**In this year** was born **Naamah** to Enoch [(she was Noah's wife, see Year 1055)]. Thus when she was born, Enoch was 352 years old.

**At that time** Enoch resolved in his heart to separate himself from mankind and to hide from them as at first, to serve HaShem. He hid from mankind for three days and revealed himself to them one day, and every three days he prayed to God. On the day he revealed himself, he taught them the way of HaShem and all that they asked of him. He did so for many days and years, and afterward he hid himself for six days and revealed himself to them on the seventh day, and afterward one day in a month and one day in a year, until all the kings and princes and mankind sought his face and desired to see his face and hear his words.

But they could not, for all mankind feared to approach him because of the fear of God that was upon his face, lest they die. All the kings and princes consulted to gather all mankind together and come to Enoch to speak with him all together when he would come out to them. They did so, and he taught them wisdom and knowledge and instructed them in the fear of HaShem. They grew exceedingly and marveled at his wisdom and bowed to him and said "Long live the king!" While he was teaching them, an angel of HaShem called to Enoch from heaven and said he would ascend to heaven to reign over the angels as he had reigned over mankind.

When Enoch heard this, he gathered all the inhabitants of the earth and said: "I have been asked to ascend to heaven. I do not know the day of my departure. Now let me instruct you." He established for them statutes and judgments and taught them the life of the world and settled them for some days. While he was speaking to them, they lifted their eyes and saw, behold, a great horse descending from heaven.

They told Enoch: "For your sake this horse has descended. The time has come for me to depart from you." The horse descended and stood before him. He commanded them to proclaim: Whoever desires to know the ways of HaShem, let him come today. All mankind came, all the kings of the earth and their princes did not leave him that day.

He taught them wisdom and the discipline of HaShem to walk in His ways and made peace among them all. He rode upon the horse and went forth, and some 800,000 men followed him for two days' journey. On the second day he said to them: "Return to your tents, lest you die." Some of them returned, but the rest followed him for six days' journey. Each day he said to them: "Return lest you die," but they did not want to.

On the sixth day he spoke again: "Return, for tomorrow I will ascend to heaven, and whoever remains with me will die." They returned, but some men remained and said: "We will go wherever you go, for only death will separate us." When they insisted on going with him, he stopped speaking. They followed him and did not desist. The kings who had returned appointed men to count the number of those who had followed him.

On the seventh day, Enoch ascended to heaven in a storm on horses of fire. On the eighth day they sent men to take a count of those who had remained with Enoch. They found all the land covered with snow, and upon it were great stones of snow. They broke through the snow and found the bodies of those who had been with Enoch beneath the snow.

They searched for Enoch but did not find him, for he had ascended to heaven. [This is the meaning of "and he was not," meaning beneath the snow like the others, because God took him (Sefer HaYashar). In Bereishit Rabbah chapter 25, Rabbi Aivu said: Enoch was a hypocrite—sometimes righteous, sometimes wicked. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: While he is righteous I will take him away].