| 25When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he had a son, Lemech. |
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כהוַיְחִ֣י מְתוּשֶׁ֔לַח שֶׁ֧בַע וּשְׁמֹנִ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה וּמְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־לָֽמֶךְ: |
| 26Methuselah lived 782 years after he had Lemech, during which he had other sons and daughters. |
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כווַיְחִ֣י מְתוּשֶׁ֗לַח אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֽוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־לֶ֔מֶךְ שְׁתַּ֤יִם וּשְׁמוֹנִים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת: |
| 27All the days of Methuselah came to 969 years, and he died. |
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כזוַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י מְתוּשֶׁ֔לַח תֵּ֤שַׁע וְשִׁשִּׁים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּתְשַׁ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת: |
| 28When Lemech had lived 182 years, he had a son. |
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כחוַֽיְחִי־לֶ֕מֶךְ שְׁתַּ֧יִם וּשְׁמֹנִ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה וּמְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד בֵּֽן: |
| וַיּוֹלֶד בֵּֽן - He had a son - from whom the world was built up (נִבְנָה). |
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וַיּוֹלֶד בֵּֽן.
שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ נִבְנָה הָעוֹלָם (בראשית רבה):
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| 29Lemech prophetically named him Noah [Noach], saying, “This one will bring us relief [yenachamenu] from our work and from the anguish of our hands caused by the soil that God has cursed.” |
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כטוַיִּקְרָ֧א אֶת־שְׁמ֛וֹ נֹ֖חַ לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֞ה יְנַֽחֲמֵ֤נוּ מִמַּֽעֲשֵׂ֨נוּ֙ וּמֵֽעִצְּב֣וֹן יָדֵ֔ינוּ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽרֲרָ֖הּ יְהֹוָֽה: |
| זֶה יְנַֽחֲמֵנוּ - means: He will relieve us (יַנִּיחַ מִמֶּנּוּ) of the anguish of our hands. Until Noah came, people had no plowing instruments, but he made such tools for them. Also, the earth would sprout thorns and thistles when they sowed wheat, as a result of the curse on Adam, the first man, but this ceased in Noah’s time. This, then, is the meaning of יְנַחֲמֵנוּ – he will relieve us. If, however, you do not explain it this way but from the root נחם “to comfort,” the meaning of the word (יְנַחֲמֵנוּ) cannot apply to the name (נֹחַ), and you should have called him מְנַחֵם “comforter.” |
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זֶה יְנַֽחֲמֵנוּ.
יָנַח מִמֶּנּוּ אֶת עִצְּבוֹן יָדֵינוּ. עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָא נֹחַ לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם כְּלֵי מַחֲרֵשָׁה וְהוּא הֵכִין לָהֶם וְהָיְתָה הָאָרֶץ מוֹצִיאָה קוֹצִים וְדַרְדַּרִים כְּשֶׁזּוֹרְעִים חִטִּים, מִקִּלְלָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, וּבִימֵי נֹחַ נָחָה, וְזֶהוּ יְנַחֲמֵנוּ, וְאִם לֹא תְפָרְשֵׁהוּ כָּךְ אֵין טַעַם הַלָּשׁוֹן נוֹפֵל עַל הַשֵּׁם וְאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לִקְרוֹת שְׁמוֹ מְנַחֵם:
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| 30Lemech lived 595 years after he had Noah, during which he had other sons and daughters. |
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לוַֽיְחִי־לֶ֗מֶךְ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֽוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־נֹ֔חַ חָמֵ֤שׁ וְתִשְׁעִים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֹ֖ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת: |
| 31All the days of Lemech came to 777 years, and he died. |
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לאוַֽיְהִי֙ כָּל־יְמֵי־לֶ֔מֶךְ שֶׁ֤בַע וְשִׁבְעִים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת: |
| 32When Noah was 500 years old, he began to have children. Noah had sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. |
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לבוַֽיְהִי־נֹ֕חַ בֶּן־חֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֣וֹלֶד נֹ֔חַ אֶת־שֵׁ֖ם אֶת־חָ֥ם וְאֶת־יָֽפֶת: |
| בֶּן־חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה - 500 years old. Rabbi Yudan asked: Why was it that all the previous generations had children at the age of about 100, and Noah had children only at the age of 500? The answer is: The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “If Noah’s children are wicked, they will be destroyed by water in the Flood and it will grieve this righteous man, Noah; and if they are righteous, I will have to trouble him to build many arks.” He therefore restrained him from having children until he was 500 old, so that Japheth, his oldest son, would not be of punishable age before the Flood, for it is written: “For in future times the youngest person will die at the age of 100 years,” because in the future only then will he be of punishable age, and this was so, too, before the Torah was given. |
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בֶּן־חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה.
אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן מַה טַּעַם כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת הוֹלִידוּ לְק' שָׁנָה וְזֶה לַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת? אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִם רְשָׁעִים הֵם יֹאבְדוּ בַמַּיִם וְרַע לְצַדִּיק זֶה, וְאִם צַדִּיקִים הֵם אַטְרִיחַ עָלָיו לַעֲשׂוֹת תֵּבוֹת הַרְבֵּה, כָּבַשׁ אֶת מַעְיָנוֹ וְלֹא הוֹלִיד עַד חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא יֶפֶת הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּבָנָיו רָאוּי לָעֳנָשִׁין לִפְנֵי הַמַּבּוּל (בראשית רבה), דִּכְתִיב כִּי הַנַּעַר בֶּן מֵאָה שָׁנָה יָמוּת (ישעיהו ס"ה) רָאוּי לְעֹנֶשׁ לֶעָתִיד, וְכֵן לִפְנֵי מַתַּן תוֹרָה:
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| אֶת־שֵׁם אֶת־חָם וְאֶת־יָֽפֶת - Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Was not Japheth the oldest? But you should first interest yourself in Shem who was righteous, who was born circumcised (a sign of perfection), and from whom Abraham descended (Bereshit Rabbah ). |
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אֶת־שֵׁם אֶת־חָם וְאֶת־יָֽפֶת.
וַהֲלֹא יֶפֶת הַגָּדוֹל הוּא? אֶלָּא בַתְּחִלָּה אַתָּה דוֹרֵשׁ אֶת שֶׁהוּא צַדִּיק וְנוֹלַד כְּשֶׁהוּא מָהוּל וְשֶׁאַבְרָהָם יָצָא מִמֶּנּוּ וְכו' בבראשית רבה:
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| 1Now, when humanity began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, |
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אוַֽיְהִי֙ כִּֽי־הֵחֵ֣ל הָֽאָדָ֔ם לָרֹ֖ב עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה וּבָנ֖וֹת יֻלְּד֥וּ לָהֶֽם: |
| 2the princes and judges saw how pretty the girls were, and they took themselves wives from whomever they chose. |
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בוַיִּרְא֤וּ בְנֵי־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־בְּנ֣וֹת הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֥י טֹבֹ֖ת הֵ֑נָּה וַיִּקְח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ נָשִׁ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּחָֽרוּ: |
| בְנֵי־הָֽאֱלֹהִים - (lit.) The sons of God - means: the princes and the judges. Another explanation: בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים were angels who came as messengers of God, and they, too, intermingled with them. Wherever אֱלֹהִים occurs in Scripture it signifies authority, and the following passages prove this: “and you will be his mentor (לֵאלֹהִים)”; and “Look! I have made you master (אֱלֹהִים).” |
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בְנֵי־הָֽאֱלֹהִים.
בְּנֵי הַשָּׂרִים וְהַשּׁוֹפְטִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים, הֵם הַשָּׂרִים הַהוֹלְכִים בִּשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, אַף הֵם הָיוּ מִתְעָרְבִים בָּהֶם; כָּל אֱלֹהִים שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן מָרוּת, וְזֶה יוֹכִיחַ וְאַתָּה תִּהְיֶה לּוֹ לֵאלֹהִים (שמות ד'), רְאֵה נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים (שם ז'):
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| כִּי טֹבֹת הֵנָּה - (lit.) How pretty they were. Rabbi Yudan said: The word is written טֹבֹת without the two ו's, thereby indicating that when they were improving her appearance by adorning her to enter the marriage canopy, a ruler would come to have relations with her first. |
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כִּי טֹבֹת הֵנָּה.
אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן טבת כְּתִיב, כְּשֶׁהָיוּ מְטִיבִין אוֹתָהּ מְקֻשֶּׁטֶת לִכָּנֵס לַחֻפָּה, הָיָה גָּדוֹל נִכְנָס וּבוֹעֲלָהּ תְּחִלָּה (בראשית רבה):
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| מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר בָּחָֽרוּ - From whomever they chose - even a married woman, a man, or an animal. |
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מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר בָּחָֽרוּ.
אַף בְּעוּלַת בַּעַל, אַף הַזָּכָר וְהַבְּהֵמָה:
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| 3God said, “My spirit will not continue to deliberate over humanity forever, since they are mere flesh and nonetheless behave arrogantly. I decree that they will have 120 years to repent.” |
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גוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֗ה לֹֽא־יָד֨וֹן רוּחִ֤י בָֽאָדָם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ם בְּשַׁגָּ֖ם ה֣וּא בָשָׂ֑ר וְהָי֣וּ יָמָ֔יו מֵאָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים שָׁנָֽה: |
| לֹֽא־יָדוֹן רוּחִי בָֽאָדָם - means: My spirit will not be in a state of dispute or conflict because of man. |
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לֹֽא־יָדוֹן רוּחִי בָֽאָדָם.
לֹא יִתְרַעֵם וְיָרִיב רוּחִי עָלַי בִּשְׁבִיל הָאָדָם
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| לְעֹלָם - Forever - this means: “for a long time.” My spirit is now in a state of deliberation within Me whether to destroy or to have mercy, but this deliberation will not remain in My spirit “forever,” i.e., for a long time. |
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לְעֹלָם.
לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים; הִנֵּה רוּחִי נָדוֹן בְּקִרְבִּי אִם לְהַשְׁחִית וְאִם לְרַחֵם, לֹא יִהְיֶה מָדוֹן זֶה בְרוּחִי לְעוֹלָם, כְּלוֹמַר לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים:
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| בְּשַׁגָּם הוּא בָשָׂר - (lit.) Since they are also flesh. This is the equivalent of בְּשֶׁגַּם, and means “because he also has this quality that he is flesh” but nevertheless he does not humble himself before Me. What if he were made of fire or some hard material?! Similarly we find שַׁ in place of שֶׁ: עַד שַׁקַּמְתִּי דְּבוֹרָה“until I, Deborah, arose” is the same as שֶׁקַּמְתִּי; and שָׁאַתָּה מְדַבֵּר עִמִּי “that You speak with me” is the same as שֶׁאַתָּה. Also here, בְּשַׁגַּם is the same as בְּשֶׁגַּם. |
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בְּשַׁגָּם הוּא בָשָׂר.
כְּמוֹ בְּשֶׁגַּם, כְּלוֹמַר, בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁגַּם זֹאת בוֹ, שֶׁהוּא בָשָׂר וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵינוֹ נִכְנָע לְפָנַי, וּמָה אִם יִהְיֶה אֵשׁ אוֹ דָּבָר קָשֶׁה? כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ עַד שַׁקַּמְתִּי דְּבוֹרָה (שופטים ה') כְּמוֹ שֶׁקַּמְתִּי וְכֵן שָׁאַתָּה מְדַבֵּר עִמִּי (שם ו') כְּמוֹ שֶׁאַתָּה, אַף בְּשַׁגַּם כְמוֹ בְשֶׁגַּם;
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| וְהָיוּ יָמָיו וגו' - They will have… “For 120 years I will be long-suffering with them, and if they do not repent I will bring a flood upon them.” And if you ask: From Japheth’s birth written above until the Flood there were only 100 years? I answer: There is a rule that there is no fixed chronological order in the Torah – this decree was issued twenty years before Noah had any children, and so we have found written in Seder Olam. There are many aggadic explanations of לֹא יָדוֹן, but this is its clear, straightforward meaning. |
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וְהָיוּ יָמָיו וגו'.
עַד ק"ך שָׁנָה אַאֲרִיךְ לָהֶם אַפִּי, וְאִם לֹא יָשׁוּבוּ אָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם מַבּוּל. וְאִם תֹּאמַר מִשֶּׁנּוֹלַד יֶפֶת עַד הַמַּבּוּל אֵינוֹ אֶלָא מֵאָה שָׁנָה, אֵין מֻקְדָּם וּמְאֻחָר בַּתּוֹרָה (פסחים ו') – כְּבָר הָיְתָה הַגְּזֵרָה גְּזוּרָה עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה קֹדֶם שֶׁהוֹלִיד נֹחַ תּוֹלָדוֹת, וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בְּסֵדֶר עוֹלָם. יֵשׁ מִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה רַבִּים בְּלֹא יָדוֹן, אֲבָל זֶה הוּא צִחְצוּחַ פְּשׁוּטוֹ:
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| 4The “fallen ones” were on the earth in those days. They also continued later, for these princes and judges continued to consort with whichever women they pleased and had children through them. These princes were the mighty and rebellious ones of old and also later, men whose depravity was indicated by their names. |
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דהַנְּפִלִ֞ים הָי֣וּ בָאָ֘רֶץ֘ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵם֒ וְגַ֣ם אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָבֹ֜אוּ בְּנֵ֤י הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־בְּנ֣וֹת הָֽאָדָ֔ם וְיָֽלְד֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם הֵ֧מָּה הַגִּבֹּרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר מֵֽעוֹלָ֖ם אַנְשֵׁ֥י הַשֵּֽׁם: |
| הַנְּפִלִים - The fallen ones. Giants, so called because they fell (נָפְלוּ) and caused the downfall (הִפִּילוּ) of the world. The usual Hebrew term for giants is עֲנָקִים. |
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הַנְּפִלִים.
עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנָּפְלוּ וְהִפִּילוּ אֶת הָעוֹלָם, וּבְלָשׁוֹן עִבְרִית לְשׁוֹן עֲנָקִים הוּא:
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| בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם - Of old - i.e., in the days of the generation of Enosh and the children of Cain. |
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בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם.
בִּימֵי דוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ וּבְנֵי קַיִן (בראשית רבה):
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| וְגַם אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן - And also later. Even though they saw the destruction of the generation of Enosh, when the ocean rose and flooded a third of the world, the generation of the Flood were not humbled to take a lesson from them. |
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וְגַם אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן.
אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרָאוּ בְאָבְדָן שֶׁל דּוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ, שֶׁעָלָה אוֹקְיָנוּס וְהֵצִיף שְׁלִישׁ הָעוֹלָם לֹא נִכְנַע דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל לִלְמֹד מֵהֶם:
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| אֲשֶׁר יָבֹאוּ - Continued to consort. The women bore children who were giants like them. |
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אֲשֶׁר יָבֹאוּ.
הָיוּ יוֹלְדוֹת עֲנָקִים כְּמוֹתָם:
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| הַגִּבֹּרִים - The mighty ones - in rebelling against God. |
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הַגִּבֹּרִים.
לִמְרֹד בַּמָּקוֹם:
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| אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּֽׁם - (lit.) Men of names - i.e., those who had distinctive names: Irad, Mechuya’el and Metusha’el, who were so named on account of their eventual destruction – they were wiped out (מְחוּיָאֵל – “wiped out by God”) and torn out (מְתוּשָׁאֵל – “torn out by God”) from the world. Another explanation: אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם means: “men of devastation (שִׁמָּמוֹן),” who devastated the world. |
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אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּֽׁם.
אוֹתָן שֶׁנִּקְּבוּ בְשֵׁמוֹת עִירָד מְחוּיָאֵל מְתוּשָׁאֵל שֶׁנִּקְּבוּ עַל שֵׁם אָבְדָּן, שֶׁנִּמֹּחוּ וְהֻתְּשׁוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר אַנְשֵׁי שִׁמָּמוֹן, שֶׁשִּׁמְּמוּ אֶת הָעוֹלָם:
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| 5God saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and that every impulse of the thoughts of his heart was only for evil, all day long. |
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הוַיַּ֣רְא יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכָל־יֵ֨צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם: |
| 6God was comforted by the fact that He created humanity as earthly beings, for at least that way they could not incite the angels to rebel against Him, as well. In His heart, God decided to grieve humanity. |
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ווַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ: |
| וַיִּנָּחֶם ה' כִּֽי־עָשָׂה - God was comforted that he had created. It was a consolation to Him that He had created man in the lower world, for had he been one of the beings of the upper world, he would have incited them to rebel against God (Bereshit Rabbah). |
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וַיִּנָּחֶם ה' כִּֽי־עָשָׂה.
נֶחָמָה הָיְתָה לְפָנָיו שֶׁבְּרָאוֹ בַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים הָיָה מַמְרִידָן (בבראשית רבה):
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| וַיִּתְעַצֵּב - (lit.) He was grieved. I.e., man was grieved |
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וַיִּתְעַצֵּב. הָאָדָם:
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| אֶל לִבּוֹ - אֶל לִבּוֹ.
in God’s heart. The meaning is therefore: It entered God’s mind to grieve man. This is how Onkelos translates it.
Another explanation of this verse: The Omnipresent’s thoughts changed from acting by the Order of Mercy to acting by the Order of Justice; i.e., He reconsidered what to do with man whom He had made on earth. Similarly, every expression of נִחוּם used in Scripture means: “to reconsider what to do”; e.g. “nor is He like a mortal that He should reconsider (וְיִתְנֶחָם)”; “He will relent (יִתְנֶחָם) toward His servants”; “God renounced (וַיִּנָּחֶם) the thought of the evil”; “I regret (נִחַמְתִּי) that I have made Saul king” – all these passages express a change of mind.
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אֶל לִבּוֹ. שֶׁל מָקוֹם, עָלָה בְמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם לְהַעֲצִיבוֹ, זֶהוּ תַּרְגוּם אֻנְקְלוֹס. דָּבָר אַחֵר וַיִּנָּחֶם – נֶהְפְכָה מַחְשַׁבְתּוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם מִמִּדַּת רַחֲמִים לְמִדַּת הַדִּין, עָלָה בְמַחְשָׁבָה לְפָנָיו מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת בָּאָדָם שֶׁעָשָׂה בָּאָרֶץ, וְכֵן כָּל לְשׁוֹן נִחוּם שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן נִמְלָךְ מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת, וּבֶן אָדָם וְיִתְנֶחָם (במדבר כ"ג) וְעַל עֲבָדָיו יִתְנֶחָם (דברים ל"ב) וַיִּנָּחֶם ה' עַל הָרָעָה (שמות ל"ב) נִחַמְתִּי כִּי הִמְלַכְתִּי (שמואל א' ט"ו) כֻּלָּם לְשׁוֹן מַחֲשָׁבָה אַחֶרֶת הֵם:
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| וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ - according to this second explanation, this means: “God was deeply grieved,” i.e., He mourned the destruction of His handiwork. Similarly, we find עצב used in this sense: “The king grieved (נֶעֱצַב) over his son.” This following extract from the Midrash I have written to refute the arguments of heretics: A non-believer once questioned Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korchah, asking him: “Do you not admit that the Holy One, blessed be He, foresees the future?” He replied, “Yes.” The non-Jew then asked him, “But is it not written: ‘In His heart, He decided to grieve’?” Rabbi Yehoshua replied, “Was ever a son born to you?” The non-Jew replied, “Yes.” Rabbi Yehoshua continued, “And what did you do then?” The non-Jew replied, “I rejoiced and had others rejoice!” Rabbi Yehoshua then asked, “But did you not know that eventually he would die?” The non-Jew replied, “At a time of rejoicing one rejoices, and at the time of mourning one mourns!” Rabbi Yehoshua responded: “So is the way of the Holy One, blessed be He.” Although it was evident to Him that men would eventually sin and be destroyed, nevertheless He did not refrain from creating them for the sake of the righteous people who would emanate from them. |
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וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ.
נִתְאַבֵּל עַל אָבְדַן מַעֲשֵׂה יָדָיו, כְּמוֹ נֶעֱצַב הַמֶּלֶךְ עַל בְּנוֹ (שם ב' י"ט), וְזוֹ כָתַבְתִּי לִתְשׁוּבַת הַמִּינִים גּוֹי אֶחָד שֶׁשָּׁאַל אֶת רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה, אָמַר לוֹ אֵין אַתֶּם מוֹדִים שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רוֹאֶה אֶת הַנּוֹלָד? אָמַר לוֹ הֵן, אָמַר לוֹ וְהָא כְתִיב וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל לִבּוֹ? אָמַר לוֹ נוֹלַד לְךָ בֵּן זָכָר מִיָּמֶיךָ? אָמַר לוֹ הֵן, אָמַר לוֹ וּמֶה עָשִׂיתָ? אָמַר לוֹ שָׂמַחְתִּי וְשִׂמַּחְתִּי אֶת הַכֹּל, אָמַר לוֹ וְלֹא הָיִיתָ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לָמוּת? אָמַר לוֹ בִּשְׁעַת חֶדְוָתָא חֶדְוָתָא בִּשְׁעַת אֶבְלָא אֶבְלָא, אָמַר לוֹ כָּךְ מַעֲשֵׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁגָּלוּי לְפָנָיו שֶׁסּוֹפָן לַחֲטוֹא וּלְאָבְדָן לֹא נִמְנַע מִלְּבָרְאָן בִּשְׁבִיל הַצַּדִּיקִים הָעֲתִידִים לַעֲמֹד מֵהֶם:
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| 7God said, “Instead of destroying humanity altogether, I will only dissolve the majority of humanity, whom I created, from the face of the earth. Furthermore, I will not only destroy most of humanity but also virtually all walking animals, crawling creatures, and even birds of the sky, for I have changed My mind from My previous thought to destroy them altogether, for after all, I created them.” |
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זוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶמְחֶ֨ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֤ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֨אתִי֙ מֵעַל֨ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה מֵֽאָדָם֙ עַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה עַד־רֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י נִחַ֖מְתִּי כִּ֥י עֲשִׂיתִֽם: |
| וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶמְחֶה אֶת־הָֽאָדָם - God said, “I will dissolve humanity.”. He is made of dust and I will bring water upon him and wipe him out. Therefore the expression מִחוּי “dissolving” is used here. |
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וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶמְחֶה אֶת־הָֽאָדָם.
הוּא עָפָר וְאָבִיא עָלָיו מַיִם וְאֶמְחֶה אוֹתוֹ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר לָשׁוֹן מִחוּי:
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| מֵֽאָדָם עַד־בְּהֵמָה - Humanity, animals. They also corrupted their ways. Another explanation: Everything was created for the purpose of man, and since he was to be destroyed, what use is there for these? |
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מֵֽאָדָם עַד־בְּהֵמָה.
אַף הֵם הִשְׁחִיתוּ דַּרְכָּם (בראשית רבה). דָּבָר אַחֵר הַכֹּל נִבְרָא בִּשְׁבִיל אָדָם וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהוּא כָלֶה מַה צֹּרֶךְ בְּאֵלּוּ:
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| כִּי נִחַמְתִּי כִּי עֲשִׂיתִֽם - means: “for I have considered what to do about this situation, for I created them.” |
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כִּי נִחַמְתִּי כִּי עֲשִׂיתִֽם.
חָשַׁבְתִּי מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת עַל אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתִים:
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| 8Only Noah found favor in the eyes of God. |
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חוְנֹ֕חַ מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה: |
