A corresponding process took place on earth. We read: “And Adam knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bare Cain” (Gen. IV, I). Together with Adam’s energy it was that which had been left of the ape element in her that produced Cain. Therefore of Cain’s birth it does not say, “And he begat” but “she bare a son”.
The reason for its saying of Abel also, “And she again bare his brother Abel”, is that, although he was conceived of the Masculine side, yet the Accuser weakened Adam’s power and energy. Now with the letter koph (of Cain: koph also means an ape), the letters began to beget.
As soon as the impurity was eliminated, the letter shin (of Sheth) began to come into operation, the union of the Masculine with the Feminine. Therefore it says “And he begat a son in his own likeness, after his image, and he called his name Sheth” (Gen. 5, 3): he, and not she. Then the letters reversed and combining the aleph of Adam with the letter following the last in his name-nun- took vau also (but not he’, because that is already found in Abel), and also the first letter of Sheth, and then the name Enosh came into being (v. 6). What is the difference between enosh (man) and adam (which also signifies “man”)? Enosh (anash=to be sick) indicates that he had not the same strength as Adam; concerning which it is written: “What is man (enosh) that thou shouldst magnify him?” (Job 7, 17). A weakening of the body, but a strengthening of the soul was the heritage left by Sheth to his son Enosh, a good heritage for his acceptance.
The latter passed on a like heritage to his son. The letters now began again to reverse their order and to make straight again that which had become crooked.
The son of Enosh was Kenan (v. 9), which (in Hebrew) has the same letters as Cain, with an additional letter to signify that humanity was healed from the curse of Cain.
The son of Kenan was Mahalalel: the mem (m) was the last letter of Adam; the he and the lamed (l) are from Hebel (Abel), and, as the latter was not wicked like Cain, the letters of his name were not changed, with the exception of one, that is the second (the b), and it was altered to aleph in Mahalalel, in order to correct any defect that might have been left in him.
And so, thus far was the world healed, and that which had become crooked was made straight from Enosh; only the guilt of Adam was not healed yet; that healing came only when Israel stood at Mount Sinai. But the crookedness of Cain and Abel was made good and healed. Yet the world continued to be full of trouble and sorrow until Noah came, concerning whom his father Lamech said: “This same shall comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed” (Ibid. 5, 29). The sin of Adam was not healed until the time when Israel stood at Mount Sinai and received the Torah, when the lamp and light became united together.
And now, Masters, I may tell you that I am from Babylon, the son of Rab Saphra. Unhappily, I have not been able to know my father, so I came here to the Holy Land, and fearing lest the inhabitants of this land should be lions of wisdom and knowledge, I resolved in humility not to say one word concerning the Torah in the presence of anyone for two months. On this very day those two months have come to an end, and happy am I that to-day, too, ye have arrived here!” He ceased, and R. Jose lifted up his voice and wept. They all then rose and kissed the young man on the brow. Said R. Jose: ‘Blessed is our lot that we were found worthy to come this way so that we might listen to words concerning the Ancient of Days from thy mouth, words which until to-day it had not been granted to us to hear.’
Then they all seated themselves again, and the youth said: ‘Masters, as I have seen the sorrow that I have brought to this my father-in-law and to his daughter, who are filled with grief because I seem not to know how to recite the Grace after meals, so I must tell you that until I grasp the full significance of this prayer I determine not to consummate my marriage. For, although I could have been united with her without sin of any kind, yet I did not wish to deceive either her or her father about myself, as it was impossible for me to explain myself until the two months were passed.’ R. Jose and R. Hiya, as well as the innkeeper and his daughter, now all wept together for joy. And R. Jose said: ‘We pray thee, as thou hast begun, shed on us further the light of day. Blessed indeed are we that we came this way!’
כְּגַוְונָא דָּא לְתַתָּא. לְתַתָּא מַה כְּתִיב, (בראשית ד׳:א׳) וְהָאָדָם יָדַע אֶת חַוָּה אִשְׁתּוֹ וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד אֶת קַיִן, שָׁרִיאַת קוֹף לְאוֹלָדָא, בִּמְעָהָא, בְּחֵילָא וְסִיוּעָא (רל"א ע"א) דְּאָדָם לְבָתַר דְּהָא קַבִּילַת (קמ"ח ע"ב) זוּהֲמָא מִגּוֹ הַאי קוֹף. וְעַל דָּא לָא כְּתִיב הָכָא וַיּוֹלֶד, אֶלָּא יָדַע וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֶד, וְנָפַק פְּסוֹלֶת גּוֹ נוּקְבָּא.
A corresponding process took place on earth. We read: “And Adam knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bare Cain” (Gen. IV, I). Together with Adam’s energy it was that which had been left of the ape element in her that produced Cain. Therefore of Cain’s birth it does not say, “And he begat” but “she bare a son”.
וַתּוֹסֶף לָלֶדֶת אֶת אָחִיו אֶת הָבֶל, וּבְהַאי נָמֵי לָא כְּתִיב וַיּוֹלֶד, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּמִסְטְרָא דִּדְכוּרָא הֲוָה. אֲבָל מְקַטְרְגָא תָּשַׁשׁ וְתָבַר חֵילֵיהּ, דְּהָא בְּאָת קוֹף שָׁרִיאוּ אַתְוָון לְאוֹלָדָא.
The reason for its saying of Abel also, “And she again bare his brother Abel”, is that, although he was conceived of the Masculine side, yet the Accuser weakened Adam’s power and energy. Now with the letter koph (of Cain: koph also means an ape), the letters began to beget.
כֵּיוָן דְּאִתְבְּרִיר פְּסוֹלֶת, שָׁרִיאוּ אַתְוָון לְאוֹלָדָא מֵרָזָא דְּאָת ש"ת. תִּקּוּנָא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא. בְּאִסְתַּכְּמוּתָא כַּחֲדָא. וּכְדֵין כְּתִיב וַיּוֹלֶד בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ וַיִּקְרָא אֶת שְׁמוֹ שֵׁת, וְלָא כְּתִיב וַתִּקְרָא. וַיִּקְרָא אִיהוּ, וְלָא אִיהִי. אִיהוּ קָרָא שְׁמֵיהּ שֵׁת, תִּקּוּנָא דְּכַר וְנוּקְבָּא כַּחֲדָא, דַּהֲווֹ בְּאִסְתַּכְּמוּתָא חֲדָא.
As soon as the impurity was eliminated, the letter shin (of Sheth) began to come into operation, the union of the Masculine with the Feminine. Therefore it says “And he begat a son in his own likeness, after his image, and he called his name Sheth” (Gen. 5, 3): he, and not she. Then the letters reversed and combining the aleph of Adam with the letter following the last in his name-nun- took vau also (but not he’, because that is already found in Abel), and also the first letter of Sheth, and then the name Enosh came into being (v. 6). What is the difference between enosh (man) and adam (which also signifies “man”)? Enosh (anash=to be sick) indicates that he had not the same strength as Adam; concerning which it is written: “What is man (enosh) that thou shouldst magnify him?” (Job 7, 17). A weakening of the body, but a strengthening of the soul was the heritage left by Sheth to his son Enosh, a good heritage for his acceptance.
תּוּ אִתְגַּלְגָּלוּ אַתְוָון, וְאָהַדְרוּ לְאוֹלָדָא אָלֶף דְּאָדָם, וְאִינּוּן אַתְוָון בַּאֲתָר דְּאִיהוּ סִיּוּם שְׁמֵיהּ. וּמַאן אִיהוּ. נ', וּלְבָתַר ו' לָא ה', דְּהָא אִתְעֲדִיאַת (נ"א אתיילידת) בְּהֶבֶל. בְּגִין כַּךְ נָטִיל אָת אַחֲרָא אֲבַתְרֵיהּ ו', סִיֵּים בְּשֵׁירוּתָא דְּשֵׁת ש', וְאִקְרֵי אֱנוֹשׁ.
The latter passed on a like heritage to his son. The letters now began again to reverse their order and to make straight again that which had become crooked.
אֱנוֹשׁ מָה בֵּין שְׁמָא דָּא לִשְׁמָא דְּאָדָם. אֶלָּא אֱנוֹשׁ לָאו אִיהוּ בְּתֻּקְפָּא הֲוָה, תִּקּוּנָא דְּקַדְמָאֵי הֲוָה, (תהילים ח׳:ה׳) מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תִזְכְּרֶנּוּ. וּכְתִיב (איוב ז׳:י״ח) מָה אֱנוֹשׁ כִּי תְּגַּדְלֶנּו וְגוֹ', וַתִּפְקְדֶנּוּ לִבְקָרִים לִרְגָּעִים תִּבְחָנְנּוּ. וְעַל דָּא כְּתִיב (ישעיהו נ״ג:י׳) וַיְיָ' חָפֵץ דַּכְּאוֹ הֶחֱלִי, תְּבִירוּ דְּגוּפָא, וְתֻּקְפָּא דְּנַפְשָׁא, אוֹרִית שֵׁת לְאֱנוֹשׁ יְרוּתָא דְּהֲוָה לֵיהּ לְקַבְּלָא. וְאִיהוּ אוּף הָכִי אוֹרִית לִבְנוֹ.
The son of Enosh was Kenan (v. 9), which (in Hebrew) has the same letters as Cain, with an additional letter to signify that humanity was healed from the curse of Cain.
תּוּ אִתְגַּלְגָּלוּ אַתְוָון לְאַתְקְנָא עֲקִימָא, וְאִתְהַדְּרוּ לְאוֹלָדָא. קֵינָן. הַאי תִּקּוּנָא דְּקַיִן, וְאִתְתָּקַּן תְּחוֹתֵיהּ, וְאִתְהַדְּרוּ אַתְוָון לְבַסְּמָא עָלְמָא מֵעֲקִימוּ דְּהֲוָה. מַהֲלַלְאֵל מ' סוֹפָא דְּאַתְוָון דְּאָדָם. ה' ול' תִּקּוּנָא דְּאַתְוָון דְּהֶבֶל, וּבְגִין דְּלָא הֲוָה חַיָּיבָא כְּקַיִן, לָא אִתְחַלָּפוּ אַתְוָון מִשְּׁמֵיהּ בַּר חַד. דִּבַאֲתָר ב' הֲוָה א' לְמֶהֱוֵי תִּקּוּנָא יַתִּיר.
The son of Kenan was Mahalalel: the mem (m) was the last letter of Adam; the he and the lamed (l) are from Hebel (Abel), and, as the latter was not wicked like Cain, the letters of his name were not changed, with the exception of one, that is the second (the b), and it was altered to aleph in Mahalalel, in order to correct any defect that might have been left in him.
עַד הָכָא אִתְבְּסָם עָלְמָא, וְאִתְתָּקַּן עֲקִימָא מֵשֵּׁירוּתָא דֶּאֱנוֹשׁ. בַּר חוֹבָא דְּאָדָם, דְּלָא אִתְבְּסָם, עַד דְּקַיְימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּטוּרָא דְּסִינַי, אֲבָל תִּקּוּנָא דְּעֲקִימוּ דְּקַיִן וְהֶבֶל אִתְתָּקַּן וְאִתְבָּסַם, אֲבָל עָלְמָא הֲוָה בְּצַעֲרָא וְעִצְבוֹנָא, עַד דְּאָתָא נֹחַ דִּכְתִּיב, (בראשית ה׳:כ״ט) זֶה יְנַחֲמֵנוּ מִמַּעֲשֵׂנוּ וּמֵעִצְּבוֹן יָדֵינוּ מִן הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר אֲרֵרָהּ יְיָ'. וְחוֹבָא דְּאָדָם לָא אִתְבְּסָם, עַד דְּקַיְימוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל טוּרָא דְּסִינַי, וְקַבִּילוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא, וְכַד יִשְׂרָאֵל קַבִּילוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא, כְּדֵין נֵר וְאוֹר אִתְתַּקַּן כַּחֲדָא.
And so, thus far was the world healed, and that which had become crooked was made straight from Enosh; only the guilt of Adam was not healed yet; that healing came only when Israel stood at Mount Sinai. But the crookedness of Cain and Abel was made good and healed. Yet the world continued to be full of trouble and sorrow until Noah came, concerning whom his father Lamech said: “This same shall comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed” (Ibid. 5, 29). The sin of Adam was not healed until the time when Israel stood at Mount Sinai and received the Torah, when the lamp and light became united together.
וְהַשְׁתָּא רַבּוֹתַי, אֲנָא מִבָּבֶל, וּבְרָא דְּרַב סַפְרָא אֲנָא, וְלָא זָכֵינָא לְאִשְׁתְּמוֹדְעָא לְאַבָּא, וְאַטְרִידְנָא הָכָא, וְדָחִילְנָא, דְּהָא יַתְבֵי אַרְעָא דָּא, אִינּוּן אַרְיְיוָון בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, וְשַׁוֵינָא עָלַי דְּלָא אֵימָא מִילֵּי דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא קָמֵי בַּר נָשׁ, עַד תְּרֵין יַרְחִין, וְיוֹמָא דָּא אִשְׁתְּלִימוּ. זַכָּאָה חוּלָקִי דְּאִתְעַרְעְתוּן הָכָא. אָרִים רַבִּי יוֹסִי קָלֵיהּ וּבָכֵי, וְקָמוּ כֻּלְּהוּ וּנְשָׁקוּהוּ בְּרֵישֵׁיהּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסִי זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא דְּזָכֵינָא בְּהַאי אָרְחָא, לְמִשְׁמַע מִלֵּי דְּעַתִּיק יוֹמִין מִפּוּמָךְ, מַה דְּלָא זָכֵינָן לְמִשְׁמַע עַד הַשְׁתָּא.
And now, Masters, I may tell you that I am from Babylon, the son of Rab Saphra. Unhappily, I have not been able to know my father, so I came here to the Holy Land, and fearing lest the inhabitants of this land should be lions of wisdom and knowledge, I resolved in humility not to say one word concerning the Torah in the presence of anyone for two months. On this very day those two months have come to an end, and happy am I that to-day, too, ye have arrived here!” He ceased, and R. Jose lifted up his voice and wept. They all then rose and kissed the young man on the brow. Said R. Jose: ‘Blessed is our lot that we were found worthy to come this way so that we might listen to words concerning the Ancient of Days from thy mouth, words which until to-day it had not been granted to us to hear.’
יָתִיבוּ כֻּלְּהוּ, אָמַר לוֹן רַבּוֹתַי, מִדְּחָמֵינָא צַעֲרָא דְּהַאי חָמִי וּבְרָתֵיהּ, דְּדַחֲקֵי וּמִצְטַעֲרֵי בְּנַפְשַׁיְיהוּ, דְּלָא יְדַעְנָא בִּרְכַּת מְזוֹנָא. אֲמֵינָא לוֹן, דְּעַד דְּאֶנְדַע בִּרְכַּת מְזוֹנָא, לָא אִתְחֲבָּר בְּאִנְתְּתִי, כְּאֹרַח כָּל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּיָכִילְנָא לְשַׁמְּשָׁא בָּהּ בְּלָא חוֹבָה, לָא בְּעֵינָא לְמֶעְבַּר עַל דַּעְתַּיְיהוּ, הוֹאִיל וְלָא הֲוֵינָא יָכִיל לְמֵימַר מִדִי, עַד תְּרֵין יַרְחִין. חֲדוּ רַבִּי יוֹסִי וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא וְחַמוֹי וּבְרָתֵיהּ, וּבָכוּ מִסְגִיאוּ חֶדְוָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסִי, בְּמָטוּ מִינָךְ, כֵּיוָן דִּשְׁרִיאַת, אַנְהִיר לָן יְמָמָא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקָנָא בְּאֹרַח דָּא.
Then they all seated themselves again, and the youth said: ‘Masters, as I have seen the sorrow that I have brought to this my father-in-law and to his daughter, who are filled with grief because I seem not to know how to recite the Grace after meals, so I must tell you that until I grasp the full significance of this prayer I determine not to consummate my marriage. For, although I could have been united with her without sin of any kind, yet I did not wish to deceive either her or her father about myself, as it was impossible for me to explain myself until the two months were passed.’ R. Jose and R. Hiya, as well as the innkeeper and his daughter, now all wept together for joy. And R. Jose said: ‘We pray thee, as thou hast begun, shed on us further the light of day. Blessed indeed are we that we came this way!’