Midrash sobre Génesis 5:29

“There was a famine in the land.” Ten famines came to the world. One during the days of Adam; one during the days of Lemekh; one during the days of Abraham; one during the days of Isaac; one during the days of Jacob; one during the days of Elijah; one during the days of Elisha; one during the days of David; one during the days when the judges judged; and one that is yet progressing and coming to the world.
One during the days of Adam, as it is stated: “Accursed is the ground because of you” (Genesis 3:17); one during the days of Lemekh, as it is stated: “From the ground that the Lord had cursed” (Genesis 5:29); one during the days of Abraham, as it is stated: “There was famine in the land and Abram descended to Egypt” (Genesis 12:10); one during the days of Isaac: “There was a famine in the land, beside the first famine” (Genesis 26:1); one during the days of Jacob, as it is stated: “For these two years there has been famine in the land” (Genesis 45:6); one during the days of Elijah, as it is stated: “There will not be dew or rain these years, except by my word” (I Kings 17:1); one during the days of Elisha, as it is stated: “There was a great famine in Samaria” (II Kings 6:25); one during the days of David, as it is stated: “There was a famine during the days of David, three years” (II Samuel 21:1); one during the days when the judges judged, as it is stated: “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1); and one that is advancing upon the world, as it is written: “I will send famine in the land, not famine for bread, not thirst for water” (Amos 8:11).
Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: It would have been appropriate for the main manifestation of them³⁹The years of famine during the days of David. to have been during the days of Saul, and it was not appropriate for them to have been during the days of David. [But] because Saul was an offshoot of a sycamore tree,⁴⁰The sycamore tree is frail. and would have been unable to withstand it, the Holy One blessed be He transferred it and brought it to David, who is the offshoot of an olive tree⁴¹The olive tree is sturdy. and [he] was able to withstand it. A parable says: Shila sinned and Yoḥana⁴²Generic names of that period. pays for it? So, all of them did not come upon lowly people, but rather upon mighty people who could withstand them. Rabbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar: [It is analogous] to a glazier who had a basket filled with cups of cut glass. When he sought to hang his basket, he would bring a peg, hammer it [into the wall,] and then hang his basket. So, all of them did not come upon lowly people, but rather to mighty people. Rabbi Berekhya would read in reference to them:⁴³David’s generation. “He gives strength to the weary” (Isaiah 40:29).
Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo: Two [famines]⁴⁴That of Lemekh occurred while Adam was still alive. came during the days of Adam.⁴⁵In the parallel text of this midrash found in Bereishit Rabba 25:3 it says ‘Abraham’ instead of ‘Adam.’ Rav Huna in the name of Rav Aḥa: One was during the days of Abraham, and one was during the days of Lemekh. The famine that was during the days of Elijah was due to a drought. One year it produced [a harvest] and the other year it did not produce. But the famine during the days of Elisha was due to [economic] panic, as it is stated: “Until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty of silver” (II Kings 6:25). [Regarding] the famine that came during the days that the judges judged, Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Dosa: They were forty-two se’a⁴⁶A measure of dry volume roughly equivalent to 8 liters. and they became forty-one se’a.⁴⁷The reference is to the amount of produce that could be purchased for one sela. Some commentators suggest that the text should be read: they were [sold] at a rate of two se’a [per sela] and became one se’a [per sela]. See Etz Yosef. But is it not taught: A person may not depart to outside the Land of Israel until two se’a⁴⁸Of wheat. are bought for a shekel?⁴⁹The reference is to the biblical shekel, which is the equivalent of the rabbinic sela. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: When is that so? It is when one cannot find anything [else] to buy. But if he can find [other food] to buy, even [at] one se’a for a shekel, a Jew may not leave the Land of Israel.⁵⁰Elimelekh was punished because his decision to leave the Land of Israel was not justified. But is it not taught: During a time of pestilence, a time of war, gather everyone inside, but during a time of famine, scatter? Why was Elimelekh punished? It is because he sank the hearts of Israel.
[It is analogous] to a prominent person who lived in a province, and the residents of the province would depend upon him, and would say that if drought years would come, he could provide food for the province for ten years. When a drought year came, his maidservant went out, and went into the market with her basket in her hand. The residents of the province said: This is the one who we relied upon, that if there would be a drought he could support us for ten years? His maidservant is standing in the market with her basket in her hand! So, Elimelekh was one of the prominent residents of the province, and one of the leaders of the generation. When the years of famine arrived, he said: ‘Now, all Israel will come around to my door, this one with his basket and that one with his basket.’ He arose and fled from them; that is what is written: “A man of Bethlehem of Judah went.”

Lamech lived a hundred and eighty-two years and begot his son (Gen. 5:28), through whom the world was to be reestablished. He called him Noah (lit. “comfort, ease”), saying: This one will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hand (Gen. 5:29). How did he know that this one would comfort us in our work? Was Lamech a prophet? R. Simeon the son of Yehozadak said: There was a tradition that when the Holy One, blessed be He, told Adam: Cursed be the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it (Gen. 3:17), Adam inquired: “Master of the Universe, how long will the ground be cursed?” He replied: “Until a man-child already circumcised shall be born.” When Noah was born circumcised, Lamech understood immediately that this was the one concerning whom the Holy One, blessed be He, had said: This one will comfort us in our work (ibid. 5:29).

As long as the wicked exist, etc. Whom does it refer to? R. Joseph said: "It refers to the thieves." Our Rabbis were taught: With the appearance of a wicked person anger comes into the world, as it is said (Pr. 18, 3) When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with dishonorable acts disgrace. And when the wicked perish, good comes to the world, as it is said (Ib. 11, 10) And when the wicked perish there is joyful shouting. When an upright man departs this world evil comes to the world, as it is said (Is. 57, 1) The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to hart; and godly men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away before the evil. And when a righteous man comes to the world goodness comes with him, as it is said (Gen. 5, 29) This same shall comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands.

And he called his name Noach - Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Shimon Ben Lakish dispute. Rabbi Yochanan said: "The midrash is not the name, and the name is not the midrash. Rather, the verse only needed to say "Noach, this one will comfort us", or "Nachman , this one will comfort us". Rather, in the hour that the Holy One created Adam HaRishon (the First Human), He made him rule over all, the cow would listen to the plowman and the furrow would listen to the plowman. Since Adam sinned they rebelled against him, the cow would not listen to the plowman and the furrow would not listen to the plowman. When Noach stood/was established, they rested (nachu). And from where do we have this? Here we have the expression of rest (nichah), and there we have the expression of rest: "so that your ox and your donkey will rest (yanuach)" (Ex. 23:12). Just as in that case the expression has to do with the ox resting, so too here. Rabbi Shimeon Ben Lakish said: "The midrash is not the name, and the name is not the midrash. Rather, the verse only needed to say "Noach, this one will comfort us", or "Nachman, this one will comfort us". Rather, until the moment Noach stood the waters would not cease to come up and flood them inside their graves. Twice, as it is written: "Who summons the waters of the sea [and pours them out upon the earth— His name is Ad-nai!]" (Amos 5:8) this is regarding the two times [per day] that the waters come up and flood them inside their graves, once in Shacharit (morning) and once in Arvit (night), since it is written: "[abandoned among the dead,] like corpses lying in the grave [of whom You are mindful no more], and who are cut off from Your care." Their "bodies lying in the grave" were "abandoned corpses" - and when Noach stood up, they found rest. Here we have the expression of rest (nichah), and there we have the expression of rest: "Yet they shall come to peace, they shall have rest on their resting place, [the ones who walked straightforward]." (Isaiah 57:2). Just as in that case the expression has to do with the resting in the grave, so too here. Rabbi Eliezer said: Noach was named after his sacrifice (korban) as it is written: "And Ad-nai smelled the pleasing [hanichoach] odor" (Gen. 8:21). Rabbi Yosi bar Rabbi Chanina said: He was named after the resting of the ark, as it says "and the ark rested [tanach]" (Gen. 8:4). Rabbi Yochanan said: the celestial spheres did not move that entire twelve months. Rabbi Yonatan said to him: they did move, but their movements were not marked. "(So long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night) shall not cease" (Gen 8:22) - Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbu Yehoshua dispute. Rabbi Eliezer said: shall not cease, from here [we infer] that they did not cease. And Rabbi Yehoshua: shall not cease, from here [we infer] that they did cease.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 5:1): THIS IS THE BOOK < OF THE GENERATIONS OF ADAM >. This text is related (to Is. 41:2): WHO HAS WROUGHT AND DONE IT? THE ONE WHO NAMED THE GENERATIONS FROM THE BEGINNING. If the generations were worthy, the Holy One gave them their names just as he had given names to Adam and Eve. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 5:2): AND HE GAVE THEM THE NAME ADAM. You also find that when the Holy One sees a righteous one born, he gives him his name as a mark of honor. He named Noah because he was righteous, as stated (in Gen. 5:29): AND HE CALLED HIS NAME NOAH. He named Abraham, as stated (in Gen. 17:5): BUT YOUR NAME SHALL BE ABRAHAM. So also with Isaac, Jacob, Solomon, and Josiah. Thus it is stated (in I Kings 13:2): BEHOLD, A SON SHALL BE BORN UNTO THE HOUSE OF DAVID; JOSIAH SHALL BE HIS NAME. If the generations were worthy, he would give a name to each and every one; and from his name he would make known his works. Our masters have said:⁹⁰Cf. Yoma 83b; yRH 3:9 (59a). When R. Me'ir would see a person, he would learn his name, and from his name he would know his works. Once upon a time two students came to him, and one had the name Kidor. R. Me'ir said to his students: Beware of this Kidor. They said to him: He is a Torah scholar. He said to them: [Nevertheless], you yourselves beware of him. One day they went to the bathhouse and deposited their clothes with Kidor. He took their clothes and went away. When they came out, they did not find < him >. They went to their houses and put on other clothes. They came to R. Me'ir. R. Me'ir said to them: Why did you change your clothes? They said to him: We went to the bathhouse and deposited our clothes with Kidor, but he took them. He said to them: Did I not say to you: Beware of this man? They said to him: O our master, if you please, < tell us > how you knew. He said to them: From his name, for it is written (in Deut. 32:20): FOR (Ki) A GENERATION (dor) OF PERVERSITY ARE THEY…. So also you find in Egypt (in Numb. 3:21): THE LIBNITE FAMILY. At what time did he give them their names? When Pharaoh arose and worked them with clay and brick (rt.: LBN). Ergo: THE LIBNITE (rt.: LBN) FAMILY. (Deut. 32:20, cont.:) AND THE SHIMEITE (rt.: ShM') FAMILY. When they complained of the servitude, the Holy One heard (rt.: ShM') their prayer. (Deut. 32:27:) AND THE HEBRONITE (rt.: HBR) FAMILY, to whom the Divine Presence was allied (rt.: HBR). <These examples > are to teach you that if the generations were worthy, the Holy One would give them their names, as stated (in Is. 41:4): THE ONE WHO NAMED THE GENERATIONS….