AND IT REPENTED THE LORD THAT HE HAD MADE MAN UPON THE EARTH, AND IT GRIEVED HIM AT HIS HEART. R. Jose illustrated from the verse: Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope (Is. 5, 18). He said: ‘Those who “draw iniquity” are the men who sin before their Master every day, and in whose eyes the sins they commit are like gossamer threads, which are of no account and are not noticed by God. And so they go on until they make their guilt as strong as a cart rope which cannot be broken.
See now, when the time comes for God to pass sentence on sinners, although they have provoked Him every day, He is yet unwilling to destroy them, and though He sees their deeds, He is yet indulgent towards them because they are the work of His hands, and therefore He gives them a respite.
When at last He does come to execute judgement upon them, He is, as it were, grieved, since they are the work of His hands, although it is written, “Honour and majesty are before him, strength and joy are in his place” (Ps. 96, 6).’
R. Jose said: ‘Observe that it says, “He was grieved to his heart”. The seat of the grief was the heart and no other place, “heart” having here the same sense as in the verse, “according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind” (I Sam. 2, 35).’ R. Isaac said: ‘The word “repented” here has the same sense as in the sentence, “And the Lord repented of the evil which he had said he would do unto his people” (Ex. 32, 14).
R. Yesa says that the word niham, used of God, means “repent”, as has been remarked, implying that God bethinks Himself that the sinners are the work of His hands, and therefore pities them and is grieved because they sin before Him.
R. Hizkiah says that it means “is consoled”, implying that when God resolves to destroy the wicked, He comforts Himself for their loss like one who resigns himself to the loss of some article, and once He has done so, justice takes its course and repentance no longer avails;
for up to that point the decision may still be reversed. No only so, but judgement is executed with additional rigour, until the sinners are utterly destroyed. The text tells us as much; for the words “the Lord was comforted” indicate that God resigned Himself, and the words “he was grieved to his heart” that He allowed justice to take its course without mercy.’
R. Hiya said: ‘The words “God was comforted because he had made man” refer to the time when man was first created on the earth, in the supernal image, and God rejoiced because the angels praised Him saying, “Thou hast made him (man) little lower than God, and crownest him with glory and honour” (Ps. 8, 6).
But afterwards when man sinned, then God “was grieved”, because now the angels could say that they had been right in protesting against his creation, saying: “What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him?” (Ibid. 5).’
R. Judah said: ‘God was grieved because the execution of judgement is always displeasing to Him. Thus we read that Jehoshaphat when going out to war “appointed those that should sing…. Give thanks unto the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever” (II Chron. 20, 21), and R. Isaac has explained that the reason why the words “for he is good” do not appear in this chant, as in other passages where it is given, is because He was about to destroy the works of His hands before Israel.
Similarly, at the time when Israel crossed the Red Sea, when the angels came as usual to chant their praises before God on that night, God said to them: “The works of my hands are drowning in the sea, and will you chant praises?”; hence it says, “and this (angel) drew not near to that one all the night” (Ex. 14, 20). Thus whenever destruction of the wicked takes place, there is grief for them above.’
R. Abba said: ‘God had already been grieved when Adam sinned before Him and transgressed His commandment. He said to him: “Woe to thee that thou hast weakened the heavenly power, for at this moment thou hast quenched a light”; and forthwith He banished him from the Garden of Eden,
saying: “I put thee in the garden to bring offerings, but thou hast impaired the altar so that offerings cannot henceforth be brought on it; henceforth therefore it is thy doom to labour at the ground.” ‘ God also decreed that he should die. Taking pity on him, however, God allowed him when he died to be buried near the Garden of Eden.
For Adam had made a cave near the Garden, and had hidden himself there with his wife. He knew it was near the Garden, because he saw a faint ray of light enter it from there, and therefore he desired to be buried in it; and there he was buried, close to the gate of the Garden of Eden.
So it is that when a man is about to depart from life, Adam, the first man, appears to him and asks him why and in what state he leaves the world. He says: “Woe to thee that through thee I have to die.” To which Adam replies: “My son, I transgressed one commandment and was punished for so doing; see how many commandments of your Master, negative and positive, you have transgressed”.’
R. Hiya said: ‘Adam exists to this day, and twice a day he sees the patriarchs and confesses his sins, and shows them the place where once he abode in heavenly glory. He also goes and looks at all the pious and righteous among his descendants who have attained to celestial glory in the Garden of Eden. All the patriarchs then praise God, saying: “How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God, and the children of men take refuge under the shadow of thy wings” (Ps. 36, 8).’
R. Yesa said: ‘Adam appears to every man at the moment of his departure from life to testify that the man is dying on account of his own sins and not the sin of Adam, according to the dictum, “there is no death without sin”.
There are only three exceptions, namely, Amram, Levi, and Benjamin, who were deprived of life through the prompting of the primeval serpent; some add also, Jesse. These did not sin, and no ground could be assigned for their death save the prompting of the serpent, as we have said.
All the generations contemporary with Noah committed their sins openly, in the sight of all. R. Simeon was one day walking through the gate of Tiberias when he saw some men drawing the bow tight over earthenware pots. He cried: “What! do these miscreants dare to provoke their Master thus openly?” He scowled at them, and they were thrown into the sea and drowned.
Take note that every sin which is committed openly repels the Shekinah and causes her to remove her abode from this world. The contemporaries of Noah committed their sins openly and defiantly, and so they drove the Shekinah away from the world, in punishment for which God removed them from the world, in accordance with the maxim, “Take away the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the finer; take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness” (Prov. 25, 4 and 5).’
וַיִּנָחֶם יְיָ כִּי עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל לִבּוֹ. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי פָּתַח (ישעיהו ה׳:י״ח) הוֹי מוֹשְׁכֵי הֶעָוֹן בְּחַבְלֵי הַשָּׁוְא וְכַעֲבוֹת הָעֲגָלָה חַטָּאָה. הוֹי מוֹשְׁכֵי הֶעָוֹן אִלֵּין בְּנִי נָשָׁא דְּחָטָאן קַמֵי מָארֵיהוֹן בְּכָל יוֹמָא, וְאִתְדַּמָּן בְּעֵינַיְיהוּ אִנּוּן חוֹבִין דְּאִנּוּן כְּחַבְלֵי הַשְּׁוָא. וְחָשְׁבִין דְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא דְּעָבְדִין וְהַהוּא חוֹבָא דְּעָבְדִין דְּלָאו אִיהוּ כְלוּם וְלָא אַשְׁגַּח בְּהוּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא. עַד דְּעָבְדִין לְהַהוּא חוֹבָא תַּקִּיף וְרָבֵי כַּעֲבוֹת הָעֲגָלָה דְּאִיהוּ תַּקִּיף דְּלָא יָכִיל לְאִשְׁתֵּצָאָה.
AND IT REPENTED THE LORD THAT HE HAD MADE MAN UPON THE EARTH, AND IT GRIEVED HIM AT HIS HEART. R. Jose illustrated from the verse: Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope (Is. 5, 18). He said: ‘Those who “draw iniquity” are the men who sin before their Master every day, and in whose eyes the sins they commit are like gossamer threads, which are of no account and are not noticed by God. And so they go on until they make their guilt as strong as a cart rope which cannot be broken.
וְתָא חֲזֵי כַּד עָבִיד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּינָא בְּחַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִנּוּן חָטָאן קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְאַרְגְּזִין לֵיהּ כָּל יוֹמָא. לָא בָּעֵי לְאוֹבָדָא לְהוּ מֵעָלְמָא. וְכַד אַשְׁגַּח בְּעוֹבָדֵיהוֹן אִתְנְחַם עֲלַיְיהוּ עַל דְּאִנּוּן עוֹבְדֵי יְדוֹי וְאוֹרִיךְ לוֹן בְּעָלְמָא.
See now, when the time comes for God to pass sentence on sinners, although they have provoked Him every day, He is yet unwilling to destroy them, and though He sees their deeds, He is yet indulgent towards them because they are the work of His hands, and therefore He gives them a respite.
וּבְגִין דְּאִנּוּן עוֹבָדֵי יְדוֹי נָטִיל נְחָמָה וְאִתְנְחָם עֲלַיְיהוּ וְחַיִיס עֲלַיְיהוּ. וְכַד בָּעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד בְּהוּ דִּינָא כִּבְיָכוֹל עָצִיב (ד"א ל"ג חדוון לא תיעול קדמוהי) דְּכֵיוָן דְּעוֹבָדֵי יְדוֹי אִנּוּן, עָצִיב עֲלַיְיהוּ. כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (דניאל ו׳:י״ט) וְדַחֲוָון לָא הַנְעֵל קָדָמוֹהִי.
When at last He does come to execute judgement upon them, He is, as it were, grieved, since they are the work of His hands, although it is written, “Honour and majesty are before him, strength and joy are in his place” (Ps. 96, 6).’
כְּתִיב, (ס"א והא כתיב) (תהילים צ״ו:ו׳) הוֹד וְהָדָר לְפָנָיו עוֹז וְחֶדְוָה בִּמְקוֹמוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי תָּא חֲזֵי, וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל לִבּוֹ כְּתִיב. אֶל לִבּוֹ עָצִיב וְלָא לְאֲתַר אָחֳרָא. לִבּוֹ כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (שמואל א ב׳:ל״ה) כַּאֲשֶׁר בִּלְבָבִי וּבְנַפְשִׁי יַעֲשֶׂה. רַבִּי יִצְחָק אָמַר וַיִּנָּחֶם יְיָ כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר (שמות ל״ב:י״ד) וַיִנָּחֶם יְיָ עַל הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לַעֲשׂוֹת לְעַמּוֹ.
R. Jose said: ‘Observe that it says, “He was grieved to his heart”. The seat of the grief was the heart and no other place, “heart” having here the same sense as in the verse, “according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind” (I Sam. 2, 35).’ R. Isaac said: ‘The word “repented” here has the same sense as in the sentence, “And the Lord repented of the evil which he had said he would do unto his people” (Ex. 32, 14).
רַבִּי יֵיסָא אָמַר לְטַב. רַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר לְבִישׁ. רַבִּי יֵיסָא אָמַר לְטַב, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָחִים עַל דְּאִנּוּן עוֹבָדֵי יְדוֹי וְחַיִיס עֲלַיְיהוּ. וַיִּתְעַצֵּב בְּגִין דְּאִנּוּן חָטָאן קַמֵּיהּ.
R. Yesa says that the word niham, used of God, means “repent”, as has been remarked, implying that God bethinks Himself that the sinners are the work of His hands, and therefore pities them and is grieved because they sin before Him.
וְרַבִּי חִזְקִיָּה אָמַר לְבִישׁ דְּכַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בָּעֵי לְאוֹבָדָא לְחַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא נָטִיל נִיחוּמִין עֲלַיְיהוּ וְקַבִּיל נִיחוּמִין. כִּבְיָכוֹל כְּמַאן דִּמְקַבֵּל נִיחוּמִין עַל מַה דְּאֲבִיד. כֵּיוָן דְּקַבֵּל נִיחוּמִין וַדַּאי דִּינָא אִתְעֲבַד וְלָא תַלְיָא מִלְּתָא בִּתְשׁוּבָה.
R. Hizkiah says that it means “is consoled”, implying that when God resolves to destroy the wicked, He comforts Himself for their loss like one who resigns himself to the loss of some article, and once He has done so, justice takes its course and repentance no longer avails;
אֵימָתַי תַּלְיָא בִּתְשׁוּבָה, עַד לָא קַבִּיל תַּנְחוּמִין עֲלַיְיהוּ. הָא קַבִּיל תַּנְחוּמִין עֲלַיְיהוּ לָא תַלְיָיא מִלְּתָא בִּתְשׁוּבָה כְּלַל וְדִינָא אִתְעֲבִיד. וּכְדֵין אוֹסִיף דִּינָא עַל דִּינָא, וְאַתְקִיף (לקמן ע ב) לְהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּדִינָא, לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא וְאוֹבִיד לוֹן לְחַיָּיבַיָא מִן עָלְמָא. וְכֹלָּא בַּקְּרָא דִּכְתִיב וַיִּנָּחֶם יְיָ. קִבֵּל תַּנְחוּמִין. וּלְבָתַר וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל לִבּוֹ. יָהַב תּוּקְפָּא לְדִינָא לְמֶעְבַּד דִּינָא.
for up to that point the decision may still be reversed. No only so, but judgement is executed with additional rigour, until the sinners are utterly destroyed. The text tells us as much; for the words “the Lord was comforted” indicate that God resigned Himself, and the words “he was grieved to his heart” that He allowed justice to take its course without mercy.’
רַבִּי חִיָּיא אָמַר וַיִּנָּחֶם יְיָ כִּי עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ. נָטַל תַּנְחוּמִין וְחֶדְוָה, כַּד עֲבַד קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לָאָדָם בְּאַרְעָא דְּאִיהוּ כְּגַוְונָא עִלָּאָה וְכָל מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי מְשַׁבְּחָן לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כַּד חָמוּ לֵיהּ בְּדִיוּקְנָא עִלָּאָה וְאָמָרוּ (תהילים ח׳:ו׳) וַתְּחַסְּרֵהוּ מְעַט מֵאֱלֹהִים וְכָבוֹד וְהָדָר תְּעַטְּרֵהוּ.
R. Hiya said: ‘The words “God was comforted because he had made man” refer to the time when man was first created on the earth, in the supernal image, and God rejoiced because the angels praised Him saying, “Thou hast made him (man) little lower than God, and crownest him with glory and honour” (Ps. 8, 6).
לְבָתַר כַּד חָטָא אָדָם אִתְעַצֵּב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַל דְּחָטָא. דְּיָהַב פִּתְחוֹן פֶּה לְמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת דְּאָמְרוּ קַמֵּיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא כַּד בָּעָא לְמִבְרֵי לֵיהּ, מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ וּבֶן אָדָם כִּי תִפְקְדֶנּוּ.
But afterwards when man sinned, then God “was grieved”, because now the angels could say that they had been right in protesting against his creation, saying: “What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him?” (Ibid. 5).’
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל לִבּוֹ בְּגִין דְּבָעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד בְּהוּ דִּינָא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב ב) בְּצֵאת לִפְנֵי הֶחָלוּץ וְאוֹמְרִים הוֹדוּ לַיְיָ כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ. וְאָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק אַמַּאי לָא כְּתִיב הָכָא כִּי טוֹב. אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּאוֹבִיד עוֹבְדֵי יְדוֹי קַמַּיְיהוּ דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל.
R. Judah said: ‘God was grieved because the execution of judgement is always displeasing to Him. Thus we read that Jehoshaphat when going out to war “appointed those that should sing…. Give thanks unto the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever” (II Chron. 20, 21), and R. Isaac has explained that the reason why the words “for he is good” do not appear in this chant, as in other passages where it is given, is because He was about to destroy the works of His hands before Israel.
כְּגַוְונָא דָא כַּד הֲווּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עָבְרִין יַמָּא. אָתוּ מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי לְמֵימַר שִׁירָה קַמֵּיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בְּהַהוּא לֵילְיָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּמַה עוֹבָדֵי יַדָי טָבְעִין בְּיַמָּא וְאַתּוּן אָמְרִין שִׁירָה. כְּדֵין (שמות י״ד:כ׳) וְלֹא קָרַב זֶה אֶל זֶה כָּל הַלָּיְלָה. אוּף הָכָא בְּכָל זִמְנִין דְּאִיבּוּד רַשִּׁיעַיָא אִיהוּ מֵעָלְמָא כְּדֵין עֲצִיבוּ אִשְׁתְּכַח עֲלַיְיהוּ.
Similarly, at the time when Israel crossed the Red Sea, when the angels came as usual to chant their praises before God on that night, God said to them: “The works of my hands are drowning in the sea, and will you chant praises?”; hence it says, “and this (angel) drew not near to that one all the night” (Ex. 14, 20). Thus whenever destruction of the wicked takes place, there is grief for them above.’
רַבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּחָב קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָדָם וְעָבַר עַל פִּקּוּדוֹי, כְּדֵין אִשְׁתְּכַח עֲצִיבוּ קַמֵּיהּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָדָם וַוי דְּחָלְשַׁת חֵילָא עִלָּאָה. בְּהַאי שַׁעֲתָא אִתְחַשְׁכַת נְהוֹרָא חַד. מִיָּד תָּרִיךְ לֵיהּ מִגִּנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן.
R. Abba said: ‘God had already been grieved when Adam sinned before Him and transgressed His commandment. He said to him: “Woe to thee that thou hast weakened the heavenly power, for at this moment thou hast quenched a light”; and forthwith He banished him from the Garden of Eden,
אָמַר לֵיהּ אֲנָא אַעֲלִית לָךְ לְגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן לְקָרְבָא קָרְבָּנָא. וְאַתְּ פְּגִימַת מַדְבְּחָא דְּלָא אִתְקְרַב קָרְבָּנָא. מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה לַעֲבוֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה. וְגָזַר עֲלֵיהּ מִיתָה. וְחָס עֲלֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְגָנִיז לֵיהּ בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְמִית סָמִיךְ לְגִנְתָּא.
saying: “I put thee in the garden to bring offerings, but thou hast impaired the altar so that offerings cannot henceforth be brought on it; henceforth therefore it is thy doom to labour at the ground.” ‘ God also decreed that he should die. Taking pity on him, however, God allowed him when he died to be buried near the Garden of Eden.
מַה עֲבַד אָדָם עֲבַד מְעַרְתָּא חָדָא וְאִתְטַמַּר בָּהּ הוּא וְאִתְּתֵיהּ. מְנָא יָדַע. אֶלָּא חָמָא חַד נְהוֹרָא דַּקִּיק עָיִיל בְּהַהוּא אֲתַר דְּנָפִיק מִגִּנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן וְתָאַב תֵּיאוּבְתֵּיהּ לְקִבְרֵיהּ. וְתַמָּן הוּא אֲתַר סָמוּךְ לִתְרַע דְּגִנְתָּא דְּעֵדֶן.
For Adam had made a cave near the Garden, and had hidden himself there with his wife. He knew it was near the Garden, because he saw a faint ray of light enter it from there, and therefore he desired to be buried in it; and there he was buried, close to the gate of the Garden of Eden.
תָּא חֲזֵי, לָא אִסְתַּלַּק בַּר נָשׁ מֵעָלְמָא עַד דְּחָמֵי לֵיהּ לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן. שָׁאִיל לֵיהּ עַל מָה אָזִיל מֵעָלְמָא וְהֵיךְ נָפִיק. הוּא אָמַר לֵיהּ וַוי דִּבְגִינָךְ נְפַקְנָא מֵעָלְמָא. וְהוּא אָתִיב לֵיהּ בְּרִי אֲנָא עֲבָרִית עַל פִּקּוּדָא חָדָא וְאִתְעֲנָּשִׁית בְּגִינָהּ. חָמֵי אַתְּ כַּמָּה חוֹבִין וְכַמָּה פִּקּוּדִין דְּמָארָךְ עֲבַרְתְּ.
So it is that when a man is about to depart from life, Adam, the first man, appears to him and asks him why and in what state he leaves the world. He says: “Woe to thee that through thee I have to die.” To which Adam replies: “My son, I transgressed one commandment and was punished for so doing; see how many commandments of your Master, negative and positive, you have transgressed”.’
אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא עַד כְּדוֹ יוֹמָא קָאִים אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן וְחָזֵי בַּאֲבָהָן תְּרֵין זִמְנִין בְּיוֹמָא וְאוֹדֵי עַל חוֹבוֹי. וְאַחְמֵי לוֹן הַהוּא אֲתַר דְּהֲוָה בֵּיהּ בִּיקָרָא עִלָּאָה. וְאָזִיל וְחָמֵי כָּל אִנּוּן צַדִּיקַיָּיא וְחֲסִידֵי דְּנָפְקוּ מִנִּיהּ וְיָרְתוּ לְהַהוּא יְקָרָא עִלָּאָה דִּבְגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן. וְאֲבָהָן כֻּלְהוֹן אוֹדָן וְאָמְרִין (תהילים ל״ו:ח׳) מַה יָּקָר חַסְדְּךָ אֱלֹהִים וּבְנֵי אָדָם בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ יֶחסָיוּן.
R. Hiya said: ‘Adam exists to this day, and twice a day he sees the patriarchs and confesses his sins, and shows them the place where once he abode in heavenly glory. He also goes and looks at all the pious and righteous among his descendants who have attained to celestial glory in the Garden of Eden. All the patriarchs then praise God, saying: “How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God, and the children of men take refuge under the shadow of thy wings” (Ps. 36, 8).’
רַבִּי יֵיסָא אָמַר כֻּלְהוּ בְּנֵי עָלְמָא חָמָאן לֵיהּ לְאָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּמִסְתַּלְּקֵי מִן עָלְמָא, לְאַחֲזָאָה סַהֲדוּתָא דִּבְגִין חוֹבוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ אִיהוּ אִסְתַּלַּק מֵעָלְמָא וְלָא בְגִינֵיהּ דְּאָדָם. כְּמָה דִּתְנִינָן אֵין מִיתָה בְּלא חֵטְא.
R. Yesa said: ‘Adam appears to every man at the moment of his departure from life to testify that the man is dying on account of his own sins and not the sin of Adam, according to the dictum, “there is no death without sin”.
בַּר אִנּוּן תְּלָתָא דְּאִסְתַּלָּקוּ בְּגִין הַהוּא עֵיטָא דְּנָחָשׁ הַקַּדְמוֹנִי. וְאִלֵּין אִנּוּן, עַמְרָם לֵוִי וּבִנְיָמִין. וְאִית דְּאָמְרֵי אוּף נָמֵי יִשַּׁי. דְּלָא חָבוּ וְלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח עֲלַיְיהוּ חוֹבָא דִּימוּתוּן בֵּיהּ, בַּר דְּאַדְכַּר עֲלַיְיהוּ הַהוּא עֵיטָא דְּנָחָשׁ כִּדְאֲמָרָן.
There are only three exceptions, namely, Amram, Levi, and Benjamin, who were deprived of life through the prompting of the primeval serpent; some add also, Jesse. These did not sin, and no ground could be assigned for their death save the prompting of the serpent, as we have said.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כֻּלְהוֹן דָּרִין דְּהֲווּ בְּיוֹמוֹי דְּנֹחַ כֻּלְהוּ אַפְשִׁיטוּ חוֹבִין עַל עָלְמָא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא לְעֵינֵיהוֹן דְּכֹלָּא. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הֲוָה אָזִיל יוֹמָא חַד בְּפִילֵי דִטְבֶרְיָה, חָמָא בְּנִי נְשָׁא דְּהֲוֵי מְקַטְרֵי בְּקִיטְרָא דְקַשְׁתָּא בְּקוּלְפָא דְּקַנְסִיר. אָמַר וּמַה חוֹבָא דָא בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא לְאַרְגָּזָא לְמָרֵיהוֹן. יָהִיב עֵינוֹי בְּהוּ וְאִתְרְמִיּוּ לְגוֹ יַמָּא וּמִיתוּ.
All the generations contemporary with Noah committed their sins openly, in the sight of all. R. Simeon was one day walking through the gate of Tiberias when he saw some men drawing the bow tight over earthenware pots. He cried: “What! do these miscreants dare to provoke their Master thus openly?” He scowled at them, and they were thrown into the sea and drowned.
תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל חוֹבָא דְּאִתְעֲבִיד בְּאִתְגַּלְיָא דָּחֵי לָהּ לִשְׁכִינְתָּא מֵאַרְעָא וּסְלִיקַת דִּיּוּרָהּ מֵעָלְמָא. אִלֵּין הֲווּ אָזְלִין בְּרִישָׁא זָקִיף וְעַבְדֵי חוֹבַיְיהוּ בְּאִתְגַלְיָיא וְדָחוּ לָהּ לִשְׁכִינְתָּא מֵעָלְמָא. עַד דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דָּחָא לוֹן וְאַעֲבִיר לוֹן מִנֵּיהּ. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב (משלי כ״ה:ה׳) הָגוֹ רָשָׁע לִפְנִי מֶלֶךְ וְגו' הָגוֹ סִגִּים מִכֶּסֶף וְגו':
Take note that every sin which is committed openly repels the Shekinah and causes her to remove her abode from this world. The contemporaries of Noah committed their sins openly and defiantly, and so they drove the Shekinah away from the world, in punishment for which God removed them from the world, in accordance with the maxim, “Take away the dross from the silver, and there cometh forth a vessel for the finer; take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness” (Prov. 25, 4 and 5).’