At the end of Parashat Beresheet, the Or HaChaim HaKadosh tells us that we can’t say that Noah was saved because he was a Sadik and didn’t sin, and that was why he wasn’t punished, because if that was the case, the young children should have been saved as well, because they didn’t sin either.
Rather, we must say that Hashem regretted the creation of man in general, as it says, “I will erase man because I changed My mind.”
It had nothing to do with the individual’s sins. So if that is the case, how was Noah saved? The answer is, ונח מצא חן
Noah found favor in God’s eyes. His righteousness was not enough to save him, he needed חן Chen (or grace). Where did he get Chen ?
The Or HaChaim HaKadosh says that there are certain Mitzvot that bring Chen upon a person, but Hashem didn’t tell us what these Mitzvot are, because He didn’t want everyone to just chase after those. That is what the Or HaChaim says ( Parashat Beresheet perek ו, pasuk ז
Noah found Chen), and he points out that חנ Noahand חן Chen have the same letters. That was Noah’s secret.
So although, as the Or HaChaim tells us, we don’t know which Mitzvot bring Chen, there is one thing that we do know. As Shlomo HaMelech tells us, in Mishleh
(perek ג, pasuk לד)
וְלַעֲנָוִים יִתֶּן־חֵן
God gives grace to people that have humility.
The Gaon of Vilna explains that this refers to people, who, when they’re insulted, don’t respond, and t humble themselves to the whole world.
Noah spent 120 years building the Teva. During that time, he was insulted, embarrassed and ridiculed, but Noah did not respond. Noah was humble.
וְלַעֲנָוִים יִתֶּן־חֵן
God gives grace to people that have humility.
It is said that Noah was a Gilgul. He came back as Moshe Rabbenu. Moshe Rabbenu was a tikkun/ rectification for Noah. Noah didn’t pray for his people-that was his problem. The greatness of Moshe Rabbenu was that he put his neck out for the Jewish people. He told Hashem
If You don’t listen to me, then
מחני נא
erase my name
The Hebrew letters for Erase Me- מחני, when rescrambled, spell מי נח Waters of Noah
When Moshe Rabbenu said, “Erase me,” he fixed the waters of Noah, which were so named because Noah should have prayed to prevent the waters.
Furthermore, Moshe Rabbenu was the most humble of men.
Moshe told Hashem, “מצאתי חן
If I find favor in your eyes.”
Moshe did find favor in Hashem’s eyes, and Hashem revealed His 13 Attributes of Mercy.
It was all about Moshe Rabbenu’s Chen, because Moshe Rabbenu was humble.
Humility is a source for grace from God, and from people. There is no bigger turn-off than someone who is arrogant. As it says in Mishleh ( chapter 16, pasuk 5)
תּוֹעֲבַת ה׳ כׇּל־גְּבַהּ־לֵב
It is an abomination to God, if somebody is an arrogant person.”
The Chida writes on his commentary on Mishleh that this means that “even if a person has Torah, hessed and Mitzvot, if he is arrogant, it’s like he’s an idol worshipper,” because that means he thinks he’s in charge.
He adds,
“What will his Torah and Mitzvot help?”
That is a very heavy statement. It’s an abomination.
Rav Chaim Pilaggi, in his sefer Kaf HaChaim, writes that the best possible remedy for all sins is to be savlan/someone that is tolerant and forgiving when people insult him. That’s better than all suffering and fasting, and it’s the opposite of a Baal Ga’avah/ arrogant person.
That is Noah’s secret to Chen.
וְלַעֲנָוִים יִתֶּן־חֵן
God gives Chen to those that are humble.
We all need Chen. We can’t do it on our own; we don’t deserve it.
That is why many congregations say, in their Havadah,
נח מצא חן
Noah found Chen.
Because that’s what we need. We need Chen. And we get it through being humble and realizing that it’s not our work or our actions.
It is all the grace of God.