ציטירנדיקער פּירוש אויף בראשית 5:29

ויהי רעב בארץ מלבד הרעב הראשון , “There was famine on earth, apart from the first famine, etc.” Nachmanides writes concerning this statement that it is possible that the first famine on earth was the one reported in Genesis 12,10 during the days of Avraham. His comment is surprising in view of what we learned in Bereshit Rabbah 64,2 that there were a total of 10 famines which have been mentioned in the Bible, the first one of which occurred in the days of Adam as a result of G’d cursing the earth for his sake (Genesis 3,17). The second is supposed to have occurred during the time of Lemech, Noach’s father who greeted Noach’s birth as a good omen, saving mankind from the earth which had been cursed (Genesis 5,29).
The correct interpretation of our verse is that the word “the first famine,” referred to in our verse describes the post-deluvian world, not the “first” ever. This is evident even from the continuation of Nachmanides’ commentary in which he writes: “for they were remembering the first famine and telling each other about it.” On account of that famine Avraham had felt impelled to leave the land of Canaan and to descend to Egypt. Yitzchak, true to the example set by his father, wanted to do the same, until G’d restrained him by telling him not to go to Egypt.

There is another message contained in this verse which is commented upon in Bereshit Rabbah 25,2. The Midrash discusses whether Noach's name was in itself blissful, or whether in view of Noach's righteous way of life the blessings he conferred on earth were subsequently reflected in his name. Here is some of the discussion: "When G'd created Adam He invested him with a full range of authority. The cow obeyed the ploughman, the furrow co-operated with the plough. As soon as Adam sinned, the cow no longer responded to its owner, nor did the earth respond to the plough. This situation continued until the time of Noach. Once Noach appeared on earth the situation changed in man's favour. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish added that until Noach the waters would flood the earth, something that stopped during Noach's time. At any rate, the name Noach is repeated in our verse to indicate the beneficial effect his existence had on the well being of his peers. The repetition of the word תולדת and the use of the word איש are an allusion to the fact that Noach was איש האדמה, an outstanding farmer (as is stated explicitly after the deluge (9,20). Our sages (Tanchuma Bereshit 11) find Noach's successful impact on farming alluded to in 5,29 where his father Lemech predicts that his son Noach will provide relief for עצבון ידינו, "the painful labour of our hands." The fact that Noach was born without a foreskin gave rise to these hopes. Apparently Noach invented a usable plough. The word צדיק hints that the righteous is the foundation of the universe, that without a righteous person the universe would forfeit its reason for existence. But for Noach the earth would have perished at the time of the deluge. The word חמים should be understood in the same vein as the Talmud Avodah Zarah 10 explains it. The Talmud understands the word צדיק as a reference to Noach's deeds, whereas the word תמים is a reference to Noach's lifestyle, his attitudes [as opposed to understanding the word as an adjective describing his righteousness. Ed.] All of this is additional praise for Noach who was able to perfect his personality in the face of such wicked contemporaries. Noach did far more than could have been expected of him. Our sages call such conduct לפנים משורת הדין. According to Samuel II, 22,27 G'd acts loyally with the loyal, whereas He uses wile in dealing with the perverse. According to this yardstick Noach would have been free to do likewise, but he chose to be more considerate than required by law. When the Torah describes Noach's perfection as בדורותיו this means that his goodness was recognised even by the people of his time. The plural in the expression בדורותיו reminds us that the average person's lifespan involves three generations. He lives during part of his father's generation, his contemporaries, and during part of his children's generation. Noach was unique during all these three generations; the only righteous member of a former generation that he shared time on earth with was his grandfather Methuselah. When the Torah tells us את האלוקים התהלך נח, that Noach walked with G'd, this means that even vis a vis G'd Noach's conduct was very constructive. Our sages tell us in connection with Noach's offering after the deluge (8,21) וירח השם את ריח הניחוח, that Noach's name is alluded to in the word ניחוח. The reason the Torah repeats the name Noach at the beginning is to refer to this second dimension of Noach's beneficial effect on mankind, when G'd decided not to bring another deluge ever, due to Noach's gratitude. The reason the Torah uses the verb הלך when describing Noach's conduct vis-a-vis G'd is because G'd describes a desirable conduct by man in those terms in Deut. 28,9. When the Torah here employs the reflexive התהלך, this merely emphasises that Noach kept walking with G'd. He provided pleasure to His Creator all the time, something which found its ultimate expression in his sacrifice after the deluge.

Noah, Daniel, and Job Because each of these three saw three worlds: Noah saw the world built up, destroyed, and rebuilt; and Danielthe Temple. Or himself: first a prince over all the princes, eventually cast into a lions’ den, and [ultimately] restored to his greatness. Likewise, Job saw himself well-established, destroyed, and [again] well-established. Therefore, they were brought as a parallel to the generation of Jeconiah, which saw the Temple while it was built and while it was destroyed, and the [Temple’s] second building. And the Holy One, blessed be He, said the following to them: “I am showing you great affectionyou, Jeconiah and [those of] his exile. Should one of the lands of the nations sin against Me and had I decreed upon it one of these four punishmentseither “famine” (verse 13), “wild beast” (verse 15), “the sword” (verse 17), “or pestilence” (verse 19) as they appear in this chapter, consecutively, and these three righteous men were in its midst, they would save neither son nor daughter. Yet I will bring [all] four of them on [your brethren in] Jerusalem, and [still] leave over for you some of your sons who are there although you are not in its midst. And not because they are worthy of being saved, but to console you when they are exiled [to an area] near you and you will see their evil deeds and be consoled about the evil that I brought upon them. For you will see that it could no longer be tolerated. [The annotator of our ms. remarks:] (This is the theme of this entire chapter. This [following] explanation cannot be made fit, and it appears that it is not the wording of the rabbi [viz. Rashi]. It appears further that this edition [of Rashi in which this comment was found] is missing one of the four punishments, from אוֹ, or, until כִּי or.) Another explanation: If a land sins against Me, etc. and had these three men been in its midst [namely] Noah, Daniel, and Job because the Holy One, blessed be He, saved these three men from these three [four] judgments, Scripture mentioned these. Noah was saved from the three of them. How do we know [that he was saved] from wild beasts? When he entered the ark, all the beasts attempted to enter, but the Holy One, blessed be He, did not allow them, as it is written (Gen. 7:16): “and the Lord shut around him.” Now the word “shut” refers only to protection from beasts, as Scripture states (Dan. 6:23): “and he shut the lions’ mouths, and they did not hurt me.”A lion came to enter [the ark] and its teeth were set on edge; a bear came to enter, and its feet would totter, etc. (see Gen. Rabbah 31:12). How do we know [that he was saved] from famine?For it is said (Gen. 5:29): “from the soil, which the Lord has cursed.” Go out and learn Genesis Rabbah (25:3) where it enumerates the ten famines that descended upon the world, and you will find that one of them was in the time of Noah, and it brings proof from “from the soil, which... [He] cursed.” From the swordthis is the Flood, and moreover, the people of his generation sought to attack him, saying, “We will not allow him to enter,” but the Holy One, blessed be He, saved him: said the Holy One, blessed be He, “I will not allow him to enter except at midday [in broad daylight], and whomever it hurtslet him protest.” That is what is written (Gen. 7:13): “In this very (עֶצֶם) day Noah came [into the ark]” at the strong point (עֱצוּמוֹ) of the day. Danielwhen Nebuchadnezzar entered the Temple in the days of Jehoiakim, he slew Jehoiakim and spared Daniel. He expelled Daniel [into] a peaceful exile because he found him to be full of a spirit of wisdom. From faminefor until Jerusalem was conquered in the days of Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar besieged it for three years [during which it suffered a famine], as is said (II Kings 25:3): “the famine became severe in the city,” and also (in Jer. 52:6): “and the famine became severe.” How do we know [that he was saved] from beasts?”and shut the lions’ mouths (Dan. ibid.), and they did not hurt me.” Likewise, you find that Job was saved from the three of them. How do we know [that he was saved] from famine?According to the one who says (Baba Bathra 15b) that Job lived in the time of Jacob, we find that there was a famine in his days. How do we know [that he was protected] from beasts?For it is written (Job 1:10): “and his cattle has broken out into the land.” It has breached the [natural] limitations of the world. [Usually wolves kill goats, but Job’s goats killed wolves; B. B. 15b.] How do we know [that he survived] the sword?(ibid. 16:13) “He splits my kidneys and does not have compassion.”

Boaz, corresponding to the sun, [which emerges with might and strength (עֹז) (Yesod Veshoresh Haavodah)], as it is written (ibid. 19: 6): “it rejoices like a mighty man, running,” (Midrassh Tadshe, ch. 2). The “beth” of בֹּעַז is like the “mem” in (Gen. 5:29) נֹחַ יְנַחֲמֵנוּ and in (I Sam 1:20) שְּׁמוּאֵל כִּי מֵה' שְׁאִלְתִּיו.