Chapter 05 - Rashi
(To Chumash Text)

Verse 1: This is the book of the history of man.

[Meaning:] This is the narrative of the generations of man. There are many other Aggadaic interpretations.

On the day El-him created.302

This tells us that on the same day that he was created he begot children.303

Verse 3: One hundred and thirty years.304

Up to now he had separated from his wife.305

Verse 24: Chanoch walked.306

He was a righteous person but he could easily be induced to turn towards evil ways. Therefore, G-d quickly took him away and had him die, i.e., before his time. This is why the verse uses a different expression concerning his death, by writing {Hebrew Ref} "and he was not" in the world to complete his years.

For [He] took him.

Before his time; as in: "Behold I take from you the desire of your eyes."307

Verse 28: And had a son.308

From whom the world was built up.309

Verse 29: This [one] will bring us rest.

"He will give us rest from the toil of our hands." Prior to Noach they had no agricultural tools and he prepared [such tools] for them. The earth had been producing thorns and thistles when wheat was sown as a result of Adam horishon's curse and this ceased in the days of Noach. That is the intent of the word {Hebrew Ref} .310 If you do not explain it this way311 then the meaning of the term is not related to the name [ {Hebrew Ref} ] and you would have to call him Menachem.

Verse 32: Five hundred years old.

R. Yudan said: Why is it that all the [previous] generations had children at the age of one hundred years, and this one, [Noach, had children] at the age of five hundred? G-d said: If they312 be wicked they will be destroyed by the [flood] waters which will cause grief to this righteous man. If they be righteous, then I would have to burden him to build many arks. [Therefore,] He restrained his source313 and he had no children until he was five hundred years old in order that Yefes, his oldest son,314 not be of punishable age before the Flood315 as it is written: "For the youngster will die when he is one hundred years old."316 [Meaning: the age at which he will be] liable for punishment, in future time, and so it was before the Torah was given.317

Sheim, Cham and Yafes.

Was not Yefes the oldest?318 But, first you must discuss Sheim who was righteous and who was born circumcised,319 and from whom Abraham descended ( [as is explained] in Bereishis Rabbah.320)