Commentary for Genesis 1:10
וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ לַיַּבָּשָׁה֙ אֶ֔רֶץ וּלְמִקְוֵ֥ה הַמַּ֖יִם קָרָ֣א יַמִּ֑ים וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃
And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas; and God saw that it was good.
Rashi on Genesis
קרא ימים CALLED HE SEAS — But does it not form one great sea? But it speaks of seas because the taste of fish which comes up from the sea at Acco is not the same as the taste of fish which comes up from the sea at Aspamia (Genesis Rabbah 5:8).
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Rashbam on Genesis
ליבשה ארץ, as I explained earlier, the “yabashah” is none other than the earth mentioned in verse 1 as הארץ, as well as in many other places.
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Sforno on Genesis
ויקרא אלוקים ליבשה ארץ, G’d assigned a name which is applicable to the whole also to parts of it. The reason is that the particular part of the “earth” described previously as merely יבשה, is in reality the most important and productive part of the “earth.” (based on Moreh Nevuchim) Isaiah 45,18 already referred to this when he said of earth that לשבת יצרה, “G’d formed it in order that it be populated,” i.e. subterranean earth is of secondary importance, seeing one cannot cultivate it and make it one’s habitat.
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