AND THE LORD SAID UNTO NOAH, COME THOU AND ALL THY HOUSE. Said R. Simeon: ‘How is it that throughout this passage God is always designated Elohim save in this place, where we find the name Tetragrammaton, significant of the attribute of mercy? There is here an inner meaning which is at the same time a lesson. The lesson is that a woman should not admit a guest into her house without the consent of her husband.
So here, when Noah wished to enter the ark, and to become united with her, it was not becoming for her to admit him before her Master gave his permission to enter and said: “Come thou and all thy house into the ark.” Hence the name Tetragrammaton is used here, to designate what we call the husband of the ark. Similarly we learn that neither may the guest enter the house save with the consent of the husband, who is the master of the house, and hence it was only later that NOAH WENT IN.
Note again the words: FOR THEE I HAVE SEEN RIGHTEOUS BEFORE ME IN THIS GENERATION. We learn from this the lesson that a man should not admit into his house any guest whom he suspects of wrong-doing, but only such a one as is above all suspicion in his eyes. It was in accordance with this principle that God said unto Noah, “Come thou and all thy house into the ark, for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.”
וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ לְנֹחַ בֹּא אַתָּה וְכָל בֵּיתְךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אַמַּאי בְּכֻלְהוּ (ד"א ל"ג אמר) אֱלֹהִים וְהָכָא יְיָ. מַאי שָׁנָא הָכָא דְּאִתְּמָר יְיָ שְׁמָא עִלָּאָה דְּרַחֲמֵי. אֶלָּא רָזָא אִיהוּ דְּאוֹלִיפְנָא. לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְקַבְּלָא אִתְּתָא אוּשְׁפִּיזָא בַּהֲדָהּ אֶלָּא בִּרְשׁוּ דְּבַעֲלָהּ.
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO NOAH, COME THOU AND ALL THY HOUSE. Said R. Simeon: ‘How is it that throughout this passage God is always designated Elohim save in this place, where we find the name Tetragrammaton, significant of the attribute of mercy? There is here an inner meaning which is at the same time a lesson. The lesson is that a woman should not admit a guest into her house without the consent of her husband.
אוּף הָכִי (נמי נח) נֹחַ בָּעָא לְאַעָלָא בְּתֵיבוּתָא לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בַּהֲדָהּ. וְלָאו הֲוָה (ליה) יָאוֹת עַד דְּבַעֲלָהּ דְּתֵיבָה יָהַב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְאַעֲלָאָה (בהדה). דִּכְתִיב בֹּא אַתָּה וְכָל בֵּיתְךָ אֶל הַתֵּבָה. וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרֵי הָכָא יְיָ בַּעֲלָהּ דְּתֵיבָה. וּכְדֵין עָאל נֹחַ וְאִתְחַבַּר בַּהֲדָהּ. וְכֵן אוֹלִיפְנָא דְּלֵית לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ לְאוּשְׁפִּיזָא לְמֵיעָאל לְבֵיתָא אֶלָּא בִּרְשׁוּ בַּעֲלָהּ מָארֵיהּ דְּבֵיתָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב לְבָתַר וַיָּבֹא נֹחַ וְגו'.
So here, when Noah wished to enter the ark, and to become united with her, it was not becoming for her to admit him before her Master gave his permission to enter and said: “Come thou and all thy house into the ark.” Hence the name Tetragrammaton is used here, to designate what we call the husband of the ark. Similarly we learn that neither may the guest enter the house save with the consent of the husband, who is the master of the house, and hence it was only later that NOAH WENT IN.
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה כְּתִיב כִּי אוֹתְךָ רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק לְפָנַי בַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה. מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא דְּלָא יְקַבֵּל בַּר נָשׁ אוּשְׁפִּיזָא בְּבֵיתֵיהּ אִי אִיהוּ חָשִׁיד בֵּיהּ דְּאִיהוּ חַיָּיבָא. אֶלָּא אִי קָאִים בְּעֵינוֹי לְזַכָּאָה דְּלָא חָשִׁיד בְּעֵינוֹי כְּלָל. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב בֹּא אַתָּה וְכָל בֵּיתְךָ אֶל הַתֵּבָה, מַאי טַעְמָא בְּגִין כִּי אוֹתְךָ רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק לְפָנַי בַּדּוֹר הַזֶּה.
Note again the words: FOR THEE I HAVE SEEN RIGHTEOUS BEFORE ME IN THIS GENERATION. We learn from this the lesson that a man should not admit into his house any guest whom he suspects of wrong-doing, but only such a one as is above all suspicion in his eyes. It was in accordance with this principle that God said unto Noah, “Come thou and all thy house into the ark, for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.”
וְאוֹלִיפְנָא דְּאִי יָהִיב לֵיהּ רְשׁוּ בִּלְחוֹדוֹי וְלָא יָהִיב רְשׁוּ לְכָל אִנּוּן דְּאַתְיָין עִמֵּיהּ, לָא יֵיעוּל לוֹן לְבֵיתָא. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב בֹּא אַתָּה וְכָל בֵּיתְךָ אֶל הַתֵּבָה. לְכֹלָא יָהִיב רְשׁוּתָא לְמֵיעַל. וּמִקְרָא דָא אוֹלִיפְנָא רָזָא דְּאָרְחוֹי דְאַרְעָא. (ד"א ל"ג בא אתה וכל ביתך אל התבה וגו').
We further learn that special permission must be obtained for the guest’s household, as it is written: “Come thou and thy house”.’