Depraved Behavior Prevents Teshuva

We are taught at the beginning of פרשת נח, that it took Noach 120 years to build the ark. The question is asked as to why the people would not listen to Noach’s warning that the world would be destroyed by flood.

Rabbi Twerski explains answers this question by describing just how depraved the generation of the flood, actually was. They made corrupt behavior, legitimate.

Once a society legalizes such corrupt behavior, there is no hope for Teshuva. One cannot do Teshuva, if the individual does not believe he did anything wrong.

We see how our world has deteriorated. Western society has legalized that which we once believed was wrong. Such things as drugs, gambling, abortion, and even euthanasia, in a different time, would not have been tolerated in the societies of previous generations. In short, depravity is being legalized.

Like the דור המבול, the generation of today has made corrupt behavior, legal.

Because they do not believe they are doing anything wrong, Teshuva alludes them. Even if someone were to build an ark, it would not change their bad behavior.