The Nephilim: Fallen Angels, Giants, or Ancient Heroes? | Parsha Bereshis

Who were the Nephilim of Genesis 6? Were they giants, ancient heroes, fallen angels—or something else? In this episode on Parsha Bereshis, I look closely at the biblical text, compare it with traditions from the ancient Near East, and then follow the Nephilim into later Jewish interpretation, including the Book of Enoch and Midrashic tradition. The goal of the channel is to explore the weekly Torah reading through three complementary lenses: the biblical text itself, the world of antiquity, and the Jewish interpretive tradition—and, where possible, to see how those perspectives illuminate one another. Topics in this episode: Genesis 6:1–4; the Bnei Elohim, Nephilim and Gibborim; giants and extraordinary heroes in the Hebrew Bible; Gilgamesh and ancient Mesopotamian traditions; Ugaritic literature; the “sons of God”; the Book of Enoch; and later Jewish interpretation. Parsha: Bereshit Primary text: Genesis 6:1–4 #Torah #Bible #Genesis #Nephilim #ParshaBereshit