Why a flood of water?

Hi,

Shemot 6:!7 says, "And I, I will bring a mabul of water". A midrash is bothered by the language which indicates that Gd could have brought a mabul of anything, and He chose water, specifically. Why choose water?

"Gd said: They anger Me with the good I have poured upon them, and so with this I will punish them."

(Talmud, Sanhedrin 108a)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why did G-d destroy the land in the Flood? Part 2

Hi,

"'Behold, I will destroy them with the land.'

Rav Huna and Rabbi Yirmiyah citing Rav Kahana bar Malchiya: Even the three handbreadths of earth that the plow affects were melted.

• This may be compared to a prince who has a tutor; when he acts badly, his tutor is struck.
• And to a prince who has a nursemaid; when he acts badly, his nursemaid is struck.

"So Gd declared: 'Behold, I will destroy them with the land,' I will destroy them, and I will destroy the land with them."

הנני משחיתם את הארץ

ר' הונא ורבי ירמיה בשם רב כהנא בר מלכיה: אפילו ג' טפחים שהמחרישה שולטת בארץ נימוחו.

• משל לבן מלכים שהיה לו פדגוג, כל זמן שהיה סורח היה פדגוג שלו נרדה.
• ולבן מלכים שהיה לו מניקה כל זמן שהוא סורח היתה מניקתו נרדת.

כך אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא: "הנני משחיתם את הארץ", הא אנא מחבל להון ומחבל לארעא עמהון. 

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 31:7)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Why did G-d destroy the land in the Flood? Part 1

Hi,

"Rabbi Azaryah cited Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon: Everything corrupted its deeds in the generation of the Flood. The dog went to the wolf, the rooster went to the peacock, and thus Bereishit 6:12 says 'for all flesh had corrupted'. It does not say 'all of Man had corrupted', but 'for all flesh had corrupted.'

"Rabbi Luliani bar Tavrin cited Rabbi Yitzchak: Even the land strayed; they planted wheat and it produced an alternative zunin form of wheat. Our great zunin are from the generation of the flood."

רבי עזריה בשם רבי יהודה בר סימון אמר הכל קלקלו מעשיהן בדור המבול, הכלב היה הולך אצל הזאב, והתרנגול היה מהלך אצל הטווס, הדא הוא דכתיב כי השחית כל בשר, השחית כל אדם אין כתיב אלא כי השחית כל בשר

ר' לוליאני בר טברין בשם רבי יצחק אמר אף הארץ זינתה, היו זרעין לה חטין והיא מפקא זונין, אילין זונייא רבה, מן דרא דמבולא אינון. 

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 28:8)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

In the merit of great descendants

Hi,

"Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: What was done for the ten tribes was not done for the generation of the Flood.

"Regarding the generation of the Flood it says (Bereishit 6), 'The thoughts of their hearts were only evil all day,' while regarding the ten tribes it says (Michah 2), 'Who perform evil on their beds' at night, as well as by day, 'By the light of morning they practice it.'

"Despite this, no remnant was left of the generation of the Flood, while a remnant was left of the ten tribes. This was in the merit of the righteous men and righteous women who would emerge from them."

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 28:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai