📖 Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 22

כְּתִיב: ״וַיְחִי אָדָם שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמְאַת שָׁנָה וַיּוֹלֶד בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ״. מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה קַיִן מִזַּרְעוֹ וְלֹא מִדְּמוּתוֹ וְלֹא מִצַּלְמוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, וְלֹא מַעֲשָׂיו דּוֹמִים לְמַעֲשֵׂה הֶבֶל אָחִיו, עַד שֶׁנּוֹלַד שֵׁת שֶׁהָיָה מִזַּרְעוֹ וּדְמוּתוֹ וּמַעֲשָׂיו דּוֹמִין לְמַעֲשֵׂה הֶבֶל אָחִיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיּוֹלֶד בִּדְמוּתוֹ כְּצַלְמוֹ״.

THE FALL OF THE ANGELS "AND Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and he begat in his own likeness after his image" (Gen. 5:3). Hence thou mayest learn that Cain was not of Adam's seed, nor after his likeness, nor after his image. (Adam did not beget in his own image) until Seth was born, who was after his father Adam's likeness and image, as it is said, "And he begat in his own likeness, after his image" (ibid.).

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: מִשֵּׁת עָלוּ וְנִתְיַחֲסוּ כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת וְכָל דּוֹרוֹת הַצַּדִּיקִים, וּמִקַּיִן עָלוּ וְנִתְיַחֲסוּ כָּל דּוֹרוֹת הָרְשָׁעִים הַפּוֹשְׁעִים וְהַמּוֹרְדִים, שֶׁמָּרְדוּ בַּמָּקוֹם וְאָמְרוּ: ״אֵין אָנוּ צְרִיכִין לְטִפַּת גְּשָׁמֶיךָ וְלֹא לָדַעַת אֶת דְּרָכֶיךָ״, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָאֵל סוּר מִמֶּנּוּ״.

Rabbi Simeon said: From Seth arose and were descended all the generations of the righteous. From Cain arose and were descended all the generations of the wicked, who rebel and sin, who rebelled against their Rock, and they said: We do not need the drops of Thy rain, neither to walk in Thy ways, as it is said, "Yet they said unto God, Depart from us" (Job 21:14).

רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: גִּלּוּי בָּשָׂר עֶרְוָה הָיוּ הוֹלְכִין דּוֹרוֹת שֶׁל קַיִן, הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים כַּבְּהֵמָה, וּמְטַמְּאִין בְּכָל זְנוּת, אִישׁ בְּאִמּוֹ וּבְבִתּוֹ וּבְאֵשֶׁת אָחִיו, גִּלּוּי בָּרְחוֹבוֹת בְּיֵצֶר הָרַע וּבְמַחְשְׁבוֹת לִבָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּרְא ה' כִּי רַבָּה רָעַת הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ״.

Rabbi Meir said: || The generations of Cain went about stark naked, men and women, just like the beasts, and they defiled themselves with all kinds of immorality, a man with his mother or his daughter, or the wife of his brother, or the wife of his neighbour, in public and in the streets, with evil inclination which is in the thought of their heart, as it is said, "And the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth" (Gen. 6:5).

רַבִּי אוֹמֵר: רָאוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים שֶׁנָּפְלוּ מִמְּקוֹם קְדֻשָּׁתָן מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶת בְּנוֹת קַיִן מְהַלְּכוֹת גְּלוּיוֹת בָּשָׂר עֶרְוָה וּמְכַחֲלוֹת עֵינֵיהֶן כְּזוֹנוֹת, וְתָעוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶן וַיִּקְחוּ מֵהֶן נָשִׁים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּרְאוּ בְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם״ וְכוּ'.

Rabbi said: The angels who fell from their holy place in heaven saw the daughters of the generations of Cain walking about naked, with their eyes painted like harlots, and they went astray after them, and took wives from amongst them, as it is said, "And the sons of Elohim saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all that they chose" (Gen. 6:2).

רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה אוֹמֵר: הַמַּלְאָכִים אֵשׁ לוֹהֲטִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהילים קד, ד): ״מְשָׁרְתָיו אֵשׁ לֹהֵט״, וְהָאֵשׁ בָּאָה בִּבְעִילָה בְּבָשָׂר וָדָם וְאֵינָהּ שׂוֹרֶפֶת אֶת הַגּוּף. אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנָּפְלוּ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם מִמְּקוֹם קְדֻשָּׁתָן, כֹּחָן וְקוֹמָתָן כִּבְנֵי אָדָם, וּלְבוּשָׁן גּוּשׁ עָפָר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב ז, ה): ״לָבַשׁ בְּשָׂרִי רִמָּה וְגוּשׁ עָפָר״.

Rabbi Joshua said: The angels are flaming fire, as it is said, "His servants are a flaming fire" (Ps. 104:4), and fire came with the coition of flesh and blood, but did not burn the body; but when they fell from heaven, from their holy place, their strength and stature (became) like that of the sons of men, and their frame was (made of) clods of dust, as it is said, "My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust" (Job 7:5).

רַבִּי צָדוֹק אוֹמֵר: מֵהֶם נוֹלְדוּ הָעֲנָקִים הַמְהַלְּכִים בְּגֹבַהּ קוֹמָה, וּמְשַׁלְּחִים יָדָם בְּכָל גָּזֵל וְחָמָס וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְשָׁם רָאִינוּ אֶת הַנְּפִילִים״ וְכוּ', וְאוֹמֵר: ״הַנְּפִילִים הָיוּ בָאָרֶץ״.

Rabbi Zadok said: From them were born the giants (Anakim), who walked with pride in their heart, and who stretched forth their hand to all (kinds of) robbery and violence, and shedding of blood, as it is said, "And there we saw the Nephilim, the sons of Anak" (Num. 13:33); and it says, "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days" (Gen. 6:4).

אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה: יִשְׂרָאֵל נִקְרְאוּ בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּרׇן יַחַד כּוֹכְבֵי בֹקֶר וַיָּרִיעוּ כָּל בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים״. וְאֵלּוּ עַד שֶׁהָיוּ בִּמְקוֹם קְדֻשָּׁתָן בַּשָּׁמַיִם נִקְרְאוּ בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְגַם אַחֲרֵי כֵן אֲשֶׁר יָבֹאוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים״.

Rabbi Joshua said: || The Israelites are called "Sons of God," as it is said, "Ye are the sons of the Lord your God" (Deut. 14:1). The angels are called "Sons of God," as it is said, "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7); and whilst they were still in their holy place in heaven, these were called "Sons of God," as it is said, "And also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them; the same became the mighty men, which were of old, men of renown" (Gen. 6:4).

רַבִּי לֵוִי אוֹמֵר: הָיוּ מוֹלִידִים אֶת בְּנֵיהֶן וּפָרִין וְרָבִין כְּמִין שֶׁרֶץ גָּדוֹל, שִׁשָּׁה בְּכָל לֵידָה וְלֵידָה. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הָיוּ עוֹמְדִים עַל רַגְלֵיהֶן וּמְדַבְּרִים בִּלְשׁוֹן הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּמְרַקְּדִים לִפְנֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״יְשַׁלְּחוּ כַצֹּאן עֲוִילֵיהֶם״.

Rabbi Levi said: They bare their sons and increased and multiplied like a great reptile, six children at each birth. In that very hour they stood on their feet, and spoke the holy language, and danced before them like sheep, as it is said, "They cast their young like sheep, and their children danced" (Job 21:11).

אָמַר לָהֶם נֹחַ: ״שׁוּבוּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶם וּמִמַּעֲשֵׂיכֶם הָרָעִים, שֶׁלֹּא יָבוֹא עֲלֵיכֶם מֵי הַמַּבּוּל וְיַכְרִית כָּל זֶרַע בְּנֵי אָדָם״. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: ״הֲרֵי אָנוּ מוֹנְעִים עַצְמֵינוּ מִפְּרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה שֶׁלֹּא לְהוֹצִיא זֶרַע בְּנֵי אָדָם״. מָה הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין? כְּשֶׁהֵן בָּאִין אֵצֶל נְשׁוֹתֵיהֶן הָיוּ מַשְׁחִיתִים מְקוֹר זַרְעָם עַל הָאָרֶץ כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לְהוֹצִיא זֶרַע בְּנֵי אָדָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה נִשְׁחָתָה״. אָמְרוּ: ״אִם מֵי הַמַּבּוּל יָבֹא עָלֵינוּ, הֲרֵי אָנוּ גְּבוֹהֵי קוֹמָה וְאֵין הַמַּיִם מַגִּיעִים עַד צַוָּארֵינוּ, וְאִם מֵי תְהוֹמוֹת מַעֲלֶה עָלֵינוּ, הֲרֵי פַּרְסוֹת רַגְלֵינוּ לִסְתֹּם אֶת הַתְּהוֹמוֹת״. מָה הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין? פּוֹשְׁטִין כַּפּוֹת רַגְלֵיהֶם וְסָתְמוּ אֶת כָּל הַתְּהוֹמוֹת. מָה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא? הִרְתִּיחַ מֵי תְהוֹמוֹת וְהָיוּ שׁוֹלְקִין אֶת בְּשָׂרָם וּפוֹשְׁטִין אֶת עוֹרָן מֵעֲלֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּעֵת יְזֹרְבוּ נִצְמָתוּ בְּחֻמּוֹ נִדְעֲכוּ מִמְּקוֹמָם״. אַל תִּקְרֵי ״בְּחֻמּוֹ״ אֶלָּא ״בַּחֲמִימוֹ״.

Noah said to them: Turn from your ways and evil deeds, so that He bring not upon you the waters of the Flood, and destroy all the seed of the children of men. They said to him: Behold, we will restrain ourselves from multiplying and increasing, so as not to produce the offspring of the children of men. What did they do? When they came to their wives they spilled the issue of their seed upon the earth so as not to produce offspring of the children of men, as it is said, "And God saw the earth, and behold it was spilled" (Gen. 6:12). They said: If He bring from heaven the waters of the Flood upon us, behold, we are of high stature, and the waters will not reach || up to our necks; and if He bring the waters of the depths against us, behold, the soles of our feet can close up all the depths. What did they do? They put forth the soles of their feet, and closed up all the depths. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He heated the waters of the deep, and they arose and burnt their flesh, and peeled off their skin from them, as it is said, "What time they wax warm, they vanish; when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place" (Job 6:17). Do not read thus ("When it is hot," בחֻמו), but (read) "in his hot waters" (בחמימיו).