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EXTRA · Noach 11:6 · unit 1

Parashas Noach · Tower · Passuk 11:6

The Complete Passuk

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֗ה הֵ֣ן עַ֤ם אֶחָד֙ וְשָׂפָ֤ה אַחַת֙ לְכֻלָּ֔ם וְזֶ֖ה הַחִלָּ֣ם לַעֲשׂ֑וֹת וְעַתָּה֙ לֹֽא־יִבָּצֵ֣ר מֵהֶ֔ם כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָזְמ֖וּ לַֽעֲשֽׂוֹת׃

And Hashem said: “Behold, they are one people and they all have one language, and this is what they have begun to do; and now nothing that they scheme to do will be withheld from them.”

Chabad.org — 11:6

Source Citation

Rashi / midrash — the danger of unified wickedness.

Rashi on Genesis 11:6

Core Text of Chazal

Core Text
לֹא יִבָּצֵר מֵהֶם — מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהֵם עַם אֶחָד וְשָׂפָה אַחַת, אֵין מַה שֶּׁיִּמְנַע בְּיָדָם.

English: “Nothing will be withheld from them” — because they are one people with one language, there is nothing that can restrain their hand.

In context: Unity of language and purpose, when directed toward rebellion, multiplies destructive capacity; the confusion of languages is the response that fractures that capacity.

Type of Learning

Custom (danger of unified evil intent).

What Is Learned

Shared language and shared purpose make even wicked schemes effective; the dispersion prevents the completion of the project.