Overview
From the opening verses of Bereishis (Genesis), the Torah invites reflection on the enigma of human longevity. The earliest generations — Adam, Seth, Methuselah, Noah — are said to have lived for hundreds of years, nearly a millennium in some cases. As history unfolds, human life appears to shorten, stabilizing near 120 years in the time of Moses. Traditional interpretations view this as a literal biological decline, an adjustment of nature or divine decree.
