It's frustrating to see others make wrong choices and even worse when they ignore good critique and advice for the future. Many well intentioned preachers fail to inspire and the question is: why?
This week's parsha opens with G-d notifying Noach that the corrupt society he lived in would be destroyed in an epic flood and that he will father a new world. To save himself, he is instructed to build a box-like boat large enough for his family, a pair of every animal species and provisions to last one year.
Noach got to work without delay. After all, it's not every day G-d provides you detailed building plans and articulates how much is at stake. Yet, despite the urgency, the construction project lasted for 120 years!
Everyone involved in construction knows that rarely is a project finished ahead of schedule. But 120 years seems to be an exaggeration by any stretch. What took so long?
Building the Ark was an instruction given exclusively to Noach. He alone prepared the materials and single handedly constructed the mammoth ship. G-d made it a solo project so that it be prolonged and drawn out in order to attract the attention of humanity. Every day that Noach labored over the strange box people inquired about it and he shared G-d’s message of impending doom - hoping they would change their ways.
The Ark’s century-long construction was the grandest advertisement of G-d’s intentions for the future and the loudest wake up call for humanity to repent. But alas, Noach’s warnings fell on deaf ears, the Great Flood became a reality and all was lost.
Over a thousand years later, Moshe faced a similar scenario. The Israelites had sinned with the Golden Calf and G-d decreed their complete annihilation. Unlike Noach in his time, Moshe effectively inspired the Israelites to repentance and successfully convinced G-d to rescind the terrible decree.
Why did Moshe succeed and Noach fail?
Moshe selflessly cared for the Jewish nation to the point that he boldly declared “If You (G-d) plan to destroy them, it will be over my dead body!” So when he admonished them for sinning it was not in order to fulfill his obligation to G-d but because he truly cared for their physical and spiritual welfare.
Noach, on the other hand, obediently constructed the Ark and warned his generation as an expression of his devotion to G-d, but not because he truly cared about his listeners.
The historical contrast between Noach and Moshe provides a crystal clear perspective on how to effectively inspire people to be better: Truly care for them. Work hard to find the right words and methods to get your message across. And if all else fails, say a genuine prayer on their behalf.
Because no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.