It is for this reason that these “many waters” of material concerns are called “the waters of נֹחַ-Noach”, since through them the Divine soul achieves a “אָּח ורְדַׁאָּחיְי נ-a relaxed/satisfied spirit” in terms of a deeper connection to Hashem, this deeper connection to Hashem is brought out during prayer, so that from these “many waters” these prayers attain the level of “the תֵּבַת נֹחַ-Ark/Boat of Noach”, since the word “תֵּבָה” can mean box or boat, or it can mean words, thus the “תֵּבָה-ark/boat of Noach” can also mean the “תֵּבָה-words of Noach”, which are the words of the prayers.
As it is written (Bereshis 7:1): “You [Noach] and all your family should come into the תֵּבָה-Ark/Words of prayer”.
Meaning that just like had to come into the תֵּבָה-Ark to be protected from the Great Flood and the תֵּבָה-Ark was picked up by the waters, so too A Jew must “enter” into the תֵּבָה-words of prayer to be protected from the material concerns taking over his mind and heart, and then these “many waters” will actually pick up his words of prayer to a higher level.
This is the meaning of (ibid. 7:18-20): “And the waters became very strong...the waters became so strong that they covered the mountaintops by fifteen amos.
This corresponds to how the animal soul tries to overpower the Divine soul through overwhelming him with involvement in obtaining livelihood and other material matters.
However, through this there is an advantage afterwards in prayer like the advantage of light that comes from darkness.
This is the meaning of (ibid. 7:18) “and the תֵּבָה-Ark traveled on ‘פְנֵי-the face/surface’ of the water”, specifically on the ‘פְנֵי-face’ of the water.
The word “פְנֵי” which means face or surface is connected to the word “פְנִימִיוּת-inner dimension”, since the inner purpose of the waters was so that the world be purified and the Ark become elevated, so too the “פְנִימִיוּת-inner dimension” or inner intent of the animal soul and worldly distractions is to purify and elevate the Divine soul to a deeper connection to Hashem.
In the previous verse it stated: “And the waters increased and they picked up the תֵּבָה-Ark which became elevated above the ground.” Meaning that specifically through the “waters” of material concerns the “תֵּבָה-words” of prayer become elevated to a much higher level.
