One can fairly assume that the person God would choose to rebuild humanity would be incredibly righteous. Indeed, the Torah itself states at the beginning of this week’s portion that Noah was the most righteous man of his generation. Yet, the medieval commentator Rashi argues that Noah was lacking in faith.
Rabbi Levi Isaac of Berditchev, the hasidic author of Kedushat Levi, explains that Noah did not lack faith in God but rather in himself. In contrast to Abraham, who argued with God over the fate of Sodom, Noah believed that he had no right to dispute God’s verdict. Noah also never sought to influence or save those of his generation. He reasoned that if God would save him, He would save others as well. If Noah exhibited greater spiritual audacity like his descendent Abraham, he would have been as great. He might not have saved the world, but he would have become a true man of faith.
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