EVERY ‘REMES’ (MOVING THING) THAT LIVETH. This refers to cattle, beasts and fowl — and also the fish in the sea — since all of them are called “moving things,” just as it is written: Every living creature ‘haromeseth’ (that creepeth) wherewith the waters swarmed.¹⁸³

footnotes: ¹⁸³ Above, 1:21.

ONLY FLESH WITH THE LIFE THEREOF, THE BLOOD THEREOF, SHALL YE NOT EAT. Rashi wrote: “This prohibition applies while the animal’s life is still in the blood. Thus, you should not eat flesh as long as there is life in it, meaning a limb cut from a living animal, nor shall you eat its blood together with its life, meaning the blood of a living animal.”¹⁸⁴ (with its life) with the preceding word, basar, and also with the succeeding word, damo (its blood), although the text reads, basar b’naphsho damo. Ramban objects that if so the text should have said, v’damo (and its blood), instead of damo. But if this be so Scripture should have said, “flesh, so long as there is life in it, and also its blood ye shall not eat.” But according to the simple meaning of Scripture, this interpretation is incorrect, and according to the Midrash it is not true, for the sons of Noah⁶⁴, Note 222. have been admonished against eating a limb cut from a living animal, as is the opinion of the Sages, but not the blood of a living animal, as is the opinion of Rabbi Chanina ben Gamliel.¹⁸⁵ Rather, the interpretation of the verse is as follows: “only flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall you not eat,” for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof.¹⁸⁶

footnotes: ¹⁸⁴ Rashi thus connects b’naphsho ⁶⁴ See Seder Bereshith ¹⁸⁵ Sanhedrin 59a. ¹⁸⁶ Leviticus 17:14.

AND SURELY YOUR BLOOD ‘LENAPHSHOTHEICHEM’ (OF YOUR LIVES) WILL I REQUIRE. This is as if it were written, your blood ‘naphshotheichem,’ [without the letter lamed], and meaning “your blood which is your lives.” This is similar to the verse, ‘Lechol’ (To all) the instruments of the tabernacle,¹⁸⁷ [which means all the instruments needed for the tabernacle, the letter lamed in the word lechol being redundant]. So also, the third ‘l’Avshalom’ (to Absalom),¹⁸⁸ [which means, “the third, Absolom,” the lamed in the word l’Avshalom is redundant]. It is possible to explain your blood ‘lenaphshotheichem’ as meaning benaphshotheichem (in your souls), for the life of all flesh, the blood thereof is all one with the life thereof.¹⁸⁹ Likewise, And ye shall eat no manner of blood in all your dwelling places, ‘la’oph velabeheimah’ (to fowl and to cattle),¹⁹⁰, 7:26. which is to be explained as “in fowl or in beast.” The correct interpretation is that Scripture is saying, “the blood which is the life in you I will require.” He is thus declaring that the blood is one with the life, and He intimates that one incurs the death penalty for spilling the blood upon which life depends, but not for spilling the blood of those limbs on which life is not dependent. Our Rabbis have expounded this verse as an injunction against suicide,¹⁹¹ the verse stating, “I will require your blood from your own souls.”

footnotes: ¹⁸⁷ Exodus 27:19. ¹⁸⁸ I Chronicles 3:2. ¹⁸⁹ Leviticus 17:14. ¹⁹⁰ Ibid. ¹⁹¹ Baba Kamma 91b.

AT THE HAND OF EVERY BEAST WILL I REQUIRE IT. I wonder: if “the requiring” is here meant in its usual sense, i.e., from the hand of the beast as well as from the hand of man, in both cases there will be punishment in the matter, but the beast has no reason [with which to discern between good and evil] so that it should be punished or rewarded! Perhaps this principle applies only to spilling man’s blood; every beast that will devour him will itself be devoured, for such is the decree of the King. And this is the reason [why Scripture says of an ox that killed a human being], the ox shall surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten.¹⁹² This is not a form of monetary punishment for the owner since even an ownerless ox is subject to the death penalty,¹⁹³ and the command applies alike to the sons of Noah⁶⁴, Note 222. and to the Israelites. The meaning of Who so sheddeth man’s blood¹⁹⁴ would thus be, “all shedders” whether beast or man, their blood will be required by the Court on earth and¹⁹⁵ by the hand of Heaven. It is possible that the meaning of the expression, at the hand of every beast, is that the vengeance upon the shedder of blood will be at the hand of every beast, just as it is said, That she hath received of the Eternal’s hand double of all her sins.¹⁹⁶ Thus He says, “Surely your blood will I require and avenge at the hand of every beast for I will send against the murderer all beasts of the earth, and I will also send against him the hand of man, and he will not escape them.” Similarly, Because of all mine adversaries I am become a reproach,¹⁹⁷ meaning “because of the hand of all mine adversaries;” This is the portion of a wicked man from G-d, and the heritage appointed unto him by G-d,¹⁹⁸ [meaning this is the portion of a wicked man by the hand of G-d]. Perhaps the requiring at the hand of the beast means that she should not devour man for so He established their nature. The secret of the matter is that at the time of creation He gave man every herb bearing seed… and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree… for food,¹⁹⁹ and to the beast He gave every green herb for food,²⁰⁰, Verse 30. and Scripture says, and it was so,²⁰⁰, Verse 30. meaning that such was their nature and habit. But now when He said of man that he may slaughter the lower living creatures for food and it was so placed in nature or habit that living creatures should eat each other, it became necessary to command that the other living creatures be unto men a prey to their teeth²⁰¹ while they are to fear men and not devour them. And He said, And surely, your blood of your lives will I require, in order to hint that He will not require the blood of one beast from the hand of another. This being so, it was thus left to them to devour one another. And this is the reason why He mentioned here the prohibition of spilling the blood of man; it is on account of the permission given here for slaughtering, which became the customary way of spilling blood since in the opinion of our Rabbis,²⁰² Adam had already been admonished against spilling blood. But on account of the permission for slaughtering, it became necessary for Him to say, “I have permitted you to spill the blood of every living thing except your own blood. This is forbidden to you as well as to all living things for it will not be their nature to spill it.”

footnotes: ¹⁹² Exodus 21:28. ¹⁹³ Baba Kamma 44b. ⁶⁴ See Seder Bereshith ¹⁹⁴ Verse 6. ¹⁹⁵ “And.” The Tur, quoting Ramban, has “or.” ¹⁹⁶ Isaiah 40:2. ¹⁹⁷ Psalms 31:12. ¹⁹⁸ Job 20:29. ¹⁹⁹ Above, 1:29. ²⁰⁰ Ibid. ²⁰⁰ Ibid. ²⁰¹ Psalms 124:6. ²⁰² Sanhedrin 56b.

AND YOU, BE YE FRUITFUL, AND MULTIPLY. The plain meaning thereof is as its Midrash, i.e., that it is a commandment.²⁰³, 59b. A similar verse mentioned with reference to Adam,²⁰⁴ also one with reference to the sons of Noah²⁰⁵ in conjunction with the statement that G-d blessed them, constitutes a blessing, just as it is said concerning the fish.²⁰⁶ Now because He spoke here of the other living things and said, that they may swarm in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth,²⁰⁷, 8:17. He said here, And you — man — be ye fruitful and multiply. He continued saying, swarm in the earth, and multiply therein, in order to repeat the commandment for the purpose of emphasis, thus stating that they should be engaged in it with all power [since those who came forth from the ark were few]. Perhaps He commanded them concerning the settlement of the whole earth, as I have explained in Seder Bereshith.²⁰⁴ Now Rashi wrote, “According to the plain interpretation, the first time [this was said to man it was said] as a blessing; here it is a command. According to the Midrashic explanation, [this command is mentioned here after the prohibition of murder] in order to liken one who abstains from having children to one who sheds blood.” Now the Rabbis have derived this Midrash only from the juxtaposition of the verses, but the verse itself was written as a commandment, and the first [time this was said to man it was] as a blessing. [This is contrary to Rashi who implies that the Midrashic explanation differs from the plain interpretation.] And so the Rabbis have said in Tractate Sanhedrin,²⁰³, 59b. “But the commandment to be fruitful which was declared to the sons of Noah — as it is written, And you, be ye fruitful and multiply,….”

footnotes: ²⁰³ Ibid. ²⁰⁴ Above, 1:28. ²⁰⁵ Verse 1 here. ²⁰⁶ Above, 1:22. ²⁰⁷ Ibid. ²⁰⁴ Above, 1:28. ²⁰³ Ibid.

AND G-D SPOKE TO NOAH AND TO HIS SONS. The meaning thereof is that He spoke to the sons by means of their father for his sons were not prophets, and Ham did not reach the level of prophecy. Likewise, “And the Eternal spoke to Ahaz,”²⁰⁸. (Isaiah 7:10.) [which means that G-d spoke to him through Isaiah].²⁰⁹ And so also, And the Eternal spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron,²¹⁰ which according to the words of our Rabbis²¹¹, 1. means He spoke to Moses so that he would in turn speak to Aaron. And so Scripture makes explicit at the end of the present chapter: And G-d spoke to Noah.²¹²

footnotes: ²⁰⁸ Reference is to the verse, Once more the Eternal spoke to Ahaz ²⁰⁹ See R’dak there. ²¹⁰ Exodus 7:8 and others. ²¹¹ Torath Kohanim Vayikra ²¹² Verse 17 here.

THIS IS THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT WHICH I MAKE. It would appear from this sign that the rainbow in the cloud was not part of creation and that now G-d created a new thing by making a rainbow in the heavens on a cloudy day. Now commentators have said²¹³ concerning the meaning of this sign that He has not made the rainbow with its feet bent upward because it might have appeared that arrows were being shot from heaven, as in the verse, And He sent out his arrows and scattered them²¹⁴ on the earth. Instead He made it the opposite of this — [with the feet bent downward] — in order to show that they are not shooting at the earth from the heavens. It is indeed the way of warriors to invert the instruments of war which they hold in their hands when calling for peace from their opponents. Moreover, [with the feet of the bow being turned downward towards the earth, it can be seen] that the bow has no rope upon which to bend the arrows. We must perforce believe the words of the Greek [philosophers who maintain] that the rainbow is a natural result of the heat of the sun falling upon damp air for even in a vessel containing water which stands in the sun there is the appearance of the rainbow. When contemplating the language of Scripture we will understand that it is so, for He said, I have set My bow in the cloud,²¹⁵ [the use of the past tense indicating that He had already set it so from the beginning and it is not a new creation]. He did not say, “I set in the cloud,” even as He said, This is the sign of the covenant which I make. Moreover, the word kashti (My bow) — [in the possessive form] — indicates that He possessed the bow previously. Therefore, we shall explain the verse thus: “The rainbow which I have set in the clouds from the day of creation will be from this day on a sign of covenant between Me and you; whenever I will see it I will remember that there is a covenant of peace between Me and you.” And should you want to know how the rainbow can be a sign, the answer is that it has the same meaning as the verse, *This stone-heap be witness, and this pillar be witness;*²¹⁶ likewise, *For these seven ewe-lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that it may be a witness unto me.*²¹⁷, 21:30. Every visible object that is set before two parties to remind them of a matter that they have vowed between them is called a “sign,” and every agreement is called a “covenant.” Similarly, in the case of circumcision, He said, And it shall be a token of a covenant between Me and you,²¹⁸, 17:11. because of the agreement that all seed of Abraham be circumcised to serve Him with one consent.²¹⁹ Moreover, when the above-mentioned rainbow is seen in its inverted form, [namely, with the feet of the bow turned downward], it is a reminder of peace, as we have written. Thus, whether the bow was a newly established phenomenon or one that always existed in nature, the significance thereof as a sign is the same. Our Rabbis however have a profound secret in this section. They have said in Bereshith Rabbah:²²⁰ “I have set ‘kashti’ (My bow) in the cloud.²¹⁵ This means, ‘My likeness, that which resembles Me.’ But is that possible? It is possible only as the straw resembles the fruit. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth.²²¹ Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Shimon, ‘This is like one who had in his hand some heated flour which he wanted to cast upon his son, but [because of his compassion for him] he cast it upon his servant.’”²²² There in Bereshith Rabbah it also says:²²³ “And the bow shall be in the cloud, and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between G-d²²⁴ — this alludes to the attribute of Justice on high. And every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth²²⁴ — this alludes to the attribute of justice on earth. The heavenly attribute of justice is stern; the earthly one is sparing.” And you already know the saying of the Rabbis concerning one who gazes at the rainbow:²²⁵ “Whosoever takes no thought for the honor of his Maker would have been better off had he not come into the world.” And if you will be worthy to understand the words of the Rabbis, you will know that the explanation of the verses is as follows: My bow — [kashti shares a common root with the word kasheh (hard, stern)] — which is symbolic of the attribute of justice, set in the cloud, shall be at the time of judgment for a token of the covenant.²¹⁵

footnotes: ²¹³ I have found this opinion in Chizkuni. ²¹⁴ Psalms 18:15. ²¹⁵ Verse 13 here. ²¹⁶ Genesis 31:52. ²¹⁷ Ibid. ²¹⁸ Ibid. ²¹⁹ Zephaniah 3:9. ²²⁰ 35:3. ²¹⁵ Verse 13 here. ²²¹ Verse 14 here. ²²² In the same way, when the generation is wicked and deserves destruction, G-d instead punishes the fruit of the earth. ²²³ 35:4. ²²⁴ Verse 16 here. ²²⁴ Verse 16 here. ²²⁵ Chagigah 16a. ²¹⁵ Verse 13 here.

And it shall come to pass when I bring clouds over the earth²²¹ — meaning that when G-d will not make His countenance shine upon²²⁶ the earth on account of the sins of its inhabitants— “My attribute of justice will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember the covenant in a remembrance of mercy, and I will have compassion on the little ones that are on the earth.” Thus, this token and the covenant are like the token of circumcision and the covenant thereof,²²⁷ and the language of the verses is very appropriate for the subject. And thus the Rabbis in the above Midrash have explained the expression between G-d²²⁴ as referring to the attribute of justice on high, which is gevurah (strength), and that which is upon the earth²²⁴ as being the attribute of justice on earth, which is a kindly attribute, conducting the world together with the attribute of mercy, for Scripture does not say “that which is in the earth,” [which would have alluded to “the earth above”], but only “that which is on the earth.” I have already hinted²²⁸ at the secret of the Rabbis concerning the name “earth.” But Rashi wrote, “Between G-d²²⁴— between the attribute of justice on high and you.” But our Rabbis did not intend to imply this interpretation in their Midrash.

footnotes: ²²¹ Verse 14 here. ²²⁶ See Numbers 6:25. ²²⁷ See Ramban further, 17:13. ²²⁴ Verse 16 here. ²²⁴ Verse 16 here. ²²⁸ See Ramban above, 6:13. ²²⁴ Verse 16 here.

AND HAM IS THE FATHER OF CANAAN. Rashi explained, “Because this section goes on to deal with Noah’s family,²²⁹ relating that Ham sinned and through him Canaan was cursed, and since the generations of Ham have not yet been mentioned [to let us know that Canaan was his son], it was necessary to state here that Ham is the father of Canaan.” And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that Ham only saw the nakedness of his father and informed his brothers while Canaan did him the evil, the nature of which Scripture does not reveal,²³⁰ and this is the meaning of the verse, And he knew what his youngest son had done unto him,²³⁰ since Canaan was the youngest of Ham’s sons, as Scripture enumerates them, *And the sons of Ham: Cush, and Mitzraim, and Phut, and Canaan.*²³¹ [Ibn Ezra thus interprets “son” to mean “grandson.”] Now here Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra abandoned his method of explaining Scripture according to its plain meaning and began to declare statements contrary to the truth.²³² The correct interpretation appears to me to be that Ham was the youngest of Noah’s sons as I have explained at the beginning of this portion of the Torah, and Canaan was Ham’s oldest son. And as for the verse which states, And the sons of Ham: Cush, and Mitzraim, and Phut, and Canaan,²³¹ [which indicates that Canaan was the youngest son], this was stated after he was sold to be *a servant of servants;*²³³ Scripture gave his brothers preference over him. Now when this event happened to Noah, Ham had no other children except Canaan. This explains the verse, And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw,²³⁴ for Ham had no other son then, and when he sinned unto his father, he cursed his seed. Now if Noah had said, “cursed be Ham, a servant of servants shall he be,” the punishment would have been only his since the seed already born to him is not part of him, and perhaps Ham would no longer beget children. In that case Noah would not have taken his vengeance of him for who knows what shall be after him.²³⁵ Therefore, he cursed the son he had. Even if he will later beget a hundred children,²³⁶, 6:3. it is enough that the oldest son — and all his seed with him — were cursed. The sin committed was that Ham saw the nakedness of his father²³⁴ and did not act respectfully. He should have covered his nakedness and concealed his shame by not telling even his brothers, but he told the matter to his two brothers in the presence of many people in order to deride him [Noah]. This is the meaning of the word outside²³⁷. (Verse 22.) And so did Onkelos translate it as “in the market-place.” The meaning of the verse, And [Noah] knew what he had done unto him,²³⁰ is that he knew that Ham had disclosed his disgrace to many, and he was ashamed of the matter. Our Rabbis have mentioned an additional sin that Ham committed.²³⁸

footnotes: ²²⁹ “Family.” The first edition of Rashi concurs with this quote. In our texts of Rashi: “drunkenness.” ²³⁰ Verse 24 here. ²³⁰ Verse 24 here. ²³¹ Further, 10:6. ²³² For Scripture in no way ascribes the act of evil done to Noah by Canaan. Instead, it mentions only Ham, (Verse 22). Thus what made Ibn Ezra say that it was Canaan that did it? ²³¹ Further, 10:6. ²³³ Verse 25 here. ²³⁴ Verse 22. ²³⁵ See Ecclesiastes 3:22. ²³⁶ See ibid. ²³⁴ Verse 22. ²³⁷ And he told his two brethren outside ²³⁰ Verse 24 here. ²³⁸ Sanhedrin 70a. See Rashi at the end of Verse 22.

‘ISH’ (A MAN) OF THE GROUND. Rashi explained it as “the master [owner or lord] of the ground. This is similar to the expression, ‘ish’ (the man) of Naomi,”²³⁹ [which means the master of Naomi]. But this is not so. ‘Ish’ Naomi is an expression of the marital state, just as: ‘ish ve’ishto’ (a man and his wife).²⁴⁰ Others²⁴¹ have said that it means “the outstanding one of the earth, and its leader,” and they brought proof from similar verses: Gideon the son of Joash, ‘ish’ (a man) of Israel,²⁴² [meaning a chief of Israel]; *Both ye sons of ‘adam’ and ye son of ‘ish;’*²⁴³ *Art thou not ‘ish’ (a man)? And who is like to thee in Israel?*²⁴⁴ And there are many other similar verses according to their opinion. In my opinion, Gideon the son of Joash ‘ish’ of Israel,²⁴² refers to his genealogy, i.e., that he was an Israelite. *Art thou not a man?*²⁴⁴ means that “there is no one like you in Israel.” Similarly, strengthen yourselves, and be men,²⁴⁵, 4:9. means that they should not be weak like women. *Both ye sons of ‘adam’ and ye sons of ‘ish,’*²⁴³ [means “both ye low-born and] ye men of higher station.” However, a man of the ground is like the men of the city,²⁴⁶ since Noah lived all over the earth and never built a city or country to which he should relate himself. Similarly, a man of the field²⁴⁷, 25:27. means one who constantly stayed there. In the Mishnah we find:²⁴⁸ “Yosei ben Yoezer a man of Tzreidah, and Yosei ben Yochanan a man of Jerusalem.” [It may be that a man of the ground means] that he was determined to work the ground, to sow and to plant, because he found the earth had been laid waste, for whoever dedicates himself to a certain purpose is so called, [i.e., ish of that purpose]. The men of the city²⁴⁶ means those that dwell in it. The men of David²⁴⁹ are his servants, and a man of G-d²⁵⁰ is one who is dedicated to His service. And so the Rabbis have said in Bereshith Rabbah:²⁵¹ “A man of the ground [is so called just] as the castle guard is called by the name of the castle.” And the Rabbis also said²⁵², 36:5. that Noah had a passion for agriculture. Thus [the word ish is here used to signify] a relationship. The meaning of the word vayachel (and he began) is that he commenced the planting of vineyards. The preceding men had planted single vines, but Noah began to plant many rows of vines, which together comprise a vineyard. On account of his desire for wine, he did not plant the vine singly as other trees; rather, he made a vineyard.

footnotes: ²³⁹ Ruth 1:3. ²⁴⁰ Above, 7:2. ²⁴¹ Found in R’dak’s Book of Roots. ²⁴² Judges 7:14. ²⁴³ Psalms 49:3. Translated: both low and high. ²⁴⁴ I Samuel 26:15. ²⁴² Judges 7:14. ²⁴⁴ I Samuel 26:15. ²⁴⁵ Ibid. ²⁴³ Psalms 49:3. Translated: both low and high. ²⁴⁶ Genesis 19:4. ²⁴⁷ Ibid. ²⁴⁸ Aboth, I, 4. ²⁴⁶ Genesis 19:4. ²⁴⁹ I Samuel 23:3. ²⁵⁰ Deuteronomy 33:1. ²⁵¹ 36:6. ²⁵² Ibid.

BLESSED BE THE ETERNAL G-D OF SHEM, AND MAY CANAAN BE SERVANT TO THEM. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained that to them means that Canaan be servant to G-d and to Shem since Shem will compel him to worship G-d. And the second time [this expression is repeated — in Verse 27: May G-d enlarge Japheth, and may He dwell in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be servant to them — Ibn Ezra] explained that Canaan would be a servant to Japheth and Shem. But if this be so, Noah came to curse his enemies, and behold he blessed²⁵³ Canaan that he be a servant to G-d! But Rashi wrote: “Blessed be the Eternal G-d of Shem, Who will in days to come carry out His promise to the descendants of Shem to give them the land of Canaan, and may Canaan pay them tribute. This is repeated again [in Verse 27, as explained above], in order to state that even when the children of Shem will be in exile, the children of Canaan will be sold to them as slaves.” [Thus Rashi interprets to them as referring to the descendants of Shem.] The correct interpretation appears to me to be that at first he [Noah] cursed him that he be a servant of servants to the entire world, and whosoever will find him will enslave him, for the meaning of unto his brethren²³³ is “unto all men,” just as in the verse, For I will set all men every one against his neighbor,²⁵⁴ and as is the sense of the expression, Every man his fellow.²⁵⁵ It may that unto his brethren²³³ refers to Shem and Japheth for his father’s brothers are called “his brothers,” just as in the expression, that his brother was taken captive,²⁵⁶ [which refers to Lot who was a son of Abraham’s brother]. And some say — as found in Ibn Ezra — that unto his brethren means his father’s children [namely, Cush, Mitzraim and Phut, who are his father’s children].²³¹ Thus, after being made a servant to his father’s children and to Shem and Japheth, he was a servant to the whole world. Now Noah first blessed the G-d of Shem, thereby letting it be known that Shem will be a servant of G-d while Canaan will be subject to him. And to them alludes to the seed of Shem who were many. It is possible that to them reverts also to his brothers already mentioned. Then he blessed Japheth with an enlargement of the boundary, he blessed Shem with the dwelling of G-d in his tents, and finally said that Canaan be a servant to them, meaning to the two of them. He made Canaan subservient to Shem twice, [in Verses 26 and 27, as explained above], thus hinting that the seed of Shem will inherit his land and all that he has, for that which a slave acquires belongs to his master.²⁵⁷ This section was written in Scripture in order to make known that it was on account of his sin that Canaan became a servant forever and that Abraham was favored with his land. The subject of the wine’s effect on Noah was written because it contains a greater warning against drunkeness than that of the section on the Nazirite:²⁵⁸ even the perfectly righteous man — whose righteousness saved the whole world — even he sinned on account of wine, and it brought him to disgrace and the cursing of his seed.

footnotes: ²⁵³ See Numbers 24:10. ²³³ Verse 25 here. ²⁵⁴ Zechariah 8:10. ²⁵⁵ Isaiah 3:5. ²³³ Verse 25 here. ²⁵⁶ Genesis 14:14. ²³¹ Further, 10:6. ²⁵⁷ Pesachim 88b. ²⁵⁸ Numbers 6:1-21.