חן מקום על יושביו

And God spoke to Noah, saying: Go forth from the Ark, etc. (Gen 8:15). It is written, 'Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks unto Your name; the righteous shall crown themselves because of me; for You will deal bountifully with me' (Ps. 142:8). 'Bring my soul out of prison' this is Noah, who was imprisoned twelve months in the Ark; 'That I may give thanks to Your name' to give thanks to Your [awe-inspiring] name; 'The righteous shall crown themselves because of me': the righteous shall glory in me. 'For You will deal bountifully with me': You did deal bountifully with me and said to me: Go forth from the Ark. Ad-nai tests the righteous, etc. (Ps. 11:5). R. Yonatan said: A potter does not test defective vessels, because he cannot give them a single blow without breaking them. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not test the wicked but only the righteous, so too Ad-nai tests [only] the righteous. R. Yose said: When a flax worker knows that his flax is of good quality, the more he beats it the more it improves and the more it glistens; but if it is of inferior quality, he cannot give it one knock but it splits. Similarly, the Holy One does not test the wicked but only the righteous, as it says: ‘Ad-nai tests the righteous.’ Rabbi Eleazar said: When a man possesses two cows, one strong and the other weak, upon which does he put the yoke? Surely upon the strong one. So too Ad-nai tests only the righteous; as it is written 'Ad-nai tests the righteous.' Another interpretation: 'Ad-nai tests the righteous' [note the singular form] applies to Noah [who stayed in the Ark until God said to him]: Go forth from the Ark. Another opinion: 'To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose (Eccl. 3:1): there was a time for Noah to enter the ark, as it is written: 'come you and all your house into the ark (Gen. 7:1), and a time for him to leave it: Go forth from the Ark. This may be compared to an administrator/parnas who departed for a certain spot, putting someone in his place. When he returned, he said to the other, ‘Leave your position.’ This may be compared to a scribe/sofer who departed for a certain spot, putting someone in his place. When he returned, he said to the other, ‘Leave your position.’ So too Noach: 'go forth from the ark'. But he [Noach] did not accept the order to go out, saying, ‘Am I to go out and be fruitful and multiply for a curse?’ Until the Holy One, blessed be He, swore to him that He would not bring another flood upon the world, as it says, 'For this is the waters of Noach to Me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noach should no more go over the earth (Isa. 54:9)' 'You, and your wife, etc.' (Gen. 8:16) Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Simon, and Rabbi Yochanan in the name of Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi Itzchak said: As soon as Noach entered the Ark, cohabitation was forbidden to him, that's why it is written: 'And you shall come into the ark, you, and your sons' (Gen. 6:18) - apart; 'and your wife, and your sons’ wives' - apart. When he went out, God permitted it to him, as it is written: 'Go forth from the Ark, you and your wife'. Rabbi Aivu said: 'They are lonely in want and famine' (Job 30:3) - when want and famine visit the world, regard your wife as though she were lonely [i.e. monstrous]. R. Huna said: it is written 'and to Yosef were born two sons' (Gen. 41:50) - when? 'Before the year of famine came' (Gen. 41:50). Bring forth (hayetze) with you every living thing that is with you…that they may swarm in the earth (Gen. 8:18). R. Yudan said: havtze is written, but it is read hayetze: that they may swarm in the earth - but not in the Ark. And be fruitful and multiply upon the earth - but not in the Ark. 'Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, whatsoever moves (kol romes) upon the earth (Gen 8:19). R. Aivu said: Kol romes is written fully [with a vav] - it excludes kilayim [mixing species]. After their families: this excludes emasculation. The children of Noah were enjoined concerning seven tings: Idolatry, incest, murder, cursing the Divine Name [blasphemy], civil law, and a limb torn from a living animal. Rabbi Chanina ben Gamliel says: also concerning blood from a living animal. Rabbi Eleazar says: also against mixing species. Rabbi Shime'on ben Yochai says: also against witchcraft. Rabbi Yochanan ben Beroka says: also against emasculation. Rabbi Assi said: The children of Noah were ordered regarding everything stated in the sentence: 'There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, etc.' (Deut. 18:10) and afterwards 'because it is an abomination for Ad-nai all that do this.' (Deut. 18:12) And Ad-nai said to his heart (Gen. 8:21) - The wicked are under control of their heart: 'The fool has said in his heart' (Ps. 14:1); 'And Esav said in his heart' (Gen.27:41); 'And Yerovoam said in his heart' (I Kings 12:25); 'Now Haman said in his heart' (Est. 6:6). But the righteous have their hearts under their control since it is written 'Now Hannah, she spoke at her heart' (I Sam. 1:13); 'And David said to his heart' (I Sam. 27:1); 'But Daniel put to his heart' (Dan. 1:8); [so too] 'And the Lord said to his heart: I will not again/add curse to the ground' (Gen. 8:21): He did not add to it, and let that indeed suffice. The Rabbis interpreted: I will not add [curse] to the children of Noah; I will not add [curse] to future generations. 'Because the devisings of man's heart [yetzer lev] is evil'. Rabbi Hiyya the Elder said: How terrible must be the dough when the baker himself testifies it to be bad! 'Because the inclination of man's heart [yetzer lev] is evil from his youth' Abba Jose the potter said: How terrible must be the leaven when he who created it testifies that it is bad, as it is written 'For He knows our inclinations, it is remembered that we are dust' (Ps. 103:14). The Rabbis said: How terrible must be the plant when the planter himself testifies that it is bad as it is written 'For the Lord of hosts, that planted you, has spoken evil of you (Jer. 1:17). Antoninus asked our teacher: ‘When is the evil inclination placed in a person, from the moment one comes out of the womb of one's mother or before one comes out of the womb of one's mother?’ ‘Before one comes out of the womb of one's mother’ he replied. [Antoninus] replied ‘It can't be, if [the yetzer] is put before one comes out from the womb, one would dig through the womb and emerge! Rabbi agreed with him, because his view corresponds with that of Scripture: 'Because the inclination of man's heart [yetzer lev] is evil from his youth [mine'urav]'. Rabbi Yudan said: This is written mine'urav (from his awakening), which means, from when he awakes [nin'ar] to the world. Antoninus asked our Teacher further: “When is the soul [neshama] put in a person, from the moment one comes out of the womb of one's mother or before one comes out of the womb of one's mother?’ He answered: ‘When one comes out of the womb of one's mother.’ [Antoninus] replied ‘It can't be! This is comparable to meat left without salt for three days - will it not putrefy?' Our Teacher agreed with him, for Scripture supports him: 'You bestowed on me life and care; Your providence watched over my spirit[ruach].' (Job 10:12) - hence, when did You place the spirit in me? When You gave me Your providence. ... Anyone who makes void (neglects) bearing fruit and multiplying, [it is] as if he diminished the likeness. What is the reason? “For in Elohim’s image He made the human” [Gn 9:6] and it’s written after, “and you, bear fruit and multiply” [Gn 9:7].