“The Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was saddened in His heart” (Genesis 6:6). “The Lord regretted [vayinaḥem] that He had made man on the earth” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda said: [God said:] ‘There was regret before Me that I created him below [“on the earth”], for had I created him on High, he would never have rebelled against Me.’ Rabbi Neḥemya said: [God said:] ‘I take solace [mitnaḥem] in the fact that I created him below [“on the earth”], for had I created him on High, just as he incited the lower beings [on earth] to rebel against Me, so he would have incited the supernal beings [the angels] to rebel against Me.’
Rabbi Aivu said: [God said:] ‘There was regret before Me that I created an evil inclination in him, as had I not created an evil inclination in him, he would not have rebelled against Me.’ Rabbi Levi said: [God said:] ‘I take solace in the fact that I made him so that he would [ultimately] be placed in the earth.’10He is mortal and will ultimately die, so there is a time limit to his wickedness. “And He was saddened in His heart” – Rabbi Berekhya said: This is analogous to a king who built a palace by means of an architect.
He saw it and it was not to his liking. At whom should he be angry? Is it not the architect? So, “He was saddened in his heart.”11His heart and His wisdom counseled Him to create man.
Rabbi Asi said: This is analogous to a king who engaged in commerce by means of an intermediary and incurred a loss. Against whom should he have a grievance? Is it not against the intermediary? So, “He was saddened in his heart.”
A certain heretic asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa, saying to him: ‘Do you not say that the Holy One blessed be He foresees the future?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ [The heretic continued:] ‘But is it not written: “He was saddened in his heart”?’ He said to him: ‘Has a male offspring ever been born to you in your lifetime?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’
He said to him: ‘What did you do?’ He said to him: ‘I rejoiced and encouraged everyone else to rejoice.’ He said to him: ‘But did you not know that he would ultimately die?’ He said to him: ‘At a time of rejoicing there is rejoicing; at a time of mourning there is mourning.’
He said to him: ‘So was the situation before the Holy One blessed be He, as Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Seven days the Holy One blessed be He mourned His world before the Flood came to the world. What is the source? “He was saddened [vayitatzev] in his heart,” and atziva is nothing other than mourning, just as it says: “The king is grieving [ne’etzav] over his son”’ (II Samuel 19:3).