Why Noah Found Grace in the Eyes of the Lord

The Midrash of Philo 8:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·March 24, 2026

Why it is afterwards said, that Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord? (Genesis 6:8).

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Creation Noah Divine Justice Humor Wit

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The Midrash of PhiloJaphet — Shem at the Dawn of CreationMidrash of Philo treats the names Shem, Ham, and Japhet as more than family labels. They become a map of spiritual character. We find this question posed direct The Midrash of PhiloWas Noah Really the First to Plant a VineyardThe Torah tells us, quite simply, that "Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard" (Genesis 9:20). Seems straightforward. But this simple verse Book of JubileesHow Noah's Sons Divided the Earth Among ThemselvesBook of Jubilees turns to How Noah's Sons Divided the Earth Among Themselves. The Book of Jubilees isn’t part of the Tanakh. It's a Jewish religious writing of Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelWhatever Someone Boasts About or Indulges in Becomes the ExactThe Mekhilta highlights Samson as another example of the principle that a person's punishment mirrors their sin. Whatever someone boasts about or indulges in be Pirkei DeRabbi EliezerFour Quarters of the World and What Flows from EachThe ancient text Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, a fascinating work of aggadah (storytelling) and biblical interpretation, offers a compelling explanation. It speaks of Targum OnkelosNoah's Covenant Translated Into AramaicThe Hebrew Bible says God established a covenant with Noah, setting the rainbow as its sign (Genesis 9:12-17). Targum Onkelos renders every instance of "between