FOR YET SEVEN DAYS, AND I WILL CAUSE IT TO RAIN UPON THE EARTH FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS. R. Judah said: ‘What is the point of mentioning the exact period? The answer is that forty is the appropriate number for the punishment of sinners, in accordance with the ordinance, “Forty stripes he may give him, he shall not exceed” (Deut. 25, 3). Further, this number corresponds to the four quarters of the world, so that there were ten for each quarter. For since man was created from the four quarters of the world, and the decree went forth, “And I will blot out every living substance that I have made from the face of the earth”, forty were required for this purpose.’
R. Isaac studied regularly with R. Simeon. One day he asked him: ‘With reference to the passage “And the earth was corrupt”, if men sinned, why should the earth be called corrupt?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘We find a parallel in the passage, “And the land was defiled, therefore I did visit the iniquity thereof upon it” (Lev. 18, 25), where the same problem arises. The explanation is that mankind constitute the essence of the earth, so that they infect the earth with their own corruption. This is made clear by the language of the Scripture in the passage, “And God saw the earth, and behold it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.”
For indeed all the other sins of man, involving but his own corruption, admit of repentance. But the sin of onanism is one by which man corrupts both himself and the earth; and of such a one it is written, “The stain of thine iniquity remains before me” (Jer. 2, 22), also “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, evil shall not sojourn with thee” (Ps. 5, 5), and it is further written, “And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord slew him” (Gen. 38, 7), as explained elsewhere.’
R. Judah further asked, “Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, punish the world with water, and not with fire or any other element?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘There is a mystical reason, based on the fact that they “corrupted their ways”. As their sin consisted in not allowing the upper and lower waters to meet in conjunction, as they ought,
so were they punished with water. Further, the waters of the Deluge were burning hot, and caused their skins to peel off, this being a meet punishment for the sin they committed in wasting the warm fluid. It was all measure for measure. The words in the text, “All the fountains of the great deep were broken open” refer to the lower waters, and the words “And the windows of Heaven were opened” refer to the upper waters. Thus were the two waters combined as a fit punishment for their sins.’
R. Hiya and R. Judah, while once going on their travels, came to some huge mountains, in the ravines of which they found human bones left over from the generation of the Flood. They measured a bone and found to their amazement that it was three hundred paces long. They said: ‘This bears out what our colleagues have said, that the men of the time of the Flood did not fear the vengeance of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, “They said unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways” (Job 21, 14), and that one of the things they did was to stop up with their feet the fountains of the deep, until the waters which bubbled up became too hot for them to endure, so that they finally succumbed and fell to the ground and died.’
כִּי לְיָמִים עוֹד שִׁבְעָה אָנֹכִי מַמְטִיר עַל הָאָרֶץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה וְגו'. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר הָנִי אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה מַאי עֲבִידְתַּיְיהוּ. אֶלָּא אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם לְאַלְקָאָה חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא וּכְתִיב, (דברים כ״ה:ג׳) אַרְבָּעִים יַכֶּנּוּ לֹא יוֹסִיף, לָקֳבֵל אַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא לְכָל חַד עֲשָׂרָה. בְּגִין דְּבַּר נָשׁ מֵאַרְבַּע סִטְרֵי עָלְמָא אִתְבְּרֵי. וְעַל דָּא וּמָחִיתִי אֶת כָּל הַיְקוּם. וְאִצְטְרִיךְ אַרְבָּעִים לְאַלְקָאָה וּלְאִתְמְחֵי עָלְמָא.
FOR YET SEVEN DAYS, AND I WILL CAUSE IT TO RAIN UPON THE EARTH FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS. R. Judah said: ‘What is the point of mentioning the exact period? The answer is that forty is the appropriate number for the punishment of sinners, in accordance with the ordinance, “Forty stripes he may give him, he shall not exceed” (Deut. 25, 3). Further, this number corresponds to the four quarters of the world, so that there were ten for each quarter. For since man was created from the four quarters of the world, and the decree went forth, “And I will blot out every living substance that I have made from the face of the earth”, forty were required for this purpose.’
רַבִּי יִצְחָק הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר לֵיהּ הַאי קְרָא (דקאמרי) דִּכְתִיב וַתִּשָּׁחֵת הָאָרֶץ לִפְנִי הָאֱלהִים. אִי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא חָטָאן אַרְעָא בְּמָּה. אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב כִּי הִשְׁחִית כָּל בָּשָׂר אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר. כְּגַוְונָא דָא (ויקרא י״ח:כ״ה) וַתִּטְמָא הָאָרֶץ וָאֶפְקוֹד עֲוֹנָהּ עָלֶיהָ. אֶלָּא בְּנֵי נָשָׁא חָטָאן וְאִי תֵימָא אַרְעָא בְּמָּה, אֶלָּא עִקְּרָא דְאַרְעָא בְּנֵי נָשָׁא אִנּוּן. וְאִנּוּן מְחַבְּלִין אַרְעָא וְהִיא אִתְחַבָּלַת. וּקְרָא אוֹכַח דִּכְתִיב וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁחָתָה כִּי הִשְׁחִית כָּל בָּשָׂר אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ.
R. Isaac studied regularly with R. Simeon. One day he asked him: ‘With reference to the passage “And the earth was corrupt”, if men sinned, why should the earth be called corrupt?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘We find a parallel in the passage, “And the land was defiled, therefore I did visit the iniquity thereof upon it” (Lev. 18, 25), where the same problem arises. The explanation is that mankind constitute the essence of the earth, so that they infect the earth with their own corruption. This is made clear by the language of the Scripture in the passage, “And God saw the earth, and behold it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.”
תָּא חֲזֵי, כָּל חֶטְאוֹי דְּבַר נָשׁ כֻּלְהוּ חַבָּלוּתָא דִילֵיהּ תַּלְיָין בִּתְשׁוּבָה. וְחֶטְאָה דְּאוֹשִׁיד זַרְעָא עַל אַרְעָא וּמְחַבְּלָא אָרְחֵיהּ וְאַפִּיק זַרְעָא עַל אַרְעָא, מְחַבִּיל לֵיהּ וּמְחַבִּיל אַרְעָא. וְעֲלֵיהּ כְּתִיב, (ירמיהו ב׳:כ״ב) נִכְתַּם עֲוֹנִךְ לְפָנַי. וּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ (תהילים ה׳:ה׳) כִּי לֹא אֵל חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע אָתָּה לֹא יְגוּרְךָ רָע. בַּר בִּתְשׁוּבָה סַגֵּי. וּכְתִיב, (בראשית ל״ח:ז׳) וַיְהִי עֵר בְּכוֹר יְהוּדָה רַע בְּעֵינֵי יְיָ וַיְמִיתֵהוּ יְיָ וְהָא אִתְּמָר.
For indeed all the other sins of man, involving but his own corruption, admit of repentance. But the sin of onanism is one by which man corrupts both himself and the earth; and of such a one it is written, “The stain of thine iniquity remains before me” (Jer. 2, 22), also “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness, evil shall not sojourn with thee” (Ps. 5, 5), and it is further written, “And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord slew him” (Gen. 38, 7), as explained elsewhere.’
אָמַר לֵיהּ אַמַּאי דָּאִין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עָלְמָא בְּמַיָא וְלָא בְּאֶשָׁא וְלָא בְּמִלָּה אָחֳרָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ רָזָא הוּא דְּהָא אִנּוּן חַבִּילוּ אָרְחַיְיהוּ בְּגִין דְּמַיִין עִלָאִין וּמַיִין תַּתָּאִין לָא אִתְחַבָּרוּ דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת. וּמַאן אִלֵּין מַיִּין עִלָּאִין בִּינָה. וּמַיִּין תַּתָּאִין מַלְכוּת. ה"א עִלָּאָה ה"א תַּתָּאָה. וְכַד אִנּוּן מְחַבְּלִין, אִסְתַּלַק י"ו דְהוּא דְכַר, וְאִשְׁתָּאַר ה"א בה"א (ומיין במיין. מאן אנון דחבילו ארחייהו, כגוונא דא מיין דכורין ונוקבי. ועל דא אתדנו במיא במה דאנון חבו.
R. Judah further asked, “Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, punish the world with water, and not with fire or any other element?’ R. Simeon replied: ‘There is a mystical reason, based on the fact that they “corrupted their ways”. As their sin consisted in not allowing the upper and lower waters to meet in conjunction, as they ought,
ומיין הוו רתיחן ופשטו משכא מנייהו כמה דחבילו ארחייהו במיין רתיחן. דינא לקבל דינא. הדא הוא דכתיב) נִבְקְעוּ כָּל מַעְיְינוֹת תְּהוֹם רַבָּה, הָא מַיִין תַּתָּאִין. וַאֲרוּבּוֹת הַשָּׁמַיִם נִפְתָּחוּ דָּא מַיִין עִלָּאִין. מַיִין עִלָּאִין וְתַתָּאִין.
so were they punished with water. Further, the waters of the Deluge were burning hot, and caused their skins to peel off, this being a meet punishment for the sin they committed in wasting the warm fluid. It was all measure for measure. The words in the text, “All the fountains of the great deep were broken open” refer to the lower waters, and the words “And the windows of Heaven were opened” refer to the upper waters. Thus were the two waters combined as a fit punishment for their sins.’
רַבִּי חִיָּיא וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה הֲווּ אָזְלֵי בְּאָרְחָא. וּמָטוּ לְגַבֵּי טוּרִין רַבְרְבָן וְאַשְׁכָּחוּ בֵּינֵי טוּרַיָא גַּרְמֵי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא דְּהֲווּ מֵאִנּוּן בְּנִי טוֹפָנָא. וּפָסְעוּ תְּלַת מְאָה פְּסִיעָן בְּגַרְמָא חָדָא. תְּוָוהוּ. אָמְרוּ הַיְינוּ דְּאָמְרוּ חַבְרָנָא דְּאִנּוּן לָא הֲווּ מִסְּתָּפֵי מִדִּינָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כְּמָה דִכְתִיב, (איוב כ״א:י״ד-ט״ו) וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָאֵל סוּר מִמֶּנּוּ וְדַעַת דְּרָכֶיךָ לֹא חָפָצְנוּ. מָה עַבְדוּ. הֲווּ סְתִימִין בְּרַגְלַיְיהוּ מַבּוּעֵי תְהוֹמָא. וּמַיִין נָפְקִין רְתִיחָן וְלָא יָכִילוּ לְמֵיקַם בְּהוּ, עַד דְּהֲווּ נִשְׁמָטִין וּנְפָלוּ בְּאַרְעָא וּמַיְיתִין:
R. Hiya and R. Judah, while once going on their travels, came to some huge mountains, in the ravines of which they found human bones left over from the generation of the Flood. They measured a bone and found to their amazement that it was three hundred paces long. They said: ‘This bears out what our colleagues have said, that the men of the time of the Flood did not fear the vengeance of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, “They said unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways” (Job 21, 14), and that one of the things they did was to stop up with their feet the fountains of the deep, until the waters which bubbled up became too hot for them to endure, so that they finally succumbed and fell to the ground and died.’