Believe In Yourself

נח מקטני אמנה היה מאמין ואינו מאמין.  Many interpretations have been written how can Noach be a tzaddik tammim yet be lacking in his emunah?  And what does it mean a מאמין and a אינו מאמין at the same time?  The Kedushat Levi says that Noach was a maamin in Hashem but he wasn't a maamin in himself.  He explains that tzaddikim has the power to nullify the decrees of Hashem and Noach should have tried to pray to remove the threat of the Mabul.  However, he lacked faith in his own abilities and capabilities and thought that was out of his hands.  He adds it was for this same reason that Noach did not attempt to rebuke the other people for in his mind he was not better than them to be more worthy of saving and it was not his place to give rebuke.  

Rav Tzaddok (Tzidkas Hatzaddik #154) says כְּשֵׁם שֶׁצָּרִיךְ אָדָם לְהַאֲמִין בְּהַשֵׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ - כָּךְ צָרִיךְ אַחַר כָּךְ לְהַאֲמִין בְּעַצְמוֹ.  One must believe in their own capability for greatness.  

After the mabul the Torah says ויחל נח איש אדמה which Chazal view in a negative light.  Why is it denigrating to start replanting the world?  Rav Aharon Lichtenstein explains what Chazal see in the possuk is that Noach became an איש אדמה.  He was no longer Noach איש צדיק that happens to be planting and rebuilding the world, he is Noach the farmer.  His essence became a farmer and his role of tzaddik faded away.  That is the critique.  Where did this change come from?  Because Noach did not recognize his own potential it led him to become a person that was unbefitting of his level.