This provides us with a wonderful understanding of the following assertion brought down in the sefer Yalkut Chadash: "ראוי היה להינתן התורה על ידי משה בדור המבול אלא שחטא הדור גורם"—the Torah should have rightfully been given by Moshe in the generation of the mabul, but the sins of the generation prevented it. He is teaching us that had Noach been worthy, seeing as he possessed the neshamah of Moshe, it would have been fitting for him to give the Torah to the people of his generation. Yet, since he failed to rebuke them, and they became extremely corrupt, he was not privileged to give them the Torah. Instead, he was compelled to reincarnate into Moshe Rabeinu, who took Yisrael out of Mitzrayim and gave them the Torah at Har Sinai.
Following this line of reasoning, we will now endeavor to reconcile the surprising fact that HKB”H opted to save Noach and everyone with him in the “teivah,” in a form of “Aron HaBris.” Let us refer to the commentary of the Ramban on parshas Yisro (Shemos 20, 13). He explains that the two luchos were divided into two distinct sets of commandments. The five “dibrot” on the first tablet concerned mitzvos between man and the Omnipresent—“bein adam laMakom”: "אנכי ה' אלקיך", "לא יהיה לך אלהים אחרים", "לא תשא את שם ה' אלקיך לשוא", "זכור את יום השבת לקדשו", "כבד את אביך ואת אמך". In contrast, the five “dibrot” on the second tablet concerned mitzvos between man and his fellow man—“bein adam l’chaveiro”: "לא תרצח", "לא תנאף", "לא תגנוב", "לא תענה ברעך עד שקר", "לא תחמוד בית רעך".
In Shemiras HaLashon (Part 2, Chapter 27), the esteemed Chafetz applies this fact to interpret that which is written in parshas Ki Sisa (ibid. 31, 18): "ויתן אל משה ככלותו לדבר אתו בהר סיני שני לחת העדות לחת אבן כתובים באצבע אלקים"—he gave to Moshe, when He finished speaking with him on Har Sinai, the two Tablets of the Testimony, stone tablets inscribed by the finger of G-d. Rashi comments: The plural word ״לחת״ is written defectively (without the letter “vav,” as if it was in the singular), because both (tablets) were equal. The source for this comment is the Midrash (S.R. 41, 6): "לחת כתיב לא זו גדולה מזו"—the defective spelling indicates that neither tablet was larger than the other. Additionally, neither set of commandments are more important than the other.
Let us elaborate. There are people who are meticulous regarding the mitzvos of the right tablet. They observe the mitzvos “bein adam laMakom” to an extreme degree. On the other hand, they are lax in their observance of the mitzvos on the left tablet—the mitzvos “bein adam l’chaveiro.” For instance, they are not careful with regards to “lashon hara,” or they are not scrupulous in money matters. Conversely, there are people who are very careful in their observance of mitzvos “bein adam l’chaveiro.” They give tzedakah generously and are always willing to aid anyone in need. Yet, these very same people are careless with regards to their observance of mitzvos “bein adam laMakom.” Therefore, "לחת אבן" is written in the singular indicating that both sets are to be observed equally, without any difference or bias.
Now, if we scrutinize the behavior of the generation of the mabul, it is apparent that they were corrupt with regards to both sets of mitzvos—“bein adam laMakom” and “bein adam l’chaveiro.” Let us review the pertinent pesukim in this week’s parsha (Bereishis 6, 11): "ותשחת הארץ לפני האלקים ותמלא הארץ חמס... ויאמר אלקים לנח קץ כל בשר בא לפני כי מלאה הארץ חמס מפניהם והנני משחיתם את הארץ." And the earth had become corrupt before G-d . . . G-d said to Noach, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with robbery through them; and behold, I am about to destroy them from the earth.” Rashi comments on the words “for the earth is filled with robbery”: Their sentence was not sealed except on account of robbery. Thus, we
