English: “The earth became corrupt” — a Tanna of the school of R’ Yishmael taught: Wherever the term “corruption” (hashchatah) is used, it refers only to matters of sexual immorality and idolatry.
On the daf / in context: The midrash halachah equates the verb “hishehit” with the two cardinal sins of the generation of the Flood: illicit relations and idolatry. The parallel verse “ki hishhit kol basar et darko” supplies the sexual dimension; Deuteronomy 4:16 supplies the idolatry dimension.
Type of Learning
Custom (definition of a technical term from parallel occurrences; school of R’ Yishmael).
What Is Learned
“Corruption” of the earth denotes sexual immorality and idolatry — the sins that sealed the decree against the generation of the Flood.