אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ, רַבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח (ישעיהו ס׳:כ״א) וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ נֵצֶר מַטָּעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר. זַכָּאִין אִנּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְיָדְעֵי אָרְחִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דִּבְגִינָהּ יִזְכּוּן לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי. THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF NOAH. R. Hiya opened with the text: And thy people are all righteous, they will inherit the land for ever; the branch of my planting, the work of my hands wherein I glory (Is. 60, 21). He said: ‘Happy are the people of Israel, who occupy themselves with the Torah and are familiar with its paths, through following which they will merit the world to come.

תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אִית לוֹן חוּלָקָא לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי. מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּנָטְרִין בְּרִית דְּעָלְמָא אִתְקַיֵּים עֲלֵיהּ. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ירמיהו ל״ג:כ״ה) אִם לא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לא שָׂמְתִּי. וְעַל דָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּנָטְרֵי בְּרִית וְקַבִּילוּ לֵיהּ אִית לוֹן חוּלָקָא בְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי. For all Israelites have a portion in the world to come, for the reason that they observe the covenant on which the world is established, and of which it is said: “If my covenant be not (observed) day and night, it were as if I had not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Jer. 33, 25). Hence Israel, who have accepted the covenant and observe it, have a portion in the world to come.

וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא בְּגִין כָךְ אִקְרוּן צַדִּיקִים. מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא כָּל מָאן דְּנָטִיר הַאי בְּרִית דְּעָלְמָא אִתְקְיַּים עֲלֵיהּ. אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק. מְנָא לָן מִיּוֹסֵף. בְּגִין דְּנָטַר לֵיהּ לִבְרִית עָלְמָא, זָכָה דְאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק. וְעַל כָּךְ וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ. Furthermore, they are therefore called righteous. We learn this from Joseph, who, by reason of his having observed the covenant, is known as “Joseph the righteous”.

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, אֵלֶּה בְּכָל אֲתַר פָּסַל אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים תָּנִינָן וְכוּ'. מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָא בְּפָרְשָׁתָא דִבְרֵאשִׁית (בראשית ב׳:י׳) וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד וְגו'. הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק וְעֲיִּיל לְגִנְתָּא וְאַשְׁקֵי לֵיהּ מִשַּׁקְיוּ דִלְעֵילָא וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ נַיְיחָא וְעָבִיד אִיבִּין וְרַבֵּי זָרְעִין. וְהוּא כְּדֵין נַיְיחָא לְכֹלָא. וְדָא נַיְיחָא לֵיהּ לְגִנְתָּא. וְדָא עָבִיד נַיְיחָא בֵּיהּ (נ"א לגנתא. וגנתא נייחא ביה). כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (בראשית ג) כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת. וּכְתִיב, (בראשית ב׳:ב׳) וַיִּשְׁבּוֹת בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי. וְדָא רָזָא דְמִלָּה דָּא עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת וְלָא אָחֳרָא. R. Eleazar said: ‘The term “These are”, as we have learnt, always implies that something spoken of before in the text is now of no account. Now it is written above in the account of the Creation¹Where also we find the expression ‘these are the generations, (Gen. 2, 4). that “A river went out from Eden to water the garden and from thence it was parted, etc.” (Gen. 2, 10). That stream which flows perennially entered the Garden to water it from the supernal waters, and brought gladness to it, making it produce fruit and seed for the universal content; and so the stream gladdened the Garden, as it is written, “And he rested on the seventh day” (Ibid. 3).

תָּא חֲזֵי (כח ב כגוונא דא נח לתתא. קיימא קדישא הוה דוגמא דלעילא. ועל דא אקרי אישהאדמה. ורזא אוליפנא, דהא נח אצטריך לתיבה לאתחברא בה. ולקיימא זרעא דכולא דכתיב לחיות זרע.) Thus the words “these are the generations” imply that this brought forth products and no other. So it was with Noah in the lower world. Noah was the sacred covenant below corresponding to that above, and hence is called “Man of the earth”. The inner meaning which we learn from this is that Noah had need of an ark with which to become united in order thereby to preserve the seed of all species, as it is written, “To preserve seed”.

מָאן תֵּיבָה. דָּא (דא) (לג ב) אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית. וְנֹחַ וְתֵיבָה לְתַתָּא הָכִי הֲווּ כְּדוּגְמָא (דא) דִלְעֵילָא. נֹחַ כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּרִית דִּכְתִיב וַהֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּךְ וְגו'. וְעַד דְּאִתְקְיַּים בֵּיהּ בְּרִית לָא עָיִיל לְתֵיבוּתָא. דִּכְתִיב וַהֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּךְ וּבָאתָ אֶל הַתֵּיבָה. וּכְדֵין הֲוָה תֵּיבָה אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית. This ark is the Ark of the Covenant, and Noah with the ark below corresponded to a similar union above. The word “covenant” is used in connection with Noah, as it is written, “And I will establish my covenant with thee”, and before the covenant was established with him he did not enter the ark, as it is written, “And I will establish my covenant with thee and thou shalt come into the ark.” Thus his ark represented the Ark of the Covenant,

תֵּיבָה וְנֹחַ כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא. וּבְגִין דְּהַאי בְּרִית לְעֵילָא הוּא עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת. כְּגַוְונָא דָא נֹחַ (ד"א לתתא) אִיהוּ עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת. בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ (כמא דאת אמר) אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ. and Noah and the ark together were a symbol of the supernal pattern. And since this covenant above brought forth products, so Noah below also bore generations. Hence it says, “These are the generations of Noah.”

נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק. הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא. וְעַל דָּא (משלי י׳:כ״ה) וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם כְּתִיב. וְאַרְעָא עַל דָּא אִתְקָיְימַת. דְּהָא אִיהוּ עַמּוּדָא דְּעָלְמָא קָיְימָא עֲלֵיהּ. וּמָאן אִיהוּ דָּא צַדִּיק. וְנֹחַ אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק לְתַתָּא. NOAH WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN. Assuredly so, after the supernal pattern. It is written, “The Righteous one is the foundation of the world” (Prov. 10, 25), and the earth is established thereon, for this is the pillar that upholds the world. So Noah was called Zaddik (righteous) below.

וְרָזָא (נ"א דא) דְכֹלָא, אֶת הָאֱלהִים הִתְהַלֶּךְ נֹחַ, דַּיְיקָא, דְּלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין. וּלְמֶהֱוֵי הוּא בְּאַרְעָא כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא אִישׁ צַדִּיק יְסוֹדָא דְעָלְמָא. בְּרִית שָׁלוֹם שְׁלָמָא דְּעָלְמָא. אִישׁ הָאֲדָמָה וַדַּאי. וְעַל דָּא (בראשית ו׳:ח׳) וְנֹחַ מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי יְיָ. All this is implied in the words NOAH WALKED WITH GOD, meaning that he never separated himself from Him, and acted so as to be a true copy of the supernal ideal, a “Zaddik the foundation of the world”, an embodiment of the world’s covenant of peace. And it is thus that NOAH FOUND FAVOUR IN THE EYES OF GOD.

תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדוֹרוֹתָיו. מַאי בְּדוֹרוֹתָיו, אִלֵין אִנּוּן דְּנָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ. הוּא אַשְׁלִים לְכֻלְהוּ. וְהוּא הֲוָה שְׁלִים מִכֻּלְהוּ. תָּמִים הָיָה דְּאִתְיְילִיד מָהוּל דִּכְתִיב הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וְהיֵה תָמִים. בְּדוֹרוֹתָיו וְלא בְּדָרִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּהָא מִנֵּיהּ נָפְקוּ (תולדות בעלמא). PERFECT HE WAS IN HIS GENERATIONS: this refers to his descendants; he perfected them all, and he was more virtuous than all of them. Again, the words “He was perfect” indicate that he was born circumcised (cf. of Abraham, “Walk before me and be perfect, i.e. circumcised” Gen. 17, 1). IN HIS GENERATIONS: and not in those of his contemporaries, for all future generations issued from him only.

תָּא חֲזֵי, נֹחַ אִתְחַזֵּי מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרִי עָלְמָא לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּתֵיבָה בְּחִבּוּרָא חַד וּלְמֵיעַל בָּהּ, וְעַד לָא אִתְחַבְּרוּ כְּחֲדָא לָא הֲוָה עָלְמָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב, (בראשית ט׳:י״ט) וּמֵאֵלֶּה נָפְצָה כָּל הָאָרֶץ. מַהוּ נָפְצָה. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית ב׳:י׳) וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד. דְּמִתַּמָּן אִשְׁתְּכַח פִּרוּדָא וְאִתְבַּדָּרוּ תּוֹלְדוֹת לְכָל סִטְרִין Consider this. From the day that the world was created, Noah was the first man fitted to be joined in union with the ark and to enter it, and until they were joined the world had not yet reached a stable condition. But once this had happened we read “From these all the earth was overspread” (Gen. 10, 32). These words are analogous to the expression “And from thence the river parted” (Ibid. 2, 10), of the Garden of Eden, which indicate that from this point there was a parting and diffusion of progeny into all quarters of the world.

וְכֹלָּא חַד כְּדוּגְמָא חָדָא. בְּגִינֵי כָךְ אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ. אֵלֶּה וַדַּאי. דְּהָא יְסוֹדָא דְעָלְמָא אִיהוּ דְּעָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת לְקָיְימָא בְּאַרְעָא. אֲתָא רַבִּי אַבָּא וּנְשָׁקֵיהּ. אָמַר אַרְיָא בְּחֵילֵיהּ טִינָרָא נָקִיב וְתָבַר. כָּךְ הוּא וַדַּאי. וְתָּא חֲזֵי, מִשִּׁיעוּרָא דְּתֵיבוּתָא אוּף נָמֵי הָכִי הוּא. The two cases are analogous in every way. Hence it says: “These are the generations”; assuredly “these”, as it was he who was the foundation of the world that brought forth generations to abide on the earth.’ R. Abba then approached and kissed him, saying: ‘The lion in his might has pierced through the rock and broken it asunder. Your exposition is certainly the right one, as can also be deduced from the measurements of the ark.’

דָּבָר אַחֵר אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹתּ בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה צַּדִּיק שַׁבַּח לֵיהּ תְּרֵי זִמְנִי. תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדוֹרוֹתָּיו, אֲבָל בְּדָרִין אַחֲרָנִין אֵינוֹ נְחְשַׁב לִכְלוּם, כְּמוֹ דָרָא דְאַבְרָהָם ודָרָא דְמשֶׁה ודָרָא דְּדָוִד. דָּבָר אַחֵר חָמֵי מַאי עָבַד בְּדָרָא דְּכֻלְהוּ חַיָּיבִים, קַל וָחוֹמֶר אִלּוּ הָיָה בְּדָרָא דְּכֻלְהוּ צַּדִּיקִים: (עד כאן תוספתא) A different explanation given is that because he was righteous, He praised him twice (Noah Noah) perfect in his generations," but if he had lived in any other generation, such as that of Abraham or Moses or King David, then he would not have been considered righteous at all. Still another explanation is that if this is what he was able to perform in a generation in which all were wicked, how much more he could have done in a generation in which all were righteous.(End of the Tosefta)...

תּוֹסֶפְתָּא לָמָּה נֹחַ נֹחַ תְּרֵי זִמְנִי. אֶלָּא כָּל צַּדִּיק וצַּדִּיק דִּי בְּעָלְמָא אִיתּ לֵיהּ תְּרֵין רוּחִין. רוּחָא חַד בְּעָלְמָא דֵין ורוּחָא חַד בְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵּי. והָכִי תִּשְׁכַּח בְּכֻלְהוּ צַּדִּיקֵי משֶׁה משֶׁה, יַעֲקֹב יַעֲקֹב, אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם, שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמוּאֵל, שֵׁם שֵׁם. בַּר מִיִּצְּחָק דְּלָא כְּתִּיב בֵּיהּ כְּמָה דִכְתִּיב בְּהוּ. בְּגִין דְּיִצְּחָק בְּשַׁעֲתָּא דְּאִתְּקְרָב עַל גַּבֵּי מַדְבְּחָא נָפְּקַתּ נִשְׁמָתֵּיהּ דְּהֲוַתּ בֵּיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. וכֵיוָן דְּאִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ בְּאַבְרָהָם, בָּרוּךָ מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִּים תָּבַתּ בֵּיהּ נִשְׁמָתֵּיהּ דְּעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵּי. בְּגִין דָּא תִּשְׁכַּח דְּלָא יִחֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךָ הוּא שְׁמֵיהּ אֶלָּא עַל יִצְּחָק בְּגִין דְּאִתְּחַשַׁב כְּמֵתּ וְעַל דָּא רָמַז קְרָא ואָמַר (איוב ז) הֵן בִּקְדוֹשָׁיו לֹא יַאֲמִין וגו'. Tosefta Why is "Noah Noah" (Gen. 6:9) written twice? Each and every righteous person in the world has two spirits. One stays in this world, while the other is in the World to Come. And so we find that the Holy One, blessed be He, named all the righteous twice: "Moses, Moses" (Ex. 3:4), "Jacob, Jacob" (Gen. 46:2), "Abraham, Abraham" (Gen. 22:11), "Samuel, Samuel" (I Shmuel 3:10) with the exception of Isaac. He is not named twice because when he approached the altar to be sacrificed, the soul that was within him in this world left him. And because it is said of Abraham, "blessed are You who resurrect the dead", so only the soul of the World to Come was returned to him. And that is why you shall find that the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, was not unified (on any righteous person in his lifetime). It was unified only on Isaac, because he was already considered as dead. He was like those who pass away from this world. The verse therefore states: "Behold, He puts no trust in His holy ones" (Iyov 15:15) because He does not unify His name on the righteous during their lifetimes.

דָּבָר אַחֵר אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹתּ בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה צַּדִּיק שַׁבַּח לֵיהּ תְּרֵי זִמְנִי. תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדוֹרוֹתָּיו, אֲבָל בְּדָרִין אַחֲרָנִין אֵינוֹ נְחְשַׁב לִכְלוּם, כְּמוֹ דָרָא דְאַבְרָהָם ודָרָא דְמשֶׁה ודָרָא דְּדָוִד. דָּבָר אַחֵר חָמֵי מַאי עָבַד בְּדָרָא דְּכֻלְהוּ חַיָּיבִים, קַל וָחוֹמֶר אִלּוּ הָיָה בְּדָרָא דְּכֻלְהוּ צַּדִּיקִים: (עד כאן תוספתא) A different explanation given is that because he was righteous, He praised him twice (Noah Noah) perfect in his generations," but if he had lived in any other generation, such as that of Abraham or Moses or King David, then he would not have been considered righteous at all. Still another explanation is that if this is what he was able to perform in a generation in which all were wicked, how much more he could have done in a generation in which all were righteous.(End of the Tosefta)...

אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ, רַבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח (ישעיהו ס׳:כ״א) וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ נֵצֶר מַטָּעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר. זַכָּאִין אִנּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְיָדְעֵי אָרְחִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, דִּבְגִינָהּ יִזְכּוּן לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי. THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF NOAH. R. Hiya opened with the text: And thy people are all righteous, they will inherit the land for ever; the branch of my planting, the work of my hands wherein I glory (Is. 60, 21). He said: ‘Happy are the people of Israel, who occupy themselves with the Torah and are familiar with its paths, through following which they will merit the world to come.

תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אִית לוֹן חוּלָקָא לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי. מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין דְּנָטְרִין בְּרִית דְּעָלְמָא אִתְקַיֵּים עֲלֵיהּ. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ירמיהו ל״ג:כ״ה) אִם לא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לא שָׂמְתִּי. וְעַל דָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּנָטְרֵי בְּרִית וְקַבִּילוּ לֵיהּ אִית לוֹן חוּלָקָא בְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי. For all Israelites have a portion in the world to come, for the reason that they observe the covenant on which the world is established, and of which it is said: “If my covenant be not (observed) day and night, it were as if I had not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth” (Jer. 33, 25). Hence Israel, who have accepted the covenant and observe it, have a portion in the world to come.

וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא בְּגִין כָךְ אִקְרוּן צַדִּיקִים. מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא כָּל מָאן דְּנָטִיר הַאי בְּרִית דְּעָלְמָא אִתְקְיַּים עֲלֵיהּ. אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק. מְנָא לָן מִיּוֹסֵף. בְּגִין דְּנָטַר לֵיהּ לִבְרִית עָלְמָא, זָכָה דְאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק. וְעַל כָּךְ וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ. Furthermore, they are therefore called righteous. We learn this from Joseph, who, by reason of his having observed the covenant, is known as “Joseph the righteous”.

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, אֵלֶּה בְּכָל אֲתַר פָּסַל אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים תָּנִינָן וְכוּ'. מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָא בְּפָרְשָׁתָא דִבְרֵאשִׁית (בראשית ב׳:י׳) וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד וְגו'. הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק וְעֲיִּיל לְגִנְתָּא וְאַשְׁקֵי לֵיהּ מִשַּׁקְיוּ דִלְעֵילָא וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ נַיְיחָא וְעָבִיד אִיבִּין וְרַבֵּי זָרְעִין. וְהוּא כְּדֵין נַיְיחָא לְכֹלָא. וְדָא נַיְיחָא לֵיהּ לְגִנְתָּא. וְדָא עָבִיד נַיְיחָא בֵּיהּ (נ"א לגנתא. וגנתא נייחא ביה). כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (בראשית ג) כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת. וּכְתִיב, (בראשית ב׳:ב׳) וַיִּשְׁבּוֹת בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי. וְדָא רָזָא דְמִלָּה דָּא עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת וְלָא אָחֳרָא. R. Eleazar said: ‘The term “These are”, as we have learnt, always implies that something spoken of before in the text is now of no account. Now it is written above in the account of the Creation¹Where also we find the expression ‘these are the generations, (Gen. 2, 4). that “A river went out from Eden to water the garden and from thence it was parted, etc.” (Gen. 2, 10). That stream which flows perennially entered the Garden to water it from the supernal waters, and brought gladness to it, making it produce fruit and seed for the universal content; and so the stream gladdened the Garden, as it is written, “And he rested on the seventh day” (Ibid. 3).

תָּא חֲזֵי (כח ב כגוונא דא נח לתתא. קיימא קדישא הוה דוגמא דלעילא. ועל דא אקרי אישהאדמה. ורזא אוליפנא, דהא נח אצטריך לתיבה לאתחברא בה. ולקיימא זרעא דכולא דכתיב לחיות זרע.) Thus the words “these are the generations” imply that this brought forth products and no other. So it was with Noah in the lower world. Noah was the sacred covenant below corresponding to that above, and hence is called “Man of the earth”. The inner meaning which we learn from this is that Noah had need of an ark with which to become united in order thereby to preserve the seed of all species, as it is written, “To preserve seed”.

מָאן תֵּיבָה. דָּא (דא) (לג ב) אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית. וְנֹחַ וְתֵיבָה לְתַתָּא הָכִי הֲווּ כְּדוּגְמָא (דא) דִלְעֵילָא. נֹחַ כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּרִית דִּכְתִיב וַהֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּךְ וְגו'. וְעַד דְּאִתְקְיַּים בֵּיהּ בְּרִית לָא עָיִיל לְתֵיבוּתָא. דִּכְתִיב וַהֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּךְ וּבָאתָ אֶל הַתֵּיבָה. וּכְדֵין הֲוָה תֵּיבָה אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית. This ark is the Ark of the Covenant, and Noah with the ark below corresponded to a similar union above. The word “covenant” is used in connection with Noah, as it is written, “And I will establish my covenant with thee”, and before the covenant was established with him he did not enter the ark, as it is written, “And I will establish my covenant with thee and thou shalt come into the ark.” Thus his ark represented the Ark of the Covenant,

תֵּיבָה וְנֹחַ כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא. וּבְגִין דְּהַאי בְּרִית לְעֵילָא הוּא עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת. כְּגַוְונָא דָא נֹחַ (ד"א לתתא) אִיהוּ עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת. בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ (כמא דאת אמר) אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ. and Noah and the ark together were a symbol of the supernal pattern. And since this covenant above brought forth products, so Noah below also bore generations. Hence it says, “These are the generations of Noah.”

נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק. הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא. וְעַל דָּא (משלי י׳:כ״ה) וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם כְּתִיב. וְאַרְעָא עַל דָּא אִתְקָיְימַת. דְּהָא אִיהוּ עַמּוּדָא דְּעָלְמָא קָיְימָא עֲלֵיהּ. וּמָאן אִיהוּ דָּא צַדִּיק. וְנֹחַ אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק לְתַתָּא. NOAH WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN. Assuredly so, after the supernal pattern. It is written, “The Righteous one is the foundation of the world” (Prov. 10, 25), and the earth is established thereon, for this is the pillar that upholds the world. So Noah was called Zaddik (righteous) below.

וְרָזָא (נ"א דא) דְכֹלָא, אֶת הָאֱלהִים הִתְהַלֶּךְ נֹחַ, דַּיְיקָא, דְּלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין. וּלְמֶהֱוֵי הוּא בְּאַרְעָא כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא אִישׁ צַדִּיק יְסוֹדָא דְעָלְמָא. בְּרִית שָׁלוֹם שְׁלָמָא דְּעָלְמָא. אִישׁ הָאֲדָמָה וַדַּאי. וְעַל דָּא (בראשית ו׳:ח׳) וְנֹחַ מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי יְיָ. All this is implied in the words NOAH WALKED WITH GOD, meaning that he never separated himself from Him, and acted so as to be a true copy of the supernal ideal, a “Zaddik the foundation of the world”, an embodiment of the world’s covenant of peace. And it is thus that NOAH FOUND FAVOUR IN THE EYES OF GOD.

תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדוֹרוֹתָיו. מַאי בְּדוֹרוֹתָיו, אִלֵין אִנּוּן דְּנָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ. הוּא אַשְׁלִים לְכֻלְהוּ. וְהוּא הֲוָה שְׁלִים מִכֻּלְהוּ. תָּמִים הָיָה דְּאִתְיְילִיד מָהוּל דִּכְתִיב הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וְהיֵה תָמִים. בְּדוֹרוֹתָיו וְלא בְּדָרִין דְּעָלְמָא דְּהָא מִנֵּיהּ נָפְקוּ (תולדות בעלמא). PERFECT HE WAS IN HIS GENERATIONS: this refers to his descendants; he perfected them all, and he was more virtuous than all of them. Again, the words “He was perfect” indicate that he was born circumcised (cf. of Abraham, “Walk before me and be perfect, i.e. circumcised” Gen. 17, 1). IN HIS GENERATIONS: and not in those of his contemporaries, for all future generations issued from him only.

תָּא חֲזֵי, נֹחַ אִתְחַזֵּי מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרִי עָלְמָא לְמֶהֱוֵי בְּתֵיבָה בְּחִבּוּרָא חַד וּלְמֵיעַל בָּהּ, וְעַד לָא אִתְחַבְּרוּ כְּחֲדָא לָא הֲוָה עָלְמָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת, לְבָתַר מַה כְּתִיב, (בראשית ט׳:י״ט) וּמֵאֵלֶּה נָפְצָה כָּל הָאָרֶץ. מַהוּ נָפְצָה. כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (בראשית ב׳:י׳) וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד. דְּמִתַּמָּן אִשְׁתְּכַח פִּרוּדָא וְאִתְבַּדָּרוּ תּוֹלְדוֹת לְכָל סִטְרִין Consider this. From the day that the world was created, Noah was the first man fitted to be joined in union with the ark and to enter it, and until they were joined the world had not yet reached a stable condition. But once this had happened we read “From these all the earth was overspread” (Gen. 10, 32). These words are analogous to the expression “And from thence the river parted” (Ibid. 2, 10), of the Garden of Eden, which indicate that from this point there was a parting and diffusion of progeny into all quarters of the world.