בראשית רבה ל׳Bereshit Rabbah 30

Section 1א׳

אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק תָּמִים (בראשית ו, ט), הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי י, כה): כַּעֲבוֹר סוּפָה וְאֵין רָשָׁע וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם, כַּעֲבוֹר סוּפָה וְאֵין רָשָׁע, זֶה דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל. וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם, זֶה נֹחַ. (משלי יב, ז): הָפוֹךְ רְשָׁעִים וְאֵינָם וּבֵית צַדִּיקִים יַעֲמֹד, הָפוֹךְ רְשָׁעִים וְאֵינָם, זֶה דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל. וּבֵית צַדִּיקִים יַעֲמֹד, זֶה נֹחַ הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ, כְּתִיב (משלי יד, יא): בֵּית רְשָׁעִים יִשָּׁמֵד וְאֹהֶל יְשָׁרִים יַפְרִיחַ. בֵּית רְשָׁעִים יִשָּׁמֵד, זֶה דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, וְאֹהֶל יְשָׁרִים יַפְרִיחַ, זֶה נֹחַ.

“These are the offspring of Noah; Noah was a righteous man, faultless in his generations; Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). “These are the offspring of Noah; Noah was a righteous man, faultless,” that is what is written: “When a storm passes through, the wicked are no more, but a righteous man is the foundation of the world” (Proverbs 10:25). “When a storm passes through, the wicked are no more” – this is the generation of the Flood; “but the righteous man is the foundation of the world” – this is Noah. “The wicked are overturned and they are no more, but the house of the righteous will stand” (Proverbs 12:7). “The wicked are overturned and they are no more” – this is the generation of the Flood; “but the house of the righteous will stand” – this is Noah. That is what is written: “These are the offspring of Noah.” Another matter: “These are the offspring of Noah.” It is written: “The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish” (Proverbs 14:11). “The house of the wicked will be destroyed” – this is the generation of the Flood; “but the tent of the upright will flourish” – this is Noah.

Section 2ב׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ, כְּתִיב (איוב כד, יח): קַל הוּא עַל פְּנֵי מַיִם תְּקֻלַּל חֶלְקָתָם בָּאָרֶץ לֹא יִפְנֶה דֶּרֶךְ כְּרָמִים. קַל הוּא עַל פְּנֵי מַיִם, גְּזֵרָה שֶׁנִּגְזְרָה עֲלֵיהֶם שֶׁיֹּאבְדוּ בַּמַּיִם, תְּקֻלַּל חֶלְקָתָם בָּאָרֶץ, כְּלוֹמַר מִי שֶׁפָּרַע מִדּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל. כָּל כָּךְ לָמָּה, לֹא יִפְנֶה דֶּרֶךְ כְּרָמִים, שֶׁלֹא הָיְתָה כַּוָּנָתָן אֶלָּא לְמַטַּעַת כְּרָמִים, אֲבָל נֹחַ לֹא הָיְתָה כַּוָּנָתוֹ אֶלָּא לְהַפְרוֹת וּלְהַרְבּוֹת בָּעוֹלָם וּלְהַעֲמִיד בָּנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ.

Another matter: “These are the offspring of Noah.” It is written: “He will be light upon the surface of the water; their portion in the land is cursed; no one turns aside from the vineyards” (Job 24:18). “He will be light upon the surface of the water” – [this refers to Noah, who was saved from] the decree that was decreed upon them that they be eliminated by water; “their portion in the land is cursed” – that is to say, [the curse of] ‘He who exacted retribution from the generation of the Flood.’ And why [are they cursed] to that extent? “No one turns aside from the vineyards” – meaning that their intent in life was solely [monetary,] to plant vineyards. But Noah, his intent in life was only to be fruitful and multiply in the world and produce children, as it is stated: “These are the offspring of Noah.”

Section 3ג׳

אֵלֶּה, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֵלֶּה פָּסַל אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, וְאֵלֶּה מוֹסִיף עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, כָּאן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֵלֶּה, פָּסַל אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים, דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל.

“These are.” Rabbi Abahu said: Everywhere that “these are” is stated, it implies: to the exclusion of what preceded it. Here, where “these are” is stated, it implies: to the exclusion of what preceded it – the generation of the Flood.