Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: What was not done [even] by the generation of the Flood was done by the ten tribes.14The ten tribes were even more sinful than the generation of the Flood. Regarding the generation of the Flood it is written: “And that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the day” (Genesis 6:5), while regarding the ten tribes it is written: “Woe, the devisers of iniquity and the evildoers on their beds” (Micah 2:1) – that is at night.
From where is it derived during the day as well? The verse states: “They perform it at the morning light” (Micah 2:1).15The generation of the Flood sinned all day, but the ten tribes sinned both by day and by night. [Yet] from these [the generation of the Flood], no remnant remained, whereas from those [the ten tribes] there was a remnant. However, it is due to the merit of the righteous men and women that were destined to arise from them.
That is what is written: “But behold, a remnant has remained in it who are being taken out, sons and daughters” (Ezekiel 14:22). It is not written here, “they are taking out [motziim] sons and daughters,” but rather: “who are being taken out [mutza’im],16Mutza’im can also mean: those who will emerge. sons and daughters” – due to the merit of the righteous men and women who were destined to descend from them.
Rabbi Berekhya said: What was not done by the people of Sodom was done by the tribe of Judah and Benjamin. Regarding the people of Sodom it is written: “And their sin because it is very grave” (Genesis 18:20), but regarding the tribe of Judah it is written: “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is very, very great” (Ezekiel 9:9). [Yet] from these [the people of Sodom], no remnant remained, whereas from those [Judah and Benjamin] there was a remnant.
However, that one, “[Sodom], which was overthrown in a moment” (Lamentations 4:6) – because they did not extend their hands to do charitable deeds; “and no hands seized [ḥalu] it” (Lamentations 4:6) – Rabbi Tanḥum said: Hand did not reach out [ḥalat] to hand [to assist one another]. But these [Judah and Benjamin] did extend their hands to do charitable deeds: “The hands of merciful women cooked their children” (Lamentations 4:10).
Why to that extent? “They were food [levarot] for them in the disaster of the daughter of my people” (Lamentations 4:10).17The verse is not to be understood literally, but means that these women kept food from their own children in order to provide first meals [havraa] for their mourning friends. Rabbi Ḥanin said: What is not stated regarding the generation of the Flood is stated regarding coastal cities: “Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, nation [goy] of the Keretites” (Zephaniah 2:5) – a nation that was worthy of total annihilation [karet].18Whereas the generation of the Flood had Noah, who survived.
So by what merit did they in fact endure? It is by the merit of one gentile [goy], by the merit of one God-fearing man, whom they would produce each year. Rabbi Levi interpreted it favorably: A nation that established [karat] a covenant,19The subject of that verse is the Philistines, who had made a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 21:27) and Isaac (Genesis 26:28). just as it says: “And established [vekharot] a covenant with him” (Nehemiah 9:8).