Page 135 - BERESHIT

Noach did not enter the Ark of his own accord. He needed Hashem to
push him into it by bringing the rain and sealing the door of the Ark after
him. According to the opinion that Noach was more righteous than
Avraham, why was he so full of doubt?

The Rebbe of Satmar wrote that Noach believed in, but did not fully
believe in the Flood.

His diluted faith was actually a failure to picture the Flood’s actual
materialization; not consciously feeling the reality of the impending doom.
His lack of belief inhibited him from praying for his generation or
wandering amongst them to inspire them to do teshuvah.

Perhaps another explanation is that Noach acted l’shem Shamayim. He
wanted to show that his entry was due solely to the Flood, as a reward for
doing righteous deeds, while they were being punished for their sinful
ways. Yet Noach was mistaken. The people’s disregard was only
reinforced by his apparent delay. Their impression was that Noach
doubted his own words about the ensuing Flood and entered the Ark
involuntarily and under duress. This is why the Flood is referred to as “the
waters of Noach.”

Every person should take care that his actions should not give room for
others to misconstrue them or learn improper behavior and thereby bring
about a chillul Hashem.