| 17Now the Flood was forty days upon the earth, and the waters increased, and they lifted the ark, and it rose off the earth. |
|
יזוַיְהִ֧י הַמַּבּ֛וּל אַרְבָּעִ֥ים י֖וֹם עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּרְבּ֣וּ הַמַּ֗יִם וַיִּשְׂאוּ֙ אֶת־הַתֵּבָ֔ה וַתָּ֖רָם מֵעַ֥ל הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| and it rose off the earth: It was submerged in the water eleven cubits like a loaded ship, which is partially submerged in the water, and the following verses prove this. — [from Gen. Rabbah 32:9] See Rashi below 8:3. |
|
וַתָּרָם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ:
מְשֻׁקַּעַת הָיְתָה בַּמַּיִם י"א אַמָּה כִסְפִינָה טְעוּנָה הַמְשֻׁקַּעַת מִקְצָתָהּ בַּמַּיִם; וּמִקְרָאוֹת שֶׁלְּפָנֵינוּ יוֹכִיחוּ:
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| 18And the waters became powerful, and they increased very much upon the earth, and the ark moved upon the waters. |
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יחוַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ הַמַּ֛יִם וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַתֵּ֥לֶךְ הַתֵּבָ֖ה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם: |
| became powerful: By themselves. |
|
וַיִּגְבְּרוּ:
מֵאֵלֵיהֶן:
|
| 19And the waters became exceedingly powerful upon the earth, and all the lofty mountains that were under the heavens were covered up. |
|
יטוְהַמַּ֗יִם גָּֽבְר֛וּ מְאֹ֥ד מְאֹ֖ד עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיְכֻסּ֗וּ כָּל־הֶֽהָרִים֙ הַגְּבֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־תַּ֖חַת כָּל־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם: |
| 20Fifteen cubits above did the waters prevail, and the mountains were covered up. |
|
כחֲמֵ֨שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה אַמָּה֙ מִלְמַ֔עְלָה גָּֽבְר֖וּ הַמָּ֑יִם וַיְכֻסּ֖וּ הֶֽהָרִֽים: |
| Fifteen cubits above: Above the peaks of all the mountains, after the waters were equal to [at the same level as] the mountain peaks. — [from Gen. Rabbah 32:11] |
|
חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה מִלְמַעְלָה:
לְמַעְלָה שֶׁל גֹּבַהּ כָּל הֶהָרִים, לְאַחַר שֶׁהֻשְׁווּ הַמַּיִם לְרָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים:
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| 21And all flesh perished that moved upon the earth, among the fowl, and among the cattle, and among the beasts, and among all creeping creatures that creep upon the earth and all mankind. |
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כאוַיִּגְוַ֞ע כָּל־בָּשָׂ֣ר | הָֽרֹמֵ֣שׂ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ בָּע֤וֹף וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבַ֣חַיָּ֔ה וּבְכָל־הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְכֹ֖ל הָֽאָדָֽם: |
| 22Everything that had the breath of the spirit of life in its nostrils, of all that were on the dry land, died. |
|
כבכֹּ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁמַת־ר֨וּחַ חַיִּ֜ים בְּאַפָּ֗יו מִכֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֶּחָֽרָבָ֖ה מֵֽתוּ: |
| the breath of the spirit of life: Heb. נִשְמַת, the breath (נְשָמָה) of the spirit of life [and not “soul”]. |
|
נִשְׁמַת־רוּחַ חַיִּים:
נְשָׁמָה שֶׁל רוּחַ חַיִּים:
|
| that were on the dry land: But not the fish, which were in the sea. — [Sanh. 108a] |
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אֲשֶׁר בֶּחָֽרָבָה:
וְלֹא דָגִים שֶׁבַּיָּם (סנה' ק"ח):
|
| 23And it [the Flood] blotted out all beings that were upon the face of the earth, from man to animal to creeping thing and to the fowl of the heavens, and they were blotted out from the earth, and only Noah and those with him in the ark survived. |
|
כגוַיִּ֜מַח אֶת־כָּל־הַיְק֣וּם | אֲשֶׁ֣ר | עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה מֵֽאָדָ֤ם עַד־בְּהֵמָה֙ עַד־רֶ֨מֶשׂ֙ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיִּמָּח֖וּ מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּשָּׁ֧אֶר אַךְ־נֹ֛חַ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ בַּתֵּבָֽה: |
| And it blotted out: Heb. וַיִּמַח is in the וַיִּפְעַל form, the active voice, and not in the וַיִּפָּעֶל form, the passive voice. And this is of the form of וַיִּפֶן, he turned, וַיִּבֶן, he built. Every word [i.e., verb] whose root ends with a “hey,” e.g., בנה, to build, מחה, to erase, קנה, to acquire—when you prefix it with a “vav” and a “yud,” it is vowelized with a “chirik” under the “yud.” [Rashi teaches us that the meaning of the verse is not “and all beings were blotted out,” but “and it”—meaning the Flood—“blotted out all beings.”] |
|
וַיִּמַח:
לְשׁוֹן וַיִּפְעַל הוּא וְאֵינוֹ לָשׁוֹן וַיִפָּעֵל, וְהוּא מִגִּזְרַת וַיִּפֶן וַיִּבֶן כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁסּוֹפָהּ הֵ"א, כְּגוֹן בָּנָה, מָחָה, קָנָה, כְּשֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן וָי"ו יוֹ"ד בְּרֹאשָׁהּ, נָקוּד בְּחִירִק תַּחַת הַיּוֹ"ד:
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| and only Noah…survived: אַךְ means “only” Noah. This is its simple meaning, but the Midrash Aggadah (Tan. Noach 9) [states]: He was groaning and spitting blood because of the burden [of caring for] the cattle and the beasts, and some say that he delayed feeding the lion, and it struck him, and concerning him it is said (Prov. 11:31): “Behold a righteous man is requited [for his sins] in this world.” - [Tan. Noach 9] |
|
אַךְ־נֹחַ:
לְבַד נֹחַ, זֶהוּ פְּשׁוּטוֹ; וּמִקְרָא אַחֵר גוֹנֵחַ וְכוֹהֶה דָם מִטֹּרַח הַבְּהֵמוֹת וְהַחַיּוֹת. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמָרִים שֶׁאִחֵר מְזוֹנוֹת לָאֲרִי וְהִכִּישׁוֹ, וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר הֵן צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ יְשֻׁלָּם (משלי יא):
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| 24And the water prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days. |
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כדוַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת יֽוֹם: |
| 1And God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the cattle that were with him in the ark, and God caused a spirit to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. |
|
אוַיִּזְכֹּ֤ר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־נֹ֔חַ וְאֵ֤ת כָּל־הַֽחַיָּה֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ בַּתֵּבָ֑ה וַיַּֽעֲבֵ֨ר אֱלֹהִ֥ים ר֨וּחַ֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיָּשֹׁ֖כּוּ הַמָּֽיִם: |
| And God remembered: Heb. אֱלֹהִים. This name represents the Divine Standard of Justice, which was converted to the Divine Standard of Mercy through the prayer of the righteous. But the wickedness of the wicked converts the Divine Standard of Mercy to the Divine Standard of Justice, as it is said: (above 6:5ff.): “And the Lord (י-ה-ו-ה) saw that the evil of man was great, etc. And the Lord (י-ה-ו-ה) said, ‘I will blot out, etc.’” although that name is the name of the Divine Standard of Mercy. — [Gen. Rabbah 33:3, Succah 14a. That Noah prayed in the ark appears in Tan. Noach 11, Aggadath Bereishith 7:3, Sefer Hayashar]. |
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ויזכור אֱלֹהִים:
זֶה הַשֵּׁם מִדַּת הַדִּין הוּא, וְנֶהֶפְכָה לְמִדַּת רַחֲמִים עַל יְדֵי תְפִלַּת הַצַּדִּיקִים; וְרִשְׁעָתָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים הוֹפֶכֶת מִדַּת רַחֲמִים לְמִדַּת הַדִּין, שֶׁנֶאֱמַר וַיַּרְא ה' כִּי רַבָּה רָעַת הָאָדָם, וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶמְחֶה, (ברא' ו') וְהוּא שֵׁם מִדַּת רַחֲמִים:
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| And God remembered Noah, etc.: What did He remember regarding the animals? The merit that they did not corrupt their way before this [the Flood], and that they did not copulate in the ark. — [Tan. Buber Noach 11, Yer. Ta’an. 1:6] |
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ויזכור אֱלֹהִים אֶת־נֹחַ וגו':
מַה זָּכַר לָהֶם לַבְּהֵמוֹת? זְכוּת, שֶׁלֹּא הִשְׁחִיתוּ דַרְכָּם קֹדֶם לָכֵן וְשֶׁלֹּא שִׁמְּשׁוּ בַּתֵּבָה:
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| and God caused a spirit to pass: A spirit of consolation and calm passed before Him. — [Targum Jonathan and Yerushalmi] |
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וַיַּֽעֲבֵר אֱלֹהִים רוּחַ:
רוּחַ תַּנְחוּמִין וַהֲנָחָה עָבְרָה לְפָנָיו:
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| over the earth: Concerning [events on] the earth. |
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עַל־הָאָרֶץ:
עַל עִסְקֵי הָאָרֶץ:
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| and the waters subsided: Heb. וַיָּשֹׁכּוּ, like (Esther 2:1): “when the king’s fury subsided (כְּשֹׁךְ),” an expression of the calming of anger. — [from Tan. Buber Noach 12] |
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וַיָּשֹׁכּוּ:
כְּמוֹ כְּשֹׁךְ חֲמַת הַמֶּלֶךְ (אסתר ב') לְשׁוֹן הַנָּחַת חֵמָה:
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| 2And the springs of the deep were closed, and the windows of the heavens, and the rain from the heavens was withheld. |
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בוַיִּסָּֽכְרוּ֙ מַעְיְנֹ֣ת תְּה֔וֹם וַֽאֲרֻבֹּ֖ת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַיִּכָּלֵ֥א הַגֶּ֖שֶׁם מִן־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם: |
| And the springs…were closed: When they were opened, it was written (7: 11): “all the springs,” but here, “all” is not written, because some of them remained [open], those that were necessary for the world, such as the hot springs of Tiberias and the like. — [Gen. Rabbah 33:4] |
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וַיִּסָּֽכְרוּ מעינות:
כְּשֶׁנִּפְתְּחוּ כְּתִיב כָּל מַעְיְנֹת; וְכָאן אֵין כְּתִיב כָּל, לְפִי שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּיְּרוּ מֵהֶם אוֹתָן שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהֶם צֹרֶךְ לָעוֹלָם, כְּגוֹן חַמֵּי טְבֵרְיָא וְכַיוֹצֵא בָהֶן:
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| was withheld: Heb. וַיִכָּלֵא, and it was withheld, like (Ps. 40:12): “You will not withhold (תִכְלָא) Your mercies”; (Gen. 23:6): “[None of us] will withhold (יִכְלֶה) from you.” |
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וַיִּכָּלֵא:
וַיִמָּנַע כְּמוֹ לֹא תִכְלָא רַחֲמֶיךָ (תהלים מ'), לֹא יִכְלֶה מִמְּךָ (ברא' כג):
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| 3And the waters receded off the earth more and more, and the water diminished at the end of a hundred and fifty days. |
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גוַיָּשֻׁ֧בוּ הַמַּ֛יִם מֵעַ֥ל הָאָ֖רֶץ הָל֣וֹךְ וָשׁ֑וֹב וַיַּחְסְר֣וּ הַמַּ֔יִם מִקְצֵ֕ה חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת יֽוֹם: |
| at the end of a hundred and fifty days: they commenced to diminish, and that was on the first of Sivan. How so? On the twenty-seventh of Kislev, the rains stopped, leaving three days in Kislev and twenty-nine in Teveth, making a total of thirty-two days, and Shevat, Adar, Nissan, and Iyar total one hundred and eighteen [days], making a grand total of one hundred fifty [days]. — [Seder Olam ch. 4] |
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מִקְצֵה חֲמִשִּׁים וּמְאַת יֽוֹם:
הִתְחִילוּ לַחֲסֹר וְהוּא אֶחָד בְּסִיוָן. כֵּיצַד? בְּכ"ז בְּכִסְלֵו פָּסְקוּ הַגְּשָׁמִים, הֲרֵי ג' מִכִּסְלֵו וְכ"ט מִטֵּבֵת הֲרֵי ל"ב, וּשְׁבָט וַאֲדָר וְנִיסָן וְאִיָּר קי"ח, הֲרֵי ק"נ:
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| 4And the ark came to rest in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the mountains of Ararat. |
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דוַתָּ֤נַח הַתֵּבָה֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י בְּשִׁבְעָֽה־עָשָׂ֥ר י֖וֹם לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ עַ֖ל הָרֵ֥י אֲרָרָֽט: |
| in the seventh month: Sivan, which is the seventh counting from Kislev, in which the rains stopped. — [from aforementioned source] |
|
בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי:
סִיוָן, וְהוּא שְׁבִיעִי לְכִסְלֵו שֶׁבּוֹ פָּסְקוּ הַגְּשָׁמִים:
|
| on the seventeenth day: From here you learn that the ark was submerged in the water eleven cubits, for it is written: (verse 5) “In the tenth [month], on the first of the month, the mountain peaks appeared.” That is [the month of] Av, which is the tenth month counting from Marcheshvan, when the rains fell, and they were fifteen cubits higher than the mountains. They diminished from the first of Sivan until the first of Av fifteen cubits in sixty days, at the rate of a cubit in four days. The result is that on the sixteenth of Sivan they had diminished only four cubits, and the ark came to rest on the next day. You learn [from here] that it was submerged eleven cubits in the waters [which were] above the mountain peaks. — [from aforementioned source] |
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בְּשִׁבְעָֽה־עָשָׂר יוֹם:
מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁהָיְתָה הַתֵּבָה מְשֻׁקַּעַת בַּמַּיִם י"א אַמָּה, שֶׁהֲרֵי כְתִיב בָּעֲשִׂירִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ נִרְאוּ רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים, זֶה אָב, שֶׁהִיא עֲשִׂירִי לְמַרְחֶשְׁוָן לִירִידַת גְּשָׁמִים, וְהֵם הָיוּ גְבוֹהִים עַל הֶהָרִים חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה, וְחָסְרוּ מִיּוֹם אֶחָד בְּסִיוָן עַד אֶחָד בְּאָב חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה לְשִּׁשִּׁים יוֹם, הֲרֵי אַמָּה לְד' יָמִים, נִמְצָא, שֶׁבְּי"ו בְּסִיוָן לֹא חָסְרוּ אֶלָּא ד' אַמּוֹת וְנָחָה הַתֵּבָה לְיוֹם הַמָּחֳרָת; לָמַדְתָּ, שֶׁהָיְתָה מְשֻׁקַּעַת י"א אַמָּה בַמַּיִם שֶׁעַל רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים:
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| 5And the waters constantly diminished until the tenth month; in the tenth [month], on the first of the month, the mountain peaks appeared. |
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הוְהַמַּ֗יִם הָיוּ֙ הָל֣וֹךְ וְחָס֔וֹר עַ֖ד הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽעֲשִׂירִ֑י בָּֽעֲשִׂירִי֙ בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ נִרְא֖וּ רָאשֵׁ֥י הֶֽהָרִֽים: |
| in the tenth [month], etc., the mountain peaks appeared: This refers to Av, which is the tenth [month] from Marcheshvan, when the rain commenced. Now if you say that it refers to Elul, which is the tenth [month] from Kislev, when the rain stopped, just as you say: “in the seventh month,” refers to Sivan, which is the seventh [month] after the cessation [of the rain]; [I will tell you that] it is impossible to say this. You must admit [that] the seventh month can be counted only from the time that the rain stopped, because there did not end the forty days of the rains and the one hundred fifty days when the water gained strength, until the first of Sivan. And if you say that it refers to the seventh [month] from the [beginning of the] rain, it would not come out to be Sivan. The tenth [month] can be counted only from the time the rain commenced to fall, for if you say [that it is counted] from the time when the rain stopped, which is Elul, you would not understand (verse 13): “In the first [month], on the first [day] of the month, the waters dried up from upon the earth,” for at the end of the forty days, from when the mountain peaks appeared, he sent forth the raven, and he waited twenty-one days with sending the dove, totalling sixty days from the time the mountain peaks appeared until the surface of the earth dried. And if you say that they appeared in Elul, it would mean that they dried up in Marcheshvan. Scripture, however, calls it the first [month] and that can refer only to Tishri, which is the first [month] from the creation of the world, and according to Rabbi Joshua, it is Nissan. |
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בָּֽעֲשִׂירִי נִרְאוּ רָאשֵׁי הֶֽהָרִֽים:
זֶה אָב, שֶׁהוּא עֲשִׂירִי לְמַרְחֶשְׁוָן שֶׁהִתְחִיל הַגֶּשֶׁם. וְאִם תֹּאמַר הוּא אֱלוּל, וַעֲשִׂירִי לְכִסְלֵו שֶׁפָּסַק הַגֶּשֶׁם, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי סִיוָן, וְהוּא שְׁבִיעִי לַהַפְסָקָה – אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹמַר כֵּן, עַל כָּרְחֲךָ שְׁבִיעִי אִי אַתָּה מוֹנֶה אֶלָּא לַהַפְסָקָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי לֹא כָלוּ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם שֶׁל יְרִידַת גְּשָׁמִים, וּמֵאָה וַחֲמִשִּׁים שֶׁל תִּגְבֹּרֶת הַמַּיִם עַד אֶחָד בְּסִיוָן; וְאִם אַתָּה אוֹמֵר שְׁבִיעִי לַיְרִידָה, אֵין זֶה סִיוָן, וְהָעֲשִׂירִי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִמְנוֹת אֶלָּא לַיְרִידָה, שֶׁאִם אַתָּה אוֹמֵר לַהַפְסָקָה וְהוּא אֱלוּל, אִי אַתָּה מוֹצֵא בָּרִאשׁוֹן בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ חָרְבוּ הַמַּיִם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ; שֶׁהֲרֵי מִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם מִשֶׁנִּרְאוּ רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים שִׁלַּח אֶת הָעוֹרֵב וְכ"א יוֹם הוֹחִיל בִּשְׁלִיחוּת הַיּוֹנָה, הֲרֵי שִׁשִּׁים יוֹם מִשֶּׁנִּרְאוּ רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים עַד שֶׁחָרְבוּ פְנֵי הָאֲדָמָה. וְאִם תֹּאמַר בֶּאֱלוּל נִרְאוּ, נִמְצָא שֶׁחָרְבוּ בְּמַרְחֶשְׁוָן וְהוּא קוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ רִאשׁוֹן, וְאֵין זֶה אֶלָּא תִּשְׁרֵי, שֶׁהוּא רִאשׁוֹן לִבְרִיאַת עוֹלָם, וְלְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הוּא נִיסָן:
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| 6And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made. |
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ווַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֑וֹם וַיִּפְתַּ֣ח נֹ֔חַ אֶת־חַלּ֥וֹן הַתֵּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה: |
| at the end of forty days: since the mountain peaks appeared. |
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מִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם:
מִשֶּׁנִּרְאוּ רָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים:
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| the window of the ark that he had made: for light, and this is not the opening of the ark, which was made for going in and out. |
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אֶת־חַלּוֹן הַתֵּבָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָֽׂה:
לְצֹהַר, וְלֹא זֶה פֶּתַח הַתֵּבָה הֶעָשׂוּי לְבִיאָה וִיצִיאָה:
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| 7And he sent forth the raven, and it went out, back and forth until the waters dried up off the earth. |
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זוַיְשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־הָֽעֹרֵ֑ב וַיֵּצֵ֤א יָצוֹא֙ וָשׁ֔וֹב עַד־יְב֥שֶׁת הַמַּ֖יִם מֵעַ֥ל הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| and it went out, back and forth: Going and encircling around the ark, but it did not go to fulfill its errand because it [the raven] suspected him [Noah] concerning its mate, as we find in the Aggadah of [chapter] “Chelek.” - [from Sanh. 108b] |
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יָצוֹא וָשׁוֹב:
הוֹלֵךְ וּמַקִּיף סְבִיבוֹת הַתֵּבָה, וְלֹא הָלַךְ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה חוֹשְׁדוֹ עַל בַּת זוּגוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ בְּאַגָּדַת חֵלֶק (סנה' ק"ח):
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| until the waters dried up: The simple explanation is its apparent meaning, but the Midrash Aggadah (Gen. Rabbah 33:5) [explains that] the raven was destined for another errand during the lack of rain in the time of Elijah, as it is said (I Kings 17:6): “and the ravens brought him bread and meat.” |
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עַד־יְבשֶׁת הַמַּיִם:
פְּשׁוּטוֹ כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ. אֲבָל מִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה מוּכָן הָיָה הָעוֹרֵב לִשְׁלִיחוּת אַחֶרֶת בַּעֲצִירַת גְּשָׁמִים בִּימֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהָעֹרְבִים מְבִאִים לוֹ לֶחֶם וּבָשָׂר (מ"א י"ז):
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| 8And he sent forth the dove from with him, to see whether the waters had abated from upon the surface of the earth. |
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חוַיְשַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־הַיּוֹנָ֖ה מֵֽאִתּ֑וֹ לִרְאוֹת֙ הֲקַ֣לּוּ הַמַּ֔יִם מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה: |
| And he sent forth the dove: seven days later, for it is written: “And he waited again another seven days.” From this general statement you learn that the first time too he waited seven days. — [Gen. Rabbah 33:6] |
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וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת־הַיּוֹנָה:
לְסוֹף ז' יָמִים שֶׁהֲרֵי כְתִיב וַיָּחֶל עוֹד ז' יָמִים אֲחֵרִים, מִכְּלַל זֶה אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁאַף בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הוֹחִיל ז' יָמִים:
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| And he sent forth: Heb. וַיְשַׁלַּח. This is not an expression of sending on a mission, but an expression of sending away. He sent it forth to go on its way, and thereby he would see whether the waters had abated, for if it would find a resting place, it would not return to him. |
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וַיְשַׁלַּח:
אֵין זֶה לְשׁוֹן שְׁלִיחוּת אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן שִׁלּוּח, שִׁלְּחָהּ לָלֶכֶת לְדַרְכָּה, וּבְזוֹ יִרְאֶה אִם קַלּוּ הַמַּיִם, שֶׁאִם תִּמְצָא מָנוֹחַ לֹא תָשׁוּב אֵלָיו:
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| 9But the dove found no resting place for the sole of its foot; so it returned to him to the ark because there was water upon the entire surface of the earth; so he stretched forth his hand and took it, and he brought it to him to the ark. |
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טוְלֹא־מָֽצְאָה֩ הַיּוֹנָ֨ה מָנ֜וֹחַ לְכַף־רַגְלָ֗הּ וַתָּ֤שָׁב אֵלָיו֙ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֔ה כִּי־מַ֖יִם עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָדוֹ֙ וַיִּקָּחֶ֔הָ וַיָּבֵ֥א אֹתָ֛הּ אֵלָ֖יו אֶל־הַתֵּבָֽה: |
| 10And he waited again another seven days, and he again sent forth the dove from the ark. |
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יוַיָּ֣חֶל ע֔וֹד שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וַיֹּ֛סֶף שַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־הַיּוֹנָ֖ה מִן־הַתֵּבָֽה: |
| And he waited: Heb. וַיָּחֶל, an expression of waiting, and so (Job 29:21): “They listened to me and waited (וְיִחֵלּוּ),” and there are many such instances in Scripture. |
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וַיָּחֶל:
לְשׁוֹן הַמְתָּנָה, וְכֵן לִי שָׁמְעוּ וְיִחֵלּוּ (איוב כ"ט), וְהַרְבֵּה יֵשׁ בַּמִּקְרָא:
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| 11And the dove returned to him at eventide, and behold it had plucked an olive leaf in its mouth; so Noah knew that the water had abated from upon the earth. |
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יאוַתָּבֹ֨א אֵלָ֤יו הַיּוֹנָה֙ לְעֵ֣ת עֶ֔רֶב וְהִנֵּ֥ה עֲלֵה־זַ֖יִת טָרָ֣ף בְּפִ֑יהָ וַיֵּ֣דַע נֹ֔חַ כִּי־קַ֥לּוּ הַמַּ֖יִם מֵעַ֥ל הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| it had plucked…in its mouth: Heb. טָרָף, lit. he had plucked. [Rashi interprets טָרָף as a verb in the masculine form. According to his reading, there would be an inconsistency in the verse: “He had plucked an olive leaf in her mouth,” because the subject (which is masculine) would not agree with the final prepositional phrase (which is feminine).] I say that it was a male. Therefore, Scripture sometimes refers to it in the masculine gender and sometimes in the feminine, because every יוֹנָה in Scripture is in the feminine gender, like (Song 5:12): “like doves beside rivulets of water, bathing (רֹחֲצוֹת)” ; (Ezek. 7:16): “like doves of the valleys, they all moan (הֹמוֹת)” ; and like (Hos. 7:11): “like a silly (פוֹתָה) dove.” |
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טָרָף בְּפִיהָ:
אוֹמֵר אֲנִי שֶׁזָּכָר הָיָה, לְכֵן קוֹרְאוֹ פְעָמִים לְשׁוֹן זָכָר וּפְעָמִים לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל יוֹנָה שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן נְקֵבָה, כְּמוֹ כְּיוֹנִים עַל אֲפִיקֵי מָיִם רֹחֲצוֹת (שיר ה'), כְּיוֹנֵי הַגֵּאָיוֹת כֻּלָּם הֹמוֹת (יחז' ז') וּכְמוֹ כְּיוֹנָה פוֹתָה (הושע ז'):
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| it had plucked: Heb. טָרָף,“he plucked.” The Midrash Aggadah explains it טָרָף as an expression of food, and interprets בְּפִיהָ as an expression of speech. It [the dove] said: Let my food be as bitter as an olive in the hands of the Holy One, blessed be He, and not as sweet as honey in the hands of flesh and blood. — [Sanh. 108b] |
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טָרָף:
חָטַף. וּמִדְרַשׁ אַגָּדָה (עיר' י"ח) לְשׁוֹן מָזוֹן; וְדָרְשׁוּ בְּפִיהָ לְשׁוֹן מַאֲמָר, אָמְרָה יִהְיוּ מְזוֹנוֹתַי מְרוֹרִין כְּזַיִת בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְלֹא מְתוּקִין כִּדְבַשׁ בִּידֵי בָשָׂר וָדָם:
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| 12And he again waited another seven days, and he sent forth the dove, and it no longer continued to return to him. |
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יבוַיִּיָּ֣חֶל ע֔וֹד שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וַיְשַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־הַיּוֹנָ֔ה וְלֹא־יָֽסְפָ֥ה שֽׁוּב־אֵלָ֖יו עֽוֹד: |
| And he…waited: Heb. וַיִּיָּחֶל. This has the same meaning as וַיָּחֶל, except that the latter is the וַיַּפְעֶל form (the קַל conjugation), and the former is in the וַיִּתְפָּעֵל form (the reflexive conjugation). וַיָּחֶל is equivalent to וַיַּמְתֵּן (and he waited); וַיִּיָּחֶל is equivalent to וַיִּתְמַתֵּן (and he was patient). |
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וַיִּיָּחֶל:
הוּא לְשׁוֹן וַיָּחֶל, אֶלָּא שֶׁזֶּה לְשׁוֹן וַיִּפְעַל וְזֶה לְשׁוֹן וַיִּתְפַּעֵל, וַיָּחֶל – וַיַּמְתֵּן; וַיִּיָּחֶל – וַיִּתְמַתֵּן:
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| 13And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first [month], on the first of the month, that the waters dried up from upon the earth, and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and he saw, and behold, the surface of the ground had dried up. |
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יגוַיְהִ֠י בְּאַחַ֨ת וְשֵֽׁשׁ־מֵא֜וֹת שָׁנָ֗ה בָּֽרִאשׁוֹן֙ בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ חָֽרְב֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם מֵעַ֣ל הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּ֤סַר נֹ֨חַ֙ אֶת־מִכְסֵ֣ה הַתֵּבָ֔ה וַיַּ֕רְא וְהִנֵּ֥ה חָֽרְב֖וּ פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה: |
| in the first [month]: According to Rabbi Eliezer, it is Tishri, and according to Rabbi Joshua, it is Nissan. — [from Rashi R.H. 12b] See above 7:11, 8:5. |
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בָּֽרִאשׁוֹן:
לְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר הוּא תִּשְׁרֵי וּלְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הוּא נִיסָן (ר"ה י"א):
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| dried up: It [the earth] became a sort of clay, for its upper surface had formed a crust. — [Seder Olam ch. 4, Gen. Rabbah 33:7, according to Yalkut Shim’oni] |
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חָֽרְבוּ:
נַעֲשָׂה כְמִין טִיט, שֶׁקָּרְמוּ פָנֶיהָ שֶׁל מַעְלָה:
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| 14And in the second month, on the twenty seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. |
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ידוּבַחֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י בְּשִׁבְעָ֧ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים י֖וֹם לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ יָֽבְשָׁ֖ה הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| on the twenty-seventh: And they [the rains] started to fall in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month. These are the eleven days by which the solar year exceeds the lunar year, for the judgment of the Generation of the Flood was for a whole year. — [from Eduyoth 2:10] |
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בְּשִׁבְעָה וְעֶשְׂרִים:
יְרִידָתָן בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי בְי"ז בַּחֹדֶשׁ, אֵלּוּ י"א יָמִים שֶׁהַחַמָּה יְתֵרָה עַל הַלְּבָנָה, שֶׁמִּשְׁפַּט דוֹר הַמַּבּוּל שָׁנָה תְמִימָה הָיָה:
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| the earth was dry: It became dry earth, as it should be. |
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יָֽבְשָׁה:
נַעֲשָׂה גָּרִיד כְּהִלְכָתָהּ:
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