Gur Aryeh: Good deeds are called "offspring" in the Pasuk, "Imru Tzadik Ki Tov, Ki Peri Ma'aleleihem Yochelu" (Yeshayah 3:10). Our Pesukim therefore mention Noach's deeds even before his children.
Ramban also writes that since Noach was meritorious in Din, he also merited to save his sons; alternatively, they were saved on their own merits, since, following in their father's footsteps, they were all righteous. Refer to 6:8:1:3*; refer to 6:8:1:3*2
Why does the Torah add the words, "in his generations"?
1.
Rashi #1: Some explain this as a praise - that even in that perverted generation,
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Noach was a Tzadik, and how much more so had he lived in the generation of other Tzadikim!
2.
Rashi #2: Others say that he was only a Tzadik compared to the Resha'im among whom he lived, but had he lived say, in the generation of Avraham, he would not have been considered a Tzadik.
3.
Seforno: The Pasuk is saying simply that in all the generations that he spanned (for the six hundred years that he lived until the Flood) - namely, those of Mesushelach, Lemech and his own (as new generations were being born), he was a Tzadik.
4.
Ramban: The Torah is stressing the fact that in all the generations that Noach spanned, he was the only Tzadik.
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The Ramban too explains, "Es Ha'E-lokim Hishalech Noach" to mean that Noach feared HaSh-m and HaSh-m alone, adding that he did not indulge in any form of witchcraft or idolatry, and that he did only what HaSh-m told him to do, because he was a Navi. He does not however, differentiate between "with HaSh-m" and "in front of HaSh-m."
5)
The Torah already told us at the end of Bereishis who Noach's three children were, so why does it repeat "the Toldos of Noach" here?
1.
Rashbam: It refers, not to his children, but rather to his grandchildren mentioned later in the Parshah.
2.
Moshav Zekenim: It teaches that in the merit of his three good Midos (in this verse - Tzadik, Tamim et al.), he fathered three proper children.
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Even though later, Noach cursed Cham for his sin (refer to 9:22:1), Cham was proper enough to survive the Flood (refer to 7:23:3:2*).
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Why is Noach's name repeated?
1.
Da'as Zekenim, Hadar Zekenim, Rosh: He was Noach (pleasant) to upper beings, and Noach to lower beings. Anyone whose name is repeated, it is known that he is a Tzadik.
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The name of Terach is repeated at the end of this Parshah (11:27), for he did Teshuvah.
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2.
Hadar Zekenim: He is Noach in this world - due to him, HaSh-m swore not to bring another Flood. He is Noach in the world to come - HaSh-m swore in Noach's name not to destroy Tziyon again - "Nishba'ti me'Avor Mei Noach."
Rashi writes: "When one mentions a Tzadik, one praises him." However, we do not find that the Torah does this consistently?
1.
Gur Aryeh: The Torah praises a Tzadik when he is mentioned in proximity to a Rasha, whose evil influence might overshadow our memory of the Tzadik (in this case, Noach by the generation of the Mabul). This is derived from the Pasuk, "Zecher Tzadik li'Vracha, [v'Shem Resha'im Yirkav]" (Mishlei 10:7).
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The Gur Aryeh adds that this Pasuk is also used to refer to a Tzadik after his passing, when he might be forgotten.
8)
Rashi writes: "The main offspring of a Tzadik is his good deeds." Why is this true?
1.
Gur Aryeh #1: In generating physical offspring, man is a partner with HaSh-m, and in fact HaSh-m plays the key role; but good deeds can be attributed to man alone.
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Gur Aryeh #2: Physical offspring becomes a separate entity, whereas good deeds become part of the person; the person regenerates himself.
9)
Rashi writes: "... Some interpret the word "l'Dorosav" negatively." Refer to 6:9:3:2. Why would the Pasuk speak detrimentally about Noach? Rashi just wrote that the Pasuk comes to praise him!
1.
Gur Aryeh: The Pasuk has a whole comes to praise Noach, but the word "l'Dorosav" comes to explain to us why Noach was saved. According to this latter approach, although Noach was not sufficiently worthy, HaSh-m saved him because there was no one else more worthy in that generation.
10)
Rashi writes: "In a generation of Tzadikim, Noach would have been even more righteous. And some say... in the generation of Avraham, he would have been considered insignificant." Why does Rashi single out Avraham only in the second opinion?
1.
Gur Aryeh: In any other generation of Tzadikim, Noach would have been considered significant in his own right (and he would have become even greater); only in contrast to Avraham would he be considered insignificant. Avraham is singled out as the Tzadik who immediately followed "the generations" of Noach.
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Gur Aryeh cites the Ba'al ha'Turim, that the word "Hayah" has a Gematriya of 20; Noach was the most righteous of the 20 generations up to (but not including) Avraham.
11)
Rashi writes: "Noach needed assistance to uphold [his righteousness]." How is this derived from the Pasuk?
1.
Gur Aryeh: "Es Ha'E-lokim" means that the Shechinah was with Noach; this attachment to the Shechinah was what prevented Noach from sinning. Avraham, however, "walked before HaSh-m," independent of this attachment. For instance, when HaSh-m tested Avraham, it was without any assistance, and even then, Avraham passed the tests due to his own righteousness.
