CHAPTER XXIII THE ARK AND THE FLOOD [26B. ii.] "And this is how thou shalt make the ark" [ The Scripture text reads “it,” referring to the ark. See J.E. s.v. Noah, Ark, Deluge; the Pal. Targum has undoubtedly used our Midrash in the paraphrase of the Noah narrative (Gen. 6–vii.). The subject has been dealt with by Grünbaum, op. cit. pp. 79 ff., and by Ginzberg, op. cit. pp. 39 ff., 79 ff., 87.] (Gen. 6:15). R. Shemiah taught: The Holy One, blessed be He, showed Noah with a finger [ See infra, pp. 382 f., and T.B. Menachoth, 29a, Mekhilta, p. 2b, Tosaphoth to T.B Chullin, 42a, and Midrash Haggadol, c. 148.] and said to him, Like this and that shalt thou do to the ark. One hundred and fifty rooms [ Lit. “nests” or “cells”; see Pal. Targum, Gen. 6:15, and Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Malan) 111. ii., for a parallel tradition.] were along the length at the left [ The first editions read: “right side of the ark, and one hundred and fifty along the left side.” MS. Gaster reads: “One hundred rooms along the right side,” etc.] side of the ark, thirty-three [ Pal. Targum, loc. cit., has: “thirty-six in the middle.” Ginsburger, Pseudo-Jonathan, in loc., reads: “thirty-three.”] rooms across the width in the side within, [ Where the entrance was, i.e. on the east of the ark.] and thirty-three rooms in the side across the width on the outside; [ Luria suggests that “within” may refer to the east, and “the outside” to the west.] and ten compartments in the centre, which were for the storerooms for the food. [ See Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Malan), loc. cit., for a parallel, and cf. Hippolytus. A.N.C.L. vi. p. 491.] And there were five protected cisterns [ אפטמיות = אַפֹוטֽנִיוֹת (puteana), enclosures surrounding a well; see Book of Adam and Eve, loc. cit.: “line the well with lead.” This word occurs in the Pal. Targum, loc. cit.] on the right side of the ark, and fifty [ The printed editions read: “five.”] protected cisterns on the left side of the ark, and the openings for the water pipes opened and closed, and so was it in the lowest division; [ i.e. the hold.] and so || on the second floor, and so on the third floor. [ Cf. Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Malan), loc. cit.]
The dwelling-place of all the cattle and animals [ See T.B. Synhedrin, 108b. A parallel to our Midrash is to be found in Hippolytus in A.N.C.L. vi., loc. cit., and see German edition (Achelis), p. 88. Schatzhöhle, p. 17, has also a parallel.] was in the lowest compartment, the dwelling-place for all fowl was in the second compartment, and the dwelling-place for the reptiles [ The first editions add: “and creeping things.”] and the human beings was in the third compartment. [ Cf. Book of Adam and Eve, loc. cit.] Hence thou mayest learn [ Cf. Luria’s reading, which agrees with the tradition preserved in Midrash Kônen, B.H.M. ii. 36; cf. Leḳach Ṭob, Gen. p. 39. According to Luria the text should be: “Hence thou mayest learn, that all the kinds of fowl on the earth equal 365; and likewise with the kinds of reptiles on the earth, and so with the kinds of cattle and animals on the earth.” The first editions read: “32 kinds of fowl on the earth, 365 kinds of reptiles on the earth.”] that there were 366 kinds of cattle on the earth, and 366 kinds of fowl on the earth, and 366 kinds of reptiles on the earth, for thus was (the number) in the lowest compartment, [ 366 rooms. Docs this number refer to the 366 days of our author’s solar year? Noah was in the ark one solar year.] so in the second compartment, and so in the third floor, as it is said, "With lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it" (ibid. 16).
Rabbi Tachanah [ The first editions read: “Tanchuma.”] said: Noah made the ark during fifty-two years, [ According to the Book of Jashar v. 34 Noah took five years to build the ark; see A.N.C.L. xviii. p. 344.] so that they should repent of their ways. [ The first editions add: “and evil deeds,” but omit: “But they did not repent.” See the Book of Adam and Eve, loc. cit. The same tradition occurs in the writings of several of the Church Fathers: Theophilus of Antioch (To Autolycus, iii. 19), Ephraim of Syria (on Jonah, 13); Revelation of Paul, A.N.C.L. xvi. p. 491; and Book of the Bee, p. 31; see also supra, pp. 161 f.] But they did not repent. Whilst yet the Flood had not come, the unclean (animals) were more numerous than the clean (animals). But when the waters of the Flood came, and the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to increase the clean and to diminish the unclean (animals), He called to Noah and said to him: Take to thee into the ark of all clean beasts seven and seven, [ The first editions end the paragraph here.] the male and his female; and of the unclean beasts two and two, the male and his female, as it is said, "Of every || clean beast thou shalt take to thee [ The quotation ends here in the MS., which adds “etc.”] seven and seven, the male and his female; and of the beasts that are not clean two, the male and his female" (ibid. vii. 2).
Noah said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of all the world! Have I then the strength to collect them unto me to the ark? The angels appointed over each kind went down and gathered them, [ The Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Malan) 111. viii. says: “My power shall go with it (the trumpet blast) to make it come into the ears of the beasts and the birds.… I will command my angel to blow the horn from heaven, and all these animals shall be gathered unto thee.” Cf. Pal. Targum on Gen. 6:20: “they shall enter to thee by the hand of the angel, who will take and cause them to enter to thee.”] and with them all their food unto him to the ark. They came to him of their own accord, [ This is not in the printed texts. For a similar legend see Gen. Rab. 32:4 and 5, and cf. Ephraim, Sermon on Repentance i. 3.] as it is said, "And they came unto Noah into the ark" (ibid. 9); they came by themselves. "And they brought (them) to Noah" is not written here, but, "And they came unto Noah into the ark." [ This sentence is not in the printed texts. In the previous sentence the first editions read: “‘And Noah brought’ is not written in the Scripture, but ‘And they came unto Noah.’”]
Rabbi Mana said: When all the creatures had entered (the ark), the Holy One, blessed be He, closed and sealed [ The same expression occurs in the Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Malan) 111. ix.] with His hand the gate [ Or, “door.”] of the ark, as it is said, "And the Lord shut him in" (ibid. 16).
Rabbi Meir said: One pearl was suspended in the ark, and shed light upon all the creatures in the ark, like a lamp which gives light [ See Pal. Targum, in loc.; T.B. Synhedrin, loc.cit.; Jalḳuṭ,Gen., in loc.; Gen. Rab. 31:11, which has a different version as compared with the Talmudic version of the legend. According to the Midrash it is Rabbi Levi who gives the tradition. Cf. Leḳach Ṭob, in loc., and supra, p. 21.] inside [ The first editions read: “by its power, as it is said: ‘A light shalt thou make.’” etc.] the house, and like the sun yonder which shines in his might, as it is said, "A light shalt thou make to the ark" (ibid. vi. 16).
Rabbi Zadok said: On the 10th of Marcheshvan all the creatures entered the ark; on the 17th of the same [ See Pal. Targum, Gen. 7:11; and compare our text with the Scripture text. See also T.B. Rosh Ha-Shanah, 11b; Seder ‘Olam Rab. 4 p. 10a, note 17. Rabbi Eliezer held the view that the world was created in Ellul and Adam in Tishri.] (month) the waters of the Flood descended from heaven upon the earth, for they were the waters (endowed with the) male (principle). And there came up the waters of the depths, for they are the waters (endowed) with the female (principle), [ See supra, p. 30; T.J. Berakhoth 9:3. 14a, and Eth. Enoch liv. 8. The rain from heaven is the male principle.] and they were joined with one another, and they prevailed so as to destroy || the world, [ The living creatures in the world.] as it is said, "And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth" (ibid. vii. 19).
And all living things which were upon the face of the earth decayed, [ The first editions read: “were destroyed.”] as it is said, "And every living thing was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground" (ibid. 23), except Noah and those who were with him in the ark, as it is said, "And Noah only was left, and they that were with him in the ark" (ibid.), except Og, [ See T.B. Niddah, 61a, and Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, p. 267. The Midrashic interpretation of the word “Rephaim” (Deut. 3:11) gave rise to this legend. See Job 26:5, supra, p. 112, and infra, p. 253. The legend which connects Og with the “Paliṭ” is ignored by our book, which identifies Og with Eliezer, the servant of Abraham. The “Paliṭ” is identified with Michael, see infra, pp. 193 f.; and cf. J.E. ix. 388, and Grünbaum, op. cit. p. 80.] king of Bashan, who sat down on a piece of wood under the gutter [ The first editions read: “On a rung of (one of) the ladders.”] of the ark. He swore to Noah and to his sons that he would be their servant for ever. [ See supra, p. 112.] What did Noah do? He bored an aperture in the ark, and he put (through it) his food daily for him, and he also was left, as it is said, "For only Og, king of Bashan, remained of the remnant of the giants" (Deut. 3:11). (The Flood was universal) except in the land of Israel, [ See T.B. Ẓebachim, 113a; Nachmanides in his commentary on Gen., in loc., and 3 Baruch iv. 10.] upon which the water of the Flood did not descend from heaven, but the waters were gathered together from all lands, and they entered therein, as it is said, "Son of man, say unto her, Thou art a land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon, in the day of indignation" [ The land in the text is interpreted by the Midrash as referring to the Holy Land at the time of the Flood.] (Ezek. 22:24).
He [ i.e. Noah. The first editions read: “Noah.”] sent forth the raven to ascertain what was (the state of) the world. It went and found a carcase of a man cast upon the summit of a mountain, [ Lit. “upon the tops of the mountains.”] and it settled thereon for its food, [ Cf. the interpretation of Job 24:20, in Gen. Rab. 33:5.] and it did not return with its message to its sender, as it is said, "And he sent forth the raven" (Gen. 8:7). He sent forth the dove to see what was (the state of) the world, and she brought back her message to her sender, as it is said, "And the dove came in to him at eventide, [ The MS. ends the quotation at “eventide.” The first editions continue the verse. Pal. Targum, Gen. 8:11, reads: “And the dove came to him at the evening time, and behold, a leaf of olive gathered, broken off, she brought in her mouth, and which she had taken from the mount of Olives.” Palestine had escaped the deluge. See Seder ‘Olam Rab. 4 p. 10b, note 27, and Tosaphoth to ‘Erubin 18b.] and, lo, in her mouth an olive leaf pluckt off" [ Cf. the R.V.] (ibid. 11). And why in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off? || The dove spake before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: Sovereign of all worlds ! Let my food be bitter like this olive, and let it be entrusted [ The first editions read: “and given by Thy hand.”] to Thy hand, and let it not be sweet (even) as honey, and given by the hand of flesh and blood. [ Cf. Gen. Rab. 33:6; T.B. Synhedrin, 108b; and Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, p. 41. See also Revelation of Paul, loc. cit.] Hence they [ The sages of Israel.] said: He who sends a message by the hand of an unclean (messenger) [ Later editions read: “evil.” The raven was “unclean,” whilst the dove was a “clean” bird; see Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, pp. 40 f.] is (like) sending by the hand of a fool, and he who sends a message by the hands of a clean (messenger) is like sending by the hand of a messenger faithful to his senders. [ Cf. Prov. 25:13 for a similar expression; see Jalḳuṭ, Gen. § 58; Aboth de R. Nathan (a) xxxiv. p. 51b.]
Rabbi Zadok said: For twelve [ See Mishnah ‘Edujoth ii.; and Seder ‘Olam Rab. 4 p. 9b. The Flood began on the 17th of Marcheshvan, and on the 27th of this month, a year later, Noah was released. This period lasted one year and eleven days, i.e. one lunar year plus eleven days, which is the duration of a solar year.] months all the creatures were in the ark; and Noah stood and prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying before Him: [ See the fine prayer in the Book of Jashar vi. 31, which has used our P.R.E. See Tanchuma, Noah § ix. The basis of the prayer here is probably Isa. 49:9.] Sovereign of all worlds ! Bring me forth from this prison, for my soul is faint, because of the stench [ Luria suggests that the text should read: “the dread.”] of lions. [ The first editions add: “bears and leopards.”] Through me will all the righteous crown Thee with a crown of sovereignty, [ The story of Noah forms part of the “Ẓichronoth” in the Synagogue liturgy for the New Year. For another explanation see Tanchuma, Gen., loc. cit. See Introduction.] because Thou hast brought me forth from this prison, as it is said, "Bring my soul out of prison, [ In the MS. the quotation ends here; the first editions continue the verse.] that I may give thanks unto thy name: for the righteous shall crown me, when thou wilt have dealt bountifully with me" (Ps. 142:7). [ See the Book of Jashar vi. 36.]
Rabbi Levitas, a man of Jamnia, said: He separated the males from the females of all which came to the ark [ The first editions omit: “when they came into the ark.” See the Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Malan) 111. vii. f.; T.J. Ta‘anith 1:6. 64d; T.B. Synhedrin, loc. cit.; Gen. Rab. 31:12. The Church has in some quarters to this day retained the custom of separating the sexes at Divine worship. For other references see Ginzberg, op. cit. p. 82, who quotes Origen and Ephraim.] when they came into the ark, as it is said, "And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives" (Gen. 7:7). Verily the males were on one side. [ The first editions add: “And the females were on the other side.” The legend occurs also in Hippolytus (ed. Achelis), G.T., loc. cit.] When they went forth from the ark, He caused the males to be joined with the females, as it is said, "Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, [ The MSS. end the quotation here: the first editions continue the verse.] and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee" (ibid. viii. 16). Verily a man with his wife (went forth), "Thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee" [ Cf. Luria’s reading.] (ibid.) || He blessed them, that they might increase and multiply on the earth, as it is said, "And God blessed Noah and his sons, [ The MS. ends the quotation here; the first editions continue the verse till the word “multiply.”] and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" (ibid. ix. 1). The sons of Noah were fruitful and multiplied, and they begat sons with their twins with them. [ This sentence does not occur in the printed editions. See Midrash Haggadol, c. 165.]
Noah found a vine which was lying there, [ The first editions read: “which had been cast forth.”] which had come out of the garden of Eden. [ Pal. Targum, Gen. 9:20, reads: “And he found a vine which the river had brought away from the garden of Eden.” Apparently our Midrash wishes to connect the folly of Noah with the sin of Adam; see Siphrê, Deut. § 323. Cf. T.B. Synhedrin, 70a, Gen. Rab. 36:3, and Ẓohar, Gen. 73a. See 3 Baruch iv. 10 ff.] It had its clusters with it, and he took of its fruit and ate, and rejoiced in his heart, [ The first editions read: “and he desired them in his heart.” The quotation which follows in our text is omitted by the printed editions.] as it is said, "My wine, which cheereth God and man" (Judg. 9:13). He planted a vineyard with it. On the selfsame day it produced and became ripe [ The 1st ed. and several later editions read: “its fruits ripened.”] with its fruits, as it is said, "In the day of thy planting thou dost make it grow, [ The quotation ends here in the MS. and first editions.] and in the morning thou makest thy seed to blossom" (Isa. 17:11). [ Note the preceding verse in Isaiah. See Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, p. 43.] He drank wine thereof, and he became exposed in the midst of the tent, as it is said, "And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent" (Gen. 9:21). [ The quotation does not occur in the printed editions of our book.] Canaan entered and saw the nakedness of Noah, and he bound a thread (where the mark of) the Covenant [ i.e. Circumcision. The legend that Noah was an eunuch occurs also in Theophilus of Antioch (To Autolycus, iii. 19). See also Ẓohar, Gen. 73b, and Grünbaum, op. cit. p. 86.] was, and emasculated him. He went forth and told his brethren. Ham entered and saw his nakedness. He did not take to heart the duty of honouring (one's father [ Our MS. reads: “the duty (or precept) of ‘Honour’” (Ex. 20:12). Some editions (Amsterdam) add: “and mother.” See Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Malan) 111. xiii. According to Luria the text should continue: “therefore was he cursed by being called a slave”; see Tanchuma, ed. Buber, Gen. 24b.] ). But he [ The first editions read: “He went forth and told.”] told his two brothers in the market, [ So also the Targumim, in loc. Perhaps the translation should be “outside.”] making sport [ See Justin Martyr, Dial. c. Tryph. cxxxix.; “who mocked at his father’s nakedness.”] of his father. His two brothers rebuked him. What did they do? They took the curtain of the east [ Or “veil of the east,” the veil or curtain used to shield one from the heat and glare of the sun. The 2nd ed. reads: “the cover.”] with them, and they went backwards and covered [ See Midrash Agadah, Gen. p. 23, note 16.] the nakedness of their father, as it is said, "And Shem and Japheth took a garment, [ The quotation ends here in the MS. and first editions.] and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness" (ibid. 23).
Noah awoke from his wine, and he knew what the younger son of Ham had done unto him, and he cursed him, [ See Gen. Rab., loc. cit., and Justin Martyr, Dial. c. Tryph., loc. cit.; for other references to Church Fathers see Ginzberg, op. cit. p. 86.] as it is said, "And he said, Cursed be Canaan" (ibid. 25). Noah sat and mused in his heart, saying: The Holy One, blessed be He, delivered me || from the waters of the Flood, and brought me forth from that prison, and am I not obliged to bring before Thee a sacrifice and burnt offerings? [ See Ẓohar, Gen. 70a. There is considerable agreement between the Ẓohar and P.R.E. in this and the next chapter.] What did Noah do? He took from the clean [ See Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Malan) 111. xi.] animals an ox and a sheep, [ The first editions add: “and a goat.”] and from all the clean birds, a turtle-dove and pigeons; and he built up the first altar upon which Cain and Abel [ Pal. Targum, Gen. 8:20, reads: “And Noah built an altar before the Lord; that altar which Adam had built at the time when he was cast forth from the garden of Eden, and had offered an offering upon it; and upon it had Cain and Abel offered their offerings.” Cf. also T.B. Ẓebachim, 115b, and Gen. Rab. 34:9.] had brought offerings, and he brought four burnt offerings, as it is said, "And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every [ The quotation ends here in the MS.] clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and he offered burnt offerings on the altar" (ibid. viii. 20). It is written here only, "and he offered burnt offerings on the altar," and the sweet savour ascended before the Holy One, blessed be He, and [ The first editions add: “as it is said, ‘and he offered burnt offerings on the altar’” (Gen. 8:20).] it was pleasing to Him, as it is said, "And the Lord smelled the sweet savour" (ibid. 21). What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He put forth His right hand, and swore to Noah [ See infra, pp. 335, 347; and cf. Tanchuma, Noah § xi.] that He would not [ The first editions add here: “again.”] bring the waters of the Flood upon the earth, as it is said, "For this is as the waters of Noah unto me; for as I have sworn [ The quotation ends here in the MS. and the first editions, which add: “etc.”] that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth" (Isa. 54:9). And He gave a sign in the rainbow as a sign of the covenant of the oath between Himself and the people, as it is said, "I do set my bow in the cloud, [ In the MS. the quotation ends here; it is continued in the first editions.] and it shall be for a token of a covenant" (Gen. 9:13).
And thus our sages instituted [ See T.B. Berakhoth, 13a, for the daily recital of the story of the Exodus. The Scripture passage quoted occurs in the second section of the “Shema‘”; see Singer, p. 41. The ritual question involved here is interesting, because the actual narrative of the oath to Noah is not recited daily. The verse quoted as a reason for this institution continues, after the word “land,” thus: “which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them.” This was not the oath to Noah. See Eth. Enoch lv. 2.] that they should (mention) [ The MS. omits “mention”; it occurs in the first editions.] the oath to Noah every day, as it is said, "That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, upon the land [ The first editions end the quotation here; in the MS. the last word quoted is “children.” In the printed texts this quotation is the conclusion of the chapter. Our MS. continues with a section which forms part of chapter xxiv. in the printed editions.] which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of the heavens above the earth" (Deut. 11:21).