What are the connotations of "Va'Yinachem Hashem ... "Va'Yis'atzev el Libo"?
Rashi #1: "Va'yinachem" means that Hashem 'consoled Himself' for having created Adam on earth, because, had He created him in heaven, he would have caused the celestial beings to rebel against Him. 1 So Hashem came to the decision to break his power. 2
Rashi #2: Hashem changed His mind 3 from Midas ha'Rachamim to Midas ha'Din. 4 He now reflected what to do with the man that He had created on the earth. Consequently, He was sad 5 of heart, because He had to destroy the work of His Hands. 6
Ramban: The people made Hashem sad 7 because of their sins, but only in His heart - He did not voice His thoughts to a Navi.
Hadar Zekenim: Because He made man on earth, the sadness is in man's heart. Had He made man in the heaven, the sadness would be in the hearts of the angels and of Man's Creator.
Targum Onkelos: Hashem regretted having created Adam; so He decided to break his strength.
Targum Yonasan: Hashem regretted having created Adam; so He passed judgment on him with His Word.
Sanhedrin 108a #1: Hashem consoled Himself for having created graves for the people in the land. 8
Sanhedrin 108b #2: Hashem regretted having created man. 9
It is not clear however, how he could have done that, since, unlike man, angels have no Bechirah? See Sifsei Chachamim. Refer also to 6:6:1.2 .
This is also how Onkelos translates "Vayis'atzev el Libo".
Rosh: There are three Nechamos (regrets). Two of them apply only to humans - retraction due to lack of ability, or lack of knowledge. The third is when Hashem decrees good on man, since He judges according to his merits at the time, and later he sins. Then, Hashem switches the decree to harm him.
Mishnas R. Aharon (Vol. 1, p. 58): He was sad that the purpose of creation was not fulfilled.
Seforno: 'For He does not want the dead (i.e. the sinner) to die - but to do Teshuvah and live' (cf. Yechezkel 18:22; also refer to 4:9:1:2*).
The Torah speaks to us in our language, even when the context per se, is not applicable to Hashem.
Which the Gemara extrapolates from the word 'ba'Aretz". See Torah Temimah, note 10, who explains both explanations.
See Torah Temimah, citing Sanhedrin, ibid. #2, and answer #2.
How will we reconcile the Pasuk "Va'Yis'atzev el Libo" with the fact that Hashem knows the future?
Rashi: That is what a Nochri asked R. Yehoshua ben Korchah, to which the latter replied by asking him why he rejoiced when he bore a son, even though he knew that eventually, his son would die. The Nochri answered that at a time of joy one rejoices, and at a time of sadness, one is sad ... By the same token, R. Yehoshua ben Korchah responded, Ha'Kadosh-Baruch-Hu did not refrain from creating the world, even though He knew that there would come a time when He would have to destroy it. Moreover 1 - for the sake of the Tzadikim who would emerge from them.
See Sifsei Chachamim.
Is there "sadness" before Hashem? The verse says, "At His place are might and joy" (Divrei ha'Yamim I 16:27)?
Gur Aryeh: There is happiness before Hashem Himself; yet Hashem relates to each of His creations in the appropriate manner, whether for joy or sadness. To give a parallel, at Matan Torah, each individual experienced Hashem's Word differently, according to his capabilities. 1
(Midrash Tanchuma, Shemos 25.) Also refer to 6:6:1.4:1* .
QUESTIONS ON RASHI
Rashi writes: "'Hashem relented' (va'Yinachem) - Hashem consoled Himself (Nechamah Hayesah Lefanav) in the fact that He had created man in the lower realms...." Why explain in this way?
Gur Aryeh: This explains why the verse adds "... that he had made man upon the earth" (ba'Aretz).
Rashi writes: "... For had [man] been in the upper realms, he would have caused them to rebel against Him [as well]." Is it possible that the celestial beings would sin?
Gur Aryeh #1: Man, by his nature, is prone to sin, and this would be true even had he been placed in upper realms. Our verse emphasizes that mankind's sin was so widespread and pervasive that it would have disturbed the order of Heaven.
Gur Aryeh #2: In fact, man does have an aspect from the upper realms, namely, his Neshamah. 1 Our verse teaches that a Rasha's sins originate not only in the Guf, but in his Neshamah as well. 2 Had man been created on High, with no Guf at all, he still would have sullied his Neshamah. 3
Gur Aryeh: Hashem created man as a composite of a Neshamah from on High, and a Guf from the earth (Rashi to 2:7).
Gur Aryeh cites the Pasuk, "The Nefesh of the wicked desires evil" (Mishlei 21:10).
Gur Aryeh notes that there is a dissenting opinion in the Midrash, namely that had man been created in Heaven, he would not have sinned. According to that opinion, sin originates only in the Guf, not in the Neshamah.
Rashi writes: "Man was saddened, to Hashem's 'heart;' i.e. the thought arose before Hashem, to sadden [man]... This is how Onkelos translates." Why?
Gur Aryeh: According to Rashi, Onkelos translates that it is man who would be saddened (va'Yis'atzev); for it is impossible to say so regarding Hashem. 1
Rashi writes: "Va'Yis'atzeiv' - ... 'The thought arose before Hashem, to sadden [man]...' this is how Onkelos translates." But Targum Onkelos actually says the following - "Hashem declared that [man's] strength should be broken, as was His will"?
Gur Aryeh: The term "His'atzevus," as used in the Torah, leads to a result of making a reaction or taking vengeance (e.g. see Bereishis 34:7). Onkelos therefore inserts into his commentary, what Hashem's reaction was. (He emends with respectful expression relating to Hashem, as he usually does). 1
Gur Aryeh continues; some commentators would shy away from explaining such terms regarding Hashem, lest they imply that Hashem would be subject to cause and effect, or to change. Gur Aryeh writes at length that when the Torah or Sages ascribe seemingly emotional or physical attributes to Hashem, they are merely illustrating the actions that Hashem is taking, and their effect upon the world. Also see Maharal (Be'er ha'Golah, Be'er 4 Ch. 7, p. 64) -Hashem is described according to the perspective and comprehension of the individual who is receiving from Him.
Rashi writes: "... Alternatively, 'va'Yinachem' [means] that Hashem's thought changed... Hashem [re]considered what to do regarding man." What does Rashi mean?
Gur Aryeh: "Va'Yinachem" means that He changed from one approach to another; in this case from Midas ha'Rachamim to Midas ha'Din.
Rashi writes: "Hashem's thought changed [concerning] that He had created man...." Then why does the next verse repeat, "Hashem said, 'I shall wipe out mankind...'" (6:7)?
Gur Aryeh: Our verse tells us Hashem's thought; and the next verse (6:7) tells us the decree that resulted.
Rashi writes: "'Have you ever had a baby boy born to you?'... 'At a time of joy, be joyous.'" Seemingly, the parable is imprecise. At the time that a baby is born, there is only joy; but evil has been present in the world even since its initial creation. If so, why did Hashem rejoice over it?
Gur Aryeh: The world contains a mixture of good and evil. The evil is merely incidental, and the good is prominent; that is why the world continues to exist. At those times when the evil surfaces, it becomes prominent; and Hashem mourns over it, as stated in this Pasuk.
Rashi writes: "He did not refrain from creating [the wicked], for the sake of the righteous who would arise from them." This was not reflected in the parable! (I.e. a baby is not born for some ultimate benefit that would justify in itself the pain of its [eventual] death.)
Mizrachi: This last line in Rashi is his addition; it is not in the Midrash. Perhaps we should add, "and also for the sake of the righteous...;" Rashi is then adding an additional reason.
Gur Aryeh: In the parable, an "ultimate benefit" in the baby's birth is not relevant. A baby is not a purposeful act of the parent, but an incidental development of Hashem's command to procreate. 1 However, Hashem created the world with purposeful intent; so we do need to explain the benefit that comes from the evildoers within it, namely the righteous individuals who will arise from them. 2
Gur Aryeh: I.e., a parent does not choose [intellectually] to have children, rather he follows the natural instincts that Hashem instilled in him. Therefore, he rejoices at his child's birth, despite his eventual demise.
Gur Aryeh: In fact, it is unnecessary to explain this way. The world must have some evildoers; they themselves exist for the sake of the righteous. See Maharal (Gevuros Hashem, end Ch.5).
