(Gen. 6:9:) THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS [OF NOAH; NOAH WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN, PERFECT IN HIS GENERATIONS]. What is the meaning of IN HIS GENERATIONS? Some interpret the phrase to his praise, and some interpret it to his shame, i.e., IN HIS GENERATIONS but not in other generations.²⁰. 108a; Gen. R. 30:9. A parable: To what is the matter comparable? If one should put a silver sela' among [a hundred] sela'im of copper, the one of silver would seem beautiful. Thus did Noah seem righteous in the generation of the flood. Then how do some interpret it to his praise? The situation is comparable to a young woman who dwelt in the harlot district and remained pure (kasher). If she had been in a quarter where decent young women (kesehrot) dwelled , how much the more would she have remained pure . The situation is like a jar of balsam²¹; Lat.: balsamum. which was put in a tomb where its aroma was good. If it had been in a house, how much better would its aroma have been !

footnotes: ²⁰ Cf. Sanh ²¹ Gk.: balsamon

(Gen. 6:9:) NOAH WAS … PERFECT, in that he was born circumcised. Ten children of Adam were born circumcised.²².,Gen. 2:5; ARN, A, 2:5; cf. M. Pss. 9:7; Sot. 12a.

footnotes: ²² For details of this well-known tradition, see Tanh

Another interpretation (of Gen. 6:9): THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF NOAH; NOAH: Why two times? The Holy One said: It was in order to persuade²³ in the aorist. all those who enter the world, lest they think of saying: He was only righteous in his generation. The Holy One said: For me he is the equal of Abraham. R. Judah bar Shallum [the Levite] said: His name is stated two times (in Gen. 22:11): ABRAHAM, ABRAHAM. So also with Jacob (in Gen. 46:2); so also with Moses (in Exod. 3:4); so also with Samuel (in I Sam. 3:10); so also with Noah (here in Gen. 6:9). The double name is used in order to give equality to the righteous ones.

footnotes: ²³ Gk.: peithein, peisai

Another interpretation (of Gen. 6:9): NOAH; NOAH: One NOAH is²⁴ concerning this world; the other NOAH is concerning the world to come. The Holy One said: When we come to comfort Jerusalem, I have sworn by the righteousness of Noah never again to enslave its children. Thus it is stated (in Is. 54:9): FOR THIS IS AS THE WATERS OF NOAH TO ME: AS I SWORE THAT THE WATERS OF NOAH SHOULD NEVERMORE GO OVER THE EARTH, SO I SWEAR THAT I WILL NOT BE ANGRY WITH YOU OR REBUKE YOU .

footnotes: ²⁴ Cf. Gen. R. 30:5.