The Book of Adam's Generations and the Torah Withheld

(Genesis 5:1) "This is the book of the generations of Adam." Rav Yehudah bar Simon said: While the first Adam was still lying before the One who spoke and the world came to be, He showed him generation after generation with its sages, generation after generation with its scribes, generation after generation with its providers, generation after generation with its leaders. This is the meaning of what is written (Psalms 139:16), "Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and on Your book they were all recorded." "This is the book of the generations of Adam." The first Adam was worthy that the Torah should be given through him. And what is the reason? "This is the book of the generations of Adam." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: He is the work of My hands, yet I will not give it to him. The Holy One, blessed be He, reconsidered and said: Six commandments I gave him, and so forth; six hundred thirteen commandments, all the more so. And He said: I will not give them to Adam himself, but to his children, as it is said, "This is the book of the generations of Adam." The first Adam was worthy that twelve tribes should arise from him. What is the reason? "This is the book of the generations of Adam" [zeh], for the numerical value of zeh [is twelve]. The Holy One, blessed be He, reconsidered and said: Two sons I gave him, and one rose against his fellow and killed him; how then shall I give him twelve? And He said: I will not give them to Adam himself, but to his children, as it is said, "This is the book of the generations of Adam" [zeh], whose numerical value is twelve. "This is the book of the generations of Adam." These are generations, but the earlier ones were not generations. And what were they? They sought to ask about divinity before Abba Kohen Bardela, and so forth. The earlier ones were not generations but only spirits, since for every hundred and thirty years that he separated from Eve, and so forth. These are generations and the earlier ones were not generations; why? Because they perished in the waters. Every craft in the world the first Adam learned. What is the reason? (Isaiah 44:11), "The craftsmen, they are but men" [me'adam]; from the first Adam. Even the ruling of a scroll the first Adam learned, as it is said, "This is the book" and its ruling. "The generations of Adam, in the day they were created" [be'yom hibaram]. This supports that teaching: three wonders were done on that day; on that very day they were created, and so forth. Ben Azzai says: "This is the book of the generations of Adam" is a great principle in the Torah. Rabbi Akiva says: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" is a great principle in the Torah, so that you should not say, "Since I have been shamed, let my fellow be shamed along with me; since I have been cursed, let my fellow be cursed along with me." If you act so, know whom you are shaming: "In the likeness of God He made him."