Gênesis 8:1 Midrash: Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bereshit Rabbah, Aggadat Bereshit & Sefer HaYashar (midrash)

Another interpretation (of Eccl. 9:14-15): THERE WAS A LITTLE CITY, i.e., the world;⁴Gen. R. 33:2; Eccl. R. 9:14/15:1. WITH FEW PEOPLE IN IT, i.e., the generation of the flood; AND A GREAT KING CAME AGAINST IT, i.e., the Supreme King of Kings, the Holy One; AND BUILT GREAT SIEGE WORKS AGAINST IT, as stated (in Gen. 6:13): BEHOLD, I AM DESTROYING THEM WITH THE EARTH. (Eccl. 9:14-15:) NOW THERE WAS FOUND IN IT A PERSON WHO WAS POOR AND WISE, i.e., Noah; WHO MIGHT HAVE DELIVERED THE CITY BY HIS WISDOM. (Gen. 7:1:) COME YOU AND ALL YOUR HOUSE INTO THE ARK. (Eccl. 9:15, cont.:) BUT NO ONE THOUGHT (ZKR) ABOUT THAT POOR PERSON. The Holy One said: No one remembered (ZKR) him, but I am remembering (rt.: ZKR) him, as stated (in Gen. 8:1): THEN GOD REMEMBERED (rt.: ZKR) NOAH.

Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon interpreted the verses regarding the generations. “The earth was emptiness and disorder” – this is Adam the first man, who became oblivion and nothingness. “And disorder” – this is Cain, who sought to restore the world to emptiness and disorder. “And darkness” – this is the generation of Enosh,³They profaned God’s name (Genesis 4:26; Bereshit Rabba 23:7). based on the verse: “Their actions are in the dark and they say: Who sees us and who knows of us?” (Isaiah 29:15). “Upon the face of the depths” – this is the generation of the Flood, as it is stated: “On that day all the wellsprings of the great depths were breached” (Genesis 7:11). “And the spirit [ruaḥ] of God was hovering over the surface of the water” – based on the verse: “God passed a wind [ruaḥ] over the earth” (Genesis 8:1).⁴Ruaḥ, too is an allusion to the Flood. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Until when will the world conduct itself in darkness?⁵In the darkness of idol worship. Let some light come.’ “God said: Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) – this is Abraham. That is what is written [regarding Abraham]: “Who roused [he’ir] righteousness from the east?” (Isaiah 41:2). Do not read it as he’ir,⁶Spelled with an ayin, meaning roused. but rather, he’ir.⁷Spelled with an alef, meaning illuminated.
“God called the light, Day, and the darkness, He called Night. It was evening and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5).
“God called the light, Day” – this is Jacob. “And the darkness, He called Night” – this is Esau. “It was evening” – this is Esau; “and it was morning” – this is Jacob. “It was evening” – the evening of Esau;⁸The period of Esau’s waning power. “and it was morning” – the morning of Jacob.⁹The period of Jacob’s rising power. “One day” – as it is stated: “There will be one day, it will be known to the Lord, that is not day and not night…” (Zechariah 14:7).¹⁰This is an allusion to the ultimate redemption, when Jacob’s ascendance over Esau will be asserted. Alternatively, “one day” – which the Holy One blessed be He provided him. Which is that? It is Yom Kippur.¹¹Even in this world there is one day when there is light for Jacob and darkness for the forces of evil.

Chapter 4: Torah. [1] "And God remembered Noah" (Genesis 8:1), This is what the scripture says: "Your righteousness is like the mountains of God" (Psalms 36:7). When a person is worthy, You bestow righteousness upon them, and exalt them higher than the mountains, as it is written, "Your righteousness is like the mountains of God." But when a person sins, You punish and humble them to the depths below, as it is written, "Your judgments are like the great deep" (Psalm 36:7). Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says, the verse should be read as follows: "Your righteousness in accordance with Your judgments is like the mountains of God and the great deep." How did the Holy One, blessed be He, measure the great deep? He took a high mountain and placed it upon the great deep, and so too with all the deeps, He subdued them beneath high mountains, so that they would not rise up and flood the entire world. And just as He set the mountains above them to keep the world from being flooded, so too did He establish righteousness above judgment, so that the world would not be destroyed through judgment. Therefore, Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says, "Your righteousness in accordance with Your judgments is like the mountains of God and the great deep." Alternatively, "Your righteousness that You have done for Noah" caused his ark to rest upon the mountains, as it is written, "And the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat" (Genesis 8:4). "Your judgments are like the great deep" refers to the judgments You rendered upon the generation of the Flood, as it is written, "On that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth" (Genesis 7:11). And after all of this devastation, "You save humans and animals alike, O Lord" (Psalm 36:7). When did God remember Noah?