In the beginning of Parshas Noach, Rash”i brings that some stress the praise of Noach that he was a tzadik even in his [lowly] generation and had he lived in Avrohom Avinu’s generation he would have been so much greater. Other stress the weakness of Noach that only in his lowly generation was he considered a tzadik, had he been in the days of Avrohom Avinu, he would have been a nobody.

Rav Pam ZT”L asked, it is easy to understand why someone would say good things about noach, but why would someone want to make a big deal about his shortcomings and weaknesses? (He added parenthetically that some people are not bothered by this question, but that itself it is a problem.) In fact this weeks Parsha Chaza”l learn that one should not talk about the short coming of anything from the fact that torah used extra letters to say about the non-kosher animal that it is not kosher rather than calling it “tameh” certainly for a tzadik on should not say about his less positive aspects.

He answered that the point of talking about Noach’s shortcomings is as a lesson to us – Noach would have been a nobody in Avraham’s days, but in his days the torah calls him a tzadik, not only does he get the title of tzadik, he even gets the titles of tzadik yesod olam! We too may not be at the level we want to or plan on being at, but we need to appreciate that if we rise above the “problematic” and trying world we live in, even if we don’t reach the levels of prior generations we can still be considered a tzadik (and perhaps even more of a tzadik than those who lived in less trying generations).

Thank you. Very nice.

This is a great vort. I saw it in the chizuk emails and told it over to a lot of people.
Keep 'em coming, Kosher!

BB,

Thanks for the kind words.

I am sure you know the moshol with the arrow and the targets.
When I have something good to say (and time to post), I say it. Otherwise I keep quite.

BLN I will try to post similar pieces when possible

Just bringing this back to the top because I like it...

Ausome

I said it over this year also. I added that every generation has their own nisyonos. If all the women dress like your grandmother but you get fired if you don't work on Shabbos that's also a big nisoyon.