| 9These are the generations of Noah, Noah was a righteous man he was perfect in his generations; Noah walked with God. |
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טאֵ֚לֶּה תּֽוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ: |
| These are the generations of Noah—Noah was a righteous man. Since Scripture mentions him, it tells his praise, as it is said (Prov. 10:7): “The mention of a righteous man is for a blessing.” - [Pesikta Rabbathi 12]. Another explanation [for why the names of the children are not mentioned immediately following “These are the generations of Noah”]: To teach you that the main generations [progeny] of the righteous are good deeds. — [Mid. Tan. Noah 2] |
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אֵלֶּה תּֽוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק.
הוֹאִיל וְהִזְכִּירוֹ סִפֵּר בְּשִׁבְחוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר זֵכֶר צַדִּיק לִבְרָכָה (משלי י'). דָּבָר אַחֵר לִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁעִקַּר תּוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים:
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| in his generations. Some of our Sages interpret it [the word בְּדֹרֹתָיו] favorably: How much more so if he had lived in a generation of righteous people, he would have been even more righteous. Others interpret it derogatorily: In comparison with his generation he was righteous, but if he had been in Abraham’s generation, he would not have been considered of any importance. — [Sanh. 108a, Gen. Rabbah 30:9, Tan. Noach 5] |
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בְּדֹֽרֹתָיו.
יֵשׁ מֵרַבּוֹתֵינוּ דּוֹרְשִׁים אוֹתוֹ לְשֶׁבַח, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִלּוּ הָיָה בְדוֹר צַדִּיקִים הָיָה צַדִּיק יוֹתֵר; וְיֵשׁ שֶׁדּוֹרְשִׁים אוֹתוֹ לִגְנַאי, לְפִי דוֹרוֹ הָיָה צַדִּיק וְאִלּוּ הָיָה בְדוֹרוֹ שֶׁל אַבְרָהָם לֹא הָיָה נֶחְשָׁב לִכְלוּם (סנה' ק"ח):
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| Noah walked with God. But concerning Abraham, Scripture says (below 24:40): “[the Lord] before Whom I walked.” Noah required [God’s] support to uphold him [in righteousness], but Abraham strengthened himself and walked in his righteousness by himself. — [Tan. Noach 5] |
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אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִים הִתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹחַ.
וּבְאַבְרָהָם הוּא אוֹמֵר אֲשֶׁר הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי לְפָנָיו? (ברא' כ"ד), נֹחַ הָיָה צָרִיךְ סַעַד לְתָמְכוֹ, אֲבָל אַבְרָהָם הָיָה מִתְחַזֵּק וּמְהַלֵּךְ בְצִדְקוֹ מֵאֵלָיו:
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| walked. (הִתְהַלֶּךְ) is here in the past tense. The following is the usage of the “lammed”: in the “heavy” (כָּבֵד) form [this refers to conjugations with a dagesh in one of the root letters, in this case, in the lammed], one form can be used [both] for the future [really the imperative] and the past tense. For example, (Gen. ibid. 13): “Rise, walk (הִתְהַלֵּךְ)” is the future (i.e., imperative). “Noah walked (הִתְהַלֶּךְ)” is the past. (I Sam. 12:19): “Pray (הִתְפַּלֵּל) for your servants” is future (i.e., imperative), and (I Kings 8:42) “and he will come and pray (וְהִתְפַּלֵּל) toward this house” is past, only that the “vav” at the beginning converts it to the future. — [as explained by Mizrachi] |
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הִתְהַלֶּךְ־.
לְשׁוֹן עָבָר, וְזֶהוּ שִׁמּוּשׁוֹ שֶׁל לָשׁוֹן, בְּלָשׁוֹן כָּבֵד מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת לְהַבָּא וּלְשֶׁעָבַר בְּלָשׁוֹן א', קוּם הִתְהַלֵּךְ (שם י"ג) לְהַבָּא, הִתְהַלֶּךְ נֹחַ לְשֶׁעָבַר; הִתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַד עֲבָדֶיךָ (שמואל א' י"ב) לְהַבָּא, וּבָא וְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֶל הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה (מ"א ח') לְשׁוֹן עָבָר, אֶלָּא שֶׁהַוָּי"ו שֶׁבְּרֹאשׁוֹ הֲפָכוֹ לְהַבָּא:
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| 10And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. |
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יוַיּ֥וֹלֶד נֹ֖חַ שְׁלשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים אֶת־שֵׁ֖ם אֶת־חָ֥ם וְאֶת־יָֽפֶת: |
| 11Now the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth became full of robbery. |
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יאוַתִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א הָאָ֖רֶץ חָמָֽס: |
| was corrupt. Heb. וַתִּשָּׁחֵת is an expression of immorality and idolatry. (other editions add: immorality, “for all flesh had corrupted (הִשְׁחִית) its way,” and idolatry), as in (Deut. 4:16): “Lest you deal corruptly (תַּשְׁחִיתוּן).” - [Sanh. 56b, 57a] |
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וַתִּשָּׁחֵת.
לְשׁוֹן עֶרְוָה וַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה (סנה' נ"ז) כְּמוֹ פֶּן תַּשְׁחִתוּן (דב' ד'), כִּי הִשְׁחִית כָּל בָּשָׂר וְגוֹ':
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| and the earth became full of robbery. Heb. חָמָס, robbery. (other editions add: as it is said (Jonah 3:8): “and of the dishonest gain (הֶחָמָס) which is in their hands.”) - [Sanh. 108a] |
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וַתִּמָּלֵא הָאָרֶץ חָמָֽס.
גֶּזֶל (ס"א שנאמר ומן החמס אשר בכפיהם (יונה ג, ח)):
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| 12And God saw the earth, and behold it had become corrupted, for all flesh had corrupted its way on the earth. |
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יבוַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְהִנֵּ֣ה נִשְׁחָ֑תָה כִּֽי־הִשְׁחִ֧ית כָּל־בָּשָׂ֛ר אֶת־דַּרְכּ֖וֹ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| for all flesh had corrupted. Even cattle, beasts, and fowl would mate with those who were not of their own species. — [from Tan. Noach 12] |
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כִּֽי־הִשְׁחִית כָּל־בָּשָׂר.
אֲפִלּוּ בְהֵמָה חַיָּה וָעוֹף נִזְקָקִין לְשֶׁאֵינָן מִינָן:
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| 13And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth has become full of robbery because of them, and behold I am destroying them from the earth. |
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יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֜ים לְנֹ֗חַ קֵ֤ץ כָּל־בָּשָׂר֙ בָּ֣א לְפָנַ֔י כִּי־מָֽלְאָ֥ה הָאָ֛רֶץ חָמָ֖ס מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְהִנְנִ֥י מַשְׁחִיתָ֖ם אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| The end of all flesh. Wherever you find promiscuity (and idolatry), a pestilence comes upon the world and kills both good and bad alike. — [from Gen. Rabbah 26:5] Note that parenthetic words do not appear in Gen. Rabbah, Lev. Rabbah, or in early mss. and printed editions of Rashi. We have translated אַנְדְרוֹלוּמוּסְיָה as pestilence, following Aruch. See below. |
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קֵץ כָּל־בָּשָׂר.
כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא זְנוּת וַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אַנְדְּרוֹלוֹמוּסְיָא בָּאָה לְעוֹלָם וְהוֹרֶגֶת טוֹבִים וְרָעִים.
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| for the earth has become full of robbery. Their verdict was sealed only because of robbery. — [from Sanh. 108a] |
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כִּי־מָֽלְאָה הָאָרֶץ חָמָס.
לֹא נֶחְתַּם גְּזַר דִּינָם אֶלָּא עַל הַגֶּזֶל (סנה' ק"ח):
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| from the earth. [אֶת הָאָרֶץ] is similar מִן הָאָרֶץ: “from the earth.” Similar to this is (Exod. 9:29): “When I go the city” [meaning] “from” the city; (I Kings 15:23): “He was stricken his feet” [meaning] “from” his feet (i.e, he suffered from a foot ailment). Another explanation: אֶת הָאָרֶץ means “together with the earth,” for even the three handbreadths of the depth of the plowshare were blotted out and obliterated. |
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אֶת־הָאָרֶץ.
כְּמוֹ מִן הָאָרֶץ, וְדוֹמֶה לוֹ כְּצֵאתִי אֶת הָעִיר (שמ' ט'), מִן הָעִיר; חָלָה אֶת רַגְלָיו (מ"א ט"ו), מִן רַגְלָיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר אֶת הָאָרֶץ – עִם הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁאַף ג' טְפָחִים שֶׁל עֹמֶק הַמַּחֲרֵשָׁה נִמֹּחוּ וְנִטַּשְׁטְשׁוּ:
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| 14Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with compartments, and you shall caulk it both inside and outside with pitch. |
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ידעֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ תֵּבַ֣ת עֲצֵי־גֹ֔פֶר קִנִּ֖ים תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֶת־הַתֵּבָ֑ה וְכָֽפַרְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֛הּ מִבַּ֥יִת וּמִח֖וּץ בַּכֹּֽפֶר: |
| Make for yourself an ark. Many ways to bring relief and rescue are available to Him; why, then, did He burden him with this construction? In order that the people of the Generation of the Flood should see him occupying himself with it for one hundred twenty years and ask him, “For what do you need this?” And he would say to them, “The Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to bring a flood upon the world.” Perhaps they would repent. - [Aggadath Bereishith 1:2, Tan. Noach 5, Tan. Buber Bereishith 37, Gen. Rabbah 30:7] |
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עֲשֵׂה לְךָ תֵּבַת.
הַרְבֵּה רֶוַח וְהַצָּלָה לְפָנָיו, וְלָמָּה הִטְרִיחוֹ בְּבִנְיָן זֶה? כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְאוּהוּ אַנְשֵׁי דוֹר הַמַּבּוּל עוֹסֵק בָּהּ ק"כ שָׁנָה, וְשׁוֹאֲלִין אוֹתוֹ מַה זֹּאת לְךָ, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר לָהֶם עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהָבִיא מַבּוּל לָעוֹלָם, אוּלַי יָשׁוּבוּ:
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| gopher wood. That is its name. Now why from this species (גֹפֶר)? Because of sulphur (גָפְרִית) with which it was decreed upon them to be blotted out. — [from Bereishith Rabbathi p. 66] |
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עֲצֵי־גופר.
כָּךְ שְׁמוֹ. וְלָמָּה מִמִּין זֶה? עַל שֵׁם גָּפְרִית שֶׁנִּגְזַר עֲלֵיהֶם לִמָּחוֹת בּוֹ:
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| compartments. individual dwellings for each domestic animal and wild beast. — [from Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 23] |
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קִנִּים.
מְדוֹרִים מְדוֹרִים לְכָל בְּהֵמָה וְחַיָּה:
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| with pitch. Heb. כֹּפֶר This is זֶפֶת in Aramaic, and we find in the Talmud (Shab. 67a, b, Ned. 51a, Git. 69b, B.M. 23b, 40a, 70a, Ar. 19a) the word כּוּפְרָא [meaning pitch]. In Moses’ ark [i.e., the ark in which Moses was placed in the Nile], since the water was calm, it was enough to have mud on the inside and pitch on the outside. Another reason: so that this righteous man [Moses] should not smell the bad odor of pitch. But here, because of the force of the water, he caulked it with pitch both inside and outside. — [from Gen. Rabbah 31:10, Sotah 12a] |
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בַּכֹּֽפֶר.
זֶפֶת בְלָשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי, וּמָצִינוּ בַּתַּלְמוּד כּוּפְרָא. בְּתֵבָתוֹ שֶׁל משֶׁה, עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ הַמַּיִם תָּשִׁים דַּיָּהּ בְּחֹמֶר מִבִּפְנִים וְזֶפֶת מִבַּחוּץ; וְעוֹד, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָרִיחַ אוֹתוֹ צַדִּיק רֵיחַ רַע שֶׁל זֶפֶת, אֲבָל כָּאן מִפְּנֵי חֹזֶק הַמַּיִם זִפְּתָהּ מִבַּיִת וּמִחוּץ:
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| 15And this [is the size] you shall make it: three hundred cubits the length of the ark, fifty cubits its breadth, and thirty cubits its height. |
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טווְזֶ֕ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֖ה אֹתָ֑הּ שְׁל֧שׁ מֵא֣וֹת אַמָּ֗ה אֹ֚רֶךְ הַתֵּבָ֔ה חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים אַמָּה֙ רָחְבָּ֔הּ וּשְׁלשִׁ֥ים אַמָּ֖ה קֽוֹמָתָֽהּ: |
| 16You shall make a skylight for the ark, and to a cubit you shall finish it to the top, and the entrance of the ark you shall place in its side; you shall make it with bottom [compartments], second story [compartments], and third story [compartments]. |
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טזצֹ֣הַר | תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֣ה לַתֵּבָ֗ה וְאֶל־אַמָּה֙ תְּכַלֶּ֣נָּה מִלְמַ֔עְלָה וּפֶ֥תַח הַתֵּבָ֖ה בְּצִדָּ֣הּ תָּשִׂ֑ים תַּחְתִּיִּ֛ם שְׁנִיִּ֥ם וּשְׁלִשִׁ֖ים תַּֽעֲשֶֽׂהָ: |
| a skylight. Heb. צֹהַר, lit. light. Some say [that it was] a window, and some say [that it was] a precious stone, which gave them light. — [Gen. Rabbah 31:11] |
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צֹהַר.
יֵשׁ אוֹמָרִים חַלּוֹן וְיֵשׁ אוֹמָרִים אֶבֶן טוֹבָה הַמְּאִירָה לָהֶם (ב"ר שם):
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| and to a cubit you shall finish it to the top. Its covering slanted upwards until it narrowed at the top to one cubit (Gen. Rabbah 31:11), so that the rain should run down (the following does not appear in certain editions) (from both sides) (Sanh. 108b, Maharsha). |
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וְאֶל־אַמָּה תְּכַלֶּנָּה מִלְמַעְלָה.
כִּסּוּיָהּ מְשֻׁפָּע וְעוֹלֶה עַד שֶׁהוּא קָצָר מִלְמַעְלָה וְעוֹמֵד עַל אַמָּה כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּזוּבוּ הַמַּיִם לְמַטָּה מִכָּאן וּמִכָּאן:
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| you shall place in its side. so that the rains should not fall into it. |
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בְּצִדָּהּ תָּשִׂים.
שֶׁלֹּא יִפְּלוּ הַגְּשָׁמִים בָּהּ:
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| bottom [compartments], second-story [compartments], and third-story [compartments]. three stories, one above the other; the upper compartments were for people, the middle ones for [animal] dwellings, and the bottom ones for waste matter. — [from Sanh. 108b] |
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תַּחְתִּיִּם שְׁנִיִּם וּשְׁלִשִׁים.
ג' עֲלִיוֹת זוֹ עַל גַּב זוֹ, עֶלְיוֹנִים לָאָדָם, אֶמְצָעִים לְמָדוֹֹר, תַּחְתִּיִּים לְזֶבֶל (שם):
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| 17And I, behold I am bringing the flood, water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which there is the spirit of life, from beneath the heavens; all that is upon the earth will perish. |
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יזוַֽאֲנִ֗י הִֽנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא אֶת־הַמַּבּ֥וּל מַ֨יִם֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לְשַׁחֵ֣ת כָּל־בָּשָׂ֗ר אֲשֶׁר־בּוֹ֙ ר֣וּחַ חַיִּ֔ים מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כֹּ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָ֖רֶץ יִגְוָֽע: |
| And I, behold I am bringing. Behold, I am ready to agree with those [angels] who urged Me long ago (Ps. 8:5): “What is man that You should remember him?” - [Gen. Rabbah 31:12] |
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וַֽאֲנִי הִֽנְנִי מֵבִיא.
הִנְנִי מוּכָן לְהַסְכִּים עִם אוֹתָם שֶׁזֵּרְזוּנִי וְאָמְרוּ לְפָנַי כְּבָר מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ (תה' ח'):
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| the flood. Heb. הַמַּבּוּל: that wore out (בִּלָּה) everything; that mixed up (בִּלְבֵּל) everything; that transported (הוֹבִיל) everything from the high [ground] to the low [ground]. This [the last interpretation] is [the basis for] the rendering of Onkelos: טוֹפָנָא, a flood [from טוּף, to float], because it caused everything to float and brought them down to Babylon, which is deep, and this is why it was called Shinar, because all those who died in the Flood were shaken out (נִנְעֲרוּ) there. — [Yer. Ber. 4:1, Gen. Rabbah 37:4] |
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מַּבּוּל.
שֶׁבִּלָּה אֶת הַכֹּל, שֶׁבִּלְבֵּל אֶת הַכֹּל, שֶׁהוֹבִיל אֶת הַכֹּל מִן הַגָּבוֹהַּ לַנָּמוּךְ; וְזֶהוּ לְשׁוֹן אֻנְקְלוֹס שֶׁתִּרְגֵּם טוֹפָנָא, שֶׁהֵצִיף אֶת הַכֹּל, וֶהֱבִיאָהּ לְבָבֶל שֶׁהִיא עֲמֻקָּה, לְכָךְ נִקְרֵאת שִׁנְעָר, שֶׁנִּנְעֲרוּ שָׁם כָּל מֵתֵי מַבּוּל:
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| 18And I will set up My covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you and your sons, and your wife and your sons' wives with you. |
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יחוַֽהֲקִֽמֹתִ֥י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וּבָאתָ֙ אֶל־הַתֵּ֔בָה אַתָּ֕ה וּבָנֶי֛ךָ וְאִשְׁתְּךָ֥ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנֶי֖ךָ אִתָּֽךְ: |
| And I will set up My covenant with you. A covenant was necessary for the fruits, so that they should not rot and become putrid, and so that the wicked of the generation should not kill him. — [from Gen. Rabbah 31:12] |
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וַֽהֲקִֽמֹתִי אֶת־בְּרִיתִי.
בְּרִית הָיָה צָרִיךְ עַל הַפֵּרוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יִרְקְבוּ וִיעַפְּשׁוּ וְשֶׁלֹּא יַהַרְגוּהוּ רְשָׁעִים שֶׁבַּדּוֹר (ב"ר):
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| you and your sons, and your wife. the men separately and the women separately. From here, we deduce that they were prohibited to engage in marital relations [in the ark]. — [Sanh. 108b] |
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אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ וְאִשְׁתְּךָ.
הָאֲנָשִׁים לְבַד וְהַנָּשִׁים לְבַד; מִכָּאן שֶׁנֶּאֱסְרוּ בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה: (שם):
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| 19And of all living things of all flesh, two of each you shall bring into the ark to preserve alive with you; they shall be male and female. |
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יטוּמִכָּל־הָ֠חַ֠י מִכָּל־בָּשָׂ֞ר שְׁנַ֧יִם מִכֹּ֛ל תָּבִ֥יא אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֖ה לְהַֽחֲיֹ֣ת אִתָּ֑ךְ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה יִֽהְיֽוּ: |
| And of all living things. Even demons. — [Gen. Rabbah 31:13] |
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וּמִכָּל־הָחַי.
אֲפִלּוּ שֵׁדִים (ב"ר):
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| two of each. Of the least [numerous] of them, there were no less than two, one male and one female. |
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שְׁנַיִם מִכָּל־.
מִן הַפָּחוּת שֶׁבָּהֶם לֹא פָּחוֹת מִשְּׁנַיִם, אֶחָד זָכָר וְאֶחָד נְקֵבָה:
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| 20Of the fowl after its kind and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing upon the ground after its kind; two of each shall come to you to preserve alive. |
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כמֵֽהָע֣וֹף לְמִינֵ֗הוּ וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ מִכֹּ֛ל רֶ֥מֶשׂ הָֽאֲדָמָ֖ה לְמִינֵ֑הוּ שְׁנַ֧יִם מִכֹּ֛ל יָבֹ֥אוּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ לְהַֽחֲיֽוֹת: |
| Of the fowl after its kind. (Gen. Rabbah) [Note that this derash is not found in Gen. Rabbah, but in Tan. Noach 12] Those that mated with their kind, and did not corrupt their way, and came by themselves, and all that the ark accepted, [i.e., the ark repulsed the unfit animals and did not let them enter], he brought into it. — [Sanh. 108b, Tan. ad loc., Zev. 116a, Gen. Rabbah 32:8 from 7:16; Pirkei d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 23 from ibid. 15; only Mid. Hagadol from this verse] |
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מֵֽהָעוֹף לְמִינֵהוּ.
אוֹתָן שֶׁדָּבְקוּ בְמִינֵיהֶם וְלֹא הִשְׁחִיתוּ דַרְכָּם, וּמֵאֵלֵיהֶם בָּאוּ, וְכֹל שֶׁהַתֵּבָה קוֹלַטְתּוֹ הִכְנִיס (ב"ר):
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| 21And you, take for yourself of every food that is eaten and gather it in to you, and it shall be for you and for them to eat." |
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כאוְאַתָּ֣ה קַח־לְךָ֗ מִכָּל־מַֽאֲכָל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יֵֽאָכֵ֔ל וְאָֽסַפְתָּ֖ אֵלֶ֑יךָ וְהָיָ֥ה לְךָ֛ וְלָהֶ֖ם לְאָכְלָֽה: |
| 22And Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did. |
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כבוַיַּ֖עַשׂ נֹ֑חַ כְּ֠כֹ֠ל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֥ה אֹת֛וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים כֵּ֥ן עָשָֽׂה: |
| And Noah did. This refers to the building of the ark. — [Gen. Rabbah 31:14] |
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וַיַּעַשׂ נֹחַ.
זֶה בִּנְיַן הַתֵּבָה:
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