“The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erekh, and Akad, and Kalne, in the land of Shinar” (Genesis 10:10). “The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erekh, and Akad, and Kalne” – Ḥeren, Nesibin, and Katosfin. “In the land of Shinar” – this is Babylon. Why was it called Shinar?
Reish Lakish said: It is because all the dead of the Flood were deposited [ninaru] there. Another interpretation, [it is called] Shinar because it is empty [meno’eret] of mitzvot, as there is no teruma, no tithes, and no Sabbatical year [there]. Another interpretation, [it is called] Shinar because they [its inhabitants] would die in discomfort [tashnik], without a lamp and without a bath.11Oil for lamps and wood for heating water were in short supply in Babylon.
Another interpretation, [it is called] Shinar because their princes12Torah scholars. die as youths [ne’arim]. Another interpretation, [it is called] Shinar because its princes look into the Torah while they are still youths [ne’arim]. Another interpretation, [it is called] Shinar because it produced an enemy [soneh] and a foe [ar] of the Holy One blessed be He. Who is that?
It is Nebuchadnezzar. “Ashur left that land, and he built Nineveh, and Rehovot Ir, and Kalah” (Genesis 10:11). “And Resen between Nineveh and Kalah; that is the great city” (Genesis 10:12). “Ashur left that land” – Ashur left that conspiracy [of Babel].13The conspiracy that led to the building of the Tower of Babel.
When he saw all of them coming to contest the Holy One blessed be He, he vacated his land. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You left four [cities],14Babel, and Erekh, and Akad, and Kalne. by your life, I will repay you by giving you four [cities]’: “And he built Nineveh, and Rehovot Ir, and Kalaḥ…and Resen” (Genesis 10:11–12). [Resen is] Telasar.15See Isaiah 37:12. But he [Ashur] did not do so [indefinitely]; rather, because it [the nation of Ashur] came and participated with them [the Babylonians] in the destruction of the Temple,16As it is stated: “Also Ashur has joined them” (Psalms 83:9). the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Yesterday you were a chick [efroaḥ] and now an egg?17Instead of progressing, as an egg progresses into a chick, you regressed.
Originally you forsook the generation of the Dispersion, but now you have joined the evildoers. Yesterday you soared [mafriaḥ] with mitzvot and good deeds, but now you are shut in like an egg? That is astonishing.’ That is why [it is written]: “[Also Ashur has joined them]; they give a hand to the sons of Lot, Selah.” (Psalms 83:9) – for a curse [levat].18Lot is interpreted as levat, a curse.
Since you joined the others in destroying the Temple, you are cursed. “And Resen between Nineveh and Kalah …[that is the great city]” – we do not know whether Resen is the great city, or Nineveh is the great one. From what is written: “Nineveh was an exceptionally great city, a journey of three days” (Jonah 3:3), we see that Nineveh was the great city.