וַֽיְחִי־לֶ֕מֶךְ שְׁתַּ֧יִם וּשְׁמֹנִ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה וּמְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד בֵּֽן׃ וַיִּקְרָ֧א אֶת־שְׁמ֛וֹ נֹ֖חַ לֵאמֹ֑ר זֶ֠ה יְנַחֲמֵ֤נוּ מִֽמַּעֲשֵׂ֙נוּ֙ וּמֵעִצְּב֣וֹן יָדֵ֔ינוּ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽרְרָ֖הּ יְהוָֽה׃
When Lamech had lived 182 years, he begot a son. And he named him Noah, saying, “This one will provide us relief from our work and from the toil of our hands, out of the very soil which the LORD placed under a curse.”
זה ינחמנו. יָנַח מִמֶּנּוּ אֶת עִצְּבוֹן יָדֵינוּ. עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָא נֹחַ לֹא הָיָה לָהֶם כְּלֵי מַחֲרֵשָׁה וְהוּא הֵכִין לָהֶם וְהָיְתָה הָאָרֶץ מוֹצִיאָה קוֹצִים וְדַרְדַּרִים כְּשֶׁזּוֹרְעִים חִטִּים, מִקִּלְלָתוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, וּבִימֵי נֹחַ נָחָה, וְזֶהוּ יְנַחֲמֵנוּ, וְאִם לֹא תְפָרְשֵׁהוּ כָּךְ אֵין טַעַם הַלָּשׁוֹן נוֹפֵל עַל הַשֵּׁם וְאַתָּה צָרִיךְ לִקְרוֹת שְׁמוֹ מְנַחֵם:
זה ינחמנו THIS WILL COMFORT US — He will ease from off us (ינחמנו) the toil of our hands. For until Noah came people had no agricultural instruments and he prepared such for them. The earth had brought forth thorns and thistles when they sowed wheat in consequence of the curse imposed upon Adam Harishon: in the days of Noah, however, this ceased (Tanchuma 1:1:11). This is what is meant by the word ינחמנו (viz., ינח מנו). If, however, you do not explain it in this manner, but from the root נחם “to comfort”, then the meaning you give to this expression (connecting it with the idea of “comfort”) will have no application to the name נח, and you would have to call him מנחם “Comforter”.
וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶמְחֶ֨ה אֶת־הָאָדָ֤ם אֲשֶׁר־בָּרָ֙אתִי֙ מֵעַל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֔ה מֵֽאָדָם֙ עַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה עַד־רֶ֖מֶשׂ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י נִחַ֖מְתִּי כִּ֥י עֲשִׂיתִֽם׃ וְנֹ֕חַ מָ֥צָא חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
And the LORD regretted that He had made man on earth, and His heart was saddened. The LORD said, “I will blot out from the earth the men whom I created—men together with beasts, creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I regret that I made them.” But Noah found favor with the LORD.
וְנֹחַ מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי ה' (בראשית ו, ח), כְּתִיב (איוב כב, ל): יְמַלֵּט אִי נָקִי וְנִמְלַט בְּבֹר כַּפֶּיךָ, אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא אִינוֹנִיתָא אוּנְקִיָא אַחַת הָיְתָה בְּיַד נֹחַ, אִם כֵּן לָמָּה נִמְלַט, אֶלָּא בְּבֹר כַּפֶּיךָ אַתְיָא כְּהַהִיא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא כִּי נִחַמְתִּי כִּי עֲשִׂיתִם וְנֹחַ, אֲפִלּוּ נֹחַ שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּיֵּיר מֵהֶן לֹא הָיָה כְּדַאי אֶלָּא שֶׁמָּצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי ה', שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְנֹחַ מָצָא חֵן בְּעֵינֵי ה'.
"But Noah found favor with Hashem (Genesis 6:8)". It is written: "He will deliver the guilty; He will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands (Job 22:30)". Rabbi Chanina said: "Noah had less than an 'unqiya in his hand. So why was he saved? Rather "through the cleanness of your hands". This agress with that which Rabbi Abba son of Kahana said, that "I regret that I made them" and Noah, except Noah was left from the, and he was not deserving, but rather because "he found favor with Hashem". Thus it is said: "But Noah found favor with Hashem".
אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃
This is the line of Noah.—Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked with God.—
(בראשית ו, ט) אלה תולדות נח [נח איש צדיק תמים היה בדורותיו] א"ר יוחנן בדורותיו ולא בדורות אחרים וריש לקיש אמר בדורותיו כ"ש בדורות אחרים
§ With regard to the verse: “These are the generations of Noah; Noah was a righteous man, and wholehearted in his generations” (Genesis 6:9), Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Relative to the other people of his generation he was righteous and wholehearted, but not relative to those of other generations. And Reish Lakish says: In his generation he was righteous and wholehearted despite being surrounded by bad influences; all the more so would he have been considered righteous and wholehearted in other generations.
את האלהים התהלך נח. וּבְאַבְרָהָם הוּא אוֹמֵר אֲשֶׁר הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי לְפָנָיו? (ברא' כ"ד), נֹחַ הָיָה צָרִיךְ סַעַד לְתָמְכוֹ, אֲבָל אַבְרָהָם הָיָה מִתְחַזֵּק וּמְהַלֵּךְ בְצִדְקוֹ מֵאֵלָיו:
את האלהים התהלך נח NOAH WALKED WITH GOD — In the case of Abraham Scripture says, (Genesis 24:40) ‘‘[God] before whom I walked”; Noah needed God’s support to uphold him in righteousness, Abraham drew his moral strength from himself and walked in his righteousness by his own effort (Genesis Rabbah 30:10).
מפני מי המבול. אַף נֹחַ מִקְּטַנֵּי אֲמָנָה הָיָה, מַאֲמִין וְאֵינוֹ מַאֲמִין שֶׁיָבֹא הַמַּבּוּל, וְלֹא נִכְנַס לַתֵּבָה עַד שְׁדְּחָקוּהוּ הַמַּיִם:
מפני מי המבול BECAUSE OF THE WATERS OF THE FLOOD — (מפני properly means ‘‘from before”) — Noah, also, was of those people who are wanting in faith: he believed and he did not believe that the Flood would come, and he would not enter the Ark until the waters forced him to do so (Genesis Rabbah 32:6).
וַיָּ֥חֶל נֹ֖חַ אִ֣ישׁ הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה וַיִּטַּ֖ע כָּֽרֶם׃ וַיֵּ֥שְׁתְּ מִן־הַיַּ֖יִן וַיִּשְׁכָּ֑ר וַיִּתְגַּ֖ל בְּת֥וֹךְ אׇהֳלֹֽה׃ וַיַּ֗רְא חָ֚ם אֲבִ֣י כְנַ֔עַן אֵ֖ת עֶרְוַ֣ת אָבִ֑יו וַיַּגֵּ֥ד לִשְׁנֵֽי־אֶחָ֖יו בַּחֽוּץ׃ וַיִּקַּח֩ שֵׁ֨ם וָיֶ֜פֶת אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָ֗ה וַיָּשִׂ֙ימוּ֙ עַל־שְׁכֶ֣ם שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית וַיְכַסּ֕וּ אֵ֖ת עֶרְוַ֣ת אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וּפְנֵיהֶם֙ אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית וְעֶרְוַ֥ת אֲבִיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א רָאֽוּ׃ וַיִּ֥יקֶץ נֹ֖חַ מִיֵּינ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֕דַע אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָֽשָׂה־ל֖וֹ בְּנ֥וֹ הַקָּטָֽן׃ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָר֣וּר כְּנָ֑עַן עֶ֥בֶד עֲבָדִ֖ים יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לְאֶחָֽיו׃ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בָּר֥וּךְ יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹ֣הֵי שֵׁ֑ם וִיהִ֥י כְנַ֖עַן עֶ֥בֶד לָֽמוֹ׃ יַ֤פְתְּ אֱלֹהִים֙ לְיֶ֔פֶת וְיִשְׁכֹּ֖ן בְּאׇֽהֳלֵי־שֵׁ֑ם וִיהִ֥י כְנַ֖עַן עֶ֥בֶד לָֽמוֹ׃ וַֽיְחִי־נֹ֖חַ אַחַ֣ר הַמַּבּ֑וּל שְׁלֹ֤שׁ מֵאוֹת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֖ים שָׁנָֽה׃ וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙*(בספרי ספרד ואשכנז וַֽיְהִי֙) כׇּל־יְמֵי־נֹ֔חַ תְּשַׁ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַחֲמִשִּׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת׃ {פ}
Noah, the tiller of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk, and he uncovered himself within his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a cloth, placed it against both their backs and, walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness; their faces were turned the other way, so that they did not see their father’s nakedness. When Noah woke up from his wine and learned what his youngest son had done to him, he said,
“Cursed be Canaan;
The lowest of slaves
Shall he be to his brothers.” And he said,
“Blessed be the LORD,
The God of Shem;
Let Canaan be a slave to them. May God enlarge Japheth,
And let him dwell in the tents of Shem;
And let Canaan be a slave to them.” Noah lived after the Flood 350 years. And all the days of Noah came to 950 years; then he died.
“Cursed be Canaan;
The lowest of slaves
Shall he be to his brothers.” And he said,
“Blessed be the LORD,
The God of Shem;
Let Canaan be a slave to them. May God enlarge Japheth,
And let him dwell in the tents of Shem;
And let Canaan be a slave to them.” Noah lived after the Flood 350 years. And all the days of Noah came to 950 years; then he died.
ויחל. עָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ חֻלִּין, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לַעֲסֹק תְּחִלָּה בִּנְטִיעָה אַחֶרֶת (ב"ר):
ויחל [AND NOAH] BEGAN — (The word may be connected also with a root meaning “profane”) He profaned (degraded) himself, for he should have occupied himself first with planting something different (Genesis Rabbah 36:3).
עַל פֵּירוֹת הָאָרֶץ וְכוּ׳. פְּשִׁיטָא! אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: לֹא נִצְרְכָה אֶלָּא לְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה, דְּאָמַר חִטָּה מִין אִילָן הִיא. דְּתַנְיָא: אִילָן שֶׁאָכַל מִמֶּנּוּ אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: גֶּפֶן הָיָה, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ דָּבָר שֶׁמֵּבִיא יְלָלָה עַל הָאָדָם אֶלָּא יַיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֵּשְׁתְּ מִן הַיַּיִן וַיִּשְׁכָּר״. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אוֹמֵר: תְּאֵנָה הָיְתָה, שֶׁבַּדָּבָר שֶׁנִּתְקַלְקְלוּ בּוֹ נִתַּקְּנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּתְפְּרוּ עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה״. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: חִטָּה הָיְתָה, שֶׁאֵין הַתִּינוֹק יוֹדֵעַ לִקְרוֹת ״אַבָּא״ וְ״אִמָּא״ עַד שֶׁיִּטְעוֹם טַעַם דָּגָן.
We learned in the mishna: One who recited: Who creates fruit of the tree, over fruits of the earth, did not fulfill his obligation. The Gemara asks: That is obvious, as fruits of the earth do not fall under the rubric of trees. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said: This ruling in the mishna is only necessary according to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, who said in another context that wheat is a type of tree, as we learned in a baraita: The tree from which Adam, the first man, ate, Rabbi Meir says: It was a vine, as nothing brings wailing and trouble upon man even today other than wine, as it is stated with regard to Noah: “And he drank from the wine and became drunk” (Genesis 9:21). Rabbi Neḥemya says: It was a fig tree, as with the object with which they were corrupted and sinned they were rehabilitated, as it is stated: “And they sewed together fig leaves and made for themselves loincloths” (Genesis 3:7). They must have taken the leaves from the tree closest at hand, the Tree of Knowledge. Rabbi Yehuda says: It was wheat, as, even today, the child does not know how to call his father and mother until he tastes the taste of grain.
אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת נֹחַ נֹחַ וְגוֹ', אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים הִתְהַלֶּךְ נֹחַ. שָׁלֹש פְּעָמִים בַּפָּסוּק נֹחַ לָמָּה, זֶה אֶחָד מִשְּׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁרָאוּ שְׁלֹשָה עוֹלָמוֹת, נֹחַ וְדָנִיֵּאל, וְאִיּוֹב. נֹחַ, רָאָה עוֹלָם בְּיִשּׁוּבוֹ וְרָאָהוּ בְּחֻרְבָּנוֹ וְחָזַר וְרָאָהוּ בְּיִשּׁוּבוֹ. דָּנִיֵּאל, רָאָה בִנְיַן בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן וְרָאָהוּ חָרֵב וְחָזַר וְרָאָהוּ בָנוּי בְּבִנְיַן בַּיִת שֵׁנִי. אִיּוֹב, רָאָה בִּנְיַן בֵּיתוֹ וְחֻרְבָּנוֹ וְחָזַר וְרָאָה בְּיִשׁוּבוֹ. אִישׁ צַדִּיק, עַל שֶׁזָּן בְּרִיּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִקְרָא צַדִּיק. שְׁנֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם נִקְרְאוּ צַדִּיקִים עַל שֶׁזָּנוּ אֶת הַבְּרִיוֹת, נֹחַ וְיוֹסֵף. שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב בּוֹ, עַל מִכְרָם בַּכֶּסֶף צַדִּיק (עמוס ב, ו). וּכְתִיב בּוֹ, וַיְכַלְכֵּל יוֹסֵף (בראשית מז, יב).
These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man … Noah walked with God (Gen. 6:9). Why is Noah’s name repeated three times in this single verse? Because he was one of the three men privileged to experience three changes that occurred in the world. The three were Noah, Daniel, and Job. Noah saw the world inhabited, he witnessed its destruction, and finally he beheld it reinhabited. Daniel saw the first Temple intact, he beheld its destruction, and then he witnessed the erection of the second Temple. Job saw his household established, he beheld its destruction, and he finally witnessed its reestablishment. Noah was a righteous man. Noah was called righteous because he fed the creatures of the Holy One, blessed be He. Two men were called righteous because they fed the creatures of the Holy One, blessed be He. They were Noah and Joseph. It is written concerning Joseph: Because they sell the righteous for silver (Amos 2:6), and of Joseph it is also said: And Joseph fed (Gen. 47:12).
תָּנוּ רַבָּנָן, נֹחַ הָיָה מַתְרֶה בָּהֶם קוֹדֶם, וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ מִמֶּנּוּ. שָׁהָה בַּעֲשִׂיַּית הַתֵּיבָה, לְמַעַן יִרְאוּ וְיָשׁוּבוּ, וְהָיוּ מַלְעִיבִין בּוֹ, עַד שֶׁגָּבַר עֲלֵיהֶם הַתְּהוֹם שֶׁהָיוּ הַמַּיִם יוֹצְאִין רוֹתְחִין כָּאֵשׁ, וְהַמַּיִם מִלְּמַעְלָה, וְנִמְחוּ מִן הָעוֹלָם.
אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן, בֹּא וּרְאֵה מַה בֵּין הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁהָיוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אַחַר כַּךְ, וּבֵין נֹחַ. נֹחַ לֹא הֵגִין עַל דּוֹרוֹ, וְלֹא הִתְפַּלֵּל עָלָיו כְּאַבְרָהָם. דְּכֵיוָן דְּאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאַבְרָהָם, זַעֲקַת סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה כִּי רָבָּה, מִיָּד וַיִּגַּשׁ אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמַר. וְהִרְבָּה דְבָרִים כְּנֶגֶד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא [...] וְנֹחַ הִתְעַכֵּב עִמּוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאָמַר לֵיהּ רִבּוּי דְבָרִים, שֶׁמָּא יְבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, וְלֹא הִשְׁגִּיחַ, וְלֹא בִּיקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶם רַחֲמִים, וְעָשָׂה הַתֵּיבָה וְנֶאֱבַד כָּל הָעוֹלָם.