Friday, November 4, 2011

The Lifespan before and after the Mabul (Flood)

B"H

Starting with Adam HaRishon until the last generation before the Flood (Mabul), the human lifespan was almost 1000 years. Let us look at Adam who died of the age of 930, Seth (Shet) died at the age of 912, Methushelach died at the age of 969, Lamech (the father of Noach) died at the age of 777 and Noach died at the age of 950. 
The change came with Noach's son Shem who died at the age of 600 years. After Shem, the human lifespan went down to 400 years and with Peleg (the son of Ever) even down to approx. 200 years. Avraham died at the age of 175 and Yaakov at the age of 147.

It is not a secret that there were many changes after the Mabul. First of all, G - d gave a kind of a punishment. Kabbalistic literature teaches us that, after all those different sins (Adam and Eve, the generation of Enosh, Noach's generation and Nimrod building the Tower), G - d removed his Shechinah (presence) back to the fourth heaven. Meaning, that His Shechinah wasn't as strong as it used to be in the days of Adam. 

Besides G - d changing our human DNA after the Flood, what exactly was the reason for people getting that old ? Among many other commentaries, the ETZ YOSEF states on Talmud Sanhedrin 108: People in Noach's generation were never sick due to a very different kind of air they were breathing. A clean air and still being connected to the first humans as well as creation itself. 

I just wish that I was able breathing this kind of air for two minutes. Not in order to become 1000 years old but just to get a taste of creation.


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