Commentary for Genesis 4:26
וּלְשֵׁ֤ת גַּם־הוּא֙ יֻלַּד־בֵּ֔ן וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ אֱנ֑וֹשׁ אָ֣ז הוּחַ֔ל לִקְרֹ֖א בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃ (פ)
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enosh; then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
Rashi on Genesis
אז הוחל THEN IT WAS BEGUN [TO CALL etc.] — The word הוחל must be connected in meaning with חולין “profane matters “) viz, calling the names of men and the names of idols after the name of the Holy One, blessed be He — making them the objects of idolatrous worship and calling them Deities (Genesis Rabbah 23:7).
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Sforno on Genesis
אז הוחל לקרא בשם ה, at that time the righteous people of the earth began to preach monotheism to the public. The meaning is similar to Genesis 21,33 ויקרא שם בשם ה' א-ל עולם, “Avraham proclaimed there the name of the Lord, the Lord of the universe.” The time had come to publicly confront and refute the arguments of the idolaters in that period.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Radak on Genesis
ולשת גם הוא, just as Adam had sired a good son, one in his image, so Sheth sired a good son, one in his image.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy