NOACH WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN” (NOACH 6:9).
Rashi comments: “בשבחו סיפר It tells of his praise...” The word shevach (praise) has the numerical value of 310 י’’ש, alluding to the teaching that a Tzaddik inherits 310 worlds.
Therefore, precisely here, when the Torah refers to him as “Tzaddik,” it recounts his שבח.
Comparison to Avraham
“THERE ARE THOSE WHO INTERPRET IT NEGATIVELY, THAT IF NOACH HAD LIVED IN THE GENERATION OF AVRAHAM ETC.” (NOACH 6:9)
A reason of comparison specifically to Avraham is because just as Avraham Ha’ivri stood on one side while the whole world was on the opposite side, so too Noach stood alone against the rest of the world.
Noach Walked with Hashem
NOACH WALKED WITH HASHEM” (NOACH 6:9). Rashi comments: “But with Avraham it says differently לפניו התהלכתי אשר...”, that Hashem walked in front of him. This can be explained as follows: a man who has weakness in his legs requires assistance to support him. This corresponds to the aspect of Netzach and Hod which are known as “ דקשוט רגלין תרי “ the two legs of truth, otherwise known as the aspect of Emunah. Chazal say regarding Noach מאמין” “מאמין ואינו , believed and lacked in believing. This lack of Emunah caused a flaw in the legs (Netzach and Hod the two legs of truth) of Noach which is why he needed support. However, regarding Avraham the pasuk says ’בה והאמין, and he trusted in Hashem, that Avraham had the midah of emunah, and therefore he did not require assistance to support him.
The Offspring of Noach
“THESE ARE THE OFFSPRING OF NOACH” (NOACH 6:9). Rashi comments: “The offspring of Tzaddikim are their good deeds.” From this we see that good deeds are considered the offspring of the tzaddikim but they are not the essence of the tzaddik himself. The essence of the tzaddik is the level of לבו טהרת, the purity of his heart.
The Land Was Filled with Robbery
“THE LAND WAS FILLED WITH ROBBERY” (NOACH 6:13) Rashi Comments: That their decree was sealed specifically due to robbery. The meaning of this: It is well known that the creation of this world was because of the concept of nahama d’kisufa (bread of shame). And so, one who eats and enjoys without having earned it, meaning through robbery, thereby diminishes his right of existence. Meaning to say, his reason to exist in this world is so that he not eat nahama d’kisufa, that he should not eat without having earned. Since he has connected himself to the midah of taking without earning, he diminishes his right to exist. The word גזל, when read in ש“ב ת“א (a system from Chazal for letter substitution), spells רעפ, whose numerical value equals ארץ. Therefore, the passuk says they were punished with, ארץה את יתםמשח והנני. Rashi continues: הגזל על אלא דינם גזר נחתם לא. It is a known concept לו מודדין מודד שאדם במדה, The way one conducts himself, in that same way he will be dealt. If he acts with רחמים then he will be dealt with רחמים as well. Therefore, one who robs his fellow man and conducts himself with a midda that even what rightfully belongs to another he takes away from him, this same midda is dealt to him and he will lose even what was expected to be given to him. חמס has the numerical value of 108 קח, hinting to the aspect of taking.
In the Sixth Hundred Year to the Life of Noach
“IN THE SIXTH HUNDRED YEAR TO THE LIFE OF NOACH” ( NOACH 7:11). Noach is the aspect of Sefiras Yesod, the sixth Sefira. As such, it was specifically that year that Noachs attribute was strengthened and thereby he was saved. In similar vein, the teiva was coated בכפר ומחוץ מבית, the word כפר twice is the numerical value of six hundred which was the power of his protection.
And the Rain Became on the Land
”AND THE RAIN BECAME ON THE LAND” (NOACH 7:12). Rashi comments: “Later it is written, ‘And the flood became,’ So at first when He brought it down, He brought it down with רחמים etc.” This is the principle of all creation. At its root all שפע is pure רחמים. However, as it is lowered and brought down to our world it then turns into דין .
And Terach Died in Charan
“AND TERACH DIED IN CHARAN” (NOACH 11:32) The הקדוש זוהר teaches that Terach did teshuva. The explanation of this is that he indeed did teshuva, but his teshuva did not bring him into the aspect of Eretz Yisrael rather only to the aspect חרן. Therefore, the passuk states “And Terach died in Charan”, meaning that his teshuva stopped at that point, Charan, and such was the aspect of his death.
Noach built the teiva for 120 years. As is well known, Moshe Rabbeinu was a gilgul of Noach, and Moshe lived for 120 years. This aspect that Noach built the teiva in order to rebuke his generation, as Rashi explains. Within this also lies the aspect that these years were not lived for himself, rather solely for the benefit of others, which is the same aspect of Moshe Rabbeinu, who lived his 120 years solely for the benefit of others. The teiva represents a כלי, so too the years of a persons life are his כלי for the service of Hashem. Understand this well.
מבול: There are people that have a great abundance of Chachma and due to this they do not know with which specific Chachma to serve Hashem. This is an aspect of מבול, where an over abundance of light creates בלבול confusion
The nations of the world are referred to as נח בני, whereas Yidden are called ישראל בני. This can be understood as follows. Noach is the aspect of Sefiras Yesod as is known. The source of strength for the nations of the world is limited to Middas Yesod. In contrast, the בני ישראל receive from Tiferet, which is also known as ישראל.
