We find ourselves with Lemekh, a descendant of Cain. He's talking to his wives, Ada and Tzila, and things are… complicated. He says, "Hear my voice, wives of Lemekh, listen to my speech, for have I slain a man for my wound or a child for my injury?" (Genesis 4:23). What's that all about?

Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina offers a compelling interpretation: Lemekh is trying to convince his wives to have children. But they're hesitant, and rightfully so! They say, "Tomorrow the Flood is coming [to destroy all mankind]. Shall we heed you and bring forth children only to be cursed?" Talk about a mood killer!

Lemekh, however, is not deterred. He argues, "Have I slain a man for my wound, that wounds should befall me on his account? [Have I slain] a child for my injury, that injuries should befall me on his account?" He’s essentially saying: Cain committed murder, and God only punished him by extending his life for seven generations (Genesis 4:15). I haven't killed anyone, so surely I have even less to worry about! We might call this an a fortiori argument, meaning "from the stronger," or "how much more so."

But hold on. Rabbi isn't buying it. He calls it a "flawed a fortiori argument." Why? Because if God always delayed punishment, "from whom would the Holy One blessed be He ever collect His promissory note?" In other words, how would justice ever be served?

Then, Rabbi Yaakov bar Idi asks Rabbi Yoḥanan a pointed question: "If 'a man,' why 'a child'; if 'a child,' why 'a man'?" What's he getting at? Well, Lemekh claims he didn’t kill a man or a child. But did Cain actually kill both? Rabbi Yoḥanan answers that Abel was "a man in terms of his limbs, but a child in terms of years." According to Bereshit Rabba 22:4, Abel lived only about fifty days.

So, what do Lemekh and his wives do? They decide to consult with none other than Adam himself! They go to Adam for advice on whether or not to have children with the flood coming. Adam tells them, "You do yours and the Holy One blessed be He will do His." In other words: Fulfill your duty to procreate; what happens after is up to God.

Ouch. The wives don't let Adam off that easily! They retort, "Doctor, heal your own lameness! Have you yourself not separated from Eve for a hundred and thirty years so that you should not produce a son from her?" That had to sting. The implication is clear: Practice what you preach, Adam!

The story concludes with Adam, moved by their words, reuniting with Eve to have more children.

What are we to make of this wild story? It's a reminder that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges, the drive to create, to build a future, persists. It's also a potent reminder of the complexities of moral decision-making. Lemekh, Adam, and their wives are all grappling with huge questions. Should they bring children into a world about to be destroyed? Is it their place to decide? And what role does faith play in the face of uncertainty?

It leaves you thinking, doesn't it? What would you do?