The Lessons to Learn from Noah

Excerpt from the Sicha of Shabbos, Parshas Noach,
1st day of Cheshvan, 5745

Parshas Noach talks about Noach's generation, which was on the lowest of levels. In the words of Scripture: "All flesh, had perverted its way upon the earth." To the extent, that there was no choice, as it were, but to destroy all life.

Yet this corruption, did not disturb Noach's service to G-d, and he remained untouched by the surrounding evil. As is written: "Noach was a righteous and whole man, in his generation."

Similarly, when the whole generation was destroyed by the flood, Noach remained untouched, he and his family taking refuge in the ark.

Moreover, by taking into the ark, every species of living being, he saved the whole world. Through which, the world was established a new, and in a loftier fashion, than before the flood -- as we shall shortly explain.

In Noach's service, then, we see three aspects:
1) His service was untouched by the world's abysmal state.
2) He saved and reestablished the world.
3) In doing so, he raised the world, to a higher level.

Let us explore each of these aspects separately:
How great was Noach's power to influence his generation:
Noah could have brought them to repentance, even at the last moment; thereby not only eliminating the punishment of the flood, but transforming it into "rains of blessing."

The second aspect is, that by bringing every species of being into the ark, Noach kept the world in existence. Despite the fact, that the world was in such a dismal state, that the people did not repent, even when the rains began to fall.

All living beings in Noach's ark -- i.e., the whole world -- was in a state resembling that of the future era. All the different species, animals, beasts and fowl, predatory or otherwise; did not attack, or do any harm, to one another, during the entire duration of their stay -- a whole year. This was a totally miraculous phenomenon.

When every species of life in the whole world, is confined together for a long time, in a very limited space, it is impossible, that not even one instance of attack should occur -- especially when talking about predatory beasts, whose very nature is to take the life of other beasts.

This phenomenon happened, because the G-dliness in the ark was of a very lofty order. This was similar to that of the future era, when a wolf will dwell together with a lamb, an eagle with a kid, and none shall harm another; for "the earth will be full with the knowledge of the L-rd."

And this was the state of affairs in Noach's ark: Even when the world was on the lowest of levels (so corrupt that it had to be destroyed), the spiritual condition within the ark, resembled that of the future era.
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This was a miracle unlike any other. Every miracle affects a particular object or place.

The miracle that the manna descended for the Jews during their forty years sojourn in the desert, for example, happened only to the manna, and only in a particular area (that part of the desert in which the Jews were traveling).

Similarly, the miracles that happened to the Jews in Egypt were devoted to a particular category, in a particular place.

In our case, in contrast, the miracle concerned all species of life in the world, and everywhere in the world; for the animals came to Noach's ark from the four corners of the earth.
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It was a miracle that affected the very creation. There were several aspects to this miracle:

If the above applies to the generation of the flood, a generation of a very low spiritual stature, it certainly applies to our days,

1) Such a spiritual descent, as happened in the generation of the flood, is impossible in our days,

2) Noach lived before Mattan Torah [the revelation at Mt. Sinai]: If he was nevertheless able to carry out his service, without being hampered by his environment; we, who have the strength from Mattan Torah, certainly can. …

Everything happened as a result, of Noach's fulfilling G-d's will.