The Midrash teaches that the name “Noach” can be translated as “Serenity.
“Noach brought serenity for himself, and serenity for the world; serenity for his ancestors and for his children;serenity for the upper worlds and serenity in the lower worlds; serenity in this world and serenity in the world to come.”(Bereshit Rabah 30:50 and Rashi ibid).
Chasidus teaches that the waters of the flood were like a mikvah (ritual bath). After immersing in a mikvah a person might notice that his thoughts are slightly purer that day, or his conscience agitates him a little more. So too, the mabul (the universal flood) was a giant Mikvah in which the whole world was submerged, and had a purifying effect.
After the flood the world and its inhabitants had a greater conscience and appreciation of G-d. This in itself brought “serenity” to the world.
When we have true faith in G-d and we understand that all our suffering is a cleansing process so we can be more in tune with H”S, then,even if we are confronted by a storm, we will have serenity and peace of mind.
(Based on Sichas Shabbos Parshas Noach 5751)
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