Rabbi Marc D. Rudolph

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation”.

In this first verse of our Torah reading for this week (Genesis Chapter 6:9) Noah is described as both “righteous” and “blameless”. But later on, (Chapter 7:1) when God addresses him directly, God says, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen you to be righteous before Me in this generation”. Our rabbis, who read the words of scripture scrupulously, ask, “Why does the Torah refer to Noah in the former verse as “righteous and wholehearted” and in the latter verse as simply “righteous”?

The Talmud derives a moral lesson from this verse: Only a part of a person’s virtues may be recited in his presence, but all of them in their absence.

When Noah is talked about, in the beginning of the parsha, then all of his virtues are mentioned. He is both righteous and blameless. He is praised to the heavens! But when God addresses him directly, God withholds part of the praise.

Do you think the Talmud is right? What reasons can you think of to withhold part of a person’s virtues when speaking directly to them – to tamper down on the praise due to the person? Or do you hold a different opinion? Should a person be praised effusively to their face? And why?

I would be interested in your thoughts!