Midrash sobre Génesis 6:5

Our Rabbis were taught: The evil inclination of a man is so wicked that it is called so even by its Creator (Gen. 8, 21) For the inclinaiion of man's heart is evil from his youth. R. Isaac said: "The [evil] inclination renews its fight upon man every day, as it is said (Gen. 6, 5) And that every inclination of the thought of his heart was only evil all day long." (Ib. b) R. Simon b. Lakish said: "The evil inclination of man renews its fight upon man, and desires to slay him, as it is said (Ps. 37, 23) The wicked looketh out for the righteous, and seeketh to slay him; and were it not for the help of the Holy One, praised be He, man would not resist it, as it is said further: The Lord will not leave him in his hand, and will not condemn him when he is judged." In the college of R. Ishmael it was taught: My son, if that ugly (the tempter) meet thee, drag it into the house of learning (overcome it through study); if it is of stone it will be shattered; and if it is of iron it will be melted, as it is said (Jer. 23, 29) Is not thus my words like the fire? saith the Lord, and like a hammer that shattered the rock?

Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Azarya. Rabbi Yudan said: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, because You acted with my neighbors with the attribute of justice, and with me with the attribute of mercy, I will run after You,’ as Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: What was not done to the Generation of the Flood was done to the Ten Tribes. Regarding the Generation of the Flood it is written: “Only evil the entire day” (Genesis 6:5), and regarding the Ten Tribes it is written: “Woe, the devisers of iniquity who perform evil on their beds” (Micah 2:1). That is at night; in the morning, from where is it derived? “In the morning light they perform it, for it is in their power” (Micah 2:1). From them, no remnant remained, but from these, a remnant remained;¹⁶²The Generation of the Flood sinned only during the day and there were no survivors, while the Ten Tribes sinned night and day, and there were survivors. by what merit? Rabbi Yitzḥak interpreted it to their credit, [as] Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] said: It was by the merit of, “behold a remnant remained in it, [who are brought forth]” (Ezekiel 14:22), “who bring forth” is not written here, but rather, “who are brought forth.” [This teaches that a remnant remained] in the merit of the righteous men and the righteous women, the prophets and the prophetesses, who would emerge from them.
Rabbi Ḥanina said: A statement was made regarding the coastal cities that was not stated regarding the Generation of the Flood: “Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Keretim” (Zephaniah 2:5)—a nation that is liable to be punished with karet. By whose merit were they rescued? It was by the merit of one God-fearing person whom they produced each and every year. Rabbi Levi interpreted it to their credit: “Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Keretim”—a nation that established [karat] a covenant,¹⁶³This is an allusion to the fact that some members of this nation converted and fulfilled the covenant of circumcision. This merit prevented the destruction of the nation at that time, but the punishment was only temporarily averted (Etz Yosef). as it is stated: “He established [vekharot] a covenant with him” (Nehemiah 9:8).
Rabbi Yehoshua bar Nehemiah said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: A statement was made regarding the tribes of Judah and Benjamin that was not stated regarding the Sodomites. Regarding the Sodomites it is written: “Their sin is very weighty” (Genesis 18:20), but regarding the tribes of Judah and Benjamin it is written: “He said to me: The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very very great” (Ezekiel 9:9). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: We have another verse: “The iniquity of the daughter of my people exceeded [the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and no hands seized it]” (Lamentations 4:6). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: One hand did not seize another, they did not extend their hands to perform mitzvot; but these extended their hands to perform mitzvot.¹⁶⁴Rabbi Tanḥuma explains why Sodom was overthrown in a moment whereas the tribes of Judah and Benjamin were not, despite the fact that their sins were greater than those of Sodom. The Sodomites did not extend their hands to assist one another or perform mitzvot, whereas the tribes of Judah and Benjamin did. “The hands of merciful women [cooked their children, they were food for them]" (Lamentations 4:10). Why [did they act] in such a way? It was because they provided “food [levarot] for them in the disaster of the daughter of my people” (Lamentations 4:10).¹⁶⁵The midrash interprets the verse in Lamentations to mean the starving people of Jerusalem would give the small amount of food they had to others in order to attempt to console [lehavrot] them for the loss of family members. The reference to cooking their children is understood allegorically in the sense that they deprived them of food in order to console others. Thus, the verse states that the merciful women deprived their own children of food. Why did they act in such a way? In order to attempt to console others.

R. Isaac said: "The [evil] inclination renews its fight upon man every day, as it is said (Gen. 6, 5) And that every imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil all day long." (Ib. b) R. Simon b. Lakish said: "The evil inclination of man renews its fight upon man, and desires to slay him, as it is said (Ps. 37, 23) The wicked looketh out for the righteous, and seeketh to slay him; and were it not for the help of the Holy One, praised be He! man would not resist it, as it is said further: The Lord will not leave him in his hand, and will not condemn him when he is judged." In the college of R. Ishmael it was taught: "My son, if that ugly (the tempter) meet thee, drag it into the house of learning (overcome it through powder; and if it is iron, it will be split to powder, and if it is iron, it will be split to pieces. If a stone, it will be ground, as it is written (Job 14, 19) The water weareth out stones; and by water is meant the Torah, as it is said (Is. 55, 1) Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye for water. And if iron, it will be split into pieces, as it is said ( Jer. 23, 29) Is not my word like as fire? saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said, in the name of Jonathan: "The evil inclination tempts man in this world, and bears testimony against him in the world to come, as it is said (Prov. 29, 21) He that delicately bringeth up his servant from his youth, shalt have him become at length (Manun) violent. And in the Atbach- of R. Chiya, Sahada (witness) finds a substitute in Manun." R. Huna pointed out the following contradiction: "It is written (Hos. 4, 12) For the spirit of lewdness is in their bosom; i.e., at first it causes to err, and afterwards it remains in the bosom." Rab said: In the beginning he is called traveler, then guest, and then man, as it is said (II Sam. 12, 4) And there came a traveler unto a rich man; and he felt compunction to take from his own flocks and from his own heads to dress for the guest that was come to him; and it is written further: And he dressed it for the man that was come to him.

(Numb. 35:11:) WHERE A KILLER MAY FLEE WHO HAS TAKEN A LIFE BY MISTAKE, and not on purpose. If someone goes and kills on purpose, then says: It was by mistake that I killed, and flees to <one of the> cities of refuge, the Holy One says: Even if he comes in and flees to my altar, kill him, according to what is stated (in Exod. 21:14): BUT WHEN SOMEONE PLOTS AGAINST <HIS COMPANION AND KILLS HIM TREACHEROUSLY>, YOU SHALL TAKE HIM AWAY <EVEN> FROM MY ALTAR <FOR EXECUTION>. Who was this person who fled to the altar and was killed? This was Joab, of whom it is stated (in I Kings 2:28): WHEN THE NEWS CAME TO JOAB,…. <JOAB FLED UNTO THE TENT OF THE LORD> AND SEIZED THE HORNS OF THE ALTAR. You find that Joab was a great sage and the head of the Sanhedrin,³³Gk.: Synehedrion. as stated (in II Sam. 23:8): ONE WHO SITS IN THE SEAT OF WISDOM.³⁴These words are commonly understood as the proper name, JOSHEB-BASSHEBETH, A TAHCHEMONITE, but this and other citations of the verse in rabbinic literature tend to understand the verse as translated here. See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 4:12, and the note there; also below, Tanh. (Buber), Deut. 1:3. Cf. MQ 26b, for an interpretation that identifies this sage with David himself. But did he not know what is written in the Torah (in Exod. 21:14): <BUT WHEN SOMEONE PLOTS AGAINST HIS COMPANION AND KILLS HIM TREACHEROUSLY>, YOU SHALL TAKE HIM AWAY <EVEN> FROM MY ALTAR FOR EXECUTION, [when he went and seized the horns of the altar]?³⁵yMakk. 2:7 [6] (31d); Sanh. 48b; see Makk. 12b. It is simply that [Joab] had said: Those killed by a court of law are not buried in the graves of their ancestors but by themselves. It is better to die here, so that I may be buried with my ancestors. (I Kings 2:30–31:) THEN BENAIAH BROUGHT BACK WORD UNTO THE KING, SAYING: THUS HAS JOAB SPOKEN AND THUS DID HE ANSWER ME. SO THE KING SAID TO HIM: DO AS HE HAS SPOKEN, STRIKE HIM DOWN AND BURY HIM. Why was he killed? Because his (Solomon's) father, David, had ordered him <to do> so (in I Kings 2:5–6): MOREOVER, YOU ALSO KNOW WHAT JOAB BEN ZERUIAH DID TO ME…. <SO ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR WISDOM, AND DO NOT LET HIS GRAY HAIR GO DOWN TO SHEOL IN PEACE.> What did he do to him? You find that, when David wrote to Joab (in II Sam. 11:15): SET URIAH IN THE FRONT LINE WHERE THE FIGHTING IS THE FIERCEST, he did so, and he was killed. All the army leaders assembled against Joab, as stated of him (in II Sam. 23:39): URIAH THE HITTITE, <was one of> ALL <those> {THIRTY-SIX} [THIRTY-SEVEN} <leaders>. He showed them the document. It is therefore stated (in I Kings 2:5): [YOU KNOW] WHAT [JOAB BEN ZERUIAH] DID TO ME AND WHAT HE DID TO THE TWO COMMANDERS OF ISRAEL's FORCES, TO ABNER BEN NER <AND TO AMASA BEN JETHER> [….] They had been of the opinion that David had ordered him to kill him because Abner was Saul's cousin, and for that reason David arose and cursed Joab, when he said (in II Sam. 3:29): MAY THE HOUSE OF JOAB NEVER LACK <ONE WITH A DISCHARGE, A LEPER, ONE WHO GRASPS THE CRUTCH,³⁶Modern translations commonly understand these words to mean, A MALE WHO HANDLES THE SPINDLE, but the midrash understands them in the sense given here. ONE WHO FALLS BY THE SWORD, AND ONE LACKING BREAD>. Then all Israel was appeased,³⁷Rt.: PYS. Cf. Gk.: peisai (“to have persuaded”). when they knew that there was no <authorization> from David. So David ordered his son, Solomon, to kill him, because Joab was the son of David's sister, and he wanted him to approach the world to come.³⁸If he received punishment is this world, his deed would no longer bar him from doing so. When Solomon desired to kill him, Joab said to Benaiah: Go and tell Solomon: Do not sentence me with two judgments. If you are killing me, take off from me the curses with which your father, David, cursed me; and if not, leave me with his curses. Immediately (in I Kings 2:31): SO [THE KING] SAID TO HIM: DO AS HE HAS SPOKEN. [STRIKE HIM DOWN AND BURY HIM.] R. Judah has said: All curses with which David cursed Joab were all fulfilled in David's seed. [(II Sam. 3:29:) MAY THE HOUSE OF JOAB NEVER LACK ONE WITH A DISCHARGE, A LEPER, ONE WHO GRASPS THE CRUTCH, ONE WHO FALLS BY THE SWORD, AND ONE LACKING BREAD.]³⁹yQid. 1:7 (61a); cf. above, Gen. 7:7; ‘Arakh. 16a. ONE WITH A DISCHARGE <was fulfilled in> Rehoboam ben Solomon (according to I Kings 12:18 = II Chron. 10:18): THEN KING REHOBOAM SUCCEEDED IN MOUNTING HIS CHARIOT (merkavah) <AND FLED TO JERUSALEM>. It also says concerning ONE WITH A DISCHARGE (in Lev. 15:9): AND ANY SADDLE (merkav) ON WHICH THE ONE WITH A DISCHARGE RIDES <SHALL BE UNCLEAN>. (II Sam 3:29, cont.:) A LEPER <was fulfilled in> Uzziah, of whom it is stated (in II Kings 15:5): AND HE WAS A LEPER UNTIL THE DAY OF HIS DEATH. (II Sam 3:29, cont.:) ONE WHO GRASPS THE CRUTCH <was fulfilled in> Asa, of whom it is written (in I Kings 15:23): HOWEVER IN HIS OLD AGE HE BECAME DISEASED IN HIS FEET, where gout⁴⁰Gk.: podagra; Lat.: podagra. had seized him. (II Sam 3:29, cont.:) ONE WHO FALLS BY THE SWORD <was fulfilled in> Josiah, of whom it is written (in II Chron. 35:23): THEN THE ARCHERS SHOT KING JOSIAH. Moreover, Rav Judah has said: Rav said: they thrust three hundred iron lances⁴¹Gk.: longchai. into him, until they had perforated him like a sieve. (II Sam 3:29, cont.:) AND ONE LACKING BREAD <was fulfilled in> Jehoiachin, of whom it is stated (in II Kings 25:30 = Jer. 52:34): AND FOR HIS FOOD ALLOWANCE A REGULAR FOOD ALLOWANCE WAS GIVEN TO HIM FROM THE KING, from the table of Evil-merodach. You also find that as long as Jehoiada lived, Joash did the will of his creator, as stated (in II Kings 12:3 [2] // II Chron. 24:2): AND JEHOASH DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THE EYES OF THE LORD ALL HIS DAYS AS THE PRIEST JEHOIADA INSTRUCTED HIM. (II Chron. 24:17:) NOW AFTER THE DEATH OF JEHOIADA, THE PRINCES OF JUDAH CAME {UNTO HIM} AND BOWED LOW TO THE KING. THEN THE KING HEARKENED UNTO THEM, in that he took it upon himself to make an idol. Therefore (According to vs. 24): <THE ARMY OF ARAM CAME WITH A FEW MEN….> SO THEY INFLICTED JUDGMENTS ON JOASH. Now for what was Abner punished. It was because he had made the blood of the young men an amusement (rt.: SHQ), as stated (in II Sam. 2:14): THEN ABNER SAID UNTO JOAB: PLEASE LET THE YOUNG MEN ARISE AND PLAY (rt.: SHQ) BEFORE US. SO JOAB SAID: LET THEM ARISE.⁴²The result of their “playing” was that they all killed each other. See above, Gen. 6:5; Exod. 1:24; Numb. 6:8. There are also those who say it was because he put his name before the name of David, as stated (in II Sam. 3:12): THEN ABNER SENT MESSENGERS UNTO DAVID WHERE HE WAS, SAYING: TO WHOM DOES THE LAND BELONG? But the sages say: It was because he did not [wait] for Saul to be reconciled with David. Moreover, he had the power to protest <the massacre> at Nob, the city of priests, and did not protest.

… the prophets of Jerusalem were the first to sin, as it says “…for from the prophets of Jerusalem has falseness emanated to the whole land.” (Jeremiah 23:15) So too they were punished first and the rest did not escape, as it says “And a curse shall be taken from them…” (Jeremiah 29:22)

And the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth (Gen. 6:5). Our sages taught: As punishment for lewdness (in the world) androlepsia⁴¹Reprisal taken against all men regardless of guilt or innocence. appeared, destroying the virtuous together with the wicked. R. Azariah said: The Holy One, blessed be He, would overlook everything but lewdness. Observe that when they were immersed in lewdness, it is written in Scripture: The sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair; and they took them wives, whomsoever they chose (Gen. 6:1), and after that it is said: And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth … and He said: I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the earth (ibid. 6:6–7). Likewise in reference to the Sodomites, it is said: But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, compassed the house around … and they called unto Lot … For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxed great before the Lord; the Lord hath sent us to destroy it (Gen. 19:4, 13). Why is the Lord repeated twice in this verse? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I am He who exacted punishment upon Zimri, Samson, and Amnon, and I am He who will bestow a reward upon the one who refrains from lewdness, even as I did for Joseph, Jael, and Palti.

“For there is a man whose toil is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill; yet to a man who has not toiled in it, he will leave it as his portion. This too is vanity and a great evil” (Ecclesiastes 2:21).
“For there is a man whose toil is with wisdom…” – Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Simon said: Great is the ability of prophets who liken the created to its Creator.⁶⁷The intent is the reverse; they portray God by means of human attributes. That is what is written: “I heard the voice of a man from the midst of the Ulai.” (Daniel 8:16). And Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Simon said: There is another verse that is clearer than that one: “And on the image of the throne, the image of a person” (Ezekiel 1:26). “With wisdom,”⁶⁸The midrash proceeds to cite attributes from the verse in Ecclesiastes and compare them to other verses where these attributes are attributed to God. – “the Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19); “with knowledge” – “by His knowledge the depths were breached” (Proverbs 3:20). “And with skill” – Rabbi Berekhya [said] in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon: Not with toil and not with exertion did the Holy One blessed be He create His world, as it is written: “With the word of God the heavens were made” (Psalms 33:6). “Yet to a man who has not toiled in it, he will leave it as his portion” – this is the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood. “This too is vanity and a great evil,” as it is written: “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth…” (Genesis 6:5).

Rabbi Meir said: || The generations of Cain went about stark naked, men and women, just like the beasts, and they defiled themselves with all kinds of immorality, a man with his mother or his daughter, or the wife of his brother, or the wife of his neighbour, in public and in the streets, with evil inclination which is in the thought of their heart, as it is said, "And the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth" (Gen. 6:5).

“For all his days are pains, and his occupation is anger; even at night his heart does not rest. This, too, is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 2:23).
“For all his days are pains” – this is the generation of the Flood, who pained the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “And his occupation is anger” – as they anger the Holy One blessed be He with their handiwork. “Even at night his heart does not rest” from sins. From where is it derived that [this is true] even during the day? It is as it is stated: “And every inclination of his heart’s thoughts was only bad all day long” (Genesis 6:5). The Holy One blessed be He, too, brought punishment upon them during the day and at night, as it is stated: “The rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights” (Genesis 7:12). Alternatively: “Even at night his heart does not rest” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, who decided in His heart to bring punishment upon them by day and by night, as it is stated: “He obliterated all existence” (Genesis 7:23).
Another matter: “For all his days are pains” – these are the Sodomites, who would pain the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “And his occupation is anger” – as they angered the Holy One blessed be He with their handiwork. “Even at night his heart does not rest” – [this is God, who decided] to bring punishment upon them during the day and at night, as it is stated: “The Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah…” (Genesis 19:24).⁶⁹He did so at the end of the night into the morning.
Another matter: “For all his days are pains” – these are the Egyptians, who would pain the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “And his occupation is anger” – as they angered the Holy One blessed be He with their handiwork. “Even at night his heart does not rest” – when one of the Israelites would complete his labor, the Egyptian would say to him: ‘Hoe me two furrows, chop me two logs.’ Alternatively: “Even at night his heart does not rest” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, who decided in His heart to bring punishment upon them during the day and punishment upon them at night, as it is stated: “It was at midnight [that the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:29).⁷⁰And the Exodus took place during the day.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 4:27): GO INTO THE DESERT TO MEET MOSES. This text is related (to Cant. 8:1): IF ONLY YOU COULD BE TO ME LIKE A BROTHER. Israel is saying to the Holy One: IF ONLY YOU COULD BE TO ME LIKE A BROTHER. Like which brother?¹¹⁰Tanh., Exod. 1:27; Exod. R. 5:1; PRK 16:5; PR 29/30A:6; 29/30B:1. You find that from the beginning of the creation of the world until now brothers have hated each other. Cain hated Abel and killed him, as stated (in Gen. 4:8): CAIN AROSE AGAINST HIS BROTHER ABEL AND MURDERED HIM. Ishmael hated Isaac (rt.: TsHQ), as stated (in Gen. 21:9): WHEN SARAH SAW THE SON WHOM HAGAR THE EGYPTIAN HAD BORNE TO ABRAHAM PLAYING (rt.: TsHQ). Now PLAYING can only mean that he desired to kill him, as stated (in II Sam. 2:14): PLEASE LET THE YOUNG MEN ARISE AND PLAY BEFORE US.¹¹¹The result of their “playing” was that they all killed each other. See above, Gen. 6:5; below, Numb. 6:8; 10:9. Esau also hated Jacob, as stated (in Gen. 27:41): AND ESAU SAID IN HIS HEART: <LET THE DAYS OF MOURNING FOR MY FATHER COME, AND I WILL KILL MY BROTHER JACOB>. Moreover, the tribes hated Joseph, as stated (in Gen. 37:4): THEY HATED HIM. So like which brother? Israel said: Like Moses and Aaron, as stated (in Ps. 133:1): SEE HOW GOOD AND HOW PLEASANT IT IS <FOR KINDRED TO DWELL TOGETHER>, since they loved each other and cherished each other. Thus when Moses received the kingship and Aaron < received > the high priesthood, they were not jealous of each other. Rather they were happy in each other's greatness.¹¹²See below, Lev. 3:5. You know yourself it to be so. You find that, when the Holy One said to Moses (in Exod. 3:10): SO COME NOW, I WILL SEND YOU UNTO PHARAOH…, Moses said to him (in Exod. 4:13): PLEASE MAKE < SOMEONE ELSE YOUR AGENT>. Do you imagine that Moses may have delayed in order not to go? He only acted out of respect for Aaron. Moses said: Before I arose, Aaron had been prophesying to them for eighty years. He <is the one> of whom it is stated (in Ezek. 20:5): I MADE MYSELF KNOWN TO THEM IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. And where is it shown that Aaron prophesied to them? Where it is stated (in I Sam. 2:27–28): NOW A MAN OF GOD CAME UNTO ELI AND SAID UNTO HIM: THUS SAYS THE LORD: I SURELY REVEALED MYSELF {TO} [UNTO] YOUR FATHER'S HOUSE IN EGYPT, WHEN THEY BELONGED TO PHARAOH'S HOUSE; AND I CHOSE HIM FROM ALL THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL TO BE MY PRIEST.¹¹³The midrash seems to ignore the fact that what the Holy One says here is introduced by an interrogative particle. He said to him: All these years Aaron has prophesied to them. So am I now to go to them in my brother's domain so that he will be upset? For that reason Moses did not desire to go. The Holy One said to him: Your brother Aaron will not be upset over this matter. Rather he will be happy. You yourself know that he is going out for a meeting¹¹⁴Gk.: apante, apantesis. with you. It is so stated (in Exod. 4:14): SEE, HE IS SETTING OUT TO MEET YOU; AND WHEN HE SEES YOU, HE WILL BE HAPPY IN HIS HEART: not in his mouth alone but in his heart, his heart more than his mouth. WHEN HE SEES YOU, HE WILL BE HAPPY IN HIS HEART. R. Simeon ben Johay said: The heart that was happy at his brother's greatness shall put on Urim and Thummim, as stated (in Exod. 28:30): AND INSIDE THE BREAST PLATE OF JUDGMENT YOU SHALL PUT THE URIM AND THUMMIM SO THAT THEY SHALL BE UPON AARON'S HEART. Ergo (In Exod. 4:14): AND ALSO SEE, HE IS SETTING OUT TO MEET YOU; AND WHEN HE SEES YOU, HE WILL BE HAPPY IN HIS HEART. When <the Holy One> had said this to him, <Moses> took it upon himself to go. Immediately the Holy One revealed himself to Aaron. He said to him: Go out to meet your brother Moses so that he may know that you are happy over the matter. It is therefore stated (in Exod. 4:27): GO INTO THE DESERT TO MEET MOSES. Ergo (in Cant. 8:1): IF ONLY YOU COULD BE TO ME LIKE A BROTHER, like Moses and Aaron who loved each other. (Ibid., cont.:) IF I MET YOU OUTSIDE, I WOULD KISS YOU. (Exod. 4:27:) SO HE WENT TO MEET HIM ON THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD AND KISSED HIM.

(Numb. 4:18:) “Do not cut off.” This text is related (to Ps. 33:18), “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him….” The text speaks along many lines of thought.¹²¹Shittim. For this use of the word, Buber, n. 209, cites Lev. R. 34:8. For the other interpretations, see above, Gen. 6:5. For what we need, however, it is speaking about the tribe of Levi.¹²²Numb. R. 5:1. And where is it shown? Where the tribe of Levi is called those who fear the Lord, as stated (in Mal. 2:5), “and I gave them (i.e., life and peace) as well as fear, and he feared Me.” (Ps. 33:19) “On those who wait for His steadfast love,” because they are always waiting for the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. (Ps. 33:19:) “To deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine,” through the twenty-four gifts which the Holy One, blessed be He, has given them.¹²³THal. 2:7-9; BQ 110b (bar.); Hul. 133b (bar.); cf. Hal. 4:9. These are them: ten in the sanctuary, ten within the borders, and four in Jerusalem. The ten in the sanctuary: the sin offering (Lev. 6:17-23; Zev. 5:3), the guilt offering (Lev. 5:14-16, 20-26; 19:20-22; Zev. 5:5), the peace sacrifices and the community peace sacrifices (Lev. 23:19-20; Zev. 5:5), the sin offering of a fowl (Lev. 5:8), the guilt offering for a doubtful sin (Lev. 5:17-19; Zev. 5:5), the leper's log of oil (Lev. 14:12), the two loaves (Lev. 23:17), the shewbread (Exod. 25:30; Lev. 24:5-9), the remnant of the omer (Lev. 23:10-12; Men. 10:4), and the remainder of the meal offering (Lev. 2:3).
The ten within the borders: the terumah (Numb. 18:12), the terumah of the tithe (Numb. 18:25-29), the hallah (Numb. 15:18-21), the first of the shorn wool (Deut. 18:4), the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach (Deut. 18:3), the redemption of the [first-born] son (Numb. 18:15-16), [the redemption of] a firstling ass (Exod. 13:13), [the payment for] the robbery of a proselyte (Thal. 2:9; Bq 110b; Hul. 133b), things consecrated (Numb. 18:14; Bik. 3:12), and a field of possession (Lev. 27:16-21)
The four in Jerusalem: the firstlings [of animals] (Numb. 18:17-18), the first fruits (Exod. 23:19; Numb. 18:13; Hal. 4:9), the priest's share from the thank-offering ram and from the nazarite ram, the breast of the peace offerings, and the thigh (Exod. 29:27-28; Lev. 7:12-14; 31-34; 10:14-15; Numb. 6:13-20; 18:18), and skins of [burnt, sin, and guilt] offerings (Lev. 7:8; Zev. 12:3)
Behold, these are twenty-four gifts. Ergo (in Ps. 33:19), “and to keep them alive in famine. (Numb. 4:18) “Do not cut off [the tribe of the Kohathite families from the Levites].” The Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that Korah was going to arise and disagree about the priesthood.¹²⁴Cf. Numb. R. 5:5. The Holy One, blessed be He, said. “I will not destroy the Levites because of Korah.” (Numb. 4:18:) “Do not cut off [the tribe of the Kohathite families from the Levites].” This text is related (to Is. 48:9), “For the sake of My name I will delay My anger, and for My praise I will hold back for you so as not to cut you off.” To what is the matter comparable?¹²⁵Numb. R. 5:6. To a king who had a son that was associated with bandits;¹²⁶Gk.: lestai. and when they were captured, his son was captured with them. The king said, “What shall I do? Shall I execute the robbers? Possibly my son is with them. Instead, for the sake of my son, I will exonerate them for now.” Similarly, the Levites carried the tabernacle. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 7:9), “But to the Children of Kohath he gave no [wagons], because they had the service of the holy.” When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that Korah and his assembly were going to be opposed to Moses and Aaron, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “What shall I do with these? To kill them in the desert is not possible.” Why? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, had taken half of His name and bestowed it upon them, the yh (of yhwh) in the Kohathite (hqhty in Numb. 4:18).¹²⁷Numb. R. 5:6, and Yalqut Shim‘oni, Is. 48:9, 326 (466) add that the letters from the divine name appear at the end and the beginning of HQHTY, and Numb. R. explains further that the Holy One added the definite article (H) to the name, Kohathite, for this very reason. It therefore says (in Is. 48:9), “For the sake of My name I will delay¹²⁸Literally: LENGTHEN. This verb may have suggested that the Holy One deliberately lengthened the name, Kohathite, with the addition of the article. My anger….”

"and god saw the evil of man was great" it says: there is a person who's fortune is with wisdom and knowledge and skill, r yudan says the ability of the prophets is great for they compare a creation to its creator, as it says: i heard the voice of a man from inside the river. r yehuda the son of simon says i have a verse which is more logical than this as it says: and on the shape of a chair was the shape of a man standing above it. we expound on the verse above, that his fortune was with wisdom,this refers to the verse "and god made the earth with wisdom"

"Hashem said, “I will blot out from the earth the men (Genesis 6:7)": "Truly, He knows their deeds; Night is over, and they are crushed (Job 34:25)". Rabbi Chanina asked Rabbi Yonatan, and said to him: "Why is it written: "Truly, He knows their deeds""? Rabbi Yonatan answered him: "The Holy One, blessed be He, did not collect from the wicked up to the one calling out verdicts down upon them, and after that he punished them, that the Holy One, blessed be He, transform day into "night" and he prepared them for punishment, and after that he punished them. So, in the beginning: "Hashem saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth (Genesis 6:5)" and after this: "And Hashem regretted that He had made man on earth (Genesis 6:6)" and only after this "Hashem said, “I will blot out from the earth the men which I created".

(Numb. 4:18:) DO NOT CUT OFF. This text is related (to Ps. 33:18-19): BEHOLD, THE EYE OF THE LORD IS ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM, [<ON THOSE WHO WAIT FOR HIS STEADFAST LOVE> TO DELIVER THEIR SOUL FROM DEATH]. The text speaks along many lines of thought.¹⁴⁵Shittim. For this use of the word, Buber, n. 209, cites Lev. R. 34:8. For the other interpretations, see above, Gen. 6:5. For what we need, however, it is speaking about the tribe of Levi.¹⁴⁶Tanh., Numb. 1:24; Numb. R. 5:1. And where is it shown? Where the tribe of Levi is called Those who Fear the Lord, as stated (in Mal. 2:5): AND I GAVE THEM (i.e., life and peace) TO HIM (i.e. Levi) AS WELL AS FEAR, AND HE FEARED ME. (Ps. 33:18:) ON THOSE WHO WAIT FOR HIS STEADFAST LOVE, because they are always waiting for the name of the Holy One.(Ps. 33:19:) TO DELIVER THEIR SOUL FROM DEATH AND TO KEEP THEM ALIVE IN FAMINE, through the twenty-four gifts which the Holy One has given them:¹⁴⁷THal. 2:7-9; BQ 110b (bar.); Hul. 133b (bar.); cf. Hal. 4:9. Ten in the sanctuary, ten within the borders, and four in Jerusalem. The ten in the sanctuary are

(Gen. 6:5:) AND THE LORD SAW THAT HUMAN EVIL HAD BECOME GREAT ON THE EARTH. Let our master instruct us: How great is the judgment against the wicked in Gehinnom? Thus have our masters taught (in 'Eduy. 2:10): THE SENTENCE of the wicked in Gehinnom IS TWELVE MONTHS. These < words> are from the Mishnah.⁹⁷See ySanh. 10:3 (29b); PRK 10:4. Where is it shown from Scripture? Where it is written (in Is. 66:23): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS WHENEVER A MONTH < FALLS > IN ITS MONTH, i.e., from that month to the same month < in the following year >. Ergo: twelve months. Thus it is stated (in Esth. 3:7): FROM DAY TO DAY AND FROM MONTH TO MONTH < EQUALS > [TWELVE MONTHS]. How were they judged? By fire and by snow, since it is stated (in Prov. 31:21): SHE IS NOT AFRAID FOR HER HOUSEHOLD BECAUSE OF SNOW. This is Gehinnom.⁹⁸Perhaps because Mount Zalmon, a name which means “darkness” and can designate Gehinnom, is a place of snow in Ps. 68:15 [14]. Cf. M. Pss. 68:9. Now they take that < wicked one > out of the snow and cast him into the midst of the fire. David said (in Ps. 40:3 [2]): AND HE RAISED ME UP FROM THE PIT OF DESOLATION, FROM THE MIRY MUD. And why is it called by the name MIRY MUD (YWN)? Because when they take them and cast them into the fire, they cry: Vay (WY). Then after that they cast them into the snow, and they cry: Vay. Its name is therefore called MUD (YWN), a place where they say: Vay, vay (WY)! And where do they deliver their souls? Hezekiah the son of R. Hiyya said:⁹⁹See M. Prov. 21. In the midst of the snow, as stated (in Ps. 68:15 [14]): IT SNOWS IN ZALMON. And what basis is there for you to compare the sentencing of the wicked to Gehinnom with the sentencing of the generation of the flood?¹⁰⁰See Gen. R. 28:8; 33:7; Lam. R. 1:14 (40); Seder ‘Olam R. 4. < The basis is > that, just as the judgment of the former is to fire and to snow, [so the judgment of the latter was to fire and snow. Where is it shown that it was to fire?] Where it is stated (in Job 6:17): THROUGH ITS HEAT THEY ARE OBLITERATED FROM THEIR PLACE. And where is it shown that it was to snow? Where it is stated (in Gen. 7:12): AND THERE WAS RAIN UPON THE EARTH. And why so? Because by the measure with which a person measures one will measure out for him.¹⁰¹Sot. 1:7; TSot. 3:1; Matthew 7:2 // Luke 6:38; cf. Gal. 6:7. See what is written (in Gen. 6:2):¹⁰²See Gen. R. 26:5; Lev. R. 33:9. THE SONS OF GOD SAW THE HUMAN DAUGHTERS: These were the virgins. (Ibid., cont.:) THAT THEY WERE FAIR: These were the unmarried. (Ibid., cont.:) THEY TOOK WIVES FOR THEMSELVES: These were the married. (Ibid., cont.:) WHOMEVER THEY CHOSE, even including males and cattle. R. Huna said in the name of R. Idi: The verdict against the generation of the flood was not sealed until they wrote gamika¹⁰³The word is Greek. {i.e., marriage contracts} for males and cattle. For that reason the waters came over them in the form of a woman. Thus it is stated (in Job 6:18): THE WAYS OF THEIR COURSE¹⁰⁴These words may also denote ways of living. TURN ASIDE. Now TURN ASIDE must imply a woman, since it is stated (in Ruth 3:8): < NOW IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT > THAT THE MAN WAS STARTLED. SO TURNED HE ASIDE, AND HERE WAS A WOMAN. And WAYS < can > only < denote > {a woman} [women], since it is stated (in Gen. 18:11): THE WAY OF WOMEN < HAD CEASED FOR SARAH >. So also THEIR COURSE (derekh), since it is stated (in Gen. 31:35): FOR THE PERIOD (derekh) WOMEN IS UPON ME. Hence one may say: In the manner that they sinned retribution was exacted from them. You know yourself that it is so. See what is written (in Gen. 7:11): ON THAT DAY ALL THE SPRINGS OF THE GREAT ABYSS BURST FORTH. What is the meaning of GREAT? < That > the Holy One said: Just as they have sinned greatly, so I have exacted retribution from them greatly. Where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Gen. 6:5): AND THE LORD SAW THAT < HUMAN EVIL > HAD BECOME GREAT….

[(Gen. 6:5:) AND THE LORD SAW THAT < HUMAN EVIL > HAD BECOME GREAT….] This text is related (to Eccl. 2:21):¹⁰⁵Gen. R. 27:1f.; Eccl. R. 2:21. FOR THERE IS A PERSON WHOSE TOIL < IS WITH WISDOM>…. It is speaking about the Holy One. And where is it shown that he is called A PERSON? Where it is stated (in Ezek. 1:26): [AND UPON THE LIKENESS OF THE THRONE WAS] A LIKENESS WITH THE APPEARANCE OF A PERSON UPON IT FROM ABOVE. (Eccl. 2:21:) WHOSE TOIL IS WITH WISDOM, as stated (in Prov. 3:19): THE LORD HAS ESTABLISHED THE EARTH WITH WISDOM. (Eccl. 2:21, cont.:) AND WITH KNOWLEDGE: Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Prov. 3:20): WITH HIS KNOWLEDGE DID THE DEPTHS BREAK FORTH. (Eccl. 2:21, cont.:) AND WITH ABILITY, because the works became ready by themselves. (Ibid., cont.:) YET TO ONE WHO HAS NOT TOILED AT IT: These were the mortals. (Ibid., cont.:) SHALL HE GIVE IT AS HIS PORTION. THIS ALSO IS VANITY. (Ibid., vs. 23:) FOR ALL HIS DAYS ARE PAINS, because they were pains for the Holy One with their evil deeds. (Ibid., cont.:) AND HIS OCCUPATION VEXATION, because they vexed the Holy One. (Ibid., cont.:) EVEN AT NIGHT HIS HEART HAS NO REST, because they did [evil deeds] at night. And where is it shown that < they did so > even during {the night} the day? Where it is stated (in Gen. 6:5) < EVERY DRIVE IN THE THOUGHTS OF HIS HEART WAS > ONLY EVIL ALL DAY.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 6:5): AND THE LORD SAW. This text is related (to Prov. 15:3): IN EVERY PLACE THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE OBSERVING THE EVIL AND THE GOOD. It is also written (in II Chron. 16:9): {EVERY PLACE THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE RANGING ABOUT.} [FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD RANGE OVER THE WHOLE EARTH]. They watch the deeds of the righteous and the deeds of the wicked. THE GOOD: These are Noah and his children. AND THE EVIL: These are the generation of the flood.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 6:5): AND THE LORD SAW. This text is related (to Eccl. 8:6): FOR TO EVERY MATTER THERE BELONGS A TIME AND A JUDGMENT. < Why >? Because the wicked provoke the Holy One when [they say]: The Holy One has sworn never to bring < another > flood; so we may do whatever we wish. And where is it shown that the Holy One has sworn? Where Isaiah says so (in Is. 54:9): FOR THIS IS AS THE WATERS OF NOAH TO ME; [FOR I HAVE SWORN THAT THE WATERS OF NOAH SHALL NO MORE PASS OVER THE EARTH]. The Holy One sees how the wicked are provoking him. He regrets, as it were, what he had sworn and says: What shall I do now that I have sworn? Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Is. 59:15): AND THE TRUTH IS LACKING … [BUT THE LORD SAW IT, AND IT DISPLEASED HIM THAT THERE WAS NO JUDGMENT]. Why did the Holy One say: THE LORD SAW IT AND IT DISPLEASED HIM? Why is it, as it were, THAT THERE WAS NO JUDGMENT? The Holy One said: The wicked ones in the world speak this way because I have sworn never to bring < another > flood. By your lives, I have other judgments to exact from you. So what does he do to the wicked? He drowns them in water, either in a river or in the midst of a cistern. For that reason it states (in Eccl. 8:6): FOR TO EVERY MATTER THERE BELONGS A TIME AND A JUDGMENT. For that reason it is also stated (in Gen. 6:5): AND THE LORD SAW THAT HUMAN EVIL HAD BECOME GREAT ON THE EARTH.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 6:5): AND THE LORD SAW: This text is related (to Eccl. 10:5): THERE IS AN EVIL WHICH I HAVE SEEN UNDER THE SUN. The Holy One said: See what these evil ones have done! I made two natures in people, a good drive and an evil drive. Thus it is stated (in Eccl. 9:14): THERE WAS A LITTLE CITY WITH FEW PEOPLE IN IT.¹⁰⁹Eccl. R. 9:14/15:8; below, 11:1. A SMALL CITY: This is the body. WITH FEW PEOPLE IN IT: These are < its > members. (Ibid., cont.:) AND A GREAT KING CAME AGAINST IT: This < king > is the evil drive. (Ibid., cont.:) AND BUILT GREAT SIEGE WORKS AGAINST IT: These are sins. (Ibid., vs. 15:) NOW THERE WAS FOUND IN IT A [POOR WISE] PERSON {WHO WAS POOR, WILLING, AND WISE}. This one is the good drive. (Ibid., cont:) AND HE DELIVERED THE CITY BY HIS WISDOM, in that it brings a person to life. (Ibid., cont:) BUT NO ONE THOUGHT ABOUT < THAT POOR PERSON >: This is the generation of the flood who did not accept the good drive for themselves.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 6:5): AND THE LORD SAW: What is written above on the subject (in Gen. 5:32): AND NOAH WAS FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD; < AND NOAH BEGAT SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH >.¹¹⁰Gen. R. 26:2. Come and see all who preceded Noah. They were begetting at seventy, eighty, and a hundred years of age; but Noah begat at five hundred years. And why so? Noah had reflected on the children of Adam who would rise and provoke the Holy One. So he said: Why should I join in intercourse for fruitfulness and multiplying? Therefore, he did not beget until he was five hundred years old; but after that he said: Is this person to die without children? Now the Holy One has commanded Adam about fruitfulness and multiplying, as stated (in Gen. 1:28): THEN GOD BLESSED THEM, [AND GOD SAID TO THEM: BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY]; yet I am dying without children. What did Noah do? He joined in intercourse for fruitfulness and multiplying after five hundred years. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 5:32): AND NOAH WAS FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD; [AND NOAH BEGAT SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH].