{"id":34135,"date":"2018-07-16T15:02:47","date_gmt":"2018-07-16T12:02:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?post_type=wall&p=34135"},"modified":"2023-10-12T15:17:31","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T12:17:31","slug":"chapter-torah-genesis-5","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/chapter-torah-genesis-5\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Torah-Genesis-5"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"5","date":"20250904","books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"5","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"34714","color":"#faeed8","size":"1","name":"Genesis 5 - Judy Hammond ","post_title":"Genesis 5 - Judy Hammond","slug":"genesis-5-judy-hammond","old_id":"34714","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"5","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"The Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"Genesis 5","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"read by Judy Hammond","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/genesis-chapter-5-read-by-judy-hammond","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"5","date":"20250904","wall_id":"5"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"101815","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"Enoch: Occasionally Exceptional ","post_title":"Enoch: Occasionally Exceptional","slug":"enoch-occasionally-exceptional","old_id":"101815","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":62571,"post_title":"Yaakov Bieler","slug":"yaakov-bieler","old_id":"62571","first_name":"Yaakov ","last_name":"Bieler ","description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University in 1974. He has lectured and written extensively on Modern Orthodoxy, and blogs daily at https:\/\/yaakovbieler.wordpress.com ","short_description":"Rabbi Yaakov Bieler has been involved in Jewish education and the synagogue Rabbinate in New York, NY and Silver Spring, MD since being ordained by Yeshiva University. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":62572,"alt":"","title":"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","width":141,"height":180,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler-141x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":141,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium-width":141,"medium-height":180,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium_large-width":141,"medium_large-height":180,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","large-width":141,"large-height":180,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","1536x1536-width":141,"1536x1536-height":180,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","2048x2048-width":141,"2048x2048-height":180,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","post_full_size-width":141,"post_full_size-height":180,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","home_baner-width":141,"home_baner-height":180}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"5","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"He was the first to \u201cwalk with God\u201d - a new standard?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

In Genesis 5, the personality who is described most evocatively by the Bible is Enoch:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years; and he begot sons and daughters\u2026 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, for God took him (5:22, 24).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We could extrapolate from the description of Noah, that \u201cwalking with God\u201d might connote \u201crighteousness\u201d and \u201cblamelessness\u201d: \u201cNoah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked with God\u201d (6:9). Likewise,\u00a0 when Abraham is famously commanded to \u201cwalk before God\u201d, it is also with reference to \u201cblamelessness\u201d: \u2026The LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, \u201cI am El Shaddai. Walk \u2018<\/span>lefanai<\/span><\/em>\u2019 <\/span><\/i>(<\/span>before Me<\/span><\/i>) and be blameless\u201d (17:1).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Enoch, however, is certainly the first individual to be described in this manner, i.e., he was not emulating anyone who came before, and it is possible that being \u201cblameless\u201d is something different and therefore separate, from \u201cwalking in God\u2019s ways.\u201d Furthermore, neither Noah nor Abraham appear to die prematurely (see 9:29; 25:7) as does Enoch. Relatively speaking, when considering the lifespans of individuals in Genesis 5, Enoch lived by far the shortest number of years, although he certainly outlived Abraham due to some sort of Divine Intervention.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Midrash (Genesis Rabbah 25:1) presents a perspective that Enoch, as opposed to both Noah and Abraham, vacillated in terms of his righteousness:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u2026Said R. Ibo: Enoch was fickle. Sometimes he was righteous; other times he was evil. Said the Holy One, Blessed be He, \u201cWhile he is being righteous, I will remove him.\u201d \u2026<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Apparently, when confronted with human beings who were able to maintain a righteous approach to life, i.e. Noah and subsequently Abraham, God was duly impressed. However, prior to those examples of personal consistent virtue, perhaps God \u201cthought\u201d that the best that could be expected from humanity, whom He had deliberately created with freedom of choice, were periods of glorified righteousness, followed by the profound lack thereof. He realized that humanity was in need of role models who possessed the capacity to not only occasionally be exceptional, but to maintain such standards throughout their existence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And although Noah proved to be someone who cared more about himself than the rest of the world, Abraham was the exemplar that God sought, and who became the founder of the Abrahamic religions.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Perhaps then Genesis 5 is the precursor to the statement in Mishna Avot:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

(<\/span>There were<\/span><\/em>) ten generations from Adam to Noah, in order to make known how long-suffering He is; for all those generations kept on provoking Him, until He brought upon them the waters of the flood. (<\/span>There were<\/span><\/em>) ten generations from Noah to Abraham, in order to make known how long-suffering He is; for all those generations kept on provoking Him, until Abraham, came and received the reward of all of them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":93810,"alt":"","title":"Job7-The_Phillip_Medhurst_Picture_Torah_44._Enoch","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Job7-The_Phillip_Medhurst_Picture_Torah_44._Enoch.jpg","width":800,"height":543,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Job7-The_Phillip_Medhurst_Picture_Torah_44._Enoch-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Job7-The_Phillip_Medhurst_Picture_Torah_44._Enoch-300x204.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":204,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Job7-The_Phillip_Medhurst_Picture_Torah_44._Enoch-768x521.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":521,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Job7-The_Phillip_Medhurst_Picture_Torah_44._Enoch.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":543,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Job7-The_Phillip_Medhurst_Picture_Torah_44._Enoch.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":543,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Job7-The_Phillip_Medhurst_Picture_Torah_44._Enoch.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":543,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Job7-The_Phillip_Medhurst_Picture_Torah_44._Enoch.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":543,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Job7-The_Phillip_Medhurst_Picture_Torah_44._Enoch-619x420.jpg","home_baner-width":619,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Enoch: Occasionally Exceptional","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"He was the first to \u201cwalk with God\u201d - 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Dr. Jaffe is also the author of Genesis: A Torah for All Nations (Gefen Publishing House) which can be found at https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Genesis-Nations-Jeffrey-M-Jaffe\/dp\/9657023181.\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Jeff Jaffe is the CEO of the World Wide Web Consortium at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is the author of Genesis: A Torah for All Nations. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":96658,"alt":"","title":"jeff jaffe","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe.jpg","width":1897,"height":2581,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe-220x300.jpg","medium-width":220,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe-753x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":753,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe-753x1024.jpg","large-width":753,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe.jpg","1536x1536-width":1129,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe.jpg","2048x2048-width":1505,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe-882x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":882,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/jeff-jaffe-309x420.jpg","home_baner-width":309,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"5","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Noah will be the one to overcome the curse of the land - with righteousness and industriousness\u00a0\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Chapter 5 is primarily a genealogical listing from Adam to Noah. But some of the phrases of this chapter are noteworthy.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Verse 1 emphasizes that Adam was created in the likeness of God, and verse 3 points out that his child Seth was in his likeness and image. As Sforno points out, the likeness is that people have free will \u2013 reinforcing to all of mankind that they are accountable for their actions. The repeated usage of the term <\/span>likeness<\/span><\/i> or <\/span>image<\/span><\/i> is a keyword. For example, in 9:6, the Torah will be explicit that murderers deserve the death penalty because man is created in the image of God. Hence, the continued emphasis on the likeness or image of God (compare also to 1:27) is an allusion to the Noahide laws.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Thus, as the Torah describes the ten generations leading to Noah \u2013 the generations whose degradation will result in the deluge \u2013 the Torah emphasizes that these generations had free choice, knew about the seven Noahide laws, and had a responsibility to behave morally, but failed.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The bookend to this chapter is the birth of Noah. His father Lemech foresaw (verse 29) that Noah would be a savior of sorts. Rashbam attributes it to the fact that Noah was the first in the line of descendants to be born after Adam died. Lemech reasoned that Noah could therefore be the one who overcomes the curse of the land.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In chapter 4, we discussed the inventors who improved secular livelihood for all of mankind through the creation of tools, arts, and industry. Rashi and Rashbam see Noah as part of that line. They attribute his ability to overcome the curse of the land to his invention of the plow.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

On either side of the list of descendants in chapter 5, the verses reinforce the key messages of the first eleven chapters of Genesis: the source for the Noahide laws and how the righteous and industrious can overcome adversity.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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with righteousness and industriousness\u00a0","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":101406,"alt":"","title":"-61fbf071d2dad--61fbf071d2daegen1-nations flags people.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg.jpg","width":1920,"height":615,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-300x96.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":96,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-768x246.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":246,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-1024x328.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":328,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":492,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":615,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-1200x384.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":384,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2022\/02\/61fbf071d2dad-61fbf071d2daegen1-nations-flags-people.jpg-1311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":1311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"5","date":"20250904","wall_id":"5"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"366","name":"Commentators","old_id":"766"},{"term_id":"374","name":"Humanity","old_id":"774"}]},{"order":4,"id":"101825","color":"#f7e9e9","size":"1","name":"This Is The Book Of The Generations Of Man ","post_title":"This Is The Book Of The Generations Of Man","slug":"this-is-the-book-of-the-generations-of-man","old_id":"101825","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33877,"post_title":"Marc Bregman","slug":"marc-bregman","old_id":"33877","first_name":"Marc","last_name":"Bregman","description":"Marc Bregman received his Ph.D. from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1991. He taught at the Hebrew Union College (Jerusalem), The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Schechter Institute for Judaic Studies in Jerusalem, and at the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheba, Israel. During 1993 he was Visiting Associate Professor at Yale University, and during 1996 he was the Stroum Professor of Jewish Studies and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Washington in Seattle. During 2005, Bregman served as the Harry Starr Fellow in Judaica at Harvard University and was awarded a Teaching Fellowship at the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He also has served as Forchheimer Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Humanities at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is the author of The Tanhuma-Yelammedenu Literature: Studies in the Evolution of the Versions (Gorgias Press, 2003). In 2006, Bregman was appointed the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he also headed the program in Jewish Studies, until 2013. Bregman retired from UNCG as of July 31, 2017. He has now returned to Jerusalem where he is continuing his research and teaching activities.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Marc Bregman is the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies emeritus, at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33878,"alt":"Marc Bregman","title":"Marc Bregman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","width":361,"height":488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","medium_large-width":361,"medium_large-height":488,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","large-width":361,"large-height":488,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","1536x1536-width":361,"1536x1536-height":488,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","2048x2048-width":361,"2048x2048-height":488,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","post_full_size-width":361,"post_full_size-height":488,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"5","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"In itself a great principle of the Torah\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Our<\/span> chapter<\/span><\/a> lists the genealogy of the first generations of mankind, from Adam to Noah. Significantly there is no mention of Adam\u2019s first two sons, Cain and Abel or Cain\u2019s descendants as recorded in the immediately<\/span> preceding chapter<\/span><\/a>. Rather, the \u201cgenerations of man\u201d seems to begin anew with Adam\u2019s third son, Seth. This genealogy of mankind is reflected in the<\/span> beginning of the Book of Chronicles<\/span><\/a>: \u201cAdam, Seth\u2026Noah\u2026\u201d. Notably, this version of the first generations of mankind is cited in the beginning of the mosaic inscription discovered in the 5<\/span>th<\/span>-7<\/span>th<\/span> century<\/span> Ein-Gedi Synagogue<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Significantly, in Yemenite versions of the text of<\/span> Genesis 5:1<\/span><\/a>, the word \u201cBook \u2013 <\/span>Sefer<\/span><\/em>\u201d is written with an<\/span> enlarged Samekh<\/span><\/a>, apparently to emphasize the word \u201cBook.\u201d Indeed, referring to \u201cThis is the Book of the Generations of Man,\u201d the<\/span> Talmudic Sages<\/span><\/a> wonder if indeed Adam had a \u201cbook.\u201d The answer given is that this verse teaches that the Holy One, Blessed be He, showed Adam, the first man, every generation and its Sages, every generation and its leaders. When Adam arrived at the generation of Rabbi Akiva, he rejoiced in his Torah, but was saddened by his tragic death.<\/span> Midrash Bereshit Rabbah<\/span><\/a> and<\/span> Tanhuma Buber<\/span><\/a> relate this legend to<\/span> Psalms 139:16<\/span><\/a>: \u201cYour eyes saw my unformed limbs; they were all recorded in Your book.\u201d This verse suggests that the Holy One showed Adam all his subsequent generations and recorded them in his book, as it says: \u201cThis is the Book of the Generations of Man.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Rabbinic Sages debate what is the greatest principle in the Torah<\/span> (<\/span>klal gadol ba-Torah<\/span><\/em>)<\/span><\/a>. According to the early Midrash on Leviticus,\u00a0 <\/span>Sifra<\/span><\/a>, Rabbi Akiva says that it is: \"And you shall love your neighbor as yourself\" (<\/span>Leviticus 19:18<\/span><\/a>). But, his 2<\/span>nd<\/span> century CE younger contemporary, Rabbi Shimon ben Azzai says that an even greater Torah principle is<\/span> the first verse of our Chapter<\/span><\/a>: \u201cThis is the Book of the Generations of Man\u201d. It would seem that both verses teach that one should not say, since I have been put to shame, let my fellow man be put to shame. Rabbi Tanhuma adds, when you put another person to shame, in effect you put God to shame, for in creating Man, God<\/span> said<\/span><\/a>: \u201cLet us make Man in our image, after our likeness\u201d. This Midrash and its parallels put the Creation of Man, in the image of God, and interpersonal relations, at the primary focus of the whole Torah.<\/span> Talmud Yerushalmi Nedarim 9:4<\/span><\/a> relates this discussion to the<\/span> Biblical commandment<\/span><\/a>: \u201cYou shall not take revenge\u2026\u201d. If one was cutting meat and the knife fell from his hand, should he go and hit his hand? Similarly, all Jews are responsible for one another. Hitting one\u2019s fellow Jew is like hitting oneself!<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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Story, Take 4? ","post_title":"Creation Story, Take 4?","slug":"creation-story-take-4","old_id":"101817","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"5","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Is this a new beginning, or just a connecting link to the next part?\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

\u201cThis is the book of Adam\u2019s lineage.\u2014When God created man, He made him in the likeness of God\u201d (verse 1). We are five chapters into the Torah, and it sounds like we are starting yet again with our story. Jumping ahead 23 books, the book of Chronicles starts in a similar fashion listing the lineage of Adam. Some commentators explain that this chapter is really meant to be the start of the Torah; that the previous four chapters were just prolog.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Where does this idea come from? First, the opening verse begins with \u201cthis is the book (<\/span>sefer<\/span><\/em>) of Adam\u2019s lineage.\u201d The listing of lineages happens elsewhere in Tanach, such as in Genesis 25:19 \u201cThis is the lineage of Isaac,\u201d but without the word \u201cbook.\u201d The Ramban explains that the use of the \u201cbook\u201d here means the whole Torah, therefore this is the true opening verse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Ibn Ezra explains that the first verse includes \u201cWhen God created man, he made him in the likeness of God\u201d to explain why Adam had no parents. Sforno explains that the grand introduction signals that this is when recorded history begins: everything beforehand is superfluous to the story. Chizkuni does not see this as the proper beginning, but more like a reset. With the story shifting to Noah, the last birth in this chapter, the chapter must get us to Noah. This is similar, again, to Chronicles where David is the central character so all lineages there only get the reader to David. Here too, we must get to Noah so the chapter only includes the relevant relatives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Malbim adds that we know this chapter is just about the history of mankind because Cain and Abel are not listed as sons of Adam here. That is because Abel is murdered and Cain later dies and his lineage ends with the flood. Radak disagrees that this is a \u201cbook\u201d (<\/span>sefer<\/span><\/em>) but rather a \u201ccount\u201d (<\/span>sphor <\/span><\/em>- <\/span><\/i>from a homonymous root, <\/span>s-p-r<\/span><\/em>). This chapter is necessary to provide a timeline from creation to the flood. In Radak\u2019s understanding, the names are not relevant. The timing is what is relevant. That is why Cain and Abel are not mentioned. Their lineages do not allow us to get from creation to the flood.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We can see from this exhaustive list that everyone seems to be puzzled with this fourth go around at the creation story. Yet, how these commentators decide to handle this confusion explains their level of comfort with this difficult question. We can split these roughly into two camps. Some commentators are fine with that idea framing this as the true beginning with the previous four being some sort of prolog. Others seem to be more uncomfortable with the idea that the Torah would have a different starting point. They try to frame this chapter as the start of the story of Noah and the flood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":101818,"alt":"","title":"-6203d49666976--6203d49666977gen5-clapper movie 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At Thirteen ","post_title":"Seth At Thirteen","slug":"seth-at-thirteen","old_id":"101812","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":36669,"post_title":"Yakov Azriel","slug":"yakov-azriel","old_id":"36669","first_name":"Yakov ","last_name":"Azriel","description":"Yakov Azriel, who lives in Israel, has published five books of poetry in the USA and hundreds of poems in journals and magazines. His poems have won twenty-two prizes in international poetry competitions, and he has twice been awarded fellowships from the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture.","short_description":"Yakov Azriel is an English language poet who lives in Israel","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36670,"alt":"","title":"Yakov.Azriel.Photo","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","width":1099,"height":1519,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-217x300.jpg","medium-width":217,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-741x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":741,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-741x1024.jpg","large-width":741,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","1536x1536-width":1099,"1536x1536-height":1519,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668.jpg","2048x2048-width":1099,"2048x2048-height":1519,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-868x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":868,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Yakov.Azriel.Photo_-e1533158407668-304x420.jpg","home_baner-width":304,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"5","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"I too have secrets\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

\"After Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, he begot a son in his own likeness, after his image; and his name was called Seth.\"<\/em> (Genesis 5:3)
\r\n
\r\nWhen I was four or five,
\r\nI used to ask Mother as she churned the butter:
\r\n\u201cWhat color were Abel eyes?
\r\nWas Cain fat or thin?\u201d
\r\n
\r\nBut Mother always turned her head away;
\r\nShe would gaze at our flocks of sheep,
\r\nAt our fields of wheat,
\r\nAnd say nothing.
\r\n
\r\nFather would take me aside:
\r\n\u201cDo not ask Mother these questions, son.\u201d
\r\nHe would press me to his side and hold me tight,
\r\nTurning his head away
\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0To gaze at our flocks of sheep,
\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0At our fields of wheat.
\r\n
\r\nBut now I am thirteen. At night,
\r\nWhen my parents think I am asleep,
\r\nAnd Mother\u2019s black shawl covers the sky,
\r\nAnd Father\u2019s silence flows into the stars,
\r\n
\r\nI hear their voices outside my tent
\r\nRecall the name
\r\n\u201cAbel.\u201d \u201cAbel.\u201d
\r\nNever Cain.
\r\n
\r\nBut I too have secrets.
\r\nFor night after night I hear,
\r\nAs Mother cries,
\r\nAs Father sighs,
\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 The whisperings of the ghost of my brother,
\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Abel;
\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 The rustlings of the skeleton of my brother,
\r\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Cain.<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":81677,"alt":"","title":"ps25-secret","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret.jpg","width":3000,"height":4244,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret-212x300.jpg","medium-width":212,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret-724x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":724,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret-724x1024.jpg","large-width":724,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret.jpg","1536x1536-width":1086,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret.jpg","2048x2048-width":1448,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret-848x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":848,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret-297x420.jpg","home_baner-width":297,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"929 Poetry Corner","tile_main_caption":"Seth At Thirteen","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"I too have secrets","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":81677,"alt":"","title":"ps25-secret","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret.jpg","width":3000,"height":4244,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret-212x300.jpg","medium-width":212,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret-724x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":724,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret-724x1024.jpg","large-width":724,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret.jpg","1536x1536-width":1086,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret.jpg","2048x2048-width":1448,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret-848x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":848,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/ps25-secret-297x420.jpg","home_baner-width":297,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"5","date":"20250904","wall_id":"5"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"362","name":"Poetry","old_id":"762"},{"term_id":"385","name":"Siblings","old_id":"785"}]},{"order":7,"id":"34113","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"Nothing Funny About Seth ","post_title":"Nothing Funny About Seth","slug":"nothing-funny-about-seth","old_id":"34113","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33986,"post_title":"Mark Oppenheimer","slug":"mark-oppenheimer","old_id":"33986","first_name":"Mark","last_name":"Oppenheimer","description":"Mark Oppenheimer is the host of Unorthodox, the podcast of Tablet magazine. 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As a great American pop band once sang, \u201cWhere is the love?\u201d Ask your average biblical semi-literate to name the children of Adam and Eve, and you\u2019ll reliably get, \u201cCain and Abel.\u201d Then ask who the next child was, and you\u2019ll get \u2026 crickets. Why should this be, given that, by the end of Genesis 4, God has already given Adam and Eve a son \u201cin place of Abel,\u201d a son named Seth?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In Genesis 5, we get the full import of Seth, quiet Seth, modest Seth, who feuds with nobody and manages, in his 912 years, to beget Enosh, who begets Kenan, and so forth, until after a lot of begets we meet a sixth-great-grandson by the name of Noah. That\u2019s Noah, <\/span>the forefather of every last one of us.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\r\n

Given that Cain and Abel make a mess of the sibling relationship, and that all of Adam and Eve\u2019s other sons and daughters go unnamed, Seth is the one to whom we owe everything, not just our biological lineage, but our example of how to live a long, happy, blameless life. And for that, what has he gotten? He is ignored and unheralded, his name obscure. Go ahead\u2014try to name a famous Seth. If, as Martin Amis wrote, tennis star Tim Henman was \u201cthe first human being called Tim to achieve anything at all,\u201d who is the second Seth to achieve anything? In 2017, Seth was the 322<\/span>nd<\/span> most popular name for newborn boys in the United States. Let\u2019s hope those few Seths are funny, because today Seth makes it big only by getting laughed at: Rogen, Macfarlane, Green, Meyers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But there was nothing funny about the original Seth, the Seth of Genesis 5. He not only gave humanity back its dignity\u2014he gave us our future.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0Seth Rogen speaking at the 2018 San Diego Comic Con International, photo by\u00a0Gage Skidmore \/ wikimedia<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":101841,"alt":"","title":"-62042cb8d18b0--62042cb8d18b1gen5-seth 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If you had to choose the most important principle in the Torah, what would it be? \u00a0How about a biblical verse that stands out for its moral clarity? One that is not only inherently noteworthy, but also underlies many of the Torah's numerous stories and laws? <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Undertaking this challenge, the 2<\/span>nd<\/span> century sage Rabbi Akiva cites a verse from the Book of Leviticus (19:18): \"Love your neighbor as yourself.\" Ben Azzai trumps him, claiming there's \"an even more important principle\" \u2013 i.e., \"This is the book of the generations of Adam. [On the day that God created humanity, in the likeness of God, He made them] (Genesis 5:1).\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Studying this passage in the Jerusalem Talmud, subsequent commentators debate whether Rabbi Akiva and Ben Azzai disagreed and, if so, over what. \u00a0Either way, it is clear that, according to Ben Azzai, the Torah's most important principle is that humanity was created in the divine image and that we all belong to the same family tree. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As the Torah highlights the story of one people \u2013 the Jews \u2013 Ben Azzai's universalism might surprise some. Even more surprising, however, is his choice of proof text.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The opening verse of Chapter 5 of the Book of Genesis is a repetition of things we've already been told before. Chapter 1 declares: \"And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He them (Genesis 1:27).\" Chapter 4 begins listing Adam's descendants, including the first two generations of the line of Seth. For all intents and purposes, then, the first 11 verses in Chapter 5 restate basic information previously conveyed to us in Chapter 4.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Whether it is the concept of divinely-endowed human dignity or the notion that all of humanity is descended from Adam, the verse Ben Azzai quotes does not teach us anything new. \u00a0Why, then, might he have chosen this verse? Perhaps, the answer lies in its placement in the larger narrative of the Book of Genesis.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis tell the story of creation, full of hope and promise for humanity. \u00a0Chapter 3, with its focus on Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden of Eden, introduces fallibility and abdication of responsibility to the human condition. \u00a0In Chapter 4, humanity descends into jealousy, violence, and bloodshed \u2013 a chapter bookended by the stories of Cain killing his brother and of Cain's descendant, Lamech, who revels in acts of murder. After all this, comes Chapter 5, a genealogy of Adam, focusing on his third son, Seth. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The power of Chapter 5 Verse 1, then, is not in its originality, but in its reaffirmation of human goodness and connectivity against the backdrop of evidence to the contrary. Seen in this vein, Chapter 1's assertion that humanity was created in God's image is descriptive; Chapter 5's is prescriptive. When humanity is at its worst, it is natural to retreat into our particularistic selves, wanting to protect our own. In his choice of verse, however, Ben Azzai arguably challenges us to fight that inclination, assert our shared humanity, and seek out the divine spark in others, even when it's difficult.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":61080,"alt":"","title":"2sam22-divine light","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam22-divine-light.jpg","width":1920,"height":1086,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam22-divine-light-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam22-divine-light-300x170.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":170,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam22-divine-light-768x434.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":434,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam22-divine-light-1024x579.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":579,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam22-divine-light.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":869,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam22-divine-light.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1086,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam22-divine-light-1200x679.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":679,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/2sam22-divine-light-743x420.jpg","home_baner-width":743,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Seeking the Divine Spark","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A reaffirmation of human goodness and connectivity against the backdrop of evidence to the contrary. 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Most of this chapter is what one would call \"a list of relationships\u201d-- genealogical lists. This person gave birth to that person who gave birth to another person. Boring? A little. But in \u00a0genealogy work, you have to know that, and a lot of secrets are hidden in the \u201cuninteresting\u201d lists. What, Aunt Nitza was Menahem's second wife?! Hanan and Iris had four children?! What happened to the fourth? Ah, Adam and Eve also had a third son and from him all humanity emerged? Abel, I heard he died, and what ever happened with Cain? Oh, he's already had children in Chapter 4.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":61652,"alt":"","title":"1kings4-family-tree","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree.png","width":1280,"height":1263,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree-300x296.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":296,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree-768x758.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":758,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree-1024x1010.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":1010,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1263,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1263,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree-1200x1184.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1184,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree-426x420.png","home_baner-width":426,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Genealogy Work","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"A lot of secrets are hidden in the \u201cuninteresting\u201d lists...","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":61652,"alt":"","title":"1kings4-family-tree","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree.png","width":1280,"height":1263,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree-300x296.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":296,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree-768x758.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":758,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree-1024x1010.png","large-width":1024,"large-height":1010,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree.png","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":1263,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree.png","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":1263,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree-1200x1184.png","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":1184,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/1kings4-family-tree-426x420.png","home_baner-width":426,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"5","date":"20250904","wall_id":"5"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"379","name":"Family","old_id":"779"}]},{"order":10,"id":"34118","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Chanoch and Elijah, Have You Met Yet? 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This chapter deals with the genealogy of Adam and his sons. The list opens with the first sinner, the one who dared to disobey the commandment of God and eat the forbidden fruit, an act for which he was punished with the curse of the earth: \"Thorns and thistles shall it sprout for you. \u00a0But your food shall be the grasses of the field. By the sweat of your brow shall you get bread to eat\u201d (Genesis 3:18-19). It ends with hope and consolation, with the birth of Noah: \"This one will provide us relief from our work and from the toil of our hands, out of the very soil with which the Lord placed under a curse\u201d (Genesis 5:29). \u00a0Perhaps from his time the curse ended.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Our chapter in effect adopts the first creation story (Chapters 1:1-2:4) over the one that appears in Chapter 2. As in chapter 1, so too here, God created \u201cAdam\u201d in the divine image, and woman and man were created together.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Seven generations from Adam is the character Enoch. Unlike the rest of the characters in the chapter, there is no mention that Enoch died: \"Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, for God took him\u201d (5:24). \u00a0It is possible, perhaps, to understand these words as a description of his death (this is what Rashi, for example, thought). However, if the Torah wished to indicate that he had died, it would certainly have done so without resorting to such vague expressions. It seems that the text is alluding in a subtle manner that Enoch did not die, but rather walked with God, which is exactly what happens later on with the prophet Elijah. \u00a0This portrayal of Enoch as being immortal continues in the non-canonized collection of books called Pseudepigrapha in the Book of I Enoch.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: Elijah ascending to heaven, by Ben Schachter (courtesy of the 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can't bring substantial relief to the world without leaving your comfort zone ","post_main_content_content":"

\"And he named him Noah, saying: 'this one will relieve (<\/span>yenahamenu<\/span><\/em>) us\u2026 from the toil of our hands out of the very soil which the Lord placed under a curse'\" (5:29).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"Resh Lakish (a 3<\/span>rd<\/span> century rabbi) said: The name does not correspond to its interpretation\u2026\" (Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 25).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Yenahamenu<\/span><\/em> resembles 'Noah', but they aren't identical. 'Noah' means comfortable\/rest; '<\/span>yenahamenu<\/span><\/em>'<\/em> means 'to comfort', or relieve.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Resh Lakish answers: \"Before Noah arose, the waters used to ascend and inundate\u2026 [the dead] in their graves, But when Noah arose, they had rest\u2026\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The midrash resolves the discrepancy by transmitting a tradition about underground water that used to ascend and flood graves for many years, until Noah was born. Noah, therefore, indeed provided <\/span>rest<\/span><\/em> in correspondence with the precise interpretation of his name, by preventing water from flooding graves. But by saying this, the midrash also ironically highlights Noah's failure to prevent the flood that destroys life.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

I suspect that even more significantly than resolving the question that it raised, the midrash insinuates that Noah's name, and it's incongruity with his father's expectations, foreshadow his later choices. Noah chooses spiritual comfort. He is righteous, but keeps his distance from evil society, where the righteous cannot feel <\/span>comfortable<\/span><\/em>. It's easier for him to come to the aid of the dead, who don't pose a spiritual threat. One cannot, however, bring substantial relief to the world without leaving one's <\/span>comfort<\/span><\/em> zone<\/em> and coming in contact with the evil in it that is very much alive.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":71074,"alt":"","title":"jer27-comfort-zone","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone.jpg","width":1082,"height":414,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone-300x115.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":115,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone-768x294.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":294,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone-1024x392.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":392,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone.jpg","1536x1536-width":1082,"1536x1536-height":414,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone.jpg","2048x2048-width":1082,"2048x2048-height":414,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone.jpg","post_full_size-width":1082,"post_full_size-height":414,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone.jpg","home_baner-width":1082,"home_baner-height":414}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Noah's Comfort Zone","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"You can't bring substantial relief to the world without leaving your comfort zone ","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":71074,"alt":"","title":"jer27-comfort-zone","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone.jpg","width":1082,"height":414,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone-300x115.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":115,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone-768x294.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":294,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone-1024x392.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":392,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone.jpg","1536x1536-width":1082,"1536x1536-height":414,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone.jpg","2048x2048-width":1082,"2048x2048-height":414,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone.jpg","post_full_size-width":1082,"post_full_size-height":414,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jer27-comfort-zone.jpg","home_baner-width":1082,"home_baner-height":414}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"5","date":"20250904","wall_id":"5"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"363","name":"Midrash","old_id":"763"},{"term_id":"388","name":"Virtue","old_id":"788"}]},{"order":12,"id":"34109","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"2","name":"The Book of the History of Mankind ","post_title":"The Book of the History of Humankind","slug":"the-book-of-the-history-of-humankind","old_id":"34109","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33954,"post_title":"Chaim Sabato","slug":"rabbi-chaim-sabato","old_id":"33954","first_name":"Chaim ","last_name":"Sabato ","description":"Rabbi Chaim Sabato was born to a family of Aleppan-Syrian descent in Cairo who made aliyah to Israel in the 1950\u2019s. He co-founded the yeshiva in Ma\u2019aleh Adumim and, in addition to teaching, has written several books.\r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi Chaim Sabato co-founded the yeshiva in Ma\u2019aleh Adumim and has written several novels.\r\n","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33955,"alt":"","title":"\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd \u05e1\u05d1\u05ea\u05d5","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05e1\u05d1\u05ea\u05d5.jpg","width":320,"height":288,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05e1\u05d1\u05ea\u05d5-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05e1\u05d1\u05ea\u05d5-300x270.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":270,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05e1\u05d1\u05ea\u05d5.jpg","medium_large-width":320,"medium_large-height":288,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05e1\u05d1\u05ea\u05d5.jpg","large-width":320,"large-height":288,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05e1\u05d1\u05ea\u05d5.jpg","1536x1536-width":320,"1536x1536-height":288,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05e1\u05d1\u05ea\u05d5.jpg","2048x2048-width":320,"2048x2048-height":288,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05e1\u05d1\u05ea\u05d5.jpg","post_full_size-width":320,"post_full_size-height":288,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/\u05d7\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd-\u05e1\u05d1\u05ea\u05d5.jpg","home_baner-width":320,"home_baner-height":288}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"5","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The Image of God: Dominance, Creativity, Knowledge, Choice, Kindness","post_main_content_content":"

The image of God. \u00a0This is the title with which humankind is crowned. \u00a0It is the most sublime title imaginable. What is the nature of this attribute captured by being \u201ccreated in the image of God?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Dominance<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

Nature stands at the service of man. It is in man\u2019s power to utilize nature for the purpose of repairing the world or destroying it. The Sages in Midrash Kohelet Rabbah would say (Kohelet Rabbah 7:28): \u201cWhen the Holy One Blessed One created the first man, God said to him, \"Look how good My deeds are!\" Make sure you do not destroy my world!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Creativity<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

One of humanity\u2019s unique abilities is the ability to create. A human being can be called \u201cthe image of God\u201d because the first thing that is told about God is that God created. The concept of creativity is broad--from physical concepts to legislative creativity, artistic creativity and more.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Knowledge<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

What is the uniqueness of the human mind? Freedom. The mind works freely. And therefore its consciousness is unique and novel in the world of reality. In this lies a human being\u2019s superiority over animals.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Choice<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

A person has autonomy, or freedom of choice, and this is what it means to be in the image of God, for this is the only area in which a person is completely not dependent on anything or anyone.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Kindness<\/span><\/em><\/p>\r\n

Kindness and generosity with no expectation of reward is the most intrinsic quality in humans, for just as God gives to the world without anything in exchange, so too has God implanted this attribute as His image in each person.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

These five attributes bring joy to human beings. All of them can be degraded, or nurtured until the person is crowned with the sublime title of having been made a \u201clittle less than divine\u201d (Psalms 8:6).<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"The Book of the History of Humankind","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The Image of God: Dominance, Creativity, Knowledge, Choice, Kindness","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":36143,"alt":"","title":"preview-6398","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/preview-6398-1.jpg","width":499,"height":495,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/preview-6398-1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/preview-6398-1-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/preview-6398-1.jpg","medium_large-width":499,"medium_large-height":495,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/preview-6398-1.jpg","large-width":499,"large-height":495,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/preview-6398-1.jpg","1536x1536-width":499,"1536x1536-height":495,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/preview-6398-1.jpg","2048x2048-width":499,"2048x2048-height":495,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/preview-6398-1.jpg","post_full_size-width":499,"post_full_size-height":495,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/preview-6398-1-423x420.jpg","home_baner-width":423,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"art4all\/Shutterstock.com","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"5","date":"20250904","wall_id":"5"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"374","name":"Humanity","old_id":"774"},{"term_id":"376","name":"Choice","old_id":"776"},{"term_id":"388","name":"Virtue","old_id":"788"}]},{"order":13,"id":"34129","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"MiliMiliM - The Hebrew Corner ","post_title":"MiliMiliM The Hebrew Corner Gen 5","slug":"milimilim-the-hebrew-corner-5","old_id":"34129","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34011,"post_title":"Jeremy Benstein","slug":"dr-jeremy-benstein","old_id":"34011","first_name":"Jeremy","last_name":"Benstein","description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English. He is one of the founders of the Heschel Center for Sustainability. He writes the MiliMiliM - Hebrew Corner on the site, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Dr. Jeremy Benstein is the managing editor of 929-English, and is the author of a book about the Hebrew language, \"Hebrew Roots, Jewish Routes: A Tribal Language in a Global World\" (Behrman House, 2019). ","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34232,"alt":"","title":"Jeremy Benstein","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","width":1280,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","1536x1536-width":1280,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1.jpg","2048x2048-width":1280,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Presentation1-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"5","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

\u05d1\u05e8\u05da, \u05d1\u05e8\u05db\u05d4 - barech, berachah<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\"And when they were created, He <\/span>blessed<\/span><\/i> them...(5:2).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The root \u05d1-\u05e8-\u05db, <\/span>b-r-ch<\/span><\/em>,<\/span><\/i> \"bless, blessing\" is one you will meet in many corners of Jewish life. Like many positive Jewish words (such as Shalom, peace, Chaim, life, Yaffa, beautiful, and Tova, goodness) Baruch is also a name: it was the philosopher Spinoza's first name, Latinized as Benedictus, and the last name of the famous financier and statesman, Bernard Baruch (the pronunciation Anglicized to \"baroosh\").<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Berachot<\/span><\/em>, <\/span><\/i>blessings, are acknowledged in all areas of life. Have a drink of water? Say a blessing. See a rainbow? Say a blessing. Finish eating that meal? Say a really long blessing, <\/span>birkat hamazon<\/span><\/em>, \"the blessing of the food,\" the grace after meals, (known to generations of Jewish summer campers simply as \"the birkat\").<\/span><\/p>\r\n

While the blessings are occasioned by the use of the objects involved, what is being \"blessed,\" or sanctified, is not the object \u2013 there's no such thing as holy wine or holy bread in Judaism \u2013 but God: <\/span>baruch ata<\/span><\/em>, \"blessed are You, God.\" There lies a theological issue, since what does it mean for us to be blessing God? Thanks perhaps \u2013 but blessing? Traditionally, God is <\/span>the<\/span><\/i> source<\/span><\/i> of blessing, not an object of one. \u00a0Indeed, some prefer translating one traditional epithet of God, <\/span>hakadosh baruch hu<\/span><\/em>, not as \"The Holy One, Blessed be He,\" but rather as \"the Holy One of Blessing\" or even \"the Holy Blessing One\" (which also solves the gender issue).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Blessing also has pride of place in the formal liturgy, as in the Jewish \"call to prayer\" which uses the root twice: <\/span>barchu et adonai hamevorach<\/span><\/em>,<\/em> literally, \"blessed is the Lord, who is [to be] blessed.\" This formulation should also be familiar to anyone who has had the honor of being called up to the Torah. It is the minimum that one learns as a bar or bat mitzvah.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This root, however, doesn't just appear in liturgical contexts. A common religious response to the simple question of \"how are you?\" might be simply, <\/span>baruch hashem<\/span><\/em>, \"blessed be the Name,\" i.e., \"thank God\" \u2013 the implication being \"A-OK.\" Though here too lies a theological issue. If we bless or thank God when all is well, what are we meant to do when things go awry? The Biblical Job provides the supreme example of an unwavering faith, and also provides a lovely rhymed couplet that summarizes his philosophy: <\/span>adonai natan, adonai lakach, yehi shem adonai mevorach<\/span><\/em>,<\/em> \"The Lord has given, the Lord has taken, blessed be the name of the Lord.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The standard Hebrew welcome, in traditional as well as modern Hebrew is: <\/span>beruchim habaim<\/span><\/em>, \"welcome.\" Literally it means \"blessed are they who come\" and can be idiomatically and elegantly met with a phrase that has no parallel in English: <\/span>beruchim hanimtzaim<\/span><\/em>, <\/span><\/i>\"blessed are they who are already here.\"<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: An aging Leonard Nimoy, aka Mr. Spock, giving the Vulcan Salute, aka, the priestly blessing...<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":101836,"alt":"","title":"-62042990525a8--62042990525a9gen5-beracha milim.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg.jpg","width":960,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg.jpg","large-width":960,"large-height":720,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":960,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":960,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg.jpg","post_full_size-width":960,"post_full_size-height":720,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"MiliMilim - The Hebrew Corner","tile_main_caption":"\u05d1\u05e8\u05db\u05d4 - Berachah","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"...a word from the daily chapter....","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":101836,"alt":"","title":"-62042990525a8--62042990525a9gen5-beracha milim.jpg","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg.jpg","width":960,"height":720,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg-300x225.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":225,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg-768x576.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":576,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg.jpg","large-width":960,"large-height":720,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg.jpg","1536x1536-width":960,"1536x1536-height":720,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg.jpg","2048x2048-width":960,"2048x2048-height":720,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg.jpg","post_full_size-width":960,"post_full_size-height":720,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2018\/07\/62042990525a8-62042990525a9gen5-beracha-milim.jpg-560x420.jpg","home_baner-width":560,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"5","date":"20250904","wall_id":"5"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"361","name":"Hebrew language","old_id":"761"}]},{"order":14,"id":"34131","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Fatherhood Between Biology and Morality ","post_title":"Fatherhood Between Biology and Morality","slug":"fatherhood-between-biology-and-morality","old_id":"34131","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33923,"post_title":"Jonathan Sacks","slug":"rabbi-lord-jonathan-sacks","old_id":"33923","first_name":"Jonathan ","last_name":"Sacks","description":"An international religious leader, philosopher, and award-winning author of over 35 books, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks served as the International President of 929.\r\nRabbi Sacks served as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth years between 1991 and 2013, and was knighted by Her Majesty The Queen in 2005 and made a Life Peer. Rabbi Sacks passed away on 7th November 2020, aged 72. He was one of the greatest Jewish thinkers of the 20th century, who bridged the religious and secular world through his ground-breaking canon of work.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"short_description":"Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks z\"k (1948-2020) was the former Chief Rabbi of the Commonwealth, and the International 929 president.","link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36222,"alt":"","title":"JSacks","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","width":437,"height":548,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-239x300.jpg","medium-width":239,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-768x448.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":448,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-1024x597.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":597,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","1536x1536-width":437,"1536x1536-height":548,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","2048x2048-width":437,"2048x2048-height":548,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594.jpg","post_full_size-width":437,"post_full_size-height":548,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/JSacks-e1532858712594-335x420.jpg","home_baner-width":335,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"5","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Motherhood is drawn attention to in the Torah long before fatherhood is explored in the twenty generations listed here","post_main_content_content":"

This chapter contains the the generations that follow Adam;\u00a0<\/span>listed from father to son for \u00a0generations all the way to Noah. <\/span>Recall, though, that the first person in history to be given a proper name was <\/span>Chavah<\/span><\/em>, Eve. As Adam said, \u201cshe is the mother of all life.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\r\n

Motherhood is drawn attention to in the Torah long before fatherhood is explored in the twenty generations listed, from Adam to Noah, and ten from Noah to Abraham. The reason is that motherhood is a biological phenomenon. It is common to almost all forms of advanced life. Fatherhood is a cultural phenomenon. There is little in biology that supports pair-bonding, monogamy and faithfulness in marriage, and less still that connects males with their offspring. That is why fatherhood always needs reinforcement from the moral code operative in a society. <\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":92177,"alt":"","title":"pro4-father son","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":864,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Fatherhood Between Biology and Morality","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Motherhood is drawn attention to in the Torah long before fatherhood is explored in the twenty generations listed here","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":92177,"alt":"","title":"pro4-father son","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son-300x169.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":169,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son-768x432.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":432,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son-1024x576.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":576,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":864,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1080,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son-1200x675.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":675,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/pro4-father-son-747x420.jpg","home_baner-width":747,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"5","date":"20250904","wall_id":"5"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"354","name":"Rabbi Sacks","old_id":"754"},{"term_id":"379","name":"Family","old_id":"779"}]},{"order":15,"id":"34671","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Relief and Regret ","post_title":"Relief and Regret","slug":"relief-and-regret","old_id":"34671","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33692,"post_title":"Alex Israel","slug":"33692-2","old_id":"33692","first_name":"Alex","last_name":"Israel","description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem. His first book \"I Kings - Torn in Two\" was published in 2013. See his website www.alexisrael.org, and his podcasts at https:\/\/elmad.pardes.org\/ and https:\/\/tanachstudy.com\/ \r\n","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33693,"alt":"","title":"alex israel","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","width":1657,"height":2500,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-199x300.jpg","medium-width":199,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-679x1024.jpg","medium_large-width":679,"medium_large-height":1024,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-679x1024.jpg","large-width":679,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","1536x1536-width":1018,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel.jpg","2048x2048-width":1357,"2048x2048-height":2048,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-795x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":795,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/alex-israel-278x420.jpg","home_baner-width":278,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"5","type_929":"2","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"The Many Meanings of a Name","post_main_content_content":"

Lemech named his son Noah saying, \u201cThis one will provide us relief -\u05d9\u05e0\u05d7\u05de\u05e0\u05d5 <\/span>yenachamenu<\/span><\/em>- from our work and from the toil of our hands, out of the very soil which the Lord placed under a curse.\u201d(5:29)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why does the world need \u201crelief\u201d from \u201cthe toil of our hands?\u201d Why does Lemech name his son in this way?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rashi says: \u201cFor until Noah came people had no ploughing implements and Noah invented them. The earth had brought forth thorns and thistles when they sowed wheat in consequence of the curse imposed upon Adam\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But did Noah\u2019s father know that his son would alleviate Adam\u2019s curse? Was he a prophet? Rabbi Joseph Kara suggests:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

\u201cWhen Noah was born, they felt that Adam\u2019s curse had ended. Calculate the years and see that Noah was born in the 930<\/span>th<\/span> year after creation, just after Adam died.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Adam had been cursed: \u201cThorns and thistles shall it sprout for you\u2026 By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread, until you return to the ground that God has cursed\u201d (3:18-19) When I hear this name given to this baby, I gain an insight into the deep sigh of relief with which humanity would have greeted Adam\u2019s death, as if the curse of humanity would now be removed. If Noah did in fact invent the plough, it would have been a product of the acute attention paid to the revival of the fertility of the soil in the aftermath of Adam.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Noah narrative is replete with subtle word plays on the Hebrew letters - \u05e0\u05d7 - that make up Noah\u2019s name, reflecting the \u201crelief\u201d or \u201crespite\u201d that Noah was to bring into the world. As \u201cthe Ark came to rest (8:4) \u05d5\u05ea<\/span>\u05e0\u05d7<\/b> - <\/span>vatanach<\/span><\/em>,<\/span><\/i> the \u201cresting place \u2013 \u05de<\/span>\u05e0\u05d5\u05d7 <\/b>- <\/span>manoach<\/span><\/em>\u201d for the dove (8:9), and the \u201cpleasing smell\u201d (8:21) <\/span>\u05e0\u05d9\u05d7\u05d5\u05d7 <\/b>nichoach<\/span><\/em> of Noah\u2019s sacrifice that induces God to pronounce that he will no longer curse civilization.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Noah provides relief, but only by saving his intimate family. Tragically God did not offer relief or rest \u00a0for humanity as a whole; only for Noah. Instead of relief, we have <\/span>regret <\/b>that he had created mankind (Gen. 6:6-7): \"\u05d5\u05d9<\/span>\u05e0\u05d7<\/b>\u05dd \u05d4' \u05db\u05d9 \u05e2\u05e9\u05d4 \u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\u05d0\u05d3\u05dd \u05d1\u05d0\u05e8\u05e5 ...\u05db\u05d9 <\/span>\u05e0\u05d7<\/b>\u05de\u05ea\u05d9 \u05db\u05d9 \u05e2\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea\u05dd\" - \u201c<\/span>vayenachem\u2026 ki nichamti<\/span><\/em>\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/i> - And the LORD regretted that He had made man on earth\u2026 \u201cI will blot out from the earth the men whom I created\u2026for I regret that I made them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Relief and Regret","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"The Many Meanings of a Name","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","tile_link_for_pay":"0","links":false,"send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Torah","book":"Genesis","chapter":"5","chapter_main_number":"5","date":"20250904","wall_id":"5"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"361","name":"Hebrew language","old_id":"761"},{"term_id":"363","name":"Midrash","old_id":"763"}]},{"order":16,"id":"34120","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Chapter 5 Summary: A Semitic list with some surprises ","post_title":"Chapter 5 Summary: A Semitic List, with Some Surprises","slug":"chapter-5-summary-a-semitic-list-with-some-surprises","old_id":"34120","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":false,"related_cahpter":"5","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"

In the previous chapter we followed the beginning of mankind through the lineage of Cain, which contributed quite a lot to humanity at the beginning of its days (cities, music, art, copper and iron). But in terms of the Bible - Cain is a rejected branch and the story will continue through Seth, the son whom Adam saw as the replacement for his murdered son Abel.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Points to ponder:<\/p>\r\n

The chapter is a history from Adam to Noah, ten generations: \u00a0who gave birth to whom and how long they lived. The list has a set structure which includes several noteworthy surprises:<\/span><\/p>\r\n

    \r\n\t
  1. \u00a0<\/span> At the beginning of the chapter, there is a reminder of the Creation story from Chapter 1 \u201cMale and female He created them, and when they were created, He blessed them and called them man (<\/span>adam<\/span><\/i>)\u201d (5:2). \u00a0One could say that adam (\u201cman\u201d) here is a family name. \u00a0The male is \u201cadam\u201d as is the female \u201cadam.\u201d Adam is \u201cadam\u201d and Eve is \u201cadam.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. \u00a0<\/span> In verse 24, when the genealogy gets to Enoch, there is a surprise: \u201cEnoch walked with God; then he was no more, for God took him.\u201d \u00a0This verse is the tip of the iceberg of the extensive traditions about Enoch - the man who did not die.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. \u00a0<\/span> The record setter of longevity in the Bible in ancient times is Methuselah who was 969 years old when he died.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. \u00a0<\/span> According to verse 29, Noah received his name not because its Hebrew root is related to the same Hebrew root word as convenience or comfort but because it is connected to the Hebrew word for relief and consolation. And it is not just relief in a general sense, but the relief that Noah will bring is for the punishment received by the first man, Adam: ... \u201cThis 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.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  5. \u00a0<\/span> For each person on the list, one son is given a name. The rest are only called their children--male or female. \u00a0Noah, however, has three sons - Shem, Ham and Yefet. The three of them will continue the story of humanity.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to 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