The Torah portion of Bereishit discusses two men with the same name of Chanoch. One was the son of Kayin and the other, the son of Yered and the great-grandfather of No’ach. This article will discuss the two Chanoch’s.
Kayin Built a City
After Kayin killed his brother Hevel, G-d banished him from Gan Eden and decreed that he wander the earth. At that time, “Kayin knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Chanoch. He then founded a city, and named the city after his son, Chanoch.”
Too Much Building
The Midrash understands Kayin’s behavior in a negative light and says that he was constantly building the city instead of focusing on more spiritual matters. The basis for this interpretation is that the verse says וַיְהִי בֹּנֶה עִיר – “and he was building a city” when it could have said וַיִבְנֶה עִיר – “And he built a city.” This indicates that he was constantly building and improving the city.
The Midrash remarks that a person who focuses on building physical edifices instead of on more sublime matters will be buried together with those edifices. Similarly, the Ba’alei Mussar point out that the letters for “money” (כסף) are alphabetically closest to “poor person” (עני) (ע precedes ף, while נ precedes ס, and י precedes כ) indicating that one who focuses on money is (morally) impoverished.
Fixing the World
Others interpret his actions differently: Kayin married, had children, and built a city in order to try and rectify the sin of murdering his brother. By adding lives to this world and making it easier for people to live in this world, he was trying to rebuild the world he had partially destroyed by the heinous act of murder. This can be inferred from the fact that the verse about having children and building a city is placed soon after the verse about his teshuvah. [The verse says that Kayin said to G-d, “Is my sin too great to bear?” The Midrash understands this to mean that Kayin was asking for forgiveness.]
What’s in the Name?
The name Chanoch is related to the word chinuch, which means education, innovation, or dedication (e.g., the Chanukat HaMishkan, dedication of the Mishkan). The commentaries offer several interpretations for the connection between Chanoch and education.
- Educated Him in the Path of G-d
Rabbi Avraham Sela (1440 – 1508 of Spain, Morocco, and Turkey) explains that Kayin wanted his oldest son to “replace” the brother he had killed. As such, he educated Chanoch to go in the path of G-d just as Hevel had done. Hevel going in the path of G-d is evident from his name which means “insignificant,” implying that he was humble and served G-d unpretentiously. - Innovated City Dwelling
The Pirush of the Baalei Tosfot on the Torah says that the name Chanoch relates to the innovation of building cities which began in the time of Chanoch and which Kayin built for his son and in his honor.
Where Was the City of Chanoch?
According to the Vilna Gaon, the city of Chanoch was located in Israel on the banks of the Mediterranean, within the portion of the tribe of Asher. The people of that city had a tradition that their city was the same city that was built by Kayin in honor of Chanoch.
The Second Chanoch
The more famous Chanoch was the son of Yered and is described in the Torah as “walking in the ways of G-d.” Although he was righteous, he passed away at a much younger age than his predecessors and immediate descendants. He only lived until the age of 365 whereas the average age of his ancestors and near descendants, as recorded in the Torah, was 878. Based on the average life expectance in the world today (73 years), this would be like someone passing away at the age of 31.
Why Did He Pass Away Young?
There are differing opinions among the commentaries as to why Chanoch passed away young. Here are some of them:
- Rashi says that although he was righteous, Chanoch could have been influenced to become wicked. To prevent this, God took him before his time.
- Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Berlin says that during one of his meditations about G-d, Chanoch cleaved to G-d so mightily that his body ascended to heaven and he was no longer visible in this world (see below).
- Similarly, the Radak says that Chanoch passed away because he reached a spiritual level at which his physical body became repulsive to him.
Did He Pass Away?
The verse does not say explicitly that Chanoch died. As such, there is some controversy among the commentaries as to what exactly happened to him.
- Went Up to Heaven Alive
According to the Derech Eretz Zutah, Chanoch was one of nine people who entered Gan Eden alive. The others were Elijah, the prophet; Moshiach; Eliezer, the servant of Avraham; Chiram of Tyre; Eved Melech, the Kushi; Yaavetz, the son of Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi; Batya, the daughter of Pharoah; and Serach, the daughter of Asher. Some add Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi. - Passed Away
The Midrash says that Chanoch actually passed away since the expression used regarding Chanoch (“and he was taken by G-d”) can refer to death. The Midrash indicates that the heretics of that generation believed that Chanoch went up to heaven alive but that the rabbis argued with them and insisted that he died. - Became an Angel
According to the Zohar, Chanoch ascended to heaven and became the angel Matat-ron. Rabeinu Bachye explains that this angel existed prior to Chanoch but that Chanoch served G-d in a manner similar to the angel Matat-ron. Thus he is referred to by that name.
Why 365 Years?
Rabeinu Bachaye explains that the number of Chanoch’s years corresponds to the number of days in a solar year to indicate that Chanoch understood all the heavenly bodies and their movements. This led him to recognize the Source of everything and cleave to Him.
Don’t Name after the Wicked
The Sefer Chassidim writes that Chanoch, the son of Yered, passed away young because he was named after the Chanoch, son of Kayin, who (in the opinion of some,) was wicked. Similarly, Lemech, the father of Noach, passed away at a relatively young age because he was named after Lemech, who was a wicked (descendant) of Kayin.
May we emulate the righteous and walk in the ways of G-d!
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom UMevorach and a Chodesh Tov!
Copyright 2022 by Rabbi Aryeh Citron
