What Would You Say?

Parshas Noach

We find throughout Tanach, different individuals were sent on a mission to save communities, cities, and even the entire world population.

Moshe was sent to save the Jews from Egypt.

Avraham prayed for the people of Sodom

Yonah was sent to Nineveh.

We know that some of these individuals initially refused their mission, although ultimately took on the challenge.

Moshe arrived in Egypt and it took Ten Plagues for Pharaoh to finally let the Jews out.

Avraham prayed for his countrymen, yet there was not a righteous man to be found to whom to pin the merit of salvation.

Yonah when finally arriving in Nineveh did not give a lengthy lecture. He simply said 5 Hebrew words עוֹד אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְנִֽינְוֵה נֶהְפָּכֶת - “In another 40 days Nineveh will be overturned”

Noach, though not clearly directed to save his generation from the Mabul, said nothing to his fellow globe trotters, nor did he pray on their behalf. His silence and passiveness led to the generation being destroyed. The Zohar (Vayikra 15) and Talmud (Sanhedrin 108) criticize Noach’s silence. He should have at least tried.

If you were faced with a mission to save a community from utter destruction due to their immorality and sinful behavior, what would you say? What would be your message? How would you deliver it?