"Zeh Yenachemeinu ... ". In what way was Noach destined to make life easier for the world?
Rashi: a. He would invent the plow. 1 b. Until now, when people planted produce, the land would grow thorns and thistles (as a result of the curse following Adam's sin). When Noach arrived, the curse was lifted.
Seforno and Rashbam: Lemech 2 Davened that Noach should bring them rest from their hard work 3 (though it is not clear how). 4
Sanhedrin 113b: Incidentally, we learn from here that when a Tzadik comes into the world, goodness comes into the world too.
Rosh #1: His fingers were separated [from birth]. Those born prior to Noach had attached fingers, and plowed with their hands. Since he did not have the strength for this, he invented the plow.
See Targum Yonasan, who explains in a similar fashion.
As opposed to Eiver, who named his son 'Peleg' in the form of a prophecy. Refer to 5:29:2 and 10:25:1 .
Because he was the first person to be born after the death of Adam ha'Rishon. See Rashbam.
Chazal refer to Eiver (great-grandson of Shem) as a great Navi, because he called his son 'Peleg' (since in his time, the world would become scattered - 'Dor Haflagah'), Why did they not make a similar comment with regard to Lemech, who called his son 'Noach'?
Rosh: They had a tradition that the land would be cursed until someone would be born circumcised. Consequently, the moment he was born already they knew that life would become easier.
See Oznayim la'Torah, who supports this explanation from the expression, "... Leimor, Zeh Yenachameinu", which we find in only one other place - in connection with Rachel's Tefilah after she bore Yosef. Oznayim la'Torah elaborates.
"Min ha'Adamah asher Erarah Hashem". Which curse is the Torah referring to?
Rashi (to Yechezkel 14:14): It is referring - not to the curse following Adam's sin, but - to a famine 1 that plagued the world in the time of Lemech. 2
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'Zeh Yenachameinu' (lit. 'this one shall console us') - [should be interpreted as a contraction of] 'Yaniach Mimenu,' 'he shall cause the sorrow of our hands (i.e. our physical labor) to relax from us')." But the next word in the Pasuk is "mi'Ma'aseinu" - "[i.e. we shall be relieved] from our activities." Is it the people who will relax, or the work itself?
Gur Aryeh #1: Rashi explains by splitting the verse into two parts, "He shall cause our labor to relax from us; [and then] we shall be relieved from [our activities and] the sorrow of our labor." 1
Gur Aryeh #2: The Midrash interprets the verse more literally (and not as Rashi explains). Noach is an expression of Hanachah (relief). When the verse then continues with an expression of Nechamah (consolation), it comes not to explain the etymology of the name, but rather its reason, because consolation brings about relief. If so, why was he named Noach, and not Nachman? Ever since Adam's sin, whenever man would try to plow a field, neither the ox nor the field would obey his wishes. Now, they desisted from their state of rebellion, bringing relief.
Gur Aryeh: Why does Rashi gloss over the phrase "our activities" in his explanation? The term "activities" by itself is not always bad; the phrase "the sorrow of our hands" clarifies that it is in the negative sense.
