ספר בראשית - פרשת נח - ז:א-טז - שני

Hashem said to Noach, "Come, you and all your household, into the ark, for it is you that I have seen as a righteous man before Me in this generation." The verse emphasizes that Hashem recognized Noach as a tzadik, a righteous person, in his generation. This sets the stage for why Noach and his family are being saved from the flood, highlighting his unique status among his contemporaries.

Rashi notes that the verse says, "For it is you that I have seen as a tzadik," but it does not say "tzadik tomim"—a perfectly righteous man—as it did earlier in chapter 6, verse 9. From here, we learn that one should say only part of a person's praise in his presence, and all of it only in his absence. In other words, when someone is present, we mention only some of his virtues, but when he is not present, we can speak of all his virtues. This is a lesson in humility and proper speech, as derived from the way Hashem addresses Noach here.

Of all the clean animals, you shall take for yourself seven pairs, a male and its mate; and of the animals that are not clean, two, a male and its mate. The Torah distinguishes between clean and unclean animals, instructing Noach to take more of the clean ones. This is because the clean animals would be used for sacrifices after the flood. The verse also shows that Noach was to take both males and females, ensuring the continuation of each species.

Rashi explains that "the clean animals" refers to those that are destined to be clean for Israel in the future. From here, we learn that Noach studied Torah, since he knew which animals would be considered clean for the Jewish people. This shows that the concept of taharah, ritual purity, was already present and understood by Noach, even before the Torah was given at Sinai.

On the words "seven pairs," Rashi says this was so that Noach would be able to offer some of them as sacrifices upon leaving the ark. In other words, the extra animals were brought specifically for the purpose of korbanos, offerings, after the flood. This explains why more of the clean animals were brought than the unclean ones.

Also of the fowl of the heavens, seven pairs, male and female, to keep seed alive on the face of the earth. The Torah commands that Noach take seven pairs of the birds as well, again distinguishing between clean and unclean species. The purpose is to ensure the survival and continuity of each species after the flood.

Rashi explains that when the verse says, "also of the fowl of the heavens," it is speaking about the clean birds. We learn from what is explicit (the animals) to what is not explicit (the birds): just as seven pairs of clean animals were to be brought, so too with the birds—seven pairs of the clean species were to be brought into the ark. For the unclean species, only one pair was to be saved. This method of learning, "v'yilamed so-sum min ha-mefurash," means we derive the details of one case from the explicit details of another.

For in another seven days, I will make it rain upon the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will blot out all beings that I have made from the face of the earth. The verse is saying that there will be a delay of seven more days before the flood begins, after which Hashem will bring rain for forty days and forty nights, destroying all living things from the earth.

Rashi explains the phrase "for in another seven days" (ki le-yamim od shiva) as referring to the seven days of mourning for the righteous Mesushelach. Hashem had consideration for the honor of Mesushelach and delayed the retribution until after his passing. Rashi says, "Go and calculate the years of Mesushelach, and you will find that they ended in the six hundredth year of Noach's life." In other words, the flood was postponed so that Mesushelach could be mourned properly, and only after those seven days did the flood begin.

The phrase "for in another seven days" (ki le-yamim od)—what does the word od (another) mean here? It means a period of time following a previous period of time. This period of seven days was added to the 120 years that had already been given as a warning before the flood. So, the seven days are an additional time after the 120 years.

Rashi explains the forty days (arbaim yom) as corresponding to the time required for the formation of a fetus. The people of the generation sinned by burdening their Creator, causing Him to form the shapes of mamzeirim—children born from incestuous and forbidden unions. Therefore, the punishment of forty days of rain matched the forty days it takes for a fetus to form.

Noach did according to all that Hashem had commanded him. This means that Noach followed all of Hashem's instructions regarding the building of the ark and the preparations for the flood.

Rashi explains that the phrase "Noach did" (vayaas Noach) refers specifically to his entering the ark. In other words, this verse is talking about Noach's actual act of coming into the ark as Hashem had commanded.

Noach was six hundred years old when the flood came—when the waters were upon the earth. This verse is giving the age of Noach at the time the flood began, marking the moment when the waters of the flood started to cover the earth.

Noach, his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives went into the ark because of the floodwaters. The men and women entered separately. Rashi explains that they were prohibited from engaging in marital relations at this time because the world was in a state of suffering. Also, Rashi notes that Noach himself was among those of little faith—he believed and did not believe that the flood would actually come, and he did not enter the ark until the water forced him to do so.

The men were separate and the women were separate, because they were prohibited from engaging in marital relations. This was because the world was steeped in pain and suffering at that time.

Because of the flood waters: Noach too was among those of little faith. He believed and did not believe that the flood would actually come, and he did not enter the ark until the water forced him to do so.

Of the clean animals, and of the animals that are not clean, and of the fowl, and of all that creeps upon the earth: This verse lists the various types of creatures that were brought into the ark—both the clean animals and those that are not clean, the birds, and all creeping things.

Two by two they came to Noach, to the ark, male and female, as G-d had commanded Noach: The animals came to Noach in pairs, one male and one female, just as G-d had instructed him.

They came to Noach by themselves, without Noach having to gather them in.

All of them were equal in this number—two by two. The smallest number was two, but of course, for the clean animals, there were seven, as mentioned earlier.

And it came to pass, after the seven days, that the floodwaters were upon the earth: After the seven days had passed, the waters of the flood began to come upon the earth.

In the six hundredth year of Noach's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on this very day, all the springs of the great deep were split, and the windows of the heavens opened up: The Torah gives the precise date when the flood began. On that day, the fountains of the deep burst forth and the windows of the heavens were opened, unleashing the waters of the flood.

On the words "in the second month," Rashi brings two opinions. Rabbi Eliezer says this refers to Marcheshvan, while Rabbi Yehoshua says it refers to Iyar.

On the word "were split" (nivke'u), Rashi explains that this means the springs were split open in order to bring out their waters.

On the phrase "the great deep" (tehom rabah), Rashi says this is measure for measure. They sinned with 'great' evil, as it says "the evil of man was great" (rabbah ra'as ha'adam), and so they were punished with the 'great deep' (tehom rabah).

"And the rain was upon the earth for forty days and forty nights." This verse tells us that the rain fell on the earth for forty days and forty nights. Later, in verse 17, the Torah refers to the flood as "the mabul" rather than just rain. When the rains first came down, they came down with mercy, so that if the people would repent, the rains would be for blessing. But when they did not repent, the rains became the flood. The first day is not counted in the forty days, because the night was not included with it, as the splitting of the springs happened during the day. Therefore, the forty days ended on the twenty-eighth of Kislev, according to Rabbi Eliezer, who counts the months as alternating between full (thirty days) and defective (twenty-nine days), making twelve days of Marcheshvan and twenty-eight of Kislev, totaling forty.

On the words "and the rain was upon the earth" (vayehi hageshem al ha'aretz), Rashi asks: but later, in verse 17, it says "and the flood was upon the earth" (vayehi hamabul)? The answer is that when Hashem first brought down the rain, He brought it down with mercy, so that if the people would repent, the rains would be for blessing. But when they did not repent, the rains became the flood.

On the words "forty days, etc." (arbaim yom vegomer), Rashi says that the first day is not counted in the total, because its night was not included with it. For it is written, "on this day all the springs were split." The result is that the forty days ended on the twenty-eighth of Kislev, according to Rabbi Eliezer, who counts the months as alternating one full (thirty days) and one defective (twenty-nine days). So there are twelve days of Marcheshvan and twenty-eight of Kislev, making forty days in total.

"On this very day, Noach came, and Shem, and Chom, and Yafes, the sons of Noach, and Noach's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark." This verse describes how, on that very day, Noach and his family entered the ark. The Torah emphasizes "on this very day" to teach that the people of the generation were saying, "If we see him going into the ark, we will break it and kill him." So Hashem said, "I will bring him in before the eyes of all, and we will see whose word will prevail."

On the words "on this very day" (be'etzem hayom hazeh), Rashi teaches that the verse is telling you that the people of Noach's generation were saying, "If we see him entering the ark, we will break it and kill him." Hashem said, "I will bring him in before the eyes of everyone, and we will see whose word will prevail!"

They and every living creature after its kind, and every domestic animal after its kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every wing. This verse lists all the different types of creatures that entered the ark: each species of wild animal, each species of domestic animal, each species of creeping thing, and each species of bird, described as "every bird of every wing."

"Tzipor kol kanof" — the phrase is in the construct state, meaning "bird of every type of wing." This comes to include even locusts. The word kanof means feather, as in the verse in Vayikra, "and he shall split it apart with its feathers" — even its feathers are included in the burnt offering. So too here, the meaning is any bird with any kind of appearance of feathers. In other words, the Torah is including all types of winged creatures, even those like locusts, under the term "bird of every wing."

Two by two, they came to Noach, to the ark, from all flesh in which there is a spirit of life. This verse describes how the animals came to Noach in pairs, male and female, from every species that had the breath of life in it. The animals came on their own to the ark, as was commanded.

And those who came, male and female, of all flesh came as G-d had commanded him, and Hashem shut him in. This verse tells us that the animals entered the ark in the manner that G-d had commanded, and then Hashem closed the ark for Noach. The closing of the ark was a special act of protection.

"Vayisgor Hashem ba'ado" — Hashem protected him so that they would not break into the ark. He surrounded the ark with bears and lions, and they killed some of the people who tried to harm Noach. The simple meaning of the verse is that Hashem closed the ark in front of him, against the water. Likewise, every use of the word ba'ad in Chumash is an expression meaning "in front of" or "against," as in the verses: "ba'ad kol rechem" (in front of every womb), "ba'adcha uva'ad banecha" (in front of you and your sons), "or ba'ad or" (skin for skin), "magen ba'adi" (a shield for me), and "hispalel ba'ad avadecha" (pray for your servants) — meaning on behalf of or in front of your servants.