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Learning & Values Parshah (Weekly Torah) Bereishit - Genesis Bereshit Texts & Summaries

Torah Reading for Bereishit

Parshat Bereishit
Shabbat, 24 Tishrei, 5785
26 October, 2024
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Complete: (Genesis 1:1 - 6:8; Isaiah 42:5-21)
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First Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 1

1In the beginning of God's creation of the heavens and the earth.   אבְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ:
In the beginning  Said Rabbi Isaac: It was not necessary to begin the Torah except from “This month is to you,” (Exod. 12:2) which is the first commandment that the Israelites were commanded, (for the main purpose of the Torah is its commandments, and although several commandments are found in Genesis, e.g., circumcision and the prohibition of eating the thigh sinew, they could have been included together with the other commandments). Now for what reason did He commence with “In the beginning?” Because of [the verse] “The strength of His works He related to His people, to give them the inheritance of the nations” (Ps. 111:6). For if the nations of the world should say to Israel, “You are robbers, for you conquered by force the lands of the seven nations [of Canaan],” they will reply, "The entire earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it (this we learn from the story of the Creation) and gave it to whomever He deemed proper When He wished, He gave it to them, and when He wished, He took it away from them and gave it to us.   בְּרֵאשִׁית  אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק לֹֹֹֹֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לְהַתְחִיל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא מֵהַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה לָכֶם, שֶׁהִיא מִצְוָה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ בָּהּ יִשׂרָאֵל, וּמַה טַּעַם פָּתַח בִּבְרֵאשִׁית? מִשׁוּם כֹּחַ מַעֲשָׂיו הִגִּיד לְעַמּוֹ לָתֵת לָהֶם נַחֲלַת גּוֹיִם (תהילים קי"א), שֶׁאִם יֹאמְרוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם לְיִשְׁרָאֵל לִסְטִים אַתֶּם, שֶׁכְּבַשְׁתֶּם אַרְצוֹת שִׁבְעָה גוֹיִם, הֵם אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם כָּל הָאָרֶץ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִיא, הוּא בְרָאָהּ וּנְתָנָהּ לַאֲשֶׁר יָשַׁר בְּעֵינָיו, בִּרְצוֹנוֹ נְתָנָהּ לָהֶם, וּבִרְצוֹנוֹ נְטָלָהּ מֵהֶם וּנְתָנָהּ לָנוּ:
In the beginning of God’s creation of Heb. בְּרֵאשִית בָּרָא. This verse calls for a midrashic interpretation [because according to its simple interpretation, the vowelization of the word בָּרָא, should be different, as Rashi explains further]. It teaches us that the sequence of the Creation as written is impossible, as is written immediately below] as our Rabbis stated (Letters of R. Akiva , letter “beth” ; Gen. Rabbah 1:6; Lev. Rabbah 36:4): [God created the world] for the sake of the Torah, which is called (Prov. 8:22): “the beginning of His way,” and for the sake of Israel, who are called (Jer. 2:3) “the first of His grain.” But if you wish to explain it according to its simple meaning, explain it thus: “At the beginning of the creation of heaven and earth, the earth was astonishing with emptiness, and darkness…and God said, ‘Let there be light.’” But Scripture did not come to teach the sequence of the Creation, to say that these came first, for if it came to teach this, it should have written:“At first (בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה) He created the heavens and the earth,” for there is no רֵאשִׁית in Scripture that is not connected to the following word, [i.e., in the construct state] like (ibid. 27:1):“In the beginning of (בְּרֵאשִית) the reign of Jehoiakim” ; (below 10:10)“the beginning of (רֵאשִׁית) his reign” ; (Deut. 18:4)“the first (רֵאשִׁית) of your corn.” Here too, you say בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אלֹהִים, like בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּרֹא, in the beginning of creating. And similar to this is,“At the beginning of the Lord’s speaking (דִּבֶּר) to Hosea,” (Hos. 1:2), i.e., at the beginning of the speaking (דִּבּוּרוֹ) of the Holy One, Blessed be He, to Hosea, “the Lord said to Hosea, etc.” Now if you say that it came to teach that these (i.e., heaven and earth) were created first, and that its meaning is: In the beginning of all, He created these-and that there are elliptical verses that omit one word, like (Job 3:10): “For [He] did not shut the doors of my [mother’s] womb,” and it does not explain who it was who shut [the womb]; and like (Isa. 8:4): “he will carry off the wealth of Damascus,” and it does not explain who will carry it off; and like (Amos 6:12): “or will one plow with cattle,” and it does not explain: “if a man will plow with cattle” ; and like (Isa. 46: 10): “telling the end from the beginning,” and it does not explain that [it means] telling the end of a matter from the beginning of a matter-if so, [if you say that Scripture indicates the order of creation] be astounded at yourself, for the water preceded, as it is written: “and the spirit of God hovered over the face of the water,” and Scripture did not yet disclose when the creation of water took place! From this you learn that the water preceded the earth. Moreover, the heavens were created from fire and water. Perforce, you must admit that Scripture did not teach us anything about the sequence of the earlier and the later [acts of creation].   בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא  אֵין הַמִּקְרָא הַזֶּה אוֹמֵר אֶלָּא דָּרְשֵׁנִי, כְּמוֹ שֶׁדְּרָשׁוּהוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ בִּשְׁבִיל הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִקְרֵאת רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ (משלי ח'), וּבִשְׁבִיל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִקְרְאוּ רֵאשִׁית תְּבוּאָתוֹ (ירמיה ב'); וְאִם בָּאתָ לְפָרְשׁוֹ כִּפְשׁוּטוֹ, כָּךְ פָּרְשֵׁהוּ בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּרִיאַת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וְלֹא בָא הַמִּקְרָא לְהוֹרוֹת סֵדֶר הַבְּרִיאָה לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵלּוּ קָדְמוּ, שֶׁאִם בָּא לְהוֹרוֹת כָּךְ, הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה בָּרָא אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְגוֹ' שֶׁאֵין לְךָ רֵאשִׁית בַּמִּקְרָא שֶׁאֵינוֹ דָבוּק לַתֵּבָה שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו, כְּמוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית מַמְלֶכֶת יְהוֹיָקִים (שׁם כ"ז), רֵאשִׁית מַמְלַכְתּוֹ (בראשית י'), רֵאשִׁית דְּגָנְךָ (דברים י"ח, ד'), – אַף כָּאן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ', כְּמוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית בְּרֹא; וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ תְּחִלַּת דִּבֶּר ה' בְּהוֹשֵׁעַ (הושע א'), כְּלוֹמַר תְּחִלַת דִּבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּהוֹשֵׁעַ, וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל הוֹשֵׁעַ וְגוֹ'. וְאִם תֹּאמַר לְהוֹרוֹת בָּא שֶׁאֵלּוּ תְּחִלָּה נִבְרְאוּ, וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ בְּרֵאשִׁית הַכֹּל בָּרָא אֵלוּ – וְֵישׁ לְךָ מִקְרָאוֹת שֶׁמְּקַצְּרִים לְשׁוֹנָם וּמְמַעֲטִים תֵּבָה אַחַת, כְּמוֹ כִּי לֹא סָגַר דַּלְתֵי בִטְנִי (איוב ג'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מִי הַסּוֹגֵר וּכְמוֹ יִשָּׂא אֶת חֵיל דַּמֶּשֶׂק (ישעיהו ח'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מִי יִשָּׂאֶנּוּ; וּכְמוֹ אִם יַחֲרוֹשׁ בַּבְּקָרִים (עמוס ו'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ אִם יַחֲרוֹשׁ אָדָם בַּבְּקָרִים, וּכְמוֹ מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית (ישעיהו מ"ו), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית דָּבָר אַחֲרִית דָּבָר – אִם כֵּן, תְּמַהּ עַל עַצְמְךָ, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַמַּיִם קָדְמוּ, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְתִיב וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם, וְעַדַיִין לֹא גִלָּה הַמִּקְרָא, בְּרִיאַת הַמַּיִם מָתַי הָיְתָה, הָא לָמַדְתָּ, שֶׁקָּדְמוּ הַמַּיִם לָאָרֶץ, וְעוֹד, שֶׁהַשָּׁמַיִם מֵאֵשׁ וּמַיִם נִבְרְאוּ, עַל כָּרְחֲךָ לֹא לִמֵּד הַמִּקְרָא סֵדֶר הַמֻּקְדָמִים וְהַמְאֻחָרִים כְּלוּם:
God’s creation of the heavens and the earth But it does not say “of the Lord’s creation of” (i.e., it should say “of the Lord God’s creation of” as below 2:4 “on the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven”) for in the beginning it was His intention to create it with the Divine Standard of Justice, but he perceived that the world would not endure; so He preceded it with the Divine Standard of Mercy, allying it with the Divine Standard of Justice, and that is the reason it is written:“on the day the Lord God made earth and heaven.”   בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים  וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר בָּרָא ה', שֶׁבַּתְּחִלָּה עָלָה בְמַחֲשָׁבָה לִבְרֹאתוֹ בְּמִדַּת הַדִּין, רָאָה שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹלָם מִתְקַיֵּם, הִקְדִּים מִדַּת רַחֲמִים וְשִׁתְּפָהּ לְמִידַת הַדִּין, וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה' אֱלֹהִים אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמָיִם:
2Now the earth was astonishingly empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the water.   בוְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָֽיְתָ֥ה תֹ֨הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְח֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם:
astonishingly empty Heb. תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ. The word תֹהוּ is an expression of astonishment and desolation, that a person wonders and is astonished at the emptiness therein.   תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ  תֹּהוּ לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ וְשִׁמָּמוֹן, שֶׁאָדָם תּוֹהֵא וּמִשְׁתּוֹמֵם עַל בֹּהוּ שֶׁבָּהּ:
astonishingly empty Astordison in Old French; [étourdissement in modern French], astonishment.   תֹהוּ  אשטורדי"שון בְּלַעַ"ז:
בֹהוּ an expression of emptiness and desolation. (This does not appear in all editions.)   בהו  לְשׁוֹן רֵקוּת וְצָדוּ:
on the face of the deep on the face of the waters which were on the earth.   עַל־פְּנֵי תְהוֹם  עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם שֶׁעַל הָאָרֶץ:
and the spirit of God was hovering The Throne of Glory was suspended in the air and hovered over the face of the water with the breath of the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He and with His word, like a dove, which hovers over the nest, acoveter in Old French, to cover, hover over.   וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת  כִּסֵא הַכָּבוֹד עוֹמֵד בָּאֲוִיר וּמְרַחֵף עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּיִם בְּרוּחַ פִּיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּבְמַאֲמָרוֹ, כְּיוֹנָה הַמְרַחֶפֶת עַל הַקֵּן, אקוב"טיר בְּלַעַ"ז:
3And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.   גוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִי־א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר:
4And God saw the light that it was good, and God separated between the light and between the darkness.   דוַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר כִּי־ט֑וֹב וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל אֱלֹהִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֥ין הַחֽשֶׁךְ:
And God saw the light that it was good, and God separated Here too, we need the words of the Aggadah: He saw it that it was not proper for the wicked to use it; so He separated it for the righteous in the future. According to its simple meaning, explain it as follows: He saw it that it was good, and it was unseemly that it [light] and darkness should serve in confusion; so He established for this one its boundary by day, and for that one its boundary by night.   וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָאוֹר כִּי־טוֹב וַיַּבְדֵּל  אַף בָּזֶה אָנוּ צְרִיכִין לְדִבְרֵי אַגַּדָה, רָאָהוּ שֶׁאֵינוֹ כְדַאי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵשׁ בּוֹ רְשָׁעִים, וְהִבְדִּילוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. וּלְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ כָּךְ פָּרְשֵׁהוּ, רָאָהוּ כִּי טוֹב, וְאֵין נָאֶה לוֹ וְלַחֹשֶׁךְ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מִשְׁתַּמְּשִׁים בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא, וְקָבַע לָזֶה תְחוּמוֹ בַּיּוֹם, וְלָזֶה תְחוּמוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה:
5And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night, and it was evening and it was morning, one day.   הוַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים | לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם וְלַח֖שֶׁךְ קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם אֶחָֽד:
one day According to the sequence of the language of the chapter, it should have been written, “the first day,” as it is written regarding the other days, “second, third, fourth.” Why did Scripture write“one” ? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, was the only one in His world, for the angels were not created until the second day. [i.e., יוֹם אֶחָד is understood as ‘the day of the only One’] So is it explained in Genesis Rabbah (3:8).   יוֹם אֶחָֽד  לְפִי סֵדֶר לְשׁוֹן הַפָּרָשָׁה הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בִּשְׁאָר הַיָּמִים שֵׁנִי, שְׁלִישִׁי, רְבִיעִי, לָמָּה כָתַב אֶחָד? לְפִי שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יָחִיד בְּעוֹלָמוֹ, שֶׁלֹא נִבְרְאוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים עַד יוֹם שֵׁנִי, כָּךְ מְפֹרָשׁ בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה:
6And God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the water, and let it be a separation between water and water."   ווַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים יְהִ֥י רָקִ֖יעַ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַמָּ֑יִם וִיהִ֣י מַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין מַ֖יִם לָמָֽיִם:
Let there be an expanse Let the expanse be strengthened, for, although the heavens were created on the first day, they were still moist, and they solidified on the second [day] from the rebuke of the Holy One, blessed be He, when He said, “Let there be an expanse.” This is what Scripture says (Job 26:11): “The pillars of the heavens trembled” the entire first day, and on the second day: “They were astonished by His rebuke,” like a person who stands in astonishment because of the rebuke of the one who frightens him. [Genesis Rabbah 12:10]   יְהִי רָקִיעַ  יֶחֱזַק הָרָקִיעַ, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ שָׁמַיִם בְּיוֹם א' עֲדַיִן לַחִים הָיוּ וְקָרְשׁוּ בַשֵּׁנִי מִגַּעֲרַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּאָמְרוֹ יְהִי רָקִיעַ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁכָּתַב (איוב כ"ו) עַמּוּדֵי שָׁמַיִם יְרוֹפָפוּ – כָּל יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וּבַשֵּׁנִי יִתְמְהוּ מִגַּעֲרָתוֹ, כְּאָדָם שֶׁמִּשְׁתּוֹמֵם וְעוֹמֵד מִגַּעֲרַת הַמְאַיֵּם עָלָיו:
in the midst of the water In the middle of the water (Targum), for there is a separation between the upper waters and the expanse, as there is between the expanse and the waters that are on the earth. Behold you have learned that they are suspended by the word of the King. — [Gen. Rabbah 4:3]   בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם  בְּאֶמְצַע הַמַּיִם, שֶׁיֵּש הֶפְרֵשׁ בֵּין מַיִם הָעֶליוֹנִים לָרָקִיעַ כְּמוֹ בֵין הָרָקִיעַ לַמַּיִם שֶׁעַל הָאָרֶץ, הָא לָמַדְתָּ, שֶׁהֵם תְּלוּיִים בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ:
7And God made the expanse and it separated between the water that was below the expanse and the water that was above the expanse, and it was so.   זוַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִים֘ אֶת־הָֽרָקִיעַ֒ וַיַּבְדֵּ֗ל בֵּ֤ין הַמַּ֨יִם֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ מִתַּ֣חַת לָֽרָקִ֔יעַ וּבֵ֣ין הַמַּ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֖ר מֵעַ֣ל לָֽרָקִ֑יעַ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן:
And God made the expanse He fixed it upon its base, which is [what is meant by] “making” it; as [in the verse] (Deut. 21:12):“and she shall ‘do’ her nails,” וְעָשְׂתָה.   וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָֽרָקִיעַ  תִּקְּנוֹ עַל עָמְדוֹ, וְהִיא עֲשִׂיָּתוֹ, כְּמוֹ וְעָשְׂתָה אֶת צִפָּרְנֶיהָ (דברים כ"א):
above the expanse It does not say, “on the expanse,” but “above the expanse,” because they [the waters] are suspended in the air (Mid. Ps. 19:4). Now why does it not say, “that it was good” on the second day? Because the work involving the water was not completed until the third day, although He commenced it on the second day, and an unfinished thing is not in its fullness and its goodness; and on the third day, when He completed the work involving the water and He commenced and completed another work, He repeated therein“that it was good” twice (sic): once for the completion of the work of the second day and once for the completion of the work of that [third] day. — [Gen. Rabbah 4:6]   מֵעַל לָֽרָקִיעַ  עַל הָרָקִיעַ לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא מֵעַל לָרָקִיעַ, לְפִי שֶׁהֵן תְּלוּיִין בָּאֲוִיר. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נֶאֱמַר כִּי טוֹב בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי? לְפִי שֶׁלֹא הָיָה נִגְמָר מְלֶאכֶת הַמַּיִם עַד יוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי, וַהֲרֵי הִתְחִיל בָּהּ בְּשֵׁנִי, וְדָבָר שֶׁלֹּא נִגְמַר אֵינוֹ בִּמְלוֹאוֹ וְטוּבוֹ; וּבַשְּׁלִישִׁי שֶׁנִּגְמַר מְלֶאכֶת הַמַּיִם וְהִתְחִיל וְגָמַר מְלָאכָה אֲחֶרֶת, כָּפַל בּוֹ כִּי טוֹב שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים, אַחַת לִגְמַר מְלֶאכֶת הַשֵּׁנִי וְאַחַת לִגְמַר מְלֶאכֶת הַיּוֹם:
8And God called the expanse Heaven, and it was evening, and it was morning, a second day.   חוַיִּקְרָ֧א אֱלֹהִ֛ים לָֽרָקִ֖יעַ שָׁמָ֑יִם וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם שֵׁנִֽי:
And God called the expanse heaven Heb. שָׁמַיִם [This is a combination of the words מַיִם שָׂא, bear water (Gen. Rabbah 4:7); שָׁם מַיִם, there is water; אֵשׁ וּמַיִם, fire and water. He mingled them with one another and made the heavens from them (Chag. 12a).   וַיִּקְרָא אֱלֹהִים לָֽרָקִיעַ שָׁמָיִם  שָׂא מַיִם, שָׁם מַיִם, אֵשׁ וּמַיִם, שֶׁעֵרְבָן זֶה בָזֶה וְעָשָׂה מֵהֶם שָׁמַיִם:
9And God said, "Let the water that is beneath the heavens gather into one place, and let the dry land appear," and it was so.   טוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִקָּו֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם מִתַּ֤חַת הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ אֶל־מָק֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד וְתֵֽרָאֶ֖ה הַיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן:
Let the water…gather They were spread out over the surface of the entire earth, and He gathered them in the ocean, [the Mediterranean], which is the largest of all the seas. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 5; Gen. Rabbah 5:2]   יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם  שֶׁהָיוּ שְׁטוּחִין עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ וְהִקְוָם בָּאוֹקְיָנוֹס הוּא הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁבְּכָל הַיַּמִּים:
10And God called the dry land earth, and the gathering of the waters He called seas, and God saw that it was good.   יוַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים | לַיַּבָּשָׁה֙ אֶ֔רֶץ וּלְמִקְוֵ֥ה הַמַּ֖יִם קָרָ֣א יַמִּ֑ים וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב:
He called seas But is it not one sea? However, the flavor of a fish that comes up from the sea in Acre differs from the flavor of a fish that comes up from the sea in Spain. — [from Ekev 39]   קָרָא יַמִּים  וַהֲלֹא יָם אֶחָד הוּא? אֶלָּא אֵינוֹ דוֹמֶה טַעַם דָּג הָעוֹלֶה מִן הַיָּם בְּעַכּוֹ לְטַעַם דָּג הָעוֹלֶה מִן הַיָּם בְּאַסְפַּמְיָא:
11And God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, seed yielding herbs and fruit trees producing fruit according to its kind in which its seed is found, on the earth," and it was so.   יאוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים תַּדְשֵׁ֤א הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ דֶּ֗שֶׁא עֵ֚שֶׂב מַזְרִ֣יעַ זֶ֔רַע עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן:
Let the earth sprout vegetation, seed yielding herbs דֶּשֶׁא does not have the same meaning as עֵשֶׂב, and עֵשֶׂב does not have the same meaning as דֶּשֶׁא. And it would have been inappropriate for the Scriptural text to use the expression, תַּעֲשִׂיב הָאָרֶץ (let the earth bring forth herbs), for there are various species of דֶּשֶׁא, each one by itself which is called a particular עֵשֶׂב. And it would not be the correct term for the speaker to say, “such-and-such a דֶּשֶׁא,” because the term דֶּשֶׁא applies to the earth’s covering, when it is filled with vegetation.   תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב  לֹא דֶּשֶׁא לְשׁוֹן עֵשֶׂב וְלֹא עֵשֶׂב לְשׁוֹן דֶּשֶׁא, וְלֹא הָיָה לְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָא לוֹמַר תַּעֲשִׂיב הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁמִינֵי דְּשָׁאִים מְחֻלָּקִין, כָּל אֶחָד לְעַצְמוֹ נִקְרָא עֵשֶׂב פְּלוֹנִי, וְאֵין לָשׁוֹן לַמְדַבֵּר לוֹמַר דֶּשֶׁא פְּלוֹנִי, שֶׁלְּשׁוֹן דֶּשֶׁא הוּא לְבִישַׁת הָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁהִיא מִתְמַלֵּאת בִּדְשָׁאִים:
Let the earth sprout Let it be filled and covered with a mantle of herbs. In Old French, דֶשֶׁא is called erbediz, herbage, all in a mixture, whereas each root individually is called עֵשֶׂב.   תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ  תִּתְמַלֵּא וְתִתְכַּסֶּה לְבוּשׁ עֲשָׂבִים. בִּלְשׁוֹן לַעַז נִקְרָא דֶּשֶׁא ארבריץ, כֻּלָן בְּעִרְבּוּבְיָא, וְכָל שֹׁרֶשׁ לְעַצְמוֹ נִקְרָא עֵשֶׂב:
seed-yielding That its seeds should grow in it from which to sow elsewhere.   מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע  שֶׁיְּגַדֵּל בּוֹ זַרְעוֹ לִזְרֹעַ מִמֶּנוּ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר:
fruit trees That the taste of the tree should be like the taste of the fruit. It [the earth] did not do so, however, but“the earth gave forth, etc., trees producing fruit,” but the trees themselves were not fruit. Therefore, when man was cursed because of his iniquity, it [the earth] too was punished for its iniquity (and was cursed-not in all editions). - [from Gen. Rabbah 5:9]   עֵץ פְּרִי  שֶׁיְּהֵא טַעַם הָעֵץ כְּטַעַם הַפְּרִי, וְהִיא לֹא עָשְׂתָה כֵן, אֶלָּא וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ עֵץ עוֹשֶׂה פְּרִי וְלֹא הָעֵץ פְּרִי, לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁנִּתְקַלֵּל אָדָם עַל עֲוֹנוֹ נִפְקְדָה גַם הִיא עַל עֲוֹנָהּ וְנִתְקַלְּלָה:
in which its seed is found These are the kernels of every fruit, from which the tree grows when it is planted.   אֲשֶׁר זַרְעוֹ־בוֹ  הֵן גַרְעִינֵי כָל פְּרִי שֶׁמֵּהֶן הָאִילָן צוֹמֵחַ כְּשֶׁנּוֹטְעִין אוֹתוֹ:
12And the earth gave forth vegetation, seed yielding herbs according to its kind, and trees producing fruit, in which its seed is found, according to its kind, and God saw that it was good.   יבוַתּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵ֣שֶׂב מַזְרִ֤יעַ זֶ֨רַע֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וְעֵ֧ץ עֹֽשֶׂה־פְּרִ֛י אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב:
And the earth gave forth, etc. Even though לְמִינֵהוּ.“according to its kind,” was not said regarding the herbs when they were commanded [to grow], they heard that the trees were commanded thus, and they applied an a fortiori argument to themselves, [a קַל וָחוֹמֶר -from the minor to the major], as is explained in the Aggadah of Tractate Chullin (60a).   וַתּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ וגו'  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר לְמִינֵהוּ בַּדְּשָׁאִין בְּצִוּוּיֵיהֶן, שָׁמְעוּ שֶׁנִּצְטַוּוּ הָאִילָנוֹת עַל כָּךְ, נָשְׂאוּ קַל וָחֹמֶר בְּעַצְמָן, כַּמְּפֹרָשׁ בָּאַגָּדָה בִּשְׁחִיטַת חֻלִּין:
13And it was evening, and it was morning, a third day.   יגוַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם שְׁלִישִֽׁי:
14And God said, "Let there be luminaries in the expanse of the heavens, to separate between the day and between the night, and they shall be for signs and for appointed seasons and for days and years.   ידוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים יְהִ֤י מְאֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהַבְדִּ֕יל בֵּ֥ין הַיּ֖וֹם וּבֵ֣ין הַלָּ֑יְלָה וְהָי֤וּ לְאֹתֹת֙ וּלְמ֣וֹעֲדִ֔ים וּלְיָמִ֖ים וְשָׁנִֽים:
Let there be luminaries, etc. They were created on the first day, and on the fourth day, He commanded them to be suspended in the sky, and likewise, all the creations of heaven and earth were created on the first day, and each one was fixed in its proper place on the day that was decreed upon it. That is why it is written:“with the heavens (אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם) to include their products,”and with the earth (וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ)," to include its products. — [Gen. Rabbah 1:14]   יְהִי מְאֹרֹת וגו'  מִיֹּום רִאשׁוֹן נִבְרְאוּ וּבָרְבִיעִי צִוָּה עֲלֵיהֶם לְהִתָּלוֹת בָּרָקִיעַ, וְכֵן כָּל תּוֹלְדוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ נִבְרְאוּ מִיּוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד נִקְבַּע בַּיוֹם שֶׁנִּגְזַר עָלָיו, הוּא שֶׁכָּתוּב אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם, לְרַבּוֹת תּוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶם, וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, לְרַבּוֹת תּוֹלְדוֹתֶיהָ:
Let there be luminaries Heb., יְהִי מְאֹרֹת It [the word, מְאֹרֹת is written without a“vav,” [thus, the word can be מְאֵרֹת meaning curses] because it [the fourth day] is a cursed day when children become ill with croup. This is what we learned (Ta’anith 27b): “on the fourth day [of the week], they [the men of the ma’amad] would fast so that children should not become ill with croup.”   יְהִי מְאֹרֹת  חָסֵר וָי"ו כְּתִיב, עַל שֶׁהוּא יוֹם מְאֵרָה לִפֹּל אַסְכָּרָה בַּתִּינוֹקוֹת, הוּא שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ בְּד' הָיוּ מִתְעַנִּים עַל אַסְכָּרָה שֶׁלֹּא תִפֹּל בַּתִּינוֹקוֹת:
to separate between the day and between the night (This happened) after the first light was hidden away, but during the seven (another reading: during the three) days of Creation, the primordial light and darkness served together, both by day and by night. — [Medrah Yelammedenu , as quoted in Yalkut Shim’oni] According to the Ramban and early editions of Rashi , it appears that the reading, “during the seven days of Creation,” is the authentic reading. Ramban , however quotes the Genesis Rabbah , which states that the original primordial light served only during the first three days, until the sun and the moon were suspended in the sky. After that, the primordial light was hidden away, as in Rashi to verse 4. Note also that several early manuscripts and printed editions of Rashi read: “but in the seven days of Creation, the primordial light and darkness served, this one by day and this one by night.” This is also the reading of Mizrachi , and it appears more accurate than our reading, because, in fact, the light and the darkness did not serve together, as Rashi explains in verse 4.]   לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלָּיְלָה  מִשֶּׁנִּגְנַז הָאוֹר הָרִאשׁוֹן, אֲבָל בְּשִׁבְעַת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית שִׁמְּשׁוּ הָאוֹר וְהַחֹשֶׁךְ הָרִאשׁוֹנִים יַחַד בֵּין בַּיּוֹם וּבֵין בַּלַּיְלָה:
and they shall be for signs When the luminaries are eclipsed, it is an unfavorable omen for the world, as it is said (Jer. 10:2): “and from the signs of the heaven be not dismayed, etc.” When you perform the will of the Holy One, blessed be He, you need not fear retribution. — [from Succah 29a]   וְהָיוּ לאותות  כְּשֶׁהַמְּאוֹרוֹת לוֹקִין, סִימָן רַע הוּא לָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר מֵאֹתוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם אַל תֵּחָתּוּ (ירמיה י'), בַּעֲשׂוֹתְכֶם רְצוֹן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵין אַתֶּם צְרִיכִין לִדְאֹג מִן הַפֻּרְעָנוּת:
and for appointed seasons This refers to the future, when the Israelites are destined to be commanded concerning the festivals and they [the festivals] are reckoned from the first phase of the moon. — [from Gen. Rabbah 6:1].   וּלְמוֹעֲדִים  עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד, שֶׁעֲתִידִים יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהִצְטַוּוֹת עַל הַמּוֹעֲדוֹת וְהֵם נִמְנִים לְמוֹלַד הַלְּבָנָה:
and for days The sun serves for half a day, and the moon for half of it, so that you have a full day.   וּלְיָמִים  שִׁמּוּשׁ הַחַמָּה חֲצִי יוֹם וְשִׁמּוּשׁ הַלְּבָנָה חֶצְיוֹ, הֲרֵי יוֹם שָׁלֵם:
and years At the end of 365 days (other editions: and a 1/4 of a day) they complete their revolution through the twelve constellations of the zodiac, which serve them, and that constitutes a year. (Other editions read: and that is 365 and 1/4 days), and they return and start a second time to revolve on the sphere like their first revolution.   וְשָׁנִֽים  לְסוֹף שס"ה יָמִים (ס"א וּרְבִיעַ יוֹם), יִגְמְרוּ מַהֲלָכָתָם בְּי"ב מַזָּלוֹת הַמְשָׁרְתִים אוֹתָם, וְהִיא שָׁנָה, וְחוֹזְרִים וּמַתְחִילִים פַּעַם שְׁנִיָּה לְסַבֵּב בַּגַּלְגַּל כְּמַהֲלָכָן הָרִאשׁוֹן:
15And they shall be for luminaries in the expanse of the heavens to shed light upon the earth." And it was so.   טווְהָי֤וּ לִמְאוֹרֹת֙ בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם לְהָאִ֖יר עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן:
And they shall be for luminaries In addition, they will serve in this function, viz. to shed light upon the world.   וְהָיוּ לִמְאוֹרֹת  עוֹד זֹאת יְשַׁמְּשׁוּ, שֶׁיָּאִירוּ לָעוֹלָם:
16And God made the two great luminaries: the great luminary to rule the day and the lesser luminary to rule the night, and the stars.   טזוַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־שְׁנֵ֥י הַמְּאֹרֹ֖ת הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים אֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַגָּדֹל֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־הַמָּא֤וֹר הַקָּטֹן֙ לְמֶמְשֶׁ֣לֶת הַלַּ֔יְלָה וְאֵ֖ת הַכּֽוֹכָבִֽים:
the two great luminaries They were created equal, but the moon was made smaller because it brought charges and said, “It is impossible for two kings to use the same crown.” - [from Chullin 60b] Rashi (ad loc.) explains that this derash is based on the discrepancy of the two expressions, “the two great luminaries,” which intimates that the moon was a great luminary, and“the lesser luminary,” which intimates that the moon was smaller than the sun. To reconcile this difference, the Rabbis asserted that the moon was originally created equal to the sun, but, because of its complaint that the sun wielded the same power that it wielded, it was forced to relinquish that power.   הַמְּאֹרֹת הגדולים  שָׁוִים נִבְרְאוּ וְנִתְמַעֲטָה הַלְּבָנָה עַל שֶׁקִּטְרְגָה וְאָמְרָה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִשְׁנֵי מְלָכִים שֶׁיִשְׁתַּמְּשׁוּ בְכֶתֶר אֶחָד:
and the stars Because He diminished the moon, He increased its hosts, to appease it. - [from Gen. Rabbah 46:4 and Chullin 60b] i.e., The stars serve as the entourage of the moon. When it comes out, they accompany it, and when it sets, they too set. [Gen. Rabbah ad loc.]   וְאֶת־הַכּֽוֹכָבִֽים  עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמִּעֵט אֶת הַלְּבָנָה הִרְבָּה צְבָאָיהָ לְהָפִיס דַּעְתָּהּ:
17And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to shed light upon the earth.   יזוַיִּתֵּ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בִּרְקִ֣יעַ הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לְהָאִ֖יר עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ:
18And to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate between the light and between the darkness, and God saw that it was good.   יחוְלִמְשֹׁל֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה וּֽלֲהַבְדִּ֔יל בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֣ין הַח֑שֶׁךְ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב:
19And it was evening, and it was morning, a fourth day.   יטוַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם רְבִיעִֽי:
20And God said, "Let the waters swarm a swarming of living creatures, and let fowl fly over the earth, across the expanse of the heavens."   כוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים יִשְׁרְצ֣וּ הַמַּ֔יִם שֶׁ֖רֶץ נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֑ה וְעוֹף֙ יְעוֹפֵ֣ף עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵ֖י רְקִ֥יעַ הַשָּׁמָֽיִם:
living creatures That there should be life in them.   נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה  שֶׁיְּהֵא בָהּ חַיּוּת:
a swarming Heb. שֶׁרֶץ. Every living thing that is not much higher than the earth is שֶׁרֶץ; among the winged creatures, such as flies; among the insects, such as ants, beetles, and worms; and among the [larger] creatures, such as the weasel, the mouse, the lizard, and their like, and so [among] the fishes. [Note that in most early editions and mss., the reading is וְכָל הַדָּגִים, and all the fishes (and not וְכֵן הַדגָּים).]   שֶׁרֶץ  כָּל דָּבָר חַי שֶׁאֵינוֹ גָבוֹהַּ מִן הָאָרֶץ קָרוּי שֶׁרֶץ: בָּעוֹף, כְּגוֹן זְבוּבִים, בַּשְּׁקָצִים, כְּגוֹן נְמָלִים וְחִפּוּשִׁים וְתוֹלָעִים, בַּבְּרִיּוֹת, כְּגוֹן חֹלֶד וְעַכְבָּר וְחֹמֶט וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָהֶם, וְכָל הַדָּגִים:
21And God created the great sea monsters, and every living creature that crawls, with which the waters swarmed, according to their kind, and every winged fowl, according to its kind, and God saw that it was good.   כאוַיִּבְרָ֣א אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִ֖ם הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת כָּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּ֣ה | הָֽרֹמֶ֡שֶׂת אֲשֶׁר֩ שָֽׁרְצ֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם לְמִֽינֵהֶ֗ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־ע֤וֹף כָּנָף֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב:
the…sea monsters The great fish in the sea, and in the words of the Aggadah (B.B. 74b), this refers to the Leviathan and its mate, for He created them male and female, and He slew the female and salted her away for the righteous in the future, for if they would propagate, the world could not exist because of them. הַתַּנִינִם is written. [I.e., the final “yud,” which denotes the plural, is missing, hence the implication that the Leviathan did not remain two, but that its number was reduced to one.]- [from Gen. Rabbah 7:4, Midrash Chaseroth V’Yetheroth, Batei Midrashoth, vol 2, p. 225].   הַתַּנִּינִם  דָּגִים גְּדוֹלִים שֶׁבַּיָּם, וּבְדִבְרֵי אַגָּדָה הוּא לִוְיָתָן וּבֶן זוּגוֹ שֶׁבְּרָאָם זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה וְהָרַג אֶת הַנְּקֵבָה וּמְלָחָהּ לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא, שֶׁאִם יִפְרוּ וְיִרְבּוּ לֹא יִתְקַיֵּם הָעוֹלָם בִּפְנֵיהֶם:
living creature a creature in which there is life.   נֶפֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּה  שֶׁיֵּש בָּהּ חַיּוּת:
22And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters of the seas, and let the fowl multiply upon the earth."   כבוַיְבָ֧רֶךְ אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר פְּר֣וּ וּרְב֗וּ וּמִלְא֤וּ אֶת־הַמַּ֨יִם֙ בַּיַּמִּ֔ים וְהָע֖וֹף יִ֥רֶב בָּאָֽרֶץ:
And…blessed them Because [people] decimate them and hunt them and eat them, they required a blessing; and the beasts also required a blessing, but because the serpent was destined to be cursed, He did not bless them, lest he [the serpent] be included. — [from Gen. Rabbah 11:3, Midrash Tadshe 1]   וַיְבָרֶךְ אותם  לְפִי שֶׁמְּחַסְּרִים אוֹתָם וְצָדִין מֵהֶם וְאוֹכְלִין אוֹתָם, הֻצְרְכוּ לִבְרָכָה, וְאַף הַחַיּוֹת הֻצְרְכוּ לִבְרָכָה, אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי הַנָּחָשׁ שֶׁעָתִיד לִקְלָלָה, לְכָךְ לֹא בֵרְכָן, שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא הוּא בִכְלָל:
Be fruitful [The word פְּרוּ is derived from] פְּרִי, fruit, meaning produce fruits.   פְּרוּ  לְשׁוֹן פְּרִי כְּלוֹמַר עֲשׁוּ פֵּרוֹת:
and multiply If He had said only, “Be fruitful,” one would beget one and no more.“And multiply” was therefore said so that one could beget many.   וּרְבוּ  אִם לֹא אָמַר אֶלָּא פְּרוּ, הָיָה אֶחָד מוֹלִיד אֶחָד וְלֹא יוֹתֵר, וּבָא וּרְבוּ שֶׁאֶחָד מוֹלִיד הַרְבֵּה:
23And it was evening, and it was morning, a fifth day.   כגוַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם חֲמִישִֽׁי:
24And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kind, cattle and creeping things and the beasts of the earth according to their kind," and it was so.   כדוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים תּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ נֶ֤פֶשׁ חַיָּה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ בְּהֵמָ֥ה וָרֶ֛מֶשׂ וְחַֽיְתוֹ־אֶ֖רֶץ לְמִינָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן:
Let the earth bring forth That is what I explained [verse 14] that everything was created on the first [day], and they required only to be brought forth. — [from Tanchuma Buber, Bereishith 1]   תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ  הוּא שֶׁפֵּרַשְׁתִּי שֶׁהַכֹּל נִבְרָא מִיּוֹם רִאשׁוֹן, וְלֹא הֻצְרְכוּ אֶלָּא לְהוֹצִיאָם:
living creatures which have life. (See above, verse 20.)   נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה  שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ חַיּוּת:
and creeping things These are the creeping things, which are low and crawl upon the earth and appear as if they are dragging along, because their movement is not discernible. Every expression of רֶמֶשׁ or שֶׁרֶץ [is translated] in our language [Old French] as conmovres , crawling creatures.   וָרֶמֶשׂ  הֵם שְׁרָצִים, שֶׁהֵם נְמוּכִים וְרוֹמְשִׂים עַל הָאָרֶץ וְנִרְאִים כְּאִלּוּ נִגְרָרִים שֶׁאֵין הִלוּכָן נִכָּר. כָּל לְשׁוֹן רֶמֶשׂ וְשֶׁרֶץ בִּלְשׁוֹנֵנוּ קונמו"בריש בלע"ז:
25And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kind and the cattle according to their kind, and all the creeping things of the ground according to their kind, and God saw that it was good.   כהוַיַּ֣עַשׂ אֱלֹהִים֩ אֶת־חַיַּ֨ת הָאָ֜רֶץ לְמִינָ֗הּ וְאֶת־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־רֶ֥מֶשׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב:
And… made He fixed them in their complete form, and in their full stature. — [from Rosh Hashanah 11a, Chullin 60a]   וַיַּעַשׂ  תִּקְּנָם בְּצִבְיוֹנָם וּבְקוֹמָתָן:
26And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and they shall rule over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the heaven and over the animals and over all the earth and over all the creeping things that creep upon the earth."   כווַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֔ים נַֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֛ם בְּצַלְמֵ֖נוּ כִּדְמוּתֵ֑נוּ וְיִרְדּוּ֩ בִדְגַ֨ת הַיָּ֜ם וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֗יִם וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבְכָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּבְכָל־הָרֶ֖מֶשׂ הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ:
Let us make man From here we learn the humility of the Holy One, blessed be He. Since man was created in the likeness of the angels, and they would envy him, He consulted them. And when He judges kings, He consults with His Heavenly household, for so we find regarding Ahab, that Micah said to him, (I Kings 22:19): “I saw the Lord seated on His throne, and all the host of heaven were standing by Him, on His right and on His left.” Now do “left” or “right” apply to Him ?! But rather, [the passage means that] these [angels] were standing on the right to defend, and these [angels] were standing on the left to prosecute. Likewise, (Dan. 4:14): “By the decree of the destructive angels is the matter, and by the word of the holy ones is the edict.” Here too, He took counsel with His heavenly household. He said to them, “Among the heavenly beings, there are some in My likeness. If there are none in My likeness among the earthly beings, there will be envy among the creatures of the Creation. ” - [from Tanchuma, Shemoth 18; Gen. Rabbah 8:11, 14:13]   נַֽעֲשֶׂה אָדָם  עַנְוְתָנוּתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לָמַדְנוּ מִכָּאן, לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם הוּא בִּדְמוּת הַמַּלְאָכִים וְיִתְקַנְּאוּ בוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ נִמְלַךְ בָּהֶם, וּכְשֶׁהוּא דָן אֶת הַמְּלָכִים הוּא נִמְלָךְ בְּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁכֵּן מָצִינוּ בְאַחְאָב, שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ מִיכָה רָאִיתִי אֶת ה' יֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסְאוֹ וְכָל צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם עוֹמְדִים עָלָיו מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ (מלכים א כ"ב), וְכִי יֵש יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל לְפָנָיו? אֶלָּא אֵלּוּ מַיְמִינִים לִזְכוּת וְאֵלוּ מַשְׂמְאִילִים לְחוֹבָה, וְכֵן בִּגְזֵרַת עִירִין פִּתְגָמָא וּבְמֵאמַר קַדִּישִׁין שְׁאֵלְתָא (דניאל ד'), אַף כָּאן בְּפָמַלְיָא שֶׁלוֹ נָטַל רְשׁוּת, אָמַר לָהֶם יֵשׁ בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים כִּדְמוּתִי; אִם אֵין כִּדְמוּתִי בַתַּחְתּוֹנִים הֲרֵי יֵשׁ קִנְאָה בְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית:
Let us make man Even though they [the angels] did not assist Him in His creation, and there is an opportunity for the heretics to rebel (to misconstrue the plural as a basis for their heresies), Scripture did not hesitate to teach proper conduct and the trait of humility, that a great person should consult with and receive permission from a smaller one. Had it been written: “I shall make man,” we would not have learned that He was speaking with His tribunal, but to Himself. And the refutation to the heretics is written alongside it [i. e., in the following verse:]“And God created (וַיִּבְרָא) ,” and it does not say,“and they created וַיִּבְרְאוּ.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 8:9]   נַֽעֲשֶׂה אָדָם  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא סִיְּעוּהוּ בִיצִירָתוֹ וְיֵשׁ מָקוֹם לַמִּינִים לִרְדּוֹת, לֹא נִמְנַע הַכָּתוּב מִלְּלַמֵּד דֶרֶך אֶרֶץ וּמִדַּת עֲנָוָה שֶׁיְּהֵא הַגָּדוֹל נִמְלָךְ וְנוֹטֵל רְשׁוּת מִן הַקָּטָן; וְאִם כָּתַב אֶעֱשֶׂה אָדָם, לֹא לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁיְּהֵא מְדַבֵּר עִם בֵּית דִינוֹ, אֶלָּא עִם עַצְמוֹ, וּתְשׁוּבַת הַמִּינִים כָּתַב בְּצִדּוֹ, וַיִּבְרָא אֶת הָאָדָם, וְלֹא כָתַב וַיִּבְרְאוּ:
in our image in our form.   בְּצַלְמֵנוּ  בִּדְפוּס שֶׁלָּנוּ:
after our likeness to understand and to discern.   כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ  לְהָבִין וּלְהַשְׂכִּיל:
and they shall rule over the fish Heb. וְיִרְדּוּ This expression contains both the meaning of ruling and the meaning of subservience. If he merits, he rules over the beasts and over the cattle. If he does not merit, he becomes subservient to them, and the beast rules over him. — [from Gen. Rabbah 8:12]   וְיִרְדּוּ בִדְגַת הַיָּם  יֵשׁ בַּלָּשׁוֹן הַזֶּה לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי וּלְשׁוֹן יְרִידָה; זָכָה, רוֹדֶה בַחַיּוֹת וּבַבְּהֵמוֹת, לֹא זָכָה, נַעֲשֶׂה יָרוּד לִפְנֵיהֶם וְהַחַיָּה מוֹשֶׁלֶת בּוֹ:
27And God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.   כזוַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים | אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם:
And God created man in His image In the form that was made for him, for everything [else] was created with a command, whereas he [man] was created with the hands (of God), as it is written (Ps. 139:5): “and You placed Your hand upon me.” Man was made with a die, like a coin, which is made by means of a die, which is called coin in Old French. And so Scripture states (Job 38:14): “The die changes like clay.” - [from Letters of Rabbi Akiva , second version; Mid. Ps. 139:5; Sanh. 38a]   וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹהִים אֶת־הָֽאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ  בִּדְפוּס הֶעָשׂוּי לוֹ, שֶׁהַכֹּל נִבְרָא בְּמַאֲמָר וְהוּא נִבְרָא בַּיָּדַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה (תהילים קל"ט); נַעֲשָׂה בְחוֹתָם כְּמַטְבֵּעַ הָעֲשׂוּיָה עַל יְדֵי רֹשֶׁם שֶׁקּוֹרִין קוי"ן בלע"ז וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר תִּתְהַפֵּךְ כְּחֹמֶר חוֹתָם (איוב ל"ח):
in the image of God He created him It explains to you that the image that was prepared for him was the image of the likeness of his Creator. — [from B.B. 58a]   בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים בָּרָא אותו  פֵּרֵשׁ לְךָ שֶׁאוֹתוֹ צֶלֶם הַמְתֻקָּן לוֹ, צֶלֶם דְּיוֹקַן יוֹצְרוֹ הוּא:
male and female He created them Yet further (2:21) Scripture states: “And He took one of his ribs, etc.” The Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 8:1, Ber. 61a, Eruvin 18a) explains that He originally created him with two faces, and afterwards, He divided him. The simple meaning of the verse is that here Scripture informs you that they were both created on the sixth [day], but it does not explain to you how they were created, and it explains [that] to you elsewhere. — [from Baraitha of the Thirty Two Methods , Method 13]   זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אותם  וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעֹתָיו וגו' (בראשית ב')? מִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה שֶׁבְּרָאוֹ שְׁנֵי פַרְצוּפִים בִּבְרִיאָה רִאשׁוֹנָה, וְאַחַר כָּךְ חֲלָקוֹ. וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא, כָּאן הוֹדִיעֲךָ שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ שְׁנֵיהֶם בַּשִּׁשִּׁי וְלֹא פֵי' לְךָ כֵּיצַד בְּרִיָּתָן, וּפֵרֵשׁ לְךָ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר:
28And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the sky and over all the beasts that tread upon the earth. "   כחוַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם֘ אֱלֹהִים֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם אֱלֹהִ֗ים פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֛וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָ וּרְד֞וּ בִּדְגַ֤ת הַיָּם֙ וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּבְכָל־חַיָּ֖ה הָֽרֹמֶ֥שֶׂת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ:
and subdue it The “vav” [in וְכִבְשֻׁהָ] is missing, [allowing the word to be read וְכִבְשָׁה, the masculine singular imperative] to teach you that the male subdues the female that she should not be a gadabout (Gen. Rabbah 8:12), and it is also meant to teach you that the man, whose way it is to subdue, is commanded to propagate, but not the woman (Yev. Yev. 65b).   וְכִבְשֻׁהָ  חָסֵר וָי"ו לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהַזָּכָר כּוֹבֵשׁ אֶת הַנְּקֵבָה, שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא יַצְאָנִית, וְעוֹד לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהָאִישׁ שֶׁדַּרְכּוֹ לִכְבֹּשׁ מְצֻוֶּה עַל פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה וְלֹא הָאִשָּׁה:
29And God said, "Behold, I have given you every seed bearing herb, which is upon the surface of the entire earth, and every tree that has seed bearing fruit; it will be yours for food.   כטוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים הִנֵּה֩ נָתַ֨תִּי לָכֶ֜ם אֶת־כָּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב | זֹרֵ֣עַ זֶ֗רַע אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאֶת־כָּל־הָעֵ֛ץ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֥וֹ פְרִי־עֵ֖ץ זֹרֵ֣עַ זָ֑רַע לָכֶ֥ם יִֽהְיֶ֖ה לְאָכְלָֽה:
30And to all the beasts of the earth and to all the fowl of the heavens, and to everything that moves upon the earth, in which there is a living spirit, every green herb to eat," and it was so.   לוּלְכָל־חַיַּ֣ת הָ֠אָ֠רֶץ וּלְכָל־ע֨וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֜יִם וּלְכֹ֣ל | רוֹמֵ֣שׂ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ֙ נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֔ה אֶת־כָּל־יֶ֥רֶק עֵ֖שֶׂב לְאָכְלָ֑ה וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן:
it will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth He equated cattle and the beasts to them [to man] regarding the food [that they were permitted to eat]. He did not permit Adam and his wife to kill a creature and to eat its flesh; only every green herb they were all permitted to eat equally. When the sons of Noah came, He permitted them to eat flesh, as it is said (below 9:3): “Every creeping thing that is alive, etc.” Like the green herbs, which I permitted to the first man, I have given you everything. — [from Sanh. 59b]   לכם יהיה לְאָכְלָה וּלְכָל־חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ  הִשְׁוָה לָהֶם בְּהֵמוֹת וְחַיּוֹת לְמַאֲכָל, וְלֹא הִרְשָׁה לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ לְהָמִית בְּרִיָּה וְלֶאֱכֹל בָּשָׂר, אַךְ כָּל יֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב יֹאכְלוּ יַחַד כֻּלָם, וּכְשֶׁבָּאוּ בְנֵי נֹחַ הִתִּיר לָהֶם בָּשָׂר, שֶׁנֶאֱמַר כָּל רֶמֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר הוּא חַי וְגוֹ' כְּיֶרֶק עֵשֶׂב שֶׁהִתַּרְתִּי לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת כֹּל:
31And God saw all that He had made, and behold it was very good, and it was evening and it was morning, the sixth day.   לאוַיַּ֤רְא אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְהִנֵּה־ט֖וֹב מְאֹ֑ד וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם הַשִּׁשִּֽׁי:
the sixth day Scripture added a “hey” on the sixth [day], at the completion of the Creation, to tell us that He stipulated with them, [“you were created] on the condition that Israel accept the Five Books of the Torah.” [The numerical value of the “hey” is five.] (Tanchuma Bereishith 1). Another explanation for “the sixth day” : They [the works of creation] were all suspended until the “sixth day,” referring to the sixth day of Sivan, which was prepared for the giving of the Torah (Shab. 88a). [The“hey” is the definite article, alluding to the well-known sixth day, the sixth day of Sivan, when the Torah was given (ad loc.).]   יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּֽׁי  הוֹסִיף ה' בַּשִּׁשִּׁי בִגְמַר מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, לוֹמַר שֶׁהִתְנָה עִמָּהֶם, עַל מְנָת שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲמִשָּׁה חֻמְּשֵׁי תוֹרָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי, כֻּלָּם תְּלוּיִם וְעוֹמְדִים עַד יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי, הוּא ו' בְּסִיוָן הַמּוּכָן לְמַתַּן תּוֹרָה:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 2

1Now the heavens and the earth were completed and all their host.   אוַיְכֻלּ֛וּ הַשָּׁמַ֥יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ וְכָל־צְבָאָֽם:
2And God completed on the seventh day His work that He did, and He abstained on the seventh day from all His work that He did.   בוַיְכַ֤ל אֱלֹהִים֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה וַיִּשְׁבֹּת֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֖וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה:
And God completed on the seventh day Rabbi Shimon said: [A human being of] flesh and blood, who cannot [exactly] know his times and his moments, must add from the profane to the holy [i.e., he must add some time to the Sabbath.] The Holy One, blessed be He, Who knows His times and His moments [exactly], entered it [the Sabbath] within a hairbreadth, and it therefore appeared as if He completed it [His work] on that day. Another explanation: What was the world lacking? Rest. The Sabbath came, and so came rest. The work was completed and finished. — [from Gen. Rabbah 10:9]   וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי  ר' שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר בָּשָׂר וָדָם, שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ עִתָּיו וּרְגָעָיו צָרִיך לְהוֹסִיף מֵחֹל עַל הַקֹּדֶשׁ, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ עִתָּיו וּרְגָעָיו, נִכְנָס בֹּו כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה, וְנִרְאֶה כְאִלּוּ כִלָּה בוֹ בַיֹּום. דָּבָר אַחֵר מֶה הָיָה הָעוֹלָם חָסֵר? מְנוּחָה, בָּאת שַׁבָּת בָּאת מְנוּחָה, כָּלְתָה וְנִגְמְרָה הַמְּלָאכָה:
3And God blessed the seventh day and He hallowed it, for thereon He abstained from all His work that God created to do.   גוַיְבָ֤רֶךְ אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־י֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וַיְקַדֵּ֖שׁ אֹת֑וֹ כִּ֣י ב֤וֹ שָׁבַת֙ מִכָּל־מְלַאכְתּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֥א אֱלֹהִ֖ים לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת:
And…blessed…and hallowed He blessed it with manna, for on all the days of the week, it descended for them [in the amount of] an omer per person, whereas on the sixth day,[each one received] a double portion. And He hallowed it with manna, that it did not descend at all on the Sabbath. This verse is written with reference to the future. — [from Gen. Rabbah 11:2]   וַיְבָרֶךְ וַיְקַדֵּשׁ  בֵּרְכוֹ בַּמָּן, שֶׁכָּל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁבוּעַ יוֹרֵד לָהֶם עֹמֶר לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת, וּבַשִּׁשִּׁי לֶחֶם מִשְׁנֶה, וְקִדְּשׁוֹ בַּמָּן, שֶׁלֹּא יָרַד כְּלָל בְּשַׁבָּת, וְהַמִּקְרָא כָּתוּב עַל הֶעָתִיד:
that God created to do The work that was fit to be done on the Sabbath, He doubled up and did it on the sixth [day], as is explained in Genesis Rabbah (11:9).   אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת  הַמְּלָאכָה שֶׁהָיְתָה רְאוּיָה לֵעָשׂוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּת, כָּפַל וַעֲשָׂאָהּ בַּשִּׁשִּׁי כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה:

Second Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 2

4These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, on the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.   דאֵ֣לֶּה תֽוֹלְד֧וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ בְּהִ֣בָּֽרְאָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם עֲשׂ֛וֹת יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶ֥רֶץ וְשָׁמָֽיִם:
These mentioned above.   אֵלֶּה  הָאֲמוּרִים לְמַעְלָה:
when they were created, on the day that the Lord…made This teaches you that they were all created on the first day (Gen. Rabbah 12:4). Another explanation of the word בְּהִבָּרְאָם He created them with the letter “hey,” as it is written (Isa. 26:4): “for in Yah (יָהּ), the Lord, is the Rock of eternity.” With these two letters [“yud” and “hey”] of the Name, He fashioned two worlds, and it teaches you here that this world was created with a “hey” (Men. 29b). (Other editions: It intimates that just as the “hey” is open at the bottom, so is the world open for the repentant. The World to Come was created with a “yud,” to tell you that the righteous at that [future] time, will be few as a “yud,” which is the smallest of the letters.) This intimates that the wicked will descend below to see the netherworld, like the [letter] “hey,” which is closed on all sides and open at the bottom, for them [the wicked] to descend through there. — [from Gen. Rabbah 12:10]   תֽוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּֽרְאָם בְּיוֹם עֲשׂוֹת ה'  לִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁכֻּלָּם נִבְרְאוּ בָרִאשׁוֹן. דָּבָר אַחֵר בְּהִבָּרְאָם, בְּה' בְרָאָם, שֶׁנ' בְיָהּ ה' צוּר עוֹלָמִים (ישעיהו כ"ו), בְּב' אוֹתִיוֹת הַלָּלוּ שֶׁל הַשֵּׁם יָצַר שְׁנֵי עוֹלָמִים, וְלִמֶּדְךָ כָאן שֶׁהָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה נִבְרָא בְהֵ"א, רֶמֶז שֶׁיָּרְדוּ לְמַטָּה לִרְאוֹת שַׁחַת כְּהֵ"א זֹאת שֶׁסְּתוּמָה מִכָּל צְדָדִים וּפְתוּחָה לְמַטָּה לָרֶדֶת דֶּרֶךְ שָׁם:
5Now no tree of the field was yet on the earth, neither did any herb of the field yet grow, because the Lord God had not brought rain upon the earth, and there was no man to work the soil.   הוְכֹ֣ל | שִׂ֣יחַ הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה טֶ֚רֶם יִֽהְיֶ֣ה בָאָ֔רֶץ וְכָל־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה טֶ֣רֶם יִצְמָ֑ח כִּי֩ לֹ֨א הִמְטִ֜יר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאָדָ֣ם אַ֔יִן לַֽעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
was yet on the earth Every טֶרֶם in Scripture has the meaning of “not yet,” and it does not mean“before,” and it cannot be made into a verb form, to say הִטְרִים, as one says הִקְדִּים This verse proves this, as well as another verse (Exod. 9:30): “כִּי טֶרֶם תִּירְאוּן, You will not yet fear.” This verse too should be explained to mean that [no tree] was yet on the earth (Targum Onkelos) when the creation of the world was completed on the sixth day, before man was created.   טֶרֶם יִֽהְיֶה בָאָרֶץ  כָּל טֶרֶם שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן עַד לֹא הוּא, וְאֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן קֹדֶם, וְאֵינוֹ נִפְעָל לוֹמַר הִטְרִים, כַּאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר הִקְדִים וְזֶה מוֹכִיחַ, וְעוֹד אַחֵר כִּי טֶרֶם תִּירְאוּן (שמות ט) עֲדַיִן לֹא תִירְאוּן, וְאַף זֶה תְפָרֵשׁ עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיָה בָאָרֶץ, כְּשֶׁנִּגְמְרָה בְרִיאַת הָעוֹלָם בַּשִּׁשִּׁי קֹדֶם שֶׁנִבְרָא אָדָם:
neither did any herb of the field yet grow [I.e.,] had not yet grown. And on the third [day], where it is written: “Let the earth bring forth,” they [the plants] had not yet emerged, but they stood at the entrance of the ground until the sixth day. And why?   וְכָל עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה טֶרֶם יִצְמַח  עֲדַיִן לֹא צָמַח, וּבְג' שֶׁכָּתוּב תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ, לֹא יָצְאוּ, אֶלָּא עַל פֶּתַח קַרְקַע עָמְדוּ עַד יוֹם שִׁשִּׁי:
Because… not caused it to rain Because there was no man to work the soil, and no one recognized the benefit of rain, but when man came and understood that they were essential to the world, he prayed for them, and they fell, and the trees and the herbs sprouted. — [from Chul. 60b]   כִּי לֹא הִמְטִיר  וּמַאי טַמְעָא לֹא הִמְטִיר? לְפִי שֶׁאָדָם אַיִן לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה, וְאֵין מַכִּיר בְּטוֹבָתָם שֶׁל גְּשָׁמִים, וּכְשֶׁבָּא אָדָם וְיָדַע שֶׁהֵם צֹרֶךְ לָעוֹלָם, הִתְפַּלֵּל עֲלֵיהֶם וְיָרְדוּ וְצָמְחוּ הָאִילָנוֹת וְהַדְּשָׁאִים:
the Lord God יהוה is His name. אֱלֹהִים [means] that He is the Ruler and Judge over the entire world, and so is this defined everywhere according to its simple meaning: the Lord (יהוה ), Who is Ruler and Judge (אֱלֹהִים).   ה' אֱלֹהִים  ה' הוּא שְׁמוֹ, אֱלֹהִים שֶׁהוּא שַׁלִּיט וְשׁוֹפֵט עַל כֹּל, וְכֵן פֵּרוּש זֶה בְּכָל מָקוֹם לְפִי פְּשׁוּטוֹ, ה' שֶׁהוּא אֱלֹהִים:
6And a mist ascended from the earth and watered the entire surface of the ground.   ווְאֵ֖ד יַֽעֲלֶ֣ה מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהִשְׁקָ֖ה אֶת־כָּל־פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
And a mist ascended Concerning the creation of man, He brought up the [waters of the] deep and watered the clouds to soak the earth, and man was created; like the baker, who puts water [into the flour] and afterwards kneads the dough. Here too, “He watered,” and afterwards, “He formed” [man]. — [from Exod. Rabbah 30:113; Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 5]   וְאֵד יַֽעֲלֶה  לְעִנְיַן בְּרִיאָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, הֶעֱלָה הַתְּהוֹם וְהִשְׁקָה עֲנָנִים לִשְׁרוֹת הֶעָפָר וְנִבְרָא אָדָם, כְּגַבָּל זֶה, שֶׁנּוֹתֵן מַיִם וְאֲחַר כַּךְ לָשׁ אֶת הָעִסָּה, אַף כָּאן, וְהִשְׁקָה, וְאֲחַר כַּךְ וַיִּיצֶר:
7And the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and He breathed into his nostrils the soul of life, and man became a living soul.   זוַיִּ֩יצֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה:
formed [וַיִּיצֶר, with two “yuds,” hints at] two creations, a creation for this world and a creation for the [time of the] resurrection of the dead, but in connection with the animals, which do not stand in judgment, two“yuds” are not written in [the word וַיִּצֶר describing their creation. — [from Tan. Tazria 1]   וַיִּיצֶר  שְׁתֵּי יְצִירוֹת, יְצִירָה לָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וִיצִירָה לִתְחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים, אֲבָל בַּבְּהֵמָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ עוֹמֶדֶת לַדִּין לֹא נִכְתַּב בִּיצִירָתָהּ שְׁנֵי יוֹדִי"ן:
dust from the ground He gathered dust from the entire earth, from the four directions, so that wherever he [man] would die, it [the earth] would accept him for burial (Tan. Pekudei 3). Another explanation: He took his dust from the place of which it is said (Exod. 20:21): “You shall make Me an altar of earth.” If only it would be an atonement for him, so that he might endure! (Gen. Rabbah 14:8)   עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה  צָבַר עֲפְרוֹ מִכָּל הָאֲדָמָה מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, שֶׁכָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁיָּמוּת שָׁם תְּהֵא קוֹלַטְתּוֹ לִקְבוּרָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר נָטַל עֲפָרוֹ מִמָּקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ מִזְבַּח אֲדָמָה תַּעֲשֶׂה לִּי (שמות כ'), הַלְוַאי תִּהְיֶה לוֹ כַפָּרָה וְיוּכַל לַעֲמֹד:
and He breathed into his nostrils He made him of earthly matter and of heavenly matter: the body of earthly matter the soul of heavenly matter. Because on the first day, heaven and earth were created. On the second day, He created the firmament for the heavenly beings; on the third day [He commanded], “and let the dry land appear,” for the earthly beings; on the fourth day, He created luminaries for the heavenly beings; on the fifth day, [He commanded],“Let the waters swarm,” for the earthly beings; on the sixth day, it became necessary to create for both the heavenly and the earthly beings, for if not, there would be jealousy in the Creation, for these would exceed those by the creation of one day. — [from Gen. Rabbah 12:8]   וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו  עֲשָׂאוֹ מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּמִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, גוּף מִן הַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּנְשָׁמָה מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים, לְפִי שֶׁבְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן נִבְרְאוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, בַּשֵּׁנִי בָּרָא רָקִיעַ לָעֶלְיוֹנִים, בַּשְּׁלִישִׁי תֵּרָאֶה הַיַּבָּשָׁה לַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, בָּרְבִיעִי בָּרָא מְאוֹרוֹת לָעֶלְיוֹנִים, בַּחֲמִישִׁי יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם לַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, הֻזְקַק בַּשִּׁשִּׁי לִבְראוֹת בּוֹ בָעֶלְיוֹנִים וּבַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וְאִם לָאו יֵשׁ קִנְאָה בְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ אֵלּוּ רַבִּים עַל אֵלּוּ בִּבְרִיאַת יוֹם אֶחָד:
a living soul Cattle and beasts were also called living souls, but this one of man is the most alive of them all, because he was additionally given intelligence and speech.   לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּֽה  אַף בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה נִקְרְאוּ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, אַךְ זוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם חַיָּה שֶׁבְּכֻלָּן, שֶׁנִתּוֹסֵף בּוֹ דֵּעָה וְדִבּוּר:
8And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden from the east, and He placed there the man whom He had formed.   חוַיִּטַּ֞ע יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים גַּן־בְּעֵ֖דֶן מִקֶּ֑דֶם וַיָּ֣שֶׂם שָׁ֔ם אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצָֽר:
from the east Heb. מִקֶּדֶם. In the east of Eden, He planted the garden (Midrash Konen). Now if you ask: It has already been stated (above 1:27): “And He created man, etc.!” I saw in the Baraitha of Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Jose the Galilean concerning the thirty-two principles by which the Torah is expounded, and this is one of them [method 13]: A general statement followed by a specific act, the latter constitutes a specific [clarification] of the first [general statement]. “And He created man.” This is a general statement. It left obscure whence he was created, and it left His deeds obscure [i.e., how God created man]. The text repeats and explains: “And the Lord God formed, etc.,” and He made the Garden of Eden grow for him, and He placed him in the Garden of Eden, and He caused a deep sleep to fall upon him. The listener may think that this is another story, but it is only the detailed account of the former. Likewise, in the case of the animal, Scripture repeats and writes (below verse 19): “And the Lord God formed from the ground all the beasts of the field,” in order to explain, “and He brought [them] to man” to name them, and to teach about the fowl, that they were created from the mud.   מִקֶּדֶם  בְּמִזְרָחוֹ שֶׁל עֵדֶן נָטַע אֶת הַגָּן. וְאִם תֹּאמַר, הֲרֵי כְבָר כָּתַב וַיִּבְרְָא אֶת הָאָדָם וְגוֹ', רָאִיתִי בִּבְרַיְתָא שֶׁל ר"א בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַ' יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי מל"ב מִדּוֹת שֶׁהַתּוֹרָה נִדְרֶשֶׁת, וְזוֹ אַחַת מֵהֶן, כְּלָל שֶׁלְּאַחֲרָיו מַעֲשֶׂה הוּא פְרָטוֹ שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן, וַיִּבְרָא אֶת הָאָדָם זֶהוּ כְּלָל, סָתַם בְּרִיאָתוֹ מֵהֵיכָן וְסָתַם מַעֲשָׂיו, חָזַר וּפֵרֵשׁ וַיִּיצֶר ה' אֱלֹהִים וְגוֹ', וַיַּצְמַח לוֹ גַּן עֵדֶן וַיַּנִּיחֵהוּ בְּגַן עֵדֶן וַיַּפֵּל עָלָיו תַּרְדֵּמָה, הַשּׁוֹמֵעַ סָבוּר שֶׁהוּא מַעֲשֶׂה אַחֵר, וְאֵינוֹ אֶלָּא פְרָטוֹ שֶׁל רִאשׁוֹן; וְכֵן אֵצֶל הַבְּהֵמָה חָזַר וְכָתַב וַיִּצֶר ה' וגו' מִן הָאֲדָמָה כָּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה, כְּדֵי לְפָרֵשׁ וַיָּבֵא אֶל הָאָדָם לִקְרוֹת שֵׁם וּלְלַמֵּד עַל הָעוֹפוֹת שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ מִן הָרְקָק:
9And the Lord God caused to sprout from the ground every tree pleasant to see and good to eat, and the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil.   טוַיַּצְמַ֞ח יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כָּל־עֵ֛ץ נֶחְמָ֥ד לְמַרְאֶ֖ה וְט֣וֹב לְמַֽאֲכָ֑ל וְעֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ בְּת֣וֹךְ הַגָּ֔ן וְעֵ֕ץ הַדַּ֖עַת ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע:
And…caused to sprout Scripture speaks about the Garden. — [from Gen. Rabbah 13:1]   וַיַּצְמַח  לְעִנְיַן הַגַּן הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר:
in the midst of the garden i.e., in the middle of the Garden. — [from Targumim]   בְּתוֹךְ הַגָּן  בָּאֶמְצַע:
10And a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it separated and became four heads.   יוְנָהָר֙ יֹצֵ֣א מֵעֵ֔דֶן לְהַשְׁק֖וֹת אֶת־הַגָּ֑ן וּמִשָּׁם֙ יִפָּרֵ֔ד וְהָיָ֖ה לְאַרְבָּעָ֥ה רָאשִֽׁים:
11The name of one is Pishon; that is the one that encompasses all the land of Havilah, where there is gold.   יאשֵׁ֥ם הָֽאֶחָ֖ד פִּישׁ֑וֹן ה֣וּא הַסֹּבֵ֗ב אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַֽחֲוִילָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֖ם הַזָּהָֽב:
Pishon This is the Nile, the river of Egypt, and because its waters are blessed, and they rise and water the land, it is called Pishon, like Habakkuk 1:8):“and their riders shall increase (וּפָשׁוּ) .” (Unknown midrash, quoted by Zeror Hamor, below 41:1, Letters of Rabbi Akiva). Another explanation: [It is called] Pishon because it causes flax (פִשְׁתָן) to grow, as is stated in reference to Egypt (Isa. 19:9):“And those who work at flax (פִּשְׁתִּים)…shall be ashamed” (Gen. Rabbah 16:2).   פִּישׁוֹן  הוּא נִילוּס נְהַר מִצְרַיִם, וְעַל שֵׁם שֶׁמֵּימָיו מִתְבָּרְכִין וְעוֹלִין וּמַשְׁקִין אֶת הָאָרֶץ נִקְרָא פִישׁוֹן כְּמוֹ וּפָשׁוּ פָּרָשָׁיו (חבקוק א') דָּבָר אַחֵר פִּישׁוֹן, שֶׁהוּא מְגַדֵּל פִּשְׁתָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר עַל מִצְרַיִם (ישעיהו י"ט) וּבֹשׁוּ עֹבְדֵי פִשְׁתִּים:
12And the gold of that land is good; there is the crystal and the onyx stone.   יבוּֽזֲהַ֛ב הָאָ֥רֶץ הַהִ֖וא ט֑וֹב שָׁ֥ם הַבְּדֹ֖לַח וְאֶ֥בֶן הַשֹּֽׁהַם:
13And the name of the second river is Gihon; that is the one that encompasses all the land of Cush.   יגוְשֵֽׁם־הַנָּהָ֥ר הַשֵּׁנִ֖י גִּיח֑וֹן ה֣וּא הַסּוֹבֵ֔ב אֵ֖ת כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ כּֽוּשׁ:
Gihon [It is named thus because] it flowed and roared, and its roaring was very great, like (Exod. 21: 28):“If an [ox] gore (יִגַח),” for he gores and goes along and roars.   גִּיחוֹן  שֶׁהָיָה הוֹלֵךְ וְהוֹמֶה, וְהֶמְיָתוֹ גְדוֹלָה מְאֹד, כְּמוֹ כִי יִגַּח (שמות כ"א), שֶׁמְּנַגֵּחַ וְהוֹלֵךְ וְהוֹמֶה:
14And the name of the third river is Tigris; that is the one that flows to the east of Assyria, and the fourth river that is the Euphrates.   ידוְשֵֽׁם־הַנָּהָ֤ר הַשְּׁלִישִׁי֙ חִדֶּ֔קֶל ה֥וּא הַֽהֹלֵ֖ךְ קִדְמַ֣ת אַשּׁ֑וּר וְהַנָּהָ֥ר הָֽרְבִיעִ֖י ה֥וּא פְרָֽת:
Tigris Heb. חִדֶּקֶל, [thus called] because its waters are sharp (חַד) and light (קַל). - [from Ber. 59b.]   חִדֶּקֶל  שֶׁמֵּימָיו חַדִּין וְקַלִּין:
Euphrates Heb. פְרָת [thus called] because its waters are fruitful (פָרִין) and increase abundantly, and make people healthy (Bech. 55b, Keth. 77b).   פְרָֽת  שֶׁמֵּימָיו פָּרִין וְרָבִין וְמַבְרִין אֶת הָאָדָם:
Cush and Assyria These did not exist as yet, and Scripture wrote [their names] based on [the fact that they will exist in] the future. — [from Keth. 10b]   כּוּשׁ וְאַשׁוּר  עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיוּ, וְכָתַב הַמִּקְרָא עַל שֵׁם הֶעָתִיד:
to the east of Assyria Heb. קִדְמַת To the east of Assyria. — [from Targum Onkelos]   קִדְמַת אַשּׁוּר  לְמִזְרָחָהּ שֶׁל אַשּׁוּר:
that is the Euphrates The most important of all [the rivers] (Gen. Rabbah 16:3), [because it is] mentioned in conjunction with the Land of Israel (Shev. 47b).   הוּא פְרָֽת הֶחָשׁוּב עַל כֻּלָּם, הַנִּזְכָּר עַל שֵׁם אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל:
15Now the Lord God took the man, and He placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to guard it.   טווַיִּקַּ֛ח יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּנִּחֵ֣הוּ בְגַן־עֵ֔דֶן לְעָבְדָ֖הּ וּלְשָׁמְרָֽהּ:
took He took him with pleasant words and enticed him to enter. — [Gen. Rabbah 16:5]   וַיִּקַּח  לְקָחוֹ בִדְבָרִים נָאִים וּפִתָּהוּ לִכָּנֵס (בראשית רבה):
16And the Lord God commanded man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat.   טזוַיְצַו֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר מִכֹּ֥ל עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן אָכֹ֥ל תֹּאכֵֽל:
17But of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat of it, for on the day that you eat thereof, you shall surely die."   יזוּמֵעֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֨עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּ֗י בְּי֛וֹם אֲכָלְךָ֥ מִמֶּ֖נּוּ מ֥וֹת תָּמֽוּת:
18And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man is alone; I shall make him a helpmate opposite him."   יחוַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ:
It is not good, etc. [Gen. Rabbah] Lest they [people] say, “There are two dominions: the Holy One, blessed be He, is alone among the heavenly beings, and He has no mate, and this one [man] among the earthly creatures, has no mate.”   לֹא־טוֹב הֱיוֹת וגו'  שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמְרוּ שְׁתֵּי רָשׁוּיוֹת הֵן, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָעֶליוֹנִים יָחִיד וְאֵין לוֹ זוּג, וְזֶה בַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְאֵין לוֹ זוּג (בראשית רבה):
a helpmate opposite him If he is worthy, she will be a helpmate. If he is not worthy, she will be against him, to fight him. — [from Gen. Rabbah 17:3, Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ch. 12. See also Yev. 63a]   עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ  זָכָה – עֵזֶר; לֹא זָכָה – כְּנֶגְדּוֹ לְהִלָּחֵם:
19And the Lord God formed from the earth every beast of the field and every fowl of the heavens, and He brought [it] to man to see what he would call it, and whatever the man called each living thing, that was its name.   יטוַיִּ֩צֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה כָּל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיָּבֵא֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם לִרְא֖וֹת מַה־יִּקְרָא־ל֑וֹ וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקְרָא־ל֧וֹ הָֽאָדָ֛ם נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה ה֥וּא שְׁמֽוֹ:
And God formed from the earth This “forming” is identical with the “making” mentioned above (1:25): “And God made the beasts of the earth, etc.” But it comes here to explain that the fowl were created from the mud, because it stated above that they were created from the water, and here it states that they were created from the earth (Chul. 27b). It also teaches you here that at the time of their forming, immediately on that day, He brought them to man to name them (Avoth d’Rabbi Nathan, ch. 1). And in the words of the Aggadah [Gen. Rabbah 17:4], this יְצִירה has the meaning of domination and conquest, like (Deut. 20:19):“When you besiege (תָצוּר) a city,” meaning that He subjugated them under man’s dominion.   וייצר מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה  הִיא יְצִירָה הִיא עֲשִׂיָּה הָאֲמוּרָה לְמַעְלָה וַיַּעַשׂ אֱלֹהִים אֶת חַיַּת הָאָרֶץ וְגוֹ', אֶלָּא בָא וּפֵרֵשׁ שֶׁהָעוֹפוֹת נִבְרְאוּ מִן הָרְקָק, לְפִי שֶׁאָמַר לְמַעְלָה מִן הַמַּיִּם נִבְרְאוּ וְכָאן אָמַר מִן הָאָרֶץ נִבְרְאוּ (חולין כ"ז), וְעוֹד לִמֶּדְךָ כָּאן שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת יְצִירָתָן מִיָּד בּוֹ בַיּוֹם הֱבִיאָם אֶל הָאָדָם לִקְרוֹת לָהֶם שֵׁם. וּבְדִבְרֵי אַגָּדָה יְצִירָה זוֹ לְשׁוֹן רִדּוּי וְכִבּוּשׁ, כְּמוֹ כִּי תָצוּר אֶל עִיר (דברים כ"ד), שֶׁכְּבָשָׁן תַּחַת יָדוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם (בראשית רבה):
and whatever the man called each living thing. Transpose it and explain it: Every living creature to which man would give a name-that was to be its name forever.   וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר יִּקְרָא־לוֹ הָאָדָם נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה וגו'  סָרְסֵהוּ וּפָרְשֵׁהוּ, כֹּל נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה אֲשֶׁר יִקְרָא לוֹ הָאָדָם שֵׁם, הוּא שְׁמוֹ לְעוֹלָם:

Third Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 2

20And man named all the cattle and the fowl of the heavens and all the beasts of the field, but for man, he did not find a helpmate opposite him.   כוַיִּקְרָ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם שֵׁמ֗וֹת לְכָל־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּלְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּלְכֹ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּלְאָדָ֕ם לֹֽא־מָצָ֥א עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ:
21And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon man, and he slept, and He took one of his sides, and He closed the flesh in its place.   כאוַיַּפֵּל֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֧ים | תַּרְדֵּמָ֛ה עַל־הָֽאָדָ֖ם וַיִּישָׁ֑ן וַיִּקַּ֗ח אַחַת֙ מִצַּלְעֹתָ֔יו וַיִּסְגֹּ֥ר בָּשָׂ֖ר תַּחְתֶּֽנָּה:
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall [Gen. Rabbah 17:4] When He brought them [the animals], He brought before him of every species, male and female. He (Adam) said, “Everyone has a mate, but I have no mate.” Immediately,“And God caused to fall.”   ולאדם לא מצא עזר. וַיַּפֵּל ה' אֱלֹהִים תַּרְדֵּמָה  כְּשֶׁהֱבִיאָן הֱבִיאָן לְפָנָיו כָּל מִין וָמִין זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה, אָמַר לְכֻלָּם יֵשׁ בֶּן זוּג וְלִי אֵין בֶּן זוּג, מִיָּד וַיַּפֵּל (בראשית רבה):
of his sides Heb. מִצַּלְעֹתיו, of his sides, like (Exod. 26:20):“And for the side (וּלְצֶלַע) of the Tabernacle.” This coincides with what they [the Rabbis] said: They were created with two faces. — [from Gen. Rabbah 8:1] See also Eruvin 18a, Ber. 61a.   מצלעותיו  מִסְּטָרָיו, כְּמוֹ וּלְצֶלַע הַמִּשְׁכָּן (שמות כ"ו), זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ שְׁנֵי פַרְצוּפִים נִבְרְאוּ (עירובין י"ז):
and He closed the place of the incision. — [from Ber. 61a, Eruv. 18a]   ויסגור  מְקוֹם הַחֲתָךְ:
and he slept, and He took So that he should not see the piece of flesh from which she was created, lest she be repulsive to him. — [from Sanh. 39a]   וַיִּישָׁן וַיִּקַּח  שֶׁלֹּא יִרְאֶה חֲתִיכַת הַבָּשָׂר שֶׁמִּמֶּנוּ נִבְרֵאת וְתִתְבַּזֶּה עָלָיו:
22And the Lord God built the side that He had taken from man into a woman, and He brought her to man.   כבוַיִּ֩בֶן֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֧ים | אֶת־הַצֵּלָ֛ע אֲשֶׁר־לָקַ֥ח מִן־הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיְבִאֶ֖הָ אֶל־הָֽאָדָֽם:
[And He] built [He made her] like a building, broad at the bottom and narrow at the top, so that she can carry a fetus, like a storehouse of wheat, which is broad at the bottom and narrow on top, so that its burden should not weigh on its walls. — [from Ber. 61a, Eruv. 18a]   וַיִּבֶן  כְּבִִנְיָן, רְחָבָה מִלְּמַטָּה וּקְצָרָה מִלְּמַעְלָה לְקַבֵּל הַוָּלָד כְּאוֹצָר שֶׁל חִטִּים, שֶׁהוּא רָחָב מִלְּמַטָה וְקָצָר מִלְּמַעְלָה שֶׁלֹּא יַכְבִּיד מַשָּׂאוֹ עַל קִירוֹתָיו:
[And He] built the side…into a woman lit. to a woman, to become a woman, like (Jud. 8:27):“and Gideon made it into an ephod,” to be an ephod.   וַיִּבֶן אֶת־הַצֵּלָע לְאִשָּׁה  לִהְיוֹת אִשָּׁה, כְּמוֹ וַיַּעַשׂ אוֹתוֹ גִדְעוֹן לְאֵפוֹד (שופטים ח'), לִהְיוֹת אֵפוֹד:
23And man said, "This time, it is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. This one shall be called ishah (woman) because this one was taken from ish (man)."   כגוַיֹּ֘אמֶר֘ הָֽאָדָם֒ זֹ֣את הַפַּ֗עַם עֶ֚צֶם מֵֽעֲצָמַ֔י וּבָשָׂ֖ר מִבְּשָׂרִ֑י לְזֹאת֙ יִקָּרֵ֣א אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י מֵאִ֖ישׁ לֻֽקֳחָה־זֹּֽאת:
This time This teaches us that Adam came to all the animals and the beasts [in search of a mate], but he was not satisfied until he found Eve. — [from Yev. 63a]   זֹאת הַפַּעַם  מְלַמֵּד שֶׁבָּא אָדָם עַל כָּל בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה, וְלֹא נִתְקָרְרָה דַעְתּוֹ בָּהֶם (יבמות ס"ג):
This one shall be called ishah because, from ish One expression coincides with the other [i. e., the words אִישׁ and words אִשָּׁה have the same root]. From here is derived that the world was created with the Holy Tongue. — [from Gen. Rabbah 18:4]   לְזֹאת יִקָּרֵא אִשָּׁה כִּי מֵאִישׁ וגו'  לָשׁוֹן נוֹפֵל עַל לָשׁוֹן מִכָּאן שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ (בראשית רבה):
24Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.   כדעַל־כֵּן֙ יַֽעֲזָב־אִ֔ישׁ אֶת־אָבִ֖יו וְאֶת־אִמּ֑וֹ וְדָבַ֣ק בְּאִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וְהָי֖וּ לְבָשָׂ֥ר אֶחָֽד:
Therefore, a man shall leave The Divine Spirit says this, to prohibit forbidden unions to the Noahides. — [from Sanh. 58a]   עַל־כֵּן יַֽעֲזָב־אִישׁ  רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ אוֹמְרָה כֵן לֶאֱסֹר עַל בְּנֵי נֹחַ הָעֲרָיוֹת (סנהדרין נ"ז):
one flesh The fetus is formed by them both, and there [in the child] their flesh becomes one. — [from Sanh. 58a]   לְבָשָׂר אֶחָֽד  הַוָּלָד נוֹצָר עַל יְדֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם וְשָׁם נַעֲשֶׁה בְשָׂרָם אֶחָד (שם נ"ח):
25Now they were both naked, the man and his wife, but they were not ashamed.   כהוַיִּֽהְי֤וּ שְׁנֵיהֶם֙ עֲרוּמִּ֔ים הָֽאָדָ֖ם וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וְלֹ֖א יִתְבּשָֽׁשׁוּ:
but they were not ashamed for they did not know the way of modesty, to distinguish between good and evil (Gen. Rabbah) (Targum Yerushalmi), and even though knowledge was granted him to call [all the creatures] names, he was not imbued with the evil inclination until he ate of the tree, and the evil inclination entered into him, and he knew the difference between good and evil (Gen. Rabbah) (Zohar, vol. 1, 36b; Mid. Tadshei 7).   וְלֹא יתבוששו  שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים דֶרֶךְ צְנִיעוּת לְהַבְחִין בֵּין טוֹב לָרָע, וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּתְּנָה בוֹ דֵּעָה לִקְרוֹת לוֹ שֵׁמוֹת, לֹא נִתַּן בּוֹ יֵצֶר הָרָע עַד אָכְלוֹ מִן הָעֵץ וְנִכְנַס בּוֹ יֵצֶר הָרָע וְיָדַע מַה בֵּין טוֹב לָרָע (בראשית רבה):

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 3

1Now the serpent was cunning, more than all the beasts of the field that the Lord God had made, and it said to the woman, "Did God indeed say, 'You shall not eat of any of the trees of the garden?'"   אוְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן:
Now the serpent was cunning What is the connection of this matter here? Scripture should have juxtaposed (below verse 21): “And He made for Adam and for his wife shirts of skin, and He dressed them.” But it teaches you as a result of what plan the serpent thrust himself upon them. He saw them naked and engaging in intercourse before everyone’s eyes, and he desired her. — [from Gen. Rabbah 18:6]   וְהַנָּחָשׁ הָיָה עָרוּם  מָה עִנְיָן זֶה לְכָאן? הָיָה לוֹ לִסְמֹךְ וַיַּעַשׂ לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁם, אֶלָּא לִמֶּדְךָ מֵאֵיזוֹ עֵצָה קָפַץ הַנָּחַשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם, רָאָה אוֹתָם עֲרֻמִּים וְעוֹסְקִים בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ לְעֵין כֹּל וְנִתְאַוָּה לָהּ:
cunning, more than all Commensurate with its cunning and its greatness, was its downfall- [it was] cunning, more than all, [and it was] cursed, more than all. — [from Gen. Rabbah 19:1]   עָרוּם מִכֹּל  לְפִי עָרְמָתוֹ וּגְדֻלָּתוֹ הָיְתָה מַפָּלָתוֹ, עָרוּם מִכֹּל, אָרוּר מִכֹּל (בראשית רבה):
Did…indeed say, etc. Did He say to you, “You shall not eat of any, etc.?” Even though he saw them eating of the other fruits, he spoke to her at length in order that she answer him and come to speak of that tree. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ed. Horowitz, ch. 13; Avoth d’Rabbi Nathan , ch. 1]   אַף כִּֽי־אָמַר וגו'  שֶׁמָּא אָמַר לָכֶם לֹא תֹאכְלוּ מִכֹּל וְגוֹ', וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתָם אוֹכְלִים מִשְּׁאָר פֵּרוֹת, הִרְבָּה עָלֶיהָ דְבָרִים כְּדֵי שֶׁתְּשִׁיבֶנּוּ וְיָבֹא לְדַבֵּר בְּאוֹתוֹ הָעֵץ:
2And the woman said to the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat.   בוַתֹּ֥אמֶר הָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה אֶל־הַנָּחָ֑שׁ מִפְּרִ֥י עֵֽץ־הַגָּ֖ן נֹאכֵֽל:
3But of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, God said, "You shall not eat of it, and you shall not touch it, lest you die.'"   גוּמִפְּרִ֣י הָעֵץ֘ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּתֽוֹךְ־הַגָּן֒ אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֗ים לֹ֤א תֹֽאכְלוּ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְלֹ֥א תִגְּע֖וּ בּ֑וֹ פֶּן־תְּמֻתֽוּן:
and you shall not touch it She added to the command; therefore, she came to diminish it. That is what is stated (Prov. 30:6): “Do not add to His words.” - [from Sanh. 29a]   וְלֹא תִגְּעוּ בּוֹ  הוֹסִיפָה עַל הַצִּוּוּי, לְפִיכָךְ בָּאָה לִידֵי גֵרָעוֹן, הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אַל תּוֹסְףְּ עַל דְּבָרָיו (משלי ל'):
4And the serpent said to the woman, "You will surely not die.   דוַיֹּ֥אמֶר הַנָּחָ֖שׁ אֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֑ה לֹא־מ֖וֹת תְּמֻתֽוּן:
You will surely not die He pushed her until she touched it. He said to her, “Just as there is no death in touching, so is there no death in eating” (Gen. Rabbah 19:3).   לֹא־מוֹת תמותון  דְּחָפָהּ עַד שֶׁנָּגְעָה בוֹ, אָמַר לָהּ כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין מִיתָה בִנְגִיעָה, כָּךְ אֵין מִיתָה בַאֲכִילָה (בראשית רבה):
5For God knows that on the day that you eat thereof, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like angels, knowing good and evil."   הכִּ֚י יֹדֵ֣עַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים כִּ֗י בְּיוֹם֙ אֲכָלְכֶ֣ם מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְנִפְקְח֖וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶ֑ם וִֽהְיִיתֶם֙ כֵּֽאלֹהִ֔ים יֹֽדְעֵ֖י ט֥וֹב וָרָֽע:
For God knows Every craftsman hates his fellow craftsmen. He [God] ate of the tree and created the world (Gen. Rabbah 19:4).   כִּי יֹדֵעַ  כָּל אֻמָּן שׂוֹנֵא אֶת בְּנֵי אֻמָּנוּתוֹ, מִן הָעֵץ אָכַל וּבָרָא אֶת הָעוֹלָם (בראשית רבה):
and you will be like angels Creators of worlds. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ch. 13]   וִֽהְיִיתֶם כֵּֽאלֹהִים  יוֹצְרֵי עוֹלָמוֹת (בראשית רבה):
6And the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise; so she took of its fruit, and she ate, and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.   ווַתֵּ֣רֶא הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה כִּ֣י טוֹב֩ הָעֵ֨ץ לְמַֽאֲכָ֜ל וְכִ֧י תַֽאֲוָה־ה֣וּא לָֽעֵינַ֗יִם וְנֶחְמָ֤ד הָעֵץ֙ לְהַשְׂכִּ֔יל וַתִּקַּ֥ח מִפִּרְי֖וֹ וַתֹּאכַ֑ל וַתִּתֵּ֧ן גַּם־לְאִישָׁ֛הּ עִמָּ֖הּ וַיֹּאכַֽל:
And the woman saw She understood the words of the serpent and they appealed to her; so she believed him (Gen. Rabbah 19:4).   וַתֵּרֶא הָֽאִשָּׁה  רָאֲתָה דְבָרָיו שֶׁל נָחָשׁ וְהֶנְאוּ לָהּ וְהֶאֱמִינַתּוּ (בראשית רבה):
that the tree was good to [cause them to] be like angels.   כִּי טוֹב הָעֵץ  לִהְיוֹת כֵּאלֹהִים:
and that it was a delight to the eyes As he had said to her, “and your eyes will be opened.”   וְכִי תַֽאֲוָה־הוּא לָֽעֵינַיִם  כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לָהּ וְנִפְקְחוּ עֵינֵיכֶם:
and that the tree was desirable to make one wise As he said to her, “knowing good and evil.”   וְנֶחְמָד לְהַשְׂכִּיל  כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לָהּ יוֹדְעֵי טוֹב וָרָע:
and she gave also to her husband lest she die and he live and marry someone else. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer , ch. 13]   וַתִּתֵּן גַּם־לְאִישָׁהּ  שֶׁלֹּא תָמוּת הִיא וְיִחְיֶה הוּא, וְיִשָּׂא אַחֶרֶת:
also to include the cattle and beasts - [from Gen. Rabbah 19:5].   גַּם־  לְרַבּוֹת בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה:
7And the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves and made themselves girdles.   זוַתִּפָּקַ֨חְנָה֙ עֵינֵ֣י שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י עֵֽירֻמִּ֖ם הֵ֑ם וַיִּתְפְּרוּ֙ עֲלֵ֣ה תְאֵנָ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם חֲגֹרֹֽת:
And…were opened Scripture is referring to wisdom, and not to actual vision, and the end of the verse proves this. — [from Gen. Rabbah 19:7]   וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה וגו'  לְעִנְיַן הַחָכְמָה דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב וְלֹא לְעִנְיַן רְאִיָּה מַמָּשׁ, וְסוֹף הַמִּקְרָא מוֹכִיחַ:
and they knew that they were naked Even a blind man knows when he is naked! What then is the meaning of “and they knew that they were naked” ? They had one commandment in their possession, and they became denuded of it.   וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עירמים הֵם  אַף הַסּוּמָא יוֹדֵעַ כְּשֶׁהוּא עָרוּם, אֶלָּא מַהוּ וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עֵירֻמִּם הֵם? מִצְוָה אַחַת הָיְתָה בְיָדָם וְנִתְעַרְטְלוּ הֵימֶנָּה (בראשית רבה):
fig leaves That is the tree of which they had eaten. With that which they had sinned, they were rectified, but the other trees prevented them from taking their leaves. — [from Ber. 40a, Sanh. 70b] Now why was the tree not identified? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, does not wish to grieve any creature, so that [others] should not put it to shame and say, “This is [the tree] because of which the world suffered.” (Midrash of Rabbi Tanchuma, Vayera 14, Buber 32).   עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה  הוּא הָעֵץ שֶׁאָכְלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, בַּדָּבָר שֶׁנִּתְקַלְקְלוּ בּוֹ נִתַּקְּנוּ (סנהדרין ע'), אֲבָל שְׁאָר הָעֵצִים מְנָעוּם מִלִּטֹּל עַלֵּיהֶם. וּמִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא נִתְפַּרְסֵם הָעֵץ? שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חָפֵץ לְהוֹנוֹת בְּרִיָּה, שֶׁלֹּא יַכְלִימוּהָ וְיֹאמְרוּ זֶהוּ שֶׁלָּקָה הָעוֹלָם עַל יָדוֹ, מִדְרַשׁ רַבִּי תַנְחוּמָא:
8And they heard the voice of the Lord God going in the garden to the direction of the sun, and the man and his wife hid from before the Lord God in the midst of the trees of the garden.   חוַיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ אֶת־ק֨וֹל יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּגָּ֖ן לְר֣וּחַ הַיּ֑וֹם וַיִּתְחַבֵּ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם וְאִשְׁתּ֗וֹ מִפְּנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים בְּת֖וֹךְ עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן:
And they heard There are many Aggadic midrashim, and our Sages already arranged them in their proper order in Genesis Rabbah and in other midrashim, but I have come only [to teach] the simple meaning of the Scripture and such Aggadah that clarifies the words of the verses, each word in its proper way.   וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ  יֵשׁ מִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה רַבִּים וּכְבָר סִדְּרוּם רַבּוֹתֵינוּ עַל מְכוֹנָם בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה וּבִשְׁאָר מִדְרָשׁוֹת; וַאֲנִי לֹא בָאתִי אֶלָּא לִפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא וּלְאַגָּדָה הַמְיַשֶּׁבֶת דִּבְרֵי הַמִּקְרָא דָבָר דָּבוּר עַל אֳפַנָּיו:
And they heard What did they hear? They heard the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, which was going in the garden. — [from Gen. Rabbah 19:7]   וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ  מַה שָּׁמְעוּ? שָׁמְעוּ אֶת קוֹל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהָיָה מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּגַּן:
to the direction of the sun To that direction in which the sun sets, and this is the west, for toward evening, the sun is in the west, and they sinned in the tenth [hour]. — [from Gen. Rabbah 19:8, Sanh. 38b]   לְרוּחַ הַיּוֹם  לְאוֹתוֹ רוּחַ שֶׁהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בָּאָה לְשָׁם, וְזוֹ הִיא מַעֲרָבִית; שֶׁלִּפְנוֹת עֶרֶב חַמָּה בַּמַּעֲרָב, וְהֵם סָרְחוּ בָּעֲשִׂירִית (סנהדרין ל"ח):
9And the Lord God called to man, and He said to him, "Where are you?"   טוַיִּקְרָ֛א יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶל־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ אַיֶּֽכָּה:
Where are you He knew where he was, but [He asked him this] in order to enter into conversation with him, lest he be frightened to answer if He should punish him suddenly (Tanchuma Tazria 9). So with Cain, He said to him (below 4:9): “Where is your brother Abel?” And so with Balaam (Num. 22:9): “Who are these men with you?” for the purpose of entering a conversation with them, and so with Hezekiah, in regard to the emissaries of Merodach Baladan (Isa. 39:3) (Gen. Rabbah 19:11).   אַיֶּֽכָּה  יוֹדֵעַ הָיָה הֵיכָן הוּא אֶלָּא לִכָּנֵס עִמּוֹ בִּדְבָרִים, שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא נִבְהָל לְהָשִׁיב אִם יַעֲנִישֵׁהוּ פִּתְאוֹם (בראשית רבה), וְכֵן בְּקַיִן אָמַר לוֹ אֵי הֶבֶל אָחִיךָ (בראשית ד), וְכֵן בְּבִלְעָם מִי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה עִמָּךְ (במדבר כ"ב), לִכָּנֵס עִמָּהֶם בִּדְבָרִים, וְכֵן בְּחִזְקִיָּה בִּשְׁלוּחֵי מְרֹאדַךְ בַּלְאֲדָן:
10And he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I am naked; so I hid."   יוַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֶת־קֹֽלְךָ֥ שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בַּגָּ֑ן וָֽאִירָ֛א כִּֽי־עֵירֹ֥ם אָנֹ֖כִי וָאֵֽחָבֵֽא:
11And He said, "Who told you that you are naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"   יאוַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֚י הִגִּ֣יד לְךָ֔ כִּ֥י עֵירֹ֖ם אָ֑תָּה הֲמִן־הָעֵ֗ץ אֲשֶׁ֧ר צִוִּיתִ֛יךָ לְבִלְתִּ֥י אֲכָל־מִמֶּ֖נּוּ אָכָֽלְתָּ:
Who told you From where do you know what shame there is in standing naked?   מִי הִגִּיד לְךָ  מֵאַיִן לְךָ לָדַעַת מַה בֹּשֶׁת יֵשׁ בְּעוֹמֵד עָרֹם?
from the tree? Heb. הֲמִן. This is in the interrogative sense.   הֲמִן־הָעֵץ  בִּתְמִיהָ:
12And the man said, "The woman whom You gave [to be] with me she gave me of the tree; so I ate."   יבוַיֹּ֖אמֶר הָֽאָדָ֑ם הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נָתַ֣תָּה עִמָּדִ֔י הִ֛וא נָֽתְנָה־לִּ֥י מִן־הָעֵ֖ץ וָֽאֹכֵֽל:
whom You gave [to be] with me Here he [Adam] showed his ingratitude. — [from Avodah Zarah 5b]   אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי  כָּאן כָּפַר בַּטּוֹבָה (עבודה זרה ה):
13And the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent enticed me, and I ate."   יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֧ה אֱלֹהִ֛ים לָֽאִשָּׁ֖ה מַה־זֹּ֣את עָשִׂ֑ית וַתֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה הַנָּחָ֥שׁ הִשִּׁיאַ֖נִי וָֽאֹכֵֽל:
enticed me Heb. הִשִּׁיאַנִי, deceived me, like (II Chron. 32:15): “Let Hezekiah not deceive (יַשִּׁיא) you.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 19:2]   הִשִּׁיאַנִי  הִטְעַנִי, כְּמוֹ אַל יַשִּׁיא אֶתְכֶם חִזְקִיָּהוּ (דברי הימים ב' ל"ב):
14And the Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed be you more than all the cattle and more than all the beasts of the field; you shall walk on your belly, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.   ידוַיֹּ֩אמֶר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֥ים | אֶל־הַנָּחָשׁ֘ כִּ֣י עָשִׂ֣יתָ זֹּאת֒ אָר֤וּר אַתָּה֙ מִכָּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה וּמִכֹּ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה עַל־גְּחֹֽנְךָ֣ תֵלֵ֔ךְ וְעָפָ֥ר תֹּאכַ֖ל כָּל־יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ:
Because you have done this From here [we learn] that we may not intercede in favor of one who entices people [to idolatry], for had He asked him, “Why did you do this?” he could have answered, “The words of the master and the words of the pupil-whose words do we obey?” [i.e., Adam and Eve should have obeyed God rather than the serpent!]- [from Sanh. 29a]   כִּי עָשִׂיתָ זֹּאת  מִכָּאן שֶׁאֵין מְהַפְּכִים בִּזְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל מֵסִית, שֶׁאִלּוּ שְׁאָלוֹ לָמָּה עָשִׂיתָ זֹאת? הָיָה לוֹ לְהָשִׁיב דִּבְרֵי הָרַב וְדִבְרֵי הַתַּלְמִיד דִּבְרֵי מִי שׁוֹמְעִין? (סנהדרין כ"ט):
more than all the cattle and more than all the beasts of the field If he was cursed more than the cattle [whose gestation period is long], he was surely cursed more than the beasts [whose gestation period is comparatively shorter]. Our Rabbis established this midrash in Tractate Bechoroth (8a) to teach that the gestation period of a serpent is seven years.   מִכָּל־הַבְּהֵמָה וּמִכֹּל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה  אִם מִבְּהֵמָה נִתְקַלֵּל מֵחַיָּה לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן, הֶעֱמִידוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ מִדְרָשׁ זֶה בְמַסֶּכֶת בְּכוֹרוֹת (דף ח') לְלַמֵּד שֶׁיְּמֵי עִבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל נָחָשׁ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים:
you shall walk on your belly It had legs, but they were cut off. — [from Gen. Rabbah 20:5]   עַל־גחונך תֵלֵךְ  רַגְלַיִם הָיוּ לוֹ וְנִקְצְצוּ:
15And I shall place hatred between you and between the woman, and between your seed and between her seed. He will crush your head, and you will bite his heel."   טווְאֵיבָ֣ה | אָשִׁ֗ית בֵּֽינְךָ֙ וּבֵ֣ין הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וּבֵ֥ין זַֽרְעֲךָ֖ וּבֵ֣ין זַרְעָ֑הּ ה֚וּא יְשֽׁוּפְךָ֣ רֹ֔אשׁ וְאַתָּ֖ה תְּשׁוּפֶ֥נּוּ עָקֵֽב:
And I shall place hatred You intended that the man should die when he would eat first, and you would marry Eve, and you came to Eve first only because women are easily enticed, and they know how to entice their husbands. Therefore, “I shall place hatred.”   וְאֵיבָה אָשִׁית  אַתָּה לֹא נִתְכַּוַּנְתָּ אֶלָּא שֶׁיָּמוּת אָדָם כְּשֶׁיּאֹכַל הוּא תְּחִלָּה וְתִשָּׂא אֶת חַוָּה, וְלֹא בָאתָ לְדַבֵּר אֶל חַוָּה תְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא לְפִי שֶׁהַנָּשִׁים קַלּוֹת לְהִתְפַּתּוֹת וְיוֹדְעוֹת לְפַתּוֹת אֶת בַּעְלֵיהֶן, לְפִיכָךְ וְאֵיבָה אָשִׁית:
He will crush your head יְשׁוּפְךָ רֹאשׁ, lit. he will crush you the head. He will crush you, like (Deut. 9:21): “And I crushed it,” which is translated by the Targum as וְשָׁפִית יָתֵיהּ   יְשֽׁוּפְךָ  יְכַתֶּתְךָ (סוטה ט') כְּמוֹ וָאֶכֹּת אֹתוֹ (דברים ט), וְתַרְגּוּמוֹ וְשָׁפִית יָתֵי':
and you will bite his heel Heb. תְּשׁוּפֶנוּ. You will not stand upright and you will bite him on the heel, and even from there you will kill him. The expression תְּשׁוּפֶנוּ is like (Isa. 40:24): “He blew (נָשַׁף) on them.” When a snake comes to bite, it blows with a sort of hiss, and since the two expressions coincide [i.e., they sound alike], Scripture used the expression of נְשִׁיפָה in both cases.   וְאַתָּה תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ עָקֵֽב  לֹא יְהֵא לְךָ קוֹמָה וְתִשְּׁכֶנּוּ בַּעֲקֵבוֹ, וְאַף מִשָּׁם תְּמִיתֶנּוּ, וּלְשׁוֹן תְּשׁוּפֶנּוּ כְּמוֹ נָשַׁף בָּהֶם (ישעיהו מ') כְּשֶׁהַנָּחָשׁ בָּא לִנְשֹׁך הוּא נוֹשֵׁף כְּמִין שְׁרִיקָה וּלְפִי שֶׁהַלָּשׁוֹן נוֹפֵל עַל הַלָּשָוֹן כְּתִיב לְשׁוֹן נְשִׁיפָה בִשְׁנֵיהֶם:
16To the woman He said, "I shall surely increase your sorrow and your pregnancy; in pain you shall bear children. And to your husband will be your desire, and he will rule over you."   טזאֶל־הָֽאִשָּׁ֣ה אָמַ֗ר הַרְבָּ֤ה אַרְבֶּה֙ עִצְּבוֹנֵ֣ךְ וְהֵֽרֹנֵ֔ךְ בְּעֶ֖צֶב תֵּֽלְדִ֣י בָנִ֑ים וְאֶל־אִישֵׁךְ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָתֵ֔ךְ וְה֖וּא יִמְשָׁל־בָּֽךְ:
your sorrow This refers to the pain of child rearing. — [from Eruv. 100b]   עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ  זֶה צַעַר גִּדּוּל בָּנִים (עירובין ק'):
and your pregnancy This refers to the pain of pregnancy. — [from above source]   וְהֵֽרֹנֵךְ  זֶה צַעַר הָעִבּוּר:
in pain you shall bear children This refers to the pain of childbirth. — [from Gen. Rabbah 20:6]   בְּעֶצֶב תֵּֽלְדִי בָנִים  זֶה צַעַר הַלֵּדָה:
And to your husband will be your desire for intimacy, but, nevertheless, you will not have the audacity to demand it of him with your mouth, but he will rule over you. Everything is from him and not from you. — [from Eruv. ad loc.]   וְאֶל־אִישֵׁךְ תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ  לְתַשְׁמִישׁ, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן אֵין לָךְ מֵצַח לְתָבְעוֹ בַּפֶּה, אֶלָּא הוּא יִמְשָׁל בָּךְ, הַכֹּל מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא מִמֵּךְ:
your desire Heb. תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ, your desire, like: (Isa. 29:8): “a yearning (שׁוֹקֵקָה) soul.” - [after Targum Onkelos]   תְּשׁוּקָתֵךְ  תַּאֲוָתֵךְ, כְּמוֹ נֶפֶשׁ שׁוֹקֵקָה (ישעיהו כ"ט):
17And to man He said, "Because you listened to your wife, and you ate from the tree from which I commanded you saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed be the ground for your sake; with toil shall you eat of it all the days of your life.   יזוּלְאָדָ֣ם אָמַ֗ר כִּ֣י שָׁמַ֘עְתָּ֘ לְק֣וֹל אִשְׁתֶּ֒ךָ֒ וַתֹּ֨אכַל֙ מִן־הָעֵ֔ץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר צִוִּיתִ֨יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֥א תֹאכַ֖ל מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אֲרוּרָ֤ה הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּֽעֲבוּרֶ֔ךָ בְּעִצָּבוֹן֙ תֹּֽאכֲלֶ֔נָּה כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י חַיֶּֽיךָ:
cursed be the ground for your sake It will bring up cursed things for you, such as flies, fleas, and ants. This can be compared to one who falls into evil ways, and people curse the breasts from which he suckled. — [from Gen. Rabbah 20: 8]   אֲרוּרָה הָֽאֲדָמָה בַּֽעֲבוּרֶךָ  מַעֲלָה לְךָ דְּבָרִים אֲרוּרִים, כְּגוֹן זְבוּבִים, פַּרְעוֹשִׁים וּנְמָלִים, מָשָׁל לְיוֹצֵא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה וְהַבְּרִיּוֹת מְקַלְּלוֹת שָׁדַיִם שֶׁיָּנַק מֵהֶם:
18And it will cause thorns and thistles to grow for you, and you shall eat the herbs of the field.   יחוְק֥וֹץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר תַּצְמִ֣יחַ לָ֑ךְ וְאָֽכַלְתָּ֖ אֶת־עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה:
And it will cause thorns and thistles to grow for you The earth-when you sow it with various species of seeds-will sprout thorns and thistles, artichokes and cardoons, which are edible only after preparation. — [from Gen. Rabbah 20:10. See also Beizah 34a]   וְקוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר תַּצְמִיחַ לָךְ  הָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁתִּזְרָעֶנָּה מִינֵי זְרָעִים, תַּצְמִיחַ קוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר קֻנְדָּס וְעַכָּבִיּוֹת, וְהֵן נֶאֱכָלִין עַל יְדֵי תִקּוּן (ביצה ל"ד):
“and you shall eat the herbs of the field” Now what [kind of] curse is this? Was it not said to him in the blessing (above 1:29): “Behold I have given you every seed-bearing herb, etc? But what is stated here [refers to] the beginning of the section: ”Cursed be the ground for your sake; with toil shall you eat of it,“ and after the toil, ”And it will cause thorns and thistles to grow for you." When you sow it with legumes or garden vegetables, it will cause thorns and thistles and other grasses of the field, to grow for you, and you shall have no choice but to eat them.   וְאָֽכַלְתָּ אֶת־עֵשֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה  וּמַה קְּלָלָה הִיא זוֹ? וַהֲלֹא בַּבְּרָכָה נֶאֱמַר לוֹ הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֶת כָּל עֵשֶׂב זֹרֵעַ זֶרַע וְגוֹ? אֶלָּא מָה אָמוּר כָּאן בְּרֹאשׁ הָעִנְיָן אֲרוּרָה הָאֲדָמָה בַּעֲבוּרֶךָ בְּעִצָּבוֹן תֹּאכְלֶנָּה, וְאַחַר הָעִצָּבוֹן וְקוֹץ וְדַרְדַּר תַּצְמִיחַ לָךְ, כְּשֶׁתִּזְרָעֶנָּה קִטְנִית אוֹ יַרְקוֹת גִּנָּה הִיא תַצְמִיחַ לְךָ קוֹצִים וְדַרְדָּרִים וּשְׁאָר עִשְׂבֵי הַשָׂדֶה וְעַל כָּרְחֲךָ תֹּאכְלֵם:
19With the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for you were taken therefrom, for dust you are, and to dust you will return."   יטבְּזֵעַ֤ת אַפֶּ֨יךָ֙ תֹּ֣אכַל לֶ֔חֶם עַ֤ד שֽׁוּבְךָ֙ אֶל־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה כִּ֥י מִמֶּ֖נָּה לֻקָּ֑חְתָּ כִּֽי־עָפָ֣ר אַ֔תָּה וְאֶל־עָפָ֖ר תָּשֽׁוּב:
With the sweat of your face After you toil with it very much. — [Mid. Tadshei, Otzar Midrashim]   בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ  לְאַחַר שֶׁתִּטְרַח בּוֹ הַרְבֵּה:
20And the man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all life.   כוַיִּקְרָ֧א הָֽאָדָ֛ם שֵׁ֥ם אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ חַוָּ֑ה כִּ֛י הִ֥וא הָֽיְתָ֖ה אֵ֥ם כָּל־חָֽי:
And the man named Scripture returns to its previous topic (2:20): “And the man named,” and it interrupted only to teach you that through the giving of names, Eve was mated to him, as it is written (above 2:20): “but for man, he did not find a helpmate opposite him.” Therefore, (ibid. 21): “And He caused a deep sleep to fall,” and since Scripture wrote, (ibid. 25):“And they were naked,” it juxtaposed the section of the serpent, to let you know that because he saw her naked and saw them engaging in intercourse, he desired her and came upon them with a design and with guile.   וַיִּקְרָא הָֽאָדָם  חָזַר הַכָּתוּב לְעִנְיָנוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן וַיִּקְרָא הָאָדָם שֵׁמוֹת, וְלֹא הִפְסִיק אֶלָּא לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁעַל יְדֵי קְרִיאַת שֵׁמוֹת נִזְדַּוְּגָה לוֹ חַוָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וּלְאָדָם לֹא מָצָא עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ, וַיַּפֵּל תַּרְדֵּמָה, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁכָּתַב וַיִּהְיוּ עֲרוּמִּים, סָמַךְ לוֹ פָּרָשַׁת הַנָּחָשׁ, לְהוֹדִיעֲךְ שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ שֶׁרָאָה עֶרְוָתָהּ וְרָאָה אוֹתָם עֲסוּקִים בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ נִתְאַוָּה לָהּ וּבָא עֲלֵיהֶם בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה וּבְמִרְמָה:
Eve Heb. חַוָּה. This coincides with the expression of חַיָה, living, because she gives life to her offspring, as you say, (Ecc. 2:22):“For what does a man have (הֹוֶה) ?” with the expression“being” (הֹוֶה) . [i.e., The “vav” and the “yud” are interchangeable.]   חַוָּה  נוֹפֵל עַל לְשׁוֹן חַיָּה, שֶׁמְּחַיָּה אֶת וַלְדוֹתֶיהָ, כַּאֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר מֶה הֹוֶה לָאָדָם (קהלת ב'), בִּלְשׁוֹן הָיָה:
21And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife shirts of skin, and He dressed them.   כאוַיַּ֩עַשׂ֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים לְאָדָ֧ם וּלְאִשְׁתּ֛וֹ כָּתְנ֥וֹת ע֖וֹר וַיַּלְבִּשֵֽׁם:
shirts of skin Some Aggadic works say that they were as smooth as fingernails, fastened over their skin (Gen. Rabbah 20:12), and others say that they were a material that comes from the skin, like the wool of rabbits, which is soft and warm, and He made them shirts from it (Gen. Rabbah ad loc., Sotah 14a).   כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר  יֵשׁ דִּבְרֵי אַגָּדָה אוֹמְרִים חֲלָקִים כְּצִּפֹּרֶן הָיוּ מְדֻבָּקִים עַל עוֹרָן וְיֵשׁ אוֹמָרִים דָּבָר הַבָּא מִן הָעוֹר, כְּגוֹן צֶמֶר הָאַרְנָבִים שֶׁהוּא רַךְ וְחָם וְעָשָׂה לָהֶם כֻּתֳּנוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ:

Fourth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 3

22Now the Lord God said, "Behold man has become like one of us, having the ability of knowing good and evil, and now, lest he stretch forth his hand and take also from the Tree of Life and eat and live forever."   כבוַיֹּ֣אמֶר | יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֗ים הֵ֤ן הָֽאָדָם֙ הָיָה֙ כְּאַחַ֣ד מִמֶּ֔נּוּ לָדַ֖עַת ט֣וֹב וָרָ֑ע וְעַתָּ֣ה | פֶּן־יִשְׁלַ֣ח יָד֗וֹ וְלָקַח֙ גַּ֚ם מֵעֵ֣ץ הַֽחַיִּ֔ים וְאָכַ֖ל וָחַ֥י לְעֹלָֽם:
has become like one of us, having the ability He is unique among the earthly beings, just as I am unique among the heavenly beings, and what is his uniqueness? To know good and evil, unlike the cattle and the beasts. — [from Targum Jonathan, Gen. Rabbah 21:5]   הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ  הֲרֵי הוּא יָחִיד בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים כְּמוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי יָחִיד בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים, וּמַה הִיא יְחִידוּתוֹ? לָדַעַת טוֹב וָרָע, מַה שֶּׁאֵין כֵּן בִּבְהֵמָה וְחַיָּה
and now, lest he stretch forth his hand, etc. And if he were to live forever, he would be likely to mislead people to follow him and to say that he too is a deity (Gen. Rabbah 9:5). There are also Aggadic midrashim, but they cannot be reconciled with the simple meaning.   וְעַתָּה פֶּן־יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ  וּמִשֶּׁיִּחְיֶה לְעוֹלָם הֲרֵי הוּא קָרוֹב לְהַטְעוֹת הַבְּרִיּוֹת אַחֲרָיו, וְלוֹמַר אַף הוּא אֱלוֹהַּ. וְיֵשׁ מִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה, אֲבָל אֵין מְיֻשָּׁבִין עַל פְּשׁוּטוֹ:
23And the Lord God sent him out of the Garden of Eden, to till the soil, whence he had been taken.   כגוַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֛הוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים מִגַּן־עֵ֑דֶן לַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֻקַּ֖ח מִשָּֽׁם:
24And He drove the man out, and He stationed from the east of the Garden of Eden the cherubim and the blade of the revolving sword, to guard the way to the Tree of Life.   כדוַיְגָ֖רֶשׁ אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֑ם וַיַּשְׁכֵּן֩ מִקֶּ֨דֶם לְגַן־עֵ֜דֶן אֶת־הַכְּרֻבִ֗ים וְאֵ֨ת לַ֤הַט הַחֶ֨רֶב֙ הַמִּתְהַפֶּ֔כֶת לִשְׁמֹ֕ר אֶת־דֶּ֖רֶךְ עֵ֥ץ הַֽחַיִּֽים:
east of the Garden of Eden in the east of the Garden of Eden, outside the garden. — [from Gen. Rabbah 21:9]   מִקֶּדֶם לְגַן־עֵדֶן  בְּמִזְרָחוֹ שֶׁל גַּן עֵדֶן חוּץ לַגַּן:
the cherubim Angels of destruction. — [from Exod. Rabbah 9:11]   אֶת־הכרובים  מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה:
the revolving sword It had a blade to frighten him from re-entering the garden. The Targum of לַהַט is שְׁנַן, like,“He drew the blade (שְׁנָנָא)” in Sanhedrin (82a), and in Old French it is lame. There are Aggadic midrashim, but I have come only to interpret its simple meaning.   הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת  וְלָהּ לַהַט לְאַיֵּם עָלָיו מִלִּכָּנֵס עוֹד לַגַּן תַּרְגּוּם לַהַט שְׁנַן, כְּמוֹ שָׁלַף שְׁנָנָא וּבִלְשׁוֹן לַעַז לא"מא וּמִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה יֵשׁ, וַאֲנִי אֵינִי בָא אֶלָּא לִפְשׁוּטוֹ:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 4

1Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, and she said, "I have acquired a man with the Lord."   אוְהָ֣אָדָ֔ם יָדַ֖ע אֶת־חַוָּ֣ה אִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וַתַּ֨הַר֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־קַ֔יִן וַתֹּ֕אמֶר קָנִ֥יתִי אִ֖ישׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה:
Now the man knew [This took place], prior to the above episode, before he sinned and was banished from the Garden of Eden. Also the conception and the birth [took place before], for if it were written: וַיֵּדַע אָדָם it would mean that after he had been banished, he had sons. — [from Sanh. 38b]   וְהָאָדָם יָדַע  כְּבָר קֹדֶם הָעִנְיָן שֶׁל מַעְלָה, קֹדֶם שֶׁחָטָא וְנִטְרַד מִגַּן עֵדֶן, וְכֵן הַהֵרָיוֹן וְהַלֵּדָה, שֶׁאִם כָּתַב וַיֵּדַע אָדָם, נִשְׁמָע שֶׁלְּאַחַר שֶׁנִּטְרַד הָיוּ לוֹ בָנִים:
Cain Heb. קַיִן, based on קָנִיתִי, I acquired.   קַיִן  עַל שֵׁם קָנִיתִי:
with the Lord Heb. אֶת יהוה, like עִם יהוה, with the Lord. When He created me and my husband, He alone created us, but with this one, we are partners with Him. — [from Gen. Rabbah 22:2, Mid. Tadshei, Niddah 31a]   אֶת־ה'  כְּמוֹ עִם ה', כְּשֶׁבָּרָא אוֹתִי וְאֶת אִישִׁי, הוּא לְבַדּוֹ בְּרָאָנוּ אֲבָל בָּזֶה שֻׁתָּפִים אָנוּ עִמּוֹ (נדה ל"א):
Cain… his brother Abel Heb. אֶת קַיִן אֶת אָחִיו אֶת הָבֶל. The word אֶת is repeated three times to suggest additional things. This teaches that a twin sister was born with Cain, and with Abel were born two. Therefore, it is said: וַתֹּסֶף, and she continued, or added. — [from Gen. Rabbah 22:2, 3]   אֶת־קַיִן אֶת־אחיו אֶת־הבל  ג' אֶתִים רִבּוּיִים הֵם, מְלַמֵּד, שֶׁתְּאוֹמָה נוֹלְדָה עִם קַיִן, וְעִם הֶבֶל נוֹלְדוּ שְׁתַּיִם, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וַתֹּסֶף (בראשית רבה):
2And she continued to bear his brother Abel, and Abel was a shepherd of flocks, and Cain was a tiller of the soil.   בוַתֹּ֣סֶף לָלֶ֔דֶת אֶת־אָחִ֖יו אֶת־הָ֑בֶל וַֽיְהִי־הֶ֨בֶל֙ רֹ֣עֵה צֹ֔אן וְקַ֕יִן הָיָ֖ה עֹבֵ֥ד אֲדָמָֽה:
a shepherd of flocks Since the ground was cursed, he refrained from working it.   רֹעֵה צֹאן  לְפִי שֶׁנִּתְקַלְּלָה הָאֲדָמָה פֵּרֵשׁ לוֹ מֵעֲבוֹדָתָהּ:
3Now it came to pass at the end of days, that Cain brought of the fruit of the soil an offering to the Lord.   גוַיְהִ֖י מִקֵּ֣ץ יָמִ֑ים וַיָּבֵ֨א קַ֜יִן מִפְּרִ֧י הָֽאֲדָמָ֛ה מִנְחָ֖ה לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
of the fruit of the soil of the most inferior (Gen. Rabbah 22:5), and there is an Aggadah that states that it was flaxseed (Mid. Tan. Bereishith 9, Targum Jonathan). (Another explanation: of the fruit - from whatever came to his hand, not the best and not the choicest.)   מִפְּרִי הָֽאֲדָמָה  מִן הַגָּרוּעַ, וְיֵשׁ אַגָּדָה שֶׁאוֹמֶרֶת זֶרַע פִּשְׁתָּן הָיָה. (דבר אחר: מפרי, מאיזה שבא לידו, לא טוב ולא מבחר):
4And Abel he too brought of the firstborn of his flocks and of their fattest, and the Lord turned to Abel and to his offering.   דוְהֶ֨בֶל הֵבִ֥יא גַם־ה֛וּא מִבְּכֹר֥וֹת צֹאנ֖וֹ וּמֵֽחֶלְבֵהֶ֑ן וַיִּ֣שַׁע יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־הֶ֖בֶל וְאֶל־מִנְחָתֽוֹ:
turned Heb. וַיִּשַׁע, and he turned. Likewise, (verse 5): “וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ לֹא שָׁעָה” means: [And to his offering] He did not turn. Similarly, (Exod. 5:9): וְאַל יִשְׁעוּ means: and let them not turn. Similarly, (Job 14:6): שְׁעֵה מֵעָלָיו means: turn away from him.   וַיִּשַׁע  וַיִּפֶן, וְכֵן וְאֶל מִנְחָתוֹ לֹא שָׁעָה – לֹא פָנָה, וְכֵן וְלֹא יִשְׁעֶה (ישעיהו י"ז) – לֹא יִפְנֶה, וְכֵן שְׁעֵה מֵעָלָיו (איוב י"ד) פְּנֵה מֵעָלָיו:
and…turned Fire descended and consumed his offering. — [from Song Zuta 6:2, Sefer Hayashar]   וַיִּשַׁע  יָרְדָה אֵשׁ וְלִחֲכָה מִנְחָתוֹ:
5But to Cain and to his offering He did not turn, and it annoyed Cain exceedingly, and his countenance fell.   הוְאֶל־קַ֥יִן וְאֶל־מִנְחָת֖וֹ לֹ֣א שָׁעָ֑ה וַיִּ֤חַר לְקַ֨יִן֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַיִּפְּל֖וּ פָּנָֽיו:
6And the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you annoyed, and why has your countenance fallen?   ווַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־קָ֑יִן לָ֚מָּה חָ֣רָה לָ֔ךְ וְלָ֖מָּה נָֽפְל֥וּ פָנֶֽיךָ:
7Is it not so that if you improve, it will be forgiven you? If you do not improve, however, at the entrance, sin is lying, and to you is its longing, but you can rule over it."   זהֲל֤וֹא אִם־תֵּיטִיב֙ שְׂאֵ֔ת וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תֵיטִ֔יב לַפֶּ֖תַח חַטָּ֣את רֹבֵ֑ץ וְאֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ תְּשׁ֣וּקָת֔וֹ וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ:
Is it not so that if you improve Its explanation is as the Targum renders it [i.e., if you improve your deeds.]   הלא אִם־תֵּיטִיב  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ פֵּרוּשׁוֹ:
at the entrance sin is lying At the entrance of your grave, your sin is preserved.   לַפֶּתַח חַטָּאת רובץ  לְפֶתַח קִבְרְךָ חֶטְאֲךָ שָׁמוּר:
and to you is it’s longing [The longing] of sin- i.e., the evil inclination-which constantly longs and lusts to cause you to stumble.   וְאֵלֶיךָ תְּשׁוּקָתוֹ  שֶׁל חַטָּאת הוּא יֵצֶר הָרָע, תָּמִיד שׁוֹקֵק וּמִתְאַוֶּה לְהַכְשִׁילְךָ:
but you can rule over it If you wish, you will overpower it. — [from Sifrei Ekev 45, Kidd. 30b]   וְאַתָּה תִּמְשָׁל־בּֽוֹ  אִם תִּרְצֶה תִּתְגַּבֵּר עָלָיו:
8And Cain spoke to Abel his brother, and it came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.   חוַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יו וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּֽהְיוֹתָ֣ם בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּ֥קָם קַ֛יִן אֶל־הֶ֥בֶל אָחִ֖יו וַיַּֽהַרְגֵֽהוּ:
And Cain spoke He entered with him into words of quarrel and contention, to find a pretext to kill him. There are Aggadic interpretations on this matter, but this is the plain meaning of the verse.   וַיֹּאמֶר קַיִן אֶל־הֶבֶל  נִכְנַס עִמּוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי רִיב וּמַצָּה לְהִתְעוֹלֵל עָלָיו לְהָרְגוֹ. וְיֵשׁ בָּזֶה מִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה, אַךְ זֶה יִשּׁוּבוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא:
9And the Lord said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"   טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־קַ֔יִן אֵ֖י הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי הֲשֹׁמֵ֥ר אָחִ֖י אָנֹֽכִי:
Where is Abel your brother To enter with him into mild words, perhaps he would repent and say, “I killed him, and I sinned against You.” See above 3:9.   אֵי הֶבֶל אָחִיךָ  לְכָּנֵס עִמּוֹ בְּדִבְרֵי נַחַת, אוּלַי יָשׁוּב וְיֹאמַר: אֲנִי הֲרַגְתִּיו וְחָטָאתִי לְךָ:
I do not know He acted as if he could deceive the Most High. — [from Tanchuma Buber, Bereishith 25, Gen. Rabbah 22:9]   לֹא יָדַעְתִּי  נַעֲשָׂה כְּגוֹנֵב דַּעַת הָעֶלְיוֹנָה:
Am I my brother’s keeper Heb. הֲשֹׁמֵר. This is a question asked in astonishment, as is every “hey” prefix vowelized with a “chataf pattach.”   השומר אָחִי  לְשׁוֹן תֵּמַהּ הוּא, וְכֵן כָּל הֵ"א הַנְּקוּדָה בַּחֲטַף פַּתָּח:
10And He said, "What have you done? Hark! Your brother's blood cries out to Me from the earth.   יוַיֹּ֖אמֶר מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ ק֚וֹל דְּמֵ֣י אָחִ֔יךָ צֹֽעֲקִ֥ים אֵלַ֖י מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה:
Your brother’s blood Heb. דְּמֵי, the plural form. His blood and the blood of his descendants. Another explanation: He inflicted many wounds upon him because he did not know from where his soul would depart. — [from Sanh. 37]   דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ  דָּמוֹ וְדַם זַרְעִיּוֹתָיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֶׁעָשָׂה בוֹ פְּצָעִים הַרְבֵּה, שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ מֵהֵיכָן נַפְשׁוֹ יוֹצְאָה (סנהדרין ל"ז):
11And now, you are cursed even more than the ground, which opened its mouth to take your brother's blood from your hand.   יאוְעַתָּ֖ה אָר֣וּר אָ֑תָּה מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר פָּֽצְתָ֣ה אֶת־פִּ֔יהָ לָקַ֛חַת אֶת־דְּמֵ֥י אָחִ֖יךָ מִיָּדֶֽךָ:
even more than the ground Even more than it [the earth] was already cursed for its iniquity, and also with this it continued to sin. — [from Gen. Rabbah 5:9; Mechilta Beshallach, Massechta d’Shirah , ch. 9] As stated above (1:11), the iniquity was its failure to produce trees with the taste of the fruit.   אָרוּר אָתָּה מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָה  יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁנִּתְקַלְּלָה הִיא כְּבָר בַּעֲוֹנָהּ, וְגַם בָּזוֹ הוֹסִיפָה לַחֲטֹא,
which opened its mouth to take your brother’s blood, etc And behold, I am adding to it a curse concerning you, that “it will not continue to give [you] its strength.” [In some editions, this is all one paragraph from “more than the ground.”]   אֲשֶׁר פָּֽצְתָה אֶת־פִּיהָ לָקַחַת אֶת־דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ וגו'  וְהִנְּנִי מוֹסִיף לָהּ קְלָלָה אֶצְלְךָ, לֹא תֹסֵף תֵּת כֹּחָהּ:
12When you till the soil, it will not continue to give its strength to you; you shall be a wanderer and an exile in the land."   יבכִּ֤י תַֽעֲבֹד֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה לֹֽא־תֹסֵ֥ף תֵּֽת־כֹּחָ֖הּ לָ֑ךְ נָ֥ע וָנָ֖ד תִּֽהְיֶ֥ה בָאָֽרֶץ:
a wanderer and an exile You have no permission to dwell in one place. —   נָע וָנָד  אֵין לְךָ רְשׁוּת לָדוּר בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד:
13And Cain said to the Lord, "Is my iniquity too great to bear?   יגוַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־יְהֹוָ֑ה גָּד֥וֹל עֲוֹנִ֖י מִנְּשֽׂוֹא:
Is my iniquity too great to bear This is a question. You bear the upper worlds and the lower worlds, and my iniquity is impossible for You to bear?- [from Tanchuma Buber, Bereishith 25; Gen. Rabbah 22:11; Targum Jonathan and Yerusahlmi]   עֲוֹנִי מִנְּשֽׂוֹא  בִּתְמִיהָ, אַתָּה טוֹעֵן עֶלְיוֹנִים וְתַחְתּוֹנִים, וַעֲוֹנִי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִטְעֹן? (בראשית רבה)
14Behold You have driven me today off the face of the earth, and I shall be hidden from before You, and I will be a wanderer and an exile in the land, and it will be that whoever finds me will kill me."   ידהֵן֩ גֵּרַ֨שְׁתָּ אֹתִ֜י הַיּ֗וֹם מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה וּמִפָּנֶ֖יךָ אֶסָּתֵ֑ר וְהָיִ֜יתִי נָ֤ע וָנָד֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ וְהָיָ֥ה כָל־מֹֽצְאִ֖י יַֽהַרְגֵֽנִי:
15And the Lord said to him, "Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be wrought upon him sevenfold," and the Lord placed a mark on Cain that no one who find him slay him.   טווַיֹּ֧אמֶר ל֣וֹ יְהֹוָ֗ה לָכֵן֙ כָּל־הֹרֵ֣ג קַ֔יִן שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם יֻקָּ֑ם וַיָּ֨שֶׂם יְהֹוָ֤ה לְקַ֨יִן֙ א֔וֹת לְבִלְתִּ֥י הַכּֽוֹת־אֹת֖וֹ כָּל־מֹֽצְאֽוֹ:
Therefore, whoever kills Cain…! This is one of the verses that speak briefly and hint but do not [fully] explain.“Therefore, whoever kills Cain” is a threat. So shall be done to him, or such-and-such shall be his punishment, but it does not delineate his punishment. — [from Gen. Rabbah 22:12]   לָכֵן כָּל־הורג קַיִן  זֶה אֶחָד מִן הַמִּקְרָאוֹת שֶׁקִּצְּרוּ דִּבְרֵיהֶם וְרָמְזוּ וְלֹא פֵרְשׁוּ, לָכֵן כָּל הֹרֵג קַיִן לְשׁוֹן גְּעָרָה, כֹּה יֵעָשֶׂה לוֹ, כָּךְ וְכָךְ עָנְשׁוֹ וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ עָנְשׁוֹ:
vengeance will be wrought upon him sevenfold I do not wish to wreak vengeance upon Cain now. At the end of seven generations, I will wreak My vengeance upon him, for Lemech, one of his grandchildren, will rise up and slay him. And the words שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָם at the end of the verse, (after seven generations, vengeance will be wrought upon him)-refers to the avenging of Abel from Cain (Tan. Bereishith 11). This teaches that the beginning of the verse is an expression of a threat, that no creature should harm him. Similarly, (II Sam. 5:8): “And David said: Whoever smites the Jebusites and reaches the tower,” but it does not explain what would be done for him, but the verse spoke by hinting: [meaning] “Whoever smites the Jebusites and reaches the tower,” and reaches the gate and conquers it, “and the blind, etc.,” [meaning] and he will smite them too [i.e., the blind and the lame], because the blind and the lame said, “David shall not come into the midst of the house.” He who smites these, I will make into a chief and an officer. Here (II Sam.) he spoke briefly, but in I Chronicles (11:6), he explained [at length]: “He will become a chief and an officer.”   שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם  אֵינִי רוֹצֶה לְהִנָּקֵם מִקַּיִן עַכְשָׁו, לְסוֹף שִׁבְעָה דוֹרוֹת אֲנִי נוֹקֵם נִקְמָתִי מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד לֶמֶךְ מִבְּנֵי בָּנָיו וְיַהַרְגֵהוּ, וְסוֹף הַמִּקְרָא שֶׁאָמַר שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקָּם, וְהִיא נִקְמַת הֶבֶל מִקַּיִן, לִמְּדָנוּ שֶׁתְּחִלַּת מִקְרָא לְשׁוֹן גְּעָרָה הִיא, שֶׁלֹּא תְהֵא בְרִיָּה מַזִּיקַתּוּ, וְכַיּוֹצֵא בוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד כָּל מַכֵּה יְבֻסִי וְיִגַּע בַּצִּנּוֹר (שמואל ב ה'), וְלֹא פֵּרֵשׁ מַה יֵּעָשֶׂה לוֹ, אֲבָל דִּבֵּר הַכָּתוּב בְּרֶמֶז כָּל מַכֵּה יְבֻסִי וְיִגַּע בַּצִּנּוֹר וְיִקְרַב אֶל הַשַּׁעַר וְיִכְבְּשֶׁנּוּ וְאֶת הָעִוְרִים וגו', וְגַם אוֹתָם יַכֶּה עַל אֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ הָעִוֵּר וְהַפִּסֵּחַ לֹא יָבֹא דָוִד אֶל תּוֹךְ הַבַּיִת – הַמַּכֶּה אֶת אֵלּוּ אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂנּוּ רֹאשׁ וְשַׂר, כָּאן קִצֵּר דְּבָרָיו, וּבְדִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים פֵּרֵשׁ יִהְיֶה לְרֹאשׁ וּלְשָׂר:
and the Lord placed a mark on Cain He engraved a letter of His Name on his forehead. [Other editions (of Rashi)]: Another explanation:   וַיָּשֶׂם ה' לְקַיִן אוֹת  חָקַק לוֹ אוֹת מִשְּׁמוֹ בְּמִצְחוֹ. ס"א דָּבָר אַחֵר:
whoever finds me will kill me This refers to the cattle and the beasts, but there were yet no humans in existence whom he should fear, only his father and mother, and he did not fear that they would kill him. But he said, “Until now, my fear was upon all the beasts, as it is written (Gen. 9:2): ‘And your fear, etc.,’ but now, because of this iniquity, the beasts will not fear me, and they will kill me.” Immediately,“and the Lord gave Cain a sign.” He restored his fear upon everyone- [as in ed. Guadalajara, 1476].   כָּל מוֹצְאִי יַהַרְגֵנִי הַבְּהֵמוֹת וְהַחַיּוֹת, אֲבָל בְּנֵי אָדָם עֲדַיִן לֹא הָיוּ שֶׁיִּירָא מֵהֶם, רַק אָבִיו וְאִמּוֹ, וּמֵהֶם לֹא הָיָה יָרֵא שֶׁיַּהַרְגוּהוּ, אֶלָּא אָמַר עַד עַכְשָׁו הָיָה פַּחְדָּתִי עַל כָּל הַחַיּוֹת כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב וּמוֹרַאֲכֶם וְגוֹ', וְעַכְשָׁו בִּשְׁבִיל עָוֹן זֶה לֹא יִירְאוּ מִמֶּנִּי הַחַיּוֹת וְיַהַרְגוּנִי, מִיָּד וַיָּשֶׂם ה' לְקַיִן אוֹת – הֶחֱזִיר אֶת מוֹרָאוֹ עַל הַחַיּוֹת:
16And Cain went forth from before the Lord, and he dwelt in the land of the wanderers, to the east of Eden.   טזוַיֵּ֥צֵא קַ֖יִן מִלִּפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב בְּאֶֽרֶץ־נ֖וֹד קִדְמַת־עֵֽדֶן:
And Cain went forth He went out with humility, as if to deceive the Most High. — [from Gen. Rabbah 22:13]   וַיֵּצֵא קַיִן  יָצָא בְהַכְנָעָה כְּגוֹנֵב דַּעַת הָעֶלְיוֹנָה:
in the land of the wanderers Heb. בְּאֶרֶץ נוֹד, in the land where all the exiles wander.   בְּאֶֽרֶץ־נוֹד  בָּאֶרֶץ שֶׁכָּל הַגּוֹלִים נָדִים שָׁם:
to the east of Eden There his father was exiled when he was driven out of the Garden of Eden, as it is said (3:24) “and He stationed at the east of the Garden of Eden, etc., to guard” the way of approach to the Garden, from which we can learn that Adam was there. And we find that the easterly direction always offers asylum for murderers, as it is said (Deut. 4:41): “Then Moses separated, etc. [three cities of refuge] in the direction of the sunrise” - [Mid. Devarim Rabbah, Lieberman, p.60; Tan. Buber ad loc.]. Another explanation: בְּאֶרֶץ נוֹד means that wherever he went, the earth would quake beneath him, and the people would say, “Go away from him; this is the one who killed his brother” [Mid. Tan., Bereishith 9].   קִדְמַת־עֵֽדֶן  שָׁם גָּלָה אָבִיו כְּשֶׁגֹּרַשׁ מִגַּן עֵדֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיַּשְׁכֵּן מִקֶּדֶם לְגַן עֵדֶן אֶת שְׁמִירַת דֶּרֶךְ מְבוֹא הַגָּן, שֶׁיֵּשׁ לִלְמֹד שֶׁהָיָה אָדָם שָׁם, וּמָצִינוּ רוּחַ מִזְרָחִית קוֹלֶטֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֶת הָרוֹצְחִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אָז יַבְדִּיל מֹשֶׁה וְגוֹמֵר, מִזְרְחָה שָׁמֶשׁ (דברים ד'), דָּבָר אַחֵר בְּאֶרֶץ נוֹד, כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ הָיְתָה הָאָרֶץ מִזְדַּעְזְעָה תַּחְתָּיו, וְהַבְּרִיּוֹת אוֹמְרִים סוּרוּ מֵעָלָיו, זֶהוּ שֶׁהָרַג אֶת אָחִיו:
17And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch, and he was building a city, and he called the city after the name of his son, Enoch.   יזוַיֵּ֤דַע קַ֨יִן֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַתַּ֖הַר וַתֵּ֣לֶד אֶת־חֲנ֑וֹךְ וַֽיְהִי֙ בֹּ֣נֶה עִ֔יר וַיִּקְרָא֙ שֵׁ֣ם הָעִ֔יר כְּשֵׁ֖ם בְּנ֥וֹ חֲנֽוֹךְ:
and he was [i.e.,] Cain built a city, and he named the city in memory of his son Enoch.   וַֽיְהִי קַיִן בונה עִיר וַיִּקְרָא שֵׁם הָעִיר  לְזֵכֶר בְּנוֹ חֲנוֹךְ:
18And Irad was born to Enoch, and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehijael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lemech.   יחוַיִּוָּלֵ֤ד לַֽחֲנוֹךְ֙ אֶת־עִירָ֔ד וְעִירָ֕ד יָלַ֖ד אֶת־מְחֽוּיָאֵ֑ל וּמְחִיָּיאֵ֗ל יָלַד֙ אֶת־מְת֣וּשָׁאֵ֔ל וּמְתֽוּשָׁאֵ֖ל יָלַ֥ד אֶת־לָֽמֶךְ:
and Irad begot Heb. יָלַד In some places, it says regarding the male הוֹלִיד, and in some places it says יָלַד, because the verb ילד can be used to express two meanings: the giving birth by the woman, nestre in Old French (naître in modern French), and the man’s begetting, anjandrer in Old French (engendrer in modern French). When it says הוֹלִיד in the הִפְעִיל conjugation (causative), it speaks of the woman’s giving birth, i.e., so-and-so caused his wife to bear a son or a daughter. When it says יָלַד, it speaks of the man’s begetting, and that is anjandrer in Old French.   וְעִירָד יָלַד  יֵשׁ מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר בְּזָכָר הוֹלִיד וְיֵשׁ מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר יָלַד, שֶׁהַלֵּדָה מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת שְׁתֵּי לְשׁוֹנוֹת, לֵדַת הָאִשָּׁה ניש"טרא בְּלַעַז וּזְרִיעַת תּוֹלְדוֹת הָאִישׁ אינזי"ראר בְּלַעַז. כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר הוֹלִיד בִּלְשׁוֹן הִפְעִיל, מְדַבֵּר בְּלֵדַת הָאִשָּׁה – פְּלוֹנִי הוֹלִיד אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ בֵּן אוֹ בַת, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר יָלַד, מְדַבֵּר בִּזְרִיעַת הָאִישׁ:

Fifth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 4

19And Lemech took himself two wives; one was named Adah, and the other was named Zillah.   יטוַיִּקַּח־ל֥וֹ לֶ֖מֶךְ שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשִׁ֑ים שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאַחַת֙ עָדָ֔ה וְשֵׁ֥ם הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית צִלָּֽה:
And Lemech took himself two wives It was not necessary to elaborate on all this, but it did so to teach us from the end of the section that the Holy One, blessed be He, kept His promise when He said, “vengeance will be wrought upon Cain sevenfold,” and Lemech arose after he had begotten sons and raised the seventh generation, and he slew Cain. This is what is meant by [Lemech’s statement] “for have I slain a man by my wounding, etc.” - [from sources quoted on verse 23]   וַיִּקַּח־לוֹ לֶמֶךְ  לֹא הָיָה לוֹ לְפָרֵשׁ כָּל זֶה, אֶלָּא לְלַמְּדֵנוּ מִסּוֹף הָעִנְיָן, שֶׁקִּיֵּם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַבְטָחָתוֹ שֶׁאָמַר שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקַּם קָיִן, עָמַד לֶמֶךְ לְאַחַר שֶׁהוֹלִיד בָּנִים וְעָשָׂה דּוֹר שְׁבִיעִי וְהָרַג אֶת קַיִן, זֶהוּ שֶׁאָמַר כִּי אִישׁ הָרַגְתִּי לְפִצְעִי וְגוֹמֵר:
two wives So was the custom of the generation of the Flood, one [wife] for propagation and one for marital relations. The one who was for marital relations would be given a potion of roots to drink, so that she should become sterile (in some editions, the following does not appear), and he would adorn her like a bride and feed her delicacies, but her companion was neglected and was mourning like a widow. This is what Job explained (24:21): “He feeds the barren woman who will not bear, but he does not adorn the widow.” [This is] as explained in the Aggadah of Chelek (Sanh. ch. 10) (not found in our edition, but in Gen. Rabbah 23:2).   שְׁתֵּי נָשִׁים  כָּךְ הָיָה דַּרְכָּן שֶׁל דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל אַחַת לִפְרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה וְאַחַת לְתַשְׁמִישׁ, זוֹ שֶׁהִיא לְתַשְׁמִישׁ מַשְׁקָהּ כּוֹס שֶׁל עִקָּרִין כְּדֵי שֶׁתֵּעָקֵר וּמְקֻשֶּׁטֶת כְּכַלָּה וּמַאֲכִילָהּ מַעֲדַנִּים, וַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ נְזוּפָה וַאֲבֵלָה כְּאַלְמָנָה, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁפֵּרֵשׁ אִיּוֹב רֹעֶה עֲקָרָה לֹא תֵלֵד וְאַלְמָנָה לֹא יְיֵטִיב (איוב כ"ד), כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בְּאַגָּדַת חֵלֶק (וּבּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה):
Adah She was the one for propagation, called so because she was despicable to him and removed from him. עָדָה is the Aramaic translation of סוּרָה, turn away.   עָדָה  הִיא שֶׁל פְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה עַל שֵׁם שֶׁמְּגֻנָּה עָלָיו וּמוּסֶרֶת מֵאֶצְלוֹ, עָדָה תַּרְגּוּם שֶׁל סוּרָה:
Zillah She was the one for marital relations. [so named] because she would always sit in his shadow (בְּצִלּוֹ). These are the words of Aggadah in Genesis Rabbah.   צִלָּֽה  הִיא שֶׁל תַּשְׁמִישׁ, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁיּוֹשֶׁבֶת תָּמִיד בְּצִלּוֹ, דִּבְרֵי אַגָּדָה הֵם בּבְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה:
20Now Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle.   כוַתֵּ֥לֶד עָדָ֖ה אֶת־יָבָ֑ל ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י ישֵׁ֥ב אֹ֖הֶל וּמִקְנֶֽה:
the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle He was the first to pasture animals in uncultivated places and dwell in tents, one month here and one month here for the sake of his flocks. When the pasture in this place was depleted, he went and pitched his tent elsewhere (Targumim). According to the Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 23:3), he would build houses for idol worship, as it is said (Ezek. 8:3), "The image of jealousy that provokes (God to) jealousy (הַקִּנְאָה הַמַּקְנֶה). And so did his brother grasp the lyre and the flute to sing to pagan deities. (Bereishith Rabbathi, p. 49)   אֲבִי ישֵׁב אֹהֶל וּמִקְנֶֽה  הוּא הָיָה הָרִאשׁוֹן לְרוֹעֵי בְהֵמוֹת בַּמִּדְבָּרוֹת, יוֹשֵׁב אֹהָלִים חֹדֶשׁ כָּאן וְחֹדֶשׁ כָּאן בִּשְׁבִיל מִרְעֵה צֹאנוֹ, וּכְשֶׁכָּלֶה הַמִּרְעֶה בְּמָקוֹם זֶה הוֹלֵךְ וְתוֹקֵעַ אָהֳלוֹ בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה בּוֹנֶה בָתִּים לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר סֵמֶל הַקִּנְאָה הַמַּקְנֶה (יחזקאל ח'), וְכֵן אָחִיו תּוֹפֵשׂ כִּנּוֹר וְעוּגָב לְזַמֵּר לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:
21And his brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who grasp a lyre and a flute.   כאוְשֵׁ֥ם אָחִ֖יו יוּבָ֑ל ה֣וּא הָיָ֔ה אֲבִ֕י כָּל־תֹּפֵ֥שׂ כִּנּ֖וֹר וְעוּגָֽב:
22And Zillah she too bore Tubal-cain, who sharpened all tools that cut copper and iron, and Tubal-cain's sister was Na'amah.   כבוְצִלָּ֣ה גַם־הִ֗וא יָֽלְדָה֙ אֶת־תּ֣וּבַל קַ֔יִן לֹטֵ֕שׁ כָּל־חֹרֵ֥שׁ נְח֖שֶׁת וּבַרְזֶ֑ל וַֽאֲח֥וֹת תּֽוּבַל־קַ֖יִן נַֽעֲמָֽה:
Tubal-cain He refined the craft of Cain. Tubal is related to the word תַּבְלִין (spices). He “spiced” and “refined” Cain’s craft to make weapons for murderers- [from Gen. Rabbah 23:3].   תּוּבַל קַיִן  תּוֹבֵל אֻמָּנֻתוֹ שֶׁל קַיִן, תּוּבָל לְשׁוֹן תַּבְלִין, תִּבֵּל וְהִתְקִין אֻמָּנוּתוֹ שֶׁל קַיִן לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּלֵי זַיִן לָרוֹצְחִים:
who sharpened all tools that cut copper and iron Heb. לֹטֵשׁ. He sharpened the tools [for working with] copper and iron, like (Job 16:9): “sharpens (יִלְטוֹשׁ) his eyes upon me.” חֹרֵשׁ is not an expression of פּוֹעֶל (a noun) but an expression of פּוֹעֵל (a verb), because it is vowelized with a small “kamatz” (i.e., a tzeireh) and the final syllable is accented, i.e., he sharpens and burnishes all implements of the craft of copper and iron.   לֹטֵשׁ כָּל־חֹרֵשׁ נְחשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל  מְחַדֵּד אֻמָּנוּת נְחֹשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל כְּמוֹ יִלְטֹשׁ עֵינָיו לִי (איוב ט"ז). חוֹרֵשׁ אֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן פֹּעֶל אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן פּוֹעֵל, שֶׁהֲרֵי נָקוּד קָמָץ קָטָן וְטַעְמוֹ לְמַטָּה, כְּלוֹמַר, מְחַדֵּד וּמְצַחְצֵחַ כָּל כְּלֵי אֻמָּנוּת נְחֹשֶׁת וּבַרְזֶל:
Na’amah She was Noah’s wife. (Genesis Rabbah 23:3)   נַֽעֲמָֽה  הִיא אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל נֹחַ:

Sixth Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 4

23Now Lemech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, hearken to my voice; wives of Lemech, incline your ears to my words, for I have slain a man by wounding (him) and a child by bruising (him).   כגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר לֶ֜מֶךְ לְנָשָׁ֗יו עָדָ֤ה וְצִלָּה֙ שְׁמַ֣עַן קוֹלִ֔י נְשֵׁ֣י לֶ֔מֶךְ הַֽאֲזֵ֖נָּה אִמְרָתִ֑י כִּ֣י אִ֤ישׁ הָרַ֨גְתִּי֙ לְפִצְעִ֔י וְיֶ֖לֶד לְחַבֻּֽרָתִֽי:
hearken to my voice For his wives separated from being intimate with him because he had slain Cain and Tubal-cain, his (Lemech’s) son. [The story was] that Lemech was blind, and Tubal-cain was leading him. He spotted Cain, who appeared to him as an animal, and he told his father to draw the bow, and he killed him. As soon as he learned that it was his grandfather Cain, he clapped his hands together [in anguish] and clapped his son between them and killed him. So his wives separated from him, and he attempted to appease them.   שְׁמַעַן קוֹלִי  שֶׁהָיוּ פּוֹרְשׁוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ מִתַּשְׁמִישׁ, לְפִי שֶׁהָרַג אֶת קַיִן וְאֶת תּוּבַל קַיִן בְּנוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה לֶמֶךְ סוּמָא וְתוּבַל קַיִן מוֹשְׁכוֹ, וְרָאָה אֶת קַיִן וְנִדְמָה לוֹ כְּחַיָּה וְאָמַר לְאָבִיו לִמְשֹׁךְ בַּקֶּשֶׁת וַהֲרָגוֹ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיָּדַע שֶׁהוּא קַיִן זְקֵנוֹ הִכָּה כַּף אֶל כַּף וְסָפַק אֶת בְּנוֹ בֵינֵיהֶם וַהֲרָגוֹ, וְהָיוּ נָשָׁיו פּוֹרְשׁוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא מְפַיְּסָן:
hearken to my voice to hearken to me to agree to live with me, for was the man I killed, killed because of my wounding? Did I wound him intentionally, that the wound should be attributed to my name? And the child I killed, was he killed by my bruising, i.e., on account of my [intentional] bruising? This is a question. Did I not do it inadvertently and not intentionally? This is not my wound, and this is not my bruise. פֶּצַע is a wound inflicted by a sword or an arrow, machadure in Old French.   שְׁמַעַן קוֹלִי  לְהִשָּׁמַע לִי לְתַשְׁמִישׁ, וְכִי אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר הָרַגְתִּי לְפִצְעִי הוּא נֶהֱרַג, וְכִי אֲנִי פְצַעְתִּיו מֵזִיד שֶׁיְּהֵא הַפֶּצַע קָרוּי עַל שְׁמִי? וְיֶלֶד אֲשֶׁר הָרַגְתִּי, לְחַבֻּרָתִי נֶהֱרַג? כְּלוֹמַר, עַל יְדֵי חַבֻּרָתִי? בִּתְמִיהָ, וַהֲלֹא שׁוֹגֵג אֲנִי וְלֹא מֵזִיד, לֹא זֶהוּ פִּצְעִי וְלֹא זֶהוּ חַבֻּרָתִי פֶּצַע מַכַּת חֶרֶב אוֹ חֵץ מקא"דורה בְּלַעַז:
24If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, then for Lemech it shall be seventy seven fold."   כדכִּ֥י שִׁבְעָתַ֖יִם יֻקַּם־קָ֑יִן וְלֶ֖מֶךְ שִׁבְעִ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָֽה:
If Cain be avenged sevenfold Cain, who killed intentionally, was given an extension until seven generations. How much more should I, who have killed unintentionally, be given many times seven.   כִּי שִׁבְעָתַיִם יֻקַּם־קָיִן  קַיִן שֶׁהָרַג מֵזִיד נִתְלָה לוֹ עַד שִׁבְעָה דוֹרוֹת, אֲנִי שֶׁהָרַגְתִּי שׁוֹגֵג לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁיִּתָּלֶה לִי שְׁבִיעִיּוֹת הַרְבֵּה:
seventy-seven fold Heb. שִׁבְעִים וְשִׁבְעָה An expression meaning many sevens is used here. So did Rabbi Tanchuma explain it. [This does not appear in extant editions of Tanchuma, but in Yalkut Shim’oni it is quoted from Tanchuma]. In Midrash Genesis Rabbah (23:4): Lemech did not kill anyone, but his wives separated from him after they had fulfilled [the commandment of] propagation, because a decree had been issued to destroy Cain’s seed after seven generations. They said, “Why should we give birth in vain? Tomorrow, the Flood will come and inundate everything!” He answered them, “Have I slain a man for whom I should be wounded? Did I slay Abel, who was a man in stature and a child in years, that my seed should be annihilated for that iniquity? If Cain, who killed, was given an extension of seven generations, I, who did not slay- how much more so should I be given an extension of many sevens!” Now this is an absurd deduction from a minor to a major case, [because] if so, the Holy One, blessed be He, could not exact His debt nor fulfill His word.   שִׁבְעִים וְשִׁבְעָֽה  לְשׁוֹן רִבּוּי שְׁבִיעִיּוֹת אָחַז לוֹ, כָּךְ דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא. וּמִדְרַשׁ בְּרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה לֹא הָרַג לֶמֶךְ כְּלוּם, וְנָשָׁיו פּוֹרְשׁוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ מִשֶּׁקִיְּמוּ פְּרִיָה וּרְבִיָּה, לְפִי שֶׁנִּגְזְרָה גְּזֵרָה לְכַלּוֹת זַרְעוֹ שֶׁל קַיִן לְאַחַר שִׁבְעָה דוֹרוֹת, אָמְרוּ מָה אָנוּ יוֹלְדוֹת לַבֶּהָלָה? לְמָחָר הַמַּבּוּל בָּא וְשׁוֹטֵף אֶת הַכֹּל וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לָהֶן וְכִי אִישׁ הָרַגְתִּי לְפִצְעִי? וְכִי אֲנִי הָרַגְתִּי אֶת הֶבֶל, שֶׁהָיָה אִישׁ בְּקוֹמָה וְיֶלֶד בַּשָּׁנִים, שֶׁיְּהֵא זַרְעִי כָּלֶה בְּאוֹתוֹ עָוֹן? וּמַה קַּיִן שֶׁהָרַג נִתְלָה לוֹ שִׁבְעָה דוֹרוֹת, אֲנִי שֶׁלֹּא הָרַגְתִּי, לֹא כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁיִּתָּלוּ לִי שְׁבִיעִיּוֹת הַרְבֵּה? וְזֶהוּ קַל וָחֹמֶר שֶׁל שְׁטוּת, אִם כֵּן אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גּוֹבֶה אֶת חוֹבוֹ וּמְקַיֵּם אֶת דְּבָרוֹ:
25And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son, and she named him Seth, for God has given me other seed, instead of Abel, for Cain slew him.   כהוַיֵּ֨דַע אָדָ֥ם עוֹד֙ אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שֵׁ֑ת כִּ֣י שָׁת־לִ֤י אֱלֹהִים֙ זֶ֣רַע אַחֵ֔ר תַּ֣חַת הֶ֔בֶל כִּ֥י הֲרָג֖וֹ קָֽיִן:
And Adam knew, etc. Lemech came to the first man (Adam) and complained about his wives. He (Adam) said to them, “Is it for you to be so strict concerning the decree of the Omnipresent? You perform your commandments, and He will do His.” They [the wives] said to him, “Correct yourself first. Haven’t you separated from your wife already 130 years since death was decreed because of you?” Immediately, “And Adam knew, etc.” What is the meaning of עוֹד [again]? This is to say that his desire [for Eve] was increased above his previous desire [Genesis Rabbah 23:4: 5]. See also Eruvin 18b.   וַיֵּדַע אָדָם וְגוֹ'  בָּא לוֹ לֶמֶךְ אֵצֶל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְקָבַל עַל נָשָׁיו, אָמַר לָהֶם: וְכִי עֲלֵיכֶם לְדַקְדֵּק עַל גְּזֵרָתוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם? אַתֶּם עֲשׂוּ מִצְוַתְכֶם וְהוּא יַעֲשֶׂה אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: קְשֹׁט עַצְמְךָ תְּחִלָּה, וַהֲלֹא פָּרַשְׁתָּ מֵאִשְׁתְּךָ זֶה מֵאָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה מִשֶּׁנִּקְנְסָה מִיתָה עַל יָדְךָ: מִיָּד וַיֵּדַע אָדָם וְגוֹמֵר. וּמַהוּ עוֹד, לְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּתּוֹסְפָה לוֹ תַאֲוָה עַל תַּאֲוָתוֹ (בראשית רבה):
26And to Seth also to him a son was born, and he named him Enosh; then it became common to call by the name of the Lord.   כווּלְשֵׁ֤ת גַּם־הוּא֙ יֻלַּד־בֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אֱנ֑וֹשׁ אָ֣ז הוּחַ֔ל לִקְרֹ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהֹוָֽה:
then it became common Heb. הוּחַל, is an expression of חוּלִין profaneness: to name people and idols with the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, to make them idols and to call them deities. — [from Gen. Rabbah 23:7; Baraitha of 49 Methods, quoted in Yalkut Shimoni]   אָז הוּחַל  לְשׁוֹן חֻלִּין, לִקְרֹא אֶת שְׁמוֹת הָאָדָם וְאֶת שְׁמוֹת הָעֲצַבִּים בִּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹתָן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְלִקְרוֹתָן אֱלֹהוּת:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 5

1This is the narrative of the generations of man; on the day that God created man, in the likeness of God He created him.   אזֶ֣ה סֵ֔פֶר תּֽוֹלְדֹ֖ת אָדָ֑ם בְּי֗וֹם בְּרֹ֤א אֱלֹהִים֙ אָדָ֔ם בִּדְמ֥וּת אֱלֹהִ֖ים עָשָׂ֥ה אֹתֽוֹ:
This is the narrative of the generations of man Heb. סֵפֶר. This is the narrative of the generations of man, and there are many Aggadic midrashim.   זֶה סֵפֶר תולדות אָדָם  זוֹ הִיא סְפִירַת תּוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם, וּמִדְרְשֵׁי אַגָּדָה יֵשׁ רַבִּים:
on the day that God created, etc. This tells us that on the day that he was created, he begot children. — [from Gen. Rabbah 24:7]   בְּיוֹם בְּרֹא וגו'  מַגִּיד שֶׁבַּיּוֹם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הוֹלִיד:
2Male and female He created them, and He blessed them, and He named them man (Adam) on the day they were created.   בזָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בְּרָאָ֑ם וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָ֗ם וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶת־שְׁמָם֙ אָדָ֔ם בְּי֖וֹם הִבָּֽרְאָֽם:
3And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and he begot in his likeness after his image, and he named him Seth.   גוַיְחִ֣י אָדָ֗ם שְׁלשִׁ֤ים וּמְאַת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בִּדְמוּת֖וֹ כְּצַלְמ֑וֹ וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ שֵֽׁת:
one hundred and thirty years Until then, he had separated from his wife. — [Tanchuma Buber, Bereishith 26].   שְׁלשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה  עַד כָּאן פָּרַשׁ מִן הָאִשָּׁה (בראשית רבה):
4And the days of Adam after he begot Seth were eight hundred years, and he begot sons and daughters.   דוַיִּֽהְי֣וּ יְמֵֽי־אָדָ֗ם אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֽוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־שֵׁ֔ת שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵאֹ֖ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת:
5And all the days of Adam that he lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died.   הוַיִּֽהְי֞וּ כָּל־יְמֵ֤י אָדָם֙ אֲשֶׁר־חַ֔י תְּשַׁ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּשְׁלשִׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת:
6And Seth lived one hundred and five years, and he begot Enosh.   ווַֽיְחִי־שֵׁ֕ת חָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים וּמְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־אֱנֽוֹשׁ:
7And Seth lived after he had begotten Enosh eight hundred and seven years, and he begot sons and daughters.   זוַֽיְחִי־שֵׁ֗ת אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֽוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־אֱנ֔וֹשׁ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֔ים וּשְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת:
8And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died.   חוַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ כָּל־יְמֵי־שֵׁ֔ת שְׁתֵּ֤ים עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּתְשַׁ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת:
9And Enosh lived ninety years, and he begot Kenan.   טוַיְחִ֥י אֱנ֖וֹשׁ תִּשְׁעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־קֵינָֽן:
10And Enosh lived after he had begotten Kenan eight hundred and fifteen years, and he begot sons and daughters.   יוַיְחִ֣י אֱנ֗וֹשׁ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֽוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־קֵינָ֔ן חֲמֵ֤שׁ עֶשְׂרֵה֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּשְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת:
11And all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he died.   יאוַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י אֱנ֔וֹשׁ חָמֵ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֔ים וּתְשַׁ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת:
12And Kenan lived seventy years, and he begot Mahalalel.   יבוַיְחִ֥י קֵינָ֖ן שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־מַֽהֲלַלְאֵֽל:
13And Kenan lived after he had begotten Mahalalel eight hundred and forty years, and he begot sons and daughters.   יגוַיְחִ֣י קֵינָ֗ן אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֽוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־מַֽהֲלַלְאֵ֔ל אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וּשְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת:
14And all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years, and he died.   ידוַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י קֵינָ֔ן עֶ֣שֶׂר שָׁנִ֔ים וּתְשַׁ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת:
15And Mahalalel lived sixty five years, and he begot Jared.   טווַיְחִ֣י מַֽהֲלַלְאֵ֔ל חָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים וְשִׁשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־יָֽרֶד:
16And Mahalalel lived after he had begotten Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and he begot sons and daughters.   טזוַיְחִ֣י מַֽהֲלַלְאֵ֗ל אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֽוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־יֶ֔רֶד שְׁלשִׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה וּשְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת:
17And all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety five years, and he died.   יזוַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י מַֽהֲלַלְאֵ֔ל חָמֵ֤שׁ וְתִשְׁעִים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּשְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת:
18And Jared lived a hundred and sixty two years, and he begot Enoch.   יחוַֽיְחִי־יֶ֕רֶד שְׁתַּ֧יִם וְשִׁשִּׁ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה וּמְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־חֲנֽוֹךְ:
19And Jared lived after he had begotten Enoch eight hundred years, and he begot sons and daughters.   יטוַֽיְחִי־יֶ֗רֶד אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֽוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־חֲנ֔וֹךְ שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת:
20And all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty two years, and he died.   כוַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ כָּל־יְמֵי־יֶ֔רֶד שְׁתַּ֤יִם וְשִׁשִּׁים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּתְשַׁ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת:
21And Enoch lived sixty five years, and he begot Methuselah.   כאוַיְחִ֣י חֲנ֔וֹךְ חָמֵ֥שׁ וְשִׁשִּׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־מְתוּשָֽׁלַח:
22And Enoch walked with God after he had begotten Methuselah, three hundred years, and he begot sons and daughters.   כבוַיִּתְהַלֵּ֨ךְ חֲנ֜וֹךְ אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֗ים אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֽוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־מְתוּשֶׁ֔לַח שְׁל֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת:
23And all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty five years.   כגוַיְהִ֖י כָּל־יְמֵ֣י חֲנ֑וֹךְ חָמֵ֤שׁ וְשִׁשִּׁים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּשְׁל֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָֽה:
24And Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer, for God had taken him.   כדוַיִּתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ חֲנ֖וֹךְ אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְאֵינֶ֕נּוּ כִּֽי־לָקַ֥ח אֹת֖וֹ אֱלֹהִֽים:
And Enoch walked He was a righteous man, but he could easily be swayed to return to do evil. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, hastened and took him away and caused him to die before his time. For this reason, Scripture changed [the wording] in [the account of] his demise and wrote, “and he was no longer” in the world to complete his years. — [from Gen. Rabbah 25:1]   וַיִּתְהַלֵּךְ חֲנוֹךְ  צַדִּיק הָיָה וְקַל בְּדַעְתּוֹ לָשׁוּב לְהַרְשִׁיעַ, לְפִיכָךְ מִהֵר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְסִלְּקוֹ וֶהֱמִיתוֹ קֹדֶם זְמַנּוֹ, וְזֶהוּ שֶׁשִּׁנָּה הַכָּתוּב בְּמִיתָתוֹ לִכְתֹּב וְאֵינֶנּוּ בָּעוֹלָם – לְמַלְּאוֹת שְׁנוֹתָיו ‏(בראשית רבה):
for God had taken him Before his time, like (Ezek. 24:16): “behold I am taking from you the desire of your eyes.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 25:1]   כִּֽי־לָקַח אותו  לִפְנֵי זְמַנּוֹ, כְּמוֹ הִנְנִי לֹקֵחַ מִמְּךָ אֶת מַחְמַד עֵינֶיךָ (יחזקאל כ"ד):

Seventh Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 5

25And Methuselah lived a hundred and eighty seven years, and he begot Lamech.   כהוַיְחִ֣י מְתוּשֶׁ֔לַח שֶׁ֧בַע וּשְׁמֹנִ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה וּמְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־לָֽמֶךְ:
26And Methuselah lived after he had begotten Lamech, seven hundred and eighty two years, and he begot sons and daughters.   כווַיְחִ֣י מְתוּשֶׁ֗לַח אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֽוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־לֶ֔מֶךְ שְׁתַּ֤יִם וּשְׁמוֹנִים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת:
27And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty nine years, and he died.   כזוַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ כָּל־יְמֵ֣י מְתוּשֶׁ֔לַח תֵּ֤שַׁע וְשִׁשִּׁים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּתְשַׁ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת:
28And Lamech lived a hundred and eighty two years, and he begot a son.   כחוַֽיְחִי־לֶ֕מֶךְ שְׁתַּ֧יִם וּשְׁמֹנִ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה וּמְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד בֵּֽן:
and he begot a son Heb. בֵּן, from whom the world was built (נִבְנָה). - [from Tanchuma Bereishith 11]   וַיּוֹלֶד בֵּֽן  שֶׁמִּמֶּנּוּ נִבְנָה הָעוֹלָם (בראשית רבה):
29And he named him Noah, saying, "This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of our hands from the ground, which the Lord has cursed."   כטוַיִּקְרָ֧א אֶת־שְׁמ֛וֹ נֹ֖חַ לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֞ה יְנַֽחֲמֵ֤נוּ מִמַּֽעֲשֵׂ֨נוּ֙ וּמֵֽעִצְּב֣וֹן יָדֵ֔ינוּ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽרֲרָ֖הּ יְהֹוָֽה:
This one will give us rest Heb. יְנַחֲמֵנוּ. He will give us rest (יָנַח מִמֶּנּוּ) from the toil of our hands. Before Noah came, they did not have plowshares, and he prepared [these tools] for them. And the land was producing thorns and thistles when they sowed wheat, because of the curse of the first man (Adam), but in Noah’s time, it [the curse] subsided. This is the meaning of יְנַחֲמֵנוּ. If you do not explain it that way, however (but from the root (נחם), the sense of the word does not fit the name, [נֹחַ], and you would have to name him Menachem. — [See Gen. Rabbah 25:2] [i.e., If we explain the word according to its apparent meaning, “this one will console us,” the child should have been called Menachem, the consoler.]   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:
30And Lamech lived after he had begotten Noah, five hundred and ninety five years, and he begot sons and daughters.   לוַֽיְחִי־לֶ֗מֶךְ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ הֽוֹלִיד֣וֹ אֶת־נֹ֔חַ חָמֵ֤שׁ וְתִשְׁעִים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַֽחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵאֹ֖ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֥וֹלֶד בָּנִ֖ים וּבָנֽוֹת:
31And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy seven years, and he died.   לאוַֽיְהִי֙ כָּל־יְמֵי־לֶ֔מֶךְ שֶׁ֤בַע וְשִׁבְעִים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּשְׁבַ֥ע מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת:
32And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth.   לבוַֽיְהִי־נֹ֕חַ בֶּן־חֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֣וֹלֶד נֹ֔חַ אֶת־שֵׁ֖ם אֶת־חָ֥ם וְאֶת־יָֽפֶת:
five hundred years old Said Rabbi Judan: What is the reason that all the generations begot children at [the age of approximately] one hundred years and this one [Noah, had children] at [the age of] five hundred years? Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “If they [his children] are wicked, they will perish in the [flood] water, and it will be bad for this righteous man, and if they are righteous, I will have to burden him with making many arks.” He closed his fountain, and he did not beget [children] until the age of five hundred years, so that Japheth, his eldest son, should not be liable for punishment before the Flood, as it is written (Isa. 65:20): “For the youth who is one hundred years old shall die.” [This means: at the age when he] will be liable for punishment in the future, and so it was before the giving of the Torah. — [from Gen. Rabbah 26:2]   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:
Shem, Ham, and Japheth Now was not Japheth the eldest? [i.e., Why is he mentioned last?] But first you talk about the one who was righteous, born circumcised, and from whom Abraham was descended, etc. — [from Gen. Rabbah 26:3]   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:

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 6

1And it came to pass when man commenced to multiply upon the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them.   אוַֽיְהִי֙ כִּֽי־הֵחֵ֣ל הָֽאָדָ֔ם לָרֹ֖ב עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה וּבָנ֖וֹת יֻלְּד֥וּ לָהֶֽם:
2That the sons of the nobles saw the daughters of man when they were beautifying themselves, and they took for themselves wives from whomever they chose.   בוַיִּרְא֤וּ בְנֵי־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־בְּנ֣וֹת הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֥י טֹבֹ֖ת הֵ֑נָּה וַיִּקְח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ נָשִׁ֔ים מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּחָֽרוּ:
the sons of the nobles Heb. בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים, the sons of the princes (Targumim) and the judges (Gen. Rabbah 26:5). Another explanation: בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים are the princes who go as messengers of the Omnipresent. They too mingled with them (Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 22). Every אֱלֹהִים in Scripture is an expression of authority, and the following proves it (Exod. 4:16): “And you shall be to him as a lord (לֵאלֹהִים)”; (ibid. 7:1): “See, I have made you a lord (אֶלֹהִים).”   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'):
when they were beautifying themselves Heb., טֹבֹת. Said Rabbi Judan: It is written טבת [i.e., instead of טובות. Thus it can be read טָבַת, meaning to beautify.] When they would beautify her, adorned to enter the nuptial canopy, a noble would enter and have relations with her first (Gen. Rabbah 26:5).   כִּי טֹבֹת הֵנָּה  אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן טבת כְּתִיב, כְּשֶׁהָיוּ מְטִיבִין אוֹתָהּ מְקֻשֶּׁטֶת לִכָּנֵס לַחֻפָּה, הָיָה גָּדוֹל נִכְנָס וּבוֹעֲלָהּ תְּחִלָּה (בראשית רבה):
from whomever they chose Even a married woman, even males and animals (Gen. Rabbah ad loc.).   מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר בָּחָֽרוּ  אַף בְּעוּלַת בַּעַל, אַף הַזָּכָר וְהַבְּהֵמָה:
3And the Lord said, "Let My spirit not quarrel forever concerning man, because he is also flesh, and his days shall be a hundred and twenty years."   גוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֗ה לֹֽא־יָד֨וֹן רוּחִ֤י בָֽאָדָם֙ לְעֹלָ֔ם בְּשַׁגָּ֖ם ה֣וּא בָשָׂ֑ר וְהָי֣וּ יָמָ֔יו מֵאָ֥ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֖ים שָׁנָֽה:
Let My spirit not quarrel forever Let My spirit not complain and quarrel because of man.   לֹֽא־יָדוֹן רוּחִי בָֽאָדָם  לֹא יִתְרַעֵם וְיָרִיב רוּחִי עָלַי בִּשְׁבִיל הָאָדָם
forever for a long time. Behold My spirit is quarreling within Me whether to destroy or to have mercy. Let this quarrel in My spirit not endure forever, i.e., for a long time.   לְעֹלָם  לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים; הִנֵּה רוּחִי נָדוֹן בְּקִרְבִּי אִם לְהַשְׁחִית וְאִם לְרַחֵם, לֹא יִהְיֶה מָדוֹן זֶה בְרוּחִי לְעוֹלָם, כְּלוֹמַר לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים:
because he is also flesh Heb. בְּשַׁגָּם, like בְּשֶׁגַּם, i.e., because this is also in him that he is [only] flesh, and nevertheless, he does not subordinate himself before Me. What if he were fire or a hard substance? [i.e., How much greater would his insubordination be!] Similar to this, (Jud. 5:7): “Until I Deborah arose (שַׁקַּמְתִּי)”, as if it were written שֶׁקַּמְתִּי, and similarly, (ibid. 6:17): “that You (שָׁאַתָּה) are speaking with me,” as if it were written שֶׁאַתָּה. So too, בְּשַׁגָּם is like בְּשֶׁגַּם.   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;
and his days shall be Until a hundred and twenty years I will delay My wrath towards them, but if they do not repent, I will bring a flood upon them. Now if you ask: from the time that Japheth was born until the Flood are only a hundred years, [I will answer that] there is no [sequence of] earlier and later events in the Torah. This decree had already been issued twenty years before Noah begot children, and so we find in Seder Olam (ch. 28). There are many Aggadic midrashim on the words לֹא יָדוֹן, but this is its clear, simple explanation.   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:
4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of the nobles would come to the daughters of man, and they would bear for them; they are the mighty men, who were of old, the men of renown.   דהַנְּפִלִ֞ים הָי֣וּ בָאָ֘רֶץ֘ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵם֒ וְגַ֣ם אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָבֹ֜אוּ בְּנֵ֤י הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־בְּנ֣וֹת הָֽאָדָ֔ם וְיָֽלְד֖וּ לָהֶ֑ם הֵ֧מָּה הַגִּבֹּרִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר מֵֽעוֹלָ֖ם אַנְשֵׁ֥י הַשֵּֽׁם:
The Nephilim [They were called נְפִילִים because they fell (נָפְלוּ) and caused the world to fall (הִפִּילוּ) (Gen. Rabbah 26:7), and in the Hebrew language it means giants (Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 22 and Targum Jonathan).   הַנְּפִלִים  עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנָּפְלוּ וְהִפִּילוּ אֶת הָעוֹלָם, וּבְלָשׁוֹן עִבְרִית לְשׁוֹן עֲנָקִים הוּא:
in those days in the days of the generation of Enosh and the children of Cain.   בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם  בִּימֵי דוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ וּבְנֵי קַיִן (בראשית רבה):
and also afterward Although they had seen the destruction of the generation of Enosh, when the ocean rose up and inundated a third of the world, the generation of the Flood did not humble themselves to learn from them. — [from Mechilta Yithro, Massechta Bachodesh 6; Sifrei Ekev 743]   וְגַם אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵן  אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁרָאוּ בְאָבְדָן שֶׁל דּוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ, שֶׁעָלָה אוֹקְיָנוּס וְהֵצִיף שְׁלִישׁ הָעוֹלָם לֹא נִכְנַע דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל לִלְמֹד מֵהֶם:
when…would come They [the mothers] would bear giants like them [the fathers]. — [from Gen. Rabbah 26:7]   אֲשֶׁר יָבֹאוּ  הָיוּ יוֹלְדוֹת עֲנָקִים כְּמוֹתָם:
mighty men to rebel against the Omnipresent. — [Yelammednu, Batei Midrashoth, p. 148]   הגבורים  לִמְרֹד בַּמָּקוֹם:
the men of renown Heb. אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם Those who were called by name: Irad, Mechujael, Methushael, who were so named because of their destruction, for they were wiped out (מְחוּיָאֵל from נִמּוֹחוּ) and uprooted; (מְתוּשָׁאֵל from הֻתָּשׁוּ). Another explanation: men of desolation (שִׁמָּמוֹן), who made the world desolate. — [from Gen. Rabbah 26:7]   אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּֽׁם  אוֹתָן שֶׁנִּקְּבוּ בְשֵׁמוֹת עִירָד מְחוּיָאֵל מְתוּשָׁאֵל שֶׁנִּקְּבוּ עַל שֵׁם אָבְדָּן, שֶׁנִּמֹּחוּ וְהֻתְּשׁוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר אַנְשֵׁי שִׁמָּמוֹן, שֶׁשִּׁמְּמוּ אֶת הָעוֹלָם:
5And the Lord saw that the evil of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of his heart was only evil all the time.   הוַיַּ֣רְא יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכָל־יֵ֨צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם:
6And the Lord regretted that He had made man upon the earth, and He became grieved in His heart.   ווַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ:
And the Lord regretted that He had made Heb. וַיִנָּחֶם. It was a consolation to Him that He had created him [man] of the earthly beings, for had he been one of the heavenly beings, he would have caused them to rebel. [This appears in Genesis Rabbah (27:40).   וַיִּנָּחֶם ה' כִּֽי־עָשָׂה  נֶחָמָה הָיְתָה לְפָנָיו שֶׁבְּרָאוֹ בַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים הָיָה מַמְרִידָן (בבראשית רבה):
and He became grieved [I.e.,] man [became grieved],   וַיִּתְעַצֵּב הָאָדָם:
in His heart [the heart] of the Omnipresent. It entered the thought of God to cause him [man] grief. This is the translation of Onkelos [i.e., Onkelos supports the view that וַיִּתְעַצֵּב refers to man]. Another explanation of וַיִּנָּחֶם: The thought of the Omnipresent turned from the standard of clemency to the standard of justice. It entered His thoughts to reconsider what to do with man, whom He had made upon the earth. And similarly, every expression of נִחוּם in Scripture is an expression of reconsidering what to do. [For example] (Num. 23:19): “Nor the son of man that He should change His mind (וְיִתְנֶחָם)”; (Deut. 32:36): “And concerning His servants He will change His mind (יִתְנֶחָם)”; (Exod. 32:14): “And the Lord changed His intent concerning the evil (וַיִּנָּחֶם)”; (I Sam. 15:11): “I regret (נִחַמְתִּי) that I made [Saul] king.” These are all an expression of having second thoughts.   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:
and He became grieved Heb. וַיִּתְעַצֵּב, He mourned over the destruction of His handiwork [i.e., according to this second view, וַיִּתְעַצֵּב refers to God], like (II Sam. 19:3): “The king is saddened (נֶעֱצַב) over his son.” This I wrote to refute the heretics: A gentile asked Rabbi Joshua ben Korchah, “Do you not admit that the Holy One, blessed be He, foresees the future?” He [Rabbi Joshua] replied to him, “Yes.” He retorted, “But it is written: and He became grieved in His heart!” He [Rabbi Joshua] replied, “Was a son ever born to you?” “Yes,” he [the gentile] replied. “And what did you do?” he [Rabbi Joshua] asked. He replied, “I rejoiced and made everyone rejoice.” “But did you not know that he was destined to die?” he asked. He [the gentile] replied, “At the time of joy, joy; at the time of mourning, mourning.” He [Rabbi Joshua] said to him, “So is it with the work of the Holy One, blessed be He; even though it was revealed before Him that they would ultimately sin, and He would destroy them, He did not refrain from creating them, for the sake of the righteous men who were destined to arise from them.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 27:4]   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:
7And the Lord said, "I will blot out man, whom I created, from upon the face of the earth, from man to cattle to creeping thing, to the fowl of the heavens, for I regret that I made them."   זוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶמְחֶ֨ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֤ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֨אתִי֙ מֵעַל֨ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה מֵֽאָדָם֙ עַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה עַד־רֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י נִחַ֖מְתִּי כִּ֥י עֲשִׂיתִֽם:
And the Lord said, "I will blot out man He is dust, and I will bring water upon him, and I will blot him out." Therefore, the expression מִחוּי is used. — [from Tan. Buber, Noah 4]   וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶמְחֶה אֶת־הָֽאָדָם  הוּא עָפָר וְאָבִיא עָלָיו מַיִם וְאֶמְחֶה אוֹתוֹ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר לָשׁוֹן מִחוּי:
from man to cattle They too corrupted their way (Gen. Rabbah 28:8). Another explanation: Everything was created for man’s sake, and since he will be annihilated, what need is there for these [the animals]? (Sanh. 108a).   מֵֽאָדָם עַד־בְּהֵמָה  אַף הֵם הִשְׁחִיתוּ דַּרְכָּם (בראשית רבה). דָּבָר אַחֵר הַכֹּל נִבְרָא בִּשְׁבִיל אָדָם וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהוּא כָלֶה מַה צֹּרֶךְ בְּאֵלּוּ:
for I regret that I made them I am thinking what to do about having made them.   כִּי נִחַמְתִּי כִּי עֲשִׂיתִֽם  חָשַׁבְתִּי מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת עַל אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתִים:
8But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.   חוְנֹ֕חַ מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:

Maftir Portion

Bereshit (Genesis) Chapter 6

5And the Lord saw that the evil of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of his heart was only evil all the time.   הוַיַּ֣רְא יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכָל־יֵ֨צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם:
6And the Lord regretted that He had made man upon the earth, and He became grieved in His heart.   ווַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ:
And the Lord regretted that He had made Heb. וַיִנָּחֶם. It was a consolation to Him that He had created him [man] of the earthly beings, for had he been one of the heavenly beings, he would have caused them to rebel. [This appears in Genesis Rabbah (27:40).   וַיִּנָּחֶם ה' כִּֽי־עָשָׂה  נֶחָמָה הָיְתָה לְפָנָיו שֶׁבְּרָאוֹ בַתַּחְתּוֹנִים, שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיָה מִן הָעֶלְיוֹנִים הָיָה מַמְרִידָן (בבראשית רבה):
and He became grieved [I.e.,] man [became grieved],   וַיִּתְעַצֵּב הָאָדָם:
in His heart [the heart] of the Omnipresent. It entered the thought of God to cause him [man] grief. This is the translation of Onkelos [i.e., Onkelos supports the view that וַיִּתְעַצֵּב refers to man]. Another explanation of וַיִּנָּחֶם: The thought of the Omnipresent turned from the standard of clemency to the standard of justice. It entered His thoughts to reconsider what to do with man, whom He had made upon the earth. And similarly, every expression of נִחוּם in Scripture is an expression of reconsidering what to do. [For example] (Num. 23:19): “Nor the son of man that He should change His mind (וְיִתְנֶחָם)”; (Deut. 32:36): “And concerning His servants He will change His mind (יִתְנֶחָם)”; (Exod. 32:14): “And the Lord changed His intent concerning the evil (וַיִּנָּחֶם)”; (I Sam. 15:11): “I regret (נִחַמְתִּי) that I made [Saul] king.” These are all an expression of having second thoughts.   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:
and He became grieved Heb. וַיִּתְעַצֵּב, He mourned over the destruction of His handiwork [i.e., according to this second view, וַיִּתְעַצֵּב refers to God], like (II Sam. 19:3): “The king is saddened (נֶעֱצַב) over his son.” This I wrote to refute the heretics: A gentile asked Rabbi Joshua ben Korchah, “Do you not admit that the Holy One, blessed be He, foresees the future?” He [Rabbi Joshua] replied to him, “Yes.” He retorted, “But it is written: and He became grieved in His heart!” He [Rabbi Joshua] replied, “Was a son ever born to you?” “Yes,” he [the gentile] replied. “And what did you do?” he [Rabbi Joshua] asked. He replied, “I rejoiced and made everyone rejoice.” “But did you not know that he was destined to die?” he asked. He [the gentile] replied, “At the time of joy, joy; at the time of mourning, mourning.” He [Rabbi Joshua] said to him, “So is it with the work of the Holy One, blessed be He; even though it was revealed before Him that they would ultimately sin, and He would destroy them, He did not refrain from creating them, for the sake of the righteous men who were destined to arise from them.” - [from Gen. Rabbah 27:4]   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:
7And the Lord said, "I will blot out man, whom I created, from upon the face of the earth, from man to cattle to creeping thing, to the fowl of the heavens, for I regret that I made them."   זוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶמְחֶ֨ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֤ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֨אתִי֙ מֵעַל֨ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה מֵֽאָדָם֙ עַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה עַד־רֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י נִחַ֖מְתִּי כִּ֥י עֲשִׂיתִֽם:
And the Lord said, "I will blot out man He is dust, and I will bring water upon him, and I will blot him out." Therefore, the expression מִחוּי is used. — [from Tan. Buber, Noah 4]   וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶמְחֶה אֶת־הָֽאָדָם  הוּא עָפָר וְאָבִיא עָלָיו מַיִם וְאֶמְחֶה אוֹתוֹ, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר לָשׁוֹן מִחוּי:
from man to cattle They too corrupted their way (Gen. Rabbah 28:8). Another explanation: Everything was created for man’s sake, and since he will be annihilated, what need is there for these [the animals]? (Sanh. 108a).   מֵֽאָדָם עַד־בְּהֵמָה  אַף הֵם הִשְׁחִיתוּ דַּרְכָּם (בראשית רבה). דָּבָר אַחֵר הַכֹּל נִבְרָא בִּשְׁבִיל אָדָם וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהוּא כָלֶה מַה צֹּרֶךְ בְּאֵלּוּ:
for I regret that I made them I am thinking what to do about having made them.   כִּי נִחַמְתִּי כִּי עֲשִׂיתִֽם  חָשַׁבְתִּי מַה לַּעֲשׂוֹת עַל אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתִים:
8But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.   חוְנֹ֕חַ מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה:

Haftarah

Yeshayahu (Isaiah) Chapter 42

5So said God the Lord, the Creator of the heavens and the One Who stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and what springs forth from it, Who gave a soul to the people upon it and a spirit to those who walk thereon.   הכֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר הָאֵ֣ל | יְהֹוָ֗ה בּוֹרֵ֚א הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְנ֣וֹטֵיהֶ֔ם רֹקַ֥ע הָאָ֖רֶץ וְצֶֽאֱצָאֶ֑יהָ נֹתֵ֚ן נְשָׁמָה֙ לָעָ֣ם עָלֶ֔יהָ וְר֖וּחַ לַהֹֽלְכִ֥ים בָּֽהּ:
God the Lord The Master of justice and the Master of clemency.   האל ה'  בעל הדין ובעל הרחמי':
the Creator of the heavens First like a sort of ball of warp thread, and afterward He stretched it out as it is stated in Tractate Hagigah (12a).   בורא השמים  תחילה כמין פקיע של שתי ואח"כ נטה אותם כדאיתא במס' חגיגה:
and what springs forth from it And He creates what springs forth from it.   וצאצאיה  בורא את היוצא ממנה:
Who gave a soul A soul of life.   נותן נשמה  נשמת חיים:
to the people upon it To all of them equally.   לעם עליה  לכולם בשוה:
and a spirit of sanctity.   ורוח  קדושה:
to those who walk thereon To those who walk before Him.   להולכים בה  למתהלכים לפניו:
6I am the Lord; I called you with righteousness and I will strengthen your hand; and I formed you, and I made you for a people's covenant, for a light to nations.   ואֲנִ֧י יְהֹוָ֛ה קְרָאתִ֥יךָ בְצֶ֖דֶק וְאַחְזֵ֣ק בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְאֶצָּרְךָ֗ וְאֶתֶּנְךָ֛ לִבְרִ֥ית עָ֖ם לְא֥וֹר גּוֹיִֽם:
I called you To Isaiah He says.   קראתיך  לישעיה הוא אומר:
and I formed you Heb. וְאֶצָּרְךָ. When I formed you (כְּשֶׁיְצַרְתִּיךָ) , this was My thought, that you return My people to My covenant and to enlighten them.   ואצרך  כשיצרתיך זאת היתה מחשבתי שתשי' את עמי לבריתי ולהאיר להם:
for a light to nations Every tribe is called a nation by itself, as the matter is stated (Gen. 35:11): “A nation and a congregation of nations.”   לאור גוים  כל שבט קרוי גוי לעצמו כענין שנא' גוי וקהל גוים:
7To open blind eyes, to bring prisoners out of a dungeon, those who sit in darkness out of a prison.   זלִפְקֹ֖חַ עֵינַ֣יִם עִוְר֑וֹת לְהוֹצִ֚יא מִמַּסְגֵּר֙ אַסִּ֔יר מִבֵּ֥ית כֶּ֖לֶא י֥שְׁבֵי חֹֽשֶׁךְ:
To open blind eyes who do not see My might, to take heart to return to Me.   לפקוח עינים עורות  שאינ' רואין את גבורתו לתת לב לשוב אלי:
to bring prisoners out of a dungeon And because their eyes will be opened, the prisoners will come out of the dungeon. Another explanation: To inform them of the exile destined to befall them, out of which they will eventually come.   להוציא ממסגר אסיר  וע"י שיתפקחו עיניהם יצאו אסירים ממסגר ד"א לבשרם על גלות בבל העתיד' לבא עליהן שסופן לצאת ממנה:
8I am the Lord, that is My Name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to the graven images.   חאֲנִ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה ה֣וּא שְׁמִ֑י וּכְבוֹדִי֙ לְאַחֵ֣ר לֹֽא־אֶתֵּ֔ן וּתְהִלָּתִ֖י לַפְּסִילִֽים:
that is My Name This is explained as an expression of Lordship and power. I must show that I am the Master. Therefore, My glory I will not give to another, that the heathens shall rule over My people forever and say that the hand of their God is powerful.   הוא שמי  הוא מפור' בל' אדנות וכח ועלי להראות שאדון אני לפיכך כבודי לאחר לא אתן:
9The former things, behold they have come to pass, and the new things I tell; before they sprout I will let you hear.   טהָרִֽאשֹׁנ֖וֹת הִנֵּה־בָ֑אוּ וַֽחֲדָשׁוֹת֙ אֲנִ֣י מַגִּ֔יד בְּטֶ֥רֶם תִּצְמַ֖חְנָה אַשְׁמִ֥יע אֶתְכֶֽם:
The former things that I promised Abraham concerning the exile of Egypt (Gen. 15:14), “And also the nation etc.”   הראשונות  שהבטחתי לאברהם על גלות מצרים (בראש' טו) וגם את הגוי וגו':
behold they have come to pass I kept My promise, and now new things I tell My people, to promise them concerning a second exile.   הנה באו  שמרתי הבטחתי ועת' חדשות אני מגיד לעמי להבטיח על גלות שנייה:
10Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise from the end of the earth, those who go down to the sea and those therein, the islands and their inhabitants.   ישִׁ֚ירוּ לַֽיהֹוָה֙ שִׁ֣יר חָדָ֔שׁ תְּהִלָּת֖וֹ מִקְצֵ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ יֽוֹרְדֵ֚י הַיָּם֙ וּמְלֹא֔וֹ אִיִּ֖ים וְיֹֽשְׁבֵיהֶֽם:
His praise from the end of the earth Perforce, when they see My mighty deeds for Israel, all the heathens (nations [Parshandatha, K’li Paz]) will admit that I am God.   תהלתו מקצה הארץ  על כרחם כשיראו את גבורתי לישראל יודו כל העכו"ם כי אלהים אני:
those who go down to the sea Those who embark in ships.   יורדי הים  פורשי בספינות:
and those therein Those whose permanent residence is in the sea and not in the islands, but in the midst of the water, they spill earth, each one of them, enough for a house, and go from house to house by boat, like the city of Venice. [As in Warsaw ed. and Parshandatha.]   ומלואו  הקבועים בים ולא באיים אלא בתוך המים שופכים עפר כל אחד ואחד כדי בית והולכים מבית לבית בספינה כגון עיר ווניציי"א:
11The desert and its cities shall raise [their voice]; Kedar shall be inhabited with villages; the rock dwellers shall exult, from the mountain peaks they shall shout.   יאיִשְׂא֚וּ מִדְבָּר֙ וְעָרָ֔יו חֲצֵרִ֖ים תֵּשֵׁ֣ב קֵדָ֑ר יָרֹ֙נּוּ֙ י֣שְׁבֵי סֶ֔לַע מֵרֹ֥אשׁ הָרִ֖ים יִצְוָֽחוּ:
The desert and its cities shall raise [their voice] their voice in song.   ישאו מדבר  קול בשיר:
Kedar shall be inhabited with villages (Connected to “The desert… shall raise.” The desert of Kedar, where they now dwell in tents, shall raise their voice and sing. It is like: And the villages with which Kedar is settled.) The desert of Kedar, where they now dwell in tents, will be permanent cities and villages.   חצרים תשב קדר  (מוסב על ישאו) מדבר קדר שהם דרים עתה באוהלים ישאו קול וירונו (כמו והחצרים אשר תשב קדר), במדבר קדר שהם דרים עתה באהליהם יהיו ערים וחצרים קבועים:
rock dwellers The dead who will be resurrected. So did Jonathan render this.   יושבי סלע  המתים שיחיו כן ת"י:
from the mountain peaks they shall shout From the mountain peaks they shall raise their voices [from Jonathan].   מראש הרים יצווחו  מריש טוריא ירימון קליהון:
12They shall give glory to the Lord, and they shall recite His praise on the islands.   יביָשִׂ֥ימוּ לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה כָּב֑וֹד וּתְהִלָּת֖וֹ בָּֽאִיִּ֥ים יַגִּֽידוּ:
13The Lord shall go out like a hero; like a warrior shall He arouse zeal; He shall shout, He shall even cry, He shall overpower His foes.   יגיְהֹוָה֙ כַּגִּבּ֣וֹר יֵצֵ֔א כְּאִ֥ישׁ מִלְחָמ֖וֹת יָעִ֣יר קִנְאָ֑ה יָרִ֙יעַ֙ אַף־יַצְרִ֔יחַ עַל־אֹֽיְבָ֖יו יִתְגַּבָּֽר:
14I was silent from time immemorial; I am still, I restrain Myself. Like a travailing woman will I cry; I will be terrified and destroy them together.   ידהֶֽחֱשֵׁ֙יתִי֙ מֵֽעוֹלָ֔ם אַֽחֲרִ֖ישׁ אֶתְאַפָּ֑ק כַּיּֽוֹלֵדָ֣ה אֶפְעֶ֔ה אֶשֹּׁ֥ם וְאֶשְׁאַ֖ף יָֽחַד:
I was silent from time immemorial Already for a long time I have been silent about the destruction of My Temple, and always…   החשיתי מעולם  זה ימים רבים החשיתי על חרבן ביתי ותמיד אחריש:
I am still; I restrain Myself This is present tense. Until now My spirit has constrained Me, and from now, like a travailing woman will I cry.   אתאפק  לשון הווה עד עתה הציקתני רוחי ומעתה כיולדה אפעה:
I will be terrified Heb. אֶשֹּׁם, I will be terrified.   אשום  אתבהל:
and destroy [them] together And I will long to destroy everyone together, all My adversaries.   ואשאף  ואתאוה להשמיד הכל יחד כל אויבי:
15I will destroy mountains and hills, and all their grass I will dry out, and I will make rivers into islands and I will dry up the pools.   טואַֽחֲרִ֚יב הָרִים֙ וּגְבָע֔וֹת וְכָל־עֶשְׂבָּ֖ם אוֹבִ֑ישׁ וְשַׂמְתִּ֚י נְהָרוֹת֙ לָֽאִיִּ֔ים וַֽאֲגַמִּ֖ים אוֹבִֽישׁ:
I will destroy mountains and hills I will slay kings and rulers.   אחריב הרים וגבעות  אהרוג מלכים ושלטונים של עכו"ם:
and all their grass All their followers.   וכל עשבם  כל הנלוים עליהם:
I will dry out Heb. אוֹבִישׁ. This is an expression of drying, used in reference to wet things, e.g., grass and rivers.   אוביש  ל' יובש הוא לענין דבר לח כגון עשב ונהרות:
16And I will lead the blind on a road they did not know; in paths they did not know I will lead them; I will make darkness into light before them, and crooked paths into straight ones. These things, I will do them and I will not forsake them.   טזוְהֽוֹלַכְתִּ֣י עִוְרִ֗ים בְּדֶ֙רֶךְ֙ לֹ֣א יָֽדָ֔עוּ בִּנְתִיב֥וֹת לֹֽא־יָֽדְע֖וּ אַדְרִיכֵ֑ם אָשִׂים֩ מַחְשָׁ֨ךְ לִפְנֵיהֶ֜ם לָא֗וֹר וּמַֽעֲקַשִּׁים֙ לְמִישׁ֔וֹר אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֔ים עֲשִׂיתִ֖ם וְלֹ֥א עֲזַבְתִּֽים:
And I will lead the blind Israel, who were heretofore blind from looking to Me, I will lead in the good way, upon which they did not know to walk.   והולכתי  ישראל שהיו עורים עד הנה מהביט אלי בדרך הטוב אשר לא ידעו להלוך בה:
I will do them Heb. עֲשִׂיתִם [lit. I did them], I will do. So is the language of prophecy, to speak of the future as if it was already done.   עשיתים  אעשה כן ל' נבואה לדבר על העתיד כאילו עשוי:
17They shall turn back greatly ashamed, those who trust in the graven image, who say to the molten idols, "You are our gods."   יזנָסֹ֚גוּ אָחוֹר֙ יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ בֹ֔שֶׁת הַבֹּֽטְחִ֖ים בַּפָּ֑סֶל הָאֹֽמְרִ֥ים לְמַסֵּכָ֖ה אַתֶּ֥ם אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ:
18You deaf ones, listen, and you blind ones, look to see.   יחהַחֵֽרְשִׁ֖ים שְׁמָ֑עוּ וְהַֽעִוְרִ֖ים הַבִּ֥יטוּ לִרְאֽוֹת:
You deaf ones… and you blind ones He is referring to Israel.   החרשים  והעורים על ישראל הוא אומר:
19Who is blind but My servant, and deaf as My messenger whom I will send? He who was blind is as the one who received his payment, and he who was blind is as the servant of the Lord.   יטמִ֚י עִוֵּר֙ כִּ֣י אִם־עַבְדִּ֔י וְחֵרֵ֖שׁ כְּמַלְאָכִ֣י אֶשְׁלָ֑ח מִ֚י עִוֵּר֙ כִּמְשֻׁלָּ֔ם וְעִוֵּ֖ר כְּעֶ֥בֶד יְהֹוָֽה:
Who is blind among you? There is no one but My servant; he is the most blind of all of you. And the most deaf among you is like My messenger whom I send to prophesy prophecies.   מי עור  בכם אין אחד כי אם עבדי הוא העור שבכלכם, וחרש שבכם הרי הוא כמלאכי אשר אני שולח להנבא נבואות:
He who was blind is as the one who received his payment He who was blind among you has already received his chastisements, and he is as one who was paid all payments due him and has emerged cleansed.   מי עור כמשולם  מי היה עור בכם כבר קבל יסוריו והרי הוא כמשולם כל תגמוליו ויוצא נקי:
20There is much to see but you do not observe, to open the ears but no one listens.   כרָא֥וֹת (כתיב רָאֹ֥ית) רַבּ֖וֹת וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁמֹ֑ר פָּק֥וֹחַ אָזְנַ֖יִם וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמָֽע:
There is much to see There are many sights before you, and you do not observe to look at My deeds and to return to Me.   ראות רבות  ראיות הרבה לפניכם ואינכם שומרים להביט במעשי ולשוב אלי:
to open the ears I am busy opening your ears through My prophets, but none of you listens to My words. This is a present tense.   פקוח אזנים  אני עסוק לפקוח אזניכם ע"י נביאי ולא ישמע איש מכם את דברי ולשון הוה הוא:
21The Lord desires [this] for His righteousness' sake; He magnifies the Torah and strengthens it.   כאיְהֹוָ֥ה חָפֵ֖ץ לְמַ֣עַן צִדְק֑וֹ יַגְדִּ֥יל תּוֹרָ֖ה וְיַאְדִּֽיר:
The Lord desires to show you and to open your ears for His righteousness’ sake; therefore, he magnifies and strengthens the Torah for you.   ה' חפץ  להראותכם ולפקוח אזניכם למען צדק ולכך הוא מגדיל ומאדיר לכם תורה:
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