Genesis Rabbah 23

¹“Cain was intimate with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Ḥanokh; he was the builder of a city, and he called the name of the city after the name of his son Ḥanokh” (Genesis 4:17). “Cain was intimate with his wife.” “Their houses will endure in their midst forever” (Psalms 49:12). Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Pinḥas, Rabbi Yudan said: What do the wicked believe? “Their houses will endure in their midst forever…they name their lands after themselves” (Psalms 49:12); Tiberias after Tiberius, Alexandria after Alexander, Antioch after Antiochus. Rabbi Pinḥas said: “Their houses will endure in their midst ( kirbam ) forever”; tomorrow their house will become their graves ( kivram ). “Their abodes will remain for all generations” (Psalms 49:12), as they will neither live nor be judged [at the resurrection]. Moreover, “they name their lands after themselves” – “he was the builder of a city, and he called the name of the city after the name of his son Ḥanokh.” ²“Irad was born to Hanokh and Irad begot Mehuyael and Mehuyael begot Metushael and Metushael begot Lemekh” (Genesis 4:18). “Irad was born to Hanokh…” – Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: These are all expressions of rebellion. Irad – ‘I will expel them [ ored ] from the world’; Meḥuyael – ‘I will eradicate them [ moḥeh ] from the world’; Metushael – ‘I will uproot them [ metish ] from the world’; Lemekh – ‘What do I have to do with Lemekh – ‘what need do I have of you?’ and his offspring?’ “Lemekh took for himself two wives; the name of one was Ada, and the name of the other Tzila” (Genesis 4:20). Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon: This is what the people of the generation of the Flood would do: Each one would take two wives for himself, one for procreation and one for intercourse. The one that was designated for procreation would sit as though she were a widow in her lifetime [variant reading: in the life of her husband]. The one that was designated for intercourse, he would give her a sterility potion so she would not bear children, and she would sit by him adorned like a harlot. That is what is written: “He consorts with the barren who will not give birth, and to the widow he will do no good” (Job 24:21). You may know that it is so, as Lemekh was the most outstanding among them and he took two wives. That is what is written: “Lemekh took for himself two wives; the name of one was Ada” – as she was removed [ ada ] from him; “and the name of the other Tzila” – as she was sitting in his shadow [ tzilo ]. ³“Ada bore Yaval; he was the forerunner of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock ( mikneh ). And the name of his brother was Yuval; he was the forerunner of all those who handle the harp and flute” (Genesis 4:20–21). “Ada bore Yaval; [he was the forerunner of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock ( mikneh )]” – initially, they would infuriate ( makneh ) the Holy One blessed be He discreetly; then they proceeded to infuriate him publicly. That is what is written: “Where there was the seat of the infuriating ( kin’a ) image” (Ezekiel 8:3). “And the name of his brother was Yuval; he was the forerunner of all those who handle the harp and flute” (Genesis 4:21) – harpists and flutists. “And Tzila, too, gave birth, to Tuval Cain, a forger of every sharp instrument of bronze and iron, and the sister of Tuval Cain was Naama” (Genesis 4:22). “And Tzila, too, gave birth, to Tuval Cain.” Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: This one improved upon [ tibel ] Cain’s transgression; Cain killed, but he did not have an instrument with which to kill, but this one was “a forger of every sharp instrument of bronze and iron.” “And the sister of Tuval Cain was Naama.” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Naama was Noah’s wife. Why did they call her Naama? It is because her actions were pleasing [ ne’imim ]. The Rabbis say: Naama was someone else, [not Noah’s wife]. And why did they call her Naama? It is because she played the tambourine pleasantly [ man’emet ] for idol worship. ⁴“Lemekh said to his wives, Ada and Tzila: Hear my voice, wives of Lemekh, listen to my speech, for have I slain a man for my wound or a child for my injury?” (Genesis 4:23) “Lemekh said to his wives, Ada and Tzila: Hear my voice.” Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: He propositioned them for intercourse, but they said to him: ‘Tomorrow the Flood is coming [to destroy all mankind]. Shall we heed you and bring forth children only to be cursed?’ He said to them: ‘“Have I slain a man for my wound,” that wounds should befall me on his account? “[Have I slain] a child for my injury,” that injuries should befall me on his account?’ This was a rhetorical question: Cain committed murder and yet [his punishment] was suspended for him for seven generations; I, who did not kill anyone, all the more so [punishment] should be suspended for me for that. Rabbi says: This is a flawed a fortiori argument: If so, from whom would the Holy One blessed be He ever collect His promissory note? Rabbi Yaakov bar Idi asked before Rabbi Yoḥanan: If “a man,” why “a child”; if “a child,” why “a man”? He said to him: He [Abel] was a man in terms of his limbs, but a child in terms of years. 22:4). He [Lemekh] said to them: ‘Let us go to Adam.’ They went to Adam [for consultation]. He said to them: ‘You do yours and the Holy One blessed be He will do His.’ They said to him: ‘Doctor, heal your own lameness. Have you yourself not separated from Eve for a hundred and thirty years so that you should not produce a son from her?’ This was a rhetorical question. When he heard this, he consorted [with Eve] to produce offspring. ⁵“Adam was further intimate with his wife and she gave birth to a son, and she called his name Seth: As God has provided me with another offspring in place of Abel, as Cain killed him” (Genesis 4:25). “Adam was further intimate with his wife,” extra desire was added for him to his desire. In the past, when he did not see her, he would not desire her. Now, whether he saw her or did not see her, he desired her. Rabbi Abba bar Yudan in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: This is an allusion for seafarers, that they will eventually remember their homes and come immediately. “She called his name Seth [ Shet ]: As God has provided [ shat ] me with another offspring.” Rabbi Tanḥuma said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: She was looking ahead at that offspring who would come from a different place. Who is that? It is the messianic king. ) for a new world. The Messiah comes “from a different place” in that he is of non-Jewish descent, from David, who descended from Ruth the Moavite. “In place of Abel, as Cain killed him.” Due to the sin of [killing] Abel, Cain was killed. This is analogous to two trees that were adjacent to one another. The wind felled one of them, and it fell on its neighbor and felled it. So, “in place of Abel, as Cain killed him” – due to the sin of [killing] Abel, Cain was killed. ⁶“To Seth, too, a son was born, and he called his name Enosh; then commenced [ huḥal ] the proclaiming of the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4:27). “To Seth, too, a son was born, and he called his name Enosh.” They asked before Abba Kohen Bardela: [Why does the Torah mention] Adam, Seth, Enosh, and then fall silent? He said: Until here [Enosh] they were in the image and in the likeness [of God]. From here on, the generations became corrupted and were created in a deformed state. Four matters changed during the days of Enosh son of Seth: The mountains became rocky ground; the dead began bringing forth worms; people’s faces became ape-like; and they became devalued [ ḥullin ] before malevolent spirits. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It was they themselves who caused themselves to become devalued before the malevolent spirits, [as they declared:] ‘What is the difference between one who bows to an idol and one who bows to a person?’ ] of a person. ⁷“Then commenced [ huḥal ]” – Rabbi Simon said: In three places this term is stated as an expression of rebellion: “Then commenced the proclaiming of the name of the Lord”; “it was [ heḥel ] when man began” (Genesis 6:1); “he began [ heḥel ] to be a mighty one in the earth” (Genesis 10:8). They raised an objection: But is it not written [as well]: “This is what they began [ haḥilam ] to do”? (Genesis 11:6). He said to them: He struck upon the head of Nimrod and said of him: ‘This is the one who incited them to rebel against Me.’ Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a woman who said to her husband: ‘I saw in a dream ( ḥalom ) that you are divorcing me.’ He said to her: ‘Why in a dream? Here it is for you in reality.’ Rav Aḥa said: You made idolatrous objects of yourselves and called your own names [as divinities]. I, too, will call the seawater by My name and eradicate those people from the world. Rabbi Abahu expounded: The ocean is higher than the rest of the world. Rabbi Elazar ben Menaḥem said: Is this not an explicit verse? “He who calls forth the water of the sea and pours it upon the face of the earth”? (Amos 5:8). This was a rhetorical question. It is like something that is poured from above to below. “Who calls forth the water of the sea” is written twice, corresponding to the two times that the sea rose and inundated the world. 6:2). Until where did it reach the first time and until where did it reach the second time? Rabbi Yudan, Rabbi Abahu, and Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: The first time it rose until Akko and until Yafo, and the second time it rose until the rocky peaks overlooking the Barbary Coast. Rabbi Ḥananya and Rabbi Aḥa in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: The first time until the rocky peaks overlooking the Barbary Coast, and the second time until Akko and until Yafo. That is what is written: “I said: You shall come this far and not continue, and here the foam of your waves will be set” (Job 38:11). “You shall come this far and not continue” – to Akko, “you shall come this far and not continue.” “And here ( ufo ) the foam of your waves will be set” – in Yafo, “the foam of your waves will be set.” Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: The first time it rose until Calabria, and the second time until the rocky peaks overlooking the Barbary Coast.