"ויאמר ה' לנח בא אתה וכל ביתך אל התבה, כי אותך ראיתי צדיק לפני בדור הזה" — And Hashem said to Noach, "Come, you and all your household, into the ark, for it is you I have seen to be righteous before Me in this generation."

The second half of the pasuk seems superfluous.

Why does Hashem need to explain to Noach once again why he was chosen as humanity's representative, the one who would carry its existence on after the Mabul?

Perhaps there is an important message here, one that our holy Torah comes to teach us.

A person is made up of body and soul, and so he needs both physical nourishment and spiritual nourishment.

One of the most important components of spiritual nourishment is encouragement and appreciation: a good word from those around him, whether between husband and wife, between teacher and student, and of course between friends.

At times a person needs encouragement and appreciation more than he needs money or possessions.

What are the limits of the appreciation one should express toward another person?

In the pasuk cited above, Hakadosh Baruch Hu describes Noach with the words "כי אותך ראיתי צדיק" — for it is you I have seen to be righteous, whereas at the beginning of the parsha Noach is described as "איש צדיק תמים היה בדורותיו, את האלוקים התהלך נח" — a righteous man, wholehearted in his generations; Noach walked with God.

Why is the tzaddik's description "downgraded"?

The Gemara in Eruvin (18b) teaches:

Rashi explains that even when one praises a person to his face, derech eretz calls for avoiding anything that might look like flattery.

Throughout the month of Elul and the chagim of Tishrei, we were occupied with cheshbon hanefesh. That self-reckoning should stay private, between each person and himself, while appreciation and warm recognition should be directed toward others, both within the family and at work and among friends.

May it be Hashem's will that we have the wisdom to strengthen among ourselves a truly good eye toward those around us, and that through this we come to ahavat chinam and the complete Geulah for the Jewish people and for all of humanity.

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