Midrasz do Rodzaju 4:26

(Exodus 15:1) "Az yashir Mosheh": Az ("then") sometimes signals the past and sometimes signals the future. The past: (Genesis 4:26) "Az men began", (Exodus 4:26) "Az she said", (Exodus 15:1) "Az Moses sang", (Numbers 21:17) "Az Israel sang", (Joshua 10:12) "Az Joshua spoke", (I Chronicles 15:2) "Az David said", (I Kings 8:12) "Az Solomon said." And sometimes "Az" signals the future, viz.: Isaiah 60:5) "Az you will see and flow", (Ibid. 58:8) "Az your light shall break forth as the morning", "Then there shall be opened", (Ibid. 35:6) "Az the lame man shall leap as a hart", (Ibid. 5) (Jeremiah 31:12) "Az the virgin will rejoice in the dance", (Psalms 126:2) "Az our mouth will be filled with laughter", (Ibid.) "Az they will say among the nations." Variantly: It is not written "Then Moses sang," but then Moses will sing" — whence we derive the resurrection from Scripture. (Exodus 15:1) "Moses and the children of Israel": Moses was equivalent to all of Israel, and all of Israel, to Moses, when they sang the song. Variantly: "Moses and the children of Israel": We are hereby apprised that Moses chanted the song opposite all of Israel (i.e., that his voice was over and against those of all of Israel.) "this song": There are ten "songs." The first, that sung in Egypt, viz. (Isaiah 30:29) "The song (of Sancherev's destruction [on Pesach night]) will be to you as that of the night on which you sanctified the festival (Pesach [in Egypt]), etc." The second, that of the sea — "Then Moses sang." The third, that of the well (Numbers 21:17) "Then Israel sang." The fourth, that of Moses, viz. (Devarim 31:22) "And Moses wrote this song (32:1-43). The fifth, that of Joshua, viz. (Joshua 10:12) "Then Joshua spoke to the L rd on the day the L rd delivered, etc." The sixth, that of Devorah and Barak, viz. (Judges 5:1) "And Devorah and Barak the son of Avinoam sang, etc." The seventh, that of David, viz. (II Samuel 22:1) "And David spoke to the L rd the words of this song, etc." The eighth, that of Solomon, viz. (Psalms 30:1) "A psalm, a song of the inauguration of the Temple of David." Now did David built it? Did not Solomon build it? viz. (I Kings 6:14) "And Solomon built the Temple." Why, then, is it written "A psalm, a song of the inauguration of the Temple of David? But because David devoted his life to building it, it was called by his name. Similarly, (Psalms 132:1-6) "Remember, O L rd, unto David, al of his tribulation (in seeking a place for Your sanctuary), which, (to find the place,) he swore to the L rd, vowed to the Strength of Jacob: Forefend that I came to the test of my habitation (my palace), that I go up on the bed spread out before me, that I give (superfluous) sleep to my eyes or slumber to my lids, before I find the (fore-ordained) place for (the Temple of) the L rd, the habitation of the Strength of Jacob. We had heard it (that place) to be in Efrat (the most select of places), and, lo, we have found it in the fields of the forest (in the boundary of Benjamin, who is likened to a beast of the forest" [viz. Genesis 49:27]). And what is written afterwards? (I Kings 12:16) "See your house, O David." Because David devoted his life to it, it was called by his name. And thus you find that whatever a man devotes his life to is called by his name. Moses devoted his life to three things, and they were (all) called by his name. He devoted his life to Torah and it was called by his name, viz. (Malachi 3:22) "Remember the Torah of Moses, My servant." Now is it not the Torah of G d? viz. (Psalms 19:8) "The Torah of the L rd is whole, restoring the soul." How, then, are we to understand "the Torah of Moses, My servant"? Because he devoted his life to it, it is called by his name. And whence do we find that he gave his life for Torah? In (Exodus 34:28) "And he was there with the L rd (to receive the Torah) … Bread he did not eat, etc." And it is written (Devarim 9:10) "And I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights, etc." — Because he devoted his life to Torah, it was called by his name. Because he devoted his life to Israel, they were called by his name, viz. (Exodus 32:7) "Go, descend, for your people have wrought corruptly." Now are they not the people of the L rd? viz. (Devarim 9:29) "For they are Your people and Your inheritance," and (Ezekiel 36:20) "… when it was said of them: These are the people of the L rd, and they came out of His land." How, then, are we to understand "Go, descend, for your people have wrought corruptly"? Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. And whence do we find that he devoted his life to them? In (Exodus 2:11) "And it was in those days that Moses grew, and he went out to his brothers and he saw their toils," and (bid. 12) "And he turned here and there (… and he smote the Egyptian, etc.") Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. He devoted his life to the judges, and they were called by his name, viz. (Devarim 16:18) "Judges and officers shall you appoint for yourself in all of your gates." Now is justice not the L rd's? How, then, are we to understand "shall you appoint for yourself"? Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. And whence is it derived that he devoted his life to them? From (Exodus 2:13-17) "And he went out on the second day … and he said "Who made you an officer and a judge over us? … And Pharaoh heard … And the priest of Midian had seven daughters … And the shepherds came and drove them away. Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. The ninth (song): (II Chronicles 20:21) "And he (Yehoshafat) took counsel with the people, and he set up singes to the L rd and lauders of (His) majestic holiness. When they went out before the vanguard (of the army) they said; 'Give thanks to the L rd, for His lovingkindness is forever!'" Why is this thanksgiving different from all the other sin the Torah, where it is written "Give thanks to the L rd for (the good, for His lovingkindness is forever"? __ It is to say, as it were, that there is no rejoicing before Him over the destruction of the wicked. If over that of the wicked there is no rejoicing, how much more so (is there grief) over that of the righteous, one of whom is over and against the entire world, viz. (Mishlei 10:25) "And the righteous one is the foundation of the world." The tenth (song) in time to come, viz. (Isaiah 42;10) "Sing to the L rd a new song, His praise from the end of the earth (Ibid. 48:42) "Say: The L rd has redeemed His servant Jacob. All of the (other) songs are denominated in the feminine ("zoth"). Just as a female bears (and then travails again), so, the past salivations were followed by subjugation. But the future (ultimate) redemption will not be followed by subjugation — wherefore it is denominated in the masculine ("zeh" [viz. Isaiah 26:1]). As it is written (Jeremiah 30:6) "Ask now and see if a male has ever given birth. Why, then, do I see that every man puts his hands upon his loins (as a woman giving birth?") For just as a male does not bear (and thus travail), so, the future redemption will not be followed by subjugation. As it is written (Isaiah 45:17) "Israel will be saved by the L rd, an eternal salvation. You will not be ashamed or abashed forever."

(20:3) "There shall not be unto you any other gods before My presence": What is the intent of this? An analogy: A king of flesh and blood enters a province and his servants say to him: Make decrees for them. He: When they accept my rule, I will make decrees for them. For if they do not accept my rule, they will not accept my decrees. Thus did the L rd say to Israel: "I am the L rd your G d. There shall not be unto you, etc.": Am I He whose rule you have accepted? They: Yes. He: Just as you have accepted My rule, accept My decrees — There shall not be unto you any other gods before My presence. R. Shimon b. Yochai says: As stated elsewhere (Leviticus 18:2) "Am I the L rd (whose rule you accepted on Sinai)? They: Yes. He: You accepted My rule? Accept My decrees — (Ibid. 3) "As the deeds of the land of Egypt in which you dwelt you shall not do, etc." And so here: Am I the L rd your G d who took you out of the land of Egypt, whose rule you accepted? — Accept My decrees. "There shall not be unto you": What is the intent of this? (Ibid. 4) "You shall not make for yourself a graven image or the likeness, etc." would imply only that it is forbidden to make it. Whence do we derive that you may not keep what is already made? It is, therefore, written "There shall not be unto you." "other gods": Now are there other gods? Is it not written (Isaiah 37:18) "and placed their gods into fire, for they are not gods"? What, then, is the intent of "other gods"? That others call "gods." Variantly: "elohim acherim"? They "delay" ("me'achorim") good from entering the world. Variantly: "elohim acherim": They are "others" (i.e., indifferent) to those who serve them. And thus is it written (Ibid. 46:7) "He cries out to it, but it does not answer; it does not save him from his affliction." R. Yossi says: Why "other gods"? Not to give a pretext to the nations of the world to say: If they were called by His name, they would be effectual. Behold, they were called by His name and they remained ineffectual! And when were they called by His name? In the days of Enosh the son of Sheth, viz. (Genesis 4:26) "Then (men and images) were called profanely in the name of the L rd, (being rendered deities)" — whereupon Oceanus rose and flooded a third of the world, the L rd, as it were, telling them: You did a new thing and "called"; I, too, shall do a new thing and I shall "call" (to the waters of the sea), as it is written (Amos 5:8) "He 'calls' the waters of the sea, etc." R. Eliezer says: "elohim acherim": They "renew" gods for themselves every day. How so? If one had a golden god and he needed gold, he make it of silver. If he needed that, he made if of copper. If he had a copper god and he needed copper, he made it of iron or of lead. And thus is it written (Devarim 32:17) "new ones (gods), newly come." R. Yitzchak says: If we were to write down all the names of their gods, all the hides in the world would not avail, (wherefore, perforce, they must be referred to generically as "gods." R. Chanina b. Antignos says: (in confirmation of the above) Witness the Torah's denomination of (the god) Molech — anything (is called "a god") that you make a king ("melech") over you, even a chip or a shard. Rebbi says: "elohim acherim": They (these "gods") are the last (achronim) of the creations (i.e., men). And who is the "last" of the creation? One who calls them "gods."

All the great luminaries of the stars are situated in the south except Ursa Major, which is placed in the north. All the Mazziḳin which move in the firmament and the angels who fell from their holy place (even) from heaven, (when) they ascend to hear the (Divine) Word behind the veil they are pursued with a rod of fire, and they return to their place.

Then sang Moses. At times the word then refers to events that happened in the past, and at other times it refers to events that are to transpire in the future. The word then refers to past events in the following verses: Then began man to call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26), Then she said: “A bridegroom of blood” (Exod. 4:26), Then sang Israel this song (Num. 21:17), Then Solomon spoke (I Kings 18:12). All of these refer to past events. Instances in which the word then alludes to future events are: Then thou shalt see (Isa. 60:5), Then shall thy light break forth (ibid. 58:8), Then shall the lame man leap as a hart (ibid. 35:6), Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened (ibid., v. 5), Then shall the virgin rejoice (Jer. 31:13), Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing (Ps. 126:2), and Then said they among the nations (ibid.). All these allude to future events. From this we learn that the concept of the resurrection of the dead is derived from the Torah.

Another interpretation [(of Exod. 15:1): THEN (az) SANG MOSES….] This text is related (to Ps. 40:2 [1]): I WAITED PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD…. R. Pinhas ben Hama the Priest said: If you waited patiently and he did not come, continue to wait. David said (in Ps. 27:14): WAIT FOR THE LORD; [BE STRONG AND LET YOUR HEART TAKE COURAGE! O WAIT FOR THE LORD]. If he came, your expectation was right. If not, continue to WAIT FOR THE LORD. David said (in Ps. 40:2 [1]): I WAITED PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD. Because of the waiting, (ibid., cont.:) HE INCLINED TOWARD ME AND HEARD MY CRY. (Exod. 2:24:) AND GOD HEARD THEIR MOANING…. (Ps. 40:3 [2]:) AND HE RAISED ME UP FROM THE PIT OF DESOLATION, FROM THE MIRY CLAY…, <i.e.,> from the clay of bricks. (Ibid.:) AND HE SET MY FEET UPON A ROCK, in that he gave me the booty of Egypt and the booty of the sea. {(Ibid., cont.:) HE ESTABLISHED MY STEPS.} (Ps. 40:4 [3]:) AND HE HAS PUT A NEW SONG IN MY MOUTH. (Exod. 15:1) THEN (az) SANG MOSES. What is the meaning of (az)? With an az the Holy One made the dry land into sea for the generation of Enosh. It is so stated (in Gen. 4:26): THEN (az) THERE WAS PROFANATION IN CALLING <OTHER GODS> BY THE NAME OF THE LORD.³¹The verse is consistently understood in this sense throughout Rabbinic literature. Thus the wickedness resulting in the flood had its beginning in the generation of Enosh. But for us he made the sea into dry land. With az we praised him.³²The midrash is alluding here to Exod. 15:1: THEN (az) SANG MOSES…. See above, Gen. 1:32; below, Lev. 6:14.

You find that when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah, it was entirely of fire, as it is said: At His right hand was a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2). Our sages stated: The law was of fire, the parchment was of fire, its writings were of fire, the thread was of fire, as it is said: At His right hand was a fiery law. The face of the agent (Moses) became fiery, as is said: And they were afraid to come nigh him (Exod. 34:30). The angels who descended with it were of fire, as it is said: Who makes winds Thy messengers (Ps. 104:4). The mountain burned with fire (Deut. 4:11), and it was given within a fire consuming fire, as it is said: For the Lord thy God is a devouring fire (ibid. 4:24). And upon the earth He made thee to see His great fire (ibid., v. 36). The Divine Word also came forth from the midst of fire. When they beheld the lightning and the burning letters, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Do not imagine that they have much power, and He began to recite the words I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods (Exod. 20:2).¹⁸The Ten Commandments. Cf. above, “In the Beginning,” n. Why were they described as gods? R. Yosé said: He did so in order not to give the people of the world the opportunity to say that they were not called by His name because if He had done so, it would have acknowledged that they had power. But they were called by His name, and yet have no power. When were they first called by His name? In the days of Enoch the son of Seth, as it is said: Then began man to call in the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:25). It was then that the Mediterranean Sea rose and inundated a third of the world, and the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Ye have done a new thing in calling yourself by My name, and so I will do something new and call Myself by My name. Therefore Scripture says: That calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth, the Lord is His name (Amos 5:8).

Nahman the son of R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said: This may be compared to a bottle filled with locusts. One locust climbs the side of the bottle and falls; a second also climbs and falls; and a third does likewise. The third locust learned nothing from the experience of the second, and the second learned nothing from the experience of the first. When the generation of Enoch called their idols by the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: Then began men to call by the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26),³⁰The generation of Enoch was the first to practice idolatry. the Holy One, blessed be He, summoned the Mediterranean Sea and a third of the world was inundated, as it is said: That calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth, the Lord is His Name (Amos 5:8). And it says also: The waters wear the stones, the overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth; so Thou destroyest the hope of man (Job 14:19).

Another interpretation (of Numb. 7:1): SO IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED. Rabbi <Judah the Prince> says: Every place where it is stated: SO IT CAME TO PASS (wayehi), [<is referring to> something new; but R. Simeon b. Johay says: Every place where it says: SO IT CAME TO PASS (wayehi)] <is referring to something which existed, has ceased <to exist> for a long time, and has returned to be as it was.¹⁰⁸Tanh., Numb. 2:16; Numb. R. 12:6; PR 5:7. This text is related (to Cant. 5:1): WHEN I COME TO MY GARDEN. When the Holy One created the world, he longed to have an abode below just as he had on high.¹⁰⁹Cf. PR 5:5; PRK 1:1; Numb. R. 13:2. Having called Adam, he commanded and said to him (in Gen. 2:16–17): YOU MAY FREELY EAT OF ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN; BUT AS FOR THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, YOU MAY NOT EAT OF IT. Then he transgressed against his commandment.¹¹⁰Tanh., Exod. 11:6. The Holy One said this to him: This is what I longed for: Just as I have a dwelling on high, I would likewise have one below. Now when I have given you one command, you have not kept it. Immediately the Holy One removed his Divine Presence <up> to the firmament. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 3:8): THEN THEY HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD GOD MOVING ABOUT IN THE GARDEN AT THE BREEZE TIME OF DAY. [Now when they transgressed his commandment, he had <only> removed his Divine Presence to the first firmament.] <When> Cain arose and killed Abel, he immediately removed his Divine presence from the first firmament to the second firmament. <When> the generation of Enosh arose and became servers of idols, as stated (in Gen. 4:26): THEN THERE WAS PROFANATION IN CALLING <OTHER GODS> BY THE NAME OF THE LORD, he removed his presence from the second to the third <firmament>. The generation of the flood arose, and it is written of them (in Job 21:14): YET THEY SAID TO GOD: LEAVE US ALONE. Immediately he removed his Divine Presence from the third firmament to the fourth. When the generation of the dispersion <of the nations> arose, they said: He has no right to choose the upper regions for himself and give us the lower regions. What did they say (in Gen. 11:4)? COME, LET US BUILD OURSELVES A CITY. But what did the Holy One do to them (according to vs. 8)? SO THE LORD DISPERSED THEM OUT OF THERE. He arose and removed his Divine Presence from the fourth firmament to the fifth. When the Sodomites arose, what is written of them (in Gen. 13:13)? NOW THE PEOPLE OF SODOM WERE EVIL AND SINFUL [AGAINST THE LORD, EXCEEDINGLY SO]. They were EVIL to each other, SINFUL in sexual matters, AGAINST THE LORD in idolatry, and EXCEEDINGLY SO in bloodshed.¹¹¹Above, Gen. 4:8. Immediately the Holy One removed his Divine Presence from the fifth firmament to the sixth. The Philistines arose and provoked the Holy One; <so> he immediately removed his Divine Presence from the sixth firmament to the seventh. The Holy One said: I created seven firmaments, and up to now there are wicked ones <still> arising. What did the Holy One do? He folded away all the generations of the wicked and raised up our father Abraham. When our father Abraham arose and performed good works, the Holy One immediately descended from the seventh firmament to the sixth. <When> Isaac arose and stretched out his neck upon the altar, he descended from the sixth firmament to the fifth. <When> Jacob arose, he descended from the fifth to the fourth. <When> Levi arose, whose works were comely, he descended from the fourth to the third. <When> Kohath (the son of Levi and Grandfather of Moses) arose, he descended from the third <firmament> to the second. <When> Amram arose, he brought him down from the second to the first firmament. <When> Moses arose, he brought down the Divine Presence <to earth>. When? When the Tabernacle was set up. The Holy One said (in Cant. 5:1): WHEN I COME TO MY GARDEN for something for which I was longing. And this is (the context of Numb. 7:1): SO IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED. Hence R. Simeon ben Johay said: SO IT CAME TO PASS (wayehi) can only be something which existed, has ceased <to exist> for a long time, and has returned <to be> as it was.

(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.

Another interpretation (of Prov. 27:22): IF YOU POUND THE FOOL IN A MORTAR. R. Nehemiah the son of R. Samuel bar Nahman said: To what are they comparable? To a full bottle when locusts climb up on it. The first < climbed up > and fell. [The second < climbed up > and fell. The third < climbed up > and fell.] But the second did not learn from the first {nor the second from the third} [nor the third from the second]. So are the wicked. The first arises, grows powerful, and falls; but the second does not learn from the first. Thus the generation of Enosh arose and cried out to idols, as stated (in Gen. 4:26): THEN THERE WAS PROFANATION IN CALLING < OTHER GODS > BY THE NAME OF THE LORD.⁹⁶The verse is consistently understood in this sense throughout rabbinic literature. What did the Holy One do? He called for the sea and flooded them, as stated (in Amos 5:8, 9:6): THE ONE WHO CALLS FOR THE WATERS OF THE SEA AND POURS THEM OUT UPON THE FACE OF THE EARTH.⁹⁷Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Bahodesh 6; Gen. R. 23:7; see ySheq. 6:2 (50a). The generation of the flood arose and provoked the Holy One to anger, as stated (in Job 21:14): YET THEY SAID TO GOD: LEAVE US ALONE. So they perished from the world and did not learn from the generation of Enosh. [The generation of the dispersion arose and did not learn from the former generations.] Ergo (in Prov. 27:22): IF YOU POUND THE FOOL IN A MORTAR WITH A PESTLE, ALONG WITH THE GRAIN. This is the generation of the dispersion, in that they were bringing forth words of blasphemy against the Unique One of the world, as stated (in Gen. 11:1): NOW THE WHOLE EARTH HAD ONE LANGUAGE AND THE SAME WORDS. R. Berekhyah the Priest said: What is the meaning of ONE LANGUAGE (SPH)? That they were one family (rt.: ShPH). Another interpretation: ONE LANGUAGE (SPH), in that they poured out (rt.: ShPH) retribution for the world. [AND THE SAME WORDS, which they uttered against the Unique One of the world.]

And it was, when men begun (Gen. 6:1) - said Rabbi Simon: In three places this language is used, and it means rebellion. "[And to Seth, in turn, a son was born, and he named him Enosh;] it was then that men began [to invoke Ad-nai by name.]" (Gen. 4:26); "[Cush also begot Nimrod,] he began to be [a man of might on earth.] (Gen. 10:8). They answered back to him: behold, it is written "[and Ad-nai said, 'If, as one people with one language for all] this is how they have begun to act, [then nothing that they may propose to do will be out of their reach.] (Gen. 11:6) - he answered to them: here the Holy One bent the head of Nimrod and said: ""this" [one] will make them rebel against Me." "To increase on Earth" - that they were spilling their seed on the trees and the stones, and because they were associating in depravity He increased the females for them, as it is written "and daughters were born for them" (Gen. 6:1). he wife of Rabbi Shimeon Bar Ami gave birth to a girl. His father-in-law Rabbi Chia Rabbah said to him: The Holy One of Blessing began to bless you! He asked: From where [do you derive this?] He said: "And it was, when men begun to increase, daughters were born for them". [Rabbi Shimeon] went to his father, who said to him: The Babylonian made you happy. He said: Yes, and this he said to me. The father said to him: Even so, there is need for wine and there is need for vinegar, the need for wine is greater than the need for vinegar; there is need for wheat and there is need for barley, the need for wheat is greater than the need for barley. From the moment a man marries his daughter away, and brings out his belongings, he says to her: 'may you never long for here [home]' Rabban Gamliel married his daughter off, she said to him: Dad, bless me. He answered: 'may you never long for here [home].' A son was born to her, she said: Dad, bless me. He said "may the word 'vay' never cease from your lips". She said to him: Dad, two happy moments I had and you gave me curses! He said to her: Both of them are blessings, if you feel content in your home you wll not long for here, and if your son lives 'vay' will not cease from your lips: 'Vay, my son does not drink enough!' 'Vay, my son does not eat enough!' 'Vay, today my son didn't go to the synagogue!'

R. Yossi says: Why are they called "elohim" ("gods")? So as not to leave an opening for future generations to say: If they (their idols) were called by His name ("Elokim"), they would have been effective. And when were they called by His name? In the days of the generation of Enosh, of which it is written (Bereshith 4:26) "And to Sheth, too, there was born a son, and he called his name Enosh. Then they began to call (artifacts) by the name of the L-rd."