"The end of all flesh has come before Me" said God before the deluge.
"End" (heb kaytz): the time has come for Me to cut (hikkatzetz) them down.
"Flesh": (heb. baser) the time has come for me to traetthem as unripened grapes.
During the age of the Flood this is what used to happen: a man would bring a basket of lupines and someone would steal a minimal amount, less than a penny's worth, and they could not be punished. Simply because they had stolen so little they could get away with it, and they did. Therefore God said, "You have acted callously, so I too will act callously."
Common law does not concern itself with trivial amounts, trifles. But in Judaism any violation is destructive to humanity. Beresheit Rabbah, Soncino . p120
Comments