Komentaryong Sumisipi para sa Genesis 9:11

AND THE ETERNAL SAID TO NOAH. G-d informed Noah that with the attribute of mercy [as indicated by the use of the Tetragrammaton, “the Eternal,”] He will save him and his family and that He will give life to their seed for all generations. This is the meaning of the phrase, to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.⁷¹Verse 3. At first He said, to keep them alive with thee;⁷²Above, 6:19. but now with the attribute of mercy He hinted to him concerning the sacrifice to inform him that he will have regard for his offering and that by the merit of his offering, the world will exist, never again to be cut off by the waters of the flood.⁷³See further, 9:11. This is why the Tetragrammaton is mentioned here for in all matters concerning the sacrifices, Scripture does not mention Elokim (G-d), as I will elucidate when I reach there⁷⁴See Ramban, Leviticus 1:9. with the help of G-d.

ויאמר השם אל לבו לא אוסיף עוד לקלל G'd said to His heart: "I will not continue to curse, etc." Why does G'd use the words לא אוסיף twice in the same verse? Rashi claims that the repetition makes the statement equivalent to an oath. He bases himself on Shavuot 36. This poses a problem, seeing that the sages do not really say this. This is the text of the Talmud: Rabbi Eliezer said the word לא is a term used as an oath; the word הן is also a term used as an oath; Rabbi Eliezer quotes some verse as proof. Rava corrects his statement by saying that only when these words are used twice do they constitute an oath. Rava quotes Genesis 9,11 ולא יכרת כל בשר עוד ממי המבול ולא יהיה עוד מבול, all flesh will not again be annihilated by the waters of the deluge, nor will there ever be another flood, as proof for his rule. The fact that Rava quotes this verse and not 8,21 shows that he means two separate verses or statements are needed. The single verse in 8,21 does not constitute an oath according to the Talmud.

The Talmud is quite correct in not using the repeated words לא אוסיף as an oath where G'd is reported as saying this "to His heart." In that verse the words לא אוסיף were applied to two different undertakings by G'd. He promised not to curse the earth, and He promised not to curse all the living creatures. It would not be proper to speak of a repetition then. What G'd undertook in this verse was not to punish the earth again on account of man's deeds as He had done when Adam sinned and when Cain sinned. Not even a part of the earth would henceforth be cursed on account of man's actions or inactions. In addition G'd expressed His satisfaction with Noach's sacrifice and promised not to smite whole categories of creatures even when this did not involve destroying their habitat. It is clear then that there is no oath here since G'd did not repeat anything. That is why Rava in the Talmud uses the verse in 9,11 as an example of an oath. We will explain that verse in detail in its proper place. Perhaps Rashi had a different version of the Talmud as suggested by the commentary of the רא׳ש on that folio.