The Torah tells us that Noach was a Tzaddik (righteous person) in his generation (Bereishis 6:9). Rashi explains that Chazal (our sages) differed as to what the words, "in his generation" add to his resume. Some understood the clause to be amplifying his greatness. If Noach could be a Tzaddik in his generation (that was destroyed by the flood for being morally decrepit), how much greater of a Tzaddik would he have been in a generation of righteous individuals. Yet, others saw this phrase as limiting Noach's greatness. In his generation, Noach was a Tzaddik, but had he been in the generation of Avraham, he wouldn't have been anything special.

On the surface, Rashi seems to be saying something very simple. If Noach had been born and raised in the generation of Avraham, would he have been a Tzaddik or not? That would appear to be the argument amongst our holy sages. However, this cannot be true. First of all, while our biology, personality traits, and the like may be fixed from conception, whether or not a person will be a Tzaddik depends on his free will. How can we determine whether a person will be righteous or evil? Secondly, we see from the story of Noach that he was at least a Tzaddik relative to those around him. It is hard to believe that if he had been raised in the generation of Avraham, Noach wouldn't have been influenced by him. Avraham convinced thousands of people to abandon their idolatry and adopt monotheism. He wouldn't have been able to convince Noach? Certainly, had Noach been raised in the generation of Avraham, and had any contact with him, if anything, Noach would have been influenced positively.

A more appropriate understanding of Rashi would therefore be the following. Had Noach been transported, at the level he had reached in his generation, to the generation of Avraham, how would the two have compared? How did Noach, in the generation of the flood, compare to Avraham in his respective generation? This question was subject to dispute amongst Chazal. Some said that in Avraham's generation, Noach would have been a tremendous Tzaddik, while others said that he would have been nothing. What is this whole argument about?

At some point in a person's life, he finds himself in a situation similar to Noach's. The generation of the flood was morally decrepit; it was the opposite of Noach's perception of what life is all about. That which Noach valued, his generation perverted. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations that are less then ideal.

In the sixth chapter of his Hilchos Deios (laws of character), the Rambam writes that it is human nature to be drawn in his thinking/character and actions after his friends and acquaintances, who act in accordance with their surroundings. Therefore, a person must attach himself to righteous people and constantly be around wise people in order to learn from their actions. He must also distance himself from the wicked that are walking in darkness, in order that he not learn from their actions. Therefore, if he is in a country who's customs are wicked and who's citizens do not walk on the straight path, he should move to a place where its citizens are righteous and its ways are good. If all the countries that he knows of and hears about live in a way that is not good, like today, or he isn't able to go to a country who's ways are good due to military force or illness, he should live alone like a hermit. If the citizens are so evil that they don't allow him to live in the country unless he mingles with them and acts in their evil ways, he should flee to the caves, forests and deserts rather than accustom himself to the ways of the sinners.

Clearly, the Rambam says that one must do all that is in his power to escape an intolerable situation. Yet, sometimes circumstances are beyond our control. Occasionally we find ourselves in a predicament that is opposed to our Weltanschauung, our values. There are primarily three ways to relate to such a condition:

1) If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Some people, unfortunately, are so affected by their surroundings that they give in to their desires and stop fighting altogether. In effect, they are committing suicide; they lose the battle completely.

2) I don't like it, but I'll tread water. Some people manage to get by, but they don't thrive in it. They deal with the situation, but not well. They manage to remain afloat, but constantly bogged down and depressed by all the negativity in their environment.

3) I love a challenge! Muscle is built by working against resistance. Some people experience the opposite of their values, identify it as such and grow in response to it. Not only do they manage to live with it, but they thrive because of it.

Practically speaking, no one remains stagnant in his personal growth. There are times when a person is inspired and his service of G-d comes easily, and there are times when he is uninspired and serving G-d becomes difficult. The difficult times are a great test from Hashem, and yet He only tests us with trials that we can pass.
Just as the waters after the flood "came and went (Bereishis 8:3)" like the tide goes in and out, so too anything physical can never remain stagnant. A Mashal for this is the altar in the Temple (may it be rebuilt soon in our days). It didn't have stairs leading up to it, rather it had a ramp; it was sloped. When one approaches G-d, who is called an "all consuming fire," one must be constantly climbing. Otherwise, he will fall back. When we perform the service of G-d, the Avodah (and that is what life is all about), it is impossible to remain on the same level; one either ascends or descends. Stairs have sections on which you can pause and stay there. A ramp is a continuous slope.
There is an ascent, which is like black letters on a white background, and an ascent that is not as recognizable. It is possible to express the truth to its utmost against a background of falsehood. When they are pitted one against the other, the truth has the opportunity to shine. It's not that truth manages to exist simultaneously with the falsehood, but rather it is expressed lucidly because of the falsehood. However, it is also possible that the truth only manages to survive along with the falsehood, but it doesn't thrive because of it. This is similar to yellow letters on a white background, which are barely recognizable.

In Devarim (32:2), Rashi quotes Chazal saying that the Torah was originally black fire on white fire. The Sifsei Chochomim there, comments that this is similar to the way people write with ink on paper. When black letters are written on a white background, those letters are expressed to the greatest degree, due to the drastic contrast. When truth is revealed on a backdrop of falsehood, it is the most explicit. When a person is faced with a background of falsehood, how will he react? How much will he express the truth in contrast to it? Some people only manage white letters on the white background. They fail, and fade away. Their letters are indistinguishable from the background. Others manage to tread water; they eke out yellow letters, or maybe some gray ones, depending on how they fare. The mighty ones, however, don't just survive, rather they thrive. They express the truth to the highest degree; they achieve black letters on the background of white. These people can pinpoint the falsehood and understand the truth to be its opposite. They grow tremendously because of the situation they are in. This does not mean that one should place himself in such a situation, on the contrary, it's forbidden. However, occasionally, we find ourselves in inescapable predicaments. That type of situation is a test from Hashem. How will we react? Will we fade into the background, or will we use that background as a springboard for expressing the truth?

Perhaps this is the dispute over Noach. How did he relate to his unfortunate situation? Did he merely survive (which is no small feat!) or did he thrive. When a person finds himself in an inescapable situation like the generation of the flood, the opposite of his values, it is a test from Hashem. It is possible for a person in such a predicament to truly ascend and grow against the background of falsehood. However, it is also possible that he merely survive. Was Noach in the third category, did he thrive because of his generation? If so, then imagine what a great Tzaddik he would be if we were to transport him to Avraham's generation! In the generation of Avraham, there was tremendous falsehood in the world, but it was not like Noach's generation! However, if Noach only managed the second category, to survive, then in the generation of Avraham he would not have been so special.

May we all merit to thrive because of all our opposition and continuously grow in our Avodas Hashem. By bringing the light out of the darkness we can fill the world with knowledge of Hashem and bring Moshiach, soon in our days.