Midrash sobre Génesis 11:8

(Lev. 14:2:) “This shall be the law of the leper.” This text is related (to Prov. 18:21), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Everything depends on the tongue. [If] one is acquitted, he is acquitted for life; [if] one is not acquitted, he is condemned to death. [If] one is engaged in Torah with his tongue, he is acquitted for life, inasmuch as the Torah is a tree of life, as stated (in Prov. 3:18), “[Wisdom] is a tree of life to those who take hold of it.” It (i.e., the Torah) is also one's healing for the evil tongue (i.e., slander), as stated (in Prov. 15:4), “A healing tongue is a tree of life.” But if one is occupied with slander, his soul is condemned to death, since slander is more harmful than the shedding of blood. Thus whoever kills takes only one life, but the one who speaks slander kills three people: the one who tells it, the one who accepts it, and the one about whom it is told.⁹PRK 4:2; Lev. R. 26:2; Numb. R. 19:2; Deut. R. 5:10; M. Pss. 12:2; yPe’ah 1:1 (16a). Doeg spoke slander against Ahimelech; and he (i.e., Ahimelech) was killed, as stated (in I Sam. 22:16), “But the king said, ‘You shall surely die, Ahimelech.’” Saul also was killed, [as stated] (in I Chron. 10:13), “So Saul died for the treachery which he had committed against the Lord.” And thus did Saul say (in II Sam. 1:9, to a young man), “Please stand over me and slay me, for death throes have seized me.” [The young man was] the accuser¹⁰Gk.: kategoros. of Nob, the city of priests [against Saul]. Now death throes (shbts) can only denote priesthood, since it is stated (in Exod. 28:13 with reference to high-priestly dress), “And you shall make gold brocade (rt.: shbts).” Doeg also was uprooted (shrsh) from the life of this world and from all life in the world to come. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 52:7), “God will also tear you down for ever; He will seize you, tear you away from your tent, and uproot (shrsh) you from the land of the living. Selah,” [i.e., He will uproot you] from life in the world to come. Who is more severe? One who smites with the sword or [one who] smites with the dart? Say the one who smites with the dart. The one who smites with the sword is only able to kill his companion if he draws near to him and touches him; but in the case of one who smites with the dart, it is not so. Rather one throws the dart wherever he sees him. Therefore, one who speaks slander is comparable to the dart, as stated (in Jer. 9:7), “Their tongue is a sharpened dart; it speaks deceit.” It also says (in Ps. 57:5), “people, whose teeth are spears and darts, and whose tongue a sharp sword.” See how harmful slander is, in that it is more harmful than adultery, shedding blood and idolatry.¹¹M. Pss. 52:2. Of adultery it is written (in Gen. 39:9, where Joseph is addressing Potiphar's wife), “then how shall I do this great evil and sin against God?” Of shedding blood it is written (in Gen. 4:13), “My sin is greater than I can bear.” Of idolatry it is written (in Exod. 32:31, with reference to the golden calf), “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin.” But when it (i.e., Scripture) mentions slander, it does not say "great" (in the masculine singular, as in Gen. 4:13), or "great" (in the feminine singular, as in Gen. 39:9 and Exod. 32:31), but "great" (in the feminine plural). Thus it is written (in Ps. 12:4), “The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, [every] tongue speaking great things (in the feminine plural).” It is therefore stated (in Prov. 18:21), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” [Another interpretation (of Prov. 18:21), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”: Do not say, “Since I have license to speak, I am therefore speaking whatever I want.” See, the Torah has already warned you (in Ps. 34:14), “Keep your tongue from evil [and your lips from speaking deceit].” Perhaps you will say that you are suffering a loss. Are you not profiting instead? So the holy spirit proclaims (in Prov. 21:23), “The one who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from trouble (tsarot).” Do not read this as “from trouble.” Instead [read it as], "from leprosy (tsar'at).” Another interpretation (of Prov. 18:21), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”: Slander is so harmful that one does not produce it from his mouth without denying the Holy One, blessed be He.¹²M. Ps. 52:2. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 12:5), “Those who say, ‘By our tongues we shall prevail; our lips are with us, who is to be our Lord?’” The Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, cried out against those who speak slander (in Ps. 94:16), “Who will stand for Me against evildoers…?” Who can stand against them? And who will stand against them? Geihinnom? But Geihinnom also cries out, “I am unable to stand against them.” [Then] the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I [will come at them] from above and you (Geihinnom), from below. I will hurl darts from above; and you will turn on them with burning coals from below.” Thus it is stated (in Ps. 120:4), “Sharp darts of the warrior along with burning coals of broom wood.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Do you want to be delivered from Geihinnom? Keep yourselves far away from the deceitful tongue. Then you will be acquitted in this world and in the world to come.” Thus it is stated (in Ps. 34:13), “Who is the one who desires life….” And it is [then] written (in vs. 14), “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit […].” Thus it is stated (in Lev. 14:2), “This shall be the law of the leper,” to teach you that one who speaks slander will have blemishes come to him, as it is stated, “This shall be the law of the leper (metsora'),” [i.e.] the one who proclaims evil (motsi' ra')¹³Above, 5:1; ySot. 2:1 (17d); ‘Arakh. 15b; Cf. Lev. R. 16:1. will find evil, in that he will have leprosy come upon him. See what is written about Miriam (in Numb. 12:1), “Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses.” Therefore (in vs. 10), “then Aaron turned unto Miriam, and there was [Miriam] with leprosy like the snow.” What is written elsewhere (in Deut. 24:9)? “Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam […].” And is it not all the more so? For if Miriam had this happen, when she only spoke against her beloved brother when he was absent¹⁴I.e., she spoke privately to Aaron with no desire to be hostile to Moses. Cf. Sifre, Numb. 12:1 (99:2). and was only intending to return him to his wife, how much the more so in the case of one who utters slander against his colleague? What is written above on the matter (in Deut. 24:8)? “Take care with the plague of leprosy [to watch diligently and do according to all that the priests and Levites shall teach…].” So the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, also afflicted with it Aaron, who was high priest. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 12:9), “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, [i.e.] against Aaron and against Miriam.” Aaron, however, was healed immediately; but Miriam, after seven days, as stated (in Numb. 12:15), “So Miriam was shut up [outside of the camp] for seven days.” Ergo (in Lev. 14:2), “This shall be the law of the leper (metsora').” The one who proclaims evil (motsi' ra') is the one who finds evil (motse' ra'). And thus you find with the primeval serpent, because he spoke slander [to Eve] against his Creator, for that reason he became leprous.¹⁵Cf. Gen. R. 19:4. What did he say? R. Joshua ben Levi said (citing Gen. 3:5), “’For God knows that on the day that you eat from it, your eyes shall be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ He said to her, ‘Every artisan hates his fellow [artisan].¹⁶The saying is proverbial. See Gen. R. 32:2; M. Pss. 11:6. Now when [the Holy One, blessed be He,] wanted to create His world, He ate from this tree. So he created His world. You [two] also eat from it. Then you will be able to create like Him.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to [the serpent], ‘You have spoken slander. Your end is to be stricken with leprosy.’” It is so stated (in Gen. 3:14), “So the Lord God said unto the serpent, “Because you have done this, more cursed shall you be than all the beasts of the field.” With what did he curse ('araroh) him? With leprosy. Now a curse can only be leprosy, since it is stated (in Lev. 13:52), “for it is a malignant (mam'eret) leprosy.”¹⁷The argument assumes that ‘arirah and mam’eret share the same root. So also Exod. R. 3:13. R. Huna said in the name of R. Joshua ben Levi, “The scales which are on the snake are his leprosy.”¹⁸Gen. R. 20:4. And not only that, but when all the deformed are cured in the world to come, the snake shall not be cured.¹⁹Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 11:9; Tanh., Gen. 11:8; Gen. R. 95:1. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 3:14), “more cursed shall you be than all the beasts.” From here [we learn] that they all shall be healed, but [the serpent] shall not be healed. People shall be healed, as stated (in Is. 35:5), “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened….” It is also [written about] the wild beasts and the cattle (in Is. 65:25), “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion like the ox shall eat straw, but the serpent's food shall be dust”; as he will never be healed, because he [was the one who] brought all mortals down to the dust. And what caused him to have [this punishment]? [It happened] because he had spoken slander.

R. Isaac said: No one reckons baskets of refuse, of chaff, or of straw to his steward.¹⁰Cf. Cant. R. 7:3:3; PR 10:4. What does he reckon to his steward? Baskets of wheat, not baskets of refuse. What does he do <with the refuse>? He cleans (rt.: MHH) it out with water, even as <he did to> the generation of the flood (according to Gen. 6:7): AND THE LORD SAID: I WILL BLOT (rt.: MHH) OUT <THE HUMANITY WHICH I CREATED >. And not baskets of chaff. Now what does he do? He scatters it to the wind, even as <he did to> the generation of the dispersion (according to Gen. 11:8): SO THE LORD DISPERSED THEM. Likewise the bundles of straw. Now what does he do? He puts them in the furnace, even as he did to the Egyptians (according to Exod. 15:7): IT CONSUMES THEM LIKE STRAW. [So what did his steward reckon? The bundles of wheat. Thus Israel is likened to wheat. He therefore counts them (in Exod. 30:12): WHEN YOU TAKE <A CENSUS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL….>]

2) "All that have fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers — those may you eat': "in the seas (yamim)": This is the Great Sea (the Mediterranean), as it is written (Bereshith 1:10): "And the (great) ingathering of the waters, He called yamim." "and in the nechalim": These are the rivers, as it is written (Bereshith 2:10): "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden." This tells me only of oceans and rivers, that flow (both) in the dry season and in the rainy season. Whence do I derive for inclusion other waters, and other rivers, that flow in the rainy season but not in the dry season, until you include water in holes? From (the repetition of) "in the waters" (Bereshith 11:8, Bereshith 11:9).

R. Levi said: He is the one concerning whom the Holy One, blessed be He, said: All the nations of the earth shall be blessed through him (Gen. 18:18). During the generation of the separation, the sea inundated the world and the descendants of Ham were scattered (as thirty families), as it is said: The Lord scattered them abroad (Gen. 11:8). But now, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I will cause them to descend from you, as it is said: All the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. He begot the (thirty) families, and these are they: the twelve princes that descended from Ishmael (ibid. 25:12—16), the sixteen offspring from his wife Keturah (ibid., vv. 1—4), and the two nations in the womb of Rebecca (ibid., v. 23). Hence Scripture says: All the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.

[(Lev. 14:2:) THIS SHALL BE THE LAW OF THE LEPER.] And thus you find with the primeval serpent, because he spoke slander < to Eve > against his creator, for that reason he became leprous.²¹Cf. Gen. R. 19:4. What did he say? R. Joshua ben Levi said (citing Gen. 3:5): FOR GOD KNOWS THAT ON THE DAY THAT YOU EAT FROM IT, < YOUR EYES SHALL BE OPENED > [….] He said to her: Every artisan hates his fellow < artisan >.²²The saying is proverbial. See Gen. R. 32:2; M. Pss. 11:6. Now when < the Holy One > wanted to create his world, he ate from this tree. So he created his world. You < two > also eat from it. Then you will be able to create like him. The Holy One said to < the serpent >: You have spoken slander. Your end is to be stricken with leprosy. It is so stated (in Gen. 3:14): SO THE LORD GOD SAID UNTO THE SERPENT: < BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE THIS, MORE CURSED SHALL YOU BE THAN ALL THE CATTLE, THAN ALL THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD…. > With what did he curse him? With leprosy. Now a curse ('arirah) can only be leprosy, since it is stated (in Lev. 13:52): FOR IT IS A MALIGNANT (mam'eret) LEPROSY.²³The argument assumes that ‘arirah and mam’eret share the same root. So also Exod. R. 3:13. R. Huna of Sha'av said [in the name of] R. Joshua ben Levi: The scales {i.e., the colors} which are on the snake are his leprosy.²⁴Gen. R. 20:4. And not only that, but when all the deformed are cured in the world to come, the snake shall not be cured.²⁵Above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 11:9; Tanh., Gen. 11:8; Gen. R. 95:1. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 3:14): MORE CURSED SHALL YOU BE THAN ALL THE CATTLE, < THAN ALL THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD >. What is the meaning of THAN ALL? That they all shall be healed, but < the serpent > shall not be healed. The children of Adam shall be healed, as stated (in Is. 35:5–6): {THEN THE LAME SHALL LEAP LIKE A HART…. } THEN THE EYES OF THE BLIND SHALL BE OPENED…. [THEN THE LAME SHALL LEAP LIKE A HART…. ] It is also written about the wild beasts and the cattle (in Is. 65:25): THE WOLF AND THE LAMB SHALL FEED TOGETHER, < AND THE LION LIKE THE OX SHALL EAT STRAW >; but the snake shall not have healing, since it is stated (ibid., cont.:) BUT THE SERPENT'S FOOD SHALL BE DUST. R. Helbo said: Even though he may eat all the delicacies in the world, to him they only taste like dust. Moreover, it shall also be like this in the world to come. (Is. 65:25): BUT THE SERPENT'S FOOD SHALL BE DUST, for he shall have no healing, because he < was the one who > brought mortals down to the dust. And what caused him to have < this punishment >? < It happened > because he had spoken slander. Ergo (in Lev. 14:2:) THIS SHALL BE THE LAW OF THE LEPER. In this book there are a lot of laws. {(Lev. 7:1:) THIS IS THE LAW OF THE GUILT OFFERING.} (Lev. 6:2 [9]:) THIS IS THE LAW OF THE BURNT OFFERING. [(Lev. 7:1:) THIS IS THE LAW OF THE GUILT OFFERING.] (Lev. 7:11:) THIS IS THE LAW OF THE SACRIFICE FOR PEACE OFFERINGS. And here also (in Lev. 14:2) I have established the law of the leper: THIS SHALL BE THE LAW OF THE LEPER….

Another interpretation: R. Dostay³⁵Gk.: dositheos. said: If you take a wife who bears < a child > and dies, do not be idle in your old age without a wife. Why? (Eccl. 11:6:) BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW WHICH WILL SUCCEED. From whom do you learn < this fact >? From Abraham, who in his youth only sired one < child > but in his old age sired twelve. R. Levi said: He is the one to whom the Holy One said: (in Gen. 12:3): AND IN YOU ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSED. Thus God arose in the generation of the dispersion and dispersed them into thirty families, as stated (in Gen. 11:8): SO THE LORD DISPERSED THEM…. R. Levi said: The Holy One said: I am producing them out of you. He is the one to whom the Holy One had said: AND IN YOU < ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH > SHALL BE BLESSED. So from him he produced thirty families; and they are the following: twelve princes which he produced from Ishmael (Gen. 25:13-16), the sixteen descendants of Keturah (Gen. 25:1-4), and (according to Gen. 25:23) TWO NATIONS ARE IN YOUR (Rebekah's) WOMB, for a total of thirty families. Ergo (in Gen. 25:1): THEN ABRAHAM TOOK ANOTHER WIFE.

(Gen. 46:28:) NOW HE HAD SENT JUDAH AHEAD OF HIM UNTO JOSEPH. This text is related (to Is. 65:25): THE WOLF AND THE LAMB SHALL FEED TOGETHER….³⁰Tanh., Gen. 11:8; Gen. R. 95:1. Come and see how whatever the Holy One has smitten in this world is healed in the world to come. The blind are healed, as stated (in Is. 35:5): THEN THE EYES OF THE BLIND SHALL BE OPENED. The lame also are healed, as stated (in vs. 6): THEN THE LAME SHALL LEAP LIKE A HART. And the dumb shall be healed, as stated (ibid., cont.): AND THE TONGUE OF THE DUMB SHALL SHOUT FOR JOY. Everyone shall be healed, but just as one goes (to the grave), so he comes < back >.³¹Sanh. 91b; Eccl. R. 1:4:2; see yKil. 9:4 (32b). If he goes blind, he comes < back > blind. If he goes deaf, he comes deaf. If he goes lame, he comes lame. If he goes dumb, he comes dumb. Just as one goes clothed, so one comes clothed. Thus it is written (in Job 38:14): IT IS CHANGED LIKE CLAY UNDER A SEAL; THEY STAND FORTH AS < IN > A GARMENT. From whom do you learn this? From Samuel. When Saul raised him, what did he say to the woman (of Endor)? He said to her: What do you see, AND (according to I Sam. 28:14) SHE SAID: IT IS AN OLD MAN RISING, AND HE IS WRAPPED IN A ROBE; for he had been so clothed, as stated (in I Sam. 2:19): HIS MOTHER WOULD MAKE A LITTLE ROBE FOR HIM. So why is it that, just as one goes (to the grave), so one comes < back > ? So that the wicked of the world will not say: After they died, would the Holy One have healed them and later brought them < back >? It would seem that these are not the same ones (who died), but others. The Holy One said: If so, let them rise just as they went (to the grave), and afterwards I will heal them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 43:10): < SO THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT > … BEFORE ME NO GOD WAS FORMED. Then later the beasts are healed, as stated (in Is. 65:25): THE WOLF AND THE LAMB SHALL FEED TOGETHER…. And why? Because it (the serpent)³²For this interpretation, see Gen. R. 95:1 and also 20:5. has brought everything to dust.

Another explanation of this verse. David said this in reference to the generation of the separation. Slay them not, lest my people forget that You have destroyed the generation of the flood. Rather, make them wander to and fro by Thy power, that is, scatter them throughout the world, as it is written: The Lord dispersed them from there (Gen. 11:8). Bring them down, because they said: Let us build a city (ibid., v. 4). What does this suggest? They were rebelling against You.

They separated into three groups. One said: “Let us go and dwell there”; the second insisted: “Let us go up and wage war against Him”; and the third shouted: “Let us go and serve idols there.” Those who said “Let us go and dwell there” were scattered abroad by the Holy One, blessed be He; those who insisted “Let us go and wage war against Him” were transformed into apes, spirits, and demons; and those who said “Let us go and serve idols there” were punished, as specified in the verse Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongue (Ps. 55:10). Thus it is said: And the Lord dispersed them from there (Gen. 11:8).

(Exodus 14:21) "And the L rd drove the sea with a strong east wind all the night": the strongest of the winds, the east wind. And thus you find that the L rd exacted punishment of the men of the generation of the flood and of the men of Sodom with a strong east wind, viz. (Iyyov 4:9) "By the breath of G d they go lost, and by the wind of His wrath they perish": "By the breath of G d they go lost" — the generation of the flood; "and by the wind of His wrath they perish" — the generation of Sodom. And thus do you find with the generation of the tower of Bavel, that the L rd exacted punishment of them with a strong east wind, viz. (Genesis 11:8) "And from there the L rd scattered them on the face of all the earth," "scattering" connoting an east wind, viz. (Jeremiah 18:17) "With an east wind I will scatter them." And thus with Egypt, viz. (Exodus 10:15) "And the L rd swept an east wind over the land." And thus do you find with the ten tribes, that the L rd exacted punishment of them with an east wind, viz. (Hoshea 13:15) "For he (Ephraim) flourished among the reeds. (But now) an east wind will come, a wind from the L rd, rising from the desert, and it will dry up his source and parch his spring. It will despoil the source of all his precious vessels." And thus do you find with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, that the L rd exacted punishment of them with an east wind, viz. (Jeremiah 18:17) "With an east wind I will scatter them." And thus do you find with Tyre, that He exacted punishment of them with an east wind, viz. (Ezekiel 27:26) "and the east wind has broken you in the heart of the seas." And thus you find that the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to exact punishment of "the merry kingdom" (Tarshish), viz. (Psalms 48:8) "With an east wind You will smash the ships of Tarshish." And thus do you find that the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to exact punishment of the wicked in Gehinnom with the east wind, viz. (Isaiah 30:33) "For Tafteh (Gehinnom) is ready from yesterday. It is readied for the king (Sancheriv). He has deepened and widened it. Its pyre has much fire and wood. The breath of the L rd, as a stream of sulfur, burns in it." And it is written (Ibid. 27:8) "He spoke His stern words on the day of the east wind." Here, too, "And the L rd drove the sea with a strong east wind": the strongest of the winds, the east wind.

Another interpretation: He spoke it against none other than the generation of the dispersion. (Ps. 59:12 [11]:) DO NOT KILL THEM by the death that you used on the generation of the flood. Rather (ibid., cont.): MAKE THEM WANDER BY YOUR POWER. Make them homeless nomads in the world. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 11:8): SO THE LORD DISPERSED THEM. (Ps. 59:13 [12]:) FOR THE SIN OF THEIR MOUTH < means > that they had sinned with their mouth. (Ibid., cont.:) THE WORD OF THEIR LIPS < means > that they had sinned with their lips. Therefore (ibid., cont.): LET THEM BE TRAPPED BY THEIR PRIDE. {Thus it is stated.}

(Gen. 20:1:) THEN ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FROM THERE. This text is related (to Ps. 26:4f.): I HAVE NOT DWELT WITH FALSE PEOPLE… I HAVE HATED THE COMMUNITY OF EVILDOERS, < AND WILL NOT DWELL WITH THE WICKED >. I HAVE NOT DWELT WITH FALSE PEOPLE. These are the people of the Tower < of Babel >, who were < in fact > false people. They went and said to Abraham: Come and dwell with us, since you are a valiant man, for we see that the Holy One has made his dwelling above and left us below. The Holy Spirit, however, cries out (in Is. 57:20): BUT THE WICKED ARE LIKE THE TROUBLED SEA. You could not dwell in security even for one hour. (Ps. 82:5:) THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN, AND THEY WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; THEY WILL WALK ABOUT IN DARKNESS. THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN. This is the generation of Enosh⁹⁶See Gen. 4:26, which rabbinic texts interpret to mean that in the days of Enosh people began practicing idolatry. AND THEY WILL NOT UNDERSTAND. [This is] the generation of the flood. THEY WILL WALK ABOUT IN DARKNESS. This is the generation of the Tower < of Babel >. Abraham said to them: What are you seeking from the Holy One who dwells above? Has he perhaps said to you: Come, labor and provide⁹⁷Gk.: pronoos, i.e., “thinking beforehand.” for me? He creates, and he provides; he makes, and he sustains. What do you want from him? (Gen. 11:4:) {THEY SAID TO HIM} [THEN THEY SAID]: COME, LET US BUILD FOR OURSELVES A CITY AND A TOWER. Then let us place our idols above him and make war with him. It is so stated (ibid., cont.): AND LET US MAKE A NAME (i.e., a god) FOR OURSELVES.⁹⁸See M.Pss. 74:2. Thus it is < also > written (in Exod. 23:13): YOU SHALL NOT MENTION THE NAME OF OTHER GODS. Abraham said to them: What are all these for? They said to him: Lest he do to us something like what he did to earlier generations. He said to them: You have forsaken (what Prov. 18:10 calls) A TOWER OF STRENGTH, THE NAME OF THE LORD; yet you say: AND LET US MAKE A NAME (i.e., a god) FOR OURSELVES! What did the Holy One do? He dispersed them, as stated (in Gen. 11:8): SO THE LORD DISPERSED THEM. Now to what extent had they built and ascended the Tower? The Holy One was deriding them, as stated (in Ps. 2:4): THE ONE WHO DWELLS IN THE HEAVENS WILL LAUGH; < THE LORD WILL DERIDE THEM >. When they had gone up above on the Tower, < there follows > immediately (in vs. 5): THEN HE WILL SPEAK UNTO THEM IN HIS WRATH…. So it (the Tower) fell from on high, as stated (in Ps. 5:11 [10]): CONDEMN THEM, O GOD, LET THEM FALL BY THEIR OWN COUNSELS. Thus Abraham had no dealings with them. Then the Holy One looked down upon them and saw them, as stated (in Ps. 53: 3f. [2f.]): {THE LORD} [GOD] OF HEAVEN LOOKED DOWN UPON THE CHILDREN OF ADAM … ALL OF THEM ARE DROSS…. When they became dross, they made themselves deities. (Ibid., cont.:) THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NOT EVEN ONE. From here you learn that Abraham was not one of them. The ONE mentioned here is none but Abraham, as stated (in Ezek. 33:24): ABRAHAM WAS ONE AND HE INHERITED THE LAND. Abraham began saying (in Ps. 26:4f.): I HAVE NOT DWELT WITH FALSE PEOPLE; I HAVE HATED THE COMMUNITY OF EVILDOERS. It is therefore stated (in Gen. 20:1): THEN ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FROM THERE.

And they wished to speak one to another in the language of his fellow-countryman, but one did not understand the language of his fellow. What did they do? Every one took his sword, and they fought one another to destroy (each other), and half the world fell there by the sword, and thence the Lord scattered them upon the face of all the earth, as it is said, "So the Lord scattered them abroad on that account, upon the face of all the earth" (Gen. 11:8).

(Gen. 11:3:) THEN THEY SAID TO ONE ANOTHER: COME, LET US FORM BRICKS. The Holy One caused everything that they made to prosper in their hands in order to laugh at them in the end. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 2:4): THE ONE SITTING IN THE HEAVENS SHALL LAUGH. Now had they not built, they would have said: If we had built the tower, we should¹¹⁰“We should” follows Tanh., Gen. 2:18. The Buber text, which translates, “They would,” lacks the letter (nun). have ascended to the heavens and fought with him.¹¹¹Cf. Sanh. 109a. What did the Holy One do? He made things prosper in their hands to make known that those in the world are nothing. Then after [that] he laughed at them and banished them, as stated (in Gen. 11:8): SO THE LORD DISPERSED THEM OUT OF THERE. [(Gen. 11:4:) THEN THEY SAID: COME, LET US BUILD OURSELVES A CITY AND A TOWER WITH ITS TOP IN THE HEAVENS TO MAKE A NAME FOR OURSELVES.] R. Simeon bar Johay said: They took an idol and put it on top of the tower. [They said:] If the Holy One issues decrees against it, it will be against him and inhibit him. This expression, MAKE A NAME FOR OURSELVES, is nothing but an expression of idolatry. Thus is stated (in Exod. 23:13): YOU SHALL NOT MENTION THE NAME OF OTHER GODS.¹¹²Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Kaspa 4; see Sanh. 109a; Gen. R. 38:8. The Holy One said to them: You say (in Gen. 11:4, cont.): LEST WE BE DISPERSED. I am dispersing you. Thus it is stated (in vs. 8): SO THE LORD DISPERSED THEM. < This dispersing was > to fulfill what is stated (in Prov. 10:24): WHAT THE WICKED ONE FEARS SHALL COME UPON HIM.