Page:A Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Genesis (Morgenstern, 1919, jewishinterpreta00morg).pdf/103

 85

The Flood The ark

knowledge of seafaring. shaped box,

lar

half

actly

VII,

its

divided

volume

stories,

water and half

the

in

here represented as a rectanguwhich floated with ex-

is

three

into

above.

note to

Cf.

20.

Gopher was apparently a kind of wood used for building. The was used to calk the seams. V. 15. The cubit was apparently slightly less than two feet in

pitch

XII, 483.

Cf. JeziHsh Encyclopedia,

length.

V. 21. Ly "food that might be eaten," is meant only herbs. According to I, 29, permission was at iirst given to men and animals Not until after the flood was permission given to eat only herbs. to eat flesh, with the restriction however that no blood might be eaten (IX, 3). VII,

The great age here

6.

the olher antediluvian patriarchs,

and without the

cal,

No

upon

this,

Noah, and

to

in

V,

to

altogether mythical and theologi-

historical

slightest

stress should be laid

ascribed is

basis

however,

(cf.

in

note to VI, 3).

presenting the story,

But in such unless the children ask whether these figures are true. case the teacher must not hesitate to give the only correct answer.

Under no condition should the impression be conveyed real

history,

or

that

it

can in any

to

this

that this

way be harmonized with

is

real

history.

V.

11.

According

the flood lasted just 365

e.

i.

approximately 354^

consisted of

14, v. 24 and VIII, 4, 13, one solar year. A lunar year

verse and

days,

days,

i.

e.

12

x

29^+

days,

the

The flood duration of one cycle of the four phases of the moon. said to have lasted altogether 365 days, from the 17th of the is second month of one year, to the 27th of the same month of the The Jewish calendar is reckoned according' to the lunar But since there is a difference of 10, or more approximately, 10^ days between a solar and a lunar year, the Jewish calendar observes a leap year, consisting of one extra month of twenty-nine This makes posdays, seven times in every cycle of nineteen years. next year. year.

sible

a

very close harmonization.

nection to teach the children the

It

may

names of

be possible in this conthe

Hebrew months, and

the order of the festivals.

The explanation

of the reference to the "springs of the great deep

and the windows of heaven" implication

is

appeared, as

will be

that the original

described

in

state

Genesis

I,

found of

in the

note to

I,

6.

The

chaos, before the land had

was for the moment reestab-

lished.

V.

20.

The

tops of the mountains are covered fifteen cubits deep,