Noach was measured against the measuring stick of Abraham. He both passed and failed this test. But you and I are neither Noach nor Abraham.  We need to aspire to be the best that our potential allows us to be.

• We often compare people.  Not a good practice as all too often, by so doing, we don’t recognise the innate qualities of either. This week’s Parsha, Noach, finds the Torah commentator, Rashi, comparing Noah and Abraham.  But he also notes their respective innate qualities.
• From one vantage point, Noah fails the quality test, because he didn’t seek to reform his generation and improve them as did Abraham.  He simply dedicated himself to the Divine instructions to build the Ark. From another perspective, he passed the test with flying colours because facing the animosity and discrimination of a whole corrupt generation took much greater courage in some ways than Abraham’s confrontation with society.   • What Rashi is informing us by quoting these two vantage points, is that each of us possesses singular aptitudes that we are can realize in life or fail to raise to the occasion.
• Each day provides a new opportunity to play a significant role on the stage of life.  We can say our lines well or fluff them. Living life consciously with full awareness of our potential allows us to be the best we can be.
• Others might compare you to a predecessor or acquaintance.  And you might not be able to match that – because that person is not you. Ultimately you can be only measured against your own potential, no-one else’s.
• So, get out there and be the best you, you can be.