בראשית, פרק ז׳, פסוק י״ט

The climax of the great flood arrives at a devastating point of no return, where the rising waters transform from a steadily growing tide into an absolute, destructive force that subdues all of nature. The narrative shifts its gaze away from the floating ark and focuses entirely on the raging waters churning beneath it [קאסוטו]. Rather than merely increasing in volume, the waters now demonstrate a violent, overwhelming power. This is not just a rise in the water level, but an aggressive uprising and a total victory over the dry land [רד״ק, מחוקקי יהודה]. Massive, violent currents sweep across the earth, uprooting trees and obliterating buildings in their path [הטור הארוך, מחוקקי יהודה].

The floodwaters reach their absolute maximum capacity, rising to an extreme and immeasurable height [אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, קאסוטו]. They surge upward until even the highest peaks are completely swallowed and subdued by the deep [קאסוטו], eventually towering fifteen cubits above the summits of the mountains [אבן עזרא, מלבי״ם, ביאור יש״ר]. The submerging of these peaks carries a swift and tragic finality for humanity and the animal kingdom. Desperate people and animals had fled to the highest mountaintops in a final attempt to survive. The moment these summits disappear beneath the waves, all hope vanishes, and every living creature perishes [רא״ש, בכור שור].

The sheer violence of the flood is so profound that it physically reshapes the earth. According to a unique perspective, the overwhelming force of the water tears up vast tracts of land, forging entirely new mountains and hills. In this view, towering peaks like the mountains of Ararat do not predate the flood but are violently created during the catastrophe itself [העמק דבר].

The assertion that the waters cover everything under the heavens raises a question, as it seems obvious that all mountains exist beneath the sky [ברכת אשר על התורה]. This sparks a discussion regarding the true scope of the devastation. One approach maintains that this phrasing emphasizes the absolute, inescapable totality of the destruction. It firmly rejects any claims that certain regions, such as the Land of Israel, are spared [נחל קדומים], dismissing rumors of distant, uncovered mountain peaks [אבן עזרא, מחוקקי יהודה]. Conversely, another perspective suggests that the phrasing is intentionally limiting. This view argues that the flood indeed bypasses the Land of Israel. Furthermore, it excludes exceptionally high mountains whose peaks pierce the clouds and are therefore not considered strictly under the heavens, suggesting the destruction applies only to ordinary mountains found throughout the world rather than rare, towering summits [קונטרס חיבה יתירה].