Generation of Enosh

Notable Sources

All Sources

The Dawn of Divine Invocation

TANAKH

The generation of Enosh marks the beginning of invoking the name of God, a pivotal moment in the spiritual history of humanity. The book of Genesis recounts the birth of Enosh, Seth's son, and the subsequent initiation of calling upon the name of God.

And to Seth, in turn, a son was born, and he named him Enosh. It was then that יהוה began to be invoked by name.

Genesis 4:26

The Wisdom and Folly of Enosh's Generation

KABBALAH

Even the young children of the generation of Enosh possessed supernal wisdom, yet they failed to recognize the impending divine punishment of the flood. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, reflects on the generation of Enosh, highlighting their idolatry and moral decline.

In the days of Enoch even children were acquainted with these mysterious arts.’ Said R. Yesa: ‘If so, how could they be so blind as not to know that God intended to bring the Flood upon them and destroy them?’

Zohar, Bereshit 95:384

The Roots of Idolatry

HALAKHAH

Early humans mistakenly believed that honoring celestial bodies was a way to honor God. In his famed 12th-century code of Jewish law, Mishneh Torah, Rambam explains the theological error that led to the first instance of idolatry.

During the times of Enosh, mankind made a great mistake, and the wise men of that generation gave thoughtless counsel. Enosh himself was one of those who erred.
Their mistake was as follows: They said God created stars and spheres with which to control the world. He placed them on high and treated them with honor, making them servants who minister before Him. Accordingly, it is fitting to praise and glorify them and to treat them with honor. [They perceived] this to be the will of God, blessed be He, that they magnify and honor those whom He magnified and honored…

Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 1:1

The Misguided Honor

MUSAR

The initial act of idol worship was a misguided attempt to honor God by venerating God's visible agents, leading to the eventual creation and worship of idols. Rabbi Isaiah HaLevi Horowitz, in his 17th-century work, explains how this misunderstanding led to idolatry and why the Torah warns against such practices.

Maimonides describes the beginnings of idol-worship both in his ספר המדע and in his מורה נבוכים. He explains that when man first "worshipped" some deity other than G–d this was not meant as an affront to G–d, but, on the contrary, was addressed to Him. Since He is invisible, whereas some of His agents such as the sun are most prominent, people felt that if G–d had Himself given so much power to the sun, the sun as His agent deserved a measure of man's respect. He draws a parallel between the honour due to a king and that due to the king's ministers…

Shenei Luchot HaBerit, Torah Shebikhtav, Yitro, Torah Ohr 40

Naming Idols

MIDRASH

Idols were called 'elohim' to prevent future generations from believing these idols had any real power. The Sifrei, a halachic midrash on Deuteronomy, delves into the origins of idolatry and the misuse of God's name.

R. Yossi says: Why are they called "elohim" ("gods")? So as not to leave an opening for future generations to say: If they (their idols) were called by His name ("Elokim"), they would have been effective. And when were they called by His name? In the days of the generation of Enosh, of which it is written (Bereshith 4:26) "And to Sheth, too, there was born a son, and he called his name Enosh. Then they began to call (artifacts) by the name of the L-rd."

Sifrei Devarim 43:18

Lessons Unlearned from Previous Generations

COMMENTARY

The generation of the Flood failed to learn from previous divine punishments because they attributed the flooding to natural causes. The Siftei Chakhamim, a supercommentary on Rashi’s Torah commentary, explains why the generation of the Flood did not heed the lessons of earlier divine retributions.

[They] had no one from whom to learn, etc. Yet Rashi explained in the end of Parshas Bereishis (ibid v. 4), “Although they witnessed the generation of Enosh being destroyed, for the oceans rose up and flooded a third of the world, yet the generation of the Flood did not humble themselves to take a lesson from them”! The answer is: They attributed it to natural causes since only a third of the world was flooded.

Siftei Chakhamim, Deuteronomy 11:17:5

Relatedראו גם

Idolatry

Sheetsדפי מקורות

Related Sheets