Parashat Noach

Daf 59b (דַּף נ״ט ע״ב)

hese are the generations of Noach (אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ), Rabbi Ḥiyya opened (רַבִּי חִיָּיא פָּתַח): (Yeshayahu 60) “And your people, all of them are righteous; forever they shall inherit the land; the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, to be glorified” (וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ נֵצֶר מַטָּעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר). Blessed are Yisrael who engage in Orayta (זַכָּאִין אִנּוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּמִשְׁתַּדְּלֵי בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), and know the paths of Orayta (וְיָדְעֵי אָרְחִין דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא), through which they will merit the World to Come (דִּבְגִינָהּ יִזְכּוּן לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): all Yisrael have a portion in the World to Come (כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אִית לוֹן חוּלָקָא לְעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). Why? (מַאי טַעְמָא) Because they guard the covenant by which the world is sustained (בְּגִין דְּנָטְרִין בְּרִית דְּעָלְמָא אִתְקַיֵּים עֲלֵיהּ). As you say (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Yirmeyahu 33): “If not for My covenant day and night, I would not have appointed the statutes of heaven and earth” (אִם לֹא בְרִיתִי יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה חֻקּוֹת שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ לֹא שָׂמְתִּי). And for this reason, Yisrael, who guard the covenant and have accepted it (וְעַל דָּא יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּנָטְרֵי בְּרִית וְקַבִּילוּ לֵיהּ), they have a portion in the World to Come (אִית לוֹן חוּלָקָא בְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵי). And not only this, but because of this they are called Tzaddikim (וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא בְּגִין כָךְ אִקְרוּן צַדִּיקִים). From here we learn (מִכָּאן אוֹלִיפְנָא): whoever guards this covenant upon which the world is sustained is called Tzaddik (כָּל מָאן דְּנָטִיר הַאי בְּרִית דְּעָלְמָא אִתְקְיַּים עֲלֵיהּ, אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק). From where do we know this? From Yosef (מְנָא לָן מִיּוֹסֵף). Because he guarded the covenant of the world (בְּגִין דְּנָטַר לֵיהּ לִבְרִית עָלְמָא), he merited to be called Tzaddik (זָכָה דְאִקְרֵי צַדִּיק). And for this reason it is written (וְעַל כָּךְ): “And your people, all of them are righteous; they shall inherit the land forever” (וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ).

Rabbi El'azar said (רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר): “These” - in every place, it comes to reject what came before (אֵלֶּה בְּכָל אֲתַר פָּסַל אֶת הָרִאשׁוֹנִים). As we have learned, etc. (תָּנִינָן וְכוּ׳). What is written earlier in parshat Bereishit? (מַה כְּתִיב לְעֵילָא בְּפָרְשָׁתָא דִבְרֵאשִׁית) (Bereishit 2): “And a river went out from Eden to water the garden, and from there it separated…” (וְנָהָר יוֹצֵא מֵעֵדֶן לְהַשְׁקוֹת אֶת הַגָּן וּמִשָּׁם יִפָּרֵד וְגו׳). That river which flows forth and enters the garden (הַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגִיד וְנָפִיק וְעָיִּיל לְגִנְתָּא), and waters it with that upper irrigation (וְאַשְׁקֵי לֵיהּ מִשַּׁקְיוּ דִלְעֵילָא), and makes it restful (וְעָבִיד לֵיהּ נַיְיחָא), and produces blossoms and abundant seeds (וְעָבִיד אִיבִּין וְרַבֵּי זָרְעִין). And then it is rest for all (וְהוּא כְּדֵין נַיְיחָא לְכֹלָא). And this is rest for the garden (וְדָא נַיְיחָא לֵיהּ לְגִנְתָּא). And this makes rest within it (וְדָא עָבִיד נַיְיחָא בֵּיהּ). Some say: for the garden. And the garden has rest within it (נ״א: לְגִנְתָּא. וְגִנְתָּא נַיְיחָא בֵיהּ). As you say (כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר), (Bereishit 3): “For in it He rested” (כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת). And it is written, (Bereishit 2) (וּכְתִיב): “And He rested on the seventh day” (וַיִּשְׁבֹּת בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי). And this is the secret of the matter (וְדָא רָזָא דְּמִלָּה), that this alone made offspring - generations - and nothing else (דָּא עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת וְלָא אָחֳרָא).

Come and see (תָּא חֲזֵי): (Bereishit 28:2)“In this likeness, Noach below was a sacred structure, resembling that above” (כְּגוֹונָא דְּאֵין נֹחַ לְתַתָּא, קַיְּימָא קַדִּישָׁא הֲוָה דּוּגְמָא דְּלְעֵילָא). And because of this he was called “a man of the earth” (וְעַל דָּא אִקְרֵי אִישׁ הָאֲדָמָה). And this is the mystery we have learned (וְרָזָא אוּלִיפְנָא), that Noach had to enter the ark (דְּהָא נֹחַ אִצְטְרִיךְ לְתֵיבָה לְאִתְחַבְּרָא בָּהּ), and to sustain the seed of all (וּלְקַיְּימָא זַרְעָא דְכֻלָּא), as it is written: “to preserve seed” (דִּכְתִיב: לְחַיּוֹת זֶרַע). What is the Teivah? (Ark) (מָאן תֵּיבָה) This is (דָּא) the Ark of the Covenant (אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית). And Noach and the Ark below were thus in likeness (וְנֹחַ וְתֵיבָה לְתַתָּא הָכִי הֲווּ כְּדוּגְמָא) of that which is above (דִּלְעֵילָא). Of Noach it is written with Covenant (נֹחַ כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ בְּרִית), as it is written: “And I will establish My covenant with you…” (דִּכְתִיב: וַהֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּךְ וְגו׳). And until the Covenant was established in him, he did not enter the Ark (וְעַד דְּאִתְקְיַּים בֵּיהּ בְּרִית לָא עָיִיל לְתֵיבוּתָא), as it is written: “And I will establish My covenant with you, and you shall come into the Ark” (דִּכְתִיב: וַהֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּךְ וּבָאתָ אֶל הַתֵּיבָה). And then the Teivah (Ark) was the Aron haBerit (Ark of the Covenant) (וּכְדֵין הֲוָה תֵּיבָה אֲרוֹן הַבְּרִית). Ark and Noach - all of it was according to the likeness above (תֵּיבָה וְנֹחַ כֹּלָּא כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא). And because this Covenant is above, it is what produced generations (וּבְגִין דְּהַאי בְּרִית לְעֵילָא הוּא עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת). Just so, Noach (כְּגַוְונָא דָא נֹחַ) - some say: below (ד״א: לְתַתָּא) - he produced generations (אִיהוּ עָבִיד תּוֹלְדוֹת). Therefore (בְּגִינֵי כָּךְ), as you say (כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר): “These are the generations of Noach” (אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹת נֹחַ).

“Noach, a righteous man” (נֹחַ אִישׁ צַדִּיק) - indeed, thus it is, in likeness of that which is above (הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), (Mishlei 10:25): “And a Tzaddik is the foundation of the world” is written (וְצַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם כְּתִיב). And the earth is established upon this (וְאַרְעָא עַל דָּא אִתְקָיְימַת), for he is the pillar upon which the world stands (דְּהָא אִיהוּ עַמּוּדָא דְּעָלְמָא קָיְימָא עֲלֵיהּ). And who is this? This is the Tzaddik (וּמָאן אִיהוּ דָּא צַדִּיק). And Noach is called Tzaddik below (וְנֹחַ אִקְרֵי צַדִּיק לְתַתָּא). And the secret (וְרָזָא), some say: this is the secret (נ״א: דָּא), of all is: “Noach walked with the Elohim” (אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים הִתְהַלֶּךְ נֹחַ) - precisely (דַּיְיקָא), meaning that He never separated from him (דְּלָא אִתְפְּרַשׁ מִנֵּיהּ לְעָלְמִין). And to be on the earth in likeness of above (וּלְמֶהֱוֵי הוּא בְּאַרְעָא כְּגַוְונָא דִלְעֵילָא) - “a righteous man, the foundation of the world” (אִישׁ צַדִּיק יְסוֹדָא דְּעָלְמָא), a covenant of peace, completion of the world (בְּרִית שָׁלוֹם, שְׁלָמָא דְּעָלְמָא). A man of the earth indeed (אִישׁ הָאֲדָמָה וַדַּאי). And for this reason (וְעַל דָּא), (Bereishit 6): “And Noach found favor in the eyes of Hashem” (וְנֹחַ מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי יי).

“He was perfect in his generations” (תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדוֹרוֹתָיו). What is “in his generations”? (מַאי בְּדוֹרוֹתָיו) These are those who issued from him (אִלֵין אִנּוּן דְּנָפְקוּ מִנֵּיהּ). He completed them all (הוּא אַשְׁלִים לְכֻלְהוּ), and he was more complete than all of them (וְהוּא הֲוָה שְׁלִים מִכֻּלְהוּ). “Perfect” - for he was born circumcised (תָּמִים הָיָה - דְּאִתְיְילִיד מָהוּל), as it is written: “Walk before Me and be perfect” (דִּכְתִיב: הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֵה תָמִים). “In his generations” - and not in the generations of the world (בְּדוֹרוֹתָיו - וְלֹא בְּדָרִין דְּעָלְמָא), for they came out from him (דְּהָא מִנֵּיהּ נָפְקוּ), [those are] the offspring of the world (תּוֹלְדוֹת בְּעָלְמָא).

Tosefta

Why [does it say] “Noach Noach” twice? (תּוֹסֶפְתָּא לָמָּה נֹחַ נֹחַ תְּרֵי זִמְנִי) Rather, every Tzaddik in the world has two spirits (אֶלָּא כָּל צַדִּיק וְצַדִּיק דִּי בְּעָלְמָא אִיתּ לֵיהּ תְּרֵין רוּחִין): one spirit in this world (רוּחָא חַד בְּעָלְמָא דֵין), and one spirit in the World to Come (וְרוּחָא חַד בְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵּי). And so you will find with all the Righteous (וְהָכִי תִּשְׁכַּח בְּכֻלְהוּ צַדִּיקֵי): Moshe Moshe (מֹשֶׁה מֹשֶׁה), Ya'akov Ya'akov (יַעֲקֹב יַעֲקֹב), Avraham Avraham (אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם), Shmuel Shmuel (שְׁמוּאֵל שְׁמוּאֵל), Shem Shem (שֵׁם שֵׁם). Except for Yitzchak, by whom it is not written as by the others (בַּר מִיִּצְּחָק דְּלָא כְּתִּיב בֵּיהּ כְּמָה דִכְתִּיב בְּהוּ), because when Yitzchak was bound upon the altar (בְּגִין דְּיִצְּחָק בְּשַׁעֲתָּא דְּאִתְּקְרָב עַל גַּבֵּי מַדְבְּחָא), his soul left him - that which was in this world (נָפְּקַת נִשְׁמָתֵּיהּ דְּהֲוַתּ בֵּיהּ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא). And once it was said regarding Avraham: “Blessed is He who revives the dead” (וְכֵיוָן דְּאִתְּמָר בֵּיהּ בְּאַבְרָהָם: בָּרוּךְ מְחַיֵּה הַמֵּתִּים), the soul of the World to Come returned into him (תָּבַתּ בֵּיהּ נִשְׁמָתֵּיהּ דְּעָלְמָא דְאָתֵּי). For this reason you find that Kudsha Berikh Hu did not associate His Name with anyone except Yitzchak (בְּגִין דָּא תִּשְׁכַּח דְּלָא יִחֵד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךָ הוּא שְׁמֵיהּ אֶלָּא עַל יִצְּחָק), because he was considered as one who is dead (בְּגִין דְּאִתְּחַשַׁב כְּמֵתּ). And on this the verse hints and says, (Job 7) (וְעַל דָּא רָמַז קְרָא וְאָמַר): “Behold, in His holy ones He does not trust…” (הֵן בִּקְדוֹשָׁיו לֹא יַאֲמִין וְגו׳).

Another matter: “These are the generations…” (דָּבָר אַחֵר: אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדוֹתּ) - because he was a Tzaddik, it praises him twice (בְּגִין דְּהֲוָה צַדִּיק, שַׁבַּח לֵיהּ תְּרֵי זִמְנִי): “He was perfect in his generations” (תָּמִים הָיָה בְּדוֹרוֹתָּיו). But in other generations, he would not be regarded as anything (אֲבָל בְּדָרִין אַחֲרָנִין אֵינוֹ נְחְשַׁב לִכְלוּם), such as the generation of Avraham, and the generation of Moshe, and the generation of David (כְּמוֹ דָרָא דְאַבְרָהָם, וְדָרָא דְמֹשֶׁה, וְדָרָא דְּדָוִד). Another matter (דָּבָר אַחֵר): See what he accomplished in a generation of complete sinners (חָמֵי מַאי עָבַד בְּדָרָא דְּכֻלְהוּ חַיָּיבִים); how much more so had he been in a generation of Tzaddikim (קַל וָחוֹמֶר אִלּוּ הָיָה בְּדָרָא דְּכֻלְהוּ צַדִּיקִים). (Thus concludes the Tosefta) (עַד כָּאן תּוֹסֶפְתָּא)