Naamah: Bible
by Carol Meyers from JWA.ORG (Click here for the JWA site.)
Naamah is one of only three females included in the genealogies of the early chapters of Genesis. Those lists of names serve the literary purpose of expanding the world’s population from the primal pair (Eve and Adam) to the populated territories of the known world that form the backdrop to the emergence of the Israelite ancestors (Sarah and Abraham) at the end of Genesis 11. The three females are the two wives and one daughter of Lamech, whose offspring constitute the seventh generation after creation. The symbolism of the number seven in the Bible points to the seventh generation as significant: humanity is now fully launched. Lamech’s children thus are the human founders of vocations, in contrast to divine creators of cultural roles that characterize many mythological beginnings tales.
As the daughter of Zillah, Naamah is the sister and half sister of three brothers, all founders of an aspect of human culture. Their names are linked to their archetypal occupation (for example, the name Jubal, ancestor of instrumental musicians, may be related to the Hebrew word for “horn” or “trumpet”). No vocational role is ascribed to Naamah; however, her name may signify one. It comes from the Hebrew root n‘m, which means “to be pleasant” or “lovely” (compare Naomi); but the same stem can mean “to sing,” which would make her the ancestral singer. The intimate connection between women and song, going back to the maternal tuneful, rhythmic soothing of infants and found widely across cultures, would support the idea that Naamah is the archetypal founder of vocal music.
(22) As for Zillah, she bore Tubal-cain, who forged all implements of copper and iron. And the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
The sister of Tuval Kain was Naama. Our wise ones, may they be remembered for a blessing, said that she was called Naama for she was pleasant in her ways, that the ministering angels requested to wander after her and she fled from in front of them.
נעמה הִיא אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל נֹחַ:
נעמה NAAMAH — She was Noah’s wife (Genesis Rabbah 23:3).
וַאֲחוֹת תּוּבַל קַיִן נַעֲמָה, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא, נַעֲמָה אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל נֹחַ הָיְתָה, לָמָּה הָיוּ קוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ נַעֲמָה, שֶׁהָיוּ מַעֲשֶׂיהָ נְעִימִים. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי נַעֲמָה אַחֶרֶת הָיְתָה, וְלָמָּה הָיוּ קוֹרִין אוֹתָהּ נַעֲמָה, שֶׁהָיְתָה מַנְעֶמֶת בְּתֹף לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים.
(3) ...And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Na’amah. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Na’amah was Noah’s wife. Why was she called Na’amah? Because all of her deeds were pleasant (ne’imim). The Rabbis said this is a different Na’amah. Why was she called Na’amah? Because she beat on a drum to draw people to idol worship.
ובבראשית רבה (כג ג) יש אומרים אשתו של נח היתה ולמה היו קורין אותה נעמה שהיו מעשיה נאים ונעימים. נתכוונו לומר שהיה לה שם בדורות ההם כי היתה צדקת והולידה צדיקים ולכן יזכירנה הכתוב ואם כן נשאר לקין זכר מעט בעולם ואם נאמר שאינה האשה שהוליד נח ממנה שלשת בניו אם כן אין בזה טעם להזכירה.
In Breisheet Rabba (23:3) they say that she was the wife of Noah, and why was she called Na'ama? For her deeds were pleasant and pleasing. What they intended was that she was known in those generations for she was a righteous woman and gave birth to righteous ones, and thus the text mentions her. If this is so, then a remnant of Cain remains in the world, and if you say that this is not the wife that Noah had three children with, then why is she mentioned?
She is Noah's wife. For if this was not so, why did the text mention this women from amongst all the women? This was to inform us that she was a fit women. And what does this mean? She was the wife of Noah, and that it should not be difficult for you, for Noah was saved on his merit, and his three children and their wives were saved for they had no guilt, but why was his wife saved? The text here says that she was fitting and righteous and that her actions were pleasant. Therefor, she is mentioned here where other women are not, for we did not know why she merited to be saved, and here her righteousness is revealed.