Noah Cries Out from the Ark and the Righteous Win Their Crown

GO FORTH FROM THE ARK (Gen. 8:16). This is what Scripture says: Bring my soul out of prison (Ps. 142:8). It speaks of Noah. When Noah was in the ark, Noah said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Bring my soul out of prison — for he was shut up there. Rabbi Levi said: The entire twelve months that Noah was in the ark, he did not taste the taste of sleep, neither he nor his sons, for they were obligated to feed the cattle and the wild beasts. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: He brought into the ark branches for the elephants and glass for the ostriches, to feed the cattle and the wild beasts; for there are among them those that eat in the second hour of the night, and there are among them those that eat in the second hour of the day. From this you yourself may know that Noah did not taste the taste of sleep. Rabbi Yohanan said in the name of Rabbi Eleazar son of Rabbi Yose the Galilean: One time Noah was late in feeding the lion, and the lion bit him, and he came out limping, as it is said: And only Noah remained (Gen. 7:23). Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yose: Noah came out of the ark groaning from his heart; therefore he said, Bring my soul out of prison. Through me the righteous shall crown themselves (Ps. 142:8) — through me the righteous take up a crown in the world, for they will say: If for Noah, who was righteous [but not a wholly righteous one], the Holy One, blessed be He, performed such miracles — as it is said, He will deliver one who is not innocent, and he shall escape [through the cleanness of your hands] (Job 22:30), for there was in him merit that was innocent and not innocent — then all the more so one who is wholly righteous, that the Holy One, blessed be He, would perform miracles for him. Thus it says: Through me the righteous shall crown themselves, for you shall deal bountifully with me (Ps. 142:8).