Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 27 Tishri, 5784
Parsha Bereshit: (Genesis 1:1 – 6:18) 
Fifth Portion: Genesis 4:19-22

Short portion today.

So leading to today’s portion, we have Adam and Chavah.  From them, Cain is the next Generation.  We learn about his troubled early years with his brother Abel.  At the end of the portion yesterday, we get a run down of sons born from Cain to Lamech.  No specific women were mentioned.  So leading to today’s portion, we have the following people getting space (and still living (beyond a name) in the Torah:

• Male: Adam & Cain
• Female: Chavah

Let’s look directly at today’s portion (Genesis 4:19-22):

19And Lemech took himself two wives; one was named Adah, and the other was named Zillah.

20Now Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle.

21And his brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who grasp a lyre and a flute.

22And Zillah she too bore Tubal-cain, who sharpened all tools that cut copper and iron, and Tubal-cain’s sister was Na’amah.

To summarize, Adah and Zillah are mothers of the following people:

• Adah:
  • Jabal: Father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle
    • This would seem to indicate Jabal was the beginning of knowledge passed down to farmers and those working the land
  • Jubal: Father of those who grasp a lyre and flute
    • This would seem to indicate Jubal was the beginning of knowledge passed down to creative types (artisans)
  • Zillah:
    • Tubal-cain: Father of those who sharpened tools cutting copper and iron
      • Those who made tools and weapons – fighters?
    • Na’Amah

I take note here – when the Torah mentions a woman, my eyes and ears perk up.  It would seem they are mentioned a critical times. Yes, they get ignored in the generations between Cain and Lamech.  But why here? Why doesn’t the Torah just keep the pattern of “this dude had this dude as a son.” It would seem to keep to that pattern, the Torah could have saved a lot of space here: “Lamech bore three sons; Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-Cain.”

There has to be a reason why Adah, Zillah and Na’Amah are mentioned, right?  Let’s keep this in mind tomorrow and Saturday as we finish the Parsha.  But it is a curious question.  But we learn that Adah and Zillah are crucial women as they get names mentioned about the kids they had.

So we now add to our “scoreboard” of Torah mentioning people beyond just a name:

• Previous generations:
  • Male: Adam, Cain, Lamech
  • Female: Chavah, Adah, Zillah
• Current generation:
  • Male: Jabal, Jubal, Tubal-Cain
  • Female: Na’Amah

There does seem to be a balance doesn’t there? And now a part of me wants to go inward.

Within me – what part of me connects with Adam? Cain? Lamech?  What part of me connects with Chavah, Adah, Zillah?  And if I turn my consciousness to all of the previous moments that led to this moment?

And – at this moment, if I focus on now? What parts of me connect with Jabal (farming), Jubal (creativity), and Tubal-Cain (tools and weapons)?  And what about Na’Amah?

Pure speculation here: The Torah may be connecting me to this feminine spirit/energy within me.  This part of me that connects with Chavah – who turned curiosity into judgment. And like Adah and Zillah, is connected and desires to mother and nurture parts of me that connect to creativity, farming, tools, weapons?

Maybe this is why Na’Amah isn’t mentioned beyond a name? To bring us inward – and open space for us to explore?  I don’t know.

But from this small passage today, it would see there are a lot of things to explore and unpack!  What do you think?