window?" The Koznitzer Magid replied, "When the yetzer hara takes control, he can make an old woman appear young and a sick person healthy."
The Slonimer chassid, Reb Mordechai (Motke) Leider zt'l of Teveria, was once very ill as a young man; people thought he would die. After miraculously recovering, he came to the Slonimer beis medresh in Teveria. He announced, "Yesterday, I almost did the kuntz" (trick, implying that he almost died and went up to heaven). Another Slonimer chassid, Reb Elazar Katz zt'l, replied, "What did you say? That you almost made 'the kuntz'? How would you survive up there in heaven without a תתורו לא (the mitzvah of guarding one's eyes)?"
