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Chapter 6; v 9
ט. אֵלֶּה תּֽוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדֹֽרֹתָיו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ
These are the generations of Noah; Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
עִקַּר תּוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים
The real progeny of the righteous are their good deeds.-Rashi
Rashi comments here that the righteous regard their good deeds as their progeny.
Rabbi Yaakov Yitzhak of Przysucha used to say: Every man says that he works and toils only for his children, so that they may grow up to become good Jews, well-versed in the Torah. But when the children are grown, they, as parents, continue to insist that they have no time to think about their own Torah study because they must attend to the training of their children.
The Torah points out that Noah regarded himself as a “child” in that sense of the word – “These are the progeny of Noah”. Noah was not content to devote all his time to the education of his children. He thought of his own personality, too, as a “child” who is in need of education and improvement. Thus, working to increase his own knowledge and to improve his own character, Noah became “a proper child” who understood that not only children, but also their parents, must serve the Lord. (Rabbi Jacob Aaron of Alexander)
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It’s written in the Talmud (Senhadrin 108), Rabbi Ishmael is of the opinion that even on Noah was supposed to be destroyed in the flood, but he found favour in the eyes of Hashem and he was saved. A question may be asked here: Doesn’t the Torah says regarding Noah that he was a righteous, innocent, and a G-d fearing man, so why does Rabbi Ishmael thinks that Noah should have been destroyed in the flood?
It will be clear from the Zohar( Parashat Noah,C.29,v.1) which says that when Noah left the Ark and saw the world destroyed he shouted before Hashem and said:” Ruler of the world, You are called the Merciful, You should have been merciful on your creation”. And Hashem answered Noah:” Foolish Sheppard! Now you tell me this? why didn’t you tell me I told you in a softer language “I am about to bring a delusion”, and because you heard that you are to be saved in an Ark, no thought came to your heart to ask for mercy on the rest of the world. Now that all is lost, you have opened your mouth to say before me prayers and mercy.