| 1And the Lord said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, for it is you that I have seen as a righteous man before Me in this generation. |
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אוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ לְנֹ֔חַ בֹּֽא־אַתָּ֥ה וְכָל־בֵּֽיתְךָ֖ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה כִּי־אֹֽתְךָ֥ רָאִ֛יתִי צַדִּ֥יק לְפָנַ֖י בַּדּ֥וֹר הַזֶּֽה: |
| for it is you that I have seen as a righteous man before Me. But it does not say: “a righteous man, perfect” [as it does in 6:9]. From here [we deduce] that we tell part of a person’s praise in his presence and all of it in his absence. — [Gen. Rabbah 32:3] |
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רָאִיתִי צַדִּיק.
וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר צַדִּיק תָּמִים, מִכָּאן שֶׁאוֹמְרִים מִקְצַת שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם בְּפָנָיו וְכֻלּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו (ב"ר):
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| 2Of all the clean animals you shall take for yourself seven pairs, a male and its mate, and of the animals that are not clean, two, a male and its mate. |
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במִכֹּ֣ל | הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה תִּקַּח־לְךָ֛ שִׁבְעָ֥ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֡ה אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹ֣א טְהֹרָ֥ה הִ֛וא שְׁנַ֖יִם אִ֥ישׁ וְאִשְׁתּֽוֹ: |
| Of all the clean animals. that are destined to be clean for Israel. We learn [from here] that Noah studied the Torah. — [Zev. 116a] |
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הַטְּהוֹרָה.
הָעֲתִידָה לִהְיוֹת טְהוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל; לָמַדְנוּ שֶׁלָּמַד נֹחַ תּוֹרָה (שם פ' כ"ו):
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| seven pairs. in order that he might offer up some as a sacrifice upon leaving [the ark]. — [Tan. Vayakhel 6] |
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שִׁבְעָה שִׁבְעָה.
כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּקְרִיב מֵהֶם קָרְבָּן בְּצֵאתוֹ:
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| 3Also, of the fowl of the heavens, seven pairs, male and female, to keep seed alive on the face of the earth. |
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גגַּ֣ם מֵע֧וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם שִׁבְעָ֥ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה זָכָ֣ר וּנְקֵבָ֑ה לְחַיּ֥וֹת זֶ֖רַע עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| Also, of the fowl of the heavens, etc.. Scripture speaks of the clean [fowl], and we learn that which is not explicit from that which is explicit. [i.e., Just as in the case of the animals, seven pairs of clean ones were to be brought into the ark, so was it in the case of the fowl, that seven pairs of clean ones were to be brought in, while of the unclean species, only one pair was to be saved.] |
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גַּם מֵעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וגו'.
בִּטְהוֹרִים הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, וְלָמַד סָתוּם מִן הַמְפֹרָשׁ:
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| 4For in another seven days, I will make it rain upon the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will blot out all beings that I have made, off the face of the earth." |
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דכִּי֩ לְיָמִ֨ים ע֜וֹד שִׁבְעָ֗ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ מַמְטִ֣יר עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָ֑יְלָה וּמָחִ֗יתִי אֶת־כָּל־הַיְקוּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔יתִי מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה: |
| For in another seven days. (Sanh. 108b) These are the seven days of mourning for the righteous Methuselah, for the Holy One, blessed be He, had consideration for his honor, and delayed the retribution. Go and calculate the years of Methuselah and you will find that they ended in the six-hundredth year of Noah’s life. |
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כִּי לְיָמִים עוֹד שִׁבְעָה.
אֵלּוּ ז' יְמֵי אֶבְלוֹ שֶׁל מְתוּשֶׁלַח הַצַּדִּיק שֶׁחָס הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל כְּבוֹדוֹ וְעִכֵּב אֶת הַפֻּרְעָנוּת. צֵא וַחֲשֹׁב שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל מְתוּשֶׁלַח וְתִמְצָא שֶׁהֵם כָּלִים בִּשְנַת ת"ר שָׁנָה לְחַיֵּי נֹחַ (סנה' ק"ח):
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| For in another seven days. What is the meaning of “another” ? A [period of] time following a [period of] time; this [period] was added to the one hundred and twenty years. — [See Rashi 6:14] |
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כִּי לְיָמִים עוֹד.
מַהוּ עוֹד? זְמַן אַחַר זְמַן זֶה נוֹסָף עַל ק"כ שָׁנָה:
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| forty days. Corresponding to the [time required for the] formation of the fetus, for they sinned by burdening the One Who formed them, by fashioning the forms of mamzerim (children born of incestuous and forbidden unions). - [Gen. Rabbah 32:5] |
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אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם.
כְּנֶגֶד יְצִירַת הַוָּלָד, שֶׁקִּלְקְלוּ לְהַטְרִיחַ לְיוֹצְרָם לָצוּר צוּרַת מַמְזֵרִים:
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| 5And Noah did, according to all that the Lord had commanded him. |
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הוַיַּ֖עַשׂ נֹ֑חַ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֖הוּ יְהֹוָֽה: |
| And Noah did. This refers to his entrance into the ark. |
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וַיַּעַשׂ נֹחַ.
זֶה בִיאָתוֹ לַתֵּבָה:
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| 6And Noah was six hundred years old, and the flood came about, water upon the earth. |
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ווְנֹ֕חַ בֶּן־שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וְהַמַּבּ֣וּל הָיָ֔ה מַ֖יִם עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| 7And Noah went in and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him into the ark because of the flood waters. |
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זוַיָּבֹ֣א נֹ֔חַ וּ֠בָנָ֠יו וְאִשְׁתּ֧וֹ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנָ֛יו אִתּ֖וֹ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה מִפְּנֵ֖י מֵ֥י הַמַּבּֽוּל: |
| And Noah…and his sons. The men separately and the women separately, because they were prohibited from engaging in marital relations since the world was steeped in pain. — [Tan. 11] |
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נֹחַ וּבָנָיו.
הָאֲנָשִׁים לְבַד וְהַנָּשִׁים לְבַד, לְפִי שֶׁנֶּאֱסְרוּ בְּתַשְׁמִישׁ הַמִּטָּה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָעוֹלָם שָׁרוּי בְּצַעַר:
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| because of the flood waters. Noah, too, was of those who had little faith, believing and not believing that the Flood would come, and he did not enter the ark until the waters forced him to do so. — [Gen. Rabbah 32:6] |
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מִפְּנֵי מֵי הַמַּבּֽוּל.
אַף נֹחַ מִקְּטַנֵּי אֲמָנָה הָיָה, מַאֲמִין וְאֵינוֹ מַאֲמִין שֶׁיָבֹא הַמַּבּוּל, וְלֹא נִכְנַס לַתֵּבָה עַד שְׁדְּחָקוּהוּ הַמַּיִם:
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| 8Of the clean beasts and of the beasts that are not clean, and of the fowl, and all that creeps upon the earth. |
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חמִן־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ הַטְּהוֹרָ֔ה וּמִ֨ן־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵינֶ֖נָּה טְהֹרָ֑ה וּמִ֨ן־הָע֔וֹף וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־רֹמֵ֖שׂ עַל־הָֽאֲדָמָֽה: |
| 9Two by two they came to Noah to the ark, male and female, as God had commanded Noah. |
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טשְׁנַ֨יִם שְׁנַ֜יִם בָּ֧אוּ אֶל־נֹ֛חַ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֖ה זָכָ֣ר וּנְקֵבָ֑ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־נֹֽחַ: |
| they came to Noah. By themselves. — [Tan. Noach 12] |
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בָּאוּ אֶל־נֹחַ.
מֵאֵלֵיהֶן:
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| two by two. They were all equal in this number; the smallest number was two. |
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שְׁנַיִם שְׁנַיִם.
כֻּלָם הֻשְׁווּ בְּמִנְיָן זֶה – מִן הַפָּחוּת הָיוּ שְׁנַיִם:
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| 10And it came to pass after the seven days, that the flood waters were upon the earth. |
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יוַיְהִ֖י לְשִׁבְעַ֣ת הַיָּמִ֑ים וּמֵ֣י הַמַּבּ֔וּל הָי֖וּ עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| 11In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on this day, all the springs of the great deep were split, and the windows of the heavens opened up. |
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יאבִּשְׁנַ֨ת שֵֽׁשׁ־מֵא֤וֹת שָׁנָה֙ לְחַיֵּי־נֹ֔חַ בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ֙ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י בְּשִׁבְעָֽה־עָשָׂ֥ר י֖וֹם לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֗ה נִבְקְעוּ֙ כָּל־מַעְיְנוֹת֙ תְּה֣וֹם רַבָּ֔ה וַֽאֲרֻבֹּ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם נִפְתָּֽחוּ: |
| in the second month. Rabbi Eliezer says: This refers to Marheshvan; Rabbi Joshua says: this refers to Iyar. — [Seder Olam Rabbah, ch. 4] |
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בחודש הַשֵּׁנִי.
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר זֶה מַרְחֶשְׁוָן; רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר זֶה אִיָּר (ר"ה י"א):
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| were split. to emit their waters. |
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נִבְקְעוּ.
לְהוֹצִיא מֵימֵיהֶן:
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| the great deep. Measure for measure. They sinned with [Gen. 6:5] “the evil of man was great,” and they were punished with “the great deep.” - [Sanh. 108a] |
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תְּהוֹם רַבָּה.
מִדָּה כְנֶגֶד מִדָּה, הֵם חָטְאוּ בְּרַבָּה רָעַת הָאָדָם וְלָקוּ בִּתְהוֹם רַבָּה:
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| 12And the rain was upon the earth for forty days and forty nights. |
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יבוַיְהִ֥י הַגֶּ֖שֶׁם עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָֽיְלָה: |
| And the rain was upon the earth. And further (verse 17) Scripture says: “Now the Flood was [upon the earth].” But when He brought them [the rains] down, He brought them down with mercy, so that if they would repent, they would be rains of blessing. When they did not repent, they became a flood. — [Midrash Hane’elam, Zohar Chadash 28a] |
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וַיְהִי הַגֶּשֶׁם עַל־הָאָרֶץ.
וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר וַיְהִי הַמַּבּוּל? אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁהוֹרִידָן הוֹרִידָן בְּרַחֲמִים, שֶׁאִם יַחְזְרוּ יִהְיוּ גִּשְׁמֵי בְרָכָה; כְּשֶׁלֹּא חָזְרוּ הָיוּ לְמַבּוּל:
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| forty days, etc.. The first day does not count because its night was not included with it, [i.e., on the night preceding it, no rain fell] for it is written (verse 11): “on this day, all the springs were split.” The result is that the forty days ended on the twenty-eighth of Kislev, according to Rabbi Eliezer. For the months are counted according to their order, one full [composed of thirty days], and one defective [composed of twenty-nine days], leaving twelve days of Marcheshvan and twenty-eight of Kislev [totalling forty]. |
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אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וגו'.
אֵין יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן מִן הַמִּנְיָן, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין לֵילוֹ עִמּוֹ שֶׁהֲרֵי כְתִיב בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה נִבְקְעוּ כָּל מַעְיְנֹת, נִמְצְאוּ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם כָּלִים בְּכ"ח בְּכִסְלֵו לְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֱזֶר, שֶׁהַחֳדָשִׁים נִמְנִין כְּסִדְרָן אֶחָד מָלֵא וְאֶחָד חָסֵר, הֲרֵי י"ב מִמַּרְחֶשְׁוָן וְכ"ח מִכִּסְלֵו:
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| 13On this very day, Noah came, and Shem and Ham and Japheth, Noah's sons, and Noah's wife and his sons' three wives with them, into the ark. |
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יגבְּעֶ֨צֶם הַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ בָּ֣א נֹ֔חַ וְשֵֽׁם־וְחָ֥ם וָיֶ֖פֶת בְּנֵי־נֹ֑חַ וְאֵ֣שֶׁת נֹ֗חַ וּשְׁל֧שֶׁת נְשֵֽׁי־בָנָ֛יו אִתָּ֖ם אֶל־הַתֵּבָֽה: |
| On this very day. Scripture teaches you that the people of his generation were saying, “If we see him going into the ark, we will break it and kill him.” Said the Holy One, blessed be He, “I will bring him in before the eyes of all, and we will see whose word will prevail!” - [Sifrei Ha’azinu 337] |
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בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.
לִמֶּדְךָ הַכָּתוּב שֶׁהָיוּ בְנֵי דוֹרוֹ אוֹמְרִים אִלּוּ אָנוּ רוֹאִים אוֹתוֹ נִכְנָס לַתֵּבָה, אָנוּ שׁוֹבְרִין אוֹתָהּ וְהוֹרְגִין אוֹתוֹ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲנִי מַכְנִיסוֹ לְעֵינֵי כֻלָּם וְנִרְאֶה דְבַר מִי יָקוּם:
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| 14They, and every beast after its kind, and every domestic animal after its kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every fowl after its kind, every bird of every wing. |
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ידהֵ֜מָּה וְכָל־הַֽחַיָּ֣ה לְמִינָ֗הּ וְכָל־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ וְכָל־הָרֶ֛מֶשׂ הָֽרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וְכָל־הָע֣וֹף לְמִינֵ֔הוּ כֹּ֖ל צִפּ֥וֹר כָּל־כָּנָֽף: |
| bird of every wing. It [the word צִפּוֹר is in the construct state [meaning]: “birds of every type of wing,” to include locusts. (The word כָּנָף means feather, as (Lev. 1:17):“And he shall split it apart with its feathers (בִכְנָפָיו)” for even its feathers were included in the burnt offering. Here too, [the meaning is] any bird with any kind of appearance of feathers). [Chul. 139b] |
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צִפּוֹר כֹּל כָּנָֽף.
דָבוּק הוּא, צִפּוֹר שֶׁל כָּל מִין כָּנָף, לְרַבּוֹת חֲגָבִים (כָּנָף לְשׁוֹן נוֹצָה, כְּמוֹ וְשִׁסַּע אֹתוֹ בִכְנָפָיו, שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ נוֹצָתָהּ עוֹלָה, אַף כָּאן צִפּוֹר כָּל מִין מַרְאִית נוֹצָה):
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| 15And they came to Noah to the ark, two by two of all flesh in which there is the spirit of life. |
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טווַיָּבֹ֥אוּ אֶל־נֹ֖חַ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה שְׁנַ֤יִם שְׁנַ֨יִם֙ מִכָּל־הַבָּשָׂ֔ר אֲשֶׁר־בּ֖וֹ ר֥וּחַ חַיִּֽים: |
| 16And those who came male and female of all flesh came, as God had commanded him, and the Lord shut him in. |
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טזוְהַבָּאִ֗ים זָכָ֨ר וּנְקֵבָ֤ה מִכָּל־בָּשָׂר֙ בָּ֔אוּ כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיִּסְגֹּ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה בַּֽעֲדֽוֹ: |
| and the Lord shut him in. He protected him (Targum Onkelos) that they should not break it; He surrounded the ark with bears and lions, and they killed some of them (Tan. Buber Noach 10). The simple meaning of the verse is that He closed [the ark] in front of him against the water. Likewise, every בְּעַד in Scripture is an expression of “in front of.” (Below 20:18): “in front of (בְּעַד) every womb”; (II Kings 4:4): “in front of you (בַּעֲדֵךְ) and in front of (וּבְעַד) your sons”; (Job 2:4): “skin in front of (בְּעַד) skin” ; (Ps. 3:4): “a shield in front of me (בַּעֲדִי)”; (I Sam. 12:19): “Pray בְּעַד your servants,” meaning “in front” [on behalf] of your servants. |
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ויסגור ה' בַּֽעֲדֽוֹ.
הֵגֵן עָלָיו שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁבְּרוּהָ, הִקִּיף הַתֵּבָה דֻּבִּים וַאֲרָיוֹת וְהָיוּ הוֹרְגִים בָּהֶם; וּפְשׁוּטוֹ שֶׁל מִקְרָא סָגַר כְּנֶגֶדוֹ מִן הַמַּיִם, וְכֵן כָּל בְּעַד שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן כְּנֶגֶד הוּא, בְּעַד כָּל רֶחֶם (בראשית כ׳:י״ח), בַּעֲדֵךְ וּבְעַד בָּנַיִךְ (מ"ב ד'), עוֹר בְּעַד עוֹר (איוב ב'), מָגֵן בַּעֲדִי (תהלים ג'), הִתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַד עֲבָדֶיךָ (שמואל א' י"ב) – כְּנֶגֶד עֲבָדֶיךָ:
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| 17Now the Flood was forty days upon the earth, and the waters increased, and they lifted the ark, and it rose off the earth. |
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יזוַיְהִ֧י הַמַּבּ֛וּל אַרְבָּעִ֥ים י֖וֹם עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּרְבּ֣וּ הַמַּ֗יִם וַיִּשְׂאוּ֙ אֶת־הַתֵּבָ֔ה וַתָּ֖רָם מֵעַ֥ל הָאָֽרֶץ: |
| and it rose off the earth. It was submerged in the water eleven cubits like a loaded ship, which is partially submerged in the water, and the following verses prove this. — [from Gen. Rabbah 32:9] See Rashi below 8:3. |
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וַתָּרָם מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ.
מְשֻׁקַּעַת הָיְתָה בַּמַּיִם י"א אַמָּה כִסְפִינָה טְעוּנָה הַמְשֻׁקַּעַת מִקְצָתָהּ בַּמַּיִם; וּמִקְרָאוֹת שֶׁלְּפָנֵינוּ יוֹכִיחוּ:
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| 18And the waters became powerful, and they increased very much upon the earth, and the ark moved upon the waters. |
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יחוַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ הַמַּ֛יִם וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַתֵּ֥לֶךְ הַתֵּבָ֖ה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם: |
| became powerful. By themselves. |
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וַיִּגְבְּרוּ.
מֵאֵלֵיהֶן:
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| 19And the waters became exceedingly powerful upon the earth, and all the lofty mountains that were under the heavens were covered up. |
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יטוְהַמַּ֗יִם גָּֽבְר֛וּ מְאֹ֥ד מְאֹ֖ד עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיְכֻסּ֗וּ כָּל־הֶֽהָרִים֙ הַגְּבֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־תַּ֖חַת כָּל־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם: |
| 20Fifteen cubits above did the waters prevail, and the mountains were covered up. |
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כחֲמֵ֨שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה אַמָּה֙ מִלְמַ֔עְלָה גָּֽבְר֖וּ הַמָּ֑יִם וַיְכֻסּ֖וּ הֶֽהָרִֽים: |
| Fifteen cubits above. Above the peaks of all the mountains, after the waters were equal to [at the same level as] the mountain peaks. — [from Gen. Rabbah 32:11] |
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חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה מִלְמַעְלָה.
לְמַעְלָה שֶׁל גֹּבַהּ כָּל הֶהָרִים, לְאַחַר שֶׁהֻשְׁווּ הַמַּיִם לְרָאשֵׁי הֶהָרִים:
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| 21And all flesh perished that moved upon the earth, among the fowl, and among the cattle, and among the beasts, and among all creeping creatures that creep upon the earth and all mankind. |
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כאוַיִּגְוַ֞ע כָּל־בָּשָׂ֣ר | הָֽרֹמֵ֣שׂ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ בָּע֤וֹף וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבַ֣חַיָּ֔ה וּבְכָל־הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְכֹ֖ל הָֽאָדָֽם: |
| 22Everything that had the breath of the spirit of life in its nostrils, of all that were on the dry land, died. |
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כבכֹּ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁמַת־ר֨וּחַ חַיִּ֜ים בְּאַפָּ֗יו מִכֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֶּחָֽרָבָ֖ה מֵֽתוּ: |
| the breath of the spirit of life. Heb. נִשְמַת, the breath (נְשָמָה) of the spirit of life [and not “soul”]. |
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נִשְׁמַת־רוּחַ חַיִּים.
נְשָׁמָה שֶׁל רוּחַ חַיִּים:
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| that were on the dry land. But not the fish, which were in the sea. — [Sanh. 108a] |
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אֲשֶׁר בֶּחָֽרָבָה.
וְלֹא דָגִים שֶׁבַּיָּם (סנה' ק"ח):
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| 23And it [the Flood] blotted out all beings that were upon the face of the earth, from man to animal to creeping thing and to the fowl of the heavens, and they were blotted out from the earth, and only Noah and those with him in the ark survived. |
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כגוַיִּ֜מַח אֶת־כָּל־הַיְק֣וּם | אֲשֶׁ֣ר | עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה מֵֽאָדָ֤ם עַד־בְּהֵמָה֙ עַד־רֶ֨מֶשׂ֙ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיִּמָּח֖וּ מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּשָּׁ֧אֶר אַךְ־נֹ֛חַ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ בַּתֵּבָֽה: |
| And it blotted out. Heb. וַיִּמַח is in the וַיִּפְעַל form, the active voice, and not in the וַיִּפָּעֶל form, the passive voice. And this is of the form of וַיִּפֶן, he turned, וַיִּבֶן, he built. Every word [i.e., verb] whose root ends with a “hey,” e.g., בנה, to build, מחה, to erase, קנה, to acquire—when you prefix it with a “vav” and a “yud,” it is vowelized with a “chirik” under the “yud.” [Rashi teaches us that the meaning of the verse is not “and all beings were blotted out,” but “and it”—meaning the Flood—“blotted out all beings.”] |
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וַיִּמַח.
לְשׁוֹן וַיִּפְעַל הוּא וְאֵינוֹ לָשׁוֹן וַיִפָּעֵל, וְהוּא מִגִּזְרַת וַיִּפֶן וַיִּבֶן כָּל תֵּבָה שֶׁסּוֹפָהּ הֵ"א, כְּגוֹן בָּנָה, מָחָה, קָנָה, כְּשֶׁהוּא נוֹתֵן וָי"ו יוֹ"ד בְּרֹאשָׁהּ, נָקוּד בְּחִירִק תַּחַת הַיּוֹ"ד:
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| and only Noah…survived. אַךְ means “only” Noah. This is its simple meaning, but the Midrash Aggadah (Tan. Noach 9) [states]: He was groaning and spitting blood because of the burden [of caring for] the cattle and the beasts, and some say that he delayed feeding the lion, and it struck him, and concerning him it is said (Prov. 11:31): “Behold a righteous man is requited [for his sins] in this world.” - [Tan. Noach 9] |
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אַךְ־נֹחַ.
לְבַד נֹחַ, זֶהוּ פְּשׁוּטוֹ; וּמִדְרָש אַגָדָה גוֹנֵחַ וְכוֹהֶה דָם מִטֹּרַח הַבְּהֵמוֹת וְהַחַיּוֹת. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמָרִים שֶׁאִחֵר מְזוֹנוֹת לָאֲרִי וְהִכִּישׁוֹ, וְעָלָיו נֶאֱמַר הֵן צַדִּיק בָּאָרֶץ יְשֻׁלָּם (משלי יא):
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| 24And the water prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days. |
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כדוַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת יֽוֹם: |
