(ח) . (בראשית יא, ד): וְנַעֲשֶׂה לָנוּ שֵׁם, תָּנֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֵין שֵׁם אֶלָּא עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים. (בראשית יא, ד): פֶּן נָפוּץ עַל פְּנֵי כָל הָאָרֶץ, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן רַבִּי חֲלַפְתָּא (משלי יח, ז): פִּי כְסִיל מְחִתָּה לוֹ.
8) (Genesis 11,4)...Let us make a name for ourselves, The school of R Yishmael said, Name means star worship, idolatry,
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 75a)
page 442, note 760
(א) ..... אבל היודע פירוש שם יבין כוונתם ממה שאמרו ונעשה לנו שם וידע כמה השיעור שיזמו במגדל לעשותו ויבין כל הענין כי חשבו מחשבה רעה והעונש שבא עליהם להפרידם בלשונות ובארצות מדה כנגד מדה כי היו קוצצים בנטיעות והנה חטאם דומה לחטא אביהם ושמא בשביל זה דרשו (ב"ר לח ט) אשר בנו בני האדם
1) ...But those who know the meanings of the name will understand their intention when they said "Let us make ourselves a name, and they knew the extent of their planned confusion in the tower to be done, and then they will understand the total topic, because they were planning to take on evil thoughts and the punishments that they incurred in being separated in language and in different lands, every evil incurring measure for measure because they were cutting at the roots and this resembles the sins of their ancestors, that is the meaning in Breishit Rabbah, 38,9"That was built by the children of Adam."
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 75a)
page 442, note 760
(א) עשרה ירידות ירד הב"ה על הארץ, ואלו הן: אחת בגן עדן ואחת בדור הפלגה ואחת בסדום ואחת בסנה ואחת במצרים ואחת בסיני ואחת בנקרת הצור ושנים באהל מועד ואחת לעתיד לבא.
(1) THE SIN OF ADAM AND EVE
TEN descents upon the earth were made by the Holy One, blessed be He; they were: (1) Once in the Garden of Eden; (2) once at (the time of) the generation of the Dispersion; (8) once at Sodom; (4) once at the thorn-bush; (5) once in Egypt; (6) once at Sinai; (7) once at the cleft of the rock; (8) and (9) twice in the tent of Assembly; (10) once in the future.
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 75a)
page 442, note 761
(ט) וַיֵּרֶד ה' לִרְאֹת אֶת הָעִיר וְאֶת הַמִּגְדָּל וגו' (בראשית יא, ה), תָּנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר חֲלַפְתָּא זוֹ אַחַת מֵעֶשֶׂר יְרִידוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה. (בראשית יא, ה): אֲשֶׁר בָּנוּ בְּנֵי הָאָדָם, אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה וְכִי מַה נֹּאמַר בְּנֵי חֲמָרַיָא אוֹ בְּנֵי גַּמְלַיָא, אֶלָּא בְּנוֹי דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה, מָה אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן אַחַר כָּל הַטּוֹבָה שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי עִמּוֹ אָמַר (בראשית ג, יב): הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ עִמָּדִי וגו', כָּךְ שְׁנָתַיִם מִדּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל עַד דּוֹר הַפְלָגָה, וַיְהִי כָל הָאָרֶץ שָׂפָה אַחַת. (בראשית יא, ו): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' הֵן עַם אֶחָד וְשָׂפָה אַחַת לְכֻלָּם, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר הוֹאִיל וְהֵן עַם אֶחָד וְשָׂפָה אַחַת אִם עוֹשִׂין הֵן תְּשׁוּבָה אֲנִי מְקַבְּלָן. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר מִי גָרַם לָהֶם שֶׁיִּמְרְדוּ בִי לֹא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהֵם עַם אֶחָד וְשָׂפָה אַחַת.
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 75a)
9) "That the children of Adam had built." R Barkiah said "It would have been better if we had said the children of donkeys or camels. Rather, it means the children of the primordial Adam, which means to imply "Just as the primordial Adam after all the goodness I had bestowed upon him, said, (Genesis 3,12)"The woman you gave to be beside me," (she misled me), even though the generation of the dispersion came two generations after the flood by only two years, yet they rebelled. they were of one language. R' Yehudah and R Nechamyah commented, R Yehudah said "Since they were one one people, and spoke one language, if they had repented, i would have received them. R Nechemyah said "What caused them to rebel against me, was it not because they were one people and of one language?
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 75a)
page 443, note 764
Additionally, Eretz Yisrael drinks rainwater and the rest of the entire world drinks from the remaining residue of rainwater left in the clouds, as it is stated that God is He “who gives rain upon the land” and only afterward takes what is left “and sends water upon the fields.” Eretz Yisrael drinks first, and the rest of the entire world afterward, as it is stated: “Who gives rain upon the land and sends water upon the fields.” There is a parable that illustrates this: A person who kneads his cheese after it has curdled takes the food and leaves the refuse.
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 75a)
page 444, note 769
§ The mishna teaches that the members of the generation of the dispersion have no share in the World-to-Come. The Gemara asks: What sin did they perform? Their sin is not explicitly delineated in the Torah. The school of Rabbi Sheila say that the builders of the Tower of Babel said: We will build a tower and ascend to heaven, and we will strike it with axes so that its waters will flow. They laughed at this explanation in the West, Eretz Yisrael, and asked: If that was their objective, let them build a tower on a mountain; why did they build it specifically in a valley (see Genesis 11:2)?
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 75b)
page 444, note 775
(א) כִּי יַכְרִית ה' וְגוֹ', זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: קַוֵּה אֶל ה' וּשְׁמֹר דַּרְכּוֹ (תהלים לז, לד), שֶׁהָיוּ סְבוּרִין לִיכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ מִיָּד. אָמַר לָהֶם: אַתֶּם סְבוּרִים לִירַשׁ אֶת אַרְצָם, שִׁמְרוּ דַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: קַוֵּה אֶל ה' וּשְׁמֹר דַּרְכּוֹ וִירוֹמִמְךָ לָרֶשֶׁת אֶרֶץ בְּהִכָּרֵת רְשָׁעִים תִּרְאֶה (תהלים לז, לד). הוּא שֶׁמּשֶׁה אָמַר, כִּי יַכְרִית ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. מַהוּ כִּי יַכְרִית. עַל תְּנַאי הוּא. שֶׁאִם יִשְׁמְרוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, יִכָּנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ. וּבְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה מוֹצֵא כִּי, עַל תְּנַאי הוּא. כִּי יִקָּרֵא קַן צִפּוֹר לְפָנֶיךָ בַּדֶּרֶךְ שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח (דברים כב, ז). כִּי תִּשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְנָתְנוּ אִישׁ כֹּפֶר (שמות ל, יב). כִּי תִּבְנֶה בַּיִת חָדָשׁ וְעָשִׂיתָ מַעֲקֶה (דברים כב, ח). אַף כָּאן הִתְנָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִמָּהֶן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַכְרִית אֶת הַגּוֹיִם אֶלָּא עַל מְנָת שֶׁיִּשְׁמְרוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה. חֲבִיבָה אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבָּחַר בָּהּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. אַתָּה מוֹצֵא, כְּשֶׁבָּרָא הָעוֹלָם, חִלֵּק הָאֲרָצוֹת לְשָׂרֵי הָאֻמּוֹת וּבָחַר בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכֵּן מֹשֶׁה אָמַר, בְּהַנְחֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹיִם וְגוֹ' (שם לב, ח), וּבָחַר לְחֶלְקוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי חֵלֶק ה' עַמּוֹ, יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ (שם פסוק ט). אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, יָבֹאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁבָּאוּ לְחֶלְקִי, וְיִנְחֲלוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ שֶׁבָּאָה לְחֶלְקִי. לְכָךְ כָּתוּב, כִּי יַכְרִית. יִרְמְיָה הַנָּבִיא צָוַח וְאָמַר, וְאָנֹכִי אָמַרְתִּי אֵיךְ אֲשִׁיתֵךְ בַּבָּנִים וְאֶתֵּן לָךְ אֶרֶץ חֶמְדָה (ירמיה ג, יט), אֶרֶץ שֶׁחֲמָדוּהָ אֲבוֹת הָעוֹלָם. אַבְרָהָם נִתְאַוָּה לָהּ, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר, וַיֹּאמֶר, ה' אֱלֹהִים, בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה (בראשית טו, ח). יִצְחָק נִתְאַוָּה לָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לוֹ: גּוּר בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וְאֶהְיֶה עִמְּךָ וַאֲבָרְכֶךָּ, כִּי לְךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אֶתֵּן אֶת כָּל הָאֲרָצוֹת הָאֵל (שם כו, ג). יַעֲקֹב נִתְאַוָּה לָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אִם יִהְיֶה אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי וְגוֹ' וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּשָׁלוֹם אֶל בֵּית אָבִי (שם כח, כ-כא). אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, אַף מֹשֶׁה נִתְאַוָּה לָהּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וָאֶתְחַנָּן אֶל ה' וְגוֹ' אֶעְבְּרָה נָא וְאֶרְאֶה וְגוֹ' (דברים ג, כג-כה). וְאַף דָּוִד נִתְאַוָּה לָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בָּחַרְתִּי הִסְתּוֹפֵף בְּבֵית ה' (תהלים פד, יא). מַהוּ הִסְתּוֹפֵף. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם בְּרַבִּי חֲנִילַאי וְרַב. חַד אָמַר, אָמַר דָּוִד לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, אֲפִלּוּ יֵשׁ לִי פְּרַקְלִיטִין וּטְרַקְלִין בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ וְאֵין לִי אֶלָּא הַסַּף בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּחַרְתִּי הִסְתּוֹפֵף. וְחַד אָמַר, אֲפִלּוּ לֹא יְהֵא לִי לֶאֱכֹל בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא סִיפוּף שֶׁל חֲרוּבִין, בָּחַרְתִּי הִסְתּוֹפֵף. הֱוֵי, וָאֶתֵּן לְךָ אֶרֶץ חֶמְדָה, אֶרֶץ שֶׁחָמְדוּ לָהּ הָאָבוֹת. נַחֲלַת צְבִי (ירמיה ג, ט). מַה צְּבִי קַל בְּרִיצָתוֹ, אַף אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל מְרִיצָה פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ, שֶׁמַּבְכֶּרֶת תְּחִלָּה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַה צְּבִי אֵין עוֹרוֹ מַחְזִיק אֶת בְּשָׂרוֹ, כָּךְ כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל זוֹכִין, אֵין אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל מַחְזֶקֶת פֵּרוֹתֶיהָ, צִבְאוֹת גּוֹיִם (שם), שֶׁצִּבְיוֹנוֹת גּוֹיִם בָּהּ. כְּתִיב: מֶלֶךְ יְרִיחוֹ אֶחָד, מֶלֶךְ הָעַי אֲשֶׁר מִצַּד בֵּית אֵל אֶחָד (יהושע יב, ט). אֵין בֵּין זֶה לְזֶה אֶלָּא שְׁלֹשָׁה, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר, מֶלֶךְ יְרִיחוֹ אֶחָד, מֶלֶךְ הָעַי וְגוֹ' אֶחָד. אָמַר רַבִּי פַּרְנָךְ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, כָּל מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה בְּחוּץ לָאָרֶץ, אִם לֹא הָיָה קוֹנֶה עִיר אַחַת בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֹא הָיָה נִקְרָא מֶלֶךְ. רְאֵה מַה כְּתִיב גַּבֵּי עָכָן, וָאֵרֶא בַּשָּׁלָל אַדֶּרֶת שִׁנְעָר אַחַת טוֹבָה (שם ז, כא). פּוּרְפִּירָא בַּבְלָאָה. וּמִנַּיִן הָיָה בִּירִיחוֹ פּוּרְפִּירָא בַּבְלָאָה. אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל לְשָׁם וְקָנָה עִיר בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל. הֱוֵי, אֶרֶץ שֶׁצִּבְיוֹנוֹת שֶׁל אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם בָּהּ, וְהוֹרִישָׁהּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: כִּי יַכְרִית ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְגוֹ'.
(1) When the Lord cuts down, etc. (Deuteronomy 12:29): "Look to the Lord and keep to His way" (Psalms 37:34). As they were thinking to enter the Land immediately. [Moshe] said to them, "You are thinking to inherit their land. [So] keep the way of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated (Psalms 37:34), 'Look to the Lord and keep to His way, and He will raise you high that you may inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.'" That is [the meaning of] that which Moshe said, "When the Lord, your God, cuts down." What is [the meaning of] "When (ki, which can also mean, if) He cuts down?" It is on condition; such that if they keep the Torah, they will enter the Land. And in every place that you find ki, it is conditional: "Ki along the road, you chance upon a bird’s nest [...]. You shall surely send" (Deuteronomy 22:6-7); "Ki you take up the head (make a census) of the Children of Israel, each man shall give a ransom" (Exodus 30:12);" Ki you build a new house, you shall make a parapet" (Deuteronomy 22:8). Here too, the Holy One, blessed be He stipulated with them that He would only cut down the [Canaanite] nations on condition that [the Israelites] would keep the Torah. Beloved is the Land of Israel, as the Holy One, blessed be He, chose it. You find that when He created the world, He apportioned the lands to the ministering angels of the nations, and He chose the Land of Israel [for Himself]. From where [do we know this]? As so did Moshe say (Deuteronomy 32:8), "When the Most High gave nations their inheritances, etc." And He chose [the people of] Israel as His portion, as stated (Deuteronomy 32:9), "For the Lord’s portion is His people, Yaakov His allotment." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Let Israel, who has come to be My portion, inherit the land that has come to be My portion." Hence it is written, "When the Lord cuts down." Yirmiyahu the prophet cried out and said (Jeremiah 3:19), "I had resolved to adopt you as My child, and I gave you a desirable land," a land that the fathers of the world desired. Avraham wanted it, as so does it state (Genesis 15:8), "And he said, 'O Lord God, how shall I know that I am to possess it?'" Yitschak wanted it, as it was stated to him (Genesis 26:3), "Reside in this land, and I will be with you and bless you, for I will assign all these lands to you and to your seed." And Yaakov wanted it, as it is stated (Genesis 28:20-21), "If God will be with me, etc. I will return to my father’s house." Rabbi Yehudah said, "Moshe also wanted it, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 3:23-25), 'I pleaded with the Lord at that time, "[...]. Let me, I pray, cross over and see, etc."' And also David wanted it, as it is stated (Psalms 84:11), 'I would rather stand (histofef) at the threshold of [my God’s] house.'" What is [the meaning of] histofef? Rabbi Tanchum beRabbi Chanilai and Rav [differed on the matter]. One said, "David said in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Master of the world, even if I have palaces and a castle outside of the Land, and I only have a veranda (saf) in the Land of Israel, I would rather stand [there].'" And [the other] said [that David said], "Even if I only have lateling (sifsuf) carobs to eat in the Land of Israel, I would rather stand [there]." Hence, "and I gave you a desirable land," a land that the fathers desired. "An inheritance of beauty (tsvi, literally, a gazelle)" (Jeremiah 3:19). Just like a gazelle is light in its running, so does the Land of Israel run its fruits, such that it gives fruit first. Another interpretation: Just like the skin of a gazelle cannot hold its flesh, so [too], when Israel merits, the Land of Israel cannot hold its fruit. "Of the beauties (tsivaot) of the nations" (Jeremiah 3:19). That the delights (tsivionot) of the nations are in it. It is written (Joshua 12:9), "The king of Yericho one; the king of Ai, near Bethel, one." There is only three [mil] between the one and the other, and it states, "The king of Yericho one; the king of Ai, etc., one?" Rabbi Parnakh said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, "Any king that was outside the Land that did not acquire a city in the Land of Israel was not called a king. See what is written about Akhan (Joshua 7:21), 'I saw among the spoil a fine Shinar mantle.' [That is] Babylonian velvet. And from where was there Babylonian velvet in Yericho? Rather it was that the King of Babylonia was there and acquired a city in the Land of Israel." Hence, the land that the delights of the nations of the world are in it. And He gave it to Israel. Therefore, it is written, "When the Lord, your God, cuts down, etc."
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 75b)
page 445, note 776
(י) אמר הקב"ה חבל וגורל זה שנפל עלי רצתה נפשי שנאמר חבלים נפלו לי בנעימים. וירד הקדוש ברוך הוא ושבעים המלאכים הסובבים כסא כבודו ובלבל את לשונם לשבעים גוים ולשבעים לשון כל אחד ואחד גוי וכתבו ולשונו ומנה מלאך על כל אומה ואומה וישראל נפל בחלקו וחבלו ועל זה נאמר כי חלק יי' עמו. ומנין שירד הקדוש ברוך הוא, שנאמר (בראשית יא ה) וירד יי' לראות את העיר ואת המגדל, וזו ירידה שנייה.
(10) The Holy One, blessed be He, said: The portion and lot which have fallen to Me, My soul liveth thereby, as it is said, "The lots have fallen unto me in pleasures; yea, I have a goodly heritage" (Ps. 16:6). The Holy One, blessed be He, descended with the seventy angels, who surround || the throne of His glory, and they confused their speech into seventy nations and seventy languages. Whence do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, descended? Because it is said, "And the Lord God came down to see the city and the tower" (Gen. 11:5). This was the second descent.
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 76a)
page 445, note 776
And Rabbi Ḥanina said: It was only with great difficulty that the Sages permitted to comfort the mourners and visit the sick on Shabbat, as both the visitor and the comforter experience suffering on Shabbat. They permitted it only due to the mitzva involved in these activities. Rabba bar bar Ḥana said: When we would follow Rabbi Elazar to inquire about the health of a sick person; sometimes he would say in Hebrew: May the Omnipresent remember you for peace, and sometimes he would say to him in Aramaic: May the all-Merciful remember you for peace. He would say it in Aramaic when the sick person did not understand Hebrew (Rav Elazar Moshe Horovitz). The Gemara asks: How did he do this, pray in Aramaic? Didn’t Rav Yehuda say: A person should never request that his needs be met in the Aramaic language? And, similarly, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Anyone who requests that his needs be met in the Aramaic language, the ministering angels do not attend to him to bring his prayer before God, as the ministering angels are not familiar with the Aramaic language, but only with the sacred tongue, Hebrew, exclusively. The Gemara responds: A sick person is different. He does not need the angels to bring his prayer before God because the Divine Presence is with him
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 76a)
page 445, note 780.
Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi made efforts to ordain Shmuel Yarḥina’a as a rabbi but was unsuccessful, as Shmuel always demurred. Shmuel Yarḥina’a said to him: The Master should not be upset about my refusal, as I know that I am not destined to be ordained as a rabbi. I myself saw the book of Adam the first man, which contains the genealogy of the human race, and it is written in it that Shmuel Yarḥina’a
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 76a)
page 446, note 785
(ג) אשר בנו בני האדם (שם). אמר להם אין אתם מביטים בראשונים שהיו לפניכם, (שנאמר) ויאמר ה' הן עם אחד ושפה אחת וגו' [ועתה לא יבצר] (שם שם ו) אע"פ שמרדו פשטתי להם ימיני, ואמרתי להם עשו תשובה ואקבל אתכם, כמה שנאמר ועתה ישראל מה ה' אלהיך שואל (ממך) [מעמך] (דברים י יב), והן אמרו לא יבצר (מהן) [מהם], אפילו אותן האנשים נבצרים אינן עושין תשובה, שנאמר כבוצר על סלסלות (ירמיה ו ט).
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 75a)
(3) (Gen. 11:5, cont.:) WHICH THE CHILDREN OF ADAM HAD BUILT. He said to them: Are you not looking to the ancient ones which were before you? {Thus it is stated in} (Gen. 11:6:) AND THE LORD SAID: THEY ARE ONE PEOPLE AND THEY ALL HAVE ONE LANGUAGE … [AND NOW NOTHING < THEY PROPOSE > WILL BE CUT OFF < FROM THEM >]. Although they rebelled, I extended my right hand to them. So I said to them: Repent, and I will receive you, just as it is stated (in Deut. 10:12): AND NOW, ISRAEL, WHAT DOES THE LORD YOUR GOD ASK [OF YOU] < … >?113According to Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Shirata 5, and Gen. R. 38:9, Deut. 10:12 shows that the AND NOW in Gen. 11:6 is a plea for repentance. But they said (in Gen. 11:6): NOTHING < THEY PROPOSE > WILL BE CUT OFF FROM THEM. Even if those people were cut off, they would not repent, as stated (in Jer. 6:9): LIKE A VINTAGER OVER < THE VINE > SHOOTS.
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 76a)
page 445, note 778
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 75a)
shall be called a wise [ḥakim] physician, but he shall not be called rabbi, and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s convalescence shall be through him. I also saw written there: Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Rabbi Natan are the end of the Mishna, i.e., the last of the tanna’im, the redactors of the Mishna. Rav Ashi and Ravina are the end of instruction, i.e., the end of the period of the amora’im, the redacting of the Talmud, which occurred after the period of the tanna’im.
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 76a)
page 446, note 785
And this, i.e., that the verse in Psalms is stated by Adam, is what Reish Lakish says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “This is the book of the generations of Adam” (Genesis 5:1)? This verse teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, showed Adam every generation and its Torah interpreters, every generation and its wise ones. When he arrived at his vision of the generation of Rabbi Akiva, Adam was gladdened by his Torah, and saddened by his manner of death. He said: “How weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God,” i.e., how it weighs upon me that a man as great as Rabbi Akiva should suffer.
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 76a)
page 446, note 785
(יא) . רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר נָטַל שָׁלשׁ אֲבָנִים, אָמַר, אַבְרָהָם יִחֵד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁמוֹ עָלָיו, יִצְחָק יִחֵד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁמוֹ עָלָיו, וַאֲנִי אִם מִתְאַחוֹת הֵן שָׁלשׁ אֲבָנִים זוֹ לָזוֹ, יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְיַחֵד שְׁמוֹ עָלַי, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנִּתְאַחוּ, יָדַע שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְיַחֵד שְׁמוֹ עָלָיו. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי מִעוּט אֲבָנִים שְׁנַיִם, אַבְרָהָם יָצָא מִמֶּנּוּ פְּסֹלֶת, יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְכָל בְּנֵי קְטוּרָה. וְיִצְחָק יָצָא עֵשָׂו וְכָל אַלּוּפָיו. וַאֲנִי אִם מִתְאַחוֹת שְׁתֵּי אֲבָנִים זוֹ לָזוֹ, יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא הֵימֶנִּי פְּסֹלֶת.
11) ...Rabbi Nehemyah said, He selected 3 stones, He said Abraham unified with the Holy One, Blessed be He, His name is upon him, Yitzhaq unified with the Holy Blessed One, Blessed be He, His name is upon him, and I by selecting these these 3 stones if they are arranged one next to the other, I know that the Holy One, Blessed be He, will unify his name upon me, and so they are so placed, and he knew that the Holy One had joined unified his name with Him. Our Rabbis said a diminishment of stones was 2, Abraham had an offspring that was deficient, Ishmael and all the children of Keturah. And Yitzhaq had an offspring of Esau, and his generals, But i if join these two stones one to the other, I know that my offspring will not be deficient.
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 76a)
page 446, note 785
And Abraham will say to them: I will not recite the blessing, as I am blemished, for the wicked Ishmael came from me. Abraham will say to Isaac: Take the cup and recite the blessing. Isaac will say to them: I will not recite the blessing, as the wicked Esau came from me. Isaac will say to Jacob: Take the cup and recite the blessing. Jacob will say to them: I will not recite the blessing, as I married two sisters, Rachel and Leah, in their lifetimes, and in the future the Torah forbade them to me. Although at the time it was not prohibited to wed two sisters, this practice would eventually be considered a serious transgression.
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 76a)
page 446, note 789
(א)....: נְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר לְאִיתִיאֵל, דָּבָר זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: לֹא יַרְבֶּה לוֹ נָשִׁים, לֹא אָמַר לוֹ אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל: לֹא יָסוּר לְבָבוֹ. (משלי ל, א): לְאִיתִיאֵל, שֶׁאָמַר אִתִּי אֵל, וְאֻכָל, מַה כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ (מלכים א יא, ד): וַיְהִי לְעֵת זִקְנַת שְׁלֹמֹה נָשָׁיו הִטּוּ אֶת לְבָבוֹ.
1)...The man spoke to Itiel: The only reason that the blessed holy one decreed he shall not have many wives was lest his heart turn astray LeItiel! Shlomo said God is with me, Ita El, ve ukhal , and i will be able (to withstand the temptation ). But what is written of him? In Solomon's old age, his wives turned away his heart.
Zohar, Pritzker Edition, Vol. I (2004), Parashat Noah, (Zohar I: 76a)
page 446, note 791