בראשית, פרק ה׳, פסוק ד׳

The counting of the first man's years offers a unique perspective on human time. A person's life is divided into two distinct chapters: the years dedicated to personal life, and the era that begins once life is passed on to the next generation, centering on the continuation of the family line [קאסוטו]. During this second chapter, numerous sons and daughters are born. However, their names and personal details are left unrecorded because they hold no historical or spiritual significance for us [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. A deep distinction exists between the primary named lineage and the rest of the children. The central figures maintained the image of God in which they were created. In contrast, the unnamed offspring corrupted their ways, surrendered to physical desires, and were ultimately destroyed in the waters of the Flood [רד״ק].

The extraordinary length of life spanning hundreds of years during these early generations presents a profound question: was this extreme longevity a natural, universal reality, or a miraculous exception granted only to a select few? The primary approach among commentators is that such long lives were the standard for all of humanity at that time [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך]. Because the first man was created by God in absolute physical perfection, his basic nature allowed him to live for centuries. This natural state persisted until the Flood, which brought about severe environmental and climatic damage to the world's atmosphere. From that point forward, human lifespans began a gradual decline. This deterioration worsened following further climate shifts during the generation of the dispersion, eventually stabilizing at around seventy to eighty years by the time of the Patriarchs, though a deep reverence for God could still grant additional years to the righteous.

An alternative perspective suggests that the general population during those early eras lived normal, shorter lives, and the vast lifespans were exclusive to the specific individuals recorded in the text [רמב ם המובא ברמב״ן, רד ק והטור הארוך]. According to this view, these few individuals lived for centuries either through a divine miracle or by strictly maintaining proper habits and a precise diet. Their longevity may also have been a reward for distancing themselves from the material desires that typically shorten a person's life. Additionally, God may have granted them extended years to provide ample time to study, develop, and record the foundations of wisdom and science for future generations, a monumental task impossible to achieve in a standard seventy-year lifespan [רד״ק].

However, this alternative viewpoint faces strong opposition. Critics question why God would perform such a massive, ongoing miracle for individuals who were not necessarily prophets. Furthermore, they argue that it is highly unlikely that a specific diet or lifestyle could multiply a person's lifespan so drastically without the rest of society noticing, learning, and copying those beneficial habits [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך].