Daf 138b (דַּף קל״ח ע״ב)

And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years (וַיְחִי אָדָם שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה), and he begot in his likeness according to his image (וַיּוֹלֶד בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ), and he called his name Shet (וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ שֵׁת) (Bereshit 5). Shin is the three living beings of the Merkava (ש תְּלַת חֵיוָון דְּמַרְכַּבְתָּא), Tav is “The lamp of YHVH is the Neshama of Adam” (ת אִיהִי נֵר יְהוָה נִשְׁמַת אָדָם) (Proverbs 20). Of it is said: “And the likeness of their faces was the face of Adam” (וּדְמוּת פְּנֵיהֶם פְּנֵי אָדָם) (Ezekiel 1). And this is “and he begot in his likeness according to his image” (וְדָא אִיהוּ וַיּוֹלֶד בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ). And all the days of Adam that he lived were nine hundred and thirty years (וַיִּהְיוּ כָּל יְמֵי אָדָם אֲשֶׁר חַי תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה), and he died (וַיָּמוֹת). What is “and he died” (מַאי וַיָּמוֹת)? Rather, all the days that he lived were nine hundred and thirty years (אֶלָּא כָּל יוֹמִין דַּהֲוָה חַי הֲוָה תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת וּתְלָתִין שְׁנִין), and the remaining years in addition he was dead (וּשְׁאָר שְׁנִין בְּתוֹסֶפֶת הֲוָה מִית). And the seventy that were lacking from the thousand, he gave to David from his years (וְשַׁבְעִין דְּחָסְרוּ מֵאֶלֶף יְהַב לְדָוִד מִשְּׁנוֹי), because he was destined to complete them in him (בְּגִין דַּהֲוָה עָתִיד לְאַשְׁלָמָא לוֹן בֵּיהּ), and here is the secret of redemption (וְהָכָא רָזָא דְפוּרְקָנָא).

Ten generations were from Adam until Noach (עִשֶׂר דָּרִין הֲווֹ מֵאָדָם וְעַד נֹחַ). “And Lemech lived one hundred eighty and two years and begot a son, and he called his name Noach, saying: this one will comfort us from our deeds and from the toil of our hands” (וַיְחִי לֶמֶךְ שְׁתַּיִם וּשְׁמֹנִים שָׁנָה וּמְאַת שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד בֵּן וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ נֹחַ לֵאמֹר זֶה יְנַחֲמֵנוּ מִמַּעֲשֵׂינוּ וּמֵעִצְּבוֹן יָדֵינוּ) (Bereshit 5). And why (וְאַמַּאי)? Because at first they were toiling in Gilgulim (דִּבְקַדְמֵיתָא הֲווֹ טָרְחִין בְּגִלְגּוּלִין), until Noach came, who is Shabbat (עַד דְּאָתָא נֹחַ דְּאִיהוּ שַׁבָּת), and in him all rested (וּבֵיהּ נָחוּ כֻּלְּהוּ), and in him they were settled (וּבֵיהּ אִתְיַישְׁבוּ), and he brought them out to the world (וְאַפִּיק לוֹן לְעָלַם).

Rabbi El'azar said (אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר): why were the ancients living many days (אַמַּאי הֲווֹ קַדְמָאִין חַיִּין יוֹמִין סַגִּיאִין), like Adam, of whom it is said “And Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years” (כְּגוֹן אָדָם דְּאִתְּמַר בֵּיהּ וַיְחִי אָדָם תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה וּשְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה), and Noach nine hundred and fifty years (וְנֹחַ תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה), and so all the generations until Noach were living many years (וְכֵן כֻּלְּהוּ דָרִין עַד נֹחַ הֲווֹ חַיִּין שְׁנִין סַגִּיאִין), and from Avraham (some say: from Noach) and onward they were diminished in years (וּמֵאַבְרָהָם [נ״א: וּמִנֹּחַ] וְאֵילֵךְ הֲווֹ מִתְמַעֲטִין בִּשְׁנִין). He said to him: my son, the multitude of years and the length of days are from Arich Anpin (אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּרִי, רִבּוּי שְׁנִין וַאֲרִיכוּ דְיוֹמִין אִינוּן מֵאֲרִיךְ אַנְפִּין), and the diminishing of days and years is from Ze’ir Anpin (וּמִעוּטָא דְיוֹמִין וּשְׁנִין מִזְּעִיר אַנְפִּין), and because of this regarding Avraham it is said: “These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created” with a small Heh (וּבְגִין דָּא בְּאַבְרָהָם אִתְּמַר אֵלֶּה תוֹלְדוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ בְּהִבָּרְאָם בְּה׳ זְעִירָא).

Blessed is Hashem forever, amen and amen

בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה לְעוֹלָם אָמֵן וְאָמֵן