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+Midrash Tanchuma
+מדרש תנחומא
+Sefaria Community Translation
+https://www.sefaria.org
+
+Midrash Tanchuma
+
+Foreword
+
+
+
+Introduction
+
+
+
+Bereshit
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+
+
+Siman 1
+
+<b>In the beginning God created.</b> This is per the verse (Prov. 3:19): "God with wisdom founded the earth" and when the Holy One Blessed Be He created His world, he consulted the Torah and created His World, as it says (Prov. 8:14) "I have counsel and sound wisdom, I am understanding, I have strength." And with what was the Torah written? With black flame on white flame, as it is said (Song of Songs 5:11) "his hair is wavy, black as a raven." What is meant by קוצותיו תלתלים ("his hair is wavy")? That on every קוצ (thorn)^(that is, every serif of every letter of the Torah) hang  תילי תילים (locks and locks) of laws. How so? It is written in it [the Torah] (Lev. 22:32): And do not desecrate [תחללו] My holy Name. If you change the [ח] to a [ה] you destroy the world ^(by making techalelu into tehalelu, and making the verse mean do not praise My holy Name). "Every soul shall praise [תהלל] God" (Psalms 150:6), if you change the [ה] a [ח] ^(techalel - shall desecrate) you destroy the world. Likewise, (Deut. 6:4) "Hear O'Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One [אחד]." If you change the [ד] to a [ר] you destroy the world, as it is said (Exo. 34:14) "You will not bow down to other gods." [Elsewhere it is stated] (Jer. 5:12) "They have belied Hashem."  If you change the [ב] to a [כ] you destroy the world. [Elsewhere it is stated] (Shmuel I 2:2) "There is none holy as Hashem."  If you change the [כ] to a [ב] you destroy the world. And if just a letter is like this, how much more so a whole word. For this is it stated, "his locks are like tresses." Therefore Dovid praised and said, (Psalms 119:96) "Your commandment is exceedingly broad." [Likewise] it is said (Iyov 11:9) "the measure thereof is longer than the earth..." And it [the Torah] was the guide for all creation, as it is said (Prov. 8:30) "then I was by Him, as a nursling." Do not read it as אמון [nurseling], but rather as אומן [guide].
+
+Siman 2
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+Siman 3
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+Siman 4
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+Siman 5
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+Siman 6
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+Siman 7
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+Siman 8
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+Siman 9
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+Siman 10
+
+<b>Behold, Thou has driven me out..., Hashem said unto him, "Therefore whosoever slayeth Kayin ..."</b> There are those that say He closed the Shabbos before him, as it is said (Exo. 31:17) "a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever." Just like Shabbos found worthiness in Adam, the first [man], so too did it find worthiness in Kayin. And there are those that say a horn was affixed to his [Kayin's] forehead. When Kayin killed Hevel, [Hevel] was discarded [on the ground] and Kayin did not know what to do. So the Holy One, Blessed is He, sent him two pure birds and one of them killed his fellow, and then dug the earth with its claws and buried it [the dead bird]. From this Kayin learned and dug and buried Hevel. Therefore, the birds have merited that their blood be covered [with earth].
+
+Noach
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+
+
+Siman 1
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+
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+Siman 2
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+Siman 3
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+Siman 4
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+
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+Siman 5
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+
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+Siman 6
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+
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+Siman 7
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+
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+Siman 8
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+
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+Siman 9
+
+...R. Levi said: The whole twelve months that Noah was in the ark, neither he nor his family tasted sleep because they were responsible for feeding the beasts, animals and birds. R. Akiva said: Even branches for the elephants, and little shards of glass for the ostriches, they brought it with their hands to feed them. Now some animals ate in the second hour of the night and some in the third hour of the day, hence you know that Noah did not taste a bit of sleep. R. Yochanan said: One time, when Noah was late in feeding the lion, the lion attacked him, and he went away limping...
+
+Lech Lecha
+
+
+
+Siman 1
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+
+
+Vayera
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+
+
+Siman 1
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+
+
+Chayei Sara
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+
+
+Siman 1
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+
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+Siman 2
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+
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+Siman 3
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+
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+Siman 4
+
+.."A woman of valor is a crown for her husband." This is a reference to Avraham, who mourned for Sarah. The verse earlier stated, "And Sarah died, etc." Avraham began to cry for her, and to recite Ashet Chayil: "A woman of valor, who can find one? Her husband's heart trusts in her" - when was this? When he said to her "Say that you are my sister." "She repays his good, and not his bad, all the days of her life. She susses out linen and cloth" - this is between Isaac and Yishmael, as when she said, "kick out this maidservant and her son." "She is like a merchant's ships" - [this is like what is stated:] " And she was taken into Pharoah's palace," and then later, "and she was sent to Avimelech." "She rises in the night" - when was this? When "Avraham rose early in the morning."  "She considered a field and then purchases it" - she considered, and then bought, the field of Machpela, where she was ultimately buried there, as is stated, "afterwards, Avraham buried Sarah. "She girds her loins with might" - when was this? When the angels came, as is stated, "Avraham hurried towards the tent, towards Sarah..." "She senses that her enterprise is good" - when the kings approached them, as is stated, "And [Avraham] divided his troops." "Her hands are spread towards the distaff" - she would give food to the passersby.  "Her palm was outstretched to the poor" - she would give tzedaka and cloth the naked. "Her house needn't fear snow" - this is Gehenom, and why [needn't they fear]? "For the whole house is clothed in crimson." [Don't read shanim, crimson, but rather shnaim] two - Shabbat and circumcision. "She makes for herself a sheet" - this is the Kohanic garb. "From the fruit of her handiwork she plants a vineyard" - this is Israel, as is stated in Isaiah, "the vineyard of God are the multitudes of Israel." "Her husband is known at the gates of the city" - when  Avraham requested from the Hittites a burial plot. "She makes garments" - this is circumcision, as it states in Psalms, "God's secret is revealed to those who fear God." "She is dressed in strength and splendor" - these are the clouds of glory that would surround Sarah's tent. "Her mouth speaks to wisdom" - when is this - when she said, "approach my maidservant." "She scouts the needs of her household" - everyday, Sarah would gaze outwards, anticipating when the angels would return who'd promised they'd come back in a year's time when she would become pregnant. "Her children stand and praise her," as is stated, "Who would have said to Avraham that Sarah would nurse?" "Many daughters are valorous" - these are the non-Jewish nations; "but you are greater than them all" - as it is stated, "Look up at Avraham your father, and to Sarah who birthed you. "Give her from the fruit of her labors" - as it is stated, "these are the years of Sarah's life."
+
+Siman 5
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+.
+
+Toldot
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+
+
+Siman 1
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+
+
+Siman 2
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+
+
+Siman 3
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+
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+Siman 4
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+
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+Siman 5
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+
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+Siman 6
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+
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+Siman 7
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+..."And it was that Isaac was old: Our sages taught us about [whether or not] a blind person can fulfill a congregation's obligation when standing in front of the ark [i.e. leading services]. Thus our sages taught us that a blind person can spread out his cloak [i.e. recite prayers on behalf of others] for the Sh'ma and its translation, however he cannot go before the ark and he cannot read Torah nor can he raise his hands [i.e. bless the people as a priest]. Rabbi Yehuda says all do not see the light in his days cannot spread the cloak [i.e. recite prayers on behalf of others] for the Sh'ma since it would be as if he was a false witness. As [the prayer leader] says: "Blessed is the Fashioner of lights" and yet [the blind prayer leader] does not say light in his days. You find that all who become blind in his eyes is as if they have died. How? Rashbi said "The Holy One Blessed Be He does not attach [God's] name to the righteous in their lifetime rather after they died, as it says (in Psalms 16:3) "As to the holy and might ones that are in the land, etc." When do they become holy? When they are buried in the land [of Israel] since the entire time of their life God does not attach [God's] name to them - why is this the case? Since God does not believe that the evil inclination did not cause them to err [in their lifetime]. Yet once they die, the Holy One Blessed Be He attaches [God's] name to them, and thus we find that the Holy One Blessed Be He attaches [God's] name to Isaac the righteous in his lifetime as he says to Jacob (Genesis 28:13): "The God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac." Rabbi B'rakhyah and the rabbis [tried to answer the question "why did the text say God of Isaac when Isaac was still alive at this time?]: The rabbis said "he saw his ashes as if he was heaped upon the altar." And Rabbi B'rakhyah said "since his eyes became blind it was as if he died since he was buried in his house and the evil inclination stopped [influencing him]. Thus it is written "and it was that Isaac was old."
+
+Vayetzei
+
+
+
+Siman 1
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+
+
+Vayishlach
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+
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+Siman 1
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+
+
+Vayeshev
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+
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+Siman 1
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+
+
+Miketz
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+
+
+Siman 1
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+
+
+Vayigash
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+
+
+Siman 1
+
+Our sages teach us, "Who is the guarantor who is responsible for repayment [of a loan]?"  Thus taught our sages:  Rabbi Shimon ben Nanas says, "Who is the guarantor that is responsible for repayment?  The one who says lend him and I will give it to you." When he takes and places it in the hand of the guarantor, he is responsible.  And who was this guarantor?  This was Judah, as he said, '''Send him with me and I will return him to you.'  And he said, 'My son will not go down with you...If harm occurs to him.....'(Genesis 42:37-8)."  From here you learn that one who goes out on the way, Satan accuses him.  Rabbi Yossi ben Chanina says that we learn that women die at the time of childbirth because of three transgressions.  Why at the time of childbirth?  Because Satan accuses at the time of danger.  Benjamin descended with his brothers and they took corn. Joseph commanded and he put the goblet in his sack.  Before they had gone far, he sent after them.  He said to them, 'How could you do such an evil thing?' He said, "Whoever is found to have the goblet in his hand will be my slave.'  When it was found in the sack of Benjamin, each one of them turned his face away and who stood against him?  The guarantor.  "And Judah came near (Genesis 44:18)."
+
+Vayechi
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+
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+Siman 1
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+
+
+Shemot
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+Siman 1
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+Vaera
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+Siman 1
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+
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+Bo
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+Siman 1
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+Beshalach
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+Siman 1
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+Yitro
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+Siman 1
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+Mishpatim
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+Siman 1
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+Terumah
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+Siman 1
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+Siman 2
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+Siman 3
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+Siman 4
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+Siman 5
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+Siman 6
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+Siman 7
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+" and this is the Gift/Terumah that you shall take from yourself": Gold is held like the kingdom of babylon as it is written "you are the head of Gold"(daniel 2:38). Silver is held like the kingdom of Maddai as it says" and ten thousand Kikar of silver"(Esther 3:6) Copper is held opposite of the kingdom of Greece , for it is the cheapest of all three.Red rams wool is held like that of Rome as it says The first one came out, a red one (exodus 25:25)re 
+
+Tetzaveh
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+
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+Siman 1
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+Ki Tisa
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+Siman 1
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+Vayakhel
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+
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+Siman 1
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+Pekudei
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+Siman 1
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+Siman 2
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+Siman 3
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+Siman 4
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+Siman 5
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+Siman 6
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+Siman 7
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+Siman 8
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+Siman 9
+
+"These are the accounts of the Mishkan..." (Sh. 38:21)  Brass were the [vessels for] the offering [Sh. 38:29], and brass were the utensils [kalot], and thus is the Greek term for bride [kalah] 'nymph'.  You should know, that back when Israel was enslaved in Egypt, Pharaoh issued a decree that men could not sleep in their own homes, in order to make marital relations impossible.  Rabbi Shimon bar Halafta says, what did the women of Israel do?  They went down to the river [Nile] to draw water.  The Holy One of Blessing invited small fish to swim up into their vessels for them.  The women sold the fish, and with parts of the proceeds cooked food and took wine and went out to the fields.  There they fed their husbands, as it says, "all of their labors were in the fields" (Sh. 1:14).  As they were eating and drinking, the women opened up mirrors, gazing at themselves along with their husbands.  One [member of the couple] would say, "I'm more beautiful than you," and the other would say, "I'm more beautiful than you!"  In this fashion, they re-accustomed themselves to sexual desire, and they were fruitful and multiplied.  The Holy One of Blessing made the women pregnant immediately.  Our teachers say, some women bore two in a single pregnancy.  And some say, six in each womb.  And some say, twelve in each womb.  And some say, 60 multitudes.  Those who say "two" base their interpretation on the phrase, "were fruitful and swarmed" (Sh. 1:7).  Those who say "six", on "were fruitful and swarmed, multiplied and became mighty [in number], more and more" (Sh. 1:7), so six [descriptors].  The one who says "twelve", "fruitful" is two [in the plural], swarmed is two, etc., so twelve.  The one who says, "sixty multitudes", it is because the verse says of fish, "let the waters swarm" (Br. 1:20), and thus uses the same term, "swarm".  And all of these accountings are because of the mirrors, because the verse says of them, "the land was filled by them" (Sh. 1:7).  And the more the people were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread out (Sh. 1:12).  By the merit of these mirrors, which the women used to make themselves visible to their husbands and to re-accustom them to sexual desire in the midst of enslavement, there were established all of the women's working-force [tz'ovot], as it says, "all of ha-Shem's hosts [tziva'ot] went forth from Egypt" (Sh. 12:41).  And it says, "ha-Shem brought out the people of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their hosts."  Therefore, when ha-Shem told Moshe to make the Mishkan, all of Israel arose and made voluntary contributions.  Some brought silver and some brought gold or brass and onyx stones and stones for setting, they enthusiastically brought everything.  The women said, what do we possess to give voluntarily to the Mishkan?  They arose and brought the mirrors, went alongside to Moshe.  When Moshe saw these mirrors, he raged against them.  He said to all Israel, raise up your staffs and shatter the women's desire for these.  The Holy One of Blessings said to Moshe, "Moshe, against these you despise.  Yet these mirrors, they raised all of these hosts in Egypt.  Lift them up and make from them a brass washing station and its brass pedestal for the priests, that from these [mirrors] the priests shall be sanctified.  As it says, "They made the brass washing station and its brass pedestal from the mirrors of the women's working-force that was doing the work [tzav'u]" (Sh. 38:8), that by means of these very mirrors, did all of these hosts [population] arise.  Therefore it is written, "the brass for the offering [vessels] was seventy talents" (Sh 28:29), brass of the vessels / brides.  The Holy One of Blessing said, in this world they were voluntary offerings for the Mishkan, to make atonement for them.  And in the future to come, I will grant atonement for them and will love them voluntarily, as it says, "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them voluntarily" (Hoshea 14:5).  They have said, for us, we have no Mishkan, no Temple.  May the prayer of our mouths be as the voluntary offering of the Mishkan.  As David says, "May the voluntary offerings of my mouth be acceptable to You" (Ps. 119:108).
+
+Vayikra
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+
+
+Siman 1
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+Siman 2
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+Let our rabbis teach us: one who passes before the ark [i.e., serves as precentor for the 'amidah] and errs by not mentioning the birkat haminim--from whence do we know that we make him repeat the prayer? That is what the rabbis taught: One who passes before the ark and errs in any or all of the blessings, we do not make him repeat the prayer. But if he errs in the birkat haminim, we make him repeat and recite it against his will. And why do we make him repeat it? We are concerned lest he is a min, for if he has some aspect of minut, he will curse himself and the congregation will answer "amen."
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+Siman 3
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+Siman 4
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+Siman 5
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+Siman 6
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+Siman 7
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+Siman 8
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+<b>And He called to Moshe:</b> And why does it say, "And He called?" Rather it is is because it stated above (Exodus 40:35), "and Moshe could not come to the Tent of Meeting" - when the Divine Presence rested upon the Tent of Meeting. And he could not come since the cloud [of glory] was resting upon it. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, called him. "Saying": What is "saying?" To say to the Children of Israel. "A man from you that brings a sacrifice": Why does it state, "a man (<i>adam</i>)" and it does not say, "<i>eesh</i>?" It wants to say, when a man sins like Adam (the first man) started to sin - he should bring a sacrifice. Why does it state, "from the beast," when it [also] states, "from the cattle or the sheep?" Rather, it wanted to say [that we should] distinguish them from the beast; that his soul does not descend to the lowest pit like the beast, the soul of which descends below to the earth - as it is stated (Ecclesiastes 3:21), "Who knows if the [soul] of man ascends above, and the [soul] of the beast is the one that descends below." And truly does a man not know? Rather it is like the verse stated (Joel 2:14), "Who knows, [God] may turn and regret" - and this is its understanding: He "who knows" that he is a sinner, should "turn" to "God," and He will atone for him for all of his iniquities. What is "and regret?" Rather, He will relent about the bad that He planned to do to him. And likewise it is saying [here], "Who is the one that knows and understands and has intelligence and understanding - he will understand and know that the soul of man ascends above to the place from which it was fashioned, and the spirit of the beast descends below to earth." As so did King Shlomo, peace be upon him, state (Ecclesiastes 12:7), "and the spirit returns to God who gave it." And which spirit returns to "God who gave it?" These are the spirits of the righteous ones, the pious ones and the penitents who stand in front of Him in great stature. And that is the life that has no death with it, and the good which has [nothing] bad with it. This is the [meaning of] that which is written in the Torah (Deuteronomy 22:7), "so that it shall be good for you," forever. And we learned from the heard tradition, "'so that is shall be good to you,' in the world that is completely good; 'and you shall have length of days,' in the world that is completely long." And the reward of the righteous is that they will merit and live for the good. Happy is the man that merited good and delight; may the Omnipresent have us merit it with the righteous! And the early sages have already informed us that man does not have the ability to investigate and speak [about] the goodnesses of the world to come, as it has no measure, nor comparison nor model. And so did the verse state (Isaiah 64:3), "no eye has seen, God, but You, who acts for those who wait for Him" - meaning to say, the good that no eye has seen besides You, God. And that which they called it, "the world to come," is not because it is not found now. [Rather,] for us who are in this world now, it is [still] to come. And hence he says, the world to come - after a man leaves this world. And one who says that [first] this world is destroyed, and afterwards comes the world to come - the matter is not like that. Rather, when the righteous depart from the world, they immediately ascend and stand in this stature, as it is stated (Psalms 31:20), "How great is Your goodness that You have stored for those that fear You, that You have done for those that take refuge in You." But [the souls] of the evildoers float throughout the whole world and do not find rest for the soles of their feet. And they only ascend to the place from which they were fashioned [after] twelve months. What does it do [during this time]? It goes to the grave and comes back, and its seeing the body rotten and that it is maggots and worms is difficult for it. To what is the thing comparable? To a man that had a nice house and it fell. He goes to see it every day, that thorns are growing on it, brambles are covering its face and its stone fence is destroyed - and he cries and mourns over it, since he sees it like this. And so is the spirit floating throughout all of the world and coming back to the grave. And so did our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, say (Berakhot 18b), "Maggots are as harsh for the dead as a needle for the flesh of the living." And from where [do we know] that the soul mourns over it? As it is stated (Job 14:22), "But his flesh pains him, and his soul mourns over it." That is [the meaning of] "the beast" - and it is destroyed like a beast. And therefore it stated, "from the beast," and it stated "from the cattle and from the sheep" - since they will offer from the cattle and from the sheep, so that his soul not descend below like a beast. And why do we offer sacrifices from fowl, from lambs, from sheep and from goats, but not from fish - as it is stated, "if from the fowl is his burnt-offering sacrifice?" Rather, since they are flesh and blood like man and they come out of the belly of their mothers like man, [so too, do] they atone for a man. But fish are eggs - they come out of them and live. Our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said "Any image that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the dry land, He [also] created in the ocean with fish." Rabbi Tarfon said, "The fish was designated from the six days of creation to swallow Yonah, as it is stated (Jonah 2:1), 'And the Lord designated a great fish.'" Yonah fled from his God on the fifth day. And why did he flee? Rather the first time, [God] sent him to restore the border of Israel; and his words were fulfilled, as it is stated (II Kings 14:25), "He restored the border of Israel." The second time, He sent him to Jerusalem to destroy it; but the Holy One, blessed be He, worked up His great mercies and relented from the bad, and did not destroy it. And [so] they would call him a false prophet. The third time, He sent him to Nineveh to destroy it. Yonah judged the case between him and himself - Yonah said: I know that the [other] nations are close to repentance. Now if I go on my mission, they will repent immediately and the Holy One, blessed be He, is long-suffering and of great kindness - at the time that they repent, He will immediately have mercy [on them]. And the Holy One, blessed be He will [resultantly] become enraged towards Israel, as He did at the time of Sancheriv. When Ravshakeh came to blaspheme the living God, he said, "You are saying that mere words of the lips is counsel and valor for war; now, on whom are you relying, that you have rebelled against me? And if you tell me, 'we are relying on the Lord, our God,' He is the one whose shrines and altars Hizkiyahu did away with" (II Kings 18:20, 22) - what did Hizkiyahu do at that time? "And Hizkiyahu prayed to the Lord and said, 'Lord, God of Israel, enthroned on the cherubs - You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth; You made the heavens and the earth. Lord, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see - hear the words that Sancheriv has sent to blaspheme the living God!' And Yishayahu son of Amots sent to Hizkiyahu, saying, 'Thus said the Lord, God of Israel, "I have heard that which you prayed to Me concerning King Sancheriv of Assyria. I will [delude] him, etc."' (II Kings 19:15-16, 20, 7)." And four hundred angels armed with swords and spears came and drove him away, etc. - "And it was on that night that an angel of the Lord went out and smote one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp, and the following morning behold, they were all dead corpses. And King Sancheriv of Assyria moved and went and returned, and he stayed in Nineveh" (II Kings 19:25-26). He said to [his] sages, "Why is the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, with Israel more than all the nations of the world?" They said to him, "They had an ancient father and his name was Avraham, and he went to slaughter his son to bring up as a burnt-offering." He said to them, "Did he slaughter him?" They said to him, "No." He said to them, "[With] him, it was because it was his will to slaughter [his son, that] there was [such] love between him and his God." He said, "I will [then actually] slaughter my son and bring him up as a burnt-offering." And so did he do, as it is stated (II Kings 3:27), "And he took his first-born son, who was to reign in his place, and brought him up as a burnt-offering." [So] the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "How much do the nations of the world, to whom I did not give statutes and judgments, do for My name; as it is stated (Malachi 1:11), 'and everywhere incense is presented for My name.'" [And] immediately, "and a great wrath came upon Israel" (II Kings 3:27). Therefore Yonah said, "The nations will repent and the anger of the Holy One, blessed be He, will be upon Israel; as He will say, 'The nations, to whom I did not give statutes and judgments - when I make a decree upon them and they know [about it], they immediately repent. But Israel is not like this, as I send them My prophets all the time, yet they are stiff-necked.' And therefore, 'a great wrath [will come] upon Israel.'" And not only does Israel call him a false prophet, but even the nations of the world [will] call him so. Yonah said, "I am fleeing from in front of Him to a place where His glory is not [found]. What shall I do? If I ascend to the heavens, His glory is there, as it is stated (Psalms 113:4), 'upon the heavens is His glory.' And if upon the earth, His glory is there [too], as it is stated (Isaiah 6:3), 'the whole earth is full of His glory.' Behold, I will flee to the sea, as His glory is not stated there." [So] he went down to Jaffa, but he did not find a ship to board there. And the ship that Yonah would board upon was two days' journey away from Jaffa, in order to test Yonah. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He brought a great storm in the sea and brought [the ship quickly] to Jaffa. And Yonah saw this and rejoiced in his heart and said, "Now, I know that my path is straight in front of me." And he did not know that the Holy One, blessed be He, was causing the thing to let him know that His glory was there (in the sea). He said to [the boatsmen], "I will come with you." And the way of all ships is that when a man exits from them, he gives his payment. But in the joy of Yonah's heart, He preceded and gave his wage [right away], as it is stated (Jonah 1:3), "And Yonah arose to flee to Tarshish from in front of the Lord [... and he gave its pay]." And they traveled the distance of a day, and a great storm came upon them in the sea from their right and from their left. And the way of all ships is to come and go in peace and quiet. And the ship upon which Yonah boarded was in great distress to break apart, as it is stated (Jonah 1:4), "And the Lord placed a great wind upon the sea." Rabbi Chaninah said, "[Men of all] the seventy languages were in the ship, and each and every one had his god in his hand." They said, "The god that answers and saves us from this distress, he is the [true] God." And they stood and each man cried out in the name of his god, but they did not help. [Meanwhile,] Yonah dozed off and was sleeping in the distress of his soul; and the captain came to him. He said to him, "Behold, we are standing between death and life, and you are dozing off? From which people are you?" He said to them, "I am a Hebrew." They said to him, "And have we not heard that the God of the Hebrews is great? 'Cry out to your God' (Jonah 1:6). Maybe He will do for us like all of His wonders at the Red Sea." He said to them, "This distress has come upon you because of me, as I am fleeing from in front of Him, as I thought that His glory was not in the sea, and now I see that His glory is on the dry land and in the sea." He said to them, "Because of me; 'Lift me and put me in the sea, and the sea will be quiet upon you' (Jonah 1:12)." Rabbi Shimon said, "The men did not accept from Yonah to drop him into the sea; and [so] they cast lots, as it is stated (Jonah 2:7), 'and they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Yonah.'" What did they do? They took the vessels that were on the ship and threw them to the sea to make themselves lighter, but it did not help a bit. They sought to return to dry land, but they were not able, as it is stated (Jonah 1:13), "And the men rowed, etc." What did they do? They took Yonah and stood him upon the edge of the ship and said, "God of the world, Lord, 'do not put innocent blood upon us' (Jonah 1:14), as we do not know what is the nature of this man; yet he says to us with his mouth, 'because of me has this distress come upon you.'" They placed him [into the sea] until his knees, and the sea stopped from its fury. They [then] took him back towards them, and the sea stormed against them. They placed him [into the sea] until his navel, and the sea stopped from its fury. They [then] took him back towards them, and it stormed against them. They placed him completely [in the sea, and] the sea was immediately quiet from its fury, as it is stated (Jonah 1:15), "And they lifted Yonah and placed him, etc." "And the Lord designated a great fish to swallow Yonah, and Yonah was in the innards of the fish three days and three nights"(Jonah 2:1) - and Yonah entered its mouth, like a man that enters a large synagogue, and the two eyes of the fish were like opened windows giving light to Yonah. Rabbi Meir said, "A pearl was hanging in the innards of the fish, and it would give light to Yonah, like the sun lights up in its strength in the afternoon. And Yonah could see everything that was in the sea and that was in the depths, as it is stated (Psalms 97:11), "Light is planted for the righteous, and joy for the righteous of heart." The fish said to Yonah, "Do you not know that my time has come to be eaten into the mouth of the Leviathan?" He said to it, "Take me there and I will save you, and my soul." It took him to the Leviathan. He said to the Leviathan, "Because of you have I come to see your dwelling place in the sea. And not only that, but in the future I will come down to put a rope on your neck and to bring you up for the great meal of the righteous ones." He showed it his seal from Avraham, our father (his circumcision). The Leviathan saw it and fled the journey of two days from before Yonah. He said to the fish, "Behold, I saved you from the mouth of the Leviathan; [now] show me all that is in the sea and in the depths." And [so] it showed him the great river of the waters of the ocean, as it is stated (Yonah 2:6), "up to my soul was the deep." And it showed him the paths of the Red (literally Reed) Sea, as it is stated, "reeds are twined around my head." And it showed him the place from where the breakers of the sea and its waves go out, as it is stated (Yonah 2:4), "all Your breakers and waves passed over me." And it showed him the pillars of the Earth in its foundation, as it is stated (Jonah 2:7), "the bars of the earth were around me forever." And it showed him <i>Geihinnom</i>, as it is written (Jonah 2:3), "from the belly of the pit I cried out; You heard my voice." And it showed him under the Chamber of God, as it is stated (Jonah 2:7), "I descended to the bases of the mountains." From here we learn that Jerusalem stands on seven mountains. And he saw the Stone of the Foundation there, set in the depths. And he saw the sons of Korach, standing and praying upon it. It said to Yonah, "Behold, you are standing under the Chamber of the Lord; pray and you shall be answered." Immediately Yonah said to the fish, "Stand in the place that you are standing, as I would like to recite a prayer." And the fish stopped. And Yonah began to pray in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the Universe, You have been called the One that brings down and raises up - behold, I have gone down, [now] raise me up; You have been called the One that brings death and that brings life - behold, my soul has reached death, [now] bring me life." And he was not answered until [this] came out from his mouth (Jonah 2:10): "that which I have vowed, I will fulfill, etc." - "That which I have vowed" to bring up the Leviathan in front of You, "I will fulfill" on the day of Israel's salvation, as it is stated, "But I, with loud thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You that which I have vowed." And immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, indicated [to the fish], and it spewed Yonah out to the dry land, as it is stated (Jonah 2:11), "And the Lord said to the fish, and it spewed Jonah out to the dry land." When the sailors saw all of the great miracles, signs and wonders that the Holy One, blessed be He, did with Yonah, they got up and every man cast away his god, as it is stated (Jonah 2:9), "They who preserve the vanities of emptiness forsake their kindness." And they went back to Jaffa and went up to Jerusalem, and they circumcised the flesh of their foreskin, as it is stated (Jonah 1:15), "And the men feared a great fear of the Lord, and they slaughtered a sacrifice to the Lord and they made vows" - and did they slaughter a sacrifice? Rather, [this was] circumcision, which is like the blood of a sacrifice. And each man of them vowed to bring his children and everything  that he had to the God of Yonah. And they vowed and they fulfilled [it]. And about them is it said, the converts were righteous converts.
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+<b>"This is the law of the burnt offering" (Leviticus 6:2):</b> And what is [the meaning of] burnt offering (<i>olah</i>, literally that which rises)? Rather, it is that it rises in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, and atones for the iniquities of Israel. Since at the time that Avraham made the sacrifice of the ram - as it is stated (Genesis 22:13), "And Avraham raised his eyes and he saw, and behold there was a ram after" - what is [the meaning of] "after?" Rather, [it is to say that] after the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that [Avraham] came to sacrifice his son, Yitzchak, as a burnt-offering with all of his heart and with all of his soul, He sent him a ram [as a replacement]. The Sages said that the ram to be offered instead of Yitzchak was created from the six days of creation. And that is [the meaning of] that which is written, "and behold there was a ram after, etc." "And he took the ram, etc." (Genesis 22:13) - there the Holy One, blessed be He, promised him that at the time when his children would offer burnt-offerings, they would be immediately accepted. The Sages, may their memory be blessed, said, "Were it not that Avraham delayed to check the knife, Yitzchak would have been slaughtered. But he did delay to check the knife. Immediately, the mercy of the Holy One, blessed be He, was aroused for Yitzchak. And the Holy One, blessed be He, said to His retinue, 'See how alacritous this righteous one is to fulfill the words of My statement.' Immediately, He told an angel to rescue him, as it is stated (Genesis 22:11), 'And he said, "Avraham, Avraham," and he said, "Here I am."'" And why did he say, "Avraham, Avraham," twice? Since it was [Avraham's] will to slaughter him and do the will of his Maker, the angel was hurrying and said, "Avraham, Avraham." And from where [do we know] that he checked the knife? As it is stated (Genesis 22:10), "and he took the knife." Count the letters of "and he took the knife" (in Hebrew), and you will find twelve, like the tally of examinations that one does on the knife - upon the flesh, the fingernail and on the three sides (of the knife). And from where [do we know this]? As it is stated (I Samuel 14:34), "and you shall slaughter with this (<i>zeh</i>)" - <i>zeh</i> has a numerical value (<i>gematria</i>) of twelve. And what is [the meaning of] (Leviticus 6:1), "And the Lord spoke to Moshe, saying?" [That it should be said] to Aharon. From here we learn that Moshe only said that which the Holy One, blessed be He, would tell him. And therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to his credit (Numbers 12:7), "Not so My servant Moshe; in all of My house, he is faithful." And so does it state to Shmuel's credit (I Samuel 3:20), "And all of Israel, from Dan to Beersheva, knew that Shmuel was faithful as a prophet for the Lord." You find that [prophecy] began to come to him when the sons of Eli sinned in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated (I Samuel 3:3), "The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Shmuel was laying in the chamber of the Lord." And was he [really] laying in the chamber of the Lord? Rather this is its explanation: The lamp of God had not yet gone out in the chamber of the Lord in which was the ark of the Lord, and Shmuel was laying in his place, [which was] in a different place. "And the Lord called to Shmuel, and he said, 'Here I am'" (I Samuel 3:4) - but he did not understand who was calling him, since he was [still] a youth, as it is stated (I Samuel 2:26), "And Shmuel the youth proceeded to grow in favor with the Lord, as well as with people." "And he ran to Eli and he said, 'Here I am, as you have called me'" (I Samuel 3:5) - as he thought that [it was Eli that] had called him -  "and he said, 'I did not call you my son, return and lay down.'" "And the Lord called Shmuel again, a third time, and he rose and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, as you have called me'; and Eli understood that the Lord was calling to the youth. And Eli said to Shmuel, 'Go lay down, and if He calls to you, say, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening"'" (I Samuel 3:8-9) - but he did not say, "Speak, Lord," but [only] (I Samuel 3:10), "Speak." As he said in his heart, "I do not know if it is the Lord or an angel or something else." And he is equated with Moshe: [About] Moshe, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, (Numbers 12:7), "Not so My servant Moshe; in all of My house, he is faithful"; and [about] Shmuel He said (I Samuel 3:20), "And all of Israel, from Dan to Beersheva, knew that Shmuel was faithful as a prophet for the Lord." Therefore the verse states (Jeremiah 15:1), "Even if Moshe and Shmuel would stand in front of me, My soul would not be towards this people." And he was equated to Moshe and Aharon [together], as stated (Psalms 99:6), "Moshe and Aaron among His priests, and Shmuel among those who call His name." [Shmuel] would brighten the eyes of Israel, as it is stated (I Samuel 3:3), "The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Shmuel was laying in the chamber of the Lord." Moshe and Shmuel were not like Yechezkel, as he said everything that he saw, and as it is stated [it appears that the next section is corrupted, and that the reference is meant to be from Ezekiel 1 - see Etz Yosef] (Isaiah 6:1), "In the year that King Uzziah died, I beheld the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne; and the skirts of His robe filled the Temple." And therefore Scripture calls him, "Son of Man." Four are living but Scripture calls them dead, and these are them: the destitute, the <i>metsora</i> (one stricken with a spiritual skin disease), the blind and one with no children. From where [do I know this about] the <i>metsora</i>? As it is stated, "In the year that King Uzziah died." And why does the verse call him dead (given that he had not yet died)? Rather, because he had become a <i>metsora</i>.  As it is stated, "In the year that King Uzziah died," [meaning] that he had become a <i>metsora</i>. "Seraphs stood above Him" (Isaiah 6:2) - in the heavens to serve Him - ["Each of them had six wings:] with two he covered his face" - from modesty that his body should not show before His body - "with two he covered his legs" - so that he not see and peer towards the side of the Divine Presence - "and with two he would fly." And does he [really] fly with the wings? Rather, it is as a result of this that they, may their memory be blessed, ordained that a man should hover on his feet when the prayer leader says (Isaiah 6:3), "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts." And Tanchuma said, "The covering of the feet was because their heel is like the heel of the calf, such that they would not remind [God] about Israel's sin with the calf." "And one called to the other and said" (Isaiah 6:4) - they would get permission from one another, so that one not preempt the other and begin [alone], and [so] become liable for burning; rather they all started as one, and answered, etc. - "and the measure of the doorposts shook" - these were the doorposts of the chamber - "from the voice of the caller" - from the voice of the angels calling. This was the day of the earthquake, about which it is stated (Zechariah 14:5), "it shall be stopped up as it was stopped up as a result of the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, the king of Yehudah." As on the day that Uzziah stood to offer incense in the [Temple] chamber, the heavens and the earth shook and the Seraphs came to burn him (<i>lesorfo</i>) with burning (<i>serefah</i>), as it is stated (Numbers 16:35), "And fire went out from the Lord, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men offering the incense," because they offered a foreign fire. And this is [why] it calls them Seraphs, as they came to burn him. And the heavens also came to burn him. And the earth [came] to swallow him, as it thought that his judgement was to be swallowed like Korach, who dissented about the priesthood. [So] a heavenly voice emerged and said, "A reminder for the Children of Israel [...], and not be like Korach and like his assembly who dissented about the priesthood" (Numbers 17:5) - "not be like Korach," with swallowing; "and not like his assembly," with burning. But rather "like the Lord spoke through the hand of Moshe, saying to him" - through the hand of Moshe at the bush, as it is stated (Exodus 4:6), "'Put your hand into your bosom and  take it out,' and behold his hand was afflicted with <i>tsaraat</i> like snow." [This is] meaning to say that the dissenter be afflicted with <i>tsaraat</i>. And the <i>tsaraat</i> even broke out on his forehead. And [so] he was considered as if he were dead. And so [too,] do you find with Miriam, as it is stated, "Go out, the three of you" (Numbers 12:4). There was no need for Moshe to go out, as he did not say anything to [Aharon]. Rather it was so that he would be available to pray for Miriam, [in order] to heal her. "And He called Aharon and Miriam" (Numbers 12:5) - why did He call them and leave Moshe. As we [only] say part of a person's praise in front of them, but all of it not in front of him. And so [too,] do we find with Noach. Not in front of him, [God] said, "A perfectly righteous man" (Genesis 6:9); but in front of him, He said, "as I have seen you to be righteous in front of Me" (Genesis 7:1). Another interpretation of [why Moshe was not called]: So that he not hear the redressing of Aharon. He said, "Hear <i>nah</i> My words" (Numbers 12:6) - <i>nah</i> is always an expression of pleading - "if you have a prophet of God, I will make Myself known to him though a vision to him" - My Divine Presence will not be revealed to him through a clear lens, but rather through a dream or a trance." And why [were they disciplined]? Because they spoke [badly] about Moshe, as it is stated (Numbers 12:6), "And Miriam and Aharon spoke (<i>tedaber</i>) about Moshe." And <i>dibbur</i> is only a harsh expression in each place." And so it states (Genesis 42:30), "The man, the master of the land spoke (<i>deeber</i>) harsh things to us." [Whereas] <i>ameera</i> is only an expression of supplication. And so it states (Genesis 19:7), "And He said (<i>vayomer</i>), 'Do not act evilly, my brothers.'" "And He said, 'Hear <i>nah</i> My words'" (Numbers 12:6) - all <i>nah</i> is an expression of pleading. And why did it say Miriam first and Aharon afterwards? However it was because she started first, and therefore the verse mentioned her first. And what did they say? "But was it only to Moshe that God spoke?" (Numbers 12:2) That is to say did He only speak to Moshe, that he separated from his wife? "Did he not also speak to us?" (Numbers 12:2) In the same way did He speak to us and we have not separated from the way of the world (marital relations). And how did Miriam know that Moshe separated from the woman? Rabbi Natan said, "Miriam was alongside Tsipporah when they said to Moshe, 'Eldad and Meidad are prophesying in the camp' (Numbers 11:27); and when Tsipporah heard, she said, 'Woe to the wives of these [men]!' And from what time did Moshe separate? In fact, when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe at Sinai before the giving of the Torah that he should sanctify the people, and say to them, 'for three days do not come close to a woman' (Exodus 19:15). They [then] separated from their wives and Moshe separated from his wife. And after the giving of the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Go tell them, "You return to your tents," but you stay here with me' (Deuteronomy 5:27-28) - and do not go back to the way of the world. And [so Miriam knew] when Tsipporah said, 'Woe to the wives of these - they are called to prophecy [and] will be separating from their wives just like my husband separated from me.' And from then, Miriam knew and told Aharon. And if Miriam who did not have intention to disgrace Moshe was punished, all the more so with one who recounts the disgrace of his fellow with evil speech, will that person be punished with <i>tsaraat</i>." "As he took a Cushite (Ethopian) woman" (Numbers 12:1) - the numerical value of Cushite is [equal to that of] beautiful looks. The tally of this one is like the tally for that one. "The Cushite woman" tells [us] that everybody concedes about her beauty, in the same way as everyone speaks about the blackness of a Cushite. "About the matter of the woman" (Numbers 12:1) - about the matter of her divorce. "As he took a Cushite woman" (Numbers 12:1) - what do we learn to say [from here]? Rather, there is a woman who is pleasant in her looks but unpleasant in her deeds, or pleasant in her deeds but unpleasant in her looks, but this one was pleasant in everything.  And now he divorced her? And she is called a Cushite because of her pleasantness; in the same way as a man will call his pleasant son, Cushite, so that the [evil] eye not [come to] overpower him. "And the man Moshe was very humble (<i>anav</i>)" (Numbers 12:3) - humble, [meaning] lowly and patient. Another interpretation: "Very <i>anav</i>" is from the expression of answering (<i>oneh</i>), meaning to say that if he had heard these words, he would have known to answer and respond with appropriate arguments. "And the Lord said suddenly" (Numbers 12:4) - when he revealed Himself to them suddenly and they were impure [as a result of] the way of the world, they yelled out, "Water, water." [This was] to show that Moshe acted properly when he separated from his wife, since the Divine Presence was constantly revealed to him, and there was no set time for speaking [with God]. And so did He say to them, "I speak to him face to face" (Numbers 12:8) - face to face did I tell him to separate from the woman - "and a (clear) vision and not with riddles" - and this vision is a vision of speech. And perhaps it is a vision of the Divine Presence? [Hence] we learn to say (Exodus 33:20), "You are not able to see My face." And if you ask, "Behold, it is written (Numbers 12:8), 'and he sees the picture of the Lord?'" [The answer is] that is a vision 'from the back,' like the matter that is stated (Exodus 33:23), "and you shall see My back." "Why were you not afraid to to speak about My servant, about Moshe?" (Numbers 12:8) It does not state, "about My servant, Moshe," but rather "about My servant, about Moshe." [This is] meaning to say, about My servant, even if it is not Moshe; and about Moshe, even if he is not My servant - it would be worthwhile to be afraid in front of him. And all the more so, since he is My servant, and the servant of a king is [like] the king. And you should have said, "The King does not love him for nothing." And if you say that [the King] does not know about [Moshe's] deeds, that is more grievous than the first [mistake of not associating him with the King]! "And the Lord waxed angry at them and left" (Numbers 12:9) - teaches that [only] after He let them know their foulness did He proclaim their excommunication. All the more so with flesh and blood, should a person not get angry with his fellow until after he makes [the other's] foulness known to him. "And the cloud left the tent" - and afterwards - and behold, Miriam was inflicted with <i>tsaraat</i> like snow" (Numbers 12:10). There is a [relevant] parable about a king who said to [his son's] pedagogue, "Strike my child, but do not strike him until I go away from you, as my mercy is upon him." "Please do not place the sin upon us that we sinned and that we blundered. Let her not be like a dead" (Numbers 12:11-12) - just like a dead body transmits impurity through intercourse, so does a <i>metsora</i> transmit impurity through intercourse. "About which upon its exit from its mother's womb" (Numbers 12:12) - it should have stated, "from our mother's womb," but so did Scripture phrase it. And so [too, instead of] "half of its flesh," it should have stated, "half of our flesh." But according to its understanding, it appears to me thus: It is not fitting to leave our sister to be like the dead. Since she exited the womb of the mother of this one (Moshe) that has it in his ability to help, and [yet] doesn't help, behold half of his flesh will be eaten away - as [Aharon's] brother is his flesh. Another interpretation: "Let her not be like the dead" - if you do not heal her with prayer, who will quarantine her, and who will render her impure? As it is impossible for me to observe her, since I am a relative - and a relative may not examine scabs - and there is no other priest in the world. This is [the meaning of] that which is stated, "about which upon its exit from its mother's womb." "God, please, heal her please" (Numbers 12:12) - the verse came to teach you the way of the world (manners), such that one requesting a thing must first say two or three words of supplication, and then make his requests afterwards. "Saying" - what do we learn to say [from here]? [Moshe] said to Him, "Answer me if You will heal her or not," so that He answered him, "And if her father spit in her face [...]" (Numbers 12:14). And why did Moshe not prolong this prayer? So that Israel not say, "His sister is given over to distress and he prolongs his prayer?" "Let her be quarantined for seven days and afterwards she will be gathered" (Numbers 12:14) - and I say that all expressions of gathering that exist with a <i>metsora</i> are because he is sent out from the camps. And when he is healed, he is gathered to the camp; [and] all gathering is an expressions of bringing in. "And the people did not travel until Miriam was gathered" (Numbers 12:15) - the Omnipresent awarded her this honor for the sake of one hour that she delayed for Moshe, when he was sent out to the Nile, as it is stated (Exodus 2:4), "And his sister stood from a distance." She delayed for an hour and all of Israel delayed for her sake for seven days. [The comparison that the Torah nonetheless makes between Miriam when she is struck by <i>tsaraat</i> and a dead body shows that] a <i>metsora</i> is considered like dead. And from where [do we know] that one who does not have children [is considered like dead]? From Rachel, as she said to Yaakov (Genesis 30:1), "Give me children or I am dead." And from where [do we know] that one blind is considered like dead? As it is stated (Lamentations 3:6), "He has made me sit in the darkness, like the dead of yore." And from where [do we know] that one destitute [is considered like dead]? As it is stated (Exodus 4:19), "for all of the men that are seeking your soul (to kill you) are dead." Another interpretation: "This is the law of the burnt-offering, etc." So did our Rabbis teach: The burnt-offering was complete holiness, as it did not come for iniquities. The guilt-offering was brought for thefts. But the burnt-offering was not brought for a sin nor for theft, but it rather came for a thought of the heart. And so one who would have a thought in his heart about something would bring a sacrifice of a burnt-offering, as it is stated (Ezekiel 20:32), "And what goes up (which can also be read as a burnt-offering) upon your spirits."And know that a burnt-offering only comes for a thought of the heart. You learn it from Job, who would sacrifice for his sons, as it is stated (Job 1:5), "And after a round of feasting days, Job sent and prepared them; and rising early in the morning, he would offer burnt-offerings." They said to him, "Job, why are you doing this?" And he would say (Job 1:5), "Perhaps my children have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts." Hence you find that he arranged atonement for them for the thought of the heart. And this is [how to understand] the sacrifice of the burnt-offering.
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+Siman 14
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+Another interpretation: "Command Aharon [...]" (Leviticus 6:2) This is what is written (Psalms 51:20), "With Your will, do good to Zion," and afterwards (Psalms 51:21), "Then You will desire sacrifices of righteousness, a burnt-offering and a whole-offering."  That is to say, if Israel does not offer a burnt-offering before the Holy One, blessed be He, Zion and Jerusalem will not be built. As they are only built through the merit of the burnt-offering which Israel would offer before the Holy One, blessed be He. And why is the burnt-offering different, [so that it is] better than all of the other offerings? Because it is called "sacrifices of righteousness," as it is stated, "Then You will desire sacrifices of righteousness, a burnt-offering and a whole-offering." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe, "On account of this,  the burnt-offering is so beloved to Me. Hence, 'Command Aharon and his sons,' that they be careful with it, to offer it before Me." Why does it state, "This is the law (Torah) of the burnt-offering?" It means to say, the reading of the Torah. See how beloved the reading of the Torah is in front of the Holy One, blessed be He. As there is an obligation upon a man to give all of his money to teach Torah to himself and his sons, as it is stated, "Command Aharon and his sons, saying" - meaning, that they should say it to the Children of Israel, such that they occupy themselves with the reading of the burnt-offering. As even though they [actually] offer a burnt-offering, they would [also] be occupied with its reading, so that they would get merit in the sacrifice and in its reading. And so did Rav Shmuel bar Abba say, "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, 'Even though the Temple is destined to be destroyed in the future and the sacrifices to be nullified, do not [allow] yourselves to forget the order of the sacrifices; but rather be careful to read about them and review them. And if you occupy yourselves with them, I will count it for you as if you were occupied with the sacrifices [themselves].'" And if you want to know [that this is so], come and see that when the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Yechezkel the form of the [Temple], what did He say? "Describe the [Temple] to the House of Israel; let them be ashamed of their iniquities, and measure the plan" (Ezekiel 43:10). Yehezkel [responded] to the Holy One, blessed be He, "Until now, we are put into exile in the land of our enemies; and You say to me to go and inform Israel [about] the form of the [Temple], and 'write [it] in their eyes, and they should preserve its form and all of its statutes [and do them]' (Ezekiel 43:11). And are they able to do [them]? Leave them until they emerge from the exile, and afterwards, I will go and tell them." [So] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Yechezkel, "And because My children are in exile, the building of My [Temple] should be idle?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Its reading in the Torah is as great as its building. Go and say it to them, and they will occupy themselves to read the form of the [Temple] in the Torah. And in reward for its reading, that they occupy themselves to read about it, I count it for them as if they were occupied with the building of the [Temple]." And fortunate is the man who involves himself in Torah and gives his money to teach Torah to his son. As on account of the money that he gives to teach, he merits life in the world to come, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 30:20), "as it is your life and the length of your days" - your life, in the world to come; and length of your days, in the world that is long. And know that it is so. Rabbi Assia said, "Why do the infants of the master's schoolhouse begin by studying the book of Leviticus? Rather it is because all the sacrifices are written in it; and because [the infants] are pure until now and do not know what is the taste of sin and iniquity. Hence, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Let them begin first with the order of the sacrifices - let  the pure ones come and occupy themselves with the acts of purification. Hence I count it for them as if they were standing and offering sacrifices in front of Me.' And He is informing you that even though the Temple is destroyed and sacrifices are not practiced, were it not for the infants that read the order of the sacrifices, the world would not stand." Hence, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, "My children, even thought the Temple is destroyed and the sacrifices are annulled and the sacrifice of the burnt-offering is not practiced, if you occupy yourselves and read the section of the burnt-offering and study the section about sacrifices, I count it for you as if you are offering a sacrifice of a burnt-offering in front of Me, as it is stated, 'This is the Torah of a burnt-offering'" - meaning to say, one who occupies himself with the Torah of the burnt-offering merits life in the world to come. What is written above? "A soul that sins and violates a violation of the Lord, and denies against his kinsman, etc." (Leviticus 5:21); and afterwards, "This is the law of the burnt-offering." Isaiah said (Isaiah 61:8), "Since I the Lord love justice, hate theft in a burnt-offering." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Do not say, 'I will steal and extort, and [then I will] bring a burnt-offering and it will atone for me.' As I hate theft, even with a burnt-offering made for the theft. And if the world wants that I should accept a burnt-offering, return the theft to its master; and afterwards, if he bring up a burnt-offering for it, I will accept it, as it is stated, 'Since I the Lord [...] hate theft in a burnt-offering' - hate the burnt-offering when the theft is still in his hand." And one who reads the Torah of the burnt-offering is as if he brings up and offers a burnt-offering in front of the Holy One, blessed be He. And therefore, fortunate is the one teaches himself Torah and gives his money to teach himself and his sons, as it is stated (Leviticus 7:11), "This is the law of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings" (here read as "This is the Torah of the sacrifice of payments"). Israel said in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the world, behold You command us that we bring all of these sacrifices. When the Temple was still in existence, a man that sins brings a sacrifice and it is atoned for him. And so [too], he brings a meal-offering and it is accepted for him. But now that the Temple was destroyed, what can we do about our sins and about our guilt?" [So] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "If you want that they should be atoned for you, keep My laws, and I will count it for you as if you did a sacrifice in front of Me." And from where [do we know this]? "This is the law (Torah) for the burnt-offering, for the meal-offering, for the sin-offering, for the guilt-offering, for the induction-offerings and for the sacrifice of the peace-offerings" (Leviticus 7:37) - do not read it so, but rather, "This is the Torah; not for the burnt-offering, not for the meal-offering, not for the sin-offering, not for the guilt-offering, not for the induction-offerings and not for the sacrifice of the peace-offerings." Rather, occupy yourselves with Torah, and it will be considered in front of Me, as if you offered all of the sacrifices in front of Me.  Hence, David stated (Psalms 119:97), "How much have I loved Your Torah, it is my speech all of the day." Since I know that occupation with Your Torah atones for iniquities - therefore I have loved Your Torah. What is [the understanding of] "upon its burning on the altar all of the night" (Leviticus 6:2)? This is that they would burn the fats and the limbs the whole entire night, and the prayers were instituted corresponding to the sacrifices. Now that we do not have burnt-offerings, nor sacrifices, nor meal-offerings, nor guilt offerings, they instituted them as prayers. And the evening prayer can be brought the whole night, just as we bring limbs and fats the whole entire night. But the forefathers instituted the prayers, and this means to say, its burning is on the altar all of the night. And why was the burning on the altar and not in another place? Rather the verse states (Exodus 20:21), "Make an altar of earth (<i>adamah</i>) for Me" - why of earth? Because man (Adam) was created from the earth, and his name was called Adam, because he was taken from the <i>adamah</i>. And we bring up burnt-offerings and sacrifices on that altar which is made of earth to atone for the body that is taken from the earth. And from where [do we know] that it atones for the soul? As it is written (Leviticus 17:14), "As the soul of all flesh, its blood is in its soul." And it also states (Leviticus 17:11), "as the blood atones for the soul." "And they shall throw the blood on the altar" (Leviticus 1:5) - meaning to say, they shall throw the blood - which is the soul - upon the altar - which is from earth like the body - and it shall atone for the soul. "A permanent fire shall burn upon the altar; you shall not extinguish" (Leviticus 6:6); but it [also] states (Isaiah 66:24), "They shall go out and gaze on the corpses of the men who rebelled against Me, their worms shall not die, nor their fire be extinguished, etc." [That is referring to] those that deny the Omnipresent. But the fire that is permanently burning on the altar atones for the sins of Israel. And what is [the understanding of] "altar" (<i>mizbeach</i>)? [It is an acronym:] <i>Mem</i> is <i>mechilah</i> (pardon), as it pardons their sins; <i>zayin</i> is <i>zechut</i> (merit), as it gives them merit for the world to come; <i>bet</i> is <i>berakha</i> (blessing), as the Holy One, blessed be He, gives them blessing [through it] in the deeds of their hands; <i>chet</i> is <i>chaim</i> (life), as they merit [through it] to life in the world to come. One who leaves all of these - pardon, merit, blessing and life - and goes and worships idolatry, is burned by His great fire, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:24), "As the Lord, your God, is a consuming fire, He is a jealous God." How is He jealous? As it is stated (Hosea 2:22), "And I will betroth you in faith." [Hence,] just as a husband is jealous about his wife, so too is the Holy One, blessed be He, jealous, as it is stated (Isaiah 62:5), "and the joy of the groom towards the bride, etc." One who leaves all these will be burnt by His great fire, as it is stated (Isaiah 66:24), "as their worms shall not die, nor their fire be extinguished, and they will be a disgrace for all flesh." But if he repents, the fire burning on the altar atones for him and expiates the fire of <i>Geihinnom</i>. Moreover, every one of Israel that is circumcised enters the Garden of Eden, since the Holy One, blessed be He, places His name on the Israelite so that he can enter the Garden of Eden. And what is the name and the seal that He places upon them? It is <i>Shaddai</i> (the Omnipotent): The <i>shin</i> He placed in the nose; the <i>dalet</i> in the hand; and the <i>yod</i> in the circumcision. And therefore at the time that an Israelite goes to his final home, there is an appointed angel in the Garden of Eden who takes every son of Israel that is circumcised and brings him to the Garden of Eden. But those that are not circumcised; even though they have two letters of the name of <i>Shaddai</i> - as they have the <i>shin</i> of the nose and the <i>dalet</i> of the hand - they do not have the <i>yod</i> of <i>Shaddai</i>, [and so, the letters they have form] the expression, <i>sheid</i> (demon), meaning to say that a demon brings him to <i>Geihinnom</i>. And an Israelite who is circumcised but worships idolatry [also] goes to enter the Garden of Eden, but the Holy One, blessed be He, commands the angel, such that he pulls his foreskin and makes his foreskin appear as it it were never circumcised, such that he not enter the Garden of Eden but rather <i>Geihinnom</i>. And circumcision is a great thing and beloved in front of the Holy One, blessed be He. And all the creatures of the world - whether people, beasts, animals or crawling things, all of them - fear an Israelite when he is circumcised. And so do you find with Yonah. As he fled from his God on the fifth day. And why did he flee? Rather the first time, [God] sent him to restore the border of Israel. The second time, He sent him to Jerusalem to destroy it; but the Holy One, blessed be He, worked up His great mercies and relented from the bad. And [so] they called him a false prophet. The third time, He sent him to Nineveh to destroy it. Yonah judged the case between him and himself - Yonah said, "I know that the [other] nations are close to repentance. Now they will repent and the Holy One, blessed be He, will [resultantly] send His rage towards Israel. Moreover, Israel will will call me a false prophet" (etc. in Midrash Tanchuma, Vayikra 8). "And the men feared a great fear" (Jonah 1:8) - [this] teaches that fear is greater than wisdom and understanding. As one who has wisdom and understanding, but does not have fear is not anything. As so did King Shlomo, peace be upon him, state (Ecclesiastes 12:13), "At the end of the matter when all is heard; fear God and observe His commandments, as this is all of man."
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+Siman 15
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+Siman 2
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+[sobre o verso de Vaicrá 9: 1 que diz:] “E ocorreu que, no oitavo dia”...Este texto refere-se [a outro, em Tehilim 75: 5 que diz] ...eu disse aos arrogantes: Não se vangloriem!… Qual é o sentido [da frase], “eu disse aos חוללים arrogantes”? [e qual o sentido da expressão] não se תהלו vangloriem [?]
+O porquê, está de acordo [com o que se refere a] todo aquele que canta, numa dança de “mahana’im” [mencionada em Shir-HaShirim 7: 1 Volte, volte, menina de Shulam! Volte, volte para onde nós a possamos ver! Por que vocês estão olhando para a menina de Shulam como se ela dançasse para “dois acampamentos” - מַּחֲנָיִם - do exército?] tal qual dito [em Shoftim 21: 21] ...saírem para לָחוּל fazer suas danças...O motivo é que, não há alegria que perdure, para o Adam
+Posto que, nem todo aquele que se alegra hoje se alegrará amanhã. E nem todo aquele que estiver triste hoje, estará triste amanhã. E por isso foi dito [Kohelet 2: 2] Sobre o riso, eu disse: Isso é מְהוֹלָל estúpido...
+ Deseja compreender isso? Note que, até a alegria do SANTO – Bendito Seja – não perdura! Quando [vemos isso mencionado nas Escrituras]? Quando o SANTO – Bendito Seja – criou o mundo. Ele estava bem feliz, como foi dito [em Tehilim 104: 31]  ...Que HaShem se alegre em suas obras...
+ E também está dito [em Bereshit 1: 31] E Elohim viu tudo o que havia feito, e era muito bom [Estes versos pretendem] ensinar que, o SANTO – Bendito Seja – teve prazer e orgulhou-se de Suas obras. E então, outorgou ao Adam – o primeiro, uma Mitzvá fácil e ele não observou...
+ E imediatamente, foi promulgado o veredito [de pena capital] como foi dito [em Bereshit 3: 19] pois você é o solo, e para o solo retornará. Deste modo a Divindade não permaneceu em Sua alegria, mas disse, “Criei tudo, apenas para o ser humanos e, agora, ele morre. O que me resta de alegria”?
+E [agora que entendemos que, nem] o SANTO – Bendito Seja – permaneceu [feliz] muito menos as pessoas [permanecerão felizes!] E por [constatar, tal fato] foi dito [em Tehilim 75: 5] ...eu disse aos arrogantes: Não se vangloriem!…
+[E notem ainda] Quão feliz Avraham foi! Ele foi abençoado no mundo, exaltado [no mundo] e por haver lutado na Guerra para salvar seu sobrinho Lot, matou alguns reis famosos, e consagrou céus e terra [suas conquistas materiais] ao SANTO – Bendito Seja – Também quando o SANTO – Bendito Seja – lhe deu um filho aos cem anos, ele o circuncidou e o criou – Lhe foi dito afinal [Bereshit 22: 2] Por favor, tome seu filho, seu único… [e vá para a Terra de Moriá] e o Oferte ali como uma Olah...
+ E então, ele fez a jornada de três dias, como foi dito [em Bereshit 22: 4] no terceiro dia… Quando então, ele volta do Monte Moriá e descobre o falecimento da esposa e tem que sepultar Sára. E ele não encontrou lugar para sepultá-la, sendo obrigado a comprar um lugar pelo valor absurdo de quatrocentos Shekels de Prata, perdendo quase todos os bens. E depois disso, a idade avançada lhe pesa. E então, se certamente foi isso que ocorreu com Avraham – Justo por excelência, muito mais e além com qualquer um de nós, que seria como o perverso em comparação com ele!
+ E nem Itzhak, permaneceu em sua felicidade: Ele escapou da espada, dos homens de Guerar. E [a Divindade] lhes informou sobre quem ele era, de modo que vieram a ele. Tal qual foi declarado (em Bereshit 26: 26, 28) Então, Avimele’h veio a ele de Guerar ...e lhe disseram “Vemos claramente que HaShem está com você” mas, ele não permaneceu nesta felicidade. Em vez disso [tal qual foi dito, em Bereshit 27: 1] Aconteceu que, quando Itzhak estava idoso, seus olhos eram fracos demais para enxergar...
+De modo que, [se a perda da felicidade] ocorreu também no caso de Itzhak que era tão elevado que era simbolizado como se fosse uma Oferta, ao SANTO – Bendito Seja [sendo este o sentido de Bereshit 22: 2 – era para ele ser “elevado” {tal qual em Vaicrá 8: 27} a um proto-sacerdócio, não literalmente ofertado] muito mais e além, a perda da felicidade ocorrerá no caso de pessoas como nós que, em comparação, é como o perverso.
+E Iáacov, que era o Primogênito do SANTO – Bendito Seja – como foi dito [em Shemot 4: 22] Israel é meu Primogênito. Quão grande era sua Alegria! Ele teve o sonho profético aonde viu a Escada [tal qual Bereshit 28: 12, 13] onde os malahim do Elohim subiam e desciam..e ainda, Note: O HaShem estava no topo e disse: Eu Sou – HaShem. E então, ele vai a Lavan, fugindo de seu irmão Essáv que desejava matá-lo, e por isso acaba virando escravo de Lavan, por nada menos que vinte anos. E ao final, fica rico e tem filhos e volta em paz. Mas ele também encontrou Essav no caminho de volta e, foi salvo dele, cumprindo seu voto. Ao final de tudo isso, ele não permaneceu na sua felicidade. Em vez disso [tal qual Bereshit 34: 1] lemos, Agora, Diná [filha dele com Leah] saiu [e acabou sendo estuprada, gerando o assassinato dos habitantes de Shehem].
+E também lhe sobreveio sofrimento, pelo que ocorreu com Iossef. Certamente se Iáacov – o Justo por excelência, a quem o SANTO – Bendito Seja – disse, do qual me orgulho, como dito [em Ieshaiahu 49: 3] Israel, do qual me orgulho - mesmo assim, não permaneceu em sua felicidade; Muito mais e além nós que, em comparação, somos como o perverso! Daí, o sentido do que foi mencionado antes: “eu disse aos חוללים arrogantes, não se תהלו vangloriem” - de Tehilim 75: 5 – e como foi dito [Kohelet 2: 2] Sobre o riso, eu disse: Isso é מְהוֹלָל estúpido...
+E quão feliz foi Iehoshua! Ele lutou as guerras de conquista da Terra, chegando a executar trinta e um reis no conflito, e deu a Israel a Terra para possuir e fez a distribuição do território. E adicionalmente, todo o povo de Israel lhe ofereceu auxílio dizendo, [Iehoshua 1: 18] qualquer um que desobedecer suas ordens...[receberá pena capital. Tamanha era a honra dada a ele] algo que nem mesmo Moshe nosso mestre, experimentou. E mesmo assim Iehoshua não permaneceu em sua felicidade. Em vez disso, ele morreu sem filhos. E, portanto foi dito [em Tehilim 75: 5] “eu disse aos חוללים arrogantes, não se תהלו vangloriem”
+E quão feliz foi Eli quando ele era como um rei, um Chefe de tribunal além de Sumo Sacerdote! Foi declarado sobre ele [em Shmuel Alef 1: 9] agora, Eli [o kohen] estava sentado no trono, da entrada no Templo do HaShem. Ele estava na entrada no Templo do HaShem, porque esta linguagem indica que ele era o Chefe do Tribunal. E mesmo ele não permaneceu em sua felicidade. Em vez disso [tal qual lemos em Shmuel Alef 4: 18] e ocorreu que, quando ele [o mensageiro] mencionou [o roubo] da Arca do HaShem, ele [Eli] caiu de costas, do seu trono… Além disso, seus dois filhos – Hofni e Pin’has – morreram naquele mesmo dia. Então, se tais infortúnios ocorrem, com uma figura como Eli, o justo – muito mais e além infortúnios ocorrem com pessoas que, em comparação, são como o perverso!
+Por acaso não descobrimos que, homem ou mulher alguma, viu alegria similar a de Elisheva bat-Aminadav esposa de Aharon, mencionada em Shemot 6: 23: E Aharon tomou por esposa, Elisheva bat-Aminadav. Ela testemunhou seu esposo tornar-se Sumo-Sacerdote, servindo tanto no sumo-sacerdócio como na profecia. E adicionalmente, o próprio Moshe, era irmão de seu esposo, alguém que era tanto rei como profeta. E além disso, os filhos dela eram Oficiais [do sumo-sacerdote] no ofício, e o irmão dela – Nah’shon – era o líder de todos os príncipes de Israel. 
+E mesmo assim, ela não permaneceu na sua felicidade. Em vez disso, quando seus dois filhos foram oferecer uma Oferta [tal qual registrado em Vaicrá 10: 2] Um fogo veio de perante o HaShem e os consumiu – deste modo eles morreram perante o HaShem – E por causa deste tipo de coisa que foi dito [em Tehilim 75: 5] “eu disse aos חוללים arrogantes, não se תהלו vangloriem”
+E é por tudo isso que expusemos até aqui, Shlomo disse  [Kohelet 2: 2] Sobre o riso, eu disse: Isso é מְהוֹלָל estúpido... 
+E há uma história, acerca de um dos maiores sábios de Bavel, que casou seu filho e deu um grande banquete para os sábios, comemorando a ocasião. Ele disse a seu filho: Vá e traga para nós, uma jarra de tal e tal vinho, da adega. E o filho foi até a adega. Quando ele estava lá uma serpente que estava escondida ali o mordeu e, por causa disso ele morreu.
+Seu pai permaneceu com aqueles que estavam reclinados [na mesa] celebrando, sem saber do ocorrido. De modo que, conforme notou que ele seu filho, se demorou e não voltou, trazendo o vinho, o pai disse, Deixe-me ver o que meu filho está fazendo. O pai foi até a adega e encontrou seu filho morto, caído entre as jarras. 
+O que aquele santo sábio disse?
+Ele se conteve, até que os convidados já tivessem se alimentado e bebido o bastante. Quando todos terminaram de comer, ele disse: Vocês vieram aqui, com os noivos, dar as bênçãos sobre meu filho. Mas, em vez disso declarem consolo pelos enlutados. Vocês vieram acompanhar meu filho para o átrio nupcial. Mas, em vez disso acompanhem ele a sepultura.
+Por isso, disseram sobre o Rabino Zakái de Kabul – aplicando a ele o verso de Kohelet 2: 2 - Sobre o riso, eu disse: Isso é מְהוֹלָל estúpido... 
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+<b>This is the animal that you shall eat:</b> This is what the verse stated (Psalms 40:9), "To do Your will, my God, have I desired; and your Torah is in my innards." Happy is Israel, as He gave a commandment for each and every one [of their] limbs, as there are two hundred and forty-eight limbs in a man. And therefore we say every day, "Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the World, who has created man with wisdom, and created in him many holes and many channels." The numerical equivalent of many channels (<i>chalulim, chalulim</i>) is two hundred and forty-eight - that is like the tally of limbs in a man. In the head, do not round the corner of your heads" (Leviticus 19:27). On the flesh, "A gash for a soul you shall not place into your flesh" (Leviticus 19:28). And also the commandment of circumcision, as it is stated (Genesis 17:11), "And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin." And further that He sealed his name, which is <i>Sha-dai</i>, into the Children of Israel - the <i>shin</i> in the noses, the <i>dalet</i> in the hand and the <i>yod</i> in the circumcision. The <i>shin</i> in the noses, so that they not accept nor derive benefit from that which is stolen; the <i>dalet</i> in the hand, so that the give and take (buying and selling) of a man be with propriety and not with theft; and the <i>yod</i> in the circumcision, so that a man not sin, etc." 
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+Siman 9
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+<b>And it was on the eighth day:</b> Rabbi Tanchuma, Rabbi Chiya, Rabbah and Rabbi Berakhiya in the name of Rabbi Elazar [all] said, "Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (<i>vayehi</i>),' it is nothing but a term of grief [hinting to the sound, (<i>vay</i>), meaning woe]." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Natan, "This midrash came up to our hands from the exile - 'Any place that it is stated, "and it was in the days of," it is nothing but a term of grief.'" And there are five: (1) "And it was in the days of Amrafel" (Genesis 14:1). What grief was there over there? They made a war to kill Avraham, our father, as it is stated (Genesis  14:2), "made war." [It is comparable] to a dear friend of a king who entered a province, and on his account was the king [concerned] about that whole province. [Then people] came and grappled with him with words. And when he wanted to leave, they all said to him, "Woe that the king will no longer be concerned about the province as he was." So [too,] was Avraham a dear friend of the Holy One, blessed be He - as it is written about him (Isaiah 41:8), "the seed of Avraham, My dear one"; and it is written (Genesis 12:3), "and through you shall all the families of the world be blessed." And when the kings came and grappled with him, they all said, "Woe that the Holy One, blessed be He, will not be concerned with the world as He was; since He was concerned with the world for his sake." This is [the meaning of] that which the verse stated (Genesis 14:7), "And they came to Ein Mishpat (which can be understand as the eye of justice)" - Rabbi Acha said, "They sought to grapple with no less than the eyeball of the world." They said, "They sought to blind the eye that [suppressed] the trait of [strict] judgment in the world." [The verse continues -] "It (<i>hee</i>) is Kadesh," [but] it is written, "he (<i>hu</i>) is Kadesh"; meaning to say, he sanctified (<i>hu kidesh</i>) the name of the Holy One, blessed be He and went down to the fiery furnace. When they saw that the things were like this, they cried out. (2) "And it was in the days of Achaz the son of Yoshiah, King of Yehudah" (Isaiah 7:1). What grief was there over there? "It is what is stated by the verse (Isaiah 9:11), "Aram is in front and the Philistines are behind, etc." [It is comparable] to a king that gave his son over to a mentor, and the mentor hated him. He said, "If I kill him, I will become liable for death. Rather, I will take away his nourishment from him and he will die on his own." So did the evil Achaz say, "If there are no goats, there will be no rams; if there is no flock, there will be no shepherd, [and] where will the world be?" So did he say, "If there are no masters, there will be no students; if there are no students, there will be no sages; if there is no Torah, there will be no synagogues and study halls." What did he do? He passed all the synagogues and study halls and sealed them. And this [is the meaning of] that which the verse states (Isaiah 8:16), "Bind up the message; seal the instruction with My disciples." And when they saw that the things were like this, they all started to cry out, "Woe that the world is being destroyed" - when [study of] the Torah was negated, that was in the days of Achaz. (3) "And it was in the days of Yehoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu" (Jeremiah 1:3). What grief was there over there? "I looked at the earth, and behold it was empty and void; at the heavens and their light was not" (Jeremiah 4:23), [It is comparable] to edicts of the kings that were brought to the provinces of the kingdom. In each and every province, when it came to their hands, everyone would stand on their feet, uncover their heads and read them with fear, trembling and perspiration. But when they were brought to the province of the king, they tore them up and burned them: When the Holy One, blessed be He, sends His messenger to the nations of the world, they repent, cover themselves in sackcloth and fast - as did the people of Nineveh, as it is stated (Jonah 3:7), "from the order of the king and his principals, etc." They, may their memory be blessed, said, "One who had a beam or a stone that was stolen in his house would destroy the house and remove it and return the theft." And because of this did Yonah fear to prophesy to Nineveh. As Rabbi Tarfon said, "The fish was designated, etc." And the nations of the world are afraid in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, and [so, they are] close to repentance, whereas Israel is stiff-necked. This is what the verse stated (Jeremiah 36:23), "And it was when Yehudi would read three columns or four" - meaning to say, he read four verses - and in the fifth verse, he read, "And her tormentors became the head" (Lamentations 1:5) - and it is is written (Jeremiah 36:23), "he would tear it with a scribe's blade and throw it into the fire until the end of all of the scroll." And when they saw this, everyone began to cry out, "Woe for the decree that is hanging over us." And the other (4) - "And it was in the days of Achashverosh" (Esther 1:1). What grief was there over there? [It is comparable] to a king that had a vineyard, and he had three enemies. What did they do? One cut the small berries, the second ripped the clusters and the third uprooted the vines: The king is King of the kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He; His vineyard is Israel, as it is stated (Isaiah 5:7), "For a vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel"; [And] their three enemies are Pharaoh, Nevukhadnetsar and Haman. Pharaoh began with the small berries, as it is stated (Exodus 1:22), "Any son that is born, throw him into the river." Nevukhadnetsar ripped the clusters, as it is stated (Jeremiah 29:2), "the craftsmen and the smiths." Who are the craftsmen (<i>charash</i>)? These are the ones that pray the mute prayer silently, and are victorious with their prayer over all the nations of the world. The smiths?  That all the nations of the world come in a vice in front of them but [then] flee, as they put a vice on all the nations - and Nevukhadnetsar come to destroy them; and he destroyed the craftsmen and the smiths, and exiled them. The evil Haman [then] came [to] uproot the vines, as it is stated (Esther 3:13), "to annihilate, to kill and to destroy." Everyone began to cry out, "Woe," and they mourned in front of the Omnipresent. (5) "And it was in the days when the judges ruled" (Ruth 1:1) - there was famine there; and what grief is greater than famine? And from where [do we know] that there was famine? As it is stated (Ruth 1:1), "and there was a famine in the land." And why was there a famine? Because Israel and the judges were not judging true judgement; as it is is stated, "And it was in the days when the judges ruled" - [and] we find [following it], "he", which indicates evildoers. [As] so do we find, "he was Datan and Aviram" (Numbers 26:9); "he was Achashverosh" (Esther 1:1); "he was [...] Achaz" (II Chronicles 28:22). So too were the judges. And to what is the matter comparable? To a province that was liable a tax to the king. [So] he sent collectors to collect it. The people of the province rose and smote the collectors and hung them. The judgment that they were liable - as they appointed other judges for themselves - they did to the collectors. So did they do at that time, as Elimelekh would judge the judges; [since] he was a strongman and there were many men below him. He saw the distress and the famine, but he did not warn the sinners to repent from their evil. And he stopped living in Beit Lechem for himself to live in the field of Moav - to sustain his soul during the famine, and the soul of his wife during the famine, and the soul of his sons; and he did not know that [it is] the Torah that sustains its masters and not the vanities of the world. And he was one who was important, as it is stated (Ruth 1:1), "and a man went from Beit Lechem, Yehudah." And we only say, "man," about an important man, as it is stated (Numbers 12:3), "And the man, Moshe, was very humble." As Elimelekh was an important man, as they would consider him [so] in his place - and [yet] he went to save his soul and the soul of his household, and did not trouble himself about the matters of the community; even as he was an important man and they would have believed his words, [such as] to make them repent from their evil and bring them to repentance. And therefore, it occurred to him as it is written in the verse (Ruth 1:3), "And Elimelekh, the husband of Naomi died." And so [too,] his sons died, as it is stated (Ruth 1:5), "And [...his] two [sons,] Machlon and Khilyon died, and the woman survived her two children and her husband." As so were they judging their judges, like Sodom. Rabbi Shimon ben Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, "Any place that it is stated, 'and it was (<i>vayehi</i>),' it is used for grief and it is used for joy. And when for grief, there is no grief like it, and when for joy, there is no joy like it." (The text is missing the following integral part of the midrash, found in Bereishit Rabbah 42:3 and other places: Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman came and divided it, "Any place that it is stated 'it will be,' it is used for joy; [but] 'and it was' [is for] grief.") The Sages responded, "Behold 'And God said, "<i>Vayehi</i> (here used as a command form, and not past tense) light"' [is] joy!" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as the world did not merit to use that light. As so did Rabbi Yehudah bar Simon say, '[Regarding] the light that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the first day, Adam [could] look and observe from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. [But] since the Holy One, blessed be He, saw the deeds of the generation of Enosh and the generation of the flood, He arose and hid it from them. That is [the meaning of] what the verse states (Job 38:15), "From the wicked is their light withheld." And to where is it hidden? [It is] in the Garden of Eden, for the righteous ones, as it is stated (Psalms 97:11), "Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the straight-hearted."'" They responded to him further, "It states, 'And it was evening and it was morning, one day.'" He said to them, "On that day too, it is not of joy, as all the acts of the first day are destined to wither, as it is stated (Isaiah 51:6), 'when the heavens melt away like smoke and the earth wither like a garment.'" They responded to him, "Behold, the [acts of] the second day, the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day, the sixth day." He said to them, "They too are not of joy, as all the acts of the six days of creation require further action - for example, wheat needs to be ground; mustard needs to be mellowed; lupine need to be mellowed." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yosef and he was a successful man' (Genesis 39:7)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as that 'bear' chanced upon him from this, as it is stated in the verse, 'after' - 'And it was after these things, and the wife of his master raised, etc.' (Genesis 39:7)." They responded to him, "[And what about,] 'And it was that the Lord was with Yehoshua, and his reputation was in all the land' (Joshua 6:27)?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as Yair the son of Menashe, whose weight corresponded to the majority of the Sanhedrin, fell at that time; as it is stated (Joshua 7:5), 'And the men of Ai smote of them, like thirty-six men' - and the master said, 'That is Yair the son of Menashe, whose weight corresponded to the majority of the Sanhedrin.'" They responded to him, "And is it not written (I Samuel 18:14), 'And it was that David was successful in all of his ways and the Lord was with him'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as enmity descended into the heart of Shaul from this, as it is stated (I Samuel 18:9), 'And it was that Shaul eyed David.'" They responded to him, "And is it not written (II Samuel 7:1), 'And it was when the king sat in his house and the Lord allowed him rest from all of his enemies'?" He said to them, "It too is not of joy, as on that same day, Natan the prophet came to David and said to him, 'However you will not build the House' (I Kings 8:19)." They said to him, "Behold, we have said what is ours; [now] say what is yours - that 'and it will be' is joy." He said to them, "'And it will be on that day that the mountains will drip with nectar' (Joel 4:18), that will be in the days of the messiah, and there will be great joy for Israel. And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that a man shall save alive a heifer of the herd and two sheep' (Isaiah 7:21). And so [too,] 'And it will be on that day that living waters will come out from Jerusalem' (Zechariah 14:8). And so [too,] 'And he will be like a tree planted over streams of water' (Psalms 1:3). And so [too,] 'And the remnant of Yaakov will be among many nations' (Micah 5:6)." They said to him, "But behold, it is written (Jeremiah 38:28), '<i>vahaya</i> (here used in the past tense, and not like the other examples) when Jerusalem was captured'!" He said to them, "It too is not of grief, as on that day was the verdict of Israel for their sins taken; as so is it written (Lamentations 4:22), 'Your sin has been completed, Daughter of Zion, He will not again exile you.'"
+
+Siman 10
+
+All of those seven days that Moshe was occupied with the tabernacle, he was sprinkling the blood and incinerating the fats. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "What do you think, call to your brother [so that he will do it from now on]." Hence it is written, Moshe called to Aharon and to his sons and to the elders of Israel” – so as to aggrandize him in front of the elders. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Call the elders and appoint him in front of them, that they not say, 'He became high priest on his own.'" "Take for yourself a young calf" – and why did He not say, "A bull?" But rather, the priesthood was made doubtful in your hand with a calf, [so too,] is it established in your hand with a calf. And not only that, but [so] that Israel not say, "The sins from the event of the golden calf are [still] ours." Hence they should also offer a calf, as it is stated, "And to the Children of Israel speak, saying, 'Take a male goat for a sin-offering and a calf and a lamb that are a year old'" - so that they would know that they underwent atonement for the event of the calf. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "In this world, they underwent atonement with a sacrifice; and in the world to come, I pardon your transgressions without a sacrifice, as it is stated (Isaiah 43:25), 'I, I am the One that wipes away your transgressions for My sake.'"   
+
+Siman 11
+
+<b>And to the elders of Israel:</b> Rabbi Akiva said, "Israel is compared to a bird - just like a bird cannot fly without wings, so [too,] Israel cannot do anything without elders. Rabbi Yose bar Chalafta said, "Great is old age - as if they are elders, they are beloved; and if they are youths, the Holy One, blessed be He, makes old age spring upon them [early]." Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said, "Not [only] in one place, nor in two or three places do we find that the Omnipresent dispenses honor to the elders: In Egypt, as it is stated (Exodus 3:18), 'And they will listen to your voice and you will come, you and the elders of Israel'; at the [burning] bush, 'Go and collect the elders of Israel' (Exodus 3:16); at Sinai, 'you and Aharon, Nadav and Avihu and seventy of the elders of Isreal' (Exodus 24:10); at the tent of meeting, 'to Aharon and to his sons and to the elders of Israel. So [too,] in the future to come, the Holy One, blessed be He, dispenses honor to the elders, as it is stated (Isaiah 24:23), 'And the moon will be embarrassed and the sun ashamed, since the King, the Lord of hosts [will be] on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and across from His elders will be honor.'" The Sages, may their memory be blessed, said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future make an assembly of His elders. And that is what the verse states, 'since the King, the Lord of hosts [will be] on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and across from His elders will be honor.'" And the Holy One, blessed be He, honors the righteous ones and the pious ones, but any time that a mistake comes from them, He chastises them. See that which is written about the sons of Aharon, as they were assistant priests and erred with wine, as so did they, may their memory be blessed, say - that they were inebriated with wine; and hence the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded after their death, to warn about wine, as it is stated, "Wine and strong drink shall you not drink, you and your sons with you." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Be careful with wine. See that which Noach did, as he began to err with it, as it is stated (Genesis 9:20), 'And Noah, the man of the earth, began to plant a vineyard,' and it is written (Genesis 9:21), 'And he drank from the wine and he became drunk and he revealed himself.' What caused him to become disgraced? The wine. And it caused him to bring a curse upon his seed, as it is stated (Genesis 9:25), 'And he said, "Cursed is Canaan."' And hence, be warned about wine, since wine brings a person to all the sins in the world - to licentiousness, to the spilling of blood, to theft and to all the [other] sins in the world." And does it not gladden the heart of man; and the verse praise it like one reading in the Torah? As it is stated,  (Psalms 104:15), "And wine gladdens the heart of a man," and it states (Pslams 19:9), "The precepts of the Lord, gladdening the heart." And further, He bequeaths the Garden of Eden to those occupied with Torah and its precepts, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 30:20), "as it is your life and the length of your days"; and a drunk - when the wine is still with him - sits happily, as if he was sitting in the Garden of Eden. [The resolution is] like [the story of] that student who was a pious man, and he had a father that drank heavily. And each time he would fall in the marketplace [from drinking], people would come and hit him with stones and pebbles. And they would yell and call out behind him, "Look at the drunkard." And when his son the pious man saw, he was embarrassed and wished for his soul to die. And every day, he would say to [his father,] "I will order [it] and they will bring you from every wine that they sell in the province to your house, and [just] don't go to drink in the tavern, such that you make a disgrace of yourself and of me." And he [would] say this to him once or twice every day, until his father said that he would do this, as he said, not to go to drink in the tavern. And so did the pious man do, that he would make food and drink for him every day and every night and put him to sleep in his bed, and then leave. One time, rain was falling and that pious man went out to the marketplace and was walking to the synagogue for prayer. And he saw a drunkard laying in the marketplace and a puddle of water was falling on him. And the young men and the youths were hitting him with stones and pebbles and throwing clay in his face and into his mouth. When this pious man saw, he said in his heart, "I will go to father and bring him to here, and I will show him this drunkard and the disgrace that the young men and youths make out of him; maybe he will prevent his mouth from drinking in the tavern and from getting drunk." And so did he do, he brought him to there and showed [the drunkard] to him. What did his old father do? He walked over to the drunkard and asked him in which [tavern] he drank that wine from which he became drunk. His pious son said to him, "Father, for this did I call you? Rather to see the disgrace they make out of him, as so do they do to you at the time that you drink - maybe you will prevent your mouth from drinking in the tavern?" He said to him, "My son, I have no enjoyment and Garden of Eden in my life besides this." When the pious man heard, he left with a bitter spirit. But the precepts and the Torah are not [just like] the joy of wine - since when the wine leaves his body, sorrow comes into his heart, 'this one leaves and that one comes'; but the Torah and the commandments are a delight and joy in this world and in the world to come, as it is stated,  "as it is your life and the length of your days" - in this world and in the world to come, which is completely long. And you will find further with the sacrifices that it states about the lambs, "two one-year old unblemished lambs" (Numbers 28:9); about the bread, two <i>issaron</i>; but about the wine, [only] a quarter of a <i>hin</i>. So little would they offer [of the wine] to make known proper action (<i>derekh erets</i>). As much wine brings a person to sin, to great grief and to loss of the purse, as it is stated (Proverbs 23:31), "Do not ogle that red wine, as it lends its color to the cup, as it flows on smoothly" - in his home, such that there not be with what to cook, since he sells and gives everything for the sake of wine. Another [understanding]: Do not read it [as] "to the cup (<i>kos</i>)," but rather "to the purse (<i>kis</i>)," as he puts an evil eye into his purse. And so do you find with the Children of Ephraim, as it states (Hosea 7:11), "But Ephraim was like a silly dove, with no heart." Why? Because they drink much wine; and it states (Isaiah 28:1), "Woe, the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim." And we have also found with a man and a woman that the verse states to take out their son to pelt him with stones, as it is stated (Deuteronomy  21:18), "And if a man has a son that is wild and rebellious," and it states (Deuteronomy 21:19), "And his father and his mother shall grab him." And why all of this? Because he went out to bad culture, such that he will spend his money, steal and do sins, and become liable for the death penalty. And before he becomes liable for death, "And his father and his mother shall grab him, etc. And all of the people of his city shall pelt him, etc." (Deuteronomy 21:19-21). And know [from this], that there is great evil in drinking much wine. And how much meat does he eat more than another man, for which he is liable for death? One <i>litra</i>. And another verse states, "Do not be of those who guzzle wine, or glut themselves on meat to them" (Proverbs 23:20). What is [the meaning of] "to them?" Meaning to say, to them do they do the evil - as they spend [all] their money and come to disgrace; and in the end, they become liable for death in this world and in the world to come. 
+
+Siman 12
+
+<b>And he said to them, "Approach and carry your brothers":</b> And has it not already been stated, "And fire went out from in front of the Lord and consumed them?" Rather, blessed be the name of the King of kings of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He - as He does several awesome acts and several wonders: He sent the fire like two strings to each and every one, in their nostrils, and burned their souls; but He did not touch their flesh nor their garments. "And they approached and carried them by their tunics."
+
+Tazria
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+
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+Siman 1
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+Siman 2
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+Siman 3
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+Siman 4
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+Siman 5
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+<b>And on the eigth day you shall circumcise</b> It doesn't say here to make parties about the circumcision. Come and see how much Israel loves the commandments, that they make parties in order to observe the commandments and to have joy in them. The Holy One, Blessed is He says "you guard the commandments and celebrate them, I will increase joy for you", as it says (Isaiah 29:19) "The humble also shall increase their joy in the LORD..." [Beloved is circumcision, for The Holy One Blessed is He swore to Abraham that all who are circumcised will not descend to <i>Gehenom</i>, as it says (Genesis 15:18) "In that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying...", and who descended to there? See what is says next (Genesis 15:19) "the Kenite, and the Kenizzite...". And so did Ezekiel see, as it says (Ezekiel 32:18-30) "Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, with the daughters of the mighty nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit. Whom dost thou pass in beauty? Go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised... Asshur is there and all her company; their graves...  There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude; her graves are round about them; all of them uncircumcised... There are the princes of the north...". And so did Isaiah say (Isaiah 5:14) "Therefore the nether-world hath enlarged her desire, And opened her mouth without measure" — to he that doesn't have a statute [the words לבלי חק — "without measure" — can also be rendered "to he that doesn't have the statute"], and where [do we see that] it [the commandment to circumcise] is called a statue? As it says (Psalms 105:10) "And He established it unto Jacob for a statute, To Israel for an everlasting covenant", because the Holy One Blessed is He placed His name with Israel. And what is the name and the seal that he placed in them? It is <i>Shaddai</i> [שדי], the <i>shin</i> [ש] is placed on the nose, the <i>dalet</i> [ד] on the hand, and the <i>yud</i> [י] on the [location of the] circumcision. Therefore when he goes to his eternal home, there is an angel appointed in the Garden of Eden who takes him and brings him into the Garden of Eden. And regarding the heretics and sinners, The Holy One Blessed is He commands the angel to pull his foreskin [i.e. reverse his circumcision], as it says (Psalms 55:21) "He hath put forth his hands against them that were at peace with him; He hath profaned his covenant."]. It once happened that the evil Turnus Rufus asked Rabbi Akiva, "which are the greater works, those of the Holy One Blessed is He or those of flesh and blood?" He said to him, "Those of flesh and blood are greater." Turnus Rufus said, "But the Heavens and Earth — is Man able to make such as those?" Rabbi Akiva said to him, "Don't speak to me about something which is beyond Man, which he has no mastery over, rather speak of things which are found among people." He said, "Why do you circumcise?" He replied, "I knew you were going to ask me about that, which is why I started by telling you that the works of Man are better than the works of the Holy One Blessed is He." Rabbi Akiva brought him stalks [of grain] and loaves [of bread]. He said to him, "These are the works of the Holy One Blessed is He, and these are the works of Man." He said, "Aren't these better than the stalks?!' Turnus Rufus [then] said to him, "If He wants circumcision, why does the infant not emerge circumcised from his mother's womb?" Rabbi Akiva said to him ,"And why does his umbilical chord emerge with him, [so] he hangs from the belly, and his mother [has to] cut it? And this that you said 'Why doesn't he emerge circumcised?', [the reason is] because the Holy One Blessed is He gave the Israel the commandments only in order to refine them [Israel] through them [the commandments].  And that's why David said (Psalms 18:31) (all) 'the word of the LORD is refined.'"
+
+Metzora
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+Siman 1
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+Siman 2
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+Siman 3
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+Siman 4
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+Siman 5
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+Siman 6
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+Siman 7
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+Siman 8
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+That there are eleven days between one menstrual period and another is a law from Moshe at Sinai. Its explanation is that the law transmitted to Moshe at Sinai is like this: From the beginning of any woman's seeing menstrual blood, her law is to count for all of her days, seven days of menstruation (<i>niddah</i>) from the beginning of her seeing. And after these seven days of menstruation, [she counts] eleven days, and they are called the days of flow (<i>zivah</i>). And after these eleven days that are days of flow, she goes back to the seven days of menstruation. And after them eleven days of flow, and continuing like this. And so is it fitting to count in this way all of her days. And these seven days of menstruation are whether she saw one day or even one hour, or even if she saw all of the entire seven days of menstruation. In the evening, she immerses [in the <i>mikveh</i> and is permitted to her husband, and does not require clean [days]. As it is stated (Leviticus 15:19), "seven days shall she be in her menstruation" - she shall be in her menstruation all seven. But on these eleven days between [one] menstruation and [another] menstruation, any day that she sees blood, she observes one day corresponding to that day, and that is [the law of] a small flow. And if she did not see on the second day, she immerses and becomes pure. But if she saw also on the second day, she observes a day corresponding to the two days that she saw. And if she did not see on the third day, she immerses and becomes pure. But if she saw also on the third day that she is observing, she saw three consecutive days. [Hence] she is [in the category of] a large flow. And [so] she needs to sit seven complete (twenty-four hour) days after the blood has ceased from her. And she does not count the day that the blood ceases for the count of clean days. And this is the law in the days of flow: Any time she saw one day, she counts [another] day corresponding to it; and so [too,] two days, she counts one day for them. [But if] she saw three consecutive days, she observes seven days.
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+Achrei Mot
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+Siman 1
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+Kedoshim
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+Siman 1
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+Siman 2
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+Siman 3
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+Siman 4
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+"Be holy!” (Lev 19:2). See what is written: “For God is Holies” (Josh 24:19). This verse provides an opening for the heretics, for it seems to them like there are multiple Authorities. Once, the heretics asked R. Simlai: What about, “For God is Holies”, don’t you all say that there is only one Authority - but look, the verse itself says there are multiple! He said back to them: Fools of the world! Had it said, God are Holies (הֵם), then you could say it. But now look, it actually says, God is (הוּא) Holies. But why then does the verse say “Holies”? R. Berachia said: What does “God is Holies” mean? That God is Holy, in all forms of holiness (kedusha), that all of God’s actions are in holiness. God’s speech is with kedusha, as it says … God’s way is with holiness, as it says … God’s walking is with holiness, as it says … God’s baring of arms is with kedusha, as it says … God’s appearance is with holiness, as it says ... God’s praise is with kedusha, as it says ... That’s what it means, “for God is holies” -- to be holy in all forms of holiness. 
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+Emor
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+
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+Siman 1
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+Behar
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+Siman 1
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+Bechukotai
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+Siman 1
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+Bamidbar
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+Siman 1
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+Nasso
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+Siman 1
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+Siman 2
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+Siman 3
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+Siman 4
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+Siman 5
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+Siman 6
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+Siman 7
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+Siman 8
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+Siman 9
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+Siman 10
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+Siman 11
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+Siman 12
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+"And it was (<i>vayehi</i>) on the day that Moses had finished" (Numbers 7:1), meaning to say, woe (vay) on the day that Moshe finished. There is a [relevant] parable about a king who had a contentious wife. The king said [to her], "Make a royal garment for yourself." She started to occupy herself with it [and] the whole time that she was occupied with it, she did not fight. When she finished the work and brought it to the king and [he] saw it, it was fit in his eyes. [However,] the king immediately said, "Woe, woe!" His wife said to him, "What is this, my master? I have toiled to do your will, and you say, 'Woe, woe?'" He said [back] to her, "The work is very fit in my eyes. However, the whole time that you were occupied with the work, you did not get angry and you did not attack me. Now that you are free, I am afraid, lest you will anger me." So did the Holy One, blessed be He, say, "The whole time that My sons were occupied with the tabernacle, they did not complain. Now they will start [to do so]." Hence it is stated (Numbers 7:1), "And it was (<i>vayehi</i>) on the day that Moses had finished," woe (vay) on the day that Moshe finished. Another interpretation: "And it was (<i>vayehi</i>) on the day that Moses had finished"; woe (vay) was it to the ministering angels on the day that Moshe finished. They said, "Now He will remove His Divine Presence from among us and have His glory dwell below with His children." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "Do not pay [attention] to this, as my Divine Presence will always be with you above, as stated (Psalms 8:2), 'who placed His majesty upon the heavens.'" But, as it were, He consoled them with empty consolations. It is the opposite, His main Presence is below, as stated (Psalms 148:13), "His majesty is upon the earth," and afterwards, upon "the heavens."
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+Siman 13
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+Siman 14
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+
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+Siman 15
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+Siman 16
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+
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+Siman 17
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+"And it was on the day that Moses had finished" (Numbers 7:1). What is written above the matter? "May the Lord bless you and keep you" (Numbers 6:24). Rabbi Yehoshua of Sakhnin said, "[There is a relevant] parable about a king who had his daughter betrothed and [prepared] the wedding for her, when the evil eye overpowered her. [But] the king stood [in his decision] to marry off his daughter. What did he do? He gave her a charm and said to her, 'This charm should be upon you, so that the evil eye not overpower you.' So [too], when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave Israel the Torah, He made for them a public [ceremony], as it is stated (Exodus 20:15), 'And all the people saw the sounds.' And this was nothing but marriage (<i>kiddushin</i>), as it is stated (Exodus 19:10), 'And the Lord said to Moshe, "Go to the people and sanctify them (<i>kiddishtam</i>)...."' And [so] the evil eye overpowered them and the tablets were broken, as it is stated (Exodus 32:19), 'As soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moshe became enraged; and he hurled the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain.' Once they came and made the tabernacle for themselves, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them the blessings first, so that the evil eye not overpower them. Hence it is written, 'May the Lord bless you and keep you,' first; and afterwards, 'And it was on the day that Moses had finished.'" Rabbi Abahu said, "The trait of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like the trait of flesh and blood. When a king of flesh and blood enters a province, it is after the people of the province praise him and honor him that he gives them satisfaction in the province. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like this. Before Israel [completed] the tabernacle, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them the blessings. As it is stated, [first] 'May the Lord bless you and keep you'; and afterwards, 'And it was on the day that Moses had finished erecting the tabernacle.' Therefore David said (Psalms 85:9), 'Let me hear what God, the Lord, will speak; for He will speak peace to His people, His faithful ones.'"
+
+Siman 18
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+"And it was on the day that Moses had finished to erect the tabernacle" (Numbers 7:1). Rabbi Simon said, "At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, told Israel to make the tabernacle, He indicated to the angels that they should also make a tabernacle above. And on the day that it was erected below, it was erected above, as stated, "And it was on the day that Moses had finished to erect the tabernacle (<i>et hamishkan</i>)." As is there nothing to learn to say [from the extra word], <i>et</i>?  And what do we learn to say from [the extra word], <i>et</i>?  Rather, it is [to include] the tabernacle from above. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, in this world I have commanded Aharon and his sons to bless them. But in the future to come, I will bless them [Myself] in My glory, as stated (Psalms 134:3), "May the Lord bless you from Zion, the Maker of the heavens and the earth."
+
+Siman 19
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+"And it was on the day that Moses had finished to erect the tabernacle" (Numbers 7:1). Our rabbis taught (Avot 1:2),"On three things the world stands: On the Torah, on the service and on acts of lovingkindness." You find twenty-six generations from when the world was created until the Torah was given, and the Holy One, blessed be He, supported them out of kindness (since they were not worthy). And corresponding to them, David said, "As Your kindness is great," twenty-six times in the great Hallel (Psalms 136). Rabbi Acha said in the name of Rav Huna, "Moshe also hinted about them to Israel at the [Red] Sea, as he said <i>am zu</i> (this nation, in that <i>zu</i> has a numerical equivalent of thirteen) twice.  As it is stated (Exodus 15:13), 'You have led this people that You have redeemed,' and it is written (Exodus 15:16), 'until this nation that You acquired has passed' - these are the twenty-six generations that [arose] from when the world was created until the Torah was given. 'You led them with Your strength (Exodus 15:13) - that is the Torah, which is called strength, as it is stated (Psalms 29:11), 'May the Lord give strength to His people.'" A parable: To what was the world similar at this time? To a basket with two legs, which [hence] could not stand. Once the tabernacle was erected, the world stood and was given a base, as stated, "And it was on the day that Moses had finished to erect the tabernacle (<i>et hamishkan</i>)." "<i>Hamishkan</i>" is not written here, but rather "<i>et hamishkan</i>, [the extra word coming] to include the creation of the world, about which it is written (Genesis 1:1), "<i>et</i> the heavens and the earth." 
+
+Siman 20
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+"And it was on the day that Moses had finished to erect the tabernacle" (Numbers 7:1). This is [the meaning of] that which was stated by the verse (Song of Songs 4:16), "Awake, O north wind" - these are the burnt-offerings that are slaughtered in the north [end of the altar], as our rabbis taught (Mishnah Zevachim 5:4), "The burnt-offerings are sacrifices of higher sanctity, their slaughter is in the north." "Come, O south wind" - these are the peace-offerings that are slaughtered in the south. "Blow upon my garden, that its perfume may spread" - this is the incense. "Let my beloved come to his garden" - Rabbi Abahu said, "The Torah teaches proper conduct (<i>derekh erets</i>), that a groom should not enter the room until the bride gives him permission." "And enjoy its luscious fruits" - these are the sacrifices. Another interpretation: "I have come to my garden, my sister bride" - [there is  a relevant] parable about a king who said to his people to build him a palace and they built it. The people of the province were standing at the entrance of the palace and yelling and saying, "When will the king enter the palace?" What did the king do? He entered secretly. He [then] sent a proclamation in front of him, saying, "Do not yell, as I have already come to my palace. So [too,] did Israel say, "Let my beloved come to his garden." What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He sent and said to them,"Why are you afraid? I have already "Come to my garden" (Song of Songs 5:1) Rabbi Shimon ben Asini said, "It is not written, 'I have come to a garden,' here, but rather, 'I have come to my garden' - to that garden that I left, as stated (Genesis 3:8), 'They heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the garden, etc.'" "I have plucked my myrrh and spice" - this is the incense. "Eaten my honey and honeycomb" - these are sacrifices of higher sanctity and sacrifices of lower sanctity. "Drunk my wine and my milk" - these are the libations. Another interpretation: "I have plucked my myrrh and spice, eaten my honey and honeycomb, drunk my wine and my milk" - these are the three things that the chieftains did improperly and the Holy One, blessed be He, accepted [nonetheless], and these are them: An individual is not to offer incense, and each one of them brought incense, as stated, "a ladle of ten gold [shekel-weights] full of incense. And that an individual is not to bring a sin-offering unless [the sin] is known to him, and each chieftain brought [for] that which was known to him, as stated, "one goat for a sin-offering." And a sacrifice of an individual does not override [the prohibitions of] Shabbat. And the sacrifice of the chieftain of the tribe of Ephraim overrode the Shabbat, as it is stated (Numbers 7:48), "On the seventh day, the chieftain of the Children of Ephraim. "Eat, friends; drink and get drunk, beloved ones" - this is Israel who are called friends, as stated (Psalms 122:8), "For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will speak peacefully of you." Another interpretation: "Let my beloved come to his garden (<i>gano</i>)" - do not read [it] as <i>gano</i>, but rather as <i>geenuno</i> (bridal chamber). When? "And it was on the day that Moses had finished (<i>kallot</i>)." Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi, "[It is] on the day that the bride enters the wedding canopy with the groom. Hence it is written, "It was on the day [that Moshe] finished (<i>kallat</i>, which means bride)," lacking (the letter, <i>vav</i>).
+
+Siman 21
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+"And it was on the day that Moses had finished" (Numbers 7:1). This is [the meaning of] that which was stated by the verse (Ecclesiastes 2:21), "there is a person whose fortune was made with wisdom and knowledge" - this is Betsalel, about whom it is written (Exodus 31:3). "And I will fill him with wisdom, understanding and knowledge." "And he must hand it on to be the portion of somebody who did not toil for it" - this is Moshe, who did not toil for it and it is [nonetheless] called by his name, "And it was on the day that Moses had finished." It is not written, "And it was on the day that Betsalel had finished," here, but rather, "And it was on the day that Moses had finished." [Hence,] "and he must hand it on to be the portion of somebody who did not toil for it." 
+
+Siman 22
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+"And it was on the day that Moses had finished" (Numbers 7:1). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, made conditions with Israel before they left Egypt, that He would not take them out, except on condition that they make a tabernacle and that He would have His Divine Presence dwell upon them, as it is written (Exodus 29:46), 'And they shall know that I am the Lord, your God, who took you out of the Land of Egypt, to have Me dwell among you.'" And once the tabernacle was erected, the Divine Presence descended and dwelt among them. At that time all of those conditions were fulfilled. Hence it is written (Numbers 7:1), "the tabernacle," to [indicate] that the Holy One, blessed be He, did what He stipulated. 
+
+Siman 23
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+
+
+Siman 24
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+"And it was on the day that Moses had finished" (Numbers 7:1). So did Rabbi Tanchuma bar Abba open [his discourse from] (Proverbs 30:4), "Who has ascended heaven and come down": That is the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated (Psalms 47:6), "God rises in acclamation." [This is] as is done with a king of flesh and blood when he passes from place to place. What do they do? They bring torches and beacons and blow in front of him with trumpets and shofars. So did they do in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated (Psalms 98:6), "With trumpets and the sound of the shofar, sound off in front of the King Lord." "And came down," [when] He came down upon Mount Sinai, as it is stated (Exodus 19:20), "And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai." "Who has gathered up the wind (<i>ruach</i>) in the hollow of his hand" (Psalms 30:4, cont.). That is the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated (Job 12:10), "In His hand is every living soul, and the breath (<i>ruach</i>) of all mankind." "Who has wrapped the waters in His garment?" That is the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated (Job 26:8), "He wrapped up the waters in His clouds." "Who has made rise all the extremities of the earth?" That is the Holy One, blessed be He, since He revives the dead, as it is stated (Isaiah 26:19), "Let your dead live, My corpses shall rise."And it is also written (I Samuel 2:6), "The Lord kills and gives life." "What is His name?" The Lord, as it is stated (Isaiah 42:8), "I am the Lord, that is My name." "And what is His son’s name?" Israel, as it is stated (Exodus 4:22), "So does the Lord say, 'Israel is My firstborn son.'"  
+
+Siman 25
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+Siman 26
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+
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+Siman 27
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+Siman 28
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+
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+Siman 29
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+"On the eighth day, the chieftain of the Children of Menashe" (Numbers 7:54). Teach us, our rabbi, what is [the status of] a light of Chanukah from the first day that has oil remain in it. Can [it] be lit on the second [day]? So did our rabbis teach: [Regarding] a light of Chanukah from the first day that has oil remain in it, one should add [at least] a tiny amount to it and light it on the second day. And if there was [oil] left over on the second day, he adds upon it on the third day and lights. And so on with all of the days. But if there was [oil] left over on the eighth day, he makes it into a bonfire by itself. Why? Since it was put aside for the commandment, it is forbidden to use it [for another purpose]. A person should not say, "I will not fulfill the commandments of the elders (rabbis), since they are not from the Torah." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "My children, you are not allowed to say this. Rather, observe anything that they decree upon you, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 17:10-11), 'And you shall do according to [...] the law that they shall instruct you.'" Why? Because I also agree with their words, as it is stated (Job 22:28), "You will decree and it will be fulfilled for you." You should know, as behold what is written [about] Yaakov at the time that he blessed Menashe and Ephraim? "And he placed Ephraim before Menashe" (Genesis 48:20). He made the younger [go] before the older; and the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfilled his decree. When? During the sacrifices of the chieftains, such that the tribe of Ephraim sacrificed first, as it is stated (Numbers 7:48), "On the seventh day, the chieftain of the Children of Ephraim," and [only] afterwards [was the sacrifice of] Menashe. From where [do we know this]? From that what they read about the matter, "On the eighth day, the chieftain of the Children of Menashe" (Numbers 7:54). 
+
+Beha'alotcha
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+
+
+Siman 1
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+Siman 2
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+Siman 3
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+Siman 4
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+in your lighting- What is written right above this section in the Torah? "On the day in which Moses finished (building the tabernacle), the chieftains sacrificed..." (Numbers 7:1-10), and then, "speak to Aaron in your lighting..." The verse, "Those who are in awe of God are His holy ones, for there is no lack for those who are in awe of him." (Psalms 34:10) One can find above (the first verse in parshat Beha'alotcha), eleven tribes sacrificed, but the tribe of Levi did not sacrifice- the tribe of Ephraim sacrificed as did all the other tribes except for the chieftain of Levi. Who was the chieftain of Levi? This is Aaron, as it is said, "the name of Aaron you shall write for the tribe of Levi...." (Numbers 17:18). And Aaron did not sacrifice with the other chieftains, and he said, "Woe is me, it is my fault that the tribe of Levi has not been received." God, therefore, said to Moses, "Go and say to Aaron, 'do not fear, for another kind of greatness you have been made.'" Therefore it is said, "speak to Aaron and you shall say to him with your light..." The sacrifices only were made all the time in which the Temple stood, but the lights would always be on the face of the menorah- All the blessings that I have given to you to bless my children will never be nullified. 
+
+Sh'lach
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+
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+Siman 1
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+Korach
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+Siman 1
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+Siman 2
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+Siman 3
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+Siman 4
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+Siman 5
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+Siman 6
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+Siman 7
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+Siman 8
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+Siman 9
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+Siman 10
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+Siman 11
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+
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+Siman 12
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+The Seers (i.e., the prophets) were the ones who said the doubled letters, <i>mantzepakh</i> (<i>mem, nun, tzadi, peh,</i> and <i>kaf</i>, which are the letters that have a different form when they appear at the end of a word). [The doubling of <i>kaf</i> that is found in Genesis 12:1,] "<i>Lekh lekha</i> (Go for yourself)," hints to Avraham that he will father Yitschak at one hundred years [of age] (as the numerical value of these two words is one hundred). [The doubling of <i>mem</i> that is found in Genesis 26:16,] "<i>ki atsamta memenu</i> (as you have become more powerful than us)" is a hint [to Yitschak] that hints that he and his seed will be powerful in both worlds. The doubling of <i>nun</i> [that is found in Genesis 32:12,] "<i>Hatsileini na</i> (Save me)" [is a hint to] Yaakov, [that] he will be saved in both worlds.  The doubling of <i>peh</i> [that is found in Genesis 50:24,] "<i>pakod yifkod</i> (He will surely remember you)" [is a hint to] Yosef, [that] He will remember you in this world, and He will remember you in the world to come.  The doubling of <i>tzadi</i> [that is found in Zachariah 6:12,] "<i>hinei eesh, Tsemach shemo, ou'metachtav yitsmach</i> (behold, a man called Branch shall branch out from the place where he is,)" is [referring to] the messiah. And so is it stated (Jermiah 23:5), "<i>vahikimoti leDaveed tsemach tsadeek</i> (and I will raise up a true branch of David)." ["The leader of fifty" (Isaiah 3:3)] ("Sixty were the queens" [Song of Songs 6:8]). Twenty-four books (of the Bible), and add to them eleven of the thirteen [books of the minor prophets] - besides Yonah which is by itself - and six orders of the Mishnah and nine chapters of Torat Kohanim, behold ["The leader of fifty"] ("Sixty were the queens"). "[Sixty were the queens] and eighty were the concubines" (Song of Songs 6:8). Sixty tractates and eighty study halls that were in Jerusalem corresponding to its gates. "And maidens without number" (Song of Songs 6:8). The study outside. "Behold the bed of Shlomo, sixty warriors" (Song of Songs 3:7). [This] corresponds to the [number of] letters of [the priestly blessing,) "May the Lord bless you and keep you, etc." (Numbers 6:24-26). The Satan (<i>HaSatan</i>) has the numerical equivalent of the count of the days of the solar year, as he rules over all the year to slander, except for Yom Kippur. Rabbi Ami bar Abba said, "Avraham was missing five organs before he was circumcised and [before he] fathered. The [letter] <i>hay</i> (with a numerical value of five) was added [to his name] and he became complete and fathered, and he was called Avraham [corresponding to the complete set of organs, two hundred and forty-eight], the numerical count of his letters." [Regarding] Sarai, two Amoraim (later rabbinic teachers) differed. One said, "The  [letter] <i>yod</i> [with a numerical count of ten that was taken from her] was divided into two, [to give] a <i>hay</i> to Avaraham and a <i>hay</i> to Sarah." And [the other] said, "The <i>yod</i> that was taken from Sarah raised a protest until Yehshoua came and had a <i>yod</i> added, as it is stated (Numbers 13:16), "and Moshe called Hoshea [...], Yehoshua." And it saved him from the counsel of the [other] spies. [The significance of the letters in the name,] Yitschak [is as follows]: <i>Yod</i> [with a numerical count of ten] corresponds to the ten trials [of Avraham]. [The letter] <i>tsadi</i> [with a numerical count of ninety, as] Sarah was ninety when he was born. [The letter] <i>chet</i> [with a numerical count of eight, as] he was circumcised on the eighth day. And the letter <i>kof</i> [with a numerical count of one hundred, as] Avraham was a hundred years old when he was born. Yaakov was called according to [the significance of the letters of] his [own] name: <i>Yod</i> [corresponds to] the tenth of his offspring going backwards, Levi. Count from (the last son), Binaymin to Levi - there are ten sons, and Levi was the tenth. And he gave him as a tithe to the Omnipresent to fulfill [what he said] (Genesis 28:22), "all that You give to me, I will surely tithe it to You." [The letter] <i>ayin</i> [with a numerical count of seventy corresponds to the number of offspring he took to Egypt], "with seventy souls" (Deuteronomy 10:22). <i>Kof</i> corresponds to the [number of the] letters of the blessing [that he received], "And may He give you [etc.]" (Genesis 27:28). Take away the name [of God] from there, and one hundred [letters] remain. [The letter] <i>bet</i> [with a numerical count of two] corresponds to two angels [that he saw on the ladder in his dream] rising. Yehudah was called according to [the significance of the numerical count of the letters of] his [own] name: Thirty, corresponding to the thirty virtues of the monarchy. There were six hundred and thirteen letters on the tablets - from "I am" (Exodus 20:2) to "to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:14) - corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments. And they were all given to Moshe at [Mount] Sinai; and in them are statutes and judgments, Torah and Mishnah, Talmud and aggadah. "The fear of the Lord is his treasure" (Isaiah 33:6). There is no greater characteristic than fear and humility, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:12), "And now Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you [besides to fear Him]." "The fear of" (<i>Yirat</i>) has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven; along with Torah and circumcision, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. [The numerical value of] fringes (<i>tsitsit</i>) is six hundred. [Add] eight strings and five knots, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. "[The man (David)] raised on high" (II Samuel 23:1) - [high (al)] has a numerical value of one hundred, corresponding to one hundred blessings. As on every day, one hundred men of Israel were dying. [So] David and ordained [the daily saying of] one hundred blessings. "And now Israel, what (<i>mah</i>) does the Lord, your God, ask of you" - read it as one hundred (<i>meah</i>), these are the hundred blessings. Once he ordained it, the pestilence ceased. "This is the law of the burnt-offering (<i>olah</i>), it is the burnt-offering" (Leviticus 6:2), [meaning] the yoke (<i>ulah</i>) of Torah and the yoke of repentance. "Two anointed ones" (Zechariah 4:14). These are David and Aharon who were anointed with the anointing oil, such that their anointing was for [all] the generations. With Aharon, it is written (Numbers 25:13), "It shall be for him and his descendants after him, a pact of priesthood for all time." With David it is written (Ezekiel 37:25), "and My servant David as their prince for all time." "Forgive all guilt and take the good (<i>tov</i>)" (Hosea 14:3). Israel said, "Master of the world, at the time that the Temple existed, we would offer a sacrifice and be cleansed. But now all we have in our hand is prayer." The numerical value of <i>tov</i> is seventeen. Prayer [consists of] nineteen [blessings]. Take away from them the blessing for the malfeasers that was composed at Yavneh, and "Let the sprout of David blossom," which they ordained for the sake of "Probe me, Lord, and try me" (Psalms 26:2). Rabbi Simon says, "'Forgive all guilt and take the good (<i>tov</i>).' The numerical value of <i>tov</i> in <i>at-bash</i> (matching letters based on how close they are to the center of the alphabet) is [the same as] soul (<i>nefesh</i>). Israel said, 'Behold the fat from us, from our souls. May it be Your will that it be atonement for us and "that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3).'" "And the Lord gave her conception (<i>herayon</i>)" (Ruth 4:13). [<i>Herayon</i>] has a numerical value of the [number of the] days of the nine months of birthing (two hundred and seventy one). The name of the angel that is appointed for conception is night, as stated (Job 3:3), "and the night [that it was] said, 'A man was conceived." The measure of the water of a mikveh (ritual bath) is forty <i>seah</i> corresponding to the [forty mentions] of well, written in the Torah. And [the volume of] how many eggs is the measure of the mikveh? Five thousand seven hundred and sixty. And a <i>seah</i> is a hundred and forty-four eggs. Forty-three and a fifth eggs is the measure of [what is required for] <i>hallah</i> [tithe]. And from where [do we know] that a mikveh requires forty <i>seah</i>? As it is written (Isaiah 8:6), "Since this nation has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently (<i>le'at</i>)." The numerical value of <i>le'at</i> is forty. Behold the measure of a <i>seah</i> is a <i>tefach</i> by  a <i>tefach</i> with the height of [sixteen] <i>tefach</i> [and a fifth]. And one who separates the  measure of the <i>hallah</i> [tithe] must separate [one part in forty three] and a fifth [from Torah writ like the numerical value of <i>hallah</i>]. Forty lashes (which are actually thirty-nine) is from Torah writ, as it is written (Exodus 35:1), "These (<i>eleh</i>) are the things which the Lord commanded." [The numerical count of] "<i>eleh</i>" is thirty-six; "things" (being plural) is two; "the things" [indicates an additional] one - behold, forty minus one (thirty-nine). "He shall strike him forty, he shall not add" (Deuteronomy 25:3), corresponds to the forty curses received by the snake, Chava, Adam and the ground, and the sages lessened one, because of "he shall not add." A Sanhedrin is twenty-three, so [that it is possible for] those advocating innocence to have one more (than twenty), and those advocating guilt to have two more. It is best for the two to come and push off one. The numerical value of anathmea (<i>cherem</i>) is two hundred and forty-eight. And Shmuel said, when it takes force it takes force on [all] two hundred and forty-eight organs, and when it leaves, it leaves from two hundred and forty-eight limbs, as it is written (Habakuk 3:2), "in anger, remember to have mercy (<i>rachem</i>, which is made up of the same letters as <i>cherem</i>)." It is written,"<i>tirash</i>," but we read it [as] <i>tirosh</i>. [If] he merits, he becomes a <i>rosh</i> (leader); [if] he does not merit, he becomes a <i>rash</i> (poor person). Our rabbis, may their memory be blessed said, "A man is recognized by three things: by his purse, by his glass and by his anger. Tavel is Ramaliah. Seshach is Bavel (Babylon) [according to] its numerical value of  in <i>at-bash</i>. The numerical value of Gog and Magog is seventy, as they are the seventy nations [of the world].
+
+Chukat
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Siman 2
+
+
+
+Siman 3
+
+
+
+Siman 4
+
+
+
+Siman 5
+
+
+
+Siman 6
+
+
+
+Siman 7
+
+
+
+Siman 8
+
+
+
+Siman 9
+
+
+
+Siman 10
+
+
+
+Siman 11
+
+"Those are the Waters of Merivah [...]" (Numbers 20:13). From here you learn that it was set from before that Moshe would be punished at [these] Waters. See what is written, "And they returned and they came to En-mishpat (literally, the Spring of Judgment), which is Kadesh" (Genesis 14:7). That is the spring of Moshe's judgement, which is Kadesh. "Those are the Waters of Merivah and He was sanctified through them" (Numbers 20:13). And it is called Kadesh, on account of that which is stated (Numbers 20:12), "to sanctify Me in the eyes of the Children of Israel. "Those are the Waters of Merivah." There is a parable: To what is this comparable? To the son of a king that took a stone and blinded his [own] eye. Upon each and every stone, his father would say, "This is the stone that blinded my son's eye." Hence it is stated, "Those are the waters upon which the Children of Israel contended."
+
+Siman 12
+
+
+
+Siman 13
+
+
+
+Siman 14
+
+
+
+Siman 15
+
+
+
+Siman 16
+
+
+
+Siman 17
+
+
+
+Siman 18
+
+
+
+Siman 19
+
+
+
+Siman 20
+
+
+
+Siman 21
+
+Another interpretation: Why was [the Torah] given in the desert? Because if it were given in the Land, the tribe in whose area it was given would have said: I am most important. Therefore, it was given in the desert. Another reason it was given in the desert: Just like the desert is not planted and worked, so to is it with the one who accepts Torah upon himself. The yoke of rulership and the yoke of the ways of the world are removed from him. And just like the desert doesn't incur agricultural taxes, so to, men of Torah are are free men in this world. Another interpretation: Who fulfills the Torah? He who makes himself like a desert and detaches himself from everything.
+
+Siman 22
+
+
+
+Balak
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Pinchas
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Siman 2
+
+
+
+Siman 3
+
+
+
+Siman 4
+
+
+
+Siman 5
+
+"To these apportion the land" (Numbers 26:53). And who are they? The ones standing on the Plains of Moav. And was the land not apportioned to those that left Egypt? As it is written (Exodus 6:8), "and I will give it to you as a possession." [So] for what reason was it [actually] apportioned to [the ones standing on the Plains of Moav]? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that six families from [those that left Egypt] would be destroyed. And who are they? [Of] those written above (Genesis 46:10), "And the children of Shimon were Yemuel, Yamin, Ohad, Yakhin, Tsohar and Shaul," when you read "to Nemuel, the Nemeulite family" (Numbers 26:12-13), neither Ohad or Tsohar are there. Rather they were lost. And so [too,] with Binyamin: "Bela, Bekher, etc." (Genesis 26:21), behold there are ten. But when you come to count them [you read], "to Belaa, the Belaaite family [etc.] (Numbers 26:38-40), they are only seven. Behold [those missing] were lost. And so [too,] with the "children of Gad. Tsifion, Chagi, Shuni, Etsbon [etc.]" (Genesis 26:16); but when you count "to Tsafon, the Tsafonite family [etc.]" (26:15-17), Etsbon is not there. Behold six families got lost from the licentiousness of the counsel of Bilaam. And there is no licentiousness that does not accomplish its [end]. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "[Why should] I apportion  the land to people who will be destroyed in the future?" And [so] He [rather] apportioned it [only] to the one that stood resilient. Hence it is stated, "To these apportion the land" (Numbers 26:53). 
+
+Siman 6
+
+"But with a lot, etc." (Numbers 26:55). This is [the meaning of] that which is stated (Proverbs 18:18),  "The lot puts an end to strife." Since a sign was written for each and every tribe from Yaakov - "Zevulun will dwell on the shore of the seas" (Genesis 49:13); "Yissachar is a boney donkey, etc." (Genesis 49:14); "From Asher, his bread is fat" (Genesis 49:20) - you are only permitted to divide [the land] by the lot. And there were miraculous acts in the lottery: Elazar the Priest wears the <i>Urim and Tumim</i>. And the slips of the lottery were in front of Yehoshua, as stated (Joshua 18:6) "And I will cast the lot for you here in front of the Lord, our God." But before the lot went up, Elazar said with the holy spirit, "The lot of tribe x is coming up, to take place y." And Yehoshua would extend his hand and [it] would come up [into his hand. It was] as it is stated (Joshua 19:51), "These are the inheritances that Elazar the Priest and Yehoshua ben Nun apportioned." And this was [even] more; that the lot would yell out at the time that it went up, "I am the lot of tribe x; I have gone up to it in place y." And from where [do we know] that the lot speaks? As it is stated (Numbers 26:56), "By the mouth of (according to) the lot."
+
+Siman 7
+
+(7) "And they came near the daughters of Zelophehad." (Numbers 27:1) -  During this generation women were fencing in that on which men were breaking down fences. Thus you find Aaron told them, "Break off the gold rings" (Exodus 32:2), and the women did not want to and they protested against their husbands, as it says, "and all the nation broke off the golden rings which were in their ears" (Exodus 32:3), and women did not participate in the incident of the calf.  And so too, in the incident of the spies, [the women] did not participate "and when [the spies] returned, they caused all the congregation to murmur against [Moses]" (Numbers 14:36), and they decreed a decree, as they said, "we can not go up" (Numbers 13:31), but the women were not in agreement with them, just as is written above regarding the matter: "because God had said of them: 'they will surely die in the wilderness' and there was not left of them a man" (Numbers 26:65) - "a man" and not a woman, for they did not want to enter to the Land, but the women became close by seeking a portion in the Land. And thus this episode was written next to [the death of Miriam], from which the men broke down fences and women erected fences. 
+
+Siman 8
+
+.....
+
+Siman 9
+
+
+
+Siman 10
+
+And Moses said... 'Let Ad-nai etc' - Teach us, our teacher, how does one bless? ... One who sees a multitude of people says: Blessed... the Knower of Secrets. Just as their faces are different from one another, so too their opinions are different from one another, rather, each person has their own ideas. And therefore it is written 'He makes a weight for the wind, and puts forth water by measures' (Job 28:25), and so too each human being has their own awareness. You must know that this is so, for Moses at the hour of his death asked the Holy One of Blessing: Master of the Universe, the ideas of each person are known and revealed before You, and not a single one of Your children is identical to each other. When I am separated from them, please, if You will appoint a leader for them, please appoint a person who will have patience with each and every one of them according to their awareness. From where do we learn this? From what we read regarding this issue: Let Ad-nai, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint, etc'
+
+Siman 11
+
+And Moses said... 'Let Ad-nai etc' - Teach us, our teacher, how does one bless? ... One who sees a multitude of people says: Blessed... the Knower of Secrets. Just as their faces are different from one another, so too their opinions are different from one another, rather, each person has their own ideas. And therefore it is written 'He makes a weight for the wind, and puts forth water by measures' (Job 28:25), and so too each human being has their own awareness. You must know that this is so, for Moses at the hour of his death asked the Holy One of Blessing: Master of the Universe, the ideas of each person are known and revealed before You, and not a single one of Your children is identical to each other. When I am separated from them, please, if You will appoint a leader for them, please appoint a person who will have patience with each and every one of them according to their awareness. From where do we learn this? From what we read regarding this issue: Let Ad-nai, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint, etc'
+
+Siman 12
+
+
+
+Siman 13
+
+
+
+Siman 14
+
+"Command the Children of Israel" (Numbers 28:2). This is [the meaning of] that which was stated by the verse (Job 27:23), "The Omnipresent we have not found to be of great power"; and [yet] it is written (in Job 36:22), "It is true that God is beyond reach in His power." How are these two verses [resolved]? Rather [it is that] when He gives to Israel, He gives to them according to His power. But when He requests something from them, He only requests according to their power. See what is written, "As for the Tabernacle, make it of ten curtains." Hence it is written, "The Omnipresent we have not found to be of great power." But when He gives to them, He gives according to His power: In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will make a canopy from clouds of glory for each and every righteous person, as it is stated (in Is. 4:5), "The Lord will create over the whole shrine and meeting place of Mount Zion [cloud by day and smoke with a glow of flaming fire by night; indeed] over all the glory shall hang a canopy." And why is smoke in the canopy? Since anyone whose eyes were smoky and stingy with his students in this world will have his canopy filled with smoke in the world to come. Why is there fire  in the canopy? [It is coming to] teach that each and every righteous person is lit up from the canopy of his fellow, that is more elevated than he, with light the radiance of which shines from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. Hence it is written, "It is true that God is beyond reach in His power." When He requested something from them, He only requested according to their power, as it is stated (Exodus 27:20), "And you shall command...." But when He lit up for them, it was according to His power, as it is stated (Exodus 13:21), "And the Lord went in front of them by day." [Moreover, about] the future to come, it is stated (Isaiah 60:1), "Arise, My light...." And it is [also] written (Isaiah 30:26), "And the light of the moon shall become like the light of the sun." Hence, "It is true that God is beyond reach in His power." When He requested something from them, He only requested according to their power, as it is stated (Exodus 23:19), "The choice first fruits of your land." But when He gives to them, it is according to His power, as it is stated (Ezekiel 47:12), "All kinds of trees for food will grow up on both banks of the stream; their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail; they will yield new fruit every month...." What is [the meaning of] "they will yield new fruit every month?" That each and every tree yields new fruit each and every month, [such that] the new fruit of this month is not like the new fruit of another month. When He requested something from them, He only requested according to their power, as it is stated (Leviticus 23:40), "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a beautiful true." But when He gives, it according to His power, as it is stated (Isaiah 41:19), "I will give in the wilderness cedar, acacia." And it is [also] written (Isaiah 55:13), "Instead of the brier, a cypress shall rise."
+
+Matot
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Siman 2
+
+
+
+Siman 3
+
+
+
+Siman 4
+
+
+
+Siman 5
+
+
+
+Siman 6
+
+
+
+Siman 7
+
+"And much cattle" (Numbers 32:1). This is [the meaning of] that which is stated by the verse (Ecclesiastes 10:2), "A wise man’s heart is to his right," that is Moshe; "but a fool’s heart is to his left," that is the Children of Reuven and the Children of Gad, who made the essential, secondary, and the secondary, essential. Why? Because they loved their possessions more than their selves. As they said to Moshe (Numbers 32:16), "'We will build here sheepfolds for our flocks,' first, and afterwards, 'and towns for our children.'" Moshe said to them, "Do not do like this, make the essential first; 'build towns for your children,' and afterwards 'sheepfolds for your flocks' (Numbers 32:24)." Hence, "A wise man’s heart is to his right," that is Moshe; "but a fool’s heart is to his left," that is the Children of Reuven and the Children of Gad. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "You loved your money more than your souls. By your lives, there is no blessing in this, as stated (Proverbs 20:21), 'An estate acquired in haste at the outset will not be blessed in the end.'" "Do not toil to gain wealth; have the sense to desist" (Proverbs 23:4).   And who is wealthy? One who is happy with his lot, as stated (in Psalms 128:2), "You shall eat the produce of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you."
+
+Masei
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Siman 2
+
+"These are the journeys of the Children of Israel" (Numbers 33:1). This is what is stated in the verse (Psalms 77:21), "You led (<i>nachita</i>) Your people like a flock through Moshe and Aharon." What is [the meaning of] <i>nachita</i>? It is the expression of an acrostic: Rabbi Eliezer says, "You did <i>Nissim</i> (miracles) for them; You gave them <i>Chaim</i> (life); You split the <i>Yam suf</i> for them; You gave them the <i>Torah</i> through Moshe and Aharon." R. Yehoshua says, "You did <i>Niflaot</i> (wonders) for them; You gave them <i>Cherut</i> (freedom); <i>Yamincha</i> (Your right hand) delivered them; You gave them <i>Tilluy rosh</i> (holding the head high) through Moshe and Aharon." R. Akiva says, "You did <i>Noraot</i> (dreadful things) to their enemies; You sent<i>Charon af</i> (waxing anger) against them and you fought against them; You covered them with <i>Tehomot</i> (depths) through Moshe and Aharon." Rabbi said, "<i>Nevi'im</i> (prophets) did You raise up from them; <i>Hasidim</i>(saints) did You raise up from them; <i>Hasidim</i> (saints) did You raise up from them; <i>Yesharim</i> (upright) did You raise up from them; <i>Temimim</i> (unblemished ones) did You raise up from them through Moshe and Aharon." What is [the meaning of] flock? Just like one does not bring a flock under the shade of a roof (indoors), so too Israel when they were in the wilderness was not brought under the shade of a roof for forty years. Just like a flock does not have storerooms collected for them but rather only graze from the wilderness, so too Israel for the forty years that they were in the wilderness were fed without storehouses. And just like a flock follows to anywhere that the shepherd leads them, so too Israel journeyed to any place that Moshe and Aharon took them, as it is stated, "These are the journeys of the Children of Israel" - in order to fulfill that which is written, "You led Your people like a flock through Moshe and Aharon."
+
+
+Siman 3
+
+
+
+Siman 4
+
+
+
+Siman 5
+
+
+
+Siman 6
+
+
+
+Siman 7
+
+"Command the Children of Israel" (Numbers 34:2:). This is what is stated in the verse (in Numbers 23:19), "God is not a man to be deceitful," [meaning] a man will not make God deceitful; "nor the son of" Amram (this is a play on words, as the verse reads, the son of man, "Adam") to make Him "change His mind." As [only after God] said, "Let Me go," did the son of Amram stand and make Him change His mind, as stated (Exodus 32:14), "And the Lord rescinded the evil that He was saying to do to His people." Another interpretation (of Numbers 23:19): "God is not a man to be deceitful," with the good. When He speaks to bring good - even if the generation is liable - He does not go back on it, [as] "God is not a man to be deceitful." But when He speaks to bring evil, He does go back on it, as it is stated (Numbers 23:19), "He said it but does not do [it]." You should know that He said to Avraham (Genesis 15:5), "Look toward heaven and count the stars...." And He did it, as stated (Deuteronomy 1:10), "The Lord, your God, multiplied you, and behold you are today...." [But when] He said to Avraham (Genesis 15:13), "Know well that your offspring shall be strangers [... four hundred years]," they were oppressed for only two hundred and ten years. That is [the meaning of], "God is not a man to be deceitful" - with the good. But with the evil, "He said it but does not do [it]." [In this vein,] He said to Israel, "as you are not My people" (Hosea 1:9). But He went back and said, "and I will say to Not My People, 'You are My people'" (Hosea 2: 25). That is [the meaning of], "He said it but does not do [it]." He said to Avraham, "As I will give [the land] to you and your offspring" (Genesis 26:3), and He did not go back [on it]. As it is stated (Numbers 34:2), "when you come to the Land of Canaan," and He brought them into the Land.
+
+Devarim
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Vaetchanan
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Siman 2
+
+Another interpretation [of] "I pleaded with the Lord" (Deuteronomy 3:23): This is [the meaning of] that which was stated by the verse (Ecclesiastes 9:11), "The race is not won by the swift, [nor the battle by the valiant; nor is bread won by the wise, nor wealth by the intelligent, nor favor by the learned; for the time of mischance comes to all]." "The race is not won by the swift," that is Asahel, as stated (II Samuel 2:18), "Asahel was swift of foot, like a gazelle in the open field." He was running after Avner, [and] Avner said to him (II Samuel 2:22), "Turn yourself away from behind me," but he  was confident that he [could] flee (if necessary), as he was swift of foot. What is written? "And he refused to turn away, so Avner struck him in the belly with a backward thrust of his spear." "Nor the battle by the valiant," that is Avner. What is written when he went to David? "Yoav took him aside within the gate to talk to him privately; there he struck him in the belly" (II Samuel 3:27). Thus, "nor the battle by the valiant." "Nor is bread won by the wise," that is Shlomo, as it is stated (I Kings 5:11), "And he was wiser than all men." Yet the Holy One, blessed be He, brought him down from his thrown, and had an angel designated to bring him a loaf of bread and a plate of barley every day. Thus, "nor is bread won by the wise. "Nor wealth by the intelligent," that is Iyov; as it is stated (Job 19:21), " Pity me, pity me, you are my friends; for the hand of God has struck me." "Nor favor by the learned," that is Yehoshua. He said two things in front of his master (Moshe) and these were them: "And Yehoshua son of Nun, Moshe's attendant [from his youth, spoke up and said, 'My lord Moshe, restrain them']" (Numbers 11:28). [To this] Moshe said to him (Numbers 11:29), "Would that all the nation of the Lord be prophets!" And the [other time] was with the story of the [golden] calf, as it is stated (Exodus 32:17), "When Yehoshua heard the sound of the people in its boisterousness, he said to Moshe, 'There is a sound of war in the camp.'" [And to this] Moshe said to him, "Yehoshua, they are depending on you and trusting you to acquire the land and [yet] you do not know how to distinguish between one sound and another; 'It is not the sound of the tune of triumph...' (Exodus 32:18)." Thus, "nor favor by the learned." Another interpretation: "The race is not won by the swift," that is Moshe, as he leaped like a lion at the giving of the Torah. What is written over there? "And Moshe went up to God" (Exodus 19:3). [But then it is written (Exodus 19:25), "And Moshe went down to the people." "Nor the battle by the valiant," that is [also] Moshe. As he gored angels above, but when he saw Og, the king of Bashan, he was frightened. "Nor is bread won by the wise," that is [also] Moshe. As it is stated (Proverbs 21:22), "One wise man prevailed over a city of warriors." [Yet] it states (Exodus 34:28), "he did not eat bread." "Nor wealth by the intelligent," that is [also] Moshe, as it is stated about him (Exodus 34:9), "If I have found favor in Your eyes, may the Lord go among us." Rav Huna asked Shemuel, "What is [the meaning of] 'for the time of mischance (<i>fega</i>, which is a word also used for a prayer encounter) comes to all?'" He said to him, "It is in the future that a person will pray and be answered." He said, "Moshe seized prayer [but was not answered], as stated, 'I pleaded with the Lord....'"  
+
+Siman 3
+
+
+
+Siman 4
+
+
+
+Siman 5
+
+"Lord God, You have begun" (Deuteronomy 3:24): There is a [relevant] parable: To what is this comparable? To a king that saw an orphaned woman and sought to marry her. He sent to propose to her. She said, "I am not fit to marry the king." He sent [again] and proposed seven times, but she did not listen to him. After a while, she married the king. [Later,] the king got angry with her and sought to divorce her and marry another [woman]. The first one said, "I have no shame if you divorce me, as it is you who sought me to begin with. However since you are divorcing me, I plead with you, do not do to this [wife] like what you have done to me." So [too] did the Holy One, blessed be He, do to Moshe. He seduced him for seven days. And [Moshe] said to him (Exodus 4:10), "I am not a man of words." After a while, the Holy One, blessed be He, appeased him. [So] he went on His mission, and all of the miracles happened through him. In the end, [God] said to him, "For 'you shall not enter [the land]'" (Deuteronomy 32:52). [So] Moshe our teacher said to Him, "Master of the world, if You do not want me to bring them to the land, I have no shame, as 'You began,'" which is an expression of beginning; "but since You have decreed this upon me, do not do to the one who brings them like You have done to me, 'That he should go in front of them [...] and that he bring them' (Numbers 27:17)." "And the Lord said to me, 'It is enough (<i>rav</i>) for you; do not add'" (Deuteronomy 3:26). As your  opponent has preceded you. As so did Iyov state (Job 31:35), "O that I had someone to give me a hearing; O that the Omnipresent would reply to my writ, or my opponent (<i>eesh rivi</i>) write a book (a bill of charges)!" And which book [is that]? "This is the book of the generations of Adam" (Genesis 5:1, as Adam brought death to the world). What did Job say? "Small and great are there, and the slave is free of his master" (Job 3:19). Therefore, "It is enough." 
+
+Eikev
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Siman 2
+
+
+
+Siman 3
+
+
+
+Siman 4
+
+<b>All of the commandment that I command you today (Deuteronomy 8:1):</b> This is what the verse stated (Proverbs 7:2), "Keep My commandments and live," since David said (Psalms 17:8), "Guard me like the apple of Your eye." Rabbi Yehudah of Sakhnin said, "There is [no piece of land fitting to plant] a fourth of a <i>kav</i>, which does not include nine <i>kav</i> of bad spirits." And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "And they all have a veil over their faces." How is [it possible for people to avoid injury from them]? A man walks and [an angel] goes out in front of him and says, "Move to the sides before the likeness of the Holy One, blessed be He," as it is stated (Psalms 39:7), "Man walks in an image." 
+
+Siman 5
+
+<b>All of the commandment that I command you today (Deuteronomy 8:1):</b> This is what the verse stated (Proverbs 4:22), "They are life to him who finds them, healing for his whole body," [meaning that] anyone who finds words of Torah, finds life. Hence it is written, "They are life to him who finds them." Do not read it as "to him who finds them (<i>lemotsaeihem</i>)," but rather as "to him who expresses them (<i>lemotsieihem</i>)." Another interpretation of "They are life to him who finds them": To him who expresses them orally as is fitting. There is a story about a student of Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov who was proficient in learning. From his familiarity with the his learning, he would go over all of his learning from when he entered the bathhouse to when he stood to perspire and when he would bathe. [But he forgot it all] because he did not express it orally. Hence it is written, "They are life to him who finds them," [meaning to him who expresses them]. Another interpretation of "They are life to him who finds them," to others. And a man should not teach words of Torah unless he expresses them as is fit [with their] conclusion and explanation. As so did Moshe say to them, "When you teach Torah, be precise with all of it." Hence it is stated, "All of the commandment that I command you today shall you be careful to fulfill, in order that you shall live." This is what the verse stated (Proverbs 2:1), "My son, if you accept [M]y statements." Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said, "When are you called My son? When you accept My statements. And so [too] is it stated (Deuteronomy 14:1), 'You are children of the Lord, your God.' When are you children? When you [belong] to the Lord, your God, such that you are observing My commandments." Hence is it written, "My son, if you accept [M]y statements." [You will be] "My son if you  accept [M]y statements," if you have the merit. Another interpretation: You [should] treasure My Torah like a man who has a pearl. So should you toil in the Torah. Hence is it stated (Proverbs 2:1), "and [M]y commandment you treasure with you." Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said, "[There is a relevant] parable. To what is this comparable? To a man who has a mature daughter and wants to waste her on anyone he finds. My Torah is not like that, but rather [only] if you have a merit will you merit [to have] it, 'and My commandment you treasure with you.'" Rabbi Acha says, "You give yourself good deeds and I will save over [their] goodness for you in the world to come - 'How abundant is Your good that You have in store for those who fear You' (Psalms 31:20)." Another interpretation: You should treasure My Torah, like a man who has a pearl and treasures it. So should you toil in the Torah. Therefore is it stated, "and [M]y commandment you treasure with you."
+
+Siman 6
+
+<b>Another interpretation:</b> "All of the commandment" (Deuteronomy 8:1). If you have began with a commandment, finish all of it. Why? Rabbi Yochanan said, "Anyone who began with a commandment, and afterwards another comes and finishes it, it will be called according to the name of the one who finishes it." From who do you learn [this]? From Moshe. When Israel left Egypt, what is written? "And Moses took the bones of Yosef with him" (Exodus 13:19). All of the people were involved in the plunder and he was taking care of Yosef's bones. He went and stood among the coffins. He  called out and said, "Yosef, Yosef, the time has come for the Holy One, blessed be He, to redeem His children. The Divine Presence awaits [you], and Israel and the clouds of glory await [you]. If you will make yourself appear good, but if not, we will be free of your vow." [Whereupon] his coffin immediately stirred, and [Moses] took it and departed. Moshe departed in the wilderness and did not enter the Land. [So] Israel brought in Yosef's bones and buried them. And the commandment was draped upon them, as it is stated (Joshua 24:32), "The bones of Joseph, which the Children of Israel had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shekhem." Therefore He said to them, "All of the commandment." Rabbi Yannai said, "Anyone who begins a commandment but does not finish it will bury his wife and two of his sons." From who do you learn [this]? From Yehudah, [where it is stated (Genesis 37:26),] "And Yehudah said to his brothers, 'What gain (<i>betsa</i>) etc.?'" They sat to prepare for the bread [and eat their meal]. He said to them, "We are going to kill our brother and then recite a blessing [over the bread]?" As it is stated (Psalms 10:3), "the one that loots (<i>botsea</i>) and blesses reviles the Lord." Hence is it written, "What gain, etc." "Come, let us sell him to the Yishmaelites" (Genesis 37:27). And they listened to him, as he was a king. And had he said to them to bring him back to his father, they would have listened to him. But rather he began with the commandment and did not finish it. Hence one who begins with a commandment should finish all of it. Rabbi Yochanan said, "Anyone who learns Torah but does not fulfill it, it is better for him to have his placenta roll over his face [and smother him], as it is stated (Deuteronomy 8:1), 'guard to keep.'" Rabbi Acha said, "Anyone who guards it to keep it, merits that the holy spirit should descend upon him, as stated (Psalms 89:1), 'A psalm of wisdom (<i>maskil</i>) of Eitan the Ezrachite, etc.' And so [too] did He say to Yehoshua (Joshua 1:8), 'Let not this Book of the Torah cease from your mouth... [and then will you comprehend (<i>taskil</i>)].'" Hence is it written, "to guard to keep."
+
+Siman 7
+
+<b>All of the commandment that I command you today (Deuteronomy 8:1):</b> Any commandment that you do, say [that] it is as if you heard it today at Sinai from Moshe; as so is it written, "that I command you today guard to observe in order that you shall live." You and your children, in order that you shall live to others, in order that you shall live in the world to come. (Deuteronomy 8:1) "And increase," with children; "and increase," with livestock; "and increase," with silver and gold. Another interpretation: "And increase," (which can be read as grow tall) is speaking about the messiah who will come in a chariot. "And increase (or grow)," in height. Rabbi Yehudah says, "In the future, each and every one in Israel will be a hundred cubits tall, as it is stated (Psalms 144:12), 'our daughters are like cornerstones trimmed to give shape to a chamber'; and it is stated (Ezekiel 42:8), 'the chamber a hundred cubits.'" Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says, "Two hundred cubits, as it is stated (Leviticus 26:13), 'and walked with you upright (<i>komemiyut</i>, which sounds like the plural of height).' And in the future, each and every one of Israel will be seen by the nations when he leaves the city." Rabbi Chiya bar Yaakov said, "There are places [in which] they call <i>pat liftoota</i>, <i>pisata</i>, as it is stated (Psalms 72:16), "Let abundant (<i>pisat</i>) grain be in the land, etc." Rabbi Chaninah bar Pappa and Rabbi Shmuel bar Maniya [differed about the matter]. One said, "Turnips (<i>lefet</i>) was not bread." And the other said, "It was not bread, but rather it will make bread in the future; as it is stated (Psalms 72:16), "Let abundant (<i>pisat</i>) grain be in the land, etc." When? In the time of the messiah. And how many are the days of the messiah? Rabbi Akiva says, "Forty years, in the same way that Israel was in the wilderness forty years. And He drags them and pulls them out to the wilderness and feeds them saltwort and broom, as it is stated (Job 30:4), 'They pluck saltwort and wormwood; the roots of broom are their bread.'" Rabbi Eliezer says, "One hundred years." Rabbi Berachaya says in the name of Rabbi Dosa, "Six hundred years." Rabbi says, "Four hundred years, as stated (Micah 7:15), 'As in the days when you left from the land of Egypt I will show him wondrous deeds.' Just like [the sojourn in] Egypt was four hundred years, so [too] will the days of the messiah be four hundred years." Rabbi Eliezer [beRebbi Yose the Galilean] says a thousand years, as it is stated ([Psalms 90:15], 'Give us joy for as long as You have afflicted us.') [(Psalms 90:4), 'For in Your sight a thousand years are like yesterday that has passed.']" Rabbi Abahu says, "Seven thousand years, as it is stated (Isaiah 62:5), 'As a youth espouses a maiden, your sons shall espouse you' - just as the days of rejoicing (for a marriage) are seven, so will the days of the messiah be seven thousand years." Our rabbis said, "Two thousand years, as it is stated ([Isaiah 63:4], 'For I had planned a day of vengeance, and My year of redemption arrived.') [(Psalms 90:15)], 'Give us joy for as long as (literally, like the days) You have afflicted us.']" And after the days of the messiah is the world to come. And [then] the Holy One, blessed be He, appears in His glory and shows His forearm, as it is stated (Isaiah 52:10), "The Lord will bare His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and the very ends of earth shall see the victory of our God." At that time, Israel sees the Holy One, blessed be He, in His glory, as it is stated (Isaiah 52:8), "for every eye shall behold when the Lord returns to Zion, etc."  
+
+Siman 8
+
+<b>At that time, the Lord said to me, "Carve out two tablets of stone like the first ones" (Deuteronomy 10:1):</b> This is what the verse stated (Jeremiah 2:20), "For long ago you broke your yoke, tore off your yoke-bands, and  yousaid, 'I shall not pass.'" Which is the yoke? The yoke of the angel of death, as stated (Exodus 32:16), "The tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing, incised (<i>charut</i>) upon the tablets," [meaning] freedom (<i>cherut</i>) from the angel of death. And Rabbi Nechemiah says, "Freedom (<i>cherut</i>) from the exiles." And Rav said, "Freedom (<i>cherut</i>) from the afflictions, which were like the ministering angels, as it is stated (Psalms 82:6), 'I said that you were all powers and children of the Most High.'" But at the time that they did that act [of the golden calf], it is stated (Psalms 82:7), "Yet you will die like a mortal." "And you said, 'I shall not pass.'" Even subjugated, we do what we desire. [So] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe, "You are the hardest among them. Subjugate yourself first, as it is stated, 'Carve out two tablets of stone.'"
+
+Siman 9
+
+<b>At that time, etc. (Deuteronomy 10:1):</b> This is what the verse stated (Ecclesiastes 3:1), "A time and season is set for everything, for every experience under heaven." There was a time for the world to be created; there was a time for the generation of the flood to be destroyed in water. There was a time to go into the ark, and a time to exit from it. And there was a time for Avraham to be created, and so too with all the forefathers. There was a time that our fathers were to go down to Egypt, and a time for them to exit from there. And there was a time that they were to be subjugated. And there was a time for the tablets to be broken, and there was a time when others would do that act [of the golden calf]. Hence, "Carve out two tablets of stone." Shlomo said (Ecclesiastes 3:5),  "A time for throwing stones and a time for gathering stones." "A time for throwing stones," these are the first tablets; "and a time for gathering stones," the time to carve out other tablets of stone, as it is stated, "Carve out (<i>pesal</i>) two tablets of stone." Rabbi Yehoshua said, "That he destroy the idols of (<i>pesilei</i>) their gods." Another interpretation: "Carve out (<i>pesal</i>) for yourself," that the remnant (<i>pesolet</i>) be for yourself. Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yochanan say, "From where did he carve them?" One [answered], "From under [God's] throne of glory." And the other said, "[God] created a quarry in the midst of his tent, and he quarried two tablets of stone from there. And he took the remnants from there and he became wealthy from there, since they were from sapphire." This is what Shlomo stated (in Song of Songs 5:14), "His hands are rods of gold, studded with beryl [...] adorned with sapphires.""His hands are rods of gold," these are the tablets. And how many [commandments] were on each tablet? Five commandments were on [each] tablet. And they were made with a type of rods between them, as it is stated, "His hands are rods of gold." "Adorned with sapphires," as they were made of sapphire. Another explanation: "Carve out for yourself," in your merit, and it shall be yours. He said, Moshe, [I have given it to you] (you have given it to Me), and you are behaving generously [by] giving it to them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:1), "Carve out (<i>pesal</i>)  for yourself." By your life will I make you a king. And you shall (<i>pesol</i>) whoever you want, and you shall bring close whoever you want. 
+
+Siman 10
+
+<b>Two tablets of stone (Deuteronomy 10:1):</b> Corresponding to a groom and bride; corresponding to two ushers/benefactors; corresponding to heaven and earth; corresponding to two scribes; corresponding to two Torahs, the written Torah and the oral Torah; corresponding to two worlds, this world and the world to come, as it is stated, "two tablets". Rabbi Chanina said, "It is written 'tablets,' that neither was bigger than the other, but rather both of them were equal; and the carving of both was as one (at the same time)." Another interpretation: "Tablets (<i>luchot</i>) of stone," that anyone who does not make his life (<i>lechayav</i>) like this stone, does not merit words of Torah. Another interpretation: "Tablets of stone," because the majority of the deaths prescribed in the Torah are by stoning. Another interpretation: "Tablets of stone,"  in the merit of Yaakov, of whom it is stated (Genesis 49:24), "from there, the shepherd, the stone of Israel." Another interpretation: "Tablets of stone," in the merit of the Temple, as it is stated (Isaiah 28:16), "Behold, I will found in Zion stone." And Reish Lakish says, "In the merit of Moshe who was called a stone, as it is stated (Daniel 2:34), 'as a stone was hewed out [...].'" "Like the first ones" (Deuteronomy 10:1). As the first ones were given with a voice of voices, so were the second ones. As the first ones were given with six hundred thousand, so were the second ones. But behold, it is written (Exodus 34:3), "And no one may go up with you." But rather, the Holy Blessed One brought out six hundred thousand from Moshe our teacher at that time. As so is it written in the Book of Chronicles (I Chronicles 23:17), "The sons of Rechavya were very numerous (literally, above)." And our rabbis expounded, "Above six hundred thousand." "And come up to Me on the mountain; and make an ark of wood" (Deuteronomy 10:1). But Moshe did not do this, but rather he made an ark of wood, and afterwards went up the mountain and took the tablets, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:3-4), "I made an ark of acacia wood [...] and I went up the mountain [...]. And He wrote on the tablets."
+
+Siman 11
+
+<b>That you smashed (Deuteronomy 10:2):</b> Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael [differed on the matter]. One said, "[God was saying,] 'Take this here from Me which you broke, Moshe.'" And one said, "He did well." There is a [relevant] parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a a king who betrothed a woman. He said to her, "After some time, I will send your marriage contract through a nuptial agent. After some time the king sent [it]. While [the agent] was going, he found that she was sullied with another [man]. What did the agent do? He tore that marriage contract. He said, "It is better that [the king] judge her as a single woman, and not as a married woman." So [too,] did the Holy One, blessed be He, betroth Israel, as it is stated (Exodus 19:10), "and you shall be sanctified (a word sometimes used to denote marriage) today and tomorrow." Moshe [then] came to give them the Torah, and found that they did that act [of the golden calf]. What did he do? He broke the talets, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 9:16-17), "I saw how you had sinned against the Lord, your God [...]. Thereupon I gripped the two tablets and flung them away with both my hands, smashing them before your eyes." Rabbi Beracheya said in the name of Rabbi Helbo in the name of Rabbi Yishmael bar Nechemiah, "The length of the tablets was six handbreadths and their width was three. Moshe held on to two and the Holy One, blessed be He, to two and there were two handbreadths of space in the middle. And Moshe's hands became strong and he grabbed the tablets and broke them, as it is stated (Exodus 32:19), 'and he flung from his hands.' Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "that you broke." Why did he break them? Because the writing upon them flew away. And therefore he broke them. There is a [relevant] parable. To what is the matter comparable? To a courier who was going to bring a royal edict in his hand to a province. And he passed through a river and the [documents] fell into the water and the letters were erased. What did that courier do? He tore them. As it is stated (Deuteronomy 9;16), "I saw how you had sinned against the Lord, your God." What did he see? He saw the letters flying away. And so he also broke [the tablets], as it is stated, "which you broke." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "I dictated in My Torah and stated (Leviticus 5:23), 'he would restore that which he got through robbery [...], or the deposit that was entrusted to him.' And [so] restore that deposit that was with you. And this is what is stated (Deuteronomy 10:1), 'Carve out for yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones.' And not only that, but tomorrow they will be reviewing that which they will be learning from you, 'If a barrel is broken, and the intermediary breaks it, [the payment] is from him.' You were the intermediary between us, and you broke [them]. Therefore you have to pay." Therefore it is stated, "Carve out for yourself." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "In this world, you learn and forget, because of the evil impulse. But in the future to come, I am uprooting the evil impulse from you and you will not forget, as it is stated (Isaiah 36:26), 'I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh.' And not only that, but you will not need [another] person to teach [you the Torah], as it is stated (Jeremiah 31:34), 'No longer will they need to teach one another and say to one another, "Know the Lord"; for all of them, from the least of them to the greatest, shall know Me.'" And so may it be His will; and let us say, "Amen!"
+
+Re'eh
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Siman 2
+
+<b>See I, etc. (Deuteronomy 11:26):</b> This is what is stated in the verse (Job 36:10-12), "He opens their ear by discipline, etc. If they will listen and serve, they shall spend their days in goodness, their years in delight. But if they will not listen, they shall perish by the sword." "He opens their ear by discipline" - the Holy One, blessed be He, does not bring distress to a person until he opens his ear and warns him, so that he can repent. If he repents, behold, that is good. If not, He brings bad things upon him. From who do you learn [this]? From Pharaoh, king of Egypt. When [God] wanted to bring a plague upon him, he would send and warn him about it through His servant Moshe, as stated (Exodus 10:4), "Tomorrow I will bring locusts on your territory." And so [too], "I will plague your whole country with frogs" (Exodus 7:27). He warns about it "by discipline," [meaning] by the discipline of the Torah. "And he orders them back from wickedness" (Job 36:10), from the cheating people and from cheating to the Holy One, blessed be He. "They shall spend their days in goodness," (Job 36:11) [meaning,] they will complete their years in goodness.
+
+Siman 3
+
+<b>Another interpretation:</b> "See I, etc," (Deuteronomy 11:26). This is that which the verse stated (Lamentations 3:38), "Is it not at the word of the Most High, that weal and woe befall?" At the time that Israel stood in front of Mount Sinai, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them the Torah. At that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, took remuneration from every [individual] that sinned. In the past the generation would pay for the sin of anyone who sinned. Our rabbis said about the generation of the Flood, "There were many among them that were proper as much as Noach, and they were erased with the generation." In the generation of [the Tower of Babel], when they sinned, the infants were charged. [But] from when Israel stood at Sinai and the Holy One, blessed be He gave them the commandments, He said, "In the past, the generations were punished for each of their [individuals]. [But] from now on, a generation will not be punished for an [individual]." Hence, "Is it not at the word of the Most High, that weal and woe befall?"
+
+Siman 4
+
+<b>Another interpretation:</b> "See I" (Deuteronomy 11:26). I who have chosen goodness, see how different I am from the whole world, such that the creatures should not say, "When Moshe came to bless us, he blessed us a little, but when he came to curse us, he cursed us a lot." How is this? The curses in [Leviticus] were one less than thirty verses, whereas the blessing were [only] eleven. Rabbi Shmuel said, "The one who looks at them finds that the blessing are more than the curses. How is this? With the blessings, it opens with [the first letter of the alphabet,] <i>alef</i> [of] '<i>Eem bechukotai telechu</i>' (Leviticus 26:3), and it ends with [the last letter,] <i>tav</i>, [of] '<i>veolech eetchem kommemiut</i>' (Leviticus 26:13), as the blessings come to you from <i>alef</i> to <i>tav</i>. But the curses open with [the letter,] <i>vav</i> [of] '<i>Ve'em lo tishmaau</i>' (Leviticus 26:14), and ends with [the letter,] <i>hay</i> [of] '<i>beyad Moshe</i>' (Leviticus 26:46), and between <i>vav</i> and <i>hay</i>, there is nothing (as they are adjacent in the alphabet)." Rabbi Levi said, "There is a [relevant] parable about a king that had a son. He brought him into his palace and showed a kitchen full of good things, and he showed him a palace full of swords. The son said to his father, 'For whom is this kitchen?' [The father] said, 'For the one who praises me.' [The son continued asking,] 'And for whom are the swords?' [The father answered,] 'For the one that rebels against me.' So [too,] the Holy One, blessed be He, shows them blessings and curses, and they see that the blessings are few and the curses are many." Another interpretation: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "If you do My will - even though the the blessings are few - I will increase them for you, and I will not bring the curses upon you. There is a [relevant] parable about a king who took on a servant with a contract. And he wrote in the contract, "If you do my will and serve me as is fit, I will give you food, drink and clothing like the rest of my servants. But if you do not do my will, I will not give you food and I will not give you drink, but I will rather put you in shackles and put you in prison." [So] the servant entered [into the contract] and did his will more than he stipulated. What did the servant do [afterwards]? He stopped doing the will of his master. His master said to him, "I stipulated with you that I would shackle you and kill you. By your life, I will make a compromise with you." So is it with Israel. The Holy One, blessed be He, wrote about them (Leviticus 26:3), "If you walk in my statutes," I will bring you these blessings. But if not, I will bring the curses upon you, as it is stated (I Kings 8:56), "Not one thing of all of His good word shall fail." And when Israel sinned in the days of Yirmiyahu, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "I stipulated with you that I would bring the curses upon you. [But] I know that you do not have the ability to withstand them. Rather I will make a compromise with you." Rabbi Abba said that Rabbi Yirmiyah said, "'The Lord has done what He purposed, He has carried out His word' (Lamentations 2:17). 'He has carried out,' He has made a compromise with them." Hence it is written (Deuteronomy 11:26), "See I, etc." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "In this world I have ordered in front of you blessings and curses, the good and the bad. But in the world to come, I will remove the curses and the bad from you and I will bless you. And all who shall see you shall say that you are a blessed people, as stated (Isaiah 61:9), 'Their offspring shall be known among the nations, their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall recognize that they are a stock the Lord has blessed.'"
+
+Siman 5
+
+<b>When the Lord enlarges your territory (Deuteronomy 12:20):</b> This is what is stated in the verse (Proverbs 18:16), "A man’s gift eases his way." It is a gift so that a person will give from his, that the Holy One, blessed be He, enlarges [what he has]. There is a [relevant] story about Abbun Ramah (probably a nickname, meaning the father of tricking) who lived in Batsra. His rabbis went to there and were seeking sustenance. He sat and did not decide [what he would give] at first, until all the people of the city decided, so that he could decide corresponding to all [the others]. That is why he was called Abbun Ramah, as he would be tricky with all of the commandments. From when he knew how much all of the people of the city had decided, he decided corresponding to all of them. What did our rabbis do? They took him and sat him at the edge next to them, in order to fulfill that which is stated, "A man’s gift eases his way [and places him next to the great]." Another interpretation of "A man’s gift eases his way": This is [referring to] Avraham. When he chased the [four] kings, the king of Sodom came out to greet him. He said to him (Genesis 14:21), "Give me the persons, and take the possessions for yourself." Avraham said [back], "I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High [.... I will not take] so much as a thread or a sandal strap, etc." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "You have said, 'a thread [or a sandal strap]." By your life, I will sustain your children with that same expression, 'How lovely are your feet in sandals' (Song of Songs 7:2)." Another interpretation of "A man’s gift eases his way": This is [referring to] Israel. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them to bring a freewill offering, what is written there? "These continued to bring freewill offerings to [Moshe] morning after morning" (Exodus 36:3), two mornings. What did they merit [by this]? He enlarged their territory, as stated, "When the Lord enlarges your territory." In the merit of what does He enlarge it, "as he stated to you" (Deuteronomy 12:20)? In the merit of the ten statements (Ten Commandments) that you accepted. Another interpretation: "As he stated," in the merit of your forefathers.
+
+Siman 6
+
+<b>And you say, "I shall eat meat" (Deuteronomy 12:20):</b> Rabbi Eliezer beRabbi Yehoshua said, "From here you learn that a man should not acquire a <i>litra</i> of meat until he consults with his household." See what is [the difference] between the Israel and the [other] nations of the world. When Israel do not [ritually] slaughter, they do not eat [meat]. But the nations of the world stab and eat. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, "By your life, in the world to come, you will eat from those [animals] that are not slaughtered, from the behemoths and the Leviathan, about which it is written, 'One [scale] touches the other; not even a breath can enter between them.'"
+
+Siman 7
+
+<b>When the Lord cuts down (Deuteronomy 12:29):</b> The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, "By your lives, I will conduct your wars and write about you that you killed them." Come and see, the acts of the Holy One, blessed be He, are not like the acts of a king of flesh and blood: [When] a king of flesh and blood goes out to war, his legions go out in front of him. If they are victorious, they come and make a crown and crown him. But the Holy One, blessed be He, does not do like this, but rather He conducts the war, and give the crown to Israel, as it is stated (Psalms 136:17-20), "Who struck down great kings, [...]. Sihon, king of the Amorites,[...]. Og, king of Bashan." But He gave the crown to Israel, as it is stated (Joshua 12:5), "Moshe, the servant of God, and Israel smote them." And so [too], with Yehoshua, what is written? "And the Lord hurled huge stones on them from the sky" (Joshua 10:11). And [yet] it is stated (Joshua 12:7), "And these are the kings of the land that Yehoshua and the Children of Israel slew." So that we inherit their land, He cut them down from the world, in order that we would enter and inherit houses filled with all good things. As all the days that Israel was present, they were swept and wandering in the wilderness for forty years. Yet they had been fitting to go up [to the Land of Israel] immediately, as it is stated (Exodus 3:17), "I will take you out of the misery of Egypt," to a good and spacious land. But they did not go in immediately. As when they left from Egypt, the seven nations [inhabiting the land] heard that [the Israelites] were coming to inherit [the land]. What did they do? They cut down the trees, stopped up the springs and destroyed the homes, such that if [the Israelites] would enter, they would find nothing [worthwhile there]. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "If I bring them in right away, they will find it desolate, and I promised them that they would find it full of all of good things." What did He do? He held them up in the wilderness forty years, such that the Canaanites disregarded Israel, saying they are not coming. [Hence] they rose and planted trees, they fixed the wells and the cities, such that Israel would come when it was built, to fulfill that which is stated (Deuteronomy 6:11), "Houses full of all good things." This is [the meaning of] that which is written (Exodus 13:17), "God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines." Once they fixed everything, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe, "Why are you standing? 'Go up from here, you and the people' (Exodus 33:1). Make war with them and cut them down." And Israel said to Moshe, "When do we enter the land." [His answer was:] When the Lord, your God cuts down the nations within it shall you enter.  
+
+Siman 8
+
+<b>When the Lord cuts down, etc. (Deuteronomy 12:29):</b> "Look to the Lord and keep to His way" (Psalms 37:34). As they were thinking to enter the Land immediately. [Moshe] said to them, "You are thinking to inherit their land. [So] keep the way of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated (Psalms 37:34), 'Look to the Lord and keep to His way, and He will raise you high that you may inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.'" That is [the meaning of] that which Moshe said, "When the Lord, your God, cuts down." What is [the meaning of] "When (<i>ki</i>, which can also mean, if) He cuts down?" It is on condition; such that if they keep the Torah, they will enter the Land. And in every place that you find <i>ki</i>, it is conditional: "<i>Ki</i> along the road, you chance upon a bird’s nest [...]. You shall surely send" (Deuteronomy 22:6-7); "<i>Ki</i> you take up the head (make a census) of the Children of Israel, each man shall give a ransom" (Exodus 30:12);" <i>Ki</i> you build a new house, you shall make a parapet" (Deuteronomy 22:8). Here too, the Holy One, blessed be He stipulated with them that He would only cut down the [Canaanite] nations on condition that [the Israelites] would keep the Torah. Beloved is the Land of Israel, as the Holy One, blessed be He, chose it. You find that when He created the world, He apportioned the lands to the ministering angels of the nations, and He chose the Land of Israel [for Himself]. From where [do we know this]? As so did Moshe say (Deuteronomy 32:8), "When the Most High gave nations their inheritances, etc." And He chose [the people of] Israel as His portion, as stated (Deuteronomy 32:9), "For the Lord’s portion is His people, Yaakov His allotment." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Let Israel, who has come to be My portion, inherit the land that has come to be My portion." Hence it is written, "When the Lord cuts down." Yirmiyahu the prophet cried out and said (Jeremiah 3:19), "I had resolved to adopt you as My child, and I gave you a desirable land," a land that the fathers of the world desired. Avraham wanted it, as so does it state (Genesis 15:8), "And he said, 'O Lord God, how shall I know that I am to possess it?'" Yitschak wanted it, as it was stated to him (Genesis 26:3), "Reside in this land, and I will be with you and bless you, for I will assign all these lands to you and to your seed." And Yaakov wanted it, as it is stated (Genesis 28:20-21), "If God will be with me, etc. I will return to my father’s house." Rabbi Yehudah said, "Moshe also wanted it, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 3:23-25), 'I pleaded with the Lord at that time,  "[...]. Let me, I pray, cross over and see, etc."' And also David wanted it, as it is stated (Psalms 84:11), 'I would rather stand (<i>histofef</i>) at the threshold of [my God’s] house.'" What is [the meaning of] <i>histofef</i>? Rabbi Tanchum beRabbi Chanilai and Rav [differed on the matter]. One said, "David said in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, 'Master of the world, even if I have palaces and a castle outside of the Land, and I only have a veranda (<i>saf</i>) in the Land of Israel, I would rather stand [there].'" And [the other] said [that David said], "Even if I only have lateling (<i>sifsuf</i>) carobs to eat in the Land of Israel, I would rather stand [there]." Hence, "and I gave you a desirable land," a land that the fathers desired. "An inheritance of beauty (<i>tsvi</i>, literally, a gazelle)" (Jeremiah 3:19). Just like a gazelle is light in its running, so does the Land of Israel run its fruits, such that it gives fruit first. Another interpretation: Just like the skin of a gazelle cannot hold its flesh, so [too], when Israel merits, the Land of Israel cannot hold its fruit. "Of the beauties (<i>tsivaot</i>) of the nations" (Jeremiah 3:19). That the delights (<i>tsivionot</i>) of the nations are in it. It is written (Joshua 12:9), "The king of Yericho one; the king of Ai, near Bethel, one." There is only three [<i>mil</i>] between the one and the other, and it states, "The king of Yericho one; the king of Ai, etc., one?" Rabbi Parnakh said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, "Any king that was outside the Land that did not acquire a city in the Land of Israel was not called a king. See what is written about Akhan (Joshua 7:21), 'I saw among the spoil a fine Shinar mantle.' [That is] Babylonian velvet. And from where was there Babylonian velvet in Yericho? Rather it was that the King of Babylonia was there and acquired a city in the Land of Israel." Hence, the land that the delights of the nations of the world are in it. And He gave it to Israel. Therefore, it is written, "When the Lord, your God, cuts down, etc." 
+
+Shoftim
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Siman 2
+
+
+
+Siman 3
+
+<b>Judges and officials (Deuteronomy 16:18):</b> The judges need to be men of strength through good deeds. As this is what Moshe did: "And Moshe chose men of valor" (Exodus 18:25), in Torah, in good deeds and in courage. And they need to be clean of any infraction, such that there not be a claim (literally, opening of the mouth) for a person against them. [This is] as with Moshe, who said to Israel (Numbers 16:15), "I have not raised up a donkey from one of them"; and Shmuel, who said (I Samuel 12:3), "Here I am, testify against me in the presence of the Lord and in the presence of His anointed one; whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, etc." I would thus say, "Judges and officials [appoint for yourself]," that there should not be any matter of disqualification in them. There was a case with Rabbi Chanina ben Elazar who had an inclining tree on his field, such that the branches were inclined over the field of someone else. A man came in front of him and complained and said, "The tree of x is inclined over my field." He said to him, "Go, and come back tomorrow." He said to him, "All the cases that come before you, you judge immediately. But my case you are delaying?" What did Rabbi Chanina do? He immediately sent workers to cut his tree that was in his field, but the branches were inclined over the field of someone else. The next day, that [plaintiff from the previous day] came for judgement. [Rabbi Chanina] said to his opponent, "You need to cut it." He [answered] him, "So why are the branches of your tree inclining over the field of someone else?" He said to him, "Go and see. The same way you see mine, so do to yours." He immediately went and did so. Hence it is written, "Judges and officials," that there should not be a matter of disqualification in the judge.
+
+Siman 4
+
+<b>Appoint for yourselves [in all of your gates] (Deuteronomy 16:18)</b> You should appoint judges in all the gates; as courts convene twice a week in the cities, on Monday and on Thursday. And if the law was stuck in front of them (they were not able to determine it), they would ask the [high] court in the chamber of hewn stone. "And they shall judge the nation with righteous judgement," that they should incline the people towards righteousness. Rabbi Yehudah beRabbi Shalom said, "That they should incline towards and advocate merit for [the Jewish people] in front of the Holy One, blessed be He." From who do you learn [this]? From Gidon ben Yoash. As Israel was in distress in his days, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sought a person to advocate merit about them. But He did not find [anyone], as the generation was poor in commandments and in good deeds. Once he found the merit in Gidon, that he advocated merit about them, the angel immediately revealed himself to [Gidon]; as it is stated (Judges 6:12-14), "And the angel of the Lord [was revealed] to him.... And he said to him, 'Go with this strength of yours,'" with the strength of the merit that you advocated about My children. This is, "And they shall judge the nation with righteous judgement," that they should advocate merit for the generation.
+
+Siman 5
+
+
+
+Siman 6
+
+
+
+Siman 7
+
+
+
+Siman 8
+
+
+
+Siman 9
+
+
+
+Siman 10
+
+<b>As these nations that you are, etc. (Deuteronomy 18:14):</b> This is that which is stated in the verse (Deuteronomy 28:13), "The Lord will make you the head, not the tail; you will always be at the top and never at the bottom." That there should not be lying judges and that you all be poor in Torah. [It is as you say (Isaiah 9:14), "Prophets who give false instruction, such are the tails." "You will always (<i>rak</i>) be at the top," you will only (<i>rak</i>) be few in this world, not forever. Another interpretation: "You will always (<i>rak</i>) be at the top (above),"When you come to ask something, you should not ask what is above, and not ask what is below, in the way that the [other] nations of the world [ask], as it is stated (Isaiah 29:4), "your speech shall sound like a ghost’s from the ground."As these nations that you are dispossessing, etc.," such that you should ask from it: This is that which is stated in the verse (Isaiah 8:19), "Now, should they say to you, 'Inquire of the ghosts and familiar spirits that chirp and moan,'" say to them (Isaiah 8:19, cont.), "Does a people inquire of its god, of the dead on behalf of the living?" The needs of the dead are done by the living. Would the needs of the living be done by the dead? "That moan," as they do not do not serve the needs of their heads. "As these nations, etc. but  not like this to you." There is a story about a convert who was from Batsra. He said, "When I was a foreigner, I would ask of idolatry. Now I have become an Israelite and it is forbidden to me." What did he do? He saddled his donkey and went to a province and he did not ask of the idolatry. He entered the province and its priest was standing at the entrance of the province. When he entered, he saw them and was immediately afraid. He descended from the donkey and the donkey fled. The [people] that were standing there came down and he became frightened of them. [But] they stood him upright, supported him and said, "This old man fell." They [then] immediately brought him to his donkey, and [so] he entered in peace and left in peace. What caused him this? Because he held on to the Torah. Hence, "As those nations that you are about to dispossess listen to soothsayers and augurs, but the Lord your God did not give like this to you." There is a story about Rabbi Yannai and Rabbi Yochanan who were sitting at the entrance of Teveriya. There were two astrologers there who saw two Jews going out to their work. These astrologers said, "Those two men will go out but they will not come back, [as] a snake will poison them." Rabbi Yannai and Rabbi Yochanan heard [this]. What did they do? They sat at the entrance of the province to know if those two men would come back from their work. And they did come back and Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Yannai saw them. They said to the astrologers, "Did you not say that these two men would go out but not come back, as a snake would poison them?" They said, "Yes." They said [back], "Behold, they went out in peace and came back in peace." The astrologers observed them [and then] they said to them, "Tell us, what did you do today?" They said, "We did not do anything [unusual], but rather that which we are accustomed to do. We read the Shema and we prayed." They said to them, "You are Jews, the words of astrologers do not materialize with you, as you are Jews." Hence, "but the Lord your God did not give like this to you." 
+
+Siman 11
+
+<b>Another interpretation:</b> "As these nations that you are about to dispossess, etc. but you not like this to you" (Deuteronomy 18:14). It is speaking about Avraham, as he saw through astrology that the constellation said to him that Avram and Sarai would not have a child. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do for them? Rabbi Yehudah beRabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Chanin, "It is written (Genesis 15:5), 'And He took him outside and said, "Observe towards the heavens."' He raised him above the dome of the firmament (above the skies)." As "out" can only [indicate] firmament, as it is stated (Proverbs 8:26), "Before He had made the land and the outside places." And it is also stated (Isaiah 33:7), "Behold the [angels of] Ariel yelled outward." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "That which you said (Genesis 15:3), 'Behold, the one over my household shall inherit me'; the matter is not like this, 'but rather the one who will come out of your innards will inherit you' (Genesis 15:4)." He said [back] to Him, "Are You telling me that I will have a child?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Leave your measure! Avram will not have a child, Avraham will have a child; Sarai will not have a child, Sarah will have a child." "And He took him outside." He said to him, "Behold, you are above the constellation. Who is greater than whom? Is it not you, as you are above it?" "Observe towards the heavens." It is not written, "Lift up your eyes towards the heavens," here, but rather "observe." [This] is like a man who observes [what is] below from above. So is it stated (Psalms 13:4), "Observe; answer me, Lord, my God." "And He said to him, 'So will be your seed'" (Genesis 15:5). Moshe said to them, "Just as Avraham left the constellation and did not occupy himself with it, also you." "The Lord, your God, did not give you like this" (Deuteronomy 18:14).
+
+Siman 12
+
+<b>Another interpretation:</b> "As those nations that you are about to dispossess listen to soothsayers and augurs." Jeremiah the prophet said (Jeremiah 10:11), "Thus shall you say to them, etc." Rabbi Eliezer said, "'Thus shall you say to them': If the nations of the world say to you to worship idolatry, say to them, 'If it is able to remove the heavens and the earth, we will serve it. But if not, "Let it perish from the earth" (Jeremiah 10:11).'" Rabbi Yehoshua said, "Say to them, 'If they are able to make the heavens and the earth, we will serve them, But if not, "Let it perish from the earth".'" Rabbi Akiva said, "Say to them, 'If they are able to remove the heavens and the earth, and to make others from a different host, we will serve them, But if not, "Let it perish from the earth".'" Hadrian had three philosophers and he would not do a thing until he consulted with them. He said to them, "I seek to make myself into a god." The three of them said to him, one [like] the words of Rabbi Eliezer, one [like] the words of Rabbi  Yehoshua, and one [like] the words of Rabbi  Akiva. He went to his home and was distressed. His wife came to him [and] said, "Why are you distressed?" He said to her, "Because I sought to make myself into a god and they did not let me." She said to them, "They did not say to you what is fitting. [Hence] I will say something else to you. There is a surety with you [from God]. Give Him his surety and [then you can] make yourself into a god." He said to her, "And what is His surety?" She said to him, "The soul." He said to her, "If my soul departs, what shall I do?" She said to him, "You are not able to control the soul that is in you, as so is it written (Ecclesiastes 8:8), 'A man does not control the spirit to imprison the spirit.' So how can you make yourself into a god?" Four men made themselves into gods and were [forced to have] sexual relations like women (were sodomized): Pharaoh, Joash, Hiram and Nebuchadnezzar (etc. as in Midrash Tanchuma, Vaera 9).
+
+Siman 13
+
+<b>When you go out to war and you see horse and chariot, a people more numerous than you (Deuteronomy 20:1):</b> This is what is stated in the verse (Proverbs 21:31), "The horse is readied for the day of battle, but the salvation comes from the Lord." What is [the meaning of] "The horse is ready?" At the time that Israel left Egypt, what is written there? "And it was told to the king of Egypt that the people had fled" (Exodus 14:5). Immediately, "And he tied his chariot, and he took his people with him. And he took six hundred of his picked chariots" (Exodus 14:6-7). Pharaoh stood and dressed all of the horses - and even the common ones - with precious stones and pearls. "And Egypt gave chase to them, etc. all the chariot horses of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army" (Exodus 14:9). [This] teaches that not one of them fell ill and not one of them died, and not one of them got tired. Hence it is stated, "all the chariot horses of Pharaoh, etc." "As Pharaoh drew near, the Children of Israel raised their eyes" (Exodus 14:10). At that time, the Children of Israel began to cry out to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated (Exodus 14:10) "and the Children of Israel cried out to the Lord." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "O My dove, in the cranny of the rocks, hidden by the cliff" (Song of Songs 2:14). To what was Israel comparable at that time? To a dove that fled from in front of a hawk, and came to [hide] behind a rock, but a snake was within [that space already. If] it sought to exit, behold the hawk is at the opening. So [too] was Israel. The sea was increasingly storming against them, the enemy was giving chase behind them and the [wild] animals [were closing in] from the wilderness, and [so] they were surrounded on four sides. And from where [do we know] that there were animals from the wilderness? Since it is stated (Exodus 14:3), "the wilderness enclosed (<i>sagar</i>) them." And "enclosed" is only an expression [indicating] wild animals, as it is stated (Daniel 6:23), "My God sent His angel, who closed (<i>sagar</i>) the mouths of the lions." What did they do? They lifted their eyes to their Father in the heavens and yelled out, as it is stated, "As Pharaoh drew near, the Children of Israel raised their eyes, etc. and the Children of Israel cried out to the Lord." Hence it is written, "O My dove, in the cranny of the rocks."
+
+Siman 14
+
+<b>O my dove, in the cranny of the rocks (Song of Songs 2:14):</b> This is that which is stated in the verse (Psalms 18:3), "The Lord is my rock and my fortress." Rabbi Elazar ben Pedat said, "Israel said to Moshe, 'What have you done to us? Now they are coming and doing to us like what we did to them, as we have killed their first-born and taken their money. Is it not you that said to us, "Each woman shall borrow from her neighbor and the lodger in her house" (Exodus 3:23).' He said to them, 'You do not need [to do anything], but you should stand and be silent and the Holy One, blessed be He will [fight] your wars,' as it is stated (Exodus 14:14), 'The Lord will fight for you and you shall be quiet.' That is [the meaning of] 'and the Children of Israel yelled out' (Exodus 14.10)." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "To what is this matter comparable? To the daughter of a king that was passing on a road, and brigands took her as a [captive]. She began to yell out to the king. The king said, 'This is what I desired.' So [too] with Israel. They were subjugated in Egypt [and] placed their eyes towards the Heavens, as it is stated (Exodus 2:23), 'and the Children of Israel groaned from the work and screamed.' [So] the Holy One, blessed be He, took them out and desired to hear their prayer [again]. But they did not pray. What did He do?  He agitated Pharaoh and his army against them and they pursued them. As it is stated (Exodus 14:10), 'As Pharaoh drew close (<i>hikriv</i>).' As he drew the Children of Israel close to prayer. Immediately, 'and the Children of Israel cried out to the Lord.'" Hence it is written, "O my dove, in the cranny of the rocks, hidden by the cliff, let me see your appearance, let me hear your voice," that same voice that I heard in Egypt. Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe (Exodus 14:16), "And you lift up your rod and hold out your arm over the sea and split it, so that the Children of Israel may come into the sea on dry ground." And the Holy One, blessed be He, made war with Pharaoh, destroyed [his army], trounced them in the sea and saved Israel. That is [the meaning of] that which is written (Psalms 140:8), "God, my Lord, the strength of my deliverance, You protected my head on the day of weapons (<i>nashek</i>)," [meaning] the day of the war at the sea. As it is stated (Psalms 78:9), "The Children of Ephraim, warriors (<i>noshkei</i>) lifting their bows." Everything that Pharaoh was doing, the Holy One, blessed be He would [also] do. Pharaoh came out like a warrior; and the Holy One, blessed be He, is like a warrior, as it is stated (Isaiah 42:13), "The Lord goes forth like a warrior, like a man of war He whips up His rage," as only upon Pharaoh did He first make known His strength. At the time of war, He is called a man, as it is stated (Exodus 26:3), "The Lord is a man of war, the Lord is His name." Pharaoh went forth dressed in tin-plated armor; and the Holy One, blessed be He, likewise, as it is stated (Habakuk 3:11), "as Your arrows fly in brightness, Your flashing spear in brilliance." Pharaoh went forth with catapult stones; and the Holy One, blessed be He, went forth with stones of <i>elgavish</i> and hail stones. Pharaoh rode on a horse; and the Holy One, blessed be He, upon a cherub, as it is stated (Psalms 18:11), "He rode on a cherub and flew." Upon what did Pharaoh ride? Upon a female mare, as it is stated (Song of Songs 1:9), "To a mare in Pharaoh’s chariots have I likened you, my darling." Another interpretation [of] "To a mare in Pharaoh's chariots": What is [the meaning of] "to a mare?" Rather the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that Pharaoh did not want to enter the sea. [So] what did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He rode upon a light cloud and transformed it into a mare. And He stood [it] in front of the horses of the troops. And the horses ran after the mare, and the Holy One, blessed be He, descended into the sea with the horses [coming] after Him [to pursue the mare]. Hence, "to a mare," [meaning a] female. Another interpretation [of] "To a mare in Pharaoh's chariots": Pharaoh said to his troops, "What is the lightest (fastest) animal upon which to ride, so that I can go forth and chase the Children of Israel?" They said to him, "A mare, as there is nothing like it in the world." Therefore (due to her speed) the males were following her. And Pharaoh rode [speedily] like the gazelles. And the Holy One, blessed be He, also did this. The Holy One, blessed be He, said in front of the ministering angels, "Which among all of the creatures that serve in front of Me is light?" They said to Him, "Is it not revealed in front of You, that there is none among all of the creatures that serve in front of You that is as light as the cherub that comes out from under the wings of the cherubs." [So] the Holy One, blessed be He, rode upon the cherub and beat the horse of Pharaoh and all of his troops, as it is stated (Exodus 15:19), "For the horse of Pharaoh, with his chariots and horsemen, went into the sea." And it is [also] stated (Psalms 136:15), "And He shook Pharaoh and his army in the Reed Sea." Moshe said to them, "Is this not what I told you (Exodus 14:14), 'and you shall be quiet.' There is nothing for you to do except to stand silently, and the Holy One blessed be He, will [fight] your wars." Therefore he said to them, "When you enter the land and see many multitudes and horses and chariots, do not be afraid of them," as it is stated (Deuteronomy 20:1), "When you go out to war and you see horse and chariot, a people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them, as the Lord, your God is with you." Hence (Proverbs 21:31), "The horse is readied for the day of battle, but the salvation comes from the Lord." 
+
+Siman 15
+
+<b>When you go out to war, etc. (Deuteronomy 20:1):</b> What is written above the matter? "And the judges shall make a thorough investigation" (Deuteronomy 19:18). From when the judges execute judgement, you [can] go out to war and you will be victorious. And so did David state (Psalms 119:121), "I have done justice and righteousness; do not abandon me to those who would wrong me." And it is [also] written (Psalms 119:122), "Guarantee Your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant wrong me." So too is the Holy One, blessed be He, only brought up in the world through judgement, as it is stated (Isaiah 5:16), "And the Lord of hosts is exalted by justice." Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says (Avot 1:18), "On three things the world stands: On justice, on truth and on peace, as it is said (Zachariah 8:16), 'Judge truth and the justice of peace in your gates.'" Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "And all of [these things] are dependent upon judgement, as through judgement is peace and truth established." Therefore when Israel is executing judgement, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings down their enemies in front of them, as it is stated (Psalms 81:14-15), "If only My people listens to Me, etc. Quickly I would subdue their enemies, etc." And what are the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He? Righteousness and justice, as it is stated (Genesis 18:19), "and they shall keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice." Therefore, it is written in the section of judges (Deuteronomy 16:18), "and they shall judge the people with righteous justice"; and afterwards, "When you go to war against your enemies." What is [the meaning of] "against your enemies?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Go forth against them like enemies: In the way that they do not have mercy upon you, so [too], do not have mercy upon them. See what they say: 'Let us wipe them out as a nation; Israel’s name will be mentioned no more.' [It is] that same name that I say (Psalms 106:48), 'Blessed is the Lord (the Name), the Lord of Israel.' Therefore go forth against them like enemies." Israel said, "Master of the world, until when will they stand against us," as it is stated (Psalms 86:14), "O God, arrogant men have risen against me; a band of ruthless men seek my life." He said [back] to them, "Not only against you have they risen, but also against Me, as it is stated (Psalms 2:2), 'Kings of the earth take their stand, and regents intrigue together against the Lord and against His anointed.' Rather see how they are enemies." Therefore, it is written, "When you go out to war against your enemies."
+
+Siman 16
+
+<b>And you see horse and chariot (Deuteronomy 20:1):</b> And it is stated (Exodus 15:19), "For when the horse of Pharaoh." And why did it not state, "horses and riders?" Rather [it is] because in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, they are only considered like one horse. "A people more numerous than you." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "They are numerous in front of you. But in front of Me, they are only only considered like one man." And from where [do we know this]? As so did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Gidon (Judges 6:16), "and you shall smite Midian like one man." And from where [do we know] that they are numerous? As it is stated (Isaiah 17:12), "Ah, the roar of many peoples that roar as roars the sea." And for each one of you, a hundred [to] five, but you are victorious, as it is stated (Leviticus 26:8), "And five of you shall give chase to a hundred." Therefore it is written, "a people more numerous than you." "Do not be afraid of them." Your forefathers were not afraid of them and they were victorious. What is written about our father, Avraham? "At night, he and his servants deployed against them and defeated them" (Genesis 14:16). And he was not afraid of them, as I told him (Genesis 15:1), "Fear not, Avram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great." And I made him a shield, as it is stated, "I am a shield to you." And in the same way that I did [this] for him, so [too] will I do it for you. As it is stated (Isaiah 14:24), "As I have designed, so shall it happen; what I have planned, that shall come to pass." What is [the meaning of] "As I have designed?" As I have done for Avraham, so shall I do for you. 
+
+Siman 17
+
+<b>And when you approach the battle, the priest shall come forward and address the people (Deuteronomy 20:2):</b> And so [too] does it state (Deuteronomy 21:5) "The priests, the Sons of Levi, shall come forward." And [regarding] anyone who serves the king, when the king makes a decree, he carries out his decree. And the Levites serve the Holy One, blessed be He, and carry out His decrees. "Be strong and resolute, be not in fear or in dread in front of them" (Deuteronomy 31:6). And why?  "For the Lord your God Himself marches with you; He will not fail you or forsake you." He does not leave you, and He goes forth in front of you and makes war. And so Deborah says to Barak, "Rise, this is the day on which the Lord will deliver Sisera into your hands; is not the Lord going forth before you" (Judges 4:14). But Barak said to her (Judges 4:8), "If you go with me, I shall go." [So] she said to him, "Do you need me, 'is not the Lord going forth before you?'" [In the case of] a king of flesh and blood, his servants and his troops go forth to war and he is behind them. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like this, but rather He is first. And so is it written with David (II Samuel 5:23-24), "Do not go up, etc. but confront them at the baca trees. And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baca trees, then go into action." As they are full of thorns. And why did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal himself from the tops of the baca trees? Because Israel was in distress. Rabbi Berakhia said, "This is that which is stated, 'I am with him in distress'" (Psalms 91:15). "For the Lord will be going in front of you to attack within the Philistine camp." Hence, "For the Lord your God Himself marches with you." And in the world to come, "Then the Lord will come forth and make war on those nations as He is wont to make war on a day of battle" (Zechariah 14:3). So did Rabbi Tanchuma bar Abba expound.
+
+Siman 18
+
+<b>When you approach a town to attack it, [you shall offer it terms of peace]:</b> See how great is the power of peace; as the Holy One, blessed be He, said to open with peace even to the enemies. So did our Rabbis teach, "We inquire about the welfare of the gentiles for the sake of the ways of peace." R. Eliezer HaKappar beRabbi said, "The power of peace is great; as at the time that Israel makes itself one group, the trait of strict judgement does not reach them, even [if there is] idolatry among them, as it is stated (Hosea 4:17), 'Ephraim is addicted to images; let him be.' But at the time that they are divided, the trait of strict judgement reaches them, as it is stated (Hosea 10:2), "Their heart has been divided, now they will be guilty." Rabbi Yehoshua of Sakhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi, "See how great is the power of peace, as Scripture [added] two or three words because of peace and these are them: When our father Yaakov departed, the [brothers] were afraid, as it is stated (Genesis 50:15-17), 'When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us, etc.?" So they sent this message to Joseph, "Before his death your father commanded saying, 'So shall you say to Joseph, "Forgive, I urge you, etc."'"' But we do not find that our father Yaakov commanded these words. Rather they said them on their own." Our Sages, may their memory be blessed, said, "How many quills are broken, and how much ink is spilled to write these things that were not. And because of what? Because of peace." As even [with] our mother Sarah, the Holy One, blessed be He, dictated something about her that never was, for the sake of peace. As it is stated (Genesis 18:12), "And Sarah laughed to herself (<i>bekirbah</i>), saying." She observed her innards (<i>bekeraveah</i>) and said, "These innards are to carry a fetus, these shriveled breasts are to draw milk? And even if I am [to do] this, is Avraham not old, as it is stated (Genesis 18:12), 'and my lord is old.'" But when the Holy One, blessed be He, came to rebuke her, he [only] said to Avraham (Genesis 18:13), "Why did Sarah laugh, [saying, 'Shall I in truth bear a child, old as I am]?'" And why so? So that he should not hate her and there be hatred between Avraham and Sarah.
+
+Siman 19
+
+<b>You shall offer it terms of peace (Deuteronomy 20:10):</b> Rabbi Levi said, "Moshe did three things and the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him. And these are them: It is written (Exodus 34:7), 'visits the iniquity of the fathers upon children.' But Moshe said (Deuteronomy 24:10), 'Fathers will not be put to death for children [and children will not be put to death for fathers].' And from where [do we know] that the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him? As it is stated (II Kings 14:6), 'But he did not put to death the children of the assassins, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Torah of Moshe, [...] "Parents shall not be put to death for children, etc."' And the second was when he broke the tablets. And [the third] was in the days of Sichon and Og. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Go and fight with him, block his acqueduct.' But Moshe did not do so, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 2:26), 'And I sent messengers.' The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'By your life, you have done as is fitting, as I agree with you.'" Therefore Moshe warns Israel and says to them (Deuteronomy 20:10), "When you approach a town to attack it, you shall offer it terms of peace." "You shall offer it terms of (for) peace (<i>leshalom</i>)." In peace (<i>beshalom</i>) is not written here, so that they would go forth with peace and return in peace. As Avner  and Avshalom about whom it is written, "in peace," did not return. But Moshe  to whom Yitro said, "for peace," went and returned. Another interpretation [of] "You shall offer it terms of peace": It is speaking about the days of the king messiah, who opens to them with peace, as it is stated (Zechariah 9:10), "He shall speak peace to the nations, and his rule shall extend from sea to sea." "If it responds peaceably" (Deuteronomy 20:11); if they bind themselves, as it is stated (Isaiah 2:4), "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not take up sword against nation; they shall never again learn war." "All the people present there shall be as tribute and serve you"(Deuteronomy 20:11); that they should bring you tribute. As it is stated (Psalms 68:32), "Tribute-bearers (<i>chasmanim</i>) shall come from Egypt," as they shall hurry (<i>chasim</i>) and bring their gifts; "Cush shall hasten (<i>tarits</i>) its gifts to God," as they shall run (<i>ratsim</i>) and bring their gifts. "But if it shall not make peace with you" (Deuteronomy 20:12). [If] a strange spirit enters into them and they rebel against the king messiah, he kills them immediately; as it is stated (Isaiah 11:4), "he shall strike down a land with the rod of his mouth, and slay the wicked with the breath of his lips." And he shall only leave Israel, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 32:12), "The Lord guided him alone, and there is no alien god with him."
+
+Ki Teitzei
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Siman 2
+
+
+
+Siman 3
+
+<b>“When a camp goes out against your enemies, you shall beware of everything evil” (Devarim 23:10). </b> There should be no levity among you so that you do not incur any liability. From whom should you learn? From Yiftach. What is written about him? “…and he was the son of a harlot…” (Shoftim 11:1) Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said that she brought her sister-wife into her house, and our Rabbis say that she was really a harlot; and because there was some levity in him all of the people fell upon him. Therefore it is written “you shall beware of everything evil" and “If there is among you a man who is unclean…” These are Israel who became impure through idolatry, as it says “…scatter them afar like a menstruant; 'Go out,' say to it.” (Yeshayahu 30:22) “…he shall go outside the camp…” (Devarim 23:11) that they were exiled to Bavel. “And it shall be, towards evening…”(Devarim 23:12) the evening of the kingdoms, and the Holy One purifies them as it says “…he shall bathe in water…” (ibid.) and it is written “When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion…” (Yeshayahu 4:4) “…and when the sun sets…” (Devraim 23:12) When the King Messiah comes of whom it is written “…and his throne is like the sun before Me.” (Tehillim 89:37) “…he may come within the camp” (Devarim 23:12) These are Israel, entering into the Holy Temple. “And you shall have a designated place outside the camp…” (Devarim 23:13) this is the merit of Avraham. R. Pinchas said- “…so that you can go out there,” to Bavel. “And you shall keep a stake in addition to your weapons…” (Devarim 23:14) Nevuchadnezar demanded that they serve an idol and they said “…let it be known to you, O king, that we will not worship your god…” (Daniel 3:18) “…and you shall return and cover your excrement.” (Devarim 23:14) The covering of idolatry that was in Jerusalem. “For the Lord, your God, goes along in the midst of your camp…” (Devarim 23:15) The Holy One will be revealed to them immediately and saved them from the fire. “Therefore, your camp shall be holy…” (ibid.) Afterwards He will sanctify them as it says “And they shall call them the holy people, those redeemed by the Lord…” (Yeshayahu 62:12)
+
+Siman 4
+
+
+
+Siman 5
+
+
+
+Siman 6
+
+
+
+Siman 7
+
+<b>Remember that which [Amalek] did to you, etc. (Deuteronomy 25:17):</b> Here it is written, "Remember," and with Shabbat it is written, "Remember." Both of them are equal. Shlomo said (Ecclesiastes 2:15-16), "So I reflected: 'The fate of the fool is also destined for me; to what advantage, then, have I been wise?'... Because the wise man is never remembered as the fool." Even though it is written about Shabbat, "Remember," and about Amalek, "Remember," they are not equal. Shlomo said, "The fate of the fool is also destined for me." There is a [relevant] parable [about this]. To what is the matter comparable?To a king that made a banquet and invited guests. The tray entered in front of him, full of all good things. He said, "I mention (remember) my friend x." When the tray was cleared, he said, "I mention (remember) my enemy y." His friends said to him, "You mentioned this one and you mentioned that one [alike]?" He said to them, "This one I mentioned over a tray full of all good things and that one I mentioned over an empty tray." So [too], about the Shabbat it is written (Exodus 20:8), "Remember the Shabbat, to sanctify it," and to honor it with food, drink and clean clothing. But with Amalek it is written, "Remember that which Amalek did to you." Upon what do you remember it? Upon an empty table, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 25:19), "you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." 
+
+Siman 8
+
+
+
+Siman 9
+
+
+
+Siman 10
+
+
+
+Siman 11
+
+...Rabbi Levi quoted Rabbi Aha, son of Rabbi Hanina: So long as the seed of Amalek is in the world, the Name is not complete, nor is the Throne complete. When the seed of Amalek is destroyed, the Name is complete and the Throne is complete. What is the basis? "The enemy is no more— ruins everlasting," etc. (Psalm 9:7). What is written afterward? "But the LORD abides forever; He has set up His throne for judgment" (Psalm 9:8), thus the Name is complete and the Throne is complete. Amen, and may it be [God's] will.
+
+Ki Tavo
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Siman 2
+
+
+
+Siman 3
+
+<b>And it shall be if you truly listen (Deuteronomy 28:1):</b> This is that which was stated in the verse (Song of Songs 1:3), "Your ointments yield a sweet fragrance, your name is like finest oil." Rabbi Yannai said in the name of Rabbi Shimon, "You gave the aroma of commandments to the early ones: To the children of Noach, seven [commandments]; Avraham arose, You gave him circumcision; to Yaakov, You gave [the prohibition of eating] a limb from a living [animal. But] when we stood in front of Mount Sinai, you gave us commandments like a man pouring from the mouth of a barrel." "Your name is like finest (<i>turak</i>) oil." What is [the meaning of] "<i>turak</i>?" Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Shila, "That bring alacrity to the one that does His will. And the expression <i>turak</i> can only be a weapon, as it is stated (Genesis 14:14), 'and he armed (<i>vayarek</i>) his retainers.'" Another interpretation [of] "Your name is like finest (<i>turak</i>) oil." The Torah is compared to oil and it is compared to water. To water, as it is written (Isaiah 55:1), "Ho, all who are thirsty, come for water." Just like the world cannot stand without them and a man purifies himself in them, so too can the world not stand without Torah, and the Torah teaches man how to purify himself. And just like water, a man does not plant a tree and does not build a house if he has no water, so too can the world not stand without Torah. And just like water is life to the world, so too is Torah life to the world. Just like [with] water, anyone who does not know how to swim in it will cause himself to be lost from the world, so too anyone who is not able to find words of Torah is lost from the world. Just like water can be drawn to any place one wants, so too is the Torah drawn in all of the world. Just like water is not preserved in silver containers nor in gold containers but rather in ones of clay, so too is Torah not preserved in the haughty, but in one with a humble spirit. And Rabbi Acha says, "'But from where (which can also be read as, from nothing) can wisdom be found.' What is [the meaning of] 'from nothing?' From those who make themselves like nothing." And just like this water no one supervises [to demand a price], so is the Torah. You find that it is [also] compared to honey, as it is written (Psalms 19:11), "sweeter than honey, than drippings of the comb." Just like honey is not polluted, so is the Torah not polluted, as stated (Proverbs 8:8), "All my words are just, none of them perverse or crooked." And the Torah is compared to oil. Just like oil brings light to the whole world, so too is the Torah light to the world. And just like this oil is crushed and the more it is crushed, the better it is; so too [with] the Torah, [the more] one [exerts] himself upon it, the better it is to its Owner. You find that with all liquids, you can counterfeit them and put other liquids in them; but [with] this oil, he [can] put it in any liquid that he wants, and it rises to the top. So too is Israel; even if they are placed at the bottom, behold they are like this oil that [rises] to the top, as stated (Deuteronomy 28:1), "the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth."
+
+Siman 4
+
+<b>And it shall be if you listen to listen (Deuteronomy 28:1):</b> If you listened a little, your end will be to listen much. Another interpretation: You will make your studies heard in front of the Holy One, blessed be He. When will you make your studies heard? Rabbi Yehudah says, "At the time that he comes to part from the world, as it is stated (Ecclesiastes 12:13), 'The end of the matter, everything is heard.'" And Rabbi Meir says, "until he completes his soul, as stated (Job 10:22), 'gloom and not arranged,' as he arranges his study." Another interpretation: "If you surely listen," your prayer will be heard, like Choni the Circle-maker. At the time that Israel required rain, they went into him and said to him, "Pray for us, as we need rain." Immediately, he drew a circle and stood inside it, to fulfill that which is stated (Habakuk 2:1), "I will stand on my watch." The rain began to drizzle. He said, "This is not what I requested, but rains of desire, blessing and freewill." The rain [then] began to fall in its accustomed way. What caused him to be one who prays, such that the Holy One, blessed be He listens to his prayers? [It was] because he listened to the words of the Torah. Another interpretation: If you listen in this world, you will listen [to it] in the world to come from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He. Rabbi Yonah the father of Rabbi Manna said in the name of Rabbi Levi who said in the name of Rabbi Abba, "The Torah was not supposed to have been given to Israel in this world. Why? Because everyone will learn it from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the future, in the world to come. [So] why was it given to them in this world? So that when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to teach them in the world to come, everyone will know in what section He is occupied." Therefore, if you listen in this world, you will listen in the world to come from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He. Another interpretation: If you merited to listen to words of the Torah that were given with many voices, you will merit to hear that voice about which it is written (Jeremiah 7:34), "the voice of gladness and the voice of joy." Another interpretation [of] "if you listen to listen": If you have listened to the voice of your teacher, your end is that others [will] listen to you. "To guard to do" (Deuteronomy 28:1). You should only study in order to do. Rabbi Yochanan said, "Anyone who studies [Torah] but does not do [what he studied], it would have been better had his placenta turned over his face (died in the womb). But if you merited to guard and to do, 'the Lord your God will set you high above (<i>elyon</i>)' (Deuteronomy 28:1)." Rabbi Levi said, "What is [the meaning of] <i>elyon</i>? It is like this thumb (<i>alyon</i>). If you merited, behold you will be above the four fingers, 'and the Lord your God will set you high above,' on condition. But if not, 'the stranger that is in your midst will rise higher and higher' (Deuteronomy 28:43)." "Blessed shall you be in your coming" (Deuteronomy 28:6), on condition [that it is] in your coming to the synagogues and study halls; "and blessed shall you be in your going," from the synagogues and study halls. "You shall be blessed in the city and you shall be blessed in the field" (Deuteronomy 28:3). It should have said, "You shall be blessed in the field and you shall blessed in the city," as it is from what he brings in from the field that he is blessed in the city. Rather what do we learn to say [from,] "You shall be blessed in the city and you shall be blessed in the field?" If you have come to the commandment in the city, do not say, "I was only commanded in the field to extract the priestly tithes and the [other] tithes outside." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Open your hand [to give tithes] also in the city." Another interpretation: "You shall be blessed in the city," with the commandments that you do in the midst of  your house in the city, such as <i>sukkah</i>, <i>mezuzah</i> and parapet. "You shall be blessed in the field," [with the commandments that you do in the field], such as [leaving] gleanings, forgotten sheaves, and the corner [of the field]. Another interpretation: A man should not say, "If the Holy One, blessed be He, had given me a field, I would have extracted tithes from it. [But] now that I do not have a field, I will not give anything." The Holy One, blessed be He, says [in response], "See what I have written in My Torah, 'You shall be blessed in the city,' for those living in the city; 'and you shall be blessed in the field,' for those that have fields." "Blessed shall be your basket" (Deuteronomy 28:5). These are the first-fruits that you you bring up to Jerusalem, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 26:4), "And the priest shall take the basket from your hand." "And your kneading bowl" (Deuteronomy 28:5), that is the <i>challah</i> tithe. "[Blessed shall be...] the calving (<i>shegar</i>) of your herd" (Deuteronomy 28:4). Rabbi Yehudah bar Shalom said, "That they shall be moving (<i>shegurin</i>) and coming out [effortlessly] like [from] the mouth of a box; 'and the lambing (<i>ashterot</i>) of your flock' (Deuteronomy 28:4), that they should be as strong as boulders (<i>ashterot</i>)." Another interpretation: "You shall be blessed in the city," this [refers to] Jerusalem, which is called a city, as it is stated (Lamentations 2:15), "Is this the city that they said was the perfection of beauty?" "And you shall be blessed in the field," this [refers to] Zion, as it is stated (Jeremiah 26:18), "Zion shall be plowed for a field." And when will the Holy One, blessed be He, show this blessing to Israel? When Jerusalem is rebuilt and the exiles are returned within her, as it is stated (Psalms 133:3), "As the dew of Hermon which runs down on the mountains of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the blessing, life forever." [May it happen] speedily in our day, Amen!
+
+Nitzavim
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+
+
+Siman 2
+
+
+
+Siman 3
+
+
+
+Siman 4
+
+<b>You who are present today, all of you:</b> You are the existence of this world and the world to come. When the Holy One, blessed be He, will come to give a goodly reward to the righteous, He will show them behemoths that crouch on a thousand mountains; and a thousand mountains will bring up grasses and they will eat. And from where [do we know] that they crouch on a thousand mountains? As it is stated (Psalms 50:11), "The behemoths on a thousand mountains." And they drink all [the water] that the Jordan draws, as it is stated (Job 40:23), "he is certain that he will draw the Jordan to his mouth." Rav Yosef said, "They take one swallow and draw all that the Jordan draws for six months. And it is a full verse (Job  39:24), 'With trembling and anger, he swallows the earth.'" And the Leviathan also crouches upon the deep. In the world to come, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to the ministering angels, "Come and fight with him." But when they descend to fight against him, he suspends his eyes and stares at them. And [then] they fear and flee, as it is stated (Job 41:17), "From his rising do the powers fears, the breakers are lacking." When he seeks to eat, he makes a wave in the sea. And [so] the fish think that it is [bringing] something edible, and they go to it; and he opens his mouth and swallows them. And not one of them escapes, but rather all of them enter into his mouth. And [then] the Holy One, blessed be He, says to the ministering angels, "Cast arrows." And they fling [them] at him, but he pays no attention, but they are rather considered like straw by him - as it is stated (Job 41:20), "The son of the bow does not make him flee." And [then] the Holy One, blessed be He, says to them, "Take projectile stones and hurl them at him." And they do it, but he thinks it is straw - as it is stated (Job 41:21), "The catapult is considered like straw." And if you say, where is he crouching; the Holy One, blessed be He, said, upon the clay that is better than gold - as it is stated (Job 41:22), "he reclines on the broken leaves of clay." And if you say [that] if he seeks to leave, he [can] leave - [hence] we learn to say, "he is enclosed with a narrow (<i>tsar</i>) seal" (Job 41:7) - I have closed in front of him, and sealed across from him and I have even restricted (<i>hetsarti</i>) him. And [so] how do the righteous ones eat [it]? Rather the Holy One, blessed be He, puts a spirit into the behemoths and also into the Leviathan, and they come and fight, one with the other - as it is stated (Job 41:8), "One approaches to the other." This one overturns the ground and quiets the behemoths, and these split the Leviathan. [Then] the righteous ones immediately gather around them, and the Holy One, blessed be He, says to each and every one [to eat]. And [each righteous one] eats according to his reward, as it is stated (Job 40:30), "Will the charmers (<i>chavarim</i>) repast upon him?" - Chizkiyah said, "These are [Torah] colleagues (<i>chaverim</i>)." Another [understanding]: "Will the charmers repast upon him?" - anyone who has charmed himself from doing [evil]. "Will it be divided by the traders?" (Job 40:30) - there are among men those that engage in trade: This one gives fifty gold pieces and this one gives ten; they purchase a pearl and it produces revenue. According to what each and every one gave do they take from the revenue. So did the Holy One, blessed be He, say - "Let anyone that was involved with Torah [study] and with [practice of] the commandments, come and take his reward"; as it is stated (Job 42:2), "There is no one so fierce as to rouse him; [and] who can stand (<i>yityatsev</i>) in front of Me?" Who are the ones that are eating in front of [God]? "You who are present." Said the Holy One, blessed be He, "You stood in front of Me in this world to accept the commandments; so too will I stand you in the world to come"; as it is stated (Isaiah 66:22), "For as the new heaven and the new earth, which I will make, shall stand in front of Me - speaks the Lord - so shall your seed and your name stand." Thus did Rabbi Tanchuma expound.
+
+Vayeilech
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+<b> And Moshe went and spoke these words to all of Israel:</b> The expression "went" is nothing but [an indication of] rebuke, as it is stated (Psalms 46:9), "Go and see the wonders of God." At the end of Ecclesiastes, it is written (Ecclesiastes 12:11), "The sayings of the wise are like goads" - just like this goad directs the cow to its furrows, so [too] do the words of Torah direct the heart of those that learn it to the good path. "And it is like nails (<i>masmerot</i>) that are planted" - just like this nail is planted, so [too] are words of Torah. And just like a planting (sapling) is fruitful and multiplies, so [too] do the words of Torah become fruitful and multiply to find an explanation about them. "They are given from one shepherd" - even though these are rendering impure and those are rendering pure, these are forbidding and those are permitting, Moshe said all of them from the mouth of the Almighty. But it is written, "And it is like shifts (<i>mishmerot</i>)  that are planted," with a [letter], <i>shin</i>, to say that there are twenty-four books in the Torah (Bible) - like the number of shifts that David established. Therefore it is written with a <i>shin</i>. And so [too,] in Chronicles, David is spelled fully (<i> dalet-vav- yod-dalet</i>), as its <i>gematraia</i> (numerical equivalent) is twenty-four - corresponding to the twenty-four shifts that David established. 
+
+Siman 2
+
+<b>These words:</b> This is what the verse stated, "Have I not written you thirds with counsels (<i>moatsot</i>) and knowledge" (Proverbs 22:20). The numerical equivalent of counsels is six hundred and six. [That,] and the seven commandments that the Sons of Noach were commanded, is six hundred and thirteen. And so [too,] does it state (Isaiah 5:1), "my beloved had a vineyard in a fertile corner": "A vineyard" - that is Israel, as it is stated (Isaiah 27:2), "a vineyard of wine, sing to it." "And he separated it" (Isaiah 5:2) - with Avraham, that he cast away the residue from him, such as Yishmael. "And he cleared it of stones" - with Yitschak, that he took Esav away from him. "And he planted it with choice vines" - that is Yaakov, as all of the plantings that came out from him were good and desirable, like this choice vine which is completely good. And this is [the meaning of] "all of it was true seed" (Jeremiah 2:21). Choice vine (<i>sorek</i>) has a numerical equivalent of six hundred and six, [together with] the seven commandments of the Children of Noach - behold, that is six hundred and thirteen. It is written (Proverbs 3:19), "The Lord established the earth with wisdom" - and there is no wisdom besides Torah. And what is its name? Confidant (<i>Amon</i>), as it is written (Proverbs 8:30), "And I was a confidant with Him." And it was not called Torah until it was given at Sinai. The numerical equivalent of Torah comes to six hundred and eleven. And the two that are subtracted from six hundred and thirteen are the two that were given by the mouth of the Almighty. And this is what is stated by the verse, "God spoke one, I heard two" (Psalms 62:12). This is [the meaning of] "Moshe commanded us the Torah" (Deuteronomy 33:4) - Moshe commanded us [commandments] according to the numerical equivalent of Torah. And the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded us the [remaining] two, as I explained in Parshat Vayishma Yitro. And it is an inheritance for Yaakov, and not for the [other] nations of the world, as it is stated (Psalms 147:19), "He tells His words to Yaakov, His statutes and His judgments to Israel, He did not do this with any nation." And it is written about it, "each day," as it is stated (Proverbs 8:30), "And I was a confidant with Him and I was His delight each day." And a day is not less than a thousand years, as it is stated (Psalms 90:4), "As  a thousand years in Your eyes is like the day, yesterday." Upon what was it written before it was given? If upon silver and gold, gold and silver had not been created. Rather it was written on the forearm of the Holy One, blessed be He. And so every man [should] understand and fathom with his mind and his intelligence to contemplate the Torah day and night - as it is written (Joshua 1:8), "and you shall contemplate about it day and night" - and good deeds. And it is as the Sages said: The world is half guilty and half meritorious - if one comes and commit sins such that the sins outweigh the merits, it comes out that the world becomes guilty through him; but if the transgressions are of equal weight to the merits and one comes and performs one commandment, the merits will outweigh the transgressions. Happy is he who brings merit to the world! And if he has not learned as is fitting him, let him do his actions with faithfulness. Elihayu, may his memory be blessed, said, "I was once walking on the way and I found a man, and he was mocking me and taunting me. I said to him, 'What [can] you answer on the day of judgement, since you have not studied Torah.' He said, 'I have what to answer - it is [because of] the understanding and intelligence and heart that were not given to me from the Heavens.' I said to him, 'What is your craft?' He said to me, 'I am a trapper of birds and fish.' I said to him, 'Who gave you knowledge and heart to take flax and spin it and weave it to make traps, and to catch fish and birds with them and to sell them?' He said to me, 'It is the understanding and the knowledge that were given to me from the Heavens.' I said to him, 'To take flax and to weave and spin and catch fish and birds you were given understanding and intelligence; but to acquire the Torah, they were not given to you? Behold, it is written (Deuteronomy 30:14), "But the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart to do it."' [So] he immediately thought in his heart and raised his voice in crying. I said to him, 'My son, Let it not be bad to you, as all those that come to the world are rebuked once they come and are pulled away from Torah, as it is stated (Isaiah 19:9), "And embarrassed will be the workers of flax, the combers and weavers of holes."' And it is about him and those similar to him, and those that do like his deeds. And the last word is the fear of the Lord; and those that do it with faithfulness - his craft will be counted and he is fitting for life in the world to come.'"
+
+Siman 3
+
+<b>Behold, your days to die have approached:</b> Moshe said in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the Universe, With the word that I complemented You - as I said, 'Behold, to the Lord, your God, is the Heavens and the Heavens of the Heavens' (Deuteronomy 10:14) - You are shaming me?" Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to him, "You are similar to a bad neighbor who sees what comes in [the house], but does not see what goes out. So did you say about my children, 'Behold, the Children of Israel will not listen to me' (Exodus 6:12) - and you put out slander about My children." 
+
+Ha'Azinu
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+
+<b>Listen, heavens and I will speak:</b> Happy is the one born of a woman who says like this to the creation of the Heavens. As a king would say to his servants, "Listen and hear my words"; so did he say to the heavens and the earth, "Be quiet until all of my words are finished." "Listen, heavens": This is what is stated in the verse (Jeremiah 32:36) - "If the heavens above could be measured, and the foundations of the earth below could be fathomed, then would I also reject all the seed of Israel." Since they exist forever and Israel exists forever, they were summoned to testify that Israel is observing the Torah and the commandments. But if, God forbid, they negate them, the hand of the witnesses will be the first against them, to kill them. It is written (Deuteronomy 11:17), "and He will shut up the skies and there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its produce." Hence, he summoned them to testify when Israel is observing the Torah and the commandments. But if, God forbid, they refuse, the hand of the witnesses will be the first against them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 31:28), "and I will bring the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you." And this is why he brought them for testimony - as it is [found] in the Pesikta [that] man is compared to the twelve constellations: At the beginning when he is born, he is compared to a lamb, as he is soft, but he grows up to be like an ox. When he grows [older], he becomes twins, meaning to say complete, and the evil impulse grows in him. And at the beginning, it is weak like a crab; but afterwards when it grows, it becomes strong like a lion. And if he sins, it becomes like a virgin. And if he adds [more] transgressions, they are measured in the scales. And if he continues in his rebellion, he is brought down to the pit below, to the pit and <i>Geihinom</i> - like a scorpion placed in the earth and in ditches. But if he repents, he is thrown out - like one who slings his arrows with a bow. That is why we are accustomed to mention the dead on Shabbat, so that they do not return to <i>Geihinom</i>. As so is it [found] in Torat Kohanim (on Deuteronomy 21:8), "'Atone for your people' - those are the living; 'that You have redeemed' - those are the dead. From here, [we learn] that the living redeem the dead." Hence we are accustomed to mention the dead on Yom Kippur and to distribute charity for their sake. As so did we learn in Torat Kohanim, "It is possible that from when they died, charity does not help them. [Hence] we learn to say, 'that You have redeemed.'" From here, [we learn] that when we distribute charity for their sake, we take them out and bring them up like an arrow from the bow. He [then] immediately becomes soft like a goat and is rendered pure like the time that he was born, and we pour pure water from a pail upon him.  And he grows with great pleasure like a fish enjoying the water. So does he immerse at all times in the rivers of <i>afarsimon</i> and milk, and oil and honey; and he always eats from the tree of life that is planted inside the partition of the righteous, and its branches leans over the table of each and every righteous one. And he lives forever. To here is new. But from here and onward is from the old.
+
+Siman 2
+
+
+
+Siman 3
+
+
+
+Siman 4
+
+<b>The Rock, His action is perfect:</b> Yishaiyahu said, "Pursue the Lord in His being found" (Isaiah 55:6), and David said, "Pursue the Lord and His might, etc." (I Chronicles 16:11). Why did he [continue to] say, "seek His face always?" To teach you [that] the Holy One, blessed be He - may His name be blessed - sometimes appears and sometimes does not appear; sometimes hears and sometimes does not want to hear; sometimes answers and sometimes does not answer; sometimes is pursued and sometimes is not pursued; sometimes is found and sometimes is not found; sometimes is close and sometimes is not close. How is this? He appeared to Moshe, as it is stated (Exodus 33:11), "And the Lord spoke to Moshe." He went back and disappeared from him, when he said to Him, "Please show me Your glory" (Exodus 33:18). And so [too,] He appeared to Israel at Sinai, as it is stated (Exodus 24:10), "And they saw the God of Israel," and it states (Exodus 24:17), "And the appearance of the glory of the Lord." [But] He went back and disappeared from them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:15), "since you did not see any picture," and it states (Deuteronomy 4:15), "the voice of words do you hear." And when Israel were in Egypt in torturous subjugation, "And God heard their moaning" (Exodus 2:24). [But] when they sinned, "The Lord did not hear your voice and did not listen to you" (Deuteronomy 1:45). He answered Shmuel at Mitspeh, as it is stated (I Samuel 7:9), "and Shmuel cried out to the Lord [...] and the Lord answered Shmuel." [But] He went back and did not answer Him, as it is stated (I Samuel 16:1), "And the Lord said to Shmuel, 'Until when are you mourning for Shaul.'" He answered David - and it stated (Psalms 34:5), "I have pursued the Lord and He answered me." [But] He went back and did not answer him, as it is stated (II Samuel 12:16), "and David fasted a fast, and he went in and laid down on the ground," and it is written (II Samuel 12:14), "also the child that is born to you will surely die." And at the time that Israel repents, He is found for them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:29), "And from there, you will seek the Lord, your God [and you will find Him]." But if they do not repent, "They will go with their sheep and cattle to seek the Lord, but they will not find Him; He has cast them off" (Hosea 5:6). Sometimes He is close, as it is stated (Psalms 145:18), "Close is the Lord to all who call to Him"; [but] sometimes He is not close, as it is stated (Proverbs 15:29), "Far from evildoers is the Lord." And it is written (Numbers 6:26), "And the Lord shall lift His face"; but [another[ verse states (Deuteronomy 10:17), "Who does not lift the face." [Only] if [one] repents, He lifts His face to him. It is possible [that He does this] for all. [Hence] we learn to say "to you" (Numbers 6:26) - but not to another nation; as it is stated (Jeremiah 4:14), "Wash your heart from evil, Jerusalem, in order that you be saved" - if they repent. But if not, "Even if you wash with natron [... your iniquity is before Me]" (Jeremiah 2:22). Hence Yishaiyahu said, "Pursue the Lord in His being found; call to Him in His being close." [There is a relevant] parable: To what is the matter similar? To a king who said to his servants, "Go out and announce in all of my dominion that I am sitting and judging financial cases. Anyone who has an issue with his fellow - let him come in front of Me, and I will judge him favorably, [now] before I sit to judge capital cases." And so [too,] did the Holy One, blessed be He - may His name be blessed - say to Israel, "My sons, Know that I judge the world at these four periods: At Pesach about the grain; at [Shavouot] about the fruit of the trees; at Rosh HaShanah, all those that come to the world come in front of me like <i>bnei Maron</i>; and at [Sukkot] about the water. On three of these periods, I sit to judge financial cases, to make wealthy or make poor, to increase or to decrease. But on Rosh HaShanah, I judge capital cases, whether for death or life - as you say in the shofar blows of Rav, 'And upon it is said, about the provinces, etc.' But if you repent with a full heart, I will accept you and judge you favorably. As the gates of the Heavens are open and I will hear your prayers, since I 'observe from the windows, peer through the lattice,' [now] before I seal the judgement on Yom Kippur." Hence it is stated, "Pursue the Lord in His being found." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said, "[There is a relevant] parable: To what is the matter similar? To a king who resided in a province and the people of the province were angering him. The king got angry and went outside of it [a distance of] ten <i>mil</i> and he stayed there. A man saw him, [and] he said to the people of the province, 'Know that the king is angry with you and he is seeking to send his legions upon the city to destroy it. Go out and appease him and he will return to you, before he distances himself from you.' A clever man was there, [and] he said to them, 'Fools, While the king was with you, you did not seek to appease him. And now before he distances himself, go out to him. Maybe he will accept you.'" Hence it is stated, "Pursue the Lord in His being found" - these are the ten days of repentance, that he is found among you, as so did Yechezkel say, "a wall between Me and them" (Ezekiel 43:8). This is "call to Him in His being close. Let the evildoer leave his path and a man his thoughts of iniquity and return to the Lord and He will have mercy upon him" (Isaiah 55:6-7).
+
+Siman 5
+
+<b>The Rock, His action is perfect, etc. righteous (<i>tsadik</i>):</b> as He does charity  (<i>tsedakot</i>) with His children. When He sees a man who is poor and has good deeds in his hand, and he prays in front of Him and says, "Like Your great name, do charity for me" - the Holy One, blessed be He, opens His treasuries and gives to him. This is this - as He gives charity. And this is what David stated, "How abundant is Your goodness that You have in store, etc." (Psalms 31:20). Said David in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, "I know that you have many treasuries of charity. But if you do not distribute them to me and my fellows that need [it], for what is Your abundant goodness?" "Do - you recompense the Lord thus": The [letter,] <i>hay</i> (which is the word, Do,) is removed from [the word,] the Lord. Why? As it is the end of the signature of Moshe: Take the beginning of the words of the verses until the <i>hay</i> of "Do - you the Lord" - such as the <i>hay</i> from "Listen (<i>Haazinu</i>)," the <i>yod</i> from "Come down (<i>Yeaarof</i>)," the <i>kaf</i> from "For (<i>Ki</i>) I call the name of the Lord," the <i>hay</i> from "The Rock (<i>Hatsur</i>)," the <i>shin</i> from "Destruction (<i>Shichet</i>) of His," and the <i>hay</i> from "Do - you the Lord" - and you will find that it all amounts to the numerical equivalent of the count of [the letters of] Moshe. And that is the signature of Moshe - like a man who completes his book and signs his name at the end of his book. And hence the <i>hay</i> is removed from the Lord.
+
+Siman 6
+
+<b>Is He not your Father, your Maker (<i>kanecha</i>):</b> He is the one who acquired (<i>kana</i>) you. [It is] as we have found in Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer: When the Holy One, blessed be He, came to mix up the generation of the dispersion (of the Tower of Babel), the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the angels, the ministers of all the nations, "Come and we will choose lots, to whom the nations will come up" - a nation for each one of them, and which will come up to [be] His lot.  [So] they picked lots, and Israel fell to the portion of the Holy One, blessed be He. As it is written, "When the Highest One gave inheritance to the peoples." And so [too,] does it state, "For the portion of the Lord is His people, Yaakov the lot of his inheritance." Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, called Israel, 'the exchange of other nations.' And that is what the Sages said (Avot 6:10), "Israel is one acquisition." And that is [the meaning of] "Is He not your Father, your Maker." 
+
+Siman 7
+
+<b>Remember the days of yore; understand the years of each generation:</b> Always should a man check the names to call his son one that is fitting to be righteous - as sometimes the name causes good or causes bad, as we found by the scouts (Numbers 13:4-15): Shamua son of Zakur, since he did not listen (<i>shama</i>) to the words of the Omnipresent, and it was as if he asked his male (<i>zikhuro</i>) organ (a type of divination), as it states (I Samuel 15:23), "For rebellion is like the sin of divination"; Shafat son of Chori, since he did not judge (<i>shafat</i>) his [evil] inclination, and he was made a hole (<i>chori</i>) from the earth; Yigal son of Yosef, since he put out (perhaps alluding to the word, reveal - <i>yigal</i>) evil speech, hence he was gathered (<i>neesaf</i>) before his time; Palti son of Rafu - he removed (<i>palat</i>) good deeds, and his hands were weakened(<i>rafu</i>); Gadiel son of Sodi - he spoke words as harsh as tendons (<i>gidim</i>); Gadi son of Susi - he threw words [accusingly] towards the Above and brought up grief (<i>sisia</i>), [as] he was the one that said, "it is a land that consumes its inhabitants" (Numbers 13:32); Amiel son of Gemali - he soured (<i>haamah</i>) his strength, since he said, "since it is stronger than us" (Numbers 13:31), and he caused (<i>gamal</i>) himself that he did not enter the Land of Israel; Setur son of Michael, since it was in his heart to contradict (<i>listor</i>) what is written - who is like God (<i>mi hu ke'El</i>), the Lord, as it states (Deuteronomy 33:26), "There is none like the God of Yeshurun"; Nachbi son of Vofsi - he hid (<i>hechbi</i>) the truth and ended (<i>pasah</i>) faith from his mouth - as in "the faithful ones have ended (<i>pasah</i>) among people" (Psalms 12:2) - to say lying words about the Holy One, blessed be He, and he became weak (<i>makh</i>). 
+
+Siman 8
+
+<b>He guards him like the pupil of His eye:</b> The Holy One, blessed be He, guards those tested by Him, like a man guards the pupil of his eye. And there is a story of a very rich and popular man, and he had a daughter who was of very beautiful appearance and pious. And she married three times to three men, but on the morrow of each first night of her marriage, they would take out her husband dead. She said, "Men shall no longer die due to me - I will sit as a widow and a chained woman (<i>agunah</i>) until the Omnipresent sees and has mercy." She sat [like this] many days. And that wealthy man had a very poor brother in a different province, and he had ten sons. And on each and every day, he and his biggest son would would bring bundles of wood from the forest and sell them. And from that, he, his wife and his children would support themselves. One time, they did not sell it and they did not have money to buy bread; and [so] that day, they did not eat the whole day. They went to the forest and the father fainted. The son's eyes poured tears about their poverty and he hung his eyes to the Above. The son thought in his heart - he took leave from his father and from his mother and he went to the province of his uncle. And when he came to [his uncle's] house, his uncle was very happy about him, as was his wife and his daughter. They asked him about his father and about his mother and about the children. He stayed with [the uncle] for seven days. At the end of seven days, the lad came to his uncle. He said to him, "I have one request to ask from you; do not turn me away." His uncle said to him, "Say what you want, my son." He said to him, "Swear to me." And so he did. He said, "This is the request that I am asking from you - that you give me your daughter as a wife." When the man heard, he cried. He said to him, "Don't, my son, don't - as such is her trait, due to my iniquities." He said to him, "[Nonetheless]." He said to him, "If it is for the [sake] of my money that you are seizing upon her, do not marry her - as I will give you much silver and gold, since you are a fine and wise lad. But upon my advice, do not endanger yourself with her." He said, "You have already sworn about this thing." The rich man examined the thing and agreed to him. He came to his daughter and explained the things to her. When she heard this, she cried and yelled out from the bitterness of her soul. And she hung her eyes to the Above, and she said, "Master of the Universe, May your hand be upon me, and let not all of these die due to me." What did [the rich man] do? He betrothed her and made a party and called the elders of the city and made  a canopy and the groom sat within it. And an elder chanced there - and it was Eliyahu the prophet - and he called [the groom] to speak with him [privately]. And he said to him, "My son, I will counsel you proper advice and do not budge from my advice. When you sit to repast, a poor man will come to you, dressed in torn black clothes, barefoot and tired, his hair like nails - a poor man that has none like him in the whole world. When you see him, rise from your seat and seat him next to you, give him to eat and to drink and serve him with all of your strength and honor him. And do not neglect anything from all that I have told you; and you shall stay in peace and I will go upon my way." The elder left and the groom came to his place. They [all] sat at the party. When they began to eat, that poor man came. And when the groom saw him, he rose from his place and did everything for him that the elder told him. After the party, that poor man called the groom, [and] he brought him to the room. He said to him, "My son, I am the messenger of the Omnipresent, and I have come here to take your soul." He said to him, "My master, give me a year's time or half a year." He said to him, "I will not do [so]." He said to him, "If so, give me thirty days or seven days of the party." He said to him, "I will not even give you a day, as your time has already come." He said to him, "I plead of you, Wait for me until I go and take leave of my wife." He said to him, "About this thing I will lift your face (indulge you), but go quickly." He went to the room and she was sitting alone and crying and praying to her Maker. The lad called to her, and she came to open [the door] for him, [and] brought him into the room with her. She held him and kissed him, [and] said to him, "My brother, why have you come?" He said to her, "To take leave from you, as my time has come to go in the way of all the world - since the angel came and told me that he came to seek my soul." She said to him, "Do not go but sit here, and I will go to him and I will speak to him." She went and found him, [and] said to him, "Are you the angel that has come to seek the soul of my husband?" He said, "Yes." She said to him, "He shall not die now - it is written in the Torah (Deuteronomy 24:5), 'When a man takes a woman for a wife, he shall not go out with the army nor be assigned to it for any purpose; he shall be exempt one year for his household, to rejoice his wife that he has married.' And the Holy One, blessed be He, is true and His Torah is true, but if you take his soul, you will make the Torah, a fraud. [So,] if you accept my words, good; but if not, come with me to the great court. Immediately, the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked the angel, and he left. At night, the groom and the bride laid together, but the father of the bride and her mother were crying in their room. And when midnight arrived, the man and his wife got up to prepare a grave for their son-in-law before the rising of the dawn. When they got up, they heard the groom and bride laughing and joyful together. They went into the room to see the thing. They saw and they rejoiced and they announced the thing to the community and gave thanks to the Lord. And this is that which the Holy One, blessed be He, guards those that have faith in Him. 
+
+V'Zot HaBerachah
+
+
+
+Siman 1
+