Noach 11:4 · unit 3

TT #80 · Parashas Noach · Seventh Aliyah · Passuk 11:4

The Complete Passuk

…וְנַֽעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֖נוּ שֵׁ֑ם…

…and let us make a name for ourselves…

Chabad.org — 11:4

Source Citation

Torah Temimah points to R’ Natan (all intended for idolatry).

Sefaria — Sanhedrin 109a

E-Daf image — Sanhedrin 109a (size=3)

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
וְנַעֲשֶׂה לָּנוּ שֵׁם — תַּנְיָא, רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: כֻּלָּם לְשֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה נִתְכַּוְּנוּ, כְּתִיב הָכָא ״וְנַעֲשֶׂה לָּנוּ שֵׁם״ וּכְתִיב הָתָם ״וְשֵׁם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים לֹא תַזְכִּירוּ״.

English: “And let us make a name for ourselves” — It was taught: R’ Natan says: All of them intended it for the sake of idolatry; it is written here “let us make a name” and it is written there “the name of other gods you shall not mention.”

Type of Learning

Custom (idolatrous intent of the entire project).

What Is Learned

According to R’ Natan the “name” they sought was the name of foreign gods; the Tower was an idolatrous enterprise.