GEN575 Why did the Torah include the words, “in his generation”?  Jewish tradition favors the answer offered by Rabbi Yochanan [ben Zaccai]: “in his generation” emphasizes that only in a generation of moral depravity could Noah be regarded as great. But had he lived in another, more moral, age, he would not have been regarded as special.  More insightful and fair, I believe, is the often ignored observation of Yochanan’s contemporary, Resh Lakish: “If even in his [awful] generation was he was righteous, he would certainly have been righteous had he lived in another, more moral, generation” Sanhedrin 108a.  The Talmud elsewhere relates that Resh Lakish grew up in deprived circumstances.  One source claims that as a young man he was part of a band of thieves (suggested by Rabbi Yochanan’s words in Baba Metzia 84a, another that he was a member of a [gladiator] circus Gittin 47a.  Because Resh Lakish had been raised in a rougher and less moral environment than Rabbi Yochanan, he could judge Noah more compassionately and fairly; he appreciated the efforts needed to overcome a deprived background.  Indeed, as Resh Lakish suggest, if someone like Noah could grow up without a good role model and emerge as a righteous man, how much greater would he have been with support and encouragement.   TELVOL 1:77-78