Avraham finding Hashem where Noach only fled

במד' ורש"י.

In the Midrash and Rashi.

The Sefas Emes draws on the Midrash and Rashi's comment contrasting Noach and Avraham.

בנח כתיב את האלקים שהי' צריך סעד ובאברהם אבינו נא' התהלכתי לפניו.

Regarding Noach it is written "[Noach walked] with God" — for he needed support; and regarding Avraham Avinu it is said "[before whom] I walked."

Rashi notes the difference: Noach walked "with" God because he needed Hashem's support to sustain him, whereas Avraham walked "before" Hashem, going ahead under his own strength.

דאיתא בזוה"ק נח הוא בחי' שבת ונקרא נח ע"ש המנוחה כי הגם שגם נח הוכיח את דורו כדאיתא במדרש אך בעבור כי לא קבלו ממנו הי' ירא לנפשו פן יחטיאו גם אותו וביקש להציל א"ע ובמדה זו נהג עמו הקב"ה והסתירו בתיבה וכמ"ש במדרש המשל מי שנטבע בטיט עבה והצילו המלך ע"ש.

For it is brought in the Zohar HaKadosh that Noach is the aspect of Shabbos, and is called "Noach" for the rest (menuchah). For although Noach too rebuked his generation, as is brought in the Midrash, yet because they did not accept from him, he feared for his own soul, lest they cause him too to sin, and he sought to save himself; and in this same measure HaKadosh Baruch Hu dealt with him and concealed him in the teivah (ark), as the Midrash gives the parable of one who was sunk in thick mud and the king saved him — see there.

Noach represents Shabbos and rest. He did rebuke his generation, but when they refused to listen, he withdrew out of fear of being dragged down himself, seeking only to save his own soul. Measure for measure, Hashem "saved" him by tucking him away in the ark — like a king who merely pulls a man out of thick mud, a limited rescue.

אבל אברהם אע"ה הי' חסיד לפנים משורת הדין ומסר את נפשו להלחם עם הרשעים לברר בע"כ מלכותו של הקב"ה אפילו אחר קללה והכאה שמן הדין פטור מלהוכיח וכתיב ומקללך אאור א"כ הי' לו הרבה מקללים.

But Avraham Avinu, peace be upon him, was a chassid (one who goes) beyond the letter of the law, and gave over his soul to do battle with the wicked, to make known the kingship of HaKadosh Baruch Hu even against their will — even after curse and blows, where by strict law one is exempt from rebuking; and it is written "and the one who curses you I shall curse," so he had many who cursed him.

Avraham, by contrast, acted with chassidus, going beyond what the law required. He risked himself to confront the wicked and proclaim Hashem's sovereignty, continuing even when cursed and struck — though strict law would have excused him from rebuking under such conditions.

וגם הכאה שהשליכהו לכבשן האש.

And also blows, for they cast him into the fiery furnace.

Avraham endured physical assault as well, including being thrown into the furnace, yet did not relent.

ובאמת הרמז עד הכאה שרואה שמבטלין אותו מעבודת הבורא ומחטיאין אותו ואעפ"כ מסר א"א את גופו ונפשו לשם שמים.

And in truth the hint is "until blows" — that he sees they are pulling him away from the avodah of the Creator and causing him to sin, and nevertheless Avraham Avinu gave over his body and soul for the sake of Heaven.

The deeper point of being exempt "after blows" is the case where the wicked are actively dragging a person away from his avodah and into sin; even there, Avraham gave his body and soul over l'shem Shomayim rather than withdraw.

ונהג עמו הקב"ה ג"כ מדה במדה והוליכהו בכל העולם להודיע טיבו בעולם וזכה לקרב את הגרים והוא בחי' יום ראשון מששת ימי המעשה כידוע שהאורות המתלבשים בימי המעשה הם ממדריגה גבוה ביותר ומתנוצץ מהם אורות גם בתוך הימי מעשה.

And HaKadosh Baruch Hu also dealt with him measure for measure, and led him throughout the whole world to make his goodness known in the world, and he merited to draw near the converts; and this is the aspect of the first of the six days of action (the weekdays), as is known that the lights that clothe themselves in the weekdays are of a very high level, and lights radiate from them even within the weekdays.

Measure for measure, since Avraham went out into the corrupt world, Hashem led him through the world to publicize His Name and bring in converts. Avraham thus corresponds to the first weekday (Sunday) — for the lofty lights that descend into the workdays shine even amid the mundane.

וזהו המשל במדרש שראה את המלך מהלך במבואות אפלים והאיר דרך החלון פי' שראה שגם במבואות האפלים הללו בעוה"ז גם שם המלך מהלך.

And this is the parable in the Midrash, that he saw the king walking through dark alleyways and shone light through the window — meaning that he saw that even in these dark alleyways of this world, there too the King walks.

The Midrash's parable about Avraham: he perceived the King even in the dark, lowly alleys of this world, recognizing that Hashem is present even there.

והרגיש הקדושה בתוך הסתרת העשי'.

And he sensed the holiness within the concealment of the world of action.

Avraham felt the divine holiness hidden inside the physical, concealing world of asiyah (action/doing).

כמ"ש עומד אחר כתלנו משגיח מן החלונות.

As it is written "standing behind our wall, peering through the windows."

Hashem, as the pasuk says, stands just behind the partition and looks in through the windows — present even when concealed.

שבכל מקום נמצא חרכים וחלונות אשר יכולין להכיר את הבורא ית"ש בכל עת ובכל מקום.

For in every place there are found crevices and windows through which one can recognize the Creator, may His Name be blessed, at every time and in every place.

Everywhere there are "openings" through which a person can perceive Hashem — at all times and in all places, even the darkest.

ואותו מקום שנחשב טיט עבה אצל נח שם ראה א"א את המלך.

And that very place which was considered "thick mud" for Noach — there Avraham Avinu saw the King.

The same corrupt world that for Noach was merely "thick mud" to be rescued from, was for Avraham a place to find and reveal Hashem.

וזהו התהלכתי לפניו שהוציא מכח אל הפועל והכין מקום להשראת השכינה בעוה"ז העשי'.

And this is "I walked before Him" — that he brought from potential into actuality and prepared a place for the resting of the Shechinah in this world of action.

"Walking before Hashem" means Avraham took initiative, actualizing the latent holiness and preparing a dwelling place for the Shechinah within the physical world.

וזה חסיד המתחסד עם קונו.

And this is "a chassid who acts with chesed toward his Maker."

Avraham exemplifies the chassid who, as it were, does kindness with his Creator by extending His presence into the world.

כמו שהקב"ה בחסדו הגדול צמצם את כבוד קדושתו לברוא את העולם כמ"ש עולם חסד יבנה.

Just as HaKadosh Baruch Hu, in His great chesed, contracted (tzimtzem) the glory of His holiness in order to create the world, as it is written "the world is built on chesed."

Hashem's act of creation was an act of chesed — He contracted His infinite holiness to make room for the world.

כן הכניס א"א עצמו לברר כח הבריאה במסירת נפש:

So too Avraham Avinu brought himself in, to clarify the power of creation, with mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice).

Mirroring Hashem's chesed in creation, Avraham gave himself over with mesirus nefesh to reveal and refine the divine power hidden within creation — acting "with chesed toward his Maker."

Summary: Noach, the aspect of Shabbos and rest, withdrew from his wicked generation to save himself and was correspondingly "rescued" by being concealed in the ark — like a king merely pulling a man from thick mud. Avraham, by contrast, was a chassid beyond the letter of the law: he gave his body and soul with mesirus nefesh to proclaim Hashem's kingship even amid curses and blows, finding the King even in the "dark alleys" of this world. In that very mud that Noach fled, Avraham saw Hashem and prepared a dwelling place for the Shechinah — mirroring Hashem's own chesed in contracting His glory to create the world.