(ט) אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹקִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃ (י) וַיּ֥וֹלֶד נֹ֖חַ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים אֶת־שֵׁ֖ם אֶת־חָ֥ם וְאֶת־יָֽפֶת׃ (יא) וַתִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹקִ֑ים וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ חָמָֽס׃ (יב) וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹקִ֛ים אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְהִנֵּ֣ה נִשְׁחָ֑תָה כִּֽי־הִשְׁחִ֧ית כָּל־בָּשָׂ֛ר אֶת־דַּרְכּ֖וֹ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ס) (יג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֜ים לְנֹ֗חַ קֵ֤ץ כָּל־בָּשָׂר֙ בָּ֣א לְפָנַ֔י כִּֽי־מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֛רֶץ חָמָ֖ס מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְהִנְנִ֥י מַשְׁחִיתָ֖ם אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יד) עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ תֵּבַ֣ת עֲצֵי־גֹ֔פֶר קִנִּ֖ים תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֶת־הַתֵּבָ֑ה וְכָֽפַרְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֛הּ מִבַּ֥יִת וּמִח֖וּץ בַּכֹּֽפֶר׃ (טו) וְזֶ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֹתָ֑הּ שְׁלֹ֧שׁ מֵא֣וֹת אַמָּ֗ה אֹ֚רֶךְ הַתֵּבָ֔ה חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים אַמָּה֙ רָחְבָּ֔הּ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים אַמָּ֖ה קוֹמָתָֽהּ׃ (טז) צֹ֣הַר ׀ תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה לַתֵּבָ֗ה וְאֶל־אַמָּה֙ תְּכַלֶ֣נָּה מִלְמַ֔עְלָה וּפֶ֥תַח הַתֵּבָ֖ה בְּצִדָּ֣הּ תָּשִׂ֑ים תַּחְתִּיִּ֛ם שְׁנִיִּ֥ם וּשְׁלִשִׁ֖ים תַּֽעֲשֶֽׂהָ׃ (יז) וַאֲנִ֗י הִנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶת־הַמַּבּ֥וּל מַ֙יִם֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לְשַׁחֵ֣ת כָּל־בָּשָׂ֗ר אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ֙ ר֣וּחַ חַיִּ֔ים מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָ֖רֶץ יִגְוָֽע׃ (יח) וַהֲקִמֹתִ֥י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וּבָאתָ֙ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֔ה אַתָּ֕ה וּבָנֶ֛יךָ וְאִשְׁתְּךָ֥ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנֶ֖יךָ אִתָּֽךְ׃ (יט) וּמִכָּל־הָ֠חַי מִֽכָּל־בָּשָׂ֞ר שְׁנַ֧יִם מִכֹּ֛ל תָּבִ֥יא אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֖ה לְהַחֲיֹ֣ת אִתָּ֑ךְ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה יִֽהְיֽוּ׃ (כ) מֵהָע֣וֹף לְמִינֵ֗הוּ וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ מִכֹּ֛ל רֶ֥מֶשׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה לְמִינֵ֑הוּ שְׁנַ֧יִם מִכֹּ֛ל יָבֹ֥אוּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ לְהַֽחֲיֽוֹת׃ (כא) וְאַתָּ֣ה קַח־לְךָ֗ מִכָּל־מַֽאֲכָל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל וְאָסַפְתָּ֖ אֵלֶ֑יךָ וְהָיָ֥ה לְךָ֛ וְלָהֶ֖ם לְאָכְלָֽה׃ (כב) וַיַּ֖עַשׂ נֹ֑חַ כְּ֠כֹל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֥ה אֹת֛וֹ אֱלֹקִ֖ים כֵּ֥ן עָשָֽׂה׃ (ס)
(9) These are the generations of Noah; Noah was a righteous man, and wholehearted in his generations; Noah walked with God.— (10) Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (11) The earth became corrupt before God; the earth was filled with lawlessness. (12) When God saw how corrupt the earth was, for all flesh had corrupted its ways on earth, (13) God said to Noah, “I have decided to put an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with lawlessness because of them: I am about to destroy them with the earth. (14) Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make it an ark with compartments, and cover it inside and out with pitch. (15) This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. (16) Make an opening for daylight in the ark, and terminate it within a cubit of the top. Put the entrance to the ark in its side; make it with bottom, second, and third decks. (17) For My part, I am about to bring the Flood—waters upon the earth—to destroy all flesh under the sky in which there is breath of life; everything on earth shall perish. (18) But I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall enter the ark, with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives. (19) And of all that lives, of all flesh, you shall take two of each into the ark to keep alive with you; they shall be male and female. (20) From birds of every kind, cattle of every kind, every kind of creeping thing on earth, two of each shall come to you to stay alive. (21) For your part, take of everything that is eaten and store it away, to serve as food for you and for them.” (22) Noah did so; just as God commanded him, so he did.
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יי לְנֹ֔חַ בֹּֽא־אַתָּ֥ה וְכָל־בֵּיתְךָ֖ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה כִּֽי־אֹתְךָ֥ רָאִ֛יתִי צַדִּ֥יק לְפָנַ֖י בַּדּ֥וֹר הַזֶּֽה׃ (ב) מִכֹּ֣ל ׀ הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה תִּֽקַּח־לְךָ֛ שִׁבְעָ֥ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֡ה אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹ֣א טְהֹרָ֥ה הִ֛וא שְׁנַ֖יִם אִ֥ישׁ וְאִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃ (ג) גַּ֣ם מֵע֧וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם שִׁבְעָ֥ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה זָכָ֣ר וּנְקֵבָ֑ה לְחַיּ֥וֹת זֶ֖רַע עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ד) כִּי֩ לְיָמִ֨ים ע֜וֹד שִׁבְעָ֗ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ מַמְטִ֣יר עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָ֑יְלָה וּמָחִ֗יתִי אֶֽת־כָּל־הַיְקוּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔יתִי מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃ (ה) וַיַּ֖עַשׂ נֹ֑חַ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֖הוּ יי׃ (ו) וְנֹ֕חַ בֶּן־שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וְהַמַּבּ֣וּל הָיָ֔ה מַ֖יִם עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ז) וַיָּ֣בֹא נֹ֗חַ וּ֠בָנָיו וְאִשְׁתּ֧וֹ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנָ֛יו אִתּ֖וֹ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה מִפְּנֵ֖י מֵ֥י הַמַּבּֽוּל׃
(1) Then Y-H-W-H said to Noah, “Go into the ark, with all your household, for you alone have I found righteous before Me in this generation. (2) Of every clean animal you shall take seven pairs, males and their mates, and of every animal that is not clean, two, a male and its mate; (3) of the birds of the sky also, seven pairs, male and female, to keep seed alive upon all the earth. (4) For in seven days’ time I will make it rain upon the earth, forty days and forty nights, and I will blot out from the earth all existence that I created.” (5) And Noah did just as Y-H-W-H commanded him. (6) Noah was six hundred years old when the Flood came, waters upon the earth. (7) Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the Flood.
(בראשית ו, ט) אלה תולדות נח [נח איש צדיק תמים היה בדורותיו] א"ר יוחנן בדורותיו ולא בדורות אחרים
§ With regard to the verse: “These are the generations of Noah; Noah was a righteous man, and wholehearted in his generations” (Genesis 6:9), Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Relative to the other people of his generation he was righteous and wholehearted, but not relative to those of other generations.
מפני מי המבול. אַף נֹחַ מִקְּטַנֵּי אֲמָנָה הָיָה, מַאֲמִין וְאֵינוֹ מַאֲמִין שֶׁיָבֹא הַמַּבּוּל, וְלֹא נִכְנַס לַתֵּבָה עַד שְׁדְּחָקוּהוּ הַמַּיִם:
מפני מי המבול BECAUSE OF THE WATERS OF THE FLOOD — (מפני properly means ‘‘from before”) — Noah, also, was of those people who are of little faith: he believed and he did not believe that the Flood would come, and he would not enter the Ark until the waters forced him to do so (Genesis Rabbah 32:6).
(קט) תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן, מָה הֵשִׁיב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְנֹחַ, כְּשֶׁיָּצָא מִן הַתֵּיבָה וְרָאָה כָּל הָעוֹלָם חָרֵב, וְהִתְחִיל לִבְכּוֹת עָלָיו, וְאָמַר, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, נִקְרֵאתָ רַחוּם, הָיָה לְךָ לְרַחֵם עַל בְּרִיּוֹתֶיךָ.
(קיה) וְנֹחַ הִתְעַכֵּב עִמּוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאָמַר לֵיהּ רִבּוּי דְבָרִים, שֶׁמָּא יְבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, וְלֹא הִשְׁגִּיחַ, וְלֹא בִּיקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, וְעָשָׂה הַתֵּיבָה וְנֶאֱבַד כָּל הָעוֹלָם.
(קיח) לְבָתַר אָמַר רִבִּי אֱלִיעֶזְר, עַל כָּל דָּא, הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמִתְבַּע רַחֲמִין עַל עָלְמָא קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, דְּנִיחָא לֵיהּ, מַאן דַּאֲמַר טָבָא עַל בְּנוֹהִי.
Our Rabbis have taught: How did the blessed Holy One answer Noah when he came out of the ark and saw the world destroyed, whereupon he began weeping for it, saying, "Master of the World! You are called Compassionate! You should have shown compassion for Your creatures!"? The blessed Holy One replied, "Foolish shepherd! Now you say this -- but not when I spoke to you tenderly, as is written: for you alone have I found righteous before Me in this generation (Genesis 7:1); As for Me, I am about to bring the Flood, waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh (ibid. 6:17); Make yourself an ark of gopher wood (ibid., 14)! I lingered with you and belabored you with all this, so that you might seek compassion for the world. But as soon as you heard that you would be saved in the ark, the evil of the world did not touch your heart; you built the ark and saved yourself! Now that the world has been destroyed, you open your mouth -- muttering questions and pleas before Me!" As soon as Noah realized this, he presented sacrifices and offerings, as is written: (Noah built an altar to YHVH), and took of every pure animal and of every pure bird, and offered ascent-offerings on the altar (ibid. 8:20).
Rabbi Yochanan said, "Come and see the difference between Noah and the righteous heroes that arose for Israel afterward! Noah did not shield his generation -- and did not pray for them like Abraham. For as soon as the blessed Holy One said to Avraham, 'The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is so great' (ibid. 18:20), immediately: Abraham came forward and said (ibid., 23). He countered the blessed Holy One with more and more words until he implored that should just ten righteous people be found there, He would grant atonement to the entire generation for their sake. Abraham thought that there were [ten] in the city, counting Lot and his wife, his daughters and sons-in-law; that is why he beseeched no further.
"Moses arrived and shielded the entire generation. As soon as the blessed Holy One said, 'Moses, Israel has sinned, quickly they have turned from the way' (Exodus 32:8), what is written of him? ויחל משה (Va-yechal Moshe), Moses implored (ibid., 11). What is meant by implored? This teaches that he prayed until he was seized by חלחלה (chalchalah), trembling."
Our Rabbis say, "Moses did not leave the blessed Holy One until he pledged his life for them -- from this world and from the world to come -- as is written: And now if only You would forgive their sin! If not, erase me from Your book that You have written (ibid. 32:32)." Rabbi Yose said, "This is derived from here: He said that He would annihilate them -- had not Moses, His chosen one, stood in the breach before Him (Psalms 106:23)."
So all the righteous shielded their generations and did not allow the attribute of Judgment to have dominion over them. And Noah? The blessed Holy One lingered with him, speaking many words to him, that perhaps he might seek compassion for them. But he just built the ark -- and the whole world was destroyed!"
Rabbi Eli'ezer and Rabbi Yehoshu'a were sitting by the outskirts of Tiberias. Rabbi Yehoshu'a said, "Rabbi, what was Noah thinking by not beseeching compassion for his generation?"
He replied, "He didn't think to himself that even he would be saved! This can be compared to one who finds a cluster of unripe grapes among sour grapes -- were they among ripe grapes, they wouldn't be worth anything. As implied by what is written: for you alone have I found righteous before Me in this generation (Genesis 7:1). He should have said righteous before Me, what is the significance of in this generation? Namely, relative to the generation! That is why he did not beseech compassion. He said to himself, 'Would that I could beseech compassion for myself and be saved; and all the more so for others!"
Afterward, Rabbi Eli'ezer said, "Nevertheless, he ought to have implored compassion for the world before the blessed Holy One, for whoever speaks kindly of His children pleases Him."
Translated by Nathan Wolsky.
The Zohar, Pritzker Edition, vol. 10, pp 259-263. Zohar Chadash, 23a-b
(ב) אך נדקדק בפירוש רש"י ז"ל אף נח מקטני אמנה היה האיך יכול להיות זה כי הכתוב מעיד עליו נח איש צדיק תמים היה בדורותיו. ועוד קשה למה לא היה מתפלל נח לבטל הגזירה. נבוא לבאר, כי יש שני מיני צדיקים שעובדים הבורא יש צדיק שעובד הבורא ואין לו חשק רק להיות עובד הבורא ומאמין שיש לו כח בעליונים להנהיג העולמות כרצונו כמו שאמרו חכמינו ז"ל (מועד קטן טז:) צדיק מושל ביראת אלהים (שמואל ב' כג, ג) מי מושל בי צדיק הקדוש ברוך הוא גוזר וצדיק מבטל הגזירה לטובה ויש צדיק אחד שעובד הבורא ברוך הוא והוא שפל בעיני עצמו מאוד ומאוד וחושב בלבו מי אני שאתפלל לבטל הגזירה לכן אינו מתפלל לבטל.
[...]
ונח הגם שהיה צדיק גדול ותמים היה קטן בעיניו מאוד ולא היה לו אמונה בעצמו שהוא צדיק מושל ויכול לבטל הגזירה אדרבה היה חשוב בעיניו כשאר הדור והיה חושב אם אני אהיה ניצול בתיבה ואני אין צדיק יותר משאר הדור המה גם כן ינצלו לכן לא היה מתפלל על הדור. וזה שפירש רש"י אף נח מקטני אמנה היה
"Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his age" (Genesis 6:9)
... Let us consider RaSHI's comment (on Gen. 7:7) that "Noah was among those of limited faith." How could this be, since the Torah itself testifies that Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his age? ... We can explain the matter as follows: There are two types of tsaddikim who serve the Creator: there is the tsaddik who serves G-d faithfully and believes that he has the power to direct the cosmos according to his will. As our sages of blessed memory stated, "The Holy One decrees and the tsaddik annuls the decree in favor of the good" (b. Mo'ed Katan 16b). There is another type of tsaddik who serves the blessed Creator but who is so very lowly in his own eyes that he thinks to himself, "Who am I that I should pray to annul the decree?" and therefore does not pray to do so...
Now even though Noah was a great and blameless tsaddik, he was very small in his own eyes and did not have faith that he was a powerful tsaddik with the ability to annul the decree of the flood. In fact, he thought of himself as being equal to the rest of his generation. He said, "If I am to be saved in the ark, and I am no more righteous than the rest of this generation, they too will be saved." Therefore, he did not pray to save the people of his generation. This is why RaSHI taught that Noah was among those of limited faith...
Translation by Art Green, Speaking Torah, v 2
(י) וַיַּקְהִ֜לוּ מֹשֶׁ֧ה וְאַהֲרֹ֛ן אֶת־הַקָּהָ֖ל אֶל־פְּנֵ֣י הַסָּ֑לַע וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם שִׁמְעוּ־נָא֙ הַמֹּרִ֔ים הֲמִן־הַסֶּ֣לַע הַזֶּ֔ה נוֹצִ֥יא לָכֶ֖ם מָֽיִם׃ (יא) וַיָּ֨רֶם מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־יָד֗וֹ וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ פַּעֲמָ֑יִם וַיֵּצְאוּ֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים וַתֵּ֥שְׁתְּ הָעֵדָ֖ה וּבְעִירָֽם׃ (ס) (יב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֒ יַ֚עַן לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּ֣ם בִּ֔י לְהַ֨קְדִּישֵׁ֔נִי לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָכֵ֗ן לֹ֤א תָבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶת־הַקָּהָ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָהֶֽם׃
(10) Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock; and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels, shall we get water for you out of this rock?” (11) And Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod. Out came copious water, and the community and their beasts drank. (12) But Y-H-W-H said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them.”
(יב) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה עֲלֵ֛ה אֶל־הַ֥ר הָעֲבָרִ֖ים הַזֶּ֑ה וּרְאֵה֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (יג) וְרָאִ֣יתָה אֹתָ֔הּ וְנֶאֱסַפְתָּ֥ אֶל־עַמֶּ֖יךָ גַּם־אָ֑תָּה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר נֶאֱסַ֖ף אַהֲרֹ֥ן אָחִֽיךָ׃ (יד) כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ מְרִיתֶ֨ם פִּ֜י בְּמִדְבַּר־צִ֗ן בִּמְרִיבַת֙ הָֽעֵדָ֔ה לְהַקְדִּישֵׁ֥נִי בַמַּ֖יִם לְעֵינֵיהֶ֑ם הֵ֛ם מֵֽי־מְרִיבַ֥ת קָדֵ֖שׁ מִדְבַּר־צִֽן׃ (פ) (טו) וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶל־יי לֵאמֹֽר׃ (טז) יִפְקֹ֣ד יי אֱלֹקֵ֥י הָרוּחֹ֖ת לְכָל־בָּשָׂ֑ר אִ֖ישׁ עַל־הָעֵדָֽה׃ (יז) אֲשֶׁר־יֵצֵ֣א לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וַאֲשֶׁ֤ר יָבֹא֙ לִפְנֵיהֶ֔ם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹצִיאֵ֖ם וַאֲשֶׁ֣ר יְבִיאֵ֑ם וְלֹ֤א תִהְיֶה֙ עֲדַ֣ת יי כַּצֹּ֕אן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵין־לָהֶ֖ם רֹעֶֽה׃
(12) Y-H-W-H said to Moses, “Ascend these heights of Abarim and view the land that I have given to the Israelite people. (13) When you have seen it, you too shall be gathered to your kin, just as your brother Aaron was. (14) For, in the wilderness of Zin, when the community was contentious, you disobeyed My command to uphold My sanctity in their sight by means of the water.” Those are the Waters of Meribath-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin. (15) Moses spoke to
Y-H-W-H, saying, (16) “Let Y-H-W-H, Source of the breath of all flesh, appoint someone over the community (17) who shall go out before them and come in before them, and who shall take them out and bring them in, so that Y-H-W-H’s community may not be like sheep that have no shepherd.”
(י) יפקוד יי אלקי הרוחות לכל בשר כו' (במדבר כז, טו-יז). הכלל, יש ללמוד זכות על ישראל מה שאינם עושין רצון הבורא בתמידות כמלאכים מחמת שהם טרודים בפרנסתם. וזהו שאברהם אבינו היה איש חסד והיה מלמד זכות ולכך נתן להם להמלאכים לאכול להראות להם הצטרכות בשר ודם כדי שלא ילמדו חובה על ישראל. וזה שאמר משה א-ל אלקי הרוחות לכל בשר, שהאדם מחמת שהוא בשר ודם הצטרכות של אדם בפרנסתו ומחמת זה הוא לפעמים אינו עובד יי בתמידות. וזהו שאמר יפקוד יי אלקי הרוחות לכל בשר, כלומר שופט ומנהיג שילמוד תמיד זכות על ישראל כמו שאתה לומד זכות על האדם על שאינו עובד אותך בתמידות כן ביקש משה שיעמוד מנהיג לישראל שילמוד תמיד זכות על ישראל. וזהו יפקוד יי אלקי הרוחות לכל בשר, כמו שאתה אלקי הרוחות לכל בשר ואתה מלמד זכות עליהם כן פקוד איש על העדה שמנהיג לישראל יהיה גם כן מלמד זכות על ישראל:
(10) Numbers 27,16. “let Y-H-W-H, source of the breath of all flesh , appoint someone over the community." The verse instructs us to judge the people of Israel favorably, even if they are unable to do the will of the Creator at all times, as angels do. This is only because they are preoccupied with making a living. This is why Avraham our Father, a man of mercy who judged people favorably, gave food to the angels who came to visit him (based on Genesis 18:5-8) [though he knew that angels do not eat]. He did so in order to teach the angels about human needs, in order that they not judge Israel harshly.
This is why Moses said, God of the spirits of all flesh (Num. 16:22), because a person is flesh and blood, he must labor for his livelihood and therefore does not serve God consistently.
And this is why Moses said Let Y-H-W-H, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint -- that is, appoint a judge and leader who will deal with Israel favorably, just as You do with a person who does not serve You consistently... Just as You are the God of the spirits of all flesh and You judge Israel favorably, so shall You appoint a man over the congregation, a leader, who will also speak favorably of them.
Translation by Art Green, Speaking Torah v 2