בראשית רבה כ״דBereshit Rabbah 24

Parashah 24 of 100 in Bereshit Rabbah — 7 sections

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Section 1א׳

זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם (בראשית ה, א), רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ רַבָּה פָּתַח (ישעיה כט, טו): הוֹי הַמַּעֲמִיקִים מֵה' לַסְתִּר עֵצָה וְהָיָה בְמַחְשָׁךְ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ מִי רֹאֵנוּ וּמִי יֹדְעֵנוּ, לְאַרְכִיטִיקְטוֹס שֶׁבָּנָה אֶת הַמְדִינָה חֲדָרִים וּבִיבִים וּמְעָרוֹת, לְאַחַר יָמִים נַעֲשָׂה גַּבָּאי, הָיוּ בְּנֵי הַמְדִינָה מַטְמִינִין מִפָּנָיו בְּתוֹךְ הַחֲדָרִים וּבְתוֹךְ הַמְעָרוֹת, אָמַר לָהֶן אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁבָּנִיתִי אֶת הַמְעָרוֹת וּמִפָּנַי מָה אַתֶּם מַטְמִינִין עַצְמְכֶם בָּהֶן, כָּךְ הוֹי הַמַּעֲמִיקִים מֵה' לַסְתִּר עֵצָה וְהָיָה בְמַחְשָׁךְ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם. (ישעיה כט, טז): הַפְכְּכֶם אִם כְּחֹמֶר הַיֹּצֵר יֵחָשֵׁב, מְדַמִּין צוּרָה לְיוֹצְרָהּ נְטִיעָה לְנוֹטְעָהּ, (ישעיה כט, טז): כִּי יֹאמַר מַעֲשֶׂה לְעוֹשֵׂהוּ לֹא עָשָׂנִי וְיֵצֶר אָמַר לְיֹצְרוֹ לֹא הֵבִין, הֲלֹא עוֹד מְעַט מִזְעָר וְשָׁב לְבָנוֹן לַכַּרְמֶל, לְבֵית מַלְכוּת, (ישעיה כט, טז): וְהַכַּרְמֶל לַיַּעַר יֵחָשֵׁב, לְחֻרְשֵׁי דִבְנֵי אֵינָשׁ. (ישעיה כט, יח): וְשָׁמְעוּ בַיּוֹם הַהוּא הַחֵרְשִׁים דִּבְרֵי סֵפֶר, זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם.

“This is the book of the descendants of Adam, on the day that God created man, in the likeness of God He made him” (Genesis 5:1). “This is the book of the descendants of Adam.” Rabbi Yehoshua Rabba began: “Woe, those who go deep from the Lord to conceal counsel, and their actions are in the dark, and they say: who sees us and who knows of us?” (Isaiah 29:15). This is analogous to an architect who designed a city – its chambers, sewers, and cisterns. Sometime later, he became a tax collector. The residents of the city would conceal themselves from him in the chambers and in the cisterns. He said to them: It is I who built the cisterns! How can you conceal yourselves in them? So, “Woe, those who go deep from the Lord to conceal counsel, and their actions are in the dark.” “In your contrariness you assert that the potter is just like the clay” (Isaiah 29:16) – they liken the product to the craftsman, the plant to the planter. “Can a product say of its maker: ‘He did not make me,’ or the craft say of its craftsman: ‘He does not understand’?” (Isaiah 29:16). “Behold, in just a short while Lebanon will be transformed into farmland” (Isaiah 29:17) – into a royal palace; “and the farmland will be considered a forest” (Isaiah 29:17) – into forests of men. “On that day, the deaf will hear the words of a book” (Isaiah 29:18) – “this is the book of the descendants of Adam.”

Section 2ב׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם, כְּתִיב (תהלים קלט, טז): גָּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ וְעַל סִפְרְךָ כֻּלָּם יִכָּתֵבוּ יָמִים יֻצָּרוּ וְלוֹ אֶחָד בָּהֶם, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר נְחֶמְיָה וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן מְלֹא כָל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בְּרָאוֹ, מִמִּזְרָח לַמַּעֲרָב מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלט, ה): אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי. וּמִצָּפוֹן לַדָּרוֹם מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד, לב): וּלְמִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמָיִם. וּמִנַיִן אַף בַּחֲלָלוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (תהלים קלט, ה): וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי בְּנָיָה וְרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר גֹּלֶם בְּרָאוֹ וְהָיָה מוּטָל מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: גָּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן עַד שֶׁאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן מֻטָּל גֹּלֶם לִפְנֵי מִי שֶׁאָמַר וְהָיָה הָעוֹלָם, הֶרְאָה לוֹ דּוֹר דּוֹר וְדוֹרְשָׁיו, דּוֹר דּוֹר וַחֲכָמָיו, דּוֹר דּוֹר וְסוֹפְרָיו, דּוֹר דּוֹר וּמַנְהִיגָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: גָּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ, גֹּלֶם שֶׁרָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ כְּבָר הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל סִפְרוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, הֱוֵי זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדוֹת אָדָם.

Another matter, “this is the book of the descendants of Adam,” it is written: “Your eyes saw my unformed parts, and in Your book they were all written. Of the days that were created, each one is His” (Psalms 139:16). Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya and Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He created him [so large as to be] filling the whole world. From east to west, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “From back [aḥor] and front [kedem], You shaped me” (Psalms 139:5). From north to south, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “[From the day God made Adam on the earth,] and from one end of the heavens to the other end” (Deuteronomy 4:32). From where is it derived that he even filled the empty space of the world? It is as it is stated: “You placed Your palm upon me” (Psalms 139:5). Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Benaya, and Rabbi Benaya and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Elazar, said: He created him unformed and he was placed from the end of the world to its end. That is what is written: “Your eyes saw my unformed parts” (Psalms 139:16). Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: While Adam the first man was placed unformed before Him who spoke and the world came into being, He showed him each and every generation and its scholars, each and every generation and its wise men, each and every generation and its interpreters of the Torah, each and every generation and its leaders, as it is stated: “Your eyes saw my unformed parts, [and in Your book they were all written]” – the unformed ones whom Your eyes saw, they were already written in the book of Adam the first man. That is, “this is the book of the descendants of Adam.”

Section 3ג׳

בַּר קַפָּרָא פָּתַח (תהלים סט, כט): יִמָּחוּ מִסֵּפֶר חַיִּים וְעִם צַדִּיקִים אַל יִכָּתֵבוּ. יִמָּחוּ מִסֵּפֶר חַיִּים, מִסֵּפֶר תּוֹלְדוֹת שֶׁל מַטָּה. וְעִם צַדִּיקִים אַל יִכָּתֵבוּ, מִסֵּפֶר תּוֹלְדוֹת שֶׁל מַעְלָה. תָּנֵי בַּר קַפָּרָא בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר חַי, צַדִּיק, (בראשית יא, יב): אַרְפַּכְשַׁד חַי, (בראשית יא, יד): שֶׁלַח חַי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, יִמָּחוּ מִסֵּפֶר חַיִּים, מִסֵּפֶר תּוֹלְדוֹת שֶׁל אָדָם.

Bar Kappara began: [David said of the wicked:] “May they be expunged from the book of life; and not be inscribed with the righteous” (Psalms 69:29). “May they be expunged from the book of life” – from the book of descendants on earth; “and not be inscribed with the righteous” – from the book of descendants on High. Bar Kappara taught: Everywhere that “lived” is stated, it is in reference to a righteous man: “Arpakhshad lived [ḥai]” (Genesis 11:12); “Shelaḥ lived [ḥai]” (Genesis 11:14). Another interpretation, “may they be expunged from the book of life” – from “the book of the descendants of Adam.”

Section 4ד׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם, כְּתִיב (ישעיה נז, טז): כִּי לֹא לְעוֹלָם אָרִיב, עִם אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן. (ישעיה נז, טז): וְלֹא לָנֶצַח אֶקְצוֹף, עִם תּוֹלְדוֹתָיו. (ישעיה נז, טז): כִּי רוּחַ מִלְּפָנַי יַעֲטוֹף, אָמַר רַבִּי הוּנָא הָרוּחַ הַזֶּה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהוּא יוֹצֵא לָעוֹלָם הוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ לְהַחֲרִיב אֶת הָעוֹלָם, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְרַשְּׁלוֹ בֶּהָרִים וּמְשַׁבְּרוֹ בַּגְּבָעוֹת וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ הִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹא תַּזִּיק בְּרִיּוֹתַי, מַאי טַעְמֵיהּ כִּי רוּחַ מִלְּפָנַי יַעֲטוֹף, מַה הוּא יַעֲטוֹף מְשַׁלְּהֵי לֵיהּ, הֵיךְ מָה דְּאַתְּ אָמַר (יונה ב, ח): בְּהִתְעַטֵּף עָלַי נַפְשִׁי אֶת ה' זָכָרְתִּי. אָמַר רַבִּי הוּנָא שָׁלשׁ רוּחוֹת עַל יְדֵי שֶׁיָּצְאוּ שֶׁלֹא בְמִשְׁקָל הָיָה עוֹלָם חָרֵב בָּהֶם, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: אֶחָד בִּימֵי יוֹנָה, וְאֶחָד בִּימֵי אִיּוֹב, וְאֶחָד בִּימֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל שֶׁל יוֹנָה עַל אוֹתָהּ הַסְּפִינָה הָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יונה א, ד): וַה' הֵטִיל רוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה אֶל הַיָּם. שֶׁל אִיּוֹב עַל אוֹתָה הַבַּיִת הָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב א, יט): וְהִנֵּה רוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה בָּאָה מֵעֵבֶר הַמִּדְבָּר, וְאֵין לְךָ קוֹזְמִיקוֹן אֶלָּא שֶׁל אֵלִיָּהוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים א יט, יא): וְהִנֵּה ה' עֹבֵר וְרוּחַ גְּדוֹלָה וְחָזָק מְפָרֵק הָרִים וּמְשַׁבֵּר סְלָעִים. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם בַּר חִיָּא וְאַמְרֵי לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבָּנָן לְעוֹלָם אֵין מֶלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ בָּא עַד שֶׁיִּבָּרְאוּ כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁעָלוּ בַּמַּחֲשָׁבָה לְהִבָּראוֹת, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן הַנְּשָׁמוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בְּסִפְרוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם:

Another matter, “this is the book of the descendants of Adam,” it is written: “For I [God] will not contend forever” (Isaiah 57:16) – with Adam the first man; “and I will not be eternally angry” (Isaiah 57:16) – with his descendants. “For the wind will be faint [yaatof] before Me” (Isaiah 57:16), Rabbi Huna said: This wind, when it goes out into the world it seeks to destroy the world, but the Holy One blessed be He weakens it on the mountains, breaks it on the hills, and says to it: ‘Take care that you do not harm My creations!’ What is the source? “For the wind will be faint [yaatof] before Me.” What is yaatof? It means that He wears it down, as it says: “When my soul was worn down [behitatef] within me, I remembered the Lord” (Jonah 2:8). Rabbi Huna said: There were three winds that, because they emerged untamed, the world was almost destroyed by them. They were: one in the days of Jonah, one in the days of Job, and one in the days of Elijah. Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Yishmael said: Jonah’s [wind] was on that ship [alone], as it is stated: “But the Lord cast a great wind upon the sea” (Jonah 1:4). Job’s was on that house [alone], as it is stated: “And behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness, [and it struck the four corners of the house]” (Job 1:19). You have only Elijah’s that was worldwide, as it is stated: “And behold, the Lord was passing, and there was a great and powerful wind, smashing mountains and shattering rocks” (I Kings 19:11). Rabbi Tanḥum bar Ḥiyya, and some say it in the name of the Rabbis: The messianic king will not come until all the souls that entered God’s mind to be created are created, and those are the souls stated in the book of Adam.

Section 5ה׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת, כְּתִיב (איוב כח, כז): אָז רָאָהּ וַיְסַפְּרָהּ, רַבָּנָן וְרַבִּי אַחָא, רַבָּנָן אָמְרִין כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר שֶׁהָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לְמשֶׁה הָיָה אוֹמְרוֹ שְׁתֵּי פְּעָמִים בְּלִבּוֹ וְאַחַר כָּךְ הָיָה אוֹמֵר לְמשֶׁה, וּמַה טַּעַם אָז רָאָהּ וַיְסַפְּרָהּ חַד, (איוב כח, כז): הֱכִינָהּ וְגַם חֲקָרָהּ חַד, וְאַחַר כָּךְ (איוב, כח, כח): וַיֹּאמֶר לָאָדָם, זֶה משֶׁה. וְרַבִּי אַחָא אָמַר ד', אָז רָאָהּ חַד, וַיְסַפְּרָהּ חַד, הֱכִינָהּ חַד, וְגַם חֲקָרָהּ חַד, וְאַחַר כָּךְ וַיֹּאמֶר לָאָדָם זֶה משֶׁה. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן רָאוּי הָיָה אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁתִּנָתֵן תּוֹרָה עַל יָדוֹ, מַה טַּעַם זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְצִיר כַּפַּי וְאֵינִי נוֹתְנָהּ לוֹ. חָזַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָמַר לוֹ וּמַה עַכְשָׁו שֵׁשׁ מִצְווֹת נָתַתִּי לוֹ וְלֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בָּהֶן וְהֵיאַךְ אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לוֹ תרי"ג מִצְווֹת, רמ"ח מִצְווֹת עֲשֵׂה וְשס"ה מִצְווֹת לֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. (איוב כח, כח): וַיֹּאמֶר לָאָדָם, לֹא לָאָדָם אֲנִי נוֹתֵן כִּי אִם לְבָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם, אָמַר רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב דִּכְפַר חָנִין רָאוּי הָיָה אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁיַּעַמְדוּ מִמֶּנּוּ י"ב שְׁבָטִים, מַאי טַעְמֵיהּ זֶ"ה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁנֵי בָנִים נָתַתִּי לוֹ וְעָמַד אֶחָד וְהָרַג אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ וְהֵיאַךְ אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לוֹ שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שְׁבָטִים. וַיֹּאמֶר לָאָדָם, לֹא לָאָדָם אֲנִי נוֹתֵן אֶלָּא לְבָנָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם, מִנְיַן זֶ"ה, ז' שִׁבְעָה ה' חֲמִשָּׁה, הֲרֵי י"ב.

Another matter, “this is the book of the descendants of Adam.” It is written: “Then He saw and assessed it” (Job 28:27). the Rabbis and Rabbi Aḥa, the Rabbis say: Each and every statement that the Holy One blessed be He would say to Moses, He would say it twice in His heart and then would say it to Moses. What is the source? “Then He saw and assessed it” – one; “prepared it, and also investigated it” (Job 28:27) – another one, and only then: “He said to the man” (Job 28:28) – this is Moses. Rabbi Aḥa said: Four times – “Then He saw” – one; “and assessed it” – another one; “prepared it” – another one; “and also investigated it” – another one, and only then: “He said to the man” – this is Moses. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Adam the first man was worthy to have had the Torah given through him. What is the source? “This is the book of the descendants of Adam.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘He is My handiwork; shall I not give it to him?’ The Holy One blessed be He reconsidered and said of him: ‘If now I gave him six mitzvot and he was unable to fulfill them, how will I give him six hundred and thirteen mitzvot – two hundred and forty-eight positive mitzvot and three hundred and sixty-five prohibitions? I am not giving it to Adam, but rather to his descendants,’ as it is stated: “This is the book of the descendants of Adam.” Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanin said: Adam the first man was worthy of having the twelve tribes emerge from him. What is the source? “This [zeh] is the book of the descendants of Adam.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I gave him two sons and one arose and killed the other; how can I give him twelve sons?’ “He said to man [laAdam]” (Job 28:28) – not to Adam will I give it, but rather to his descendants. The numerical value of Zeh is zayin, seven, and heh – five; that is twelve.

…and 2 more sections in this chapter.

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Bereshit Rabbah — Midrash Rabbah, TE edition, via Sefaria

English: The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah, 2022 — CC BY