json/Midrash/Aggadah/Midrash Rabbah/Shemot Rabbah/English/Sefaria Community Translation.json

{
    "language": "en",
    "title": "Shemot Rabbah",
    "versionSource": "https://www.sefaria.org",
    "versionTitle": "Sefaria Community Translation",
    "license": "CC0",
    "versionTitleInHebrew": "תרגום קהילת ספריא",
    "actualLanguage": "en",
    "languageFamilyName": "english",
    "isBaseText": false,
    "isSource": false,
    "direction": "ltr",
    "heTitle": "שמות רבה",
    "categories": [
        "Midrash",
        "Aggadah",
        "Midrash Rabbah"
    ],
    "text": [
        [
            "And these are the names of the Sons of Israel that came into Egypt with Yaakov, every man came with his household – There it is written (Mishlei 13, 24): “He who spares the rod hates his son; but he who loves him disciplines him in his youth.” Ordinarily in the world, if a person says to his friend:  “So-and-so hit your son”, he would be ready to reduce his livelihood. And why is it taught “ He who spares the rod hates his son”?! In order to teach you, that anyone who refrains from disciplining his son in the end causes him to fall into evil ways and will hate him.  This is what we have found with Yishmael, who behaved wickedly on Avraham his father but did not rebuke him, with the result that he fell into evil ways and he hated him and he left from his house with nothing. What did Yishmael do when he was fifteen years old? He started to bring idols from the market and he would play with them and worship them as he had seen others do, immediately (Bereishit 21, 9) “And Sarah saw the son of  the Egyptian Hagar that she had given birth for Avraham was fooling around etc…”  And there is no fooling except for idol worship, like that it says (Shemot 32,6): And they rose up to fool around. Immediately (Bereishit 21,10): And she said to Avraham , Send out this maid-servant and her son, perhaps my son will learn from him. Immediately, (Bereishit 21,11) And this thing was very bad in the eyes of Avraham etc...on account of his son because he had become evil. (Bereshit 21,12) And G-d said to Avraham, do not let it be evil in your eyes etc... From here you can learn, that Avraham was secondary to Sarah in prophecy, following on, (Bereishit 21,14): And Avraham got up in the morning and he took bread and a bottle of water, to teach you, that he hated Yishmael because of his evil ways, and sent him and his mother Hagar empty-handed and expelled them from his house because of this. Do you really think that Avraham, of whom it is written (Bereishit 13,2): And Avraham was very rich in cattle etc... that he would send his wife and his son from his house empty-handed, without clothes or means of a livelihood?! Rather, this is to teach you, since he turned evil, he stopped thinking about him. What was his end? After he had been expelled, he sat at the cross-roads and was a bandit, as it says (Bereishit 16,12): And he was a wild man. And similar to this (Bereishit 25,28): And Yitzchak loved Esav, therefore he turned to evil ways, because he was not rebuked, like we were taught: Five transgressions the evil Esav transgressed on that day: He seduced an engaged lady, and killed a man, denied resurrection, and rejected the fundamentals of religion and spurned his birthright, that he desired the death of his father, and sought to kill his brother, as it says (Bereishit 27,41):May the days of mourning for my father be brought close etc.. And he forced Ya'acov to flee from his father. And he even went with Yishmael, to learn from his evil ways and to add to his wives, as it says (Bereshit 28,9): And Esav went to Yishmael. Similarly with David, that he did not rebuke or chastise his son Avshalom, he turned to evil ways and sought to kill his father, and he lay with concubines, and becoming the cause if his wandering, bare-footed and crying, and many thousands and myriads of Israelites were slaughtered, and he caused much suffering upon them which did not end. As it is written (Psalms 3,1): A song of David, when he fled from Avshalom his son, just as it was written after (Psalms 3,2) How great in number have my enemies become etc. And cultural evil is harsher on one's home than the war of Gog and Magog, for regarding the war of Gog and Magog it says: (Tehilim 2:1) <i> \"Why do the nations stir?\" </i> and later it is written: (Tehilim 3:2) <i> \"God, how many my enemies are!\" </i> And similarly David behaved with Adoniyah, he did not beat him in punishment, and did not get angry at him, and therefore he left to cultural evil, as is written: (Kings 1 1:6) <i> \"And his father never scolded him...and she bore him after Avshalom.\" </i> Wasn't Avshalom the son of Maacha, while Adoniyahu was the son of Chagit? What does it mean, \"she bore him after Avshalom\"? Instead- since he [Avshalom] left to cultural evil, and his father never beat him, and it is written about Adoniyahu \"his father never scolded him,\" he too left to cultural evil, and therefore it is written: \"and she bore him after Avshalom.\" (Proverbs 13:24) <i> \"But he who loves him disciplines him in his youth\" </i> refers to the Holy Blessed One, who loves Israel, as it is written (Malachi 1:2) <i> \"I have loved you, says God,\" </i> who increases their suffering. One can find three good gifts that the Holy Blessed One gave to Israel, and they were each given only by means of suffering: the Torah, the Land of Israel, and life in the World to Come. The Torah, as it is written: (Psalms 94:12) <i> \"How lucky is the man who You discipline, God, and to whom You teach Your Torah.\" </i> The Land of Israel, as it is written: (Deuteronomy 8:5) <i> \"Bear in mind that the LORD your God disciplines you just as a man disciplines his son.\" </i> What is written next? (Deuteronomy 8:7) <i> \"For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land...\" </i> The World to Come, as it is written: (Proverbs 6:23) <i> \"For the commandment is a lamp, the teaching is a light, and the way to life is the rebuke that disciplines.\" </i> And when anyone rebukes his son, the son increases his love for his father, and he honors him, as it is said: (Proverbs 29:17) <i> \"Discipline your son and he will give you peace.\" </i> And it says: (Proverbs 19:18) <i> \"Discipline your son while there is still hope.\" </i> And he increases his love for him, as it says: <i> \"But he who loves him disciplines him early,\" </i> meaning because he disciplines him early, therefore he loves him. You find that Abraham disciplined Isaac his son and taught him Torah and guided him in his ways, as is written about Avraham: (Genesis 26:5) <i> \"In return for Avraham's obedience to my voice\" </i> and it is written: (Genesis 25:19) <i> \"These are the descendants of Isaac, son of Abraham,\" </i> which teaches you that he was similar to his father in all ways- in beauty, in wisdom, in wealth, and in good deeds. You should know that he [Isaac] was thirty-seven years old when his he was bound by his father, and it is written: (Genesis 24:1) <i> \"And Abraham was old, advanced in age\" </i> and yet he bound him and positioned him like a lamb, and he did not refuse. Therefore: (Genesis 25:5) <i> \"Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac,\" </i> Which is to say, <i> \"he who loves him disciplines him early.\" </i> In the same manner, Isaac would discipline Jacob early, for Isaac taught him Torah and disciplined him in his house of study, as it says: (Genesis 25:27) <i> \"but Jacob was a mild man who stayed home.\" </i> And he learned what his father taught him, and then he separated from his father and hid in the house of Ever to study Torah. Therefore he merited blessing and inherited the land, as it says: (Genesis 27:1) <i> \"Jacob lived in the land of his father's residence, in the land of Canaan.\" </i> And even our Patriarch Jacob disciplined his sons, and beat them and taught them his ways, so that none of them would be disposable, as it is written: (Exodus 1:1) <i> \"These are the names of the sons of Israel who arrived to Egypt...\" </i> The verse equates them all to Jacob, for they were all righteous as he had been. This resolves: <i> \"But he who loves him disciplines him early.\" </i>",
            "Furthermore: \"And these are the names...\" Rabbi Abahu said: Whenever the text states \"These\" (eileh), it comes to contrast the preceding text. \"And these\" (ve-eileh) connotes addition to the preceding remarks. \"These are the stories of the heavens and earth\", comes to constrast the \"chaos and void\". \"And these are the names\" comes to add praise to the seventy people (in Jacob's household that descended into Egypt) mentioned above, in that all of them were righteous.",
            "And these are the names of the Children of Israel who came to Egypt, Jacob and his sons, each man and his household came - Israel is comparable to the multitude of the heavens, here it is said names, and it is said of stars names, as it is said (Psalms 147:4): \"He counteth the number of the stars; He giveth them all their names,\" even the Holy One Blessed is He, when Israel descended to Egypt, counted how many they were, and because they are compared to the stars, He gave them all names, as it is written: \"And these are the names of the Children of Israel, etc.\"",
            "\"Did those who came down to Egypt come just now? Haven't many years passed since they came to Egypt? Rather, as long as Joseph lived, the Egyptians did not subjugate them. But when Joseph died, they placed a yoke upon them. Therefore it is written \"who are coming,\" as if they were entering Egypt on that day. All of these are the merits of Jacob, who fulfilled mitzvot and performed good deeds, and merited to establish twelve tribes. Each man and his household came.\" [openAI translation]",
            "And these are the names of the children of Israel, in the name of the redemption of Israel they were mentioned here, Reuben, as it was said (Exodus 3:7): I have seen the poor of my people. Simeon, by name (Exodus 2:24): And God heard their cry. Levi, in the name of the Holy One, blessed is he, for their trouble (Exodus 3:2): in the midst of the heathen, to fulfill what was said (Psalms 15:15): With him I am in trouble. Judah, in the name of which they gave thanks to the Holy One, blessed be He. I have to do it. And after that they went out with a great purchase, Zebulun, I have a good time. And Benjamin, on behalf of him (Exodus 15:6): At your right hand, O Lord, I swear by strength. Dan, by name (Genesis 15:15): And also the Gentiles whom Dan will serve, and after that they will come out with a great purchase. Naphtali, on behalf of the Torah and Mitzvot given to them by the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written in them (Psalms 19:11): And sweeter than honey and saffron are those who watch. Gad, in the name of the manna whose holy food is blessed, which is (Exodus 16:31): as a weed seed. Moreover, because of their name, all who heard of their deliverance and greatness condemned them, it was written (Malachi 3:12): And let all the nations bless you, for you will be a desirable land, says the Lord of hosts. Joseph, in the name of the blessed future of the Holy One, he wrote (Isaiah 11:16): And it was on that day that God would add his second hand, etc., and the whole matter.",
            "",
            "",
            "\"And Yosef and his brothers and their entire generation passed away,\" to teach you that as long as one of them was still alive from the original ones that came down to Egypt, the Egyptians did not enslave the Israelites. \"And the children of Israel reproduced and spawned,\" even though Yosef and his brothers died, their God did not die, instead \"the children of Israel reproduced and spawned.\" Another point: Each one gave birth to six children in one litter, as it says: \"And the children of Israel reproduced and spawned ...\" Some say: Twelve [children in each litter] as it is written: \"reproduced\" - two, \"spawned\" - two, \"they were many\" - two, \"they were massive\" - two, \"very much\" - two, \"and the land was filled with them\" - two, for a total of twelve. \"They were massive,\" some say: six children in each litter. And don't be incredulous, since the scorpion is one of the crawling creatures, and it gives birth to seventy at a time. Rabbi Natan says, \"And the land was filled with them,\" like a field of reeds. \"A new king arose,\" since the Egyptians saw this, they enacted new decrees upon them. That which is written: \"A new king arose,\" Rav and Shmuel [interpret it]. One says: literally new. The other says: his decrees were new, he established decrees and punishments on them. The rationale of the one that says it was literally a new king, as it is written: \"new.\" The rationale of the one that says it is referring to new decrees, since it is not written: \"and he died, and a king was anointed.\" \"Who did not know Yosef\" -- according to the one who said it was a new king, this makes sense. According to the one who said he established new decrees, how does he explain [\"that did not know Yosef\"]? That he was _like_ one who did not know Yosef at all. The Rabbis say: Why does it call him a \"new king\"? Wasn't this the same Pharaoh as before? But the Egyptians said to Pharaoh: \"let us mix it up with this nation.\" He said to them: \"You are crazy! Until now we have eaten only because of them; how can we mix it up with them?! Were it not for Yosef we would all be dead.\" When he didn't listen to them, they deposed him from the throne for three months, until he said to them: \"Whatever you want to do I am with you,\" and they re-appointed him. That is why it says, \"A new king arose.\" The Rabbis took their opening text from this verse (Hosea 5:7): \"Against God they have rebelled since they have given birth to foreign children, now the new moon will consume their parts.\" To teach you that when Yosef died they stopped performing circumcision; they said: Let us be like the Egyptians. From this you learn that Moshe circumcised them on their leaving Egypt. And when they did this [stopped observing circumcision], God converted the love of the Egyptians for them into hatred, as it says (Psalms 105:25): \"He changed their mind to hate his nation, to harass his servants\", to fulfill the verse (Hosea 5:7): \"Now the new moon will consume their parts\" [translator's note: the word \"new moon,\" \"hodesh,\" is re-vocalized by the Midrash to the word \"new,\" \"hadash.\"]. \"A new king,\" since he arose and enacted new decrees against them. \"Who did not know Yosef,\" and did he really not know Yosef?! Rabbi Abin said: It is like a parable of one who stoned to death the king's friend. The king said, Cut off his head, for tomorrow he will do the same thing to me. therefore Scripture says of him [Pharaoh] - in other words: today, \"he did know Yosef,\" tomorrow, he will say (Exod. 5:2): \"I do not know Adonai.\" ",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "...and when the Israelite women conceived, they would return to their homes. When they were about to go into labor, the women would go out into the fields and give birth in the apple orchards, as it is written: \"I woke you under the apple [tree]\" (Song of Songs 8:5). And the Lord Blessed be He would send an angel from the heavens who cleaned them and made them beautiful, just as a new mother grooms her infant, as it is written: \"And as for your birth, on the day you were born...\" (Ezekiel 16:4), and He grants them two round cakes, one of oil and the other of honey, as it is written: \"And He [God] suckled Him [ The Children of Israel] with honey from the rock...\" (Deuteronomy 32:13). And as soon as the Egyptians would become aware of this, they sought to kill them. And a miracle happened, and the cihldren were swallowed up by the earth, and bulls would come and plow the ground above them, as it is written: \"Upon my back the plowers plowed\" (Psalms 129:3). And once the Egyptians would pass, the infants would rise up from the mud like grass from the field, as it is written: \"I have made you grow like the plantlings in the field...\" (Ezekiel 16:7) And when the babes grew, they would flock to their homes in great droves, as it says: \"And you came in all your finest and dressiest,\" (Ezekiel 16:7) - do not read \"finest and dressiest\" but rather \"flocked in droves.\" And when the Lord Blessed be He revealed Himself at the Sea of Reeds, they were the first to recognize Him instantly, as it says: \"THIS is my God, and I will praise Him.\" (Exodus 15:2). ",
            "And the king of Egypt said to the midwives, etc. Who are the midwives. Rav says a woman and her daughter in law - Yocheved and Elisheva bat Aminadav. And Rabi Shmuel bar Nachman says a woman and her daughter Yocheved and Miriam. That one of their names was Shifra - she beautified the baby when it would come out full of blood. Puah - that she squirted wine into the babies mouth after it came out of its mother. Another thing, Shifra: that B\"Y were fruitful and multiplied under her. Puah: that she would cause the newborn to cry out when it was thought to be stillborn.  Another thing, Shifra that she beautified her actions before Hashem Another thing, Puah - that she appeared to B\"Y for Hashem  - she taught B\"Y. Puah - she was insolent (hofi’ah panim) toward Pharaoh and looked down her nose at him. She told him: “Woe to you on the day of judgment, when God will come to demand punishment of you.” Pharaoh immediately became enraged and wanted to kill her. Shifra, that she beautified her daughters words to Paraoh and mollified him and said to him: “Do you take notice of her? She is a baby, and knows nothing” (Ex. Rabbah, loc. cit.). Rav Chanina the son of Rav Yitzchak said: Shifra: that she supported Yisrael for Hashem that for them the world was created that it says, By His breath He made the heavens.  In another midrashic account, she was called Puah because of her insolence which, in this depiction, was directed against her father Amram. When Pharaoh ordered the Israelite boys to be cast into the Nile, Amram said: “Shall an Israelite lie with his wife for nothing?” He immediately separated from Jochebed and divorced her. When the Israelites saw this action by Amram, who was the head of the Sanhedrin at the time, they also divorced their wives. Puah told her father: “Father, your decree is harsher than that of Pharaoh! He only decreed against the males, but you have decreed against both the males and the females. It is doubtful whether the decree of the wicked Pharaoh will come to pass, but you are righteous, and so your decree will be fulfilled.” Amram immediately took back his wife, and following his lead, all the other Israelite men did the same. Miriam was accordingly given the name of Puah, since she was insolent (hofi’ah panim) to her father.",
            "",
            "The midwives asked him, “How are we supposed to know if the baby is male or female?” Rabbi Chanina said: He gave them a sign. If the baby is facing downwards, know that it is a boy, for he is facing the earth from which he was created. And if the baby is facing upwards, know that it is a girl, for she is facing the ribs from which she was created...The midwives saw…” They modeled [lit. adorned] themselves like the actions of their elder, that is Abraham, as the Holy One, blessed be He, testifies about him (Genesis 22:12): “For now I know that you are in awe of God.” They said: Abraham, our father, peace be upon him, opened an inn for himself, and he would feed the travelers and the uncircumcised people passing through; but we do not have enough ourselves to feed them, yet [we are to] kill them? We shall keep them alive.. Since Pharaoh saw that they did not do his decree, he sent and called them, as it is written:  : And the king of Egypt called to the midwives (Exodus 1:18). ",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "\"The midwives saw…” They modeled [lit. adorned] themselves like the actions of their elder, that is Abraham, as the Holy One, blessed be He, testifies to him (Genesis 22:12): “For now I know that you are in awe of God.” They said: Abraham, our father, peace be upon him, opened an inn for himself, and he would feed the travelers and the uncircumcised people passing through; but we do not have enough ourselves to feed them, yet [we are to] kill them? We shall keep them alive.. Since Pharaoh saw that they did not do his decree, he sent and called them, as it is written:  : And the king of Egypt called to the midwives (Exodus 1:18). ",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "\"And there went a man of the house of Levi\" - Where did he go? R. Judah b. Zebina said: \"He went with his daughter's advice.\" We are taught: Amram was the greatest man in his generation, etc. (above). \"And took a daughter of Levi\" - It did not say \"and took back,\" but rather, \"and took.\" R. Judah b. Zebina said: \"This means that he acted toward her as if it was their first marriage; he placed her upon the litter, and Miriam and Aaron danced before them, and the ministering angels said (Ps. 113:9): 'The joyful mother of children.'\" \"A daughter of Levi\" - How can this be? She was one hundred thirty years old and he calls her \"a daughter\"?! As R. Hama b. Hanina said: \"She was Jochebed; she was conceived on the way [to Egypt] and born between the walls, as it says (Num. 26:59): 'Who was born to Levi in Egypt' - born in Egypt but not conceived. Thus he calls her \"a daughter.\" R. Judah b. Zebina said: \"Because the signs of virginity were reborn in her.\"",
            "",
            "",
            "And his sister stood from afar... - Why did Miriam stand from afar? Rabbi Amram said in the name of Rav: Because Miriam prophesied and said \"In the future, Mother will give birth to a child that will be the savior of the Jewish people.\" When Moshe was born, the entire house was filled with light. [Miriam's] father arose and kissed her on the head. He [Amram] said to her [Miriam]: \"My daughter, your prophecy has been fulfilled\". That is what is said (Exodus 15:20) \"And Miriam the Prophetess, the brother of Aharon, took the tambourine...\" Was she only the brother of Aharon and not the brother of Moshe? Rather, she had stated that prophecy while she was the sister of Aharon and not (yet) the sister of Moshe.  When they put him (Moshe) in the river, her mother arose and hit her on the head and said to her daughter: \"My daughter, where is your prophecy!?\" And this is why the verse says \"And his sister stood by from afar\", for she wanted to know what would be the results of her prophecy. And the Rabbis say the entire verse was said with the Divine Spirit. \"And she stood\" similar to (Samuel I 3:10) \"And G-D came and stood\". \"His Sister\" similar to (Proverbs 7:4) \"Say to wisdom, she is your sister\". \"From afar\" similar to (Jeremiah 31:2) \"From afar G-D is seen to me\". \"To know what will happen to him\" similar to (Samuel I 2:3) \"For G-D is all knowing\". <br><br>\"And his sister stood back\" - Why did Miriam stand back? Rabbi Amram said in the name of Rav: \"Because Miriam had prophesied: 'In the future, my mother will give birth to a son who will save Israel'.  When Moses was born, the whole house was filled with light; her father rose and kissed her on the head.  He said to her: 'My daughter! Your prophecy has come to pass' - as it is written [Exodus 15:20]: 'And Miriam the prophetess, sister of Aaron, took up the timbrel.'  [Why was she called] 'Sister of Aaron,' and not 'sister of Moses'?!  Because when she issued her prophecy, she was [only] the sister of Aaron - Moses had not been born yet.  When she cast him into the Nile, her mother rose and struck her on the head. She said: 'My daughter! What has become of your prophecy?!'  This is why it is written 'his sister stood back etc.': in order to know would become of her prophecy.  And our rabbis taught: This entire verse speaks [not of Miriam, but] of the Holy Spirit.  'And she stood...' refers to 'The LORD came and stood...' [I Samuel 3:10]; '[His] sister' refers to 'Say to Wisdom: \"You are my sister\"' [Proberbs 7:4].  'Back' refers to 'The Lord appeared to me from far back' [Jeremiah 31:3].  'In order to know what would happen to him' refers to 'For the LORD is a God of knowledge.' [I Samuel 2:3]\".",
            "",
            "",
            "\"And the child (Moses) grew\" - Twenty four months she nursed him, and you say \"and the child grew\"?! Rather he grew, not in the way of the [rest] land. “And she brought him to the daughter of Pharaoh…” The daughter of Pharaoh would kiss and hug and adore him (Moses) as if he were her own son, and she would not take him out of the king’s palace. And because [Moses] was so beautiful, everyone yearned to see him. One that would see him would not leave his presence. And it was that Pharaoh would kiss him (Moses) and hug him, and he would remove Pharaoh’s crown and place it on his own head, as he would do to him in the future when he was great. And just as the Holy One Blessed is He said to Hiram (Ezekiel 28:18), “…I have brought fire from within you, it will consume you…”, similarly the daughter of Pharaoh raised the one who would punish her father in the future. And even the anointed king, that is destined to punish Edom, sits among them in their [own] province, as it says (Isaiah 27:10) “…there shall the calf (the Messiah) graze and there lie down and destroy its branches.” And some of the observers sitting among them were the magicians of Egypt that said, “We are wary of this, that he is taking your crown and placing it on his head, that he not be the one we say (i.e. prophesy) that will take the kingship from you.” Some said to kill him, and some said to burn him. And Jethro was sitting among them and said to them, “This child has no intent [to take the throne]. Rather, test him by bringing in a bowl [a piece of] gold and a coal. If he outstretches his hand towards the gold, [surely] he has intent [to take the throne], and you should kill him. And if he outstretches his hand towards the coal, he [surely] does not have intent [to take the throne], and he does not deserve the death penalty.” They immediately brought the bowl before him (Moses), and he outstretched his hand to take the gold, and Gabriel came and pushed his (Moses’) hand, and he grabbed the coal. He then brought his hand along with the coal into his mouth and burned his tongue, and from this was made (Exodus 4:10) “slow of speech and slow of tongue.” “And she called his name ‘Moshe’” – From here you can learn about the merit of those that perform acts of kindness. Even though Moses had many names, the only name that was set throughout the Torah, was the name that Bathyah daughter of Pharaoh called him. Even the Holy One Blessed is He did not call him by another name.   ",
            "And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up (Exodus 2:11).  Moses was 20 years old at the time, and some say 40 years old.<br>  \"When Moses was grown up\" - and does not everyone grow up?  Rather, this tells you that he grew up [in a manner] unlike the whole world.<br>\"He went out unto his brethren.\"  This righteous man went out twice, and the Holy One Blessed is He wrote them one after another.  \"And he went out the second day\" (Exodus 2:13)--this is two.<br>\"And [he] looked on their burdens.\"  What is, \"And [he] looked?\"  For he would look upon their burdens and cry and say, \"Woe is me unto you, who will provide my death instead of yours, for there is not more difficult labor than the labor of the mortar.\"  And he would give of his shoulders [i.e. use his shoulders to] assist each one of them.  Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yose the Galilean said: [If] he saw a large burden on a small person and a small burden on a large person, or a man's burden on a woman and a woman's burden on a man, or an elderly man's burden on a young man and a young man's burden on an elderly man, he would leave aside his rank and go and right their burdens, and act as though he were assisting Pharaoh.  The Holy One Blessed is He said: You left aside your business and went to see the sorrow of Israel, and acted toward them as brothers act.  I will leave aside the upper and the lower [i.e. ignore the distinction between Heaven and Earth] and talk to you.  Such is it written, \" And when the LORD saw that [Moses] turned aside to see\" (Exodus 3:4).  The Holy One Blessed is He saw Moses, who left aside his business to see their burdens.  Therefore, \"God called unto him out of the midst of the bush\" (ibid.).",
            "Another interpretation: \"And he saw their suffering\" that they did not have rest. He went and said to Pharaoh, \" One who has a slave, if he does not rest one day a week, he will die! While your slaves, if you don't allow them rest one day a week , they will die!\" He said to them, \"Go and do for them as you are saying.\" Moses went and established the Sabbath day for them to rest. \"And he saw an Egyptian man.\" What did he see? R. Huna say in the name of Bar Kaprah, for 4 things the Israelites were redeemed from Egypt, one was for not changing their names (Shir ha-Shirim Rabbah, Vayikra Rabba 32). And from where do we learn that they didn't engage in adultery? Because it happened once and the verse publicized it, as it's written: And his mother's name was Shlomit bat Divri etc. (Lev 24:10). Our teachers say there were taskmasters among the Egyptians and officers from the Israelites, one taskmaster appointed over ten officers. One officer appointed over ten Israelites. And the taskmasters would go to the houses of the officers at daybreak to make them go call the workers. Once an Egyptian taskmaster went to [do so to] an Israelite officer and he set his eye on his wife who was beautiful without blemish. He called the man and brought him out of his house, then the Egyptian returned and had relations with his wife and she thought that he was her husband and became pregnant from him. Her husband returned and found the Egyptian leaving his house. He asked her, Did he touch you? She said yes, but I thought he was you. When the taskmaster saw that he suspected him he returned him to hard labor and struck him and sought to kill him. Moshe saw this and looked at him and saw with Ruah Hakodesh what he did in the house, and saw what would be done in the field, and said surely he deserves death, as it is written: One who strikes a man shall die. And not only this, but moreover he slept with the wife of Datan and therefore deserved killing, as it says: The adulterer and adulteress shall surely die (Lev 20:10), and that is why it is written: And he turned this way and that etc., he saw what he did to him at home and what he did to him in the field.",
            ".And he said: Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? R. Yehudah says: Moshe was of twenty years at that time. They said to him: you are not yet worthy of being a ruler and a judge over as, for [it is said, Avot 5:21] \"at forty [one aquires] wisdom.\" R. Nehemia said: He [Moshe] was of forty years at that time. They said to him: surely you are a man [of age], only you are not worthy to be a ruler and a judge over us. The sages say: They said to him: are you indeed the son of Yocheved? Then why do they call you son of Batya?! and you presume to be a ruler and a judge over us?! We will let be known what you did to the Egyptian. \"Do you mean [Lit. say] to kill me?’ It is not written \"do you mean\", but \"do you say\". From this you learn, that [Moshe] uttered the proper name [of G-d] unto the Egyptian and killed him. When he [Moshe] heard this, his became fearful of Lashon Ha'ra [the evil tongue]. And he [Moshe] said \"surely the thing is known\". R. Yehudah son of R. Shalom said in the name of Hanina the Great and our sages who [in turn] said in the name of R. Alexandri: Moshe would wonder to himself and say: \"what was Israel's sin, for which they became more enslaved than all other nation?\" When he heard his [the Hebrew who struck his fellow's] words, he [Moshe] said: \"such Lashon Harah [evil tongue] is amongst them, how would they be worthy of redemption?\". And so he [Moshe] said: \"Surely the thing is known\" - now I know what is the cause of their enslavement....'He went out on the second day and behold to Hebrew men were fighting' - this was Datan and Aviram- who are called NITZIM fighting because of their end -- they were the ones who said this, they left over the Manna, they were the ones who said (Numbers 14:4) 'Appoint a head and let us return to Egypt', they rebelled at the Sea of Reeds.  another explanation NITZIM they intended to kill each other...from here we recognize that a person who lifts up his hand to strike his friend, even though he doesn't (actually) hit him is called a wicked person....to teach that both of them were wicked"
        ],
        [
            "",
            "... Our teachers have said: Once, while Moses our Teacher was tending [his father-in-law] Yitro’s sheep, one of the sheep ran away. Moses ran after it until it reached a small, shaded place. There, the lamb came across a pool and began to drink. As Moses approached the lamb, he said, “I did not know you ran away because you were thirsty. You are so exhausted!” He then put the lamb on his shoulders and carried him back. The Holy One said, “Since you tend the sheep of human beings with such overwhelming love - by your life, I swear you shall be the shepherd of My sheep, Israel.”                                       (first) he brought out the smallest (lambs) to pasture, so they should graze on the soft tufts of grass; then afterwards, he brought out the old sheep, so they could graze on the medium (quality) grass –after that he brought out the strong sheep to graze on the tough pasture…. one who knows how to shepherd the flock, each according to their strength, should come and shepherd My people…",
            "",
            "",
            "5. \"An angel of the LORD appeared to him.\" It is written: \"I sleep, but my heart is awake\" (Song of Songs 5:2). I am sleeping [from performing] the commandments, but my heart is awake to perform  them. \"My undefiled [tamati]\" (ibid.) at Sinai, for they attached themselves [nitmemu] to Me at Sinai and said: ‘\"Everything the LORD had spoken we will do and obey’\" (Exodus 24:7). R. Yannai said: Just as twins [te'omim] feel one another's s headaches, [so too] God said, as it were [as if He were our twin]: \"’I am with him in sorrow\" (Psalms 91:15). Another explanation: What is [the meaning of] \"I am with him in sorrow\"? When they have sorrows they only call out to the Holy One, Blessed be He. In Egypt, [as it is written] \"And their cry came up unto God\" (Exodus 2:23). By the sea [as it is written] \"And the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord\" (ibid. 14:10) and there are many other  examples like these. And it says: \"In all their sorrows He [too] was in sorrow\" (Isaiah 63:9). The Holy One, Blessed be He said to Moses, You do not sense that I too dwell in sorrow just as Israel dwells in sorrow. But you should know: from the place I speak to you from within the thorn-bush, [that is a sign] as it were that I too am a partner in their sorrow. \"An angel of the LORD appeared.\" R. Yohanan said: This is Michael. R. Hanina said, it was Gabriel. Whenever they saw R. Yose the tall, they used to say, There is our holy Rabbi! So too wherever Michael appears, he is the Glory of the Shechinah. \"To him.\" What does ’\"to him\" [imply]‘? To teach that other men were with him, yet only Moses saw [the angel]. So too it is written regarding Daniel: \"And only I Daniel saw the vision.\" (Daniel 10:7). \"In a flame of fire...\" to embolden him, so that when he would come to Sinai and saw the fires he should not be afraid of them. Another explanation of \"In a flame [labat] of fire\" - from the upper half of the bush, jut as the heart ([leb] is in the upper half of a man. \"From within the bush.\" A Gentile once asked R. Joshua b. Karhah: Why did the Holy One, Blessed be He, see fit to speak to Moses from within a thorn-bush? [R. Joshua retorted]: If it had been a carob tree or a sycamore tree, would you not have asked the same question. However to send you away you without any answer is not possible, [so] why from within a thorn-bush? To teach you that there is no empty place devoid of the Shechinah, not even a [lowly] thorn-bush. \"In a flame of fire.\" At first only one angel descended and stood in the center of the fire as an intermediary. Only afterwards did the Shechinah descend and spoke with him from within the thorn-bush. Rabbi Eliezer said: Just as the thorn-bush is the lowliest of all trees in the world, so too Israel were lowly and downtrodden in Egypt. Therefore the Holy One, Blessed be He revealed Himself to them and redeemed them, as it says (Exodus 3:8) \"And I will go down and save them from the Egypt.\" Rabbi Yossi said: Just as the thorn-bush is the hardest of all the trees, and any bird that enters into it does not come out unharmed, so too the servitude in Egypt was harsher to God more than any other servitude in the world, as it says (Ibid. 7) \"And the LORD said seen I have seen the poverty of My people.\" Why does the verse say \"see I have seen\" twice? For after they drowned them in the river they would then bury them in a building. This can be compared to someone who took a staff and hit two people, and the two of them received [a lashing] with a whip and know its suffering. So too the suffering and the servitude of Israel was revealed and known to the One who spoke and thereby was the world, as it says \"For I know their pains.\" Rabbi Yohanan said: Just as this thorn-bush is used as a fence for a garden, so too Israel is a fence for the world. Alternatively, just as the thorn-bush grows near any water, so too Israel only grows in the merit of Torah which is called water, as it says (Isaiah 55:1) \"Ho any thirsty one go to water.\" Alternatively, just as the thorn-bush grows in a garden or in a river, so too Israel are in this world and the next world. Alternatively, just as the thorn-bush produces thorns and roses, so too Israel contains righteous and wicked people. Rabbi Pinhas ha-Kohen the son of Rabbi Hama said: Just as this thorn-bush, if someone puts his hand in he does not feel anything, but when he takes it out it gets scratched; so too when Israel went down to Egypt no one noticed anything, but when they went out \"The Lord plagued Pharaoh\" (Genesis 12:17). Alternatively, \"From with in the thorn-bush.\" Rabbi Nahman the son of Rabbi Shmuel the son of Nahman said: of all the trees, some produce one leaf, some two or three. A myrtle produces three, as it says (Leviticus 23:40) \"A plaited tree\". A thorn-bush however has five leafs.  The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses, Israel will only be redeemed in the merit of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and in your and Aaron's merit. Alternatively, \"From with in the thorn-bush.\" He hinted to him [Moses] that he would live 120 years, the numerical value of the thorn-bush [הסנה - ה=5 ס=60, נ=50, ה=5]. \"And he saw and behold the thorn-bush was consumed by fire.\" From here they said, Heavenly fire raises palm branches and burns but does not consume and is black. Earthly fire does not raise palm branches and is red, consumes and does not burn. And why did the Holy One, Blessed be He reveal Himself to Moses in this way? Because he [Moses] thought in his heart, saying, Maybe the Egyptians will destroy Israel. Therefore the Holy One, Blessed be He revealed Himself in a thorn-bush that was burning but not consumed. He said to him, just as the thorn-bush is burning but is not consumed, so too the Egyptians will not be able to destroy Israel. Alternatively, since the Holy One, Blessed be He was talking with Moses and he did not want stop his task [of minding the sheep], He showed him this thing so he would turn his face and see Him. You find this [intimated] from the beginning [of the verse]: \"An angel of the LORD appeared to him\" - yet Moses did not go. Once he stopped doing his task and went to see, immediately  \"God called him\" (Exodus 3:4).",
            "...Asked Moshe that priests and kings would come from him. Said the Holy Blessed be He: Don’t get too close, meaning your children won’t offer sacrifices, that the priesthood has already be granted to your brother Aaron. “To here” it’s the kingship, as it says (2 Samuel 7:18): that brought me to here. And it says (1 Samuel 10:22): Has anyone else come to here. Said the Holy Blessed be He to him: The kingship has already be granted to David. Even so, Moshe had the merit of both of them; priesthood, that he served during the seven preparatory days, kingship, as it says (Deuteronomy 33:5): “ May it be in Yeshurun a king”."
        ],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "...A royal lady once approached Rebbi Yosi. She said, “My god is great than yours!” He retorted, “And why?” When your God appeared to Moshe at the burning bush, Moshe had to cover his face,” She explains. “But when he first saw my god, the snake, he immediately ran away”. Rebbi Yosi replied, “May your bones disintegrate! When God revealed himself by the burning bush, he had nowhere to go—where would he run off to? The heavens? Sea? Dry land? Does God not fill the heavens and the earth! (Yermiah 23:24). A snake—a snake which is your god, as soon as one takes three or four steps away, he is saved!”",
            "",
            "<b>And God said [further to him], put your hand into your breast</b> (Shemot 4:6). They said to him, just as when the snake badmouthed I struck it with <i>tzara'at</i>, as it says \"you shall be more cursed than all the beasts\" (Bereishit 3:14), as it is said \"a blemish of <i>tzara'at</i>\" (Vayikra 13:51) [therefore, when you badmouth, I will strike you similarly]. Rabbi Elazar said, these coins tat are in it are tzara'at, and so you too are worthy of being struck with tzara'at. And why did he put it into his breast? Because it's the way of evil speech to be said in private. And so it says, \"he who slanders his friend in secret, I will destroy\" (Tehillim 101:5). There is no \"I will destroy\" [אַצְמִית <i>atzmit</i>]: rather, it is <i>tzara'at</i> [צָרַעַת], as it is said \"[the land may not be sold] permanently\" [לִצְמִתֻת <i>litzmitut</i>], and we translate it \"permanently\" [לַחֲלוּטִין <i>lachlutin</i>]. And we teach \"there is no difference between a quarantined/doubtful <i>metzora</i> and a confirmed <i>metzora</i>\" (Mishna Megilla 1:7). <b>And he put his hand into his breast and brought it out, and behold his hand was afflicted with <i>tzara'at</i> as snow</b> (Shemot 4:6) - he got his, since he badmouthed. Rabbi Yehoshua Dischinan, in the name of Rabbi Levi, said: from here you may learn that everyone who unjustly suspects their fellow of something is struck in their body. <b>And They said, return your hand to your breast</b> (ibid.) - for what sign would this be to Yisrael? Go and tell them, just as a <i>metzora</i> causes impurity, so too the Mitzriyim are making you impure. And just as it is purified, so too will the Holy Blessed One purify Yisrael, as it is written <b>\"And behold his hand was afflicted with <i>tzara'at</i> as snow</b> (Shemot 4:6), and of healing it is written <b>\"And he brought it out from his breast and behold it had returned [to be] as his flesh\"</b> (Shemot 4:7). Our sages said in order not to provoke insult on the flesh of Moshe, thus the hand wasnot struck with <i>tzara'at</i> until he had brought it out from his flesh, but for healing, from within his breast it was healed. An alternative take: from here we learn that punishments wait for the righteous to come, but the attribute of good is swift to come. \"And it will be, if they do not believe these two signs\" (Shemot 4:9) - why did the Holy Blessed One give him three signs? Corresponding to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya'akov. <b>\"And take from the waters of the Y'or\"</b> (ibid.) - alludes to the fact that by means of something that was spoke to Yisra'el, the water will be in the future turned to blood, and he will be struck by their hands, as it is written \"Listen, you rebels\" (Bemidbar 20:10). And he struck the rock and it brought forth, as it says \"Then he struck the rock and it oozed [וַיָּזוּבוּ <i>vayazuvu</i>] water\" (Tehillim 78:20) - \"oozing\" always indicates blood, as it is said \"And a woman who oozes an oozing [יָזוּב זוֹב, <i>yazuv zov</i>] of her blood\" (Vayikra 15:25). And for this reason he struck the rock twice - initially it brought forth blood, and only eventually water. With the first two signs, you find that they returned to their original state, but with the blood it never returned to how it was, since he didn't want to forgive Moshe for the sin of the water. And what sign was this for Yisrael? He said to them, with this sign will the Mitzriyim be struck originally."
        ],
        [],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "<b>\"And God said to Aharon, 'Go to meet Moshe in the wilderness'\":</b> This is that which is written (Job 37:5), \"God thunders wonders with His voice\" - what is it that he thunders? When the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah at Sinai, He showed wonders of wonders to Israel. How is it? The Holy One, blessed be He would speak and the voice would go out and travel the whole world: Israel would hear the voice coming to them from the South and they would run to the South to meet the voice; and from the South, it would switch for them to the North, and they would all run to the North; and from the North, it would switch to the East, and they would run to the East; and from the East, it would switch to the West, and they would run to the West; and from the West, it would switch [to be] from the heavens, and they would suspend their eyes [to the heavens], and it would switch [to be] in the earth, and they would stare at the earth, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:36), \"From the Heavens did He make you hear His voice, to discipline you.\" And Israel would say one to the other, \"And wisdom, from where can it be found\" (Job 28:12). And Israel would say, from where is the Holy One, blessed be He, coming, from the East or from the South? As it is stated (Deuteronomy 33:2), \"The Lord came from Sinai, and shone from Seir (in the East) to them\"; and it is written (Habakuk 3:3), \"And God will come from Teiman (in the South).\" And it is stated (Exodus 20:15), \"And all the people saw the sounds (literally, voices)\" - it is not written, \"sound,\" here, but rather, \"sounds.\" Rabbi Yochanan said, \"The voice would go out and divide into seventy voices for the seventy languages, so that all the nations would hear. And each and every nation would hear in the language of the nation and their souls would depart. But Israel would hear and they were not injured.\" How did the voice go out? Rabbi Tanchuma said, \"It would come go with two faces; [one] would kill the idolaters who did not accept it, and [one] would give life to Israel that did accept it.\" This is what Moshe stated to them at the end of forty years (Deuteronomy 5:23), \"As who is it, from all flesh that heard the voice of the living God speak from amidst the fire\" - you would hear His voice and live, but the idolaters heard and died. Come and see how the voice would go out among all of Israel - each and every one according to his strength: the elders according to their strength; the young men according to their strength; the infants according to their strength; the sucklings according to their strength; the women according to their strength; and even Moshe according to his strength, as it is stated (Exodus 19:19), \"Moshe would speak and God would answer him with a voice\" - with a voice that He could withstand. And so [too,] it states (Psalms 29:4), \"The voice of the Lord is in strength\" - it is not stated, \"in His strength,\" but rather \"in strength\"; in the strength of each and every one, and even the pregnant women, according to their strength. Hence one would say each and every one according to his strength. Rabbi Yose bar Chanina said, \"If you wonder about this thing, learn from the manna, as it would only come down according to the strength of each and every one of Israel: the young men would eat it like bread, as it is stated (Exodus 16:4), 'Behold I will rain upon you bread from the skies, etc.'; the elders like a wafer in honey, as it is stated (Exodus 16:31), 'and its taste was like a wafer in honey'; the sucklings like the milk of it's mother's breast, as it is stated (Numbers 11:8), 'and its taste, was like the taste of, etc.'; the sick ones like fine flour mixed with honey, as it is stated (Ezekiel 16:19), 'And My bread that I gave you, fine flour and oil I fed you'; and the idolaters tasted it bitter and coriander, as it is stated (Numbers 11:7), 'And the manna was like coriander seed.'\" And Rabbi Yose bar Rabbi Chanina said, \"And since the manna which was one type switched to many types because of the need of each and every one, all the more so, the voice that had strength in it would change for each and every one, so that that they would not be injured, as it is stated (Exodus 20:15), 'And all the people saw the voices.'\" Hence, \"God thunders wonders with His voice.\" Another explanation: \"God thunders wonders with His voice\" - Rabbi Levi said, \"There are three voices that go from the end of the world to its end; and [even though] the creatures are among them, they do not hear at all, and these are them: the day; the rains and the soul at the time that it departs from the body.\" From where [do I know] the day? Rabbi Yehudah bar Rabbi Eelayai said, \"This star (sun) that floats in the sky is none else than a saw (other books: this nail placed in wood).\" From where [do I know] the rains? As it is stated (Psalms 42:8), \"A depth to a depth calls to the voice of Your channels.\" How is this? There is a tree with roots going down twenty ells, there is [one] thirty, there is [one] fifty and there is [one] that only goes down three handbreadths. And if the rains above only water the ones that are three handbreadths, the ones of fifty ells die; if the ones of fifty drink, it destroys the ones of three handbreadths. Rather this is the top depth calling to the bottom, saying, \"Arise and I will come down\"; and the bottom, saying, \"Come down and I will arise\" - until the top goes down and waters [the ones] of three handbreadths and the bottom comes up and waters the ones of fifty. Come and see how much [distance] is between these and those and they call one to the other; and [even though] people are among them, they do not [know] hear. Hence, \"God thunders wonders with His voice.\" And the soul at the time that it departs from the body, and [even though] people are sitting next to him, they do not hear. Hence, \"God thunders wonders with His voice.\" Rabbi Reuven said, \"At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe in Midian, 'Go return to Egypt' (Exodus 4:19), the speech divided into two voices and it became two faces. And Moshe heard in Midian, 'Go return to Egypt,' but Aharon heard, 'Go to meet Moshe in the wilderness.'\" Hence, \"God thunders wonders with His voice.\""
        ],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "And I appeared to Avraham - The Holy One of Blessing said to Moshe: a pity on those who disappear and are not remembered, many times I revealed to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov as E-l Shadai and I did not make Myself known that My name is Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey as I told you, but (also) they did not search for My attributes. I said to Avraham, \"rise, walk through the land, its width and breadth\" (Gen. 13:17), he wanted to bury Sarah and did not find a place until he bought with money, and he did not search for My attributes. I said to Yitzchak \"live in this land, because it will be for you and your seed\", he searched for water and did not find it, rather \"the shepards of Gerar fought with the shepards of Yitzchak\" (Gen. 26:20) and he did not search for My attributes. I told Ya'akov \"this land that you lie on etc\" (Gen. 28:13), he searched for a place to put up his tent and did not find it until he bought it for 100 coins, and he did not search for My attributes, he did not ask Me My name as you did. You, at the beginning of My sending you, asked what is My name, and at the end you said: \"And since I came to Pharaoh\" (Ex. 5:23). And regarding this it is written \"And I also will maintain My covenant\" that was given to them as I said that I will give the land to them, even though they did not search for Me...."
        ],
        [],
        [
            "...Why was the Holy Blessed One called the King of glory?  Because He distributes glory to those who fear Him.  How so?  A king of flesh and blood, no one rides on his horse, and no one sits on his throne. But the Holy Blessed One had Solomon sit upon His throne, as it says \"Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king\" (I Chronicles 29:23).  And [the Holy Blessed One] had Elijah ride on His horse.  What is the horse of the Holy Blessed One? Whirlwind and storm! As it says \"God travels in whirlwind and storm and clouds are the dust on His feet\" (Nachum 1:3) and it is written \"Elijah ascended in the storm to heaven\" (II Kings 2:11).  A king of flesh and blood, no one uses his scepter, but the Holy Blessed One, gave His scepter to Moses, as it says \"Moses took the staff of God in his hand\" (Exodus 4:20).  A king of flesh and blood, no one wears his crown, but the Holy Blessed One will have the Messiah wear His crown.  What is the crown of the Holy Blessed One? Finest gold, as it says \"His head is finest gold, His locks are curled, black as a raven.\" (Song of Songs 5:11),  and it is written, \"You have set upon his head a crown of fine gold\" (Psalms 21:4). A king of flesh and blood, no one wears his clothing, but Israel wears the clothing of the Holy Blessed One.  What is the clothing of the Holy Blessed One? Strength, as it says \"the LORD is robed, girded with strength\" (Psalms 93:1), and He gave it to Israel as it says \"God gives strength to Israel, God blesses His people with peace\" (Psalms 29:11)... "
        ],
        [
            "1\"When Par῾o shall speak to you\", R. Pinchus HaCohen son of Chumuh expounded: \"declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.\" (I. 46, 10): The holy one, Blessed he be, declares in the beginning what will be in the end, for we see he said to Moses, \"and this people will rise up, and go astray after the gods of the strangers of the land...\"  (Deuteronomy 31:16) which they will do after the death of Joshua \"and will forsake me, and break my covenant\" (id) \"and forsook the Lord, and served him not.\" (Judges 10:6) this is declaring from the beginning what the end is.  R. Pinchus HaCohen son of Chumuh spoke, If one would read this verse, they may think there is contradictions in the Heavens, above it stated \"my counsel shall stand,\" so what is \"and I will do all my pleasure.\"? For he seeks to justify his creations, as it is stated: \"The Lord was well pleased for his righteousness’ sake, to magnify Tora, and to make it glorious.\" (Isaiah 42:21) and he does not seek to condemn his creations, as it is stated: \"As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live...\" (Ezekiel 33:11); Therefore it says \"and I will do all my pleasure.\" And so we find that G-D told Moses what would be in the end; it does not state \"If\" Pharaoh will speak to you, but \"When,\" he is destined to say this to you. R. Judah son of R. Shalom: He  [Pharaoh] spoke properly: \"Show a miracle for yourselves\"; and so we find with Noah after all the miracles G-D performed in the Ark and escorted Noah, G-D said \"the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.\" (Genesis 9:15); Noah began requesting a sign, until G-D said \"I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth.\" (id 13;) And just as Noah the righteous asked for a sign, evil Pharaoh all the more so. Additionally we find with Ḥizqiyyahu when Yeshayahu came and told him: \"Thus says the Lord...I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up to the house of the Lord.\" (II Kings 20:5) he asked for a sign, as it states: \"And Ḥizqiyyahu said to Yesha῾yahu, What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord on the third day?\" (id at 8;) And just as the righteous Ḥizqiyyahu requested a sign, evil Pharaoh all the more so; and Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (HM\"A) did not descend to the fiery furnace but for a sign, how? \"Not to us, O Lord, not to us,\" Said Hananiah; \"but to Thy name give glory\" said Mishael, \"for Thy steadfast love, and for Thy truth.\" said Azariah. (Psalms 115:1) And Gabriel responded after them: \"Why should the nations say, Where is now their God?\" (Id at 2); since he [Gabriel] dwelled the whole night in their mouths, they took it as a sign &amp; descended. [I.e \"when they recited (these verses) the whole night with fluency, they considered it a good sign\" - Jastrow שָׁגַר] And if you don't learn from here, you can learn from another place, for it's written: \" Hear now, O Yehoshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows who sit before thee: for they are men of good omen\" (Zechariah 3:8) Who were thy? R. Judah son of R. Shalom: they were Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah who requested the sign. And just as the righteous request a sign, do not the wicked all the more so. ",
            "2 \"And say to Aaron take your staff. There it is written, a staff of  Your Strength G-d shall send forth from Zion\" (Psalms 110:2). The Holy One, Source of all Blessing is He, does not discipline the wicked except with a staff. And why is this? Because [the wicked] are compared to dogs. As it says \"And they return each evening, crying out like dogs\" (Psalms 59:15). As it is normal to strike a dog with lashes, so too they [the wicked] are lashed.. For this it is said \"The staff of Your Strength.\" G-d said to them [Moses and Aaron]: 'Pharaoh is wicked. If  he asks you \"give us a sign,\" strike him with the staff' as it says \"Say to Aaron: 'take your staff'\"",
            "3. \"And cast it down before Pharaoh and it shall be a serpentine creature.\" It was taught in a Tannaitic statement: \"One who stands to pray, even if the king should inquire of his welfare, should not answer. And even if a snake is wrapped around his ankles, he should not decease [prayer]. What did the sages see to connect this circling behavior of the snake to the sovereign of Egypt? Rabbi Simeon son of Pazi says that because it is written \"Its voice like a snake travels\" (Jeremiah 46:22) Just like the snake silences and kills, so too, the Kingdom of Egypt silences and kills. This is because it puts [a person] in prison and silences him in order to kill him. Another interpretation: What did the Holy One, Source of All Blessing is He see to connect the Kingdom of Egypt to a snake? Just like a serpent twists its path [slithers] so too Pharaoh twists his path [i.e. acts in a manner most wicked as opposed to the straight and narrow]. Therefore, the Holy One, Source of all Blessing is He said to Moses: Just like a snake twists, so does Pharaoh twist. When Pharaoh attempts to twist, speak to Aaron and he will suspend [raise] the staff against him [Pharaoh]. [As a message to Pharaoh that] from this you shall be struck.",
            "Another interpretation: Why was it said to them that the sign would be of a serpentine creature? Because Pharaoh is compared to a serpentine creature. This is as it says \"The great serpentine [crocodile], which dwells within its rivers [the Nile]\" (Ezekiel 29:3). When Moses would exit from Pharaoh, he [Pharaoh] would say [to Moses]: 'if you come to me son of Amram, I will kill him, crucify him, and I will burn him. Yet, when Moshe would [later] enter, Pharaoh would immediately behave as a staff [rigid and unwilling to act on his threats].",
            "5. ",
            "6. \"And also called Pharaoh to the wise men and to the sorcerers.\" At that instant, Pharaoh began to laugh at them [Moses and Aaron] and to screech at them like a chicken, and to say to them: 'Thus are the signs of your G-d? The way of the world is for people to ply their wares in a place that needs them. Nobody brings fish broth to Espamia [Spain], Fish to Ako [All places already well-supplied with fish]. Do you not know that all the sorcerers are under my dominion?' Immediately [Pharaoh] sent for and brought in children from their school. And they did exactly [as Aaron had done]. And not only that! But Pharaoh even called his own wife in and she did exactly [as Aaron had done]. As it says: \"And also called Pharaoh.\" What is the \"also\" [referring to]?  That even to his wife he called. [The verse also says] \"And they did also the sorcerers of Egypt.\" [Here], what does the \"also\" [refer to]? Even the 4-5 year old children were called and they also did this.",
            "7. \"And each man cast his staff.\" Yohani and Mamreh [two Egyptian sorcerers] said to Moses: 'You have brought grain to Aphri'im [A city will plenty of grain].' [Moses] responded to them: 'To a city of vegetables, take vegetables' [i.e. to impress people, bring what they appreciate]. \"And the staff of Aaron of swallowed their [the sorcerers'] staffs.\" There it is written: \"A fool vents, a wise man calms it down.\" (Proverbs 29:11). The fool releases all his words at once when he comes to quarrel with his friend, and the wise man, at the end, comes to remove it. Another interpretation: \"A fool vents, a wise man calms it down.\" This is the case by Ahaseurus who stood up and negated the work of the Temple. Therefore his kingdom could only fill half the world. What is written about him? \"When he showed off the great wealth of his kingdom etc.\" The Sages of Blessed Memory says that six treasures would [Ahaseurus] show [his party's guests] each day and none of them was like any of the others. And afterwards he would send [presents] to all the important people of the kingdom. And Rabbi Hiyya son of Abba says that he would show them types of...Another interpretation",
            "",
            "... This is that which is written (Job 36:22), \"See, God is beyond reach in His power, who governs like Him?\" It is customary in the world that when flesh and blood seeks to do bad to his enemy, he does so immediately so that [the other] not become aware. But the Holy One, blessed be He, warns Pharaoh about each and every plague, so that he would repent. This is that which is written (7:17), \"In this you will know that I am the Lord\"; (7:27) \"behold I will plague all of your borders with frogs\"; (9:19) \"send, hasten your cattle.\"",
            "...Rabbi Aveen, the Levite, son of Rabbi, said: \"From the plague of blood, the Israelites got rich. How? An Israelite and and Egyptian living in one house and a barrel was full of water; the Egyptian would go to fill the jug from it and it would be filled with blood. The Israelite would drink water from the barrel, and the Egyptian would say, 'Give me a little water in your hand' and he would give him, but it turned into blood. And he would say, 'You and I both drink from the same platter!' The Israelite would drink water and the Egyptian blood, but when he would purchase it from an Israelite with money, he would be drinking water. From here, the Israelites became rich.\"",
            "",
            "12. \"And a full seven days were completed after Ad-nai struck the [Nile] River\" - Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nechemiah (disagree). One says he warned them for 24 days so that the plague wouldn't come, and seven days they experienced the plague. The other says for seven days he warned them, and for 24 days they experienced the plague. According to the opinion of the one who says for 24 days he warned, and the plague took 7 days; and according to the opinion of the one who says for seven days he warned and the plague took 24 days, [we find that] \"a full seven days were completed after etc\" that he warned them regarding the next plague."
        ],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "HASHEM said to Moses, \"Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your hand . . . \" R. Tanchum said, The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses, \"The waters that protected you at the time that you were cast into the [Nile] river should not be smitten by you.\"   AARON STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND . . . Why did [God] bring frogs upon [the Egyptians]? Because they would oppress Israel and say to them, \"Bring us abominable creatures and creeping creatures!\" Therefore, [God] brought frogs upon them, and at the time that they woudl prepare a cup, it would become filled with frogs. AND THE FROG ASCENDED AND COVERED, ETC. It was taught, R. Akiva said: There was one frog and it produced a swarm of frogs and it filled the land of Egypt (with frogs). R. Elazar ben Azaryah said to [R.Akiva], \"Akiva, what so you have to do with Aggadah? Cease your discourses and focus on Negaim and Oholot! (Rather, what happened was that) There was originally one frog and it croaked and  they (the others) came. THE NECROMANCERS DID THE SAME THROUGH THEIR INCANTATIONS...the necromancers thought that [the frogs] were the product of demons. "
        ],
        [],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "And Hashem said to Moshe: \"place your hand upon the heavens.\" Thus it is written: \"all Hashem desired, he has done.\" (Psalms 135:6) Dovid said: this is in spite of the Holy One's decree that \"the heavens are Hashem's heavens and the earth He gave to humanity.\" (Ibid. 115:16) To what analogy is this similar? To a king who decrees, saying \"Romans shall not descend to Syria and Syrians shall not ascend to Rome.\" Likewise, when the Holy One created the universe, He decreed, saying: \"the heavens are Hashem's heavens and the earth He gave to humanity.\" (Ibid.) When He desired to give the Torah He nullified this original decree. He said: \"the the lower [realms] shall ascend to the higher, and the higher shall descend to the lower; and I am the one who initiated [this].\" As it is written: \"And Hashem descended upon Mt. Sinai.\" (Exodus 19:20) And it is written: \"And to Moshe He said 'ascend to Hashem'.\" (Ibid. 24:9) Behold, [it is for this reason that it is written] \"all which Hashem desired in the heavens and upon earth, he has done.\" (Psalms 135:6) ..."
        ],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "Another explanation: For I have hardened his heart - Rabbi Yochanan said: Does this not provide heretics with an opportunity to open their mouths to say that he had no means of repenting, as it say \"For I have hardened his heart\". Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said to him: Let the mouths of the heretics be stopped up. Rather, (Mishlei 3:34) If it concerns the scorners, he scorns them. When the Holy One Blessed be He warns a man once, twice, thrice and he doesn't repent, and G-d will close his heart against repentance so that He should not exact vengeance from him for his sins. So to with the wicked Pharaoh, since Hashem sent five times to him and he took no notice, G-d then said: \"You have stiffened your neck and hardened your heart; well, I will add impurity to your impurity\". Hence, \"For I have hardened his heart\". What does \"I have hardened\" imply? That G-d made his heart like a liver (כבד) into which even if boiled a second time no juice enters; so also was the heart of Pharaoh made like a liver, and he did not receive the words of G-d. Hence, \"For I have hardened his heart\". ",
            "",
            "",
            "\"And YHVH said to Moses, 'Hold out your hand...'\" (Exodus 10:12) - Why did He bring locusts upon them? Because the had made Israel sowers of wheat and barley, therefore He brought upon them locusts and they ate all that Israel had sown for them. \"And Moses held out his staff [over the land of Egypt, and YHVH drove an east wind over the land all that day and the night]...\" (Exodus 10:13) Why did the Holy One Blessed Be He make the time for the plagues tomorrow and He didn't bring them immediately? So that they would turn back through them and they would do repentance. \"And the locusts went up...\" (Exodus 10:14) \"And they covered the view of the entire land...\" (Exodus 10:15) \"And Pharaoh hurried to call to Moses and to Aaron...\" (Exodus 10:16) What is \"I have sinned to YHVH your God and to you\"? \"I have sinned to YHVH your God\" - that I did not let Israel go. \"and to you\" - that I threw you out from before me, and that I thought to curse you, as I said \"YHVH be with you the same...\" (Exodus 10:10). \"And now, forgive my offense...\" (Exodus 10:17) \"And he went out from Pharaoh's presence...\" (Exodus 10:18).",
            "\"And YHVH shifted a sea-wind...[and not one locust remained]\" (Exodus 10:19) What is \"not one locust remained\"? Rabbi Yochanan said: since the Egyptians rejoiced when the locusts came. They said, \"Let us gather and fill barrels up of them.\" The Holy One Blessed Be He said, \"Evildoers! With the plague that I brought upon you, you rejoiced in it!\" Immediately, \"And YHVH shifted a very strong sea-wind\". This is a western wind. \"And He lifted the locusts...\" (Exodus 10:19) What is \"not one locust remained\"? Even those that had been pickled in their pots and barrels flew away and went to them. \"And YHVH strengthened the heart of Pharaoh\" (Exodus 10:20) "
        ],
        [
            "",
            "\"And Moses stretched out his hand to the heavens and a behold, a thick darkness.\" Where did this darkness come from? Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Nechemia [debate]. Rabbi Judah says the darkness came from above as it says (Psalms 18:12) He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him... Rabbi Nechemia says the darkness comes from below (gehinom) as it says (Job 10:22) A land of gloom, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order..."
        ],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "Another interpretation: \"This month for you...\" (Exodus 12:2) This is what is written, \"That the righteous shall flourish in his days and multiply peace until the moon is no more\" (Psalms 72:7) - until the Holy One Blessed Be He does not bring out Israel from the land of Egypt. It was a hint that kingship did not come to them for 30 generations, as it is written \"This month for you shall be the head of the months...\" A month is 30 days, and your kingship is 30 generations. The moon begins to give light on the 1st of Nissan, and all the more so it gives light until 15 days, and its disc becomes full. And from 15 to 30, its light diminishes - on the 30th, it cannot be seen. Accordingly is Israel 15 generations from Abraham to Solomon. Abraham began to give light, as was written: \"Who has roused a righteous one from the East; He shall call him to His foot\" (Isaiah 41:2) [reading ha-ir with an ayin \"roused\" as \"ha-ir\" with an aleph \"gave light\"] Isaac came, and even he gave light, as was said, \"Light was sown for the righteous\" (Psalms 97:11). Jacob came and added light, as was said, \"And the light of Israel will be for fire\" (Isaiah 10:17). And after this: Judah, Peretz, Ram, Amminadab, Nachshon, Salmon, Boaz, Oved, Jesse, David. When Solomon came, the disc of the moon became full, as was said, \"And Solomon sat on the throne of YHVH as king\" (1 Chronicles 29:23). And how could a human sit on the throne of the Holy One Blessed Be He who said about it, \"His throne was tongues of flame\" (Daniel 7:9)? Rather, just as the Holy One Blessed Be He dominated from end to end of the earth and dominates all kings, as is said \"All of the kings of the world shall acknowledge You\" (Psalms 138:4), so Solomon dominated from end to end of the earth, as was said, \"And all the kings of the earth would request to come before  Solomon... and each one of them would bring his tribute...\" (2 Chronicles 9:23-24) And therefore it was said, \"And Solomon sat on the throne of YHVH as king\". The Holy One Blessed Be He dressed him in majesty and splendor and gave Solomon the majesty of kingship, as was said, \"And He gave him the majesty of kingship...\" (1 Chronicles 29:25) on the throne of the Holy One Blessed Be He, as was written, \"And the likeness of their faces was the face of a man and the face of a lion...\" (Ezekiel 1:10). And regarding Solomon, it was written \"And on the insets that were between the frames were lions, oxen...\" (I Kings 7:29) And one verse says, \"...like the work of chariot wheels...\" (I Kings 7:33). On the throne of the Holy One Blessed Be He, no bad thing befalls, as was said, \"Evil cannot dwell with You\" (Psalms 5:5), and regarding Solomon it is written, \"...there is no bad adversary and no bad happenstance\" (I Kings 5:20). The Holy One Blessed Be He made 6 firmaments and dwelt in the seventh. And regarding Solomon's throne it is written \"Six steps up to the throne...\" (I Kings 10:19) and he sits on the seventh step. Behold, the disc of the moon became full, and from there, the kings began to diminish and go: \"And the son of Solomon was Rehoboam\" (I Chronicles 3:10), and the son of Rehoboam was Aviyah, and his son Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joram, Achazia, Joash, Amazia, Uzziah, Jotham, Achaz, Hezekiah, Menashe, Amon, Josiah, Jehoiakim. Since Zedekiah came, as was written  \"And the eyes of Zedekiah were blinded\" (Jeremiah 52:11) - lacking the moon's light. And all of those years, despite Israel sinning, the patriarchs would pray for them and make peace between Israel and the Omnipresent, as was said, \"Let the mountains lift up peace for the people\" (Psalms 72:3). And there are no mountains other than the patriarchs, as was said, \"Listen, mountains, to the argument of YHVH\" (Micah 6:2) .  And until when were the patriarchs praying for them? Until Zedekiah lost his eyes and the Temple was destroyed, as was said \"..and multiply peace until the moon is no more\" (Psalms 72:7) - until 30 generations that Israel had kingship. From that hour until now, who makes peace for Israel? YHVH, as was said, \"May YHVH lift his face to you and grant you peace\" (Numbers 6:26)"
        ],
        [],
        [],
        [
            "\"And it was in the middle of the night\" (Exodus 12:29) - this is [the meaning of] what is written (Isaiah 44:26), \"He fulfills the word of His servant and completes the counsel of His messengers:\" Rabbi Abahu said, \"'He fulfills the word of His servant' - this [refers to] Moshe as it is stated (Numbers 12:7), 'Not so My servant Moshe.'\" And how is it that He fulfilled it? Rather, when He brought the plague of darkness upon them, Pharaoh began to cry out (Exodus 10:24), \"Go and serve the Lord, but your sheep and cattle must stay.\" Moshe said to him, \"Upon your life! 'And also our livestock we will take, not one hoof will remain' (Ibid. 26).\" What is [meant by] a hoof? Even an animal that belongs completely to an Egyptian and has one hoof that belongs to a Jew, [Moshe] will not leave. \"Since from them shall we take\" (Ibid.) - after he said, \"from them shall we take,\" he went back and said \"and we do not know with what we will serve the Lord.\" He said to him, \"If with you, who are flesh and blood, [and] people die if they transgress your commands; [nonetheless] if you put out a proclamation in front of you and you say, collect this and that for me, the world can stand in front of you [and fulfill your proclamation]; but with us, perhaps God will say to us, 'sacrifice a sacrifice [that includes all of the sacrifices] of two hundred and ten years.'\" That is [what is meant by] \"and we do not know.\" Pharaoh said to him, \"Until when will you enter here? 'Go away from me; guard yourself, do not see my face again!' (Ibid. 28)\" Moshe said [back] to him, \"you have spoken well; 'I will not see your face again.'\" The Holy One, blessed be He, said, \"What is still required for me? To inform Pharaoh of one plague.\" Immediately, He went into the palace of Pharaoh for Moshe - who said to [Pharaoh], \"I will not see your face again\" - so that he would not be found to be a fabricator. And you find that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not speak with Moshe in the house of Pharaoh except for that time. From where [do we know this]? As it is stated (Exodus 9:29), \"When  I leave the city, I will raise my hands to the Lord;\" and now the Holy One, blessed be He, hastened and spoke with Moshe, as it is stated (Exodus 11:1), \"still one plague will I bring upon Pharaoh, etc.\" Once Moshe heard [this], he rejoiced and became great, as it is stated, (Ibid. 3) \"and also the man, Moshe, was very great.\" He begin to cry out in public (Ibid. 4), \"'so did the Lord say, \"at the middle of the night.\"' You have spoken well, 'I will not see your face again.' I, myself, will not come again to you, but rather you will come to me; and your general that is standing with you - and he is your head officer - and all of these [in] your palace retinue will come to me with you and request of me - and bow down to me - that we should leave from here;\" as it is written (Ibid. 8), \"And all of your servants will come down to me and bow down to me saying\" - he did not want to say, 'and you will bow down to me' because of the honor of the king. When the middle of the night arrived, as Moshe said; immediately, \"And it was the middle of the night and the Lord smote every firstborn.\" Hence, \"He fulfills the word of his servant. And completes the counsel of His messengers\" - that He made a counsel (agreement) with Avraham because of this thing. When? When the kings came and he pursued them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, \"It is enough for you until the middle of the night - come, let us split the night, you and I;\" as it is stated, \"And he divided against them at night (understood here as 'and He divided the night for them').\" When the time came, he completed his counsel. That is [the meaning of] \"And it was in the middle of the night.\" Thus is it written,  \"And completes the counsel of His messengers.\" ",
            "Another explanation: \"And it was in the middle of the night\" - this is [the meaning of] that which is written (Psalms 119, 62), \"At midnight I arise to praise You for the judgments of your charity (<i>mishpetei tzidkecha</i>):\" \"At midnight I arise to praise You for\" the judgments You enacted upon the Egyptians, and [that] for us You enacted charity. How is this? Rather, once Moshe said (Exodus 12:12), \"and I will smite every firstborn,\" some of them began to fear, and there were [also] from them who were not afraid. One who was afraid would take his firstborn to a Jew and say to him, \"I request of you, take this one and he will lodge with you.\" When the middle of the night arrived, the Holy One, blessed be He, killed all of the firstborn. And [concerning] those that were placed in the houses of the Jews, the Holy One, blessed be He, would skip between the Jews and the Egyptians and take the soul of the Egyptian and leave the soul of the Jew. And the Jew would wake up and find the Egyptian dead between all [of the Jews around him], as it is stated (Ibid. 13), \"and I will skip over you and there will not be a plague among you.\" The Jews [then] began to say, \"At midnight I arise to praise You.\" Thus is it written (Psalms 119, 160), \"all of the judgments of your charity.\"",
            "Another explanation: \"And it was in the middle of the night\" - this is [the meaning of] that which is written (Proverbs 31:18), \"She has understanding as her merchandise is good, her candle does not, etc.\" You find that the verse stated (Exodus 12:30), \"as there was not a house that did not have a dead person there.\" How? If you count each and every drop that an Egyptian put out to each and every woman [that had not yet given birth] or the first drop [to women that had already given birth from other men], it will be found that all of the boys were dying, as it is stated (Psalms 88:51), \"And he smote every firstborn in Egypt, the beginning of their strength in the tents of Cham.\" The first drop [that were] female firstborns also died, except for Batya the daughter of Pharaoh who had a good (<i>tov</i>) defender; that was Moshe, as it is stated (Exodus 2:2), \"and she saw that he was goodly (<i>tov</i>).\" Hence Shlomo said \"She has understanding as her merchandise is good.\" \"And she gets up while it is still night\" (Proverbs 31:15) - in what night? \"And it was in the middle of the night.\"",
            "Another explanation:  \"And it was in the middle of the night\" - Elihu said (Job 34:20), \"In one moment they die and at midnight:\" When they died, everyone began to cry out, as it is stated (Exodus 12:30), \"And Pharaoh got up at night, he and all of his servants and all of Egypt.\" Immediately (Ibid. 31), \"And he called to Moshe and Aharon.\" Moshe said to him, \"What does Pharaoh request? Who is coming to who, you to me or me to you?\" He said [back] to him, \"I request from you (Ibid.), 'Get up and go out from among my people.'\" Why? \"He is wise-hearted and courageous in strength; who has hardened his heart against Him and come out whole?\" (Job 9:4) ",
            "Another explanation:  \"And it was in the middle of the night\" - David said (Psalms 77:7), \"I recall my music at night:\" The congregation of Israel said, \"I recall the breakings, that You broke the enemies for my sake at night.\" And [the term], 'my music' (<i>niginati</i>) only means breaking, as you would say (Lamentations 3:63), \"I am their song.\" And I [would also] say (Genesis 14:20), \"who gave over (<i>migen</i>) your enemies into your hand.\" Sancheriv came against us - You broke him at night, as it is stated (II Kings 19:35), \"And it was on that night and the angel of the Lord came out and he smote in the camp of Assyria.\" Rabbi Nechemia said, \"Come and see the love of the Holy One, blessed be He for Israel; as behold, the ministering angels - who are mighty of strength, doers of His will - the Holy One, blessed be He, made them guardians over Israel. And who are they? Michael and Gavriel, as it is stated (Isaiah 62:6), 'Upon your walls Jerusalem, I have appointed guardians.' And when Sancheriv came, Michael went out and smote them; and Gavriel, from the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, saved Chanania and his friends.\" Why was it like that? Rather the Holy One, blessed be He, made a condition with them. When? When He wanted to go down to save Avaraham from the fiery pit: Michael and Gavriel said in front of Him, \"We will go down to save him.\" He said [back] to them, \"If [even] one of you would go down there to the pit, you would save him, but [since Avraham] went down for My name, then I will go down and save him,\" as it is stated (Genesis 15:7), \"I am the Lord who took you out of the Ur Kasdim (understood here as the fire of Kasdim);\" \"but I will give you a time [to go down and save others.\"] When did they go down? \"Since you were prepared to save him for My honor, you, Michael [will descend] against the camp of Assyria; and you, Gavriel [will descend]  against the camp of Kasdim (the Chaldeans).\" When Gavriel went down to save Chanania, Mishael and Azaria, he tore the fire and came out and set aflame all those that had thrown them in, as it is stated (Daniel 3:22), \"those men that raised Shadrakh, Meshakh, etc.\" And some say, \"Four nations died there: At first, it is written (Ibid. 3), 'Then were gathered the satraps, the prefects, the governors[, etc.]' and the advisers of the king and, here, four [of them] are lacking, as it states (Ibid. 27), 'And the satraps gathered.'\" Hence Chanania said (Psalms 117:1), \"Praise the Lord, all nations;\" Mishael said (Ibid.), \"exalt him all peoples;\" and Azaria said (Ibid. 2), \"Since His kindness has overwhelmed us;\" and the angel said (Ibid.), \"'and the truth of the Lord is forever' - what He said to me when I went down to save Avraham is true.\" And so [too with] Michael, [God] did what He told him, as it is stated (II Kings 19:35), \"And it was on that night and the angel of the Lord came out.\" It was taught, \"All of the commanders and the dukes were drinking wine and left their receptacles thrown out. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Sancheriv, 'You have done yours,' as it is stated (Ibid. 23), 'By the hand of your messengers have you cursed;' 'I too [will act] by the hand of my messenger.'\" What did He do to him? \"And under his glory there shall be kindled a burning like the burning of fire.\" (Isaiah 10:16) What is [meant by] \"and under his glory?\" That He burned his body from the inside and left his clothing on the outside, since the glory of a person is his clothing. And why did He leave his clothing? Rather, since they were the descendants of Shem, as it is stated (Genesis 10:22), \"The sons of Shem were Eilam and Ashur (Assyria).\" The Holy One, blessed be He, said, \"I am indebted to Shem, their father, as he and Yafet took their clothing and covered the nakedness of their father,\" as it is stated (Genesis 9:23), \"And Shem and Yafet took the cloak.\" Hence, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Michael, \"Leave their clothing and burn their souls.\" What is written there? \"And they arose in the morning and, behold, dead corpses.\" This is [the meaning of] that which is written (Psalms 101:8), \"In the mornings, I will annihilate the evildoers of the world.\" And Hizkiyahu and Israel were sitting and saying Hallel (Psalms of praise recited on festivals), as it was the night of Pesach, and they were afraid to say [it] now - Jerusalem was being conquered by his hand. When they woke up early in the morning to stand and read the Shema and to pray, they found their enemies were dead corpses. Hence, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Yeshaya (Isaiah 8:3), \"'and call his name, \"quick take booty, fast loot\"' and be quick to loot booty; and the [other] one call 'with us is the Power (<i>Imanuel</i>),' to say that I am with him,\" as it is stated (II Chronicles 32:8), \"with him is the forearm of flesh but with us is the Lord, our God.\"  And just like the Holy One, blessed be He, acted in this world by the hand of Michael and Gavriel, so [too] in the future to come, he will act through them, as it is stated (Obadiah 1:21), \"And the saviors will come up on Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esav\" - this is [referring to] Michael and Gavriel. And our Holy Rabbi said, \"This is Michael by himself, as it is stated (Daniel 12:1), 'And at that time, Michael will stand, the great minister who stands for the children of Your people.'\" As he [is the one that] demands the needs of Israel and speaks for them, as it is stated (Zechariah 1:12), \"And the angel of the Lord answered and said, 'Lord of hosts, until when when will you not have mercy on Jerusalem?'\" And I will [also] say (Daniel 10:21), \"and none is being strong with Me except for Michael, your minister.\" Rabbi Yose said, \"To what are Michael and Samael similar? To a defender and a prosecutor standing in court. This one is speaking and that one is speaking. [When] this one finished his words and that one his words, that defender knows that he has won. [Then] he begins to praise the judge, that issues the verdict. That prosecutor [then] requests to add something. The defender [then] says to him, 'Be quiet and let us hear from the judge.' So is it  that Michael and Samael stand in front of the Divine Presence; and the Satan [Samael] prosecutes and Michael deliberates on the merit of Israel, and [then] the Satan comes to speak and Michael silences him. Why? As it is stated (Psalms 85:9), 'I will hear what the Power, the Lord, will speak, as He will speak peace about His people.'\" This is [the meaning of] \"I recall my music at night\" - about the miracle of Hizkiyahu.  Another explanation: \"I recall my music at night\" - I recall what you have done for us in Egypt, and the plots (<i>menagnin</i>) that you did to the Egyptians. How is it? At first, when the Holy One, blessed be He, requested to bring plagues upon the Egyptians, He said to bring the plague of the firstborn first, as it is stated (Exodus 4:23), \"behold I am killing your son, your firstborn.\" [Pharaoh] started to say (Exodus 5:2), \"Who is the Lord that I should listen to His voice?\" The Holy One, blessed be He, said [to Himself], \"If I bring the plague of the firstborn first, he will send them [right away], but rather I will bring other plagues upon him (first). And in its heels (<i>beekev zot</i>), I will bring them all,\" as it is stated, \"And the Lord smote every firstborn.\" Hence David praises (Psalms 90:11), \"Who knows the boldness of Your anger\" - who knows your plots that You do in the sea, as it is stated (Psalms 77:20), \"In the sea is Your way and Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps (<i>eekvotekha</i>) were not known\" - things that you do afterward (<i>beekev</i>), who [can] know?   ",
            "God said to Moshe, \"Say to them, to the Jews, 'What are you doing? Be aware that He will strike the Egyptians,'\" as is is stated (Exodus 12:23), \"And the Lord will pass to strike the Egyptians.\" Rabbi Levi said, \"What is [the meaning of], 'and the Lord will pass (<i>veavar</i>)?' The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, 'I am going against (<i>ohver</i>) that which I said.' There is a parable of a king whose son went to Barbaria. The Barbarians got up and received him and made him king over them. The king heard and said, 'what honor should I do for these [people], who raised my son and crowned him over them? Rather, I shall call the name of that country according to the name of my son.' After some time, they went back and they cursed the son of the king and they subjugated him. The king said, 'I will go against that which I honored them - I will go out and make war with them and rescue my son.' So [too is it that when] Yosef went to Egypt, they received him and made him king over them, as it is stated (Genesis 42:6), 'And Yosef was the ruler over the land;' they honored Yakov, as it is stated (Genesis 50:3), 'and the Egyptians cried for him seventy days.'  The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'What honor should I do for Egypt?  Behold, I will call it with the name of the Garden of Eden,' as it is stated (Genesis 13:10), 'like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt.' When they went back and subjugated them, the Holy One, blessed be He, said (Exodus 12:12), '\"And I will pass over (<i> avarti</i>, here understood as, went against)\" - I am going back from that honor and I will make it into a desolate place,' as it is stated (Joel 4:11), 'Egypt will be a desolate place.'\"",
            "What is written above? \"And the Lord will pass over the opening.\" (Exodus 12:23) At that time - as if it were possible - He, Himself, stood at the opening. But rather, as it is the custom of the world - in the same way as when a butcher brings in his sheep and he takes red dye and marks each lamb and sheep that he wants to slaughter, in order to recognize which one to slaughter and which one not to slaughter; so too (Ibid.), \"and he will see the blood\" - as if it were possible -  He stood at the entrance and pushed away the destroyer that he should not strike Israel. God said to them (Ibid. 24), \"'And you shall keep this thing as a statute for you and your children forever\" - in the same way as I did [this] for you today, so [too] will I do [it] for you in the future to come,\" as it is stated (Malachi 3:19), \"As behold the day is coming, burning like a furnace, etc.\" \"But [with] you, 'I will have pity upon you as a father has pity on his son.' (Ibid. 17)\"    ",
            "Rabbi Chalafta said, \"Blessed is the name of the Holy One, blessed be He; as there is nothing like His miracles and His wonders and there is nothing like His heroic deeds and His actions, as it is stated (Psalms 147:5), 'Great is our master and of abundant power.' The Holy One, blessed be He, is holy and pure and extended His arms against the impure. Why? Because He is great and awesome. And for the sake of Israel, He let His power be known. And why for the sake of Israel? Since He said to Yakov (Genesis 46:4), 'And I will go down with you to Egypt,' and He [fights] the wars of Israel: [Only] one angel overturned Sodom, but here (Isaiah 42:13), 'The Lord will go out like a warrior; like a man of war, He will arouse His jealousy.'\" ",
            "Another explanation:  \"And it was in the middle of the night\" - there is a parable of a king, the country of which overturned the subjugation of prisoners that came to them [by making it unbearable]; so [too] did he overturn the law against them and kill them. Likewise, the Egyptians overturned the decree against the Jews, that they should [work] by day and by night and that they gave the work of a man to a woman and the work of a woman to a man; so [too], God overturned the law against them and killed them at night, as it is stated, \"And it was in the middle of the night.\" Just like He overturned Sodom at night, so [too] did He kill the firstborn of Egypt at night. For this reason did David state (Psalms 76:8), \"You are Fearsome, You; and who can stand before You from when You become angry.\" ",
            "Many miracles did the Holy One, blessed be He, do for Israel: He killed the firstborn of Egypt - that were compared to animals, as it is stated (Ezekiel 23: 20), \"that their flesh is the flesh of donkeys;\" He killed the firstborn of the captives; since they said to the captive that was imprisoned in the jail, \"Do you want to go out and the Jews will [also] be delivered?\" And he would say, \"We will not ever leave from here in order that Israel not go out.\" That is why He judged them with [the Egyptians] - \"from the firstborn of Pharaoh... to the firstborn of the captive.\" (Exodus 12:29) There is a parable about a king who made a joyous occasion for his son and killed his enemies. The king said, \"Anyone who caused me joy should come to my son's joyous occasion, and anyone who is hated by me will be killed with the enemies.\" So [too], God made a joyous occasion for Israel, since He redeemed them - God said, \"Anyone who loves My son should come and rejoice with My son.\" The proper ones of Egypt came and made a Pesach sacrifice with the Jews and went out with them, as it is stated (Exodus 12:38), \"And also a mixed multitude went out with them.\" And all those that wanted Israel not to be redeemed died with the firstborn, as it is stated (Pslams 78:51), \"And He smote all the firstborn of Egypt.\" They all cried out, as it is stated (Exodus 12:39), \"and there was a great outcry in Egypt.\" They all came to kill Pharaoh. At that time, \"And the Egyptians pressed upon the people (here read, as about the people).\" (Exodus 12:33) And [the Jews at that time] were reciting Hallel; and Pharaoh announced to his warriors, \"Come, let us call to Moshe and Aharon.\" God said to him, \"You are releasing my children at night? You will not release my children at night, but rather they will go out [in plain sight,] in the middle of the day.\" The Jews dispersed into all of Egypt at that time, as it is stated (Ibid. 35), \"And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moshe and borrowed from Egypt.\" And Moshe was busy with the bones of Yosef and the vessels of the Tabernacle that were prepared by Yakov, our father. And hence David said (Pslams 58:11), \"The righteous one will rejoice, since he saw vengeance.\" ",
            "\"And the children of Israel traveled from Raamses\" (Exodus 12:37) - Rabbi Shmuel says, \"Once they left, they [immediately] baked the dough that they had kneaded, as it is stated (Ibid. 39), 'and they baked dough.'\" \"And it was at the end of four hundred and thirty years, etc\" (Ibid. 41) - from the time that the decree was decreed; as they only spent two hundred and ten years in Egypt. And on the day that they went down to Egypt, on that same day did they go out. And on that day Yosef went out from jail. Hence this night is a joyful occasion for all of Israel, as it is written (Ibid. 42), \"It is a night of watchings for the Lord.\" In this world, he made a miracle for them at night, since it was a temporary miracle, but in the future to come, this night will become a day, as it is stated (Isaiah 30:26), \"And the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun and the light of the sun will be seven times, etc.\" - like the light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created at first and hid in the Garden of Eden. ",
            "What did it see to state [that it is] \"a night of watchings?\" That on it He enacted greatness for the  righteous in the same way that He did so for the Jews in Egypt. And on it He rescued Hizkiyahu, and on it He rescued Chanania and his fellows, and on it He rescued Daniel from the lion's den, and on it Eliyahu and the Messiah will become great, as it is stated (Isaiah 21:12), \"The watchman said, 'the morning has come, and also the night.'\" There is a parable of a woman who was expecting her husband who took a journey to a nation overseas. He said to her, \"Let this be a sign in your hand: At the time you see that sign, know that I am coming and I have almost come.\" So [too], Israel from when Edom arose: The Holy One, blessed be He, said, \"This sign will be in your hands - be infomred that I will save you on the day that I enacted your salvation and on that night. And if not, do not believe  it - the time has not approached,\" as it is stated (Isaiah 60, 22), \"I am the Lord, in its time I will hasten it.\" And I would [also] say (Haggai 2: 6-22), \"One more; it is a bit and I will shake the heavens and the earth, etc. And I will overturn the throne of kingdoms, etc.\" \"And in the same way that I overturned Egypt, so [too] will I overturn the idol worshipers,\" as it is stated, (Isaiah 60:12) \"and the nations shall be utterly destroyed.\" And I would [also] say (Job 38:13), \"To take hold of the corners of the earth.\"  "
        ],
        [
            "",
            "... Another opinion \"may my heart be complete in Your laws\", this is concerning the law of Pesach and the law of the Red Cow. Why? Because the two of them are similar one to the other, regarding one it is stated \"these are the laws of the Pesach\" and regarding the other is it stated \"these are the laws of the Torah\". And you can't know which one is more important than the other. It is like the parable of two distinguished ladies that were walking, and they looked similar. How would you know which one is more distinguished? The one whom the other accompanies to her house and walks after her. So too, regarding Pesach it is written \"law\" and regarding the Red Cow it is written \"law\", and which one is more important? The Cow, since Pesach needs it, as it says \"And they will take for the ritually impure from the ashes of the burnt sacrifice\" (Numbers 19:17)...",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "Sanctify all the first-born to me - Rabbi Natan said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe, \"In the same way that I made Yaakov the first-born - as it is stated (Exodus 4:24), 'Israel is My first-born' - so too will I make the king Messiah the first-born, as it is stated (Pslams 89:28), 'Also I will appoint him first-born.'\" Hence, \"Sanctify all the first-born to me.\" And He warned the Jewish people, \"In the same way as I created the world and I said to the Jewish people to remember the Shabbat day, in memory of the act of creation - as it is stated (Exodus 20:8), 'Remember the Shabbat day' - so too should you remember the miracles that I did for you in Egypt and remember the day that you left from there, as it is stated (Exodus 13:3), 'Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt.' Why? 'For with a strong hand did the Lord bring you out of (Egypt).'\" (Deuteronomy 16:4) \"For seven days no leaven shall be found with you.\" This corresponds to the seven days between the redemption and the splitting of the Red Sea. In the same way that at the beginning, there were the seven days of creation, and in the same way that the Shabbat is kept once every seven days; so too will these seven days be kept each and every year, as it is stated (Exodus 13:10), \"You must preserve this statute in its appointed time, from year to year.\" There is a [relevant] parable about a king who married a woman who was across the seas. Large waves came to her [on her journey] before she got to him. He said to her, \"Do not remember all the the waves that came across you, but rather remember the day with me that you come out of them; make it into a happy occasion each year.\" So too, the Jewish people: The Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to them to redeem them, but how many difficult waves came across them! Yet He brought them salvation. That is why He warned them to rejoice upon them each and every year, as it is stated (Psalms 32:11), \"Rejoice in the Lord and exult, O you righteous.\""
        ],
        [],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "\"And you, raise your staff\" (Exodus 14:15) Moses said before the Holy One Blessed Be He, \"You say to me that I will split the sea and I will make the sea dry land, but is it not written, 'that I have placed sand as the boundary of the sea' (Jeremiah 5:22)? And behold, you have sworn that you will not split ever!\" Rabbi Eliezer ha Kappar said: Moses said to Him\"Not so, for you have said that the sea will not be made dry land, as was said 'that I have placed sand as the boundary of the sea' and it is written, 'And who shut up the sea with doors' (Job 38:8)!\" The Holy One Blessed Be He said to him, \"You have not read the Torah from the beginning. What is written? 'And God said, let the waters be gathered' (Genesis 1:9). I am the one who placed a condition on it - such I placed a condition from the beginning that I would split it, as was said, 'the sea returned according to its condition at the approach of morning' (Exodus 24:27) [reading l'eitano - \"to its strength\" as liteinao \"according to its condition\"]\" Immediately, Moses listened to God and went to split the sea, but when he went to divide the sea, it would not accept from him to split. The sea said to him, \"I should split before you? I am greater than you! I was created on the third day, and you were created on the sixth day!\" When Moses heard this, he went and said to the Holy One Blessed Be He, \"The sea doesn't want to be split.\" What did the Holy One Blessed Be He do? He put His right hand on the the right hand of Moses, as it is said, \"who caused [His glorious arm] to go at the right hand of Moses [dividing the waters before them to make Himself an eternal name]\" (Isaiah 63:12)  Immediately, it saw the Holy One Blessed Be He and fled, as was said, \"the sea saw and fled\" (Psalms 114:3). What did it see? It saw none other than the Holy One Blessed Be He who gave His right hand upon Moses, and it could not delay, but split immediately. Moses said, \"Because of what do you flee?\" The sea said to him, \"Because of the God of Jacob. (Psalms 114:7) Because of the fear of the Holy One Blessed Be He.\" Immediately when Moses raised his hand against the sea, it was split, as was said, \"The waters split\" (Exodus 14:21). It does not say, the sea split, but rather the waters split to teach that all the waters that were in all the springs, and the well and in every place were split, as was said, \"The waters were split.\" And so, at the time that they returned, all the waters returned, for such it says, \"And the waters returned\" (Exodus 14:28). And all these miracles were done through the hand of Moses, as was said, \"And Moses extended his hand over the sea\" (Exodus 14:21). Therefore, the Holy One Blessed Be He praised him, as was said, \"His people remembered the days of old - Moses\" (Isaiah 63:11), and it is written [in the next verse]: \"who caused [His glorious arm] to go at the right hand of Moses\".\n"
        ],
        [],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "Rabbi Yehudah says: Who would say praise to the Holy One, blessed be He? The infants, the ones that Pharaoh sought to throw into the Nile, since they recognized the Holy One, blessed be He. How is this? When the Jewish people was in Egypt and a woman of the Children of Israel sought to give birth, she would go out to the field and give birth there. But once she gave birth, she would abandon the child and give him over to the Holy One, blessed be He, and say, \"Master of the world, I have done what is mine; may You do what is Yours.\" Rabbi Yochanan said: Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, would Himself descend and, as it were, cut their umbilical cord, wash them and daub them. And accordingly did Ezekiel say (Ezekiel 16:5), \"on the day you were born, you were left lying, rejected, in the open field.\" And it is written (Ezekiel 16:4), \"As for your birth, when you were born your navel cord was not cut.\" And it is written (Ezekiel 16:10), \"I clothed you with embroidered garments.\" And it is written (Ezekiel 16:9), \"I bathed you in water.\" And He gave him two pieces of flint into his hand, one nursed him with oil and the other nursed him with honey, as it is written (Deuteronomy 32:13), \"and He shall nurture them with honey of bedrock.\" So they would grow in the field, as it is stated (Ezekiel 16:7), \"I let you grow like the plants of the field.\" And when they grew up they would enter their homes to be with their fathers. [The latter] would ask them, \"Who took care of you?\" And they would say to them, \"A fine and praiseworthy young man would descend and take care of all of our needs.\" As it is stated (Song of Songs 5:10), \"My beloved is clear-skinned and ruddy, preeminent among ten thousand.\" And when the Children of Israel got to the Sea, those infants were there, and they saw the Holy One, blessed be He, at the Sea. They began to say to their fathers, \"This is the One that would do all of those things when we were in Egypt, as it is stated (Exodus 15:2), \"This is my God and I will glorify Him.\""
        ],
        [],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "According to Rabbi Levi: If all of Israel were to keep Shabbat properly for even a single day, the Messiah ben David would come. Why? because it is equivalent to all of the commandments, as it is said (Ps. 95:7) \"for He is our God, and we are the people He tends, the flock in His care. O, if you would but heed His charge this day:\" According to Rabbi Yochanan: The Holy Blessed One has said of Israel: Even though I appointed a deadline for his coming whether or not they repent by the appointed season of arrival; nevertheless, if they repent even for a single day, I will bring her even though it is not the appointed season. In other words: \"O, if you would but heed His charge this day [God would send redemption].\" Just as we find that the Messiah ben David will come on account of the commandments collectively, so too [will he come] on account of Shabbat, which is equivalent to all the other commandments together. "
        ],
        [],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "Another interpretation: \"And Yitro Heard\": He was called by seven names. Yeter was his name while he was yet an idolater. As it says: \"He returned to Yeter his father-in-law\"(Exodus 4:18). Once he converted, an extra letter (vav) was added to his name, just as was done to Avraham, and he was then called Yitro. Another interpretation: Yitro, because he increased (<i>yiter</i>) a section of the Torah, i.e. \"And you shall see from amongst the people\" (Exodus 18:21). Hobab, because he cherised (<i>hibeb</i>) the Torah, as written in the section \"Moshe said to Hobab\" (Numbers 10:29)"
        ],
        [
            "",
            "\"And God called to him [Moshe] from the mountain, saying\" (Exodus 19:3). God called to Moshe in the merit of the mountain, as it says (Micah 6:2) \"Hear, mountains, the case of God\". And Moshe ascended to the God, ascended in cloud and descended in cloud, and the merit of the forefathers ascended and descended with him. \"So you shall say to the house of Jacob\" (Exodus 19:3) -- these are the women. God said to Moshe, speak to them of the general matters [literally: heads of things] that they are able to hear. \"And tell to the children of Israel\" (Exodus 19:3) -- these are the men. God said to Moshe, say to them particulars of things that they are able to hear. Another explanation: why were the women first? Since they are keen with mitzvot. Another explanation, so that they could accustom their children to Torah. Rabbi Tachlifa Dekeisarin [\"kingmaker\"?] said, the Holy Blessed One said 'When I created the world, I commanded only the First Man; and after that Chava was commanded, and she transgressed and corrupted the world. Now, if I do not call to the women first, they will nullify the Torah.' So it says, \"So say to the House of Jacob\". And Rabbi Yochanan said: \"So say to the House of Jacob\", this is the Sanhedrin, as it says (Isaiah 2:5) \"O House of Jacob! Come, let us walk by the light of the LORD.\" (Exodus 20:1) \"And God spoke all these words, saying\" - the Holy Blessed One leads Israel in the manner [?] of kings, as it says (Song of Songs 4:8) \"With me from Lebanon, my bride!\". Why so? In the merit that they said (Exodus 24:7) \"We will do and we will hear.\"",
            "",
            "\"[And God spoke] all these words, saying\" (Exodus 20:1). That God does all at once; kills and gives life at once, harms and heals at once. [God hears the prayers of] a woman on the birthing stool, sailors and desert-walkers and those bound in jail, one in the east and one in the west and one in the north and one in the south, God hears all these at once. And so it says (Isaiah 45:7) \"God forms light and creates darkness\". Dust, like so, is turned to a person, and returned to dust, as it says (Amos 5:8) \"And [God] turns deep darkness to dawn\". What is to the morning? Like its beginning. In its beginning what does it say, (Exodus 7:20) \"And all the waters in the Nile were turned to blood\", and returned blood to water. Living flesh is turned to a corpse, and the corpse is returned to life. The staff is turned to a snake, and the snake is returned to a staff. The sea is turned to dry land, and the dry land is returned to sea, and so it says (Amos 5:8) (Amos 9:6) \"Who calls to the waters of the sea [and pours them out upon the earth -- Whose name is the Lord]\". And so it is written (Exodus 20:8) \"Remember Shabbat to sanctify it\", and says (Numbers 28:9) \"And on the Shabbat day two yearling sheep\". It says (Leviticus 18:16) \"The nakedness of your brother's wife you shall not uncover\", and (Deuteronomy 25:5) \"When brothers dwell together [and one of them dies and leaves no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married to a stranger, outside the family. Her husband’s brother shall unite with her: he shall take her as his wife and perform the levir’s duty]\" and all say at once, it happened. \"And God spoke all these words, saying.\" (Exodus 20:1).",
            "Come and see that the attributes of the Holy Blessed One are not like the attributes of flesh and blood. A flesh and blood king is not able to make war, and to be a scribe, and teach children. Yet with the Holy Blessed One it is not like this; yesterday at the sea God was like a warmaker, as it says (Exodus 15:3) \"God is a man of war\", and it says (Job 26:12) \"In God's strength God split the sea\" -- and today, at the giving of the Torah, God descended to teach Torah to God's children, and so it says (Job 36:22) \"See, God is beyond reach in God's power; who governs like God?\", it happened [?]: (Exodus 20:1) \"And God said all these things\".",
            "<b>Another explanation:</b> \"And God said all of these things, saying\" - Rabbi Yitzchak said, What the prophets were to prophesy in the future in each generation, they received from Mount Sinai. As Moshe said to Israel (Deuteronomy 29:14), \"But with those here with us standing today and with those not here with us today.\" It does not say [at the end of the verse], \"with us standing today,\" but rather, \"with us today\"; these are the souls that will be created in the future, who do not have substance, about whom \"standing\" is not mentioned. For even though they did not exist at that time, each one received that which was his. And so [too], it states (Malachi 1:1), \"The burden that God spoke to Israel by ['in the hand of'] Malachi\" - it does not state, \"in the days of Malachi,\" but rather \"in the hand of Malachi,\" as the prophecy was already in his hand from Mount Sinai, but until that time, he was not given permission to prophesy. Likewise Yeshayahu said (Isaiah 48:16), \"from the time it was, was I there.\" Yeshayahu said, \"From the time the Torah was given at Sinai, I was there and received this prophecy, except [only] 'now did God send me and His spirit'\" - until now, he was not given permission to prophesy. And it was not only of the prophets who receive their prophecy from Sinai, but also the sages who arise in each generation - each of them received what was his from Sinai. And so [too] it states (Deuteronomy 5:19), \"These things did the Lord speak to your entire congregation, [...] a great voice and it did not cease\": Rabbi Yochanan said, \"One voice was split into seven voices and they were divided into seventy languages\"; Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, \"From it prophesied all of the prophets who arose.\" The Sages said that it did not have an echo. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, \"What is [the meaning of] 'The voice of the Lord is in strength' (Psalms 29:4)? Can one really say this? Isn't it true that, with even one angel, no creature can stand up to his voice, as it states (Daniel 10:6), 'And its body was like beryl (tarshish) [...] and the voice of its words was like the voice of the multitude.' And does the Holy One, blessed be He, about Whom it is written (Jeremiah 23:24), 'do I not fill the heavens and the earth,' need to speak in strength? Rather, 'The voice of the Lord is in strength' - in the strength of all of the voices.\" And this verse supports the view of Rabbi Yochanan: \"The Lord gives the word, the announcers are a great host\" (Psalms 68:12)."
        ],
        [],
        [
            "",
            "Why is it written above \"Do not ascend My altar by steps\" (Exodus 20:23) and [below] \"These are the judgements\" (Exodus 21:1)? What has one to do with the other? Since the nakedness of the kohanim would be revealed -- and behold it is written (Exodus 28:42) \"And make for them trousers of linen to cover the flesh of their nakedness\". Rather, Rabbi Avina says: Just as the Holy Blessed One warned the kohanim not to take large steps to the altar, rather to walk heel to toe, so the Holy Blessed One warned the judges not to take large steps in judgement."
        ],
        [
            "2 Rabi Abahu says it says (Exodus 23,4): 'Three pilgrimages you will celebrate for me in the year,' The Holy One established three pilgrimages and in the merit of the fathers that don't come before The Holy One empty-handed, and even in these generations even though they are troubled (narrow, stressed), the Torah has not moved from them as it says (Isiah 59,21): 'Should not be removed from your lips or your offspring lips, or your offspring's offsprings lips...'. "
        ],
        [],
        [
            "\"And they shall bring Me gifts\" (Exodus 25:2) - here it is written, \"for I have given you a good portion, do not forsake My teaching\" (Proverbs 4:2); do not forsake the purchase that I gave to you. When people buy things, their purchase has gold but no silver, or silver but no gold, but the purchase that I have to you has silver, as it is said \"The sayings of God are sayings pure like smelted silver\" (Psalms 12:7). It has gold, as it is said \"More lovely than gold and than much fine gold\" (Psalms 19:11). People buy fields but not vineyards, vineyards and not fields, but this purchase has in it both vineyards and fields, as it is said \"Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates\" (Song of Songs 4:13). Someone makes a purchase and others do not know what it is, but the inebriation [or: reward] of the brewer [or: middleman] makes clear what he bought. So it is with the Torah -- a person doesn't know what it is except from the inebriation that Moshe took, as it is said (Exodus 34:29) \"Moshe did not know that the skin of his face was radiant, since he had spoken with Him.\" And there are purchases that the one who sells them is sold along with them -- the Holy Blessed One said to Israel, 'I sell to you My Torah, and (as if such a thing could be) I am sold along with it,' as it is said \"And they shall bring me gifts\" (Exodus 25:2). This is similar to a King who had an only daughter. One of the kings came and took her and sought to go back to his land to marry her. He said to him, \"My daughter who I have given to you is my only one. I cannot bear to separate from her, but to tell you that you cannot take her is also impossible since she is your wife. Rather, do me this favour, that everywhere you go make me a small room [<i>kiton</i>], so that I can live with you, for I cannot leave my daughter.\" So said God to the Israel: 'I have given you the Torah. I cannot bear to separate from her, and to tell you not to take her is also impossible. Rather, everywhere you go make me one house so that I can live within it' as it is said \"And make me a sanctuary\" (Exodus 25:8)",
            "..",
            "Another interpretation: \"And they shall take for Me an offering\": this is the meaning of the verse (Song of Songs 5:2) \"I was sleeping but my heart was awake.\" The people Israel said: \"I have been asleep in regard to the end, however the Holy One is awake\" as it is written: \"the Rock of my heart and my portion is E-lohim, forever\" (Ps. 73:26) I am asleep in regard to mitzvot, but the merit of my ancestors stands for me, and my heart is awake. I am asleep from the story of the calf but my heart is awake and the Holy Blessed One knocked at it, that is \"and they shall take for Me an offering\".  \"Open up for me, my sister, my friend\" (Song of Songs 5:2).  For how long must I travel without a home? \"My head is drenched in dew\", rather, make Me a Mikdash so that I need not be on outside."
        ],
        [
            "",
            "...Another opinion: And they shall make an ark of gopher wood. And immediately after: and they shall make an ark of wood. What is written above? And take for Me gifts. Just as the Torah comes before everything, so too here, in the deeds of the Tabernacle, the Ark comes before any vessel. Just as light came before all the deeds of Creation, as it is written \"And E-lohim said 'let there be light' (Genesis 1) so too regarding the Tabernacle, in the Torah that is called light, as it is written 'Because a mitzvah is a candle and Torah is light' (Proverbs 6), all the deeds came after the Torah. Another opinion: 'And they shall make the ark' - why regarding all these vessels it is written 'and you [singular] shall make' but regarding the ark it is written 'and they shall make'? R. Yehudah the son of Shalom said: The Holy One said to him [Moses] - all can come and busy themselves with the ark, so that all come and merit the Torah. And R. Shimon b. Yochai said: There are three crowns -- the crown of royalty, the crown of priesthood and the crown of Torah.The crown of royalty -- this is the shulchan (Table), about which it says, \"a gold crown all around.\"The crown of priesthood -- this is the mizbe'ach (Altar), about which it says, \"a gold crown all around.\"And the crown of Torah -- this is the aron (Ark), about which it says, \"a gold crown [all around]\"...Why does it say about all of them, \"You shall make for it,\" whereas about the Ark it says, \"You shall make on it?\" [This is] to teach you that the crown of Torah is superior to all of them. If a person merits Torah -- it is as if he merited them all."
        ],
        [
            "",
            "God taught proper behaviour for future generations. If a person wants to build their house using wood from a fruit-bearing tree, say to them, ‘If the supreme King of Kings, to whom all things belong,  when He gave instructions how to build the Tabernacle; he said do not take from trees bearing trees, how much more should this apply to us."
        ],
        [
            "A sighted person and a blind person were walking together. The sighted person said, \"Come and I will be your guide\"; which enabled the blind person to walk. When they entered the house, the sighted person said to the blind person, \"Go and light the candle for me, and provide me with light, so that you should no longer feel obliged to me for having accompanied you; therefore I said to you to light [the candle].\"  "
        ],
        [],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "Another explanation for zeh hadavar: “Take with you words. . .”(d’varim, Ho 14:3). This is what is meant by what is written: “I wash my palms with cleanliness and circle your altar, Yahh, to voice thanks aloud and to tell of all your miracles.” (Ps 26:6f) One might also offer bulls and rams, but exegesis says to voice thanks aloud. Accordingly, Jews say, “Ribon HaOlam (“master of the universe”), leaders sin and bring and bring a korban (“offering”) and it atones for them. The mashiach sins and brings a korban and it atones for him. We, we have no korban.” He said to them: “And if all the congregation of Yisrael stray–and the matter is hidden from the eyes of the community–and they are guilty of doing one of the negative commandments of Yahh, then, if the sin guilt for which they sinned becomes known, the community shall offer a bull of the herd as a sin offering.”(Lev 4:13f) They say to him, “We are poor and we have not what to bring for korbanot.” He says to them, “Words, I request, as it is said, ‘Take with you words and return to Yahh’ and I annul all your misdeeds.” These words are none other than divrey Torah, as it is said, “These are the d’varim that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael.(Dt 1:1) They said to him, “We do not know.” He said to them, “Weep and pray before me and I accept it. Your ancestors, when they were enslaved in Mitsrayim, it wasn’t for prayer that I redeemed them, as it is said, ‘The B’neiYisrael groaned from the work and cried out.’(Ex 2:23)In the days of Y’hoshua it wasn’t for prayer that I made miracles for them, as it is said, ‘Y’hoshua tore his garment and fell on his face before the ark of Yahh till evening.’(Jos 7:6) So what did I say to him? ‘Hold out the spear which is in your hand towards The Ai, for I give it into your hand.’(Jos 8:18) In the days of the Judges, with weeping I heard their outcry, as it is said, ‘It happened, when the B’neiYisrael cried out to Yahh on account of Midyan.’(Ju 6:7) In the days of Sh’muel it was not in prayer that I heard them, as it is said, ‘Sh’muel cried out to Yahh on behalf of Yisrael and Yahh responded to him.’(Sam 7:9) And similarly the men of Y’rushalayim, even though they had angered me, because they wept before me I had mercy on them, as it is said, ‘For thus said Yahh, “Sing out joy to Ya’akov. . .”(Jer 31:7) Oh, I request from you not sacrifices and not korbanot but words, as it is said, ‘Take with you words. . .’ This is why David said, ‘I wash my hands with cleanliness’ not intending to make an offering but to voice thanks aloud, for I am thankful to you for divrey Torah."
        ],
        [],
        [],
        [
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "...  SH'NEI LUHOT HA'EDUT.  What is \"two tablets\"?  Corresponding to heaven and earth.  Corresponding to groom and bride.  Corresponding to the two shoshvinim [agents/groomsmen]. Corresponding to this world and the world to come.  SH'NEI LUHOT HA'EDUT.  R' Hanina said, \"It is written [as if it were vocalized] luhat [an apparently singular form] -- neither of them bigger than the other. ",
            "<b>And the Tablets were the work of God:</b> Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, \"Each and every day a heavenly echo goes out from Mount Horeb, and says, 'Woe to the creatures for disparaging the Torah'; for anyone who does not constantly involve himself with the Torah is called, rebuked to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated, 'And the Tablets were the work of God.'\" Graven (<i>harut</i>) upon the tablets: What is <i>harut</i>? Rabbi Yehudah, Rabbi Yirmiyah and the Rabbis [disagree]. Rabbi Yehudah says, \"Read not graven (<i>harut</i>), but freedom (<i>herut</i>) from the exiles.\" Rabbi Nechemiah says, \"Freedom (<i>herut</i>) from the angel of death.\" And our rabbis say, \"Freedom (<i>herut</i>) from afflictions.\""
        ],
        [],
        [
            "AND MOSES BESOUGHT THE LORD HIS GOD (32, 11).  R. Tanhuma b. Abba began thus: Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn back His wrath (ps. 106.23).  R. Hama b. Hanina said: The good advocate knows how to present his case clearly before the tribunal.  Moses was one of the two advocates that arose to defend Israel and set themselves, as it were against the Holy One, blessed be He.  These were Moes and Daniel.  That Moses was one we deduce from: ‘Had not Moses His chosen, etc.,’ and that Daniel was the other we infer from: And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer, etc. (Dan IX, 3).  These were the two men who set their face against the Attribute of strict Justice in order to plead for mercy on Israel’s behalf.  "
        ],
        [],
        [],
        [
            "...He started feeling bad that he broke the tablets, G-d told him: Do not feel bad about the first tablets, for they only contained the ten commandments, however in the second tablets I will give you, that they will have Halcaha Midrash and Agadah, this is what is said: (Job 11): I will tell you hidden wisdom for it shall be double comforting"
        ],
        [
            "'Inscribe those words for yourself [for according to those words I have formed a covenant with you and with Israel'] As it is stated: 'I write for them the great things of My law like strange things they are considered.' When God revealed Himself at Sinai to give the Torah to Israel, He said [taught]  to Moses the following order: Bible, Mishnah, Talmud, and Aggadah, as it says : \"God spoke all these words, saying\", even what a student will ask his teacher. God then said to Moses, after he had learnt it from the mouth of G-d, \"Teach it to Israel\". He said to him, \"G-d! Should I write it down?\" He replied \"I am not asking you to give it to them in writing because it is known to Me that in the future the nations will rule over them, and take it [the Torah] from them, and it will be degraded by the nations. So the Scriptures I will give them in writing but the Mishna, Talmud and Aggada I will give orally. If the nations will enslave them, the Jews will be different [unique] to the nations. He said to the prophet 'If I write for them the great things of My law, they will be considered like strangers.' And what am I [G-d] going to do? I will give them the Bible written, the Mishna, Talmud and Aggada orally.  'Inscribe those words for yourself ' 'Inscribe' refers to the Bible, 'for according to those words' refer to the Mishna and Talmud, for those are what separates the Jews  from the nations.",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "",
            "And He wrote on the tablets (Ex. 34:28) - teaches us that the first [tablets] and the last were the same. Ten sayings, how were they done? Five on this tablet and five on this tablets, as the words of Rabbi Yehudah. And Rabbi Nechemia says: ten on this tablet and ten on this tablet, as it says \"and as Moshe was descending from Har Sinai\", and the writings they require them [two copies]. And they looked like they were in Moshe's hand, as it is written \"two tablets of witnessing in the hand of Moshe\" (Ex. 34:29). \"And Moshe did not know that rays illuminated the skin of his face\" - and from where did Moshe get rays of splendor? The rabbis say: from the cave, as it says (Ex. 33:22) \"and it will be, when My honor passes\". Rabbi Berachiah Hakohen says, in the name of Rabbi Shmuel: the tablets were six handbreadths in height and six handbreadths in length, and Moshe was holding them on two handbradths, and the Shechinah by two handbreadths, and there was one handbreath in the middle, and from there Moshe got the rays of splendor. Rabbi Yehudah Bar Nachman says, in the name of Rabbi Shimeon Ben Lakish: [Moshe] was writing with a reed that had a bit left over, and he passed it on his head, and from that reed the rays of splendor were made, as it is written \"And Moshe did not know that rays illuminated the skin of his face.\""
        ],
        [],
        [],
        [],
        [
            "...Even though Moshe was the Gizbar: he called others to perform the accounting. The verse does not read ‘these are the records that were drawn up by Moshe’ but instead these are the records that were drawn up at the (LIT mouth) request Moshe. (Moshe did what he could do to be assured that he would be held accountable; accounted for by the mouth of Moshe; the work of the Leviim under the direction of Itamar "
        ]
    ],
    "sectionNames": [
        "Chapter",
        "Paragraph"
    ]
}