Génesis 7:11 Midrash: Bamidbar Rabbah, Bereshit Rabbah, Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael & Aggadat Bereshit

“The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai” – this is what the verse said: “He did not do so for every nation” (Psalms 147:20), and likewise: “He raised a horn for His people” (Psalms 148:14). This is analogous to a king who took a first wife and did not write her a marriage contract, divorced her, and did not write her a bill of divorce, and so to the second and to the third; he did not write them a marriage contract and not a bill of divorce. What, then, did he do? He saw a young orphan girl, well born, and he sought to take her as a wife. He said to his groomsman: ‘Do not act with her like with the first ones; she is well born, modest, and upright. Write her a marriage contract, [specifying] in which seven-year period, in which year, in which month, in which district,’ just as it is written regarding Esther: “Esther was taken to King Aḥashverosh, to his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tevet, in the seventh year of his reign” (Esther 2:16). So, the Holy One blessed be He created the generation of the Flood, but He did not write when He created them. He eliminated them from the world, and did not write when He eliminated them, but only, “On that day all the wellsprings of the great depth were breached” (Genesis 7:11). Likewise, regarding the generation of the Dispersion and likewise regarding Egypt, He did not write when they were created and when they died. But when Israel stood, the Holy One blessed be He said: I will not act with these like those first ones. These are the descendants of the patriarchs, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Go, write for them which month, how many days in the month, which year, which district, and in which city I raised their horn. “In the Tent of Meeting" – that is the district; “in the second year” – that is the year; “of the second month” – that is the month; “on the first of the month” – that is how many days into the month. The era was also written.⁸The era was, “of their exodus from the land of Egypt.” Why “take a census of the entire congregation of the children of Israel” (Numbers 1:2)? To realize what is stated: “He did not do so for every nation.” What did He do? “He raised a horn for His people” (Psalms 148:14).

Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon interpreted the verses regarding the generations. “The earth was emptiness and disorder” – this is Adam the first man, who became oblivion and nothingness. “And disorder” – this is Cain, who sought to restore the world to emptiness and disorder. “And darkness” – this is the generation of Enosh,³They profaned God’s name (Genesis 4:26; Bereshit Rabba 23:7). based on the verse: “Their actions are in the dark and they say: Who sees us and who knows of us?” (Isaiah 29:15). “Upon the face of the depths” – this is the generation of the Flood, as it is stated: “On that day all the wellsprings of the great depths were breached” (Genesis 7:11). “And the spirit [ruaḥ] of God was hovering over the surface of the water” – based on the verse: “God passed a wind [ruaḥ] over the earth” (Genesis 8:1).⁴Ruaḥ, too is an allusion to the Flood. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Until when will the world conduct itself in darkness?⁵In the darkness of idol worship. Let some light come.’ “God said: Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) – this is Abraham. That is what is written [regarding Abraham]: “Who roused [he’ir] righteousness from the east?” (Isaiah 41:2). Do not read it as he’ir,⁶Spelled with an ayin, meaning roused. but rather, he’ir.⁷Spelled with an alef, meaning illuminated.
“God called the light, Day, and the darkness, He called Night. It was evening and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5).
“God called the light, Day” – this is Jacob. “And the darkness, He called Night” – this is Esau. “It was evening” – this is Esau; “and it was morning” – this is Jacob. “It was evening” – the evening of Esau;⁸The period of Esau’s waning power. “and it was morning” – the morning of Jacob.⁹The period of Jacob’s rising power. “One day” – as it is stated: “There will be one day, it will be known to the Lord, that is not day and not night…” (Zechariah 14:7).¹⁰This is an allusion to the ultimate redemption, when Jacob’s ascendance over Esau will be asserted. Alternatively, “one day” – which the Holy One blessed be He provided him. Which is that? It is Yom Kippur.¹¹Even in this world there is one day when there is light for Jacob and darkness for the forces of evil.

They set their eyes (["eineihem" for erotic gazing]), the higher (the males) upon the lower (the female) in order to vent their lust, and the Holy One Blessed be He opened against them wells ("mayanoth" [like "eineihem"]) from above and below to destroy them, as it is written (Ibid. 11) "On this day, all the fountains of the great deep burst, and the windows of heaven were opened."