{ "language": "en", "title": "Midrash Tanchuma", "versionSource": "https://www.nli.org.il/he/books/NNL_ALEPH001350458", "versionTitle": "Midrash Tanhuma-Yelammedenu, trans. Samuel A. Berman", "status": "locked", "priority": 1.0, "license": "CC-BY", "digitizedBySefaria": true, "versionTitleInHebrew": "מדרש תנחומא-ילמדנו, מתורגם בידי סמואל א' ברמן", "actualLanguage": "en", "languageFamilyName": "english", "isBaseText": false, "isSource": false, "direction": "ltr", "heTitle": "מדרש תנחומא", "categories": [ "Midrash", "Aggadah" ], "text": { "Foreword": [ "An English Translation of Genesis and Exodus from the Printed Version of Tanhuma-Yelammedenu with an Introduction, Notes, and Indexes", "by", "Samuel A. Berman", "KTAV Publishing House, Inc. Hoboken, New Jersey", "Dedicated to my beloved wife Florence, whose faith, love and support have made this work possible,", "and", "to the membership of Temple Beth-El, whose friendship, loyalty, and devotion made fifty years of service a richly rewarding experience.", "", "Bodleian Library Ms. Opp. 20 folio lr (reproduced with permission)." ], "Introduction": [ "The genre of Jewish literature known as Midrash has been poetically described as “the hammer that awakens the slumbering sparks on the anvil of the Bible.” The midrashic process utilizes a variety of methods, including expositions, explanations, gematria, plays on words, legends, and parables, to broaden our understanding of the full meaning of the biblical text. The conscientious application of this methodology has made the Midrash Tanhuma, and the other Midrashim, a vital source of influence on Jewish life and thought throughout the centuries. The “hammer” of the Midrash elicited new insights into the historic events depicted in Scripture and produced a fuller understanding and awareness of the spiritual, moral, and ethical truths and values stated laconically in the Pentateuch.", "By answering questions the Torah left unanswered, the Midrashim made the terse style of the biblical message more meaningful and relevant in the lives of those who heard them when they were first spoken on the Sabbath and festival days. Their impact was equally strong upon those who studied them and reflected upon them in the years that followed. Their ageless popularity is attested to by the considerable number of midrashic manuscripts in our possession and by the frequency with which midrashic works have been published and republished in more recent times. In fact, it may safely be said, the Midrashim served as the lifeline that made it possible for the Jewish people to survive the unceasing torrent of humiliation, hatred, and violence that flowed around them and over them through the centuries.", "Told and retold generation after generation, the Midrashim brought purpose, direction, and hope to the lives of the Jews, helping them to endure whatever trials they experienced. The Midrashim served as a balm for their aching hearts by making the concept of the world-to-come and the blessing it would bring a reality for them. The Sifré summarizes the ultimate goal and purpose of the Midrash when it tells us: “If you desire to know Him who spoke and the world came into being, learn the Aggadah, for from it you will come to know the Holy One, blessed be He, and cling to His ways.”1Sifré on Deuteronomy 11:22.", "The Midrash Tanhuma Yelammedenu is the only complete midrashic text on the Pentateuch that until now has not been translated into English, and that is why I undertook the task of providing an English rendering. The name Tanhuma Yelammedenu was assigned arbitrarily to this homiletical compilation and is found in a number of manuscripts and in several printed editions.2The earliest printed editions: Constantinople 1522, Venice 1545, Mantua 1562. The text I translated was printed in Vienna 1863. The first half of the title, Tanhuma, was adopted from the name of Tanhuma bar Abba, one of the most prolific aggadists in Jewish literature, who lived in the fourth century C.E. Numerous sayings quoted in his name in the text account for the attribution of this work to him. The second half of the title, Yelammedenu, is, in fact, part of a formula, yelammedenu rabbenu, “may our master teach us,” which is repeated frequently in this Midrash. Scholars are in agreement that this formula was the title of a midrashic text that existed long before our Midrash was compiled. Though that work has been lost to us, quotations using the formula are to be found in a number of other Midrashim,3Buber’s Tanhuma text, Pesikta Rabbati, Numbers Rabbah, Deuteronomy Rabbah. as well as in our Tanhuma Yelammedenu.", "There is, it seems to me, a possible explanation for the adoption of the word yelammedenu as part of the name of this work that has some merit. One of the manuscripts of our Midrash opens with the words yelammedenu rabbenu; it may very well be that the printer of the first edition utilized this manuscript in printing his text and, as a consequence, incorporated yelammedenu into the name. A facsimile of the title page is included in this volume.", "The arbitrariness of the choice of Tanhuma Yelammedenu as the work’s title is evidenced in the Arukh, the dictionary of the Talmud compiled by R. Nathan of Rome in the eleventh century, in which he credits some of the words he defines either to Tanhuma or to Yelammedenu. Similarly, Rashi, in his commentaries, refers to Tanhuma and Yelammedenu separately as the sources for certain of his comments.4See Jewish Encyclopedia 8:796. The author of the Yalkut had two collections before him, one called Tanhuma, the other Yelammedenu. This fact clearly indicates that both Rashi and R. Nathan had two different texts before them, one entitled Tanhuma, and the other, Yelammedenu.", "To add to the confusion and uncertainty concerning the compiler of this Midrash and the time and place of its compilation, Solomon Buber, in 1885, published an edition of a Midrash Tanhuma based primarily upon an Oxford University manuscript, Opp. 20.5Buber in his introductory volume lists the manuscripts available to him. Since the publication of his edition, additional material containing midrashim similar to those in his edition or to the one I have translated have been found, and some of them have been translated. In the introductory volume of his edition, he asserted that it was the oldest Midrash extant, preceding even Genesis Rabbah.6Buber Tanhuma, vol. 1, p. 6. That claim has been challenged by many scholars, among them Leopold Zunz, who maintain that Genesis Rabbah was compiled in the sixth century, soon after the completion of the Babylonian Talmud, and that it existed long before the Tanhuma edited by Buber.7See L. Zunz, Vorträge der Juden; M. Waxman, Jewish Literature, vol. 1, p. 139; H. Strack, Introduction to the Talmud and Midrash, p. 218.", "The first half of Buber’s edition, Genesis and Exodus, differs to a considerable degree from our text. The second half of Buber’s edition, the books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, which are included in the third volume, is in part similar to our text, except that our Midrash contains additional sections, under a heading adopted from Ecclesiastes 1:10, “It hath been already,” indicating earlier sources not utilized by the compiler of the Buber Tanhuma. We find, as well, passages in our Midrash attributed to the Mekhilta of R. Ishmael, a tannaitic Midrash compiled prior to 200 C.E., that are not contained in Buber’s edition.", "The Midrash Tanhuma Yelammedenu is a homiletical Midrash divided according to the Palestinian practice of reading the Torah in a triennial cycle. This fact, together with the preponderance of sayings quoted in the name of Palestinian sages, has led some midrashic authorities to maintain that it was compiled in Palestine. Other scholars insist that the references to the Babylonian academies, the inclusion of passages from the She’iltot of Rav Ahai Gaon, who lived in Babylon when he wrote the She’iltot, and the quotation of a considerable number of earlier Babylonian teachers, indicate that the Tanhuma was produced in Babylon. Concerning the date of the completion of this text, we may assume from the inclusion of the She’iltot passages and the references to heretics (i.e., the Karaites) that the earliest manuscript of this text was completed in the late eighth or the ninth century.", "Three different types of homilies are apparent in Tanhuma Yelammedenu. In the first type, a verse from the weekly Torah reading is presented as the subject of the discourse. This is followed by a proem, or introductory verse, from some other portion of Scripture, either Pentateuch, Prophets, or Writings. At first glance some of the proems appear to have little, if any, relationship to the verse from the Torah reading, but after the homilist expands upon the proem, he arrives at a conclusion that confirms the subject of his homily.", "The second type of homily has as its proem a halakhic question, which is introduced with the formula yelammedenu rabbenu, “may our master teach us.” The speaker responds briefly to this query, since it is intended primarily to lead to the aggadic discourse that follows. The homily ultimately arrives at a conclusion that supports the opening verse.", "The third type of homily has no proem. In this instance, the speaker finds questions and concerns within the verse from the weekly reading that broaden its meaning. He then concludes with a peroration describing the blessings that await us in the world-to-come.", "It should be understood that these homilies are not as well organized or as consistent in structure as the preceding description might suggest. We must bear in mind as we read this Midrash and the others that they are not transcripts of sermons as actually preached. By the time the recension of the first Tanhuma Yelammedenu text took place, much had been lost in the transmission; and much was subsequently added by the scribes who copied the manuscripts. Some of the homilies ultimately became obscure and difficult to follow.", "The following illustrations provide an example of each of the homily types described above, and are based upon the same verse taken from the Torah reading: And the Lord called unto Moses (Lev. 1:1).", "The proem in the first type of homily is from the Book of Psalms: Ye mighty in strength that fulfill His word, hearkening unto the voice of His word (Ps. 103:20). R. Huna maintained that this verse refers to Israel, who became mighty when they hearkened to His voice and exclaimed: We will do and we will hear (Exod. 19:8). (They responded positively even before they knew God’s commands.) R. Isaac the smith said: Those who observe the Sabbatical year are ye mighty in strength. Why? Because they control their evil inclinations when their fields are open and available to those who would pick their crops from the corner of this field or during the Sabbatical year. Finally, the homilist informs us that Moses was mighty in strength, for he alone heard the voice of His word when God called unto him. Ye mighty in strength, the midrash is teaching us, are those who fulfill His word.", "The proem in the second type of homily, as stated above, is a halakhic question introduced by the formula yelammedenu rabbenu, “may our master teach us”: Is the one reciting the prayers (i.e., the Amidah, or “standing prayer”) before the ark permitted to repeat the prayers if he previously failed to recite the one that deals with heretics? Indeed, he must do so, lest the congregation come to the conclusion that he himself is a heretic (and therefore intentionally ignored the prayer about heretics). The repetition is also required if he should omit the prayer relating to the “builder of Jerusalem.” Otherwise, the congregation might think that he is a Samaritan (and therefore descended from those who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Babylonian Exile). However, the reader of the prayers is not required to repeat any other prayer he may have omitted. The homilist then proceeds to discuss the treatment to be accorded to a prospective convert who is thoroughly familiar with the minutiae of both the Written Law (Torah) and the Oral Law (Talmud), but denies the Oneness of God. He must not be accepted into the congregation no matter how well informed in the Torah he may be. However, the stranger who abandons idolatry must be warmly welcomed into the congregation (though he may be uninformed in the Torah). Why? Because I (God) love him, as it is said: And He loveth the stranger in giving him food and raiment (Deut. 10:18). The message of this Midrash is that God’s love extends to all who abandon idolatry and acknowledge the Oneness of God.", "The third type of homily, which has no proem, is based directly upon the verse from the Torah reading: He called unto Moses. From where did He call? the homilist asks. He called from the Tent of Meeting, which had been erected in the terrestrial sphere, and in which His Shekhinah resided. Why did He descend to that place? Because of His love for Israel. However, He called only to Moses, for it was Moses who received (on Mount Sinai) the entire Torah. As a consequence of his willingness to accept the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, assures Moses that when the righteous enter their heavenly abode, he will lead them there. In this Midrash we are told that the righteous are promised the blessings of the world-to-come.", "In translating the Tanhuma Yelammedenu, I sought to follow the text as closely as possible in order to retain as much of the flavor of the original as I could. However, when the text was incomplete or unclear, I added, in parentheses, whatever additional words or explanations would make the homily more understandable. Frequently, I completed a biblical verse that had been abbreviated by a midrashic speaker who assumed that his congregation was familiar with it.", "The biblical passages that are the subjects of the sermons are printed in larger type at the beginning of each sermon. Quotations from Scripture in the body of the homily, whether extended or single words, are printed in italics. By and large, I used as my source the Old Jewish Publication Society translation of the Hebrew Bible (1916), but often it was only a starting point, for I have made a number of changes for the sake of accuracy, clarity, or to highlight the midrashic sermonizer’s understanding of the text.", "In the transliteration of Hebrew, I did not distinguish between heh and het, indicating both with the English letter h. With regard to plays on words, a procedure utilized with great frequency in the Midrash, I have transliterated the Hebrew words involved, in order to show the exact nature of the word-play, and have also provided their English translations, so as to make the meaning evident.", "The notes for each book of the Bible are included at the end of that book. There are three indices at the conclusion of the translated text, one of biblical verses, one of the names of the rabbis mentioned in the text, and a general index of the entire work.", "My desire to undertake this translation of the Tanhuma Yelammedenu was influenced by Dr. Julian Obermann of blessed memory, who was my teacher in Midrash at the Jewish Institute of Religion. He aroused my interest in undertaking this work many years ago, but the heavy burdens of an active ministry at Temple Beth-El in Jersey City, New Jersey, delayed its completion until the present." ], "Bereshit": [ [ "With1The prefix bet in the first word of the Torah can be translated as “with,” “in,”, “by means of,” etc. the beginning (Gen. 1:1). This is what Scripture means when it says: The Lord with wisdom2“Beginning” and “wisdom” are synonyms for “Torah” in rabbinic literature. See Schechter, Aspects of Rabbinic Theology, p. 129. founded the earth (Prov. 3:19). That is, when the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to create this world, He consulted the Torah3Seven things were created two thousand years before the creation of heaven and earth, and the Torah was one of them. before embarking upon the work of creation, as it is said: Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine (ibid. 8:14). How was the Torah written? It was written with letters of black fire on a surface of white fire, as is said: His locks are curled and black as a raven (Song 5:11). What is meant by His locks are curled?4The word taltalim (“curls”) is read as tille tillim (“heaps upon heaps”). Each letter in the Torah has numerous strokes upon it which, according to tradition, represent heaps upon heaps of laws. Cf. Leviticus Rabbah 19:2, Song of Songs Rabbah 5:11–12. It means that each crowned stroke on the letters of the Torah contains heaps and heaps of law. For example, it is written in the Torah: Profane not My Holy Name (Lev. 22:2); but if you should change the het in the word yehallelu (“profane”) into a heh, the word would read “praise,” and you would thereby destroy the world. Conversely, where it is written Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord (Ps. 150:6), if you should alter the heh in the word tehallel (“praise”) into a het, the word would read “profane,” and you would thereby destroy the world.", "Similarly, in the verse Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One (Deut. 6:4), if you should change the dalet in the word ehad (“one”) into a resh, the word would then read aher (“another”), and you would thereby destroy the world, since it is said: For thou shalt not bow to another god (Exod. 34:14). Likewise, in the verse They have lied against the Lord (Jer. 5:12), if you should change the preposition bet (“against”) into the preposition kaf (“like”), you would thereby destroy the world.", "Again, in the verse There is none holy as the Lord (I Sam. 2:2), if you alter the preposition kaf (“as”) to read bet (“in”), you would thereby destroy the world.", "If a slight change in a single letter can produce such drastic consequences, how much more so the alteration of a complete word. Such, then, is the meaning of His locks are curled. Accordingly David praised God by saying: Thy commandment is exceedingly broad (Ps. 119:96); and elsewhere in Scripture it says: The measure thereof is longer than the earth (Job 11:9).", "The Torah served as an artisan in all the work of creation, as it is said: Then I was with Him, as a nursling (amon) (Prov. 8:30). However, you do not read the word as amon (“nursling”), but as uman (“artisan”), since it was with the assistance of the Torah that God stretched out the heavens and established the earth, as it is said: If My covenant be not with day and night, if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth (Jer. 33:25). With it, He bound up the sea lest it should go forth and overflow the world, as it is said: Fear ye not Me? saith the Lord; nor will ye not tremble at My presence who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea (ibid. 5:22). With it, also, He locked up the deep so that it might not inundate the world, as is written: When He set a circle on the face of the deep (Prov. 8:27). Similarly, He fashioned with it the sun and the moon, as is said: The Lord giveth the sun to light the day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars to light the night. Who stirreth up the sea, that the waves thereof roar, the Lord of hosts is His name (Jer. 31:35). Hence, you learn that the world was founded upon the Torah.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah to the Israelites so that they might devote themselves to it and to its commandments day and night, as it is said: But thou shalt meditate therein day and night (Josh. 1:8). And it says elsewhere: But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by streams of water (Ps. 1:2–3).", "(Furthermore,) the world endures because of those who guard the law, as Hannah stated: For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s (I Sam. 2:8). Who are the pillars of the earth? They are the guardians of the law, for whose sake alone the world was fashioned, as is said: He hath fashioned the world because of them (ibid.).", "It has been taught on the authority of R. Simeon the son of Lakish: Why does Scripture say of the creation process (simply) first day, second day, third day, fourth day, fifth day, the sixth day, adding the definite article (heh)5The numerical value of heh is five. only in this instance, so that it reads the sixth day? This is to teach us, the rabbi explained, that God made an agreement with the works of creation in which he declared: If Israel accepts the Torah, in which there are five books, well and good, but if not I will return you to a state unformed and void (Gen. 1:2). Hence the sons of Korah exclaimed: When the earth and the inhabitants thereof trembled, I Myself established the pillars of it (Ps. 75:4). The word pillars in this verse refers to the Torah, which the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed at Sinai.", "Moses, our teacher, merited receiving the Torah, for the sole of the Torah is humility and its crown is fear. The sole of the Torah is humility, as it is said: The base of humility is the fear of the Lord (Prov. 22:4), and its crown is fear, as it is said: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 110:10).", "Both these attributes were possessed by our teacher, Moses. As to humility, it is stated: And the man Moses was very humble (Num. 12:3), and as to fear, it is written: For he feared to look upon God (Exod. 3:6).", "Our teachers maintained that in reward for three things Moses was granted three things. As a reward for And Moses hid his face (Exod. 3:6), he was granted The skin of his face sent forth beams (ibid. 34:30); as a reward for For He feared (ibid. 3:6), he was granted They were afraid to come nigh unto him (ibid. 34:30); and as a reward for He was afraid to look (ibid. 3:6), he was granted The similitude of the Lord doth he behold (Num. 12:18).", "The reward for the observance of the Torah, however, is bestowed not in this world but in the world-to-come, as Scripture states in the verse: Which I command thee this day to do them (Deut. 7:11); that is, to do them today and not in the world-to-come. “(I command thee) this day to do them, but I do not decree that you should receive the reward for their observance today.” Hence Solomon said (of the woman of valor): Strength and dignity are her clothing; and she laugheth at the time to come (Prov. 31:25); (inasmuch as her reward will be given to her in the time to come).", "Observe the reward given for the observance of the Torah from the example of Pharaoh. Because Pharaoh said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh (Gen. 41:44), Joseph was exalted by him exceedingly, as it is said: And Pharaoh took off his signet ring and put it upon Joseph’s hand (ibid., v. 42). How much greater, then, is the reward bestowed by the Holy One, blessed be He, who with every commandment declares, I am the Lord (Exod. 31:13). (What else do we learn from this?) We learn from this that there is no limit to the reward given for the observance of the Torah. David foresaw this and declared: Oh how abundant is Thy goodness which Thou has laid up for them that fear Thee (Ps. 31:20).", "Nowhere in the entire creation narrative does the word “He wrought”6The rewards awaiting one who observes the laws of the Torah are so numerous and wondrous that God was compelled to labor to prepare them. In contrast, the entire act of creation was achieved merely by means of the spoken word: By the word of the Lord, etc. (Ps. 33:6). occur other than with reference to the reward bestowed in the hereafter upon those who have observed the Torah. Concerning them it is said, Thou has wrought for them that take refuge in Thee (ibid.).", "You find that the Holy One, blessed be He, discloses prior to their death the reward to be given to those who devote themselves to the Torah. It happened that when R. Abahu was about to depart from this world, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to him thirteen streams of balsam oil. Thereupon, he said to his disciples: “Happy are you who devote yourselves to the study of the Torah.” “Master,” they asked, “what is it that you have seen?” He replied, “The Holy One, blessed be He, gave me thirteen streams of balsam oil in reward for studying the Torah.” And then he went on to say, Yet I have said, “In vain have I labored, I have spent my strength for nought and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God” (Isa. 49:4).", "It is because of the reward given to those who devote themselves to the Torah that Isaiah declared: Happy are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth freely the feet of the ox and the ass (ibid. 32:20). The words that sow beside all waters refer to those who devote themselves to the study of the Torah, which is compared to water, as it is said: Ho! Everyone that thirsteth, come ye for water (ibid. 55:1); the word ox alludes to the Messiah of the House of Joseph,7A descendant of the house of Joseph will precede the coming of the Davidic Messiah. Cf. B. Sukkah 52a. who is compared to an ox; and the ass refers to the Messiah of the House of David, for it is said of him: Lowly and riding upon an ass (Zech. 9:9).", "Scripture states, concerning the reward that students of the Torah will receive after their deaths: And from old, men have not heard or perceived by ear, neither hath the eye seen a God beside Thee who worketh for him who waiteth for Him (Isa. 64:3). Furthermore, it states: Happy are they who are upright in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord (Ps. 119:1); that is to say, Happy are they who honor masters of the Torah. And it says also: It is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is everyone that holdeth her fast (Prov. 3:18).", "Similarly, Moses declared: For if ye shall diligently guard (Deut. 11:22); that is, if you guard diligently the students of Torah, then you shall be guarded in turn. Hence Scripture states: For them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed (I Sam. 2:30). This verse alludes to those who honor the students of the Torah.", "What is more, there is a tradition to the effect that the object particle (et)8The et is a particle of the objective case and frequently, when employed in Scripture, has the meaning of “with,” thereby adding a new thought to the verse. The particle et gave rise to a method of biblical interpretation by implication. See B. Pesahim 22b, Jastrow. in the verse Thou shalt fear (et) the Lord thy God (Deut. 6:13) alludes to reverence for the scholars of the Torah as well as to fear of the Lord. This is so because there is no virtue comparable to the study of the Torah, as it is said: It is more precious than peninim (“innermost”) (Prov. 3:15); that is to say, it is more precious than the high priest who serves in the innermost part of the sanctuary.", "Scripture itself declares: Happy is the man that hearkeneth unto Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My door (ibid. 8:34). This verse indicates that no harm will befall the person who hearkens unto the Torah, for it is written: Whosoever hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell securely and shall be quiet without fear of evil (ibid. 1:33). Furthermore it states: When thou walkest, it shall lead thee (ibid. 6:22)." ], [ "A Question.9Sections 2 and 3 of “In the Beginning” and the fourth section of “Noah” were taken from the She’iltot of R. Ahai, a distinguished Babylonian scholar who left Palestine in the middle of the eighth century. See Jewish Encyclopedia 1:279. Why are the House of Israel required to rest on the Sabbath day? They do so because when the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, He completed the work of creation in six days and rested on the Sabbath day; He blessed that day and sanctified it, just as one who completes the building of his home commemorates the event with a celebration called a hilul (a ceremony of dedication upon the completion of a home), as it is written: And on the seventh day God finished (va-yikhal) His work (Gen. 2:2). Furthermore, the Merciful One declares: “Rest on the Sabbath day, just as I rested upon it,” as it is said: And He rested on the seventh day, wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it (Exod. 20:11).", "It is forbidden, also, to fast on the Sabbath day. One is required to delight on that day by eating (and) drinking, and to honor it by wearing clean clothes, as it is said: If thou turn away thy foot because of the Sabbath, from pursuing thy business on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, and the holy of the Lord honorable; and shall honor it, not doing thy wonted ways; nor pursuing thy business, nor speaking (vain) words; then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord (Isa. 58:13).", "Our sages declared: Call the Sabbath a delight indicates that you should not eat on the Sabbath day as you do on a weekday, rather you should delight in it. Of its reward it is written: Then thou shalt delight in the Lord.", "The words And the holy of the Lord honorable mean that you should not behave frivolously on the Sabbath day but should hallow it and honor it in every respect.", "And thou shalt honor it signifies that you should wear beautiful clothes and clean garments on the Sabbath to distinguish it from a weekday. Hence R. Yohanan called his garments “his honor.” R. Huna said: Anyone possessing a change of clothing should change (his apparel), but if not, he should at least lower his garments.10On the Sabbath the outer garment was to be worn full length rather than tucked in as when at work on weekdays.", "Not doing thy wonted ways implies that your gait on the Sabbath should not be as on a weekday.", "Nor speaking (vain) words indicates that you should not converse on the Sabbath day as on a weekday. Once the mother of R. Simeon the son of Yohai was chattering on the Sabbath day, so he reminded her: “It is the Sabbath day.” Thereupon, she ceased talking. R. Hanina declared: With difficulty the sages permitted greetings to be exchanged on the Sabbath (to avoid the harmful consequences caused by resentment, etc.).", "However, we must inquire: Is one who desires to go to fulfill a religious obligation or to prayer or to the house of study permitted to trot hastily on the Sabbath? Is the performance of a religious duty superior, or is the honor of the Sabbath superior? Observe what R. Tanhuma stated in the name of R. Joshua the son of Levi: “A man must always hasten to fulfill a commandment, even if it is on the Sabbath.” R. Ze’era said: “When I first observed the rabbis hastening to a lecture on the Sabbath, I was certain that they were guilty of profaning the Sabbath. However, after I heard the statement made by R. Tanhuma (in the name of R. Joshua the son of Levi), I also hastened, and I ascended in learning.” In fact, the merit earned by attending a lecture derives from one’s eagerness to hear it. Indeed, they insist that the phrase from pursuing thy business indicates that you are prohibited from pursuing your personal interests, but the question remains whether the interests of heaven are a religious duty (mitzvah) or not. Listen to what R. Eleazar said: “We may decide the allotment of charity to the poor on the Sabbath.” And R. Jacob the son of Idi stated that R. Yohanan had declared: “We may go to the synagogue or to the house of study to discuss the needs of the community on the Sabbath.” And R. Yohanan added that matters of life and death may be discussed on the Sabbath.", "R. Simeon the son of Nahman, in the name of R. Yohanan, expressed the opinion that we may also go to theaters and places of amusement to discuss community problems on the Sabbath. And R. Manasseh taught that we are permitted to discuss the betrothal of a girl, the education of a boy, or the teaching of a trade on the Sabbath. Hence and speaking (vain) words implies that mere conversation is forbidden but that the discussion of vital matters is permitted.", "They say also that it is forbidden to afflict oneself on the Sabbath by a self-imposed fast. However, if one has had a dream, he is permitted to fast in order to negate its effect. Rabba the son of Mehasia stated that R. Hama the son of Guria declared in the name of Rav that fasting is as efficacious for voiding a dream as fire for consuming flax. However, R. Joseph explained that the fast must take place on the day of the dream, and R. Hisda added: Even if it is the Sabbath day.", "In any event, we must learn whether one is permitted to complete a fast on a Friday. We might say it is forbidden to complete the fast, for then one would enter the Sabbath in a weakened condition; but, on the other hand, we might contend that it is permitted to complete the fast, since one would not be fasting on the Sabbath. Listen to what Rabba said concerning this matter: “When we were visiting R. Nahman one day, he propounded the question, ‘May students who fast on a Friday complete their fast; that is, may a person begin the observance of the Sabbath while in a weakened condition?’ We were not able to answer this query. When we came to the home of R. Judah, we asked him, and he was unable to answer. Rabba then said: ‘Let us consider this question in relation to the ninth day of Ab.11The ninth of Ab is a fast-day commemorating the destruction of the Temple. If the ninth day of Ab occurs on a Friday, an unsalted, roasted egg may be brought and eaten, so that one might enter the Sabbath free from hunger.’”12The fast would thus be concluded before the Sabbath began.", "R. Judah expounded the law on this subject in the name of R. Akiba. “Once, we were sitting before R. Akiba on the ninth day of Ab which was the eve of the Sabbath and a roasted egg was brought to him and he ate it without salt. He did this, not because he had any particular desire for the egg, but in order to demonstrate the law to his disciples.”", "However, R. Yosé was of the opinion that the fast should be completed. R. Ulla concurred in the opinion that the law permitted the completion of a fast on a Friday." ], [ "A response to an inquiry from the Academy.13Probably a reference to the Academy at Pumbeditha. R. Ahai, who wrote this in his She’iltot, expected to be appointed head of the Academy but was deprived of the office by the exilarch because of personal animosity. They asked: It was taught that the Scroll of Esther may be read on the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth days of Adar, but not before or after those days.14Mishnah Megillah 1:1.", "R. Judah qualified this statement: When was this rule in effect? This rule was in effect during the period in which the calendar was fixed by the Beth Din, and when Israel dwelt on its own land. Now that the exact date of Purim is predetermined, the Purim Scroll is read only at the appointed time (the fourteenth or fifteenth of Adar).", "Is the law for the reading of the Scroll of Esther in accordance with the first teacher in the Mishnah or with R. Judah? They answered: The first teacher/opinion in the Mishnah and R. Judah are in agreement that the Scroll of Esther should be read only at the appointed time.", "The first teacher of the Mishnah meant to convey that in cities fortified with walls since Joshua’s time, the Scroll was to be read on the fifteenth of Adar, that in villages and large cities it was to be read on the fourteenth day, and that in rural villages the reading was to be advanced to the market day preceding Purim.15Thursday was the market day in rural villages, etc.", "What is implied, then, by the statement that the Scroll of Esther may be read on either the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, or fifteenth day of Adar? This statement indicates that the Scroll could be read in advance of the appointed day because of the fast that precedes Purim, as is explained at the conclusion of Mishnah Megillah, and that it could also be read in advance by the people who lived in rural villages; that is, on the market day before Purim.", "What is the day of assembly? It was said: The thirteenth of the month of Adar is the day of assembly, as it is written: On the thirteenth day the Jews assembled in their cities (Est. 9:1–2). That is, they assembled on that day and decreed that the thirteenth day of Adar should be a fast-day, However, they designated the fourteenth day of Adar as a festive day, as it is written: And on the fourteenth day they rested and made it a day of feasting and gladness (ibid., v. 17).", "In Shushan they read the Scroll on the fifteenth day. Hence the Scroll of Esther is to be read in Shushan and in other fortified cities on the fifteenth day, and that day is designated as a festive day. We learn all this from the words of the Mishnah: “The Scroll of Esther may be read on the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth,” etc.", "The day on which the Scroll of Esther may be read varies because of the fast that precedes Purim. Inasmuch as it is forbidden to fast on the Sabbath, which would be the situation if the fourteenth day of Adar fell on the first day of the week, and since it is forbidden likewise to fast on the eve of the Sabbath because the Sabbath would then be disturbed, they advance the fast to Thursday, which is the eleventh of Adar.", "Similarly, when the fourteenth day of Adar falls on the Sabbath, the reading is advanced, for it is forbidden to fast on Friday, the eve of the Sabbath, since that would impair the Sabbath. Inasmuch as the primary reason for fasting is to recite penitential prayers, one would be deterred from honoring the Sabbath, and honoring the Sabbath is more important than a thousand fasts. Honoring the Sabbath is a biblical commandment, while fasting is only a rabbinic decree; therefore honoring the Sabbath takes precedence over the fast. Hence the fast is advanced to Thursday, that is, the twelfth day of Adar. When the fourteenth day of Adar falls on Friday, we naturally fast on Thursday, on the thirteenth day.", "This entire subject is discussed in Mishnah Megillah: If the fourteenth day of Adar falls on a Monday, they read the Scroll in towns and large cities on that day, but in cities fortified since Joshua’s time, they read it on the following day. However, if the fourteenth day of Adar falls on the Sabbath or on the first day of the week, they advance the reading in the rural villages to the day of assembly in the market place, Thursday.", "Conversely, if the fast of the ninth of Ab falls on the Sabbath, we postpone the fast to the day following the Sabbath, and never advance the fast-day. This is so because the ninth day of Ab was imposed upon Israel as a punishment, and the fast is therefore postponed and not advanced.", "From this discussion we learn that one may not fast on Friday in voluntary self-affliction, either privately or with the community. And that is the law." ], [ "In the beginning God created (Gen. 1:1). May it please our master16Many yelammedenu (“may our master teach us”) passages are included in Midrash Tanhuma, and for this reason our text is entitled both Midrash Tanhuma and Yelammedenu. Buber, in the introduction to his edition of Tanhuma, maintains that these passages were adopted from an earlier Tanhuma text that is lost to us. See Buber Tanhuma, introduction, p. 13. The yelammedenu statements are found in many other texts. to teach us the benediction one should offer upon the erection of a new home? Thus did our masters of blessed memory teach us: Upon the erection of a new home, a man should recite the blessing: “Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us in life, and has preserved us, and enabled us to reach this season.” He must recite this prayer in order to please his Creator.", "You find that the festivals were granted to the Israelites for their pleasure. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “Delight yourself therein so that you may repeat them in the year to come,” as it is said: And thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year (Exod. 13:10). That is to say, you should repeat them yearly. Therefore, one may say: Just as an individual blesses the Holy One, blessed be He, so does the Holy One bless him.", "R. Hanina declared: We learn this as well from another verse: These ye shall offer unto the Lord in your appointed seasons (Num. 29:39). It does not say “Ye have offered” but rather Ye shall offer, thereby indicating that you should continue to make your offerings at the appointed seasons in the years to come. Hence it follows that the man who completes the erection of a new home or purchases new vessels must recite a blessing upon that occasion.", "After the Holy One, blessed be He, created his world, it is written: God blessed the seventh day (Gen. 2:3) After He created the beasts and the birds it is written: He blessed them (ibid., v. 28), and with reference to the creation of man it is written: He blessed them and called their name Adam (ibid. 5:2). He likewise blessed the reptiles and food.", "R. Hanina the son of Gamliel stated: Normally, wheat ascends from below and water descends from above, but the Holy One, blessed be He, did not follow that procedure. He sent wheat from above, as it is said: And behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you (Exod. 16:4); while He caused water to ascend from below, as it is said: Spring up, O well, sing ye unto it (Num. 21:17).", "R. Berechiah said: Normally, if a man squeezes a sponge, the water in it flows out, and when he releases his grip, the water ceases to flow. The Holy One, blessed be He, does not do so. When he presses (‘asor) the waters stand still, as it is said: Behold, He withholdeth (ya’asor) the waters and they dry up (Job 12:15), but when He releases (patah) the pressure, the waters flow forth, as is said: The Lord will open (yiftah) unto thee His good treasure (Deut. 28:12).", "R. Isaac declared: A man first constructs the foundation of a palace and then erects the upper story upon it, but the Holy One, blessed be He, fashioned the upper spheres first and then created the earthly spheres, as it is said: In the beginning God created the heaven, and after: and the earth." ], [ "In the beginning God created (Gen. 1:1). It is written elsewhere in reference to this verse: Blessings are upon the head of the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked concealeth violence (Prov. 10:6). Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, commence the account of the creation of His world with the letter bet rather than with the alef, the first letter of the alphabet? He did so because the alef is the first letter of the word arur (“cursed”), while the bet is the first letter of the word barukh (“blessed”). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “I will begin the account of the creation of the world with the letter that symbolizes a blessing.” Even though the account of the creation of the world starts with a letter that symbolizes a blessing, mankind angered its Creator. How much angrier would man have made Him if the creation narrative had commenced with the letter that symbolizes a curse!", "Another explanation as to why the account of creation opens with a bet is that the letter bet is employed in order to teach man that there are two worlds, this world and the hereafter.17The numerical value of bet is two. The person who devotes himself to performing good deeds in this world will enjoy their fruits in this world and in the hereafter.", "The Sadducees denied the existence of the hereafter, saying: As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more (Job 7:9).18The Sadducees were a Palestinian sect presumably named after Zadok, the high priest during the reigns of David and Solomon. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, proclaimed: And the mouth of the wicked concealeth violence (Prov. 10:6).", "Hadrian asked Aquila:19Hadrian was a Roman emperor. Aquila was a proselyte of Greek origin who translated the Bible into Greek. “What causes the world to survive?” “It is the spirit,” he replied. “If you desire this to be proved, let a camel be brought here.” The camel was brought and Aquila placed a load upon its back. He shouted at the animal: “Stand,” and it stood; “Sit down,” and it sat down. Then he placed an additional load upon it and tied a halter about its neck. He asked Hadrian to assist him in pulling the camel to its feet. One of them pulled from one side, and the other from the other side, until the animal was strangled. Then Aquila said to Hadrian: “Now command the camel to rise.” Hadrian retorted: “You have choked it to death, how can it stand?” Aquila asked: “Did I slaughter it, or does it lack one of its vital organs?” “You have forced its breath out of it,” he answered. Thereupon Aquila responded: “If a camel is unable to exist or bear the load upon its back unless breath is in it, surely nothing but the spirit of the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, can make the world endure.” Hadrian was silenced.", "Come and learn that the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, extends from earth to heaven. When a man erects a reception hall, his height is equal to half its length and half its breadth, but the height of heaven is only half God’s height and half God’s breadth. Indeed, He is the height of the entire firmament, as it is said: Is not God in the height of the heaven? And behold the topmost stars, how high they are (Job 22:12).", "When the (morning) star (i.e., Venus) enters its zenith, no one in all the world fails to see it above his head, even though it appears in heaven to be no larger than the span of a man’s hand. Such is the height of heaven.", "Similarly, when the sun rises and sets, it appears extremely large, yet when it reaches its zenith it appears to be no larger than the span of a man’s hand. Such is the height of heaven. Yet you would not say that the sun is larger than the inhabited world. We find that a single star is suspended over all creation that is below it, yet when that star passes by, another replaces it, and all creation is beneath the second star. Just as you perceive a certain star above your head, so too all mankind perceive it above their heads, though it appears to be no larger than the flame of a candle. Hence it is said: Is not God in the height of the heaven? (Job 22:12).", "The thickness of the firmament is the distance from earth to heaven. You know the thickness of the firmament from the stars that descended to attack Sisera.20On Sisera, see Judg. 4—5. They slipped out of the firmament and descended to the earth to wage war on the land. Just as you can determine the thickness of a door by the nail that slips out of it, so too, when a star, fixed in heaven, descends to earth to wage war, you become aware that the thickness of the firmament extends from earth to heaven.", "If a single one of God’s creations (is so immense), how much greater is the Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written: Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised (Ps. 145:3). He is greater than all His creations.", "A mortal king may sit on a lofty throne and his feet may fail to reach the footstool beneath him, but the throne of the Holy One, blessed be He, is high in the heavens and the earth is His footstool. A mortal king may recline on a couch and men are able to sit at his right and left, but the Holy One, blessed be He, sits like a king on his throne and fills it, and all the world is contained beneath His feet, as it is said: Do not I fill the heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:24).", "Men, who are his equal, sit at the right or the left of a mortal king, but the Holy One, blessed be He, sits on His throne while all others stand before Him, as it is said: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the hosts of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left hand, etc. (I Kings 22:19). And it says elsewhere: And ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him (Dan. 7:10). Above Him stood the seraphim (Isa. 6:2); and: I came near unto one of them that stood by (Dan. 7:16).", "A mortal king may be large in stature, but among his subjects there may be others who are equally large; but of the Holy One, blessed be He, it is said: Great is the Lord and highly to be praised (Ps. 145:3).", "A mortal king may be extremely wise, but among his ministers there may be others who are no less wise and strong. Concerning the Holy One, blessed be He, however, it is said: There is none like unto Thee, O Lord; Thou art great, and Thy name is great (Jer. 10:6), and furthermore it says: Forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royalty, there is none like unto Thee (ibid., v. 7).", "The angels of the Holy One, blessed be He, are mighty, but they are not His equal. Proof of the might of His angels is evidenced by the fact that one of them stretched forth his hand from heaven and grasped Ezekiel by a lock of his head, as it is said: And the form of a hand was put forth, and I was taken by a lock of my head (Ezek. 8:3). We learn from another verse that the distance from heaven to earth is no more than the palm of an angel, as it is written: Then was the palm of the hand sent from before me, and this writing was inscribed (Dan. 5:24). This teaches us that there is no limit to His ministering angels; how much more so, then, is there no limit to the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore it is written: Great is the Lord and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable (Ps. 145:3). And elsewhere it is said: Yea, My hand hath laid the foundations of the earth, and My right hand hath spread out the heavens, etc. (Isa. 48:13).", "You learn of the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He, from His dwelling place as well. Though the heavens extend above the sea, the inhabited lands, and the wilderness, they do not contain His throne. Similarly, you can comprehend the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He, from the size of His fist, as it is said: Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand (Isa. 40:12). You may know His greatness, also, from the size of His finger, for it is said: And He comprehended the dust of the earth with a measure (shalish) (ibid.).21The middle finger (shalish = “third”).", "Woe unto him who sins, let him consider before whom he sins; happy is he who is worthy, let him consider in whose sight he is worthy! Woe to him who will be compelled to account for his misdeeds in the hereafter! Happy is he who will be given his reward in the hereafter, as it is said: Behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him (Isa. 62:11)." ], [ "These are the generations (Toledot) of the heaven and the earth when they were created (Gen. 2:4). R. Berechiah and R. Helbo said in the name of R. Samuel the son of Nahmani: The word toledot in Scripture lacks the letter vav in all but two verses. These verses are: These are the generations of Perez (Ruth 4:18) and the (verse quoted) above. (The full spelling of the word toledot, with the vav, is found only in these two instances.)", "R. Judah the Levite, the son of Shalum said: The vavs, which the other verses lack, correspond to the six things which the Holy One, blessed be He, took from Adam after he sinned.22Vav has the numerical value of six which is also, according to tradition, the number of the things takenfrom Adam because of his sin They are as follows: his luster, his stature, his immortality, the fertility of the earth, the garden of Eden, the sun and the moon. Whence do we know about his luster? it is written : Changest his countenance and sendest him away (Job 14:20). Whence do we know of his stature? It is said: Thou hast hemmed me in from behind and before (Ps. 139:5). How do we know about his immortality? If Adam had been worthy, he would have merited living forever. Whence do we know of the fertility of the earth? It is written: Cursed be the ground for thy sake (Gen. 3:17). Whence do we know of his banishment from the Garden of Eden? It is written: He drove out the man (ibid., v. 24). Whence do we know of the sun and the moon? The sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine (Isa. 13:10).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, will restore these things to man in the future. How do we know about man’s luster? It is written: All that see them shall acknowledge them (Isa. 61:9). How do we know about his stature? It is written: I will make you go upright (komemiut) (Lev. 26:13). The word komemiut indicates that each Israelite will be one hundred cubits tall. R. Simeon the son of Yohai held, however, that each Israelite will be two hundred cubits tall. The word komah would indicate one hundred cubits, while the word komemiut signifies two hundred cubits.23The word komah (“stature”) can be read as kemeah (“about a hundred), while the final part of komemiut can be seen as the plural “hundreds.” How do we know about his immortality? It is written: For as the days of a tree shall be the days of my people (Isa. 65:22).24The word “tree” is a synonym for “Torah,” which is called a tree of life; and just as the Torah is eternal, so Israel will be eternal. How do we know about the fertility of the earth? And by the river, upon the banks thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow every tree for food, whose leaf shall not wither, neither shall the fruit thereof fail; it shall bring forth new fruit every month (Exod. 47:12).", "What is the meaning of the phrase new fruit every month? It means that new fruits will ripen each month. However, they will not be the same fruit each month but an entirely different species of fruit. Whence do we know that man will return to the Garden of Eden? It is said: They that dwell under his shadow shall again make corn to grow, and they shall blossom as the vine (Hos. 14:8). Whence do we know about the sun and the moon? it is written: Moreover, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven times the light of the seven days (Isa. 30:26). And Scripture states elsewhere: But they that love Him shall be as the sun that goeth forth in its might (Judg. 5:31). The Targum (Aramaic translation) for the latter verse reads: “The radiance of the righteous in the future will be three hundred and forty-three times more luminous than the radiance of the sun when it goes forth in its light.” When will this come to pass? In the day that the Lord bindeth up the bruises of His people, and healeth the stroke of their wound (Isa. 30:26). This refers to the time wherein He will heal the ills of the world (i.e., after the Messiah comes)." ], [ "And the Lord said: Behold, man has become one of us (Gen. 3:22). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright (Eccles. 7:29); that is, the Holy One, blessed be He, who is called righteous and upright, created man in His own image so that he might be upright and righteous like Him. However, if you should ask: Why did He create the evil inclination, concerning which it is written: The inclination of man’s heart is evil from his youth (Gen. 8:21)?, you say thereby: Since man is evil, who can make him good? The Holy One, blessed be He, contends: You make him evil! Why is it that a child of five, six, seven, eight, or nine years of age does not sin, but only after he reaches the age of ten and upward does the evil inclination begin to develop in him?", "Furthermore, if you should insist that no man is able to guard himself from the evil inclination, the Holy One, blessed be He, replies: That is not so. You caused yourself to become evil. When you were a child, you did not sin, but when you grew up, you did sin.25Midrash Tanhuma is the only source which states that the evil inclination does not appear at birth. A response to the notion of original sin. There are many things in this world that are harsher and more bitter than the evil inclination, yet you know how to alter them. For instance, there is nothing more bitter than lupine, yet when you boil it in water seven times it becomes sweet and edible. Similarly, you sweeten mustard and capers and numerous other things. If you are able to sweeten the bitter things that I have created to satisfy your needs, how much more so are you able to control the evil inclination within you.", "Thus you find that though I created Hiram, king of Tyre, righteous and upright, as it is said: Perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created (Ezek. 28:15), wickedness finally appeared in him and he was banished.", "It is written of the generation of the separation: And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech (Gen. 11:1), but later they sought to ascend into the firmament, as is said: Come, let us build us a city and a tower with its top in heaven (ibid., v. 4). Hence it is written: The Lord came to see the city and the tower which the children of men had builded … so the Lord scattered them (ibid., v. 5). What a strap from such a hide!26A popular proverb expressing the thought: Such a poor product from such good material.", "To what may this be compared: To a king who fashioned a golden statue of himself and had it erected in the courtyard of his palace. Soon thereafter, a bird lighted upon it and defaced it. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, fashioned man righteous, but the evil inclination arises within him and despoils him. Hence we read: Ye are godlike beings, and all of ye sons of the Most High; nevertheless, you shall die like men (Ps. 82:6–7).", "Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyre: Thus saith the Lord God: Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said: I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the heart of the seas; yet thou art man, and not God (Ezek. 28:2). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God; for God is in the heavens and thou art upon the earth; therefore, let thy words be few (Eccles. 5:1). It says also: He loveth transgression that loveth strife, he that lifteth his gate seeketh destruction (Prov. 17:19). Should this verse not state that “he who lowereth his gate27Thereby placing temptation before others. seeketh destruction,” since everyone who lowers his gate causes people to stumble and to be destroyed: What then is the meaning of he that lifteth his gate seeketh destruction? This means that one who opens his mouth and utters words that are unseemly brings on his own destruction, for the Holy One, blessed be He, will destroy him. Therefore, it is said: Be not rash with thy mouth (Eccles. 5:1).", "Observe that the weakest of the weak above vanquished the mightiest person below, as it is written: And a certain woman cast an upper millstone upon Abimelech’s head and broke his skull (Judg. 9:53).28According to tradition, the upper millstone used to kill Abimelech fell to the earth for that purpose alone. How much more so is that true of our God in heaven.", "After Hadrian, the king of Edom, conquered the entire world, he returned to Rome and told his courtiers: “I command you to acclaim me a divine being, for I have subjugated the entire world.” Whereupon they replied: “You do not rule the Holy City and the Temple.” He went there, conquered the Holy City, demolished the Temple, and exiled the Israelites. Upon his return to Rome he said: “Now I have destroyed His house, burned down His holy palace, and exiled His people; worship me as a divine being.”", "R. Berechiah tells us that three philosophers resided in Hadrian’s court. The first one said to him: “Surely a man is unable to revolt against a king while he resides in the king’s palace. Depart from his palace and then proclaim yourself a god. He fashioned the heavens and created the earth; now depart from them and you shall be a divine being.” The second one told him: “You are not able to become a god, because He has already informed his prophets: Thus you shall say unto them: The gods that have not made the heaven and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens (Jer. 10:11)”. The third one said to him: “Help me, I implore your assistance.” “What is the trouble?” he inquired. “I have a ship three miles out at sea,” the philosopher replied, “and it is stranded, and all my possessions are in it.” Hadrian answered: “I will send my legions and my ships to rescue it.” Thereupon the philosopher declared: “Sire, why send your ships and legions? Send forth a blast of wind and save it.” “From whence should I have a blast of wind to send?” asked Hadrian. To this the philosopher replied: “If you are unable to send forth a blast of wind, how can you call yourself a god, since it is written of God: Thus saith God the Lord: He that created the heavens and stretched them forth, He that spread forth the earth and that which cometh out of it, He that giveth breath to the peoples upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein (Isa. 42:5)?”", "Thereupon, Hadrian entered his home greatly distressed. His wife said to him: “Surely these philosophers are mocking you; certainly you are able to make yourself a god. You are a mighty and powerful king, and everything belongs to you. Let me suggest one thing to you: Return His deposit to Him and then you will have made yourself a god.” “What is His deposit?” he asked. “Your soul,” she replied. “But if my soul departs from me, how shall I survive?” he retorted. Thereupon, she answered: “If you can not control your soul, as it is written: There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death (Eccles. 8:8), how can you call yourself a god? You are merely a mortal and not a god.”", "The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: I restore the dead to life, and Elijah likewise restored the dead to life, but he did not say: “I am a god”; I caused the rain to descend, and so too did Elijah; I withheld the rain, and Elijah did likewise, as it is said: There shall not be dew nor rain these years but according to my word (I Kings 17:1); I caused fire and brimstone to descend upon Sodom, and Elijah did the same, as it is said: If I be a man of God, let fire descend from heaven (II Kings 1:10). Nevertheless, he did not say “A god am I,” yet you say: A god am I: In the dwelling-place of God I sit (Ezek. 28:2). If you would claim “A god am I” because you have lived for so many years, He lives and will live until the dead are revived. Concerning the Holy One, blessed be He, it is written: His throne was fire and flames (Dan. 7:9), and of Elijah it is said: There appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire (II Kings 2:11). It is written elsewhere concerning the Holy One, blessed be He: The Lord is in the whirlwind, and in the storm is His way (Nahum 1:3), and about Elijah Scripture says: And Elijah went up in a whirlwind to heaven (ibid. 2:11); nevertheless Elijah implored: O Lord, take away my life (I Kings 19:4). Yet you claim: A god am I, in the dwelling place of gods, I sit in the midst of the sea (Ezek. 28:2). Jonah descended into the deep, as it is written: Thou didst cast me into the depth, into the heart of the seas (Jonah 2:4). Finally, he (changed his mind) and pleaded for death, saying: Therefore, now, O Lord, take, I beseech Thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live (ibid. 4:4). Yet you presume to say: A god am I; in the dwelling-place of gods I sit, in the midst of the sea (Ezek. 28:2).", "Observe that everyone who desired to be worshipped as a divine being constructed a palace for himself in the midst of the sea. Pharaoh erected a palace in the midst of the water and dammed up the water of the Nile to keep it from flowing into the Mediterranean. However, the water rose, undermined the foundations of the palace, lifted it up, and bore it away, as it is said: Speak, and say: “Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the great crocodile that lieth in the midst of his rivers, that hath said: My river is my own” (Exod. 29:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him: O wicked one, you were proud upon the waters; through the waters you shall perish, as it is written: But overthrew Pharaoh and his hosts in the Red Sea (Ps. 136:15).", "Sennacherib erected his palace in Lebanon with certain protective devices, between two lofty mountains, but wells sprang forth out of the mountains, tore the palace from its foundations, and bore it away, as it is said: Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowy shroud, and of a high stature, and its top was among the thick boughs. The water nourished it; the deep made it grow (Ezek. 31:3–4). And it says also: Thus was it fair in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its root was by many waters (ibid., v. 7), and it states: I have digged and drunk waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of Egypt (Isa. 37:25). What was his ultimate end? Thus said the Lord God: in the day when he went down to the netherworld I caused the deep to mourn and cover itself for him (Ezek. 31:15).", "Hiram constructed his palace between the Adriatic and the Mediterranean Sea with certain protective devices (but to no avail), as it is said: And they shall take up in lamentation for thee and say to thee: How art thou destroyed, that was peopled from the seas, the renowned city, that was strong in the sea (ibid. 26:17). Still, you claim: A god am I; in the dwelling-place of gods I sit, in the midst of the sea (ibid. 28:2). Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: For thus saith the Lord God: And I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; and I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and the great waters shall cover thee (ibid. 26:19). (This will be your fate, and) you will descend to your comrades, as it is written: Then I will bring thee down with them that descend into the pit to the people of old times, and will make thee to dwell in the nether parts of the earth (ibid., v. 20). The nether parts of the earth refers to Gehenna. Hence we read in Scripture: Thou wast the far-covering cherub; and I set thee, so that thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou has walked up and down in the midst of stones of fire … and I have destroyed thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire (ibid. 28:14–16). Concerning Israel, however, Scripture states: When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, etc. (Isa. 43:2)." ], [ "And the Lord said: Behold, man has become like one of us (Gen. 3:22). May our master teach us the punishment inflicted upon one who speaks evil?29Speaking evil (slander) is considered the most serious of all sins because it causes the blood to flow to the cheek of the victim. Cf. Arukh 15a. Thus do our masters teach us: One who speaks evil is punished more severely than one who does an evil act. The punishment inflicted upon our ancestors befell them only because of speaking evil, as it is said: You have put me to proof these ten times, and have not hearkened to My voice (Num. 14:22).", "R. Mana of She’ar said in the name of R. Joshua the son of Levi: No man speaks evil until he denies the basic principle of faith (the Oneness of God), as it is said: Our tongue will we make mighty, our lips are with us: who is the Lord over us? (Ps. 12:5).", "The rabbis said: Slander is considered so grievous a sin that death was imposed upon Adam because of it. The serpent appeared and told Adam and Eve: “God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be open,and ye shall be as God (Gen. 3:5). It was the fruit of this very tree that He ate when He created this world. Now, every craftsman hates a rival craftsman, but if you should eat of this tree, you too shall become divine.”30Cf. Midrash on Psalms 1:9, Bereshit Rabbah 19:4. They listened to him and thus brought death upon themselves and their descendants unto the end of all generations. Whence do we know this? We know it from the words Behold man (Gen. 3:22). The word Behold alludes only to death, as it is written: Behold, thy days approach that thou must die (Deut. 31:14)." ], [ "And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground (Gen. 4:3). The process of time (lit. “end of days”) may imply either the end of a year, the end of two years, after a certain number of days, or after forty years. Our sages, of blessed memory, said that Cain and Abel were forty years old when Cain brought of the fruit of the ground. What did he bring as his offering? He brought only the leftovers of his meal. However, the rabbis maintained that Cain brought flaxseed, while Abel brought firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof (ibid., v. 4). That is why it is ordained that wool and flax must not be mixed, as it is said: Thou shalt nor wear mingled stuff, wool and linen together (Deut. 22:11).31The source of the law of shatnez, prohibiting the wearing of wool and linen together. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: It is not fitting that a sinner’s offering and the sacrifice of a virtuous man should be coupled. Hence it is forbidden to combine them in a garment.", "And Cain spoke unto Abel, his brother (Gen. 4:8). What did he say to him? He said: “Let us divide the world between us, but since I am the eldest, I shall take twice as much.” Abel replied: “Perhaps.” “If we do this,” Cain continued, “I want my share to include the place at which your sacrifice was accepted.” Abel replied: “That, you cannot have.” Thereupon, they began to quarrel, as it is said: And it came to pass while they were in the field that Cain arose (ibid.), and it says elsewhere: Zion shall be plowed as a field (Jer. 26:18).32There are many explanations of the reason for the struggle. See Bereshit Rabbah 22:7, Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer 21, Aggadat Shir ha-Shirim 31:17, Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 1:108. As a consequence of Cain’s action Zion will be destroyed.", "Others contend that Cain told Abel: “Let us divide the world between us,” and Abel replied: “Certainly.” Whereupon Abel took the flocks as his share, and Cain took the land to till. They agreed that neither should take anything belonging to the other. However, after accepting the flock as his share, Abel grazed the flock upon Cain’s land. Cain pursued Abel over hill and vale, until they began wrestling with one another. At first Abel overpowered Cain and threw him to the earth. When Cain realized that he was being defeated, he pleaded: “Abel, my brother, do not harm me.” Because he was a merciful person, Abel released him. As soon as Cain arose he slew Abel, as it is said: Cain arose. The words Cain arose clearly indicate that he must have been hurled to the ground previously.", "After killing Abel, he said to himself: “I must flee from my mother and father, for they will ask me where he is, since there are only the two of us.” The Holy One, blessed be He, appeared before him immediately, saying: “You can flee from your parents but not from Me, as it is said: Can any man hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:24).” The Holy One asked: Where is Abel, your brother? (Gen. 4:9), and then He continued: “Woe unto him who was merciful to you and refrained from killing you when you were beneath him. When he permitted you to rise, you killed him!”", "How did he kill him? He inflicted numerous bruises upon his body with a stone. He smote him over his entire body, from his hands and feet to his throat, for he had no way of knowing from where his soul would depart. When the Holy One, blessed be He, asked him: Where is Abel, your brother? he replied: “I know not; am I my brother’s keeper? (Gen. 4:9). You are the guardian of all, yet You seek him from me!” This may be compared to a thief who steals during the night but is not apprehended while committing the crime. When the watchman seizes him the next morning and asks: “Why did you steal those utensils?”, the thief replies: “I am a thief and I did not neglect my profession. Your job is to keep watch at the gate. Why did you neglect your duties? Now you question me?” So Cain retorted: “True, I slew him, but You created the evil inclination within me. Since You are the guardian of all, why did You permit me to slay him? You who are called the I33I am the Lord your God (Exod. 20:2). killed him, for if You had accepted my sacrifice as You accepted his, I would not have been envious of him.” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied immediately: What have you done? The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto Me (ibid., v. 10). This verse indicates that he inflected numerous wounds upon Abel.", "The words Crieth unto Me (elai), however, may be interpreted as “Crieth against Me (‘alai).”34God shares the blame for not intervening. See Gen.R. 22:9. For example, if two men are fighting together and one of them is killed while a third person stands by and does not attempt to separate them, against whom does everyone complain? Do they not complain against the third person? Hence Crieth unto Me actually means Crieth against Me.", "Cain said to Him: “Master of the Universe, never before have I encountered death, nor have I beheld a dead person; how could I possibly know that if I pummeled him with a stone he would die?” The Holy One, blessed be He, answered immediately: Cursed art thou from the ground … when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth (ibid., v. 12).", "Thereupon Cain cried out: “O Lord of the universe, do You have informers who denounce men to You? My father and mother are the only living human beings on earth, and they do not know that I slew him; how do You, who abidest in heaven, know?” The Holy One, blessed be He, answered: “Fool! I bear the entire world as it is said: I have made and I will bear; yea, I will carry and will deliver (Isa. 46:4).” Forthwith, Cain cried out: “You bear the entire world, yet my sin You are unable to bear. My sin is greater than I can bear (Gen. 4:13).” “Since you have confessed and repented,” said the Holy One, blessed be He, “go into exile from this place.” Thus it is said: And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelled in the land of Nod (ibid., v. 16). Wherever he wandered, the earth would quake beneath his feet; the animals and the beasts would tremble in fright, and would inquire of each other: “What is this?” And they would whisper: “He is Cain, who murdered his brother, Abel. The Holy One, blessed be He, has decreed concerning him: A fugitive and a wanderer you shall be.” Then they would say to each other: “Let us devour him.” They would gather together to attack, but as they approached, tears would well up in his eyes and he would cry out: Whither shall I go from Thy spirit, or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there; if I make my bed in the netherworld, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea, even there would Thy hand lead me and Thy right hand hold me (Ps. 139:7–10)." ], [ "Behold, Thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the land … and the Lord said unto him: “Therefore, whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” and the Lord set a sign for Cain (Gen. 4:14–15). There are some who say that the word “Sabbath” was placed as a sign upon his countenance, as it is said: My Sabbaths, for it is the sign between Me and you, throughout your generations (Exod. 31:13), and that just as the Sabbath pleaded in behalf of Adam,35The Sabbath pleaded with God to spare Adam’s life lest the glory and the sanctity of the Sabbath be impaired by his death. it pleaded in behalf of Cain. Others, however, insist that He fastened a horn upon his forehead.36Bereshit Rabbah lists seven signs placed on Cain.", "After Cain slew Abel, the body lay outstretched upon the earth, since Cain did not know how to dispose of it. Thereupon, the Holy One, blessed be He, selected two clean birds and caused one of them to kill the other. The surviving bird dug the earth with its talons and buried its victim. Cain learned from this what to do. He dug a grave and buried Abel. It is because of this that birds are privileged to cover their blood.37A raven taught Adam how to bury Abel. Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 5:142; 1:113." ], [ "And the Lord said unto him: “Therefore, whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” and the Lord set a sign for Cain (Gen. 4:15). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Four families were destined to descend from Abel, but since you have eliminated them from the face of the earth, the earth will open up and devour four families that will descend from you: these are Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, and Methushael.", "How was Cain slain?38Midrash ha-Gadol 1:118–119, Rashi on Gen. 4:23, Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 5:116. For one hundred and thirty years, Cain became an angel of death, wandering and roaming about, accursed. Lamech, his descendant in the seventh generation, who was blind, would go hunting led about by his young son. At the sight of game, the lad would apprise his father of its whereabouts. One time the lad said to his father: “I see some kind of beast in the distance.” Lamech sent his arrow in that direction, and Cain was slain. As they approached the corpse, the lad saw a horn protruding from the forehead of the slain creature, and he said to his father: “The corpse resembles a man, but a horn protrudes39See n. 36 above. from its forehead.” Thereupon, Lamech cried out: “Woe is me, it is my grandfather.” In his grief, he clasped his hands together, and accidentally struck the child’s head, killing him. As it is said: I can slay a man by a wound of mine and a child by a strike of mine (Gen. 4:23).", "The three remained where they were: Cain dead, the child slain, and Lamech blind. At nightfall his wives went out to search for them and found their grandfather dead, their son Tubal-cain slain, and Lamech. It was then that the earth swallowed up the four families: Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, and Methushael. Thereafter, Lamech served as the Angel of Death in fulfillment of the verse: Cain was avenged sevenfold, and Lamech seventy and seven (Gen. 4:24).", "Upon returning home, Lamech said to his wives: “Let us go to bed.” They replied: “You have slain our ancestor and our son Tubal-cain; we shall no longer go to bed with you.” He retorted: “Cain received his punishment only after seven generations, surely mine should be postponed for seventy and seven generations.” “We shall not listen to you,” they insisted. “Why should we give birth to one who will be dishonored?” Thereupon, he said: “Let us go to the court for a decision.” They went to Adam, and Adah and Zillah cried out: “Oh, lord Lamech, our husband, has slain our grandfather.” Whereupon Lamech declared: “Did our grandfather kill unwittingly?” Adam replied: “Wives of Lamech, hearken to my words! Lamech says: Have I have slain a man intentionally? (Gen. 4:23). Therefore I say to you: Go and obey your husband.” They retorted: “O physician, heal your own lameness. You have not had sexual intercourse with your wife for one hundred and thirty years,40Adam abstained from sexual intercourse in atonement for ignoring God’s command not to eat of the tree of knowledge. After their rebuke he indulged in sexual intercourse and fathered a son. yet you command us to do so.” Hence it is written in Scripture following this incident: And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years and begot his son in his own likeness (Gen. 5:3).", "Lamech lived a hundred and eighty-two years and begot his son (Gen. 5:28), through whom the world was to be reestablished. He called him Noah (lit. “comfort, ease”), saying: This one will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hand (Gen. 5:29). How did he know that this one would comfort us in our work? Was Lamech a prophet? R. Simeon the son of Yehozadak said: There was a tradition that when the Holy One, blessed be He, told Adam: Cursed be the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it (Gen. 3:17), Adam inquired: “Master of the Universe, how long will the ground be cursed?” He replied: “Until a man-child already circumcised shall be born.” When Noah was born circumcised, Lamech understood immediately that this was the one concerning whom the Holy One, blessed be He, had said: This one will comfort us in our work (ibid. 5:29).", "What do the words in our work and in the toil of our hands (ibid.) imply? Prior to Noah’s birth, men did not reap what they sowed. They would sow wheat and reap thorns and thistles, but when Noah was born, the world reverted to normal: Wheat was sown and wheat was reaped; barley was sown and barley was reaped. Furthermore, prior to Noah’s birth, men performed all their labor by hand, as it is written: And in the toil of our hands, but after Noah was born, plows, scythes, axes, and other implements were introduced." ], [ "And the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth (Gen. 6:5). Our sages taught: As punishment for lewdness (in the world) androlepsia41Reprisal taken against all men regardless of guilt or innocence. appeared, destroying the virtuous together with the wicked. R. Azariah said: The Holy One, blessed be He, would overlook everything but lewdness. Observe that when they were immersed in lewdness, it is written in Scripture: The sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair; and they took them wives, whomsoever they chose (Gen. 6:1), and after that it is said: And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth … and He said: I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the earth (ibid. 6:6–7). Likewise in reference to the Sodomites, it is said: But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, compassed the house around … and they called unto Lot … For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxed great before the Lord; the Lord hath sent us to destroy it (Gen. 19:4, 13). Why is the Lord repeated twice in this verse? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I am He who exacted punishment upon Zimri, Samson, and Amnon, and I am He who will bestow a reward upon the one who refrains from lewdness, even as I did for Joseph, Jael, and Palti.", "R. Simeon stated: Joseph was rewarded in kind for his behavior. Because his mouth had not indulged in sinful kissing, he was told: According to thy word shall all my people be kissed (i.e. ruled)(Gen. 41:40); because he had not lowered his neck to sin, He placed a gold chain about his neck (ibid., v. 42); because he had not used his hand to fondle sinfully, Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph’s hand (ibid.); because his body had not clung to another in sin, he arrayed him in garments of fine linen (ibid.); because his feet had not led him to her, He caused him to ride in the second chariot (ibid., v. 43); because he did not entertain wicked thoughts, he was called understanding and wise (ibid., v. 39); and because his heart had not reflected upon committing evil, they called before him: “Abrech”42The Targum translates Abrech as “father of the king.” and Zaphenath-paneah43Rashi translates Zaphenath-paneah as “explainer of things.” (ibid., vv. 43, 45). Upon the Sodomites, however, He rained fire and brimstone, as it is said: The Lord caused to rain upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone (ibid. 19:24), and it likewise says: I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man and beast and creeping things, and fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them (Gen. 6:7).", "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days…. these were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown (Gen. 6:4). This verse informs us that the Nephilim would gaze upon the sun and the moon and perform feats of magic through them, as it is said of them: These are of them that rebel against the light (Job 24:13). The word these in both verses indicates that the Nephilim were the mighty men and were cruel and rebellious and performed acts of magic. Yet they said unto God: Depart from us, for we desire not knowledge of Thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? (Job 21:14–15).", "R. Yohanan explained the cause of their rebelliousness as follows: They would sow for a single year and it would produce harvests that lasted forty years.44Many passages in the Midrashim teach that an overabundance of comfort and ease result in evil consequences for mankind. Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: “Is this how you act? While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease (Gen. 8:22).”", "R. Samuel the son of Abba explained the cause of their rebelliousness as follows: They lived so long that they beheld the fifth and sixth generations of their descendants. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: “Since ye rebelled, seedtime and harvest means ye shall beget children and bury them, cold and heat implies that you shall be afflicted with consumption and fever; summer and winter indicates that you shall be nauseated, your faces shall turn pale, your punishment shall not cease, and you shall be afflicted in your bodies; day and night indicates that you shall have no rest by day and night, and you shall be sentenced to fire and snow.”" ], [ "It happened that one of R. Akiba’s disciples heard the following in a dream: “You will die in the month of Adar, you will not see the month of Nisan; and what you sow you shall not reap.”45Y. Ma’aser Sheni 4, end of 55c. He was sorely troubled by this dream and related it to R. Akiba. R. Akiba explained it as follows: “In the month of Adar (adar), you will die” indicates that you will die for the glory (hadar) of the Torah; “the month of Nisan (nisan) you will not see” means that you will never be tested (nasa); and “what you sow you will not reap” implies that you will not bury your own offspring.", "Further, R. Judah, a descendant of proselytes, and R. Jonathan the son of Akhsai were studying the portion of Vows before R. Simeon the son of Yohai. They bade him farewell in the evening when they departed, and they again bade him farewell in the morning. Whereupon he said to them: “Did you not bid me farewell last night?” They replied: “Our master taught us that when a disciple departs from his mentor, and the mentor remains overnight in the same city, he must greet him once again, as it is written: On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king (I Kings 8:66).”46They greeted him when they arrived and bade him farewell when they departed.", "R. Simeon the son of Yohai said to his son: “These are worthy men, go to them that they may bless you.” He visited them and found them comparing two texts. It is written: Make plain the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established (Prov. 4:26), and it is written as well: Lest she should walk the even path of life, her ways wander but she knoweth it not (Prov. 5:6). There is no contradiction here (they decided). The former text refers to an obligation that can be discharged through another person, while the latter verse has reference to an obligation that cannot be discharged through another person.", "They remained seated and discussed two other verses. It is written: She (wisdom) is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her (Prov. 3:15). But the values in heaven may equal her for it is written: And all things desirable are not to be compared unto her (Prov. 8:11). Even the value of heaven. There is no contradiction here (they decided). The former verse applies to an obligation that may be discharged through others while the latter verse applies to an obligation that cannot be discharged thrugh others. Then they asked the lad: “What do you desire here?” He replied: “My father said to me : ‘Go to them that they may bless you.’” Whereupon they said to him: “May it be that you shall sow and not reap; that you shall bring in and nor bring out; that you take out and not bring in; that your house will be destroyed and your temporary shelter will remain; and that you shall not behold another year.” When he returned to his father, he said: “Not only did they not bless me, but their words pained me.” His father asked: “What did they say to you?” He repeated everything they had said. “All of these statements are blessings,” his father responded. ‘“You shall sow and not reap’ means that you will beget children and they will not die. ‘You shall bring in and not take out’ means that you will bring in a daughter-in-law and your son will not die. ‘You shall take out and not bring in’ means that you will give your daughters in marriage and their husbands will not die. ‘Your house shall be destroyed’ means that your earthly home will be only a temporary shelter, ‘your temporary shelter shall remain’ means that the world-to-come will be your eternal home, as it is written: Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue forever (Ps. 49:12). However, do not read kirbam (“their inward thought”), but kivram (“their grave”). ‘Your table shall be disturbed’ means that you will have many sons and daughters, and ‘you shall not behold another year’ implies that your wife will not die and you will not be compelled to remarry.”", "When R. Simeon the son of Halafta departed from Rabbi, the former said to his son: “Go to him that he may bless you.” He went and R. Simeon said: “May it be that you shall not cause others to be ashamed, and that others shall not make you ashamed.” Upon returning to his father, he declared: “He made some meaningless remark.” His father replied: “He blessed you with the blessing that the Holy One, blessed be He, bestowed upon Israel, as it is written: And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and My people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel … and My people shall never be ashamed (Joel 2:26–27). So may it be Thy will, amen." ] ], "Noach": [ [ "[These are the generations of Noah (Gen. 6:9).] May it please our master to instruct us concerning the number of transgressions for which women die during childbirth. Thus have our masters taught us: Women die during childbirth for failure to observe three duties decreed in the Torah.", "These are: The duty with regard to menstruation,1A woman must remain apart from her husband during her menstrual period. for it is written: And if a woman have an issue of her blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days (Lev. 15:25); the duty of the levy of dough,2A portion of the dough, removed before baking bread, that is dedicated to God. During the Temple period it was given to the priest, but after the destruction of the Temple it was burned. for it is written: Of the first of your dough ye shall set apart a cake for a gift (Num. 15:20); and the duty of lighting the Sabbath lights, for it is written: And call the Sabbath a delight (Isa. 58:13). If one chooses to sit in darkness, the Sabbath would not then be a delight, since darkness is imposed upon those condemned to Gehenna,3Hell. One of the seven things formed two thousand years before creation. as it says: A land of thick darkness, as darkness itself (Job 10:22).", "Why were women enjoined to perform these three duties? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Adam, the first of My creatures, was commanded not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge, yet concerning Eve, it is written: And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food … she gave also unto her husband with her and did eat (Gen. 3:6). In that way she brought about his death and, as it were, shed his blood, and the law prescribes: Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed (Gen. 9:6). That is why woman’s blood is made to flow. She is required to abstain from sexual relations during menstruation to atone for the blood of Adam that she was responsible for shedding.", "Why were women assigned the commandment to remove the levy of dough? It was because she (Eve) defiled the sanctified dough of His world, namely, Adam. R. Yosé the son of R. Kazrata declared: Just as a housewife slaps her dough with water and then takes off its levy, so the Holy One, blessed be He, did with Adam, as it is written: And there went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the earth (Gen. 2:6), and Then the Lord God formed man of the dust (ibid., v. 7).", "Why is a woman charged with the duty of lighting the Sabbath lights? It was she (Eve) who extinguished the light of Adam by causing his death, as it is written: The spirit of man is the light of the Lord (Prov. 20:27). Therefore she is obliged to observe the commandment to light the Sabbath lights." ], [ "These are the generations of Noah (Gen. 6:9). R. Tanhuma the son of Abba began the discussion of this subject with the verse: The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that is wise winneth souls (Prov. 11:30). R. Judah the Levite said: Whenever a man dies childless, he grieves and weeps. Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, consoles him with the words: “Wherefore do you weep over having left no fruit in this world? You have left fruit that is more desirable than children.” “Sovereign of the universe,” the man asks, “what fruit did I produce?” The Holy One, blessed be He, replies: “The Torah (you observed), concerning which it is written: the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.” The verse does not say that children are a tree of life but that the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.4The Torah is called a tree of life. Hence, the fruit of the righteous is the Torah that man preserves and perpetuates. Accordingly, man’s most desirable offspring are his good works. Hence, it is written: These are the offspring of Noah. Noah was in his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted (Gen. 6:9).", "R. Abahu taught: We find that the Holy One, blessed be He, rewards descendants because of the merit acquired by their ancestors. Where do we find that He also rewards ancestors because of the merit of their descendants? Scripture states: Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord (Gen. 6:8). Because of whose merit did Noah find grace? He found grace because of the merit of his descendants, as it is said: These are the generations of Noah, Noah.", "And he that is wise winneth souls (Prov. 11:30). This refers to those who feed and entertain the poor. R. Tanhuma continued his exposition, saying: Our masters taught that Noah did not die until he saw the world reinhabited and beheld seventy generations of his descendants. However, none of them are mentioned by name. Only his righteousness is referred to.", "And he that is wise winneth souls (ibid.). This applies to Noah, who fed and sustained the animals. What food did he feed them? R. Akiba maintained: All of them ate dried figs, as it is written: And it shall be for food for thee and for them (Gen. 6:21). Our sages, however, said: This was not so. He provided each of them with the kind of food it was accustomed to eat—straw for the camel, barley for the ass, and so forth. Each animal was fed what it was accustomed to eat. Hence, And he that is wise winneth souls.", "Certain animals were fed at the first hour of the day, others at the second, and still others at the third; while some animals were fed at the third of night, others at midnight, and still others at the time of the crowing of the cock. Our sages declared that during the twelve months in the ark, Noah slept neither during the day nor at night because he was occupied constantly with feeding the creatures in his care. Hence, he that is wise winneth souls (ibid.)." ], [ "These are the generations of Noah. Blessed be the name of the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, who chose Israel from among the seventy nations of the world, as it is written: For the portion of the Lord is His people Jacob, the lot of his inheritance (Deut. 32:9). He gave us the Written Law (the Five Books of Moses), which contains hidden and obscure teachings, and explained them in the Oral Law (codified in the Mishnah), which was revealed to Israel alone. What is more, the Written Law enunciates only the general principles of the law, while the Oral Law discusses the specifics of the law. The Written Law is brief, while the Oral Law is lengthy, as it is written: The measure thereof is longer than the earth and broader than the sea (Job 11:9).", "It says elsewhere in Scripture in reference to the Oral Law: Neither is it found in the land of the living (ibid. 28:13). What is the meaning of the verse Neither is it found in the land of the living? Does it mean that the Oral Law is found only among the deceased? Indeed not. It means that the Oral Law is not found among those who pursue the pleasures of this world—its passions, its glory, or its greatness, but only among those who deprive themselves for its sake, as it is said: This is the law; when a man dieth in a tent (Num. 19:40). The following is the path that leads to an understanding of the law: “A morsel of bread with salt shall you eat; a measure of water shall you drink; upon the earth shall you sleep; a life of hardship shall you lead; and in the law shall you labor.”5Pirkei Avot 6:4. The Holy One, blessed be He, established His covenant with Israel through the Oral Law, as it is said: According to the tenor of these words have I made a covenant with thee and with Israel (Exod. 34:27).", "Our sages, of blessed memory, stated that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not write in the Torah “For the sake of these words,” or “because of these,” or “on account of these words,” but simply according to the tenor of (al pi) these words. This statement clearly alludes to the Oral Law (torah she be-’al peh), which is difficult to learn and in the learning of which there is considerable anguish, comparable to darkness itself, as it is said: The people that walk in darkness have seen a great light (Isa. 9:1). The people referred to in this verse are the masters of the Talmud, who beheld a great light when the Holy One, blessed be He, enlightened them as to what is prohibited and permitted, pure and impure. It is said of them that They that love Him shall be as the sun when it goeth forth in its might (Judg. 5:31).", "The Israelites did not accept the Torah until the Holy One, blessed be He, arched the mountain over them like a vessel, as it is said: And they stood beneath the mountain (Exod. 19:17). R. Dimi the son of Hama stated that the Holy One, blessed be He, told Israel: If you accept the Torah, well and good; but if not, your grave will be there. If you should say that He arched the mountain over them because of the Written Law, isn’t it true that as soon as He said to them, “Will you accept the Torah?” they all responded, “We will do and hear,” because the Written Law was brief and required no striving and suffering, but rather He threatened them because of the Oral Law. After all, it contains the detailed explanations of the commandments, both simple and difficult, and it is as severe as death, and as jealous as Sheol. One does not study the Oral Law unless he loves the Holy One, blessed be He, with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, as it is said: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might (Deut. 6:5).", "Whence do you learn that this word love refers only to studying (the Oral Law). Observe what is written after this: And these words which I command thee this day shall be upon thy heart (ibid., v. 6). What words are alluded to here? The words of the Oral Law (Talmud), which are upon the heart. And Scripture says immediately thereafter: And thou shalt teach it to thy children. It is the Oral Law (Talmud) that must be taught.", "We learn from these verses that the first part of the Shema (Deut. 6:4–9) does not mention a reward given in this world, while the second part does: And if ye shall hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command thee this day … I will give the rain of your land in its season (Deut. 11:13). This reward is given to those who perform the commandments (contained in the Written Law) even though they neglect the study of Talmud.", "The second part of the Shema contains the words With all thy heart, with all thy soul, but the words with all thy might are omitted. These words are omitted to inform us that anyone who loves material riches and earthly pleasures is incapable of studying the Oral Law. There is considerable anguish and sleeplessness in (store for him who does study) it; one wastes and neglects himself on its account. Therefore its reward is in the hereafter, as it is said: The people that walk in darkness have seen a great light (Isa. 9:1).", "The great light alludes to the light created on the first day of creation, which the Holy One, blessed be He, reserved for those who devote themselves to the study of the Oral Law day and night. It is as a consequence of their merit that the world endures, as it is said: Thus saith the Lord: If My covenant be not with day and night, if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth (Jer. 33:25). Which covenant applies to day and night? It is the covenant of the Oral Law, as it is said: Thus saith the Lord: If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night … then may also My covenant be broken with David, My servant (ibid., vv. 20–21), and it says elsewhere: His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His Law doth he meditate day and night (Ps. 1:2).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, made a covenant with the Israelites that neither they nor their descendants, unto the last generation, would forget the Oral Law, as it is said: And as for Me this covenant with them, saith the Lord. My spirit that is upon thee, and My words that I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed (Isa. 59:21). It is not written in this verse “from thee,” but rather out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed.", "Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, established two yeshivot (at Sura and Pumbeditha) for the Israelites where they studied the Torah day and night, and where they assembled from all parts of the world twice each year, in the months of Adar and Elul. They came together to “battle” the problems encountered in the Torah until they had resolved them and reached a definitive decision concerning them. They would adduce arguments from the Torah, the Mishnah, and the Talmud so that the Israelites might not sin against the law, as it is said: Great peace have they that love Thy law; and there is no sinning for them (Ps. 119:165). Scripture informs us: The Lord will give strength unto His people, the Lord will bless His people with peace (Ps. 29:11). Hence, these two yeshivot experienced neither captivity, persecution, nor pillage; and neither Greece nor Rome ever conquered them.6The author of this statement apparently believed that the academies in Babylon were established prior to Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Middle East and following the exile in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. The Holy One, blessed be He, led the people out of Jerusalem with their Written and Oral Law twelve years before its destruction, as it is written: And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths; none remained save the poorest sort of people of the land (II Kings 24:14). Is there might among men being led into exile? These were the mighty ones in their knowledge of Torah, as is indicated in the verse: In the Book of the Wars of the Lord (Num. 21:14).", "What do the words craftsmen and smiths imply? The word “craftsmen” (haras) indicates that when one of them spoke, all the others were made speechless (haresin) by the power of his argument. The word “smiths” signifies that when one of them closed a case (playing on mesager, “smith,” and soger, “close”), on purity or impurity, prohibition or permission, no one in all the world was able to reopen the argument. This was in fulfillment of the verse And the key of the House of David will I lay upon his shoulder, and he shall open and none shall shut; and he shall shut and none shall open (Isa. 22:22).", "And the mighty of the land He took away (Ezek. 17:13). The mighty here alludes to the nobles of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, concerning whom it is said: Thus saith the Lord, God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I regard the captives of Judah whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for good (Jer. 24:5). And elsewhere it is written: And so the Lord hath hastened the evil and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all His works (Dan. 9:14). How can these verses be explained? After all, if the Holy One, blessed be He, is righteous, is it likely that He would hasten the evil and bring it upon us? This verse implies that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed a kindness for Israel by causing the exile of Jehoiachin to precede that of Zedekiah so that the Oral Law might not be forgotten by the Israelites. They resided in Babylon, with their Torah, from that day unto this, and neither Rome nor Greece has ruled them or forced them to convert. What is more, they will not be compelled to experience the trials that will befall mankind preceding the advent of the Messiah, as is said: O Zion, escape, thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon (Zech. 2:11). That is, they escaped the decrees imposed by Rome and Greece.", "It is written in Scripture: Be in pain and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now thou shalt go forth out of the city and shall dwell (ve-shakhant) in the field, and shalt come into Babylon; there shalt thou be rescued. There shall the Lord redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies (Micah 4:10). Ve-shakhant “(shall dwell) in the field” is written; even though Israel may be banished into the field, My Shekhinah7Reading ve-shakhant as shekhinati (my Shechinah). will not depart from you. And thou shalt come even into Babylon; there shalt thou be rescued (ibid.). The word there in this verse indicates that the redemption (of Israel) will commence there, and that from there they will ascend to Jerusalem, as it is said: And saviors shall come up on Mount Zion (Obad. 21). That shall be when the kingdom shall be the Lord’s (ibid.). So may be Your will." ], [ "A question. An Israelite is forbidden to steal from a fellow human being. No punishment for the performance of any prohibited act mentioned in the Torah is harsher than that administered for theft. R. Eliezer declared: The generation of the flood was guilty of every sin mentioned in the Torah, but only when they committed theft was it decreed that their memory should be obliterated in the floodwaters, as it is said: For the earth is filled with violence through them, and behold, I will destroy them with the earth (Gen. 6:13), and elsewhere it is written: Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness; not one of them shall remain (Ezek. 7:11). R. Eliezer held: This verse teaches that Violence arose and stood upright, like a rod before God, and said to Him: Master of the Universe, Nought cometh from them, nor from their tumult, nor from their turmoil, neither is there eminence among them (ibid.).8Even violence could not tolerate the sin of theft.", "R. Abahu declared: There are three wrongs before which the curtain (that veils the throne of God) is never closed—robbery, and idolatry, and gouging. About gouging it is written: Thus He showed me; and behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in His hand (Amos 7:7); concerning robbery it is written: Violence and theft is heard within her before Me continually (Jer. 6:7); and with reference to idolatry it is written: A people who provokest Me to My face continually, that sacrifice in gardens, etc. (Isa. 65:3).", "R. Yohanan was of the opinion that a man who steals as little as a perutah from his companion is considered as though depriving him of his life, as it is said: So are the ways of everyone who is greedy of gain; it taketh away the life of the owners thereof (Prov. 1:19).", "One who steals but later repents his action by restoring the stolen article to its rightful owner is considered to have atoned for his sin. However, if the one from whom he stole it has died, he is required to return the stolen property to his heirs before he is considered to have atoned. When a person returns a stolen article to its owner, the owner must forgive the guilty one lest he regret having repented. Our rabbis taught, however, “If a known thief or usurer desires to make restitution, one should not accept it, and if he does accept it, he is devoid of wisdom and piety.”9For the interpretation of this statement, see Rashi, Bava Kama 94b, s.v. “ignorant of the law.” This is the case only if the stolen object is not intact, but if it is intact, one may accept it. R. Yohanan said: This law was taught during the lifetime of Rabbi. It happened once that a man wanted to return some property which he had stolen, but his wife rebuked him, saying: “Fool, if you were to make complete restitution, even the girdle you are wearing would no longer belong to you.” He changed his mind and did not make restitution. It was then that the sages declared: If a known thief or usurer desires to make restitution, one should not accept it, but if one does accept it, he is devoid of wisdom and piety.”", "The disciples of R. Yohanan the son of Zakkai posed the query: Why does the Torah deal more harshly with a thief than with a robber, inasmuch as a thief is required to pay double or even four- or fivefold the value of what he has stolen, while concerning the robber it is written: Then it shall be, if he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he stole by robbery (Lev. 5:23)? He explained: The robber equates the dignity of the servant with the dignity of the Master, while the thief does not equate the dignity of the servant to that of the Master. He (the thief) acts as though the eyes of the Almighty were unable to see him and His ears were incapable of hearing him. He moves about stealthily while perpetrating his thievery, as though he can be seen by man but not by God. Therefore it says: Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say: “Who seeth us? Who knoweth us?” (Isa. 29:15); They say, the Lord will not see (Ps. 94:7); and it says also: The Lord seeth us not, the Lord has forsaken the land (Ezek. 8:12).", "It is taught that R. Meir’s thought was illustrated in the name of R. Gamliel. “To what may this be compared?” he said. “It may be compared to two men residing in a certain city, who arranged banquets. One of them invited all the men of the city to his banquet, but failed to invite the king’s sons, while the other invited neither the men of that city nor the king’s sons. Whose punishment is more severe? Naturally the one who invited all the other men of the city but not the king’s sons.”", "R. Meir said: Observe how much importance is attached to labor. One must pay an indemnity equal to five times the value of the ox, for the theft of the ox forces him to stop work, but one pays only fourfold indemnity for a sheep, which performs no labor. R. Yohanan the son of Zakkai declared: Observe that God is merciful even toward a thief. A thief must pay fivefold for an ox that goes on its feet, but he pays only fourfold for a sheep that he must carry away on his shoulder.", "If a man steals while saying to himself, “I will take this thing because I need it now but will return it later,” he is considered a wicked man, for it is written: If the wicked restore the pledge, give back that which he had stolen(Ezek. 33:15). Yea, even though he returns what he has stolen, he is considered wicked. It is necessary to understand that what we have discussed thus far applies only to the person who steals something with the intention of taking it for himself. Yet, even if the person steals with the intention of giving a gift to the man, but he does not wish to accept it, and [the thief] thinks, I will steal from him so as to pay him double [when I am convicted by a court], or, the man was careless with his property or money and negligently left it in an unguarded place, and another man found it and thought, I will vex him to make him search for it so that he will be more careful with his property in the future, and not be neglignt. The finder is not permitted to take it even though he did it for the owner’s good. Since it is possible that the owner (of the lost item) will be greatly distressed by his withholding it.", "The Baraita (a tradition attributed to a sage from the time of the Mishnah) teaches us: One must not steal either for the purpose of repaying a twofold indemnity or in order to withhold it temporarily. This is the law, for there is an additional verse which states: Thou shalt not rob (Lev. 19:13)." ], [ "These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man … Noah walked with God (Gen. 6:9). Why is Noah’s name repeated three times in this single verse? Because he was one of the three men privileged to experience three changes that occurred in the world. The three were Noah, Daniel, and Job. Noah saw the world inhabited, he witnessed its destruction, and finally he beheld it reinhabited. Daniel saw the first Temple intact, he beheld its destruction, and then he witnessed the erection of the second Temple. Job saw his household established, he beheld its destruction, and he finally witnessed its reestablishment. Noah was a righteous man. Noah was called righteous because he fed the creatures of the Holy One, blessed be He. Two men were called righteous because they fed the creatures of the Holy One, blessed be He. They were Noah and Joseph. It is written concerning Joseph: Because they sell the righteous for silver (Amos 2:6), and of Joseph it is also said: And Joseph fed (Gen. 47:12).", "R. Ahava the son of R. Ze’era said: Even Noah’s sons, the animals, the beasts, the birds, and the creeping things that accompanied him into the ark were righteous. At the time of the generation of the flood, all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth (Gen. 6:12), as it is stated in Scripture concerning them. The domesticated animals copulated with the beasts, the beasts with the animals, they with men, and the men with them. Therefore, it is stated: Behold, I will destroy them with the earth (ibid., v. 13). How do we know that at the very hour that they were created, the animals, the beasts, the birds, and the creeping things were commanded not to copulate with any species other than their own? It is written: And God made the beast of the earth after its kind (Gen. 1:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, told them: Each shall cleave to its own and is forbidden to go to another.", "He was righteous (Gen. 6:9). This suggests that he was one of the seven men born circumcised.10Tradition differs as to the number of men born circumcised. Buber Tanhuma, Noah 6 mentions ten, Midrash on Psalms 9:7 lists thirteen. Adam and his son Seth were born circumcised, as it is written: He begot a son in his own likeness after his image, and he called him Seth (Gen. 5:3). Noah was born circumcised, as it is written: He was righteous (lit. “perfect”) in his generations (ibid. 7:1); Jacob was born circumcised, for it is said: And Jacob was a quiet (lit. “perfect”) man (ibid. 25:27); Joseph was born circumcised, for it is written: These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph (ibid. 37:2) because he resembled his father; Moses was born circumcised, as it is said: And she saw that he was a goodly child (Exod. 2:2); and Job was born circumcised, as it is written: A wholehearted (lit. “just”) and upright (“perfect”) man (Job 1:1).", "In his generation. Do these words imply that Noah would not have been considered righteous if he had lived in another generation? R. Judah and R. Nehemiah differed concerning this question. One said: He was righteous in comparison to the men who lived during the Generation of the Flood and the Generation of the Separation, but if he had lived in Abraham’s generation he would have been lost among them. For example, if a barrel of balsam oil is placed in a filthy area, its scent permeates that area, but if it is placed in another locality (a clean area), its scent might not permeate that area. The other argued: If he was righteous in such a generation, how much more righteous would he have been had he lived in any other generation! For example, if a vial of spikenard oil is set in a filthy place, it will give forth a pleasant fragrance, but how much more pleasant would its fragrance be were it placed in an attractive area.", "Noah walked with God. The Holy One, blessed be He, supported Noah lest he sink to the level of the generation of the flood. For example, if a king’s son starts out on a journey as his father’s emissary, and is forced to travel upon a road thick with mud, the king supports him along the road lest he sink into the mire. However, with reference to Abraham, it is written: Walk before Me, etc. (Gen. 17:1), and concerning the patriarchs, it is said: The God before whom my fathers walked (ibid. 48:15). They preceded the Shekhinah, in order to fulfill His will.", "Make yourself an ark of acacia-wood (Gen. 6:14). R. Huna said in the name of R. Yosé: The Holy One, blessed be He, forewarned the generation of the flood to repent its misdeeds for one hundred and twenty years.11This number is derived from And therefore shall his days be one hundred and twenty years (Gen. 6:3). When they refused to repent, He commanded Noah to build an ark of acacia-wood. Then Noah arose, repented his sins, and planted cedar trees. They asked him: “What are these cedars for?” “The Holy One, blessed be He, intends to bring a flood upon the earth, and He has ordered me to build an ark so that I and my family might escape,” he replied. They laughed at him and ridiculed his words. Nevertheless, he tended the trees till they grew large. Once again they asked him: “What are you doing?” He repeated what he had told them previously, but they continued to mock him. After some time, he cut down the trees and sawed them into lumber. Again they inquired: “What are you doing?” He warned them once again as to what would happen, but they still refused to repent. Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, brought the flood upon them, as it is said: And they were blotted out from the earth (Gen. 7:23)." ], [ "And God remembered Noah (Gen. 8:1). May it please our master to teach us the benediction recited upon witnessing a rainbow. Thus did our masters teach us: Upon seeing a rainbow, one should recite the benediction: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who doth remember His covenant, is faithful in His covenant, and fulfills His word. This blessing is found in the Mishnah.12Actually it is found in Berakhot 59b and not in the Mishnah. How do we know that it is also derived from the Torah? Because it is written: I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be as a sign of a covenant (Gen. 9:13).", "God’s way is not man’s way. As long as a man’s friend lives, his friendship for him continues, but after his friend’s death, his concern for him ceases. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, does not act in that manner. When Abraham died, the Holy One, blessed be He, continued to love his son Isaac, as it is said: And it came to pass after the death of Abraham that God blessed Isaac, his son (ibid. 25:11). It may happen that a king bestows gifts of silver, gold, and raiment upon his friend, and the friend then sails away. These possessions may be lost when a storm arises, and the king is powerless to protect him from the sea or from pirates. However, when the Holy One, blessed be He, presents a gift to his beloved one He guards it, as it is said: The Lord bless thee and guard thee (Num. 6:24). He blessed Abraham and guarded him, as it is said: And the Lord blessed Abraham in all things (Gen. 24:1). He acted similarly toward Isaac and Jacob.", "If a storm should arise after a man boards ship, they hurl the animals and all his possessions into the sea, only the man is saved. Those in charge of the vessel do not have the same concern for the man’s animals and possessions as they have for the man himself, but the Holy One, blessed be He, is as concerned for the beast as for the man, as is said: And His tender mercies are over all His works (Ps. 145:9). Hence, Scripture says: And God remembered Noah and every living thing (Gen. 8:1)." ], [ "And God remembered Noah (Gen. 8:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: A righteous man regardeth the life of his beasts; but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel (Prov. 12:10). The Righteous One of the world, however, regardeth the life even of a beast, even when He is angered, for His ways are not the ways of man.", "Normally, if the inhabitants of a province rebel against a king, the king dispatches his legionaries to subdue them, and they destroy the wicked and innocent alike. After all, the king does not know who was rebellious and who was loyal. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, does not behave in that fashion. Though an entire generation should anger Him, He will save a single righteous man among them. Therefore, it is written: A righteous man regardeth the life of his beasts (ibid.). And it says elsewhere: the Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knoweth those that take refuge in Him (Nahum 1:7).", "But the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel (Prov. 12:10). This verse alludes to the men of the generation of the flood, who were extremely cruel. Our rabbis of blessed memory posed the query: What did they do when the Holy One, blessed be He, brought the waters of the deep upon them and they saw the waters beginning to gush over them? They had given birth to many children, as it is written: Their seed is established (nakhon) in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes (Job 21:8). In fact, this verse implies that the women would conceive at night and give birth (nakhon) the next morning, as it is said: And would be ready (nakhon) by morning (Exod. 34:2). And their offspring before their eyes (Job 21:8) indicates that they lived to see their great-grandchildren. Some of them took their children and stuffed them unmercifully into the crevices through which the waters gushed. Hence, it is said: The mercies of the wicked are cruel. How do we know that they actually did that? Job declared: The womb forgetteth him; the worm feedeth sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered, unrighteousness is broken as a tree (ibid. 24:20). The womb forgetteth him … he shall be no more remembered signifies that they pressed their own offspring into these crevices. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do to them after that? He brought the flood down upon them and destroyed them, as it is said: Unrighteousness is broken as a tree.13Just as a tree is destroyed by a flood, so these unrighteous men were destroyed by the flood from above.", "R. Berechiah said: The men of the generation of the flood were exceedingly strong and tall, as it is written: These same were the mighty men (Gen. 6:4), and if He had not punished them with fire that descended from above, nothing would have been able to destroy them. Hence Job said: Surely their substance is cut off, and their abundance the fire hath consumed (Job 22:20).", "After the Holy One, blessed be He, realized that they would not be drowned by the waters that gushed forth from the deep because of their height, He sent the fire upon them from above, as it is said: And their abundance the fire hath consumed. Furthermore, He turned the birds, the wild beasts, and the animals against them to reduce their numbers, as it says: And all flesh perished that moved upon the earth, the birds, the animals, and the beasts, etc. (Gen. 7:21). How did they perish? It was through the birds, the beasts, and the animals. When at long last they realized that they were about to be destroyed, they attempted to overturn the ark. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He surrounded the ark with lions, as it is said: The Lord shut them in (Gen. 7:16). The word shut in Scripture alludes to lions. How do we know this? We know it from the verse My God hath sent His angels and hath shut the lion’s mouth (Dan. 6:23)." ], [ "And God spoke to Noah, saying: “Go forth from the ark” (Gen. 8:15). May our master instruct us whether one is permitted to place saliva upon an ailing eye on the Sabbath. R. Hiyya the son of Abba stated in the name of R. Levi: It is forbidden to place saliva on an ailing eye on the Sabbath, for that would be equivalent to healing on the Sabbath.14Cf. Shabbat 10b, Buber Tanhuma, Noah 13. Come and see that there is no ailment in all the world for which there is no cure. What is the cure for an act resulting from the evil inclination? Repentance.", "R. Judah the son of R. Shalum explained in the name of R. Eleazar that three things abrogate a harsh decree: repentance, prayer, and charity. R. Yosé added: Changing one’s name and the performance of good deeds. The Holy One, blessed be He, had hoped that the generation of the flood would repent, but when they failed to do so, He exterminated all living beings. Only Noah survived in the ark. When the waters ceased to flow, and the time arrived for Noah to leave the ark, he declared: I entered at the bidding of the Holy One, blessed be He, when He told me, “Come, you and your household, into the ark,” and I shall not depart except at His bidding. Thereupon God revealed Himself unto Noah, as it is said: And God spoke to Noah, saying, “Go forth from the ark.”" ], [ "Go forth from the ark (Gen. 8:16). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Bring my soul out of prison, that I may give thanks to Thy name; the righteous shall crown themselves because of me; for Thou wilt deal bountifully with me (Ps. 142:8). Bring my soul out of prison refers to Noah, who was imprisoned in the ark. R. Levi said: Neither Noah nor his sons were able to sleep during the entire twelve months (in the ark) because they were obliged to feed the animals, the beasts, and the birds. R. Akiba stated that they even brought into the ark tree branches for the elephants and glass beads for the ostriches. Some of the animals had to be fed at the second hour in the night and others at the third hour of the night.", "Further proof that they did not sleep is presented to us by R. Yohanan. He tells us in the name of R. Eliezer the son of R. Yosé the Galilean that because Noah once delayed feeding a lion, the lion bit him so severely that he left the ark crippled, as it is said: And only Noah was left (Gen. 7:23). The word ah (“only,” also “to be afflicted”) indicates that his body was no longer whole. He became, thereby, unfit to bring sacrifices to the altar,15No person with a blemish on his body was permitted to bring a sacrifice to the altar. and his son Shem had to do it in his stead. Concerning him it is said: Behold, the righteous shall be made whole in the earth (Prov. 11:31).", "R. Huna said in the name of R. Yosé: He left the ark coughing and spitting blood because of a cold he had contracted, and it is for this reason that Scripture states: Bring out of prison my soul … the righteous shall crown themselves because of Me (Ps. 142:8), that is, through me the Holy One blessed be He took a crown. They shall reason: Though Noah was righteous, he was not wholly righteous. The Holy One, blessed be He, nevertheless performed miracles in his behalf, as it is said: He delivereth him that is innocent (Job 22:30). In this verse i-naki (“innocent”) should be interpreted as velo naki, that is, he was not wholly righteous. How many more miracles would He have performed in his behalf if he had been wholly righteous!" ], [ "Go forth from the ark (Gen. 8:16). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: I counsel thee: keep the king’s command, and that in regard of the oath of God. Be not hasty to go out of His presence (Eccles. 8:2–3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: If a government imposes harsh decrees upon you, I adjure you not to rebel against that government but rather to keep the king’s command. However, if the government should decree that you must violate the Torah and its commandments, do not hearken unto it. Say to that government: “I will keep the king’s command in whatever you desire, but with regard to an oath to God, Scripture states: Be not hasty to go out of His presence.” They want you to violate the commandments so that you will ultimately repudiate the Holy One, blessed be He. Hence, it says: In regard of the oath of God, be not hasty to go forth from His presence (ibid.).", "Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah behaved in that fashion at the time Nebuchadnezzar erected his statue. They said to him: Do you believe that even if you should cast us into the midst of a fiery furnace, the Holy One, blessed be He, will not save us? We know that the Holy One, blessed be He, is able to save us, but whether we are saved or not, we shall not prostrate ourselves before your image, for it is written: If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, He will deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and out of thy hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up (Dan. 3:17–18). Then Nebuchadnezzar replied: Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, that you serve not my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? (ibid., v. 14). What is the meaning of Is it true? It means that he said to them: “Is it true what you say?” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this manner” (ibid., v. 16). They did not address him as king but simply as Nebuchadnezzar. “We have no need to obey you in this demand. If you had issued a decree concerning taxes or levies upon our crops or upon anything else, we would say, ‘I keep the king’s command,’ and you would be obeyed as a king, but when you command us to deny our God, then you are merely Nebuchadnezzar. We have no need to respond to you in any demand, for we have been commanded in regard to the oath of God: Be not hasty to go out of his presence, stand not in an evil thing (Eccles. 8:3).” Upon hearing this, Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the form of his visage was changed, against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; he spoke, and commanded that they should heat the furnace seven times more than it was wont to be heated…. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, and their robes … and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace (Dan. 3:19–21).", "You learn from this verse that a man must not lose his sense of dignity even though he is in mortal danger. All three adorned themselves in their best garments even though they might be consumed in the furnace.", "And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of a fiery burning furnace (ibid. 3:23). After they were cast into the furnace, they looked upward and exclaimed: “O Master, Lord of the universe, it is revealed to Thee, and Thou dost certainly know, that we rely not upon our own deeds (to be saved) but upon Thine exalted name, which must not be desecrated in the sight of the nations. Not unto us, 0, Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory…. Wherefore should the nations exclaim: “Where is now their God?” (Ps. 115:1–2).” The wicked man, Nebuchadnezzar, had brought together people from all over the Empire, as it is said: And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, judges, treasurers, counsellors, sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image (Dan. 3:3).", "Six miracles were performed on that day in behalf of these righteous men. The furnace rose to the surface, it fell asunder, its foundation crumbled, the golden image fell headlong, the leaders of four governments were burned to death, and Ezekiel revived the dead. All but one of these miracles are mentioned in the Mishnah.16Cf. Sanhedrin 92b. The miracle of the fiery death of four officers is mentioned in the scriptural verse The flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (ibid., v. 22). How do we know that four officers were consumed? It says further on: And the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, and the king’s ministers, being gathered together (ibid. v. 27). What happened to the sheriff, the treasurer, the counsellor, and the judge referred to in the previous verse? These were the four who were consumed by the flames of the furnace.", "The ministering angels were about to descend from heaven to rescue Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: “They descended for the sake of My Name, therefore I shall descend to rescue them and release them,” as it is said: Who executeth justice for the oppressed, the Lord looseth the prisoners (Ps. 146:7). Forthwith, He released them by raising the furnace, which was extremely deep, until it was level with the ground. When the angel beheld what had transpired, he said to them: “Depart from this place, for the Holy One, blessed be He, has already released you. He performed miracles in your behalf and has raised the furnace level with the ground.” They replied: “We shall not depart from this place without the king’s permission lest he say we escaped from the furnace. I keep the king’s command; that is, by his command we were cast into the furnace, and only at his command shall we depart.” When Nebuchadnezzar approached and saw what had taken place he was astounded, and he spoke, saying: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of God Most High, come forth, and come hither (Dan. 3:26). The verse does not say “Come up” but merely Come forth, and come hither, thereby indicating that the furnace had been raised level with the ground. Inasmuch as they had been cast into the furnace at his command, they would come forth only at his command. Where did they learn this? They learned it from Noah, who entered the ark at the command of the Holy Omnipotent One, blessed be He, as it is said: Come, thou and all thy house (Gen. 7:1), and finally he left it at His command when He said to him: Go forth from the ark (ibid. 8:16).", "The transgression of the lips is a snare to the evil man (Prov. 12:13). The evil men referred to in this verse are the men of the generation of the flood, who said: What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit shall we have if we pray unto Him? (Job 21:15)? Furthermore, they said unto God: Depart from us (ibid., v. 14). Who ever heard of a guest, seated at his host’s table, telling his host: “Pack your things and depart”?", "The righteous cometh out of trouble (Prov. 12:13). This verse alludes to Noah, to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Go forth from the ark." ], [ "Another explanation of go forth from the ark. David said: Bring my soul out of prison (Ps. 142:8). Noah, while in the ark, prayed continually: Bring my soul out of prison, and it is said elsewhere: For this let everyone that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found; surely, when the great waters overflow, they will not reach unto him (ibid. 32:6).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Noah, I have decreed that you are not to depart from this ark until twelve months have elapsed. And thus Isaiah declared: Thus said the Lord: In an acceptable time have I answered thee; and in a day of salvation have I helped thee … saying to the prisoners: “Go forth”; to them that are in darkness, “Show yourselves” (Isa. 49:8–9).", "To say to the prisoners go forth implies that they were enjoined from sexual intercourse. Why was that? When the world is overwhelmed by suffering and destruction, men are forbidden to (fulfill the command to) increase and multiply (Gen. 6:28) Surely, while the Holy One, blessed be He, is engaged in destroying the world, men should not strive to populate it. Joseph behaved accordingly. He indulged in intercourse with his wife only prior to the years of hardship, as it is said: And unto Joseph were born two sons (Gen. 41:50). When were they born? In the years preceding the famine.", "That is why Job declared: They are lonely in want and famine (Job 30:3). That is, when want and famine come into the world, be lonely; abstain from sexual intercourse. Noah acted accordingly. When he entered the ark, it is said: And Noah and his sons came, and after that is written: His wife and his sons’ wives (Gen. 7:7). However, when he was about to depart from the ark, the Holy One, blessed be he, told him: Go forth from the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives (Gen. 8:16). Thus we learn that Noah and his sons were forbidden to indulge in sexual intercourse while in the ark.", "Scripture states in reference to Noah, that thou mayest say to the prisoners “Go forth,” and to them that are in darkness, “Show yourselves” (Isa. 49:9). Say to the prisoners; that is, say to those who are forbidden to have sexual intercourse, Go forth from the ark. To them that are in darkness, show yourselves. Show yourselves refers to the beasts, the animals, and the birds. Thereupon, He told them: And you, be ye fruitful and multiply; swarm in the earth, and multiply therein (Gen. 9:7).", "Forthwith, Noah said: Master of the universe, will you retract the promise you made, and bring another flood? He replied: I promise that I shall not bring another flood. As it is said: And the Lord smelled the sweet savor, and the Lord said in his heart: “I will not again curse the ground,” etc. (Gen. 8:21); and it says elsewhere: For this is as the waters of Noah unto me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go forth over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee (Isa. 54:9).", "You find that from that time until Solomon erected the Temple, it rained continuously for forty days each year as a reminder of the waters of the flood that lasted forty days. After Solomon completed the Temple, he pleaded for mercy in behalf of them (Israel), and the continuous rains ceased, as it says: And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul (I Kings 6:38). What is the meaning of the words In the month of Bul? It refers to the month when the cattle are given mixed fodder which was stored inside the house (because of the rains).17The biblical name for the eighth month is Mar Heshvan. The name Bul is derived from the word bullalin, the month when cattle are given mixed fodder that is stored in the house; Pesikta Rabbati 7. Jastrow.", "Another comment upon In the month of Bul. It was named Bul because He selected it as the month for the forty days of the flood (mabul).", "We find that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Noah: Neither shall there anymore be a flood (Gen. 8:11). Isaiah later explained that this was an oath, as it is said: For as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth (Isa. 54:9), and that this promise will be fulfilled everlastingly. How much more so, then, will He keep the three oaths that He explicitly swore to Israel. The first oath was: So have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee (ibid.); the second was: The Lord God has sworn by His holiness (Amos 4:2); and the third was: The Lord God has sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength: Surely I will no more give thy corn to be food for thine enemies (Isa. 62:8).", "The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength (Isa. 62:8). By his right hand refers to the Torah, as it is said: His right hand was a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2). And by the strength of His arms alludes to the tefillin (phylacteries), as it is said: The Lord will give strength unto His people (Ps. 29:11). Surely I will no more give thy corn to be food for thine enemies … in the courts of My sanctuary (Isa. 68:8–9) refers to Jerusalem. What oath did He proclaim in reference to Jerusalem? He vowed that He Himself would build it, as it is said: The Lord doth build up Jerusalem; He gathered together the dispersed of Israel (Ps. 147:2).", "R. Samuel the son of Nahmani stated: There is an aggadic tradition which states that Jerusalem will not be rebuilt until the dispersed of Israel are gathered together. However, if one should tell you: The exiles are already gathered together and Jerusalem still hath not been rebuilt, believe him not, for it is written: The Lord doth build up Jerusalem, and after that Scripture says: He gathered together the dispersed of Israel (ibid. 147:2).", "Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the universe, has not Jerusalem already been rebuilt and destroyed?18Cf. Bava Batra 49a. And He replied: It was destroyed and you were exiled from it, because of your sins, but in the future I will rebuild it and it will never be destroyed again, as it is said: When the Lord hath built up Zion … He hath appeared in His glory (Ps. 102:17)." ], [ "And the sons of Noah left the ark (Gen. 9:18). May it please our master to instruct us whether man or woman is enjoined to fulfill the commandment to Increase and multiply (Gen. 1:28)? Our masters instruct us that the man is commanded to fulfill this decree and not the woman.", "R. Yohanan contended that it was enjoined upon both sexes, since it is said: And God blessed them and said to them: And fill the land and subdue it (ibid.). However, the singular form of subdue is written in this verse, thus indicating that man and not woman subdues the earth. Therefore, it follows that man is commanded to increase and multiply and not the woman.", "You know this to be so from the fact that Abraham sought a wife for his son Isaac: And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his household, etc. (Gen. 24:2), and it is written also: I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven … that thou shalt go unto my country (ibid., vv. 3–4). Hence, it is apparent that Abraham was concerned with the observance of the law of Increase and multiply. Similarly, Isaac told Jacob: Arise! Go to Padan-aram (Gen. 28:2), to seek a wife proper for him. He did not wish him to be like the men of the generation of the flood, who wallowed in unchastity and indulged in sexual intercourse with species other than their own. Observe what is written concerning them: The sons of God saw the daughters of men … and took them wives, whomsoever they chose (Gen. 6:2). That was the reason they were obliterated from the earth.", "The animals, likewise, copulated with species other than their own: the horse with the ass, the ass with the horse, and the serpent with the bird, as it is said: And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth (Gen. 6:12). Notice that Scripture does not say in this verse “all man” but all flesh. Therefore, He blotted out every living substance which was upon the face of the ground, both man and cattle (ibid. 7:23). No being that had copulated with a species other than its own entered the ark, as it is said: From all the pure cattle (ibid., v. 2). Because the ark could harbor only pure beings, they came from among those alone, as it is said: Two and two unto Noah (ibid., v. 9).", "Observe, however, that it is written in reference to their departure from the ark: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, whatsoever moveth upon the earth, after their families went forth from the ark (Gen. 8:19). Do animals actually have families? The word families applies to the various breeds of animals that cleave only to their own kind. Therefore, Scripture records them with the sons of Noah.", "And they were the sons of Noah that went forth from the ark (Gen. 9:18). And they were indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, would cause them (their descendants) to exist permanently in the world. In reference to idolaters it is written, however: I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more; though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again (Ezek. 26:21).", "I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more refers to the present time; thou shalt be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again refers to the Messianic Age. But Israel existed in the past, and will live in the future. Whence do we know this? It is written: Remember thy congregation which Thou has acquired of old (Ps. 74:2). Of old alludes to the time before the world was created. And they exist now, for it is said: Ye are standing this day (Deut. 29:9), But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive, every one of you this day (ibid. 4:4); that they will exist in the future is indicated in the verse And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in the day that I do make, even Mine own treasure; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him (Mal. 3:17).", "And the sons of Noah, that went forth from the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth (Gen. 9:18). Was Shem the eldest of Noah’s sons, that his name is mentioned first? Is it not written that Japheth was the eldest? Why then was Shem mentioned first? Because he was considered to be more righteous and perfect by his Creator.", "Ham, the progenitor of the Canaanites, was one of the three beings who indulged in intercourse while in the ark. Those who did so were Ham, the dog, and the raven. All three were punished for their sin; Ham was afflicted with a dark skin, the male dog remains attached (to the body of the female after copulation), and the raven emits his semen from his mouth. These are the three sons of Noah." ], [ "And Noah, the husbandman, began and planted a vineyard (Gen. 9:20). Noah degraded himself when he began to till the soil. R. Judah the son of R. Shalum said: At first Noah was called a righteous and perfect man, but now he is described as a man of the earth. And he planted a vineyard; that is, after he planted the vineyard he was called a husbandman.", "Three men toiled upon the earth and degraded themselves thereby. They were: Cain, Noah, and Uzziah.19Cain became a murderer, Noah a drunkard, and Uzziah a leper. It is written of Cain: He was a tiller of the ground (ibid. 4:2), and that is followed by the verse: You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth (ibid., v. 12). Noah, as it is written: And Noah, the husbandman, began, and planted a vineyard (Gen. 9:20). And soon thereafter he disgraced himself: He drank of the wine (ibid., v. 21). Our sages held that on the very day he planted the vineyard, it bore its fruit, he harvested it, pressed it, drank the wine, became intoxicated, and exposed his private parts.", "Our teachers of blessed memory stated: While Noah was planting the vineyard, Satan appeared before him and asked: “What are you planting?” He answered: “A vineyard.” “What is it?” inquired Satan. “Its fruits are sweet, whether moist or dry,” he answered, “and from them one produces a wine that causes the heart of man to rejoice, as it is written: And wine doth make glad the heart of man (Ps. 104:15).” Satan suggested: “Come, let us be partners in this vineyard.” And Noah replied: “Certainly.”", "What did Satan do? First, he obtained a lamb and slaughtered it beneath the vineyard. Then, he took a lion and slaughtered it there, and after that he obtained a pig and an ape and slaughtered them in the same place. Their blood seeped into the earth, watering the vineyard. He did this to demonstrate to Noah that before drinking wine man is as innocent as a sheep: Like a sheep that before her shearers is dumb (Isa. 53:7). But after he drinks a moderate amount of wine he believes himself to be as strong as a lion, boasting that no one in all the world is his equal. When he drinks more than he should, he behaves like a pig, wallowing about in urine and performing other base acts. After he becomes completely intoxicated, he behaves like an ape, dancing about, laughing hysterically, prattling foolishly, and is completely unaware of what he is doing. All this happened to the righteous Noah. If the righteous Noah, whom the Holy One, blessed be He, praised, could behave in such a fashion, how much more so could any other man!", "Thereupon Noah cursed his seed, saying: Cursed be Canaan (Gen. 9:25). Because Ham had glanced at his naked father, his eyes became red. Because he related (what he had seen) to others with his mouth, his lips became twisted. Because he turned his face away (ignored his father’s condition), the hair of his head and beard was singed. And because he neglected to cover his naked father, he went about naked, with his prepuce extended. This happened to him because the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts retribution measure for measure. Nevertheless, the Holy One, blessed be He, relented and had mercy upon him, for His tender mercies are over all His works (Ps. 145:9). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Inasmuch as he caused himself to be sold into slavery,20His penalty for his actions: A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers (Gen. 9:25). let him go free because of the eye that sees and the mouth that speaks. Hence, the law states: A slave must be freed because of the loss of a tooth or an eye, as it is written: And if a man smite the eye of his bondman, or the eye of his bondwoman, and destroy it, he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake. And if he smite out his bondman’s tooth, or his bondwoman’s tooth, he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake (Exod. 21:26–27). May we not logically conclude a fortiori:21That is, kal va-homer (a conclusion drawn from a minor to a major), one of the hermeneutical rules for expounding the Written Law. If a servant, purchased with money, must be released from bondage if his master blinds him or knocks out his tooth, should not the seed blessed of the Lord (Isa. 65:23), the planting of the Lord that He might be glorified (Ps. 61:3), be freed after their deaths from their sins? Hence, free among the dead (Ps. 88:6), indicating that they should go free (from sin) with all their two hundred and forty-eight limbs.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world sin increases because of the evil inclination, but in the hereafter I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh (Ezek. 36:26). Hence, it is written: It shall be no more the confidence of the House of Israel, bringing iniquity to remembrance, when they turn after them (ibid. 29:16), and it is written elsewhere: In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none, and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found (Jer. 50:20).", "Scripture states in reference to Uzziah: He loved husbandry (II Chron. 26:10). He was a king who devoted himself to husbandry while ignoring the Torah. One day he visited the House of Study and inquired of those present: “What are you engaged in doing?” They responded with the verse: The common man that draweth nigh shall be put to death (Num. 1:51). Thereupon, he replied: “The Holy One, blessed be He, is King, and I am king, and it is fitting indeed for a terrestrial king to serve a Celestial King by burning incense before Him.” He went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the Lord (II Chron. 26:16–17). The young priests who entered with him said to him: It pertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated it pertaineth to burn incense; go out of the sanctuary, for thou has trespassed (ibid., v. 18). Therefore God was angry with him. Immediately, Uzziah was wroth; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy broke out in his forehead (ibid., v. 19). At that moment the Temple was rent asunder, and its pieces were hurled a distance of twelve by twelve miles.22The word mil indicates a distance of 2,000 cubits And they thrust him out quickly from thence; yea, himself made haste also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him (ibid., v. 20). Why did this all happen to him? Because he neglected the Torah and devoted himself to husbandry." ], [ "And he planted a vineyard (Gen. 9:20). Noah was one of four men who introduced four things. Noah introduced planting, as it is written: And he planted a vineyard; cursing when he said: Cursed be Canaan (Gen. 9:25); slavery when he said: He shall be slave unto his brothers (ibid.); and drunkenness when he drank of the wine, and was drunken (ibid., v. 21).", "Abraham introduced old age, trials, hospitality, and legacies. He introduced old age, for whenever he and his son entered a city, the inhabitants were unable to determine which of them was the elder of the two (and therefore the one) to be honored. Abraham was disturbed by this, and so he said: Master of the Universe, how shall one distinguish between father and son? The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Be assured, I will begin with you (to distinguish between father and son), as it is said: Abraham was old (Gen. 24:1).", "Trials. Abraham said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, if You had made the generation of the flood feel secure, they would not have angered You or rebelled against You by saying: Depart from us (Job 21:14). Thereupon, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I shall begin with you (to try men). And He tried him through his son (who was to be offered as a sacrifice), as it is written: And the child grew, and was weaned, etc. (Gen. 21:8).", "R. Oshaya and R. Abin differed over the meaning of this verse. One said: He was weaned from his good inclination; while the other insisted: He was weaned from his evil inclination.", "Hospitality. For it is said: And he planted a tamarisk tree (ibid., v. 33). R. Nehemiah stated: “Tamarisk tree” (alef-shin-lamed) contains the same letters as the word “ask” (shin-alef-lamed).23On this word-play, see Bereshit Rabbah 54:6. Whenever a man approached him, Abraham would say: “Ask what you desire, and I will give it to you.” And he built an inn at the crossroads.", "Legacies. As it is said: Unto the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts (Gen. 25:6).", "Moses introduced priestcraft, priesthood, sacrifice, and the law. He introduced priestcraft when he officiated as priest for seven days during the inauguration (of the priesthood); priesthood when He appointed Elazar the son of Aaron to the office of priest in the Temple, as it is said: And the chief over the princes of the Levites was Elazar the son of Aaron the priest (Num. 3:32); sacrifice, for it is said: And Moses made the whole head ram smoke upon the altar; it was a burnt offering (Lev. 8:20); and law, for it is written: And I will give to thee the tablets of stone and the law and the commandments (Exod. 24:12). Balaam instituted gambling, plaiting the hair, sorcery, and unchastity. Hence, Noah was one of four men who introduced four things." ], [ "And he planted a vineyard (Gen. 9:20). Where did he obtain the shoots for the vineyard? He obtained them from the grape seeds he had brought into the ark.24See Pesikta Rabbati 23. The grapes came from the Garden of Eden. And Shem and Japheth took a garment (Gen. 9:23). Since the singular, “he took,” is written in this verse and not the plural, “they took,” we may deduce that Shem was the first to perform the righteous deed (covering his father). They went backward (ibid.) implies that they walked backwards as they approached Noah. And they covered the nakedness of their father (ibid.) indicates that they went toward him with their faces turned away.25Turning their backs to their father would have been an act of disrespect. How did the Holy One, blessed be He, reward them? He rewarded Shem with the commandment to wear the purple strings upon the tallit since he had covered him with a tallit, and He granted Japheth the privilege of burial in the land of Israel.26According to some sources, Shem received a tallit and Japheth was given a cloak fastened with buckles, as a sigh of his importance. See Bereshit Rabbah 36:6, Buber Tanhuma, Noah 21.", "And he said: Cursed be Canaan. Though Ham observed his father’s nakedness, Canaan was cursed. R. Judah said: Inasmuch as a curse cannot prevail where a blessing has already been pronounced, and the Holy One, blessed He, had already blessed Noah and his sons, as it is said: And God blessed Noah and his sons (Gen. 9:1), Canaan must have been born while they were in the ark. R. Nehemiah held: Canaan had actually discovered Noah’s nakedness and had informed his father, Ham, concerning it. Therefore, this curse was directed against the one who was responsible for the sin (that was committed). Hence, it is written: Cursed be Canaan.", "Our sages stated: While Noah was in the ark, he said to himself: Would that my sons possessed slaves so that they might remain seated while being served. When I depart from this place, I shall produce a descendant who will be their slave. Following this incident, he said to Ham: You prevented me from begetting a fourth son who would serve you, therefore your fourth son shall become a slave. Hence, he said: Cursed be Canaan. This is the opinion of those who contend that Ham castrated his father.", "R. Simeon the son of Lakish maintained: Shem’s descendants also became slaves, as it is said: And if thy brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee (Deut. 15:12). Shem’s descendants, however, are freed at the expiration of six years, of servitude, as it is written: Then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free (ibid.), while the descendants of Ham are never freed, as is said: You may hold them to service forever (Lev. 25:46). Therefore, he remains a lifelong slave and does not go forth into the world a free man. Why was this curse imposed upon him? Because he was responsible for his father’s degradation. Thus, the Holy One, blessed be He, brought retribution upon the descendants of Ham by humiliating them by means of the king of Asshur, as it is said: So shall the king of Assyria lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot (Isa. 20:4).", "Since Japheth honored his father, how will the Holy One, blessed be He, reward him? When Gog and Magog attack Israel, they will be defeated, as it is said: And in that day I will give unto Gog a place fit for burial in Israel (Ezek. 39:11).", "How was Shem rewarded? When Aaron’s two sons entered the tent of meeting to offer a strange fire, There came forth fire from before the Lord and consumed them (Lev. 10:2). Their souls were consumed but not their clothing or their bodies, as it is said: them (ibid.). This happened because they were descended from Shem. This concerns the righteous. Whence do we know about what happens to wicked men? When Sennacherib departed from Jerusalem, the bodies of his forces were consumed but not their clothing. Why did this happen to them? Because they too were the descendants of Shem the son of Noah, as it is said: The sons of Shem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arpachshad (Gen. 10:22). And it is written: God enlargeth Japheth (ibid. 9:27); yet even so: And he shall dwell in the tents of Shem (ibid., v. 26)." ], [ "And the whole earth was of one language (Gen. 11:1). May it please our master to teach us why a house with an eruv27A legal fiction which establishes the continuity of a community so as to make certain types of activities permissible on the Sabbath within the designated area. has an eruv. Thus did our masters instruct us:28Y. Eruvin 6:7, Buber Tanhuma 22. R. Jacob the son of R. Aha asked R. Abahu whether it was necessary to place an eruv in an area having a common courtyard if others had previously placed one there, and he replied: The School of Shammai states that he must do so, while the School of Hillel maintains that it is not necessary. The law is in accordance with the opinion of the School of Hillel. R. Joshua the son of Levi said: They instituted the practice of placing an eruv in an area with a common courtyard only to advance the cause of peace. How does it achieve that goal? If a woman sends her son to deposit the eruv and her neighbor is kind to him and kisses him, his mother will undoubtedly say to herself: Truly she must love him, and she in turn will become fond of the woman who loves her son, no matter how she felt toward her previously. Hence, you find that peace prevails between them because of the eruv. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I established peace in My world, but these wicked men arise to foment conflict in it. Whence do we know this? From the fact that they fought against the Holy One, blessed be He, as is related in the chapter And the whole earth was of one language and one kind of words (Gen. 11:1)." ], [ "And the whole earth was of one language (Gen. 11:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Slay them not, lest my people forget, make them wander to and fro by Thy power, and bring them down, O Lord our shield. For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips (Ps. 59:12). David uttered this verse in reference to Doeg and Ahithophel.29Doeg informed against the priests in Nob (I Sam. 22:9–19), and Ahithophel advised Absalom to go in unto his father’s concubines (II Sam. 16:20–22). He cried out to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, slay them not as you do other men, lest my people forget the miracles you performed (in my behalf). Make them instead to wander to and fro under Your control so that they may roam about in this world. And bring them down, that is, from their exalted position. Why? For they have rebelled against You.", "For the sin of their mouth (ibid.). They sinned with their mouths and through the words of their lips. Doeg said: I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, (I Sam. 22:9), and Ahithophel said unto Absalom: Go into thy father’s concubines, that he hath left (II Sam. 16:21).", "Another explanation of this verse. David said this in reference to the generation of the separation. Slay them not, lest my people forget that You have destroyed the generation of the flood. Rather, make them wander to and fro by Thy power, that is, scatter them throughout the world, as it is written: The Lord dispersed them from there (Gen. 11:8). Bring them down, because they said: Let us build a city (ibid., v. 4). What does this suggest? They were rebelling against You." ], [ "And the whole earth was of one language (Gen. 11:1). What is written in Scripture before this verse? These are the families of the sons of Noah … and of these were the nations divided in the earth (Gen. 10:32). This is followed by the verse and the whole earth was of one language.", "Solomon declared: Though thou shouldst pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle among groats, yet will not his foolishness depart from him (Prov. 27:22). This verse indicates that if one beats a fool, the fool forgets the first blow, even while the staff is suspended above his head for the second blow. And with a pestle among groats implies that as soon as the staff is raised, he has already forgotten the second blow. Hence, Yet will not his foolishness depart from him.", "Nahman the son of R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said: This may be compared to a bottle filled with locusts. One locust climbs the side of the bottle and falls; a second also climbs and falls; and a third does likewise. The third locust learned nothing from the experience of the second, and the second learned nothing from the experience of the first. When the generation of Enoch called their idols by the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: Then began men to call by the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26),30The generation of Enoch was the first to practice idolatry. the Holy One, blessed be He, summoned the Mediterranean Sea and a third of the world was inundated, as it is said: That calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth, the Lord is His Name (Amos 5:8). And it says also: The waters wear the stones, the overflowings thereof wash away the dust of the earth; so Thou destroyest the hope of man (Job 14:19).", "Nevertheless the generation of the flood said to God: Depart from us (Job 21:14). Because they had failed to learn anything at all from the experience of the generation of Enoch, as a result their memory was ultimately obliterated from the earth.", "Similarly, the generation of the separation failed to learn from the experience of preceding generations. Hence it is written: Though thou shouldst pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle among groats, yet will not his foolishness depart (Prov. 27:22). What is meant by among groats (harifut)? This refers to the men of the generation of the separation, who blasphemed (m’harifin) the Unique One of the world.", "And the whole earth was of one language. The letter sin is written in the word safah (“language”) because they brought shafu (“retribution”) upon the world. They had declared: What right has He to select the celestial sphere for Himself and assign the terrestrial sphere to us? Let us ascend to the firmament and attack Him with axes.", "They separated into three groups. One said: “Let us go and dwell there”; the second insisted: “Let us go up and wage war against Him”; and the third shouted: “Let us go and serve idols there.” Those who said “Let us go and dwell there” were scattered abroad by the Holy One, blessed be He; those who insisted “Let us go and wage war against Him” were transformed into apes, spirits, and demons; and those who said “Let us go and serve idols there” were punished, as specified in the verse Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongue (Ps. 55:10). Thus it is said: And the Lord dispersed them from there (Gen. 11:8).", "R. Aibu stated in the name of (R. Eliezer the son of) R. Yosé the Galilean: Mankind rebelled against the Holy One, blessed be He, three times. The first rebellion was this one; the second occurred in the days of Joshua, as it is said: They gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord (Josh. 9:2); and the third will transpire in the days of Gog and Magog,31Israel’s final battle before the coming of the Messiah. as it is said: The kings of the earth stand up and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord (Ps. 2:2).", "In this instance each man said to his neighbor, Cush to Put, and Put to Canaan: Come, let us make brick (Gen. 11:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, thereupon declared: You evil men, because you have sinned with the words Come, let us, I shall confound you through those very words, as it is said: Come, let us go down there and confound their language (ibid., v. 7). R. Hiyya the son of Abba said: One third of the tower they erected was consumed in fire, another third was swallowed into the earth, and the remainder was left standing. Yet if one climbed to the summit of the remaining third, the palm trees in Jericho below appeared no larger than grasshoppers.", "You find that the evil deeds of the generation of the flood were made explicit, but the evil deeds of the generation of the separation were not made explicit. Job said in reference to the generation of the flood: There are that remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks and feed them. They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take away the widow’s ox for a pledge (Job 24:2–3). They would cross over into each other’s territory and violently take away flocks and feed them; that is, they would steal each other’s sheep. They drive away the ass of the fatherless implies that whenever they saw an orphan’s ass, they would take it from him. They take the widow’s ox for a pledge indicates that whenever a widow inherited an ox, they would come and take it from her.", "When others beheld their actions, they stripped off their clothing and went about naked, as it is said: So that they go about naked, without clothing (ibid., v. 10), and have no covering in the cold (ibid., v. 7). They did so because these wicked men had shouted at God: Depart from us … what is the Almighty that we should serve Him? (Job 21:14–15).", "To what may the generations of the flood and the separation be compared? To the two sons of a king. One tells the king: “I cannot tolerate you or your problems”; the other declares: “Either you or I must rule. Are not all men your equal?”", "Similarly, the men of the generation of the flood proclaimed: “Come, let us build us a city (Gen. 11:4), so that He may descend to earth and we may ascend to heaven. But if He should not descend, then let us wage war against Him.” The Holy One, blessed be He, did not restrain them, but declared instead: Do whatever ye desire, as it is said: And now nothing will be withholden from them, which they propose to do (ibid., v. 6). He that sitteth in heaven laugheth. The Lord hath them in derision (Ps. 2:4). Had He not permitted them to build the tower, they would have claimed: “If we had built the tower, we would have ascended and waged war against Him.” Therefore, He allowed them to erect the tower. After that, He looked down upon them and scattered them, as is said: Thence did the Lord scatter them (Gen. 11:9). He rebuked them, saying: You declared Lest we be scattered over the entire earth; therefore you shall be scattered over the face of the earth. Hence it is written: The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon them (Prov. 10:24).", "And the Lord came down to see the city (Gen. 11:5). Was it necessary for Him to descend to see it? Is not everything patent and revealed to Him, as it is said: He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him (Dan. 2:22)? He descended in order to teach men never to render a decision against another man or to testify concerning any matter unless he has witnessed it.", "And the Lord said: Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do, and now nothing will be withholden from them (Gen. 11:6). What is the meaning of the words and now? They mean that though they had rebelled against Him, were contumacious, and had built a tower, the Holy One, blessed be He, stretched out His right hand toward them so that they might repent, as it is said: And now, Israel, what does the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God (Deut. 10:12). But they replied: Nothing will be withholden (yibazer) from them. Even if those men were cut off (nivzarim) from the world, they would not repent, as it is said: As a grape-gatherer (bozer) cutteth off the shoots (Jer. 6:9)." ], [ "Come, let us go down there and confound their language (Gen. 11:7). He confounded their speech to such a degree that no one was able to understand his companion’s speech. Originally, they had spoken to each other in Hebrew, the language with which the world was created.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world My creatures opposed Me, and therefore they were divided into seventy languages because of the evil inclination, but in the world-to-come they will all be of one accord, calling upon My name and serving Me, as it is said: For then will I turn to the peoples one pure language that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one consent (Zeph. 3:9). And He will remove the oppression of idolatrous nations from Israel, and they shall serve Him with gladness, as it is said: Serve the Lord with gladness (Ps. 100:2). However, the nations of the world will serve Him, as is appropriate for them, with trepidation. For example, when a son serves his father, he does so in gladness, saying to himself: If I should commit an error in my father’s presence, he will not be angry with me, for he loves me. Hence he serves him with gladness. However, when a stranger serves a master, he does so with trepidation, saying to himself: If I should commit an error in his presence, he will become angry with me. Therefore, he serves him with trepidation.", "Thus, it is written concerning the nations: Why are all the nations in an uproar? And why do the people mutter in vain? (Ps. 2:1). This entire psalm alludes to the nations. For at the conclusion of this psalm, it is written: Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Do homage in purity, etc. (ibid., vv. 11–12). David said to them: Take heed, lest you deviate from the right path, and He be angry, and ye perish in the way (Ps. 2:12), for He might become angry with you, even over a trivial matter. In reference to Israel, however, it is written: Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with thanksgiving (Ps. 100:2). This psalm was undoubtedly said with reference to Israel, for David composed it in thanksgiving, as it is written: A psalm of thanksgiving (ibid., v. 1)." ] ], "Lech Lecha": [ [ "And the Lord said unto Abram: “Get thee out of thy country” (Gen. 12:1). May it please our master to teach us whether an Israelite is permitted to take upon himself the yoke of the heavenly kingdom (i.e., to recite the Shema) while traveling? R. Idi and R. Huna said in the name of R. Judah, and R. Yosé said in the name of R. Samuel: An Israelite is forbidden to take upon himself the yoke of the heavenly kingdom while traveling. He is required to stand still, directing his heart heavenward in trepidation and fear, in trembling and reverence, while proclaiming the oneness of God: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One (Deut. 6:4). He must speak each word with heartfelt sincerity, and then (add the benediction) “Blessed be His name, whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever.”1Cf. Y. Berakhot 13b, Buber Tanhuma, Lekh Lekha 1. However, when he commences the portion “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God,” he may either walk or stand or sit, as he desires, for it is written: When thou sittest in thy house, when thou goest on thy way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up (Deut. 6:7).", "You find that anyone who observes the commandments meticulously is rewarded fully. For example, because Abraham observed the commandments meticulously, he was called the beloved of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: The seed of Abraham, My beloved (Isa. 41:8). R. Samuel the son of Nahmani quoted R. Jonathan as saying that in Abraham’s home, even the commandment prohibiting the preparation of the Sabbath meals on a holy day that occurred on a Friday was carefully observed,2A dish prepared on Thursday is allowed to lay over until eaten on the Sabbath. By this legal fiction all the cooking for the Sabbath performed on a Friday that is a holy day is considered a continuation of the preparations started on Thursday. as it is said: Because that Abraham hearkened to My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws (Gen. 26:5). Are there a variety of laws that Scripture should say My laws? Has it not already been stated: One law shall be to him that is home born, and to the stranger that sojourns among you (Exod. 12:49), and was it not previously written: One law and one ordinance (Num. 15:16)? The word My laws employed in the above verse refers (solely) to the minutiae of the law which Abraham observed meticulously. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Though you do observe My laws scrupulously, yet you dwell amongst idolaters; Get thee out of thy country." ], [ "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred (Gen. 12:9). R. Berechiah opened the discussion with the verse: We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts; what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? If she be a wall, we will build upon her a turret of silver; and if she be a door, we will enclose her with boards of cedar (Song 8:8–9). To whom does Scripture refer in this verse? It refers to Abraham at the time when Nimrod ordered that he be hurled into the fiery furnace. He was little because the Holy One, blessed be He, had not yet performed any miracles in his behalf. By why was he called “sister” (ahot)? Because he united (iha) all mankind (into a single brotherhood) before God,3Abraham’s mission was to teach the Oneness of God and the oneness of mankind. just as one who tears a garment apart and then sews it together. Hence, he was called a sister.", "And she hath no breasts indicates that as yet he had no children. What shall we do for our sister in the day that she shall be spoken for alludes to the day in which Nimrod ordered him hurled into the fiery furnace. If she be a wall we will build upon her a turret of silver implies that if Abraham would set his soul as firm as a wall to withstand Nimrod’s many attacks and to accept martyrdom in order to sanctify the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, we will build upon her a turret of silver for his defense. A turret of silver refers to the Israelites, whom He called: The wings of the dove … covered with silver (Ps. 68:14). And if she be a door (delet) implies that if he should waver (dal) in his willingness to undergo martyrdom, then we would enclose (nasur) him with boards of cedar. Just as a drawing (sura) on a board of cedar is speedily erased, so Abraham (would have been speedily eliminated, for) I would not have protected him.", "Abraham declared: I am a wall, and my breasts like the towers thereof; then I was in His eyes as one that found peace (Song 8:10). I am a wall, in my willingness to accept martyrdom for the sanctification of Your Holy Name, but not I alone, for my breasts like the towers indicates that my descendants Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, and the generation of R. Hanina the son of Teradion4A martyr during the Hadrianic persecution. He was burned to death soon after R. Akiba. and all his colleagues, will also accept martyrdom to sanctify Your name. And furthermore, it says: I was in His eyes as one who found peace, since Abraham departed in peace from the furnace. You find that the Holy One, blessed be He, told him: Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, because his father, Terah, constructed idols and worshipped them." ], [ "Now the Lord said unto Abram: “Get thee out of thy country.” Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse; Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people and thy father’s house; so shall the king desire thy beauty; for he is thy lord; and do homage unto him (Ps. 45:11). Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear alludes to Abraham. Forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house refers to the idolaters, concerning whom it is said: Who say to a stock: “Thou art my father” (Jer. 2:27). And so shall the king desire thy beauty refers to the King of Kings, who desired to glorify your (Abraham’s) name in this world and in the world-to-come. For he is thy lord; and do homage unto him.", "R. Abin said: Abraham may be likened to a flask of oil that had been hidden away in a cemetery, the fragrance of which was unknown to anyone. What did they do with it? They removed it from the cemetery and carried it about from place to place until its fragrance became familiar throughout the world. This happened to Abraham. He dwelt among idolaters, and so the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded him: Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred in order that I may make thy nature known throughout the world. Get thee out of thy country. What is the meaning of lekh lekha (“get thee out”)? Each lamed in these words equals thirty, and each kaf equals twenty, totaling one hundred in all; thereby hinting to Abraham: When you become one hundred years old, you will beget a righteous son, as it is written: And Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him (Gen. 21:5).", "R. Levi stated: Abraham’s first trial was similar to his last. The first trial began with the words Get thee out of thy country, and the last began with the words Get thee into the country of Moriah (Gen. 22:2). R. Hanina said: Come and see how much Abraham loved his Creator. When he was only a child of three,5Abraham was forty-eight years old according to Nedarim 32a; Buber Tanhuma, Lekh Lekha 4. Cf. Bereshit Rabbah 30:8. he recognized his Creator, as it is said: Because Abraham hearkened to my voice (ibid. 26:5). The letter ayin in the word akeb (“because”) equals seventy, the letter kaf equals one hundred, and the letter bet equals two, totaling one hundred and seventy-two in all. Since Abraham lived one hundred and seventy-five years, you learn from this fact that he must have been only three years old when he first recognized the Creator.", "Unto the land that I will show you (Gen. 12:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, did not mention any specific place. This indicates that this was a trial within a trial, as in the case of a man who embarks upon a journey without being aware of his destination. What did Abraham do? He took his possessions and his wife and departed: And Abraham went, as the Lord had spoken to him (ibid., v. 4). And I will make of thee a great nation (ibid., v. 2). It is not written “I will establish you up as a great nation,” but I will make you a great nation; that is, I will create anew, as indicated by the verse And God made the firmament (ibid. 1:7); And God made the two great lights (ibid., v. 16). R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama said: When did the Holy One, blessed be He, make Abraham into a great nation? He did so when Israel accepted the Torah. Thus Moses proclaimed concerning them: For what great nation is there (Deut. 4:8)." ], [ "And I will bless thee and make thy name great, and be thou a blessing (Gen. 12:2). And I will bless thee implies: I Myself will bless thee. I will make thy name great indicates that your name will be exalted throughout the world. What do the words and be thou a blessing signify? They signify that your blessing will precede My blessing. That is why (in the Amidah prayer) the passage “Shield of Abraham” precedes the prayer “Revive the Dead.” Another comment on Be thou a blessing. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: From the time I created My world, I had to bless My creatures. I blessed Adam and Eve, as it is written: And He blessed them (ibid. 1:28), and Noah and his sons, as it is said: And God blessed Noah and his sons (ibid. 9:1), but henceforth, you shall confer blessings.", "When Isaac reached maturity, Abraham wanted to bless him, but he foresaw that both Esau and Jacob would descend from Isaac and so he would not bless him. Abraham said: Let the Master of the world come and bless whomsoever He desires. This may be compared to a king who gave an orchard to a tenant to cultivate and to guard. In the orchard there was one tree that yielded the elixir of life and another that yielded a deadly poison. In the course of time these trees became intertwined. The tenant said: “How can I water the healthy tree without watering the other? Surely, it is impossible to water one without nourishing the other. I will leave them until the owner of the orchard arrives, so that he may do whatever he deems best.” Similarly, Abraham said to himself: “I cannot bless Isaac, for Esau will descend from him; I will leave him to the Master of all blessings. Let the Holy One, blessed be He, do as He desires.”6Other sources state that Abraham blessed Isaac in giving him the privileges of being the primogenitor and of being buried at Machpelah.", "After Abraham and Isaac passed away, the Holy One, blessed be He, blessed Jacob on his own behalf, as it is said: And God appeared unto Jacob when he came from Padan-aram and blessed him (Gen. 35:9).", "Another explanation of And I will bless those who bless thee (ibid. 12:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I will cause a tribe to descend from among your sons that will bless Israel, and it will be called the tribe of Levi. “Master of the Universe,” he replied, “but who will bless that tribe?” The Holy One, blessed be He, responded: When they bless Israel, I will bless them, as it is said: So shall they put My Name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them (Num. 6:27). The Holy One, blessed be He, said unto Israel: In this world the tribe of Levi will bless you, but in the world-to-come I Myself will bless you, as it is said: The Lord blessed thee, O habitation of righteousness, O mountain of holiness (Jer. 31:22)." ], [ "And there was a famine in the land (Gen. 12:10) What is stated in Scripture prior to this verse? It is written: And the Lord said to Abraham: “Get thee.” Blessed be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, who tested this righteous man in order to make his meritorious deeds known throughout the world. Forthwith, a famine came into the world and when the famine reached the Land of Israel, Abraham said to his wife Sarah: “There is a famine in our land.” Our sages have maintained that no famine ever equaled it. He said to her: “Egypt is a pleasant land in which to dwell; let us go there, since there is a huge supply of bread and meat in that land.” Thereupon, the two of them departed for Egypt. When they reached the Egyptian border, and were standing on the bank of the Nile, our patriarch Abraham noticed that Sarah’s reflection in the river was like the radiance of the sun.7Zohar I, 81b Cf. Bava Batra 16a, Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 1:222. Our sages concluded from this episode that any woman compared to Sarah was like a monkey in comparison to a human. Abraham said to her: Now, indeed, I know that you are a beautiful woman (ibid., v. 11). From this statement, we may conclude that he had not previously been aware of her beauty. He told her: “The Egyptians are a dissolute lot, for it is written of them: Whole flesh is as the flesh of asses (Ezek. 23:20), and so, I will hide you in this cabinet and lock it, for I fear for my safety if the Egyptians should see you.” He did so.", "As he was about to cross the Nile, the tax-collectors gathered about him and asked: “What are you carrying in the cabinet?” “Barley,” he replied. They retorted: “It is not barley, but wheat.” “Then charge me the duty for wheat,” said he. “But it may be pepper,” they argued. “Then take the tax for pepper,” he insisted. They said to him: “It must be gold coins.” Finally, they compelled him to open the box. When they beheld her countenance, which was as radiant as the sun, they said to him: “Truly, she is not meant for a commoner.” And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her unto Pharaoh (Gen. 12:15). When Abraham saw this, he began to weep, and to supplicate the Holy One, blessed be He: “Master of the Universe, is this to be my reward for my abiding faith in You? For the sake of Your compassion and Your loving-kindness, do not put my trust in You to shame.” Sarah likewise cried out: “Master of the Universe, I knew nothing at all, but when he told me that you commanded him: Get thee out of thy country, I trusted in Your word. Now I have been separated from my father, my mother, and my husband, and this evil man will approach me and abuse me. Act for the sake of Your great name, and because of my trust in Your word.” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: You may be certain that no harm will befall you or your husband, as it is written: There shall no mischief befall the righteous, but the wicked are filled with evil (Prov. 12:12).", "Furthermore, I will make an example of Pharaoh and his household, as it is said: And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of the word of Sarai (Gen. 12:17). What is indicated by the phrase Because of the word of Sarai? An angel descended with a staff from heaven at that moment, and when Pharaoh later approached her to remove her shoe, he struck him upon the hand, and when he approached to touch her clothing, the angel struck him again. However, the angel consulted Sarah before administering each blow. How do we know that? We know that because it is written: Because of the word of Sarai. Scripture does not say “Because of” or “For the sake of” or “On account of her merit,” but simply, Because of the word of Sarai. If Sarah told the angel to strike him, he struck him, and if she told him to desist, momentarily, he desisted. The officials, the officers, and all the members of his household were smitten by the angel simultaneously, as it is said: And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of the word of Sarai. Every plague already known to man, and those yet to be experienced by mankind, descended upon him, his household, his many servants, the walls, the columns, the utensils, and all his possessions to fulfill the verse: There shall no mischief befall the righteous, but the wicked are filled with evil (Prov. 12:21).", "Scripture states concerning Abraham: The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon (Ps. 92:13). R. Tanhuma the son of Abba began the discussion of this verse with the query: Why are the righteous compared to a palm tree and a cedar tree? You find that some trees are not visible from a distance because they are short, but the palm and the cedar tree can be seen from afar because they are taller than other trees. Indeed, they are so tall that a man standing beneath them must raise his eyes to see their uppermost branches. Therefore, the righteous are compared to a palm tree and a cedar because the Holy One, blessed be He, causes them to be exalted in the world. The righteous are compared to a palm tree and a cedar for another reason. You find that when other trees grow old, they are hewn, and their sprouts, once planted, grow large quickly, but when the palm tree and the cedar are hewn down, another can be grown to replace it only after many years. Similarly, when the righteous man perishes, who can replace him immediately? Many years must first pass by. Therefore, the righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, etc." ], [ "And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel (Gen. 14:1). May it please our master to teach us when a proselyte who has been converted on the eve of the Passover is permitted to partake of the paschal lamb. Thus did our masters instruct us: The School of Shammai maintained: Let him undergo ritual immersion and then he may partake of the paschal lamb offering in the evening. The School of Hillel taught: One who is circumcised is like one who leaves a burial site.8He must wash his hands, like one who returns from the cemetery, and then he may eat. Pesahim 92a, Buber Tanhuma 5.", "R. Simeon the son of Lakish declared: A proselyte is more precious in the sight of the Holy One, blessed be He, than those who stood at the foot of Sinai. Why is this so? If those who stood at the foot of Mount Sinai had not experienced the thunder, the flames, the lightning, the quaking of the mountain, and the sound of the shofarot, they would not have accepted the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven upon themselves, whereas the proselyte, who witnessed none of these things, makes himself acceptable to the Holy One, blessed be He, and receives upon himself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven. Is there anyone more precious than this?!", "It is related that the convert Onkelos9Onkelos the proselyte translated the Bible into Aramaic. asked one of the elders: How can the proselyte be so precious to the Holy One, blessed be He if, in return for his devotion, it is written merely: And He loveth a stranger in giving him food and raiment (Deut. 10:18)? He replied: Even our patriarch Jacob sought no more than that from the Holy One, blessed be He: If God will but give me food to eat and raiment to wear (Gen. 28:20). Our sages stated: The proselyte is so dearly beloved that the Holy One, blessed be He, emphasized his importance through the words of the prophet, as it is said: Why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the land? (Jer. 14:8). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: I love the proselyte, and these wicked men are conspiring to attack Abraham, the father of all proselytes. Woe unto them, for they are doomed to succumb before him, as it is written in Scripture: And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel. Why was he called Amraphel? Because he ordered Abraham: “Fall into the fiery furnace.”10Amraphel is identified with Nimrod in many sources." ], [ "And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel (Gen. 14:1). R. Tanhuma the son of Abba opened the discussion with the verse The wicked began with the sword, and have bent their bow; to cast down the poor and the needy, to slay such as are upright in the way; their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken (Ps. 37:14–15). The wicked began with the sword alludes to Cain, who slew his brother Abel before any other man was slain. Their sword shall enter into their own heart refers to the fact that Lamech later killed Cain. Another comment on The wicked began with the sword: This refers to Hanun the son of Nahash. Why? After the death of his father, David sent messages by the hand of his servants to comfort him (II Sam. 10:2), but Hanun seized David’s servants, shaved off half their beards and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away (ibid., v. 4). Hanun then dispatched emissaries to Aram-naharaim to hire thirty-two thousand charioteers in addition to the tens of thousands of troops he had in his army.11II Sam. 10:16. They all assembled and encamped in one place. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wicked one, you began with the sword, hence the sword will penetrate your heart. Therefore, Joab and Abishai destroyed them all, as it is said: So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh unto the battle to meet the Arameans; and they fled before them (ibid., v. 13).", "Another explanation of The wicked began with the sword. This refers to the four kings, Amraphel and his companions. Though war had not previously been waged in the world, they introduced the use of the sword and waged war. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Wicked ones, because you have introduced the use of the sword to subdue the poor and the needy, their swords shall enter into their own hearts (Ps. 37:15). Hence, Abraham arose and smote them." ], [ "And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel (Gen. 14:1). May it please our master to teach us whether a slave obtains his freedom if his owner assigns all his property to him as a gift.12Gittin 8b. Thus did our masters instruct us: If a man assigns all his property to his slave he becomes a free man, but if a portion of his property is withheld from him, the slave does not become free. R. Simeon said: He will become a free man unless his master says: “I give all my property to this slave with this one exception.”", "It happened once that a certain man traveled to a distant island while his son remained in the land of Israel to study Torah. Prior to his death, this man willed all his property to his slave, with the exception that his son was to have the privilege of selecting one item from among his possessions for himself. Following his death, the slave gathered together all of the man’s possessions and brought them and the will to the land of Israel. He said to the son: “Your father is dead, and he has bequeathed to me all his possessions with the exception of any single thing you desire to select from among them.” What did the son do? He went to his teacher and related to him what had transpired. The teacher said to him: “Your father was indeed a man of profound wisdom, thoroughly informed in the law. He said to himself: ‘If I should simply entrust my property to the care of my slave, he will abscond with it and squander it; therefore, I will bequeath it to him as a gift so that he will guard it carefully, but to my son I will leave the privilege of selecting one thing for himself.’ When you go with him to court, let him bring the will with him, and then say to the court: ‘My masters, my father bequeathed to me the right to select the one thing I desire most from all his property, and the only thing I truly desire is this slave.’ Then you will obtain both the possessions and the slave.” He did as he was instructed, and the court gave him the property and the slave. For the law states that if a slave acquires property, both the property and the slave belong to the master. Solomon declared: For to the man who is good in His sight He giveth wisdom and knowledge (Eccles. 2:26), this was the father: but to the sinner He giveth the task to gather and to heap up (ibid.), this was the slave; that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of God, (ibid.) applies to the son.", "Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, guards the wealth of the wicked for the sake of the righteous. Thus he declared: I will cause the kings to quarrel among themselves so that Abraham may attack them and seize their wealth. Whence do we know this to be so? We know this to be so from the contents of the chapter beginning with the words And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel. They made war with Bera, etc. (Gen. 14:1–2). They made war against Bera13Each name contains the word that describes his sin: Bera, ra (“wicked”), Birsha, rasha (“evil”), Shinab sana (“hate”), Shemeber, eber (“limb,” hence “wing”).. because he was wicked in the sight of God and man; they made war upon Birsha because he had behaved evilly; they fought against Shinab because he detested the Heavenly Father; and Shemeber because he had said, “I will ascend with a wing above the heights of the clouds.”", "All these came as allies unto the vale of Siddim (Gen. 14:3). It was called Siddim because it nourished them as the breasts (shadayim) nourish the child. The same is the Salt Sea (ibid.): Because of their sins that valley was turned into a sea of salt water. Hence Scripture says: A fruitful land into a salt waste, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein (Ps. 107:34).", "And they turned back and came to En-mishpat—the same is Kadesh (Gen. 14:7). Blessed be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, who declares the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:10). This place was named En-mishpat (“well of judgment”) on account of the fact that in the future Moses would be judged there because of the water.14Where Moses struck the rock. And smote all the country of the Amalekites (Gen. 14:7). The Amalekites are mentioned in this verse though many generations were to pass before Amalek was born." ], [ "And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel (Gen. 14:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: Through Thee do we push down our adversaries, through Thy name do we tread them under that rise up against us (Ps. 44:6). R. Isaac said: In the word bekha (“through Thee”) the letter bet equals two and the khaf twenty, corresponding to the twenty-two letters of the alphabet with which the Torah was given. Abraham cried out: Master of the Universe, if Your glory does not accompany me and assist me in this struggle, what can one man do against nine kings and their forces?15Abraham obtained the strength to achieve victory by calling upon God.", "He giveth power to the faint (Isa. 40:29); to some by means of a chariot and to others with horses (Ps. 20:8), but I lift up my horn through Your name. How do we know that He did so? It is so written: And he divided himself against them, he and his servants by night, and he smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left of Damascus (Gen. 14:15). Our sages maintained: The night divided itself of its own accord, while R. Benjamin held: The Holy One, blessed be He, who knows its hours and its moments, computed the night to the thickness of a single strand of a hair and divided it.16To indicate the moment for attack. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: You slaughtered My enemies from the middle of the night until morning, so be assured I will bring death to the enemies of your descendants from the middle of the night until the morning. I shall exact retribution from them at that time, as it is written: And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (Exod. 12:29). Hence Scripture says: And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel.", "R. Joshua of Sikhnin was of the opinion that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave Abraham a sign that whatever happened to him would likewise happen to his descendants. He chose Abraham from among all those in his father’s house, as it is said: Thou art the Lord God who didst choose Abraham, and brought him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham (Neh. 9:7). And He selected Abraham’s sons to be His chosen ones among the seventy nations, as is said: For thou art a Holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be His own treasured nation out of all the peoples that are upon the face of the earth (Deut. 14:2). He said to Abraham: Get thee, and to Abraham’s sons, He said: I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Emorite, etc. (ibid. 3:17). He promised Abraham: And I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing (Gen. 12:2), and He told his sons: The Lord bless thee, and keep thee (Num. 6:24). To Abraham He said: I will make thee a great nation (Gen. 12:2), and to his descendants He said: And what great nation is there (Deut. 4:8). Concerning Abraham it is written: Abraham was one (Ezek. 33:24), and of Israel it is said: And who is like thy people Israel, a nation one in the earth (I Chron. 17:21). In reference to Abraham it is said: and hunger was in the land (Gen. 12:10), and about his descendants it is said: When they returned to Egypt, hunger was already in the land (ibid. 43:1). Abraham descended to Egypt because of famine, and his sons, also, descended because of famine, as is said: And Joseph’s ten brethren went down to buy corn from Egypt (ibid. 42:3). When Abraham descended the Egyptians approached him, and the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair (ibid. 12:14), and concerning his descendants, the Egyptians declared: Come, let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that when there befalleth us any war, they also join themselves unto our enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the land (Exod. 1:10).", "The four kings attacked Abraham, and in the future all the kings will war against Israel, as it is said: Why are the nations in an uproar, and why do the peoples mutter in vain? (Ps. 2:1), and it says elsewhere; The kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against His anointed (ibid., v. 2). Just as in the case of Abraham, the Holy One, blessed be He, waged war against those who hated him, as it is said: Who hath raised up one from the east, at whose steps victory attendeth? He giveth nations before him, and maketh him rule over kings; his sword maketh them as the dust, his bow as the driven stubble (Isa. 41:2), so too the Holy One, blessed be He, will wage war in the future in behalf of his descendants, as is said: Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations, as when he fighteth in the day of battle (Zech. 14:3)." ], [ "After these things, the word of the Lord came unto Abraham, in a vision, saying: “Fear not, Abram!” (Gen. 15:1). May it please our master to teach us what (the) burnt offerings (prescribed in the Book of Leviticus) atone for? R. Ishmael taught us: Burnt offerings were introduced as an act of atonement for the violation of both positive and negative commandments. R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: They were introduced also as atonement for evil thoughts, as it is said: And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said: “It may be that my sons have sinned, and blasphemed God in their hearts.” Thus did Job continually (Job 1:5).", "You find that Abraham once pondered over the matter of divine justice. What did he say to himself? R. Levi was of the opinion that he said to himself: It appears to me as though I have already received my full reward in this world, inasmuch as the Holy One, blessed be He, has assisted me against the kings and has saved me from the furnace. Surely, I have received my full reward; there can be no additional reward awaiting me in the world-to-come. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Since you dare to reflect upon My actions, you must bring a burnt offering to Me. Therefore, He said: Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of (Gen. 22:2). R. Isaac declared: Abraham excoriated himself unmercifully, saying: Perhaps among those whom I have killed, there were some righteous men. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Those whom you have destroyed were like thorns that you eradicated from before Me. You have committed no sin because of it; rather you shall be greatly rewarded because of it, both now and in the future." ], [ "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram (Gen. 15:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous; He is a shield to them that walk in integrity (Prov. 2:7). What is the meaning of He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous? It means that the Holy One, blessed be He, stored the Torah away, prior to the creation of the world, until Abraham came to fulfill it, as it is said: Because that Abraham hearkened to My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My Laws (Gen. 26:5).", "R. Levi stated in the name of R. Samuel the son of Nahmani: The Holy One, blessed be He, passed over nine hundred and eighty generations in order to give the law of circumcision to Abraham,17The divine plan originally contemplated that a thousand generations would pass before the rite of circumcision was introduced. even though it is stated: He hath remembered His covenant, the word which He commanded to a thousand generations (Ps. 105:8). In fact, He gave it to him only after twenty generations had passed by: the ten generations between Adam and Noah and the ten generations between Noah and Abraham—totaling twenty generations in all. Then He gave the law of circumcision to Abraham. R. Yohanan declared in the name of R. Yosé the Galilean: The Holy One, blessed be He, passed over nine hundred and seventy generations in giving the Torah to the generation of the wilderness.18Actually it was 974 generations that were passed by. Adam to Noah was ten generations, Noah to Abraham was another ten, and Abraham to Moses was six, totaling twenty-six. He did so because it was a righteous generation, as it is said: He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous (Prov. 2:7).", "R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said: Abraham observed the laws regarding the preparation of Sabbath meals on a holy day that occurred on a Friday,19See above, n. 2. as it is said: Because that Abraham hearkened to My voice. The Holy One, blessed be He, told Abraham: Because, you devoted yourself to My law, I assure you I will be a shield unto you. Even as the shield wards off the sword and diverts the stones and arrows hurled against it, so will I shield you. Not you alone, but your descendants as well, if they devote themselves to My laws as you did. Hence it is said: The word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield unto all them who take refuge in Him (II Sam. 22:31). And it is also said: He is a shield to them that walk in integrity (Prov. 2:7)." ], [ "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram (Gen. 15:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The wicked earneth false wages, but he that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward (Prov. 11:18). The wicked earneth false wages refers to the evil Nimrod, who erected idols and led mankind astray. Idolatry is coupled with falsehood, as it is said: His molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them (Jer. 10:14). But he that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward alludes to Abraham, who sowed righteousness by feeding passers-by and travelers, as it is said: And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and called thereupon the name of the Lord, the everlasting God (Gen. 21:33).", "After Abraham fed the passers-by and gave them drink, they would bless him in return. However, he would say to them: “Why do you bless me? Bless rather the Master of this inn, who gives food and drink to all mankind, and instills in man the breath of life.” They would ask: “Where is he?” And he would reply: “He rules over heaven and earth; He causes death and He gives life; He afflicts and heals; He forms the embryo in the womb of its mother and brings it forth into the light of the world; He causes plants and trees to grow; and He casts man down to Sheol and lifts him up again.” Upon hearing this they would inquire: “But how may we bless Him and express our gratitude to Him?” Forthwith, he would answer: “Say: ‘Bless the Lord, who is to be blessed for all eternity; blessed be He, who giveth bread and food to all His creatures.’” In that way he taught them the blessings and righteousness.", "Scripture says elsewhere And the souls that they made in Haran (Gen. 12:5). R. Alexandri stated: The fact is that if all mankind assembled to make just one mosquito, they would not be able to do so. What then is the meaning of this verse, And the souls that they made in Haran? It means that he taught them about the fear of heaven and instructed them in the law (in that place).20Tradition teaches that one who converts a gentile is considered to have created him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You have sown righteousness and have made Me known in this world, hence you will be rewarded, as it is said: Thy reward shall be exceedingly great (Gen. 16:1)." ], [ "Prior to the verse After these things scripture states: And Abraham heard that his brother was taken captive (Gen. 14:14). Was Lot actually Abraham’s brother? No, indeed! This statement is simply proof of Abraham’s humility. Though Abraham and Lot had quarreled, as it is written: And there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abraham’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle (ibid. 13:7), he called him brother nevertheless, as it is said: For we are brethren (ibid., v. 8). And he led forth (va-yarek) his trained men (Gen. 14:14). This verse indicates that he covered his men with silver and gold. Then he said to them: “Know that we are about to do battle; do not covet their silver and gold, for all this will be yours.” Va-yarek is employed in Scripture only in reference to gold, as it is said: The wings of a dove are all covered with silver, and her pinions with the shimmer of gold (yerakrak) (Ps. 68:14).", "Another explanation of the word va-yarek: This indicates that he thinned out (herikan) their numbers by saying to them: What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? (Deut. 20:8). That is, whosoever is fearful because of his sins and weak (ve-rakh) of heart (fainthearted) on account of his evil deeds, let him return home, lest his heart melt away (ibid.). With this statement, he thinned out their ranks one by one until only Eliezer remained. Whence do we know this? We know it from the numeral value of the letters of Eliezer’s name. The alef is one, the lamed, thirty, the yod, ten, the ayin seventy, the zayin, seven, and the resh, two hundred, totaling three hundred and eighteen in all (and Scripture states that He led forth … three hundred and eighteen) (Gen. 14:14). And yet that is followed by the singular form he pursued, rather than the plural “they pursued” (implying only one).", "Until Dan: When the righteous Abraham reached Dan his strength began to fail him, because he foresaw that his descendants would one day worship idols at Dan, as it is said: And he put one in Beth-El and one in Dan (I Kings 12:29). Our sages inform us that two things result in harm before and after they are undertaken. They are idolatry and planting. One who plants on the eve of the Sabbatical year and at the expiration of the Sabbatical year is guilty.21The land must lie fallow during the Sabbatical year, the seventh year. Similarly, idolatry smites both before and after it is practiced. Whence do we know this? Though Jeroboam had not yet erected the golden calf and had not placed it in (the territory of) Dan, Scripture says: And he smote them and pursued them unto Hobah (Gen. 14:15). No matter how carefully we examine Scripture, we are unable to find any place referred to as Hobah. This fact informs us that the territory of Dan was known as Hobah from the very beginning of time because of the golden calf that was to be erected there.", "And he brought back all the goods; and he also brought back his brother Lot, and his goods, and also the women (ibid., v. 16). The “also” in this verse indicates that he brought back to his people every usable article, even if its value was only a perutah. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, etc., at the vale of Shaveh—the same is the King’s Vale (ibid., v. 17). Henceforth, it would be called the King’s Vale. Which king? Abraham, who was victorious over all the kings and their hosts, as it is said concerning him: The Lord saith unto my lord: Sit thou at My right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool (Ps. 110:1).", "When the king of Sodom was about to depart, he said to Abraham: “Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself (Gen. 14:21). You restored my life when you saved me from the fate of the other kings. If they had slain me, they would have taken both my life and my property; therefore, since you saved my life, take my possessions.” Thereupon Abraham made a vow, saying: I have lifted up my hand unto the Lord (ibid., v. 22). The words lifted up are employed only in reference to a vow, as it is said: And he lifted up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and vowed by Him that liveth forever (Dan. 12:17). I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine, lest thou shouldst say: I have made Abraham rich (Gen. 14:22). Why did he say that? Abraham said: “The Holy One, blessed be He, has already assured me that He would make me wealthy when He promised: And I will bless thee and make thy name great, and be thou a blessing (ibid. 12:2). If I take something from you, will you not say, ‘I have made Abraham rich’?”", "The Holy One, blessed be He, declared unto him: Inasmuch as you have said: “I will not take a thread,” I shall absolve your sons of the sins they commit at the altar around which a crimson thread will be encircled. As we have learned, the altar was encircled with a crimson thread. Furthermore, in reward for declaring: “I will not take a thread,” I will give your sons the precept of the purple fringes (on their prayer shawls). And since you said: “Nor a shoe-latchet,” I will give thy children the precepts of yebamah and halitzah: And loose his shoe from off his foot (Deut. 25:9).22Yebamah is the law requiring a brother to marry his deceased brother’s wife when there has been no issue. Halitzah is the ceremony of throwing a shoe at the brother-in-law which releases him from marrying the widow. In reward for saying: “Nor a shoe-latchet,” I will issue your sons the decree to eat the paschal lamb, of which it is written: And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet … it is the Lord’s passover (Exod. 12:11). Furthermore, I will exact retribution from Esau through it, as it is said: Upon Edom do I cast my shoe (Ps. 60:10). Likewise, I shall praise your children with that word, as it is said: How beautiful are thy steps in shoes (Song 7:2). Since you rejected the reward sought by ordinary men, your reward shall be multiplied in this world and in the world-to-come." ], [ "The Lord came unto Abraham in a vision, saying: “fear not” (Gen. 15:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Then Thou spokest in vision to Thy godly ones, and saidst: “I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people” (Ps. 89:20).", "Then Thou spokest in vision to Thy godly ones refers to Abraham; I have laid help upon the one that is mighty alludes to the assistance which the Holy One gave him in his struggle against the kings; I have exalted one chosen out of the people refers to Abraham, as it is said: Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abraham and send him forth (Neh. 9:7). Hence Scripture says; Fear not, Abraham." ], [ "Fear not, Abraham (Gen. 15:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Happy is the man that feareth always; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into evil (Prov. 28:14). Similarly, it is written: The wise man feareth and turneth from evil, but the fool behaveth overbearingly, and is confident (ibid. 14:16). This verse should be read as: A wise man, who turneth from evil, is fearful.", "He is fearful refers to Abraham, for he was told: Fear not. Whom did Abraham fear? He was afraid of Shem, the son of Noah, for he had slain the descendant of Elam, and Elam was one of Shem’s sons, as it is written: The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, etc. (Gen. 10:22). He was terrified because he had killed him. He said to himself: “I have slain the son of this righteous man, now he will curse me and I shall die.” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Fear not, for not only will he not curse you, but he will go forth to meet you bearing gifts and will bless you, as it is said: And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine … and he blessed him, and said: “… blessed be God the Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand” (Gen. 14:18–20). What is the meaning of the word migen (“delivered”)? It indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed a miraculous feat (manganah) when He delivered (migen) your enemies into your hand. Abraham grasped the dust and hurled it at his enemies, and the Holy One, blessed be He, converted the dust into arrows, bows, and spears, as it is said: His sword maketh them as the dust, His bow as the driven stubble. He pursueth them and passeth on safely (Isa. 41:2–3).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, declared unto Israel: In this world you fear sins, but in the world-to-come, where there is no evil inclination, you will tremble with joy over the benefactions reserved for you, as is said: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and shall come trembling unto the Lord and to His goodness in the end of days (Hos. 3:5). What is the meaning of His goodness? It refers to the Holy Temple, as it is said: That goodly hill country and the Lebanon (Deut. 3:25). The blessing comes from Zion, as is said: The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion, and thou shalt see the goodness of Jerusalem (Ps. 128:5). Dew is blessed from Zion, as is said: Like the dew of Herman, that cometh down the mountains of Zion (ibid. 133:3). Help comes from Zion, as it is said: Send forth thy help from the sanctuary, and support thee out of Zion (ibid. 20:3). Salvation comes from Zion, as it is said: Oh, that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion (ibid. 14:7). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In the world-to-come I shall bless you out of Zion, as it is said: The Lord blessed thee out of Zion; even He that made heaven and earth (ibid. 134:3). And I shall bless Zion, as is said: The Lord bless thee, O habitation of righteousness, O holy mountain (Jer. 31:22). Amen." ], [ "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine (Gen. 17:1). May it please our master to teach us whether a man is permitted to heal a wound on the Sabbath? Thus did our masters teach us: Whenever life is endangered, the Sabbath is superseded. For example, circumcision and its healing supersede the Sabbath.23Yoma 73a; Buber Tanhuma, Lekh Lekha 21. Cf. Bereshit Rabbah, Ha’azinu—One may heal an earache on the Sabbath.", "R. Yosé stated: See how beloved is the precept concerning circumcision, that it supersedes even the Sabbath, as it is written: And on the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised (Lev. 12:3), even on the Sabbath. Since circumcision endangers life, one is permitted to heal it on the Sabbath.", "When the Holy One, blessed be He, told Abraham: Walk before Me, and be thou wholehearted (Gen. 17:1), Abraham began to wonder. He said to himself: “Surely, until now I have been whole in body, but if I circumcise myself I shall be incomplete. There are five prepuces, four in a man and one on a tree. The prepuce of the ear, as it is written: Behold, their ear is uncircumcised (Jer. 6:10); the prepuce of the heart, as it is written: Remove the obduracy of your heart (Deut. 10:16); the prepuce of the tongue, as it is said: Of uncircumcised lips (Exod. 6:12); the prepuce of the flesh, as it is written in this verse: Ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin (Gen. 17:1). If I should circumcise any one of these prepuces, my organs will be incomplete.” The Holy One, blessed be He, asked him: “Why do you believe that you are whole? In fact you lack five limbs. Before you were circumcised, your name was Abram: The alef in your name is one, the bet two, the resh two hundred, and the mem forty, and that totals two hundred and forty-three. However, Man’s limbs total two hundred and forty-eight. Circumcise yourself and you will be whole.” After he was circumcised, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Him: No longer is your name Abram; henceforth it will be Abraham (ibid., v. 5). He added a heh, which equals five, to his name, making a total of two hundred forty-eight, corresponding to the number of limbs in the human body. Hence Scripture says: Be thou whole." ], [ "Walk before Me, and be thou wholehearted (Gen. 17:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: As for God, His way is whole (Ps. 18:31). What is the meaning of His way is whole? It signifies that the Holy One, blessed be He, cherished the precept of circumcision. R. Ishmael stated: The rite of circumcision is so important that thirteen covenants were issued because of it. They are stated explicitly in the verses (of this section of the Torah).", "Abraham sat and wondered where he was to be circumcised, after the Holy One, blessed be Him, informed him: I will establish My covenant between Me and thee (Gen. 17:2). What follows this verse? And Abraham fell on his face (ibid., v. 3). Once he fell on his face, the Holy One, blessed be He, indicated that place, and a scorpion bit him there. Forthwith, Abraham found himself circumcised. Whence do we know this? We know it from the verse And God spoke unto him, saying: As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee (ibid., vv. 3–4); that is, behold, thou art circumcised. Furthermore, it is written: In the self-same day was Abraham circumcised (ibid., v. 26). Scripture does not say “he circumcised himself” but he was circumcised.", "What may this episode be compared to? It may be compared to a situation wherein a king’s friend is eager to marry the king’s daughter. Because he is extremely bashful, he does not know how to declare his love for her, whether to do so himself or through another. The king realized what was in the young man’s heart and so he said to him: “I know what you desire; my daughter is already in your house.” Abraham was likewise bewildered when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and so he fell upon his face. While he was prostrate, he discovered that he was already circumcised. Forthwith, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: My covenant is made between Me and thee. Scripture says elsewhere in reference to the preceding verse: The word of the Lord is tried (Ps. 18:31). This implies that He tested Abraham’s offspring by bestowing upon them the precept of circumcision. Therefore, He is a shield unto all them that take refuge in Him (ibid.), to Israel who trust in Him.", "Why was Abraham not circumcised until his ninety-ninth year? To teach us that a man who desires to be converted must not say: “I am old, how can I become a convert?” Let him learn from Abraham, who was circumcised in his ninety-ninth year. That is why Abraham was not circumcised until he attained that age." ], [ "And when Abraham was ninety years old and nine (Gen. 17:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: Thou art fairer than the children of man; grace is poured upon thy lips; therefore, God hath blessed thee forever. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one, thy glory and thy majesty (Ps. 45:3–4). Concerning whom did Korah’s sons sing this song? They sang it about Abraham, the fairest of Adam’s descendants. Who were the descendants of Adam? They were: Seth, Cain, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuseleth, Lamech, Noah, and his sons. Whence do we know that Noah’s sons were called the sons of Adam? It is said: And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of Adam builded (Gen. 11:5).", "Grace is poured upon thy lips alludes to the fact that you said to the king of Sodom, I will not take a shoe-latchet. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, hath blessed you forever. Indeed, all you have done was previously known and revealed to Me: your descent into the furnace to sanctify My name; the ten trials you underwent; your pursuit after the kings; and the manner in which you were glorified. Hence, if you desire to make yourself great in this world, Gird thy sword about thy thigh (Ps. 45:4). That is, perform the circumcision between your thighs, and it will add to your majesty and your glory.", "I will establish My covenant between Me and thee. He was not aware which part of his body was to be circumcised. And so the Holy One, blessed be He, indicated the place of circumcision when he said; And I will make thee exceedingly fruitful. That is to say, at the place through which you increase and multiply you are to be circumcised. However, Bar Kappara was of the opinion that Abraham decided upon the place of circumcision by analogy. He said to himself: “Which part of a tree is subject to the law of orlah?24Orlah is the law requiring circumcision discussed in the mishnaic tractate of that name. It is that part of the tree which produces fruit, and so I must be circumcised at the place from which I will produce my fruit.”" ], [ "And I will make my covenant between Me and thee (Gen. 17:2). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and His covenant, to make them know it (Ps. 25:14). What secret did He reveal to those who feared Him? The secret of circumcision. The Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to Abraham alone the mystery of circumcision. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him. This alludes to Abraham, for it is written about him: Thou art a God-fearing man (Gen. 22:12). What is the meaning of the word sod (“secret”)? It may be explained arithmetically. In the word sod, the samekh is sixty, the vav six, and the dalet four—totaling seventy in all. Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, informed Abraham: I will produce from you seventy, as it is said: Thy fathers descended to Egypt with threescore and ten persons (Deut. 10:22); I will cause seventy elders to descend from them, as it is written: Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel (Num. 11:16); and I will also cause Moses to descend from you, and he will explain the Torah in seventy languages. Therefore, it is written: The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and His covenant, to make them know it.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, declared unto Abraham: I permitted twenty generations to pass by after creating My world before you appeared to accept the precept of circumcision. Now if you do not accept the precept of circumcision I, God Almighty (Shaddai), say unto the world: “It is enough (dai),” and I shall return it to void and desolation." ], [ "And Abraham fell upon his face (Gen. 14:3). Prior to his circumcision, Abraham prostrated himself whenever the Shekhinah addressed him, but after he was circumcised, He remained standing, as it is said: And Abraham stood yet before the Lord (ibid. 18:22). Indeed, the Holy One, blessed be He, also revealed Himself unto Abraham while he sat, as it is said: And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door (ibid., v. 1).", "Circumcision is so precious to the Holy One, blessed be He, that He assured Abraham that no one who had been circumcised would descend unto Gehenna, as it is said: In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying: “Unto thy seed I have given this land” (ibid. 15:18). Who will descend to Gehenna? The verse that follows informs us that the Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, etc., will descend into Gehenna, since they were all uncircumcised. Ezekiel observed the uncircumcised descending to Gehenna, as it is said: Son of man, wail for the multitudes of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, with the daughters of the mighty nations, unto the nether parts of the earth…. go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword…. Asshur is there and all her company … There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude; all round about her are her graves; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword (Ezek. 32:18–30).", "Similarly, Isaiah declared: Therefore, the netherworld has enlarged her desire, and opened her mouth for those without law (hoq) (Isa. 5:14); that is, for those who have not observed the law of circumcision. Whence do we know that circumcision is called a law (hoq)? We know it from the verse And He established it unto Jacob for a statute (hoq), and to Israel for an everlasting covenant (Ps. 105:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, pulls down the foreskins of infidels and sinners in Israel who deny God and imitate the practices (huqim) of the nations, and even though they may be circumcised they descend to Gehenna, as is said: He hath put forth his hands against them that were at peace with him; he hath profaned his covenant (Ps. 55:21).", "King Agrippa asked R. Eliezer: Inasmuch as the Holy One, blessed be He, considered circumcision so very important, why did He not include this precept among the Ten Commandments? He replied: Long before the Ten Commandments were given to Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, had warned Israel concerning the fulfillment of the precept of circumcision, as it is said: Now, therefore, if you hearken unto My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, ye shall be Mine own treasure from among all peoples (Exod. 19:5), and He said also: If My covenant be not with day and night (Jer. 33:25). The covenant referred to in these verses is the covenant of circumcision (b’rit milah).", "Prior to this verse it is written: Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying: “The two families which the Lord did choose, He hath cast them off?” and they condemn My people, that they should be no more a nation before them (ibid., v. 24). What does this verse indicate? He saw how the men of Jerusalem provoked the Holy One, blessed be He, to anger, for even the priests who offered sacrificed in the Temple were uncircumcised, as it is said: In that ye have brought in aliens, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary, to profane it, even My house, when ye offer My bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken My covenant, to add unto all your abominations (Ezek. 44:7), and it is written elsewhere: Thus saith the Lord God: No alien, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into My sanctuary, even any alien that is among the children of Israel (ibid., v. 9).", "The kings of the House of David likewise abolished the precept of circumcision. Jehoiakim extended his own foreskin (to hide his circumcision), as it is said: Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found upon him (II Chron. 36:8). What is the meaning of was found upon him? It means that he stretched his foreskin. Others maintain that this verse indicates that he tattooed his skin. Hence, we learn that both the priests and the kings abrogated the covenant of circumcision. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: “I informed Aaron and David that their offspring would survive forever, as it is said: Ought you not to know that the Lord, the God of Israel, gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? (ibid. 13:5). And unto Aaron I swore: It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord unto thee and to thy seed with thee (Num. 18:19). But they (their offspring) abrogated the covenant of circumcision!” The Holy One, blessed be He, declared unto the prophet: Go and say unto them: If ye can break My covenant with the day, and My covenant with the night, so that there should not be day and night in their season; then may also My covenant be broken with David, My servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, My ministers (Jer. 33:20–21). When the Israelites heard this, they cried out: Woe unto us, the two families which the Lord did choose, He cast them off (ibid., v. 24). The Holy One, blessed be He, responded to them: Consider thou not what this people have spoken, saying: The two families, etc. (ibid.). And He asked: “When were they cast off?” At the time they abrogated the commandment mentioned in the verse that follows: Thus saith the Lord, If My covenant be not with day and night, etc. (ibid., v. 25), and it says: Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the Holy City, for no more shall enter into thee henceforth the uncircumcised and the unclean (Isa. 52:1). Amen and so may it be Thy will." ] ], "Vayera": [ [ "And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre (Gen. 18:1) May it please our master to teach us: How many benedictions must a man pray each day? Thus do our masters teach us: A man must pray the eighteen benedictions (of the Amidah) each day. Why eighteen? R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated: This number corresponds to the eighteen instances in which the names of the patriarchs are mentioned simultaneously in the Torah.1Cf. Y. Berakhot 84c, Y. Taanit 82b. The first being: And God will surely remember you, and bring you out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob (Gen. 50:24), and the last: The Lord said to me: This is the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob (Deut. 34:4). However, if someone should insist that the patriarchs are actually mentioned nineteen times, since it is written: God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it (Gen. 28:13), inform him that this verse is not counted, since Jacob’s name is not included (in the verse).", "R. Yohanan maintained: The eighteen benedictions correspond to the eighteen injunctions concerning the erection of the Sanctuary that are contained at the conclusion of the Book of Exodus.2Exod. 38:40. As God commanded is repeated fourteen times, All that the Lord commanded Moses is repeated twice, As the Lord commanded so they did is mentioned once, And according to all that the Lord commanded so he did is also stated once. The words As the Lord commanded Moses are repeated eighteen times in this section of the Torah. R. Simeon held: The eighteen benedictions correspond to the eighteen vertebrae in a man’s spinal column. When a man prays and genuflects, he is required to bow down until all the vertebrae in his spinal column are loosened, as it is said: All my bones shall say, O Lord, who is like unto Thee (Ps. 35:10).", "R. Simeon was of the opinion that this number corresponds to the eighteen psalms from the beginning of the Book of Psalms until the verse The Lord will answer thee in a day of trouble (ibid. 20:2); that is to say, you will be answered through your prayers. And thus it is said: The Lord will answer you in a day of trouble, as it is said at the end of Psalm eighteen: The Lord will answer thee, etc. R. Joshua the son of Levi maintained that the eighteen benedictions correspond to the eighteen times the Divine Name is mentioned in the psalm Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye sons of might (Ps. 29:1).", "Why do we recite twenty-four blessings on fast-days? Because that number corresponds to the twenty-four supplications uttered by Solomon as he brought the ark, while fasting, into the innermost part of the Sanctuary (the Holy of Holies). Why do we say nine benedictions on Rosh Hashanah? Rava the son of Hanina stated: To correspond to the nine times that Hannah mentioned the Divine Name in her prayer, commencing with the words and Hannah prayed (I Sam. 2:11).", "You find that not all the eighteen benedictions (of the Amidah) recited each day are in praise of the Holy One, blessed be He. In fact, only the first three and the final three are in praise of Him, while the twelve intervening prayers allude to human needs. It is for this reason that we do not say the eighteen benedictions on the Sabbath.3On Sabbaths and holy dayss the thirteen intervening blessings are omitted lest the holiness of the day be marred by references to mundane affairs; a single benediction describing the characteristic feature of the day is inserted, in their place. For, if it should happen that a loved one was ill at home at the time of praying, the worshipper would be reminded of it while reciting the prayer “Who healeth the ills of His people” and would become depressed. Inasmuch as the Sabbath was given to Israel for sanctification, for joy and rest and not for sorrow, one must recite the first three blessings and the final three blessings (of the Amidah) and replace the intervening ones with the prayer of Rest. Hence, David proclaimed: Seven times a day do I praise Thee, because of Thy righteous ordinances (Ps. 119:164). The word seven in this verse refers to the seven benedictions recited on the Sabbath. What other day could this verse refer to, if not the day of rest, which is unlike any other? For it is said: Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy (Exod. 20:8)—in every respect, even from in the pursuit of thy business and speaking thereof (Isa. 58:13).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Be meticulous in the matter of prayer, for no virtue is more meritorious. In fact, prayer is more important than all the sacrifices, as it is stated: To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto Me? … bring not more vain oblations…. Your new moons and your appointed seasons My soul hateth…. And when you spread forth your hands … even when you make ever so many prayers (ibid. 1:11–15). From these verses we can logically conclude that prayer is more important than all the sacrifices. Even though man may not deserve to have his prayers answered or to be treated mercifully, yet if he should pray and plead for mercy, I will be merciful toward him, as it is written: All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth (Ps. 25:10). I have set mercy before truth, righteousness before justice, as it is said: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Thy throne, mercy and truth before Thee (ibid. 89:15).", "R. Simlai declared: You know that all His ways are merciful from the fact that at the very beginning of the Torah He adorned (kishet) the bride, as it is said: And the Lord God formed (vayiben) the rib, etc. (Gen. 2:22). In towns situated on the seacoast, a bride is called buneh (“well-adorned”). And at the conclusion of the Torah, He buried the dead, as is written: And He buried him in the valley (Deut. 34:6). In the middle of the Torah, He visited the sick, for after Abraham was circumcised, He and His angels visited him, as we read in the chapter: And the Lord appeared unto him (Gen. 18:1)." ], [ "R. Berechiah began the discussion in R. Levi’s name with the verse: Thou hast also given me Thy shield, and Thy salvation; and Thy right hand hath holden me up, and Thy condescension hath made me great (Ps. 18:36). The Holy One, blessed be He, stood as He revealed Himself to Abraham, while Abraham remained seated, as it is said: And he sat (Gen. 18:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Do not be surprised, for I shall do likewise for your descendants. When they sit in their synagogues and their houses of study, I will stand over them, as it is said: God standeth in the congregation of God (Ps. 82:1).", "Normally, if a student is ailing, and his master plans to visit him, his fellow students precede the master to their colleague’s home in order to inform him of the visitor who will be coming. The Holy One, blessed be He, did not do so. After Abraham was circumcised, and while he was still suffering the effects of the circumcision, He told the angels: Go, visit him! However, before they departed, the Holy One had preceded them. Thus, it is said: And the Lord appeared unto him (Gen. 18:1), and this is followed by the verse: And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood over against him (ibid., v. 2). Is there any condescension greater than this?", "Our sages stated in the name of R. Eleazar the son of Pedat: The Holy One, blessed be He, likens Himself to the humblest of men in seven places in the Torah. It is written: For the Lord your God, He is God of Gods, and the Lord of Lords, the great God, the mighty and the awful (Deut. 10:17), and this is followed by the verse: He doth execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger (ibid., v. 18). It says likewise: For though the Lord be high, yet regardeth He the lowly (Ps. 138:6), and also: Thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity and whose name is holy: I dwell in the high and holy places, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble (Isa. 57:15). Similarly, Scripture says: Thus saith the Lord: The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool (ibid. 66:1), and that is followed by: And on this man will I look, even on him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at My word (ibid., v. 2). Elsewhere it is written: The Lord is King forever and ever. The nations are perished out of His land (Ps. 10:16), and that is followed by the verse: Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble (ibid., v. 17). Scripture says: Sing unto God, sing praises to His Name. Extol Him that rideth upon the skies, whose name is the Lord; and exult ye before Him (ibid. 68:5), and after that is written: A father of the fatherless, the judge of the widows (ibid., v. 6). Likewise the verse Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, who keepeth truth forever, who executeth justice for the oppressed (Ps. 146:6–7) is followed by: He upholdeth the fatherless, and the widow; and the way of the wicked He maketh crooked (ibid., v. 9).", "After Abraham was circumcised the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared before him in all His glory to inquire after his health, as it is said: And the Lord appeared unto him.", "R. Isaac Nappaha began the discussion with the verse An altar of earth shalt thou make Me…. in every place I cause My name to be mentioned, I will come unto thee and bless thee (Exod. 20:21–24). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Since I reveal Myself to anyone who brings a burnt offering or a peace offering in order to bless him, how much more so would I reveal Myself to Abraham, who sacrificed himself for Me. Hence, it is said: And the Lord appeared unto Him. R. Aha said: I will prove to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, strengthened Abraham. On the very day he circumcised himself, and while his blood was still flowing, he circumcised Ishmael and all the men of his household. How many men were born in his home? Three hundred and eighteen. (Now if that many were born in his home) how many others must he have purchased, and yet it is written: And Abraham took Ishmael and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with money (Gen. 17:23), and: In that selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son, and all the men of his house born in the house, and bought with money, etc. (ibid., vv. 26–27). (It continued) until Abraham piled up a hill of foreskins, and a river of blood poured forth from his home.", "Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said to His ministering angels: Come, let us visit the sick. They replied: Master of the Universe, Lord, what is man, that Thou takest knowledge of him, or the son of man, that Thou makest account of him? (Ps. 144:3). Why should you go into an unclean place, into an area bathed in blood and defilement with an evil stench? He answered: Be assured, the blood of the prepuce is sweeter to Me than myrrh and frankincense. And thus Solomon sang: Until the day breatheth, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense (Song 4:6). This verse alludes to Abraham, who was called myrrh, as it is said: Myrrh, aloes, and cassia are all thy garments (Ps. 45:9)." ], [ "And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre (Gen. 18:1) Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, appear by the terebinths of Mamre? May the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, be blessed, for He does not withhold a reward from any of His creatures. Abraham had three friends, Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre, and when the Holy One commanded Abraham to circumcise himself, he consulted each of them. He went first to Aner and related to him what the Holy One had said. Aner replied: “Do you wish to cripple yourself so severely that when the descendants of the kings whom you have slain attack, you will be unable even to flee from them?” He left him and went to Eshkol and told him what the Lord had commanded. Eshkol responded: “You are an old man, and if you are circumcised, considerable blood will flow from you, and you will not be able to survive the loss and will perish.” Whereupon he departed from him, and went to Mamre and said: “What do you advise?” Mamre retorted: “Need you seek my advice in such a matter? Did He not release you from the fiery furnace, perform miracles in your behalf, and rescue you from kings? The fact is that you would have been destroyed long ago were it not for His strength and His might. He saved your two hundred and forty-eight limbs, and yet you ask advice concerning merely a piece of one of your organs. Do as He has commanded!” Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, exclaimed: Blessed shall you be for having advised him to be circumcised; I shall reveal Myself to him only in your territory. Hence, it is written: The Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre.", "And he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day (Gen. 18:1). Why the heat of the day? It indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, had made the day extremely hot so that no travelers would pass by, necessitating Abraham to fuss over them.", "Another explanation. Until the day breatheth (Song 4:6). This refers to judgment day, as it is said: For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall set them ablaze, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch (Mal. 3:19).", "And the shadows flee away (Song 4:6). This indicates that on that day there will be no shadow for the wicked, as it is said: There is no darkness and shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves (Job 24:32).", "I will get me to the mountains of myrrh (Song 4:6) refers to the Temple, in which they brought offerings of myrrh. And to the hill of frankincense (ibid.) alludes to Jerusalem, whither they brought their offerings of frankincense." ], [ "And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood over against him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them (Gen. 18:1). Thereupon the blood flowed once again from his circumcision. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Him: By your life, in reward for your meritorious behavior, I will have compassion upon your descendants in two situations involving blood, and I will exact retribution from their enemies through blood. It is said: When I passed by thee, and saw thee wallowing in thy blood (Ezek. 16:6). Two different experiences relating to blood are indicated here, for Scripture says immediately thereafter: I said unto thee: In thy blood, live (ibid.). The word blood in the first verse refers to the blood of the paschal lamb.4Bava Mezia 87a. The blood of the lamb on the doorposts in Egypt. The word blood in the second, yea, I said unto thee: In thy blood, live (ibid.), refers to the blood of the circumcision.", "When he saw them, he ran to meet them (Gen. 18:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: In reward for hastening three times, I will hasten three times to your descendants at the time of the giving of the Torah. The three times when Abraham hastened are as follows: And when he saw them, he ran to meet them, etc. (ibid.); And Abraham hastened into the tent (ibid., v. 6); And Abraham ran unto the herd (ibid., v. 7). What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do for his descendants at Sinai? It is said: And he said: The Lord came from Sinai, and rose from Seir unto them; He shined forth from Mount Paran (Deut. 33:2).", "Because you said: Let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and recline yourselves under the tree (Gen. 18:4), I will give the precept of the paschal lamb to thy descendants, as it is said: They shall fetch to them every man a lamb (Exod. 12:3). Because you said to them Let now (na), I will give your descendants the ordinance of the Passover: You shall not eat of it raw (na) (ibid., v. 20). Because you did say A little, I will drive their enemies away little by little, as it is said: By little and little I will drive them out from before you (ibid. 23:30). Inasmuch as you said water, I will give them a well in the desert, as is said: Spring up, O well (Num. 21:7). Since you said wash your feet, I will wash away all the impurity of your descendants, as it is said: When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughter of Zion (Isa. 4:4). Because you did say: Recline yourselves under a tree, I will give them the precept of the sukkah, as it is written: Go forth unto the mount and fetch olive branches (Neh. 8:15). In return for your saying: I will fetch a morsel of bread, I will cause to rain bread from heaven (Exod. 16:4). And inasmuch as you offered curd and milk, I will give you curd of kine and milk of sheep (Deut. 32:14).", "From this episode our sages taught that the righteous say little but do much. Abraham said: I will fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart, although he actually prepared three oxen and nine measures of meal for them, as is stated: And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah and said: “Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal (s’im kemah solet); knead it and make cakes” (Gen. 18:6). This verse indicates that nine measures were used in all: three measures, three measures of fine, and three measures of meal, totaling nine measures in all.5The terms s’im, kemah, and solet each indicate a different kind of flour.", "How do we know that he took three oxen? It is written: And he took an offspring of an ox, tender and good (ibid., v. 8). An offspring stands for one ox; an ox for a second; and tender for the third ox. Others insist that the word good indicates that he took a fourth ox.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, also promised little to Israel but did much in her behalf, as it is said: Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs…. that nation whom they serve will I judge (Gen. 15:13–14). He promised at first to judge the nations with the letters dalet and nun (which spell dan, “judge”), but ultimately He exacted retribution from them by means of seventy-two letters, as implied in the verse Or hath God assayed to go and take Him a nation from the midst of another nation by trials, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors? (Deut. 4:34). R. Yudan explained that there are seventy-two Hebrew letters between the words to go until great terrors.", "Whence do we know that the wicked say much but do not do even a little? We find this illustrated by Ephron, who at first said to Abraham: The field I give thee, and the cave that is therein I give thee (Gen. 23:11), only to declare later: The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that betwixt me and thee? (ibid., v. 15), which it was not worth.", "R. Hanina stated: Whenever a shekel is mentioned in the Pentateuch, its value is a sela; when it is mentioned in the Prophets, its value is a litra; and when it is referred to in the Hagiographa, its worth is that of a centenaria.61 sela = 1 sacred shekel or 2 common shekels; 1 litra = 1/4 shekel; 1 centenaria = 100,000 sesterces. But the shekel mentioned by Ephron had the value of a centenaria, for it is written: For the full price, let him give it to me in the midst of you for a possession of a burying-place (Gen. 23:9)." ], [ "And the Lord said: “Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing?” (Gen. 18:17). May it please our master to teach us whether one may recite the Aramaic translation (Targum) of the Torah while looking into the Torah scroll. Our masters teach us: One is forbidden to look into the Torah scroll while translating it, lest someone should contend that the translation is contained in the Torah scroll. Conversely, one who reads the Torah is forbidden to turn away from the scroll as he reads, for the Torah was given only in writing, as it is said: And I will write upon the tables the words that were on the first tables (Exod. 34:1). That is why anyone who is translating the Torah in public is forbidden to look into the Torah scroll while doing so. R. Judah the son of Pazzi declared: There is an entire verse in Scripture that deals with this subject: Write thou these words, for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel (ibid., v. 27). Write thou these words alludes to the Pentateuch, which was given in writing, while The tenor of these words refers to the translation of the Torah that was given orally.", "R. Judah the son of Simon contended that the verse For after the tenor of these words (I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel) refers to both the Written and the Oral Law. If you should perpetuate the Written Law in written form, and that which was given orally by word of mouth, I will have made a covenant with thee and with Israel, but if you convert the Written Law into oral transmission, and set the Oral Law down in writing, I will not have made an everlasting covenant with you.", "R. Judah the son of Shalum maintained: Moses desired to write down the Oral Law (Mishnah) as well, but the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that in the course of time nations would translate the Written Law and read it in the Greek language. They would then assert: “We, too, are Israelites.” Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses: Should I write for him never so many things of My Law (Hos. 8:12), the result being: They (Israel) are accounted as strangers (ibid.). Why to this extent? Because the Oral Law contains the mysteries of the Holy One, blessed be He, and He reveals His mysteries only to the righteous, as it is said: The counsel of the Lord is with them that fear Him (Ps. 25:14). Similarly you find that after the Sodomites angered the Holy One, blessed be He, and He was moved to destroy them, He consulted only Abraham, as it is said: Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing?", "It is written: So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3:4). Every person loved by his king is also loved by the king’s courtiers, but if he is loved by the courtiers he is not necessarily loved by the king. The righteous, however, are loved by the Holy One, blessed be He, by the angels, and by all creatures. Whence do we know this to be so? You find that when the angel visited Daniel he called him greatly beloved three times: And he said unto me: Daniel, thou man greatly beloved, give heed unto the words that I speak unto thee (Dan. 10:11); O man, greatly beloved, fear not! (ibid., v. 19); and And I come to declare it, for greatly beloved art thou (ibid. 9:23). Why was he called greatly beloved? Happy indeed is the man who hears an angel calling unto him: O man, greatly beloved, for that man is beloved by the Holy One, blessed be He, extolled by the heavenly bodies, and adored by his generation. Similarly, Bezalel was loved by the Holy One, blessed be He, by those on high, and by those on earth, as is said: See, I have called by name Bezalel (Exod. 31:20), and it is written elsewhere: See, the Lord hath called Bezalel by name (ibid. 35:30). The word see in the latter verse refers to the heavenly beings, and the word see in the former verse alludes to the earthly beings. Hence, Scripture states: So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3:4).", "Another comment on So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the sight of God and man: This refers to Abraham, who was beloved by all creatures, as it is said: Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us (Gen. 23:6). How do we know that he was loved also by the Holy One, blessed be He, and the angels? Because it is said: And the Lord said: Shall I hide from Abraham? (ibid. 18:17).", "R. Levi discussed the question: Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal His decision concerning Sodom and Gomorrah to Abraham? He did so because Abraham had previously reflected upon the episode of the generation of the flood and had said to himself: It is impossible that there were not twenty righteous men or perhaps even ten righteous men in that generation for whose sake the Holy One, blessed be He, might have abrogated His decision. Hence, the Holy One, blessed be He, declared: I will disclose the entire matter to him so that he will not contend with me (saying): “Perhaps there are righteous men even in Sodom.” You know that it was so, for no sooner did He finish saying Shall I hide from Abraham? When he had told him all this, how did he respond? Abraham drew near and said: Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?", "R. Levi stated that the words spoken by Abraham were also spoken by Job. Job, however, spoke harshly, while Abraham spoke gently.7Lit., “Job swallowed an unripened (hard) fig, and Abraham swallowed a ripe fig,” which accounts for the differences in their responses. Job exclaimed: It is all one—therefore, I say: He destroyeth the innocent and the wicked (Job 9:22). While Abraham, upon learning what was to take place, declared: Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? and then added (the softening words): But that be far from Thee to do after this manner (Gen. 18:25).", "Another comment on why the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed this matter to Abraham: R. Judah the son of Levi stated: This may be compared to a king who made a gift of an orchard to his friend. Subsequently, the king desired to hew five planks from one of the trees in the orchard, but he said to himself: Though this orchard was once mine, I have given it as a gift to my friend; surely it would be improper for me to remove something from it without first consulting him.", "When Abraham went up to the land of Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, had said to him: Lift up thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it (Gen. 13:14–15); therefore, when He desired to destroy the five cities, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I cannot destroy them without first consulting Abraham. If you should believe that the land was not part of Canaan, observe that it is written elsewhere: And the border of the Canaanite was from Sidon, as thou goest toward Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest toward Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 10:19). That is why, when He wanted to destroy them, He consulted Abraham, as it says: Shall I hide from Abraham, etc." ], [ "May it please our master to teach us: If one of two sons is born to a man on Friday and the other on the Sabbath,8Either half-brother born of two different wives or twins born of one mother. and he mistakenly circumcises the son born on Friday on the Sabbath, or the one born on the Sabbath on Friday, is he guilty of violating the Sabbath? Thus do our masters teach us: If one child is born on Friday and the other on the Sabbath, and he mistakenly circumcises the one born on Friday on the Sabbath or vice versa, he is considered culpable. Why? Because he profaned the Sabbath. It is written: And in the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin should be circumcised (Lev. 12:3). As a result, he has transgressed a decree of the Torah by violating the Sabbath.", "Circumcision is so very important that it takes precedence over the Sabbath. Similarly, circumcision is so important that no child is included in the reckoning of generations until he has been circumcised, as it is said: A seed shall serve him; he shall be counted by the Lord unto the next generation (Ps. 22:31).", "R. Isaac stated: The word serve is employed with the rites of circumcision and sacrifice. And just as the word serve in the rite of the sacrificial offering results in the letting of blood, so must the word serve in the rite of circumcision entail the letting of blood. Whence is this derived? For it says in reference to circumcision, A seed shall serve him.", "When a man causes a drop of his blood to flow (through circumcision), it is as precious to the Holy One, blessed be He, as the sacrifices. The Holy One, blessed be He, appeared to Abraham after he circumcised himself, just as he did when he offered sacrifices, as it is said: And an ox and a ram for a peace-offering to sacrifice before the Lord…. for today the Lord appeareth unto you (Lev. 9:4).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: Before your circumcision you prostrated yourself when you addressed Me, as is said: And Abraham fell on his face; and God talked with him (Gen. 17:3); but after he was circumcised, the Holy One, blessed be He, stood while Abraham remained seated, as it is said: And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre as he sat in the tent door (ibid. 18:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, disclosed to Abraham His decision to destroy the five cities of Sodom only because of that merit (of the circumcision), as is said: And the Lord said: Shall I hide from Abraham?", "Another explanation of And the Lord said: Shall I hide from Abraham?: Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Then he opened the ears of men, and by their chastisement sealeth the decree (Job 33:16). This verse refers to Abimelech and Pharaoh, since the Holy One, blessed be He, opened their ears, as is said: And God came to Abimelech in a dream at night (Gen. 20:3) and the Lord came and plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai (ibid. 12:17). What is meant by the words By their chastisement sealeth the decree? They mean that He afflicted Abimelech by sealing up his organs, as it is said: For the Lord had fast sealed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife (ibid. 20:18). And He punished Pharaoh in the same way. In reference to Abimelech, Scripture states: Because of Sarah. Just as the words because of indicate that Abimelech’s sexual organs were sealed up, so the words because of signify that Pharaoh’s sexual organs were sealed up. Hence, it says: By their chastisement sealeth the decree.", "Another comment on Then He openeth the ears of men: This verse alludes to Daniel, to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed the time of redemption.9Megillah 3a. The Book of Daniel contains intimations concerning the Messianic age. By their chastisement sealeth the decree similarly refers to Daniel, for He said to him: And thou, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book (Dan. 12:4). Another comment on Then He openeth the ears of men: This verse refers to our patriarch Jacob, to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed the time of redemption. Jacob indicated that he wished to disclose this information to his sons, when he said to them: Gather yourselves together, so that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the end of days (Gen. 49:1). However, the Holy One, blessed be He, sealed up his lips to restrain him from doing so. Hence, it says: Their chastisement sealeth the decree.", "Another explanation of Then He opened the ears of man: This alludes to Samuel, as is said: Now the Lord had revealed unto Samuel a day before Saul came, saying: Tomorrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be prince over My people Israel (I Sam. 9:15–16). After Samuel set out to anoint David, he encountered Eliab, and he said to himself: Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him. But the Lord said unto Samuel: “Look not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature, for I have rejected him” (ibid. 16:7). When David approached, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Samuel: Arise, anoint him; for this is he (ibid., v. 12); that is, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Shall My anointed stand while you sit? Arise, anoint him.", "Another explanation of Then he openeth the ears of men: This alludes to Abraham, for it is said: And God said: Shall I hide from Abraham?, and By their chastisement sealeth the decree (Job 33:16) refers to the Sodomites, against whom He sealed the decree when a single righteous man could not be found amongst them. Another comment on And the Lord said: Shall I hide from Abraham? Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: For the Lord will do nothing, but He revealeth His counsel unto His servants, the prophets (Amos 3:7). In the beginning the Holy One, blessed be He, used to reveal His secrets to those who feared Him, as it is said: The counsel of the Lord is with them that fear Him (Ps. 25:14). Then He made His secrets known to the righteous, as is said: In the council of the upright and in the congregation (Ps. 111:1); and finally He revealed it only to the prophets, as it is said: But He revealeth His counsel unto His servants, the prophets. After Israel transgressed at the time of Achan,10When Achan took spoils in Jericho despite the warning not to, punishment was visited upon the whole people (Judg. 7). the Holy One, blessed be He, informed Joshua, as it is said: Israel hath sinned (Josh. 7:11). When Eli’s sons sinned,11Eli’s sons sinned by keeping a woman who had brought an offering to the sanctuary waiting. Because of this they returned home without completing their sacrifice and therefore indulged in conjugal relations in a condition of impurity. the Holy One, blessed be He, disclosed it to Samuel, as is said: And the Lord called Samuel (I Sam. 3:4). When the Sodomites sinned, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed it to Abraham, as is said: Shall I hide from Abraham?" ], [ "And the Lord said: “Shall I hide from Abraham?” (Gen. 18:17). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: It shall be for the filling of his belly; He shall cast the fierceness of His wrath upon him, and shall cause it to rain upon him into his flesh (Job 20:23). The retribution that befell the Sodomites bloated their bellies because they had filled their bellies previously through their transgressions, violence, and robbery. Hence, the punishment imposed upon them filled their bellies, as it is said: He shall cast the fierceness of His wrath upon him. R. Meir said: Scripture states concerning the rain that fell in Sodom: He shall cause it to rain upon him into his flesh (ibid.) and also: And the Lord caused to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire (Gen. 19:24). Why into his flesh? Because of the wars they waged with the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: The men of Sodom were very wicked and sinful before the Lord (ibid. 13:13). The word wicked implies toward each other; sinful indicates that they were guilty of lewdness; before the Lord means that they blasphemed and reviled the Lord and practiced idolatry; and very (m’od) signifies that they shed blood (dom).", "R. Judah the son of (R.) Shalum said in the name of R. Judah the son of Simon: At the time that Amraphel and his allies fought the Sodomites, they seized Lot; Abraham heard about it and set out to do battle with them. After he slew the kings, the Sodomites escaped, as it is said: And he divided himself against them by night (Gen. 14:15), and Now the vale of Siddim was full of slime-pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled (ibid., v. 10). Abraham reflected upon the matter, saying to himself: The kings that attacked the Sodomites have been slain, while they (the Sodomites) have fled, as is said; And they that remained fled to the mountains (ibid.). Surely if they had been unworthy, they would not have been allowed to escape. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: The fate of those that fled is alluded to in the verse: If he flee from the iron weapon, the bow of brass shall strike him through. He draweth it forth, and it cometh out of his body; yea, the glittering point cometh out of his gall; terrors are upon him; all darkness is laid up for his treasures; a fire not blown by man shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tent (Job 20:24–26). Where was all the darkness laid up? It was in the area north of Sodom, which is at the right (south) of Jerusalem, as it is said: And thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters (Ezek. 16:46). What is meant by the words It shall go ill with him that is left in his tent? They mean that the fugitive who escaped will suffer misfortune in his tent. Who was one such? The wife of Lot, as it is said: But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:26)." ], [ "And the two angels came to Sodom at evening (Gen. 19:1). What is written before this verse? And Abraham drew near and said, “Wilt Thou sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” (Gen. 18:23). R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, stated: Certainly the Holy One, blessed be He, does not desire to find any of His creatures guilty, for it is said: I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth (Ezek. 18:32). Furthermore it says: For Thou are not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness (Ps. 5:4); and: As I live, saith the Lord Eternal, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 33:11). What does the Holy One, blessed be He, take pleasure in doing? In proving the righteousness of His creatures, as it is said: The Lord was pleased, for His righteousness’ sake (Isa. 42:21). Proof of this is that even when mankind sins against the Holy One, blessed be He, and provokes him to anger, He relents and seeks an advocate to plead in their behalf. In fact, He suggests the arguments the advocate can employ. Hence, you find that at the time of Jeremiah, He proclaimed: Run ye, to and fro, through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man. If there be any who doeth justly, that seeketh truth, and I will pardon her (Jer. 5:1).", "Similarly, after the Sodomites had transgressed, He revealed His intentions to Abraham in order to discover something to their credit, as it is said: And the Lord said: “Shall I hide from Abraham?” Abraham began to plead in their behalf, as it is said: And Abraham drew near and said: “Wilt Thou, indeed, sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” (Gen. 18:23). Drew near is an expression used to indicate prayer, as is said: And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening offering, that Elijah the prophet drew near and said: “O Lord, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel” (I Kings 18:36).", "Wilt Thou, indeed, sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What is implied by this verse? That he spoke harshly to Him and said: Anger consumes a human being, but is it possible that you are so angry that you would sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Would You judge the innocent as You judge the wicked? Would You destroy the innocent and the evil together? It is far from Thee to do after this manner (Gen. 18:25). Since the Hebrew word hallilah (“it is far from thee”) contains the letters of the word hallalah (“profaned”), as in the verse A woman that is a harlot, or profaned (Lev. 21:7), this verse implies that he was suggesting, “Would it not be a profanation of Your name if You were to act in this manner? Did You do that with the generation of the flood, or the generation of the separation? Surely, that is not Thy way.”", "“To do this thing” is not written in this verse, but rather “(to do) like this”—not this and not like this,12The use of the preposition kaf, meaning “as” or like,” rather than the definite article heh, implies “nothing like this.” that is, not even anything that resembles it. Shall not the Judge of all the world do justly? (Gen. 18:25). Perhaps there are fifty righteous in the city (ibid., v. 24). Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, replied: If I find fifty righteous men in Sodom … then I will forgive (ibid., v. 26). Though He started with fifty men, He decreased the number ultimately to ten men, for even ten righteous men (the number required for a minyan) possess the power to ward off retribution. However, when even that number could not be found, The Lord went His way, as soon as He had left speaking with Abraham (ibid., v. 33). And after that is written: And the two angels came to Sodom (ibid., 19:1).", "Observe the humility of the Holy One, blessed be He. R. Berechiah stated: Normally, when two men converse with each other and are about to separate the younger asks the elder for permission to leave; however, when the Holy One, blessed be He, concluded speaking with Abraham, and was about to depart, as though that were possible, He requested Abraham’s permission, as it is said: And the Lord went His way. When? As soon as He had left off speaking with Abraham. And afterwards: And Abraham returned to his place.", "Immediately thereafter, ’The two angels came to Sodom at even (ibid. 19:2). Where did the third one go, since it is written: And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood over against him (ibid. 18:2)? This verse teaches us that each one was charged with a separate mission. One of them came to tell Sarah: And I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh around, and lo, Sarah, thy wife shall have a son (ibid., v. 10); he completed his assignment and ascended. The second went to destroy Sodom, as it is said: And he said unto him: “See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow” (ibid. 19:21). It does not say “We have accepted thee, we will not overthrow,” but I have accepted thee, I will not overthrow, thereby indicating that this was the mission of the second one. The third one came to rescue Lot from the destruction that overwhelmed Sodom. Each one completed his mission and ascended." ], [ "And the two angels came to Sodom (Gen. 19:1). May it please our master to teach us the number of death penalties the Beth Din (the court of seventy-one members) was empowered to impose? Our masters taught us as follows: Four death penalties were imposed by the Beth Din: stoning, burning, decapitation, and strangulation. Which one is the most severe? The rabbis held that death by stoning was the most severe, since it was the punishment inflicted upon blasphemers and idolaters. R. Simeon the son of Yohai maintained that death by fire was the severest punishment because it was inflicted upon the daughter of a priest who was guilty of unchastity. Proof of the seriousness of unchastity is that it was punishable by death through fire. R. Joshua the son of Levi declared in the name of Bar Kappara that the Holy One, blessed be He, forgives everything but licentiousness. R. Judah the son of Nehemiah stated: The Holy One, blessed be He, rained fire and brimstone upon the inhabitants of Sodom, and burned them to death, because they committed acts of sexual immorality, as it is said: And the Lord caused to rain down upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire (Gen. 19:24).", "After they sinned, the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded his angels: “Go, destroy it.” Then they fulfilled their mission, as it is said: And the two angels came to Sodom. Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: He sent forth upon them the fierceness of His anger, wrath, and indignation and trouble (Ps. 78:49). What is meant by the fierceness of His anger? R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: Five plagues resulted from His anger, as it is said: How much more when I send My four judgments against Jerusalem, the sword and the famine and the wild beast and the pestilence (Ezek. 14:21). What is the fifth plague? The drought. How do we know this? R. Simeon the son of Yohai explained: It is written: The anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and He shut up the heavens, so that there shall be no rain (Deut. 11:17).", "The word wrath (avera) indicates that He was filled with wrath against them, just as a pregnant woman (uvara) (is filled out). The word anger (zaam) implies that the Holy One, blessed be He, cursed them (from zaam = “curse”), as it is said: How shall I curse them whom the Lord hath not cursed? (Num. 23:8).", "However, even when the Holy One, blessed be He, is angry, He remains merciful. He remembered Lot and rescued him because of the merit of Abraham, as is said: And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, that God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow (Gen. 19:29). In the Mishnah it was said that one should save the Sefer Torah case as well as the Sefer Torah, and the tefillin case as well as the tefillin. It teaches us: Happy are the righteous and those who cling to them. Scripture states: And God remembered Noah and every living thing and all the cattle (ibid. 8:1), all because of the merit of Noah. Similarly, God remembered Abraham and sent out Lot (ibid. 19:29). Woe to the wicked and to those who cling to them, as it is said: And He blotted out every living substance which was upon the face of the ground, both man and cattle (ibid. 7:23). Furthermore, it states: I will blot out man whom I have created (ibid. 6:7). The angels of destruction came as the emissaries of the Holy One, blessed be He, in order to destroy Sodom." ], [ "And the two angels came to Sodom (Gen. 19:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore, He was turned to be their enemy, He Himself fought against them (Isa. 6:10). R. Jeremiah the son of Eleazar declared: The Holy One, blessed be He, had warned the men of Sodom to repent for fifty-two years by causing the mountains to quake over them. R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: A biblical verse supports this statement: Who removeth the mountains, and they know it not, when He overturneth them in His anger (Job 9:5). When they failed to repent, He destroyed them. What was the source of their punishment? The heavens. R. Simeon the son of Lakish stated: Heaven resembles an urn from which a man may draw hot or cold water as he desires. When the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to do so, He sent manna to the Israelites from heaven, as it is said: Behold, I will cause bread to rain for you from heaven (Exod. 16:14), but when He so desired: Then the Lord caused to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven (Gen. 19:24)." ], [ "And the two angels came to Sodom … and he said: “Behold now, my lords, turn aside, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet” (Gen. 19:1–2). There is a proverb which says: Associate with a greasy man and you too will become greasy. Because Lot associated with Abraham he learned to welcome travelers. And they said: “Nay” (ibid.): From this episode our sages taught that one may refuse the request of one’s inferior but not of one’s superior. It is written concerning Abraham that he said: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart … and they said: “So do as thou hast said” (ibid. 18:5), but in reference to Lot it is written: And he urged them greatly; and they turned into his house … and they ate (ibid. 19:3).13The angel initially rejected Lot’s invitation to enter his home, but accepted Abraham’s invitation immediately. See Pesahim 86b. Surely, ministering angels do not partake of food. This was done only in order to teach us that proper behavior requires that no man should deviate from the custom of the land. You learn this lesson from Moses as well. It is written that after he ascended the mountain: And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights, and he did neither eat bread nor drink water (Exod. 34:28). If it was customary to eat and drink there, he would have done so. Therefore concerning the angels who came to visit Abraham, to destroy Sodom and to rescue Lot, it is written: He made them a feast and baked them unleavened bread, and they ate (Gen. 19:3)." ], [ "But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, came … and they called unto Lot and said: “Where are the men?” (Gen. 19:4–5). From this incident you learn that when he departed from Abraham, Lot chose him all the plain of the Jordan (Gen. 13:11), which was Sodom. Although he saw that the men of Sodom behaved dissolutely, he nevertheless chose Sodom so that he might behave as they did. How do we know this? He said to the men of Sodom: I have two daughters, who have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out to you (ibid. 19:7). Normally, a man would prefer to undergo death for the sake of his daughter or his wife; indeed he would willingly kill or be killed for their sake, but this man was willing to allow his daughters to be abused by men. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: By thy life, keep them (your daughters) for yourself! Schoolchildren will laugh derisively when they read: Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father (ibid., v. 36).", "R. Nahman said: How do we know that whosoever is consumed with immoral desires is eventually fed with his own flesh? We know this from Lot (who had intercourse with his own daughters). And they said: Stand back. (And they said: This one fellow came to sojourn, and he will needs play the judge.) Now we will deal worse with thee than with them (ibid., v. 9). That is, we shall do to you what we had intended to do to these men. Now we will deal worse is an expression that implies committing an obscene act: And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and drew near to break the door. But the men put forth their hand and brought Lot into the house to them, etc. (ibid., vv. 9–10)." ], [ "And the Lord remembered Sarah, as he had said (Gen. 21:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: God is not a man that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent; when He hath said, will He will not do it? Or when He hath spoken, will He not make it good? (Num. 23:19). R. Samuel the son of Nahman contended: The conclusion of this verse contradicts the beginning. It begins: God is not a man that He should lie, but subsequently it reverses itself by stating: when He hath said, will He not do it? What is meant by God is not a man that He should lie? It indicates that when the Holy One, blessed be He, promises to perform a good deed, He does so. For example: A mortal king may promise his son a gift, but if his son angers him, he will withdraw his promise. However, if the Holy One, blessed be He, promises to do a good deed, He will not retract His promise even though they sin against Him. Scripture states: And He gave them the lands of the nations, and they took the labor of the peoples in possession; that they might keep His statutes and observe His Laws (Ps. 105:44–45), and even though they neglected to keep His commandments and to observe His laws, He gave them the land. Similarly, though the Israelites erected the golden calf, when Moses pleaded for mercy in their behalf, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Depart, go up hence, thou and the people thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt (Exod. 33:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Moses, I am not like a man who promises a gift and then retracts. Hence, it says: God is not a man that He should lie.", "What is meant by When He hath said, will He not do it? It means that though He should decide in a moment of anger to inflict misfortune, He might rescind that decision. For example, though He said to Moses: Let Me alone that I may destroy them and blot out their name (Deut. 9:14), He did not do so, for The Lord repented of the evil (Exod. 32:14). Likewise, though He declared: Now, therefore, let Me alone that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them (ibid., v. 10), yet he did not do so. Instead, the Holy One, blessed be He, exclaimed: I have pardoned according to thy word (Num. 14:20). Hence, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I am not a man who threatens to do evil and then haughtily does it.", "R. Huna Hakohen (“the priest”) stated in the name of R. Aha: This is proven by what occurred at the time Jeremiah said: Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live (Jer. 27:12). Hananiah the son of Azzur, the false prophet, had prophesied good tidings, as it is said: And they have healed the hurt of the daughters of my people lightly, saying peace when there is no peace (ibid. 8:11), and he had told them also: Behold, the vessels of the house of the Lord shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon (ibid. 27:16). Thereupon Jeremiah exclaimed: I prophesy evil in accordance with the word of the Holy One, blessed be He, while you prophesy good tidings falsely of your own accord. Yet may it be that the Lord fulfill the words which thou hast prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the Lord’s house (ibid. 28:6).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, told Jeremiah: Make thee bands and bars and put them upon thy neck (ibid. 27:2), just as, in the future, Nebuchadnezzar will bind them about the necks of My children. And he did so (on himself). However, Hananiah removed them from Jeremiah’s neck and destroyed them, as it is said: Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and broke it. And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying: “Thus saith the Lord: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon” (Jer. 28: 10–11). Jeremiah, thereupon, called out to Hananiah: There have been prophets before me and you, but the prophet that prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him (ibid., v. 9). I have prophesied misfortune, but if my prophecy does not come to pass, I shall not necessarily have lied, for the Holy One, blessed be He, may threaten to do evil and then retract. But you have prophesied good tidings; if your words do not come to pass, then you shall be a false prophet, for when the Holy One, blessed be He, promises to do a good deed He does not retract His promise even though men transgress against Him.", "You find also that though the Holy One, blessed be He, told Ezekiel in a moment of anger: As I live, … I will not be inquired of by you (Ezek. 20:3), He later retracted this statement, as it is said: I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock (ibid. 36:37). Hence the words God is not a man that He should lie refer to His promises of good, and the words When He hath said, will He not do it? allude to His threats of misfortune. You know this is so also from what is written concerning the angels’ visit to Sarah: I will certainly return to thee; and, lo, Sarah, thy wife, shall have a son (Gen. 18:10). Zabdi the son of Levi stated: The angel drew a mark upon the wall and told her: When the sun reaches that mark, you will conceive. And when the sun touched the mark, Sarah did conceive, as is said: And the Lord remembered Sarah (ibid. 21:1).", "Our sages maintained that she had despaired of ever giving birth to a child and was so astonished by his words, that she said to herself: I am waxed old; shall I have pleasure? (ibid. 18:12)? Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, declared: I will make it known to her that she shall beget a child. How did He do this? We read that when the angel came, Abraham told her: Bring quickly three measures of fine meal (ibid., v. 6). R. Judah the son of Shalum commented upon this as follows: While she was kneading the dough, she began to menstruate, and that is why Abraham did not bring the bread, but only curd, milk, and the calf (ibid., v. 8).14Bread prepared by a menstruating woman may not be eaten, because she is considered to be in a state of impurity. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: I have already told Abraham: Thus shall be your seed (ibid. 15:5). What is the meaning of Thus shall be? R. Tanhuma said in the name of R. Aha: These words indicate that the world will never lack thirty righteous men, since the letters in the word yihyeh (“shall be”) total thirty arithmetically.15Tradition has increased the number to thirty-six. Hence, Scripture says: And the Lord remembered Sarah." ], [ "And the Lord remembered Sarah, as he had said (Gen. 21:1). May it please our master to teach us: What is considered ona’ah (wrong doing)? Our masters teach us: A man is forbidden to hurt his fellow man by asking “How much do you want for this article?” when he has no intention of purchasing it; nor should he grieve a person who has repented by reminding him of his previous behavior; nor should he taunt a man who is the son of a proselyte by saying: “Remember how your forebears behaved, the flesh of swine is still lodged between their teeth.” The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Strive to act as I did, as though that were possible. When I fashioned the world I had no wish to bring grief to My creatures, and therefore did not disclose to the inhabitants of the world the tree from which Adam ate the forbidden fruit.", "Observe that anyone who causes his neighbor to grieve is the first to be punished. Conversely Sarah was rewarded because she brought grief to herself when she said to Abraham: Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid (Gen. 16:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, told her: Inasmuch as you inflicted distress upon yourself, you may be assured that with the very words you spoke, I will remember you. You said: The Lord hath restrained me; therefore it is written: The Lord hath restrained the wombs of the house of Abimelech (Gen. 20:18). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Abraham pleaded with Me in behalf of the wicked Abimelech, until I became merciful toward him; therefore, I shall remember Abraham together with him, as it is said: And God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his handmaids (ibid., v. 17). What is written next? And the Lord remembered Sarah." ], [ "And the Lord remembered Sarah, as he had said (Gen. 21:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, and have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish. I, the Lord, have spoken and I will do it (Ezek. 17:24). I have brought down the high tree alludes to Assyria, as it is said: Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing thicket. And of a high stature (ibid. 31:3). Have exalted the low tree refers to Israel, as it is said: Therefore, I have made you contemptible and base before all the people (Mal. 2:9). Have dried up the green tree refers to Abimelech’s wife (because she could not bear children), and I have made the dry tree to flourish alludes to Sarah, as is said: And Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham (Gen. 21:2). I, the Lord, have spoken and I will do it parallels And the Lord did unto Sarah as He had spoken (ibid., v. 1). R. Levi said: During the month of Tammuz, grass withers and trees blossom. Similarly, the grass withered when the Lord closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, and the trees blossomed when the Lord remembered Sarah." ], [ "And the Lord remembered Sarah (Gen. 21:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: That confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers. That saith of Jerusalem: “She shall be inhabited”; and of the cities of Judah: “They shall be built” (Isa. 44:26). That confirmeth the word of His servant refers to Abraham, for the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I opened his womb (Abimelech) on account of Abraham, My servant, who prayed in his behalf, as it is said: And Abraham prayed unto God (Gen. 20:17). Performeth the counsel of His messengers alludes to the angels who informed Abraham that he would have an offspring, as it is said: I will certainly return unto you when the season cometh around (ibid. 18:10).", "That saith of Jerusalem: “She shall be inhabited”; and of the cities of Judah; “They shall be built” relates to the subject we are discussing. Though the nations were confident that Jerusalem would not be rebuilt, it will be rebuilt, as it is said: That saith of Jerusalem: “She shall be inhabited”, and it is written elsewhere: When the Lord hath built Zion (Ps. 102:17). But if you are doubtful as to the ultimate rebuilding of Jerusalem, look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah who bore you (Isa. 51:2), for just as I did in behalf of Sarah and Abraham, so I shall do in behalf of Jerusalem." ], [ "And the Lord remembered Sarah (Gen. 21:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Then the nations that are left round about shall know that I, the Lord, have builded the stricken places, and have planted that which was desolate: I, the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it (Ezek. 36:36).", "The nations shall know refers to the women who taunted Sarah by calling her a barren woman. I, the Lord, have builded the stricken places indicates that she was stricken with old age, as it is said: And Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken with age (Gen. 18:11). Have planted that which is desolate refers to her remark: After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure? (ibid., v. 12). And I, the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it is stated because it is said: And God remembered Sarah as He has said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as He had spoken (ibid. 21:1).", "Sarah conceived on Rosh Hashanah, and Isaac was born in the seventh month, on the night of Passover, as is said: I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh around (Gen. 18:10). Four barren women conceived on Rosh Hashanah: Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah." ], [ "And it came to pass after these words that God did prove Abraham (Gen. 22:1). What words were spoken? Ishmael had said to Isaac: I am superior to you, for I underwent circumcision at the age of thirteen, and underwent the pain (that accompanied it), while you were merely eight days old at the time of your circumcision and could feel no pain. Why, even if your father had wished to slaughter you, you would not have known the difference. If you had been thirteen years old, you could not have tolerated the anguish that accompanies circumcision. Isaac retorted: That is not so! Even if the Holy One, blessed be He, should command my father: “Slaughter thy son Isaac,” I would not resist. Immediately thereafter Scripture states: And it came to pass after these things that God did prove Abraham.", "When the Holy One, blessed be He, embarked upon the creation of the world, the ministering angels said to him: What is man, that Thou art mindful of (lit. remember) him? (Ps. 8:5). The Holy One, blessed be He, responded: You have asked me, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? because you beheld the wickedness of the generation of Enosh, but now I will reveal to you the greatness of Abraham so that you may remember him, as is said: And God remembered Abraham (Gen. 19:29).", "You (angels) say (to Me), What is man, that Thou dost remember Him? because it is said The Lord remembered Sarah, but now you are destined to see a father who is willing to slay his own son, and a son who is willing to be sacrificed for the sake of My Holy Name." ], [ "And it came to pass after these words that God did prove Abraham (Gen. 22:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Forasmuch as the king’s word hath power; and who may say unto him: “What dost thou?” whoso keepeth the commandment shall know no evil thing (Eccles. 8:4–5). What is meant by this verse? Whatsoever the Holy One, blessed be He, desires to do, He may do, and none may stay His hand. What then can be the meaning of And who may say unto Him: “What doest Thou?” whoso keepeth the commandment, etc.? These words whoso keepeth the commandment allude to the righteous men who perform the commandments of the Holy One, blessed be He. And it is their decree that He fulfills, as it is written: Thou shalt also decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee, and the light shall shine upon thy ways (Job 22:28). An example of this is what occurred after they made the golden calf. Though the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to destroy them, our master, Moses, restrained the Holy One, blessed be He, as though that were possible, just as a man restrains his companion. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: And now let Me be (Exod. 32:10). We learn this as well from the verse: Let Me alone that I may destroy them (Deut. 9:14). Therefore Scripture says: Who may say unto him: “What doest thou?” whoso keepeth the commandment." ], [ "And God did prove Abraham (Gen. 22:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The Lord trieth the righteous (Ps. 11:5). R. Jonah maintained: If you pound a good-quality flax, its quality will improve, but if you pound a poor-quality flax, it will crumble. So the Holy One, blessed be He, tests only the righteous.", "R. Judah the son of Shalum said: A potter never tests a defective vessel for fear that it might break while being tested, but he always tests a perfect one. Likewise, the Holy One, blessed be He, tests the righteous but not the wicked, as it is said: The Lord trieth the righteous.", "R. Eleazar declared: If a householder has two cows, one of which is strong while the other is weak, he places the yoke on the stronger cow and not on the weaker one. Hence, Scripture says: The Lord trieth the righteous and God did prove Abraham." ], [ "And God did prove Abraham (Gen. 22:1). Observe this difference between the earlier generations and the later generations: The earlier generations were tested by the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: And God did prove Abraham. And Scripture elsewhere states regarding the generation of the desert: That He might afflict thee to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart (Deut. 8:2). But later generations were tested by the nations of the world, for it is said: Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them (Judg. 3:1).", "Similarly, you find that though the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed that Daniel and his companions should eat unclean bread, as it is said: And the Lord said: “Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations whither I will drive them” (Ezek. 4:13), nevertheless when Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to eat his food, as is said: And the king appointed for them a daily portion of the king’s food and of the wine which he drank (Dan. 1:5), Daniel would not obey. He declared: Even though the Holy One, blessed be He, has decreed that we should eat unclean food, He did so only to test us. We will do our part, let Him do His part. Then he said to the chief of the officers: Try thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the youths that eat of the king’s food; and as thou seest, deal with thy servants (Dan. 1:12–13). The officers retorted: “Are you descended from nobility that you are able to withstand the test of ten days without food or wine?” “Yes, indeed,” they replied, “for we are the descendants of that righteous man who was tried ten times. Perhaps his merit will assist us. After all, has not the king found us to be ten times as wise as all his magicians and sorcerers?” Forthwith, the Holy One, blessed be He, made the officer feel well disposed toward Daniel: So he hearkened unto them in this matter, and tried them for ten days. And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer, and they were fatter in flesh, than all the youth that did eat of the king’s food (ibid., vv. 14–15)." ], [ "And He said unto him: “Abraham”; and he said: “Here am I” (Gen. 22:1). What does the expression hineni (“here am I”) signify? It signifies meekness and piety. The meekness of pious men is indicated in every instance by the use of these words. And He said: “Take, please, thy son” (ibid., v. 2). The word na (“please”16Sometimes also translated “now”.) is always used to indicate a request. For example, there was once a king who was constantly engaged in wars, and he had in his army a powerful warrior who was victorious in every engagement. At one time a crucial battle developed, and he said to his mighty warrior: “Stand beside me now (na), lest my officers say that the earlier battles were minor engagements.” Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: I have tried you nine times, and you underwent those trials successfully; now endure this final trial so that men may not say the earlier trials were of little consequence.", "And He said: “Take now (na) thy son, thine only son” (ibid.). Abraham asked: “Which son is that?” The Holy One replied: Your only son. “But,” he said, “one of my sons is the only son of his mother, and the other is the only son of his mother.” The son you love, He replied. “I love them both,” Abraham responded. “The one you love the most,” said God. “Is there a limit in the viscera?” (i.e., Is there a measure within which a man gauges the love he bears his sons), he asked. Forthwith, God replied: Isaac.", "And get thee into the land of Moriah (ibid., v. 2). What is suggested by the word get thee? It implies that the last trial was similar to the first. At the first trial, The Lord said unto Abram: “Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred” (Gen. 12:1), and at the last trial He said: Get thee into the land of Moriah.", "Forthwith, Abraham arose early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him (ibid. 22:3). How many servants and maids that righteous man possessed! Yet he saddled the ass himself. This reveals his eagerness to fulfill God’s command.", "On the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar off (ibid., v. 4). Why was he able to see the place on the third day, but not on the first or second day? Lest the inhabitants of the world assert that he was still in shock from God’s command and therefore was willing to sacrifice his son.", "And he saw the place from afar off. Abraham had asked himself: What shall I do? If I tell Sarah all about it, consider what may happen. After all, a woman’s mind becomes distraught over insignificant matters; how much more disturbed would she become if she heard something as shocking as this! However, if I tell her nothing at all, and simply steal him away from her when she is not looking, she will kill herself. What did he do? He said to Sarah: “Prepare some food and drink that we may eat and rejoice.” “But why is this day different from other days?” she asked. “What are you celebrating?” He replied: “When a couple our age has a son, it is fitting, indeed, that they should eat, drink, and rejoice.” Whereupon she prepared the food. While they were eating, he said to her: “When I was a child of three, I already knew my Creator, yet this child is growing up and still has had no instruction. There is a place a short distance away where children are being taught, I will take him there.” She answered: “Go in peace.”", "Immediately: And Abraham arose early in the morning (ibid., v. 3). Why did he arise early in the morning? He had said to himself: Perhaps Sarah will change her mind and not permit me to go; I will arise before she does.”", "Another comment on early in the morning: Righteous men are always anxious to fulfill their religious duties as early as possible. For example, though Scripture states; And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised (Lev. 21:3), thereby indicating that the entire day is appropriate for circumcision, a righteous man will fulfill the precept of circumcision as early in the day as possible.", "And he took two of his young men with him (Gen. 22:3). He said to himself: While I am sacrificing him they will guard the supplies.", "Satan appeared before him on the road in the guise of an old man and asked: “Whither are you going?” Abraham replied: “To pray.” “And why,” Satan retorted, “does one going to pray carry fire and a knife in his hands, and wood on his shoulders?” “We may tarry there for several days,” said Abraham, “and slaughter an animal and cook it.” The old man (Satan) responded: “That is not so; I was present when the Holy One, blessed be He, ordered you to take your son. Why should an old man, who begets a son at the age of a hundred, destroy him? Have you not heard the parable of the man who destroyed his own possessions and then was forced to beg from others? If you believe that you will have another son, you are listening to the words of a seducer. And furthermore, if you destroy a soul, you will be held legally accountable for it.” Abraham answered: “It was not a seducer, but the Holy One, blessed be He, who told me what I must do, and I shall not listen to you.”", "Satan departed from him and appeared at Isaac’s right hand in the guise of a youth. He inquired: “Where are you going?” “To study the law,” Isaac replied. “Alive or dead?” he retorted. “Is it possible for a man to learn the law after he is dead?” Isaac queried. He said to him: “Oh, unfortunate son of an unhappy mother, many days your mother fasted before your birth, and now this demented old man is about to sacrifice you.” Isaac replied: “Even so, I will not disregard the will of my Creator, nor the command of my father.” He turned to his father and said: “Father, do you hear what this man has told me?” He replied: “Pay no heed to him, he has come only to torment us.” Forthwith, And Isaac spoke (ibid., v. 7).", "On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes (ibid., v. 4). Since the distance was extremely short, what delayed them three days? When Satan realized that they would not pay any attention to him, he went ahead and created a river in their path. When Abraham stepped into the river, it reached his knees. He ordered his young men to follow him, and they did so. But in the middle of the river the water reached his neck. Thereupon, Abraham lifted his eyes heavenward and cried out: Master of the Universe, You have chosen me; You have instructed me; You revealed Yourself to me; You have declared: I am one and You are one, and through You shall my name be made known in My world. You have ordered me: Offer, Isaac, thy son, as a sacrifice, and I did not refuse; but now, as I am about to fulfill Thy command, these waters endanger my life. If either I or my son, Isaac, should drown, who will fulfill Your decrees, and who will proclaim the Unity of Your Name? The Holy One, blessed be He, responded: Be assured that through you the Unity of My Name will be made known through the world. Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked the source of the water, and caused the river to dry up. Once again, they stood on dry land.", "What did Satan do then? He said to Abraham: “Now a word was secretly brought to me (Job 4:12); that is, I have heard from behind the heavenly curtain that a lamb will be sacrificed as a burnt offering instead of Isaac.” Abraham responded; “It is a liar’s fate that even though he should speak the truth, no one will believe him.”", "Immediately, And he saw the place from afar off. How was he able to see the place from afar off? This verse teaches us that the place was a valley at the time. However, when the Holy One, blessed be He, decided to make His Shekhinah hover over it and to make it the site of the Temple, He observed that it is not fitting for a king to dwell in a valley, but rather in a lofty and beautiful place, visible to every eye. Thereupon, the Holy One, blessed be He, called upon the hills in the surrounding area to come together in order to make a fitting abode for the Shekhinah. Hence, the mountain is called Moriah, for it was fashioned out of reverence (yirah) for the Holy One, blessed be He." ], [ "And he saw the place from afar off (Gen. 22:4). Abraham said to Isaac: “Do you see what I see?” “I behold a glorious mountain encircled by a cloud,” he replied. Then he asked his young men: “Do you see anything at all?” “We see only desert,” they answered. “Then abide with the ass,” he commanded, “for the ass sees nothing and you see nothing.” Abide ye here with the ass (ibid., v. 5), for ye are like unto them.", "And I and the lad will go yonder (ibid.). What is meant by the word yonder (Heb. koh, which also means “thus, so”)? It means: “Let us see what will be the final outcome of koh. The Holy One, blessed be He, promised me: So (koh) shall thy seed be (Gen. 15:1).” And we will worship and come back to you (ibid. 22:5). His own mouth foretold him that they would both return in peace. And he took in his hand a fire and a knife (ibid., v. 6). Why was it called a slaughtering knife (ma’akhelet)? Because it made food (okhalin) suitable for eating.", "Forthwith, And Isaac spoke unto Abraham, his father, and said: “My father.” And he replied: “Here am I, my son.” Then Isaac asked: “Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?” (ibid., v. 7). Immediately, an overpowering fear and violent trembling seized Isaac, for when he saw nothing to be sacrificed, he realized what was about to transpire. Yet he asked once again: “Where is the lamb for the burnt-offering?’ And Abraham responded: “Since you ask, the Holy One, blessed be He, has selected you.” “If he has chosen me,” Isaac replied, “I shall willingly surrender my soul to Him, but I am gravely concerned about my mother.” Nevertheless, they went both of them together (ibid., v. 8), of one mind: convinced that one was to slaughter and the other to be slaughtered. Isaac was thirty-seven years old at the time of his binding.", "And they came to the place which God had told him of … and bound Isaac, his son (ibid., v. 9). As Abraham was about to slaughter him, Isaac cried out: “Father, bind my hands and feet, for the will to live is strong within me, and when I see the knife descending, I may tremble and the offering may become defective (as a result of the knife slipping). I implore you not to make me a blemished offering.” The Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son (ibid., v. 10). Isaac said to him: “Father, do not tell my mother about this while she is standing at the edge of a pit or a roof lest she hurl herself down and die.” After they had constructed the altar, Abraham bound Isaac upon it and took the knife in hand to slaughter him until a fourth of a measure of blood would flow from his body, Satan appeared and pushed Abraham’s hand, causing the knife to fall. As he reached out to grasp the knife again, a voice emanated from heaven, saying: Lay not thy hand upon the lad (ibid., w. 13). If this had not happened, Isaac would certainly have been sacrificed.", "While all this was transpiring, Satan visited Sarah in the guise of Isaac. When she saw him she asked: “What did your father do to you, my son?” He replied: “My father led me over mountains and through valleys until we finally reached the top of a certain mountain. There he erected an altar, arranged the firewood, bound me upon the altar, and took a knife to slaughter me. If the Holy One, blessed be He, had not called out, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, I would have been slaughtered.” He had hardly completed relating what had transpired when she fainted and died, as it is written: And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her (ibid. 23:2). From where did he come? From Moriah.", "When he was about to slaughter Isaac, an angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, saying: Abraham, Abraham (ibid. 22:11). Why was his name repeated? Because he was hastening to slaughter him. And He said: Lay not thy hand upon the lad (ibid., v. 12). Abraham asked: “Who are you?” And he replied: “An angel.’ Thereupon Abraham retorted: “When I was commanded, Take now thy son, it was the Holy One, blessed be He, who spoke to me; if He now wishes to stop me, let Him tell me so.”", "Thereupon, And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven a second time (ibid., v. 15), for he had refused to heed the first call. Then Abraham cried out to the Holy One, blessed be He: “Master of the Universe, a man tests his companion because he does not know what is in his heart, but You know what is in the heart and the kidneys, the seat of deliberation. Surely, You did not need to test me.” He answered: Now, indeed, do I know that thou art a God-fearing man (ibid., v. 12).", "Thereupon, the Holy One, blessed be He, opened the sky and the cloud (surrounding Him) and said: “By myself have I sworn,” saith the Lord (ibid., v. 16). “You have sworn.” Abraham replied, “and now I swear that I shall not descend from this altar until I say what I wish to say.” “Speak,” He answered. “Did You not tell me,” said Abraham, “Count all the stars, if thou be able to count them; so shall thy seed be (Gen. 15:5)?” “Yes,” He replied. “But from whom shall my seed descend?” queried Abraham. “From Isaac,” the Holy One answered. “It was in my heart, yesterday, to remind You that You told me that Isaac was my seed, when You said to me: Take him for a burnt-offering. But I restrained myself and did not challenge You. Therefore, when Isaac’s descendants sin and are being oppressed, recall the binding of Isaac, reckon it as if his ashes were piled upon the altar, and pardon them and release them from their anguish.”", "The Holy One, blessed be He, answered: “You have spoken what was in you heart, now I will say what I wish to say. In the future Isaac’s descendants will sin against Me, and I will judge them on Rosh Hashanah. If they want Me to discover something to their credit, and to recall for their advantage the binding of Isaac, let them blow upon this shofar.” Abraham asked: “What shofar?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “Turn around. Then it was that Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind a ram caught in the thicket by his horns (Gen. 22:13). This was one of the ten things that were created at twilight.17Ten things were created by God in the twilight of Sabbath eve. See Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 2:83 and 5:169.", "A ram caught in the thicket by his horns (ibid.). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: “Let them blow upon the ram’s horn to Me, and I will save them and redeem them from their sins.” This is what David meant when he sang: My shield and my horn of salvation, my high tower (Ps. 18:3). Then I shall remove the yoke of exile from them and comfort them in the midst of Zion, as it is said: For the Lord hath comforted Zion (Isa. 51:3). Amen." ] ], "Chayei Sara": [ [ "And Abraham was old, well stricken in age (Gen. 24:1). May it please our master to teach us: What should a man do if he is riding upon an ass when the time for prayer arrives? Thus do our masters teach us: If one is riding upon an ass when the time for prayer arrives, he should dismount. However, if he is unable to dismount because of his concern for the merchandise loaded upon the ass, or because he fears that there may be non-Jews or bandits roaming about in the vicinity, he should pray while mounted. R. Yohanan declared: This statement indicates that a man’s mind must be completely at ease while praying to God. Abba Saul maintained: If a man directs his thought in his prayers, he can be confident that they will be heard, as it is said: Thou wilt direct their heart, Thou wilt cause Thine ear to attend (Ps. 10:17).", "No man ever concentrated his mind and his heart upon his prayers as intensely as Abraham, our father, when he said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Far be it from Thee to do after this manner (Gen. 18:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, upon observing that Abraham pleaded for the sinners of Sodom, so that the world might not be destroyed, began to praise him, saying: Thou art fairer than the children of men; grace is poured on thy lips; therefore, God hath blessed thee forever (Ps. 45:3). Then Abraham asked, “Where am I fairer than the children of man? When I and my son enter a city, no one is capable of distinguishing between us.” (In those days) a man would live to be a hundred or two hundred years old without acquiring the distinguishing features of old age. “It is imperative, Master of the Universe, that You should distinguish between father and son, between old and young, so that the young may pay homage to the old.” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: “Be assured I will begin to distinguish between young and old with you.” Abraham went to sleep, and when he arose in the morning he found that the hair of his head and beard had turned white. “Master of the Universe,” he exclaimed, “You have made me a public spectacle.” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Thy hoary head is a crown of glory (Prov. 16:31), and it says elsewhere: And the beauty of men is the hoary head (ibid. 20:29). Hence, it is said: Abraham was old." ], [ "And Abraham was old, well stricken in age (Gen. 24:1). R. Joshua the son of Nahmani said: Men become old prematurely because of four things: fear, grief caused by children, a wicked wife, and wars. We learn about fear from David, as it is written: But David would not go before it to inquire of God; for he was terrified because of the sword of the angel of the Lord (I Chron. 21:30), and that is followed by the verse: And David was old (ibid., v. 31). The consequences of grief brought on by children we learn from Eli. It is written: Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel (I Sam. 2:21). The effect of wars is recorded in what happened to Joshua after he fought with the thirty-one kings: And Joshua was old, well stricken with years (Josh. 23:1). We read about what transpires because of a wicked wife, in the verse: It came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods (I Kings 11:4). However, Abraham’s wife honored him and called him my lord, as is said: And my lord is old (Gen. 18:12). Concerning her Scripture states: A Virtuous woman is a crown to her husband (Prov. 12:4). Hence, it is written of him: And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things (Gen. 24:1)." ], [ "And Abraham was old, well stricken in age (Gen. 24:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with glory and majesty (Ps. 104:1). What prompted David to bless the Holy One, blessed be He, with his soul? He did so because the soul sees but is not seen, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sees but is not seen. Hence, the soul that sees but is not seen praised the Holy One, blessed be he, who sees but is not seen. Similarly, the soul guards the body and the Holy One, blessed be He, guards the entire universe. It is fitting, therefore, that the soul which guards the body should praise the Holy One, blessed be He, who guards His world. What is the meaning of the verse O Lord my God, Thou art very great? R. Eleazar explained it thus: “You were great before You created Your world, but Your greatness was magnified after You created Your world,” as it is said: Thou art very great.", "If a mortal king engraves his image upon a plaque, the plaque must be larger than the image, but the Holy One, blessed be He, is great and his image is larger than the entire world. In regard to heaven, it is written: Behold, the heavens and the heavens of heavens cannot contain Thee (I Kings 8:27), and concerning the earth, it is said: The whole earth is full of His glory (Isa. 6:3). The fact is that the heavens are contained merely in the span of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: And meted out heaven with the span (ibid. 40:12), and the earth is but a third of his span, as is said: And comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure (ibid.). He measured the seas and the rivers in the hollow of His hand, as it is written: Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand (ibid.).", "Furthermore, Scripture states: For the Lord (be-Yah) the Lord is an everlasting rock (ibid. 26:4). What is meant by zur ‘olamim (“everlasting rock”)? This verse informs us that all the worlds are considered as nothing in His sight, for with only half His name He created the world.1In the quotation from Isaiah, “the Lord” is be-Yah, a form which utilizes only the first two letters (yod and heh) of the more usual four-letter form of God’s Name. Indeed the worlds would have continued to expand without end had He not said enough, as it is written: I am God, Shaddai (Gen. 17:1).2God created many other worlds before He created our world (Bereshit Rabbah 3:7, 9:2. What is signified by the word Shaddai? That I said to the world, dai (“enough”)!3The word dai (“enough”) is the last syllable of Shaddai. It indicates that the world was expanding and He found it necessary to halt the expansion. Hence, it is said: O Lord my God, Thou art very great.", "A mortal king first constructs the lower story of his home, and then builds an attic upon it, but the Holy One, blessed be He established His (heavenly) throne first and then erected the upper story. Upon what did he fashion the upper story? Upon the empty space beneath. After this He made His chariots, the clouds, as David informs us in the verse: Who layest the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, who makest the clouds His chariot, who walkest upon the wings of the wind (Ps. 104:3). He fashioned the upper stories with beams and balconies of water, not with brass or iron, and He constructed the heavenly spheres with walls of compressed water, not with stones or hewn blocks, as it is said: Who layest the beams of His upper chambers in waters.", "A mortal king builds his chariots of iron or silver, so that they may be strong enough to bear his weight, but the Holy One, blessed be He, made the clouds His chariots, as it is said: Who maketh the clouds His chariot. If the path before a mortal king is muddy, he walks upon stones which are firmly set within it, but the Holy One, blessed be He, abandons the visible clouds and travels upon the invisible winds, as it is said: Who walkest upon the wings of the wind. A mortal king surrounds himself with mighty officers and arms them with weapons and armor, but the officers of the Holy One, blessed be He, are invisible, as it is said: Who makest winds His messengers (ibid., v. 4). And the wind produces the lightning, as is said: Flaming fire His ministers (ibid.).", "After He fashioned the firmament, He created the angels, and the fire of Gehenna on the second day, for about that day it is not written: And God saw that it was good (Gen. 1:1). However, the pits of Gehenna were created two thousand years before, as it is said: For a hearth is ordered of old (lit. “yesterday”) (Isa. 30:33). Just as a man who is about to purchase some slaves tells his servants: “Prepare the executioner’s sword so that they will hear the call to judgment if they should rebel,” likewise, the Holy One, blessed be he, may His Name be blessed, prepared Gehenna so that if His creatures sin, they can be cast down into it.", "Whence do we know that Gehenna was created on the second day? From the verse For a hearth is ordered of yesterday (Isa. 30:33). It was the day on which a man could refer only to yesterday and not to “the day before yesterday.” When could a man refer to yesterday? Only on the second day (of Creation), which was preceded by the first day of the week. After that He created the dry land on the third day of the week, as it is said: Who didst establish the earth upon its foundations, that it should never be moved forever and ever (Ps. 104:5). He covered one part of the world, and uncovered another. To what may this be compared? To a man who owns two slaves, and strips the clothing from one in order to cloth the other. The Holy One, blessed be He, did likewise. He gathered the waters beneath the heavens to one place, and in that way uncovered the earth while covering the deep, as it is said: Thou didst cover the deep as with a vesture (ibid., v. 6).", "At Thy rebuke they fled (ibid.). When a man sees that his winepress is filled with grapes, and that his vineyard is ready for cutting, others may ask him: “What will you do with these grapes, since the vat is too small to contain them?” What does he do? He treads down the grapes in the vat and then puts in the new grapes. Then it is able to contain all his grapes. Similarly, though the entire world was submerged under water, the Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Let the dry earth appear (Gen. 1:9). The water thereupon cried out: “Though we fill the entire world, it is cramped for us. Whither shall we go?” What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He trampled upon the ocean4Normally the Mediterranean, but in this instance, as indicated a few lines below, the Dead Sea. and slew its prince,5See Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 5:26, Bava Batra 74b Leviathan was a legendary sea animal destined to be eaten by the righteous in the future. as it is said: He stirreth up the sea with His power, and by His understanding he smiteth through Rahab (Job 26:12). Smiteth is an expression that indicates slaying, as it is said: And with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote through his head, yea, she pierced and struck through his temple (Judg. 5:26). The seas mourn (bohin) to this very day because He slew the prince of the sea, as is said: Hast thou entered into the springs (nibhe) of the sea? (Job 38:16). Why did He slay him? Because a house that can accommodate a hundred living people can contain a thousand dead. That is why the ocean is called the Dead Sea. Ultimately, however, the Holy One, blessed be He, will heal it, as it is said: When they shall enter into the sea of the putrid waters, the waters shall be healed (Ezek. 47:8). When the other waters observed that the Holy One, blessed be He, had trampled upon the ocean, they fled from the loud cries of their fellow-waters, as it is said: At Thy rebuke they fled, at the voice of Thy thunder they hastened away (Ps. 104:7).", "They fled, but they did not know where to flee, as it is said: The mountains rose, the valleys sank down, unto the place which Thou hast founded for them (ibid., v. 8). This may be compared to a slave whose master commands him to wait for him in the market but neglects to tell him where to wait. The slave asks himself: “Perhaps my master meant that I should wait near the basilica, or the bathhouse, or the theater.” When they finally meet, the master slaps him on the face, and says: “I sent you to the gate of the duke’s palace.” Similarly, when the waters heard the decree, Let the waters underneath the heavens gather in one place (Gen. 1:9), they did not know whether (they were to go) to the north or the south. And so, they raced about, as it is said: The mountains rose, the valley sank (Ps. 104:8), until the Holy One, blessed be He, struck them, and declared: I ordered you to assemble at the place of the Leviathan, as is said: There go the ships; there is the leviathan, whom Thou hast formed to sport therein (ibid., v. 26).", "Thou didst set a bound beyond which they should not pass (ibid., v. 9). Just like a man who drives his cow into the barn and then locks the door so that the cow might not escape and consume the grain, so the Holy One, blessed be He, hemmed in the waters of the sea with sand, and exacted the promise that they would not pass beyond the sand, as it is said: Thou didst set a bound beyond they should not pass (ibid.). Who sendeth forth springs into the valleys; they run between the mountains (ibid., v. 10). For example, a man who has two bales of olives will press the beam against both of them, and the oil will descend, and flow out below. Similarly, when the hill from one place pressed against the hill of another place, the waters cut their way through and flowed forth from between the hills.", "Who causeth the grass to spring forth for the cattle (ibid., v. 14). There are three things a man does not wish to have happen to him: weeds in his field; a woman among his sons; and ferment within his wine. Yet all three were created to meet the needs of the world. And thus it is said: O Lord my God, Thou art very great (ibid., v. 1). Another comment on O Lord my God, Thou are very great: Thou art very great refers to the wondrous deeds You performed for man when you gave him old age and a hoary head. If this had not been done, men would not know whom to honor. The word very alludes only to old age, as it is said: Eli was very old (I Sam. 2:22). Thou art clothed with glory and majesty (Ps. 104:1). Glory signifies the strength with which I clothed you at the sea, as is said: The Lord is my strength and my song (Exod. 15:2). R. Judah the son of Ilai said: He praised Me and I praised him (Israel). Majesty alludes to the majesty with which you were adorned through Me at Sinai above all the nations of the world. R. Judah the son of Simon stated: Because they declared: All that the Lord hath spoken we will do and hear (Exod. 24:7), Scripture speaks of them at that moment As a lily between the thorns (Song 2:22). Another comment on Thou art clothed with majesty and glory. This refers to the adornment with which you crowned the head of Abraham when you gave him the crown of old age, as it is said: And Abraham was old." ], [ "And Abraham was old, and well stricken in years (Gen. 24:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband (Prov. 12:4). This verse alludes to Abraham, who mourned for Sarah, for it was written previously: And Sarah died (Gen. 23:2). Abraham began to weep for her, saying: A woman of valor who can find? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her (Prov. 31:10). When did he demonstrate his trust in her? When he said to her: Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister (Gen. 12:13). She doeth him good and not evil all the days of her life (Prov. 31:12). She seeketh between wool and flax (ibid., v. 13) alludes to her decision to separate Isaac and Ishmael when she said to her husband: Cast out this bondwoman and her son (Gen. 21:10). She is like the merchant ships (Prov. 31:14); For the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house (Gen. 12:15), and later Abimelech sent her away. She riseth also while it is yet night (Prov. 31:15). When did that happen? At the time Abraham arose early in the morning (Gen. 22:3). She considereth a field and buyeth it (Prov. 31:16). She thought about the field of Machpelah and acquired it. Ultimately she was buried there, as it is said: And after this, Abraham buried Sarah, his wife (Gen. 23:19). She girdeth her loins with strength (for the birth of Isaac) (Prov. 31:17). When was that? When the angels appeared, as it is said: And Abraham went into the tent unto Sarah (Gen. 18:6).", "Who perceiveth that her merchandise is good (Prov. 31:18). That was when the kings attacked them, as it is written: And he divided himself against them by night (Gen. 14:15). She stretcheth out her hand to the poor (Prov. 31:19), by giving food to passers-by. Yea, she reacheth forth her hand to the needy (ibid., v. 20); for she gave charity and clothed the naked. She is not afraid of the snow for her household (ibid., v. 21); that is, she did not fear Gehenna. And why not? Because her entire household possessed garments (shanim, punning on shnayim, “two”) (ibid.): Sabbath and circumcision. She maketh for herself coverlets (ibid., v. 22): These were the priestly garments. From the fruit of her hand she planted a vineyard (ibid., v. 16). This refers to Israel, as it is said: For a vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel (Isa. 5:7). Her husband is known in the gates (Prov. 31:23); that is, when he pleaded with the sons of Seth: Give me a possession of a burial place (Gen. 23:4). She maketh linen garments (Prov. 31:24) refers to the circumcision that took place, as it is said: The counsel of the Lord is with them that fear Him (Ps. 25:14). Strength and dignity are her clothing (Prov. 31:25) alludes to the clouds of glory that encircled her tent. She openeth her mouth with wisdom (ibid. 39:26). When was that? When she said to Abraham: Go, I pray thee, unto thy handmaid (Gen. 16:2). She looketh well to the ways of her household (Prov. 31:27) indicates that she watched every day for the return of the angel who had informed her: I will certainly return unto thee (Gen. 18:10).", "Her children rise up, and call her blessed (Prov. 31:28); And she said: Who would have said unto Abraham that Sarah should give children suck? For I have born him a son in his old age (Gen. 21:7). Many daughters have done valiantly (Prov. 31:29) refers to the nations, But thou excellest them all (ibid.) alludes to Sarah, as it is said: Look unto Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, that bore you (Isa. 51:2). Give her of the fruit of her hand (Prov. 31:31), for it is said: And the life of Sarah was a hundred and twenty and seven years (Gen. 23:1).", "After her death, Abraham aged rapidly, for it is written: And Abraham was old, and it is also written: The hoary head is a crown of glory (Prov. 16:31). Why was this crown of glory bestowed upon Abraham? Because he performed acts of charity. Therefore, it is written: And Abraham was old. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: It is sufficient for a servant to be like his master. This may be compared to a king who has a dear friend, to whom he says: “What present can I give You? You have silver, gold, male servants, handmaidens, fields, and vineyards. I will give you the crown that is on my head, and place it upon your head.” Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: Silver and gold I have given thee, as it is said: And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold (Gen. 13:1); now what can I give you beside the crown that is on My head? When Daniel beheld him, he said: And the hair of his head like pure wool (Dan. 7:9). And therefore it is written: And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age (Gen. 24:1).", "It is written that after Sarah’s death, the Holy One, blessed be He, blessed Abraham. Why did He do that? Lest future generations declare that Abraham was blessed only because of Sarah. (And so He said to Himself:) I will bless him after her death. Hence it is written: And the Lord had blessed Abraham. Whence do we know that Sarah was already dead when He blessed him? It is said: When he was but one, I called him, and I blessed him (Isa. 51:2). And the Lord blessed Abraham in all things (Gen. 24:1). What merit had he acquired? He set aside tithes from all his possessions, as it is said: And He gave him a tenth of all (Gen. 14:20).6The law of tithes requires that a tenth part of one’s earnings be set aside for charitable purposes. See Jewish Encyclopedia 12:150. Hence it is written: And the Lord blessed Abraham in all things." ], [ "And Abraham took another wife (Gen. 25:1). May our master teach us: How many times should one pray each day? R. Samuel the son of Nahman declared: Since there are three periods in each day, a man should pray three times every day—in the morning, when the sun is in the east; at noon, when the sun is at its zenith; and in the afternoon, when the sun is in the west. R. Joshua the son of Levi stated: Abraham established the morning prayer, as it is said: And Abraham arose early in the morning (Gen. 22:3); Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as it is said: And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide (ibid. 24:63); and Jacob introduced the evening prayer, as it is said: And he lighted upon the place and tarried there all night because the sun was setting (ibid. 28:1).", "When R. Akiba prayed with the congregation, he did so in the usual way, but when he prayed by himself, one would leave him standing in one corner (of the room) only to find him in another corner as a consequence of his kneeling and prostrating himself.", "Why were prayers instituted three time a day? It was so that a man might add to this (minimal) number of prayers. The same goes for the commandments of Torah study and producing children. For the Torah teaches that if a man’s wife dies, he should remarry and produce additional children. You know this to be so from the fact that after Abraham’s wife died, he did not live alone. He remarried, as it is said: And Abraham took another wife." ], [ "And Abraham took another wife (Gen. 25:1). Scripture states elsewhere: Though thy beginning was small, yet thy end shall greatly increase (Job 8:7). This verse alludes to Moses. R. Samuel the son of Nahman explained it as follows: For seven days the Holy One, blessed be He, endeavored to persuade Moses, from the midst of the burning bush, (to fulfill his duty), but he tried to avoid it, as it is said:: O Lord, send, I pray Thee, by the hand of him Thou wilt send (Exod. 4:13), and it is written: O Lord, I am not a man of words (ibid., v. 10), and it states elsewhere: And Moses hid his face (ibid. 3:6). Yet thy end shall greatly increase (Job 8:7). This verse refers to him, since it is written: The likeness of the Lord doth he behold (Num. 12:8). R. Simeon the son of Yohai was of the opinion that Moses beheld the likeness of the Holy One, blessed be he, as soon as the Holy One spoke to him out of the burning bush.", "Another comment on Though thy beginning was small, yet thy end will greatly increase: This verse refers to Abraham who was one hundred years old and had no son; but after that the Holy One, blessed be He, satisified his desire (by giving him a son).", "R. Judah the son of Simon and R. Hanan, in the name of R. Yohanan, declared: He lifted him above the arc of the sky, as it is said: And He brought him forth abroad, and said: “Look now toward heaven” (Gen. 15:5). One does not use the word “look” unless he means to look from above to below. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Anyone who is beneath the constellation of his birth is fearful of it,7A reference to the belief that the stars influence human life. but you are raised above it.", "Since he was one hundred years old when he begot his son, the words Though thy beginning is small refer to Abraham. And the words For thy end shall greatly increase (Job 8:7) also refer to him, for after he remarried he bore many sons.", "And Abraham took another wife. Scripture says in reference to this verse: In the morning sow thy seed; and in the evening withhold not thy hand (Eccles. 11:6).", "R. Eleazar maintained: This verse alludes to the sowing of seeds. Solomon said: If you have sown seeds in the early season, do not desist from doing so in the later season as well, as it is said: In the evening withhold not thy hand. Why should a man not desist? For thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that (ibid.). R. Joshua explained: If the opportunity to perform a good deed comes to you in the morning, carry it out, and if the opportunity occurs in the evening, perform it as well, for it is said: Withhold not thy hand. Why not? For thou knowest not which one will be to your advantage, the one performed in the morning or the one in the evening, or whether they are of equal value.", "R. Akiba said: In the morning sow thy seed (Eccles. 11:6) means that if you have trained disciples in your youth, you should not cease to do so in your old age. It is related that R. Akiba had three hundred disciples during his earlier years, but that all of them died. Had he not raised seven disciples in his old age, no one would have survived to speak in his name. Another explanation of In the morning, sow thy seed: R. Yosé held that this means: If you marry in your youth and your wife bears a child and then dies, you must remarry in your later years, for you have no way of knowing which offspring will be the worthiest. From whom do you learn this? From Abraham, for during his earlier years he had only two sons, but in his old age he had twelve more.", "R. Levi said: He is the one concerning whom the Holy One, blessed be He, said: All the nations of the earth shall be blessed through him (Gen. 18:18). During the generation of the separation, the sea inundated the world and the descendants of Ham were scattered (as thirty families), as it is said: The Lord scattered them abroad (Gen. 11:8). But now, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I will cause them to descend from you, as it is said: All the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. He begot the (thirty) families, and these are they: the twelve princes that descended from Ishmael (ibid. 25:12—16), the sixteen offspring from his wife Keturah (ibid., vv. 1—4), and the two nations in the womb of Rebecca (ibid., v. 23). Hence Scripture says: All the nations of the earth will be blessed through him." ], [ "And Abraham took another wife (Gen. 25:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: But as for me, I will hope continually and will praise Thee, yet more and more (Ps. 71:14). R. Yudan stated: It is written: Only he shall not multiply horses to himself (Deut. 17:16). When Solomon was crowned king, he did not possess a single horse, and was compelled to ride upon an ass, but later on he obtained numerous horses.", "R. Hunya said: It is written: And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised (Lev. 12:3). This indicates that a man should even go into debt in order to make the circumcision a day of rejoicing. Hence it says: And will praise Thee, yet more and more (Ps. 71:14). The rabbis maintained that this verse speaks of Abraham. He said to the Holy One, blessed be He: “You told me: For in Isaac shall seed be called unto thee (Gen. 21:12). You have multiplied Your blessings upon me, and I have borne many sons.” Hence it is said: And Abraham took another wife." ], [ "And Abraham took another wife (Gen. 25:1). What is written previously concerning this matter? And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent (Gen. 24:67). You learn from this that if a man’s wife should die, leaving him sons, he should not remarry until his sons are betrothed. Only then should he remarry. Abraham did so. After Sarah’s death, he first betrothed Isaac and then took a wife for himself. Where do we learn this? It is written: Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and after: Abraham took another wife. Isaac said to himself: “I have taken a wife, but my father is without a wife.” What did Isaac do? He went and bought him (Abraham) a wife. Rabbi said: Hagar and Keturah were one and the same person. Why then was she called Keturah? Because she had been bound up (keshurah) like a water bag.8Indicating that she was a virgin.", "Our sages, however, maintained that she was actually a different wife. Rabbi insisted: Hagar and Keturah were one and the same person, since it is written about Isaac: And Isaac came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi (Gen. 24:62); that is, from the well of which it is written: And she called the name of the Lord that spoke to her, Thou art a God of seeing (ibid. 16:13). From this you learn that she must have been Hagar.9A well opened for Hagar after she and Ishmael were sent away (Gen. 21:19). God saw her plight.", "Another comment on why she was called Keturah: Her deeds were as pleasant as the fragrance of incense (ketar). And she bore him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, etc. (ibid. 25:2). Therefore Scripture says: Though thy beginning was small, yet thy end shall greatly increase (Job 8:7). The Holy One, blessed be He, proclaimed: The righteous beget good and wicked sons in this world, but in the world-to-come all of them shall be righteous and shall inherit the land forever (Isa. 60:2). And it says also: The smallest shall become a thousand, and the least a mighty nation; I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time (ibid., v. 22). And so may it be." ] ], "Toldot": [ [ "And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son (Gen. 25:19). May it please our master to teach us why peace-offerings (sacrifices) were instituted?1There are three kinds of peace-offerings: the thanks offering, in gratitude for blessings received; the votive offering, upon making a vow; and the free-will offering, as an act of piety. R. Hiyya the son of Abba taught in the name of R. Judah: They were instituted because anyone who brings a peace-offering brings peace to the world.", "R. Eliezer stated: As long as sacrifices were brought, peace prevailed, but after the destruction of the Temple (when offerings were no longer brought) there has not been a single day that has lacked curses and catastrophes.", "R. Simeon the son of Yohai insisted that peace-offerings were always brought for the sake of peace. R. Simeon added: Peace is considered of such importance that the Torah utters a falsehood for its sake. Where is this falsehood to be found? The Torah states: Thy father did command before he died, saying: So shall ye say unto Joseph: Forgive, I pray thee now, the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin (Gen. 50:16–17), but the fact is that we are unable to discover any such statement made by Jacob. He was aware of Joseph’s piety, and would not suspect that he would resort to bloodshed.", "Come and observe the importance of peace: Between the time that Sarah left the control of Pharaoh and when she came under the authority of Abimelech, Isaac was conceived. Whereupon people asserted: “It is hardly likely that this centenarian could father a son, she must have conceived either from Pharaoh or Abimelech.” In fact, Abraham also had some misgivings. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He ordered the angel responsible for the formation of embryos to fashion this embryo in the exact likeness of his father, so that everyone would be forced to acknowledge that he was Abraham’s son. We know that this was so from the verse These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begot Isaac (Gen. 25:19). Since the verse states Isaac, Abraham’s son, could we not know from those words that Abraham begot Isaac? Why then does Scripture add the words Abraham begot Isaac? Because everyone who looked at Abraham would exclaim: “Without doubt Abraham begot Isaac, since their countenances are so much alike.” Hence Scripture says: Abraham begot Isaac." ], [ "These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begot Isaac (Gen. 25:19). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy of him (Prov. 23:24). Concerning whom did Solomon make this statement? He said it about Isaac. When Isaac was born, the entire universe rejoiced; the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, the stars and the planets. Why did they rejoice? Because the world would not have survived had Isaac not been born, as it is said: If My covenant be not with day and night, if I have not appointed the ordinance of heaven and earth (Jer. 33:25). My covenant refers to Isaac, as it is said: I will establish My covenant with Isaac (Gen. 17:21)." ], [ "These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begot Isaac (Gen. 25:19). Why does Scripture repeat itself by adding: Abraham begot Isaac? There were some men who whispered among themselves: “It is impossible that this centenarian and this woman of ninety gave birth to a son. This cannot be her offspring, she must have purchased him in the marketplace.” Hence, you find that when Isaac was weaned, Abraham arranged a banquet to which he invited the influential men of the government, while Sarah invited their wives. What did the women do? They said to each other: “Now we shall be able to prove whether or not he is actually her son.” Each of them brought her own son along but neglected to bring the child’s nurse. Soon, the children began to cry and the mothers exclaimed: “I have forgotten to bring the child’s nurse.” Whereupon, milk began to flow from Sarah’s breast, and she took the children and nursed them, as it is said: That Sarah should give children suck (Gen. 21:7). Then they all proclaimed: “In truth, Sarah gives children suck.” Hence it is said: Abraham begot Isaac." ], [ "These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begot Isaac (Gen. 25:9). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers (Prov. 17:6). The righteous are “regaled” (i.e. saved) by their grandchildren, and their children are regaled by their fathers. How do we know this? We know it because Abraham was saved for Jacob’s sake. After Nimrod caused Abraham to be hurled into the fiery furnace, the Holy One, blessed be He, descended to rescue him. The ministering angels thereupon exclaimed: Master of the Universe, why do You trouble to save him, since so many wicked men will descend from him? The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: I shall save him for the sake of his grandson Jacob, who will descend from him. Whence do we know this to be so? R. Berechiah said: It is written: Thus saith the Lord who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob (Isa. 29:22); that is, He redeemed him from the furnace for the sake of Jacob. Hence, fathers are saved for the sake of their descendants.", "How do we know that children are “regaled” because of their fathers? At the time that Jacob fled from Laban and was being pursued by him, the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared before Laban on the road and said: Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad (Gen. 31:29). When Laban and Jacob met, they began to rebuke each other. Jacob said to Laban: Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had been on my side, surely now hadst thou sent me away empty, etc. (ibid. 31:42). Hence, it was only Abraham’s merit that saved Jacob. So Isaac was “regaled” because of Abraham, and Abraham was “regaled” because of Jacob." ], [ "These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begot Isaac (Gen. 25:19). It is written in Scripture: No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their due reward from Me, saith the Lord (Isa. 54:17). You find that Israel cried unto the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, observe how the idolatrous nations persecute us, they do nothing but sit and conspire against us, as it is said: Behold Thou their sitting down and their rising up; I am their deliverer (Lam. 3:63). The Holy One, blessed be He, responded: To what avail are their conspiracies against you? I will void their decisions and destroy them, as it is said: I am their deliverer, and it is elsewhere written: Blessed be God the Most High, who delivered thine enemies into thine hands (Gen. 14:20).", "And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying: “Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river” (Exod. 1:22). Thereupon, the Holy Spirit exclaimed: Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? (Lam. 3:37). Pharaoh decreed that the firstborn children should be cast into the river, but the Holy One, blessed be He, did not ordain that. On the contrary, The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied, and the more they spread abroad (Exod. 1:12).", "Haman wanted to destroy all the Jews, but the Holy One, blessed be He, did not desire it, and therefore: Whereas it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews ruled over them that hated them (Est. 9:1). Balaam and Balak wanted to curse Israel, but the Holy One, blessed be He, did not agree, as it is said: Nevertheless, the Lord thy God will not hearken unto Balaam (Deut. 23:6). Hence it is said: Who is he that saith, and it came to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? (Lam. 3:37). Hadrian said to R. Joshua: “Mighty is the lamb that can survive among seventy wolves.” And he replied: “Mighty is the shepherd who can save and protect the lamb, and destroy the wolves surrounding her.” Therefore, it is written: No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper (Ps. 54:17)." ], [ "Abraham begot Isaac (Gen. 25:19). R. Isaac stated; No generation lacks scoffers. While Nabal was shearing his flock, David sent some of his young men to him with the request: Give, I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thy hand, unto thy servants, and to thy son David (I Sam. 25:8). But Nabal retorted: Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants nowadays that break away every man from his master; shall I then take my bread and my water and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers and give it unto men of whom I know not whence they are? (ibid., vv. 10–11). When David’s men returned and repeated Nabal’s words, he armed himself and his soldiers, and with their weapons started out to destroy Nabal. But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying: “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; but he hath spoken rudely to them” (ibid., v. 14). As soon as she heard what had transpired, she prepared a gift which she took to David, as it is said: Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of corn … and she said unto her men: “Go on before me; I come after you.” But she told not her husband Nabal (ibid., vv. 18–19). Later on Scripture states: And it came to pass about ten days later, that the Lord smote Nabal so that he died…. and David sent and spoke unto Abigail to take her to him to wife (ibid. 38:39). After he had her brought to him, David stayed apart from her for three months to determine whether or not she had conceived with Nabal. After the third month, David had intercourse with her and she became pregnant. The scoffers in that generation asserted that she had actually conceived from Nabal. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He ordered the angel in charge of the formation of embryos to fashion that embryo in the likeness of its father so that everyone would be forced to acknowledge that David was the father. We know that this is so from the verse And his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and his second, Chileab, of Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite (II Sam. 3:2). Why does Scripture call him Chileab (khilav)? Because he was completely like his father (kulo av), and everyone who saw him said: “David is this child’s father.”", "Similarly, Isaac resembled Abraham so closely that no one was able to distinguish between father and son, until Abraham pleaded with the Holy One, blessed be He, to differentiate between father and son. He did so by bestowing upon him the characteristics of old age, as it is said: And Abraham was old.2The hair of his head turned white as he proclaimed the Unity of God. Therefore, it is written: Abraham begot Isaac." ], [ "And it came to pass that when Isaac was old (Gen. 27:1). May it please our master to teach us whether a blind man is permitted to stand before the ark to lead the congregation in prayer. Thus did our master teach us: A blind man may recite the prayers preceding the Shema (“Hear, O Israel,” etc.), and he may also recite the Targum (Aramaic translation) of the Torah, but he may not lead the congregation in the prayers that follow the Shema, nor may he read from the Torah, nor lift his hands in the priestly benediction.3For certain prayers the leader must be able to see the minyan. In addition, the law requires that the reader look into the Torah scroll as he reads it.. R. Judah, however, contended that a man who was born blind was prohibited from reciting the prayers preceding the Shema as well, for he would be acting as a false witness if he did so. He would be compelled to say: “Blessed be He who created the luminaries,” when, in fact, he had never seen them.", "You find that everyone who becomes blind is considered as though dead. How do we know this? R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: The Holy One, blessed be He, never associates His name with righteous men during their lifetimes. He waits until they have died, as it is said: As for the holy that are in the earth, they are the excellent in whom is all My delight (Ps. 16:3). When are men regarded as truly holy? Only after they have been buried in the earth. During their lifetimes, however, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not associate His name with theirs. And why not? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, is not certain whether or not the evil inclination within them will ultimately lead them astray. When they are dead, however, He does couple His name with theirs. Nevertheless, we find that the Holy One, blessed be he, did couple his name with that of the righteous Isaac during his lifetime, when he said to Jacob: I am the Lord, the God of Abraham, thy father, and the God of Isaac (Gen. 28:43). R. Berechiah and the rabbis discussed this matter. The rabbis maintained that He considered Isaac’s ashes as though they were heaped upon the altar,4Even though the sacrifice of Isaac was not completed, the Akedah was proof that Isaac would never succumb to the evil inclination. while R. Berechiah insisted that he was considered as dead because he had already lost his sight. Because of his blindness he remained secluded within his home, and the result was that the evil inclination departed from him. Hence it is written: And it came to pass that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim (Gen. 27:1)." ], [ "And it came to pass that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim (Gen. 27:1). Scripture states elsewhere: A gift (bribe) is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it; whithersoever he turneth, he prospereth (Prov. 17:8). What may the gift (mentioned in this verse) be compared to? To a precious stone which shatters whenever it falls.5The gift becomes a bribe and ultimately brings harm to the recipient. This verse aptly refers to Isaac, for it is said: Now Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his venison (lit. the game was in his mouth) (Gen. 25:28). What is the meaning of the game was in his mouth? It means that Esau ensnared6A play on words: tzayid (venison) and tzud (trap) the righteous Isaac with the words he spoke. You find that Esau committed every sin which the Holy One, blessed be He, detests; There are six things which the Lord hateth, yea, seven which are an abomination unto Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood; a heart that deviseth wicked thoughts, feet that are swift in running to evil; a false witness that breatheth out lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren (Prov. 6:16–19). Whenever Esau entered the house, he would ask his father: “My father, is one obliged to tithe for salt?” Isaac would exclaim in amazement: “Observe, how scrupulous this son of mine is concerning the commandments!” And when his father would ask him: “Where were you today, my son?” “At the house of study,” the youth would reply and he would add: “Is this not the law under certain circumstances; are not these things prohibited and these permitted?” By such remarks, he entraped his father with his mouth. That is why he loved him. Thereupon, the Holy Spirit exclaimed: When he speaketh fair believe him not; for there are seven abominations in his heart (ibid. 26:25). Why did Isaac’s eyes become weak? They became weak because he beheld the countenance of the wicked Esau; also because he ate the venison he brought him, as it is said: For the gift blinded them that hath sight (Exod. 23:8).", "And his eyes were dim (Gen. 27:1). And when Esau was forty years old, he took to wife Judith the daughter of Be’eri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. And they were a bitterness of spirit unto Isaac and to Rebecca (Gen. 26:34–35), and this is followed by the verse And his eyes were dim. Hence, they must have become dim because of his unhappiness.", "Though the Shekhinah hovered over Isaac’s home, Esau had married Canaanite women who sacrificed and burned incense before idols. The Shekhinah, thereupon, departed from Isaac’s home. When Isaac beheld what was transpiring within his home, he was sorely distressed. And so the Holy One, blessed be He, said (to Himself): I will dim his sight so that he may no longer see what is transpiring and become even more disturbed. Therefore, And his eyes were dim.", "If this was so, why did not Rebecca’s sight become weak? R. Abahu stated: This may be compared to a person carrying utensils made of bone and earthenware. If he should strike the bone utensils against each other, they do not shatter, but if he should strike the bone and earthenware utensils against each other, the earthenware utensils will crumble. Similarly, when Rebecca and Esau’s wives, who like herself were made of bone,7Since she was created from Adam’s rib, she was of bone and therefore remained unaffected. came into contact with each other, she was unaffected by them, but Isaac, who was made of the dust of the earth, as it is said: And God created man from the dust of the earth (Gen. 2:7), was quickly affected. Hence, His eyes were dim.", "And his eyes were dim. Why did his vision become impaired? The Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that Isaac would desire to bless Esau, and He decreed, therefore, that his sight should become weak so that when Jacob approached him for the blessing, Isaac would not realize that he was conferring the blessing upon Jacob. David proclaimed: Many things hast Thou done, O Lord, my God, even Thy wondrous works and Thy thoughts toward us. There is none to be compared unto Thee (Ps. 40:6). That is, all Thy wondrous works and Thy thoughts toward us are in our behalf.", "He called Esau his greater son (Gen. 27:1). Why did he call him his greater son? To teach us that one must flatter wicked men when they are in power. Isaac foresaw that Esau’s descendants would dominate the world, and therefore he called him his greater son. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Inasmuch as Esau is now in control you must flatter him, for My kingdom is not yet firmly established, but in the future, when My kingdom is firmly established, I will call him to account, as is said: And saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau at that time, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s (Obad. 21)." ], [ "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old (Gen. 27:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Instead of thy fathers shall be thy sons, whom thou shalt make princes in all the land (Ps. 45:17). R. Eliezer the son of R. Yosé the Galilean maintained: The descendants born to every Israelite in the future will be as numerous as those who departed from Egypt, as it is said: Instead of thy fathers shall be thy sons. This verse refers to our patriarchs Isaac and Abraham. Abraham was blessed, as it is said: And the Lord blessed Abraham with everything (Gen. 24:1), and Isaac was likewise blessed, as is written: And the Lord blessed him (ibid. 26:12). Abraham begot both a righteous and a wicked son, Isaac and Ishmael; and Isaac begot both a righteous and a wicked son, Jacob and Esau. Abraham’s wife was barren (at first), and Isaac’s wife was also barren (at first).", "Why were the matriarchs barren? R. Levi said in the name of R. Shila of K’far T’marta, and R. Helbo said in the name of R. Yohanan: Because the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to hear their prayers. The Holy One, blessed be He, had stated: They are wealthy and beautiful, and if I should also grant them sons they will not pray to Me. You find that everything that happened to Abraham likewise happened to Isaac. Scripture states concerning Abraham: And Abraham was old (Gen. 24:1); and about Isaac, it says: And Isaac was old (ibid. 27:1)." ], [ "And Isaac trembled very exceedingly (Gen. 27:33). May it please our master to teach us the blessing one pronounces upon tasting oil. Thus do our masters teach us: One who tastes oil should say: “Blessed be He who hath created the fruit of the tree.” R. Yosé the son of Zevid said (that) the Mishnah states: This blessing is pronounced over the fruit of every tree but one. Over wine one offers the blessing: “Blessed be He who hath created the fruit of the vine.”8Mishnah Berakhot 6:1. Why is wine blessed differently than other beverages? Because wine was used as a libation on the altar,9Wine was used as part of the ritual of the offering (Num. 28:14). and Jacob received his blessing on account of it.", "When Isaac sent Esau to hunt for venison that he might eat, the Holy Spirit revealed it to Rebecca, as it is said: And Rebecca heard when Isaac spoke to Esau, his son (ibid., v. 5). And she said to Jacob: Now, therefore, my son, hearken to my voice according to that which I command thee; go now to the flock and fetch me from thence two good goats (ibid., vv. 8–9). R. Berechiah said in the name of R. Helbo: She told him that they (the goats) would be good for you and good for your descendants, for they will obtain forgiveness through them on the Day of Atonement.10The scapegoats offered on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:7–26). Then he brought his father the food and wine, which he ate and drank. After that he blessed him, as is said: Therefore, God give thee of the dew of heaven…. Let peoples serve thee (ibid., v. 29). And Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father, that Esau, his brother, came in from his hunting (ibid., v. 30). He began to say: Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison (ibid., v. 31). Whereupon Isaac asked: Who art thou? (ibid., v. 32). I am thy son, he replied, thy firstborn, Esau (ibid.). Thereupon Isaac trembled very exceedingly." ], [ "And Isaac trembled very exceedingly (Gen. 27:33). What is written before this? Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father (ibid., v. 30). This indicates that as one withdrew, the other entered. How could this happen? A person standing in a lighted area is unable to see a person standing in a dark place, while a person standing in a dark place can see one standing in a lighted area. Thus Esau, who came from the marketplace, was unable to see Jacob, who was inside the house, but Jacob could see him as he hid behind the door. As soon as Esau entered the room, Jacob slipped out, as it is said: And Jacob was yet scarce gone out … that Esau, his brother, came in from his hunting (ibid.).", "How did Jacob know when to go in to his father so that Esau would not precede him and receive the blessing? As soon as Esau went out to hunt, the Holy One, blessed be He, sent Satan after him to keep him from catching anything until Jacob had received the blessing, as it is said concerning Esau: Set thou a wicked man over him, and let an adversary stand at his right hand (Ps. 109:6).", "How did he do that? When Esau caught a deer, he would tether it and then set out to catch another deer. In the meantime Satan would release the deer that had been caught and permit it to escape. When Esau returned, he was unable to find the deer. He repeated this a second and a third time. And thus it says: A slothful man shall not catch his prey (Prov. 12:27). He was forced to roam about for hours while Jacob received the blessings. Hence, Scripture states: And Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father, that Esau, his brother, came in from his hunting. When the wicked Esau entered, he called out to his father impudently: Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison (Gen. 27:31). It is of him that Scripture states: When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt (Prov. 18:3). The words Let my father arise sound as though he were issuing a decree. Jacob did not speak like that. He spoke gently, saying: Arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison (Gen. 27:19).", "Three words in this one verse are expressions of pleading, humility, and meekness. The wicked one, however, said merely: Let my father arise, and eat. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob: Inasmuch as you said Arise, I pray thee, your descendant Moses will say to Me: Rise up, O Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered (Num. 10:35). Inasmuch as you said sit (shevah), your descendants will say: Return (shuvah), O Lord, unto the tens of thousands (ibid., v. 36). However, because Esau said Let my father arise, I will exact retribution from him through that very expression, as it is said: Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered (Ps. 68:2). Let my father arise. At that moment Isaac recognized his voice and began to tremble. Who art thou? (Gen. 27:32), he asked. When Jacob entered the room, a fragrance from the Garden of Eden accompanied him; a fragrance so pleasant that the righteous one’s mind was set at ease, as is said: See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed (ibid., v. 27). However, when Esau entered, Gehenna was revealed to him. Hence, it says: Isaac trembled very exceedingly (ibid., v. 33). Isaac was astonished and cried out: I see Gehenna and Esau is causing the flames to rise.", "Who, then, is he that hath trapped venison? (ibid.). Why is the word trapped repeated in the text?11The Hebrew for “hath trapped venison” reads: hatzad tzayid. The words for “trapped” and “venison” have the same root and are so similar as to warrant the question. Isaac said to Esau: “You went out to trap, and you were trapped.” “Why are you upset?” Esau asked. He replied: I have eaten of all (ibid.); that is, everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created during the six days of creation was contained in the food I ate before you entered, and I blessed him. Isaac desired to withdraw the blessing he had conferred upon Jacob and to declare instead: “Cursed shall ye be,” but the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him, saying: What are you doing? You are, in fact, cursing yourself, for you said to him: Cursed be everyone that curseth thee, and blessed be everyone that blesseth thee (ibid., v. 29). He changed his mind and confirmed the blessings, saying: Yea, and he shall be blessed (ibid., v. 33)." ], [ "And Isaac trembled exceedingly (Gen. 27:33). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them (Prov. 20:12). Did the Holy One, blessed be He, fashion only the eye and the ear? Did He not form all of man’s organs? What is the meaning of the words The hearing ear and the seeing eye? You find that three of man’s organs fashioned by the Holy One, blessed be He, are under the control of man, and three are not under his control. Man controls the functioning of his hands, his mouth, and his feet. How is that? In the case of his hands, if he desires to, he may devote them to sacred purposes, such as building a sukkah, fashioning a lulav, a shofar, (or) fringes, or writing the (scriptural) portions which are deposited in phylacteries and mezuzahs. Conversely, if he so desires, he may steal, shed innocent blood, or attack travelers with his hands. Indeed, he can commit many transgressions with his hands. As to his mouth, if he desires, he can study the Torah, speak kindly, extol, praise, and pray unto the Holy One, blessed be He, and he can also sing psalms. Conversely, if he so desires, he can speak slanderously, blaspheme and revile the Lord, and swear falsely with his mouth. With regard to his feet, a man may choose to use them to go about in the performance of good deeds—to visit the sick, comfort the mourner, bury the dead, and to do other charitable deeds; but conversely, if he so desires, he can use them to transgress—to commit adultery, to murder, or to steal.", "The organs not under a man’s control are his eyes, his ears, and his nose. And how is that? In the case of a man’s eyes, he may witness the performance of a sinful deed, behold a repulsive sight, or see a man or a figure of authority he would prefer not to meet as he walks through the marketplace. What alternative has he? He must see them even though it might be to his disadvantage. In regard to the ear, a man hears blasphemous or sacrilegious remarks, or other things he does not wish to hear. What can he do? He hears them even though he does not desire to. As for the nose, a man walking on a highway smells unclean cooking, idolatrous incense, or the filth in the street even though it is distasteful to him. What alternative has he? He smells it even though he does not wish to.", "When the Holy One, blessed be He, wills it, even the organs under a man’s control may be taken out of his control. How do we know this? We know it from Moses, Balaam, Jonah, Jeremiah, and Jeroboam. Where do we learn this about Moses? R. Samuel the son of Nahman said: The Holy One, blessed be He, tried for seven days to persuade Moses from the midst of the burning bush, as is said: Come now, therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh (Exod. 3:11), but Moses replied: O Lord, I am not a man of words, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto thy servant (ibid. 4:10). This verse indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, tried for seven days to persuade him to go to Pharaoh.12Translated literally, Exod. 4:10 reads: O Lord, I am not a man of words, also from yesterday, also from the day before yesterday, also since Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant. Yesterday and the day before yesterday indicate three days; the word also is repeated three times, implying three more days; and the day on which Moses asked God to send someone else is the seventh day. He replied: Send please, whomever you will send. The Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him, saying: Do you believe that your feet are under your control? Thereupon, Moses went to Pharaoh against his will. In the case of Jonah, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city (Jonah 1:2). But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord; and he went down to Joppa (ibid., v. 3). Ultimately, He inflicted upon him all the terrors of the sea: The fish swallowed him, and he cried out to the Holy One, blessed be He, from the belly of the fish; and the hair of his head and beard fell out because of the heat within the fish’s belly. Finally, he went to Nineveh, even though he did not desire to do so.", "In the case of Jeremiah, the Holy One, blessed be He, told him: Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee (Jer. 1:5). Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak; for I am a child (ibid., v. 6). The Holy One, blessed be He, thereupon responded: Say not: “I am a child”; for to whomsoever I shall send thee, thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee, thou shalt speak (ibid., v. 7); that is, against your will you will go, and against your will you will speak.", "When the Holy One, blessed be He, desires it, even one’s hands are not under man’s control. When did this occur? At the time that the prophet Iddo visited Jeroboam the son of Nabat: And behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Beth-El; and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to offer. And he cried against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said: “O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord: Behold, a son shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he sacrifice the priests of the high places that offer upon thee, and men’s bones shall they burn upon thee” (I Kings 13:1–2). Why is the word altar repeated in this verse? Because of the two altars, one at Beth-El and the other at Dan, at which golden calves were erected. And men’s bones is stated rather than “Jeroboam’s bones,” to emphasize that the prophet was respectful toward the government. Jeroboam said immediately: “This man is a fool.” Whereupon the prophet replied: This is the sign … Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out (ibid., v. 3). And the altar was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given (ibid., v. 5)", "And it came to pass, when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Beth-El, that Jeroboam put forth his hand from the altar, saying: “Lay hold on him.” And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to him (ibid., v. 4). When Jeroboam brought offerings to the idols, his hand did not dry up, but when he stretched forth his hand against the prophet, it did dry up. From this fact, you learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, was more concerned about the honor of that righteous man than about His own honor. The prophet exclaimed: “Do you believe that your hand is under your control?” Thereupon the king beseeched the man of God: Entreat now the favor of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me, etc. (ibid., v. 6).", "Similarly, one’s feet are not always within one’s control. There is a biblical verse that confirms this: A man’s goings are of the Lord; how, then, can man look to his way? (Prov. 20:24). Frequently, a man will depart upon a journey without knowing his ultimate destination; whether it will be for good or evil, for death or for life. Thus Elijah told the Arameans: This is not the way, neither is this the city (II Kings 6:19). The mouth likewise is not completely under man’s control. We learn this from the experience of Balaam and Isaac. Regarding Balaam, it is said: Nevertheless, the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam, but the Lord thy God turned the curse unto a blessing (Deut. 23:6). In reference to Isaac we find that when Esau entered, Isaac began to tremble and was on the verge of saying: “Cursed shall he be.” The Holy One, blessed be He, called out to him: What do you intend to do? Do you believe that your mouth is under your control? Thereupon he reconsidered and said: Blessed shall he be. Thus, it is said: The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them (Prov. 20:12)." ], [ "And Isaac trembled very exceedingly (Gen. 27:33). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be set up on high (Prov. 29:25). Because of the fear that Jacob brought upon Isaac, it would have been fitting for him to have cursed him. Who compelled him to bless Jacob? Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be set up on high. R. Levi said in the name of R. Hama the son of Hanina: Isaac was terrified twice, once when he was bound upon the altar, and again when Esau entered. There is no way of knowing which event frightened him more, but since the word exceedingly is mentioned in this verse, you may presume that this was the more terrifying experience. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Because of the evil inclination, you do not pursue My ways in this world, but in the future I will place within you a new heart; And I will put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh (Ezek. 11:19)." ], [ "A song of ascents. I will lift up mine eyes to the mountains (Ps. 121:1). Scripture alludes here to the verse Who art thou, O great mountain before. Zerubbabel? Thou shalt become a plain (Zech. 4:7). This verse refers to the Messiah, the descendant of David. Why was he called a great mountain? Because he will be greater than the patriarchs, as is said: Behold, My servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high (Isa. 52:13). He shall be exalted above Abraham; lifted up above Isaac; and shall be very high above Jacob. He shall be exalted above Abraham, concerning whom it is said: I have lifted up my hand unto the Lord (Gen. 14:22); lifted up above Moses, of whom it is said: That thou shouldst say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom (Num. 11:12); and shall be very high like the ministering angels, concerning whom it is said: As for their wings, they were high (Ezek. 1:18). Hence Scripture says: Who art thou, O great mountain?", "From whom will the Messiah descend? From Zerubbabel. Why was he called Zerubbabel? Because he was born in Babel (Babylonia). From whom did Zerubbabel descend? From David, as it is said: And Solomon’s son was Rehoboam; Abijah his son … and Delaiah, and Anani, seven (I Chron. 3:10–24). To whom does Anani refer? To the Messiah, as is said: For who hath despised the day of small things? Even they shall see with joy the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel, even these seven (Zech. 4:10). And it is written elsewhere: I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there came with clouds (ananei) of heaven, one like unto a son of man (Dan. 7:13).", "Even these seven. What is indicated by the phrase even these seven? The word seven is explained by what is written concerning the King Messiah: Who hath despised the day of small things? … even these seven (Zech. 4:10). That is why it is said: Who art thou, O great mountain. Scripture states elsewhere concerning him: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor (Isa. 11:4), and he shall bring forth the top stone with shoutings of “Grace, grace, unto it” (Zech. 4:7). After that it is written: And then was the iron, the clay, the brass … broken in pieces together … and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth (Dan. 2:35). Thus it is said: Who art thou, O great mountain? From whence shall he come? He shall come by way of the mountain path, as is said: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good tidings (Isa. 52:7). At that time, Israel will look upwards and say: I will life up mine eyes unto the mountains: From whence shall my help come? My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Ps. 121:1). Amen, and so may it be." ] ], "Vayetzei": [ [ "And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba (Gen. 28:10). May it please our master to teach us where a man who has unintentionally taken the life of another man may take refuge. Thus do our masters teach us: A man who has unintentionally killed another person may take refuge either in one of the three cities of refuge in Trans-Jordan or in one of the three cities in Canaan.1The three cities of refuge on the other side of the Jordan were Bezer in the territory of Reuben, Ramouth in the territory of Gad, and Golan in the territory of Manasseh; the cities in Canaan were Kadesh in the territory of Naphtali, Shechem in Ephraim, and Hebron in Judah. Our patriarch Jacob took refuge in Haran. He fled there because he feared that his wicked brother, Esau, would slay him. When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that Jacob was deeply distressed, He appeared before him in a dream. R. Abahu said in the name of R. Simeon the son of Lakish: As soon as the stones beneath his head beheld the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, they dissolved into each other and formed one stone. Whence do we know this? Before he went to sleep, Scripture states: He took stones of the place (Gen. 28:11), but after he awakened, it is written: He took the stone (ibid., v. 18)." ], [ "He dreamed, and behold, a ladder set upon the earth; and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it (Gen. 28:12). R. Samuel the son of Nahman declared: These were the guardian angels of the idolatrous nations. He explained further: This verse teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Jacob, our father, the guardian angel of Babylon ascending seventy rungs of the ladder and descending, the guardian angel of Media ascending fifty-two rungs of the ladder and descending, the guardian angel of Greece ascending one hundred rungs of the ladder and descending, and the guardian angel of Edom ascending the ladder.2The ascent and descent of the guardian angels foretold the rise and fall of the nations they represented. Note that the text does not depict the guardian angel of Edom, i.e., Rome, as descending. Jacob did not know how many rungs of the ladder the guardian angel of Edom mounted, and he therefore cried out in terror: Perhaps Edom will never be compelled to descend. The Holy One, blessed be He, then said to him: Fear thou not, O Jacob, My servant; neither be dismayed, O Israel (Jer. 30:10), for even though you see him ascending unto My throne as though that were possible, I will cast him down, as is said: Though thou wert to rise as high as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the Lord (Obad. 4).", "R. Berechiah, in the name of R. Helbo, and R. Simeon the son of Yosinah maintained: This verse indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, who showed our patriarch Jacob the guardian angel of Babylon ascending and descending, the guardian angel of Media ascending and descending, the guardian angel of Greece ascending and descending, and the guardian angel of Edom also ascending and descending. The Holy One, blessed be He, then said to Jacob: Why do you not ascend? Whereupon our patriarch Jacob became distressed and asked: Shall I too be forced to descend just as these are? The Holy One, blessed be He, responded: If you ascend, you will not be compelled to descend. Nevertheless, he did not ascend, for his faith was not sufficiently strong.", "R. Simeon the son of Yosinah interpreted the verse For all this they sinned still, and believed not in His wondrous works (Ps. 78:32) as follows: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob: If you had ascended and trusted Me, you would never have been compelled to descend, but since you did not have faith, your descendants will be oppressed by these four kingdoms with imposts, taxes on their crops, and poll-tax. Will this oppression continue forever? Jacob cried out. And the Holy One, blessed be He, replied: And thou, do not fear, O My servant Jacob; neither be dismayed, O Israel; for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return and sit in quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid (Jer. 30:10). I will save thee from the land of thy captivity, from Gaul, Spain, and its neighbors. And Jacob shall return from Babylon; and sit in quiet, from Media; and ease, from Greece; and none shall make him afraid refers to Edom, for I will make an end of all the nations, whither I have scattered thee, yet of thee I will not make an end (ibid., v. 11). That is to say, I will make an end of all the nations that reap their fields completely, but since (the people of) Israel do not reap their fields completely,3Thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of your field (Lev. 19:9–10). of thee I will not make an end. However, I will punish you, O Israel, in this world in order to cleanse you of your iniquities for the sake of the world-to-come. Hence it is said: And he dreamed." ], [ "And Jacob went out (Gen. 28:10). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: For He will give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways (Ps. 91:11). R. Meir said: If a man performs one precept, one angel is assigned to watch over him; if he performs two commandments, two angels guard him, and if he performs many precepts, many angels are assigned to watch over him, as it is said: For He will give His angels charge over thee, to guard thee. Why are they given charge over him? In order to protect him from demons, as is said: A thousand may fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand (ibid., v. 7). What is meant by may fall? It means that they will surrender to him, as it is said in the verse: And of Manasseh, also, there fell away some to David (I Chron. 12:20).", "And ten thousand at thy right hand. R. Isaac propounded the following question: Why does the verse state ten thousand at thy right hand and only one thousand at thy left? Because, said he, the left hand does not require as many angels as the right, since the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is inscribed upon the tefillin (phylactery) which is wrapped around the left hand, as is said: And thou shalt bind them as a sign upon thy hand (Deut. 6:8). R. Hanina the son of R. Abahu explained: It is not written “will be at thy right hand” but may fall at thy right hand. That is so because the left hand, which is not stretched out as frequently in the performance of good deeds as the right hand, is capable of bringing about the downfall of only a thousand demons, while the right hand, which is constantly stretched out in the performance of good deeds, is able to bring about the fall of ten thousand demons. Therefore it is written: For he will give his angels charge over thee.", "And he went toward Haran. This is one of the four occasions on which the earth contracted itself. The first occasion was at the time of Abraham: He divided himself against them at night (Gen. 14:15). It occurred again for Eliezer, as it is said: And I came this day unto the fountain (ibid. 24:42). And once again in the days of Jacob,4Reading Jacob instead of David. as it is said, When he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah (Ps. 60:2). And this is what is meant by: And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba (Gen. 28:10). Similarly, it occurred at the time about which David said: Thou hast made the land to shake, Thou hast cleft it; heal the branches thereof; for it tottereth (Ps. 60:4). This verse teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be He, also contracted the earth for Joab, Abishai, and the army (when they pursued Abner).5He had led the revolt against David.", "And Jacob made a vow, saying: If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God (Gen. 28:20–21). R. Berechiah maintained that the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfilled all but one of Jacob’s requests. Jacob said: If God will be with me, and He replied: Behold, I am with thee (ibid., v. 15). Jacob said: And will keep me, and He responded: I will keep thee whithersoever thou goest (ibid.). He said: So that I come back to my father’s house in peace, and the Holy One, blessed be He, replied: And I will bring thee back (ibid.). But when Jacob said: And will give me bread, He did not reply. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If I assured him concerning bread, what else would he ask of Me? Therefore, He did not promise him bread. The sages insisted, however, that He also replied to his plea for bread, since it is said: I shall not forsake thee (ibid.). The word forsake is employed in Scripture only in reference to bread, as is written: Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread (Ps. 37:25)." ], [ "And the Lord saw that Leah was hated (Gen. 29:31). May our master teach us: May a man pronounce a blessing over the fragrance of spices employed in idolatrous worship? Our masters teach us: One may not pronounce a blessing over the light, the spices, or the fragrance of spices employed in idolatrous worship. If one should pass a spice shop in the market, he is required to offer a blessing, but if the fragrance emanates from an idolatrous service he must not do so. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Be not misled by idolatrous worship, for it is worthless, as it is said: Eyes have they but they see not … they that make them shall be like unto them (Ps. 115:5, 8).", "However, the Holy One, blessed be He, immediately hears the prayer a man whispers in his heart. Whence do we know this? From Hannah, as it is said: Now Hannah, she spoke in her heart (I Sam. 1:13). You may know this also from Rachel and Leah. At first Leah was not considered worthy of marrying anyone but Esau, while Rachel was destined to wed Jacob. Leah would sit at the crossroads inquiring about Esau’s actions, and they would tell her: “Oh, he is a wicked man; he sheds blood and waylays passers-by, he is covered with red hair as a garment and commits every kind of abomination against God.” Upon hearing all of this, she would cry bitterly: “My sister Rachel and I were born of the same womb, yet Rachel is to marry the righteous man and I the wicked Esau.” She wept and fasted until her sight became weak. Hence it is written: And Leah’s eyes were weak (Gen. 29:17). And the Lord saw that Leah was hated (ibid., v. 31). This verse indicates that Esau’s actions were hateful to her. However, when Rachel learned that she was to marry Jacob she was elated and became arrogant. Once they both were married to Jacob, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: She cried, and fasted, and despised Esau’s behavior, and prayed to me. It would be unjust to keep her from the righteous one. Indeed I will let her bear sons first. Thus it is said: And the Lord saw that Leah was hated." ], [ "The Lord saw that Leah was hated (Gen. 29:17). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: For He knoweth base men; and when He seeketh iniquity, will He not then consider it? (Job 11:11). This verse refers to what happened to Ishmael at the time that Sarah told Abraham: Cast out this bondwoman and her son (Gen. 21:10). This entire matter is described in the verse And Abraham rose up early in the morning and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave it to her, etc. (ibid., v. 14).", "When the water in the flask was consumed, and Ishmael was about to die of thirst, she placed the child beneath one of the bushes (sikhim). R. Meir stated: This is the name of one of the large shrubs that grow in the desert. R. Yosé the son of Halafta maintained: It was the place at which an angel had spoken (suakh) to her previously. R. Berechiah declared: It indicates that she reproached the Omnipotent One there harshly, saying: “Is it possible, Master of the Universe, that you are like an ordinary human being, who gives a gift and then withdraws it? Did you not tell me: Your seed will multiply exceedingly? Yet now my son is about to perish from thirst.” The Holy One, blessed be He, thereupon commanded the angel to disclose the well to her. The angel responded: Master of the Universe, why do you bring forth a well for this wicked person who will ultimately waylay travelers and wayfarers? The Holy One, blessed be He, retorted: Is he not righteous now? I judge a man only on his state at the time he stands in judgment before Me. Therefore it is written: And God heard the voice of the lad there where he is (Gen. 21:17). And hence Scripture says: For he knoweth base men, etc.", "Another comment on He knoweth base men: This alludes to Leah. After the Holy One, blessed be He, decided to give her sons, the guardian angels said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Will you give sons to such a woman? Twenty-four thousand people will perish because of Zimri, one of her descendants.6Because of Zimri’s relations with Cozbi the Moabitess, twenty-four thousand were slain (Num. 25:6–8, 14–15). See Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 3:220. She is a virtuous woman, replied the Holy One, blessed be He, and I will not deprive her of her sons (because of future generations). Hence Scripture states: For He knoweth base men. And therefore, it is said: And the Lord saw that Leah was hated." ], [ "And God remembered Rachel (Gen. 30:22). May it please our master to teach us the blessing that is recited upon observing a handsome person? Thus do our masters teach us: Upon observing beautiful creatures or lovely trees, one should recite the blessing: “Blessed be He, who hath made this possible in His world.” No one was more beautiful than Rachel, and because she was beautiful, Jacob was eager to marry her. He sent Rachel many gifts, but Laban gave them to Leah instead. Yet she remained silent.", "R. Simeon the son of Gamliel declared: I was reared among the sages, and I discovered that there was nothing more beneficial for a person than silence.7Pirkei Avot 1:17. Rachel forced herself to remain silent, and her offspring continued the tradition of silence. She saw her gifts in her sister’s hand and remained silent. Her son Benjamin, whose stone in the high priest’s breastplate was a jasper, knew of the sale of Joseph and remained silent. The word jasper (yashfeh) may be read as “he has a mouth” (yesh peh) but nevertheless remains silent. Saul was descended from her: But concerning the matter of the kingdom, he told him not (I Sam. 10:16). Regarding Esther (another descendant) it is said: Esther had not made known her people nor her kindred (Est. 2:10).", "Conversely, Leah spoke words of praise, and her offspring continued the tradition of praise. She declared: This time will I praise the Lord (Gen. 29:35); and of her son Judah it is said: Judah, thee thy brethren praise (ibid. 49:8). David (another descendant) said: Praise the Lord, for He is good (Ps. 118:1); and concerning Daniel it is said: Daniel kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and praised (Dan. 6:11). R. Judah said: Silence is so very important that Rachel was privileged, because of her silence, to rear two additional tribes in Israel, Ephraim and Manasseh.", "Why did she remain silent? R. Simeon the son of Yohai was of the opinion that she said to herself: If I should inform Jacob that my father gives the gifts he sends me to my sister, he will not accept her. And my father will not betroth me to him, and I will be separated forever from this righteous person.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Be assured, in reward for your silence I will remember you, as it is said: And God remembered Rachel (Gen. 30:22)." ], [ "And God remembered Rachel (Gen. 30:22). Scripture states elsewhere: He executeth justice for the oppressed (Ps. 146:7). This verse alludes to Israel. R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, explained: This teaches us that there were seventy nations in Egypt, but only Israel was treated unjustly. Who dealt justly with them? He who executeth justice for the oppressed.", "Another comment on He executeth justice for the oppressed: This alludes to the righteous Joseph, whose mistress wronged him, when she said: The Hebrew servant came in unto me (Gen. 39:17). “I will sever your pay if you do not hearken to me,” she told him, and he replied: He who giveth bread to the hungry (Ps. 146:7) will feed me. “I will put you in chains,” she shouted, and he retorted: The Lord looseth those that are bound up (ibid.). “I will blind your pretty eyes,” she cried; and he answered: The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind (ibid., v. 8). Finally, she said to him: “I will have you banished,” and he retorted: The Lord preserveth strangers (ibid., v. 9).", "Another explanation of He executeth justice for the oppressed: This refers to Rachel, who was oppressed when her father should have sat her in the bridal litter. He placed Leah in it instead, extinguished the candles, and then led Rachel out by the hand. Is there any oppression greater than this? Who dealt justly with her? He who giveth bread to the hungry. When was that? When she hungered for children. The Lord looseth those that are bound up (ibid.), as it is said: And God remembered Rachel. Why were the matriarchs barren (for so many years)? R. Huna said in the name of R. Hiyya the son of Abba: In order that they might spend many years of their lives free of burdensome responsibilities." ], [ "And God remembered Rachel (Gen. 30:22). May our master teach us whether a man may recite the prayer “May it be Your will that my wife give birth to a son” if she is already pregnant. Our masters teach us: The man who prays “May it be Your will that my wife give birth to a son” when she has already conceived is uttering a vain prayer (and is taking the Lord’s name in vain).", "R. Huna, however, maintained in the name of R. Yosé: Though we have been taught that the husband of a pregnant woman who prays “May it be Thy will that my wife bear a son” is uttering a vain prayer, this is not so. In fact, he may pray for the birth of a son even as she commences labor, for it is not difficult for the Holy One, blessed be He, to convert females into males and males into females. He quoted a verse from Jeremiah to support this statement: Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was at his work on the wheels. And whensoever the vessel he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make it (Jer. 18:3–4). And did not the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Jeremiah: O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? (ibid., v. 6).", "You find that this happened to Leah. After she had given birth to six sons, she foresaw in a dream that Jacob would ultimately have twelve sons. Since she had already given birth to six sons, and was pregnant with her seventh child, and the two handmaidens had each borne two sons, making ten sons in all, Leah arose and pleaded with the Holy One, saying: Master of the Universe, twelve tribes are to descend from Jacob, and since I have already given birth to six sons, and am pregnant with a seventh child, and each of the handmaidens has born two sons, which accounts for ten sons, if the child within me is a male, my sister will not bear even as many sons as the handmaidens. The Holy One, blessed be He, hearkened to her prayer and converted the fetus in her womb into a female, as it is said: And afterwards she bore a daughter and called her Dinah (Gen. 30:21). The masculine form of afterwards is written in this verse, and not the feminine form (thus signifying that the fetus was originally that of a male child).", "Why did Leah call her Dinah? Because the righteous Leah had pleaded for justice (din) before the Holy One, blessed be He. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her: You are merciful, and so I shall be merciful to her. Forthwith, And God remembered Rachel." ], [ "And God remembered Rachel (Gen. 30:22). This bears upon what is stated in the verse The children of Israel and the children of Judah are oppressed together; and all that took them captives hold them fast; they refuse to let them go. The Redeemer is strong; the Lord of Hosts is His name. He will thoroughly plead their cause (Jer. 50:33–34). The Holy One, blessed be He, does indeed executeth justice for the oppressed (Ps. 146:7).", "R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, said: Seventy nations lived in Egypt, but only Israel was in servitude, as is said: And they made their lives bitter with hard service … in all manner of service in the field; in all their service (Exod. 1:14). What is meant by in all manner of service in the field? It means that after they had worked all day long with mortar and bricks, and returned home to rest in the evening, the Egyptians would come and say: “Go, gather some herbs from the field for me, chop down this tree for me, fill this barrel with water.” Hence, Scripture says: in all manner of service in the field.", "What is meant by in all manner of service? It means that the men were compelled to do women’s work, and the women, men’s work. An Egyptian would say to the man: “Get up! Knead the dough and bake the bread”; and to the woman, he would say: “Fill this barrel with water, chop down this tree, go out to the garden to bring me some herbs.” Who dealt justly with them? He who executeth justice for the oppressed (Ps. 146:7). He giveth bread to the hungry, because they hungered for redemption; The Lord looseth the prisoners, when He released their bonds and redeemed them, as it is said: He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity (Ps. 68:7). Hence, He executeth justice for the oppressed refers to the Israelites.", "And God remembered Rachel. Prior to this verse, it is written: And Leah conceived again, and bore a son; and she said: “This time will I praise the Lord” (Gen. 29:35). Why did she not say I will praise the Lord after the births of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and all the others, but only after the birth of Judah? This may be compared to a priest who goes to a man’s barn to collect the tithe8A tenth of a man’s possessions appropriated as a tax or sacrifice. The Mosaic law (Num. 18:21–26) made the tithe obligatory. and the priestly portion. When the owner of the barn hands the priest the priestly portion, he does not thank him, and when he gives him the tithe, he still does not thank him. But if, after he gives the priest what is due him, he adds a measure of unconsecrated food, the priest does thank him and recites a prayer in his behalf. A bystander asked the priest: “Why is it that when he gave you the tithe and the priestly portion, you did not thank him, but when he added only a single measure of unconsecrated food, you thanked him?” The priest replied: “The tithe and the priestly offering belong to me, and I merely accepted that which belonged to me, but the measure of unconsecrated food he added belonged to him, and so I thanked him for it.” Similarly Leah said: “Twelve tribes are to descend from Jacob, and since he has four wives, each of us is entitled to bear three sons. I have already given birth to three sons, my rightful share, but now a fourth son has been granted to me; surely it is fitting that I praise the Lord this time.” Therefore Rachel envied her sister (Gen. 30:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: How long shall this righteous woman grieve? Is it not just that she too shall conceive? Should she not be at least equal to the handmaidens? Forthwith, And God remembered Rachel." ], [ "And the Lord said unto Jacob: “Return unto the land of thy fathers” (Gen. 31:3). May it please our master to teach us whether an Israelite may light a candle with another candle upon which is engraved an idolatrous symbol? Thus did our masters teach us: An Israelite is forbidden to light a candle with another candle upon which an idolatrous symbol is engraved. This is in accordance with the verse And thou shalt not bring an abomination into thy house (Deut. 7:26). The Shekhinah does not rest in a home in which there is an idolatrous symbol, as is said: In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned I will come unto thee (Exod. 20:21). A proof of this is that as long as Lot remained with Abraham, the Holy One, blessed be He, did not appear to him, but after Lot’s departure, He did reveal Himself to him. Whence do we know this to be so? R. Eleazar the son of Pedat said in the name of R. Yosé the son of Zimra: We know this from the verse And the Lord said unto Abraham (Gen. 13:14). When did this occur? After Lot departed from him (ibid.).", "Similarly, as long as Jacob resided in Laban’s home, the divine word did not reveal itself to him, even though He had assured him: And, behold, I am with thee (Gen. 28:15). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since I must not profane My divine glory by entering the home of the wicked Laban, what shall I do? At the very moment he leaves him, I shall fulfill My promise and be with him. Jacob reflected upon this, saying to himself: Did He not promise me I shall not forsake thee (ibid.)? Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, replied: If you desire that I be with you, then depart from Laban’s house and Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee (ibid. 31:13)." ], [ "Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred (Gen. 31:3). What is written above concerning this? Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the he-goats which leap upon the flock are streaked (ibid., v. 12), and it is also written there: And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, and said unto them: “I see your father’s countenance,” etc. (ibid., vv. 4–5). This teaches us that he was not slothful, but that he labored with all his strength.", "And your father hast mocked me, and changed my wages ten times (ibid., v. 7). What is meant by ten times (aseret monim), and why is the (usual) word pe’amin not used instead of monim? R. Abba said: Ten monim actually indicates one hundred times, that is, ten times ten.9This calculation is based on the rabbinic view that monim is the plural of minyan, the word designating the prayer quorum of ten men. R. Hiyya stated: It was actually a thousand times, ten times a hundred.10This calculation is based on the circumstance that the words nekudim (“speckled”) and akudim (“streaked”) both contain the letter kaf, which has the numerical value of 100.", "He would change his wages in the following manner. If he said thus: The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the flock bore speckled; and if he said thus: The streaked shall be thy wages; then bore all the flock streaked (ibid., v. 8). When Laban saw that they changed from streaked to speckled, and from speckled to streaked, he cried out: “Is there a God or not?” That is to say, Laban asked: “Did God do this or not?”", "What did Laban do when the sheep conceived? He would tell Jacob: “This kind shall be yours,” and whatever kind he mentioned would be born, for the Holy One, blessed be He, changed the streaked to speckled and the speckled to streaked, as it is said: And he changed my wages ten times. Laban reversed his decision so that none would belong to Jacob. And so, after Laban had made his final decision, the Holy One, blessed be He, would tell the angel: Let them be born in accordance with his last decision. Thus Scripture says: But God suffered him not to hurt me (ibid., v. 7).", "What did they respond after Jacob told them this? Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him: “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? Are we not accounted by him strangers? For he hath sold us” (Gen. 31:14–15).", "And Jacob outwitted Laban (ibid., v. 20), so that Laban would not become incensed with him: Then Jacob arose, and set his sons and his wives upon camels … and carried away all his cattle…. And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled. And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him (Gen. 31:17–18, 23). The Holy One, blessed be He, immediately appeared before him and slit his ear.11The meaning of this idiom is uncertain, but is probably something like “spoke harshly to him.”" ], [ "And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night (Gen. 31:24). This is one of the occasions on which the Holy One, blessed be He, contaminated the purity of His divine glory in behalf of the righteous. It happened also when God came to Abimelech in a dream (Gen. 20:3) on Sarah’s behalf. Laban began to rebuke Jacob, saying: And now that thou art surely gone, because thou sore longest after thy father’s house, wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? (ibid. 31:30). He replied: With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall not live (ibid., v. 32). At that moment Rachel’s death was decreed. Laban searched the entire tent but was unable to find them. Now Rachel had taken the teraphim (ibid., v. 34). Why did she steal them? To prevent them from informing Laban that Jacob had fled with his wives, his sons, and his flock. Do teraphim actually speak? They do indeed, as it is written: The teraphim have spoken vanity (Zech. 10:2). This is so even though you say: Eyes have they, but they see not (Ps. 115:5).", "Why are they called teraphim?12The actual derivation of the word is unknown. It is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote the primitive Semitic house-gods. Because they were works of toref (“filth”), works of uncleanness. And how were they constructed? They would take a firstborn male child, kill him, and sprinkle him with salt and spices. Then they would write a demon’s name upon a gold tablet and place it beneath the child’s tongue while performing certain magical rites. After this, they inserted the corpse into a recess in the wall and lighted candles before it. They would then bow down before it, and it would speak to them in a whisper. This is stated in the verse For the teraphim have spoken vanity (Zech. 10:12). That is why Rachel stole them. Furthermore, she sought thereby to eradicate idolatry from her father’s home. However, Jacob was not aware that she had stolen them. Hence, it is written: And Rachel stole the teraphim." ], [ "Take heed to thyself that thout speak not to Jacob either good or bad (Gen. 31:24). From this episode we learn that the merit acquired from labor may be helpful even when the influence of one’s ancestors is not. It is written: Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had been on my side (Gen. 31:42). This implies that the merit of Jacob’s ancestors saved him financially, but it is followed by: God hath seen mine affliction and the labor of my hands, and gave judgment yesternight (ibid.), which indicates that He warned him not to harm Jacob because of the merit of the work he had performed.", "This teaches that a man must not say: “I will eat and drink and enjoy the good things of life, but I will not work, for heaven will protect me.” It is said: Thou hast blessed the work of his hands (Job 1:10). Hence, a man must work and labor with both hands before the Holy One, blessed be He, will send his blessing.", "And Jacob was wroth, and strove with Laban. And Jacob answered and said to Laban: “What is my trespass? What is my sin?” (Gen. 31:36). These verses teach us: The fury of the patriarchs is preferable to the gentleness of their descendants. Though it is written: And Jacob was wroth and strove with Laban, notice that he said to him at the height of his anger: What is my trespass? What is my sin? But concerning David, who was so gentle that he would not turn his hand against Saul, it is written: Nay, but the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall go down into battle, and be swept away (I Sam. 26:10).", "This heap is witness between me and thee (Gen. 31:48). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: And crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall (Num. 22:25). The heap alluded to in our text was the very wall at which Balaam violated the promise he had made to Jacob, as it is said: I will not pass over this heap to harm you (Gen. 31:52). Balaam and Laban were one and the same,13Sanhedrin 105a. See Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 6:123. for it is said of him: An Aramean was destroying my father (Deut. 26:5). Balaam was called an Aramean, because he desired to annihilate Israel, as is said: Come, execrate Israel (Num. 23:7). Hence, it was the very wall that had borne witness to the oath that he had made that called him to account, as is written: The hand of the witness shall be first upon him (Deut. 17:7). And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father, Isaac (Gen. 31:53). This righteous man did not swear by the name of the king, but rather on the life of his father. He did it just as a man who desires to prove the truth of this remarks says: “I swear by the life of my father.” He swore this oath only out of respect, as is written: A son shall honor his father (Mal. 1:6)." ] ], "Vayishlach": [ [ "I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now. and I have oxen, and asses and flocks, and manservants and maid-servants (Gen. 32:5–6). He was telling Esau: “Though I have lived with Laban, the arch-deceiver, for twenty years, I have acquired oxen, asses, and great riches.” He disclosed this fact to Esau in the hope that when he reflected upon it, he would say to himself: “Jacob went there with nothing more than a staff, and though he worked for Laban, the arch-deceiver, for twenty years, he has become a wealthy man and has returned in peace; how can I possibly contend against him?”", "And I have oxen. This implies that I have no need to fear you (he was thinking to himself), for now Joseph is born, who is called an ox, as is said: His firstling ox, majesty is his (Deut. 33:17). Asses. The word ass alludes to the Messiah the son of David, as it is said: Lowly and riding upon an ass (Zech. 9:9). Flocks refers to the merit of the tribes, whose descendants will be called flock, as is said: And ye My sheep, the flock of My pasture (Ezek. 34:31).", "Similarly, Judah will also be Esau’s adversary, as it is stated: And the lion shall eat straw like the ox (Isa. 11:7). Lion refers to Judah, as is said: Judah is a lion’s whelp (Gen. 49:9), and like the ox alludes to Joseph. Will eat straw informs us that Joseph will judge Esau, who is referred to as straw, and his descendants will be like straw, as it is said: And the house of Esau is like straw (Obad. 18).1The two tribes, identified as animals, will consume the straw representing Esau. Whence do we know that all the others will likewise judge Esau? From the verse How was thy mother a lioness; among lions she couched (Ezek. 19:2). We learn (from this verse) that all Israel will judge Esau.", "Male-servants refers to Moses, as is said: Moses was a servant of the Lord (Deut. 34:5). Maid-servants alludes to Ruth, from whom David descended, and concerning whom it is written: I am thy servant, the servant of thy maid-servant (Ps. 116:16). He was the descendant of the woman who forsook being an important lady and a queen in order to find shelter beneath the wings of the Shekhinah.2Tradition tells us that Ruth was the daughter of Eglon, the king of Moab. She would have become a queen if she had not left her native land for the land of Israel." ], [ "And Jacob sent messengers (Gen. 32:4). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: And the Lord uttereth His voice before His army; for his camp is very great, for He is mighty that executeth His word; for great is the day of the Lord and very terrible; and who can abide it? (Joel 2:11). This verse alludes to the giving of the Torah. When the Holy One, blessed be He, descended to give the Torah to Israel, myriads of chariots accompanied Him, as it is said: The chariots of God are myriads, even thousands upon thousands (Ps. 68:18).", "R. Abdimi maintained: Twenty-two thousand chariots descended with Him to Sinai. What is meant by uttereth His voice? It indicates that first there were thunders and lightnings (Exod. 19:16). After he sent forth the thunder, He gave the Torah. Hence it is said: And the Lord uttereth His voice before His army (Joel 2:11).", "Another comment on And the Lord uttereth His voice before His army. This refers to the thunderous sounds that precede the host of the Holy One, blessed be He. For example, when the thunder goes forth it roars, and mankind know that rain will fall; and when thunder resounds, lightning will follow.3The Etz Joseph commentary corrects the text, noting that lightning precedes the thunder. Another comment on And the Lord uttereth His voice. This refers to Rosh Hashanah, the day on which the shofar is sounded. Before His army refers to the Israelites, who tremble and quake at the sound of the shofar and then repent in order to be judged meritoriously on Yom Kippur.", "For great is the day of the Lord and very terrible; and who can abide it? (Joel 2:11). This is Yom Kippur, when the books of life and death are sealed. Whence do we know that this verse also refers to the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? Isaiah reminded (the people) that this was so, when he said: Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well, seek justice (Isa. 1:16–17). That is, one must repent during those days. Then he added: Come now, and let us reason together (ibid., v. 18), that is, on the tenth day, the day of admonition, during which the Holy One, blessed be He, cleanses away (lit. whitens) the sins of Israel, as is said: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow (ibid.). For His camp is very great. This refers to the angels who plead in behalf of or against the Israelites. For He is mighty who fulfilleth His word (Joel 2:11). Who is the mighty one amongst them (the angels)? He who fulfilleth His word.", "R. Huna said in the name of R. Hiyya: The mighty ones are the Israelites, who placed doing before hearing, by declaring: All that the Lord hath spoken will we do and obey (Exod. 24:7). This verse teaches us that the righteous are superior to the ministering angels. You know this as well from the following incident: At the moment Isaiah exclaimed: Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips (Isa. 6:5), the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him, saying: You may say of yourself A man of unclean lips am I, but you may not say of Israel, In the midst of a people of unclean lips I dwell. They placed doing before hearing, and they declare the Unity of My Name twice daily, yet you would call them a people of unclean lips? What is written there? Then flew unto me one of the seraphim, with a glowing stone in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar (Isa. 6:6). What is meant by ritzpah (“a glowing stone”)? It means “smash the mouth” (rutz peh) of anyone who speaks ill of My people. With tongs. What does this signify? It teaches us that there were two tongs (because the text uses the dual form of the noun). At first the angel attempted to take the glowing stone with his fingers, but he burned himself. Then he took a tong to lift the stone but was burned again. Finally, he took a second tong, which he attached to the first, and with them he took from the altar the glowing stone and touched it to the lips of Isaiah, as is said: He touched my mouth with it, and said: Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin expiated (ibid., v. 7). All this occurred because Isaiah had said: In the midst of a people of unclean lips. The Seraph was forced to remove the glowing stone with the tongs because he could not lift it with his hand. Indeed, he was compelled to use two tongs, yet when he touched Isaiah’s lips with it, Isaiah was not burned. Hence, Scripture states: His camp is very great, for he is mighty who executeth his word (Joel 2:11). Who are they who executeth His word? The righteous men.", "Similarly, you find that Moses remained unscathed by the fire that descended upon those who complained against him, as is said: And the fire of the Lord burnt them and devoured in the uttermost part of the camp (Num. 11:1).", "R. Isaac stated; Our master, Moses, stood beside the flames and dropped bundles of wool into them, thus causing the flames to sink into the earth, as is said: And the fire abated (ibid., v. 15). This also teaches us that the righteous are superior to the ministering angels. Furthermore, Jacob seized the mighty angel and vanquished him, as it is said: And there wrestled a man with him, etc. (Gen. 32:25). And when it was necessary, he sent two camps of angels as his emissaries to Esau, as is stated: And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau." ], [ "He commanded them, saying; “Thus shall you say unto my lord Esau” (Gen. 32:5). R. Judah the son of Simon began the discussion with the verse: As a troubled fountain, and a corrupted spring, so is a righteous man that giveth way before the wicked (Prov. 25:26). That is to say, the righteous man is like a troubled fountain and a corrupted spring when he demeans himself before the wicked. Thus shall you say unto my lord Esau. Jacob called Esau my lord, for the Torah teaches that one must be respectful toward the government (those in power). R. Ishmael said: Observe that Scripture says: And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel and unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt (Exod. 6:13).4God refers to Pharaoh as king to demonstrate the duty to honor the one in power. He did so to teach them to be respectful toward the government (those in power).", "Similarly, our holy Rabbi (Judah the Prince, compiler of the Mishnah) wrote to Antoninus: “Your servant Judah salutes you”; he did so to pay homage to the government (those in power). And Jacob did likewise, as it is said: Thus shall you say unto my lord Esau.", "While Jacob slept the Holy One, blessed be He, and the angels protected him, as is said: And behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood (Gen. 28:12–13), but he told His messengers nevertheless: Thus shall you say to my lord Esau. Hence Scripture states: As a troubled fountain and a corrupted spring, so is the righteous man that giveth way before the wicked (Prov. 25:26).", "Where did the angels come from? Observe what is written previously: And Jacob said when he saw them: “This is God’s camp.” And he called the name of the place Mahanaim (Gen. 23:3). What does the word Mahanaim (the dual form of mahaneh, “camp”) indicate? It indicates that there were two camps of angels there. At the time Jacob fled to Aram-naharaim, the angels in the land of Israel protected him and guided him—to the border of the Holy Land. When they departed, other angels descended to escort him. Upon his return from Laban’s home, the angels to whose care he had been entrusted accompanied him to the border of the Holy Land, where the angels in the land of Israel, upon perceiving that Jacob had arrived, went out to meet him to escort him, as it is said: And the angels of God met him (ibid., v. 2). The two groups continued to stand near Jacob, as is said: Mahanaim.", "What did Jacob do then? He sent ahead messengers from among them. They went forward immediately and arrayed themselves before Esau. They divided themselves into two phalanxes. The first band (which in turn contained four subgroups) approached him, attacked him, struck him, and injured him, until he cried out: “I am the grandson of Isaac, let me be.” They continued to pummel him and he shouted: “Let me be, I am the son of Isaac, who was bound upon the altar.” Still they continued to strike him, and he called out: “Let me be, I am the brother of Jacob, who has returned from Padan-aram.” He began to wail: “Jacob, my brother, has returned after twenty years, and I am eager to greet him.” When he mentioned Jacob’s name they desisted. They said to him: “You are the brother of Jacob, whom we love dearly, and so we will leave you alone out of honor and love for him. Give him our regards.”", "After the first group departed, the second attacked him and continued to do what the first group had done. Then the third and fourth groups did likewise. How do we know this? From the fact that Esau said to Jacob: What meanest thou by all this camp which I met? (Gen. 33:8).", "When the angels were about to depart (to go to Esau), what did Jacob tell the angels to say to him: I have an ox, and an ass (Gen. 32:6). Did he possess only a single ox and a single ass (as the text literally states)? From the size of the gift he sent him, we know that he had at least two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats (ibid., v. 15). He told them to say this because the righteous person is always modest about himself, while the wicked exaggerates his importance, as did Esau, when he said: I have many (ibid. 33:9). Scripture states regarding the righteous and the wicked; There is that pretendeth himself rich, yet hath nothing; there is that pretendeth himself poor, yet hath great wealth (Prov. 13:7)." ], [ "And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying … “He cometh to meet thee with four hundred men” (Gen. 32:7). Thereupon, Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed (ibid., v. 8). Why is the word for “fear” repeated in this verse? He was greatly afraid that he might be killed and distressed lest he should be forced to kill. Jacob was an extremely powerful man. Proof of this is that he had subdued a mighty angel, as is said: So he strove with an angel and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him (Hos. 12:5). But at that moment he began to plead for mercy, as it is said: Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau (Gen. 32:12).", "See the strength of Jacob, as it is written: And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar (ibid. 31:45). What was the size of the pillar? R. Yohanan said: The pillar was as tall as the “Tooth (peak) of Tiberias.”", "Laban said to Jacob: “The God of your father spoke unto me yesterday, saying: Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad (ibid., v. 24). Apparently I have the power to do either good or bad.” Jacob replied: “If He had not warned you to take heed, you might have had the power to kill me, but (now) come forward with all your people, and let us see whether all of you together have the strength to move this stone.” Jacob took a stone and set it up (ibid., v. 45). Jacob lifted the stone as easily as a man removes a stopper from a bottle. Jacob’s descendants were also as powerful as he. Scripture informs us: And Jacob said unto his brethren: “Gather stones” (ibid., v. 46). Actually, he had only one brother, would that he had buried him, but he did have sons, and they were as powerful as he.", "What is written concerning his meeting with Esau? Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him (ibid. 33:4). Actually Esau tried to bite him, but his (Jacob’s) neck became as hard as marble. The word and he kissed him (ibid.) is dotted in Scripture, thus indicating that it was not a sincere kiss.5There are diacritical marks above the word ve-yishakehu in the Torah indicating that its actual meaning is not the literal “and he kissed him,” but “and he bit him.”", "And they wept. Why did they weep? This may be compared to a situation in which a wolf attacks a ram. The ram gores the wolf with his horns, while the wolf sinks his teeth into the ram’s horn until they both cry out. The wolf cries out because he is unable to do any harm to the ram, and the ram cries out because he is fearful that the wolf might attack him once again and kill him. Esau and Jacob cried out for the same reason. Esau cried because Jacob’s neck had become as hard as marble, and Jacob cried out because he was afraid that Esau might try to bite him again. Scripture says about Jacob: Thy neck is as a ivory tower (Song 7:5), and it describes what happened to Esau: Thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked (Ps. 3:8). The Holy One, blessed be He, told Israel: In this world I cast down those who hate thee, but in the world-to-come I will place men beneath thee (Isa. 43:4)." ], [ "And Dinah, the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne unto Jacob, went out (Gen. 34:1). May it please our master to teach us whether a woman is permitted to walk about on the Sabbath while adorned with jewelry (gold medallions)? Thus do our masters teach us: A woman is prohibited from walking about on the Sabbath with a gold medallion suspended about her neck, with a signet ring upon her finger, or wearing an eyeless hairpin in her hair. If she wears any of these adornments in the public thoroughfare, she must bring a sin offering. In the courtyard of her home, however, she is permitted to wear them.", "Our sages maintain that she is forbidden to wear them in public even on a weekday, for people would stare at her if she did so, and that is discreditable to a woman. Ornaments were given to woman to wear only inside her home. After all, if one must not tempt a righteous person, how much less should one not tempt a thief. R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said: Observe what is written concerning Job: I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then shall I look upon a maid? (Job 31:1). Here indeed is evidence of Job’s righteousness. If (he would not look at) an unmarried woman, whom a man is permitted to look at, as he might marry her himself or match her with his son or his brothers, (then) all the more so would Job not look at a married woman. Hence a woman must remain in her home and not promenade about in the street lest she sin herself and cause men to sin through tempting them to look at the wife of another man. R. Judah the son of Shalum said: You know this to be so, as well, from the scriptural verse: And God blessed them and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue her (Gen. 1:39). The word subdue her is written (without a vav) as a singular imperative, for it is the male that subdues the female, while the female does not subdue the male. Similarly, the male subdues the earth and the female does not. Hence, a woman must not meander about lest tragedy befall her. That is what happened to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. She wandered about alone and was disgraced. Whence do we know this? We know it from what we read in the portion And Dinah went out." ], [ "And Dinah, the daughter of Leah, went out (Gen. 34:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: All honor to the king’s daughter within the palace (Ps. 45:14). R. Yosé asserted: If a woman conducts herself modestly in her home, she is worthy of marrying a high priest, and of rearing high priests, as is written: All honor to the king’s daughter, etc. If she behaves honorably in her home, Her raiment is of chequer work (ibid.); that is, she will marry a man about whom Scripture says: And thou shalt weave a tunic in chequer work (Exod. 28:39).6Referring to the priestly vestments, which were of checkered work.", "R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, declared: A woman who is modest in her home atones for her household, just as the altar brings atonement, as it is said: Thy wife shall be a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of thy house (Ps. 128:3). The word innermost refers here to the altar, as is stated: And he shall kill it on the innermost side of the altar (Lev. 1:11).", "Another comment on Thy wife shall be a fruitful vine. When is a wife considered a fruitful vine? When she remains secluded in the innermost parts of thy house (Ps. 128:3). If she does so, Thy children shall be like olive plants about thy table (ibid.), that is, she will rear children who will be anointed with the oil of installation." ], [ "And Dinah, the daughter of Leah, went out to see (Gen. 34:1). Was she not also Jacob’s daughter? Indeed, but Scripture associates her name with that of her mother. Leah’s daughter (Dinah) loved to roam about just as her mother did. How do we know this about Leah? It is written: And Leah went out to meet him (Gen. 30:16). Ezekiel declared: Behold, everyone that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying: As the mother, so her daughter (Ezek. 16:44). To see should be read as “to be seen,” for though she went out to see, she was, in fact, seen, as it is said: And Shechem the son of Hamor … saw her (Gen. 34:2).", "And Shechem spoke unto his father Hamor, saying: “Get me this damsel to wife” (ibid., v. 4). He (Hamor) went to Jacob and said: Ask me ever so much dowry and gift (ibid., v. 7). And he said: I know that her grandfather Abraham was a prince, but I am also a prince. Jacob replied: He was not called a prince, but an ox, as is said: And Abraham ran to the oxen (ibid. 18:7) and Much grain (can be harvested) through the strength of ox (Prov. 14:4), but you are an ass (hamor), and it is impossible for an ox and an ass to plow together, as it is said: Thou must not plow with an ox and an ass together (Deut. 22:10). The prophet declared: You seek your own misfortune, as is said: The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying: “Give thy daughter to my son to wife”; and there passed by the wild beasts that were in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle (II Kings 14:9).", "The thistle refers to Hamor, and the cedar that was in Lebanon alludes to Jacob, who was compared to a cedar, as is said” He shall grow as a cedar in lebanon (Ps. 92:13). Give thy daughter to my son for a wife refers to Shechem, for he said to him: The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter (Gen. 34:8).", "And there passed by the wild beasts. These are the sons of Jacob, who were compared to beasts: Judah is a lion’s whelp (Gen. 49:9); Dan is a young lion (Deut. 33:22); Naphtali is a hind let loose (Gen. 49:21); and likewise all the others. And trod down the thistle confirms what is stated in the verse And came upon the city unawares, and slew all the males. And they slew Hamor and Shechem, his son, with the edge of the sword (Gen. 34:25–26).", "When Jacob’s sons learned what had transpired: The men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought a vile deed in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter (ibid., v. 7). And they said unto them: “We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised (ibid. v. 14), Go! Circumcise yourselves. They departed and circumcised themselves, as is said: And unto Hamor … harkened all (ibid., v. 24). And it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain (ibid., v. 25). The prophet cried out: And as troops of robbers wait for man, so doth the company of priests; they murder in the way toward Shechem, yea, they commit enormity (Hos. 6:9). As troops of robbers wait for man (ish) refers to Jacob, who was a righteous man (ish tam), and he was forced to await the return of his sons from their pillaging.", "A company of priests alludes to the sons of Jacob, who had been called a kingdom of priests. Why does Scripture say: They murder in the way to Shechem? Because they committed an immoral act. Upon their return, Jacob began to chastise Simeon and Levi, saying: Ye have troubled me, to make me odious (Gen. 34:30). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Be not afraid, no one can harm you, as it is said: And a terror of God was upon the cities (ibid. 35:5)." ], [ "And God said unto Jacob: “Arise, go up to Beth-El” (Gen. 35:1). May our master teach us: How many times is a man’s “account book”7The heavenly ledger wherein man’s deeds are recorded. open? Thus did our masters teach us: A man’s account book is opened three times: when he journeys alone upon a highway; when he resides in a dilapidated house; when he vows and fails to fulfill. R. Aha the son of Jacob deduced the first statement from the biblical verse If harm befall him by the way (Gen. 42:3). R. Eliezer the son of R. Yosé the Galilean stated: If you should discover that a righteous man is setting out on a journey, leave even three days earlier or three days later in order to travel with him. But if you should see a wicked man setting out on a journey, leave three days earlier or three days later in order not to go with him, as it is said: Set thou a wicked man over him; and let an adversary stand at his right hand (Ps. 109:6). A righteous man, however, is accompanied by angels of peace, as it is said: For He will give his angels charge over thee (ibid. 91:11).", "The opinion that Satan denounces any man who dwells in a dilapidated house, and that his account book is opened when he does so, is derived from the Mishnah.8Y. Nedarim 1:36d, Y. Shabbat 11:5b. How do we know about the man who vows and does not pay? It is written in Scripture: When thou shall vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not be slack to pay it (Deut. 23:22), and it is written elsewhere: It is a snare to a man rashly to say: “Holy,” and after vows to make inquiry (Prov. 20:25). The words after vows to make inquiry signify that a man’s account book is opened and that angels testify against him by enumerating his sins. R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated: Everyone who borrows and fails to repay brings about the death of his wife, as it is said: If thou hast not wherewith to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? (ibid. 22:27). Moses warned Israel about this, as is written: When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not be slack to pay it; for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee (Deut. 23:22). Why is the word require repeated in this verse (i.e., written in the intensive form, darash yidreshenu)? It teaches us that He will require (i.e. inquire) of him with regard to what he has borrowed, and He will (also) require concerning his other sins, as it says: And after vows to make inquiry (Prov. 20:25).", "R. Yannai asserted: The account book of the man who makes a vow which he fails to fulfill is examined in the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He. He asks: Where is that person who made a vow on a certain day? Observe that it is written concerning the time that Jacob went to Aram-naharaim: And Jacob vowed a vow, saying: “If God be with me” (Gen. 28:20). At first He granted his every request. He went there and became wealthy, but when he returned without fulfilling his vow, He turned Esau against him, and Esau sought to kill him. And though Esau took the two hundred she-goats from him, Jacob did not trouble to perform his vow. Whereupon He turned the angel against him and they wrestled together, but still he did not take note, as it is said: And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him (ibid. 32:26). It was Samael, Esau’s guardian angel, who wanted to kill him, as is said: When he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh (ibid., v. 27). When he still was not persuaded to fulfill his vow, the anguish occasioned by Dinah’s experience befell him, as is said: And Dinah went out. When he continued to refrain from carrying out his vow, the tragedy of Rachel’s death occurred, as it is said And Rachel died and was buried (ibid. 35:19). This confirms the opinion of R. Samuel the son of Nahman that one who vows and fails to fulfill his vow brings about the death of his wife, as it is said: If thou hast not wherewith to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? (Prov. 22:27).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: How long shall this righteous man continue to be punished without comprehending the sin for which he is being afflicted? Indeed, I will inform him. And it is written: God said unto Jacob: “Arise, go up to Beth-El, and dwell there” (Gen. 35:1). R. Aibu said: When your sieve is clogged, strike it.9A proverb telling us that Jacob’s mind had become clogged, causing him to forget his vow, and so God beat upon it by causing him to suffer. The Holy One, blessed be He, told him: These trials have befallen you only because you have not fulfilled your vow. If you do not wish to experience other afflictions, Arise, go up to Beth-El, dwell there, and erect an altar, at the very place at which you made your vow. I am the God of Beth-El, where thou didst anoint a pillar, where thou didst vow a vow unto Me (ibid. 31:13). R. Abba the son of Kahana stated: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob: When a man has problems he will make a vow, but when he is enjoying ease and comfort he will quickly disregard his vow. When you were in difficulty you made a vow, but after you attained security you forgot it. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him: “Let us arise, and go up to Beth-El” (ibid. 35:2–3).", "What did he say when he made his vow? If God will be with me (ibid. 28:20); that is, so that I shall not go astray after idolatry; and will keep me (ibid.), from committing acts of lewdness; in this way (ibid.), from being guilty of spilling blood. Because he delayed fulfilling his vow, he was smitten by all three. How do we know about idolatry? It is written: Put away the strange gods (ibid. 35:2). We know about lewdness from the episode of Dinah, and about bloodshed from the fact that they killed all the males. This teaches us that procrastination in the fulfillment of a vow is the most serious of all three. Because he neglected to fulfill his vow he experienced all three.", "Better is it that thou shouldst not vow, than that thou shouldst vow and not pay (Eccles. 5:4). R. Meir maintained: Better than either of these is that one should not vow at all. A man should bring his lamb to the Temple court and sacrifice it instead. R. Judah was of the opinion that to make a vow and fulfill it was preferable to the other two, since it is said: Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God (Ps. 76:12). He who makes a vow and performs it is rewarded both for the vow and its fulfillment.", "R. Huna said: It is told that a certain man made a vow which he failed to keep, and as a result, when he set out to cross the sea, the ship he was sailing in sank and he perished. R. Ammi explained: Anyone who fails to keep a vow that he has made is responsible for his own death, as it is said: The Lord thy God will surely require it of thee (Deut. 23:22). That is, the Holy One, blessed be He, will exact retribution from that person and not from his possessions. Ben Sira taught: Before you make a vow, consider that vow carefully lest you go astray. Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands? (Eccles. 5:5). R. Aha explained this verse as follows: Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt refers to the one who makes a vow; neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error indicates that one must not say to the sexton: “I did not intend to vow at all”; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the work of thy hands? alludes to the lesser commandments you fulfilled and the good deeds you performed." ], [ "And God said unto Jacob (Gen. 35:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness; evil shall not sojourn with Thee (Ps. 5:5).", "What is meant by evil shall not sojourn with Thee? It means that no impure words ever emanate from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it says: The words of the Lord are pure words (Ps. 12:4). You know this to be so from the fact that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Noah: Of every clean beast … and of the beasts that are not clean (Gen. 7:2). Observe that Scripture does not say “unclean beasts” but rather beasts that are not clean. R. Joshua the son of Levi said: The Holy One, blessed be He, resorts to a circumlocution of two and three words in the Torah rather than utter an impure word.10The verse mentions the pure characteristics of the animal even though it may not be eaten. It avoids mentioning the impure aspects of an animal. And so you find that when He introduced the matter of cleft hoofs lacking in impure beasts, he mentioned the signs of their purity first, as is said: The camel, because he cheweth the cud, etc. (Lev. 11:4). This is a sign of purity in an animal. Likewise in the case of the pig, He said: The swine, because he parteth the hoof (ibid., v. 7). This too is a sign of purity. Why did He do this? So that He would not be forced to utter an unclean word. Hence, Evil shall not sojourn with Thee.", "Another comment on For Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness (Ps. 5:5). R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, maintained: The Holy One, blessed be He, does not desire to prove His creatures guilty, He would rather that they pray unto Him so that he might accept them. R. Isaac propounded the query: Now that we have no prophet, no priest, no sacrifice, no Temple, no altar, who will atone for us? And He explained: Even though the Temple is no more, prayer remains available to us, as Scripture states: O Lord, hear; O Lord forgive (Dan. 9:19). And did you not say: Mine eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually (I Kings 9:3).", "Observe what is written: Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now thou shalt go forth out of the city and shalt dwell in the field (Micah 4:10). The ketiv (traditional spelling) is “I shall dwell” (rather than the Masoretic “thou shalt dwell” as in the preceding quotation) to indicate that though I shall exile you from its midst, my Shekhinah will not depart from the city. The field mentioned here alludes only to Zion, as it is said: Zion unto a field will be plowed (ibid. 3:12). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: You shall pray unto me in the direction of the Holy City, and I will hearken from heaven and heal your land. Therefore Jacob said to his sons: Let us arise, and go up to Beth-El. What shall we do there? they asked. And he answered: The Holy One, blessed be He, has commanded me to arise, go up to Beth-El and dwell there." ], [ "And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came from Padan-aram (Gen. 35:9). May it please our master to teach us: What is the punishment meted out to one who does not permit the poor to glean from his field? Thus do our masters teach us: One who does not allow the poor to glean from his field, or permits one and not another, or assists one of them at the time of reaping or harvesting, is considered guilty of robbing the poor. Concerning this it is said: Remove not the landmark of old ('olam) (Prov. 22:28). This should be read as “landmark of the poor” (olim).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I have exalted you and have humbled the poor, but I am also able to humble you and exalt the poor, for I am the Judge, as it is said: For God is judge; He putteth down one and lifteth up another (Ps. 75:8).", "A lady asked of R. Yosé the son of Halafta: “In how many days did the Holy One, blessed be He, create the world?” “In six days,” he replied, “as it is written: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth (Exod. 20:1).” “What has He been doing since then?” she asked. “He has been erecting ladders,” he answered, “upon which one ascends and another descends; one becomes wealthy and the other poor.” You know this to be so from the fact that it is written with reference to Jacob’s going to Aram-naharaim: With my staff I passed over this Jordan (Gen. 32:11). And he took one of the stones of that place and put under his head (ibid. 28:11). Surely, if he had owned a mattress or a cushion he would have placed them under his head, yet after he joined Laban’s household he became wealthy, as is said: And the man increased exceedingly (ibid. 30:43). Why did he become wealthy? Because of the power of the blessings his father had bestowed upon him, as it is said: And give thee the blessing of Abraham (ibid. 28:4). What was Abraham’s blessing? And the Lord blessed Abraham in all things (ibid. 24:1). After his return from Laban’s house, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Now I must bless him Myself. Immediately, the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared before him and blessed him, as it is said: And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came from Padan-aram, and blessed him (ibid. 35:9).", "And God appeared unto Jacob. Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth (Ps. 25:10). When Moses commanded the Israelites: After the Lord your God shall ye walk (Deut. 13:5), he added the words: Walk ever in his ways (ibid. 19:9). “How can one possibly walk in His ways?” they inquired, since it is written: The Lord, in the whirlwind and the storm is His way, and the clouds are the dust of His feet (Neh. 1:3), and Thy way was in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps not known (Ps. 77:20), and A fire devoureth before Him, and round about Him it stormeth mightily (Ps. 50:3). Moses replied to the Israelites: “Have I not informed you also that His ways are ways of mercy, truth, and loving-kindness,” as it is written: All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth (ibid. 25:10).", "Deeds of loving-kindness are mentioned at the beginning of the Torah, in its middle, and at its conclusion. At the beginning of the Torah, the naked are clothed, as it is said: The Lord God made for Adam and his wife garments of skin, and He clothed them (Gen. 3:21); in the middle of the Torah, the ailing are visited, as it is said: And God appeared unto him in the grove of Mamre (ibid. 18:1); and at the conclusion of the Torah, the dead are buried, as is said: And he was buried in the valley in the land of Moab (Deut. 34:6). In this way you must walk in the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: In this world you sin because of the evil inclination within you, and therefore you are subservient to other nations. Nevertheless, My Shekhinah will not depart from you, as it is said: In all their afflictions He was afflicted (Isa. 63:9). In their rejoicing, He rejoiced, as is said: Because I rejoice in Thy salvation (I Sam. 2:1). And He also said: I will rejoice in Jerusalem and rejoice in My people (Isa. 65:49). And it says also: And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee (ibid. 62:5). Hence, all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth." ] ], "Vayeshev": [ [ "And Jacob sat in the land (Gen. 37:1). Whenever Scripture uses the expression and he sat (also translated “and he dwelt”), it connotes misfortune: And Israel sat in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, … and the time drew near that Israel must die (Gen. 47:29); And the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to make merry (Exod. 32:37); And there fell of the people on that day three thousand men (Exod. 38:28); And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites (Gen. 37:25); And Judah and Israel sat safely (I Kings 5:5); And the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon (ibid. 11:14); And Israel sat among the cedars, etc., and the people began to commit harlotry (Num. 25:1). You may explain every other use of “and he sat” with this negative implication. In this instance And Jacob sat is followed by and Joseph brought evil report of them unto his father (Gen. 37:2).", "What is written prior to this episode? These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau: … the chief of Lotan, the chief of Magdiel … These are the chiefs of Edom (ibid. 36:15–43). When Jacob saw the chiefs of the sons of Esau, he was terrified. “Who will be able to withstand these chiefs?” he exclaimed. To what may this be compared? It may be compared to many camels laden with flax (in a certain place), and a blacksmith standing nearby asked in amazement: “Where will it be possible to store all this flax?” An observer responded: “Why do you wonder about that? After all, a single spark from your forge can consume it all.” Similarly, when our patriarch Jacob became terrified at the sight of Esau and the chiefs, and cried out: “Who will be able to assist me against them?” The Holy One, blessed be He, answered: A spark from you will consume them. And Joseph was that spark, as it is said: And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them (Obad. 1:18). Therefore it is written: And Jacob sat … these are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, etc.", "Another explanation. Why did Scripture concern itself with the genealogy of the chiefs? Did the Holy One, blessed be He, have nothing else to write about other than the chief of Timna, the chief of Lotan, etc.? He did so to teach us that from the very beginning of the creation of the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, concerned himself with the genealogies of the idolatrous nations so that it would not be left to them to describe for mankind their sterility and their degeneracy. How did He do that? When He came to the genealogy of the sons of Ham, He said: The sons of Ham: Cush, and Mizraim … and Cush begot Nimrod (Gen. 10:6–8); thus He indicated that they had become defiant, as it is said: He began to be a mighty one in the earth (ibid., v. 8). Similarly, when He said: And Mizraim begot Ludim … whence went forth (ibid., vv. 13–14), He did not say “he bore him” but he went forth, thereby informing us that he was the product of an incestuous relationship.", "He concerned Himself also with the genealogy of Esau’s sons in the chapter These are the generations of Esau to disclose their degeneracy. You find that they too were the offspring of incestuous relations. Scripture states in one place: And the children of Elephaz were: Teman, and Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. And Timna (ibid. 36:11), and elsewhere it states: And Timna was concubine to Elephaz (ibid., v. 12). This clearly informs us that Elephaz had sexual relations with his own daughter. How did that occur? He had sexual relations with Seir’s wife first and made her pregnant and begot Timna. Later he married Timna, as though she were Seir’s daughter, when in fact she was his own. That is why it says: And the children of Seir: Lotan … and Timna was Lotan’s sister (I Chron. 1:38–39). She was Lotan’s sister by her mother, but not by his father; Elephaz was her father, and Timna became the concubine of Elephaz the son of Esau.", "You find likewise (that the expression sat also alludes to) the degeneracy of the descendants of Seir, since it is written: These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who sat on the land: Lotan and Shobal and Zibeon and Anah (Gen. 36:20). However, Anah is elsewhere called the son of Zibeon: And these are the children of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah (ibid., v. 24). We learn from this that Zibeon had sexual relations with his own mother, and conceived and begot Anah by her. Consequently, (Anah) was both (Zibeon’s) brother and his son. Later he had intercourse with his daughter-in-law, the wife of Anah, and Oholibamah was their child, as it is said: And these were the sons of Oholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife (ibid., v. 14), and Esau took her as a wife. Inasmuch as they were all products of incestuous relations, Scripture mentions them only to disclose their degeneracy.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, however, befriended Israel and called them his possessions, inheritance, (and) portion, as it is said: For the portion of the Lord is His people Jacob, the lot of His inheritance (Deut. 32:9); and ye shall be Mine own treasure among all the peoples (Exod. 19:5); and I have planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed (Jer. 2:21). Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, concern Himself from the very beginning of time with the genealogies of the nations? This may be likened to a king who dropped a pearl into sand and pebbles. The king was compelled to search the sand and the pebbles to recover the pearl. As soon as he recovered the pearl, however, he discarded the sand and the pebbles, for he was only interested in retrieving the pearl.", "Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, devoted Himself superficially to the earlier generations, and then ignored them. He mentioned Adam, Seth, Enoch, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, etc. (I Chron. 1:1–2), and also the second ten generations, Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah, etc. (ibid. 1:24), so that a child could take the Bible and read about the ten generations from Adam to Noah at a single sitting, and also about the ten generations from Noah to Abraham at one time. But when he reached the section dealing with the pearls, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he would have to apply himself diligently in reading about them. That is why the section on Elephaz the son of Esau is included in this chapter.", "Another comment on These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, etc. (Gen. 37:2). Was not Reuben actually the firstborn? He was, but since he defiled his father’s couch (I Chron. 5:1), his birthright was given to the descendants of Joseph, the descendants of Israel. However, they are not actually accounted as the firstborn in the genealogy of the people. Another explanation. These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph. You find that Joseph resembled his father in every way, and that everything that happened to Jacob also happened to Joseph. Jacob’s brother was envious of him, and Joseph’s brothers were envious of him; Jacob was exiled to Haran, and Joseph was exiled to Egypt; Jacob said: Whether stolen by day or stolen by night (Gen. 31:39), and Joseph said: For indeed, I was stolen away (ibid. 40:15)." ], [ "Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age (Gen. 37:3). The “son of his features” (ikunim, playing on zikunim, “old age”), for he resembled his father very closely. R. Ishmael said: He was called the son of his old age because Joseph sustained his father and his brethren (ibid. 47:12). That is, he fulfilled a son’s obligation to his aged father. Because Joseph foresaw in his dream that he was destined to rule, and related this fact to his father, his brothers were incensed at him.", "And Joseph brought an evil report of them to his father (ibid. 37:2). He told his father: “My brothers eat the limbs of living animals.” The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Be assured, you will be suspected of committing the very act you accused them of committing: And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians that did eat with him (ibid. 43:32). Because he spoke slander against them, his brothers became embittered, and set in motion the chain of events that resulted in the descent of our ancestors to their bondage in Egypt for four hundred years.", "And Jacob said to him: “Go now, see whether it is well with thy brethren … and he came to Shechem (ibid. 37:14).1B. Sanhedrin 10:29. This place had previously been designated for punishment. Dinah was dishonored in Shechem, Joseph was sold in Shechem,2Dothan, the place where Joseph was sold, was in the vicinity of Shechem; in addition, tradition maintains that he was buried in Shechem. and David’s kingdom was divided at Shechem: Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (I Kings 12:25). And a certain man found him (Gen. 37:15). The man referred to is none other than (the angel) Gabriel, as it is said: The man Gabriel (Dan. 9:21). And they saw him from afar … and they took him, and cast him into the pit (Gen. 37:18, 24). The pit was empty of water, but it contained snakes and scorpions. What did Reuben do? He remained upon one of the hills nearby in order to rescue Joseph during the night. However, the nine other brothers stayed together in another place, all in agreement that he should die.", "When a group of Ishmaelites passed by, they said to each other: Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites (ibid., v. 27). They took him to the edge of the desert, where they sold him for twenty pieces of silver. Each one obtained, thereby, two pieces of silver with which to purchase a pair of shoes. If you are surprised that a youth as handsome as he was sold for merely twenty pieces of silver, remember that when he was hurled into the pit, he was so fearful of the snakes and scorpions within it that his features were altered. The blood rushed from him, and his countenance turned pale. Therefore, they were forced to sell him for twenty pieces of silver, the value of a pair of shoes for each of them.", "Then they decided: “Let us make a vow of excommunication among ourselves, lest one of us be tempted to tell our father, Jacob.” Whereupon Judah said: “Reuben is not here, and a vow of excommunication cannot be executed unless ten witnesses are present.” What did they do? They included the Holy One, blessed be He, in their pact of excommunication (by which they agreed) not to tell their father what had transpired.", "When Reuben descended to the pit during the night to rescue his brother, and found that Joseph was no longer there, he tore his clothing and wept. He returned to his brothers and told them: The child is not; and as for me, whither shall I go? (ibid., v. 30). They related to him what had transpired and told him about the pact they had entered into. And he remained silent. Though it is written about the Holy One, blessed be He: He declareth His word to Jacob (Ps. 147:19), He did not disclose this matter to him because of the pact of excommunication. That is why Jacob said: Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces (Gen. 37:33). R. Mana maintained: The tribes were punished because they sold Joseph, and their sin was not forgiven until they died. Hence Scripture says of them: Surely, this iniquity shall not be expiated by you until you die (Isa. 22:17).", "It was because of this episode that a famine befell Canaan, compelling Joseph’s ten brothers to descend to Egypt to buy grain, where they discovered that Joseph was still alive. (Only then) did they abrogate the pact of excommunication and Jacob learned that Joseph was alive. It is written about him: The spirit of Jacob their father revived (Gen. 45:27). Had his spirit actually died? No! His spirit was revived from the despair that resulted from the vow of excommunication they had entered into, and the Holy Spirit had departed from him because of it, but now it hovered over him once again.", "R. Akiba declared: A pact of excommunication and an oath are actually one and the same. You learn this from Joshua, who placed Jericho under a ban. Achan was burned to death when he violated the ban by taking things from Jericho and hiding them in his tents. These (things) were the cloaks and the golden tongues from inside the mouths of the idols at Jericho, upon which an unclean (i.e., idolatrous) name had been engraved. Because he violated the pact of excommunication, thirty-six Israelites perished,3The members of Achan’s family. See B. Sanhedrin 44a. and Joshua rent his clothes and prostrated himself upon the ground before the ark. And the Lord said unto Joshua: “Get thee up; wherefore, now, art thou fallen upon thy face? Israel hath sinned; yea, they have even transgressed My covenant which I commanded them; yea, they have even taken of the devoted thing; and have also stolen, etc. (Josh. 7:10). Why is the word gam (variously translated “yea” and “also” in the preceding passage) repeated five times in this verse? To teach us that whosoever violates a vow of excommunication is considered to be transgressing against the Five Books of Moses. For all other sins, the guilty one is punished, but for the violation of an oath of excommunication the transgressor and all mankind are punished, as it is said: Therefore doth the land mourn, and everyone that dwelleth therein doth languish (Hos. 4:3), and elsewhere it states: Therefore, hath a curse devoured the land, and they that dwell therein are found guilty (Isa. 24:6). Similarly, you find that it is said about Achan: Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass against the banned things, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And that man perished not alone in his iniquity (Josh. 22:20).", "When the Holy One, blessed be He, told Joshua that Israel had sinned, he asked: “Who is the culprit? Am I an informer? He replied. Draw lots to discover the guilty one. Whereupon he drew lots and the lot fell up Achan. Achan cried out: “You decided that I was guilty simply by drawing lots, but if you had drawn lots between yourself and Elazar the priest, then one of you would have been proven guilty.” Then Joshua glanced at the twelve stones on the ephod that was suspended over the heart of the high priest, and observed that the stone of the tribe of Judah had grown dim. The stones always rendered their verdict in this way. When a tribe performed a meritorious deed, its stone would sparkle and glow brightly, but if a tribe transgressed, its stone grew dim. When Joshua saw this, he said to Achan: My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and make confession unto him (Josh. 7:19). Immediately Achan answered and said: “Of a truth I have sinned.” And Joshua said: “Why hast thou troubled us? The Lord shall trouble thee this day” (Josh. 7:25); that is to say, on this day you will be troubled, but you will have a share in the world-to-come.4All who confess their sins have a share in the world-to-come.", "A proof of the power of excommunication is indicated by what occurred to the tribes that became incensed over what had happened to a single concubine at Gibeah but were not aroused by the idols made by Micah.5See Judg. 18–20. Many thousands of the tribe of Benjamin were slain on three different occasions but after they repented and prostrated themselves before the Ark, the Holy One, blessed be He, become reconciled with them? Thereupon they made a pact of excommunication, that every Israelite from the youngest to the oldest should come to the Lord (by doing good deeds), as it is said: For they made a great oath concerning him that came not unto the Lord to do good deeds, saying: He shall surely be put to death (Judg. 21:5). Though an oath was taken there, it was called a pact of excommunication to teach us that an oath and a ban of excommunication are identical. Because the men of Jabesh-Gilead did not come unto the Lord, they were sentenced to death.", "Furthermore, you may learn this as well from Saul the son of Kish, who said: Cursed be the man that eateth any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on my enemies (I Sam. 14:24). No one was to taste any food, but Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath; and he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it into the honeycomb (ibid., v. 27). When Saul realized that the Philistines were overpowering the Israelites, he understood that someone had violated the oath. He examined the ephod and discovered that the stone of the tribe of Benjamin had grown dim. He cast lots between himself and his son Jonathan, and the lot indicated that Jonathan was responsible. He grasped his sword to slay him, as it is said: (Saul said:) “God do so and more also; thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.” And the people said unto Saul: “Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel?” (ibid., vv. 44–45).", "The Cuthites are not counted among the seventy nations of the world, for they are considered to be a remnant of one of the five nations that the king of Asshur had settled upon the land, as it is said: And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Avva, and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria (II Kings 17:24). R. Yosé stated: He added four additional peoples to them, thus making nine nations in all: The Dinites, and the Apharsattechites, the Tarpelites, the Apharesites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites … who were brought over (Ezra 4:9).", "After the Israelites were expelled from Samaria, Sennacherib stationed his officers there to collect taxes for his government from those he had settled there. The Holy One, blessed be He, sent lions among them, as it is said: Therefore the Lord hath sent lions among them, which killed some of them (II Kings 17:25). The tax collectors sent a message to him, saying: The nations which thou hast carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land; therefore He hath sent lions among them, and behold, they slay them (ibid., vv. 26–27). Whereupon he summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them: “During the years in which you dwelt in your land, wild beasts never devoured you; why is this happening now?” They whispered to each other: “Let us all give the same answer and perhaps he will permit us to return.” They told him: “That land welcomes no one who does not occupy himself with the Torah and is uncircumcised.” “Then select two men from among you,” he replied, “to go there and instruct them.” Since a king’s command may not be rescinded, they sent R. Dostai the son of Yannai and R. Sabaya there. They taught them the written Torah in abbreviated form.", "Even though the inhabitants of Samaria feared God, they also worshipped their own gods. They did so until Ezra returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his officers to build the Temple, as it is said: Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Sheatiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build (Ezra 5:2). Soon thereafter, one hundred and eighty thousand Samaritans attacked them. Were they actually Samaritans? Indeed not. They were, in fact, Cuthites, who were called Samaritans only because they lived in Samaria. Furthermore, they conspired to kill Nehemiah, as it is said: Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of One (Neh. 6:2). They halted the work of rebuilding the Temple of the Holy One, blessed be He, for two years, as is said: Then ceased the work of the House of God that was in Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia (Ezra 4:24).", "What did Ezra, Zerubbabel, and Jeshua do? First, they summoned the entire community to the House of the Lord. They brought there three hundred priests, three hundred books of the law, three hundred shofars, and three hundred children. The children blew the shofars, and the Levites chanted and sang. After that, they proclaimed the ban, the curse, and the excommunication against the Samaritans with the secret of the ineffable Name and the writing used on the tablets (of the Decalogue), and the excommunication of the heavenly and earthly courts, so that no Israelite would henceforth eat the bread of a Cuthite. As a result of this episode, our sages said that anyone who ate the bread of a Cuthite would be considered as eating the meat of a pig, and that no Cuthite could be admitted into the ranks of Israel, nor could they participate in the resurrection of the dead, as it is said: It is not for you, but for us, to build the house of God (Ezra 4:3), And ye have no portion, no right, no memorial in Jerusalem (Neh. 2:20). They wrote out the ban, sealed it, and sent it to the Israelites who were in Babylon, and these added other decrees against them. King Cyrus also established an everlasting ban against them, as it is said: May the God who has caused His name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples that shall put forth their hand to alter the same (Ezra 6:12)." ], [ "And Joseph was brought down into Egypt (Gen. 39:1). May it please our master to teach us whether one may recite the Havdalah prayer at the expiration of the Sabbath with a light used by an idolater? Thus did our masters teach us: It is forbidden to recite the Havdalah prayer with a light used by an idolater. Why? Because it (the light) does not rest from its work.6It remains a light used for idolatry. B. Berakhot 53b. Furthermore, if you did recite the Havdalah prayer with a light used by an idolater, you would be treating the idolater as though he deserved to be highly regarded, and Scripture states: All the nations are as nothing before Him (Isa. 40:17).", "It is related that when Antoninus came to Caesarea he summoned our saintly Rabbi. His son, R. Simeon, and the illustrious R. Hiyya accompanied him. R. Simeon noticed the handsome, distinguished-looking legionary, whose head reached the capitals of the columns, and he said to R. Hiyya: “See how fat the calves of Esau are.” Whereupon R. Hiyya took him to the marketplace and pointed out baskets of grapes and figs covered with flies, and said to him: “These flies and these legionaries are one and the same.” When R. Simeon returned to his father he told him: “This is what I said to R. Hiyya, and this is how he answered me.” “R. Hiyya,” he replied, “was only substantially correct in comparing the legionaries to the flies, for the legionaries are considered as nothing (before God), while the Holy One, blessed be He, used flies as His emissaries,” as it is said: And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uppermost parts of the river of Egypt (Isa. 7:18), and also: And I will send the hornet before thee (Exod. 23;28). Proof of this is that at the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to fulfill the decree: Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger (Gen. 15:13), He selected as his emissary one from the smallest tribe. And so Joseph was sold into Egypt, and later Jacob and his sons went there to fulfill the decree. Therefore it is written: And Joseph was brought down into Egypt (Gen. 39:1).", "And Joseph was brought down into Egypt. Scripture states elsewhere: How great are Thy works, O Lord! Thy thoughts are very deep (Ps. 92:6). R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: There are certain creatures that thrive in water but cannot thrive on land, while other creatures thrive on land but cannot thrive in water. If those creatures that dwell in the sea ascend onto dry land, they cannot survive, and if those that live on dry land descend into the sea, they cannot survive. Nevertheless Jonah descended into the sea and lived, as it is said: So they took up Jonah and cast him into the sea (Jonah 1:15). And the fish that swallowed him ascended to dry land and survived, as is said: And God spoke to the fish, and he threw up Jonah onto dry land (ibid. 2:11). Thus we learn that a place which results in death to one may give life to another, and a place which gives life to one may result in death to another. Hence Scripture states: How great are Thy words, O Lord! (Ps. 92:6).", "There are creatures that thrive in the air but do not thrive in fire, and conversely there are creatures that thrive in fire but do not thrive in the air. If one that lives in the air enters a fire, he cannot survive, and if one that lives in fire ascends into the air, he cannot survive. Yet Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were hurled into the fire and went forth unscathed, as it is said: Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth (Dan. 3:26). The creature that thrives in fire but does not thrive in the air is the salamander. How do we know this? When glass blowers are about to fashion glass objects, they stoke their furnace for seven days and seven nights. When the fire becomes extremely hot, a creature similar to a lizard that is called a salamander comes out. If a man should smear his hand or any part of his body with its blood, fire will not affect that place, for the animal is created in fire. From this fact our sages taught that the fire of Gehenna does not affect the scholar, (deriving this) a fortiori from a salamander. For if the blood of a salamander, which is merely created in fire, can make a man’s body immune to fire, how much more so would the scholar, who observes the law, which is a fiery law, given by One who is a consuming fire, and of whose teacher (is said): The house of Jacob shall be a fire (Obad. 18), be immune from the fire of Gehenna. Hence it is said: How great are Thy works, O Lord! Thy thoughts are very deep (Ps. 92:6).", "What is meant by Thy thoughts are very deep? R. Yohanan said: This alludes to the deep thoughts You shared with Abraham (at the covenant) between the pieces (of the covenanat offering) when You said to him: Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger (Gen. 15:13). However, R. Judah the son of Shalum said: Deep thoughts indicates that though they were to become strangers and an alien people, dwellers in a land not their own, where they would be kept in bondage for four hundred years, and would be forced to descend from the prisoner’s block with bands about their neck, He did not do that. He contrived a way for them to descend in dignity. He accomplished this through subterfuge. He made Jacob love Joseph so much that his brothers hated him. As a consequence they sold him to the Ishmaelites, who brought him to Egypt. Then Jacob and his sons descended because of him, as it is said: And Joseph was brought down into Egypt." ], [ "And Joseph was brought down into Egypt (Gen. 39:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Come and see the works of God; he acts circuitously in His doings toward the children of man (Ps. 66:5). R. Joshua the son of Karha declared: Even the fearful experiences You inflicted upon us, You brought about circuitously. For example, when the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, He fashioned the angel of death on the first day. Whence do we know that? R. Berechiah said: We know it from the verse And darkness was on the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2). Darkness refers to the angel of death, for he darkens the face of man.", "Adam was created on the sixth day, and He informed him in a roundabout way that He had brought death into the world, as it is said: For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die (Gen. 2:12). To what may this be compared? It may be compared to a man who wished to divorce his wife. Before he enters his home, he writes out the divorce document and then enters the house with the divorce document in his hand. He then seeks a circuitous way to hand it to her. He says to her: “Give me some water that I may drink.” She does so, and when he takes the glass from her hand, he tells her: “Here is your divorce.” She asks: “What sin have I committed?” “Leave my house,” he retorts, “you have served me a warm drink.” “Apparently you already knew,” she replies, “that I would serve you a warm drink when you prepared the bill of divorce you brought with you.” And that is what Adam told the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, two thousand years before You created the world, You had the Torah as an artisan, as it is written: Then was I by Him, as an artisan; and I was day by day all delight (Prov. 8:30). (The repetition of the word day indicates) that two thousand years7A thousand years in Thy sight are but as yesterday (Ps. 90:4). (had passed since He wrote the Torah). Within it is written: This is the law; that a man dieth in his tent (Num. 19:14). If You had not previously decreed death for mankind, You would not have so stated in it (the Torah). The fact is, You introduced the threat of death against me in a roundabout way. Hence He acts circuitously in His doings toward the children of men (Ps. 66:5).", "You find the Holy One, blessed be He, likewise said to Moses: Surely there shall not one of these men, even this evil generation, see the good land (Deut. 1:35). The word man alludes to Moses, as it is written: The man Moses was very meek (Num. 12:13). He was the man who was set apart from the other men (because he alone saw the Promised Land from afar). Similarly You said: And the man was an old man in the days of Saul, stricken in years among men (I Sam 17:12). And elsewhere it is stated: Now thou shalt see what I will do to Pharaoh (Exod. 6:1); that is, you will see the war that will be waged against Pharaoh, but you will not witness the wars against the thirty-one kings (after Israel enters the land). After Moses rebuked the people, saying: Hear now, ye rebels (Num. 20:10), the Holy One, blessed be He, informed him: Therefore ye shall not bring this assembly into the land (ibid., v. 12). Hence He acts circuitously in His doings toward the son of man (Ps. 66:5).", "Similarly, Scripture states with reference to Joseph: And when his brethren saw that his father loved him … they hated him (Gen. 37:4). It was because of the cloak of many colors he had made for him out of (royal) purple wool. Four misfortunes are mentioned as befalling him. They are indicated by the letters of the word passim (“cloak”). The peh alludes to his sale to Potiphar; the samekh to his sale to the merchants (sohrim); the yod to his sale to the Ishmaelites (yishma’elim); and the mem to his sale to the Midianites. Because of the cloak of many colors, all the tribes were compelled to descend to Egypt. R. Yudan declared: The Holy One, blessed be He, desired to fulfill the decree Ye shall surely know that thy seed shall be a stranger (Gen. 15:13), but He resorted to subterfuge in every instance to accomplish it. He made Jacob love Joseph, so that his brothers hated him, and as a result they sold him to the Ishmaelites, who brought him to Egypt. When Jacob heard that Joseph was alive in Egypt, he descended there with his descendants. Later they were enslaved there. Though it says: And Joseph was brought down to Egypt, the word should not be read as hurad (“brought down”) but as horid (“he caused”) his father and the tribes to descend to Egypt.", "R. Tanhuma said: To what may this be compared? To a cow upon whose neck they wish to place a yoke which she does not want and which she constantly casts off. What do they do? They move one of her calves to the place they wish the cow to plow. The calf starts to low, and the cow, upon hearing the lowing of her calf, goes to that place, though against her will, for the sake of her offspring. In the same way, when the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to fulfill the decree Ye shall surely know, He acted in a roundabout way in the entire matter. And they descended to Egypt to pay off the bill of debt (i.e., to fulfill the decree). Thus it is said: And Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Hence, He acts circuitously in His doing toward the children of man (Ps. 66:5)." ], [ "And it came to pass after these things (Gen. 40:1). May our master teach us which men are counted among the most faithful. Thus did our master teach us: There are three men who are considered most faithful. The householder who sets aside the proper amount for his tithe and is never suspected of neglecting to pay either the terumah or the tithe. No one is more faithful than he. The poor man who is entrusted with a deposit and is not suspected of withholding the deposit. No one is more faithful than he. And the bachelor who lives in a red-light district and does not sin. No one is more faithful than he. You find that no one was more faithful than Joseph, who, though only a lad of seventeen years, lived among Egyptians, concerning whom it is written: Whose flesh is as the flesh of asses (Ezek. 23:20). He was never suspected of immorality. What is more, the mistress of the house in which he lived endeavored every day to entice him by her comments and by changing her clothes three times a day. The clothes she put on in the morning, she would not wear in the afternoon, and those she wore in the afternoon she would not wear in the evening. Why did she do this? So that he should notice her.", "Our sages inform us that on one occasion Potiphar’s wife assembled a number of Egyptian women so that they might see how very handsome Joseph was. But before she summoned Joseph she gave each of them an ethrog and a knife. When they saw Joseph’s handsome countenance, they cut their hands. She said to them: “If this can happen to you, who see him only once, how much more so does it happen to me, who must look at him constantly.” Each day she strove to entice him with words, but he suppressed his evil inclination. Whence do we know this? From what we read in the section: His master’s wife cast her eyes upon him (Gen. 39:7)." ], [ "And it came to pass after these things (Gen. 40:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands; whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her (Eccles. 7:26). R. Judah the son of Shalum said: Nothing is more troublesome to a man than a woman. A proof of this is the incident of the golden calf. It is written concerning that event: When the golden calf was erected, there fell of the people that day about three thousand men (Exod. 32:28), while because of a single woman twenty-four thousand perished at Shittim.8Twenty-four thousand of the tribe of Simeon died at Shittim because Zimri had sexual relations with Cozbi, the daughter of the Moabite king, Balak. See Num. 25:1–9, 14–15) Therefore Scripture says: I find more bitter than death the woman (Eccles. 7:26). What is meant by her hands as bands? If it had not been written about woman that her hands as bands, she would grasp men in the marketplace.", "Observe that when the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to fashion Eve, He gave considerable thought to the parts of Adam’s body out of which He would create her. He said: If I create her out of a portion of his head, she will be haughty; if I fashion her from his eyes, she will be inquisitive; if I mold her out of his mouth, she will babble; from the ear, she will be an eavesdropper; from the hands, she will steal; and from the feet, she will be a gadabout. What did He do? He fashioned her out of one of Adam’s ribs, a chaste portion of the body, so that she would stay modestly at home, as it is said: And the rib which the Lord had taken (Gen. 2:22). Nevertheless, women do not lack any of these failings. He did not create her from the head of Adam lest she be haughty, nevertheless the daughters of Zion arose and were haughty, as is said: Moreover, the Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty (Isa. 3:16). He did not fashion her from his eyes lest she be inquisitive, yet Eve was inquisitive, as it is said: And the woman saw that the tree was good (Gen. 3:6). He did not mold her from his mouth lest she babble, but Leah came and babbled, as it is written: And she said unto her: “Is it a small matter that thou hast taken away my husband?” (Gen. 30:15), and it states elsewhere: And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses (Num. 12:1). He did not create her from the ear, lest she eavesdrop, yet Sarah did eavesdrop, as is said: And Sarah heard in the tent door (Gen. 18:10); He did not fashion her out of his hand, lest she steal, nevertheless Rachel stole the teraphim, as it is said: And Rachel stole (ibid. 31:19); He did not create her from the foot, lest she be a gadabout, but Leah came and was a gadabout, as is said: And Leah went out (ibid. 30:16), and similarly Dinah went out (ibid. 34:1).", "R. Judah the son of Shalum declared: If we are able to say this about righteous women in Israel, surely there is no need to comment upon other women. Observe what is written with reference to immodest women of the nations that served idols: And she caught him by his garments, saying: “Lie with me” (ibid. 39:12). Whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her (Eccles. 7:26) alludes to Joseph, and the sinners shall be taken by her refers to Zimri, who was taken by her at Shittim.", "His master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph (Gen. 38:7). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to totter (Ps. 69:24). You find that the righteous are exalted through their eyes, as it is said: And Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place (Gen. 22:4); Abraham lifted his eyes and he saw, and behold, it was a ram (ibid., v. 13): and also: Abraham lifted his eyes, and looked, and lo, three men stood over against him (ibid. 18:2); Isaac lifted up his eyes, as is said: And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at eventide; and he lifted up his eyes (ibid. 24:63); and with regard to Jacob it likewise says: Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau came (ibid. 33:1). Wicked men, however, are degraded through their eyes, as it is said: And Lot lifted up his eyes and beheld all the plain of the Jordan (ibid. 13:10). This refers to Sodom, which had been previously selected by Abraham, but to which Lot went, and where he behaved as they did. That is why his name was Lot. For Lot means accursed (lut), and that is what happened to him. And Balak the son of Zippor saw (Num. 22:2), and he was also degraded through his eyes. You may explain every instance in which a wicked man saw in the same way." ], [ "His master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph (Gen. 38:7). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that indulge it shall eat the fruit thereof (Prov. 18:21). R. Hiyya the son of Abba declared: If a man should eat from a basket of figs without offering a blessing, death is in the power of the tongue, but if he should pronounce the blessing and then eat it, life is in the power of the tongue. All of the trials that befell Joseph occurred because of the evil he spoke against his brothers, as it is said: And Joseph brought evil report of them unto his father (Gen. 37:20).", "What did he tell Jacob? Our rabbis maintain that he told his father: They treat the children of Bilhah and Zilpah as though they were servants. They call them servants, but I act toward them as one does to a brother, as it is said: Even with the sons of Bilhah and with the sons of Zilpah (ibid., v. 2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Be assured you will be punished with the very word you have spoken, as it is said: And Joseph was sold for a servant (Ps. 105:17).", "R. Judah held that he told his father: My brothers eat the limbs of living animals. However, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Even in the hour of their deepest degradation, they will not do that. They will slaughter their animals according to the rules of ritual slaughter, as is said: And they slaughtered the he-goat and dipped the coat (Gen. 37:31).", "R. Yosé maintained that he told his father: They looked covetously at the native woman. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Be assured you will suffer from this very thing. You master’s wife will look covetously at you, as it is said: His master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph." ], [ "But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife (Gen. 39:8). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord (Jer. 17:7). You find that while Joseph dwelt in his master’s home, the Lord was with Joseph, and he prospered, and his master saw that the Lord was with him (Gen. 39:2–3). How did the wicked Potiphar recognize, then, that the Holy One, blessed be He, was with him? In what way was the Lord with him? The name of the Holy One, blessed be He, never left Joseph’s lips. When Joseph entered to serve him, he would whisper to himself: “Master of the Universe, you are the One in whom I trust; you are the One who is my protector, may I find grace, kindness, and mercy in your sight, and in the sight of all who see me, and in the eyes of my master, Potiphar.” Thereupon Potiphar asked him: “What are you whispering about? Perhaps you are trying to weave a spell over me?” “No,” he replied, “I am praying that I may find favor in your sight.” Hence it is written: And his master saw that the Lord was with him.", "What is indicated by the words And the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hands (Gen. 39:3)? While he was pouring spiced wine for his master, his master would ask: “What kind of wine are you giving me?” If he replied: “Spiced wine,” his master would say: “I prefer absinthe wine,” and it would change into absinthe wine. If his master demanded an ordinary wine, it would immediately become plain wine, and if he asked for boiled wine, it would turn into boiled wine. The same thing happened with water and with everything else that he did, as it is said: And the Lord made all that he did to prosper.", "When his master became aware of this, he entrusted him with the keys of the household, and concerned himself no longer with any household matters, as is said: Behold, my master, having me, knoweth not what is in the house (ibid., v. 8). As soon as he realized his own importance, he began to eat, drink, and curl his hair, and say: “Blessed be the Omnipotent One who has caused me to forget my father’s house.” Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him, saying: Your father mourns for you in sackcloth and ashes, but you eat and drink and curl your hair; therefore, your mistress will impose herself on you and will torment you. Hence it is written: His master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph (ibid., v. 7).But he refused (ibid., v. 8).", "Why did he refuse her? R. Judah the son of R. Shalum declared: He beheld his father’s image, which said to him: “Joseph, the names of your brothers will be inscribed on the stones of the ephod, do you wish yours to be the only one omitted, because of your sinful conduct?” Therefore he refused. And said unto his master’s wife: “Behold my master” (ibid.); that is to say, he said to her: “Behold, you have your husband, are not all men alike? He is not greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife…. shall I sin against Goḍ? (ibid., v. 9). I swear before God that I shall not commit this great evil.”", "And it came to pass, as she spoke to Joseph day by day (ibid., v. 10). R. Judah the son of R. Shalum declared: The words day by day indicate that she spoke to him throughout twelve months, as is said: From day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month (Est. 3:7). Whenever she approached to speak to him, he would bend his head in order not to look at her. What did she do then? R. Huna the son of Idi stated: She placed an (iron) spit under his beard so that whenever he bent his head the bar would strike him, as is said: His feet they hurt with fetters, his person was laid in iron (Ps. 105:18). Nevertheless, He would not listen to her.", "“Why will you not listen to me?” she pleaded. “Since I am the wife of another man, no one will know that there is anything between us.” He replied: “Your virgins are forbidden to us, how much more so is the wife of a man,” as it is said: Neither shall thou make marriages with them (Deut. 7:3). That is why he would not listen to her. R. Judah the son of Nahman explained: This may be compared to an idolater who tells an Israelite: “I have some delicious food for you.” “What kind of food do you have?” he asks. “The meat of a pig,” he replies. Whereupon the Israelite retorts: “You fool! If the flesh of a pure animal that you kill is forbidden to us, how much more so is the flesh of a pig.” Similarly, Joseph told her: “If your virgins are forbidden to us, how much more so another man’s wife.” He harkened not to her, to lie by her, or to be with her (Gen. 39:10). To lie by her signifies in this world, and to be with her refers to Gehenna. From the fact that Scripture states to be with her, you learn that anyone who has relations with an idolatrous woman becomes chained to her like a dog. Others conclude from this verse” The paths of their way do wind, they go up into the waste, and are lost (Job 6:18), for she clings to him and will lead him to the netherworld." ], [ "And it came to pass on a certain day, when he went into the house to do his work (Gen. 39:11). Our sages disagreed over the meaning of this verse. Some held that he went into the house to gratify his sexual desires, but that when he attempted to have intercourse with her, he found that he could not do so, as is said: And there was not a man (ibid.). Others assert that he went into the house to perform his household duties.", "R. Judah maintained: A fete in honor of the Nile was being held on that day, and all the people had journeyed to the river; only she and he remained at home. She grasped his clothing and pulled him into the bed. He desired to have intercourse with her, but found that he could not do so because he beheld his father’s image before him. He threw himself to the ground and dug his ten fingers into the earth. Why did he do that? Because of the verse By the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (ibid. 49:24); the Torah speaks euphemistically. Immediately thereafter He fled, and got him out (ibid. 39:12).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You fled, therefore be assured: The sea will flee before your coffin, as it is said: The sea saw it and fled (Ps. 114:3).", "When she realized that he would not pay any attention to her, she began to complain against him to her husband, as it is said: The Hebrew servant, whom thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me (Gen. 39:17). Thereupon Joseph’s master seized him and imprisoned him for twelve years.", "Our sages contend that after his master heard her accusations against him, he wanted to kill him, for it is said: His wrath was kindled (ibid., v. 19). In this instance it is written: His wrath was kindled, and elsewhere it is stated: My wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you (Exod. 22:23). However, she told her husband: “Do not waste your money, let him remain in prison unto you are able to sell him and recover your investment.” She suggested this in the hope that he would someday be reconciled to her. Each day she visited Joseph and implored him: “Comply with my request.” And he would respond: “I have taken an oath.” Then she would say: “I will blind thee,” and he would answer” The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind (Ps. 146:8). “You will remain in chains until the day of your death,” she would shout, and he would retort” The Lord looseth the prisoners (ibid.). “Then I will exile thee among people in a distant land,” she exclaimed, and he would reply: The Lord preserveth the strangers (ibid.).", "Since he was sentenced to remain in prison for ten years, why were two additional years added? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You abandoned your trust in Me and placed your trust in the chief butler, whom you implored twice to remember you: That thou wouldst remember me and make mention of me unto Pharaoh (Gen. 40:14). Therefore, you shall be forgotten in prison for two additional years. Thus it is written: And it came to pass at the end of two years (ibid. 41:1), that is, two years after the butler had departed from prison.", "R. Joshua the son of Levi declared: Observe that the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, are not like the ways of man. A man cuts himself with a knife and heals himself with plaster, but the Holy One, blessed be He, heals with the very thing with which he wounds, as is said: For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds (Jer. 30:17). Joseph was sold because of a dream, as is said: Behold the dreamer cometh … come, let us go and sell him to the Ishmaelites (Gen. 37:27), and he governed because of a dream, as is said: And it came to pass at the end of two full years that Pharaoh dreamed (Gen. 41:1)." ] ], "Miketz": [ [ "And it came to pass at the end of two full years (Gen. 41:1). May it please our master to teach us the blessing one should offer on experiencing rainfall when mankind is in dire need of water. Our masters teach us: One should say upon seeing rain, “Blessed be He who is good and does good.” Where does the rain descend from? R. Eliezer answered as follows: The entire world consumes the waters of the ocean. Whereupon R. Joshua remarked: Is not the ocean water salty? Indeed it is, he replied, but it is sweetened by the clouds in the firmament. R. Simeon the son of Lakish said: Why are the clouds called sh’hakim? Because they grind (sh’hukim) the water (into raindrops) and sweeten it before they descend. The amount of rain that will fall is predetermined, for the Holy One, blessed be He, prescribes the amount of rain that is to fall between Rosh Hashanah and the end of the year.1The amount of rainfall is determined on the last day of Sukkot. See Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 5:283. R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: When Israel is worthy, the rain falls upon the plants, the trees, (and) the seeds, and all mankind is blessed, but when it transgresses, the rain descends into the ocean and rivers. The predetermined amount of rainfall, however, is never reduced, because every promise spoken by the Holy One, blessed be He, is fulfilled in its entirety.", "He set a limit for the sun, as it is said: His going forth is from the end of the heaven (Ps. 19:7). He determined the extent of the heavens, as it is said: From one end of the heavens unto the other (Deut. 4:32). He determined the extent of the earth, as it is said: Creator of the ends of the earth (Isa. 40:28). He fixed the time for the exodus from Egypt, as it is said: And it came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years (Exod. 12:41). He set a limit to darkness, as is said: Man setteth an end to darkness and searcheth out to the furthest bound (Job 28:3). And He likewise determined the length of Joseph’s imprisonment, as it is said: And it came to pass at the end of two full years." ], [ "And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine … and it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled (Gen. 41:2–8). In this verse the word “troubled” is written vatipa’em, and in the verse relating to Nebuchadnezzar, And Nebuchadnezzar was troubled (Dan. 2:1), it is written vattitpa’em. Pharaoh recalled his dream, but did not know its explanation, and therefore was troubled only once. Nebuchadnezzar, however, forgot the dream and its explanation, and therefore was troubled twice.2The use of the hithpael form of the word “troubled” in the quotation about Nebuchadnezzar contains a doubled tav, thus indicating two troubles, while the niphal form in the verse about Pharaoh contains one tav, signifying one trouble. That is why it is written about Him: Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams (ibid.). R. Yannai said: He actually had two dreams; one related to an image and the other to a tree. Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers (ibid., v. 2). Written without the tav, the magicians are those who inquire of the bones of the dead; the astrologers are those who examine the planetary constellations (for their answer). This is so because the root of the word asafim (astrologers”) means “to compel,” as it is said: Hear this, O ye that would oppress the needy (hashe’afim) (Amos 8:4); and the sorcerers are those who diminish the power of the heavenly and earthly courts.", "To tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. And the king said unto them: “I have dreamed a dream …” Then spoke the Chaldeans to the king in Aramaic: “O king, live forever! Tell thy servants the dream, and we will declare the interpretation” (Dan. 1:2–4). Nebuchadnezzar replied: I am aware that if I should describe my dream to you, you might interpret it inaccurately, and still insist that it is the correct explanation; therefore I say to you: Only tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can reveal unto me the interpretation thereof (ibid., v. 9).", "They answered a second time, saying: “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will declare the interpretation” (ibid., v. 7). “I have ordered you,” he replied, “to relate the dream to me, and now you say to me: ‘Tell us.’ Do you believe that you are going to be permitted to chatter the time away until the noon hour and then depart unscathed? If ye make not known unto me the dream, there is but one law for you; and ye have agreed together to speak before me lying and corrupt words, till the time be changed; only tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can declare unto me the interpretation thereof.” The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said: “There is not a man upon the earth that can declare the king’s matter; forasmuch as no great and powerful king hath asked such a thing of any magician, or enchanter, or Chaldean. And it is a hard thing that the king asketh, and there is none other that can declare it (ibid., vv. 9–11). This verse indicates that the gift of prophecy is required for the interpretation of dreams, since the word hard (yakirah) is an expression that is employed with reference to prophecy, as it is said: And the word of the Lord was hard (yakar) in those days: there was no frequent vision (I Sam. 3:1).", "And there is none other (aharan) (Dan. 2:11). It should have been written “there is no Aaron” (aharon). While the Temple stood, a man could go to one of Aaron’s descendants to consult the Urim and Thummin for answers to their questions, but now there is no Temple and no Urim and Thummin to consult.", "Nebuchadnezzar retorted: “Obviously, the Temple must have been an extraordinary edifice, yet you advised me to destroy it.” He became infuriated with them and declared: “Let all the wise men of Babylon be eliminated.” So the decree went forth, and the wise men were to be slain; and they sought Daniel and his companions to be slain (ibid., v. 13). Daniel said to Arioch: “Wherefore is the decree so peremptory from the king?” Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel (ibid., v. 16). Then Arioch immediately brought Daniel before the king and said unto him: I have found a man of the children of the captivity of Judah that will make known unto the king the interpretation (ibid., v. 25). The king asked: “Are you Daniel?” He did not say this because he failed to recognize him, but in order to inquire of him: Are you able to tell me the dream and its interpretation? (ibid., v. 26). Daniel answered: “Yes.” “When will you do so?” the king asked. And Daniel replied: “I ask not for thirty or twenty days, allow me only this night and morning, and then I will reveal the dream to you.”", "Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions (ibid., v. 17). Why? So that they might pray with him, as it is said: That they might ask mercy of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his companions should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a vision if the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven (ibid., vv. 18–19). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: “Prophecy is restricted in this world to certain chosen ones, but in the world-to-come the gift of prophecy will be possessed by all men,” as is said: And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams; your young men shall see visions (Joel 3:1)." ], [ "And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine (Gen. 41:2) After he (Pharaoh) had his dream, he summoned all his magicians. Whereupon the Holy Spirit called out: Where are they, then, thy wise men? (Isa. 19:12). Since they were unable to interpret the dream, the cup-bearer came forward and said: I make mention of my faults this day … And there was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain (Gen. 41:9–12). Accursed are the wicked, for even the good they do is accompanied by evil. For he said a young man, as though describing a callow youth without understanding; a Hebrew, as if to suggest that he was different from them; and a slave, an expression of contempt. Furthermore, it is written in Pharaoh”s constitution that a slave was not permitted to rule over them.", "When Pharaoh heard this: Pharaoh sent and called Joseph (ibid., v. 13). R. Joshua the son of Levi said: Out of adversity comes tranquility; out of darkness, light; and out of the degradation of the righteous, their exaltation. Hence Scripture states: If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast planned devices, lay thy hand upon thy mouth (Prov. 30:2).", "Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were ultimately exalted as a consequence of their humiliation: Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, and their robes, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace (Dan. 3:21), but later they were exalted, as is said: Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon (ibid., v. 30). Daniel was hurled into the den of lions, and then was exalted: So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Cyrus the Persian (ibid. 6:29). It is written concerning Mordecai: And he put on sackcloth and ashes (Est. 4:1), but later Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel (ibid. 8:5). About Joseph it is said: His feet they hurt with fetters, his person was laid in iron (Ps. 105:18), but he too was exalted; and Joseph became ruler over the land.", "And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: I have dreamed a dream, etc. Joseph replied: “God will give Pharaoh an answer” (Gen. 41:15–16). Because He ascribed greatness to Him who possessed greatness, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Since you did not seek to exalt yourself, be assured you will be elevated to greatness and leadership by Me.", "And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: “I have dreamed a dream (ibid.). As he was about to relate the dream to him, he decided to test Joseph by altering the dream slightly. He said: “Seven kine went up out of the Nile, fat and well-formed,” whereupon Joseph replied: “That is not so, you saw fat and healthy kine.” “And there were,” he said to him, “seven lean and ill-favored kine.” And Joseph replied: “You did not see this but rather ugly-appearing and thin-fleshed kine.” “And there were seven full and good ears of corn,” he continued. Whereupon Joseph answered: “That too is not so, you saw fat and good ones.” “There were seven shrunken ears of corn,” he added. And Joseph responded: “That is not so, you beheld seven ears of corn, withered thin and blistered by the east wind.” Pharaoh began to wonder about this. He said to him: “You must have been behind me when I had my dream,” as it is said: For inasmuch as God hath shown thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou (ibid. v. 39).", "He was the one his father had blessed with the words: Joseph is a fruitful vine (ibid. 49:22). You should not read this as porat (“a fruitful vine”), but as parot (“kine”). Thereupon Pharaoh told him: Thou shalt be over my house (ibid. 41:40).", "Our sages interpreted the verse Instead of thy fathers shall be thy sons (Ps. 45:17) to mean that everything that occurred to Jacob likewise happened to Joseph. Jacob was born circumcised, and so too was Joseph, as is said: These are the generations of Jacob, Joseph (Gen. 37:2). The former was called The son of my firstborn, Israel (Exod. 4:22), and the latter was spoken of as the firstborn was Joseph’s (I Chron. 5:2). The former was exiled to Haran, and the latter to Egypt. Jacob was exalted through a dream, as it is said: And He dreamed, and behold, a ladder set upon the earth (Gen. 38:22). Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream. R. Simeon the son of Gamliel said: Joseph was rewarded for his actions, for his mouth did not kiss in sin. Thus, according to thy mouth shall all my people be ruled (ibid. 41:40)." ], [ "Now Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt (Gen. 42:1). May it please our master to teach us the number of days during which a mourner is forbidden to work. Thus did our master teach us: A mourner is forbidden to work during the seven days following the burial. However, if he is an extremely poor man, he may return to his labors after the third day to obtain sustenance for himself and the members of his household.", "Why is one permitted to return to work after three days? R. Kahana said: After three days, the flesh becomes putrid, the countenance changes, and the soul pleads for itself, as is said: But his flesh grieveth for him, and his soul mourneth over him (Job 14:22).", "Observe that though the law permits a mourner to return to his work and be comforted after three days, our patriarch Jacob refused to be comforted over the loss of Joseph, as is written: And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted (Gen. 37:35). Why was that? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, concealed the fact of Joseph’s survival in order to fulfill the decree Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger (Gen. 15:13). If that had not been so, would not Isaac his father, a prophet, who was still alive and aware that Joseph still lived have disclosed it to him? He had said to himself: If the Holy One, blessed be He, concealed it from him, shall I tell him? When the prophetic spirit bubbled up in Jacob, the tribes were wandering about the marketplace, neither understanding nor hearing what was transpiring there, while Jacob our patriarch, sitting at home, knew what was happening in Egypt, as it is said: And now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt." ], [ "Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt (Gen. 42:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Happy is He whose help is the God of Jacob (Ps. 146:5). Why does this verse say the God of Jacob and not “the God of Abraham” or “the God of Isaac”? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, stood at the side of Jacob but not at the side of either Abraham or Isaac, as is said: And, behold, the Lord stood beside him (Gen. 28:13).", "R. Simeon explained: A king never stands in his field while it is being sowed or plowed or hoed, he does so only while the grain is being stacked. Abraham hoed, as it is said: Arise, walk through the land (ibid. 13:17), and Isaac sowed, as it is said: And Isaac sowed in the land (ibid. 26:12). The King did not stand beside anyone until Jacob came, for he stacked the first fruits, as it is said: Israel is the Lord’s hallowed portion, and the first fruits of the increase (Jer. 2:3). Then the Holy One, blessed be He, stood beside him (Gen. 28:13). Therefore, Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God (Ps. 146:5). Resh Lakish declared: Whose hope is in the Lord his God refers to Joseph, who was the hope of the world while dwelling in Egypt. The Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to Jacob that his hope was in Egypt, as it is said: Now Jacob saw that there was hope in Egypt (reading sever, “hope,” for shever, “grain”)." ], [ "Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt (Gen. 42:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread (Ps. 37:25). R. Samuel the son of Nahman said: This verse was spoken by the Prince of the Universe.3God appointed Enoch the prince of angels. See Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 1:129. I have been young: from the time of Adam; Now am old: until the days of the Messiah; yet have I not seen indicates that there is no time in which the Holy One, blessed be He, permits the world to be without righteous ones. In fact righteous men appear in every generation, as R. Tanhuma explained in the name of R. Aha: The world never lacks thirty men as righteous as Abraham, as it is said: And Abraham shall surely become a great nation (Gen. 18:18). The numerical value of the Hebrew letters of the word shall become (yihyeh) adds up to thirty.", "Another comment on I have been young, and now am old. This verse suggests that the Holy One, blessed be He, will never abandon the righteous during a time of famine, neither they nor their descendants. In fact, when a disaster envelops the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, decrees how they will survive. You find this to be so in the case of Elijah, whom He told how to survive, as it is said: Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Sidon, and dwell there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain thee (I Kings 17:9). Similarly you find: Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there (ibid., vv. 3–4). And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine (Gen. 26:1); and there was a famine in the land; and Abraham descended (ibid. 12:10). Similarly, when the famine came upon Jacob, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to him that Joseph would feed him in Egypt, as it is said: And Joseph fed his father and his brothers (Gen. 47:12). Hence, Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt.", "What is written before this verse in Scripture? And all the countries came into Egypt to Joseph to buy corn (ibid. 41:57). They did so because he had devoted himself to accumulating corn, as is said: And Joseph laid up corn … during the seven years of plenty. And the seven years of famine began to come, according as Joseph had said (Gen. 41:49–53).", "What does according as Joseph had said mean? R. Judah the son of Shalum explained: Apparently, fourteen years of famine were first destined to come to the world, for Joseph had said seven poor cows and ill-favored, signifying seven years, and seven withered, thin ears of corn, signifying an additional seven years. This totaled fourteen years in all. However, Joseph decreed that it was to last only seven years, as it is said: There shall be seven years of famine (ibid., v. 27). Hence it is written: According as Joseph had said.", "As soon as Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he said to his sons: Get you down thither, and buy for us from them, etc. And Joseph’s ten brethren went down (ibid. 42:2–3). Why did all ten go? Because in that number resides the power to set aside retribution.4Because ten comprise a minyan and so they could beseech God as a congregation. For example, when the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to destroy Sodom, our patriarch Abraham pleaded for heavenly mercy in their behalf. He spoke first of fifty men, but finally reduced the number to ten, as it is said: Peradventure ten shall be found there (ibid. 18:31). Ten men also comprise a congregation, as is said: How long shall I bear with this evil congregation (Num. 14:27), and God standeth in the congregation of God (Ps. 82:1). Hence Scripture states: Joseph’s ten brethren went down (Gen. 42:3). Just as in the case of Sodom, Scripture speaks here of ten. And the sons of Israel came to buy among those that came (Gen. 42:5), in order that no one would recognize them. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Because you have said: We shall see what will become of his dreams (ibid. 37:20), his dream was fulfilled. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but they did not recognize him, for they had felt no compassion for him, while Joseph recognized them because he pitied them." ], [ "Now Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt (Gen. 42:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him; but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it (Prov. 11:26). He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him refers to Pharaoh, whom the people cursed for hiding the corn during the years of famine. Blessings shall be upon the head of him that selleth it alludes to Joseph, who fed the people during the years of famine. David said concerning him: Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, Thou leadest Joseph like a flock; Thou that art enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth (Ps. 80:1). When a famine occurred during the lifetime of David, he pleaded to the Holy One, blessed be He, for mercy, saying: “Master of the Universe, tend your flock as did Joseph, who fed the world through years of famine.”", "When the famine grew more serious in Egypt, the Egyptians assembled, and went to Joseph crying: “Give us bread!” He replied: “My God does not feed the uncircumcised; go circumcise yourselves and I will give you bread.” Whereupon they went to Pharaoh, crying and wailing, as it is said: When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians: “Go unto Joseph” (Gen. 41:55). They replied: “We have gone to Joseph, and he told us to do a ridiculous thing. He said: ‘Go circumcise yourselves.’” “You fools,” he retorted, “did I not advise you at the very outset to serve him and to accumulate grain for yourselves at the same time? Did he not warn you repeatedly, through the years of plenty, that the famine was coming? Since you have neglected your own welfare, why do you complain to me? Why did you not store up grain in your homes during the past two or three or four years?” “All the grain we had in our homes,” they replied, “has rotted away.” “Have you no flour left even from yesterday?” he asked. “Even the bread in our baskets has become moldy,” they answered. Thereupon he told them: Go unto Joseph: what he saieth to you, do (ibid.). “If he is able to decree that our grain should rot and it does rot, we may well fear that if he should decree that we die, we will all die.” Hence, what he saith to you, do. And the famine was over all the face of the earth (ibid., v. 56). Surely it would have been sufficient for Scripture to say “upon the earth”; why does it say over all the face of the earth? R. Samuel declared: This teaches us that the famine began among the wealthy, since the phrase the face of the earth alludes to the wealthy.5In midrashic usage, the word panim (“face”) is a designation of wealth. Thus it says: He that withholdeth corn." ], [ "Jacob said unto his sons: “Why do ye look one upon another?” (Gen. 42:1). Jacob told his sons: Since you are strong and handsome, do not enter through one gate, nor stand together in one place, lest the evil eye prevail over you.6A belief that an envious glance may affect one’s destiny. Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt. Get you down thither (ibid., v. 2). What is the meaning of the words get you down? He foresaw that they would go down and be enslaved there for two hundred and ten years, the numerical value of the letters of the word redu (“get you down”). The expression Get you down thither was employed because everyone who purchases grain in the marketplace degrades himself by doing so.7A sign of misfortune, since one’s own field should provide for one’s needs. And Joseph’s ten brethren went down (ibid., v. 3). Surely, the verse should read “Israel’s sons,” but it is written in this way because they did not treat him like a brother when they sold him. Later they began to regret their actions and promised each other: “When we descend to Egypt, we shall return our brother to our father.” When their father told them to go to Egypt, they all agreed to return with him.", "R. Judah the son of Simeon held that Joseph was aware that his brothers were descending to Egypt to obtain corn. What did he do? He stationed guards at each gate and ordered them to examine every person who entered to purchase food. They were to record his name, and the name of his father, and then to bring the list to him. They did as directed. When Jacob’s sons entered through different gates, their names and the name of their father were written down. At night, they (the guards) brought their lists to Joseph. One of the guards read the name of Reuben the son of Jacob, another read Simeon the son of Jacob, and still another read Levi; and so each gatekeeper read the name that was on his list. Thereupon Joseph ordered them to close all but one of the storehouses. He gave their names to the official in charge of the open storehouse, and commanded: “When these men come to you, seize them and bring them to me.” Three days passed by but still they did not appear. Then Joseph selected seventy powerful men from the king’s guard and sent them to the marketplace to seek them out. They searched for them until they found them in the district in which the harlots resided. Why did the brothers go to the district in which the harlots lived? They had said to each other: “Our brother Joseph is extremely well built and handsome, perhaps he is in a brothel.”8Not as a patron but as an inmate of a homosexual brothel. Then the guards seized the brothers and brought them to Joseph.", "And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange (Gen. 42:7). This verse tells us that he acted as a stranger toward them. He took his goblet, struck it, and said: “I see by this cup that ye are spies.” They replied: “We are upright men (ibid, v. 11), but our father advised us not to enter through one gate.” He retorted: “Then what business did you have in the street of harlots? Were you not afraid of being seen—did your father, then, command it?” “We have lost something,” they replied, “and we sought it there.” “What is this thing you have lost?” he demanded. “I see by this goblet that two of you destroyed the great city of Shechem.” “Which of us did so?” they asked. He smote the goblet once again and replied: “Their names were Simeon and Levi.” They began to tremble and to cry out: We, thy servants, are twelve brothers (ibid., v. 13). “Where are the other two?” he inquired. “The youngest is with our father, but we do not know the whereabouts of the other.” He said to them: “Bring the youngest to me so that your words may be confirmed.” He seized Simeon and bound him before their eyes, and then said to them: “This one will remain bound up until you bring your brother to me to prove your statements.” After they departed, he released him, fed him, and gave him drink.", "Then Joseph commanded to fill their vessels with corn (Gen. 42:25). Upon their return to their father they related everything that had transpired. When their father asked: “Where is your brother Simeon?” They answered: “The man who rules that land is holding him captive until we bring our youngest brother to him.” Whereupon Jacob, their father, exclaimed: “Me have ye bereaved …Joseph is not, and Simeon is not.” … And Reuben spoke unto his father, saying: “Thou shalt slay my two sons” (ibid., vv. 36–37). “Fool,” he retorted, “are not your children, my children?” Then Judah told his brothers: “Let us not disturb the old man until all the bread is gone,” as it is said: And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn (ibid. 43:2). Thereupon Judah said: “Father, if Benjamin accompanies us, it is not certain whether he will be held or not, but if he does not join us, we shall all surely perish. Is it better to avoid the doubtful than to succumb to the inevitable? I will be surety for him; of my hand thou shalt require him (ibid., v. 9).” He sent Benjamin with them and told them: Take of the choice fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present (ibid., v. 11). Hence it is written: Now Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt." ], [ "And God Almighty give you mercy before the man (Gen. 43:14). May it please our master to teach us the number of times a man must pray each day. Thus did our masters teach us: A man must not pray more than three times each day, as instituted by the patriarchs of the world. Abraham established the morning prayer, as it is said: And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord (Gen. 19:27). The word stood refers only to prayer, as is said: Then stood up Phinehas, and prayed (Ps. 106:30). Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as it is said: And Isaac went out to meditate in the field (Gen. 24:63). The word meditation is used with reference to prayer, as it is said: A prayer of the afflicted when he fainteth, and poureth out his meditation for the Lord (Ps. 102:1). Jacob introduced the evening prayer, as it is said: And he lighted upon the place (Gen. 28:11). The word vayifgah (“lighted upon”) alludes to prayer, as is said: Therefore, pray not thou … neither make intercession (tifga) (Jer. 7:16). And it is written concerning Daniel: And he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed (Dan. 6:11). However, in this verse, the time of prayer is not specified. It was David who came and set the time for prayer, by saying; Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain and moan, and He hath heard my voice (Ps. 55:18). Therefore a man may not pray more than three times a day.", "R. Yohanan declared: Would that men were permitted to spend the entire day at prayer. Antoninus asked our saintly Rabbi: “What if a man should pray every hour?” He replied: “That is forbidden.” “Why?” he queried. “So as not to act irreverently towards the Mighty One,” he responded. But Antoninus, however, would not accept this answer. What did our saintly Rabbi do? He arose early (the next day) and went to him and said: “O master, O ruler.” An hour later he visited him again, and said: “O emperor.” After another hour had passed, he called out: “Greetings, O king.” The king said to him: “Why do you ridicule the emperor?” And he replied: “Let your ears hear what your lips are saying. You are a mere mortal, and yet you say that the man who greets you every hour mocks you; how much more so, then, should the King of Kings, who is not a mere man, not be annoyed every hour.”", "R. Yosé the son of Halafta declared: There are times that are appropriate for prayer, as it is said: Let my prayer be unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time (Ps. 69:14). When is an acceptable time? When the congregation prays together.", "It is essential that a man rise early to pray, for there is nothing more powerful than prayer. A proof of this is that though at first it was decreed that Moses was not to enter or even see the Holy Land, yet because he prayed for a long time, it is written concerning him: The Lord showed him all the Land (Deut. 34:1). Similarly, because Hezekiah prayed, the decree against him was abrogated.9Hezekiah averted a decree of death for his failure to marry and beget children by reciting prayers (see II Kings 20:1–7, Isa. 38:1–8). And Jacob also prayed for his sons when he sent them to Egypt, as it is said:; And God Almighty give you mercy (Gen. 43:14)." ], [ "And God almighty give you mercy before the man (Gen. 43:14). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: For this let everyone that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found (Ps. 32:6). R. Abba maintained: In a time when Thou mayest be found refers to old age. It is essential that a man pray for an old age in which his eyes may see, his mouth may eat, and his feet may walk. Normally, when a man becomes old, his faculties leave him. For example, it is written about Isaac: And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see (Gen. 27:1). And concerning Jacob, Scripture states: Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see (Gen. 48:10). As to a mouth that could not eat, we find that Barzillai said to David: Can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear anymore the voice of singing men and singing women? Therefore, then, should thy servant be a burden unto my lord the king? (II Sam. 19:35).", "Another comment on In a time when Thou mayest be found. This refers to the time of death. R. Ishmael said: There are nine hundred and three different kinds of death, as it is said: And unto God the Lord belong the issues of death (Ps. 68:21). By Gematria the letters in the word totza’ah (“issue”) total nine hundred and three mathematically. The most painful death of all is to be choked, the most pleasant is the divine kiss of death.", "Another comment on In a time when Thou mayest be found. This suggests that a man should pray over the way his soul will leave his body. R. Ishmael said: There is nothing more painful than the soul leaving the body. How does it depart? R. Yohanan declared: The soul departs from the body like water gushing out of a canal. R. Hanina maintained: It is like a nail drawn out of the gullet. While Samuel said: The soul leaving the body is as painful as an inverted thorn tearing its way out of the throat. This, indeed, describes the pain experienced as the soul leaves the body.", "Another explanation of And God Almighty give you mercy. Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Will thy riches avail, that are without stint, or all the forces of thy strength? (Job 36:19). R. Eleazar said: Do not be so arrogant as to fail to pray at a time of well-being.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Just as I am obliged to cause rain and dew to descend, and plants to grow for mankind’s survival, so you are required to pray unto Me and to bless Me, the source of My benefactions to you. You must not assert: “I am prosperous, why should I pray now? But when troubles beset me, I will pray.” Even before trouble comes to you, anticipate its coming by praying. R. Eleazar said: It is written in the Book of Ben Sira: “Honor your physician even before you require his services.”", "What is meant by all the forces of thy strength? R. Yohanan maintained: It refers to the righteous ones who pray to the Almighty with all the power of their being. For example, our patriarch Jacob, even while Benjamin was still with him, anticipated trouble and prayed for him, as it is said: And God Almighty give you mercy.", "And God Almighty. What did Jacob foresee that he blessed him with the words God Almighty? These words indicate that numerous trials had befallen Jacob. While he was in his mother’s womb, Esau quarreled with him, as it is said: And the children struggled together within her (Gen. 25:22). And it says elsewhere: Because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever (Amos 1:11). Furthermore, he was forced to flee from Esau and live with Laban for twenty years, under the most trying conditions, as is said: Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me (Gen. 31:40). Later Laban pursued him in order to kill him, as it is stated: And he pursued after him seven days’ journey (ibid., v. 23). When he escaped from Laban, Esau approached him to kill him. Because of him, he was compelled to lose two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats.", "After he escaped from Esau, the trial of Dinah came upon him. He survived the anguish of Dinah’s experience only to suffer grief over (the death of) Rachel. After all these troubles had passed by, Jacob had hoped to enjoy a period of tranquility, only to experience the sorrow of Joseph. And so Scripture states: I was not at ease, neither was I quiet, neither had I rest; but trouble came (Job 3:26). This was followed by the sorrow he experienced over Simeon, and the anguish over Benjamin. Therefore he prayed unto God Almighty (El Shaddai), saying: “Let Him who hath said to heaven and earth dai (“enough”), say to my afflictions dai (“enough”).” When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the heavens and the earth, they continued to expand until the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them dai (“enough”). Therefore, it is written: God Almighty.", "When Joseph’s brothers came to him, He lifted up his eyes and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s son (Gen. 43:29). He was deeply moved, for he saw in him the image of his father.10Other sources say that he looked like his mother (Rachel), who was also Joseph’s mother. Thereupon he commanded the steward of his household: Fill the men”s sacks with food … and put my goblet, the silver goblet, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest (ibid. 44:1–2). As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away (ibid., v. 3). Joseph said to himself: “If I should permit them to depart during the night, no one will be able to overcome them, since they have been likened to beasts, as it is said: Judah is lion’s whelp (Deut. 33:22), Dan shall be a serpent in the way, a horned snake in the path (Gen. 49:17), and Naphtali is a hind let loose (ibid., v. 21).” After they had journeyed but a short distance from the city, Joseph said (to his steward): “If they go a great distance, no one will be able to overcome them, so arise, and pursue them while the fear of the city is still upon them. When you reach them, reprimand them harshly at first and then gently, saying” Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, etc. (ibid., v. 5).", "Then they rent their clothes (ibid., v. 13). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: You caused your father’s clothes to be torn for no reason at all,11Though Joseph was not dead, Jacob tore his clothes in mourning. so you too shall rend your clothes on account of Benjamin. Said R. Isaac: The brothers rent their clothes for Benjamin; therefore Mordecai, descended from them, will rend his clothes because of Israel, as it is said: Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes (Est. 4:1). And laded every man his ass (Gen. 44:13). Not one of them needed to help his companion. They arose, cudgeled Benjamin on his shoulders, and cried out: “O thief, son of a thief, you have disgraced us. You are, indeed, the son of your mother (Rachel), who likewise disgraced our father (by stealing Laban’s teraphim).” In reward for the blows struck upon his shoulders, the Shekhinah hovered between his shoulders, as it is said: He covereth him all the day, and dwelleth between his shoulders (Deut. 33:12)", "And Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house (Gen. 44:14). Why did they go to Joseph’s house? Did he not leave each day to preside at court? He had said to himself: “I will not disgrace my brothers before the Egyptians.” And they fell before him on the ground…. “Behold, we are my lord’s bondsmen” (ibid., v. 14–16). This fulfilled the verse And behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars bowed down to me (ibid. 37:9). Whereupon Joseph said to them: What deed is this that ye have done? Know ye not that such a man as I will indeed divine (ibid. 44:15). And he said to them also: “I will tell you why this youth stole it. He did so in order to divine through it and learn the whereabouts of his brother.” And Judah said: “What shall we say unto my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves?” (ibid., v. 16). What shall we say concerning the first pieces of silver (that were placed in their sacks by the steward)? How shall we speak concerning the second pieces of silver? How shall we clear ourselves in the matter of the cup? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants (ibid.). Do not read the phrase as matza (“found out”) but as motza (“revealed”).", "“Two brothers should never enter a drinking place together, yet we all find ourselves caught now in a single web, by reason of the sin we committed together.” He replied: “This brother was not with you when you sold Joseph.” They answered: “Everyone in the company of a thief is arrested with him.” He retorted: “If you were able to say to your father about your first brother, who did not steal and did not cause you distress, (that) ‘a wild beast has torn him apart,’ surely concerning this brother, who did steal and did cause you distress, you can go to your father and tell him that he has been torn apart. The rope follows after the water bucket.”12A common proverb: One falsehood leads to another.", "May we not logically conclude that if a disgraceful deed perpetrated against this righteous man could benefit all mankind, how much more so (would the world have been benefited) if the Holy One, blessed be He, had caused them to perform a meritorious deed?" ] ], "Vayigash": [ [ "Then Judah came near unto him (Gen. 44:18). May it please our master to teach us: Which guarantor is responsible for the repayment of a loan? Thus do our masters teach us: R. Simeon the son of Nanos answered the query: Which guarantor is responsible for the repayment of a loan? It is the one who says: “Lend him the money and I will repay you.” When he places it in the hand of the guarantor, he is the one who is liable.1The lender gave the money because of his confidence in the guarantor.", "Who was one such guarantor? Judah, for he said: Send the lad with me … I will be surety for him (Gen. 43:8–9). And he (Jacob) said: “My son shall not go down with you … if harm befall him by the way in which ye go (ibid. 42:38). From this verse, you may conclude that Satan brings charges against one who embarks on a journey.", "R. Yosé the son of Hanina declared: We have learned that women die in childbirth because of three transgressions they commit. But why in childbirth? Because Satan always brings charges against a person in a time of danger.2Highway travel and pregnancy were both considered dangerous, and Satan brings charges against a person when he endangers his life. See Tan. Noah 1, M. Shabbat 2:6.", "Benjamin descended with his brothers. After they had purchased the corn, Joseph commanded his steward to insert the goblet in his sack. When they had gone but a short way, he sent after them, and he said to them: “How could you do this evil deed? Whoever is found to have my goblet in his possession must become my servant.” When it was found in Benjamin’s sack, each of them turned away.3They were not responsible because they had not guaranteed Benjamin’s safety. Who, alone, confronted Joseph? The guarantor: Then Judah came near." ], [ "Then Judah came near (Gen. 44:18). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: My son, if thou art become a surety for thy neighbor, if thou hast struck thy hands for a stranger, thou art snared by the word of thy mouth (Prov. 6:11).", "When the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to give the Torah to Israel, He asked: “Will ye accept My Torah?” “Indeed,” they replied. “Then give me a surety that you will fulfill it,” He said. “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be our surety,” they answered. Whereupon He responded: “Your patriarchs required guarantors for themselves, since Abraham said: Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? (Gen. 15:8); while Isaac loved the one I hated, as it is written: But Esau, I hate (Mal. 1:3); and Jacob declared: My way is hid from the Lord (Isa. 40:27).” “Then our children shall be our guarantors,” they exclaimed. The Holy One, blessed be He, immediately accepted them as sureties and gave the Torah to Israel, as it is said: Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou found strength (Ps. 8:3). Therefore, whenever Israel neglects the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts punishment from the sureties, as is said: Thou hast forgotten the law; I will also forget thy children (Hos. 4:6).", "What is meant by I will also? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I will also suffer because of them, for I shall be compelled to destroy those who will say each day: “Blessed be the Lord, who is to be blessed forever and ever.” Hence the verse states: If thou art become a surety for thy neighbor, thou art snared, etc. (Prov. 6:1). So too Judah, because he became a surety for Benjamin; only he of all the brothers confronted Joseph, as Scripture says: Then Judah came near unto him." ], [ "Then Judah came near unto him. Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: The lion, which is the mightiest of beasts, turneth not away for anyone (Prov. 30:30).", "It happened that R. Hanina the son of Dosa, upon seeing a lion, shouted at it: “O weak king, did I not adjure you not to be seen in the land of Israel?” It fled immediately. Thereupon R. Hanina ran after it, shouting: “Forgive me for calling you weak when He who created you called you mighty,” as is said: The lion, which is the mightiest among beasts (ibid.).", "R. Joshua the son of Nehemiah posed the query: Who can prevail over an ox? Only a lion. Since Joseph was an ox, as it is said: His firstling bullock, majesty is his (Deut. 33:17), and Judah was a lion, as is said; Judah is a lion’s whelp (Gen. 49:9), who confronted the ox? The lion, Judah, as it is said: Then Judah came near unto him.", "R. Judah explained that whenever Judah’s anger increased, two hairs would protrude from his heart, and pierce through his garments. When he wished to intensify his anger, he would place in his mouth a copper coin as large as a bean, which he always carried in his money purse, and would grind his teeth on it. Then his anger would become intense.", "Observe how powerful Judah was: It is written concerning him: The wrath of a king is as messengers of death, but a wise man will pacify it (Prov. 16:14). The wrath of a king refers to Judah, and a wise man will pacify it alludes to Joseph, as is said: There are none so discreet and wise as thou (Gen. 41:39). When Joseph realized that Judah’s anger was mounting, he said: “Now Egypt will be destroyed.”", "R. Simeon the son of Lakish stated: To what may this situation be compared? To two who are wrestling. When one of them realizes that he is about to be defeated, he says to himself: “He is going to defeat me, and I will be disgraced in the sight of all.” What does he do? He kisses his opponent’s hand and the anger of the stronger wrestler is assuaged. Similarly, when Joseph saw that Judah’s anger was mounting, he was afraid that he would be humiliated before the Egyptians, and so he called out immediately: I am Joseph, your brother (Gen. 45:4)." ], [ "Then Judah came near unto him (Gen. 44:18). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: And the envy of Ephraim shall depart (Isa. 11:13). Concerning whom did Isaiah utter this verse? He said it with reference to Judah and Joseph.", "R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated in the name of R. Jonathan that while Joseph and Judah were quarreling, the ministering angels called out: “Come, let us descend to Egypt and watch the ox and the lion attack each other.” Normally, an ox fears a lion, but in this instance the ox and the lion confronted each other. Jealousy will exist between them until the Messiah comes. Therefore Scripture states: And the envy of Ephraim shall depart.", "Wisdom is a stronghold to the wise more than ten rulers that are in a city (Eccles. 7:19). This verse refers to the wisdom of Joseph. In what way did Joseph reveal his wisdom? In that he did not desire to fight with his brother. In fact, when he beheld the ten powerful men standing before him, any one of whom could destroy ten cities, he was terrified. His wisdom alone saved him, as it is said: Wisdom is a stronghold to the wise.", "What did Joseph do? First he stationed watchmen at each of the gates, as described in the portion At the end of two full years (Gen. 41:1). He then seized Simeon and bound him, for it was Simeon who had hurled him into the pit. Furthermore, he wanted to separate him from Levi, lest they conspire together to kill him. Simeon cried out to his brothers: “You permitted this to happen to your brother Joseph, and now you are permitting the same thing to happen to me.” “What can we do?” they asked, “Our people will die of hunger” (if we resist). “Do whatever you wish,” he shouted, “but I challenge anyone to imprison me.”", "Then Joseph sent a message to Pharaoh, saying: “Send me seventy of your most powerful men, for I have apprehended some highwaymen, and wish to put them in chains.” He sent them at once. Joseph’s brothers understood what he intended to do. Joseph told the powerful men: “Carry this man into the prison, and bind his feet in chains.” As they were approaching him, Simeon let forth a roar, and when they heard the sound, they fell to the ground, and their teeth were shattered: The lion roareth, and the fierce lion howleth—yet the teeth of the young lions are broken (Job 4:10).", "Manasseh, Joseph’s son, was sitting at his side at the time. His father turned to him and said: “Arise, you must do it.” Manasseh arose at once, struck a single blow, dragged Simeon into prison, and put him in chains. Whereupon Simeon called out to his brothers: “Would you say this was the blow of an Egyptian? It is none other than the blow of one from our father’s house.” When Joseph’s brothers saw that Manasseh was able to drag Simeon into prison and bind him with chains, they became terrified.", "They returned to their father, and then brought Benjamin with them and stood him before Joseph. Joseph asked: “Is this your youngest brother, to whom you have referred?” They replied: “Yes.” Joseph said to Benjamin: “Do you have children?” “Yes, I have ten,” he answered. “What are their names?” asked Joseph. “Bela, Becher, Ashbel,” etc. “Whoever heard of such names?” said Joseph. “I have called all of them by these names because of my brother, the son of my mother: Bela, because he was swallowed up (bala) among the gentiles; Becher, because he was a firstborn (bekhor); Ashbel, because he was taken captive (shevi); Gera, because he became a stranger (ger); Naaman, because he was gentle (na’im); Ehi, because he was my brother (ahi), my mother’s son; Rosh, because he was my superior (rosh); Muppim, because he was exceedingly handsome and fair (meyupeh); Huppim, because he did not see my marriage canopy (huppah), and I did not see his; and Arad, because he went into exile while his countenance was still like a rose blossom (vered).", "“From the day my brother Joseph disappeared, my father forsook his bed, and sat and slept only on the ground. Furthermore, whenever I saw my brothers sitting side by side, while I was forced to sit alone, my eyes welled up with tears.” At that moment, Joseph’s compassion toward him was stirred, as it is said: And Joseph made haste; for his heart yearned for his brother (Gen. 43:30). R. Nahman the son of Isaac explained: He then arranged a banquet for them at which he decided to have Benjamin sit at his side, but he did not know, at first, how to accomplish it. Whereupon, he took the goblet, struck it, and said to them: “I was of the opinion that Judah was the firstborn, since he was the first to speak, but now I discover that Reuben is the firstborn, and that Judah is simply a garrulous individual.” And he sat Reuben at the head of the table. Then he took the goblet once again, struck it, and told Simeon: “Sit alongside of him, for you are the second son.” He likewise seated Levi, Judah, and all the rest according to their ages. Then he took the goblet once again, struck it, and declared: “I have discovered through this cup that you are all the sons of one father, but that your father had a number of wives.” He then told Dan and Naphtali to be seated according to their ages. At last, only Benjamin remained unseated. “I see that this one had a brother, from whom he is separated, and that he is an orphan.4Their mother, Rachel was already dead. I too had a brother from whom I am separated. He is an orphan, and I too am an orphan. Let him come and sit beside me.” And he sat him at his side, as Scripture says: And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth (Gen. 43:33).", "And portions were taken unto them from before him, but to Benjamin he also gave his portion (ibid., v. 34). At first Joseph gave each of them, including Benjamin, a single portion of food. Then he gave his own portion to him, and Asenath took his portion and gave it to Benjamin, and Ephraim and Manasseh likewise took their portions and gave them to Benjamin. That is how Benjamin obtained five portions in all, as is said: But Benjamin’s portion was five times so much as any of theirs (ibid.)." ], [ "Another comment on Then Judah drew near unto him. He came near him and said huskily; “Oh, my lord, do not transgress the laws of justice because of us. Let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord’s ear” (Gen. 44:18). It would have been more fitting if he had said: “in the presence of my lord.” Hence these words teach us that he spoke both harshly and gently.", "“For thou art even as Pharaoh (ibid.). Your master, Pharaoh, loved women and wanted to possess them, and so you longed to have Benjamin as your servant, when you saw how handsome he was.5Pharaoh is accused in Jewish tradition of sexual perversion. See Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 2:103; Bereshit Rabbah 93:6. He implies that Joseph is like Pharaoh in that regard.", "Another comment on For thou art even as Pharaoh. Just as you and Pharaoh are highly esteemed where you reside, so we are highly esteemed where we dwell.", "My lord asked his servants (ibid., v. 19). That is, he said to him: “From the very outset you practiced subterfuge toward us. Men have come to Egypt from numerous provinces to purchase grain, but you did not ask them, ‘Perhaps you have come to marry our daughters, or maybe you want to wed our sisters.’ Nevertheless, we withheld nothing from you.”", "Joseph retorted. “Why do you speak in behalf of all your brothers? I have discovered through this cup that you do have older brothers, and that you are, indeed, a garrulous creature.” Judah replied: “What you see is correct, but I am compelled to speak because I pledged myself as a surety for my brother.” “Then why were you not surety for your brother when you sold him to the Midianites for twenty pieces of silver, and why did you distress your father by telling him Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces (Gen. 37:33)? Joseph did you no evil, but this one sinned in stealing the goblet. Go tell your father: The rope has followed after the bucket.”6That is, Benjamin suffered the same fate as Joseph.", "When Judah heard this he cried out bitterly in a loud voice: How shall I go up to my father, if the lad be not with me? Lest I look upon the evil that shall come on my father (ibid. 44:34). Whereupon Joseph said: “Come, let us consider the matter between us. Tell me what you think and present your arguments.”", "Judah said forthwith to Naphtali: “Go and count the number of central markets in Egypt.” He hurried away, and on his return informed Judah that there were twelve markets in Egypt. Judah told his brothers: “I will destroy three of them, and each of you will destroy another. Do not permit a single soul to survive.” His brothers retorted: “Judah, Egypt is not Shechem.7They destroyed Shechem because of Dinah (See Gen. 34) but Egypt was a great power. If you were able to devastate Egypt, you would destroy the entire world by doing that.” From that moment on Joseph was no longer able to restrain himself.", "R. Samuel the son of Nahman remarked: Then Joseph placed himself in an extremely precarious position, for if his brothers had killed him, not a single person would have been aware of it. Why did he say: Cause every man to go out from me (Gen. 45:1)? Joseph had said to himself: “I would rather die than shame my brothers before the Egyptians.”", "Judah railed at Joseph: “You know that from the very beginning you brought false charges against us. First you said to us: You are spies. Then you charged: You have come to see the nakedness of the city. And finally you declared: “You have stolen my cup. I swear by the life of my righteous father, and you may swear by the life of the wicked Pharaoh, that if I should draw my sword from its sheath, I will fill Egypt with corpses.” “Draw your sword from its sheath,” Joseph retorted, “and I will wrap it around your neck.” Judah replied: “If I but open my mouth I will consume you.” And “If you open your mouth, I will stuff it with a stone,” retorted Joseph. Then Judah asked Joseph: “What shall we tell our father?” “Tell your father, Joseph told him, “that the rope has followed the bucket.”", "Judah said to him: “You have judged falsely.” And Joseph replied: “Did you not judge your brother falsely when you sold him?” Judah answered: “The fire of Shechem burns in my heart.” And Joseph said: “I will extinguish the fire that burns within you for your daughter-in-law Tamar.”8Judah had intercourse with his daughter-in-law Tamar. See Gen. 38. “I am consumed by anger, and no one believes me,” cried Judah. And Joseph retorted: “I will break your anger.” “I shall go out,” said Judah, “and dye the marketplaces of Egypt in blood.” “All your life,” replied Joseph, “you have been dying things in blood, even as you and your brothers dyed your brother’s coat of many colors in blood and then told your father: Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces (ibid. 37:33).”", "When Joseph realized that they had agreed to destroy Egypt, he said to himself: “It is better to make myself known to them than to risk the destruction of Egypt.” And he said to them: “You said, did you not, that this one’s brother is dead? The fact is that I have purchased him. I will summon him and he will come to you.” He began to call out: “Joseph son of Jacob, come to me, Joseph son of Jacob, come to me, and speak to your brothers who sold you.” They stared into every corner of the house, until Joseph said to them: “Why do you look all around you? I am your brother Joseph.” They all fainted at once, unable to reply.", "R. Yohanan declared: Woe unto us on judgment day, woe unto us on the day of rebuke, for if Joseph could cause them to faint by saying “I am your brother Joseph,” what will happen when the Holy One, blessed be He, arises to judge us, since it is written about Him: Who may abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? (Mal. 3:2), and For no man shall see Me and live (Exod. 3:20)? If a mere human could confound his brothers, how much more so will we be confounded when the Holy One, blessed be He, examines us concerning our arrogance toward the commandments and our transgressions of the Torah.", "Then the Holy One, blessed be He, performed a miracle by restoring their souls to them. Joseph said: “Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you (Gen. 45:12); for I am speaking to you in Hebrew.” They would not believe him until he bared his body and showed them the sign of the covenant (i.e., his circumcision). Why was all that necessary? When he (was sold into slavery and) left them, he did not possess any signs of maturity but now he stood before them like a king, with the mark of maturity upon him (his beard).", "When at last they recognized him, they sought to kill him. An angel descended and scattered them to the four corners of the room. At that moment, Judah screamed so loudly that all the walls of Egypt toppled, all the animals of Egypt gave birth prematurely, and Joseph and Pharaoh tumbled from their thrones. Their teeth fell out, and the heads of the powerful men standing at Joseph’s side were reversed and remained so until their deaths, as it is said: The lion roareth, and the fierce lion howleth—and the teeth of the young lions are broken (Job 4:10). Hence Scripture says: The voice thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s house (Gen. 45:16). The voice here refers to the voice of Judah, as it is said: Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah (Deut. 33:7).", "When Joseph saw that they were extremely embarrassed, he said to them: Come near to me, I pray you (Gen. 45:4). As each one of them approached, he kissed him and wept with him, as is said: And he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them (ibid., v. 15). Just as Joseph comforted his brothers while they were weeping, so the Holy One, blessed be He, will redeem Israel while she weeps, as it is said: They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them; I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble (Jer. 31:9)." ], [ "And he sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:28). May our master teach us: When is the blessing over the light offered at the expiration of the Sabbath? Thus do our masters teach us: The blessing over the light (i.e., the Havdalah ceremony) is not pronounced until one benefits from the light (for reading). Whence do we learn this? From the Holy One Himself, blessed be He, as is said: And God saw that the light was good (Gen. 1:4). After that Scripture states: And God divided the light from the darkness (ibid.). R. Ze’era the son of Abahu said: Thus we learn that we do not bless the light at the expiration of the Sabbath until one can benefit from the light.", "R. Simeon the son of Yohai declared: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Honor the commandments, for they are My emissaries, and a man’s emissary must be honored no less than the man himself. If you honor them, it is as though you honor Me, and if you are disrespectful toward them, it is as though you are disrespectful toward Me. No man revered the commandments and fulfilled the law as meticulously as Jacob, as it is said: And Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents (Gen. 25:27), yet he was visited with trials through his son. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Be assured, you will lose one son, but you will acquire three: Joseph, Manasseh, Ephraim. When they brought him the news (that) “Joseph liveth,” he sent Judah before him as his emissary.", "And he sent Judah before him. Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Dominion and fear are with Him; He maketh peace in His high places (Job 25:2). In this instance, dominion refers to Michael, and fear alludes to Gabriel.9Michael is the announcing angel, Gabriel, the prince of angels. Though Michael was fashioned from water, and Gabriel was formed out of fire, when they stood in the presence of the Holy Spirit they did not affect each other adversely. Hence it says: He maketh peace in His high places.", "R. Simeon maintained that though the entire firmament is composed of water and the angels are of fire, The flashing fire, My ministers (Ps. 104:4), the water does not extinguish the fire, and the fire does not cause the water to evaporate. Similarly, though Joseph and Judah, the lion and the ox, had previously gored each other, now he (Jacob) sent him to Joseph, as it is said: He sent Judah before him. Hence, He maketh peace in His high places." ], [ "And Joseph made ready his chariot (Gen. 46:29). R. Yudan said in the name of R. Aibu: Two men were accorded more homage than any other men in all the world; they were Jethro and Jacob. It is written that when Jethro came to Moses, Moses went out to meet his father-in-law (Exod. 18:7). Who would imagine Moses going out and other people not going out with him? Would not the leaders of the thousands and the hundreds go out, and would not the seventy elders and Aaron, the high priest, go out? Indeed, if he went out, would not all Israel go out with him to meet Jethro? Similarly, when Jacob came to live with Joseph, it is written: Joseph made ready his chariot and went out. Who, upon observing Joseph going out to meet his father, would fail to accompany him? Would not Pharaoh’s servants go out, would not the elders of his household and the elders of Egypt go out? He went out to fulfill the verse The wise shall inherit honor (Prov. 3:35).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world I have allotted honor to the elders, but in the future world: Before His elders shall be glory (Isa. 24:23)." ], [ "And he sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:28). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: The wolf and the lamb shall feed together (Isa. 65:25). Observe that whomever the Holy One, blessed be He, afflicts in this world, He heals in the world-to-come. The blind, for it is written: The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of deaf shall be unstopped (Isa. 35:5); the lame: Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall speak (ibid., v. 6). In the same way all others shall be healed.", "And furthermore, just as a man departs this world he will return.10The concept of the resurrection of the dead. If he departs lame, he will return lame; if he departs deaf, he will return deaf; if he departs blind, he will be resurrected blind. Thus everyone returns as he departed.", "Those who depart clothed will return clothed, as it is said: It is changed as clay under the seal; and they stand as a garment (Job 38:14). Come and learn from Samuel. When Saul caused him to be brought up (by the witch of Endor), he said to the woman: “What does he look like?” And she answered: An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a robe (I Sam. 28:14). And Scripture states elsewhere: Moreover, his mother made him a little robe (ibid. 2:19). This teaches us that just as one departs (this life), so he will return. The reason for this is that the wicked should not say: “Some He puts to death, and others He restores to life.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Let them arise just as they departed, and then I will heal them. Why so? To confirm the verse Before Me there was no God formed, neither shall any be after Me (Isa. 43:10)", "After that the animals will also be healed, as it is said: The wolf and the lamb shall feed together … and dust shall be the serpent’s food (ibid. 65:25). But the serpent shall not be healed. And why not? Because it was responsible for mankind being brought down to the dust.11He caused death to come to mankind by enticing Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:1–6).", "Another comment on The wolf and the lamb shall feed together. The wolf refers to Benjamin, as it is said: Benjamin is the wolf that raveneth (Gen. 49:37), and the lamb alludes to the tribes, as is said: Israel is a scattered sheep (Jer. 50:17).", "Shall feed together. When did that occur? When Benjamin descended with his brothers. Though Jacob had said: My son shall not go down with you (Gen. 42:38), yet when the time for departure came, he did descend with them. They placed him between themselves and guarded him. And thus it says: Joseph lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, his mother’s son (Gen. 43:29).", "And the lion shall eat straw like the ox (Isa. 65:25). “The lion” refers to Judah, as it is said: Judah is a lion’s whelp (Gen. 49:9), and like the ox alludes to Joseph, as is said: His firstling bullock, majesty is his (Deut. 33:17). Finally however, all of them ate together, as it is said: And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright (Gen. 43:33). And it is also written: And portions were taken unto them (ibid., v. 3). Hence Scripture states: And the lion shall eat straw like the ox." ], [ "And he sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:28). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: The envy also of Ephraim shall depart … Ephraim shall not envy Judah (Isa. 11:13). Jacob our patriarch sent Judah before him because he believed that Judah had killed Joseph at the time he brought him the coat of many colors, as it is said: And he knew it, and said: “It is my son’s coat; an evil beast hath devoured him” (Gen. 37:33). An evil beast refers to Judah, since it is said: Judah is a lion’s whelp. And Jacob said to Judah: “Thou art the one who hath rent him asunder.” Whereupon Jacob rent his garments … and all his sons and daughters rose up to comfort him (ibid., vv. 34–35).", "What is meant by the words Nay, but I will go down to the grave to my son mourning (ibid.)? Jacob said: “Surely I shall die the death of a wicked man in the world-to-come. The Holy One, blessed be He, promised me twelve tribes, and now one of them has been torn asunder. Perhaps I was not worthy of them, and I shall perish in both worlds.” That is why he said: I will go down to the grave to my son mourning. You know this to be so from the fact that when he saw that Joseph was alive, he exclaimed: Now let me die (Gen. 46:30). When did he say Now let me die? He said to himself: “When my sons came to me, and told me that Joseph was dead, I cried out: ‘I am destined to die twice,’ but now that I see that you are alive, I am assured that I did not die, but only now will I die.” Hence he said: Now let me die.", "And his father wept for him. After that Scripture states: The Midianites sold him into Egypt (Gen. 37:36). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Judah: Until now you had no sons, and did not experience the grief caused by sons, but since you tormented your father, and deceived him with the words Joseph is without doubts torn to pieces (ibid., v. 33), by your life, you shall wed, bury your children,12His sons Er and Onan sinned grievously and were slain (see Gen. 38:7–10). and suffer the grief that comes with children.” What is written after this verse? Judah went down from his brethren … and he took her … and bore a son (ibid. 38:1–2). This teaches us that Judah became separated from his brothers. If at the time he had said to them: Come, let us sell him (ibid. 37:27), he had said instead: “Come, let us return him (to father),” they would have listened to him. Therefore, Judah went down. That is, he was deposed from his role as leader.", "And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite (ibid. 38:2). She bore him two sons, Er and Onan, and both of them died. During the years in which Joseph was separated from his father, Jacob was convinced that Judah had killed him. Whence do you learn this? From the episode dealing with Benjamin: Whereas Judah said to Joseph: “For thy servant is surety for the youth” (ibid. 44:32). It was only after he announced that he had pledged himself for Benjamin that Joseph disclosed his identity and Judah was exonerated from guilt in this matter. Therefore And the envy of Ephraim was turned (Isa. 11:13). Hence, Scripture states: And he sent Judah before him." ], [ "And he sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:28). Scripture states elsewhere: Behold, I send My messenger, and he shall clear the way before Me (Mal. 3:1). Observe that every misfortune that occurred to Joseph likewise befell Zion. It is written of Joseph: and Israel loved Joseph more than all his children (Gen. 38:3), and of Zion it is written: God loves the gates of Zion (Ps. 87:2). Concerning Joseph it is stated: And they hated him (Gen. 37:8), and about Zion: She hath uttered her voice against Me, therefore I have hated her (Jer. 12:8). With reference to Joseph it is said: For behold, we are binding sheaves (Gen. 37:7), and in regard to Zion: Ye shall come home with song, bearing sheaves (Ps. 126:6). It is written of Joseph: Shalt thou indeed rule over us? (Gen. 36:8), and of Zion: That sayeth unto Zion: “Thy God reigneth” (Isa. 52:7). Joseph: And Joseph dreamed a dream (Gen. 37:5), and Zion: When the Lord brought back those that returned to Zion, we were like unto them that dream (Ps. 126:1). Joseph: Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down to thee? (Gen. 37:10), Zion: They shall bow down to thee with their face to the earth (Isa. 49:23). Joseph: And his brothers envied him (Gen. 37:11), Zion: I am jealous of Zion with great jealousy (Zech. 8:2). Joseph: Go now, see whether it is well with thy brethren (Gen. 37:14), Zion: Seek the peace of the city (Jer. 29:7). Joseph: They saw him from afar off (Gen. 37:18), Zion: Remember the Lord from afar off (Jer. 51:50). Joseph: And before he came near unto them they conspired (Gen. 37:18), Zion: They hold crafty converse against the people (Ps. 83:4). Joseph: And they stripped Joseph of his coat (Gen. 37:23), Zion: They shall strip thee of thy clothes (Ezek. 23:26). Joseph: They took him and cast him into the pit (Gen. 37:24), Zion: They have cut off my life in the dungeon (Lam. 3:53). Joseph: And the pit was empty (Gen. 37:24), Zion: And in the pit there was no water (Jer. 38:6). Joseph: And they sat down to eat bread (Gen. 37:25), Zion: We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria, to have bread enough (Lam. 5:6). Joseph: And they drew near and lifted up Joseph (Gen. 37:28), Zion: Ebed-Melech the Cushite drew him up (Jer. 38:13). Joseph: And Jacob rent his garments (Gen. 37:34), Zion: And in that day did the Lord, the God of hosts, call to the weeping (Isa. 22:12). Joseph: All his sons and all his daughters rose to comfort him (Gen. 37:35), Zion: Strain not to comfort me (Isa. 22:4). Joseph: And the Midianites sold him into Egypt (Gen. 37:36), Zion: The children also of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the sons of the Jevanim (Joel 4:6).", "Everything fortunate that occurred to Joseph likewise happened to Zion. It is written of Joseph: And Joseph was of beautiful form and fair to look upon (Gen. 39:6), and of Zion it is stated: Fair in situation, the joy of the whole earth (Ps. 48:3). Concerning Joseph it is written: He is not greater in this house than I (Gen. 39:9), and of Zion: The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former (Hag. 2:9). Joseph: The Lord was with him (Gen. 39:2), Zion: And My eyes and My heart shall be there (II Chron. 7:15). Joseph: And showed kindness unto him (Gen. 39:21), Zion: I remember for thee the affection of thy youth (Jer. 2:2). Joseph: And he shaved himself and changed his raiment (Gen. 41:14), Zion: And the Lord shall have washed away (Isa. 44:4). Joseph: Only in the throne will I be greater than thou (Gen. 41:40), Zion: At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord (Jer. 3:17). Joseph: And arrayed him in vestures of fine linen (Gen. 41:42), Zion: Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments (Isa. 52:1). Joseph: He sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:29), Zion: Behold, I send My messenger (Mal. 3:1)." ], [ "And he sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:28). Jacob sent Judah before him to establish an academy wherein he might teach the Torah as he had previously done for the tribes. You know that he taught his sons earlier from the fact that Jacob remembered the chapter of the Torah that Joseph was studying with him at the time of his disappearance. When Joseph’s brothers returned and told him: “Joseph is yet alive” … his heart fainted, for he believed them not (Gen. 45:26). Jacob recalled the chapter of the Torah that Joseph was studying at the time of his departure, and he said to himself: “I know that he was studying the portion devoted to the beheaded heifer.”13See Deut. 21:1–9. Whereupon he turned to them and said: “If he gave you something to indicate the chapter he was studying when he departed from here, I will believe you.” Joseph had also remembered the chapter he was studying when he was separated from his father. What did Joseph do? He gave them wagons (ibid., v. 21). When Jacob saw the wagons (‘agalot), the spirit of their father revived forthwith.14Word-play relating ‘agalot (“wagons”) to kelayot (“kidneys”), stated in the next paragraph to be the organ through which Abraham learned and retained the law. This teaches us that wherever Joseph went, he devoted himself to the law, as his ancestors had done before him, even though the Torah itself had not yet been given. And thus it is written: Because that Abraham hearkened to My voice and kept My laws (Gen. 26:5).", "From what source did Abraham learn the law? R. Simeon the son of Yohai declared: His two kidneys (kelayot) became like two pitchers filled with water, from which the law flowed forth, as it is said: In the night season my kidneys instruct me (Ps. 16:7). R. Levi maintained: He studied the law by himself, as it is said: The dissembler from his heart shall have his fill from his own ways; and a good man shall be satisfied from himself (Prov. 14:14). He taught the law to his sons, as it is said: For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children (Gen. 18:19).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Him: You have taught your sons the law in this world, but in the world-to-come I shall teach them the law, as Scripture states: And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children (Isa. 54:13)." ] ], "Vayechi": [ [ "And the time drew near that Israel must die (Gen. 47:29). It is stated in Scripture in reference to this verse: For we are strangers before Thee, and sojourners, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no hoping (I Chron. 29:15). Our days are as a shadow. Would that they were as the shadow of a wall or a tree,1That our days might be as permanent as a wall. but the fact is that they are as the shadow of a bird, as it is said: His days are as a shadow that passeth away (Ps. 144:14).", "And there is no hoping implies that there is no one who can hope to escape death. All (our patriarchs) realized this and announced their deaths with their own mouths. Abraham said: I go hence childless (Gen. 15:2); Isaac declared: May my soul bless Thee before I die (ibid. 27:4); and Jacob said: When I sleep with my fathers (ibid. 47:30). When did he say this? When he was about to die. Thus it is written: And the time drew near that Israel must die." ], [ "And the time drew near that Israel must die (Gen. 47:29). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it (Eccles. 8:8). R. Joshua of Sikhnin declared in the name of R. Levi: Prior to the death of Moses, the Holy One, blessed be He, hid the shofars that Moses had fashioned in the wilderness, lest some person (Moses) might blow upon them and cause all the Israelites to assemble before him.2In an attempt to postponse his death. Some copies of the parallel passage Bereshit Rabbah 96:3 imply that the subject of “should not blow them” is Moses. He did this to fulfill the verse Neither hath he power over the day of death.", "Another comment on Neither hath he power over the day of death. What is written after Zimri committed his heinous deed?3Zimri took Cozbi the Midianite into his tent and had sexual relations with her (see Num. 25). And he (Phinehas) went after the man of Israel into the chamber (Num. 25:8). Where was Moses at that time that Phinehas should speak in his stead?4He was permitted to act as if he were in command even though Moses still lived. He did so to confirm what is written in the verse Neither hath he power over the day of death. Death is an expression that implies being humbled. He elevated Phinehas, while Moses was humbled.", "Similarly, concerning King David it is written: Now King David was old (I Kings 1:1). When he drew near to death, it is written about him: Now the days of David drew near that he should die (ibid. 2:1).", "So too Jacob, when he drew near to death, began to humble himself before Joseph. He said to him: “If now I have found favor in your sight” (Gen. 48:29). When? When he was approaching death, as it is said: And the time drew near that Israel must die.", "R. Simeon the son of Lakish said: The Holy One, blessed be He, told him: Be assured, you will be removed from this world but you shall not die.5He would live in the future world.", "What is the meaning of And drew near? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: The day cries out against you, saying that it would stand still, just as a man might say: “So-and-so complains against his neighbor in order to attack him.”6The sun refused to set when his time to die was at hand. Hence Scripture says: And drew near.", "And drew near. Our sages maintained that everyone about whom it is written drew near to die failed to attain his father’s age. Drew near is written with regard to David, as it is said: Now the days of David drew near that he should die (I Kings 2:1), and he failed to reach the age of his forebears: Obed, Boaz, and Jesse. Our sages said: The sum of their ages was more than four hundred years, while David lived only seventy years. Hence he did not attain the years of his forebears. Therefore it is written about him: Drew near that he should die (ibid.).", "Amram lived one hundred and thirty-seven years, while Moses lived only one hundred and twenty. Hence it is written about him: Behold, thy days draw near that thou must die (Deut. 31:24). And drew near is written with reference to Jacob, and he did not attain the age of his forebears. Abraham lived one hundred and seventy-five years, and Isaac lived one hundred and eighty years, while Jacob lived only one hundred and forty-seven years. Hence drew near is written concerning him: And the days of Israel drew near that he should die." ], [ "And he called his son Joseph (Gen. 47:29). Why did he not summon Reuben or Judah? After all, Reuben was the firstborn, while Judah was a king. He ignored them and called Joseph instead. He did so to teach us that one must pay homage to the person who is in power at the moment; moreover, Joseph had the power to fulfill his desires. And he said to him: “If now I have found favor in thy sight … bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt (Gen. 47:29). It was for your sake that I descended to Egypt, and it was because of you that I said: Now let me die. Even the soul of a man who dies on shipboard joins his fathers, and so when I sleep with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying-place (ibid., v. 30).” They cherished their burial place. The grave that I have digged (ibid. 50:5). And deal kindly and truly with me (ibid. 47:29). Is there false kindness that he should say to him kindly and truly? The proverb says: When your friend’s son dies, share his sorrow; but when your friend dies, cast off your sorrow.7A cynical proverb. Console him on the death of his son, for he will console you if your son dies. However, if he dies, cast off your sorrow, for his son will not be concerned about you or your sympathy. He said to him, in other words: “If you are kind to me after my death, that will be true kindness. Bury me not in Egypt, for it will eventually be smitten with vermin, and they will swarm over me.” Hence it says: Bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt.", "Another explanation as to why Jacob did not want to buried in Egypt. He was afraid that the Egyptians might use him as an object of idolatrous worship. Just as punishment is exacted from the worshipper of an idol, so is it exacted from the (idol) which is worshipped, as it is written: And against all the gods of Egypt will I execute judgment (Exod. 12:12). Similarly, you find that after Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream: Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odors unto him (Dan. 2:46). Daniel would not allow it. And why not? For just as the idolaters would be punished, so too would he be. You find this illustrated in what is written about Hiram, king of Tyre. After he proclaimed himself a god: Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said: I am a god (Ezek. 28:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Art thou wiser than Daniel? (ibid., v. 3). When Nebuchadnezzar decreed that offerings should be brought to him, he (Daniel) would not permit it, yet you call yourself a god. And so it is written there: I have cast thee to the ground, I have laid thee before kings, that they may gaze upon thee (ibid., v. 17).", "Another explanation is that Jacob said: “Perhaps the Egyptians will be redeemed through me.” They are compared to asses, as it is said: Whose flesh is the flesh of asses (ibid. 33:20), and I am likened to a sheep, as is said: Israel is a scattered sheep (Jer. 50:17). And it is written elsewhere that The firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a sheep (Exod. 34:20). Hence, (Bury me not in Egypt) lest the Egyptians be redeemed through me. Therefore Bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt.", "Why were the patriarchs anxious to be buried in the land of Israel? R. Eliezer said: There is a reason for this. R. Hanina said: There is a reason for this; and R. Joshua the son of Levi said: There is a reason for this. What did they mean by “There is a reason for this”? It is written: I shall walk before the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. 116:9). However, our sages said in the name of R. Helbo that there were two reasons why the patriarchs longed to be buried in the land of Israel: The dead in the land of Israel would be the first to be resurrected in the Messianic age, and they would be the first to enjoy the years brought by the Messiah.", "R. Hanina said: Whoever dies outside of the land of Israel and is buried there experiences two deaths, as it is written: And thou, Pashhur, and all that dwell in thy house shall go into captivity; and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and there thou shalt be buried (Jer. 20:6). Hence he experienced two deaths.8They suffer both the pain of death and the pain of interment outside the Holy Land. That is why Jacob said to Joseph: Bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt. R. Simon argued: If that is so, do not the righteous who are buried outside the land of Israel suffer because of that? What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He constructs subterranean passages through which they revolve until they reach the land of Israel. When they reach the land, the Holy One, blessed be He, instills within them the breath of life and they rise, as it is said: Behold, I have opened your graves, and I caused you to come up out of your graves, O My people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel (Ezek. 37:12), and after that is written: I will put My spirit in you, and you will live (ibid., v. 14). R. Simeon the son of Lakish said: The following verse teaches explicitly that when the righteous reach the land of Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, instills the breath of life in them: He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein (Isa. 42:5).", "Rabbi (Judah the Prince) and R. Eliezer, while strolling outside the gates of Tiberias, saw a coffin being borne for burial in the land of Israel. Rabbi said to R. Eliezer: How does this one, who died outside the land, benefit from being brought into the land of Israel for burial? I apply to him the verse: Ye made My heritage an abomination (Jer. 2:7). During your lifetime you did not go up to the land, But when ye entered ye defiled My land (ibid.). R. Eliezer replied: Since he is now to be buried in the land of Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, will forgive him, as it is said: The land maketh atonement for His people (Deut. 32:43).", "When R. Yohanan was about to leave this world, he said to those who were to arrange his funeral: Bury me in colorful garments that are neither wholly white nor black, so that if I should stand among the righteous I shall not be humiliated, and if I stand among the wicked I shall not be embarrassed. When R. Josiah was about to depart from this world, he told those standing at his side: Summon my disciples. He said to them: Bury me in white garments, for I am not ashamed to stand before my Maker for any act that I have committed. It is told that when our holy Rabbi was about to depart from this world, he left three instructions. He told them: Do not move my widow from my home, do not permit eulogies to be recited in the cities of the land of Israel, and do not permit a stranger to bear my coffin. Permit only the ones who attended me in my lifetime to attend to me when I die. During his lifetime, he resided for seventeen years in Sepphoris. He applied to himself the verse And Jacob lived in Egypt seventeen years, and “(I,) Judah, lived in Sepphoris seventeen years.”", "Our saintly Rabbi suffered from a toothache for thirteen years, and during that time no woman in the land of Israel died in childbirth or had a miscarriage.9Because his suffering warded off death and miscarriages in Israel. At the end of the thirteenth year, Rabbi became angry with R. Hiyya the elder. Elijah, of blessed memory, visited our Rabbi in the guise of R. Hiyya and touched his aching tooth. He was cured immediately. The following day, when R. Hiyya visited him, he asked: “How is your tooth?” He answered: “From the moment you touched it yesterday, it was cured.” Then R. Hiyya cried out: “Woe unto you, O pregnant woman in the land of Israel, woe unto you O pregnant woman in the land of Israel.” When R. Hiyya told him: “I did not touch your tooth,” our Rabbi realized that it was Elijah, of blessed memory, who had done so. From that moment on he began to pay homage to R. Hiyya.", "But when I sleep with my fathers (Gen. 47:30). Jacob said to Joseph: “If you will do as I have asked, well and good, but if not, my soul shall depart at once.” “I shall do it,” he answered. “Swear unto me,” said Jacob. And he swore unto him. And Israel bowed down before the Shekhinah that hovered over him. What is written after he passed away? His sons did unto him as he commanded them (ibid. 50:12). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Death does not permit man to rejoice in this world, but in the world-to-come He will swallow up death forever (Isa. 25:8). When He does swallow up death, then I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying (Isa. 65:19)." ], [ "And it came to pass after these things, that one said to Joseph: “Benold, thy father is sick” (Gen. 48:1). May it please our master to teach us whether a benediction may be recited over the light or the spices stationed at the side of a corpse? Our masters teach us: A benediction may not be recited over the light or the spices used at the side of a corpse. What is the basis of this decision? It is written: The dead praise not the Lord (Ps. 115:17).", "R. Meir said: The idolatrous dead are truly dead, but the deceased in Israel do not actually die. They survive because of the merit (of their forebears). Thus, you find that the Israelites, who erected the golden calf, would have vanished from the world if Moses, our Master, had not mentioned the merit of the patriarchs, as it is said: Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, thy servants (Exod. 32:13). Therefore, it is difficult for the Holy One, blessed be He, to decree the death of the righteous, as it is said: Weighty in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints (Ps. 116:15). What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He revealed to the righteous the reward that awaits them in the world-to-come so that they would plead for their own death. When R. Abahu was about to depart from this world, the Holy One, blessed be He, disclosed to him the reward stored up for him and he was astounded by it. He said: “Is all this for Abahu?” Whereupon he applied to himself the verse And I said: “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for naught and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God” (Isa. 49:4). Immediately, he began to long for death.", "Abraham also pleaded for death with his own lips, as it is said: What wilt thou give me, seeing I go hence childless (Gen. 15:2). Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace (ibid., v. 15). Isaac likewise sought death, as is said: That I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death (ibid. 35:29). Similarly, Jacob asked for death, as is said: Now let me die (ibid. 46:30). The Holy One, blessed be He, told him: You have said: Now let me die, but you will live seventeen additional years. After that time had passed he became ill and died." ], [ "And it came to pass after these things (Gen. 48:1). Scripture states in response to this verse: For such as are blessed of Him shall inherit the land; and they that are cursed of Him shall be cut off (Ps. 37:22). R. Meir said: Every one who blesses Israel is considered to have blessed the Holy Spirit, since it is said: For such as blessed Him. The verse is not written “blessed them” but rather blessed Him. R. Simeon the son of Yohai declared: Every one who assists Israel is considered to be assisting the Holy Spirit, as is said: Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to help of the Lord (Judg. 5:23). Does the Holy One, blessed be He, actually require assistance? This verse teaches us that one who aids Israel is considered to be aiding the Holy Spirit. R. Ishmael said: You find that righteous men bless their children when they are about to leave this life. That is why Isaac said to Esau: And bless thee before the Lord before my death (Gen. 27:7). Therefore, when Jacob became ill, Joseph took his two sons unto his father so that he might bless them." ], [ "And it came to pass after these things (Gen. 48:1). What is written previously on this subject? And the time drew near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph (Gen. 47:29). He called his son Joseph because he (Joseph) was in a position of authority at that time.", "The prophet cried out: Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers … hide thyself for a little moment (Isa. 26:20). The Holy One, blessed be He, had declared: I counsel you to restrain yourselves and to surrender to the conditions that prevail at the moment. Naboth would not temporize (when Ahab demanded his land), and so it is written about him: Naboth is stoned, and is dead (I Kings 21:14). Mordecai likewise refused to temporize. He should have flattered the wicked man. Indeed, Israel was almost obliterated from the earth because he antagonized Haman.", "On the other hand, David fled and escaped from Saul, and he also fled from Absalom. Moses did likewise, as it is said: He fled from the face of Pharaoh (Exod. 2:15). Similarly, Jacob fled from Esau, as it is said: And Jacob fled into the field of Aram (Hos. 12:13). Even the patriarchs temporized and flattered the one in power at the moment. Abraham relied upon Sarah: That it be well with me for thy sake (Gen. 12:13). Isaac demeaned himself before Esau, as is said: Now Isaac loved Esau (ibid. 25:28). Similarly ,in this instance Jacob called his son Joseph.", "But when I sleep with my fathers, bury me in their resting place (ibid. 47:30). “Where is that place?” Joseph inquired. Jacob replied: In the grave I prepared for myself Did Jacob actually dig a grave? The purpose of this remark is to teach us that after Isaac died, Jacob had said: “Perhaps the wicked Esau will be buried in the cave of the righteous one?” What did he do? He piled up all his gold and silver possessions into a single heap, and said to Esau: “Which do you prefer, this heap or the cave?” Esau chose the heap, and Jacob took the cave.", "One said to Joseph: “Behold, thy father is sick” (ibid. 48:1). Our sages of blessed memory maintained that it was Ephraim who revealed this fact to him, for he was studying the law with Jacob at the time. Why does Scripture add the words: And Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed (ibid., v. 2)? He said to himself: “Even though he is my son, he is a ruler, and I must be respectful toward him.”", "And Jacob said unto Joseph: “God Almighty appeared … and said unto me: Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee” (ibid., v. 4). This was the first time he included Joseph’s two sons among the tribes, as it is said: Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, shall be mine (ibid., v. 5).", "And Israel beheld Joseph’s sons, and said: “Who are these?” (ibid., v. 8). R. Judah the son of Shalum asked: Is it possible that he did not recognize them? Had they not sat and studied the law with him every day? Yet now he asked “Who are these?” even though they had ministered to him during the seventeen years he had resided in Egypt. Did he actually not recognize them? The fact is that he foresaw that Jeroboam the son of Nebat and Ahab the son of Omri would descend from Ephraim, and that they would become idolaters.10Jeroboam made two calves of gold, placing one in Beth-El, and the other in Dan (I Kings 12:28). Ahab married the Phoenician princess Jezebel, who introduced the worship of Baal and Astarte into the northern kingdom. And he went and served Baal and worshipped him (I Kings 16:31). It was for this reason the Holy Spirit departed from him. When Joseph realized this, he prostrated himself before the Holy One, blessed be He, and pleaded for mercy, saying: “Master of the Universe, if they are worthy to be blessed, do not turn away and cause me to be turned away today disgraced.” Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, restored the Holy Spirit to Jacob, and he blessed them. Whence do we know this? From the fact that it is written: And I, I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms (Hos. 11:3), that is, I restored the Holy Spirit to Jacob for the sake of Ephraim.", "R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated: The Holy Spirit forsook Jacob twice. Once when he wished to bless Manasseh and Ephraim, and again when he was about to reveal the time of redemption. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head (Gen. 48:14). He began to bless him with the words: And let them increase like fish (ibid., v. 16). He thus indicated that Ephraim’s descendants would be caught like fishes, as it is said: Say now “Shibboleth”; and he said “Sibboleth” (Judg. 12:6).11Just as fishes are caught by their mouths, so too forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed because they could not pronounce the word Shibboleth correctly. When Joseph saw that his father was laying his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him and He held up his father’s hand, to remove it (Gen. 48:17). Jacob rebuked him, saying: “Do you seek to turn away the hand that vanquished the foremost among the angels?” R. Yohanan said: Jacob’s arms were like two columns in the public baths in Tiberias. And Joseph said unto his father: “Not so, my father, only this one is the firstborn” (ibid. , v. 18). And his father refused and said: “I know it, my son; I know it” (ibid., v. 19). He foresaw that Gideon would descend from Manasseh, but that his younger brother was the more important one, since Joshua would descend from him. And he blessed them that day, saying: “By thee shall Israel bless, saying: God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh” (ibid., v. 20). He mentioned Ephraim before he mentioned Manasseh. When was his blessing finally fulfilled? At the time of the consecration of the chiefs. Then Ephraim brought his offering on the seventh day, and Manasseh on the eighth, in fulfillment of the scriptural verse: That confirmeth the word of his servant and performeth the counsel of his messengers (Isa. 44:26)." ], [ "And Jacob called unto his sons (Gen. 49:1). May it please our master to teach us whether the one who leads the congregation in prayer may respond “Amen” after the priests. Thus did our sages teach us: The person who leads the congregation in prayer is not permitted to respond “Amen” after the priests.12He might become confused by the interruption and err in his prayers (see Bava Batra 34a). He might also be considered inferior to the priests. The fact that the person who leads the congregation in prayer may not respond “Amen” after the priest proves how precious he is to the Holy One, blessed be He. R. Hanan said: When ten men enter a synagogue, the one who recites the prayers preceding the Shema is called a lily among the thorns (Song 2:2).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Previously I blessed My creatures, as it is said: And God blessed Noah (Gen. 9:1), and the Lord blessed Abraham in all things (ibid. 24:1); and God blessed Isaac, his son (ibid. 25:11), And God appeared unto Jacob again when he came from Padan-aram and blessed him (ibid. 35:9). Henceforth, however, the priests and the righteous ones shall bless you.", "From whom did the priests receive the privilege of pronouncing the blessing over Israel? R. Eleazer the son of Azariah said: They received this privilege from Jacob, concerning whom it is written: And the lad will go yonder(koh) (Gen. 22:5). The word koh is also contained in the words spoken by Moses to the priests, as it is said: Thus (koh) shall ye bless (Num. 6:22). The rabbis maintained: They obtained this right at the time of the giving of the Torah, since it is said there: Thus (koh) shalt thou say to the house of Jacob (Exod. 19:3)." ], [ "And Jacob called unto his sons (Gen. 49:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: He removeth the speech of men of trust, and taketh away the sense of the elders (Job 12:20). This verse refers to Isaac and Jacob, for both of them desired to disclose the secrets of the Holy One, blessed be He. Concerning Isaac it is written: And he called Esau, his eldest son (Gen. 27:1), to reveal to him what was to transpire in the Messianic age. That was the reason the Holy One, blessed be He, withdrew the knowledge of it from him. Jacob likewise wanted to reveal to his sons what would occur in the Messianic age, as it is said: He called unto his sons and said: “Gather yourselves together that I may tell you” (ibid. 49:1).", "This may be compared to a slave to whom a king entrusted all his possessions. When the slave was about to die, he summoned his sons to tell them where the will and writ of manumission were to be found so that they could become free men. The king discovered this and remained at his bedside. When he saw the king, he set aside the thing he wished to reveal to them, and admonished them instead, saying: “You are the king’s slaves, honor him as I have all my life.” Similarly when Jacob summoned his sons to reveal to them what would transpire in the Messianic age, the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared before him and said: You have summoned your sons, but you did not summon Me. And thus Isaiah said: Yet thou hast not called me, O Jacob; neither hast thou wearied thyself about Me, O Israel (Isa. 43:22). When Jacob saw Him, he began to tell his sons: I implore you to honor the Holy One, blessed be He, just as my ancestors honored Him, as is said: The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk (Gen. 48:50). They replied: We know what is in thy heart, and they declared together: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One (Deut. 6:4). Upon hearing this, Israel bowed down upon the bed’s head (Gen. 47:31), and began to say in a whisper: Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out the matter (Prov. 25:2). Apparently you do not possess this attribute, For he that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter (Prov. 11:13).", "And Jacob called unto his sons. Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: I will cry unto God Most High; unto God that accomplisheth it for me (Ps. 57:3). R. Joshua the son of Levi said: The earthly court promulgated three decrees. And these are they: the first occurred during the time of Ezra. After their return from Babylon, the Holy One, blessed be He, desired them to release the Israelites from the obligation of giving tithes.13Because they were impoverished, and the tithe demanded too great a sacrifice. What did the Israelites do? They arose and decreed that they would pay their tithes, as it is said: And that we should bring the first of our dough, and our heave-offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, the wine and the oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our land unto the priests (Neh. 10:38). What did they do after that? They recorded this decree in a book, signed it, and placed it in the Temple. When they entered the Temple the next day, they found that it had been sealed. Whence do we know this? It is written: And yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and subscribe it, and seal it (ibid., v. 1). Because it had been sealed they knew that the Holy One, blessed be He, approved their decision.", "The second occurred in the days of Mordecai and Esther. What is written there? The Jews ordained, and accepted it upon them and their seed (Est. 9:27). How do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, concurred? Because it is written: the Jews ordained and accepted. The word accepted (kibal) is written in the singular form, thereby indicating that the Master of the Jews concurred.", "The third episode took place in the days of Joshua after the Israelites had entered the Land. Joshua told them: And the city shall be devoted, even it and all that is therein (Josh. 6:17). You find here that it was not the people but Joshua who issued this decree. But how do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, approved it? Because it is written: Israel hath sinned, yea, they have even transgressed My covenant (ibid. 7:11). Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, must have agreed with him. And thus it is written: I will cry unto God Most High; unto God that accomplisheth it for me (Ps. 47:3).", "Another explanation of I will cry unto God Most High. This refers to Jacob. When his sons entered to receive their blessing, he began to distribute the honors among them. Whence do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him? From the fact that you find that every blessing Jacob conferred upon each of the tribes, Moses invoked upon them later on. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, must have approved each blessing. When did he bless them? As he was about to depart from this world. Hence, And Jacob called unto his sons and said: “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you” (Gen. 49:1).", "R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama and R. Judah the son of Shalum asked: What is meant by gather yourselves together (he’asfu)? It means purify yourselves, as stated in the verse: Let her be shut up within the camp seven days, and after that she shall be purified (te’asef) (Num. 12:14). Another interpretation of gather yourselves. He counted them as elders, as is said: Gather unto me the seventy of the elders of Israel (Num. 11:16).", "Why did he say to them Gather yourselves together, assemble yourselves (Gen. 49:1–2)? He did so to let them realize that they would be exiled twice. After he had designated the elders among them, he began to rebuke them, saying: Reuben, thou art my firstborn (Gen. 49:3). From that very moment Israel merited reciting the Shema. Why? When Jacob was about to depart from this world, he reflected upon it and said: “My grandfather Abraham begot Isaac and Ishmael, and my father, Isaac, begot me and Esau; perhaps there is a blemish in my family.” When they heard this, they proclaimed in unison: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one (Deut. 6:4). Hence it is written: Hearken to Israel, thy father (Gen. 49:2)." ], [ "Reuben, thou art My firstborn, My might and the first fruits of My strength; the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. unstable as water, have not thou the excellency (Gen. 49:3–4). Thou art my firstborn. You are my firstborn, the product of the first drop of semen I produced in eighty years.14Cf. Genesis Rabbah 98:4, “in eighty-four years.” In fact, I did not even experience nocturnal pollution before then. My firstborn. Are you like me? The excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. Three crowns were available to you: priesthood, kingship, and the right of the firstborn. The excellency of dignity alludes to the priesthood, as is said: And Aaron lifted up his hands (Lev. 9:22); the excellency of power refers to kingship, as it is said: And he will give power unto his king (I Sam. 2:10); the birthright is indicated by the double portion he received, as is said: By giving him a double portion (Deut. 21:17). But you have lost them all. Why? Because you are as unstable as water, and therefore have not thou the excellency.", "What is the meaning of pahaz (“unstable”)? It is an abbreviation. R. Eliezer said: It is an abbreviation for pahazata (“you were overweening”), hatatha (“you sinned”), zanitha (“you committed adultery”). R. Joshua contended: It stands for pahazta (“you were overweening”), hasahta (“you cast the yoke from thy neck”), za’ta (“you did recoil from sin”).", "R. Levi reversed the letters of the word pahaz: The zayin stands for za’ata (“you did recoil), the heh for haradata (“you did tremble”), and parah het (“your sin has flown from you”). Another comment on pahaz. Pasata (“you trampled on the law”), hillalta (“you have degraded your birthright”), zar (“you have made yourself a stranger like water). What is the meaning of like water? If a man pours water from a flask nothing remains, but if there is oil in the flask, and it is poured out, there is a residue in the bottle. Therefore, it says: Unstable like water, have thou not the excellency (Gen. 49:4).", "Because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed (ibid.). When did this occur? At the incident of the mandrakes. Leah said: Is it a small matter that thou hast taken away my husband? And wouldst thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? (Gen. 30:15).", "Then defilest thou it—he went up to my couch (ibid. 49:4).15He slept with Bilah, his father’s concubine. He went up implies that you will be rejected until Moses appears, concerning whom it is written: And Moses went up unto God (Exod. 19:3), and he shall come, and intercede for you, saying: Let Reuben live, and not die (Deut. 33:6). And Reuben went out downcast. And he (Jacob) began to call out: Simeon and Levi are brothers (Gen. 49:5). They had acted as brothers toward Dinah but not toward Joseph, whom they had sold.", "R. Simlai stated: In reference to Reuben, it is written: And delivered him out of their hand (ibid. 37:2). Hence you learn that he was not responsible for the selling of Joseph. Similarly Judah said to them: What profit is it if we slay our brother? (ibid., v. 36). Now, inasmuch as these were the four eldest sons, it is apparent that Simeon and Levi must have been responsible for his sale. When they came to Egypt, Joseph looked angrily at Simeon, as it is said: And took Simeon from among them and bound him (ibid. 42:24). Hence he addressed them together: Simeon and Levi are brothers.", "Weapons of violence. He said to them: The weapons in your possession are weapons of violence stolen from Esau, of whom it is said: By the sword shalt thou live (ibid. 27:40). These are weapons of violence, and violence is associated with Esau, as it is said: For the violence done to thy brother Jacob, shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever (Obad. 10).", "Mekherotehem (their kinship). This is a Greek word. The Greeks called their swords mahirim. Others are of the opinion that the word mekherotehem should have been written as megurothehem (“their origin”), as in the verse Thy origin and thy nativity (Ezek. 16:3)." ], [ "Let my soul not come into their council (Gen. 49:6). This relates to when Zimri came and had intercourse with Cozbi. Let my soul not be mentioned in reference to them. And that is why it is said: Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain … was Zimri the son of Salu, a prince of a father’s house among the Simeonites (Num. 25:14). His name and the name of his father were henceforth circumscribed, and were not employed again in Israel.", "Unto their assembly let my glory not be invited (Gen. 49:6). When Korah assembled the people to oppose Moses, Let my glory not be invited. That is to say, let my glory not be associated with them. Hence the verse stated: The sons of Korah, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi (Num. 16:1),16Korah’s lineage is traced as far back as Levi but not Jacob. but the text does not say “son of Jacob.” When shall my name be mentioned? By the priests at the altar, as it is written: The son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel (I Chron. 6:22–23).", "For in their anger they slew a man (Gen. 49:6). Did they slay only one man? Is it not written: And they came upon the city unawares, and they slew all the males (ibid. 34:25)? The fact is that they were all considered by the Holy One, blessed be He, and by them as one man, as Scripture states: And thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man (Judg. 6:16). Similarly, it states: The horse and its rider hath He thrown into the sea (Exod. 15:1).", "Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce (Gen. 49:7). Since He cursed only their anger, Balaam said: How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? (Num. 23:8). That is to say, inasmuch as He cursed their anger alone, at a time when He was sorely displeased with them, how am I able to curse them?", "I will divide them in Jacob (Gen. 49:7). Twenty-four thousand men of the tribe of Simeon perished because of the act of Zimri. He apportioned their twenty-four thousand widows, two thousand to each tribe, as it is said: I will divide them in Jacob. Every one who is forced to go from door to door will be of the tribe of Simeon.17It would be the poorest tribe and would have to go about begging. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: But surely the descendants of Levi will also go about begging?18Since it would not own land and would therefore have no visible means of support. What did He do about it? He caused them to obtain their food honorably. He thus fulfilled Jacob’s prophecy by permitting him (the priest) to receive one of the tithes. He would go about at threshing time, saying: “Give me my portion.” Therefore he said: I will divide them in Jacob. Thus Simeon and Levi went out with blanched faces.", "Next he began to call out: Judah, thee shall thy brothers praise (Gen. 49:8). Because you acknowledged your guilt concerning what happened to Tamar, your brothers will acknowledge you as king over them.19Judah had sentenced Tamar to die, but reversed his decision when he realized that he was responsible for her behavior because he had not married her to his son Shelah as the law required (see Gen. 38.).", "Thy hand shall be upon the neck of thine enemies (ibid.). This refers to David, who would descend from him: Thou hast made mine enemies turn their backs unto me (II Sam. 22:41).", "Thy father’s sons shall bow down before thee (Gen. 49:8). Isaac had said to Jacob: Thy mother’s son shall bow down (ibid. 27:29) because he had only one wife. However, since Jacob had many wives, he said to Judah: Thy father’s sons shall bow before thee.", "Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up (ibid. 49:9). That is, you escaped being struck down by the sons of Joseph because you did say: What profit is it if we slay our brother? (ibid. 37:26).", "Another comment on From the prey, my son, thou art gone up. That is, as a consequence of the episode of Tamar, you have saved four souls from death: Tamar, her two sons, and yourself.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: You saved four lives from fire and death when you ignored the command: Bring her forth, and let her be burned (ibid. 38:24). Therefore, I will rescue four of your descendants, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah form the furnace and the lion’s den. He called Judah by four different names: a lion, a whelp, and he lay down as a lion, and as a lioness (Num. 24:9).", "The scepter shall not depart from Judah (Gen. 49:10). This alludes to the scepter of kingship, as it is said: The throne given of God is forever and ever; a scepter of equity is the scepter of Thy kingdom (Ps. 45:7).", "Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet (Gen. 49:10). When the king will come to whom kingship belongs (i.e., the Messiah), and concerning whom it is written: The crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden underfoot (Isa. 28:3).", "Until Shiloh come (Gen. 49:10), for the kingdom is his.20Word-play reading the place-name Shiloh as the possessive yesh lo (lit. “there is to him”), i.e., “the kingdom is his [the Messiah’s].”", "And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be (ibid.). This refers to the one who will shatter the teeth (break the power) of the nations (i.e. the Messiah), as it is said: The nations shall see and be put to shame for all their might; they shall lay their hands upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf (Micah 7:16).", "Another comment on And unto him shall be obedience of the peoples be (Gen. 49:10): He is the one for whom the peoples will assemble,21The word yikkhat (“obedience”) is taken as if it were related to Hebrew mitkahalim (“assemble”). as is said: The root of Jesse, that standeth for an ensign of the peoples, unto him shall the nations seek (Isa. 11:10).", "Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine (Gen. 49:11). Vine refers to Israel, as is said: Thou didst pluck up a vine out of Egypt (Ps. 80:9). Binding his foal (‘iroh) alludes to the Holy City (‘ir ha-kodesh). Unto the choice vine refers to Israel, as is said: Yes, I have planted thee a choice vine (Jer. 2:11). And his ass’s colt implies that they will build a gate for the temple.22A play on words: benei atono (asses colt) with yivnu (will build) and atun (the fireplace of the Temple).", "Another explanation of ass’s colt. Even upon a colt, the foal of asses (Zech. 9:9).", "He washes his garments in wine (Gen. 49:11) because of the abundance of wine.", "His vesture in the blood of grapes (ibid.). Sutah (“vesture”) means “to err”, as it is said: If thy brother … cause thee to err (Deut. 13:7). When they err in the law, it shall be cleansed (atoned for) in his territory.", "Wine alludes only to Torah, as it is said: For thy love is better than wine (Song 1:2), and He hath brought me to the banqueting-house, and his hammer over me is love (Song 2:4).", "His eyes shall be red with wine (Gen. 49:12). You learn from this verse that he devoted himself to the study of the Torah. The word hakhlili (red) should be read as hekh li li (“it is tasty to me”), that is, the wine of the Torah is sweet to me. And His teeth white with milk (ibid.). That is, if they should sin, they shall be made as white as snow, because of the Torah (they study)." ], [ "Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea (Gen. 49:13). Zebulun was mentioned before Issachar even though Issachar was the elder. Why? Zebulun was engaged in commercial activity, while Issachar devoted himself to the study of the Torah, and they had agreed that Zebulun’s earnings would be shared by Issachar. That is why Moses blessed them: Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out, and Issachar in thy tents (Deut. 33:18). Rejoice, Zebulun, in going about to do business, for Issachar is in your tents studying the Torah. Why should he rejoice? Because the Torah is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is everyone that holdeth her fast (Prov. 3:8). Therefore Zebulun preceded Issachar. If it had not been for Zebulun, Issachar could not have studied the Torah. Since Issachar engaged exclusively in the study of the Torah, and was not concerned with business nor did any kind of work, it is written about him: And the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the times (I Chron. 12:33).", "Issachar is a large-boned ass (Gen. 49:14). That is, he bears the yoke of the Torah like an ass that bears its load, while Zebulun brings his wares in ships. Crouching down between the sheepfolds (ibid.). This refers to his disciples, who spread the knowledge of the Torah before the wise throughout the land, as it is said: When ye lie among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver (Ps. 68:14). For he saw a resting place that it was good (Gen. 49:15). This refers to the Torah, as it is said: I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest (Jer. 45:3). That it was good alludes to the Torah, since it is said: For I give you good doctrine (Prov. 4:2). And he bowed his shoulders to bear (Gen. 49:15) the yoke of the Torah. And he became a servant under task-work (ibid.). Task-work refers to the law. Whenever the people erred in the law, they would seek a decision from him, as is said: And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; as was Issachar, so was Barak; into the depth they rushed forth at his feet (Judg. 5:15); for he would search deeply into the law." ], [ "Dan shall judge his people like one of the tribes of Israel (Gen. 49:16). Like one signifies that like Judah, he was one of the most distinguished of the tribes. Another explanation of like one of the tribes of Israel. He was like the Unique One of the world, who requires no assistance in battle, as it is said: I have trod the wine press alone (Isa. 43:3). Samson, who descended from Dan, needed no assistance from others, as is said: With the jawbone of an ass have I smitten a thousand men (Judg. 15:16).", "Dan shall be a serpent on the way (Gen. 49:16). All animals travel about in pairs, but the serpent goes about alone. And just as the serpent is vengeful so too was Samson, as is said: I may be this once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes (Judg. 16:18). When Jacob saw him he exclaimed: I wait for Thy salvation, O Lord (Gen. 49:18).", "Gad, a troop shall troop upon him; but he shall troop at the end (Gen. 49:19). That is to say, the redeemer who will come at the end of days will descend from Gad, for he was one of the last to come: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord (Mal. 3:23). And Elijah descended from Gad. Hence it is said: But he shall troop in the end." ], [ "As for Asher, his bread shall be fat (Gen. 49:20). That is, his daughters shall be beautiful, as it is said: For my daughters make me happy (Gen. 30:13). Blessed be Asher above sons, let him be favored of his brethren (Deut. 33:24) because of his daughters.", "And he shall yield royal delights (Gen. 40:20). His daughters shall be worthy of kings. Hence, Scripture states: Who clothed you in scarlet with other delights (II Sam. 1:24).", "Naphtali is a hind let loose (Gen. 49:21). This refers to the valley of Gennesareth, which has early crops that ripen speedily, just as the hind (runs swiftly).", "He giveth goodly words for his land is blessed, as it is said: O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of the Lord (Deut. 33:23). They would serve their fruit to kings while speaking guardedly, so that if they were ill-disposed toward them, they would be reconciled.", "Joseph is a fruitful vine (ben porat) (Gen. 49:23). Because of a cow (parah) he was exalted.23Referring to the cows in Pharaoh’s dream." ], [ "Benjamin is a wolf that raveneth (Gen. 49:27). Scripture states elsewhere: For the Lord will do nothing, but He revealeth His counsel unto His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7). At first He revealed His counsel to those who feared him, as is said: The counsel of the Lord is with them that fear him (Ps. 25:14). Later He disclosed it to the righteous, as is said: But His counsel is with the righteous (Prov. 3:32). Finally He revealed it to the prophets, concerning whom it is said: But He revealeth His counsel unto His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7).", "All acts of the righteous are performed through the inspiration of the Divine Spirit. When Jacob blessed Judah, he likened him to a lion, as is said: Judah is a lion’s whelp (Gen. 49:9). He thus coupled him with the kingdom of Babylon, about which it is said: The first was a lion (Dan. 7:4). Hence Daniel, Mishael, Hananiah, and Azariah fought against Babylon. He also coupled Joseph with the kingdom of Edom.", "R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated: There is a tradition that Esau will be subjugated by the descendants of Rachel, as it is said: Surely the least of the flock shall drag them away (Jer. 49:20).", "Moses coupled the tribe of Levi with the Macedonian Greek Empire. The Hasmoneans were descended from the tribe of Levi, the third tribe, and Greece was the third empire (in Daniel’s vision). The word Levi in Hebrew has three letters (i.e., consonants), and (similarly) the word for Greece (yavan) has three letters. One sacrificed oxen, and the other wrote with the horn of an ox, but had no share in (i.e. did not believe in) the God of Israel. One was numerous, and the other few in number. Moses saw them and blessed them: Bless, Lord, his substance (Deut. 33:11).", "He pitted Benjamin against the kingdom of Media. And thus Mordecai, who was of the tribe of Benjamin, exacted retribution from it. It is written: And behold, another beast, a second, like to a wolf (Dan. 7:5). This alludes to the kingdom of Media, which He turned against the tribe of Benjamin, which is also compared to a wolf, as it is said: Benjamin is a wolf that raveneth (Gen. 49:27). What is the meaning of a wolf that raveneth? Just as a wolf seizes its prey, so the tribe of Benjamin seized its prey, as it is said: And see, and behold, if the daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come ye out of the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife (Judg. 21:21). Hence, just as a wolf seizes its prey hungrily, so too did the tribe of Benjamin.", "In the Book of Judges, it is written concerning Ehud: And Ehud made him a sword which had two edges (ibid. 3:16). This indicates that he would have a share in two worlds because he had studied the law, about which it is stated: A two-edged sword in their hand (Ps. 149:6). Hence he was privileged to enjoy the fruits of this world and the hereafter.", "He went in to Eglon, and said: “I have a message from God unto thee.” And he arose out of his seat (Judg. 3:20). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You honored Me by arising from your throne; be assured, I will cause your daughter to rear a son who will sit on My throne. This refers to Ruth the Moabitess, from whom Solomon descended. Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king (I Chron. 29:23). What is written about Ehud? And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the sword from his right side, and thrust it into his belly (Judg. 3:21). In the morning he devoureth prey (Gen. 49:27) alludes to the fact that he thrust the sword into his belly; and at even he divideth the spoil refers to the land which he took as spoil.", "Benjamin is a wolf that raveneth. This refers to the fact that his land produced early crops. Hence, In the morning he devoureth prey, at even he divideth spoil refers to Beth-El, where the fruit ripens late.", "Benjamin is a wolf that raveneth. This alludes to Saul. For in the morning he devoureth prey, as it is said: So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, etc. (I Sam. 14:47). And at even divideth the spoil. Saul died, and his three sons … that same day together (ibid. 31:6). Hence, at even divideth the spoil.", "Another comment on Benjamin is a wolf that raveneth. This alludes to queen Esther. In the morning he devoureth prey: And the king and Haman came to banquet (Est. 7:1). And at even he divideth spoil: For he hung Haman (ibid., v. 10). And after that is written: On that day the king Ahasuerus gave the house of Haman, the Jews’ enemy, unto Esther the queen (ibid., 8:1).", "Another explanation of Benjamin is a wolf that raveneth. It alludes to sacrifice. In the morning he devoureth prey: The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning (Exod. 29:39). At even he divideth the spoil: And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even (ibid.).", "This verse also refers to the altar. Though it extended only a cubit’s length into the territory of Benjamin, the flame did not depart from his land. This was in fulfillment of the verse He covereth him all the day (Deut. 33:12)." ], [ "All these are the twelve tribes of Israel (Gen. 49:28). Elsewhere it is written: Twelve princes shall he beget (Gen. 17:20). These are the number of the tribes, and the world is arranged according to that number. There are twelve hours in the day, and twelve hours in the night. Similarly, there are twelve planets, twelve months in the year, and twelve stones in the ephod. Therefore, all these are the twelve tribes.", "R. Yohanan said: Where there actually only twelve tribes? Does it not say: Ephraim and Manasseh shall be like Reuben and Simeon (Gen. 48:5), making fourteen in all? The answer is that when Levi is counted among the tribes, they are not counted, and when Levi is not counted among the tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh are reckoned as one tribe. How do we know this It is written: Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim, Elishama the son of Manasseh … Gamaliel (Num. 1:10). Hence, all these are the twelve tribes—no more and no less.", "Similarly, Rebecca foresaw that there would be twelve tribes, as it is written: And the Lord said to her: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be separated from thy bowels (Gen. 25:23). This equals four. And the one people shall be stronger than the other (ibid.); this adds up to six. And the elder will serve the younger (ibid.) makes it eight. When her days to be delivered were fruitful, Behold, there were twins in her womb (ibid., v. 24); this makes ten. The first came forth, and after that his brother (ibid.), totaling twelve in all.", "There are others who determine the number of tribes from Rebecca’s use of the word zeh (“thus”); the letters in this word equal twelve arithmetically. When the children struggled together in her womb, she cried out: “Must I suffer like this twelve times, since the Holy One, blessed be He, has told me that twelve children will descend from me?” Then she said: If this be so, wherefore do I live? (ibid., v. 22)." ], [ "This is it that their father spoke unto them and blessed them (Gen. 49:28). Scripture does not say “he blessed him” but rather he blessed them. Why is this so? Because he attributed to Judah the might of a lion, to Joseph the power of a ox, to Naphtali the swiftness of a hind, and to Dan the sting of a serpent. You might argue that one was superior to the other, and so he spoke to all of them at one time, at the conclusion of his blessing, as is said: Every one according to his blessing he blessed them (ibid.).", "Because he divided the land among them, giving to Judah the soil that would yield barley and to Benjamin the land that would produce wheat, he coupled them in his blessing so that they would share each other’s crops. Hence Scripture states: And this is it that their father spoke to them. “Unto them” is not written here but rather to them (lahem), thus indicating that their father told them: In the future a prophet will bless you in a like manner. Where I leave off blessing you, he will begin. And so Moses did, as it is said: And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel (Deut. 33:1). Moses told them: I shall reveal to you now when you will attain these blessings. At the time you accept the law, as is said: And this is the law (ibid. 14:44).", "Thus with the very words with which Jacob concluded his blessing, Moses began to bless them. Moses said: I learn understanding from my elders (Ps. 119:100). When Isaac blessed Jacob, he said to him: And God Almighty bless thee (Gen. 28:3). How did he conclude his blessing? With the word call, as it is said: And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him (ibid., v. 1). And Jacob began where his father had ended, as it is said: And Jacob called his sons (Gen. 49:1), and concluded: And this is what their father spoke to them. When Moses blessed the tribes, he began where Jacob had left off, as is said: And this is the blessing, and he concluded with: Happy, art thou, O Israel (Deut. 33:29). Later, David began where Moses concluded, saying: Happy is the man (Ps. 1:1). Hence Scripture states: I learn understanding from my elders (Ps. 119:100)." ], [ "Another comment on This is it that their father spoke unto them. and he charged them, and said unto them: “I am to be gathered unto my people” (Gen. 49:28–29). He said to them: If you are worthy, you will be inextricably linked to me (i.e.. they will be called the sons of Jacob), but if not, when I depart from this world, I will ascend to my fathers. Immediately upon his passing, His sons did unto him as he had commanded them (Gen. 50:12). What did they do? They embalmed him and carried him away. What is written there? And they came to the threshing floor of thorns (ibid., v. 10). Is there such a thing as a threshing floor of thorns? This verse alludes to the Canaanites, who took crowns and placed them about Jacob’s bier. What is more, when they saw Jacob’s bier they removed their girdles and paid homage to him.", "R. Samuel the son of Nahman said: They undid their shoulder knots; and Rabbi declared: They pointed to the coffin with their fingers and exclaimed: This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians (ibid., v. 11). Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them a circle within the threshing floor of thorns.", "And he made a mourning for his father seven days (ibid., v. 10). How do we know that mourning lasts seven days? Our sages stated: We know it from the verse And ye shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting for seven days (Lev. 8:33). Why are there seven days of mourning? To correspond to the seven days of feasting.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world you grieved for this righteous man for seven days, but in the world-to-come I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow (Jer. 31:13). And I will comfort Zion and its vast places, as it is said: For the Lord hath comforted Zion; He hath comforted all her waste places and hath made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody (Isa. 51:3).", "And when Joseph’s brethren saw that their father was dead, etc. (Gen. 50:15). What did they see that frightened them? As they were returning from the burial of their father, they saw their brother go to the pit into which they had hurled him, in order to bless it. He blessed the pit with the benediction “Blessed be the place where He performed a miracle for me,” just as any man is required to pronounce a blessing at the place where a miracle had been performed in his behalf. When they beheld this they cried out: Now that our father is dead, Joseph will hate us and will fully requite us for all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a message unto Joseph, saying: Thy father did command … “So shall ye say unto Joseph: Forgive” (Gen. 50:15–16). We have searched the entire Scripture and are unable to find any place where Jacob uttered this remark. This statement is introduced to teach us the importance of peace. The Holy One, blessed be He, wrote these words in the Torah for the sake of peace alone." ] ], "Shemot": [ [ "Now these are the names (Exod. 1:1). Scripture states (elsewhere in allusion to this verse): He that spareth his rod hateth his son; but he that loveth him chastiseth him betimes (Prov. 13:24). Normally, if a man informs his friend that someone has beaten his son, the father would deprive the guilty person even of the source of his livelihood. Why, then, does Scripture state: He that spareth his rod hateth his son? This teaches you that whenever a man fails to chastise his son, that son will ultimately act wickedly, and he will come to despise him. We find this to be so in the case of Ishmael, who behaved fondly toward his father, who failed to chastise him, and he thus went astray. As a result, Abraham began to despise him, and drove him empty-handed from his home.", "What had Ishmael done? When he was fifteen years old, he brought idols into his home, to play with and to worship as he had seen others do. As soon as Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, making sport (Gen. 21:9). The word sport refers only to practicing idolatry, as it is said: And the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to make sport (Exod. 32:6). She said to him: Abraham, cast out this bondwoman and her son (Gen. 21:10), lest my son learn from his behavior.", "And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. And God said unto Abraham: “Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah saith unto thee, hearken unto her voice” (ibid. 21:11–12). You learn from this verse that Abraham was subordinate to Sarah in matters of prophecy. Thereupon, Abraham arose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of wine (ibid., v. 14). (This episode) teaches us that he hated Ishmael because he had gone astray, and as a result drove him and Hagar, his own wife, from his home empty-handed.", "Do you believe that Abraham, concerning whom it is written: And Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold (Gen. 13:2), would have driven his own wife and son from his home, without clothes or food, silver or cattle (for any other reason)? This (episode) simply teaches us that after Ishmael went astray, he was no longer concerned about him. But if this is so, what is meant by And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son? It means that he was actually concerned (about the consequence of) Ishmael’s straying. You find that when Ishmael grew up, he would wait at the crossroads to murder and rob those who passed by, as it is said: And he shall be a wild ass of a man; and his hand shall be against every man (Gen. 16:12).", "Another example of this is stated in Scripture: Now Isaac loved Esau (ibid. 25:28). Apparently, Esau went astray because his father failed to chastise him. As we have learned, the wicked Esau committed five transgressions in one day: he slept with a betrothed maiden, killed a man, denied the concept of resurrection, rejected the essential principle of religion (i.e., became an atheist), and despised the birthright. All of these transgressions are indicated either specifically in verses in Scripture or by analogy with other verses in Scripture (gezerah shavah). Furthermore, he longed for his father’s death, so that he might slay his brother, as it is said: Let the days of mourning for my father be at hand, then will I slay my brother, Jacob (Gen. 27:41). He compelled Jacob to flee from his father’s house, while he went to Ishmael’s home to learn evil ways from him, and to add to the number of his wives, as it is said: So Esau went unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives that he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son (ibid. 28:9).", "Similarly, Absalom went astray because David failed to chastise and punish him. He tried to kill (his father), he slept with his father’s ten concubines, he forced his father to wander about barefoot and weeping, he brought about the slaughter of thousands of Israelites, and caused him innumerable trials, as it is written:, A psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom, his son (Ps. 3:1), and this is followed by: Lord, how many are mine adversaries become.", "Degeneracy in a man’s house is considered far more grievous than the war between Gog and Magog.1The final struggle preceding the Messianic age. For with reference to the war between Gog and Magog it is written: Why are the nations in an uproar? (ibid. 2:1), but not: O Lord, how many are mine adversaries become.", "David behaved similarly toward Adonijah. Because he did not reproach him or punish him he went astray, as it is written: And his father had not grieved him all his life in saying: “Why hast thou done so?” … and he was born after Absalom (I Kings 1:6). Was not Absalom actually the son of Micah, and Adonijah the son of Haggith? Why, then, does it say: And he was born after Absalom?2The verse gives the impression that they were born of the same mother. To teach us that just as Absalom went astray because his father failed to chastise him, so did Adonijah, concerning whom it is written: And his father had not grieved him all his life (I Kings 1:2) by asking: “Why have you done such-and-such?” He went astray for the same reason. Hence Scripture states: He that spareth his rod hateth his son.", "And he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes (Prov. 13:24). This alludes to Abraham, who punished Isaac, taught him the law, and guided him in his ways, as it is written of him: Because that Abraham harkened to My voice, and kept My charge (Gen. 26:5). And it is also written elsewhere: And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begot Isaac (ibid. 25:19). This teaches us that he resembled his father in every respect; in beauty, wisdom, strength, riches, and (the performance of) good deeds. You know this to be so from the fact that though Isaac, at the time of the sacrifice, was thirty-seven years of age, and Abraham was an old man, yet he bound him and tied him as though he were a sheep, and Isaac did not resist. Scripture states: And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac, but unto the sons of the concubines that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts (ibid., v. 5); that is to say, he distanced them from Isaac (so that he would have undisputed possession of the land). Hence, And he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.", "Similarly, the verse And he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes alludes to Jacob. His father, Isaac, taught him the law and reprimanded him (as he studied) in the schoolroom, as it is said: And Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents (ibid., v. 27). After he had absorbed everything his father could teach him, he left his father’s home to live in Eber’s home, where he continued to study the law.3Cf. Megillah 17a. He remained there fourteen years. Therefore, he deserved to inherit the land of Israel, as it is written: And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father’s sojourning (ibid. 37:1). Our patriarch Jacob also punished and rebuked his sons, and taught them his customs and practices lest blemishes should appear in their character. Whence do we know this? From the fact that Scripture states: And these are the names of the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, etc. (ibid. 25:13). Scripture equates them all.4All of them are mentioned in the same verse. Hence, he that loveth his son chasteneth him betimes.", "Likewise, He that loveth his son chasteneth him betimes refers to the righteous Bath-sheba, who rebuked her son, Solomon, as it is written: The words of king Lemuel, the burden wherewith his mother corrected him (Prov. 31:1).5The name Lemuel was applied to Solomon by his mother as a means of chastising him. According to Canticles Rabbah 1, he was surnamed Lemuel because he spoke against God in his heart. Lemuel is read as lemu el (“what is God?”). See Sanhedrin 70b. R. Yosé the son of Hanina posed the question: What is meant by The burden wherewith his mother corrected him? It means that Bath-sheba turned him over a whipping post and punished him by beating him with a rod. What did she say to him as she did this? What, my son? and what, O son of my womb? and what, O son of my vows? (Prov. 31:2). With these words she was saying to him: “Everyone knows that your father is a God-fearing man, and if you should go astray, they will say that you are my son, and I am responsible for what you are.” And what, O son of my womb? “When the other women of your father’s house became pregnant, they saw the king’s face no more, but I went to him so that I might have a well-formed and powerful son.”6It was believed that cohabitation during the last three months of pregnancy affected the embryo positively but the mother negatively. Despite the danger she went to David in order to strengthen her unborn child. And what, O son of my vows? “All the other women of your father’s house vowed: I shall have a son fit for kingship, but I vowed: I will have a son wise in the knowledge of the law and worthy of prophecy.” Therefore she beat him and chastised him and said to him: It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes to say: “Where is strong drink?” (Prov. 31:4). That is to say, she was telling him: “What have you to do with kings who drink wine, become drunk, and say, O Lemuel, what is God to us? It is not for princes to say: Where is strong drink? (ibid.). Shall he, to whom all secrets of the world are revealed, drink wine and become drunk?” Therefore she chastised him, and He was wiser than all men (I Kings 5:11).", "It is taught that R. Simeon the son of Yohai stated: You find that the Holy One, blessed be He, bestowed three precious gifts upon Israel, but He gave them only through suffering: the law, the land of Israel, and the world-to-come. The law, for it is written: Happy is the man whom Thou instructest, O Lord, and teachest out of Thy law (Ps. 94:12). Concerning the land of Israel it is written: You shall realize that the Lord your God chastises you as a man chastises his son (Deut. 8:5). What is written afterward? For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land (ibid., v. 7); and of the world-to-come it is written: For the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life (Prov. 6:23). Every father who chastises his son increases the child’s love and respect for his father, as it is written: Chasten thy son, for there is hope; but set not thy heart on his destruction (ibid. 19:18). Hence, But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." ], [ "Another comment on These are the names (Exod. 1:1). Scripture states: As is Thy name, O God, so is Thy praise, unto the end of the earth (Ps. 48:11). Men praise a human king as strong though he may be weak; they acclaim him as handsome though he may be ugly; they extol him as merciful though he may be cruel, but the Holy One, blessed be He, exceeds all the praise heaped upon Him, for He is the great, the mighty, the awe-inspiring God. David exclaimed: Who can express the mighty acts of the Lord, or make all His praise be heard? (Ps. 105:2), while Job declared: Shall it be told Him that I speak? or should a man wish that he were swallowed up? (Job 37:20). The men of the Great Synagogue later proclaimed: Blessed be Thy glorious name that is exalted above all blessing and praise (Neh. 9:5).", "R. Yosé the son of Hanina stated: There are men whose names have a beautiful (meaning), while their deeds are repulsive; there are other men whose names are unattractive but whose deeds are beautiful; there are others whose names and acts are both repulsive; and there are still others whose names and acts are beautiful. Absalom is one whose name was beautiful but whose deeds were repulsive. His name means “father of peace,” yet he slept with his father’s concubines. Esau, (a name meaning) he performs the will of his makers (i.e., his parents)—but his deeds were repulsive. Those whose names are unattractive but who performed deeds that are beautiful are the men of the Great Synagogue, the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera (Ezra 2:53). They rebuilt the Temple. Those whose names and deeds were repulsive are the (ten) spies, Nahbi the son of Vophsi (Num. 13:14). Those whose names and deeds are praiseworthy were Reuben, Simeon, and Levi.", "Now these are the names. R. Abahu maintained: Wherever Scripture simply states these, those previously mentioned are rejected, but wherever and these is stated, additional praise is conferred on those mentioned. (For example, in the case of the verse) These are the generations of the heaven and earth (Gen. 2:4), the previous creations, which ended in waste and desolation, were rejected. Every instance in which these is employed can be explained in the same way. Similarly, here the words and these can be demonstrated as adding praise to earlier generations." ], [ "Who came into Egypt with Jacob (Exod. 1:1). Did they actually enter Egypt on that very day? Had not many days passed by since their arrival? (This informs us that) as long as Joseph lived, the burdens of Egypt were not imposed upon them, but that after his death burdens were imposed upon them. Hence it is written who came, as though they entered Egypt on that very day.7The text uses the present participle, habaim. With Jacob signifies that they came because of Jacob’s virtues. Every man came with his household. R. Huna said: This teaches us that they did not descend into Egypt until Perez and Hezron were one and two years old, respectively, and he had obtained wives for them. Hence, every man came with his household.", "Reuben, Simeon, and all the other tribes were mentioned because of the future redemption of Israel. Reuben: I have surely seen the affliction of my people (Exod. 3:7). Simeon: And God heard their groaning (ibid. 2:24). Levi: Many nations will attach themselves to the Lord (Zech. 2:15). Judah: I will give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, for though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away and Thou comfortest me (Isa. 12:1). Issachar: For thy ways shall be rewarded (Jer. 31:16). Zebulun: I have surely built thee a house of habitation (I Kings 8:13). Benjamin: The Lord hath sworn by His right hand (Isa. 62:18). Dan: And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge (Gen. 15:14). Naphtali: Thy lips, O my bride, drop honey (Song 4:11). Gad: Now the manna was like coriander seed (Num. 11:7). Asher: And all the nations shall call you happy (Mal. 3:12). Joseph: The Lord will set His hand again the second time (Isa. 11:1).", "R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: The names of the tribes are not mentioned in the same order in every instance. At various times one precedes the other. Why is that so? Lest people say that the children of Jacob’s wives take precedence over those of his handmaidens. This teaches us that one was not greater than another. Another comment on why one precedes another: They are, as it were, like the ceiling of the world; just as one constructs a ceiling by placing the thick side of one beam against the thin side of another, so on different occasions He mentioned one before the other. How do we know that they are the ceiling (tikrah) of the world? Because it is stated: Hearken unto Me, O Jacob and Israel, My called (mekora’) (Isa. 48:12)." ], [ "Now these are the names (Exod. 1:1). The names of the Israelites were most appropriate for them. You find, in fact, that the Holy One, blessed be He, assigned their names to them. He gave Abraham a son, and He said to him: And thou shalt call his name Isaac (Gen. 17:19). The yod in his name equals ten, the tzaddi, ninety, the het, eight, and the kuf, one hundred, totaling two hundred and eight in all. But the Israelites were forced to remain in Egypt only two hundred and ten years8Two years were added because he had asked the baker to intervene in his behalf, thus indicating a lack of faith that God would deliver him. It took two years for the baker to do so. even though the Holy One, blessed be He, had told Abraham: And shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years (ibid. 15:13).", "He said to him: “Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger to thee” (ibid.)—from (the time) you will have seed. The Holy One, blessed be He, began to count from the day of his birth.9The counting of the 400 years began with the birth of Isaac. And as to the eight days (before) circumcision, since he was the first to be circumcized, it is said: And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old (ibid. 21:5)—hence the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him his name.", "As to Jacob, the Holy One, named him also, as it is said: And his name was called Jacob (ibid. 25:26). The four letters in Jacob’s name in Hebrew correspond to the four crowns through which his descendants adored the Holy One, blessed be He. The yod corresponds to the Ten Commandments, the ayin (seventy) corresponds to the seventy elders, the kuf (one hundred) to the Temple, which was one hundred cubits high, that his descendants erected for the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: And he measured the house, a hundred cubits (Ezek. 41:13), and the bet (two) corresponds to the two tablets on which were inscribed the Ten Commandants. They were redeemed from Egypt by Jacob’s merit, as it is said: And He established it unto Jacob for a statute (Ps. 105:10). Were it not for Jacob, Abraham would not have been redeemed from the furnace, as it is said: Therefore, thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob (Isa. 29:22). However, as for Esau, his father and mother named him, as it is said: And they called his name Esau (Gen. 25:25). About him, Scripture states: His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have no name abroad (Job 18:7)." ], [ "And Joseph died, and all his brethren (Exod. 1:6). Nevertheless, the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly (ibid., v. 7). R. Yannai declared: Each woman bore six children at one time, while (because each word in the biblical verse is in the plural form, thus implying a minimum of two) others say that each one bore twelve, for the word paru (“were fruitful”) indicates two; vayishresu (“and increased abundantly”), two; vayirbu (“and multiplied”), two; vaya’asmu (“and waxed”), two; bime’od me’od (“exceeding mighty”), two; and the land was filled with them (ibid.), two, totaling twelve in all. R. Jonathan said: The land was filled with them implies that they filled the land like reed branches. When the Egyptians observed this, they issued new decrees against them, as it is said: Now there arose a new king (Exod. 1:8). Was he in fact a new king? Rather, he fashioned new decrees against them. Another explanation of Now there arose a new king. Was it not Pharaoh? Rather, the Egyptians cried out: “Come, let us attack this nation.” “You fools,” he said to them, “we have survived only because of them, how dare we attack them now? Were it not for Joseph, we would not be alive.” When he refused to carry out their request, they removed him from his throne for three months until he promised them: “I am with you in all you do.” Then they restored him to his throne. That is why it is written: And now there arose a new king.", "The prophet said: They have dealt treacherously against the Lord, for they have begotten strange children; now shall the new moon devour them with their portions (Hos. 5:7). That is to say, they gave birth to children, but neglected to circumcise them. This teaches us that after Joseph’s death the people disregarded the covenant of circumcision, saying: Let us be like the Egyptians. When the Holy One, blessed be He, observed this, He suppressed the love He bore them, as it is said: He turned their heart to hate His people (Ps. 125:22).", "Now shall the new moon devour them (Hos. 5:27). New is written to indicate that new, harsh decrees were imposed upon them. Therefore, it is written: Now there arose a new king who knew not Joseph. Who knew not Joseph. Did he actually fail to recognize Joseph that the verse should say Who knew not Joseph? R. Abin said: It may be compared to the fate of one who had stoned the statue of a commander. The king then decreed: “Let him be decapitated lest he do the same to me tomorrow.” Pharaoh said in this instance “I do not know Joseph” because later on he would say: I do not know the Lord." ], [ "Come, let us deal wisely with them (Exod. 1:9). In saying this he blasphemed against the On High. The Holy One said to them: No matter what you plan to do against Israel, it will increase and multiply. And it may come to pass that, when there befalleth us any war, they also join themselves unto our enemies, and ascend from the land (ibid. 10). Every time Israel is cast down it will ultimately arise. Observe what is written: And fight against us, and ascend from the land (ibid.), and David said: For our soul is bound down to the dust; our belly cleaveth unto the earth (Ps. 44:26), but after that is written: Arise for our help, and redeem us for mercy’s sake (ibid., v. 27)." ], [ "Now Moses was keeping the flock (Exod. 3:1). Scripture states elsewhere: Every word of God is tried; He is a shield unto them that take refuge in Him (Prov. 30:5). The Holy One, blessed be He, does not confer greatness upon a man until He tests him in lesser things. Only then does He elevate him to greatness. Two great men in the world were tested and found to be faithful before He raised them to positions of greatness. He tested David by means of a sheep. What did David do? He led the sheep into the desert to keep them from feeding from the field of others, and that is why his brother Eliab said to him: With whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? (I Sam. 17:28). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Thou hast been found trustworthy with regard to sheep, and so now I shall entrust My flock to you that you may shepherd them, as it is written: Thou shalt shepherd My people Israel (I Chron. 11:2). And Scripture likewise says: From following the ewes that give suck He brought him to be shepherd over Jacob, His people, and Israel, His inheritance (Ps. 78:71).", "Similarly, when Moses tended the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, he led it to the farthest end of the wilderness in order to keep the sheep from stealing. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You have been found trustworthy with regard to sheep; now I shall entrust My flock to you that you may shepherd it, as it is said: Thou didst lead Thy people like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron (Ps. 77:21).", "Observe that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not divulge the existence of Moses until he was three months old, as it is said: She hid him three months, and when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes (Exod. 2:3). She then placed the child within the ark and set it in the Nile. Then it is written: The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe (ibid., v. 5). Our sages of blessed memory said: She went there to cleanse herself of the idolatry practiced in her father’s palace. Others maintain that she had been suffering from leprosy, but when she stretched out her hand toward the righteous one, she was cured.", "And sent her handmaid to fetch it (Ps. 2:5). Her hand was extended and stretched forth. Then she took the child and brought him to the Egyptian women to be nursed, but he refused their breasts. Surely it is permissible to be nursed by them. We have been taught that an Israelite may not suckle the child of an idolater, but that an idolater may suckle the child of an Israelite if she does so with her permission. What is meant by “with her permission”? It means that if she eats the food of Israelites she may nurse him. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: In the future, this child will speak with Me, and the Egyptian women will then say: “I nursed the one who now speaks with the Shekhinah.” Therefore, he refused their breasts." ], [ "And she opened it, and saw it, even the child; and behold, a boy that wept (Exod. 2:6). The verse does not say “And behold, a child that wept” but rather a boy. This informs us that though he was a mere infant his voice sounded like that of a boy. In fact, it resembled that of a youth, as in the verse: And the youth Samuel ministered unto the Lord (I Sam 3:1).", "Pharaoh’s daughter would kiss him, embrace him, and fondle him, but she would not permit him to leave the royal palace. Because he was extremely handsome, everyone wanted to look upon him, and those who saw him were unable to depart from him. Pharaoh would also hug and kiss him, and the boy would ofttimes take the crown from his head and cast it to the ground, as he was later destined to do. That is why the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Hiram: Therefore, have I brought forth a fire from the midst of thee, it hath devoured thee (Ezek. 28:18). And so it was that Pharaoh’s daughter reared the one who would ultimately exact retribution from her father and his land.", "Similarly the Messiah, who is destined to exact retribution from the idolaters, will be reared among them in their city, as it is written: There shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down and consume the branches thereof (Isa. 27:10). Some say that Moses dwelt in Pharaoh’s palace for twenty years. Others insist that he lived there forty years, forty years in Midian, and forty years in the desert. Still others contend that he spent twenty years in Pharaoh’s palace, sixty years in Midian, and forty years in the desert.", "When do you learn that he lived in Pharaoh’s palace less than twenty years? We know it from the fact that at the time the two Hebrew men were fighting each other, they shouted at him: Who made thee a man? (Exod. 2:14), implying “you are not yet a man.” This indicates that he must have been less than twenty years of age.10Full manhood was achieved at twenty, the age of entering military service." ], [ "And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up (Exod. 2:11). Does not everything grow up? Do not men, beasts, animals, and birds all grow up? Why, then, is this said? It teaches us that he matured to an unusual degree. And he went out unto his brethren. This righteous man went out on two occasions, and the Holy One, blessed be He, recorded them. This is one. The verse He went out the second day (ibid. 2:13) indicates that he went out twice. And he looked upon their burdens. What is the meaning of And he looked? He looked at the men as they labored and cried out: “Woe is me, would that I could die for them.” Though there is no labor more arduous than working with clay, he would put his shoulders to the tasks and help each one of them. Hence it is written: And he looked upon their burdens.", "And he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew (Exod. 2:11). Who was this Egyptian? He was the father of the blasphemer, concerning whom it is said: And the son of the Israelitish woman blasphemed the Name (Lev. 24:11).11He was the offspring of the rape of Shelomith, an Israelite woman, by an Egyptian. The Egyptian was beating the Hebrew who was the husband of Shelomith the daughter of Dibri. Why was he beating him? This overseer was in charge of one hundred and twenty men, whom he would dispatch to their labors every morning, at the time of the crowing of the cock. Since he was wont to send them to their respective tasks, he would enter their homes. He noticed that Shelomith the daughter of Dibri was perfectly beautiful, without blemish, and he was anxious to possess her. (So one morning,) at the time of the crowing of the cock, after he (the Egyptian) had sent the Hebrew from his home, he had intercourse with the Hebrew’s wife, who thought that it was her husband who was still with her. Her husband returned (from his tasks) and observed the Egyptian leaving the house. He asked her: “Did he perhaps touch you?” “Yes, he did,” she replied, “but I thought it was you.” When the taskmaster learned that the man was angered by what had occurred, he forced him to work harder and would beat him.", "Moses perceived through the Holy Spirit what the Egyptian had done to the man’s wife and that now he was beating her husband as well, and he said to him: “Is it not enough that you violated his wife, must you then smite him also?” He became enraged at the Egyptian, And he looked this way and that way (Exod. 2:12). Obviously, he was aware that the Egyptian had violated the woman and was now smiting her husband. When he saw that there was no man there, (he knew) that the man was destined to die at his hands: And he smote the Egyptian (ibid., v. 12). With what did he smite him? Some say that he took a trowel full of clay and smashed his skull. Others insist that he invoked the Divine Name and slew him, as it says: Sayest thou to kill me? (ibid., v. 14) (i.e., “Will you kill me with a ‘saying,’ a word?).", "And he hid him in the sand (ibid., v. 12). He said to the Israelites: You are likened to sand,12Referring to Thy seed as the sand of the earth (Gen. 32:13). which moves soundlessly from one place to another; so, too, no word of this must depart from your mouths. Therefore it is written: And he hid him in the sand (ibid.)." ], [ "And he went out on the second day, and behold, two men of the Hebrews were striving together (Exod. 2:13). Who were these men? They were Dathan and Abiram, who later said: Let us make a captain, and let us return to Egypt (Num. 14:4). They were the ones who rebelled at the Red Sea and kept some of the manna (as “leftovers,” not believing that God would supply them with more the next day), as it is written: But some of them left of it until the morning (Exod. 16:20). Likewise, they were the ones who went out to gather it up (on the Sabbath, which was forbidden), but were unable to find any (as Moses had warned). They were also the ones who participated in his (Moses’) conflict with Korah. Hence it is said: It was Dathan and Abiram. They were involved in wickedness from beginning to end. He said to him that did wrong: “Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?” (Exod. 2:13), that is to say: “Why do you strike one who is just as wicked as you are?” And they retorted: Who made thee a man, ruler and judge over us? This implied: “You are not yet a man, indeed you are only a lad, and yet you try to act as though you are a ruler and a judge over us.”", "Thinkest thou to kill me? It does not say here “Do you desire to kill me?” but rather Thinkest thou to kill me? Thus you learn from this that he slew him merely by reflecting upon the Tetragrammaton. And Moses became fearful and said: Surely this thing is known (Exod. 2:14). He said to them: “You tell tales on each other, how can you be worthy of redemption?” And when Pharaoh hear this thing (ibid., v. 15). Apparently Dathan and Abiram informed against him (Moses), and he fled to Midian, where he remained twenty years, until Israel became worthy of redemption.", "Forthwith he sought to slay Moses, but Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh. They had placed Moses upon the scaffold, and Pharaoh was about to have him executed when the Holy One, blessed be He, made Pharaoh mute, the counselors deaf, and the executioner blind. Thereupon, Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh. Whence do we know this? R. Johanan said: At the time that Moses replied: I am not a man of words (Exod. 4:10), the Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Who hath made man’s mouth? (ibid., v. 11). Pharaoh’s mouth ordered that Moses be placed upon the scaffold and executed but who made him mute, the counselor deaf, and the executioner blind? Who gave you the good sense to escape from Pharaoh? Is it not I (ibid.), the Holy One, blessed be He?", "And he dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well. In so doing, he repeated what his ancestors had done previously. There were three who met their mates at a well: Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Isaac, as it is written: And Isaac came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi (Gen. 24:62). Jacob, as it is written: And he looked up, and behold, a well in the field (ibid. 29:2). Moses, as it is written: And he sat down by a well." ], [ "Now the Priest of Midian had seven daughters (Exod. 2:16). Was it proper for this righteous man to go to the home of an idolater? After all, since the Holy one, blessed be He, detests idolatry, why did he permit Moses to go to a place where idols were worshipped? That fact is that though Jethro had been the priest of idolaters, he always held idols in contempt. Jethro was convinced of their falseness and despised them. In fact he had decided to repent even prior to the arrival of Moses. He had summoned his townsmen and told them: “I have served you until now, but now I am old; select another priest.” Because he had returned the paraphernalia used in idolatrous worship, they were angry with him, and turned against him so violently that no one would speak to him, or work for him, or tend his flocks. He pleaded with the shepherds to care for his flocks, but they refused. Hence his daughters were compelled to take them out to pasture, as it is said: Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters (Exod. 2:16).", "And the shepherds came and drove them away (ibid., v. 17). If he had been a great and powerful priest of Midian, would they have dared drive them away? This teaches us that they oppressed him and drove his daughters away just as a divorced woman is driven away, as Scripture states: So he drove out the man (Gen. 3:24). But Moses stood up and saved them (Exod. 3:17). You learn from this that the shepherds were about to attack them, as is stated in the verse: The betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her (Deut. 22:27). And when they came to Reuel, their father … they said: “An Egyptian saved us” (Exod. 2:18).", "Did Moses actually look like an Egyptian? No. This implies that if it had not been for the Egyptian whom he slew, Moses would not have entered Midian. This may be compared to a man bitten by a wild ass. After he is bitten he runs to the water’s edge to bathe his feet. As he is about to enter the river, he sees a drowning child, and he stretches out his hand, and rescues the child. The child then says to him: “Were it not for you, I would have died.” But the man replies: “Not I, but the wild ass that bit me, and from whom I was fleeing, was actually responsible for your rescue.”", "Similarly, when Jethro’s daughters said to Him: “We thank you for saving us from the shepherds,” Moses replied: “It was the Egyptian whom I killed who actually was responsible for your rescue.” Therefore they said to their father: “It was an Egyptian,” in order to tell him that the man responsible for his coming to us was the Egyptian whom he had slain. And he said unto his daughters: “And where is he?” (ibid., v. 20). He said to them: “All that ye have told me concerning his drawing the water from the well and watering the flock is, indeed, a sign that he is a descendant of those who stood at the well, for the well recognized its master. Call him, that he may eat bread (ibid.), perhaps he will wed one of you,” as it is said: He knew not aught save the bread which he did eat (Gen. 39:6). And Scripture also says: Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant (Prov. 9:17), and For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a loaf of bread (ibid. 6:26)." ], [ "And Moses was content to dwell (Exod. 2:21). The word content (vayo’el) is used with reference to an oath, as in the case of Saul: And he adjured (vayo’el) the people (I Sam. 14:24).", "Why did Jethro compel him to take an oath? Lest he do to him what Laban had stated: If thou shalt afflict my daughters and take wives (Gen. 31:50). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: The righteous Moses risked his life for the sake of My children and was forced to flee to Midian, but he will redeem them from Egypt. Therefore it is written: And Moses was keeping the flock (Exod. 3:1).", "Moses was keeping the flock. Though the time for their redemption was at hand, they had not as yet performed any meritorious deeds. Scripture declares this through the words of Ezekiel: I caused thee in increase even as the growth of the field … thy breasts were fattened, and thy hair was grown, yet thou wast naked and bare (Ezek. 16:7). Is it not so that the Holy One, blessed be He, would not have written breasts and hair except for the fact that breasts and hair allude to Moses and Aaron? Inasmuch as it is said concerning them: Thy two breasts are like two fawns, that are twins of a gazelle (Song 4:5). Thy hair was grown implies that the time for redemption had arrived, but naked and bare signify that Israel had not yet performed any good deeds. The verse For thy love is better than wine (ibid. 1:2) refers to the patriarchs, who are called beloved. And God heard their groaning, and remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God saw the children of Israel (Exod. 2:24). That is, though He saw that they had not yet performed any meritorious deeds, He redeemed them nevertheless, as is said: He saved them for His name’s sake (Ps. 106:8)." ], [ "Now Moses was keeping the flock (Exod. 3:1). R. Levi stated: Everyone about whom it is written was, his beginning and his end were proper. R. Johanan said: Everyone about whom it says was, fed and sustained others. Others contended that it is written: Now the serpent was subtle (Gen. 3:1). And he answered: Because he was subtle, he was predestined to punishment. It is also written that Cain was a tiller of the ground (ibid. 4:2), they said. To which he replied: Therefore he was predestined for exile. Then they argued that it is written: So Jeremiah abode in the court of the guard until the day Jerusalem was taken (Jer. 38:28). And He answered: That too is an excellent example, for if Jerusalem had not been taken, the “enemies of Israel” (euphemism for Israel) would have been destroyed. Moreover, Israel (thus) experienced full punishment for her sins. The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion (Lam. 4:22). Our sages of blessed memory maintained that everyone concerning whom it is written was would experience a new world. Therefore it is written: And Moses was keeping the flock." ], [ "And he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness (Exod. 3:1). In answer to the query Why did he go into the wilderness? R. Johanan said: He went into the wilderness because he foresaw that Israel would be exalted through the wilderness, as it is said: Who is this that cometh up out of the wilderness? (Song 3:6). The ascent from Egypt was through the wilderness, the Torah was given in the wilderness; the manna and the quail were obtained in the wilderness; the Tabernacle, the Shekhinah, the priesthood, kingship, the well, the clouds of glory—all occurred in the wilderness. Therefore, he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness.", "And came to the mountain of God, unto Horeb (Exod. 3:1). R. Simeon the son of Yosé maintained that Moses’ flock roamed about for forty days, and that, like Elijah of blessed memory, he tasted no food (during this time), as it is said: And he arose, and he did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meal forty days and forty nights (I Kings 19:8). And he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness (Exod. 3:1). This informed him that (the older generation of) Israel, which was called the flock, would perish in the wilderness.", "And he led the flock. This was a sign to him that he would lead the Israelites though the desert for forty years, and that he would be taken away by death with the flock while it was still in the wilderness. Therefore, at the time Moses pleaded for the needs of Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Go on My mission. Moses replied: Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth (Song 1:7), that is, tell Me how many midwives are there among them, how many women with child are there, how many nuts13Reading agozim (as in Shemot Rabbah), rather than agudot. have you provided for the infants, how many potions have you prepared for the pregnant women among them? Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: If thou knowest not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way by the footsteps of the flock (you will learn). Therefore: And he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness. As soon as he reached Mount Horeb, The angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire (Exod. 3:2). Why did He appear in a fiery flame? So that when he came to Sinai and beheld the fire, his heart would not be frightened by it.", "Another comment on why in a flame of fire (belibbat esh)? The fire was on both sides of the bush and in the upper portion, just as the heart (leb) is placed between the two sides of a man’s body and in the upper portion of his body. Why did He appear in the midst of a bush of thorns rather than in a large tree or a column of smoke? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I have stated in the Torah: I will be with him in trouble (Ps. 91:15); inasmuch as they were enslaved, I appeared in a bush of thorns, which is a place of trouble. Therefore, out of the midst of a bush which is full of thorns, I appeared unto him." ], [ "And he looked; and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed (Exod. 3:2). Because of this verse they held: The heavenly fire branches upwards as it burns, but is not consumed, and it is black in color. While here on earth, fire does not branch upwards (and) it is red in color. And though it consumes that which it touches, it does not burn. Therefore, The bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.", "And Moses said: I will turn aside now, and see this great sight (Exod. 3:3). R. Johanan held that Moses took three steps forward. R. Simeon the son of Lakish insisted that he did not step forward at all but simply turned his neck to observe it. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Because you troubled to look, be assured you will merit that I shall reveal Myself unto you. Forthwith, And God called unto him out of the midst of the bush (ibid., v. 4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Because you responded Here am I, be assured that the time will come when you will pray on behalf of Israel and I will answer you at once, with the same words: Then shalt thou call, and the Lord will answer; thou shalt cry, and He will say: “Here am I” (Isa. 58:9)." ], [ "And Moses went and returned to Jethro, his father-in-law (Exod. 4:18). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity (Prov. 17:17). Who was this friend? It was Jethro, who welcomed Moses after he fled from Pharaoh. From this you learn that if anyone undertakes to perform a good deed (even if he does not do it), that good deed will never cease recurring in his home. Jethro welcomed into his home a redeemer who had fled from his enemy, and so from his house there descended one who welcomed an enemy who was fleeing from a redeemer and slew him. Who was this enemy? Sisera, as it is said: Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite … then Jael took a tent pin, etc. (Judg. 4:17, 21). And it is also written: And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law (ibid. 1:16). Hence it says: A brother is born for adversity (Prov. 17:17).", "Two men welcomed two righteous men and were blessed because of them. At first they had no sons, but after these righteous men entered their homes and then departed, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them sons. These two were Laban and Jethro. If Laban had any sons of his own, would his daughters have been forced to shepherd his flock? The fact is that he had no sons, but after Jacob’s arrival, he was blessed with property and sons, as it is written: And the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake (Gen. 30:27), and furthermore, it is written: And he heard the words of Laban’s sons (ibid. 31:1). In this instance, it is written: Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters (Exod. 2:16). Is it likely that if he had sons his daughters would have been shepherdesses? No. Obviously, he had no sons. After Moses entered his house, however, he was blessed with sons, as it is written: And the sons of the Kenite, Moses’s father-in law (Judg. 14:17).", "At the time the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Come now, therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh (Exod. 3:10), Moses replied: “Master of the Universe, I cannot leave, for Jethro welcomed me and opened his home unto me, and I am like a son unto him.” If one opens his door to his fellowmen, the latter owes him his very life. You find this occurred at the time Elijah visited the widow in Zarephath. After her son’s death, he began to plead: O Lord my God, hast Thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourned, by slaying her son? (I Kings 17:20). Whereupon, The Lord harkened unto the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back into him, and he revived (ibid., v. 22).", "Furthermore, when a person welcomes another into his home he must treat the visitor with greater respect than he accords his own father and mother. You find that when Elijah said to Elisha: Ask what I shall do for thee before I am taken from thee (II Kings 2:9), Elisha replied: Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. Thereupon Elijah responded: Thou hast asked a difficult thing; nevertheless, if thou shouldst see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. And it came to pass, as they still went on and talked, that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and hordes of fire, which parted them both asunder (ibid., vv. 10–11). Surely it was Elisha’s duty to visit his father and mother first in order to revive them, but instead he revived the son of his host, the Shunammite’s son. Similarly Elijah should have revived his father, instead of reviving the son of (the widow of) Zarephath, but he risked his life in appreciation for her hospitality.", "Thus, Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He: “Jethro welcomed me and treated me with kindness, I cannot leave without his permission.” Therefore, it is written: And Moses went and returned to Jethro, his father-in law (Exod. 4:18). And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian (ibid., v. 19). After He had spoken to him at the bush, He returned and spoke to him once again in Midian, since the matter was of such vital concern." ], [ "What is written prior to the episode in which Moses was keeping the flock? Many things are designated for certain purposes even before they are introduced into the world.14This is hinted at by the word “was.” Death was designated to enter the world, as it is said: And darkness was on the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2). This refers to the angel of death, who darkens the countenances of all creatures. Yet it is written: And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good (ibid., v. 3), even though death already existed, as it is said: Now the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep (ibid., v. 2).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, introduced death through the serpent, which had been predestined for that purpose, as it is said: Now the serpent was more subtle (ibid. 3:1). It was foreseen by the Holy One, blessed be He, that Adam would eat the apple and would die because of its subtlety, as it is written: For in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die (ibid., v. 3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her (Eve): This is no mere parable. He was already destined for that end, as it is written: Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil (ibid., v. 22). In the future, a flood will descend upon the world, but Noah and his sons will escape, as it is written: Noah was a just man in his generation, etc. (ibid. 6:9). He foresaw that a righteous man would arise, and that the world would be preserved through him, and that after him Abraham would come, as it is written: Abraham was one (Ezek. 33:24).", "Punishments were to be imposed in the future, and Job was preordained in order that they might be introduced through him, as it is written: There was a man in the land of Uz (Job 1:1). Israel was destined to be sold in the days of Haman, but Mordecai was predestined to save them. Israel was destined to descend into servitude in Egypt, but Joseph was predestined to help them, as it is written: And Joseph was in Egypt (Exod. 1:5). Israel was ultimately to be redeemed from Egypt, and Moses was predestined to deliver them from bondage, as it is written: And Moses was keeping the flock." ], [ "And Moses went and returned to Jethro, his father-in-law (Exod. 4:18). Scripture states elsewhere: But he is at one with Himself, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desireth, even that He doeth (Job 23:13). R. Pappos explained this verse as follows: Because He is the Unique One in the world, no one can stay His hand. He does whatever He desires, for what His soul desireth, even that He doeth. R. Akiba replied: By your life, Pappos, that is not the correct interpretation of this verse. Pappos then asked: What then is the meaning of He is at one with Himself and who can turn him? He replied: Just as men consult each other on earth, so the heavenly beings consult each other. How do we know that? It is written: The matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth it up over it the lowest of men (Dan. 4:14). In other words, just as men debate a law here on earth, so do those above, and every decision rendered is in accordance with the law, as it is said: Howbeit I will declare unto thee that which is inscribed in the writing of truth (ibid. 10:21).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, ponders the matter in question and asks: What should the law be? Whereupon they respond: It should be such-and-such. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, decrees, as you may learn from Micaiah: And Micaiah said: “Therefore hear thou the word of the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the hosts of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left hand (I Kings 22:19). But is there actually a left hand on high? No; it means that those on the right (side of God) balance the scale on the side of merit, and those on the left balance the scale on the side of guilt. And the Lord said: “Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?” And one said: On this manner; another said: On that manner (ibid., v. 20). This teaches us that they considered every decision with regard to the law, and the Holy One, blessed be He, discussed the law with them.", "What is meant by But He is at one with Himself, and who can turn Him? (Job 23:13). It means that after the law was determined, the Holy One, blessed be He, would enter the place in which they were not permitted to go and seal the judgment, as it is said: He is at one with Himself, and who can turn Him? That is, He knows the opinions of all His creatures, and there are none who could challenge His words.", "Another comment on He is at one with Himself, and who can turn Him? Because He is the Unique One in the world, no one can challenge His words. You know this from the fact that though Jonah strove to avoid fulfilling his assignment, as it is said: And Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish (Jonah 1:1), the Holy One, blessed be He, said: We see one who is ready to flee but he goes (where he is commanded to go). So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord (ibid. 3:3).", "Jeremiah said: I cannot speak, for I am a child (Jer. 1:6). However, the Holy One, blessed be He, replied to him: Say not: “I am a child”; for to whomsoever I shall send thee, thou shalt go (ibid.). He did not leave where he was until he went where he was commanded to go. Hence, And what His soul desireth, even that He doeth. Moses said: Send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send (Exod. 14:13). And he did not depart until he went (where he was commanded to go).", "And Moses went, and returned unto Jethro his father-in-law. Prior to this is written: And when the Lord saw that he returned to see … and He said: “Moses, Moses” (Exod. 3:4). R. Abba the son of Kahana said: Everyone whose name is repeated in immediate succession experiences life in both worlds: Noah, Noah (Gen. 6:9); Abraham, Abraham (ibid. 22:11); Jacob, Jacob (ibid. 46:2); Moses, Moses (Exod. 3:4); Samuel, Samuel (I Sam. 3:10); Perez, Perez (Ruth 4:15). However, someone retorted: Is it not also written: These are the generations of Terah, Terah (Gen. 11:27). He replied: Even he had a portion in both worlds, for our patriarch Abraham was not buried until he was assured that his father, Terah, had repented, for it is said: But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace (ibid. 15:15). Abraham said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe: Shall I go to my fathers, though I have stored up good deeds in this world? The Holy One, blessed be He, answered: Be assured: Thy father hath repented. Hence his name was repeated." ], [ "And he said: “Moses, Moses.” and he said: “Here am I” (Exod. 3:4). What is the meaning of Here am I? R. Joshua the son of Karha held: Here am I implies: “I am ready for priesthood and for kingship.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: You stand in the place of one of the pillars of the world, (for) Abraham has said Here am I, and now you are saying Here am I. Draw not nigh hither (ibid., v. 5). The word hither alludes to kingship, as it is said: Whom am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me hither? (II Sam. 7:18). Similarly it states: Is there yet a man come hither? (I Sam. 10:22). With reference to Joshua it is written: Put off thy shoe from off thy foot (Josh. 5:15), and it is also written concerning Moses: Put off thy shoes from off thy feet (Exod. 3:5). And He said: I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham (ibid., v. 6). He appeared to him through the voice of his father, Amram, lest he become frightened. Thereupon Moses rejoiced, exclaiming: “My father, Amram, still lives.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, I came to you enticingly so that you would not be terrified. Forthwith, Moses hid his face. Be assured, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, because you honored Me, I will cause you to be honored by all Israel. Hence, they were afraid to come nigh him (Exod. 34:30), for it is written of him: For he was afraid (ibid. 3:6). Because you did not wish to look—therefore the similitude of the Lord doth he behold (Num. 12:8). Because you hid your face, the children of Israel were afraid to look upon the face of Moses, for The skin of his face sent forth beams, and they were afraid to come nigh him (Exod. 34:30). And now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come (ibid. 3:9). This teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be He witnessed their labors and their afflictions." ], [ "And the Lord said: I have surely seen the affliction of my people (Exod. 3:7). Scripture states elsewhere For He knoweth base men; and when He seeth iniquity, will He not then consider it (Job 11:11)? The Holy One, blessed be He said to Moses: I have surely seen (ra’oh ra’iti) indicates that I have beheld two visions.15The repetition of the verb in this tense implies that he had two visions. I have seen and I know their grief and will redeem them now, and I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people (Exod. 32:9), who will in the future anger Me by erecting the golden calf. Thus, it says I have surely seen. R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated: Othniel discussed this matter with the Holy One, blessed be He. He said: Master of the Universe how could you have assured Moses that you would redeem them, whether they do your will or not, since it is said: And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel; and he went out to war (Judg. 3:10). I could do so because I know their pains (Exod. 3:7) is stated. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: What can I do? I must redeem them, I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians (ibid., v. 8).", "Moses said unto God: Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel and I shall say to them the God of your fathers sent me. What shall I say to them (Exod. 3:13)? Moses pleaded with the Holy One, blessed be He, to divulge His great name to him. He said: If they should ask me, What is His name?, What shall I answer? He answered Moses: Do you desire to know My name? I am known according to My works. When I judge mankind, I am called God; when I take revenge upon the wicked, I am called Hosts; when I consider the sins of man, I am called Almighty God; and when I sit in merciful judgment, I am called Merciful One. My name conforms to My deeds. I urge you, however, to say to them: The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has sent me unto you; this is My name forever, and this is My memorial unto all generations (ibid., v. 15).", "Master of the Universe, he exclaimed: I have sworn to Jethro that I would not leave without his permission. And He answered: Return to Midian and I will release you from your vow. Therefore, he spoke with him once again in Midian, as it is said: And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian. Moses went, and returned to Jethro his father-in-law (ibid. 4:18). Surely it would have been necessary to say only He returned to Midian, why then, does Scripture say and he returned to Jethro his father-in-law? It is to tell us that he went to him to be released from his vow and to obtain his permission to depart, as it is said: Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren (ibid.)." ], [ "And Jethro said to Moses: “Go for peace” (Exod. 3:18). You find that everyone about whom it is written Go for peace departs and returns in peace, and that everyone concerning whom it is said Go in peace departs but does not return (in peace). Jethro said to Moses: Go for peace. And he departed and he returned in peace." ], [ "And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass (Exod. 4:20). This is one of the ten verses our rabbis altered when they translated the Torah into Greek for King Ptolemy.16Megillah 9a. The Septuagint, begun during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285–246 B.C.E.). The ten changes are: “God created in the beginning” (Gen. 1:1);17Instead of In the beginning God created, in order to emphasize that God alone created. “I shall make man in My image and My likeness” (ibid., v. 26);18Instead of Let us make man in our image. etc. “And He finished on the sixth day, and rested on the seventh day (ibid. 2:2);19Instead of And on the seventh day God finished, thus giving the impression that God actually worked on the seventh day. “Male and female He created him” (ibid. 5:2);20Instead of Male and female He created them, etc. “Come, let Me descend and confound their tongue” (ibid. 11:7);21Instead of Come, let us go down, etc. “And Sarah laughed among her relatives” (ibid. 18:12);22Instead of And Sarah laughed within herself. “For in their anger they slew an ox, and in their wrath they digged up a stall” (ibid. 49:6);23Instead of For in their anger they slew men, and in their self-will they houghed oxen. “And Moses took his wife and his sons, and made them ride on a carrier of men” (Exod. 4:20);24Instead of… and set them upon an ass. “Now the time that the children of Israel dwelt in Egypt, and in the land of Goshen and in Canaan was four hundred and thirty years” (ibid. 12:40);25Instead of Now the time that the children of Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years, etc. “And he sent the elect of the children of Israel” (ibid. 24:5);26Instead of And he sent the young men of the children of Israel. “And against the elect of the children of Israel he put not forth his hand (ibid., v. 11);27Instead of And upon the nobles of the children of Israel He laid not His hand. “Since the Lord thy God hath arranged to give light to all the peoples under the entire heavens” (Deut. 4:19);28The words “to give light” were added. “Which I had not commanded the people to serve” (Deut. 17:3);29Instead of Which I have commanded not. they wrote about “the slender-footed,” but they did not write the word ‘arnevet (“the hare”) (Lev. 11:5) because the name of Ptolemy’s wife was ‘Arnevet,30Actually, her name was Arsinoe. and he might say: “The Jews are ridiculing me by writing my wife’s name in the Torah.”" ], [ "And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass (Exod. 4:20). The singular form ass is employed here, as when a man says: “Lead out the animal” (though he may have many). And Moses took the rod of God in his hand (ibid.). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Take this rod in your hand, for with it you will be able to perform any miracle you desire. He struck the Nile with it, as it is said: And thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand (Exod. 17:5). Sometimes Scripture calls it the rod of the Lord and at other times thy rod.", "And the Lord said unto Moses: When thou goest (ibid. 4:21). The Holy One, blessed be He, revealed all the miracles to him, all the signs and wonders it would perform. He asked him: What is in your hand? (ibid. 2). A rod (ibid.), he replied. Cast it to the ground (ibid., v. 3), said the Holy One, blessed be He, and it will become a snake. Why a snake and not something else? Moses asked. He replied: Just as a snake bites and destroys, so the Egyptians bite and destroy the Israelites. After that He turned it into a tree, for the Egyptians were to become like a withered tree. Now, place thy hand into thy bosom (ibid., v. 6), He told him. When he withdrew it, his hand was leprous, for just as leprosy is impure, so the Egyptians were impure and were making the Israelites impure. When he replaced his hand in his bosom the flesh returned to normal. Thus shall I cleanse the Israelites from the impurities of Egypt. said the Holy One. Even as when you smote the water of the river and it turned into blood, so shall I afflict the Egyptians with the plague of blood.", "Another comment on this matter. Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He: But perhaps they will not believe me, nor hearken to my voice (Exod. 4:1). And He said: What is that in thy hand? (ibid., v. 2). The word is written as mazeh (“what is this?”), but it may be read as mi-zeh (“with this”): “With this that is in your hand you will be punished,31Indicating that he would be punished for striking the rock with the rod (see Num. 20:7–13). for you have spoken slanderously against My children, just as the serpent spoke slanderously.” And He said: For God doth know (Gen. 3:5) that My son’s children are believers, and the descendants of believers. They are believers, because it is written: And the people believed (Exod. 4:31), and the descendants of believers, because it is written: And he believed in the Lord (Gen. 15:6). Just as I smote the snake with leprosy, so you shall be smitten by it, place your hand in your bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom; and behold, when he withdrew it, it was leprous and as white as snow (Exod. 4:6). And if it shall come to pass that they do not believe you (ibid., v. , 8), then you shall smite the waters of the Nile and they shall turn into blood. This was also a sign to him that he would be judged in the future because of water, as it is said: Out of the rock, etc. (Gen. 20:8)." ], [ "And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel (Exod. 4:29). He told them: The Holy One, blessed be He, has said: I have surely remembered you (Exod. 3:16). This was a sign that was transmitted to them from the days of Abraham and Isaac. Jacob had transmitted it to Joseph when he told him: “Every redeemer who comes and says to you I have surely remembered is a truthful redeemer.” And when Moses came and said I have surely remembered, the people believed him forthwith. Moses and Aaron said to them: “Come with us and we will go unto Pharaoh.” At first the elders of Israel accompanied them, but later they slipped away singly, and then in pairs. When they arrived at Pharaoh’s palace, not a single person who had accompanied them, could be found, as it is written: And afterwards Moses and Aaron came (Exod. 5:1).", "What happened to the elders who had accompanied them? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Because you slipped away, be assured, I will exact retribution from you. When did that occur? At the time that Moses and Aaron went up to Mount Sinai with the elders to receive the Torah. The Holy One, blessed be He, kept them away, as it is said: And unto the elders, He said: “Tarry ye here for us until we come back unto you” (ibid. 24:14). In this world, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, you shall not witness the glory of the Torah, but in the world-to-come, I will reveal unto you the light of the glory of the Torah, as it is said: Then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed (Isa. 24:23)." ], [ "And the Lord said to Aaron: “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses” (Exod. 4:27). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: God thundereth marvelously with His voice; great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend (Job 37:5). What is meant by God thundereth marvelously with His voice? When the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah at Sinai, He revealed untold marvels to Israel through His voice. In what way did He do that? The Holy One, blessed be He, spoke, and His voice reverberated throughout the entire world. When Israel heard the sound of His voice, it appeared at first to come from the south, and so they ran to the south to receive the voice. In the south the sound appeared to reverse itself and to emanate from the north, whereupon they ran to the north. In the north it shifted as though it came from the east, and so they hastened to the east to await the voice; then it appeared to shift once more from the east to the west, and they ran to the west. In the west, it turned about as though it came from the heavens, but when they lifted their eyes toward heaven, it seemed to come from the earth. Whereupon they looked toward the earth, as it is said: Out of heaven He made thee to hear His voice, that He might instruct thee; and upon the earth He made thee to see His great fire; and thou didst hear His words out of the midst of the fire (Deut. 4:36).", "The Israelites said to one another: But wisdom, where shall it be found? And where is the place of understanding. The deep saith: “It is not in me”; and the sea saith: “It is not with me.” Destruction and death say: “We have heard a rumor thereof with our ears” (Job 28:12, 14, 22).", "The Israelites asked: From where does the Holy One, blessed be He, come—is it from the east, the west, the north, or the south? After all, it is said: And he said: The Lord cometh from Sinai (Deut. 33:2), And also: God cometh from Teman (Hab. 3:3), And all the people perceived the thunderings (Exod. 20:15). The verse does not say “perceived the thunder,” but rather the thunderings. R. Johanan explained this as follows: The sound went forth and divided itself, at first, into seven sounds. These sounds in turn became seventy different languages, so that all nations might comprehend (what was being said). When each nation heard His voice in its own language they fainted away, but Israel listened to it and was unharmed.", "How did the voice go forth? R. Tanhuma declared: It went forth in a dual role, destroying the nations that would not accept the Torah and giving life to Israel, which accepted the Torah. Thus Moses said to them at the end of the forty years: For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? (Deut. 5:23); that is to say, only you have heard His voice and have lived, while other nations heard it and perished.", "Observe that His voice went forth to each Israelite in accordance with the individual’s capacity to receive it. The elders, the men, the youths, the little ones, the sucklings—each heard it according to his own capacity. Even Moses heard it according to his capacity, as it is said: Moses spoke, and God answered him by (with) a voice (Exod. 19:19); that is, with a voice that Moses was able to comprehend. Thus, it says: The voice of the Lord was powerful with strength (Ps. 29:1). “With His strength” is not written in this verse, but rather with strength, that is, according to the strength of each individual (to tolerate the sound). Even the pregnant women heard it in accordance with their strength. Therefore it says: Each one of them according to their strength.", "R. Yosé the son of Hanina stated: If you are amazed at this remember, that the manna descended for each Israelite with a taste that varied according to the needs of each individual. The young men, for instance, ate it as bread, as it is said: Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you (Exod. 16:4); the elders ate it as wafers of honey, as it is said: And the taste of it was like wafers made with honey (ibid., v. 31); the sucklings, as milk from the breasts of their mothers, as is said: And the taste of it was as the taste of a cake baked with oil (Num. 11:8);32Reading leshad ha-shemen (“a cake with oil”) as le-shad ha-shemen (“as a fat breast”). for the ill, as fine flour mixed in honey, as it is said: Thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil (Exod. 16:13); and the gentiles who tasted it found it as bitter as coriander seed, as is said: Now the manna was like coriander seed (Num. 11:7).", "R. Yosé the son of Hanina stated further that just as the manna, which was actually of one kind, could change into different kinds (tastes), because of the requirements of each of them, so could the voice that went forth change for each of them according to the individual’s ability to hear it, so that no harm might befall him. Whence do we know that the voice divided itself into many sounds? It is said: And all the people perceived the thunderings. The plural thunderings is written, and not the singular “thundering.” Therefore, God thundereth marvelously with His voice (Job 37:5)." ], [ "Another explanation of God thundereth marvelously with his voice (Job 37:5). When did the Holy One, blessed be He, perform these miracles with His voice? He did so at the time he wished to send Moses to Pharaoh to redeem the Israelites from Egypt. When Moses was in Midian, he was afraid to go to Pharaoh, so the Lord revealed Himself him and told him: Go, return into Egypt (Exod. 4:19). These words divided themselves into two distinct sounds and took two different forms. Moses heard the voice in Midian saying: Go return into Egypt, and Aaron heard it saying: Go, meet Moses (ibid., v. 27), while those in between heard nothing at all. Hence, God thundereth marvelously, etc." ], [ "Another comment upon the verse And the Lord said to Aaron: “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses” (Exod. 4:27). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: O that thou wert as my brother (Song 8:1). The Israelites said to the Holy One, blessed be He:, O that thou wert as my brother, yet you find that all brothers hated each other. Cain hated Abel, as it is said: And Cain rose up against Abel his brother (Gen. 4:8). Ishmael hated Isaac, as is said: And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, making sport (Gen. 21:9). Making sport implies, in this instance, that he wanted to kill him, as it is said: Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and make sport before us (II Sam. 2:14). Esau hated Jacob, as is said: And Esau said in his heart, etc. (Gen. 27:41). And the tribes hated Joseph, as it is said: And they hated him (Gen. 37:4). But in this instance the Israelites asked of the Holy One, blessed be He: Do you mean like Moses and Aaron, of whom it is said: Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity (Ps. 133:1)? They loved and cherished each other. At the time that Moses took the kingship and Aaron the priesthood, they bore no resentment toward each other. In fact, they rejoiced in each other’s exalted role.", "A proof of this is that when the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to go to Pharaoh as His messenger, he replied: O Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom Thou wilt sent (Exod. 4:13). Put out of your mind the thought that Moses was distressed because he was not willing to go. That is not so. He actually was concerned about Aaron’s prestige. Moses said: Before I was designated (to go), my brother Aaron prophesied in Egypt for them for eighty years,33Aaron was the elder brother and had prophesied in Egypt for many years. as it is written: And I made known to them in the land of Egypt (Exod. 20:5). How do we know that Aaron prophesied for them in Egypt? We know this from the verse: And there came a man of God unto Eli and said unto him: “Thus saith the Lord: Did I reveal Myself unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt?” (I Sam. 2:27). It was for this reason that Moses said: Throughout all these years my brother prophesied, and if I should now intrude into his area (of service) he will be deeply distressed. That is why Moses did not wish to go. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied to Moses: Aaron will not be offended. In fact, not only will he not be displeased, but he will rejoice. You know this is so, for He said to him: And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee; when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart (Exod. 4:14). It does not say “he will be glad with his mouth” or simply “he will be glad,” but rather, he will glad to see him, in his heart.", "R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: The heart that rejoices in the importance of his brother will ultimately rejoice in his own role, and as it is said: And thou shalt put on the breastplate of judgment, the Urim and Thummin; and they shall be put upon Aaron’s heart (ibid. 28:13). Therefore, Behold, he cometh forth to meet thee implies that when he told him that (Aaron would be glad) he agreed to go. Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself unto Aaron and said to him: Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. Hence, O that thou wert as my brother refers to the kind of brothers Moses and Aaron were to each other. When I would find thee without, I would kiss thee (Song 8:1) indicates that he met him at the mountain of the Holy One, blessed be He, and kissed him." ], [ "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses (Exod. 4:27). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other (Ps. 85:11). Mercy refers to Aaron, as it is said: And of Levi he said: Thy Thummin and Thy Urim be with thy Merciful One (Deut. 33:8). While truth alludes to Moses, as is said: He is trusted in all My house (Num. 12:7). Hence, Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Righteousness refers to Moses, as it is said: He executed the righteousness of the Lord (Deut. 33:21), while peace applies to Aaron, as is said: He walked with me in peace and righteousness (Mal. 11:6).", "Have kissed each other (Ps. 85:11) tells us that he kissed him. Our rabbis teach us that all but three kinds of kisses are frivolous. Those not frivolous are the kiss of parting, the kiss of homage, (and) the kiss of reunion. How do we know about the kiss of parting? From the fact that it is written: And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law Ruth (Ruth 1:14); the kiss of homage we know from what is written: Then Samuel took the vial of oil, poured it upon his head, and kissed him (I Sam. 10:1); we know about the kiss of reunion because it is written: And he went, and met him in the mountain of God and kissed him (Exod. 2:27)." ], [ "And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord (Exod. 4:29). Moses began to reveal to him everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, had told him, and that he was to go perform the miracles. Whereupon the two of them went to the elders, as it is said: And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel (Exod. 4:39). The elders are always held responsible for the survival of Israel. That is why Scripture says: And all Israel, and their elders and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side (Josh. 8:33). When do (the people of) Israel survive? When they have elders among them. Thus, when the Temple was erected, they consulted the elders, as is said: Ask thy father, and he will declare unto thee, thine elders, and they will tell thee (Deut. 32:7). Any one who consults his elders will not blunder. This is confirmed in the episode wherein Ben-hadad sent messengers to the king of Israel. “Thus saith Ben-hadad: Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also, and thy children, even the goodliest are mine.” The king of Israel answered and said: “It is according to thy saying, my lord, O king; I am thine, and all that I have” (I Kings 20:3). Later He sent another messenger to him saying: But I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about this time, and thy shall search thy house, and the houses of thy servants, and it shall be that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand and take it away (I Kings 20:6). Does this verse imply that the things he (Ben-hadad) demanded at first were not desirable? He had asked for silver and gold, and surely they are desirable, as it is said: And the choicest things of all nations shall come (Hag. 2:7). He had demanded women, and that, indeed, is good to possess, as it is said: Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes in a plague (Ezek. 24:16).34Ezekiel’s wife was taken from him. He desired their children, and they surely are precious, as is said: Yet will I slay the beloved fruit of their womb (Hos. 9:6). The fact is that everything he wanted was desirable. What, then, is meant by And it shall be that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes? It refers to that which is most pleasant, the Torah, as it is said: More to be desired are they then gold, yea, then much fine gold (Ps. 19:11).", "When the king of Israel heard these words, he said: This matter does not concern me alone. The elders must make the decision. Thereupon, the king of Israel assembled all the elders of the land and said: “Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief; for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.” And all the elders and all the people said unto him: “Hearken thou not, neither consent” (I Kings 20:8). He followed the advice of the elders, and the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Arameans with a great slaughter (ibid., v. 21). Therefore, one must always consult with elders. And thus it is written: Moses … and Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel (Lev. 9:1).", "R. Akiba said: Why is Israel likened to a bird? Just as a bird cannot fly without wings, so Israel cannot survive without its elders. The influence of the elders is exceedingly great; if they are old, they are beloved by the Holy One, blessed be He, and if they are young, the children are attracted to them.", "R. Simeon the son of Yohai taught: In numerous places we learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, paid homage to the elders. At the thornbush, since it is written: Go, and gather the elders of Israel (Exod. 3:16). And that is followed by: And they shall hearken unto thy voice. And thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt (ibid., v. 18). At Sinai, as it is written: And unto Moses he said: “Come up unto the Lord, thou, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel” (ibid. 24:1). In the Tent of Meeting whither Moses called Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel (Lev. 9:1). In the time-to-come, as it is said: For the Lord of hosts will reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His elders shall be glory (Isa. 24:23).", "R. Abin declared: In the future the Holy One, blessed be He, will establish the elders of Israel as a court, and He will appoint their head as chief judge of the Beth Din, and with them will judge the heathens, as it is said: The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of his people, and the princes thereof (ibid. 3:14). It is not written “over the elders of His people” but with the elders of His people. That is, He will sit with them and judge the heathens. What will He say to them? You have eaten up the vineyard, namely, Israel, as it is said: For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel (Isa. 5:7); The spoil of the poor is in your houses (ibid. 3:14), for it is said: That the Lord hath founded Zion, and in her shall the poor of His people take refuge (ibid. 14:32).", "It was customary for kings to preside in a circular courtroom, as it says: And now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in a threshing floor (I Kings 22:10). Did they actually sit on a threshing floor? No. We have learned that the Sanhedrin met in a semicircle, in order that each member might be able to see the others, while the two scribes sat before them to write down the testimony. Solomon said: I see him sitting with them and judging in their midst, as it is said: Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land (Prov. 31:23)." ] ], "Vaera": [ [ "And God spoke unto Moses, and said unto him: “I am the Lord; and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob” (Exod. 6:2). May our masters teach us the punishment that is inflicted upon the man who speaks the Divine Name (i.e., the Tetragrammaton) as it is written? Thus do our masters teach us: The following have no share in the world-to-come: those who maintain that the concept of the resurrection of the dead is not derived from the Torah, that the law did not descend from heaven, the epicurean (heretic), and the one who utters (words of magic) over a wound while reciting the verse I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which I have put upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord that healeth thee (Exod. 15:26). And Abba Saul added: One who pronounces the Divine Name as it is written will likewise have no share in the world-to-come.", "Proof of the seriousness of the profanation of the Divine Name is contained in the following. Ben Azzai declared: The Holy One, blessed be He, did not mention His own name, as though that were possible, until He first spoke the words In the beginning He created (Gen. 1:1). Only then did He add the word God. And R. Simeon the son of Eleazar stated: Moses did not mention the Divine Name until he had spoken the twenty-one words Give ear, ye heavens, and I will speak, etc. (Deut. 32:1). Only then did he say: For I will proclaim the name of the Lord. Since, as you know, He did not reveal His name to the patriarchs, why did he disclose it to Moses? He did so because he had been chosen to redeem Israel, as it is written above in reference to this matter: And Moses returned unto the Lord and said: “Lord, wherefore hast thou dealt ill with this people?” (Exod. 5:22).", "If a man should dare say to a person more important than himself, “Why did you treat me so badly?” he would be held guilty of a serious offense, yet Moses said: For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, he hath dealt ill with this people (ibid., v. 23).1Moses expresses doubt as to God’s ability to save the people from further anguish and is rebuked. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Alas for those who have perished but are not to be found! I revealed myself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as the Lord Almighty, but I never disclosed to them that My name is YHWH,2The name employed when speaking of God’s merciful aspect. as I did to you, yet they never criticized My ways. To Abraham I said: Arise, walk through the land in the length thereof (Gen. 13:17), yet though he searched for a burial place for Sarah, and was unable to obtain one until he paid four hundred shekels of silver for it, he did not disparage My ways. I told Isaac: Sojourn in this land …for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these lands (ibid. 26:3), but even when he sought water to drink and was unable to find any, And the herdsman of Gerar strove with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying: “The water is ours” (ibid., v. 20), he did not criticize My ways. I told Jacob: The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed (ibid. 28:13), yet when he sought a place to pitch his tent, and could not obtain any land until he purchased it with a hundred lambs, he found no fault with My words.", "However, on the very first mission I assigned to you, you asked Me, “What is your name?” and now you say: For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, He hath dealt ill, etc. Therefore, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh (Exod. 6:1). That is, you will participate in the struggle with Pharaoh, but you will not witness the war against the thirty-one kings, that Joshua, your disciple, will wage in vengeance against them.3Since the wars would be fought in the land of Israel, Moses would not participate in them. From this verse you may learn that Moses was punished by being forbidden to enter the land. Hence it is written: And God said unto Moses that He would requite him with Divine Justice. But He said unto him: “I am the Lord” (ibid., v. 2), thereby indicating that Divine Mercy demands that I redeem the Israelites and bring them into the land. Hence it is written: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob as God Almighty (ibid., v. 3)." ], [ "Therefore, say unto the children of Israel: “I am the Lord, and I will bring you out” (Exod. 6:6). The word therefore implies that an oath was involved, as it is said: Therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli (I Sam. 3:14). Moses went to them and told them what the Holy One, blessed be He, had said: And Moses spoke so unto the children of Israel; but they harkened not unto Moses for impatience of spirit and for cruel bondage (Exod. 6:9). Whereupon Moses turned to the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: Behold, the children of Israel have not harkened unto me (ibid., v. 12). And the Lord said to Moses: “Go in, say unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go” (ibid., v. 11). A proverb states: “There is no benefit to be derived from acacia wood except when it is cut down.”4An old proverb indicating that one must wait until an episode is concluded to learn the result. “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.”", "And the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt (ibid., v. 13). By virtue of this verse He made them equals. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Be respectful, and pay homage to the king through whom I desire to execute judgment upon him. Whereupon Moses said to him: Let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword (ibid. 5:3). He said Lest He fall upon us to demonstrate that he was acting respectfully toward the king." ], [ "When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying: “Show a wonder for you” (Exod. 7:9). He will be making a reasonable request to you. You find in the case of Noah, that though He said to him, after He saved him from the flood, Neither shall there be anymore a flood (Gen. 9:11), Noah demanded a sign, and God assured him: I have set my bow in the cloud (ibid., v. 13). Similarly, when Hezekiah was sick, the Holy One, blessed be He, sent Isaiah to him and he said: Thus saith the Lord, the God of David, thy father: “I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears; behold, I will heal thee; on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord” (II Kings 20:5). But he replied: What shall be the sign? (ibid., v. 8), and He answered: This shall be the sign unto thee from the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that He hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? (ibid., v. 9). Likewise, Joshua, the high priest, was told: Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, … for they are men that are a sign (Zech. 3:8). Since the righteous demanded signs, how much more did the wicked Pharaoh (have the right to do so). Hence, when Pharaoh says unto you: Show a wonder for you (he will be making a reasonable request).", "And Aaron forthwith cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent (Exod. 7:10). Whereupon Pharaoh said: “Is this the full power of your God? Why, my magicians travel throughout the world performing such feats.” Then Pharaoh called also (ibid., v. 11) the youths, and babes of five, yea, even of four years, and each of them cast his rod. It is written: Pharaoh called also because he disdained at first to summon his magicians and sorcerers. Our sages of blessed memory said: He actually performed a great miracle with that rod. When one serpent is able to swallow other serpents, that is not unusual, but this serpent turned itself back into a rod again, as it is written: But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods (ibid., v. 12). If a man made bundles out of the rods that were cast to the ground to become serpents, there would have been more than ten bundles, yet Aaron’s rod swallowed them all and it became no larger than it was previously. When Pharaoh beheld that, he was amazed and exclaimed: “Surely if he should command the rod to swallow Pharaoh and his throne, it could swallow them.” That was the sign that He had given to Moses at the bush when He said: This which is in thy hand, cast it to the earth (ibid. 4:2). The word this alludes to Pharaoh, who is compared to a snake, as is said: The Lord with His sore and great and strong sword will punish leviathan the slant serpent (Isa. 27:1). When Moses withdrew from Pharaoh’s presence, the wicked one said: “If this son of Amram comes near me again, I will slay him, I will hang him, I will burn him.” That is why, when Moses returned, Pharaoh became like a rod. And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he harkened not unto them, as the Lord had spoken (Exod. 7:13). With reference to the first five plagues, the words Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, etc., are written, but after the fifth plague occurred and he still would not permit them to leave, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Henceforth, even if he desires to send them away, I will not allow it. Hence, with reference to the last five plagues it is written: But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart (ibid. 10:20). Moses decreed what was to transpire, and the Holy One, blessed be He, executed it, as it is said:: Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee (Job 22:28)." ], [ "When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying (Exod. 7:9). May it please our masters to teach us whether a man who is bitten by a serpent while standing in prayer may stop praying. Our masters teach us: A man standing in prayer may not respond to the greeting of a king, nor may he stop praying when a serpent encircles his heel. Once a wild ass attacked and bit R. Hanina the son of Dosa while he was standing in prayer and his disciples fled in fear. Upon their return a hour later, they found the ass lying dead near its den. They cried out: “Woe to the man whom a wild ass bites, but woe to the wild ass that attacks R. Hanina the son of Dosa.” Why did the sages compare a serpent that winds itself about the heel of a man with the kingdom of Egypt? R. Yosé the son of Pazzi said: Because it is written: The sound thereof shall go like the serpent’s; for they march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood (Jer. 46:22). Just as the serpent hisses and kills, so the kingdom of Egypt hisses and kills a man. He would imprison a man, accuse him in secret, and surreptitiously execute him.", "Another comment on why they compared the kingdom of Egypt to a serpent. Just as the serpent winds its way about, so the government of Egypt follows devious paths. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Just as the serpent is cunning, so too is the wicked Pharaoh. When he is about to deal cunningly with you, say to Aaron, “Take your rod, and raise it toward him, as though warning him, You will be smitten with this.” Declaring the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:10). While Moses was still at the burning bush, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to him that Pharaoh would act treacherously in the future. When he turned his staff into a serpent, it indicated that the wicked Pharaoh was like a treacherous serpent. Hence, Pharaoh acted treacherously." ], [ "And the Lord spoke unto Moses (Exod. 7:19). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Surely oppression turneth a wise man into a fool; and a gift destroyeth the understanding (Eccles. 7:7). Surely oppression turneth a wise man into a fool implies that when a wise man concerns himself with many matters, they confound his wisdom. And a gift destroyeth the understanding indicates that understanding of the Torah, which was placed as a gift in the heart of many (is destroyed). Oppression (osek) turneth a wise man into a fool implies that the scholar who occupies (ashak) himself (overmuch) with community problems forgets his learning. R. Johanan the son of Levi said: R. Judah the son of Pedayah taught me sixty laws concerning a grave which has been plowed over, and I have forgotten all of them because I occupied myself with the needs of the community. Hence, oppression turneth a wise man into a fool. Oppression turneth a wise man into a fool. The attention that Solomon devoted to insignificant matters led him astray. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart with other gods (I Kings 11:4).", "R. Hiyya the son of Abba declared: It would have been far better for Solomon to have been a cleaner of fish ponds, for then that verse could not have been written concerning him. What made him devote himself to so many things for which he had no need, and what were these things? The things of Agur the son of Jakeh; the burden. The man saith unto Ithiel, unto Ithiel and Ucal (Prov. 30:1): Why was he called Agur? He was called Agur because he stored up (anigur) knowledge of the Torah and wisdom, and the son of Jakeh because he rejected (hekiah) them. The man saith unto Ithiel is written because he would say: “God is with me” (iti-el), and I will be able (ukhal) to withstand temptation.” The Holy One, blessed be He, wrote in the Torah: Neither shall he multiply wives unto himself, that his heart turn not away; neither silver and gold … only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return (Deut. 17:17, 16).", "The names Ithiel and Ucal were written in that verse because he said: “I will multiply wives, but I still will not turn my heart away (Ithiel) from God; and I will multiply the number of my horses; but I will not cause the people to return.", "R. Simeon the son of Yohai taught: The Mishnah Torah ascended and prostrated itself before the Holy One, blessed be He, and said: Master of the Universe, Solomon has abrogated me, and turned me into a fraud. You have written in me” Neither shall he multiply wives unto himself, neither silver nor gold, and he shall not multiply horses to himself, yet it is written: And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen (I Kings 5:6). He also had many wives, as it is written: He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines (ibid. 11:3), and much silver and gold, as it is said: And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones (ibid. 10:27). The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Solomon and a thousand like him will perish from the face of the earth, but not a single one of the letters within you will be negated. Who forced him to involve himself in so many things for which he had no need? Therefore, Oppression turneth a wise man into a fool.", "Lest you believe that Solomon alone was guilty, Moses, our master, likewise concerned himself in many things and was confounded by them. When was that? When he went to Pharaoh, as it is written: And afterwards Moses and Aaron came (Exod. 5:1).5They came alone. Moses neglected to keep watch over the elders, who slipped away, because of his preoccupation with many matters. R. Hiyya the son of Abba said: This was the day of Pharaoh’s reception, when all the kings came to crown him, since he was a cosmocrator.6One of the titles of the Roman emperor. While they were placing the crown on his head, Moses and Aaron stood at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace. His guards went to him and told him: “Two old men are standing at the door.” “Do they hold a crown in their hands?” he asked. “No,” the guard replied. “Then let them enter last,” he declared. When they finally stood before Pharaoh, he said: “What do you desire?” Moses replied: The God of the Hebrews has sent me to you to say: Let My people go that they may serve Me (Exod. 7:16). He retorted angrily: “Who is the Lord, that I should hearken unto His voice? Does He not know enough to send me a crown? With reference to the matter concerning which you have come, I know not the Lord (ibid. 5:2).”", "R. Levi stated: He then took the list of gods and began to read: The god of Edom, the god of Moab, the god of Sidon, etc. And he said to them: “I have read the entire list, but the name of your God is not upon it.” R. Levi said: This may be compared to a priest who had a foolish servant. On one occasion, after the priest had left the city, his servant went to the cemetery to seek him. He inquired of the men loitering about: “Have you seen my master here?” They replied: “Isn’t your master a priest?” Indeed, he replied. “Fool,” they said, “who has ever seen a priest in a cemetery?”7Priests are not permitted to enter cemeteries (Lev. 21:1 and the halakhic codes). Moses and Aaron likewise rebuked Pharaoh, saying: “Fool, these gods that you mentioned are all dead, but the Lord, the true God, is a living God, the King of the Universe.” Pharaoh asked them: “Is He young or old? How many cities has He captured? How many provinces has He humbled? How long has He been King?” They replied: “The strength and power of our God permeates the world. He was before the world was created, and He will be at the end of all worlds. He fashioned you and placed within you the breath of life.” “What else has He done?” he asked. They replied: He stretched forth the heavens and the earth and His voice heweth out flames of fire (Ps. 29:7); He rends the mountains and breaketh in pieces the rocks (I Kings 19:11); His bow is of fire; His arrows are flames; His spear is a torch; His shield is of the clouds; His sword is lighning; He formeth mountains and hills; covereth the mountains with the grass; the heavens with clouds; He bringeth down rain and dew, cạuseth plants to grow and fruits to ripen; He afflicteth the beasts; He formeth the embryo in the womb of the mother and bringeth it forth into the light of the world. He removeth kings and setteth up kings (Dan. 2:21). He said to them: “You have been speaking falsehood from the start! For I am the lord of the world, and I created myself and the Nile, as is written: The Nile is mine, I made it (Ezek. 29:3).” At that moment he gathered all the wise men of Egypt, and said to them: “Perhaps you have heard about the god of these?” They said to him: “We have heard that he is the son of wise men and the son of early kings.” The Holy One, blessed be He said: They call themselves wise men, but Me (they call) a son of wise men! By your life, I will destroy you for your wisdom, as is written: All the wisdom of Pharaoh’s advisers, their plans are foolish. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am a son of wise men, I am the son of early kings? (Isa. 19:11). See what is written of them: The wisdom of his wise men and the understanding of his discerning men will be hidden (ibid. 29:14). He (Pharaoh) answered them (Moses and Aaron): “I do not understand what you are saying. Who is God that I should harken to His voice? (Exod. 5:2).” The Holy One, blessed be He responded: Evil one! Who is God? you asked. (With) who (mi) you will be plagued. Mi equals fifty in gematria.8Mem = 40, yod = 10. These are the fifty plagues which the Holy One, blessed be He, brought upon the Egyptians in Egypt. What does Scripture say regarding Egypt? The sorcerers said to Pharaoh: “This is the finger of God” (ibid. 8:15), and regarding the sea, what does (Scripture) say? Israel saw the great hand (ibid. 14:31). How many plagues did they suffer with a finger? Ten plagues. Calculate the five fingers on a great hand; each one corresponds to ten, hence fifty. Another interpretation: mi (“who”), switch the letters of mi (mem-yod)and you spell yam (yod-mem, “sea”); the Red Sea will inform you who God is. By your life! With your own mouth you will exclaim: ‘The Lord is righteous.’ You have said: I will not send, but tomorrow you will take hold of each of them by the hand and say: Go in peace, take even thy sheep and thy cattle, and the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, to send them out of the land in haste (ibid. 12:33). And thus it is said: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go (ibid. 13:17)." ], [ "And they said: “The God of the Hebrews hath met with us” (Exod. 5:3). Moses and Aaron declared: Perhaps You will say we altered Your words when we told him: “Thus said the Lord, the God of Israel (ibid. 5:1), and for that reason he became hardened against Him.” Thereupon they returned to him (Pharaoh) and said: The God of the Hebrews hath met with us (ibid., v. 3).", "And Pharaoh said: Behold, the people of the land are now many (ibid., v. 5). R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: What did he do to them? He began to gnash his teeth furiously against them, and he called out to them, saying: You are idlers (nirpim) (ibid., v. 17). Nirpim means “uncleanness.” May his bones be ground up. “So you claim that you are holy men? and you say: Let us go (ibid., v. 17)?” R. Joshua the son of Levi said: The tribe of Levi was exempted from hard labor, and therefore Pharaoh said to them: “Perhaps it is because you are exempted from hard labor that you dare say: Let us go and sacrifice to our God (ibid., v. 8) (Get you unto your burdens.)", "And the king of Egypt said unto them: For what reason do you Moses and Aaron cause the people to break loose from their work? (ibid., v. 4). What is the meaning of lamah (“for what reason”)? He said to them: “For what (lamah) do you think you are? And for what purpose (lamah) are your words?” As though to say to them: “Enough! Get you unto your burdens.”", "Let heavier work be laid upon the men…. and let them not regard lying words (ibid. 5:9). What is the meaning of let them not regard lying words? They had scrolls which they delighted to read from Sabbath to Sabbath, in which it is stated that the Holy One, blessed be He, would redeem them. Pharaoh said to them: Let them not regard lying words, that is, let them not delight in it, and let them not rest (on the Sabbath),9Word-play on yish’u (“to linger”) and sha’ashu’im (“to delight”). as it is said: And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people (ibid., v. 6).", "So the people were scattered (… to gather stubble instead of straw) (ibid., v. 12), because (the straw) was (as rare) as dates. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Tomorrow I shall inflict plagues upon them; but they replied: Pharaoh sins and we are smitten. When an Israelite went out to gather the straw with which to make bricks, an Egyptian upon seeing him within his field would pursue him and break his thighs. Hence, So the people were scattered.", "And they met Moses and Aaron who stood in the way (ibid., v. 20). This refers to Dathan and Abiram, concerning whom it is written: Dathan and Abiram came out (Num. 16:27). They began to reproach and revile Moses and Aaron, saying: The Lord look upon you, and judge (Exod. 5:21). They shouted at Moses and Aaron: See how the Israelites have been compelled to suffer because of the plagues. The Egyptians previously had only a faint suspicion that we would be redeemed, but now you have come and acerbated their suspicion, as it is said: Because you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh (ibid.).", "R. Judah the Levite, the son of Shalum, stated: Dathan related a parable. To what may we be compared? To a lamb (in danger) of being snatched by a wolf from the fold. The shepherd pursues the lamb to rescue it from the mouth of the wolf, but between the wolf and the shepherd, the lamb was torn apart. Thus the Israelites said to Moses: Between you and Pharaoh we are being destroyed. Hence it is stated: And Moses returned unto the Lord (ibid., v. 22), and said: Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with this people? (ibid. 5:22). If you should say: What difference does it make to you? Then why is it that Thou hast sent me? (ibid.). For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name he hath dealt ill with this people (ibid., v. 23). Your name is a source of life and healing to all the inhabitants of the world, but despite Your name he has dealt ill with this people. What have they done that they should have been immured within the bricks? He answered him: Now thou shalt see what I will do to him (ibid. 6:1)." ], [ "And the Lord said unto Moses: “See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh” (Exod. 7:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors (Ps. 24:7). Solomon spoke this verse when he brought the Ark into the Holy of Holies. He had constructed an Ark ten cubits wide which he desired to bring into the Temple. He carried it there, but when he reached the entrance of the Temple, the entrance was only ten cubits wide. It is, of course, impossible to carry an object of ten cubits through an opening of ten cubits. Moreover, those who were carrying it were unable to enter with it. Solomon arose in dismay, not knowing what to do. He began to plead with the Holy One, blessed be He: O Lord God, turn not away the face of Thine anointed (II Chron. 6:42).", "What did Solomon do? Our sages of blessed memory said: He raised the coffin of his father, David, and prostrated himself before it, praying: O Lord God, turn not away the face of Thine anointed. R. Berechiah declared in the name of R. Helbo: At that time David came to life, as you may understand for yourself from David’s own words: O Lord, Thou broughtest up my soul from the netherworld; Thou didst keep me alive, that I should not go down to the pit (Ps. 30:4). Solomon said: Master of the Universe, make it go in for his sake: Remember the good deeds of David Thy servant (II Chron. 6:42). And his prayers were answered immediately, as it is said: O Lord God, turn not away the face of Thine anointed. What is written after that? Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, etc. (ibid. 7:1). The Holy Spirit then cried out, saying: Wherefore I praise the dead that are already dead (Eccles. 4:2). Thereupon Solomon began to pray: Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; that the King of glory may come in (Ps. 24:7). The gates wanted to crush his head, for they thought that he had called himself the King of glory. They said to him: Who is this King of glory? (ibid., v. 10), and he replied: The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. When he responded in this way, they were appeased. If they had not been, they would have fallen on his head and crushed him." ], [ "Another comment on Who is the King of Glory? (Ps. 24:10). He is the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, who apportions honor to those who fear Him. Therefore it is written: Glory. How so? No one sits on the throne of a king of flesh and blood. But the Holy One, blessed be He, sat Solomon on his throne, as it is said: Then sat Solomon on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father, and prospered (I Chron. 29:33). An earthly king does not permit anyone to mount his horse, but the Holy One, blessed be He, allowed Elijah to ride His horse. What is the horse of the Holy One, blessed be He? It is the whirlwind and in the storm in His way (Nah. 1:3). And concerning Elijah it is written: And it came to pass, when the Lord took Elijah up by a whirlwind into heaven (II Kings 2:1).", "No one may use the scepter of a human king, but the Holy One, blessed be He, handed His scepter to Moses, as it is said: And Moses took the scepter of the Lord in his hand (Exod. 4:20). No one would dare don the crown of a human king, but in the future the Holy One, blessed be He, will place His crown upon the head of King Messiah. What is the crown of the Holy One, blessed be He, like? The crown of the Holy One, blessed be He, is of the finest gold, as it is said: His head is of the most fine gold (Song 5:11), and it is also written about Him elsewhere: Thou settest a crown of fine gold on his head (Isa. 21:4).", "No one would wear the garments of a human king, but Israel will wear the garments of the Holy One, blessed be He. His garments are majesty (Ps. 93:1), and they will be given to Israel, as it is said: And the Lord will give majesty unto His people (ibid. 29:11). No one would dare call himself by the name of Caesar Augustus, for if he did so, they would execute him, but the Holy One, blessed be He, called Moses by His own name, as it is said: See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh. Hence, The Lord of hosts is the King of the glory, for He apportions a share of His glory unto those who fear him." ], [ "See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh (Exod. 7:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: The wicked Pharaoh boasts that he is a god. Make him realize that he is an insignificant being. Indeed, I will make you appear as a god to him. Whence do we know that he claimed to be divine? It is said: My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself (Ezek. 29:3). Therefore, he will look at you and say: “Surely this one is god.”", "Pharaoh was one of the four men who claimed to be divine and indulged in intercourse after the manner of women. They were Hiram, Nebuchadnezzar, Joash, and Pharaoh. We know about Hiram, for it is written: Son of a man, say to the prince of Tyre: “Thus saith the Lord God: Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said: I am a God” (Ezek. 28:1). Whence do we know that he had intercourse like a woman? We know this from the verse: Thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness; I have cast thee to the ground, I have laid thee for kings that they gaze upon thee (ibid., v. 17) in order to satisfy their sexual desires through you.", "We know that Nebuchadnezzar claimed divinity, because it is written: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High (Isa. 14:14). Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wretch! Yet thou shalt be brought down to the netherworld, to the uttermost parts of the pit (ibid., v. 15). What did He do to him? He exiled him into the desert though he was a king, and compelled him to eat grass like a beast, as it is said: Thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee (Dan. 4:29). To the beasts and the cattle he appeared like a female beast, and they had intercourse with him, as it is said: The destruction of the beast, which made them afraid (yehitan) (Hab. 2:17). This corresponds to what is stated in the verse Neither shalt thou make marriages (tithaten) with them (Deut. 7:3). Nevertheless, a human heart was given to him so that he might realize that he had once ruled the entire world, and now was having intercourse with beasts and animals. And it is written about him: And at the end of the days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes unto heaven, and my understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him that liveth forever (Dan. 4:31).", "We know that Joash claimed divinity since it is written: Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah and prostrated themselves before the king. Then the king harkened unto them (II Chron. 24:17). What is the meaning of prostrated themselves before the king? They treated him like a god. They said to him: “If you were not a god, you would not have departed from the Holy of Holies (unharmed) after seven years.” He replied: “So shall it be.” And he agreed to proclaim himself a god. But whence do we know that he engaged in intercourse like a woman? It is written: And it came to pass, when the year was come about, that the army of the Arameans came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem … so they executed judgment upon Joash (ibid., vv. 23–24). This should not be read as shefatim (“judgment”) but rather as shipputim (“lust”). It is also written: And when they departed from him—for they left him in great diseases—his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died; and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchers of the kings (ibid., v. 25).", "Whence do we know that Pharaoh had intercourse like a woman? It is said: Thus said the Lord: “Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra, king of Egypt. into the hand of his enemies (Jer. 44:30). What is meant by Hophra? Though he was a male, he “disrobed himself like a female” (para), as in the verse: And he shall let the hair of the woman’s head go loose (ufara) (Num. 5:18). Similarly, the prophet said: In that day shall Egypt be like unto woman (Isa. 19:16). Why? Because he had said: My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself (Ezek. 29:3). Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: See, I have set thee in God’s stead before Pharaoh. Why did He do this? He did this, For one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they (Eccles. 5:7). He said to him: See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh. Go, make him, who proclaimed himself divine, an abomination in the world for exalting himself, as it is said: He looketh at all high things; he is king over all the sons of abomination (Job 41:26).", "Does God observe only those who are high and not those that are humble? Indeed not! For it is written: They are the eyes of the Lord, that run to and fro through the whole earth (Zech. 4:10). Rather R. Berechiah declared: This verse refers to the arrogant people who call themselves divine. The Holy One, blessed be He, causes them to become an abomination throughout the world, as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar: And he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; until he knew that God Most High ruleth in the kingdom of man, and that He setteth up over it whomsoever He will (Dan. 5:21).", "Similarly, Sennacherib exalted himself and became an abomination throughout the world, as it is said: And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrian a hundred fourscore and five thousand; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses (II Kings 19:35). Hence, it is written: He looketh at all high things (Job 41:26), for the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals to all mankind the abominations of the arrogant. Thus it is written: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Can anyone hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? (Jer. 23:24).", "R. Benjamin the son of Levi explained: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: When a man sits in a corner of his house and devotes himself to the Torah, I reveal him to all mankind; surely if a man hides himself in order to commit idolatry or to sin, I will expose him before mankind. Can anyone hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?", "What is the meaning of the verse Do not I fill heaven and earth? (ibid.) R. Hama the son of Hanina declared: I will fill the upper regions (with those who do good) and the lower regions (with those who do evil), and I will reveal their behavior to mankind. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh. Why? For one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they (Eccles. 5:7). He said to him: See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh. Go take vengeance and bring the ten plagues upon him. He asked: How shall I bring the plagues upon him? Take this staff in your hand was the reply.10The article ha (“the”) in the word “the staff” in the biblical text makes this explanation possible. R. Judah stated that the staff weighted forty seah and was made of sapphires. The ten plagues were engraved upon it in abbreviated form: DeTZaK ‘aDaSH Be’aHaB.11The Haggadah for Passover tells us that it was R. Judah who formulated the abbreviation. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this order you shall inflict the plagues upon him." ], [ "See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet (Exod. 7:1). Just as the lecturer sits and lectures, and the interpreter explains his words, so you shall relate everything that I have commanded, and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh (ibid., v. 2). Through the two of you shall all these things be done, as it is said: And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh (ibid. 11:10). They both spoke to Pharaoh, even though he was told: Thou shall speak (ibid. 7:2). Moses said to Him: Master of the Universe, I will not be able to convince him with words, as it is said: A servant will not be corrected by words (Prov. 29:19).", "And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, etc. (Exod. 7:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Moses, you shall speak, and I will bring the plague. Moreover, He stated, in this world I will obtain retribution from the Egyptians through the ten plagues, but in the future I will obtain retribution for you from Gog and Magog, as it is said: And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; I will cause to rain upon him, and upon his bands and upon the many peoples that are with him, an overflowing shower (Ezek. 38:22)." ], [ "When Pharaoh shall speak unto you (Exod. 7:9). Scripture states (elsewhere in reference to this verse): Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying: “My counsel shall stand, and all My pleasure will I do” (Isa. 46:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared at the very beginning what the end would be, when He said to Moses: Behold, thou art about to sleep with thy fathers, and this people will rise up, and go astray (Deut. 31:16). They were destined to do so upon Joshua’s death. And will forsake Me, and break My covenant (ibid.), as it is said: And they forsook the Lord, and served Him not (Judg. 10:7). Hence at the very beginning he disclosed what would follow.", "R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, stated: One who reads this verse may think that there must be a difference of opinion above (in heaven), since it says: My counsel shall stand, and My pleasure will I do. What is the actual meaning of My counsel shall stand, and all My pleasure will I do? It means that He desires to justify His creatures, as it is said: The Lord was pleased, for His righteousness’ sake (Isa. 42:21). Certainly He does not take delight in proving anyone guilty, as it is said: For I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live (Ezek. 33:11). Hence, it is said: All my pleasure will I do." ], [ "When Pharaoh shall speak unto you (Exod. 7:9). Scripture says elsewhere: A fool spendeth all his spirit; but a wise man stilleth it within him (Prov. 29:11). That is, the fool says everything he has to say at one time, while quarreling with his neighbor, and the wise man eventually is able to refute him. A fool spendeth all his spirit refers to the wicked Pharaoh, while a wise man stilleth it within him alludes to Moses and Aaron, as it is written: But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods (Exod. 7:12). Show a wonder for you; then thou shalt say unto Aaron, etc. (Exod. 7:9). Aaron will perform all the miracles while you stand by like a prince who instructs the elders and they do it. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses at the bush: He shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him in God’s stead (ibid. 4:16).", "And Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and they did so (ibid. 7:10). Aaron should have entered first inasmuch as he was the elder. Why did Moses enter first? Because he was more famous in Egypt, both in the eyes of Pharaoh’s slaves and in the eyes of the people. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh … and Aaron cast down his rod, smiting him with the first plague. After speaking to Pharaoh, he brought on the second plague. He performed magical feats in his presence, but he (Pharaoh) would not pay heed to them. God said to Moses: Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn (kabed), he refuseth to let the people go (ibid., v. 14). Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, exclaimed: Wretch! With the very expression that tells of your stubbornness (kabed), I will glorify Myself (mitkabed) over you, as it is said: And the Egyptian shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten Me honor upon Pharaoh (ibid. 14:18)." ], [ "Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water (Exod. 7:14). Thus the Lord said: Through this (water) you shall cause him to know that I am the Lord. I will smite the water of the Nile with the staff that is in your hand, and it shall turn to blood. Why were the waters turned to blood first? Because Pharaoh and the Egyptians worshipped the Nile, and the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Smite his god first and then him, as in the popular aphorism, “Strike the gods and the priests will be frightened.” And the Lord said unto Moses: “Say unto Aaron: Stretch out thy hand, and smite” (Exod. 7:19). Smite the water of the Nile, the roots of the plants in the rivers, and indeed, every source of their water, even that which is in their ladles. And blood appeared in the wood and stone, and even the spittle of the Egyptians turned to blood.", "R. Abin the Levite said: The Israelites became wealthy because of the plague of blood. How did that happen? If an Egyptian and am Israelite lived in the same house and used a common water tank, the Egyptian would find his ladle filled with blood, but when the Israelite dipped his ladle into the tank, he would obtain pure water. If the Egyptian pleaded, “Hand me a little of your water,” it would turn to blood. And if the Egyptian said, “Let us drink together from the same ladle,” the Israelite would be able to drink water while the Egyptian was forced to drink blood. However, if he paid a high price, he could then drink water. This is how the Israelites became wealthy.", "How long did the plagues last among them? R. Johanan and R. Nehemiah discussed this question. The former said: He warned them for twenty-four days before inflicting a plague upon them, but the plague lasted seven days, as it is said: And seven days were fulfilled, after that the Lord had smitten the river (Exod. 7:25). The latter held that he warned them for seven days, while the plague itself continued for twenty-four days.", "R. Eleazar the son of Pedat declared: Just as He brought afflictions upon the Egyptians, so in the future will He bring them upon the kingdom of Edom, as it is said: When the report cometh to Egypt, they shall be sorely pained at the report of Tyre (Isa. 23:5). R. Eliezer said: Each time the word Tyre is written defectively in Scripture (i.e., without the vav, as in this verse), it refers to the kingdom of Edom, which oppressed Israel, but when the word Tyre is spelled plene (with the letter vav), it alludes to Cappadocia.12A district in Asia Minor where Israel was not oppressed. Hence, the Midrash argues, the biblical text avoids the defective spelling which dould be interpreted as “oppression.” Just as Egypt was stricken with blood, Edom will also be stricken, as it is said: The streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day, the smoke thereof shall go up forever (Isa. 34:9–10).", "Because Egypt forced Israel to neglect the Law, concerning which it is written: But thou shalt meditate therein day and night (Josh. 1:8), I will exact punishment from it with a fire that shall not be quenched night nor day. Why was fire used? Because they burned “My house from which smoke poured forth” (the Temple), as it is said: And the house was filled with smoke (Isa. 6:4). Therefore, the smoke thereof shall go up forever (ibid. 39:4). But it also says: And thus the Sound of an uproar from the city (ibid. 66:6). And so the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Hark, it cometh from the Temple. Do you not remember what you did in the Temple? Hark! The Lord rendereth recompense to His enemies (ibid. 66:6). When will they be recompensed? This refers to the Messianic Age, as it is said: The messenger of the Lord, he will come, and he will save them (ibid. 35:4)." ], [ "And the Lord said unto Moses: “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh from the water” (Exod. 8:16). Why did Pharaoh go to the waters early in the morning? Because the wicked one boasted that since he was a god, he had no need to go to the water to relieve himself. Therefore he went out early in the morning so that no one would see him performing a demeaning act. That is why the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Rise up early in the morning, when he must (go out), and say unto him: Thus saith the Lord, the God of the Hebrews … for I will this time send all My plagues upon thy person, etc. (Exod. 9:14). Ordinarily, when a man desires to harm his enemy, he does so unexpectedly lest he be forewarned, but the Holy One, blessed be He, warned the wicked Pharaoh before each plague, as it is said: Behold, I will cause it to rain (ibid., v. 18), Behold, tomorrow will I bring locusts into thy border (ibid. 10:5). And He did so in each instance.", "Scripture says elsewhere: Behold, God doeth loftily in His power. Who is a teacher like unto Him? (Job 36:22); that is, He instructed the wicked ones to do penance. To Pharaoh He said: Now therefore, hasten in thy cattle (Exod. 9:19), and He warned him, For behold, I will cause it to rain (ibid., v. 18), and after that it is written: Behold, tomorrow will I bring locusts into thy border (ibid. 10:4). Each plague followed a warning.", "Each of the ten plagues was imposed for a specific reason. The plague of blood was inflicted upon them because they would not permit the daughters of Israel to bathe after their menstrual period lest they increase and multiply.13The laws of family purity require that women immerse in a ritual bath after menstruation before engaging in conjugal relations", "Why were the water and the dust smitten with the rod by Aaron, as it is written: Say unto Aaron: “Take thy rod” (ibid. 7:9)? R. Tanhum stated: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Since the water guarded you when you were placed in the Nile, and the dust protected you when you killed the Egyptian, it would not be proper for your hand to smite them with the plague. Therefore they were inflicted by Aaron.", "He brought the plague of frogs upon them because they had enslaved Israel and had commanded them to bring reptiles and creeping things to them. That was the reason the frogs came up (ibid. 8:2). Whenever they filled their drinking cups, they found them full of frogs, as it is said: And they shall go and come unto thy house, and into thy kneading troughs (ibid. 7:29). When is the kneading trough near the oven? It is placed there when the oven is hot. Why did all of this happen? To fulfill the wishes of their Creator. One verse states: And the river shall swarm with frogs (ibid. 7:28), while another says: And the frog came up (ibid. 8:2). R. Akiba explained it as follows: At first there was only one frog, but after the Egyptians struck it, many frogs sprang from it.", "Why were the gnats brought upon them? Because they had forced Israel to become sweepers in their streets and their marketplaces. Therefore He turned the dust into gnats so that even though they dug many cubits into the earth, they found no soil. As it is said: And all the dust of the earth became gnats (ibid., v. 13). And the magicians did so with their secret arts … but they could not (ibid., v. 14). R. Johanan said: Belateihem (“with their secret arts”) refers to the work of demons, and the belehatim (ibid. 7:11) refers to works of sorcery. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh: “This is the finger of God” (Exod. 8:14), since no demon can produce anything smaller than the size of a barley.", "Why were swarms of wild beasts sent? Because they had told the Israelites, “Go, bring us bears and lions,” so that they could torment them with these beasts. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, turned many kinds of wild beasts against them to confound them, as it is said: And there came grievous swarms of beasts (ibid., v. 20).14Word-play on ‘arob (“mixture, many kinds”) and ur’babot (“confusion”). See Exodus Rabbah 11. This is the opinion of R. Judah. However, R. Nehemiah said: These were various kinds of hornets and mosquitos. R. Judah’s opinion appears most likely to be correct. In the case of the frogs, it is written: And they gathered them together in heaps (ibid., v. 10), but in reference to the swarms, it is written: And the Lord did according to the word of Moses, and He removed the swarms of beasts (ibid., v. 9). The frogs, which had nothing pleasant about them, remained and made Egypt smell bad, but the beasts, whose skins were useful, did not remain. If they had been hornets and mosquitos, when they died, they too would have (made Egypt) smell bad. And there came grievous swarms of beasts into the house of Pharaoh (ibid., v. 20). They came to Pharaoh first because he was the first to counsel evil against them, as it is said: And Pharaoh charged all his people (ibid., v. 18). After that it is written: And in all the land of Egypt the land was ruined.", "Why did He bring murrain upon them? Because they had forced the Israelites to pasture their oxen, sheep, and cattle in the valleys, the hills, and the deserts, so that the Israelites would not be able to increase and multiply.15He separated the men and women by sending the men to pasture their flocks in remote places. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: I will bring you an excellent shepherd, as it is said: Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle (ibid. 9:3). And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the cattle of the Israelites dead (ibid., v. 7). Indeed, even the animals that were owned jointly by Israelites and Egyptians did not die.", "Why did He afflict them with boils? Because they had compelled the Israelites to keep warm the things that were warm, and to keep cold the things that were cold. Therefore they were smitten with boils so that they would be unable to touch their own bodies (and derive any pleasure from such touch). R. Joshua the son of Levi declared that a great miracle took place in connection with the boils. If a man shoots an arrow upwards, it cannot travel more than a hundred cubits, yet Moses cast a handful of soot from a furnace heavenward, and though it is almost impossible to grasp a handful of soot, since it has no body, it soared upward until it reached the throne of glory. Another great miracle happened in connection with the boils. Moses took a handful of soot and filled Aaron’s hand as well as his own with it. Still another miracle occurred in connection with the boils. A man cannot possibly scatter a measure of dust more than four cubits, yet Moses took a mere handful and spread it over the land of Egypt, four hundred by four hundred parasangs in area.", "Why was the hail brought upon them? Because they had made Israel plant gardens, trees, parks, and vineyards. Hence they afflicted them with hail, which destroyed their trees, as it is said: So there was hail, and fire flashing up amidst the hail (ibid., v. 24). This was an instance of a miracle transpiring within another miracle.16Since hail and fire existed at the same time. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah discussed this matter. The former said: The fire flashing up amidst the rain appeared like a split pomegranate whose seeds are visible from without, while the latter said: It was like a light burning in a glass that contained a mixture of water and oil.", "What may this be compared to? To two powerful legionaries who have despised each other for a long time. When their king became involved in a war, he made peace between them so that they would go forth together to fulfill the king’s command. Similarly, though fire and hail are hostile to each other, when the time for war with Egypt came, the Holy One, blessed be He, made peace between them and they smote Egypt. Hence it is said: The fire flashing up amidst the hail. When an Egyptian was seated he would be pummeled by hail; when he arose he would be scorched by fire in conformity to the punishments meted out to wicked men in the netherworld, as it is said: He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycamore trees with frost (Ps. 78:47). R. Judah the son of Shalum said: What is the meaning of their sycamore trees with frost (ba-hanamal)? Ba indicated that it came; han, that it alighted upon them; mal, that it cut everything down. R. Phinehas declared: It descended like an axe cutting down the trees.", "Why were locusts inflicted upon them? Because they had compelled the Israelites to sow wheat and grain. For that reason the Holy One, blessed be He, brought locusts upon them to consume everything that the Israelites had sown. R. Johanan said: When the locusts came, the Egyptians rejoiced, saying: “We will collect them, boil them, and fill our barrels with them.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Wicked ones, would you obtain an advantage from a plague that I have brought upon you? Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, brought a very strong west wind that drove the locusts into the Red Sea; There remained not one locust in all the border of Egypt (ibid. 10:19). Even those that were in jars and in barrels sprouted wings and flew away.", "Why was darkness inflicted upon them? Because the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, shows no partiality, and searches the heart and tries the kidneys of all. He brought darkness upon them because there were sinners in Israel who had Egyptian patrons, and enjoyed honor and wealth, and were unwilling to leave. And the Holy One, blessed be He, said: If I bring a plague upon them in broad daylight, from which they will die, the Egyptians will say that just as it passed over us, so does it pass over them. Hence, He brought darkness upon the Egyptians for three days, and they saw not one another (ibid., v. 23). The children of Israel had light in their dwellings, so that they could bury their dead without being seen by their enemies. Even darkness which may be felt (ibid., v. 21) is written. R. Abdimi the son of Hama said: The darkness was doubled and redoubled. An Egyptian who was standing was unable to sit, while one who was sitting was unable to stand, and one lying down could not rise. Three of the plagues were brought by Aaron, three by Moses, three by God, and one through the combined efforts of all of them. The blood, frogs, and gnats, which came from the earth, were brought by Aaron; the hail, locusts, and darkness, which came out of the air, were brought about by Moses, for he had power over earth and heaven; the swarms, the murrain, and the plague of the firstborn were brought about by God; while the boils were brought about by all of them.", "During the three days of darkness, the Holy One, blessed be He, made the Egyptians feel kindly toward the Israelites, and they loaned them many things. When an Israelite entered an Egyptian’s home and tried to borrow utensils of silver or gold, or garments, they would reply: “We have nothing to loan you.” Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, would illumine their dwellings, and the Israelite would say to them: “There it is, in that place.” This happened in order to fulfill the verse And afterwards shall they come out with great substance (Gen. 15:14)." ], [ "And the Lord said unto Moses: “Stretch forth thy hand toward heaven that there may be hail” (Exod. 9:22). Scripture says (elsewhere in allusion to this verse): Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that hath He done, in heaven and in the earth (Ps. 135:6). In reference to the heaven, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: The heavens are the heavens of the Lord (Ps. 115:16), and in regard to the earth, The earth hath He given to the children of men (ibid.). This may be compared to a king who decreed that the people of Rome should not migrate to Syria and that the people of Syria should not migrate to Rome. And similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed when he created the world: The heavens are the heavens of the Lord; and the earth He hath given to the children of men. However, when He decided to give the Torah, He abrogated the first decrees and declared: Let the earthly beings ascend on high and the heavenly creatures descend below, and I will be the first (to do so), as it is said: And the Lord came down upon Sinai (Exod. 19:20). And it is also written: And to Moses He said: “Come up unto the Lord” (ibid. 24:1). Hence, Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that hath He done.", "When He desired it to happen, He said: Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together (Gen. 1:9). And when He was so inclined, He made the sea become dry and turn into land, as is said: And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea, upon the dry ground (Exod. 14:22). Therefore, whatsoever the Lord pleased, that hath He done, etc. With regard to the heavens, it is said: Stretch forth thy hand toward heaven that there may be hail (ibid. 9:22), and in reference to the earth it is stated: Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the earth (ibid. 8:12). What is written above concerning this matter? For now I have stretched out My hand … But in very deed for this cause have I made thee to stand (ibid. 9:16), so that you will not die as a result of the first plague, and so that My name may be declared throughout all earth (ibid., v. 36)." ], [ "Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been seen (Exod. 9:18). Zabdi the son of Levi said: He made a mark upon the wall and told him that when the sun reached that mark tomorrow, the hail would fall. Such as hath not been seen implies that it would be a hail like none that had occurred previously, and would occur again only in the days to come, that is, in the time of Gog and Magog, as it is said: Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war (Job 38:23). It also says: And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; an overflowing shower and great hailstones (Exod. 38:22). And now therefore send, hasten in thy cattle (ibid. 9:19), on account of the plague of hail. He said to him: Wicked one, the Lord is righteous indeed.", "And Moses stretched forth his rod unto heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail (ibid., v. 23). Wherever Scripture says and the Lord it refers to Him and to His heavenly court. And the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken (Gen. 21:1), that is, He and His court. And the Lord caused it to rain on Sodom (ibid. 20:24), that is, He and His court. And the Lord sent thunder and hail (Exod. 9:23), that is, He and His court. So there was hail, and fire flashing up amidst the hail (ibid., v. 24). The words fire flashing indicate that after the hail, the fire flashed and consumed it, as is said: But the wheat and the spelt were not smitten, for they ripen late (ibid., v. 32). R. Phinehas and R. Judah the son of Shalum discussed this matter. R. Phinehas said: What is the meaning of ripen late? It indicates that the Holy One, blessed Be, performed a miracle with them. R. Judah, however, insisted that they were merely late in ripening. R. Phinehas maintained: It is written: And the hail smote every herb of the field (ibid., v. 25), and yet you insist that they were not smitten because they were still young. Obviously that is not so. The Holy One, blessed be He, performed a miracle with them.17Word-play interpreting afilot (“late”) in Exod. 9:32 as pelaim (“wonders”).", "At that very moment the wicked Pharaoh cried out: Entreat the Lord … and I will let them go (Exod. 9:28). Moses replied: You said that at the time of the first plague, and I pleaded in your behalf, but yet you did not send them away. Why should I entreat for thee and for thy servants? (ibid. 8:5). Pharaoh replied: I have sinned before the Lord your God and against you, but now I will let them go. When Moses heard that, Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread forth his hands unto the Lord; and the thunders and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth (ibid. 9:33). They were suspended in mid-air. When did they descend? Some descended upon the Amorites in the days of Joshua, as it is said: The Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them (Josh. 10:11), and the remainder will fall on Gog and Magog in the days of the Messiah. And the thunders ceased (Exod. 9:34). They, too, were suspended (in mid-air). They descended in the days of Elisha, against the camp of the Arameans, as it is said: For the Lord had made the hosts of the Arameans, to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses (II Kings 7:6)." ], [ "And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased (Exod. 9:34). Such is the way of the wicked: whenever they are in trouble, they humiliate themselves, but once their troubles have ceased, they become corrupt again. When Nebuchadnezzar was in trouble, he said: Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and honor and extol the King of heaven, for all His works are truth, and His way is justice; and those that walk in pride, He is able to abase (Dan. 4:34).", "R. Berechiah stated in the name of R. Helbo, who had said in the name of R. Samuel the son of Nahman: Most assuredly, the Holy One, blessed be He, judges the thoughts and the heart of man. Nebuchadnezzar praised Him in this verse just as David did in the Book of Psalms. Nebuchadnezzar said praise, and David said Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem (Ps. 147:12); Nebuchadnezzar said extol, and David said: I will extol thee, O Lord, for Thou hast raised me up (Ps. 30:2); Nebuchadnezzar said honor, and David declared: Thou art clothed with honor and majesty (ibid. 104:1). After he achieved greatness, however, he became arrogant, as it is said: Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for a royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? (Dan. 4:27). Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him: Wretch! Again you are boastful, as it is said: While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven: “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee” (ibid., v. 28). Hence, whenever the wicked are in trouble, they humble themselves, but when their difficulties cease, they revert to their corrupt practices. Pharaoh did likewise. When he saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he continued to sin (Exod. 9:34). The gentiles add to their sins, but in the case of Israel The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity; He will punish thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will uncover thy sins (Lam. 4:22)." ] ], "Bo": [ [ "And the Lord said unto Moses: “stretch out thy hand toward the heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt” (Exod. 10:21). Scripture states (elsewhere in reference to this verse): He sent darkness, and it was dark; and they rebelled not against His word (Ps. 105:28). The darkness that the Holy One, blessed be He, spread over Egypt was exceedingly thick. Why? Because they would not submit to the authority of the word of the Holy One, blessed be He1Word-play on rebelled not (maru), connecting marut (“rebel”) from marut (“authority”). See Exodus Rabbah 4:1. The Holy One, blessed be He, told Egypt’s guardian angels: They deserve to be smitten with darkness, and they all agreed at once, for they rebelled not against His word (ibid.). He sent darkness, and it was dark (ibid. 105:28). This implies that the darkness had a substance of its own. To what may this be compared? It may be compared to a king whose slave has rebelled against him. He told one of his aides: “Go give him fifty lashes.” When that person whipped the slave, however, he administered a hundred lashes, adding fifty of his own accord. Similarly, when the Holy One, blessed be He, may His name be blessed, sent the darkness upon Egypt, the darkness added something of its own. Hence, He sent darkness, and it was dark (ibid.)." ], [ "Stretch out thy hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness (Exod. 10:21). Where did the darkness come from? R. Judah and R. Nehemiah discussed this question. R. Judah held: It descended from the darkness of the upper regions, as it is said: He made darkness His hiding place, His pavilion round about Him (Ps. 18:12). While R. Nehemiah argued that it ascended from the darkness of the netherworld, as it is stated: A land of thick darkness, as darkness itself, a land of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness (Job 10:22).", "R. Joshua the son of Levi declared: We are informed by three verses that man should cause his learning to be heard (by others) at the time of his death. Where do we learn this? It is written: That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of death, that thou mightest bring back words of truth to them that send thee (Prov. 22:21). Similarly, Solomon declared: The end of the matter, all having been heard, fear God (Eccles. 12:13). And by the verse Shadow of death and without order (Job 10:22). When a man is about to enter the shadow of death, he must systematize his studies, for it is said: The shadow of death, without any order2That is, he should arrange his teachings so that others can learn from him. R. Tanhuma the son of Abba held: When a man is about to die, the ministering angels proclaim: “Give glory unto the Lord.” Hence, a land of thick darkness, as darkness itself (Job 10:22).", "Woe to the house whose windows open toward the darkness, as it is said: And where the light is as darkness (ibid.), for the light itself comes from darkness.3A reference to Egyptian black magic. Hence it says: Thus saith the Lord God: In the day when he went down to the netherworld, I caused the deep to mourn and cover itself for him, and I restrained the rivers thereof, and the great waters were stayed (Ezek. 31:15). R. Judah the son of Rabbi stated: What are the wicked covered with in the netherworld? With darkness. And Hezekiah the son of R. Judah explained why that was so. With what does one cover an earthenware tub? With a lid that is made of the same substance. And just as an earthenware tub is covered with an earthenware lid, the wicked whose works are in the dark (Isa. 29:15) are covered by the Holy One, blessed be He, with the deep which is darkness, as it is said: And darkness was upon the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2). This refers to the netherworld. Hence, the darkness that came upon the Egyptians ascended from the netherworld. Even darkness which may be felt (Exod. 10:21). How thick was this darkness? Our sages asserted that it was as thick as a dinar, as it is said: Even darkness which may be felt." ], [ "And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days (Exod. 10:22). Our sages maintained: There were seven days of darkness. During the first three days, a person who was sitting could stand if he wished to do so, and so too one who was standing could sit down. During the final three days, those who were sitting were unable to stand, those who were standing were unable to sit, and those who were reclining were unable to arise. Whence do we know this? From the fact that it is said; And they saw not one another for three days (ibid., v. 23). Hence for three days they could not change their positions, and for three days they could not arise from their places.", "What was the seventh day like? And there was the cloud and the darkness here, yet gave it light (Exod. 14:20). This light resembled the light experienced at the sea. Similarly in Egypt the cloud gave light to the Israelites but darkness to the Egyptians, as it is said: They saw not.", "All the children of Israel had light (ibid. 10:23). This implies that everything was illumined and disclosed to the Israelites—all the silver and gold utensils, the garments and the valuables of Egypt. Even the things that were in their boxes, barrels, and treasure chests were visible to them. And whatever the Israelites requested of them, they surrendered voluntarily, for the Israelites would say to them: “Behold, in that certain place you have such a utensil.” Hence, And there was a thick darkness." ], [ "Our sages of blessed memory said: The Holy One, blessed be He, followed the military tactics employed by kings when inflicting the plagues upon them. When the people of a province rebel, a human king dispatches his legions to surround them. First he dams up their water supply. If the people repent, well and good; but if not, he orders thunderous noises to be directed against them. If they are contrite, good; but if not, he commands that arrows be shot at them. If they relent (their actions), well and good; but if not, he sends barbarians against them. If they retract, good; but if not, he orders other reprisals to be taken against them. If they are contrite, well and good; but if not, he orders naphtha to be hurled upon them. If they are repentant, good; but if not, he catapults stones upon them. If they repent, good; but if not, he turns a large population against them. If they retract, good; but if not, he imprisons them. If they relent, good; but if not, he destroys their leaders. The Holy One, blessed be He, attacked Egypt with the tactics employed by a king. The first thing He did was to cut off their water supply, as it is said: And he turned their rivers into blood. They were not contrite, and He therefore brought tumultuous noises upon them. These were the frogs. R. Yosé the son of Hanina said: Their croaking was harder to bear than the havoc they wrought. Still they did not repent, and so he shot arrows at them. These were the gnats, as it is said: And there were gnats upon man, and upon beast (Exod. 8:13). They penetrated the bodies of the Egyptians like spears. However, they did not become contrite, and so He sent barbarians against them. These were the swarms, as it is said: And there came grievous swarms of beasts (ibid., v. 20). Still they did not relent, and so He took other reprisals against them. He brought the murrain: And all the cattle of Egypt died (ibid. 9:6). Nevertheless, they did not repent, and so He poured naphtha over them. These were the boils, as it is said: And a boil breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast (ibid., v. 9). Still they were not contrite, and so He catapulted projectiles upon them. This was the hail. But even then they did not repent, and so he stirred up a large population against them, that is, the locusts. Even so, they did not mend their ways, and so He imprisoned them. This was the darkness, as it is said: And there was a thick darkness (ibid. 10:22). When they refused to repent, He killed their important men, as it is said: The Lord smote all the firstborn (ibid. 12:19).", "Every burden that the Egyptians imposed upon the Israelites, the Holy One, blessed be He, brought upon them. Because they forced the Israelites to draw water for them, He turned their water to blood. They conspired to have them bear burdens, and so He brought the frogs against them to consume what they had carried. They schemed to make them work upon the land, and so the gnats swarmed over the land. They decided to compel them to serve as tutors to their children, and He sent herds of lions, wolves, leopards, bears, and eagles against them. When an Egyptian who had five children ordered an Israelite to take them to the marketplace, a lion would appear and seize one of them; a wolf, another; and a leopard, a bear, and an eagle would each seize one more. When he returned alone to the home of the Egyptian, he would ask him: “Where are my sons?” “I will tell you what happened,” he would answer, “A lion came and took one; a wolf, another; and a leopard and a bear each took another.”", "They forced the Israelites to pasture their flocks, and so he sent the murrain against them, as it is said: Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle (Exod. 9:3). They compelled the Israelites to keep the heated things warm, and so He afflicted them with boils. They plotted to have them stoned to death and so He sent hail upon them. They planned to make the Israelites their gardeners, and so He brought against them the locusts, which consumed their trees, and ate all the grass and fruit in the land. They conspired to imprison them, and so He brought darkness upon them. They planned to kill the Israelites, and so He smote all their firstborn. They wanted to drown them in water, and so He overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea (Ps. 136:15).", "All the plagues that the Lord brought against the Egyptians in Egypt, He will bring against Edom (Rome),4Contrast Chap. 2, sec. 13 (above). Here, where it is said that Cappadocia will be destroyed, the reference is presumably to a later period, when Jews were persecuted there. as it is said: When the report cometh to Egypt, they shall be sorely pained at the report of Tyre (Isa. 23:5). R. Eleazar said: Every time Scripture employs the complete spelling of the word Tyre, it refers to Egypt, but when the word Tyre (i.e., without the vav) is spelled defectively, it refers to Edom, which also oppressed Israel. The punishments visited upon the first nation will also be inflicted upon Edom. In the case of Egypt, He smote it with blood, and with reference to Edom, it is said: I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood (Joel 3:3). In Egypt the voices of frogs were harsh, while in Edom: Hark! an uproar from the city, hark! it cometh from the Temple (Isa. 66:6). Gnats came upon Egypt: And He smote the dust of the earth, and in Edom: And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and dust thereof into brimstone (Isa. 34:9). In Egypt there were swarms, and in Edom: The pelican and the bittern shall possess it, and the owl and the raven shall dwell therein (ibid., v. 11). R. Abba the son of Kahana said: Darkness and thick darkness were used as divine agents in Egypt, but void and waste never were and never will be used. When will they be used? Against a great city in Cappadocia, as it is said: And He shall stretch over it the line of confusion, and the plummet of emptiness (ibid.).", "The rabbis said: Because the nations of the world did not accept the Torah, it was given as darkness hovered over them, as it says: For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples (Isa. 60:2). In reference to Israel, however, it is written: Upon thee will the Lord arise, and His glory shall be seen upon thee (ibid.).", "There was pestilence in Egypt, and about Edom it says: I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood (Ezek. 38:22). In Egypt, boils were inflicted, and in Edom: Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their sockets, and their tongues shall consume away in their mouths (Zech. 14:12). In Egypt there was hail, and upon Edom: An overflowing shower and great hailstones (Ezek. 38:22). Locusts afflicted Egypt, and in the case of Edom: Son of man … Speak unto the birds of every sort, and to every beast of the field: Assemble yourselves (Ezek. 39:17). Darkness befell Egypt, and with regard to Edom: He shall stretch over it the line of confusion and the plummet of emptiness (Isa. 34:11). In Egypt He smote their firstborn, and in Edom: There are the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Sidonians (Ezek. 32:30).", "R. Meir said: And the wild oxen descended with them (Isa. 34:7) implies that their idols were cast down with them. In Egypt He exacted retribution from their idols, and He also punished them in Edom. He destroyed their guardian angel, and after that He destroyed them, as it is said: And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord will punish the host of the high heaven on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth (ibid. 4:21).", "Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael5An early tannaitic Midrash, on a part of Exodus, of which a considerable portion is the source for our text." ], [ "And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying (Exod. 12:1). Is it not a fact that He spoke only to Moses? Why, then, does the Scripture say unto Moses and Aaron? To indicate that just as Moses was included in the revelation, so too was Aaron. Where do we learn that He did not speak to Aaron? From the verse And it came to pass on the day that the Lord spoke unto Moses in the land of Egypt (Exod. 6:28), that is, to Moses and not to Aaron. Similarly in the above verse He spoke to Moses but not to Aaron. Why did He not speak to Aaron? In order (to enhance) Moses’ honor. However, if that were so, would not Aaron’s honor be diminished? No. For they were equals. You find that whenever two things are mentioned together they are of equal importance. On that day the heaven and the earth were finished (Gen. 2:1), and they are equal. Honor thy father and mother (Exod. 20:12), and they are equal. Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh (Num. 14:38), and they were equals. Similarly, Moses and Aaron were equals.", "In the land of Egypt refers to the territory outside of the capital of Egypt. You find that the Shekhinah does not appear in the capital city of Egypt, for it is stated: And Moses said unto him: “As soon as I am out of the city, I will spread forth my hand” (Exod. 9:29). Why was it necessary to specify all the land of Egypt? Because all of Egypt was filled with idols. Hence it is written in the land of Egypt and not simply “in Egypt.”", "Why did the Shekhinah appear in the land of Egypt? To teach us that prior to the selection of the land of Israel, all lands merited the revelation of the Holy One, blessed be He, but that after the land of Israel was selected, all other lands were disqualified. Similarly, before Jerusalem was chosen, the entire territory of Israel merited the revelation of the Divine Word, but after Jerusalem was selected, the Divine Word forsook the remainder of the land. Likewise, before the Temple was designated, the city of Jerusalem was considered suitable for the words of the Shekhinah, but after the establishment of the Temple, it removed itself from the rest of Jerusalem, as it is written: For the Lord hath chosen Zion, He hath desired it for His habitation (Ps. 132:13). And it says also: That is My resting place forever; here will I dwell; for I have desired it (ibid., v. 14). Prior to the selection of Aaron, every Israelite merited priesthood, as it is said: It is an everlasting covenant of salt (Num. 18:19), but after he was selected the other Israelites were deemed unfit for priesthood, as it is said: And it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood (ibid. 25:13). Before David was chosen, all Israelites were eligible for kingship, but after the selection of David, all Israelites lost the right of kingship, as it is said: Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord, the God of Israel (Ezra 4:3).", "Why did He speak to the prophets outside the land of Israel? Because of the merit of the patriarchs, as it is stated: A voice is heard in Ramah (Jer. 31:15). And after that it is written: Thus saith the Lord: “Refrain thy voice from weeping” (ibid., v. 16). Even outside the land (however), He spoke to the prophets only in places that were ritually clean, as in the case of Daniel: As I was by the side of the great river, which is Tigris (Dan. 10:4), and also: And I was by the stream Ulai (ibid. 8:3).6The rivers offered the opportunity to obtain ritual cleanliness. Ezekiel said to Him: As I was among the captives by the river Chebar (Ezek. 1:1). This was the Tigris. When did He speak to him? Outside the land only after he had previously spoken to him in the land, as it is said: Rise, go forth into the plain, and I will there speak with thee (ibid. 3:22)." ], [ "This month shall be unto you (Exod. 12:1). R. Ishmael said: He showed him the moon during night and said: Like this shall you examine the new moon; this shall be the law for future generations. Teach them the time of the new moon. He said to them: Until now I intercalated the year (adding an additional month in leap years), but now I turn this responsibility over to you. From now on you shall count (the days and designate the time) for the appearance of the new moon. This month. This is Nisan, and there is no other (i.e., no intercalated second Nisan to sere as the first month). With regard to Tishri it is written: And the feast of ingathering (Sukkot) at the turn of the year (the autumnal equinox) (Exod. 34:22). This teaches us that the month in which the festival called the feast of the ingathering at the turn of the year occurs is the month in which the year actually changes. However, Tishri is called the seventh month only because it comes seven months after Nisan. This month refers to Nisan. A hint of this (is the fact that it is the only month that is spoken of as the first month),7Nisan begins the secular year and therefore is counted as the first month. It marks the anniversary of the deliverance from Egyptian bondage. It is the month in which the reigns of kings begin, and the month from which the festivals are instituted. as Scripture states: In the first month, which is the month of Nisan (Est. 3:17), first for months, and first for festivals, since (Passover) is written first: The festival of Passover, the festival of Shavuot, the festival of Sukkot." ], [ "And it came to pass in the middle of the night, that the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (Exod. 12:29). The Creator of the night divided the night precisely. The Lord smote all the first born. It was the Lord Himself who smote the firstborn and not His emissary (Moses). In fact, even though a man was elsewhere, and his firstborn was in Egypt, he died. How do we know that the firstborn of the Cuthites, Puthites, and Ludites were also slain? It is said: And smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham (Ps. 78:51).8Ham was the ancestor of Cush, Put, and Lud (Gen. 10:15). Only the firstborn of the Pharaoh remained alive in fulfillment of the verse However, it was for this that I raised you up (Exod. 9:16). And Ba’al Saphon was the only idol remaining, to mislead them, in fulfillment of the verse He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them (Job 12:23). Unto the firstborn of the captives (Exod. 12:29). Why were the firstborn of the captives punished? Because they had rejoiced in the decrees promulgated against Israel. Hence it is written: He that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished (Prov. 17:5). You must not be of the opinion that only the captives reacted in that manner, for the slaves and handmaidens did likewise, as is said: Even unto the firstborn of the maidservants that is behind the mill (Exod. 11:5); that is, even those who were legally bound to the millers. Even their firstborn cattle were destroyed lest the people assert: “Our deities are powerful, and that is why punishment was imposed upon them (and not upon us).”", "And Pharaoh rose up in the night (Exod. 12:30). Perhaps (he rose at) the third hour (9:00 a.m.), the time at which kings are accustomed to arise. (Therefore) Scripture says specifically in the night. Perhaps he was awakened by the princes and the princesses, (and therefore) the verse states he arose, to inform us that he went to the door of the servants’ quarters and aroused them. He went with them, calling out: “Where are Moses and Aaron resting?” as it is said: And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said: “Rise up, get you forth from among my people” (ibid., v. 31). Whereupon Moses replied: The Holy One, blessed be He, told us: And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning (ibid., v. 22). Are we thieves that we should steal away under the cover of night? No. We shall depart proudly, in full view of the Egyptians.", "Why did Pharaoh and his servants approach him, saying: Get you? The time Pharaoh told him: Get thee from me, see my face no more (ibid. 10:29), he (Moses) insisted: But we shall not leave until all these servants shall come down unto me (ibid. 11:9), to escort us from this place. This verse indicates that Moses paid homage to royalty, since he did not say to him: “You and all your servants.” In fact, the Holy One, blessed be He, had previously charged Moses and Aaron to be respectful to royalty, as it is said: And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt (ibid. 6:13). Joseph was respectful to royalty when he said: It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace (Gen. 41:6). Jacob was respectful to royalty; and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed (ibid. 49:2). Elijah paid homage to royalty, as is said: And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah (I Kings 18:46). Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah also were respectful to royalty, and so was Daniel.", "Go serve the Lord, but who are they that shall go? (Exod. 10:8), he asked, and you replied: We shall go with our young and with our old. Then I say to you: Arise up, get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel (ibid. 12:31), only let your flocks and your herds remain (ibid. 10:24). You answered: Our cattle also shall go with us, there shall not a hoof be left behind (ibid., v. 26). Then take both your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone (ibid. 12:32). Would that you had already departed. Then you added: Thou must also give into our hands sacrifices and burnt-offerings (ibid., v. 28). Take whatever you wish and depart, and bless me also (ibid., v. 32); said Pharaoh." ], [ "And the people took their dough before it was leavened … upon their shoulders (Exod. 12:34). This indicates that the dough did not have sufficient time in which to leaven. Similarly, concerning the Messianic days, it states: Who ceaseth to stir from the kneading of the dough until it be leavened (Hos. 7:4). Their kneading troughs (mish’arotam), alludes to the leftover (shi-yu) unleavened bread and bitter herbs. You may interpret it so, but perhaps it does not refer to the remnants of the unleavened bread and bitter herbs, but to the remnants of the Passover sacrifices? However, since Scripture says of the paschal sacrifice: And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning (Exod. 12:10), it could not refer to the leftovers of the paschal sacrifices. Upon their shoulders (ibid., v. 34). Did they have no beasts of burden to carry the remnants of the unleavened bread and bitter herbs? After all, it is written: And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle (ibid., v. 38)? They did so because they cherished their religious obligations deeply. And so it is written: upon their shoulders.", "The children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment (ibid., v. 35). Why did they ask for raiment? To demonstrate that clothing was more precious to them than silver or gold.9The last-mentioned is the most desired. And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians (ibid., v. 36). As soon as they said: “Lend me,” they gave it to them. And they despoiled the Egyptians (ibid.). This includes even the idols of silver and gold. They melted them down and converted them into their original state. They carried everything away with them. The plunder at the sea, however, was greater even than the plunder of Egypt, as it is said: And thou didst increase and grow up, thou camest to excellent beauty (Ezek. 16:7)." ], [ "And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth (Exod. 12:37). The distance from Rameses to Succoth is forty parasangs (approx. 43 miles), yet Moses’ voice could be heard at Succoth. Do not be surprised at this, for even the dust that Moses hurled into the air soared about for forty days, as it is said: And it shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt (Exod. 9:9). If the dust could spread over the whole of Egypt, which takes forty days to traverse, how much more likely it is that his voice could traverse forty parasangs. R. Akiba said: Succoth refers to the clouds, as it is said: For over all the glory shall be a canopy (sukkah) (Isa. 4:5). Likewise, in the future, And there shall be a canopy (sukkah) for a shadow in the daytime (ibid., v. 6). Besides children (Exod. 12:37). That is, besides little ones and women. And they baked cakes (ibid., v. 39). Actually, they did not manage to bake cakes. The word cakes refers to a cake baked on coal, as it is said: But make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it forth unto me (I Kings 17:13). An amazing miracle was performed for them by means of the cakes. They ate them twice a day for thirty days, until the manna descended for them. Neither had they prepared for themselves any victuals (Exod. 12:39). This was to demonstrate Israel’s worth, since they did not complain and say: “How can we cross the desert and the sea if we have no provisions?” This teaches us that they trusted Him. Concerning them, it is expressly stated in the post-Mosaic writing: Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem (Jer. 2:2). What was their reward for their faithfulness? Israel is the Lord’s hallowed portion (ibid., v. 3).", "Now the time that the children of Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years (Exod. 12:40). Yet it is written: And shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years (Gen. 15:13). Since these two verses are obviously contradictory, how can they be reconciled? The first decree was issued prior to the birth of Isaac, but after Isaac’s birth, the Holy One, blessed be He, reconsidered the matter, as it is said: Thy seed shall be a stranger, and they shall afflict them four hundred years. Abraham reflected on this subject at the time of the decree. It is written: And they shall afflict them four hundred years, but it is also written: In the fourth generation they shall come back hither (ibid., v. 16). How can these verses be reconciled? These verses suggest that, if they repent, I will redeem them after four generations, but if not, after four hundred years. And it came to pass at the end of four hundred and thirty years (Exod. 12:41). At the end of that time he did not delay them as long as the blink of an eye. It was on the fifteenth day of Nisan that he issued the decree and spoke to Abraham our father, at the time of making the covenant-between-the-parts. It was on the fifteenth day of Nisan that ministering angels came to inform him about the birth of Isaac; it was on the fifteenth day of Nisan that Isaac was born; it was on the fifteenth day of Nisan that they were redeemed from Egypt; and it is on the fifteenth day of Nisan that they will be redeemed from servitude to kingdoms. The same day was designated for all these events.", "It was a night of watching unto the Lord for bringing them out from the land of Egypt (Exod. 12:42). This is also the night upon which they will be redeemed, R.Joshua maintained. R. Eliezer held, however: In the future they will be redeemed in Tishri, as it is stated: Blow the horn at the new moon (Ps. 81:4). It was a night (Exod. 12:42). It was the night about which the Holy One, blessed be He, had said to Abraham, “On that night I will redeem thy sons.” Watching unto the Lord for all the children of Israel (Exod. 12:42); that is to say, all the Israelites must be watchful on that night." ], [ "And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron: “This is the ordinance of the passover” (Exod. 12:43). There are chapters of the Torah in which a general statement is made at the beginning of the chapter, and a particular statement is made at its end. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests (Exod. 19:6) is a particular statement, while the verse These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel (ibid.) is a general statement. This is the statue of the law (Num. 19:2) is a general statement, while the verse That they bring thee a red heifer (ibid.) is a particular statement. This is the ordinance of the Passover (Exod. 12:43) is a general statement, whereas There shall no alien eat thereof (ibid.) is a particular statement. Whenever a general statement is followed by a particular one, the general statement does not include more than is contained in the particular.10The fourth of the thirteen rules of interpretation developed by R. Ishmael. This is the ordinance of the Passover. This passage deals with the Passover in Egypt. How then do we know about Passover in subsequent generations? Scripture informs us of this in the verse According to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof, shall ye keep it (Num. 9:3). There shall no alien eat thereof (Exod. 12:43) alludes also to a renegade Jew and a Gentile. Every man’s servant that is bought for money (ibid., v. 44). (The verse states:) Every man’s servant. Does this mean that the servant of a woman or of a child is excluded? Scripture says: That is bought for money, which implies (every servant that was purchased).", "A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat thereof, no matter who owns him (ibid., v. 45). A sojourner refers to an alien who is not an idolater, but who commits other forbidden acts. A hired servant alludes to one who serves idols. Hence, just as the words a sojourner and a hired servant, etc., mentioned in the chapter on the paschal lamb disqualify an uncircumcised man from eating the paschal lamb, so does the phrase A sojourner and a hired servant used with reference to the terumah teach us that an uncircumcised man is disqualified from eating the terumah (the priest’s share of the crop).", "In one house shall it be eaten (ibid., v. 46). However, it is written elsewhere: Upon the houses wherein they shall eat it (ibid. v. 7). From this verse we learn that the paschal lamb may be eaten in two places. How am I to interpret the phrase In one house? It may be interpreted to mean (that it may be eaten) by one group of people. How does it happen then that one may eat the paschal lamb in two places? For example, if men are seated inside a house when a beam splits above their heads, they are compelled to go outside to eat it, and if they are outside when it commences to rain, they are forced to go inside. Hence they may eat it in two places. If this (is so), what is meant by Thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh abroad out of the house (ibid., v. 46)? This means you may not carry it out from the group. Thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh refers to the meat on the outside of the bone and not to that which is within the bone (i.e., the marrow). Neither shall ye break a bone thereof (ibid.) indicates that you shall not break the bone of the paschal sacrifice, but that (does not apply) to the bones of any other sacrifices of less sanctity. It is not a transgression of the commandment: Neither shall you break a bone thereof. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it (ibid., v. 47). Why is this said? Since Scripture states: Draw out, and take you lambs according to your families (Exod. 12:21), (you might think that the paschal lamb can be brought [to the Temple] only by a family group. Nevertheless) this verse informs us that the Passover offering of subsequent generations may be brought by mixed groups.", "And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Passover to the Lord (ibid., v. 48). Does this mean that a stranger who is converted should offer a paschal sacrifice at the first opportunity? Yes, for Scripture says: And he shall be as one that is born in the land (ibid.). Therefore, just as one born in the land offers his sacrifice on the fourteenth day, so the proselyte should do so on the fourteenth day. If he is converted, however, between the two Passovers,11That is, between the fifteenth day of Nisan and the fourteenth day of Iyar, the second Passover (Num. 19:10). he should offer the sacrifice on the second Passover. Let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it (ibid.). This refers to the circumcision of free males and the circumcision of slaves, (the absence of which) prevents him (from offering the paschal sacrifice). If one wishes to perform the two rituals, the commandment of circumcision and the commandment of the paschal lamb, which takes precedence? Let all his males be circumcised is stated first, and that is followed by And let him come near and keep it. One law shall be to him that is home-born (ibid., v. 49). This verse declares that the home-born and the convert are equal with regard to all the commandments inscribed in the Torah." ], [ "Sanctify unto me all the firstborn (Exod. 13:2). This verse illustrates one of the thirteen rules by which the Torah is interpreted.12R. Ishmael’s thirteen hermeneutical rules; see also above, n. 10. A general statement requires a particular statement for its interpretation. Sanctify unto Me all the first born is the general statement which includes both male and female. Does this mean, however, that all firstborn, whether male or female, are to be considered as the firstborn? No, for Scripture adds: The firstling males that are born of thy herds and thy flock thou shalt sanctify (Deut. 15:19), thereby specifying males and not females. It may be possible to maintain on the basis of this verse that a fetus extracted by a Caesarean operation is also to be considered a firstborn. Hence the Scripture states: All that openeth the womb is Mine (Exod. 34:19). That is, a male that opens the womb (through natural birth). Both of men and beast. The firstborn of humans are likened to the firstborn of beasts. Just as the birth of a premature beast releases the one born after it from the law of the firstborn, so a firstborn human being, following a miscarriage, is released from the law of the firstborn. The Levites are not included in this commandment because they are not subject to the law of the firstborn whether of man or of beast.", "A firstborn human must be redeemed when thirty days old;13Firstborn boys are redeemed through the pidyon ha-ben ceremony at the end of thirty days. As indicated above, those born by Caesarean section are exempt. if it survives less than this it is considered a premature child and is exempt from this regulation. The firstborn beast must be redeemed on the eighth day; if it survives less than this it is considered a premature birth. In reference to a human, it is written: And their redemption money—from a month old shalt thou redeem them (Num. 18:16), while in regard to beasts, it is written: But from the eighth day and henceforth it may be accepted (Lev. 22:27). That is, after one is able to lead it to the Temple, since it is said: And thither you shall bring your burnt offerings (Deut. 12:6). In the case of the firstborn of your flock and herds, Scripture says: Thou shalt redeem. This implies that one may redeem the offering from the priest whenever (he wishes). (But if that is so)14Etz Joseph omits the parenthesized words. Why does the Scripture say: Thou shalt sanctify to the Lord? So that you receive a reward for so doing. But even if you should not sanctify it, it is consecrated, nevertheless, to the Lord, since as Scripture says: It is mine. Why then does Scripture decree Thou shalt sanctify it? In order that you may be rewarded for doing so (voluntarily).", "Similarly, though Scripture states: And the priests shall kindle wood upon it every morning (Lev. 6:5), it is written: And Lebanon is not sufficient fuel (Isa. 40:16). This was stated so that one might receive a reward for doing so. Similarly, it says: The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning (Num. 28:4), though it has already been said: Nor the beasts thereof sufficient for burnt-offerings (Isa. 40:16). This indicates that you may receive a reward (for its observance). Let them make Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8) may be explained in a like manner. Has it not been written already Do not I fill heaven and earth (Jer. 23:24)? This commandment was imposed upon you so that you would receive a reward (for building a Sanctuary). And Moses said unto the people: Remember this day (Exod. 13:3). Scripture states elsewhere: That thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life (Deut. 16:3). Does this mean that they were to remember it only during the day and not at night? Ben Zoma interpreted the verse That thou mayest remember the day when thou came forth … all the days of your life to mean that the days of your life refers to the daytime, while all the days of your life alludes to night time.", "There shall be no leavened bread be eaten (Exod. 13:3). To cause another to eat unleavened bread is like eating it oneself. There shall no leavened bread be eaten, not it and not its monetary worth, it is forbidden to benefit from it. This day shall you go forth (ibid. 11). R. Yosé the Galilean said: From the fact that Scripture states: There shall no leavened bread be eaten, and adds immediately thereafter, this day you shall go forth (ibid., v. 11), you may deduce that the Israelites ate unleavened bread in Egypt on only one day. In the month of Abib. This is the perfect month, being neither to hot nor too rainy. Whence do we know that it is the perfect month? it is written here: The month of ripening (abib), and elsewhere it is written: God maketh the solitary to dwell in a house; He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity (Ps. 68:7). And the word bekosharot (“prosperity”) refers only to the ideal month which is neither too hot nor too rainy (for the ripening of the harvest).15A play on words: bekosharot (“prosperity”) and kasher (“fitting”)", "Another explanation of the word bekosharot. R. Jonathan said: It may be read as beki (“to cry”) and shirot (“to sing’), that is, for those who wept and for those who sang. The Egyptians wept because there was not a single home without death in Egypt, and the Israelites sang: The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly (Ps. 118:15). Rabbi maintained that the Hebrew word bekosharot indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, dealt charitably (kashirot) with the Israelites, for it is said: The rebellious dwell but in a parched land (Ps. 68:7). Although they were rebellious, He treated them charitably. In the month of Abib indicates that they began to intercalate the year at that time.16The leap year was introduced so that Passover would occur in the spring. See Etz Joseph on Tanhuma, Bo 11." ], [ "And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanite (Exod. 13:5). (Scripture mentions) five nations though there were (in fact) seven nations.17Cf. Mekhilta (Lauterbach), p. 161. Which he swore unto thy fathers to give thee (ibid.). Where did that occur? When he assured Abraham: In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying: “Unto thy seed have I given this land” (Gen. 15:18). When he swore unto Isaac: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, etc. (ibid. 26:3), and when he swore unto Jacob: The land whereupon thou liest, to thee will I give it (ibid. 28:13). Thou shalt keep this service (Exod. 13:5). That is, just as you performed this service in Egypt, so you must perform it in the generations to come. Where did He assure us that it would be? And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning which I lifted up My hand (ibid. 6:8). Into the land of the Canaanite (ibid. 13:11). Why did Canaan deserve to have the land called by his name? When Canaan heard that the Israelites were approaching, he departed from that place. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Because you left that place, the land will be called by your name, and I will give you a land as beautiful as your own. What land was this? Africa. And it shall be given to thee (ibid.). This is written lest one should claim: “I inherited it from my ancestors.”", "And thou shalt set apart unto the Lord all that openeth the womb (ibid. 12). Set apart means to put aside, as in the matter of an inheritance. Then ye shall cause his inheritance to be set apart unto his daughter (Num. 27:8). Simeon the son of Azzai said: Why does Scripture mention Thou shalt set apart all that openeth the womb (Exod. 13:12)? Since it states elsewhere: Whatsoever passeth under the rod,18Word-play on haavarta (“set apart”) and yavaor (“passeth under”). the tenth shall be holy unto Me the Lord (Lev. 27:32). Does this say (I might deduce) that this includes an orphaned animal? Since the word set aside is used in the former verse, just as in the latter verse, one may not sanctify the priests’ share of the offering except during the life of its mother, so in this instance one may not sanctify the priests’ share except during the lifetime of its mother. If this is so, then just as the latter verse refers only to male animals, so the former verse applies only to male animals. Hence, when Scripture says Whatsoever passeth under the rod, it means (to include) male and female. All that openeth the womb indicates that a prematurely born offspring is exempted from the law of the firstborn. The one that is born after the premature offspring is also considered not to be the firstborn.", "Which thou hast. This excludes the animals that are still in the embryonic state when sold to a gentile. Is the one who purchases an animal in the embryonic state obligated to consecrate it? Scripture answers this question with the verse All the firstling males that are born of thy flock and thy herd, those thou shalt sanctify unto the Lord (Deut. 15:19). (This tells us no.19The embryo was conceived before the sale was made.) The males shall be the Lord’s (Exod. 13:12). R. Yosé stated: You learn from this that if an ewe, which had not given birth previously, bears twin males, they both belong to the priest, since it is said: The males shall be the Lord’s. Every firstling of an ass, thou shalt redeem with a lamb (Exod. 13:12); but not with a calf or with a wild beast, or with a ritually slaughtered animal, or with hybrids, or with a koy.20An antelope or bearded deer. The rabbis were in doubt as to whether it is considered a domesticated animal or a wild beast. The firstling of an ass you may redeem, but not with any other animal. What is meant by Thou shalt surely redeem? You may redeem the firstling of an ass with any impure animal only if it is to be sanctified for the purpose of the upkeep of the Temple.", "If thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break its neck (Exod. 13:13). We learn from this that the commandment of redemption takes precedence over the commandment of the breaking of the heifer’s neck.21Since the lamb is mentioned earlier in the verse. Why is one commanded to break its neck? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: You have deprived the priests of their property by not redeeming it, and so you must deprive yourself of your property and not benefit from it. Whence do we know that it is forbidden to use it? In this verse break the neck is mentioned, and break the neck is likewise mentioned in reference to the heifer, as it is written: And shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley (Deut. 21:4). Just as the breaking of the heifer’s neck prohibits the use thereof, so it is forbidden to use it in this instance.", "All the firstborn of man among thy sons shalt thou redeem is a general statement, and According to thy evaluation, five shekels of silver (Num. 18:16) is a particular statement. And nothing may be attributed to the general statement that is not included in the particular. But when another general statement follows the preceding verse, The firstborn of man shalt thou redeem (Num. 18:15), we have an instance of a general statement and a particular one followed by another general statement, which must be considered to include anything resembling that which is stated in the particular.22The sixth of Rabbi Ishmael’s thirteen rules. In this case the particular statement stipulates movable property that has no permanency, and so the general statement must refer to movable property that has no permanency. From this the sages concluded that the firstborn of man may be redeemed with anything except slaves, bonds, or land, for they have permanency. All the firstborn of man among thy sons (Exod. 13:13). If a man has five wives who were virgins, and they gave birth to five sons, must he redeem them all? Yes, for All that openeth the womb that is a male—thou shalt redeem. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: The firstlings are the priest’s property and are not considered as a gift. Why did Scripture need to say: All the firstborn among thy sons thou shalt redeem? To point out that if a man’s father did not redeem him, he must redeem himself. From this you learn that a man is obligated to teach his son the Torah, but if the father does not instruct him, he must study by himself. This may be deduced logically from the subject of redemption." ], [ "And it shall be when thy son asketh thee tomorrow: “What is this?” (Exod. 13:14). Sometimes tomorrow means the next day, and sometimes it means the time to come. In the verse When thy son asketh thee tomorrow saying: “What is this?”, tomorrow means in the time to come. But the verse Tomorrow shall this sign be (Exod. 8:19) actually refers to the next day. In the verse Tomorrow will I stand upon the top of the hill (ibid. 17:9), tomorrow refers to the next day, but the verse Tomorrow your children might speak unto our children (Josh. 23:24) refers to the time to come. What is this? This refers to the laws of Passover. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go (Exod. 13:15). One might understand this to mean that he became hardened of his own accord, therefore Scripture says: And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh (ibid. 9:12). That the Lord slew all the firstborn (ibid. 13:15). From this they taught: The firstlings of cattle are sacrificed because of what happened to the firstborn men in Egypt, and the firstborn of man is redeemed because of what happened to the firstborn of cattle in Egypt." ], [ "And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand (Exod. 13:16). Upon thy hand refers to the biceps. Between thine eyes refers to the top of the forehead. Where is that located? The school of R. Yannai said: It is the place on the child’s head where the child’s brain is seen to pulsate. The four passages included in the phylacteries are mentioned in Scripture. They are: Sanctify unto me (Exod. 13:2), And it shall be when the Lord shall bring thee (ibid. 13:11), Hear, O Israel (Deut. 6:4), And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken (ibid. 11:13). It is forbidden to have sexual relations in a home containing tefillin or a scroll of the Torah until they are put away in their container.23Berakhot 25b. Rava said: When a cloak is over a chest, it is like a receptacle in a receptacle.", "The four passages are written upon one roll of parchment and are inserted into the phylacteries that are placed on one’s arm. These four are included also in the phylactery that is placed on the forehead, but they are written on four separate slips of parchment. Whence do we know that four separate slips of parchment are necessary? From the word totafot. Tot is a Coptic word meaning “two”; and fot is an African word meaning “two,” thus making four for the head phylactery, and a total of five parchments in all. How do we know that the arm phylactery contains (only) one (parchment)? Since it is written: And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand (the word your hand is spelled with an extra heh, which has a numerical value of five) and so so there are five (parchments) in all. Hence you learn that the phylactery containing the four verses on separate pieces of parchment is placed upon the head, and the phylactery with the one parchment, containing the same four verses, is placed upon the arm. It might be possible to maintain that the phylactery with the four parchments is placed upon the arm, and so Scripture says: And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand. Where is it placed on the hand? You might maintain that it is placed on the arch of the hand just as it is placed on the arch of the head. Therefore, Scripture says: And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart (Deut. 6:6). From this statement they concluded: One must place the phylactery on the part of the arm opposite the heart. You might contend that the phylacteries are to be put on at night. Hence Scripture says: In its season from day to day (Exod. 13:10), namely, in the daytime and not at night. You might maintain: Perhaps they are to be donned on the Sabbath or the holy days. Therefore Scripture says: From day to day, implying that there are days on which a man dons them and days on which he does not. The days on which he does not don them are the Sabbath and the holy days. You might say: Perhaps he should place the phylacteries on his right hand. Scripture, therefore, says: Upon thy hand, and the word thy hand is used only in reference to the left hand, as it is said: Yea, My hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand hath spread out the heavens (Isa. 48:13). Scripture likewise says; Her hand she put to the tentpin, and her right hand to the workman’s hammer (Judg. 5:26).", "How do we know that the passages are to be on one roll of parchment? We can deduce this from the fact that it is written: And it shall be for a sign unto thee (Exod. 13:9)—for thee, and not (just) for others.24Just as it appears on one container to other, so it should be one parchment for you. What is the size of the phylactery strip? R. Rami the son of Abba stated that R. Simeon the son of Lakish said: It is the size of the snapping finger. Which is the snapping finger? The middle finger. And its width is that of the thickness of barley corn. The law enjoins one to put the hand phylactery on first, and then pronounce the blessing: “Our God, who sanctifies us by His commandments and has commanded us to put on the phylacteries.” After that one dons the head phylactery while offering the blessing: “Our God, King of the Universe, who sanctifies us and has commanded us concerning the law of the phylacteries.” However, if he speaks in between the hand phylactery and the head phylactery, he is guilty of a transgression for which he must return home from the battlefront.25As laid down in Deut. 20:8, according to the rabbis; one who has a transgression on his conscience should not remain on the battlefield of a war of conquest, aside from Joshua’s wars. This transgression is considered serious enough to fall in that category. But if he pauses while putting on the hand or head phylactery with the phrase “His great name” or to recite the Kedushah,26A prayer in the ritual; “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts.” he need not return from the battle. He must start over again, for each phylactery requires two blessings.27One for itself and one for its companion phylactery. If recited together they support each other. However, if one should interrupt the blessings of the phylacteries in order to respond with the words “His great name” or the Kedushah, he has canceled the first blessing and must recite both of them again. Surely it is not necessary to state that if he discusses secular matters during that time, he is guilty of a serious transgression. When he takes off the phylacteries he must remove the head phylactery first and then the hand phylactery.", "One might think that the law about the phylacteries applies, likewise, to women. Hence Scripture says: That the law of the Lord may be in thy mouth (Exod. 13:9). And who are they that study the law? Men. Therefore women are exempt from so doing, for they do not devote themselves to the law. It may be possible to conclude that the law of phylacteries applies to children. Therefore Scripture says: And Thou shalt keep it; and that applies to all who are diligent in the study of the Torah and in the performance of good deeds. Hence a child is exempt. But if a child is a Bar Mitzvah or well informed, he must fulfill the law. It is possible that one may neglect to examine the phylacteries, and so Scripture says: from year to year. From this statement they conclude that a man should examine his phylacteries at least once every twelve months. From year to year is mentioned in this verse, and further on For a full year shall he have the right of redemption (Lev. 25:29) is stated. Just as in the former case a year means twelve months, so also in the latter instance a year implies twelve months. This is the opinion of the School of Hillel. The School of Shammai, however, argues: One need not examine them ever after. So Shammai said: “These are the phylacteries of my mother’s father.”", "The four passage in the phylacteries must be written in their proper order, and if they are not written that way they must be hidden away." ] ], "Beshalach": [ [ "And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go (Exod. 13:17). The word let go (shallah) indicates “to escort,” as in the verse Abraham went with them to bring them (leshalleham) on the way (Gen. 18:16). Similarly it states; And Isaac sent them away (vaye-shallehem), and they departed from him in peace (ibid. 26:31). Why does this scriptural portion open with this verse? Because the mouth (i.e., Pharaoh) that had declared: And moreover, I will not let Israel go (Exod. 5:2), now retracted and said: I will let you go (ibid. 8:24). This explains why this portion of Scripture begins with the words When Pharaoh had let the people go. What was his reward for doing so? Thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian (Deut. 23:8), for the mouth that had said: I know not the Lord (Exod. 5:2) reversed itself and declared: The Lord is righteous (ibid. 9:27). What was his reward for saying this? He gave them a burial place, as it is said: Thou stretchest out Thy right hand—the earth swallowed them (ibid. 15:12).", "God led them not by the way of the Philistines (ibid. 13:17). He guided them in the manner indicated in the verse Thou didst lead Thy people like a flock (Ps. 77:21), and as in the verse By day also He led them by a cloud (ibid. 78:14). By the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. The word near indicates that the promise the Holy One, blessed be He, had made to Abraham was soon to be fulfilled. Near also implies that it was the nearest way to return to Egypt. Furthermore near relates to the oath Abraham had sworn with Abimelech. Now therefore, swear unto me here by God, that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, or with my son, nor with my son’s son (Gen. 21:23) was near fulfillment, even though his grandson had not yet been born. Furthermore, near implies that the previous war was too recent to risk another.1The “previous war” being the one referred to in the continuation of the verse: lest … the people repent when they see war (Exod. 17:1). A tradition exists that the descendants of Ephraim left Egypt before the designated time and 300,000 were killed. See Ginzberg, Legends, vol. 3:8–9. Only ten escaped. Another explanation of Although that was near. It was too close to the time in which the Canaanites had obtained the land, for it is written: And in the fourth generation they shall come back hither (ibid. 15:16), and the fourth generation had not yet come. God led the people about by the way of the wilderness (Exod. 12:18). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If I lead them into the land by the most direct route, they will each take possession of a field and a vineyard and neglect the law. Therefore I will lead them through the wilderness for forty years and cause them to eat the manna and drink the water of the well so that the law may penetrate into their very beings.", "Furthermore, when the Canaanites heard that the Israelites were soon to enter the land, they arose, burnt the seeds, uprooted the trees, cut down the shoots, destroyed the buildings, and stopped up the wells. Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since I assured Abraham, their father, that they would enter into a land filled with everything that was desirable, I will keep them in the wilderness for forty years while the Canaanites restore what they have destroyed.", "And the children of Israel went up armed (Exod. 13:18). This suggests that only one out of five (hamishah) went up armed (hamushim). However, others say: Only one out of fifty (hamishim) went up, while still others insist that only one out of every five hundred (mihamesh) went up. R. Nehorai declared: By the Temple service!2An idiomatic exclamation with the sense of “By God!” Not even one out of five thousand went up. When had the others died? During the days of darkness, they would bring their dead for burial while the Egyptians sat in darkness. The Israelites praised Him and thanked Him (for the fact) that their enemies were unable to see their misfortune and take satisfaction in it." ], [ "And Moses took the bones of Joseph (Exod. 13:19). How did Moses know where Joseph’s grave was to be found? They say that only Serah the daughter of Asher had survived from that generation, and that she revealed to Moses where Joseph’s grave was located. The Egyptians had made a metal coffin for him and then sunk it into the Nile. Moses went to the bank of the Nile with a pebble upon which were engraved the words “Ox, arise,”3Mekhilta de-R. Ishmael says that the Tetragrammaton was engraved on the pebble and called out: “Joseph, Joseph, the time has come for the Holy One, blessed be He, to redeem his children. The Shekhinah and Israel and the clouds of glory await you. If you will reveal yourself, good, but if not, we shall be free of your vow.”4Joseph had made the brothers swear that they should carry his bones out of Egypt (Gen. 50:25). Whereupon Joseph’s coffin floated to the surface. Do not be surprised at this, for it says elsewhere: As one was felling a beam, the axehead fell into the water, and he cried, and said: “Alas, my master,” for it was borrowed, and the man of God said: “Where fell it” … and he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and he cast in thither, and made the iron to swim (II Kings 6:5–6). We can logically conclude that since Elisha, who was only Elijah’s disciple, was capable of making the iron float, surely Moses, Elijah’s teacher, could do as much.5Reasoning here by kal vehomer (an inference from the lesser to the more important), the first of R. Ishmael’s rules of interpretation.", "R. Nathan was of the opinion that Joseph’s grave was in the royal tombs, since it is written: And they embalmed him (Gen. 50:26). How, then, did Moses know which one was Joseph’s coffin? He went to the tomb and stood among the coffins and called out: “Joseph, Joseph, the time has come for the Holy One, blessed be He, to redeem his children. The Shekhinah 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 Joseph’s coffin began to stir, and Moses took it and departed. This teaches us that just as a man treats others, so they will treat him. Joseph buried his father, as it is said: And Joseph went up to bury his father;and with him went up all the servants … and his brothers (ibid., v. 7). Even though none of his brothers was as famous as he, since he was a ruler in the land, it is written: And he brought up with him both chariots and horses (ibid., v. 9). Therefore, he deserved to be taken from his grave by Moses himself (since he exerted himself in burying Jacob).", "Moses bore Joseph’s bones out of Egypt, though there was no one in all the world as important as he, since he was a king, as it is said: And there was a king in Jeshurun (Deut. 33:5). Moses merited that the Shekhinah itself should be concerned about him. Hence it is said: He buried him in the valley (ibid. 34:6). What is more, not only did Pharaoh’s servants, the elders of his house, and the elders of the land of Egypt escort Jacob, but Joseph’s coffin was escorted by the Shekhinah, the ark, the priests, the Levites, and the clouds of glory. Furthermore, as Joseph’s coffin was borne alongside the ark of the Eternal One through the desert, the nations would inquire of Israel: “What are these two arks?” And the Israelites would reply: “This one is the ark of the one who died, and the other is the ark of the Living One of the world.” “Is it customary to carry the ark of a dead person alongside the ark of the Eternal, the Living One of the world?” they would ask. The Israelites would respond: “The deceased lying within this ark fulfilled all that is written in the other ark.”", "Because Miriam waited an hour for Moses, as it is said: And his sister stood far off (Exod. 2:4), the Holy One, blessed be He, waited for her in the desert, with the clouds of glory, the Levites, and the priests, for seven days as is said; And the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again (Num. 12:15). For he had straightly sworn the children of Israel (Exod. 13:19). He had made his brothers swear that they would cause their sons, the children of Israel, to take a vow that they would bring his body out from Egypt. Why did he compel his brothers to vow rather than his own sons? He said to himself: If I impose this vow upon my sons, the Egyptians may not permit them to fulfill it. For if they should tell the Egyptians: “Our father brought his father out of the land,” they may reply: “Your father was a king, and therefore he forced his brothers to promise to do this.”", "Another explanation. Joseph said to them: Our father descended voluntarily, and I took him back, while I was brought here against my will; therefore swear to me that you will return me to the place where you caused me to be sold, and so they did, as it is said: And the bones of Joseph which the children brought out of Egypt buried they in Shechem (Josh. 24:32).", "God will surely remember you. That is, He will remember you in Egypt, and He will remember you at the sea; He will remember you in the wilderness, and He will remember you at the river of Arnon; He will remember you in this world, and He will remember you in the world-to-come." ], [ "And the Lord went before them by day (Exod. 13:21). You find that there were seven clouds of glory in all. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud (ibid.) was the first; and Thy cloud standeth over them (Num. 14:14) was the second; In a pillar of cloud (ibid.) was the third; That the cloud tarried (Num. 9:22), the fourth; And the going up of the cloud (Exod. 40:36), the fifth; And whenever the cloud was taken up (ibid., 37), the sixth; and For the cloud of the Lord was upon the Tabernacle (ibid., v. 38) was the seventh. Four of the clouds were at each of the four sides; one was above them, another below them, and the seventh cloud preceded them. The last of the clouds lowered the high places, raised the low places, burnt the serpents and the scorpions, and sprinkled the road (to lay the dust) before them." ], [ "And the Lord went before them (Exod. 13:21). Just as a man treats other men, so is he treated. Because Abraham escorted the ministering angels, as it is said: And Abraham went with them to bring them on the way (Gen. 18:16), the Holy One, blessed be He, accompanied his sons in the wilderness for forty years. And because Abraham said: Let now a little water be fetched (ibid., v. 4), as is written in the portion And He appeared unto him (Gen. 18:1), the Holy One, blessed be He, caused the well to appear for his children." ], [ "And the Lord went before them by day (Exod. 13:21). Has it not already been said: Do not I fill heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:25), and also: The earth is full of His glory (Isa. 6:3)? Why, then, does Scripture say: And the Lord went before them? In order to reveal to the nations of the world the extent of His love for Israel, so that they would pay homage to them. However, not only did they not pay homage to them, but they slaughtered them most cruelly. Because of that it says: I will gather all the nations, and will bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they scattered among the nations (Joel 4:2). It does not say “Because they committed idolatry” or “committed sexual crimes” or (were guilty) “of shedding blood,” but rather: For My people and for My heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the nations. And it says also: Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness (ibid., v. 19), while at that very time Judah shall be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. And I will hold as innocent their blood that I have not held as innocent (ibid., v. 20). When will that be? When the Lord dwelleth in Zion (ibid.)." ], [ "And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart (Exod. 14:4). This was said because his heart was undecided whether to pursue them or not. And I will get Me honor upon Pharaoh and upon all his hosts (Exod. 14:4). Upon Pharaoh is mentioned first because he was the first to sin, as it is said: And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying (ibid. 1:22). Similarly, And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters (ibid. 5:6). Hence he was the first to be punished. Therefore, Surely now I have put forth My hand and smitten thee (ibid. 9:15) is followed by And thy people with pestilence.", "Similarly, in the verse And he blotted out every living substance which was upon the face of the ground, both man and cattle (Gen. 7:3). He mentioned man first, because man was the first to sin, and after that he refers to beasts and creeping things. Likewise, since Scripture states: And they smote the men that were at the door with blindness, both small and great (ibid. 19:11), they smote the least important ones first and then the greater ones. Likewise, in accordance with the verse I will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast, man was punished first and then the beast. Another illustration is in the verse Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword (Deut. 13:16). He smote the inhabitants of the city with the sword, and then he slew the cattle. Similarly, And her belly shall swell (Num. 5:27) is followed by And her thighs shall fall away. That is, the part of the body that sinned first was punished first. Is it not logical to conclude that if retribution is exacted first from the one who commits an evil deed first, then the reward for good deeds, whose reward is far greater, is dispensed according to the same rule." ], [ "And I will get me honor upon Pharaoh (Exod. 14:4). This verse tells us that whenever the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts retribution from the nations, His name is exalted in the world, as it is said: And I will work a sign among them, and I will send such as escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard My fame, neither have seen My glory; and they shall declare My glory among the nations (Isa. 66:19). And it is written elsewhere: Thus said the Lord: The labor of Egypt, and the merchandise of Ethiopia, and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine; they shall go after thee, in chains they shall come over; and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee; surely God is in thee, and there is none else (ibid. 45:14), and that is followed by: And verily, Thou art a God that hidest Thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior (ibid., v. 15). It says also: And will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will cause to rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many peoples that are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone (Ezek. 38:22). And following that is written: Thus will I magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will make Myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am the Lord (ibid., v. 23). Furthermore, it says: In Salem also is set His Tabernacle; and His dwelling place in Zion. There He broke the fiery shafts of the bow; the shield and the sword, and the battle. Selah (Ps. 76:3–4). And there too it is written: In Judah is God known, His name is great in Israel (ibid., v. 2)." ], [ "And he took six hundred chosen chariots (Exod. 14:7). Whose beasts drew the chariots? If you should say they belonged to the Egyptians, has it not already been said: And all the cattle of Egypt died (Exod. 9:6)? If you should contend that they belonged to Pharaoh, has it not already been stated: Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle (ibid. 9:3)? If you should assert that they belonged to Israel, has it not already been written: Our cattle also shall go with us, there shall not a hoof be left behind (ibid. 10:26)? To whom, then, did they belong? They belonged to the slaves of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord. Hence we learn that even those who feared the word of the Lord were a stumbling block to Israel. Because of this verse, they say: “The best among the Egyptians, kill; the best among serpents, crush its brain.”", "When Pharaoh drew nigh (ibid. 14:10); that is, when he drew nigh to the retribution that was to befall him and (when) he drew Israel nigh to repentance.", "When they saw that Israel had turned back and had encamped near Baal-Saphon and Pi-Hahiroth, Pharaoh declared: “Baal-Saphon6The name of an Egyptian deity. The only idol God permitted to survive; see Exod. 14:2 and above, chapter 3, section 7.. concurs in my decision to destroy them in the water.” Thereupon he began to offer sacrifices, to burn incense, and to pour libations before the idols. Hence it is said: When Pharaoh drew nigh." ], [ "And the children of Israel lifted up their eyes … and they were sore afraid (Exod. 14:10). They resorted to the practices of their fathers. It is written of Abraham: And he called upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 12:8), of Isaac it is stated And Isaac went out to meditate in the field (ibid. 24:63), and of Jacob it is stated: And he lighted upon the place (ibid. 28:11). The expression lighted upon (vayifga) is employed with reference to prayer, as it is said: Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; neither make intercession (tifga) to Me (Jer. 7:16).", "Furthermore it says: Fear not, thou worm Jacob (Isa. 41:14). Why is Israel compared to a worm? To teach us that just as a worm has only a soft and tender mouth with which to strike at a hard cedar tree, so Israel has only its prayers. Idolaters are likened to a cedar, as Scripture states: Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon (Exod. 31:3). And yea, the Lord breaketh in pieces the cedars in Lebanon (Ps. 29:5). Whenever their enemies overpowered them, the Israelites would become penitent and would plead and pray. Hence it says: I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren which I took out of the hand of the Amorites, with my sword and with my bow (Gen 48:29). Did he actually seize it with his sword and his bow? Has it not already been said: For I trust not in my bow, neither can my sword save me (Ps. 44:7)? This implies that my sword refers to prayer and my bow to beseeching. Scripture says: And this for Judah, and he said: “Hear Lord, the voice of Judah,” etc. (Deut. 33:7). Similarly, David said: Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast taunted (I Sam. 17:45). It says also: Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will make mention of the name of the Lord his God (Ps. 20:8), and it is said: There is none beside Thee to help, between the mighty and him that hath no strength; help us, O Lord our God; for we rely on Thee, and in Thy name are we come against this multitude. Thou art the Lord our God; let not man prevail against thee (II Chron. 14:10). Concerning Moses it states: And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom … how our fathers went down into Egypt, and when we cried unto the Lord, He heard our voice (Num. 20:14–15). He said to them: Ye exalt yourselves because of your fathers’ legacy to you, but the voice is the voice of Jacob, and the hands are the hands of Esau (Gen. 27:40). Thus the verse The children of Israel cried out unto the Lord indicates that they followed the practices of their fathers. After they cried out to Him, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to them, as it is said: But from thence ye will seek the Lord thy God; and thou shall find him (Deut. 4:29)." ], [ "And lift thou up thy rod (Exod. 14:16). Ten miracles were performed in their behalf at the sea. The sea was split asunder for them, and became a kind of vault, as it is said: Thou hast struck through with his own rods the heads, etc. (Hab. 3:14). It was divided into twelve paths, as it is said: And stretch out thy hand over the sea and divide it (Exod. 14:16). It was turned into dry land, as it is said: And the children of Israel walked upon dry land the midst of the sea (ibid., v. 29). It was converted into a kind of clay, as is said: Thou hast trodden the sea with thy horses, the mud of mighty waters (Hab. 3:15). The water was made into pieces, as it is said: Thou didst break the sea into pieces by Thy strength (Ps. 74:13). It was changed into rocks, as is said: Thou didst shatter the heads of the sea monsters in the waters (ibid.). It was torn asunder, as it is said: To him who divided the Red Sea asunder (ibid. 136:13). It was piled up into stacks, as it is said: And with the blast of Thy nostrils, the waters were piled up (Exod. 15:8). It was made into a heap, as is said: Stood upright like a heap (ibid.). Barrels of sweet water flowed out of the salt water for them, and the sea congealed and became like a glass vessel, as it is said: The deeps were congealed (ibid.).", "R. Judah declared: These ten verses are derived from various sources. It may be compared to a man traveling over a road, preceded by his son. If robbers approach from the front to seize the lad, he places him behind himself. If a wolf comes from behind to snatch him, he puts the lad in front of him. If he sees robbers behind him and the wolf before him, he takes his son in his arms. The Holy One, blessed be He, did likewise for Israel. When the sea was before them and the Egyptians behind, He bore them in His arms. When Israel began to suffer from the sun, He spread His cloak over them, as it is said: He spread a cloud for a screen (Ps. 105:39). When Israel became hungry, He gave them bread, as is stated: Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you (Exod. 16:4). When they became thirsty He gave them water, for He brought streams also out of the rock (Ps. 78:15).", "The Israelites sang ten songs because of the ten miracles performed in their behalf. The first was in Egypt, as is said: You shall have a song as in the night when a feast is hallowed (Isa. 30:29). The second was at the Red Sea, as it is said: Then Moses sang (Exod. 15:1). The third was at the well: Then Israel sang this song (Num. 21:16). The fourth took place when Moses said: And it came to pass when Moses had made an end of writing (Deut. 31:24). The fifth: Then spoke Joshua to the Lord (Josh. 10:12). The sixth: Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam (Judg. 5:6); the seventh: And David spoke unto the Lord the words of this song (II Sam. 22:1); the eight: A song at the dedication of the House; of David (Ps. 30:1). Did David actually dedicate the House (Temple)? The fact is that Solomon dedicated it, but inasmuch as David had set his heart upon erecting it, the song of dedication was ascribed to him. A similar example is contained in the verse And his sister stood far off (Exod. 2:4). Was she not the sister of both of them? Indeed she was, but inasmuch as she had devoted herself to Moses’ welfare, she is referred to by his name. Another instance of this is contained in the verse And the two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers took (Gen. 34:25). Was she not the sister of each of the tribal ancestors? She was indeed, but because these two had devoted themselves to her welfare, she is mentioned with their names. Another illustration is contained in the verse Cozbi the daughter of the chief of Midian, their sister (Num. 26:18). Was she actually a sister to all of them? (Hardly!) She was called their sister because she was deeply devoted to her people.", "Then sang Moses (Exod. 15:1). They had faith in God (ibid. 14:31) and therefore merited acquiring the land. You find that because of his faith in God, our patriarch Abraham inherited both this world and the world-to-come, as is written: And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness (Gen. 15:6). Similarly, because the people believed (Exod. 4:31), it is written: The Lord preserveth the faithful and plentifully repayeth him that acteth haughtily (Ps. 31:24). Similarly, with reference to Moses it says: And his hands were steady (faithful) until the going down of the sun (Exod. 17:12).", "Scripture states: This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter into it (Ps. 118:20). Who are the righteous ones that will enter? The faithful ones, as it is said: Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation that keepeth faithfulness may enter in (Isa. 26:2). This is the gate that the faithful enter, as it is said: It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High, to declare Thy loving-kindness in the morning (Ps. 92:2). What is written after that? For Thou hast made me glad. What makes us glad? It is the faith which our fathers professed in this world, which is all night, as it is written: And thy faithfulness in the night seasons (ibid., v. 3). And it is also written: But the righteous shall live by his faith (Hab. 2:4), and They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness (Lam. 3:23).", "In the future exiles will not be redeemed except as a reward for faithfulness, as it is said: Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, with me from Lebanon; look from the top of Amana (Song 4:8). It says likewise: And I will betroth thee unto Me in faithfulness (Hos. 2:28). Thus you learn that faith is powerful, for in reward for faith, the Shekhinah hovered over them and they sang the song, as it is said: And they believed in the Lord … and Moses sang (Exod. 14:31–15:1), and it says also: Then believed they his words; they sang his praise (Ps. 106:12).", "Then sang Moses. At times the word then refers to events that happened in the past, and at other times it refers to events that are to transpire in the future. The word then refers to past events in the following verses: Then began man to call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26), Then she said: “A bridegroom of blood” (Exod. 4:26), Then sang Israel this song (Num. 21:17), Then Solomon spoke (I Kings 18:12). All of these refer to past events. Instances in which the word then alludes to future events are: Then thou shalt see (Isa. 60:5), Then shall thy light break forth (ibid. 58:8), Then shall the lame man leap as a hart (ibid. 35:6), Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened (ibid., v. 5), Then shall the virgin rejoice (Jer. 31:13), Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing (Ps. 126:2), and Then said they among the nations (ibid.). All these allude to future events. From this we learn that the concept of the resurrection of the dead is derived from the Torah.", "Moses and the children of Israel (Exod. 15:1). This verse implies that Moses was equal to all the Israelites. Another explanation of Moses and the children of Israel is that Moses sang the song before the children of Israel did.", "This song. Is there only one song? Was it not stated previously that there were ten songs? The eighth song is A psalm, a song at the dedication of the house, of David (Ps. 30:1). The fact is that Solomon was the one who dedicated it, as it is said: So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord (I Kings 8:63). However, because David had set his heart upon dedicating it, the song was ascribed to him. Similarly, it says: Lord, remember unto David all his afflictions; how he swore unto the Lord, and vowed unto the Mighty One of Jacob: “Surely I will not come into the tent of my house, nor go up into the bed that is spread for me … until I find out a place for the Lord, a dwelling-place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” Lo, we heard it as being in Ephrath; we found it in the field of the wood (Ps. 132:1–6). Observe that it is written concerning it: Now see to this house, O David (I Kings 12:16). Hence you learn that because David desired with all his soul to build the Temple, it was called by his name.", "Similarly, because Moses yearned for the Torah, it is called by his name. Whence do we know that he yearned for the Torah? It is said: And Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights (Exod. 24:18). Where do we find that it is called by his name? It is written: Remember ye the law of Moses My servant (Mal. 3:22). Because he offered to sacrifice his life for Israel, Yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin (Exod. 32:33), they were called by his name: And his people remembered the days of old, the days of Moses (Isa. 63:11). And it is also written: Go, get thee down; for thy people have dealt corruptly (Exod. 32:7). Since He risked his life for the sake of justice, as it is written: Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? (Exod. 2:13), he fled because of justice and returned because of justice. He executed righteousness, Lord, and his ordinances with Israel (Deut. 33:21). Does not justice, however, belong to God? Indeed! But since he devoted his life to justice, it is called by his name.", "Similarly, it is written concerning Jehoshaphat: And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed them that should sing unto the Lord, and praise in the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and say: “Give thanks unto the Lord, for His mercy endureth forever” (II Chron. 20:21). What is the difference between this song of praise and others found in the Torah? In all the other songs, For He is good is added, but in this instance For He is good is omitted, since there can be no rejoicing before Him on High over the destruction of the wicked. And since there could be no rejoicing before Him over the destruction of the wicked, surely there could be no joy at the destruction of the righteous, a single one of whom is equal to all the world in His sight. Hence it is said: But the righteous is an everlasting foundation (Prov. 10:25). The ninth song is the Song of Songs of Solomon. The tenth song is the song of the future: A psalm, O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvelous things (Ps. 98:1)." ], [ "Unto the Lord (Exod. 15:1). They sang unto the Lord and not to a mere mortal. When will they sing unto man? When His right hand and His mighty arm have wrought salvation. That is to say, as it is written: He hath drawn back His right hand (Lam. 2:3). And spoke, saying. What is meant by the word saying? R. Eleazar the son of Taddai maintained: Moses would start the song and the Israelites would complete it. Moses began with the words: I will sing unto the Lord (Exod. 15:1), and Israel added: For He is highly exalted. Moses said: The Lord is my strength and song (ibid., v. 2), and Israel declared: And He is become my salvation. Moses sang: The Lord is a man of war (ibid., v. 3), and Israel responded with the words: The Lord is His name. The same procedure was followed in all the verses of the hymn. What is meant by I will sing unto the Lord? It implies that it is fitting to sing a song unto the Lord, to ascribe power unto the Lord, and to praise the greatness of the Lord. Thus, David said: Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory (I Chron. 29:11).", "A mortal king is praised as mighty, though he may be weak, and as rich, merciful, and handsome, because they wish to flatter him. But concerning the Holy One, blessed be He, they say: The great God, the mighty God, and the awful (Deut. 10:17); The Lord will go forth as a mighty man (Isa. 42:13); There is none like unto thee, O Lord (Jer. 10:6). They say He is rich, and indeed there are no limits to his wealth, For behold, unto the Lord thy God belongeth the heaven, and the heaven of heavens (Deut. 10:14). And it is written also: The sea is His, and He made it, and His hands formed the dry land (Ps. 95:5); The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof (ibid. 24:1); Mine is the silver, and Mine is the gold (Hag. 2:8); Behold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son (Ezek. 18:4).", "As to His wisdom: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth (Prov. 3:19); With Him is wisdom and might (Job 12:13); With Him is strength and sound wisdom (ibid., v. 16); For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of His mouth cometh knowledge and discernment (ibid. 2:6). It likewise says: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding (Dan. 2:21), and Forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royalty, there is none like unto Thee (Jer. 10:7).", "They said that He is merciful, but He is more than merely merciful, For the Lord thy God is a merciful God (Deut. 4:31); the Lord is full of compassion and gracious (Ps. 103:8); The Lord is good to all (ibid. 145:9); To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness (Dan. 9:9). They said that He is a true judge (but He is more than a judge), for the Judgment is God’s (Deut. 1:17); God standeth in the congregation of God; in the midst of the judges He judgeth (Ps. 82:1). It says also: The Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice (ibid. 32:4). They said: He is faithful, yet He is more than simply faithful: The faithful God (ibid. 7:9); A God of faithfulness (ibid. 32:4). They said He is praiseworthy, but He is more than merely praiseworthy, as it is said: For who in the skies can be compared unto the Lord? (Ps. 89:7). It also says: A God dreaded in the council of the holy ones (Ps. 98:8); O Lord God of hosts, who is a mighty one like unto thee, O Lord? (ibid., v. 9); O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee among the gods, O Lord? (ibid. 86:8). It says likewise: My beloved is white and ruddy, His head is as the most fine gold. His hands are as rods of gold. His legs are as pillars of marble (Song 5:15).", "R. Yosé the Galilean explained: Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast Thou founded strength (Ps. 8:3). Babes are those still in their mother’s wombs, as is said: Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as babes that never saw life (Job 3:16). Sucklings are those who suckle at their mother’s breasts, as is said: Gather the children and those that suck the breasts (Joel 2:16). Rabbi maintained: Babes refers to children out on the street, as it is said: To cut off the children from the street (Jer. 9:20). Likewise it says: The young children ask bread (Lam. 4:4). All opened their mouths and sang the song unto the Lord. R. Meir declared: Even the embryos in their mother’s wombs sang the song, as it is said: Bless ye God in full assemblies, even the Lord, ye that are from the fountain of Israel (Ps. 68:27). Even the angels sang the song, as it is said: O Lord our Lord, how glorious is Thy name in all the earth! Whose majesty is rehearsed above the heavens (ibid. 8:2)." ], [ "For He is highly exalted (Exod. 15:1). He exalted me and I exalted Him. He exalted me in Egypt, saying: Israel is My son, My firstborn (Exod. 4:22), and I exalted him in Egypt, saying: Ye shall have a song as in the night when a feast is hallowed (Isa. 30:29). He exalted me at the sea: And the angel of God, who went before the camp (Exod. 14:19), and I exalted Him at the sea: I will sing unto the Lord (ibid. 15:1). He is exalted in this world and will be exalted in the world-to-come, as it is said: For the Lord of hosts hath a day upon all that is proud and lofty, and upon all that is lifted up, and it shall be brought low; and upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan; and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up; and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fortified wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all delightful imagery. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols shall utterly pass away (Isa. 2:12–18).7The verb in the future tense coupled with then implies a future event. Then he will sing after resurrection.", "Another comment on For He is highly exalted. He is exalted above all who exalt themselves. Everyone who exalts himself is punished by the very thing of which he boasted. Egypt was smitten by water because Pharaoh exalted himself because of the water.8He claimed that he had created the Nile.", "It is written concerning the generation of the flood: Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance…. Yet they said unto God: “Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? What profit should we have, if we pray unto Him?” (Job 21:10–15). They said: We do not require even a drop of rain, for A mist went up from the earth (Gen. 2:6). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Because you prided yourselves on possessing the good things I have lavished upon you, I shall exact punishment from you by means of those things; as it is said: And the flood was forty days upon the earth (ibid. 7:17), and all flesh perished.", "R. Yosé the son of Durmaskis said: The heavenly beings watched the inhabitants of the lower spheres in order to behave as they did, and so the Holy One, blessed be He, opened the wells below and above to destroy them, as it is said: On the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up (ibid., v. 11).", "With the very thing (by which) the men of the tower of Babel exalted themselves He punished them. They said: Come, let us build us a city (ibid. 11:4), and through it they were punished, as it is said: Come, let us go down, and there confound their language … so the Lord scattered them (ibid., v. 8).", "The men of Sodom were punished with the very thing (by which) they exalted themselves. Concerning them it is written: As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as it were by fire. The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold. That path no bird of prey knoweth, neither hath the falcon’s eye seen it; the proud beasts have not trodden it, nor hath the lion passed thereby (Job 28:5–8). They said: There is no reason why we should permit men to travel over our highways, for they deprive us of our food, silver, gold, precious stones, and pearls. Let us abrogate the law of unrestricted travel in our land. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, told them: Since you have become arrogant because of the good things I lavished upon you, I will cause you to be forgotten in the world, as it is said: He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; they are forgotten of the foot that passeth by; they hang afar from men (ibid., v. 4). It is written also: A contemptible brand in the thought of him that is at ease … the tents of the robbers prosper (ibid. 12:5). What happened to them for this? In whatsoever God hath brought into their hand (ibid., v. 6). Thus it says: Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, and careless ease was in her and her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy (Ezek. 16:49). Likewise it says; Before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah they were like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt (Gen. 13:10). But after that is written: And they made their father drink wine that night (ibid. 19:33). Where did they obtain the wine for the meal? The Omnipresent provided the wine for the meal, as it is said: And it shall come to pass in that day, the mountains shall drop down sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall flow with waters; and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord (Joel 4:18). Now, if the Holy One, blessed be He, provided for those who angered Him, surely He would do as much for those who performed His will.", "Pharaoh likewise was punished through the very thing he boasted of: And he took six hundred chariots (Exod. 14:7). And therefore Pharaoh’s chariots and all his host hath He cast into the sea (ibid. 15:4).", "Sisera similarly was punished by the very thing of which he boasted. Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron (Judg. 4:13). For that reason they fought against him from heaven: The stars in their courses fought against Sisera (ibid. 5:20). And Samson, too, was punished by the Holy One, blessed be He, through the very thing in which he prided himself, as it is said: And Samson said unto his father: “Get her for me, for she pleaseth me well” (Judg. 14:3). Hence, the Philistines laid hold on him and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza (ibid. 16:21).9Samson lusted after Delilah and was trapped by her.", "Similarly, Absalom was punished by the very thing with which he prided himself, as it is said: Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the soul of his feet to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him … and when he polled his head … now it was every year’s end that he polled it (II Sam. 14:25–26). R. Nehorai stated: He was a Nazirite, yet he cut his hair every thirty days,10Nazirites are forbidden to cut their hair (Num. 6:5). as it is said: Now at the end of the days he polled it. R. Judah maintained that he was a Nazirite throughout his life, yet he cut his hair every twelve months, as it is said: And it came to pass at the end of forty years that Absalom said unto the king: “I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the Lord in Hebron. For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Aram, saying: If the Lord shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord” (II Sam. 15:7–8).", "Rabbi declared: He would cut his hair on the eve of every Sabbath as was customary with princes. Thus it says: And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth, and his hair caught hold of the terebinth, etc. (II Sam. 18:9).", "Similarly Sennacherib was punished with the thing of which he boasted, as is said: By thy messengers thou hast taunted the Lord, and hast said: With the multitude of my chariots am I come to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I have cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice cypresses thereof; and I have entered in his farthest lodge, the forest of his fruitful field. I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of Egypt (II Kings 19:23–24). Therefore, the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand, etc. (ibid., v. 35).", "Their supreme commander was in charge of a hundred fourscore and five thousand men, and their lowliest officer was in charge of two thousand men, as it is said: How then canst thou turn away the face of one captain, even of the least of my master’s servants? and yet thou puttest thy trust on Egypt for chariots and horsemen (ibid. 18:24). It is also written: This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning him: The virgin daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. Whom hast thou taunted and blasphemed? And against whom hast thou exalted thy voice? Yea, thou hast lifted up thine eyes on high, even against the Holy One of Israel (ibid., vv. 21–23).", "Nebuchadnezzar was also punished with the thing of which he boasted, for it is said: And thou saidst in thy heart: “I will ascend into heaven, above the stars of God will I exalt my throne; and I will sit upon the mount of meeting, in the uttermost parts of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds” (Isa. 14:13–15), but after that is written: Yet thou shalt be brought down to the netherworld, to the uttermost parts of the pit.", "Similarly, retribution was exacted from Tyre by the very thing in which it prided itself. Thou, O Tyre, hast said: I am of perfect beauty. Thy borders are in the heart of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty (Ezek. 27:3–4), and that is followed by: Behold, I am against thee, O Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth its waves to come up (ibid. 26:3). And the prince of Tyre was likewise punished through the thing for which he had extolled himself. Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyre: “Thus saith the Lord: Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said: I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the heart of the sea; yet thou art a man, and not God, though didst set thy heart as the heart of God, etc. (Ezek. 28:2). Hence, thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers (ibid., v. 10). With whatever nations exalt themselves, retribution is exacted upon them. Hence it is said: For He is highly exalted." ], [ "The horse and his rider (Exod. 15:1). Was there only one horse? (Of course not!) All the horses were considered by Him as one, as in the verse When thou goest forth to battle against thine enemy, and seest a horse and chariot (Deut. 20:1). All the horses were considered by Him as one in this instance as well. And his rider. Has it not already been stated that He took six hundred chariots (Exod. 14:7), and does not Scripture tell us Pharaoh’s chariots and his hosts (ibid. 15:4)? This indicates that when Israel performs the will of the Omnipotent One, all the nations are considered by Him as one horse and one chariot: The horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea (ibid., v. 1). This verse informs us that the horse and the rider were joined together, and as Scripture tells us, they were cast (yarah) into the sea without separating. He hath thrown (ramah) into the sea and He Hath cast (yarah) into the sea imply that they were thrown into the depths of the sea. How can these two verses be reconciled? Thrown indicates that they were lifted up and then cast down. This indicates that they descended into the deep without separating.", "Another explanation of Hath he thrown into the sea. That is, He saw the guardian angel of Egypt falling. You find that the Holy One, blessed be He, will exact retribution from nations in the future only after He has punished their guardian angels, as it is said: And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord will punish the host of the high heaven on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth (Isa. 24:21). Similarly, How art thou fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the morning! is followed by How art thou cut down to the ground, that didst cast lots over the nations! (ibid. 14:12). And My sword hath drunk its fill in heaven is followed by Behold, it shall come down upon Edom (ibid. 34:3).", "Another explanation. As the Egyptians dealt with the Israelites, so they were dealt with. They said: Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river (Exod. 1:22), hence, The deeps cover them (ibid. 15:6). They took six hundred chosen chariots (ibid. 14:7), and therefore, Pharaoh’s chariots … hath He thrown into the sea (ibid. 15:4). They made their lives bitter and with hard service, in mortar (ibid. 1:14), and therefore, Thou has trodden the sea with Thy horses, the foaming of mighty waters (Hab. 3:15)." ], [ "The deeps cover them (Exod. 15:5). Were there actually any deeps? Is not the floor of the Red Sea flat and firm? This verse merely informs us that the lower depth as well as the upper level of the sea rose up against them, causing the waters to inflict all manner of punishment upon them. Like a stone (even) (Exod. 15:5). They said: Ye shall look upon the birth stones (avnayim) (Exod. 1:16), and therefore He made the water to be like stones to them. Another explanation of Like a stone. He judged between them, and the wicked ones were consumed like straw. The average ones were tossed about like stones, and the wise ones sank like lead." ], [ "Thy right hand, O Lord (Exod. 15:6). This verse indicates that the Lord’s right hand is stretched out to receive repentant sinners. Though You set a time for the generation of the flood in which to do penance, as it is said: My spirit shall not abide in man forever (Gen. 6:3), You did not decree their destruction until they committed their most evil acts before You. Similarly, You set a time limit in which the men of the Tower of Babel were to repent, yet You did not decree their extinction until they performed their most wicked acts, as it is said: And now nothing will be withholden from them (ibid. 11:6). The expression and now is employed only to signify that they had an opportunity to repent, as is said: And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee? (Deut. 10:12); And now, O Israel, hearken unto the statutes (ibid. 4:1); And yet now hear, O Jacob (Isa. 44:1).", "You set a time during which the Sodomites were to repent, as it is said: And the Lord said: Verily, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and, verily, their sin is exceeding grievous. I will go down now, and see if they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which has come unto Me (Gen. 18:20–21), yet You did not decree their destruction until they performed their wicked acts before You. The Lord caused to rain upon Sodom (ibid. 19:4). Had they repented it would have been just an ordinary rain, but since they did not, it was a rain of fire and brimstone. Similarly, Egypt would have suffered only the plagues if they had repented, but since they failed to repent, not one of them remained alive.", "Thy right hand, O Lord, glorious in power, Thy right hand dasheth in pieces the enemy (Exod. 15:6). Why is Thy right hand repeated in these verses? To indicate that when the Israelites do the will of the Omnipresent, they make His left hand to act as His right hand, but if they fail to do His will, as though that were possible, they make His right hand to become his left, as it is said: He hath drawn back His right hand (Lam. 2:3).", "The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly (Ps. 118:16). That is, when they do the will of God, He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep (ibid. 121:4). However, when they fail to do His will, Then the Lord awaked as one asleep (ibid. 79:65). When the people do the will of God, Fury is not in Me (Isa. 27:4), but when they fail to do his will, And the anger of the Lord be kindled (Deut. 7:4). When they act in accordance with His decrees, The Lord will fight for you (Exod. 14:14), But when they fail to fulfill His wishes, He returned to be their enemy (Isa. 63:10). Furthermore, His mercy is transformed into tyranny: The Lord is become as an enemy, He hath swallowed up Israel (Lam. 2:5). Dasheth (tiraz) in pieces the enemy (Exod. 15:6). This alludes to the future, as it is said in the verse Thou wilt march (tiz’ad) through the earth in indignation (Hab. 3:12). Dasheth in pieces the enemy. This refers to Edom, as it is said: Because the enemy hath said against you (Ezek. 36:2)." ], [ "And in the greatness of Thine excellence (Exod. 15:7). You have increased Your excellency against all who rose up against You. Who were those that rose up against You? They were the ones that turned against Your children. It is taught that all who rise up against Israel are considered as rising up against the Shekhinah. Thus it says: Forget not the voice of thine adversaries (Ps. 74:23), and For, lo, Thine enemies are in an uproar; and they hate Thee have lifted up the head. They hold crafty converse against Thy people, and take counsel against Thy treasured ones (ibid. 83:3–4). It is also written: Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate Thee, and do not I strive with those that rise up against Thee? (ibid. 139:21). Why so? I hate them with the utmost hatred, I count them mine enemies (ibid.).", "Similarly it is written: For he who toucheth thee toucheth the apple of his eye (Zech. 2:12). “My eye” should be written here, for it refers, as it were, to the Heavenly One. However, the text was modified by the scribes of the Great Synagogue.11The men of the great Synagogue were the scribes, prophets, and Pharisees in the period after Ezra. See Lauterbach, Rabbinic Essays, p. 191, n. 36. The scribes made changes in the biblical text in order to eliminate anthropomorphisms and irreverent expressions. According to the Babylonian Talmud, Nedarim 37b, these changes are Sinaitic traditions. The verse Ye say also: “Behold, what a weariness is it! And ye have snuffed at it” (Mal. 1:13) was likewise altered. The verse I will judge his house forever, for the iniquity, in that he knew that his sons did bring a curse on themselves, and he rebuked them not (I Sam. 3:13) was also modified. In the like manner, the verse Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee, so that I may burden to myself (Job 7:20) was changed. The verse Art not Thou from everlasting, O Lord, My God, my Holy One? We shall not die (Hab. 1:12) was modified also. Again the verse Hath a nation changed its gods which are yet no gods? But My people hath changed its glory for that which doth not profit (Jer. 2:11) was altered. Similarly, Thus they exchange their glory for the likeness of an ox that eateth grass (Ps. 106:2) was changed. The verse I will change their glory to shame (Hos. 4:7) was likewise modified. In the case of Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job (Job 32:3) they changed the text. Similarly, but Abraham stood yet before the Lord (Gen 18:22) is another illustration of this. Again, in the verse And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favor in Thy sight, and let me not look upon my wretchedness (Num. 11:15) they changed the text. Similarly in the passage Let her not, I pray, be as one head, of whom the flesh is half consumed when He cometh out of his mother’s womb (ibid. 12:12) they altered the verse. And likewise, the verse What portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel; now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents (I Kings. 12:16) was altered, for in the Second Book of Chronicles (10:16) it is written concerning this episode to his tent rather than unto their tents.", "The verses My soul hath them still in remembrance and is bowed down within me (Lam. 3:20) and It may be that the Lord will look on mine eyes (II Sam. 16:12) were amended by the men of the Great Synagogue. They are called scribes because they counted every letter in the Torah and interpreted it.12Sofer (“scribe”) is derived from safar (“to count”). Thus they amended And lo, they put the branch unto My nose (Exod. 8:17) to read their nose. Likewise, they altered the verse we are discussing Surely he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of My eye (ibid.) to read His eye. This was to teach us that everyone who rises up against Israel is considered as rising up against the Shekhinah. Hence it says: Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord (Judg. 5:23).", "Does He actually require the assistance of others that it says, He sent an angel against Sennacherib but he did not kill them, since When He bloweth upon them they wither (Isa. 40:24)? This teaches us that whosoever helps Israel is considered as though helping the Shekhinah. Therefore it is written: For He is highly exalted. You have exalted yourself greatly through those who rebelled against You. Who were they that rebelled against You? The ones who attacked Your children: Chedorlaomer, king of Elam … and he divided himself against them by night (Gen. 14:1, 15). Who hath raised up one from the east, at whose steps victory attendeth … he pursueth them and passeth on (I Sam. 41:2–3). Scripture also says: The Lord said unto my lord: “Sit thou at My right hand, until I make Mine enemies thy footstool.” The rod of thy strength the Lord will send out of Zion: “Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.” Thy people offer themselves willingly in the day of thy warfare, in adornments of holiness, from the womb of the dawn, thine is the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent; “Thou art a priest for ever after the manner of Melchizedek.” The Lord at thy right hand doth crush kings in the day of His wrath (Ps. 110:1–5).", "Sisera and all his chariots likewise arose against your sons, as it is said: And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, etc. (Judg. 4:13). But then it is written: They fought from heaven, etc. (ibid. 5:20).", "Sennacherib and all his hosts did likewise, as it is said: By thy servants hast thou taunted (Isa. 37:24); I have digged and drunk water (ibid., v. 5). Therefore it states: Then the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and the captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. When he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with his sword (II Chron. 32:21–22). Nebuchadnezzar did likewise when he said: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds (Isa. 14:14); and therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, told him: Since you wish to separate yourself from mankind, mankind will ultimately separate itself from you. At the end of twelve months he was walking upon the royal palace at Babylon… . While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven: “O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee. And thou shalt be driven from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field.” … The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar; and he was driven from men, etc. (Dan. 4:26–30). And all this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar (ibid., v. 25).", "King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine with them. While drinking the wine, Belshazzar commanded that the golden and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had removed from the Temple in Jerusalem, be brought to him in order that the king and his lords, his consorts and his concubines, might drink from them. They brought him the golden vessels taken from the altar of the Lord, and the king and his lords, his consorts, and his concubines, drank from them. They drank wine, and praised the gods made of gold, of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the palm of the hand that wrote. Then the king’s countenance was changed in him, and his thoughts affrighted him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against the other (Dan. 5:1–6). Concerning him, it is said: Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that puttest thy venom thereto, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! Thou art filled with shame instead of glory, drink thou also, and be uncovered; the cup of the Lord’s right hand shall be turned unto thee, and filthiness shall be upon thy glory (Hab. 2:15–16). In that night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was slain (Dan. 5:30)." ], [ "The deeps were congealed (Exod. 15:8). He fashioned them into a kind of vault. In the heart of the sea (ibid.). Where is a man’s heart located? It is located just above two thirds of his height. Similarly, the water congealed over them at two thirds of its depth. The sea had no heart; a heart was attributed to it. A terebinth has no heart, but a heart was ascribed to it, as it is said: While he was yet alive in the heart of the terebinth (II Sam. 18:14). The heavens have no heart, but He attributed a heart to them, as it is said: And the mountain burned with fire unto the heart of heaven (Deut. 4:11). The sea, which had no heart, and to which He ascribed a heart, came and punished the Egyptians who possessed hearts, but who nevertheless had subjected Israel to all manner of afflictions. The terebinth has no heart, but the heart which was attributed to it, went and punished Absalom, who had a heart, for he had deceived three hearts: his father’s, the court’s, and that of the men of Israel. And the heaven which had no heart, but to which a heart was ascribed, came and sent down manna to Israel, which possessed a heart, accepted the Torah with all its heart, and loved its Creator with all its heart." ], [ "And Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur (Exod. 15:22). The wilderness of Shur is actually the wilderness of Kazab. They say that the wilderness of Kazab was eight hundred parasangs square and was filled with serpents and scorpions, as is stated: Who led thee through the great and dreadful wilderness, wherein were serpents, fiery serpents, and scorpions (Deut. 8:15). R. Yosé the son of Hanina declared: The serpents were the size of the beam of a house, and the scorpions were the width of a span.", "It is related that while King Shapur (of Persia) was passing through that place with the members of his family, a serpent swallowed one of them. As he continued along, a second member of his family was swallowed up and then a third. King Shapur was deeply saddened, but he did not know what to do. His counselors advised him: “Summon ten mighty men to fill the place with a layer of straw.” He summoned them and they did so. They placed straw around the serpent, and he swallowed it. Then they placed more straw around him, and he swallowed it as well. This continued until his belly swelled up, and they killed him. Hence, Who led thee through the great and dreadful wilderness, wherein were serpents, fiery serpents, and scorpions, and thirsty ground where was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint (Deut. 8:15). It says also: The burden of the beasts of the south. Through the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the lioness and the lion, the viper and the flying serpent (Isa. 30:6). The word ef’eh is employed with reference to a viper. They say that when a viper looks at the shadow of a bird flying through the air, the bird immediately becomes entranced and falls apart. Nevertheless, they did not say: Where is the Lord that brought us out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death (Jer. 2:6). What is meant by the word tzalmavet (“shadow of death”)? A place where there is tzal (“shadow”) accompanied by mavet (“death”).", "R. Aha stated: Our great Rabbi told me that there was one man in the land of Israel whom they called the bald-headed one. One time this man went up a mountain to gather wood, when he saw a sleeping serpent. Though the serpent did not see him, he was so terrified by the sight that the hair of his head fell out. The hair did not grow back until his dying day. That was the reason they called him the bald-headed one." ], [ "And they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water (Exod. 15:22). Some say that the water they had taken with them, from between the rocks, was exhausted by that time. Why does the Scripture say and found no water? Because there was no water even in their water containers, as is said in the verse: And the nobles send their lads for water; they come to the pits, and find no water; they are ashamed and confounded, and cover their heads (Jer. 14:3). Those who interpret the words of the Torah metaphorically hold that they had abstained from studying the Torah, which is compared to water, as it is written: Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye for water (Isa. 55:1).", "Because they were without water for three days, the prophets and the elders ordained that the Torah was to be read on three days each week. It is read on the Sabbath, but not on the day following; it is read on the second day of the week, but not on the third and fourth days; and it is read on the fifth day, but not on the sixth day. Hence, three successive days do not pass without the reading of the Torah.", "And He said: “If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God” (Exod. 15:26). Because of this verse they said: The man who hearkens to God’s word in time will hearken at other times as well, but if he ignores it at one time, he will do likewise at other times. Scripture teaches this in the verses And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken (Jer. 17:24), and It shall be, too, if thou shalt forget (Deut. 8:19). How is that? If a man desires to hear only that which is to his advantage, he will hear that which is not to his advantage as well; and if he wishes to forget when it is to his advantage to do so, he will forget even when it is not to his advantage to do so. The power to choose is given to man. If it concerneth the scorners, He scorneth them, but unto the humble He giveth grace (Prov. 3:34). If a man hearkens to one command, he will be caused to hearken to many; but if he desires to forget even one commandment, he will be caused to forget many. Therefore it is written: If thou shalt begin to forget, thou wilt in time forget. Others reach this conclusion from the verse If thou at all take thy neighbor’s garment to pledge (Exod. 22:25); that is, if you should seize one garment as a pledge, you will ultimately take many pledges because of it." ], [ "Then the Lord said unto Moses: “Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may prove them whether they will walk in My law, or not” (Exod. 16:4). R. Simeon the son of Gamliel said: Observe how dearly the Holy One, blessed be He, loved Israel that he altered, for their sake, the natural order of things. The Holy One, blessed be He, made the heavenly spheres become like the lower spheres, and the lower spheres to become like the upper spheres, for their sake. Previously, bread came from the earth and water descended from heaven, but now He caused bread to descend from the heavens and water to come out of the earth, as it is said: Behold, I will cause to rain bread for you, and when the layer of dew was gone up (Exod. 16:14).", "Let them go and gather straw for themselves (ibid. 5:57). They did not merely go out to the courtyard to gather (the straw) but into the wilderness. A day’s portion every day. He who created the day created sustenance for that day. R. Eleazar of Modi’im stated because of this: Anyone who has sufficient food for the day and yet asks “What shall I eat tomorrow?” lacks faith. That I may prove them whether or not they will follow My Law (ibid. 16:4). R. Joshua held: If a man studies two laws in the morning and two in the evening, even though he is occupied with his labors throughout the rest of the day, they consider him as fulfilling the entire Torah: That thou shalt meditate therein day and night (Josh. 1:8). R. Simeon the son of Joshua observed from this verse that the Torah was given for study to those who have sufficient manna to eat, since they are not compelled to work or engage in business. Indeed, how can a man sit and study when he does not know where he will obtain his food and drink, garments and covering? Hence, the Torah was given for study to those who possessed manna. This is equally true of those who eat the terumah.13Since the priest devotes himself to fulfilling God’s law, he receives the terumah offering brought by the people." ], [ "And Moses said unto Aaron: “Take a jar and put an omerful of manna therein” (Exod. 16:33). I would not know of what substance the jar was fashioned, whether of silver or of gold or of iron or of lead, except for the fact that Scripture says tzintzenet, a word that suggests something that keeps a thing cooler than anything else.14Jastrow tells us that tzintzenet is in the text because it glistened more than any other thing (i.e., it was a glazed earthen vessel). And that could only be a clay vessel. And put an omerful of manna therein. R. Eleazar held: It was stored there for future generations. While R. Eliezer was of the opinion that it was put there for the Messianic era, for the time about which the prophet Jeremiah said to Israel: Why do you not devote yourself to the Torah? And they replied: If we do, how shall we obtain our sustenance? Then they brought forth the jar of manna and said: O generation; see the word of the Lord: Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore say My people: “We roam at large; we will come no more unto Thee?” (Jer. 2:31). Your fathers occupied themselves with the Law, and see how they were fed; concern yourselves with the Law, and I shall feed you from this jar. This is one of the three things that Elijah will restore to Israel in the future: the jar of manna, the bottle of anointing oil, and the bottle of sprinkling water. Others add, Aaron’s rod with its ripe almonds and blossoms, as is said: Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept there, for a token against rebellious children (Num. 17:25).", "This was one of three things that Israel complained against, saying they were instruments for punishment. These are: the incense, the ark, and the staff. The incense was an instrument of punishment, for it brought distress to Nadab and Abihu. That is why He informed them that incense was to be used for atonement, as is said: And he put on the incense, and made atonement for the people (Num. 17:12). They said that the ark was a tool for retribution, for He killed Uzzah and the men of Beth-shemesh there, as is said: And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God (II Sam. 6:7). And it is written elsewhere: And He smote of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had gazed upon the ark of the Lord, even He smote of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand men; and the people mourned (I Sam. 6:19). But He revealed to them that it was also an instrument of blessing, as is written: And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months; and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his house (II Sam. 6:11).", "The sapphire staff with which He brought the plagues upon the Egyptians in Egypt and killed them at the Red Sea (was an instrument for punishment). But they knew that it was an instrument that performed miracles as well. And the Lord said unto Moses: “Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel, and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river” (Exod. 17:5), He did so because of their rebelliousness." ], [ "Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb (Exod. 17:6). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wherever you find the imprint of a man’s foot, there I stand before you. And thou shalt smite within the rock. It does not say “upon the rock (al ha-tsur),” but within the rock (batsur). And there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink … and the name of the place was called Massah. R. Joshua stated: Moses named it Massah, as it is said: And he called the name of the place Massah. R. Eleazar of Modi’im said: And the Omnipresent called it Massah and Meribah. Because of this the Great Court is called the place.15Massah and Meribah means “trial and strife,” and the since Great Court was a place of massah and meribah, it is that which is referred to here. It is also called the place in Deut. 17:8. And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying: “What shall I do unto this people? They are almost ready to stone me” (Exod. 17:4). Moses cried to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the world, I shall be slain, for I am trapped between you and them. You commanded me not to be angry at them, when you said to me: Carry them in thy bosom (Num. 11:12), but now they wish to stone me. In this instance the Holy One, blessed be He, had suppressed His anger, while Moses increased his, but elsewhere the Holy One, blessed be He, increased (his anger), while Moses suppressed his, as is said: Now therefore, let Me alone that My anger may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them; and Moses besought the Lord (Exod. 32:10–11). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: You said They are almost ready to stone me, now Pass on before the people (ibid. 17:5), and let Me see who will stone you. He began to walk before them, and all the Israelites arose and treated him with honor and deference. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Many times I commanded you not to lose patience with them, but to lead them as a shepherd does his flock. It was for their sake that I elevated you, and it was because of them that you found grace, life, and honor in My sight." ], [ "Our sages of blessed memory said: “Observe that the way of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not the way of man.” It is not man’s way to heal with what he wounds. If he wounds with a knife, he heals with a plaster, but the Holy One, blessed be He, heals with what He wounds. When He smote Job, He did so with a tempest, as it said: And multiply my wounds without cause (Job 9:17), and when He healed him He did so with a whirlwind, as it is said: Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind (ibid. 38:1). When He sent Israel into exile, He did so with clouds, as is said: How hath the Lord covered with a cloud (Lam. 2:1), and when He brought them back, He did so with a cloud, as it is said: Who are these that fly as a cloud? (Isa. 60:8). When He dispersed them, He scattered them like doves, as it is said: But they that shall at all escape of them, shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning (Ezek. 7:16). When He gathered them together, He did so as doves: As the doves to their cotes (Isa. 60:8). When He blesses them, He does so only while “looking forth,” as it is said: Look forth from Thy holy habitation (Deut. 26:15), and when He exacts retribution from their enemies, He does so while “looking forth,” as it is said: And it came to pass on the morning watch that the Lord looked forth through the pillar of fire and of cloud (Exod. 14:24). When the pillar of cloud descended it turned (the water) into mud, and the pillar of fire scalded them. The hoofs of their horses became entangled (and they fell), causing the horses to fall upon the mares that were beneath. Thus it says: Then did the horses’ hoofs stamp by reason of their prancings, the prancings of the mighty ones (Judg. 5:22). He confused and befuddled them. He took away their reasoning power, and they did not know what to do.", "And He took off their chariot wheels (Exod. 15:25). R. Johanan said: The heavenly fire from above ignited the wheels below, and the yokes and the chariots, which were made of silver, gold, precious stones, and pearls, were melted together. This occurred so that Israel might take the spoils with them. R. Nehemiah stated: The roar of the heavenly thunder caused the water ducts below to fly asunder, as it is said: The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind (Ps. 77:19). Previously the mules had pulled the chariots, but now the chariots dragged the mules into the mire. He dealt harshly with them because the Egyptians had said: Let the heavier work be laid upon the men (Exod. 5:9)." ], [ "Then Moses sang (Exod. 15:1). May our master teach us whether one may place a plaster upon a sore on the Sabbath? Thus do our masters teach us: It is forbidden to place a plaster upon a sore for the first time on the Sabbath, but if one has placed it there prior to the Sabbath, he is permitted (to change the plaster during the Sabbath). You find that if a man injures someone with a knife, he dresses the wound with a bandage, but the Holy One, blessed be He, does not do so. He heals with what He wounds. And so you find that when they reached Marah, and were unable to drink the water because it was extremely bitter, Moses was of the opinion that the Holy One, blessed be He, would tell him to sweeten it with honey or with pressed figs. Observe, however, what is written there: And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord showed him a tree (Exod. 15:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: My way is not man’s way, and you must learn this fact. Thus it is said: The Lord showed him a tree. Actually, the verse does not say and the Lord showed him (vayir’shu) but rather taught him (vayorehu). He taught him His ways.", "What kind of tree was it? R. Joshua held: It was a willow tree. R. Nathan declared: It was a bitter ivy tree, while R. Eleazar of Modi’im insisted: It was an olive tree. R. Joshua the son of Karha maintained that it was a cedar tree. Others said that it was the root of a fig tree and the root of a pomegranate tree. In any case, it was extremely bitter. R. Simeon the son of Gamliel said: Come and observe how different the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, are from the ways of man. Man improves the taste of a bitter thing with something sweet, but the Holy One, blessed be He, improves the taste of a bitter thing by adding something bitter. How does He do that? He places something that causes damage into a thing that is damaged and thereby performs a miracle. For example, And Isaiah said: Let them take a cake of figs and lay it for a plaster on the boil, and he shall recover (Isa. 38:21). Is it not a fact that if you place a cake of figs on a raw piece of flesh, the flesh will decay immediately? This verse illustrates that He places a thing that injures upon something that was injured in order to perform a miracle. Similarly, And he went forth unto the spring of the waters and cast salt therein, and said: “Thus saith the Lord: I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence anymore death or miscarrying” (II Kings 2:21). Is it not a fact that sweet water into which you put salt water is spoiled immediately? But here He placed a thing that is distasteful into something that was distasteful, and thus performed a miracle thereby. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared unto Moses: Is it not a fact that I am a unique craftsman? Do I not heal with what I wound? If these waters are bitter, I will make them palatable by adding something that is bitter.", "Similarly the righteous make amends with the very words with which they rebuke. You know this to be so from the fact that when Moses reproached God, he did so with an az (“then”), as is said: Then as I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, he hath dealt ill with this people (Exod. 5:23). And Moses said: With an az I reproached God, and with an az I shall make amends to Him. Hence, it is said: Then (az) sang Moses." ], [ "Then came Amalek and fought with Israel in Rephidim (Exod. 17:8). R. Eliezer the son of Hisma said: This verse should be understood and interpreted in relation to the verse quoted in Job: Can the rush shoot up without mire? Can the reed grass grow without water? (Job 1:11). Just as that is impossible, so is it impossible for Israel to survive unless the people devote themselves to the law. It was because Israel turned away from the law that the enemy attacked them. Indeed, the enemy attacked them only as a consequence of their sins and transgressions. Hence it says: Then came Amalek.", "R. Judah the Prince stated: Amalek had to travel through the land of five nations to wage war against Israel at Rephidim, as it is said: Amalek dwelleth in the land of the south; and the Hittite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanite dwelleth by the sea, and along by the side of the Jordan (Num. 13:29). From this verse you learn that Amalek dwelt farther away than (the others). R. Nathan stated: Amalek came from the mountains of Seir and traveled nearly four hundred parasangs to Rephidim to wage war against Israel. Others say: He allowed the ungrateful Amalek to come and exact retribution from an ungrateful people. Thus it says: And these are they that conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shemeath the Ammonitess (II Chron. 24:26). He let these ungrateful ones come and exact retribution from the ungrateful Joash, as it is said: Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada, his father, had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said: “The Lord look upon it, and require it” (ibid., v. 22). What was his punishment? And it came to pass, when the year was come about, that the army of the Arameans came up against him. And they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people…. so they executed judgment upon Joash (ibid., v. 23–24). Do not read the word as shefatim (“judgment”) but as shiputim (“sport”). They stationed cruel guards over him who had not had sexual relations with women, and they tortured him with acts of sodomy, as is said: And tortured but the pride of Israel (Hos. 5:5). It is written also: And when they were departed from him—for they left him in great diseases—his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died; and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchers of the kings (II Chron. 24:25).", "And he fought with Israel in Rephidim. R. Hanina said: I asked R. Eliezer: Why does Israel redeem the firstborn asses but not firstborn horses or camels? He answered: The King decreed it, since they had only asses at the time of the Exodus. There was not a single Israelite who did not bring ninety asses laden with silver, gold, and garments with him.", "Others say that refidim (Rephidim) means that their hands became lax (sherafu yedehem) in upholding the law. Therefore Amalek attacked them. Hence you find that the enemy attacks Israel because it becomes lax in upholding the law, as it is said: And it came to pass, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him (II Chron. 12:1). What was his punishment? Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem; and he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all; and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made (I Kings 14:25)." ], [ "And Moses said unto Joshua: “Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek” (Exod. 17:9). From this verse it is apparent that Moses treated his disciple Joshua as his equal. This teaches us proper behavior. He did not say to his disciple Choose me out men but rather Choose us out men. In this way he made him his equal. As a consequence of this verse, they declared: Your disciple’s honor should be as precious to you as your own. Whence do we learn that respect for one’s associate must be as important to you as respect for your teacher? You find that this was so in the case of Aaron; And Aaron said unto Moses: “O my lord, lay not, I pray thee, sin upon us” (Num. 11:11). Was not Aaron actually the elder brother? He was. Thus you learn from this that he treated him as though he were his master. Whence do we learn that respect for one’s teacher should be as important to you as the fear of heaven? We learn this from the verse: And Joshua son of Nun, the minister of Moses from his youth up, answered and said: “My lord Moses, shut them in” (ibid. 11:28). Here he was saying to him: My lord Moses, just as the Holy One, blessed be He, shut them in, so you are able to shut them in.", "Likewise in regard to Gehazi. When Elijah said to him: Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thy hands, and go thy way; if thou meet any man, salute him not, and if any salute thee, answer him not (II Kings 4:29), Gehazi walked away leaning upon his staff. When men encountered him and asked: “Where are you going?” He would reply: “To revive the dead!” When they retorted: “Is it not the Holy One, blessed be He, alone who orders death and restores to life?” He answered: “My master likewise orders death and restores to life.”", "Choose us out. This alludes to the mighty men who are fearful of sinning. And go out. That is, leave the protection of the clouds, and fight against Amalek tomorrow. Isi the son of Judah said: There are five verses in the Torah in which there are five words whose meanings are unclear: Lifted up, Cursed, Tomorrow, Made like almonds, and Rise up.16These words may be construed with what precedes or with what follows, yielding different meanings. Shall it not be lifted up? might be understood as in the verse If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? (Gen. 4:7), but on the other hand, it might be understood as Shall it not be lifted up even if thou doest not well? (Gen. 4:6). Cursed might be construed as in the verse For in their anger they slew men, and in their self-will they houghed [an accursed] oxen (Gen. 49:6–7), or it may be construed as in the verse Cursed be their anger (ibid., v. 7). Tomorrow might be understood as in the verse Go out and fight with Amalek tomorrow, or it might be interpreted as in the verse Tomorrow I will stand (Exod. 17:9). Made like almond blossoms might be understood as in the verse And in the candlestick four cups made like almond blossoms (Exod. 25:34), or as in the verse Like almond blossoms the knops thereof (ibid.). Rise up might be understood as in the verse Behold, thou art about to sleep with thy fathers, and this people will rise up (Deut. 31:16) or as in the verse Sleep with thy fathers, and rise up (ibid.).", "On the top of the hill (Exod. 17:9). On the top refers to the deeds of the fathers, and the hill to the acts of the mothers. With the rod of God in my hand (ibid.). Moses said: Master of the Universe, with this staff you brought Israel out of Egypt; with this staff you split asunder the sea for them; with this staff you performed miracles and mighty deeds; now with this staff you will perform miracles for them at this time." ], [ "So Joshua did as Moses had said to him … and it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand (Exod. 17:10–11). Could the hand of Moses actually wage war or cause a war to cease? This indicates that whenever the Israelites glanced upward and directed their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they were strengthened, but if not, they were defeated. Similarly, And the Lord said unto Moses: “Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass that everyone that is bitten, when he seeth it, shall live” (Num. 21:8). Can a serpent of bronze cause death or life? This, likewise, indicates that whenever the Israelites looked upwards and expressed their devotion to their Heavenly Father, they were healed, but if not, they were destroyed. Similarly, in the verse And the blood shall be to you for a token (Exod. 12:13), did the blood help the angel of destruction or the Israelites? The fact is that at the time the Israelites smeared blood upon their doorposts, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself and had pity upon them, as it is said: And when I see the blood, I will pass over you (ibid.) i.e., the angel of death will not be permitted to come to your homes to smite you.", "R. Eleazar asked: Why does Scripture say That Israel prevailed and then, and Amalek prevailed? To inform us that whenever Moses lifted his hand heavenward, Israel would, in the future, be strong in the knowledge of the law of the Torah that was given through the hands of Moses. But when he lowered his hand, Israel was destined to allow its knowledge of the law, that was given through his hands, to diminish. But Moses’ hands were heavy (Exod. 17:12). Moses hands grew tired, as do those of a man who holds three jars of water suspended from his hands. And they took a stone, and put it under him (ibid.). Did they not have a mattress or a pillow upon which he could sit? This informs us that they (the people) were engaged in a community fast.17At times of fasting pillows and mattresses are not utilized. And Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, with one on one side and the other on the other side (ibid.). Because of this, they decreed that no less than three people should stand before the ark to read the prayers at a public fast." ], [ "And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun (Exod. 17:12). Since time was calculated by means of the stars, what did Moses do? He stopped the revolution of the sun, the moon, and the coming of nightfall in their tracks, as it is said: The sun and the moon stand still in their habitation (Hab. 3:11). It is also written: The deep uttereth its voice, and lifteth up its hands on high (ibid., v. 10). And Joshua discomfited Amalek, etc. R. Joshua said: He went down and cut off the heads of their mighty men with a sword. Hence we learn that this battle was waged only at the command of the Mighty One. Others say that the following verse was fulfilled with regard to them: Therefore as I live, saith the Lord God, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee (Exod. 35:6).", "Write this for a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua (ibid. 17:14). He was one of the four righteous men who was given a sign. Two of them took cognizance of the sign, and two did not. Jacob and Moses were given signs, but they did not take cognizance of them. Jacob: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee withersoever thou goest (Gen. 28:15); nevertheless, Then Jacob was greatly afraid (ibid. 32:8). Should a man to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, has given a promise become frightened? However, Jacob said: Perhaps I became unworthy while living with Laban, the sinner, whose home was impure and sinful. Moses was given a sign, but he did not comprehend it, as it is said: Write this for a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua. Thus He was saying (to Moses): You shall die, and Joshua will lead Israel into the land. He told him that in this verse, but he failed to take cognizance of it, and so he later pleaded, as it is said: And I besought the Lord at that time … let me go over, I pray thee (Deut. 3:25).", "David and Mordecai were given signs and took cognizance of their meaning. To David: He said: Thy servant smote both the lion and the bear (I Sam. 17:34), and to Mordecai: And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, etc. (Est. 2:11). Mordecai had said to himself: Perhaps this righteous woman is to marry this uncircumcised man in anticipation of some momentous event that will occur to Israel in the future. And ultimately Israel was saved through her.", "I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek (Exod. 17:14). Utterly refers to this world; I will blot out alludes to the world-to-come; the remembrance refers to Haman, while Amalek is to be understood in its usual sense.", "And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Adonai-nissi (Exod. 17:15). Moses said to the Israelites: The miracle that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed, was only for the sake of His name, since they were not worthy of having a miracle performed for their sake. You find that whenever a miracle was performed for Israel, the miracle was for His sake, as it is said: In all their afflictions He was afflicted (Isa. 63:9). And Israel’s joys were His joys, as it is said: Because I rejoice in thy salvation (I Sam. 2:1). Thus it says: I will rejoice in Jerusalem and joy in My people (Isa. 65:19). It likewise says: And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee (ibid. 62:5). Amen, and so may it be." ] ], "Yitro": [ [ "Now Jethro heard (Exod. 18:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: And so I saw the wicked buried, and they came into their rest; but they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city; this also is vanity (Eccles. 8:10). Is it really so that wicked buried come and go at will? R. Simon declared: These are the wicked, who are considered as dead and buried while still living, as it is said: The wicked man travails with pain all his days (Job 15:20). What is the meaning of mitholel (“travails with pain”)? The wicked man, even in his lifetime, is considered as met (“dead”) and halal (“slain”) even while alive.", "Another explanation of I saw the wicked buried, and they entered into their rest.1Where they strengthened their faith. Cf. Ecclesiastes Rabbah 10:1. Scripture speaks here of the proselytes who come to repent. And went away from the holy places alludes to the synagogues and the houses of study (they visited).", "Another comment on went away from the holy places. From the place where Israel was designated as holy (i.e., Mount Sinai), thence they go (i.e., their souls were at Sinai during the giving of the Torah). And were forgotten in the city all that they did implies that all their wicked deeds were ignored in the city. Another comment (on) were forgotten. They were found through their good deeds.2The word shakhah means both “to forget” (in Hebrew) and “to find” (in Aramaic). This also is vanity. It is not vanity when the inhabitants of the world see them as they seek to enter under the wings of the Shekhinah through conversion, but if they see them and they fail to be converted, this is vanity. Who was it that came to be converted and was a sincere proselyte? It was Jethro, as it is said: Now Jethro heard." ], [ "Now Jethro heard (Exod. 18:1). Some hear and lose (their reward), while others hear and are rewarded. Joash heard and lost (his reward), just as it is said: Then the king hearkened unto him (II Chron. 24:17), but after that is written: So they executed judgment upon Joash (ibid., v. 24). Similarly, the peoples have heard and they tremble (Exod. 15:14). However, Jethro heard and was rewarded. Though he had been an idolatrous priest, he joined Moses, and entered under the wings of the Shekhinah. For that he became worthy of adding the portion dealing with judges to the Torah of Israel, when he told Moses: The thing that thou doest is not good (ibid. 18:18).", "Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people mighty men such as fear God, men of truth, hating unjust gain (ibid., v. 21). This refers to men who were mighty in their devotion to the law, as is said: Ye mighty in strength, that fulfill His word (Ps. 103:20). That fear God should be understood literally. Men of truth, refers to those who rely upon the truth of His law. Hating unjust gain refers to those men who disregard their own wealth, and all the more so disregard the wealth of others (and spurn bribes). He would say: Even though you burn my sheaves, even though you cut down my vineyards, I will judge you justly." ], [ "Now Jethro heard (Exod. 18:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; thy name is an ointment poured forth; therefore do the maidens love thee (Song 1:3). R. Yannai the son of R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: The earlier generations merely chanted pleasant songs before You, but when we reached the sea we left unuttered no words of praise with which to extol You. Hence it is said: Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance.", "Another explanation. You gave to the earliest generations only the fragrance of the commandments. To Adam you gave one commandment,3Not to eat of the tree of knowledge. and to Noah and his sons, six commandments,4In fact seven laws were given to Noah. These laws, regarded as obligatory upon all mankind (justice, idolatry, etc.), are collectively designated the Noahide laws. but when we reached Sinai, You poured upon us all the commandments, as men pour ointment from a barrel.5The 613 laws imposed upon Israel at Sinai. Thy name is an ointment (shemen) poured forth. R. Berechiah said: Oil (shemen) is a light to the one who occupies himself with the oil of the Torah.6The word oil is frequently applied to the Torah. Both are sources of light. R. Berechiah points out that the physical light provided by oil is of no avail without the light of Torah. Therefore do the maidens love thee alludes to the people of the world who come and convert. Who was one of these? It was Jethro. After he heard of the many miracles that had been performed for Israel, he came to them and converted. Now Jethro heard. What is written before this? It is the chapter describing the destruction of Amalek, and that is followed by Now Jethro heard. Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this: When thou smitest a scorner, the simple will become prudent (Prov. 19:25). When thou smitest a scorner refers to Amalek, and the simple will become prudent alludes to Jethro.", "It is written concerning the time the wicked Amalek came to fight against Israel: And fought with Israel in Rephidim (Exod. 17:8). What is meant by refidim (Rephidim)? It means that rafu yadehem (“their hands become weak”) in the fulfillment of the law and the commandments. Observe that it is written: And the name of the place was called Massah and Meribah (ibid., v. 7). The Holy One, blessed be He, began to rebuke them, saying: How long will ye try Me; how long will ye strive against Me? And so Moses cried out: Why strive ye with me? Wherefore do ye try the Lord? (ibid., v. 2).", "How did they try Him? R. Judah the son of Nehemiah and the sages differed over this. R. Judah held: They deliberated (amongst themselves) and said: If He supplies us with food, then just as a king is praised and honored by the people when he enters a city, because he satisfies all their needs, so we will serve Him, but if He does not do so, we will rebel against Him. Our sages maintained (that they said to each other): Wė will consider this in our hearts, and if He knows what we are thinking, we will serve Him, but if not we will not serve Him, as it is said: Is the Lord among us, or not? (ibid. 7). R. Berechiah said: While they were still reflecting upon the matter, the Holy One, blessed be He, answered them, as it is said: And they tried God in their hearts by asking for food for their craving (Ps. 79:18). But the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: You have been asking, Is the Lord among us or not? Be assured, I will let you know. Hence, Then came Amalek.", "R. Levi declared: This situation may be compared to a child that is being carried on his father’s shoulders. When he sees something that excites him he calls out: “Father, take me there.” The father carries him to that place, and then to another and finally to a third place, yet the child, on seeing another man approaching them, asks: “Have you seen my father?” His father calls out: “You have been riding on my shoulders, and wherever you wished to go I carried you, yet now you ask ‘Have you seen my father?’” He then put him down. Whereupon a dog rushed at the child and bit him. Similarly, when the Israelites left Egypt, He surrounded them with clouds of glory, and when they wanted bread, He sent them manna, as it is said: And He caused manna to rain upon them for food, and He gave them of the corn of heaven (Ps. 78:24). And when they wanted meat, He gave them quail, as it is stated: They asked and He brought quails (ibid. 105:40). That is why it says: He gave them that which they craved (ibid. 78:29). And though He gave them whatever they demanded, yet they asked: Is the Lord among us or not? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: This is what you have been thinking. Therefore, this dog will bite you. Hence, And Amalek came." ], [ "Now Jethro heard (Exod. 18:1). Jethro was known by seven names. He was called Jethro (yitro) because he added (yater) a chapter to the law, that is, the chapter dealing with judges. He was called Hobab (hobab) because he loved (hiba) the law. When he came to the Holy Land, they offered him the fields of Jericho, but he said: “I brought none of my possessions with me, and I abandoned all I owned in order to study the Torah, shall I now sow and reap when I should be studying Torah?” They told him: “There is a man studying the law in a certain area that is in a desolate place in the desert, and it lacks even wheat.” When they heard this, they went there, as it is said: And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up out of the city of the palm trees with the children of Judah, unto the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt with the people (Judg. 1:16).7See Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 3:76. The descendants of Jethro devoted themselves to Torah study. They went there and found Jabez sitting in the house of study, and the priests, the Levites, and the rulers were sitting with him, and all the Israelites were sitting there. And so they said to him (Jabez): “We are converts, how can we sit there among them?” Thereupon they seated themselves at the entrance to the school and listened and learned, as it is said: The families of scribes that dwelt at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, the Succathites. These are the Kenites (I Chron. 2:55). They were called tiratim (Tirathites) because they sat at the gate (sha’ar), shime’atim (Shimeathites) because they listened (from shama, “to hear”) and learned, and sukhatim (Succathites) because the Israelites made it clear to them (from mesakhim, “looked after them”). Another explanation (of Tirathites). Whenever the Israelites were confronted by danger they would blow (matri’in) their shofars, and they (Kenites) would hear them.", "Who were the Kenites? They were the descendants of Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses. It is said concerning them: Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days (Eccles. 11:1). In reward for (his invitation to Moses): Call him that he may eat bread (Exod. 2:20). (This alludes to the bread. Regarding water) it is said concerning Moses (mosheh): Because I drew (meshah) him (out of the water (ibid., v. 10). Therefore the descendants of Jethro merited sitting in the chamber of hewn stone.8Thus Jethro cast his bread upon the waters of Moses’ Torah, and his descendants were suitably rewarded.", "Solomon had declared: Wherefore I praise the dead that are already dead more than the living that are yet alive (Eccles. 4:2). However, later he retracted this statement, saying: A living dog is better than a dead lion (ibid. 9:4). They replied to him: Solomon, you were merely prattling, making no sense at all. First you said: Wherefore I praise the dead that are already dead, but now you say: A living dog is better than a dead lion. He retorted: I say to you: The prophet cried out: O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord (Ezek. 37:4), and they hearkened to him, but the prophet also called out to the living: Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob (Jer. 2:4), and they did not listen nor pay heed to him. Thus it says of them: For it is a rebellious people, lying children, children that refuse to hear the teaching of the Lord (Isa. 30:9)." ], [ "Now Jethro heard (Exod. 18:1). Scripture says elsewhere: Thine own friend and thy father’s friend forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity; better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off (Prov. 27:10). Thine own friend is the Holy One, blessed be He, who called Israel brother and friend, as it is said: For My brethren and friends’ sakes (Ps. 122:8). Thy father’s friend is Abraham, as is said: The seed of Abraham my friend (Isa. 41:8). Forsake not implies that if you would forsake God, remember what happened to the house of your brothers, Ishmael and Esau.9Better to rely on God than on brethren who betray you, as the descendants of Esau and Ishmael did at the destruction of the First Temple; see below.", "Neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity. R. Joshua the son of Levi said: When the wicked Nebuchadnezzar exiled the Israelites to Babylon, they bound their hands behind them; and coupled them together with iron chains and led them naked, like beasts. As they were passing the territory of the Ishmaelites, they said to the officers in charge: Be kind and merciful to us and take us to our brethren, the sons of Ishmael, our uncle. They did so. The Ishmaelites went out to meet them, bearing salty bread and briny meat. They brought along empty water bags which they had dipped into water and hung at the doors of their tents. When the Israelites beheld the bags, they felt reassured, for they believed the bags were filled with water. The Ishmaelites said: “Eat the bread first and we will bring you the water.” After they had eaten the bread, the Ishmaelites came and said to them: “We are unable to find any water.” The Israelites thereupon bit into the bags, causing warm air to rush into their stomachs, and they perished. Hence it is said: The burden upon Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites. Unto him that is thirsty bring ye water! The inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitive with his bread. For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war (Isa. 21:13–15). What is meant by The burden upon Arabia? It means that a heavy burden would be imposed upon the sons of Arabia. He (God) asked them: Is this the way the Dedanites10A nomadic tribe on the borders of Idumaea. treat their kinsmen and welcome their uncle’s sons? Usually when a man comes from a highway, they bring bread and water to him, as it is said: Unto him that is thirsty bring ye water (Isa. 21:14), but ye, the inhabitants of the land of Tema, did meet the fugitives with bitter bread. Did you not know that they were fleeing from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow and from the grievousness of war? When your father suffered from thirst in the desert, I disclosed the well of water to him, as is said: And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water (Gen. 21:19), yet now you do such a thing. Hence, Better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off.", "Better is a neighbor that is near refers to Jethro, who was more friendly to Israel than Esau, the brother of Jacob. It is written concerning Jethro: And Saul said unto the Kenites: “Go, depart, get you down from the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for ye showed kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites (I Sam. 15:6).", "You find that everything written in praise of Jethro is mentioned to the discredit of Esau. In reference to Esau it is written: They have ravished the women in Zion (Lam. 5:11), but about Jethro it says: And he gave Moses, Zipporah, his daughter (Exod. 2:21). Concerning Esau it is written: Who eat up My people as they eat bread (Ps. 14:4), while of Jethro it is said: Call him that he may eat bread (Exod. 2:20). It is written about Esau: And he feared not God (Deut. 25:18), but about Jethro it is written: And thou shalt provide out of all the people, able men, such as fear God (Exod. 18:21). It is stated about Esau that he abolished the sacrifices (when Rome destroyed the Second Temple), but of Jethro it is said: And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices (ibid., v. 12). Esau heard of their troubles and attacked them, as it is said: Because of the striving of the children of Israel, and because they tried the Lord (ibid. 17:7), and it is written elsewhere: And Amalek came. However, when Jethro heard about Israel’s goodness, he joined them, as it is said: Now Jethro heard." ], [ "Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard (Exod. 18:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: The wise shall inherit honor; but as for the fools, they carry away shame (Prov. 3:35). The wise shall inherit honor refers to Jethro at the time he came to Moses. How very great, indeed, was the honor accorded him! And He said unto Moses: “I, thy father-in-law, Jethro” (Exod. 18:6). R. Joshua held that Jethro sent a messenger to inform him (of his coming). R. Eleazar of Modi’im declared: He sent him a letter stating: “Do it (welcome me) for my sake, but if not for my sake, do it for the sake of your wife, but if not for her sake, then do it for the sake of your children.”", "R. Eliezer maintained that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Moses, I am He who commanded the world to come into existence, and I am He who draws (people) near and does not keep (them away), as it is said: Am I a God near at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off (Jer. 23:23); I am He who brought Jethro near and did not keep him far off, and so when a man comes to you to be converted, bring him near, do not keep him far off. Thereupon Moses went out to meet his father-in-law (Exod. 18:7). Our sages say that Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and all the elders of Israel accompanied him. Hence it is said: The wise shall inherit honor." ], [ "And Jethro rejoiced (Exod. 18:9). Do not read this word as vayihad (“and he rejoiced”) but rather vayihed (“and he became a yehudi [a Jew]”). Why did Jethro say: Blessed be the Lord (Exod. 18:10)? Jethro said: I have not neglected to worship any idol in this world, but I have found no god like the God of Israel. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods (ibid. 11).", "Four men said four things which, had they been uttered by other men, would have been scoffed at with the comment: “How does he know about the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He?” These four were Moses, Nebuchadnezzar, Jethro, and Solomon. Moses said: The Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice (Deut. 32:4), but if any other man had said this, they would have said about him: “How does he know that?” It was proper, however, for Moses to make this statement, since it is written about him: He made known His ways unto Moses (Ps. 103:7). Thus Scripture says: Show me Thy ways (Exod. 33:13).", "Solomon said: He hath made everything beautiful in its time (Eccles. 3:11). If any other man had made this statement, they would have laughed at him, saying: “Who told him what is beautiful in its time and what is not beautiful?” Solomon, however, could properly make such a remark since nothing was lacking from his table.", "R. Hama the son of Hanina declared: Even ice in the (hot summer) month of Tammuz and melons in the (cool spring) month of Nisan were not lacking from Solomon’s table. Why did he say: He hath made everything beautiful in its time? He said in its time because the taste of growing things changes from season to season.", "Nebuchadnezzar said: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and He doeth according to His will in the hosts of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand, nor say unto Him: What doest thou? (Dan. 4:32). If anyone else had said this, they would have ridiculed him, saying: “How does this wicked one know this?” But it was fitting for him to say it, since it is written about him: And wheresoever the children of men, the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven dwell, hath He given them into thy hand, and hath made thee to rule over them all (ibid. 2:38). Jethro said: Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods; yea, for by the things they planned to do evil (they were destroyed) against them (Exod. 18:11). This may be compared to the man who loaded his ass, only to have the load fall upon him. This happened to the Egyptians. They intended to destroy the Israelites in the water, and they themselves were drowned in the water. Thus it is written: For by the thing they planned to do evil against them." ], [ "In the third month (Exod. 19:11). May it please our master to instruct us: May one cure a pain in his mouth on the Sabbath? Thus do our masters teach us: One who has a pain in his mouth may take medicine for it on the Sabbath because his soul is endangered, and whenever the soul is endangered the Sabbath is set aside. The law states: One may profane a Sabbath in order to observe many Sabbaths.11Saving a life takes precedence over the Sabbath so that other Sabbaths might be observed. See Yoma 85b, Shabbat 151b and section 16, below. Whence do we know this? R. Eliezer said: This may be logically deduced from the fact that if circumcision, which concerns only one of man’s limbs, sets aside the Sabbath, then surely it is right that a serious illness, which threatens a man’s entire body, should set aside the Sabbath. R. Johanan stated: Every ailment of the lip and the inside of the mouth sets aside the Sabbath and may be healed on the Sabbath.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said that there is no ailment that does not have its cure; and the cure and drug for every ailment have been predetermined. If you desire your body to be free of pain, devote yourself to the Torah, for it is a healing balm to the entire body. We know that it is a cure for the head, since it is said: She will give to thy head a chaplet of grace (Prov. 1:9); for the heart, as it is said: Write them upon the table of thy heart (ibid. 3:3); for the neck, since it is written: And chains about thy neck (ibid. 1:9); for the hands, as it is said: And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand (Exod. 13:9); for the navel, for it is written: It shall be health to thy navel (Prov. 3:8); and for all of the bones of the body, as it is said: And marrow to thy bones (ibid.). R. Joshua the son of Levi declared: The Holy One, blessed be He, demonstrated this when he gave the law. Prior to the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, some of them had been injured as a result of the hazardous labor they performed with mud and straw. Stones from the buildings had fallen upon them, breaking their hands and mutilating their legs. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: It is not right that I should give my law to imperfect men. What did He do then? He instructed His angels to descend and heal them. Whence do we know that none of them were blind? It is said: And all the people perceived the thunderings (Exod. 20:15). How do we know that there were no deaf ones among them? It is written: We will hear (ibid. 24:7). Whence do we know that there were none among them without hands? They said: We will do (ibid.). How do we know that there were none with crippled legs among them? It is written: And they stood at the nether part of the mount (ibid. 19:17). R. Judah the son of Simon said: Because they were as new, the Holy One, blessed be He, called that month “master of renewal.”12The giving of the Law, which took place in the third month renewed Israel both spiritually and physically. Whence do we know this? We know it from what is written about this matter in the section In the third month." ], [ "In the third month (Exod. 19:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright, He is a shield to them that walk in integrity (Prov. 2:7). R. Levi stated in the name of R. Samuel the son of Nahman: The Holy One, blessed be He, allowed nine hundred and eighty generations to pass by before giving the rite of circumcision to Abraham. (This was discussed previously in the portion Get thee out of the land.)13See Tanhuma, Lech Lecha 11. R. Jonathan stated in the name of R. Yosé the Galilean: The Holy One, blessed be He, had permitted nine hundred and seventy-four generations to pass by before giving the law to the generation of the wilderness. The law was given to the generation of the wilderness because it was upright. Three months after they had departed from Egypt He gave them the Torah, as it is said: In the third month. Therefore, He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright (Prov. 2:7)." ], [ "In the third month (Exod. 19:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Have I not written unto thee excellent things (shilshom) of counsels and knowledge (Prov. 22:20). R. Joshua the son of R. Nehemiah said: This verse refers to the Torah, the letters of which are in groups of three (shaloshim): alef, bet, gimel, etc. In fact, everything is in groups of three. The Scripture is made up of three sections: Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets), Ketuvim (Writings); the Talmud is in three parts: Mishnah, Halakhah, and Aggadah, (God’s) agents were three: Miriam, Aaron, and Moses; prayers are recited three times; evening, morning, and noon; the sanctification is three-fold; “holy, holy, holy”; Israel is composed of three groups, the priests, the Levites, and the Israelites; the letters of Moses’ name are three, and the letters in the name of the tribe of Levi are three; the progenitors of Israel were three; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the months are arranged in groups of three, Nisan, Iyar, and Sivan, etc.; the letters in the word Sinai are three, as it is said: And were come to the wilderness of Sinai (Exod. 19:2); and in three days they made themselves holy, as it is said: And be ready against the third day (ibid., v. 11).", "R. Joshua the son of Nehemiah said: The third was always the most precious. Adam had three sons, Cain, Abel, and Seth; and Seth was the most beloved, as it is said: This is the book of the generations of Adam, and that is followed by the sentence And begot a son in his own likeness (Gen. 5:3). Noah had three sons, as it is said: And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth (ibid. 6:10), and though Japheth was the eldest, only Shem merited greatness. Amram had three children, Miriam, Aaron, and Moses, and it is written: Had not Moses His chosen stood before him (Ps. 106:23). Concerning the tribes of Reuben, Simeon and Levi, Levi was the most important, as it is said: At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi (Deut. 10:8). Among the kings Saul, David, and Solomon, Solomon was the most beloved, as it is said: Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord (I Chron. 29:23). In the case of months, the third month is the most precious, as it is stated: In the third month (the Torah was given).", "Why was the Torah not given as soon as the Israelites departed from Egypt? He did not do so because He had said to Moses: After you bring the people out of Egypt, serve God on this mountain (Exod. 3:12). R. Judah the son of Shalum said: This may be compared to a king’s son who has just arisen from a sickbed. His father says: “We will wait three months so that he may recuperate completely from his illness before we take him to the teacher’s home to study the law.” Similarly, when the Israelites departed from Egypt there were among them men who had been injured in their labors, and so the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I will delay giving them the Torah until they are healed." ], [ "And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord thy God” (Exod. 20:1). R. Isaac said: All the prophets received the inspirations for their future prophesies at Mount Sinai. How do we know this to be so? It is written: But with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day (Deut. 29:14). That standeth here with us this day refers to those who were already born, and with him that is not here alludes to those who were to be born in the future. Hence they are not with us this day. “Not standing here with us this day” is not written in this verse, but rather Is not here with us this day. This alludes to the souls who were to be created in the future, since standing here could not be said of them. They were included in the general statement. And that is why the verse states: The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi (Mal. 1:1). It does not say “of Malachi,” but merely by Malachi, indicating that the prophecy had been transmitted to him previously at Sinai. Similarly Isaiah said: Come ye near unto Me, hear ye this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it was, there am I; and now the Lord hath sent me, and His spirit (Isa. 48:16). Isaiah is saying here that at the time the Torah was given I received the prophecy. Hence it says: from the time that it (the Torah) was, there am I; and now the Lord God hath sent me, and His spirit, but until now He did not give me permission to prophesy.", "Not only the prophets but also the wise men who were there, and those who were destined to come, received their inspiration at Sinai, as it is said: These words the Lord spoke unto all your assembly … with a great voice, and it went on no more (Deut. 5:19). What is meant by a great voice, and it went on no more? Our sages said: The entire Ten Commandments came forth from the mouth of the Mighty One in sound. This was an extremely difficult procedure. No ordinary individual is able to speak in that fashion nor is any human ear able to endure such a sound. Therefore it is written: My soul failed me when he spoke (Song 5:6). With a great voice, and it went on no more. The voice divided itself into seven different sounds, and then turned into seventy different languages.14So that all the world’s nations would hear it.", "R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated that R. Jonathan discussed the meaning of the words The voice of the Lord is powerful (Ps. 29:4). Is it reasonable to make this statement? No creature is able to endure the sound of the voice of even a single angel, as it is said: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as torches of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude (Dan. 10:6). How much more, then, is this so of the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning whom it is written: Do I not fill heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:24). Was it necessary for Him to speak in a powerful voice? (No.) Only in a voice that Moses was able to tolerate." ], [ "And God spoke all these words (Exod. 20:1). He spoke them all simultaneously. He causes death and restores life at the same time; He wounds and He heals simultaneously; He answers a woman in travail, those who travel on the sea and wander on the desert, and those who are imprisoned in the east, the west, the north, and south. He forms the light and creates the darkness, makes peace and fashions evil (Isa. 45:17)—all at the same time. Dust is turned into man, and man is turned back into dust, as it is said: And bringeth on a shadow of death in the morning (Amos 5:8). What is meant by a shadow of death in the morning? It means that He restores man to his original state by morning.15According to tradition, the soul leaves the body when it is sleeping and returns in the morning, when it awakens.", "It says: And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood (Exod. 7:20), but later the blood reverted back to water. Living flesh was turned into rancid flesh, and the dead were restored to life. The staff became a serpent, and the serpent was converted into a staff again. The sea was converted into dry land, and later the dry land became a sea once more. Likewise it says: That calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth; the Lord is His name (Amos 5:8). Thus it is said: And God spoke all these words.", "What is written prior to this verse? Now Mount Sinai was altogether on smoke (Exod. 19:18). Altogether is stated, for otherwise one might believe that only the place where the Glory rested is meant here. Scripture says: Because the Lord descended upon it in fire (ibid.). This informs us that the entire Torah was of fire. It emanated from fire and it is compared to fire. As in the case of fire, if a man draws close to it he is warmed, and if he withdraws from it he becomes cold. Thus a man can warm himself at the fires of the wise." ], [ "And the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace (Exod. 19:18). What furnace? Perhaps it is comparable to this furnace? Therefore Scripture says: And the mountain burned with fire (Deut. 4:11). Why then does Scripture say Of a furnace? It does so only in order to transmit to the ear that which it can comprehend. Similarly it says: The lion hath roared, who will not fear (Amos 3:8), yet who instilled strength and power in the lion, if not He? We describe Him by the qualities given to His creations, so that the ear may hear what it is able to comprehend. Likewise, Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east; and His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth did shine with His glory (Ezek. 43:2). Who instilled strength and force into the waters? Was it not He? Here again we describe Him merely by the qualities possessed by His creations, so that the ear may comprehend (what it hears).", "When the voice of the horn waxed louder and louder. Normally, if a person blows a horn, the sound becomes weaker, but in this instance it waxed louder and louder. Why was the sound soft at first? So that it might (safely) penetrate the ear.", "Rabbi said: At the time that the Israelites stood at Sinai, all agreed with one accord to receive with joy the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven, as it is said: And all the people answered together, and said (Exod. 19:8). And furthermore, they pledged themselves in behalf of each other. At the time the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to make a covenant with them concerning the hidden and revealed matters, they said: We will make a covenant with Thee concerning the revealed matters, but not concerning that which is hidden, lest one of us sin in secret and the entire congregation be held responsible because of him, as it is said: The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed belong unto us (Deut. 29:28), in order that we may perform all the words of this law. Therefore, God spoke all these words." ], [ "And God spoke (Exod. 20:1). May it please our master to teach us: What things have their reward in the world-to-come? Thus do our masters teach us: These are the things whose interest a man enjoys in this world but whose principal is stored up for him in the world-to-come: Honoring one’s father and mother, performing good deeds, advancing the laws of peace between man and his fellow man, and the study of the Torah, which is equal to all the others.", "Observe that the law is so precious that the world was created for its sake. Hence it says: And I have put My words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of My hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion: “Thou art My people” (Isa. 51:16).", "You find that when the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to give the law to Israel, He offered it first to the nations of the world, but they would not accept it. Whereupon He determined to return the world to its original state, as it is said: He standeth, and shaketh the earth; He beholdeth, and maketh the nations to tremble (Hab. 3:16). But after Israel accepted the law, the world was permitted to endure. Therefore, And God spoke." ], [ "Another explanation of the verse: And God spoke (Exod. 20:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: Then did He see it, and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out (Job 28:27), and after that is written: And unto man He said. The Torah teaches us that if you are a student of the law, you must not be so presumptuous as to speak before the congregation until you have reviewed the matter two or three times.", "It is related that the sexton once called upon R. Akiba to read the Torah before the congregation, but he was unwilling to ascend (to read). His pupils said to him: “Our master, did you not teach us that it is thy life and the light of thy days? Why then do you refuse to ascend?” He answered: “By the Temple service! I refused to read the portion only because I have not reviewed the chapter two or three times, and no one is permitted to recite the words of the Torah until he has reviewed them two or three times by himself.” And so we find that though the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the power to respond to all His creatures,16Perhaps: “He has the power to respond (to any objections), and yet reviewed the lesson first.” and the Torah was as clear to Him as a single star,17Or: “a single mark.” when He was about to give it to Israel, it is written concerning Him: Then did He see it, and declare it; He established it (Job 28:27), and after that it is written: And unto man He said: Similarly it is stated And God spoke all these words—to Himself. And that is followed by saying." ], [ "I am the Lord thy God (Exod. 20:1). May it please our master to teach us: If a fire breaks out in a house in which there is a scroll of the Torah and other books, may their owner save them from the fire on the Sabbath? Thus do our masters teach us: All sacred writings must be saved from fire even on the Sabbath, whether they are being used or not. Why did they decree that they must be saved? Because of the honor that is due the laws contained within them. If they were allowed to burn, they would appear to be valueless.", "You find that when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah, it was entirely of fire, as it is said: At His right hand was a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2). Our sages stated: The law was of fire, the parchment was of fire, its writings were of fire, the thread was of fire, as it is said: At His right hand was a fiery law. The face of the agent (Moses) became fiery, as is said: And they were afraid to come nigh him (Exod. 34:30). The angels who descended with it were of fire, as it is said: Who makes winds Thy messengers (Ps. 104:4). The mountain burned with fire (Deut. 4:11), and it was given within a fire consuming fire, as it is said: For the Lord thy God is a devouring fire (ibid. 4:24). And upon the earth He made thee to see His great fire (ibid., v. 36). The Divine Word also came forth from the midst of fire. When they beheld the lightning and the burning letters, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Do not imagine that they have much power, and He began to recite the words I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods (Exod. 20:2).18The Ten Commandments. Cf. above, “In the Beginning,” n. Why were they described as gods? R. Yosé said: He did so in order not to give the people of the world the opportunity to say that they were not called by His name because if He had done so, it would have acknowledged that they had power. But they were called by His name, and yet have no power. When were they first called by His name? In the days of Enoch the son of Seth, as it is said: Then began man to call in the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:25). It was then that the Mediterranean Sea rose and inundated a third of the world, and the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Ye have done a new thing in calling yourself by My name, and so I will do something new and call Myself by My name. Therefore Scripture says: That calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth, the Lord is His name (Amos 5:8).", "R. Eliezer said: They were called other gods because they fashioned new ones each day. If a man possessed an idol of gold but required the material for some other purpose, he would make himself one of silver instead. If he required the silver, he would make one of brass, and if he needed the brass, he would make one of iron. He would do the same with tin and lead, until he finally constructed it of wood, as it is said: New gods that came up of late (Deut. 32:17).", "For the Lord thy God is a devouring fire, a jealous God (ibid. 4:24). A certain philosopher asked R. Gamliel: Why does Scripture say: The Lord thy God is a jealous God? What power do idols possess that He should be jealous of them? After all, a powerful man is jealous only of another powerful man, a wise man of another wise man, a rich man of another rich man, etc. This subject is discussed in the chapter entitled Rabbi Ishmael in Tractate Avodah Zarah.19Avodah Zarah, chap. 4.", "Ye shall not do with Me as you do with gods of silver (Exod. 20:20). Do not act toward Me as men do toward those whom they fear. When good fortune comes to them, they honor those they fear, as it is said: Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and offer unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their food plenteous (Hab. 1:16). However, when afflictions befall them, they curse those they fear, as it is said: And it shall come to pass that, when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse by their king and by their god (Isa. 8:21). However, you shall praise Me both for fortune and for misfortune. Thus David said: I will fill up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord (Ps. 116:13), whether for good or for evil. Then said his wife unto him: “Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? Blaspheme God, and die!” But he said unto her: “Thou speakest as one of the impious women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job. 2:9–10). A man should rejoice over his afflictions more than over his good fortune. Even if man should enjoy good fortune all his life, (this merely indicates that) the sins he committed are not being forgiven. What causes sins to be forgiven? Only suffering.", "R. Eliezer the son of Jacob declared: Scripture says: My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither spurn thou His correction; for whom the Lord loveth, He correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth (Prov. 3:11–12). What leads a son to please his father? When he chastises him. Hence he said: This is their chastising.", "R. Meir stated: Scripture says: And thou shalt consider in thy heart, that as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee (Deut. 8:5). What is the meaning of And thou shalt consider in thy heart? It means that your heart should know that the punishment I have inflicted upon you was not commensurate with the acts you have performed.", "R. Nehemiah held: Punishment is desirable, for just as sacrifices are a means of atonement, so is chastisement. Concerning sacrifice it is written: And it shall be accepted for him (Lev. 1:4), and about punishment it is stated: And they shall be paid the punishment of their iniquity (ibid. 26:43). The fact is that punishment is more important (for atonement) than sacrifice. For sacrifices involve property, while punishment involves the body. Thus it says: Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life (Job. 2:4)." ], [ "Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered thereon (Exod. 20:23). A logical conclusion may be derived from these words. If in regard to a stone, which understands neither good nor evil, the Holy One, blessed be He, warns you not to shame it, how much more (should you not shame) your companion, who is formed in the likeness of the Holy One, blessed be He. For if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast profaned it (Exod. 20:22). From this verse they argued that since the altar was created to prolong the life of man, while the iron blade shortens it, it would not be fitting to use a thing that shortens life upon that which prolongs it.", "R. Johanan the son of Zakkai said: Scripture states: Thou shalt build the altar of the Lord thy God of unhewn stones (Deut. 27:6), for it will help to achieve peace between the Israelites and their Father in heaven. A logical conclusion may be derived from this. If the stones of the altar, which cannot see or hear or speak, achieve peace between Israel and their Father in heaven, so that the Torah commands that iron should not be wielded over them, how much more so, then, should one who promotes peace between husband and wife, or between a man and his companion, have his days and his years prolonged.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because of the evil inclination one’s years are shortened in this world, but in the world-to-come He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces (Isa. 25:8)." ] ], "Mishpatim": [ [ "Now these are the judgments (Exod. 21:1). Scripture states (elsewhere in reference to this verse): The strength also of the king who loveth justice. Thou hast established equity and righteousness in Jacob (Ps. 99:4). (That is to say,) all strength, praise, greatness, and might belong to the King of Kings, who loveth justice. Normally a powerful man is not concerned about executing his decisions in accordance with the demands of justice. In fact, he ignores justice and commits acts of violence and theft. He disregards the attitude of His Creator, favors his friends and his relatives, and acts unjustly toward his enemies. But the Holy One, blessed be He, loveth justice, and executes his decrees only justly. Hence it says: The strength also of the King who loveth justice.", "What is meant by Thou hast established equity (ibid.)? R. Alexandri explained it as follows: Two mules are being led along a road by men who despise each other. Suddenly, one of the mules falls to the ground. As the one who is leading the second mule passes by, he sees the mule of the other man stretched out beneath his load, and he says to himself: “Is it not written in the law that If thou seest the ass of him that hateth thee lying under its burden, thou shalt forbear to pass him by; thou shalt verily release it for him (Exod. 23:5)?” What did he do? He turned back to help the other man reload his mule, and then accompanied him on the way. In fact, while working with him he began to talk to the owner of the mule, saying: “Let us loosen it a little on this side, let us tighten it down on this side,” until he reloaded the animal with him. It came to pass that they had made peace between themselves. The driver of the mule (that had fallen) said to himself: “I cannot believe that he hates me; see how concerned he was when he saw that my mule and I were in distress.” As a result, they went into the inn, and ate and drank together. Finally they became extremely attached to each other. Hence, Thou hast established equity, Thou hast executed justice and righteousness." ], [ "Now these are the ordinances (Exod. 21:1). Scripture says elsewhere: The king by justice establisheth the land, but the man who sets himself apart (terumah)1The word terumah means “something set aside,” as with the priestly offering. overthroweth it (Prov. 29:4). The Torah’s king rules through justice and thereby causes the earth to endure, but the man who sets himself apart (terumah) overthrows it. This implies that if a man acts as though he were a terumah (the portion separated, or set aside, for the priests) by secluding himself in the corner of his home and declaring: “What concern are the problems of the community to me? What does their judgment mean to me? Why should I listen to them? I will do well (without them),” he helps to destroy the world. Hence the man of separation (terumah) overthroweth it.", "It is related that when R. Ammi was about to die his sister’s son visited him and found him weeping. He said to him: “My master, why do you weep? Is there a single law that you have not learned and taught? Indeed even now thy disciples sit in your presence. Is there any kind deed you have not performed? But more important than all the virtues you possess is the fact that you have restrained yourself from acting as a judge and have refrained from the overseeing the needs of the community.” Whereupon he replied: “My son, that is why I weep. Perhaps I shall have to account for the fact that I refused to serve as a judge in Israel though I was able to do so.” Hence, but the man of separation overthroweth it." ], [ "Now these are the ordinances (Gen. 21:1). R. Abahu said in the name of R. Yosé the son of Zimra: Whenever the word eleh (“these”) is written, the lack of importance of the earlier generations is indicated, but whenever ve’eleh (“now these”) is written, it adds to the importance of later generations and bestows praise upon earlier generations. It is possible to explain every instance in which this phrase occurs in accordance with this statement. Hence the verse Now these are the ordinances adds praise to earlier generations, as it is said: There he made for them a statute and an ordinance (Exod. 15:25). That is, Which thou shalt set before them (Exod. 21:1)—but not before idolaters.", "Whence do we know that litigants in Israel who are involved in litigation against each other must not turn to an idolatrous judge for a decision in their suit, even though they know that he will judge them according to Israel’s laws? Because it is forbidden (for Jews) to argue before them? Scripture states: Which thou shalt set before them. That is, before the children of Israel and not before the Cuthites. For anyone who shuns Israel’s judges and testifies before an idolatrous judge renounces the Holy One, blessed be He, first, and later renounces Israel’s law, as it is said: For their rock is not our Rock, and our enemies’ judge (Deut. 32:31). To what may this be compared? To a patient examined by a doctor. He tells the members of (the patient’s) household: “Give him whatever food he desires, withhold nothing from him.” (Later) he visits another patient and advises his household: “Be careful that he does not eat or drink certain things.” They remonstrate with him, saying, “One patient you permit to eat whatever he wishes, while the other you advise not to eat certain things.” Thereupon he replied: “The first patient will not survive, and that is why I told them not to deny him anything, for whether he eats or not, he will die. However, the other patient will live, and so I advised him to eat only certain things lest his illness be aggravated.” So, too, are the ordinances of the idolaters, as is said: For the statutes of the people were vanity (Jer. 10:3), and it is written elsewhere: Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and ordinances whereby they should not live (Ezek. 20:25). However, to Israel I gave commandments and desirable statutes, as it is said: Ye shall therefore keep My statutes, and My ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them (Lev. 18:5).", "Now these are the ordinances. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: If you fulfill the law and do not resort to (the courts) of the nations of the world, I will build you a Temple in which the Sanhedrin will convene, as it is said: And I will restore thy judges, as at first (Isa. 1:26). It is also written: Zion shall be redeemed with justice (ibid., v. 27), and Thus saith the Lord: Keep ye justice, and do righteousness; for My salvation is near to come (ibid. 56:1)." ], [ "Now these are the ordinances (Exod. 21:1). Scripture says (elsewhere) in reference to this verse: These also are sayings of the wise. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good (Prov. 24:23). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Remember that I gave you the Torah, in which is written: These are the statutes and commandments. To have respect of persons in judgment is not good. What is meant by this? If a judge acts differentially toward a particular witness and perverts the law because of him, the Shekhinah departs (from him), for it is written: The Lord is good to all (Ps. 145:9). Because of that it is written: God standeth in a congregation of God; in the midst of judges He judgeth (ibid. 82:1).", "The ministering angels asked: Who is the one who caused the Shekhinah to depart from Israel? He replied: I have removed My Shekhinah from such-and-such place in which I have beheld a judge perverting justice, and I have forsaken that place, as is said: For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety at whom they puff (Ps. 12:6). What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He unsheathes His sword before the judge to remind him that there is a judge on high, as is said: Be ye afraid of the sword; for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment (Job 19:29). Shadin (“judgment, involvement”) is written here to indicate (by its similarity to Shaddai [Almighty]) that when a judge judges truthfully, the Shekhinah does not depart form that place, as it is said: When the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was moved to judge, and save them out of the hands of their enemies, all the days of the judge (Judg. 2:18). Thus it is written: Keep ye justice, and do righteousness; for My salvation is here to come (Isa. 56:1), that is, then I will associate Myself with you.", "You find this to be so in the case of Nebuchadnezzar, concerning whom it is written when he beheld the dream: And behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great (Dan. 4:7). And so he said: Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruits; let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches (ibid., v. 11). Daniel went to him, trembling, as is said: Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while, and his thoughts affrighted him. The king spoke and said: “Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation, affright thee” (ibid., v. 16). Belteshazzar answered and said: “My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine adversaries” (ibid.).2The verse seems to suggest that Daniel is cursing Israel, when in fact he is threatening Nebuchadnezzar. Who was Nebuchadnezzar’s hater? Israel. Why? He had killed (some of) them, destroyed the Temple, and exiled (the rest of) them. Then Daniel raised his eyes heavenward and said: “My Master, My Lord, let the dream and its explanation be fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar, your enemy and your adversary.” When Nebuchadnezzar beheld the dream and heard the explanation, he inquired of Daniel: “What do you advise me to do?” He replied: “The unhappy ones whom you have exiled from your land are starving, thirsty, and naked. Open your storehouses and feed them if you would counteract the dream,” as is said: Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by almsgiving, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; that there may be a lengthening of thy prosperity (ibid., v. 24).", "Do not believe for a moment that the righteous Daniel would have offered such advice to Nebuchadnezzar, who hated the Omnipotent One, if he had not known that Israel was wasting away from hunger as it wandered about in exile. Hence he gave this advice to him because of his concern for them, and because he knew that ultimately Nebuchadnezzar’s soul would suffer. The wicked one immediately opened his storehouses and distributed their contents to them for twelve months. However, at the end of the twelve months the wicked one forgot his dream (and stopped feeding them). While walking about his palace one day, he heard the tumultuous uproar of the poor crying before his storehouses, and He asked his servants: “What is this noise I hear?” They informed him: “The poor whom you carried into exile are pleading for food.” A wicked thought entered his heart at once: The king spoke and said: “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for a royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” (ibid., v. 27). Then he added: “Were it not for the wealth I possessed, how could I have built this country?” He commanded that they be stopped, as it is written: While the word was in the king’s mouth (ibid., v. 28). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Why were you untroubled during the past twelve months? Was it not because of the righteous deeds you were performing? If this is so for the peoples of the world, how much more so for Israel! Thus saith the Lord: Keep ye justice, and do righteousness." ], [ "Now these are the ordinances (Exod. 21:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: He declareth His word unto Jacob … He hath not dealt so with any nation (Ps. 147:19–20). Aquila the convert, Hadrian’s nephew, desired to be converted to Judaism, but he feared his uncle’s wrath.3Aquila was credited with translating the Bible into Greek (see Gittin 56b). He was said to have been the son of Titus’ sister. Hadrian, who reigned from 117 to 138 C.E., promulgated a decree banning circumcision. He told his uncle: “I want to engage in business.” “If you need to do so,” his uncle replied, “silver or gold is available to you.” Aquila responded: “I want to go into business in other lands in order to become acquainted with other people and need only your advice on how to do so.” He responded: “Whatever merchandise you trade in that you find low in price because it is ignored, deal in it, for it will ultimately rise in price and you will profit from it.” Then he went to Israel and studied the Torah.", "Sometime later R. Eliezer and R. Joshua met him and noticed that his countenance had changed. They said to each other: “Aquila must be studying the Torah.” When he drew near them, he asked numerous questions which they answered. Later he returned to his uncle, Hadrian, who asked him: “Why has your countenance changed? I am inclined to think that your business was unsuccessful or that some person oppressed you.” (He answered) “That is not so. You are my relative, and no man would dare oppress me.” Hadrian continued asking him: “But why has your countenance changed?” “I have studied the Torah,” he replied, “and I was also circumcised.” “Who advised you to do that?” he asked. “You did,” he answered. “When did I do that?” “When I told you I desired to engage in business, you said: ‘Whatever merchandise you find low, that is worthless, and lying on the ground because it is ignored, do business in it, for it will finally rise in value.’ I have traveled among the nations and have found nothing so low and so cast down as Israel, and it is destined to rise, as Isaiah said: Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, His Holy One, to him who is despised of men, to him who is abhorred of nations, to a servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord that is faithful, even the Holy One of Israel, who hath chosen thee” (Isa. 40:9). His advisor said to him: “Are these the ones about whom you spoke—will a king arise before them in the future, as it is said: Kings shall see and arise?” Hadrian struck him (the advisor) upon his cheek and shouted: “Now go dress that wound. If they saw just one legionary they would be unable to rise up against him, yet you dare say of them: Kings shall see and arise before them.”", "His advisor responded: “Then if that is so, why bother with him now that he is converted? Have him put to death.” Whereupon, he answered: “Even while my nephew Aquila was in his mother’s womb, he was destined to be converted.” What did Hadrian’s advisor do then? He went to the roof, threw himself off, and perished. The Holy Spirit then cried out: So perish all thine enemies, O Lord (Judg. 5:31).", "Then Hadrian said to Aquila: “My advisor is dead; now tell me why you did such a thing?” “Because I wanted to study the Torah,” he replied. “Could you not have studied the Torah while uncircumcised?” he inquired. And Aquila answered: “Though you pay a salary to your military governor, he must provide his own provisions, and similarly a man can never fully understand the Torah if he remains uncircumcised, as it is said: He declareth his word to Jacob (Ps. 147:19). That is, to one who like Jacob is circumcised, but not to people who are uncircumcised.”", "His statutes refers to the Torah, and His ordinances to the law. There He made for them a statute and an ordinance (Exod. 15:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: I gave them the Torah, now you give them the ordinances. And the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: If you desire to survive in this world, keep the ordinances, for they alone can cause the world to endure, as it is said: Now these are the ordinances which thou shalt set before them (ibid. 21:1).", "The generation of the flood was obliterated from the world because it transgressed the ordinances. R. Eleazar the son of Pedat said: It is written about them: Twixt morning and evening they are shattered; they perish forever without any regarding it (Job 4:20). Therefore it says: Now these are the ordinances which thou shalt set before them (Exod. 21:1). Another explanation. Because the generation of the flood did not perform the ordinances, it is written about them: My spirit shall not abide in man forever (Gen. 6:3).", "R. Eliezer said: If there is an earthly law there is no necessity for a heavenly law, but where there is no earthly law a heavenly law is required. How is this explained? If earthly beings impose a law, no law is enacted On High. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Keep the ordinances so that ye will not compel Me to enact heavenly ordinances, as it is said: Now these are the ordinances.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Whatever I do, I do according to the rule of justice, but should I violate the rule of justice even once the world would not endure. Isaiah said: Fury is not in Me; would that I were as the brass and thorns and flame! I would with one step burn it all together (Isa. 27:4). (This verse indicates that) if I took a single step in violation of justice, I would with one step burn it completely, and the whole world would be consumed forthwith. Why does Scripture say Or else take hold of My strength (ibid., v. 5)? Because whatever My hand seizes with strength, My hand also seizes with justice, as it is said: If I sharpen my glittering sword, My hand takes hold with justice (Deut. 32:41). Yea, let him make peace for me (Isa. 27:5). That is, let him make peace between Me and the law (by fulfilling the law): Let him make peace for Me (ibid.).", "If I whet My glittering sword. If I should depart from the law, a single flash of lightning would go forth to destroy the world. What do I do? My hand takes hold in judgment (Deut. 33:41). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I have been called Lord of Judgment, yet when I was about to smite Esau I refrained from doing so until he was rewarded for the minor commandments he had performed before Me in this world.", "R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, said in the name of R. Hilkiah: Observe that it is written: And it shall come to pass on that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations (Zech. 12:19). Israel said: Master of the Universe, who is able to restrain you that you should say: I will seek to destroy all the nations! He answered: I shall seek something to their credit, and if I am unable to find it, only then will I destroy all the nations.", "R. Levi said in the name of R. Simeon the son of Lakish: Observe that Scripture states: I beheld till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit; his raiment was as white snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool (Dan. 7:9). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: When shall I take revenge upon the peoples of the world? Will it be immediately after they have performed some minor precept before Me? No! It will be at the time Till thrones were placed. That is, when the vineyards have ripened and the grapes are ready to be turned into wine. Then shall I tread upon it and you shall sing to Me. In that day sing ye of her: A vineyard of foaming wine (Isa. 27:2).", "R. Yudan said in the name of Aibu: It is written: I have trodden the wine press alone, and of the peoples there was no man with Me (Isa. 63:3). Does the Holy One, blessed be He, require their assistance that He should say: There was no man with Me? The Holy One, blessed be He, implied by this verse that: When I examine their record and find nothing to their credit then, I tread them in My anger, and trample them in My fury (ibid.). Then I shall redeem you, and never again shall you be oppressed, as it is said: And though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more (Neh. 1:12)." ], [ "A question: An Israelite involved in a litigation with his neighbor, is prohibited from going to a heathen judge for judgment,4See Rashi on the beginning of Exod. 21:1 and above Tan. Ex. Ordinances, 3. since it is said: now these are the ordinances which thou shalt set before them (Exod. 21:1). It is taught by R. Simeon the son of Azzai: Even if you should discover a non-Jewish court where the law is identical with the law in an Israelite court, you are prohibited from bringing the case before them, since it is said: Which thou shalt set before them. Before them, and not before non-Jews, before them, and not before ignorant men.", "Bar Kappara said in a lecture: Whence do we derive the rabbinic dictum: “Be deliberate in judgment”?5Pirkei Avot 1:1. We do so from the words: Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto Mine altar, that thy nakedness be not uncovered (Exod. 20:23).6Just as priests are not permitted to run or to take big strides up the stairs, judges must not rush to render judgment. See Exodus Rabbah 30:9. Which are followed by the words: Now these are the ordinances.", "It is taught: Thy nakedness be not uncovered (ibid.). Is, then, the nakedness of the priests uncovered? Does it not say: And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover the flesh of their nakedness? Therefore this verse implies that even as the Holy One, blessed be He, warned the priests not to take big strides to hasten into the Temple (and thus, even with pants on, “reveal” their nakedness to the floor), so He warned the judges that they should not be quick to render judgment, as is said: Seek justice, relieve the oppressed (ashru hametz) (Isa. 1:17). (That is,) ashre (“happy”) is the judge hehamitz (“who delays”) his judgment (does not hasten).", "Our rabbis teach that the verse Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord (Deut. 19:17). The law indicates that the litigants must stand while they are being judged, for they should consider themselves as though standing before the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: Stand before the Lord.", "Our rabbis teach us that the verse In righteousness shall thou judge thy neighbor (Lev. 19:15) implies that you should strive to judge your neighbor, who is your companion in Torah and in the performance of the commandments, justly.", "R. Ulla the son of R. Elai was involved in a lawsuit before R. Nahman.7See Shevuot 30a. R. Joseph sent a message to him: “Our friend, our colleague, Ulla, is our equal in Torah and in the performance of good deeds.” Nahman asked himself: “Why did he send this message to me? Does he want me to favor him? Perhaps he wants his case judged first, or maybe he wishes to influence the decision.”", "R. Ulla said: The disagreement was with regard to the litigants themselves, but all agree that witnesses must testify while standing, for it is written: And the two men shall stand. Just as to sit (is contrary to the law), the testimony of witnesses is invalidated if they are seated. However, a scholar may testify while seated.", "Rabba the son of Bar Hanah said: If a rabbinical scholar possesses evidence in law, he must bring it to the attention of the presiding judge. But if the judge is his inferior (in knowledge), he need not bring it to him.", "R. Shisha the son of R. Idi said: We have learned that if a man finds a sack or a basket which he is not accustomed to carrying, he need not carry it to the court. This is so only in regard to property, but in the case in which a forbidden act has been committed, (he must give evidence) for There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel against the Lord (Prov. 21:30).", "Whenever the name of the Holy One is profaned, the honor of the scholar is not considered. R. Yemar possessed some testimony in behalf of Mar Zutra and appeared before Amemar. He told him to be seated. R. Ashi said to Amemar: Did not Ulla say in regard to litigants (that it is permissible to be seated), but that witnesses must testify while standing? He answered: They are both positive commandments.8Standing before the court is a positive commandment, but so is honoring a scholar (by allowing him to sit), for he is a bearer of the law. However, the positive commandment enjoining respect for the Torah (i.e., the scholar) is more important.", "R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said: R. Jonathan declared: Every judge who renders a just verdict causes the Shekhinah to hover over Israel, as it is said: God standeth in the congregation of God. But every judge who renders an unjust verdict causes the Shekhinah to depart, as it is said: For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord (Ps. 12:6). R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said: From every judge who takes money from one and gives it to another unjustly, the Holy One, blessed be He, takes the soul away, as it is said: Rob not the weak, because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause (Prov. 22:22).", "R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said that R. Jonathan also stated: A judge should always see himself as though a sword rested between his thighs and the netherworld was open beneath him, as it is said: Every man hath his sword upon his thigh, because of dread in the night (Song 3:8). Dread in the night refers to the dread of the netherworld, which is as dark as the night. R. Josiah taught that there are those who say in the name of R. Nahman: Why is it written: O house of David, thus saith the Lord: Execute justice in the morning (Jer. 21:12)? Is justice rendered only in the morning and not during the day? This means that the verdict must be as clear to you as the morning light when you announce it, but if it is not, you must not announce it.", "R. Hiyya the son of Abba concluded from the verse Say unto wisdom: “Thou art my sister” (Prov. 7:4) that if the verdict is as clear to you as the fact that your sister is forbidden to you, announce it; but if it is not, do not announce it. R. Joshua the son of Levi said: If ten men sit in judgment, responsibility for the verdict rests upon the neck of each of them. And judge righteously (Deut. 1:16). R. Joshua the son of Levi interprets this verse to mean: One must confirm the justice of the decision before announcing it.", "Ye shall hear the small and the great alike (ibid., v. 17). R. Simeon the son of Lakish said: A lawsuit involving a perutah must be considered as important as one involving a hundred maneh. Why need this be stated? Is this not a matter of course? It is mentioned simply to remind you to consider a case only in its proper order. One verse says: And I charged your judgments (Deut. 1:16), while another verse says: And I command you (ibid., v. 18). R. Simlai stated: These verses are a warning to the community to act respectfully to the judges who preside over it, and a warning to the judges to bear patiently with the community. To what extent? R. Hanan said that R. Shabbetai stated: As the nursing father carrieth the suckling child (Num. 11:12). Who is a shrewd scoundrel? R. Hanina says: One who explains his case to the judge before the other litigant arrives.", "And place such over them to be officers of thousands and officers of hundreds, officers of fifties and officers of tens (Exod. 18:21). The officers of thousands were six hundred in number, the officers of hundreds were six thousand, the officers of fifties were twelve thousand, and the officers of tens were sixty thousand. Thus we find that the total number of men who acted as judges in Israel were seventy-eight thousand six hundred in all. It is taught that R. Eliezer the son of Jacob said: I heard that the court has applied punishments and fines that were not derived from the Torah. This was not done to transgress the Torah but to fashion a fence around the Torah.", "It happened once that at a time of crisis a man rode a horse on the Sabbath during the period of Greek rule. They dragged him to the court, and he was sentenced to stoning. This verdict was executed not because it was the correct penalty, but because the situation demanded it. At another time it happened that a man had sex with his wife beneath a fig tree (i.e., in public). They brought him to the court and ordered him flogged. This was not because it was the appropriate penalty, but because conditions at the time demanded it.", "R. Simeon the son of Menasya said: When two men come before you with a case at law, you may tell them to depart and settle the matter between themselves before you have listened to their case or even after you have heard it. That is, if you have not yet reached a decision as to which one will receive the favorable verdict. However, if you have already heard the case and arrived at the decision to be rendered, you are not permitted to tell them to settle the matter between themselves, as it is said: The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water; therefore leave off contention, before the quarrel break out (Prov. 17:14). This indicates that before the circumstances are made known to you, you are permitted to drop it (the case), but after the matter at issue is disclosed, you are not permitted to drop it.", "R. Judah the son of Lakish declared: If two men come before a judge to decide a case and one of them is easygoing, while the other is a harsh person, you are permitted to say to them: “I cannot become involved between you.” That is so if you have not yet heard their plea or even after you have heard their plea, but have not yet decided who is in the right. For if the harsh one should be found guilty, he might harm the judge. But if you have heard their plea and know which side the law favors, you are not permitted to say “I cannot become involved between you,” as it is said: Ye shall not be afraid of the face of any man (Deut. 1:17).", "R. Joshua the son of Karha said: Whence do we know that if a disciple, sitting before his master, observes something that points out the innocence of the poor man and the guilt of the rich man, he must not keep silent? It is said: Ye shall not be afraid of the face of any man (ibid.). This means that one should not refrain from speaking out because of any man. Witnesses must know against whom they are testifying and before Whom they are testifying and Who in the future will call them to account. As is it is said: Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord (ibid. 19:7). Judges must also realize, as they judge, before Whom they are judging and Who in the future will call them to account, as it is said: God standeth in the congregation of God; in the midst of the judges He judgeth (Ps. 82:1). Thus Jehoshaphat said to the judges: Consider what ye do; for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord (II Chron. 19:6). A man might say: What interest do I have in this argument? Therefore Scripture says: And He is with you in giving judgment (ibid.). Hence a judge must decide a case only in accordance with what he has witnessed (i.e., determined from the evidence) with his own eyes.", "Rabba said to Rav Pappa and to R. Huna the son of R. Joshua: If one of my legal decisions comes to your attention and you find it to be inaccurate, do not tear it up before you have consulted me. If I have a valid explanation for it, I will tell you what it is, but if not I will reverse my decision. After my death do not abrogate my decision, for if I were present I might have had an explanation for it. Do not deduce any law from my decision, for a judge must be guided only by what his own eyes witness (i.e. the evidence that comes before him).", "R. Joshua the son of Karha said: It is commendable to arbitrate a matter, since it is written: Execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates (Zech. 8:16). Certainly, whenever there is absolute justice peace cannot prevail, and where there is peace there cannot be absolute justice. Through what kind of justice does peace prevail? It is in the justice achieved through arbitration. Scripture states concerning this matter: If there should arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment (Deut. 17:8) (arbitrate)." ], [ "It has been taught: thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart (Lev. 19:17). You might say that this means you must not strike him or curse him. However, since Scripture says in thy heart, the verse refers only to hate in one’s heart. How do we know this? If someone observes something unseemly in his friend’s behavior, he is obliged to reprove him, as Scripture says: Thou shalt surely rebuke him (ibid.). However, if he does rebuke him and he refuses to accept the rebuke, he must continue to rebuke him. How do we know this? Because Scripture says: Thou shalt surely rebuke him.9The repetition of the word rebuke in the Hebrew text (hokhe’ah tokhiah) indicates the right to do so. It is possible that one might continue to rebuke him to the point at which his countenance will change10Considered an unforgivable sin. See above, Tan. Gen. And the Lord Appeared, 14. (from embarrassment). Hence Scripture states: Thou shalt not bear sin because of him (ibid.).", "It has been taught because of this verse Thou shalt surely rebuke him that the master (must rebuke) his disciple. How do we know that the disciple must also rebuke his master? We learn from what Scripture states: Thou shalt surely rebuke him.", "He who does not rebuke a sinner is considered culpable for the sin that was committed. Mar said: Everyone who is able to restrain the men of his household from committing a sin, yet fails to do so, is held responsible for the sins committed by the men of his household. If he is able to restrain the men of his city, and does not do so, he is held responsible for the men of the city, and if he could have restrained the inhabitants of the world from sinning, he is held culpable for the sins of the inhabitants of the world. R. Hanina said: Why is it written: The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of His people and the princes thereof (Isa. 3:14)? After all, if it is the princes who have sinned, why should the elders be considered as having sinned? The elders have sinned because they failed to dissuade the princes from sinning.", "R. Judah declared that Rav said: Why is it written: And the Lord said unto him: “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof” (Ezek. 9:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Gabriel: Go, mark a tav with ink on the forehead of the righteous men so that the angel of destruction shall not prevail over them, and place a tav with blood upon the forehead of the wicked men so that the angel of destruction shall have power over them.11Tav is the first letter in the Hebrew phrase You shall live and you shall die. Divine Justice said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, what really is the difference between the two? He answered: One is wholly righteous and innocent, while the other is wholly wicked. But Master of the Universe, she responded, it was in their power to at least attempt to restrain the wicked from behaving as they did, but they did not seek to prevent it. Whereupon He retorted: It is disclosed and known to Me that even if they had tried to prevent them, they would not have obeyed. Forthwith she retorted: Master of the Universe, this was revealed to You, but was it known to them?", "He turned and said: “Slay utterly the old man and the young man, the maiden, the little children and women; but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin with My Sanctuary.” Then they began with the elders that were before the house (Ezek. 9:6). Why does it say begin with My Sanctuary? R. Joseph taught: Do not read mikdashi (“My Sanctuary”) but rather mekudeshi (“My sanctified ones”). These are the men who accepted and fulfilled the Torah in its entirety, from alef to tav. Hence you learn that even the completely righteous are held responsible for their generation.", "Similarly, it states: That I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked (Ezek. 21:8). The righteous ones were cut off because they did not try to restrain the wicked ones. That is why you find that King Josiah was held responsible for the acts of his generation, even though it is written concerning him: And like unto him there was no king before him (II Kings 23:25). How far should one go in reproving one’s neighbor? Rav said: Until his neighbor strikes him. Samuel contended: Until he curses him. R. Johanan held: Until he becomes angry. All three reached their conclusions from the same verse, where it is said: Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him: “Thou son of perverse rebellion” (I Sam. 20:30). And then it is written: And Saul cast his spear at him to smite him (ibid., v. 33).", "It is taught that Rabbi said: What is the proper way for a man to react to the reproof of his neighbor? He should accept the rebuke, for as long as rebuke is accepted in the world, ease, goodness, and blessing will prevail as well, and evil will vanish from the world, as it is said: But to them that rebuke shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them (Prov. 24:25). That is, to the one who rebukes and to the one who is rebuked. Others say: He will be strengthened by his increased faith, as it is said: Mine eyes are upon the faithful of the land, and they may dwell with Me (Ps. 101:6).", "R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said that R. Jonathan stated: Whoever rebukes his companion for religious reasons earns a share of divine grace, as it is said: He that rebuketh a man shall in the end find more favor (Prov. 28:23). And furthermore a thread of divine favors will be drawn about him, as is said: He shall find favor. Scripture says: Mine ordinance shall ye do (Lev. 18:4). These are ordinances which, if they were not enumerated in the Torah, ought to have been. Scripture is speaking here of idolatry and blasphemy. My statutes shall ye keep, to walk therein (ibid.). These are the commandments against which the evil inclination contends, and against which the peoples of the earth rebel. These are: the wearing of garments made of wool and linen,12The law of shatnez; see Lev. 19:19. This commandment and all the following ones are disregarded as irrational by non-Jews. the eating of pig,13See Lev. 11:7. the spittle of a childless sister-in-law,14After one has refused to marry his brother’s widow under the law of levirate marriage; see Deut. 25:5–10. mixing seeds,15Deut. 22:9–11. stoning an ox for killing a human being,16Exod. 21:29. the heifer whose neck was broken,17Lev. 14:1–21. the bird sacrifice brought by a leper,17 a firstling of an ass,18Exod. 13:13. meat prepared in milk,19Exod. 23:9. and the goat that has been sent away (the scapegoat).20Lev. 16:1–34. Azazel, the area where the scapegoat would perish. You might maintain that these are unimportant prohibitions. Hence Scripture says: I am the Lord: I have decreed them, and you art not permitted to repudiate them." ], [ "If thou lend money to any of my people (Exod. 22:24). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt; and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath forgotten the sun, there is nothing in his hand (Eccles. 5:12–13). The Holy One, blessed be He, tests everyone; (with regard to) the wealthy, if they are generous toward the needy, they enjoy their wealth in this world, and the righteousness they perform will be rewarded in the world-to-come, as it is said: And thy reward (Isa. 58:8). It says elsewhere: Happy is he that considereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in the day of evil (Ps. 41:2).", "He likewise tests the poor. If they do not complain in this world, they will receive their reward in the world-to-come, as is said: For thou dost save the afflicted people (Ps. 18:28). Job suffered in this world and was repaid twofold, as it is said: And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before (Job 42:10).", "However, a rich man may destroy himself and his wealth in this world, as it is said: And those rights perish by evil adventure (Eccles. 5:13). Not all who are rich today will be rich tomorrow, nor will all who are poor today be poor tomorrow, as it is said: For God is judge; He putteth down one and lifteth up another (Ps. 75:8).", "There is wealth that is beneficial to its possessor and wealth that is harmful to him. An example of wealth that was harmful to its possessor was the wealth of Korah, as it is said: So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit (Num. 16:33). Haman’s riches were also harmful to him, for though it is said: And Haman recounted unto them the glory of his riches (Est. 5:11), ultimately: So they hanged Haman (ibid. 7:10). An example of wealth that was beneficial to its owner was that of Jehoshaphat: Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance (II Chron. 18:1). What happened to him? Then Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him (ibid., v. 31).", "There is strength that is beneficial to its possessor and strength that is harmful to its possessor. Strength that is beneficial was possessed by David, for it is said: Behold, I have a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is skillful in playing and a mighty man of valor (I Sam. 16:18). It is also written: Saul had slain his thousands and David his ten thousands (ibid. 18:7); and: All Israel and Judah loved David (ibid., v. 6). The strength of Goliath was harmful to its possessor, for he profaned and blasphemed against God. Goliath called: Choose a man for you (ibid. 17:8), but in the end, When the Philistines saw that their mighty man was dead, they fled (ibid., v. 51). He had been slain with a (single) stone hurled from a sling.", "There is wisdom which is both beneficial and harmful to the one who possesses it. Joshua possessed wisdom that was beneficial, as it is said: Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom (Deut. 34:9). To what may this be compared? To a reservoir that supplied an entire city with water. Everyone praised it, with the exception of one man who advised them to praise the well that supplied the water (for the reservoir) instead. Similarly, while they were extolling Joshua for giving drink to Israel through his wisdom, he said to them: “Praise Moses instead,” for Moses had laid his hands upon him (ibid.). Balaam had wisdom which was harmful to him, as it is stated: The saying of him who heareth the word of God, and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High (Num. 24:23), and finally: Balaam the son of Beor they slew with a sword (ibid. 31:8)." ], [ "If thou lend money to any of my people (Exod. 22:24). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: He that putteth not out his money on interest (Ps. 15:5). Come and observe that every wealthy man who gives charity to the needy and does not lend out his money on interest is considered to have fulfilled all the commandments, as it is said: He that doeth these things shall never be moved (ibid.). Who was one such person? Obadiah, the wealthy overseer of Ahab’s household, as it is said: And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly (I Kings 18:3). He fed the prophets out of his own resources during that famine (which Elijah produced) and even borrowed money on interest from Joram the son of Ahab to do so. Obadiah fulfilled the verse He that putteth not out his money on interest, but concerning Joram who loaned money on interest, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Until now he has survived, but Jehu will come and slay him, as it is written: He hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? (Exod. 18:13). It is also written: And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot (II Kings 9:24). This occurred because he had become hard of heart and sought interest. Thus the prophesy of Ezekiel was fulfilled: He hath given forth upon interest and hath taken increase; shall he then live? (Ezek. 18:13).", "There were men in Jerusalem, also, who loaned money on interest, as it is said: Thy silver is become dross (Isa. 1:22). What was their fate? Refuse silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them (Jer. 6:30). Therefore Scripture states: Thy silver is become dross, It is also written: They shall cast their silver and their gold into the streets (Ezek. 7:19). Why? Because they had transgressed the law, as it is said: Thou shalt not give him thy money upon interest (Lev. 25:37).", "When Solomon erected the Temple he prayed: Lord of the Universe, if a man should pray unto You in this Temple for money, and You know that the money will be harmful to him, do not give it to him, but if You should foresee that the money will be beneficial to him, fulfill his plea, as it is said: And render unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart Thou knowest—for Thou, even Thou only, knowest the hearts of the children of men (II Chron. 6:30). Because the wicked in this world are wealthy and dwell in tranquility, the Holy One, blessed be He, will reward them only a little for the good deeds they perform in this world, as it is said: And repayeth them that hate Him to their face (Deut. 7:10). But it is also written: When the wicked spring up as the grass, when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they may be destroyed for ever (Ps. 92:8). However, in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will open his treasure house to his righteous servants in the Garden of Eden, while the wicked, who have eaten the fruits of interest here, will consume their own flesh with their teeth and will be confounded, as it is said: The fool foldeth his hands together and eateth his own flesh (Eccles. 4:5). They will then cry out: Would that we had been workmen and carried burdens on our shoulders, as it is said: Better is a handful of quietness, than both the hands full of labor and striving after the wind (ibid., 6).", "The poor are the people of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: For the Lord hath comforted His people, and hath compassion upon His afflicted (Isa. 49:13). The ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, are not like those of man. The rich man despises his poor relations and is not concerned about them, as it is said: All the brethren of the poor do hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him (Prov. 19:7). However, the Holy One, blessed be He, who owns the source of all wealth and honor, provides for and is merciful to the poor, as it is said: That the Lord hath founded Zion, and in her shall the poor of His people take refuge (Isa. 14:32).", "If thou lend money to any of My people (Exod. 22:24). David said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Lord of the Universe, May the world be (made equal) before God (Ps. 61:8), that is, make Thy world either rich or poor.21Ex. R. Sect. 31 “Make thy world evenly divided (as to property).” But He answered: If I do so, Why need I appoint mercy and truth, that they may preserve him? (ibid.). For if all men are either rich or poor, who will perform acts of mercy?", "Thou shalt not be to him as a creditor (Exod. 22:24). If you have lent him money, do not press him (for payment). Do not examine his field or vineyard or house, do not press him and say to him: “Borrow ten thousand denarii for your business and give me only the mortgage on your field, or vineyard, or house.” He may eventually suffer a loss in business, and then you will be depriving him of his vineyard. From this you learn that anyone who takes interest is not God-fearing, as it is said: Take not thou interest of him or increase; but fear thy God (Lev. 25:36).", "Our rabbis teach us that the borrower, the guarantor, the witnesses, and the scribes are all considered culpable, (for without them the moneylender would not have loaned his money on interest). Therefore, all of them shall be punished. Whence do we learn that the borrower is punished? It is written: Thou shalt not cause thy brother to lend upon interest (Deut. 23:20). To what can interest be likened? To a person who does not feel or notice the bite of a snake until the swelling appears. Similarly, interest is not felt until it has increased for the debtor. If thou at all take thy neighbor’s garment to pledge (Exod. 22:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: If he is in debt to you, you are also in debt to Me, as it is said: If they sin against Thee—for there is no man that sinneth not (I Kings 8:46)." ], [ "The two different items that were pledged—habol tahbol.22Though Exod. 22:25 speaks only of night garments, the repetition of the word haval (havol tahbol) indicates that two different pledges are referred to, and thus that it also refers to implements required in the daytime. The verse teaches us that if one borrows the pin of a plow, he must return it upon awakening. In one verse Scripture says: Thou shalt restore the garment unto him before the sun goeth down (Exod. 22:25). And another verse states: Neither shall the sun go down (Deut. 24:15). From these verses you can conclude that just as you must return the garment in which a man sleeps in the evening, as it is said: When the sun goeth down, so you must return the pin of the plow to him in the morning, before the sun goeth down. Furthermore, In the same day thou shalt give him his hire (Deut. 24:15). Why? Since he is poor. It states likewise: For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin, wherein shall he sleep? (Exod. 22:26). If he does not have his garment, he will suffer from the cold during the night and will cry unto Me and I will hear him (ibid.). Two matters, similar to each other, are treated here, a pledge and a man’s hire.", "In reference to a man’s hire, it is written: In the same day thou shalt give him his hire. For example, a man walking along the road, followed by his donkey, bought a sheaf of grain which he carried upon his shoulder. The donkey followed him, eager to eat the sheaf of grain. What does the owner do? He leads the donkey to the barn and ties the grain high above his head. Thereupon they say to him: “You are a miserable creature. He ran after you all the way because of the grain, and now you do not give it to him.” So too in the case of a hired man, who labors throughout the day in the hope of receiving his wages, only to be sent away empty-handed though He setteth his heart upon it (Deut. 24:15).", "It is written in Scripture: I will hear; for I am gracious (Exod. 22:26), and that is followed by: Thou shalt not revile God (ibid., v. 27). What can be the connection between these two verses? Once it happened that a man had a lawsuit against his companion before a certain judge, and a decision was rendered in his favor. Whereupon he went about singing the praises of that judge: “There is not as wise a judge in all the world; he is truly an angel.” Sometime later, however, he appeared before this same judge and was found guilty. He began cursing and crying out against him: “There is no fool in the entire world like this one.” Others said to him: “Yesterday you called him an angel, and now you call him a fool.” Hence it is written: Thou shalt not revile God.", "What is written following that? Thou shalt not delay to offer the fullness of thy harvest (ibid.): That is to say, if you curse the judge, you curse your harvest, and so you find that whenever judges are cursed, harvests diminish considerably and famine develops, as it is said: And it came to pass, in the days when the judges judged, that there was a great famine in the land (Ruth 1:1). This verse indicates that this must have been a generation that passed judgment upon its judges. Hence it is said: Thou shalt not revile God. Thou shalt not delay to offer of the fullness of thy harvest, and of the outflow of thy presses (Exod. 22:28)." ], [ "If thou lend money to any of My people (Exod. 22:24). The prophet Jeremiah said: Refuse silver shall men call them (Jer. 6:30). You find that when Israel was exiled from Jerusalem, they were led out in chains and the peoples of the world declared: Their God already rejects them, as it says: Refuse silver shall men call them. But just as silver may be refined and converted into one vessel and then melted down repeatedly and fashioned into other utensils, until it crumbles when hammered and is not suitable for any purpose, so too there was no more hope for Israel’s survival, since the Holy One, blessed be He, had rejected them. When Jeremiah heard that, he said unto Him: Master of the Universe, Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath Thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast Thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? (Jer. 14:19).", "This may be likened to a king who beats his wife. His best friend says to him: “If you desire to drive her away, beat her until she dies, but if you intend to take her back, why do you punish her so severely?” “Even if my kingdom was to be destroyed I would not drive her away,” he replied. So Jeremiah said: If you desire to drive us out, smite us until we die, since it is said: Thou canst not have utterly rejected us, and be exceeding wroth against us! (Lam. 5:22), but if that is not (Thy desire), Why hast Thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? (Jer. 14:19). The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Even if I were to destroy My entire world, I would not cast off Israel, as it is said: Thus saith the Lord: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord (ibid. 31:37). Nevertheless, I have made an agreement with them that if they should sin, the Temple will be seized as a pledge on their account, as it is said: And I set My Tabernacle among you (Lev. 26:11). The word mishkani (“My Tabernacle”) should be read as mashkoni (“My pledge”). Similarly, Balaam said: How goodly are thy tents (ohalekha), O Jacob, thy dwellings (mishkenotekha), O Israel (Num. 24:5). The tabernacles are called ohalekha (“thy tents”), but when they are demolished they are called mishkonotekha (“Thy pledges”).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: It is not because I am indebted to the nations of the world (because of their merit) that I have pledged My Temple to them, it is only your transgressions that have caused Me to do so, as it is said: Thus saith the Lord: “Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, wherewith I have put her away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities were ye sold, and for your transgressions was your mother put away” (Isa. 50:1). Similarly, I made an agreement with Moses concerning them, If thou lend money to any of My people. However, if they transgress these commandments, I shall seize two pledges, as it is said: If thou at all take (habol tahbol) thy neighbor’s garment to pledge (Exod. 22:25). Our master Moses asked: How long shall they remain as pledges? He answered: Until the sun cometh (ibid.) that is, until the Messiah comes, as it is said: But unto you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings (Mal. 3:20).", "Even to the poor with thee. Our sages of blessed memory said: All manner of physical suffering is on one side (of the scale), while poverty is on the other. At the time that Satan came to denounce Job, it is said: Then Satan answered the Lord, and said: “Doth Job hear God for nought?” (Job 1:9). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Job: Which do you prefer, poverty or suffering? He replied: I willingly accept all the suffering in the world but not poverty. How can I transact business in the marketplace without even a perutah in my possession? Satan thereupon departed from God and afflicted Job with ugly boils from the sole of his foot to his head. Job cried out: O that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even to His seat (Job 23:3), to plead for divine justice. Elijah then said to him: Why do you complain? Did you not choose suffering in preference to poverty, as it is said: For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction (ibid. 36:21)." ], [ "If thou lend money to any of my people (Exod. 22:24). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Well is it with the man that dealeth graciously and lendeth, that ordereth his affairs rightfully, for he shall never be moved (Ps. 112:5). All of God’s creations borrow from each other; day borrows from night, and night from day, but they do not bring charges against each other in court as mortals do, for it is said: Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night revealeth knowledge; there is no speech, there are no words (Ps. 19:3).", "The moon and the stars borrow from each other, and when the Holy One, blessed be He, wills it, they do not go forth, as it is said: Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars (Job 9:7). The night borrows from the sun, and the sun from the night, yet it is said: The sun and moon stand still in their habitation (Hab. 3:11). Wisdom borrows from understanding, and understanding borrows from wisdom, as it is said: Say unto wisdom: “Thou art my sister,” and call understanding thy kinswoman (Prov. 7:4). Mercy and righteousness borrow from each other, as it is said: He that followeth after righteousness and mercy (Prov. 21:21). Heaven and earth borrow from each other, as it is said: The Lord will open unto thee His good treasure the heaven (Deut. 28:12). The Torah and the commandments, likewise, borrow from each other, as is said: Keep My commandments and live (Prov. 7:2).23The Torah is a source of life, and so too are the commandments.", "All the creations of the Holy One, blessed be He, borrow from each other yet live at peace with each other; only man borrows form his fellow man and the lender seeks to devour the borrower through interest and robbery. One who takes interest is actually saying to the Holy One, blessed be He: Do You not take payment from Your world in which Your creatures reside? Payment from the earth which You water, from the flowers which You cause to grow, from the light You make shine, from the soul which You breathe (into us), from the body which You protect? The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: See how much I have loaned, yet I do not take interest, and see how much the earth has loaned you for which it does not take interest. I take only the principal which I have loaned, and the earth takes back only her principal, as it is said: And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it (Eccles. 12:7).", "What is written about one who takes interest? He that hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live (Exod. 18:13). This may be compared to a king who makes his treasures available to a certain individual who later begins to oppress the poor, kill the widows, embarrass the needy, despoil the naked, do violence and theft, indulge in falsehood, and squander the king’s treasures. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, opens His treasure to the wealthy, with all that He possesses in it, as it is said: Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold (Hag. 2:8). Then the rich man begins to loan money on interest. And he starts to taunt the widows and oppress them with interest, to embarrass the poor, and to humiliate the naked who seek charity from him, even though the Holy One, blessed be He, had declared: Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker (Prov. 17:5). If a man’s neighbor is in debt to him for a hundred zuzim, he beats him, strips him, does violence to him, steals from him, and destroys the pledges he entrusted to him. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, says: Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou was not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! When thou hast ceased to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled (Isa. 33:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, gave him wealth from His treasure house, which was a treasure house of truth, and he made it into a treasure house of falsehood, as it is said: Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity, ye have eaten the fruit of lies, for thou didst trust (Hos. 10:13). Hence, when the whirlwind passeth, the wicked is not more (Prov. 10:25). And that is why Solomon proclaimed: Rob not the weak, because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause (ibid. 22:22).", "Thou shalt not revile God (Exod. 22:7). Observe that the Holy One, blessed be He, warned the people concerning their judges and their leaders. You find that Korah and his followers would not have been destroyed had they not embarrassed Moses and Aaron. Similarly, the men of Jerusalem were stricken only because they despised the words of the prophets, as it is said: That they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words; until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy (II Chron. 36:16). It is also written: They have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return (Jer. 5:3). Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, reminded the Israelites concerning the respect due to elders, who had warned Israel against idolatry, as it is said: And in all things that I have said unto you take ye heed; and make no mention of the name of other gods (Exod. 23:13).", "What is written following this? Three times thou shalt keep a festival unto Me in the year (ibid., v. 14). The Holy One, blessed be He, established the festival of unleavened bread, on which He performed miracles in their behalf in Egypt; the harvest festival (Shavuot), on which He gave them the Torah, the fruits of which they were to enjoy in this world and their interest in the world-to-come, as it is said: My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and My produce than choice silver (Prov. 8:19); and the feast of ingathering (Sukkoth), on which the Holy One, blessed be He, fills their homes with blessings, as is said: Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall overflow with new wine (Prov. 3:9–10). Thus it is said: The choicest first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God (Exod. 23:19)." ], [ "If thou lend money to any of my people (Exod. 22:24). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: He that hath an evil eye hasteneth after riches, and he knoweth not that want shall come upon him (Prov. 28:22). He that hath an evil eye refers to Cain, who sought to possess the entire world. When was that? When Cain and Abel were (alone) in the world. What was written concerning them? And it came to pass, when they were in the field (Gen. 4:8), that He killed Abel because of the dispute over the field.", "Cain said to Abel:24See above, “In the Beginning,” Section 9. “Let us divide the world between us. You take the movable property, and I will take the fields.” He thought that he would thereby be able to drive him out of the world. They divided everything between them. Abel took the movable property, and Cain the fields. Thereafter, wherever Abel went, Cain ran after him, shouting: “Get off my property.” He fled to the mountains, and Cain pursued him, shouting: “This too belongs to me.” Finally he turned upon him, and killed him, as it is said: And Cain rose against Abel his brother, and slew him (ibid.).", "And he knoweth not that want shall come upon him (Prov. 28:22). What came upon him? A fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth (Gen. 4:12). Wherever he went, the Holy One, blessed be He, brought evil spirits upon him. They beat him and pursued him until they drove him from the world. Thus Solomon proclaimed: If a man beget a hundred children and live many years … but his soul have not enough of good, and moreover he have no burial (Eccles. 6:3). Similarly, whoever lends money to his friend on interest will ultimately require help from mankind, as it is said: And he knoweth not that want shall come upon him (Prov. 28:22).", "What is written above this subject? If thou afflict them in any wise—for if they cry at all unto Me, I will surely hear their cry (Exod. 22:22). All the words in this verse are repeated in order to teach you that the curtain (for repentance) is never closed before Him. What is written following this? My wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with a sword (ibid., v. 23). When is that? If thou lend money to any of My people." ], [ "If thou lend money to any of My people (Exod. 22:24). Scripture states elsewhere: He that augmenteth his substance by interest and increase, gathereth it for Him that is gracious to the poor (Prov. 28:8). How is this to be understood? An Israelite desired to loan out money and when a gentile came to him to borrow money he said to himself: “Is it better to loan money to a non-Jew on interest25Claiming he would then have additional money to aid the needy. But he did not use his money for that purpose. He became wealthy. or to loan it to an Israelite without interest?” He loaned him (the non-Jew) the money and became wealthy. Therefore Solomon declared concerning him: He that augmenteth his substance by interest and increase, gathereth it for Him that is gracious to the poor (Prov. 28:8). This verse alludes to Esau. Was Esau actually gracious to the poor? The fact is that he oppressed the poor, but when the kings heard that he was taking interest, they waged war against him and seized his money. With it the king erected public buildings, baths, and basilicas in the city to provide for the needs of the travelers and the residents. Hence, Gathereth it for Him that is gracious to the poor." ], [ "If thou lend money to any of My people (Exod. 22:24). R. Tanhuma began the discussion with the verse: He that is gracious unto the poor lendeth unto the Lord … He will repay unto Him (Prov. 19:17). What is meant by The Lord will repay unto him? Is it possible that The Lord lendeth, and His good deeds He will repay unto him (ibid.). R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, said that R. Reuben posed this query: What is the meaning of And his good deeds He will repay him? One might conclude that if he gave a perutah to a poor man, the Holy One, blessed be He, will repay him. Indeed not. The Holy One, blessed be He, says: When the soul of a poor man is struggling to leave its body because of hunger, and you give him food and help him to live, be assured that I will repay you soul for soul. In the future, when your son or daughter becomes deathly ill, I will recall in their behalf the good deed you performed for the poor man, and I will save them from death. Therefore And his good deeds will He repay, that is, I will repay you soul for soul.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: It is sufficient that you should be spoken of as one who loans to Me. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If thou lend money to any of My people (ammi) implies that you will be with Me (immi). That is, you will merit My area (in heaven).", "You find that the Holy One, blessed be He, sits in judgment upon every transgression of man, and asks: What decision shall be rendered? Whether the man is a thief, an adulterer, or a transgressor, the Holy One, blessed be He, sits in judgment upon him. And so you find that in the time of Ahab, Micah said: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the hosts of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left (I Kings 22:19). Is there a left hand on High, since it is written: Thy right hand, O Lord, glorious in power; Thy right hand, O Lord, dasheth in pieces the enemy (Exod. 15:16), and also: The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly (Ps. 118:16)? What, then, is the meaning of on His right hand and on His left? Those who plead in behalf of a sinner are called His right hand, and those who argue against him are called His left.", "And the Lord said: “Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?” (I Kings 22:20). This verse indicates that He discussed the law with them (the heavenly hosts). One said: On this manner; and another said: On that manner. And there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord, and said: “I will entice him” (ibid., v. 20–21). He asked him: “Do you know the cause of the sin?” And He replied: “Yes.” Then He began to discuss His decision with them, as it is said: And one said: On this manner; and another said: On that manner. but in regard to the one who lends money on interest, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not discuss His decision, for it is said: Hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live (Ezek. 18:13). He renders His verdict immediately, and the ministering angels declare: He hath done all these abominations; he shall surely be put to death, his blood shall be upon him, he shall not live (ibid.). Thus Moses said: If thou lend.", "Observe the difference between the deeds of men and of God. If a man owes his fellowman a hundred,26Probably referring to gold dinars. or two hundred, or three hundred, and the latter says to him: “Pay me what you owe me.” And he replies: “I have nothing,” they quarrel and abuse each other forthwith. The Holy One, blessed be He, does not act in that fashion, however. You find that during the summer, in the interval between Tevet and Tammuz (when the days grow longer and the nights shorter), the day borrows from the night, and in the interval between Tammuz and Tevet (when the reverse happens), the night borrows from the day, Yet there is no speech, there are no words, neither is their voice heard (Ps. 19:4). Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, warned Moses to tell the Israelites: If you lend money to one of My people, do not embarrass him, for he is with Me. Even to the poor with thee (Exod. 22:24). Consider yourself as though you were among the poor of your people. Even to the poor with thee. The sages concluded from this verse that between the poor of your family and the poor of your city, the poor of your family must take precedence, and between the poor of your city and another city, the poor of your city must take precedence.", "The R. Nahman BeRabbi said: Observe what is written in this verse: Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; of this thing the Lord thy God will bless thee in all thy work (Deut. 15:10). It does not say “for the sake of,” “on account of,” “in consequence of,” or “instead of,” but simply because of this I have made you rich and him poor. But if you do not give to him, I will reverse the wheel of fortune and make you poor and him rich. Why is that? Because God is judge; He putteth down one, and lifteth up another (Ps. 75:8).", "R. Shila stated: Observe that the verse is written Thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy needy brother (Deut. 15:7). What is the meaning of thy brother? It is not written “from the poor” but rather from thy brother to teach us that the two of you are equal, and that you should not cause yourself to become like him (poor).", "They say concerning R. Tanhum the son of Hanilai that whenever he brought home some meat or vegetables or anything else, he would tell the members of his household: “Set aside a portion for the poor, for I bought one measure of meat for you and a half-measure for the poor.” In that way He fulfilled the verse In the day of prosperity be joyful, in the day of adversity consider; God hath made even the one as well as the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him (Eccles. 7:14). In the day of prosperity be joyful in the good deeds you perform in behalf of the poor. In the day of adversity consider indicates that you too are not far removed from poverty, and that there is no greater misfortune for you than poverty. Thus it says: Even to the poor with thee." ], [ "If thou at all take thy neighbor’s garment to pledge (Exod. 22:25). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: How guilty are your sins before Me, yet I have been patient with you. And though your soul ascends unto Me at twilight each day to render an accounting and is found guilty,27There is a tradition that the soul ascends to heaven while the body is sleeping. nevertheless I return the soul to you. Just as you are obligated to me, so also are you obligated to them (the poor). If thou at all take thy neighbor’s garment to pledge, thou shalt restore it to him by that the sun goeth down; for that may be his only covering (Exod. 22:25). You have one thing that belongs to Me, and therefore, if you take your neighbor’s garment to pledge, and do not return his pledge to him, I will not return your soul to you. Scripture says of this: Takest thy neighbor’s garment. And it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto Me that I will hear; for I am gracious (ibid., v. 26). If anyone complains to Me of injustice, saying: “Master of the Universe, I am a man and he is a man, yet he sleeps on his bed, but where can I sleep?” I will listen to him for I am gracious. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I pay attention to the complaints of the lonely ones in this world, but in the day to come, It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer (Isa. 56:4). The prophet also said: For, O people that dwelleth in Zion at Jerusalem, thou shalt weep no more (ibid. 30:19)." ], [ "Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee (Exod. 23:20). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: But I said: “How would I put thee among the sons, and give thee a pleasant land, the goodliest inheritance of the nations!” And I said: “Thou shalt call Me, My father, and shall not turn away from following Me” (Jer. 3:19). How would I put thee among the sons. R. Eleazar the son of Pedat stated: The expression put thee is employed to indicate “to be set apart.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: It is my opinion that you and I must be together in this world, since I am the Father and you are My son. Why, then, do you allow other nations to come between us? Hence I would put thee is an expression that indicates “to set apart,” as in the verse: And put his own droves apart (Gen. 30:40).", "R. Hama the son of Hanina stated: How would I put thee among the sons is an expression that indicates enmity, as in the verse: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman (ibid. 3:15). A great love existed between Me and you, as it is said: I have loved you (Mal. 1:2), but ye have engendered hatred upon yourselves. R. Joshua the son of Levi said: How would I put thee among the sons implies that though I defended you, you have condemned yourselves, for the word put thee is an expression that indicates guilt, as in the verse If there is put upon him a ransom (Exod. 21:30). R. Berechiah argued: Put thee is an expression that implies neglect, as in the verse And I will put it to waste; it shall not be pruned nor hoed, but there shall come up briars and thorns (Isa. 5:6). You were as precious to Me as a beautiful vineyard is to the man who plows it, clears it of stones, and hoes it, but then you declared yourselves free of Me. Wherefore, when I looked at it that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes (ibid., v. 4).", "And give thee a pleasant land (Jer. 3:19). It was a land greatly coveted by all the mighty men of the world. Abraham said of it: Give me a possession of a burying-place with you (Gen. 23:4). Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, made it precious to Isaac, as it is said: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee and will bless thee (ibid. 26:3). And Jacob said: In my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me (ibid. 50:5). Hence it says: And give thee a pleasant land, the goodliest heritage of the deer (Jer. 3:19). What is indicated by the use of the word deer? Just as the flesh of a deer cannot be restored into its skin when they attempt to recover it after it has been slaughtered and its skin has been stripped away, so the land of Israel is not able to contain its fruit (when it is worthy). A proof of this is written in the verse: The oxen likewise and the young asses that till the ground shall eat savory provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan (Isa. 30:24). At first they winnowed the grain with a shovel, but later they winnowed it with a fan. Why? because the grain was more plentiful than the straw, though the grain grows within the straw. Whence do we know this was so? For it is written: Shall eat savory provender. The savory provender was the fruit (of the straw). Hence, And give thee a pleasant land, the goodliest heritage of the deer indicates that like the deer the land of Israel could not contain its fruits.", "Another explanation of the goodliest heritage of the nations (Jer. 3:19). It was a land so good that the kings of the world coveted it. It is written: The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Beth-el, one; etc. (Josh. 12:9). Scripture mentions this though the distance between Jericho and Ai was only three mils (6,000 cubits). It does so to show that every king who ruled outside of the land of Israel would have not been called a king if he did not possess a strip of the land of Israel. Why did they covet the land of Israel? Because of its fruits. Therefore it was The goodliest heritage of the nations.", "R. Parnakh said in the name of R. Johanan: Observe what is written: When I saw among the spoil a goodly Shinar mantle (Josh. 7:12). This alludes to the purple mantle worn by the king of Babylonia when he ruled over Jericho. Therefore it states: The goodliest heritage of the nations.", "Scripture says also: Thou shalt call Me “my Father”; and shalt not turn away from following Me (Jer. 3:19). As the father feels constrained to provide for his daughter’s comfort, so I felt obliged to provide for you, as it is said: Behold, I will cause bread to rain from heaven for you (Exod. 16:4), and it says: And when (like a daughter) the layer of dew is gone up (ibid., v. 14). It says: Thou shalt call Me “my Father”; and shall not turn away from following Me (Jer. 3:19).", "Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have you dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel (ibid., v. 20). R. Judah the son of R. Shalum28In text: R. Judah of the school of R. Shalum stated: Israel acted like a woman who departs treacherously from her husband. While her husband feeds her and supplies her with drink, she loves him, but when he is less attentive, she leaves him. Therefore it says: As a wife treacherously departeth from her friend. I did not act toward you in that fashion. Instead manna descended for you, a well opened up, and you lacked nothing, yet you rebelled against Me. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: When the nations rebelled against Me, I sent guardian angels to serve them, but when you did so, I sent an angel to keep you, as it is said: Behold, I sent an angel before thee, to keep thee (Exod. 14:20). When you are worthy, and accept the Torah, and fulfill My wishes, I shall go before you, as it is said: And the Lord went before them by day and night (Exod. 13:21), but now that you practice idolatry like the other peoples of the world, I will not go before you but shall send only an angel before you." ], [ "Behold, I sent an angel before thee (Exod. 23:20). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: I will send an angel before you but not before them. Whereupon Moses replied: If you send it before me alone, I do not desire it. Rather Let the Lord, I pray thee, go in the midst of us (Exod. 34:9). Observe the difference between the early generations and the later ones. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Behold, I will send an angel before you, he replied: I desire no one but You, whereas, when Joshua the son of Nun beheld an angel, he prostrated himself on the ground, as it is said: And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down. And he said to him: “Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?” (Josh. 5:13–14).", "R. Isaac queried: What did the angel do when he heard the question: Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? He began to cry out from the nails of his feet (i.e., to weep uncontrollably), and he said to him: Nay, I am captain of the hosts of the Lord; I am now come (ibid.). Twice I have come to lead Israel, I am he who came in the days of Moses your master, and he rejected me because he did not wish me to accompany him, and now I have come once again. Forthwith Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said unto him: What saith my lord unto his servant? (ibid., v. 14). However, though Moses rejected him, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: I send an angel before thee to keep thee by the way (Exod. 23:20), and, as well, before everyone who observes the law.", "R. Simeon the son of Lakish stated: It is written: He will cover thee with His pinions, and under His wings shalt thou take refuge; His truth is a shield and a buckler (Ps. 91:4). He said to him: We will make a shield for you and for all who observe the law, since His truth is a shield and a buckler. Therefore to keep thee indicates that He will guard you by means of the law.", "To keep thee by the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared (Exod. 23:20). This one verse from Scripture makes it evident that the earthly Temple corresponds to the heavenly Temple.", "Take heed of him, and hearken unto his voice (ibid., v. 21). Why? Because you are not worthy to hear My voice. Listen to the voice of the angel even though he is unable to forgive your transgressions. Why is he not able to do so? He is of the class (of creatures) that do not sin. Thus it is written: For he will not pardon your transgressions (ibid.).", "Another explanation of He will not pardon your transgressions. Why not? For he is only a messenger, and a messenger can only do what he is sent to do. I alone can lift up countenances (i.e., grant pardon), as it is said: The Lord lift up His countenance unto thee (Num. 6:26). David cried out: Master of the Universe, you trust us into the keeping of an angel who cannot pardon us, but if Thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who can stand? (Ps. 130:3). If You should say: Forgiveness is not available to you, For with Thee there is forgiveness that Thou mayest be feared (ibid., 4), therefore do not place over us the angel who is guardian of the Inner Sanctum, since it is said: For he will not pardon your transgressions. Why? For it is said My name is in him (Exod. 23:21) (i.e., he is only my messenger). R. Simeon the son of Lakish said: The name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is coupled with every angel, as it is said: For My name is in him.", "Moses declared: I do not wish an angel to accompany us, only You. If You will not accompany us, we shall not leave this place, as it is said: For wherein now shall it be known that I have found grace in Thy sight, I and Thy people? Is it not in that Thou goest with us? (ibid. 33:16). The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Be assured that even if the angel does not accompany you, I shall send a hornet ahead of you.", "How do we know this? Because the Amorites perished. R. Levi said: The Holy One, blessed be He, attached two hornets to each of the angels, and they went ahead and poured poison into the eyes of an Amorite. His eye would split open, and the man would fall to the ground and die. R. Aha the son of Rab stated: Their bodies trembled, and they became weak in the presence of the Israelites, who then slew them. Our sages stated: Their faces turned black as the soot of a burning furnace, and they became weak in the presence of the Israelites, who killed them.", "R. Abba the son of Kahana maintained: The Holy One, blessed be He, bound them before the Israelites, and they attacked and killed them, as it is said: So the Lord our God delivered into our hand Og (Deut. 3:3). He delivered them into their hands just as a man binds his son’s enemy and places him before his son. You should not maintain that the Amorites were small of stature. Observe what is written about them: Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath (Amos 2:9). I destroyed his fruits from above refers to their guardian angel, and his roots from beneath alludes to the Amorites.", "And so He would do in the future, He would punish their guardian angels and then the kings of the nations, as it is said: And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord will punish the host of the high heaven on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth (Isa. 24:21). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: In this world I will send an angel to make the peoples of the world flee from you, but in the future I will lead you and I will send Elijah before you, as it is said: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord (Mal. 3:24)." ], [ "Behold, I send an angel before thee (Exod. 23:20). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: For He will give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways (Ps. 91:11). When a man performs one precept, one angel is assigned to guard him; when he performs two precepts, two angels are given to him; when he performs all the precepts, many angels are assigned to him, as it is said: For He will give His angels charge over thee. Who are these angels? They are the beings who will protect him from demons, as it is said: A thousand may fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand (ibid., v. 7). What is meant by may fall? It means that they force (their opponents) to surrender to him, as it is said in the Book of Chronicles: Of Manasseh also there fell away some to David (I Chron. 12:20), and it is written as well: As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh (ibid., v. 29).", "And ten thousand at thy right hand. Why does it say a thousand at thy left hand, and ten thousand at thy right hand? The left hand does not require as many angels, because the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is inscribed on the phylactery which is placed on the left hand, as it is said: Ye shall bind them for a sign upon thy hand (Deut. 11:18).", "R. Hanina said: It is not written “will be at thy side,” but rather will fall at thy side, because the left hand, which is not extended in the performance of the commandments, can make only a thousand demons fall, while the right hand, which is outstretched in the performance of the precepts, can make ten thousand demons fall.", "R. Joshua the son of Levi said: What is meant by the words A thousand may fall at thy side? The Holy One, blessed be He, gives to each Israelite ten thousand angels who guard him and help him on the way. One precedes him, exclaiming: Pay homage to the likeness of the Holy One, blessed be He. He does this because the entire world is filled with spirits and demons.", "R. Judah the son of Shalum said in the name of R. Levi: There is not a piece of ground which supports one roba of seed, in any part of the world, that does not contain nine hundred kabs of demons. How are they formed? R. Levi said: The demons wear masks similar to those on a miller’s ass, but when (a man’s) sins cause the mask to fall off the demon, the man becomes mad (at the sight). However, as long as the angel cries out, the man is safe; but if he is silent, the man is affected at once. The angel says: So-and-so must die, as it is said: Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, and his life to the destroyers (Job 33:22). “To death” is not written here, but rather to the destroyers, namely, to those angels of destruction to whom man is handed over.", "From what source do we know that the angel calls out before him? It is said: If there be for him an angel, and intercessor, one among a thousand (ibid., v. 23)—if he is one of those thousand, he (the angel) calls out before him to vouch for a man’s uprightness. At that time He is gracious unto him, and saith: “Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom” (Job 33:23–24). Thus if a man fulfills many precepts, ten thousand and a thousand angels guard him, but if he is perfect in understanding the Torah and in the performance of good deeds, the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself guards him, as it is said: The Lord is thy keeper; the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand (Ps. 121:5).", "This you find to be so in the case of Jacob, of whom it is written: Jacob was a perfect man, dwelling in tents (Gen. 25:27). A perfect man in the performance of good deeds; dwelling in tents devoting himself to the Torah; and full of precepts—camps of angels were assigned to watch over him, as it is said: And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. And Jacob said when he saw them: “This is God’s camp.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim (Gen. 32:2–3). It says also: And behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood beside him and said: “… And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee” (ibid. 28:13–15).", "R. Hoshaya declared: Happy is the individual born of woman who has the King of Kings as His attendant, guarding Him and sending angels as His messengers, as it is said: And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau (ibid. 32:4). It likewise says: The angel who hath redeemed me from all evil (ibid. 48:16). Hence Scripture says: He that walketh in his integrity as a just man, happy are his children after him (Prov. 20:7)" ] ], "Terumah": [ [ "That they take for me an offering (Exod. 25:2). May it please our masters to teach us: What did they do with the surplus offering?1The surplus offering was from the funds contributed for the building of the Sanctuary (M. Shekalim 4:4). Thus did our masters teach us: They fashioned with it the hammered gold overlay for the Holy of Holies. You find that the Holy One, blessed be He, chose two offerings (terumot): the offering (set aside) for the building of the Tabernacle and the priestly offering. The priestly offering (was given to them) in order that they become students of the law.2These offerings increased their opportunity to study the law. The midrash compares these offerings because both are called terumah. R. Yannai said: Any priest who is not a student of the law, it is permitted to eat the offering on his grave.3Etz Joseph suggests that an ignorant priest would even permit eating the terumah offering, which must be maintained in a state of ritual purity, in a cemetery, from which priests are generally barred. The intent may be that the priest, in his ignorance, probably collected his dues improperly, and so it is really common, and thus may be consumed even on his (i.e., the ignorant priest’s) grave, since he is worthy of death.", "R. Isaac said in the name of R. Johanan: Observe what is written in the verse: The priests have done violence to My law, and have profaned My holy things (Ezek. 22:26). How did they do that? They have not distinguished between the holy and the common, neither have they taught differences between the unclean and the clean (ibid.). If the priest is not a student of the Torah, he is unable to distinguish between the holy and the profane, the unclean and the clean. Therefore Scripture says: Thou hast despised My holy things and hast profaned My Sabbaths (ibid., v. 18). Why does he despise the holy things? Because he does not know how to observe the Sabbath. See how beloved is the priestly offering in that it was given to the priests who were students of the law. But the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed the Temple offering for His own sake, as it is said: That they take for me an offering." ], [ "That they take for Me an offering (Exod. 25:2). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not My teaching (Prov. 4:2). R. Simeon the son of Lakish explained this verse as follows: Once there were two merchants who were traveling together. One of them held a bolt of silk material in his hand, while the other held some pepper. They said to each other: “Let us exchange our merchandise.” One took the pepper and the other took the silk. What one of them had previously owned was no longer his, and that which the other had owned was, likewise, no longer his. With the law, however, this is not so. If one man studies Tractate Ze’raim, and another Tractate Mo’ed, and they instruct each other, each possesses knowledge of both. Truly, is there any merchandise more valuable than this? Therefore, For I give you good doctrine; forsake ye not My teaching.", "Once a passenger aboard a ship, on which many were traveling, was asked by them: “What kind of merchandise do you possess?” He answered: “My merchandise is superior to yours.” Whereupon they searched the boat to examine his merchandise. When they were unable to find anything that belonged to him, they began to scoff at him. Shortly after, pirates attacked them, and carried the men and everything they found in the ship away. After some time they reached port, and all the men were brought to the city, without food to eat or clothes to wear. What did the one passenger do? He went to the schoolhouse, where he sat and studied. When the residents of the town discovered that he was a learned student of the law, they treated him with the greatest respect. They made a collection in his behalf, as was customary and proper for a man of distinction. The important men of the community would walk at his right and his left, accompanying him wherever he went. When the merchants saw what was happening, they went to him and pleaded: “Please, we beg you to help us, speak in our behalf to the men of the city, for you know what has happened to us and how much we lost in the ship. We implore you to ask them to give us some bread, that we may live and not die of starvation.” He answered: “Did I not tell you that my merchandise was better than yours? Yours has been destroyed, but mine endures.” Therefore it says: For I give you good doctrine." ], [ "That they make for me an offering (Exod. 25:2). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: I have loved you, saith the Lord, yet ye say: “Wherein hast Thou loved us?” (Mal. 1:2), and elsewhere it is written: But Esau I hated (ibid., v. 3). Once Turnus Rufus4Turnus (Tinneius) Rufus was the Roman governor of Judea in 132 C.E. asked R. Akiba: “Why does the Holy One, blessed be He, hate us, that it should be written But Esau I hated?” He replied: “I will tell you tomorrow.” The next day (Turnus Rufus) asked R. Akiba: “What did you dream about last night, and what did you see?” “I dreamed about two dogs last night,” Akiba answered. “One was named Rufus, and the other Rufina.” Turnus Rufus became infuriated and said to him: “How dare you call the dogs by my name and by the name of my wife? You are guilty of treason against the government.” R. Akiba responded: “Is there actually a difference between you and them? You eat and drink, and they do likewise; you are fruitful and multiply, and so do they; you die and they die; yet because I called them by your names, you have become angry. Should not the Holy One, blessed be He, who stretched out the heavens and established the earth, who causes death and gives life, hate you when you take a tree and call it by His name. Therefore, But Esau I hated.”", "For I give you good doctrine (Prov. 4:2). Frequently, a man borrows money from other men, in order to purchase some merchandise, and then goes on the road (with it) and suffers a loss. That can never happen with the merchandise of the law. A man learns one chapter, then another, and then still another. He studies one tractate and then another, and he profits from them all. For I give you good doctrine (ibid.). Another explanation of I give you good doctrine. A man who engages in business is sometimes able to retain the profit he makes, but at other times he loses it. The law, however, remains with a man in this world and in the world-to-come. Hence, For I give you good doctrine.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: The law is Mine, and if you accept it, you must accept Me with it, as it is said: That they take for me an offering; of every man whose heart maketh him willing (Exod. 25:2). R. Simeon the son of Lakish said: Our rabbis taught that there are five persons who are not permitted to bring an offering. If they do, their offering is not considered acceptable. They are a deaf mute, a fool, a minor, one who brings an offering that is not his own, and an offering brought by a gentile on behalf of an Israelite, even with his consent. Their offerings are not acceptable. R. Simeon the son of Lakish added: All of these are to be understood from the verse under discussion (Exod. 25:2). The deaf mute is restricted because it is written: Speak unto the children of Israel (ibid., v. 1). Naturally a deaf mute is excluded, since he can neither hear nor speak. The fool, because it is written: Every man whose heart maketh him willing (ibid.). The fool is barred because his heart is neither willing nor unwilling. The minor, since it is written: Unto the children of Israel (ibid.), and the minor is not yet a man, hence his offering is not acceptable. The one who brings an offering that does not belong to him, for it is written: Every man whose heart maketh him willing, ye shall take My offering (ibid., v. 2); that is, you must bring your own offering. And the offering brought by a gentile for an Israelite, with his consent, for it is written: Speak unto the children of Israel. The gentile is barred from bringing an offering because he is not an Israelite.", "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they take for Me an offering (ibid., v. 2). Each time the Holy One, blessed be He, says for Me in the Torah, both this world and the world-to-come are included. For example, For the land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is for Me (Lev. 25:23). Here and in the time-to-come. For all the firstborn are for Me (Num. 3:13); that is in this world and in the time-to-come. The Levites are for Me (ibid. 8:14); in this world and in the time-to-come. Israel, as it is written: And ye shall be for Me a kingdom of priests (Exod. 19:6); in this world and the world-to-come. Hence, That they take for Me an offering alludes to the present and the time-to-come." ], [ "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they take for me an offering (Exod. 25:2). Whenever the words for Me are stated in a verse, a blessing accompanies it. Does a blessing also accompany an offering? R. Johanan said: Observe what is written in the verse: And they brought yet unto him free-will offerings every morning(baboker baboker)5The word morning is repeated in the text to indicate that it must be brought twice at that time. (Exod. 36:3). Why is the word morning repeated in the text? Because they brought all the gifts that were required for the Tabernacle in two mornings. This happened because a blessing accompanied their gifts. Hence it is stated: That they take for Me… ye shall take My offering (Exod. 25:2). They take for Me. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because I told you Take for Me an offering, do not scoff at the (giving of an) offering by saying: “He is not a priest that he should eat it,” for if a man fails to give him even one hundredth of his portion, let him realize that he is stealing it, not from the priestly tribe, but from Me, for so it is written: That they take for Me an offering, and ye shall take My offering (Exod. 25:2).", "Take for Me an offering. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: I did not impose this upon other nations but upon you alone. Observe what is written in the verse Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; but the righteous shall live by his faith (Hab. 2:4). Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him refers to Nebuchadnezzar. How do we know this? The Holy One, blessed be He, made him ruler of the entire world, yet he did not rejoice in his lot, as it is said: His soul is not upright in him. When he looked at himself he became embarrassed in the presence of his fellow men. He would say: “I am king,” yet his soul was not upright in him. Why was that? Because he was squat in stature, like a kad (“jug”). That is why he was called Nebukadnezzar.", "But the righteous shall live by his faith (ibid.). In the world-to-come the Holy One, blessed be He, will judge all mankind in relation to the members of his own profession.6Word-play on emunah (“faith”) and umanut (“trade, profession”). The word used in the translation, “profession” (i.e., what one professes), is intended to express both nuances. The righteous shall live by his faith. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Each one of you was counted among my profession, and so I redeemed you from Egypt, but you did not set aside offerings unto Me. Hence it is written: Take for Me an offering." ], [ "And this is the offering which ye shall take of them: gold, silver, and brass; and blue and purple and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair; and rams’ skins dyed red, etc. (Exod. 25:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Actually You do not bring your own possessions, but the spoils I gave you at the Red Sea, as it is said: The wings of the dove are covered with silver (Ps. 68:14). And blue and purple and scarlet (Exod. 26:8).7To be used for the curtain before the ark. Blue, for they were dipped into the blood, to symbolize the blood that the patriarchs had already prepared (i.e., the blood of circumcision). It was called scarlet (tola’at), because it is said: Fear not, thou worm (tola’at)8A reference to Jacob’s sworn enemy Esau. Tola’ath means both worm and scarlet dyed yarn. Jacob (Isa. 41:14). The rams’ skins are mentioned to because of the merit of Jacob, as it is said: And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands (Gen. 27:16). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: The heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain Me, yet I caused My Shekhinah to dwell within the skins of the kids of the goats.", "Another explanation of blue, and purple … and rams’ skins … oil for the light, etc. R. Judah the son of R. Simon stated: Do not imagine that you are repaying Me. The thirteen things you have set aside for Me are the thirteen things I did in your behalf in Egypt: I clothed thee also with richly woven work, and shod thee with sealskin, and I wound fine linen about thy head, and covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a ring upon thy nose, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head (Ezek. 16:10–12). My bread also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil and honey, wherewith I fed thee (ibid., v. 19).", "Thus the thirteen things you have set aside for Me I will consider to be repayment to Me, as David said: I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath repaid me (Ps. 13:6). However, in the world-to-come, I will reward you for the thirteen things you have set aside for Me. And the Lord will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy. And there shall be a pavilion for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain (Isa. 4:5–6). Though you have (merely) paid Me back, yet I agree that you have dealt bountifully with Me, as it is written after that: Let me sing of my well-beloved (ibid. 5:1). Hence, I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me (Ps. 13:6)." ], [ "This is the offering … and rams’ skins dyed red, and sealskins (Exod. 25:3). R. Judah and R. Nehemiah discussed this verse. R. Judah said: It was a large pure animal, with a single horn in its forehead and a skin of six different colors that roamed the desert.9The authorities were undecided as to whether it was a domesticated animal or a wild beast. See Shabbat 28b. They captured one of them and from its skin made a covering for the ark. R. Nehemiah contended that it was a miraculous creature He created for that precise moment, and that it disappeared immediately thereafter from earth. Why is it called orot tahashim (“sealskins,” lit. “skins of tahashim”)? Because the verse states: The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits (Exod. 26:8). What known animal could supply enough skin for a curtain of thirty cubits? It must, indeed, have been a miraculous creation, which disappeared (immediately after it was created)." ], [ "This is the offering which ye shall take of them: gold, etc. (Exod. 25:3). The gold corresponds to the kingdom of Babylon, as it is written concerning her: Thou art the head of gold (Gen. 2:38); the silver corresponds to the kingdom of Media, as is written: And I will pay ten thousand talents of silver (Est. 3:9); and the brass corresponds to the kingdom of Greece, which was the least (powerful) of all. And rams’ skins dyed red corresponds to the kingdom of Edom, for it is said: And the first came forth ruddy (Gen. 25:25).10A play on words, linking Esau who was born ruddy (adom) with Edom. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Even though you suffered because of the four arrogant kingdoms that attacked you, I will bring salvation unto you from the midst of servitude. As it is written: The oil for the light, (Exod. 25:6). This refers to the Messiah, as it is said: There will I make a horn to shoot up unto David, there have I ordered a lamp for Mine anointed (Ps. 132:17).", "Daniel beheld the four kingdoms and was dismayed, as it is written: As for me Daniel, my spirit was pained in me (Dan. 7:15). What did Daniel see when Nebuchadnezzar revealed his dream? He told him: In the great dream you witnessed, Its head was of fine gold—this alludes to you; Its breasts and its arms of silver, to the kingdom of Media. After thee shall rise another kingdom that will be inferior to thee; And its thighs of brass refers to the kingdom of Greece. And another third king of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And its legs of iron, its feet part of iron and part of clay refers to the fourth kingdom, Edom; the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron (Dan. 2:33, 39–40). I will rule the entire world with the power of iron, as it is said: Beateth down all things (ibid.). Why is it compared to both iron and clay? Our sages said: Because in the future it will use a clay coin!11Possibly an allusion to the continual debasing of Roman coinage during the Empire, or a reference to the gradual collapse of the Roman Empire at the time of the compiling of this Midrash. Another comment on why it is compared to iron and clay. In the future it will be like iron and clay, for just as iron is hard, that kingdom will be hard, and just as clay is easy to break, so it will be broken. And he shall break it as a potter’s vessel is broken, breaking it in pieces without sparing; so that there shall not be found among the pieces thereof a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water out of the cistern (Isa. 30:14).", "Another comment. Why is it compared to vessels of clay? For it will in the future be handled like a clay vessel.", "He (Daniel) saw the coming of the Messiah (in his vision), as Daniel said: Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces (Dan. 2:34). R. Simeon the son of Lakish contended: This verse refers to the Messiah. Smote the image alludes to all the kingdoms that serve idols. Why is the rule of the Messiah likened to stone? It is likened to stone because of the Torah in which Israel labors, as it is said: The two tables of the testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God (Exod. 31:18). Another explanation as to why it is likened to a stone. It is because of the merit of Jacob, concerning whom it is written: From thence, from the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel (Gen. 49:24).", "Another explanation. He is likened to stone because it destroyed a heart of stone, as it is written: And I will remove the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh (Ezek. 36:21). Which smote the image (Dan. 2:34) indicates that He will put an end to all the nations, as is said: And he shall smite the land with the rod of His mouth (Isa. 11:4). At that time Israel will dwell in ease and security in the world, as it is stated: And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards therein; yea, they shall dwell safely (Ezek. 28:26)." ], [ "And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8). On which day did He relate to Moses the portion relating to the Temple? It was on the Day of Atonement. That was so despite the fact that the Torah portion describing the Sanctuary precedes the incident of the golden calf. R. Judah the son of R. Shalum said: There is actually no such thing as preceding or following in the Torah, as is said: Lest she should walk the even path of life, her ways wander, but she knoweth it not (Prov. 5:6). This verse refers to the arrangement of the Torah and its sections. Hence, it was on the Day of Atonement that He told Moses: Make Me a Sanctuary.", "Whence do we know this to be so? Moses went up Mount Sinai on the sixth day of Sivan, and remained there for forty days and forty nights. He stayed there another forty days, and then a final forty days, totaling one hundred and twenty days in all. Thus you find that it must have been on the Day of Atonement that he told Moses about the Temple, for it was on that day that they were forgiven. And on that day the Holy One, blessed be He, told them: Make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell therein, so that the nations might know that He had forgiven them for the episode of the golden calf. It was called the Sanctuary of the Testimony, for it bore witness to the nations of the world that the Holy One, blessed be He, dwelt within their Sanctuary.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Let gold be placed within the Sanctuary to atone for the gold with which the golden calf was fashioned, as it is said: And all the people broke off the golden rings (Exod. 32:3). Thus they atoned with gold; And this is the offering which ye shall take of them: gold (ibid. 25:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds (Jer. 30:17)." ], [ "And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent (Exod. 26:7). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: I have loved you, saith the Lord, yet ye say: “Wherein hast thou loved us?” (Mal. 1:2). Malachi uttered this verse in rebuking Israel. He said to them: Will a man rob God? Yet ye rob Me (ibid. 3:8). And they replied: Wherein have we robbed thee12Their response seems to indicate that they were robbing the prophet and not the Almighty.? (ibid.). Our sages declared: Malachi rebuked his generation, but they replied to him: Wherein have we robbed Thee?", "What is the meaning of Wherein have we robbed Thee? R. Levi stated: It is an Arabic expression. Whenever an Arab argues with his neighbor and says to him, “What are you stealing from me?” the other responds, “What are you stealing from me?” Hence, in response to Wherein have we robbed Thee, He replied: You robbed Me of the tithe and the offering that you failed to bring Me from your own tithes and offerings, as is proper. And then He said to them: I have loved you. And they retorted: Wherein hast Thou loved us? Whereupon He answered: Was not Esau Jacob’s brother, yet He loved only Jacob. He permitted him to eat in this world and to inherit the world-to-come.", "Normally, if a man has twins, and one is firstborn, the other is considered just another child. Who receives two portions? The firstborn. However Esau was the firstborn, as it is said: And the first came forth ruddy (Gen. 25:25), and was entitled to a double portion, but I did not do that. Instead, Jacob received two portions. That is why, when Esau said to Jacob: Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee (ibid. 33:12), Esau was saying to him: “Let us go together.” Jacob replied: Take your possessions and go forth,13He was fearful that Esau would take revenge for his stealing the birth-right. as it is said: Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servants, and I will journey on gently according to the pace of the cattle that are before me, and according to the pace of the children, until I come unto my Lord, unto Seir (ibid., v. 14).", "R. Jacob BeRabbi said: I have searched the entire Scripture and have found no statement that Jacob went to Seir. When did he go there? After he departed for the hereafter, as it is said: And a savior shall come up on Mount Zion (Obad. 21); Therefore, And he loved Jacob suggests that though he associates with Esau and partakes of the pleasures of this world, in the world-to-come, He spreadeth abroad his wings, beareth them upon his pinions … the Lord alone did lead him (Deut. 32:11–12). And so, Solomon said: Let them be thine own, and not strangers’ with thee (Prov. 5:17).", "I have loved you (Mal. 1:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: See how much I love you. The distance of the earth to the firmament is a distance of five hundred years’ journey, and the distance from the first firmament to the second firmament is also a distance of five hundred years’ journey, and the distance from each firmament to the next is another five hundred years’ journey, making the total distance through the universe a seven thousand years’ journey.14The seven firmaments plus the intervening areas total a distance of seven thousand walking years. And the step of the beasts15The legendary beast that draws the Divine Chariot (Hagigah 13a). is a distance of five hundred and fifteen years’ journey, and there is no need to estimate the distance above the hoofs of the beasts to the heavenly throne! And the Throne is above them all.", "Yet see how much I love you that I leave all of this because of my love for you to tell you: And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent (Exod. 26:7). Make for Me curtains of goats’ hair that I may come to dwell among you.", "For a tent (ibid.). I made clouds that sheltered you like a tent, as it is written: He spread a cloud for a screen (Ps. 105:39). And you shall also make the screen for the door of the tent (Exod. 39:39).", "R. Joshua the son of Levi declared: If the nations had known how important the Tabernacle and the Sanctuary were to them, they would have encircled them with tents and forts to protect them. Even before the Tabernacle was erected, the word of God had gone forth into the homes of the idolatrous people and caused them to become panic-stricken. Whence do we know this? It is written: For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire, as we have, and lived? (Deut. 5:23). You hearkened to His voice and have survived, but the idolatrous people, on hearing (His voice), became panic-stricken within their tents and perished.", "You must not say that the Sanctuary alone was precious to them, for the Temple was also precious. How do we know this? Solomon indicated it in his prayer: Moreover concerning the stranger that is not of Thy people Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for Thy name’s sake—for they shall hear of Thy great name, and of Thy mighty hand, and of Thine outstretched arm—when he shall come and pray toward this house, hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to Thee for; that all the peoples of the earth may know Thy name, to fear Thee, as doth Thy people Israel, and that they may know that Thy name is called upon this house which I have built (I Kings 8:41–43). However, when an Israelite prays before You in this Temple, Grant him all that his heart seeks, for You alone know what is in the heart of every man (ibid., v. 39). But if he should ask for children, and You know that they will provoke You to anger, do not give them to him. Similarly, if he desires property, and You know that in the future he will rebel against You because of it, do not give it to him, but for the non-Jew: Do according to all that the stranger calleth to Thee for, that all the people of the earth may know, etc. Israel, however, is aware of Thy name and Thy glory, and You can foresee at the beginning what will finally happen, for You are God, and whatever You desire, You can do.", "Do not say that the Temple alone was important to them (the peoples of the world), for Israel is also important to them. Were it not for Israel, the rain would never descend and the sun would never shine. It is on their account that the Holy One, blessed be He, causes the sun to shine in this world. In the future the idolatrous nations will recognize that the Holy One, blessed be He, is attached to Israel, and they, too, will come to cleave to Israel, as it is said: We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you (Zech. 8:23).", "R. Samuel the son of Nahman said: Prior to the erection of the Temple, the world rested on a foundation of two pillars, but after it was built the world became firmly established and He stood in His dwelling place. How do we know this? (That is what the Holy One, blessed be He, told Gad the prophet when He said: Go and tell My servant David: “Thus saith the Lord: Shalt thou build for Me a house for Me to dwell in?” [II Sam. 7:5]. However, following that it is written: Nevertheless, Thou shalt not build the house, but thy son that shalt come out of thy loins, he shall build the house for My name [I Kings 8:19]. But if you should build it, then, as it is said:)16Etz Joseph suggests that this text is out of place. I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant it, that they may dwell in their own place (II Sam. 7:10). “I will plant them” is not written in this verse, but rather plant it, indicating that the world would then be firmly established.", "Before the Temple was established the world rested on a foundation of two pillars, but after the Temple was erected, the world became firmly established. You should not assert that the Temple alone made the world secure, for the Sanctuary was also vitally important to the nations of the world. Why was that? Prior to the erection of the Temple, the idolatrous nations, upon hearing the voice of the Lord, became panic-stricken within their tents. The Holy One, blessed be He, therefore, said to Moses: Make Me a Sanctuary, that I may speak with thee in it. Furthermore, I am anxious to dwell among My children. When the ministering angels heard that, they began to cry out: Master of the Universe, why do you leave the heavenly spheres in order to descend to the lower spheres? O Lord, our God, how glorious is Thy name in all the earth! Whose majesty is rehearsed above the heavens (Ps. 8:2). Such is Your glory that You should remain in heaven. Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Be assured, I am doing what you told Me. Habakkuk said: God cometh from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covereth the heavens, and the earth is full of His praise (Hab. 3:3).", "At first, His glory extended over the heavens, but later the earth was full of His praise. David said to them: He mocks you, for His praise extends over the earth, as it is said: Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven (Ps. 148:13). The Holy One, blessed be He, continued: Why do you wonder about this? Observe how very much I love the earthly beings that I shall descend and dwell behind a curtain of goats’ hair for their sake. As it is said: Thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair (Exod. 26:7).", "R. Judah and R. Nehemiah discussed this matter.17See above, sect. 6. R. Judah was of the opinion that the animal from which they made the curtain was a large, pure animal that roamed the desert. R. Nehemiah maintained that it was a miraculous event. It was created for that particular moment, and then it disappeared. You may know that this is so from the scriptural verse: And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair, and the length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits (ibid., v. 8). How else could one possibly obtain a curtain thirty cubits in length (other than from a miraculous creation)? From this you learn that it must have been as R. Nehemiah stated. However, you must not be of the opinion that the curtains alone came from a miraculous event, for the cedar beams did likewise. Where did the cedar beams come from? Jacob our patriarch planted them at the time he descended to Egypt. He told his children: My sons, ultimately you will be redeemed from this place, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to you: “You will be redeemed,” so that you may build a Sanctuary for Him. Therefore, go plant cedar trees now so that when He commands you to erect a Sanctuary for Him, beams of cedar will be available. Forthwith they arose and planted as he had commanded them to do.", "Our sages of blessed memory said: And the middle bar in the midst of the boards (ibid., v. 28). They went down to Egypt with Jacob our patriarch, for it was difficult for them to bolt the boards from end to end. Furthermore, these cedars intoned a song before the Lord. Whence do we know that they sang a song? Because it is written: Then shall all the trees of the world sing for joy before the Lord (Ps. 96:12). The word then is employed in reference to a song, as is said: Then sang Moses (Exod. 15:1). When did that occur? At the time the Sanctuary was erected from them. The Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Moses concerning the Tabernacle: And thou shalt make the boards for the Tabernacle of acacia wood, standing up (ibid. 26:15). “Thou shalt make boards” is not written here, but rather Thou shalt make the boards standing, that is, they should use those boards that their fathers had previously prepared for them. The word standing refers to the boards that were already in existence.", "R. Samuel the son of Nahman held: There are twenty-four varieties of cedar, but only seven were selected, as it is said: I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia tree, and the myrtle, and the oil-tree; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane tree, and the larch together (Isa. 41:19). The cypress refers to the fir tree; the plane tree to the maple; the larch to the boxwood tree. It was called te’ashur (“larch”) because it was the most fortunate (me’ushar) of all cedars. From among them all only the acacia tree was selected, as it is said: The Tabernacle of acacia-wood. Why did He call them shittim (“acacia”)? He did so in order to offset what would ultimately transpire at Shittim (i.e., Israel’s sin), as it is said: And Israel abode in Shittim (Num. 25:1).18Where they engaged in harlotry with the Moabites (see Num. 25). You must not believe that only the Tabernacle made by Moses was constructed with acacia-wood. Indeed, every ark that the people of Israel constructs must have boards of acacia-wood in it.", "Another explanation. They sinned at Shittim, they were smitten at Shittim, and they were healed by means of Shittim. They sinned at Shittim; as it is said: And Israel abode in Shittim (Num. 25:4); they were smitten at Shittim, as it is said: And those that died by the plague (ibid., v. 9); and they were healed by means of Shittim, as it is said: Boards of acacia (shittim) wood. You find that they did not leave that place until Phinehas arose and turned away His wrath, as it is said: Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned My wrath away from the children of Israel (ibid., v. 11). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: In the world-to-come I will heal at Shittim, as it is said: And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim (Joel 4:18)." ], [ "And thou shalt make the altar of acacia-wood (Exod. 27:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Tell them to erect an altar for burnt offerings so that it may atone for the sins of My sons. I made an agreement with Abraham their father that if his sons sinned, I would forgive them because of their sacrifices, as it is said: And he said unto him: “Take me a heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old (Gen. 15:9). What do the letters in the Hebrew word mizbeah (“altar”) stand for? The mem stands for mehilah (“pardon”), the zayin stands for zekhut (“merit”), the bet for berakhah (“blessing”), and the het for hayyim (“life”). The burnt offering (ha’oleh) ascended on your account. Thus Solomon said: Who is this that cometh (oleh) up out of the wilderness? (Song 3:6). Boards of acacia-wood standing. These were used because of the merit of Abraham, as it is said: And He stood by them under the tree, and they did eat (Gen. 18:8).", "Shittim implies that they acted foolishly (sh’tut) and angered Me by erecting the golden calf. However, they brought acacia-wood (shittim) and were forgiven for their foolish (shetutan) foolishness.", "Another explanation of the word shittim. The shin stands for shalom (“peace”), the tet for tov (“good”), the yod for yeshuah (“salvation”), and the mem for mehilah (“pardon”). They held the tablets on which the ten words (commandments) are written; five were inscribed on one tablet, and five on the other. Five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof (Exod. 38:1). They contained the tablets, for it is written concerning the Ten Commandments, five were on one tablet and five on the other. And the height thereof shall be three cubits (ibid. 27:1). This corresponds to the three redeemers, as is said: I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam (Mic. 6:4).", "And he made the horns thereof upon the four corners of it (Exod. 38:2), in order to obtain forgiveness for the nation that exalted Him through four horns. The horn that came from Sinai, as it is said: And He hath lifted up a horn for His people (Ps. 148:14); the horn of the Torah: Horns hath He set at His side; and there is the hiding of His power (Hab. 3:4); the horn of the priesthood, as it is said: And My horn hast thou exalted (Ps. 92:11); and the horn of kingship, as is said: Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent forth beams (horns) (Exod. 34:29). And it is written elsewhere: And there was a king in Jeshurun (Deut. 33:5)." ], [ "And thou shalt overlay it with brass (Exod. 27:2). R. Judah the son of Shalum stated: Moses had said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, You told me to make an altar of acacia-wood and to overlay it with brass, and You said also: A fire should burn perpetually unto Me on the altar (Lev. 6:6). But will not the fire penetrate the overlay and burn the wood? The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Moses, normally this does happen, but think of the angels of glowing fire who are near Me, and of the treasures of snow and hail that I possess, as it is said: Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, or hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail? (Job 38:22), and it says also: Who layest the beams of thine upper chambers in the waters (Ps. 104:3). The water, however, does not extinguish the fire, nor does the fire consume the water. The creatures of fire, likewise, are unaffected by the waters of the firmament above their heads, as is said: As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like the coals of fire, burning like the appearance of torches; it flashed up and down among the living creatures (Ezek. 1:13). It is also written there: And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, like the color of the terrible ice, stretched forth over their heads above (ibid., v. 22). They bore the entire body of water which was the thickness of the firmament, a distance of five hundred years’ journey, and they also supported the great bodies of fire, which stood between the firmaments, that were a distance of five hundred years’ journey.", "R. Berechiah stated in the name of R. Helbo and in the name of R. Abba: The hoofs of the beasts are also a distance of four hundred years’ journey, and all of them bear fire through the firmament which is filled with water, and the fire does not consume the water, and the water does not extinguish the fire. Why was that? He makes peace in His heavens. Yet because I told you to burn a perpetual light on the altar, you are fearful that it might burn the wood!", "The lifeless and dead things are brought before Me, and they depart alive. This refers to the staff of Aaron: And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the Testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and blossomed blossoms, and bore ripe almonds (Num. 17:23). The cedars that Hiram king of Tyre sent to Solomon for the building of the Temple absorbed the living spirit of the world and were restored to life.", "R. Levi said: When Solomon brought the ark into the Temple, all the trees and cedars there came to life and bore fruit, as it is said: Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God (Ps. 92:14). They brought forth fruit and supplied a large share of the provisions for the young priests. But when Manasseh brought the idol into the Temple, the Shekhinah departed from it and the fruit withered, as is said: And the flower of Lebanon languisheth (Nah. 1:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: The staves which you employed in the ark will grow longer during the next (four hundred and) eighty-four years, as it is said: And the staves were so long that the ends of the staves were seen from the holy place (I Kings 8:8).", "The lifeless brought before Me depart alive, yet you fear that the wood in the altar erected in My honor will burn! Who commanded the fire to burn? Learn from your own experience! When you entered into the midst of the wall of fire and walked among the bands (of angels in heaven), you should have been consumed, yet you came unto Me, as it is said: But Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was (Exod. 20:18). I am a consuming fire, as is said: For the Lord thy God is a devouring fire (Deut. 4:24), and it would have been normal for you to have been consumed. Why were you not (consumed)? Because you ascended for My glory. Likewise, in the case of the altar of the burnt offering, concerning which it is written: Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually, neither the brass will be affected, nor will the wood be burned.", "If you should be of the opinion that the brass was not affected because it was thick, R. Nehemiah declared that the overlay was but the thickness of a dinar. R. Phinehas the son of Hama said: If you should believe that the fire descended from on high only for a short time, and that is why the altar was not damaged, the fact is that this altar was so important that the fire was not removed from it either by day or by night, as it is said: The fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually. Why was the overlay made of brass? In order to atone for the brazen brow (i.e., Israel’s stubbornness),19See Kiddushin 70b. as it is said: And thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass (Isa. 48:4).", "You find that the altar erected by Moses was more precious to the Holy One, blessed be He, than the altar for the burnt offering made by Solomon. Proof of this is that when Solomon built the Temple, he built an altar for the burnt offering, as is said: A thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar (I Kings 3:4). but because he knew that the altar of brass that Moses had erected was more precious to the Holy One, blessed be He, he brought out the brass altar (which Moses had made), as it is said: Moreover, he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof (II Chron. 4:1).", "Observe how precious the altar of brass that Moses constructed was to the Holy One. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because of this altar upon which fire will burn day and night, I will call to account the kingdom of Edom through fire, and she shall burn day and night, as is said: It shall go up forever; from generation to generation it shall lie waste. None shall pass through it forever and ever (Isa. 34:10)." ] ], "Tetzaveh": [ [ "And thou shalt command the children of Israel (Exod. 27:20). May it please our masters to teach us: At what age must an infant be circumcised? So do our masters teach us: An infant must be circumcised on the eighth day. Why? Because our patriarch Isaac was circumcised on that day. R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: Observe that though nothing is more precious to a man than his own son, he is required to circumcise him. Why must he do that? R. Nahman the son of Samuel said: He does so in order to fulfill the will of his Creator, and even though he witnesses his son’s blood flowing from the circumcision, he welcomes it joyfully. R. Hanina declared: And what is more, he spends his money to celebrate the occasion, something which he was not commanded (to do). Why is that so? Because Scripture states: But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise Thee yet more and more (Ps. 71:14). Not only that, but a man even borrows money and goes into debt (if need be) to celebrate on that day.", "R. Yudan asked: When is a son most beloved by his father? When he commences to talk. That is what Scripture says: Is Ephraim a darling son unto me? Is he a child that is a delight?1Or: that is dandled. See Leviticus Rabbah 2:3. (Jer. 31:20). When does a child become a delight? At the age of three or four years, when he begins to chatter, he becomes a source of delight to his father.", "R. Bisna asserted: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: My sons, do for Me what I have done for you: I fed you in the desert, therefore you must sacrifice a lamb unto me: Thou shalt offer in the morning (Exod. 29:39). Then washed I thee with water; yea, I cleansed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil. I clothed thee also with richly woven work, and shod thee with sealskin, and I wound fine linen about thy head, and covered thee with silk. I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a ring upon thy nose, and earrings in thy ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head (Ezek. 16:9–12).", "Then washed I thee with water indicates that you must make a laver2To be placed in the Temple courtyard for the use of the priests. for Me. I anointed thee with oil corresponds to the anointing oil (that must be available).3For anointing the High Priest. I clothed thee also with richly woven work corresponds to the embroidered garments (worn in the Temple). And shod thee with sealskin (tahash) corresponds to the tehashim that were used (for the cover of the Holy of Holies). And I wound fine linen about thy head corresponds to the twisted linen (of the priests’ garments). And covered thee with silk corresponds to the clouds of glory, as it is said: The pillar of cloud departed not from before the people (Exod. 13:22), and that corresponds to the curtains of goats’ hair. I decked thee also with ornaments alludes to the purple cloak, and that corresponds to the ark and its overlay. And I put a ring upon thy nose corresponds to the nose rings and earrings that (the women brought to donate for the gold of the Tabernacle and priestly garments). A beautiful crown upon thy head corresponds to the ark cover and the gold rim around the table. Behold, I will cause to rain bread (Exod. 16:4) corresponds to the show-bread. And the Lord went before them by day (ibid. 13:21) corresponds to His injunction that the Israelites shall burn a lamp continually." ], [ "And thou shalt command the children of Israel (Exod. 27:20). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Thou wouldst call, and I would answer Thee; Thou wouldst have a desire to the work of Thy hand (Job 14:15). The congregation of Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He, Master of the Universe: You will call, and I will respond. Whatever You decree, I will fulfill, but with reference to Thou wouldst have a desire to the work of Thy hand, is there a man who actually desires to perform the work of His hand? The word desire can only be understood as in the verse, Now that thou have surely gone, for thou sore longest after thy father’s house (Gen. 31:30). Hence, Thou wouldst have a desire to the work of Thy hand means that You longed for the assistance of man in the work of Your hand. For though You bear the entire world, as is written: I have made and I will bear; yea I will carry and will deliver (Isa. 46:4), yet You did command the sons of Kohath to bear Your glory (the ark), as is said: But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the holy things belongs unto them (Num. 7:9). Hence, Thou wouldst have a desire to work of Thy hand. You feed the entire world, yet You did command me to offer sacrifices: My food which is presented unto Me (ibid. 28:2). You are a light to the whole world, yet Thou didst enjoin us to burn a lamp continually. By Your light, we see light, yet You tell us to light a lamp.", "R. Meir declared that the Holy One, blessed be He, said: The lamps that Aaron lights are more precious to Me than the luminaries that I placed in heaven. Why was he permitted to perform that act? At the time the heads of the tribes brought the dedicatory offering to the altar, the tribe of Levi was not called upon to bring a sacrifice and Aaron was deeply distressed. He said: All the chiefs of the tribes brought a dedicatory offering, but I have had no share in the sacrifices. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Be assured, all the other tribes will bring only one offering, but you alone will perform the dedication before the veil, which is without the curtain of testimony in the Tent of Meeting, for Aaron and his sons shall set it in order (Exod. 27:21). Scripture states in reference to the above verse: Lord, Thou hast heard the desire of the humble (Ps. 10:17). Therefore, though the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Thou shalt command, it is written later that Aaron and his sons shall set it in order. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Command the children of Israel to bring the oil so that Aaron may light it before Me." ], [ "And thou shalt command the children of Israel (Exod. 27:20). If the lamp which is not for the purpose of eating requires pure olive oil, should not the meal-offerings, which are for the purpose of eating, require pure olive oil? However, Scripture reserves pure olive oil for the light, but not for the meal-offering. R. Hanina, chief of the priests, said: I used to minister in the Temple, and there was a miraculous thing which occurred with the lamp. When they lit the lamp at the beginning of the year, it did not go out until the following year. But once, it happened that the olives did not provide sufficient pure olive oil, and the priests began to weep. Then R. Hanina, chief of the priests, continued: I was in the Temple at that time, and I discovered that the lamp was burning more brightly than at any time during the year. That, indeed, was a miracle, and that is why Scripture specifies pounded pure olive oil beaten for the light, but not for the meal-offering. Why is that so? Since the Holy One, blessed be He, has decreed that they should light the lamp only once a year, they must burn pure pounded olive oil in the lamp, but inasmuch as the meal-offering was sacrificed every day, pure oil pounded was not specified. Our sages of blessed memory said: When they lit the lamp, all the courtyards in Jerusalem were illumined by them. Thus it is said: That they bring unto Thee pure olive oil beaten for the light." ], [ "And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten for the light (Exod. 27:20). The Israelites declared: Master of the Universe, it is stated: By Thy light shall we see light, yet You commanded us to kindle lights before You. R. Isaac related an anecdote about a house filled with lighted torches. The master of the house told his servant: “Light some lamps for us in the courtyard.” “But the house is fully lighted,” he replied, “why do you bid me to light lamps in the courtyard?” He answered: “Do it so that the servants will have light.”", "It states: The seven lamps shall give light in front of the candlestick (Num. 8:2). It was for that reason that the Holy One, blessed be He, declared: It is not because I require the light lit by man that I warn you concerning the lamps, but that you may know how dear you are to Me. For example, though it is written: And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting, because the Lord abode therein, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle (Exod. 40:35), yet Scripture states: They should light lamps before Him. Obviously, I have commanded this because you are dear to me.", "That they bring unto thee. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: They should bring it to you, Moses, not because I need a light, but in order that you may see how to enter and how to leave. This may be compared to a blind man traveling on a road together with a person who could see. The seeing man led the blind man during the day. That evening the man who could see said to the blind man: “Go, light a lamp for us.” The other replied: “All day long, you led me through darkness, because I could not see even myself, and now you tell me to light the lamp.” The seeing man symbolizes the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning whom it is written: Which are the eyes of the Lord, that run to and fro through the whole earth (Zech. 4:10), and the blind man symbolizes Israel, about whom it is said: We grope for the wall like the blind, yea, as they have no eyes do we grope; we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; we are in dark places like the dead (Isa. 59:10).", "How important He is to us, David tells us in the verse: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? (Ps. 27:1). When did David utter this verse? While fighting against the Amalekite bands. He fought against them at night and slew them, as it is said: And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening (I Sam. 30:17). Who indeed lit the shooting stars and sent the lightning for them? R. Eleazar the son of Pedat was of the opinion that this verse refers to the war waged against the Egyptians after they pursued the Israelites. Observe what is written there: And there was the cloud and the darkness here, yet it gave light by night there (Exod. 14:20). R. Oshaya declared: When the Israelites saw the light they cried out: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: If you light lamps before Me, I will illumine the world in your behalf with a great light, as it is said: But the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory (Isa. 16:19)." ], [ "And thou shalt command (Exod. 27:20). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair (Song 1:15). R. Akiba said: The entire world was never as worthy as on the day the Song of Songs was given to Israel. Though all the writings in the Torah are holy, the Song of Songs is the most sacred. R. Eleazar the son of Azariah declared: To what may this be compared? It may be compared to a ruler who brought a measure of wheat and gave to a baker. He told him: “Sift this much fine flour, this much bran, this much coarse bran, and then take enough fine and well-sifted flour4Jastrow says it is a Syriac word, describing a type of white flour that makes a delicate bread. for one loaf of bread and bake it.” Similarly, all the writings are holy, but the Song of Songs is the holiest of all. Proof of this is that the Holy One, blessed be He, proclaimed unto Israel: Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair. Thine eyes are like doves (Song 1:15).", "Behold, thou art fair; that is, in the performing the deeds of your fathers. Behold, thou art fair implies in your home, and behold, thou art fair in the field. In your home alludes to the house that has a mezuzah upon it; And thou shalt write them upon the doorposts of thy house (Deut. 11:20). In the field refers to the field that contains the heave-offerings, tithes, gleanings, the poor man’s sheaves, and the corners left for the needy. Behold, thou art fair in thy house refers to the roof of your house, as is said: When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a parapet for thy roof (Deut. 22:8) Behold, thou art fair in this world; behold, thou art fair in the world-to-come.", "Behold, thou art fair, my love. R. Simeon the son of Pazzi said: The Holy One, blessed be He, at times employed a redundancy and at other times spoke directly. Why? He uses a redundancy so that when His wishes are not fulfilled, He can substitute another (nation for Israel). But what He says when He makes a direct statement implies that He does not desire to substitute some other (nation). Therefore He said: Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant and Behold, thou art fair my love; behold, thou art fair (Song 1:15–16).", "In what way is He fair? Thine eyes are as a dove’s. This refers to the Sanhedrin, which is likened to a dove. Thine eyes are as doves (Song 1:15). Just as the entire body follows one’s eyes, so all Israel follows the Sanhedrin in all its decrees with regard to the impurity of the unclean animal, and the purity of the clean animal. Hence, Thine eyes are as doves. Another explanation of Thine eyes are as doves. Just as the dove recognizes its mate, and does not depart from her, so Israel, when it recognizes the Holy One, blessed be He, does not stray from Him nor forsake Him. Another explanation of As a dove. All other birds move convulsively while being slaughtered, but the dove alone stretches out its neck. Similarly, no nation in the world but Israel permits itself to be destroyed in order to sanctify His name, as is said: Nay, but for Thy sake are we killed all the day (Ps. 44:23).", "Thine eyes are as doves. R. Isaac stated: The Holy One, blessed be He, told them: Their (Israel’s) nature is like that of a dove. When one desires to purchase wheat from his companion, he says to him: “Describe its properties to me.” Their nature is like unto that of a dove (in another respect). How do we know this? It is written: When Noah was in the ark he sent forth a raven, and it went forth, and that is followed by the verse He sent a dove from him, and the dove came in unto him (Gen. 8:8, 11). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Just as the dove brought light to the world (by bringing Noah an olive leaf), so you, who are compared to a dove, must bring olive oil and kindle lamps before Me, as it is said: And thou shalt command that they bring unto thee." ], [ "And thou shalt command (Exod. 27:20). It is written elsewhere in Scripture: Thy head (roshekh) upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair (dalat) of thy head like the purple; and the king is held captive in the tresses thereof (Song 7:6). The poor (harash) within Israel are equal to Elijah. It is said of him: And Elijah went up to the top (rosh) of Carmel and put his face between his knees (I Kings 18:42). And the hair (dalat) of thy head like the purple signifies that the feeble ones (hadal) in Israel are equal to Daniel, for it is written concerning him: They clothed Daniel with purple (Dan. 5:29). The king is held captive (asur) in the tresses. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: It is as if I am bound (asur) to you, as though it were possible, by an oath. Because of whose merit am I bound to you? Because of the two times in which Abraham ran before Me, as it is said: And Abraham ran unto the herd (Gen. 18:7), and He ran to meet them from the tent door (ibid., v. 1). Therefore, The king is held captive in the tresses thereof.5The King, God, was bound to fulfill His promise because Abraham ran to carry out mitzvot (divine commandments) as the law required.", "According to the explanation of R. Abba the son of Kahana, The king is held captive in the tresses applies to Jacob. It is written concerning him: And he set the rods which he had peeled over against the flocks in the gutters (barhatim) in the watering-troughs (ibid. 30:38). Hence The king is held captive in the tresses thereof. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: I will make you a king, and just as a king’s people fulfill his decrees, so when you decree they will fulfill it.", "Pure olive oil beaten for the light (Exod. 27:20). Why not oil derived from nuts or radishes or fish, or any other kind of oil? Why only olive oil? Because the olive oil is the symbol of light in the world. That they bring unto thee. You are appointed in charge of this matter. Our sages taught: There are three types of olives, and each one produces three grades of oil. The first type of olive is the one that is permitted to ripen at the very top of the olive tree. After they have ripened fully they bring them to the building that contains the tank and the machinery used for pressing the olives. They place them in the press and crush them with the beam. This causes the first grade of oil to flow. They remove the oil, and then crush them (the olives) a second time, expelling the second grade of oil. Finally, they grind the pulp until the third-grade oil flows out. The first-grade oil is used for the lamp, and the second for the meal offering.", "The second variety of olives ripens at roof level. After these ripen they bring them to the building in which the olives are pressed. They place them in the vat and press them with the beam, forcing out the first grade oil. They remove the oil and press the pulp a second time, expelling the second-grade oil. Finally, they grind the pulp to squeeze out the third-grade oil. The first-grade oil is used for the lamp, and the second for the meal-offering.", "Finally, the third type of olives is taken to the building containing the machinery for crushing olives. After they have been beaten to a pulp, it is taken to the roof, where it is allowed to dry in the vat. Then it is crushed and the pulp is removed and placed in a basket. The oil that remains in the vat is the first-grade oil. The pulp is pressed again with a beam to force out the second-grade oil, and then it is crushed once more to produce the third-grade oil. The first-grade oil is used for the lamp, and the second for the meal offering. No oil is superior to the first-grade oil that comes from the first type of olives. The second-grade oil that comes from the highest-grade olives and the first-grade oil that flows from the second-grade olives are of equal quality. The third-grade oil from the first olives, the second-grade oil from the second olives, and the first from the third-grade olives are of equal quality. The third-grade oil from the second-grade olives and the second-grade oil from the third-grade olives are of equal quality. There is nothing poorer than the third-grade oil that is derived from the third-grade olives. Pure olive oil beaten for the light. Normally a man would utilize the inferior oil for lighting a lamp, and the good oil for his food. However, in the Tent of Meeting and in the Sanctuary, this was not done. The pure beaten oil was used for the light, and the inferior oil was utilized for the meal offerings.", "David declared: For Thou dost light my lamp (Ps. 18:29). R. Berechiah BeRabbi6A title of honor. said: No eye is able to look at the birth of fire Above, as it is said: And there was brightness to the fire, and out of the fire went forth lightning (Ezek. 1:13). And no eye is able to look at the lightning though it needs light. R. Johanan said: In your eyes there is a white part, through which you are not able to see, and a dark part in the middle of the eye, by means of which one does see. In other words, one sees out of the dark part of the eye and not out of the white part. You are unable to survive by means of the light part of your own eyes (through which you cannot see), yet you desire to survive by means of the light of the Holy One, blessed be He. Why is this so? Your first inclination might lead you to err and say: “He requires your light.” R. Abin the Levite BeRabbi:7See above, note 6. You find that when a man constructs windows, he builds them wide on the inside and narrow on the outside. Why? He does this so that the light may spread throughout the house. The windows in the Temple, however, were constructed wide on the outside and narrow within, so that the light of the Temple might spread forth to illumine the world. Therefore He demanded the lamps only for our sake. David said: Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart (Ps. 97:11)." ], [ "In the tent of meeting, without the veil (Exod. 27:21). In case you are inclined to assert that He required the light, the menorah was placed before the curtain near the ark, outside of the veil. This was to demonstrate to you that He did not require the light supplied by man. Usually, when a human king constructs a bed and a table, he places a lamp on the table at his left side, but in the Temple, the Menorah was placed at the right of the table, as it is said: And thou shalt set the table without the veil, and the candlestick over against the table (Exod. 26:35). This was done to teach you that He does not require your light. It was instituted solely for your sake, so that the world would be illumined in the future, when darkness descends upon the nations of the world, as it is said: For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but upon thee the Lord will arise, and His glory shall be seen upon thee (Isa. 60:2)." ], [ "Pure olive oil beaten for the light (Exod. 27:20). You find that a person standing in the dark can observe what is transpiring in a lighted place. However, anyone standing in a lighted place is unable to observe what is happening in the dark. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, can see in the dark or in the light, as it is said: He knoweth what is in the darkness, etc. (Dan. 2:22).", "R. Judah the son of Eleazar said: On that day He set (the sun) within its casing. Whence do we know that? That is what is written: In them hath he set a tent for the sun (Ps. 19:5). At the time of the summer solstice, however, it leaves its casing in order to ripen the fruits. However, the world is hardly able to tolerate the sun. Why? Because its light is so intense. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Though you are unable to endure the light that I created, I desire a light nevertheless. Why did they prepare the olive oil? They noticed that the trees had produced excellent olives, and so they took them and crushed them. The first oil pressed out was set aside for the lamp, and the second was set aside for the meal-offering in order to fulfill the verse: Pure olive oil beaten for the light.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Tell the Israelites that in this world my sons are responsible for the light in the Sanctuary and must kindle it, but in the Messianic days, because of that lamp, I will bring you a Messiah who is likened unto a lamp, as it is said: There will I make a horn to shoot up unto David, there have I ordered a lamp for Mine anointed (Ps. 132:17).", "Whosoever offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving honoreth Me; and to him that ordereth his way aright will I show the salvation of God (ibid. 50:23). R. Menahem the son of Yosé said: This verse alludes to those who light lamps in dark alleys for the benefit of the public. R. Simeon the son of Lakish declared: Saul was worthy of kingship because his grandfather lit lamps in dark alleys for the sake of the public. One verse tells us: And Ner (“light”) begot Kish (I Chron. 8:33), and another verse says: Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel (I Sam. 14:51). In this verse he was called Abiel, but because he lit lamps in dark alleys for the public good he was also called Ner (“light”). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: In this world you require a light, but in the future, Nations shall walk at thy light, and kings at the brightness of thy horizon (Isa: 60:30)." ], [ "And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them (Exod. 29:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: The wise shall inherit honor (Prov. 3:35). Fitting, indeed, is the honor accorded to the wise men who labor in the Torah. The Torah says: Riches and honor are with me; yea, enduring riches and righteousness (Prov. 8:18). You find that though thirty-six generations passed by between Adam and Jabez, the word honor is employed only in reference to Jabez, as it is said: And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren (I Chron. 4:9). Why was he referred to as honorable? Because he was one of the wise men who arranged public assemblies to discuss problems of law, as is said: And the families of scribes that dwelt at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, the Succathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab (I Chron. 2:55). R. Judah the son of Shalum stated in the name of R. Aibu: Two descendants of Adam were similarly honored, etc.", "Another explanation of The wise shall inherit honor. This refers to Joshua, who inherited honor from Moses, our master, when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee (Josh. 1:5). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Put off thy shoes from off thy feet (Exod. 3:5), and to Joshua He said: Put off thy shoe from off thy foot (Josh. 5:15). Concerning Moses it is written: Then sang Moses and the children of Israel (Exod. 15:1), and about Joshua it is said: Then spoke Joshua to the Lord, in the day when the Lord delivered (Josh. 10:12). Moses led them out of Egypt, while Joshua led them into the Holy Land. Moses slew Sihon and Og, while Joshua slew thirty-one kings. Moses halted the revolution of the sun in the war with Amalek, as it is said: And Moses lifted up his hand (Exod. 17:11). The word lifted up refers to his halting of the revolution of the sun, as it is said: The deep uttereth its voice, and lifteth up its voice on high (Hab. 3:10). Joshua did likewise, as is said: Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon, in the valley of Aijalon (Josh. 10:12). Moses erected an altar, as it is said: And Moses built an altar (Exod. 17:15), and Joshua did likewise: Then Joshua built an altar (Josh. 8:3). Moses wrote the law, as is said: And Moses wrote this law (Deut. 31:9), and Joshua did also, as it is said: And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God (Josh. 24:26). And so this was in every instance.", "However, we find that he did not live the same number of years as Moses, our teacher. It is written about Moses: And Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died (Deut. 34:7), while Joshua passed away at the age of one hundred and ten years. Why did he live ten years less? Because he spoke ten words before Moses, his master, spoke, as it is said: And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses from his youth up, answered and said: “My lord Moses, shut them in” (Num. 11:28). That is why He shortened his life ten years. From this verse you learn that no pupil is permitted to speak before his master, and that anyone who teaches anything before his master does, or even if he does not teach but simply tells others what the law is before his master has stated it, will find his life’s span shortened. Another explanation of the verse The wise shall inherit honor. This alludes to Aaron and his sons, through whom the priesthood was established." ], [ "This is the thing that thou shalt do unto them (Exod. 29:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: But Thou, O Lord, art on high for evermore (Ps. 92:9). And preceding this is written: When the wicked spring up as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they may be destroyed forever (ibid., v. 8). Whenever the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts retribution from the wicked, His name is glorified throughout the world, as it is said: And against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments; I am the Lord (Exod. 12:12).", "Similarly, Rahab said: We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when you came out of Egypt…. As soon as we had heard it, our hearts did melt, and no spirit remained in any man, and it was because of you. This is followed by: For the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above, and on the earth beneath (Josh. 2:10–11). It is also written: And the idols shall utterly pass away (Isa. 2:18), And at that time the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day (ibid., v. 17). Likewise, And saviors shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau (Obad 21). And then the kingdom shall be the Lord’s (ibid.), and it is written elsewhere: And the Lord shall be King (Zech. 14:9).", "Similarly, Thus shall you say unto them: “The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens; but He that hath made the earth, by His power, that hath established the world by His wisdom,” etc. (Jer. 10:11–12). Likewise it is stated: Let sinners cease out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more (Ps. 104:35). At that hour, bless the Lord, O my soul. Hallelujah (ibid.). You can explain innumerable verses in the same way. There are numerous passages to prove that idolaters are punished. In Salem also is set His Tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion. There He broke the fiery shafts of the bow; the shield, and the sword, and the battle, Selah. In Judah is God known (Ps. 76:3–4, 2). Hence, whenever He exacts retribution from the wicked, His name is magnified in the world.", "But Thou, O Lord, art on high for evermore (Ps. 92:9). Whenever a mortal king judges a man and acquits him, they praise him, but whenever he holds a man guilty, they do not praise him. When the Holy One, blessed be He, benefits a person, His praises are proclaimed: “Blessed is the good and He who does good,” and when evil befalls a person, His praises are also proclaimed: “Blessed be the truthful judge.” Hence, Thou art on high for evermore. Similarly David said: I will lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. I found trouble and sorrow, but I called upon the name of the Lord (Ps. 116:3–4). And likewise, In God—I will praise His word—In the Lord—I will praise His word (Ps. 56:11). Similarly, Job declared: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21).", "Another explanation of But Thou, O Lord, art on high for evermore. David declared: Master of the Universe, whenever You give a leadership role to a man, it never leaves him. You gave kingship to the house of David, and it never departed from him, as it is said: And David My servant shall be their prince forever (Ezek. 37:25). You gave priesthood to Aaron, and it never departed from him, as it is said: And it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood (Num. 25:13). Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed that Aaron should be elevated to the high priesthood. Hence, But Thou, O Lord, art on high for evermore.", "Why did He elevate Aaron and his sons to that holy station? R. Mani of Shaab and R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: When the Israelites pleaded with him to erect the golden calf, they said to Aaron: Up, make us a god (Exod. 32:1). Thereupon Hur the son of Caleb arose and rebuked them. They attacked him and killed him. Aaron beheld what had happened and feared (vayir’a) for his own life, as it is said: And when Aaron saw (vaya’r) he built an altar before it (ibid., v. 5). You know that they killed Hur, for Moses told them before he ascended the mountain: Behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whosoever hath a cause, let him come near unto them (ibid. 24:14), but after he descended, you find that he did not refer to Hur either as living or as dead. What does Scripture say: And Moses said to Aaron: “What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought a great sin upon them?” (ibid. 32:21). Obviously they must have killed Hur.", "When Aaron saw what had happened he built the altar. He took the gold nose rings and cast them into the fire, as it is said: I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf (ibid., v. 24). Aaron was afraid that the Holy One, blessed be He, was angry with him, and so the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses: And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them (Exod. 29:1); that is, elevate Aaron and his sons to the high priesthood, to make it known that Aaron had acted only out of fear. In that way he made them realize that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not hold the deed of the golden calf against them.", "He took a bullock as an offering to atone for the golden calf, which was a bullock, and two rams to correspond to his two sons who were destined to die. Indeed, all his sons deserved to die, as it is said: Moreover, the Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him (Deut. 9:20). Have destroyed is an expression used to indicate the complete elimination of offspring, as it is said: Yet I have destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath (Amos 2:9). Because Moses prayed for him, as it is written: And I prayed for Aaron also the same time (Deut. 9:29), only two of his sons perished, while the other two survived." ], [ "This is the thing that thou shalt do unto them (Exod. 29:11). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The wise shall inherit honor; but as for the fools, they carry away shame (Prov. 3:35). The wise shall inherit honor refers to the Israelites, and the fools they carry away shame alludes to idolaters. When did Israel inherit honor? When she accepted the law.", "R. Johanan stated: Sixty thousand guardian angels descended at Sinai with the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: The chariots of God are myriads, even thousands upon thousands (Ps. 68:18). They placed a wreath upon the head of each Israelite. R. Abba the son of Kahana held: When the Israelites stood at Sinai and proclaimed: All that the Lord hath spoken will we do, and obey (Exod. 24:17), the Holy One, blessed be He, loved them immediately and sent two angels to each of them; one to strap on his armor and the other to place a crown upon his head.", "R. Simeon was of the opinion that He clothed them in royal garments, as is said: I clothed thee also with richly woven work (Ezek. 16:10). R. Huna of Sepphoris maintained: He girded them with armor, as it is said: I wound fine linen (ibid.). R. Simeon the son of Yohai insisted: He girded them with armor and encircled them with the Tetragrammaton. Therefore, The wise shall inherit honor (Prov. 3:35) refers to the Israelites who received this honor because of the events at Sinai. But as for fools, they carried away shame (ibid.) alludes to the nations of the world, who earned their fate at Sinai. Whence do we know this? R. Johanan said: Because it is stated: Yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted (Isa. 60:12), it is written about them: They shall be utterly wasted.8Word-play reading harob (“wasted”) as horeb (Mount Horeb, an alternative name for Mount Sinai, on which the Torah was given). Therefore, But as for fools, they carry away shame.", "Another explanation of The wise shall inherit honor. This verse refers to David and his son Solomon, who built the Temple and inherited honor. As for fools, they carry away shame alludes to the nations that destroyed the Temple. The Holy One, blessed be He, put them to shame. Proof of this is contained in the verse: O Lord, in the city Thou wilt despise their semblance (Ps. 73:20). Why is the word ba’ir (“in the city”) used?9Word-play on ba’er (“burn”) and ba’ir (“in the city”). There is a proverb which states: The brigand is hung at the place of his crime, And therefore, O Lord (in the city), Thou wilt despise their semblance. Hence, for fools, they carry away shame. The wise shall inherit honor refers to Moses and Aaron, and Fools, they carry away shame alludes to Dathan and Abiram. Why is that so? When the manna descended for the Israelites, Moses said to them: Let no man leave of it till the morning (Exod. 16:19). Everyone did not listen to Moses; some of them permitted some of it to remain. Those that did so were Dathan and Abiram. R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: What is meant by And it bred worms, and rotted (ibid., v. 20). It means that the source of worms (kelanin)10Etz Joseph translates kelanin as “noisy.” went from the tent of Dathan and Abiram into the tents of the Israelites. Hence, Fools, they carry away shame. Another explanation of The wise shall inherit honor. This refers to the tribe of Levi, while Fools, they carry away shame alludes to Korah and his supporters (who rebelled against Moses). Another explanation of The wise shall inherit honor. This alludes to Aaron and his sons, through whom the high priesthood was firmly established in accordance with the decree: And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them." ], [ "And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them (Exod. 29:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Forever, O Lord, Thy word standeth fast in heaven (Ps. 119:89).", "R. Berechiah the priest BeRabbi,11See above, note 6. declared: The Holy One, blessed be He, will deal mercifully with us forever. Wherein is this stated? At the time that Abraham descended into the fiery furnace, the guardian angels quarreled with one another. One said: I shall descend and save him; while another one insisted: I shall descend and save him. While Michael declared: I shall descend (to save him), and Gabriel called out: I shall descend. Thereupon, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the angels: None of you will do so. I, in all My glory, will descend and rescue him, as it is said: I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees (Gen. 15:7).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, told the angels: You shall descend to rescue his descendants Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah when they are cast into the furnace. The angels did descend to rescue them, as it is said: Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent His angel, and delivered His servants that trusted in Him (Dan. 3:26). Then the guardian angels proclaimed: Forever, O Lord, Thy word standeth fast in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations; Thou hast established the earth, and it standeth. They stand this day according to Thine ordinances (Ps. 119:89–91). Unto all generations you demonstrated Your faithfulness when You informed us that we would descend to rescue Abraham’s descendants.", "Thou hast established the earth, and it standeth. They stand this day according to Thine ordinances (ibid.). It was according to Your ordinances that You created everything, as is said: In the beginning God created (Gen. 1:1). Another comment on They stand this day according to Thine ordinances. Even this day was brought forth according to Your ordinances, as it is said: Every morning, every morning doth He bring His ordinance to light (Zeph. 3:5). They stand this day according to Thine ordinances; they shall perish, but Thou shalt stand (Ps. 102:27), for You are the foundation of the world. Another explanation of But Thou shalt stand is that You shall cause others to stand. Another comment on And it standeth according to thine ordinances. That is, according to the words You spoke to Aaron (that) the priesthood would be firmly established through him." ], [ "This is the thing that thou shalt do unto them (to hallow them … take one young bullock and two rams without blemish, and unleavened bread) (Exod. 29:1). You shall do it for them, but not for any others. For this tribe You shall do it, but not for any other tribe. To minister unto Me (ibid.). He began to teach them how they should purify themselves so that they might eat in holiness; how they should immerse themselves so that they might eat in levitical purity; and how they should sanctify themselves so that they might eat in cleanliness. And He prepared for him the rules for holiness and purity. To hallow them, to minister unto Me (ibid.). R. Mana BeRabbi12See above note 6. stated in the name of R. Eliezer: Each time Scripture says unto Me it means “forever and ever.” Take one young bullock (ibid.). This implies that it may not be a stolen one. And two rams without blemish. He arranged them in the form of a mound, with one ram placed on either side and with the bullock in the middle. Why did he use three? Because they corresponded to the three illustrious men of the world, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The bullock symbolized Abraham: And Abraham ran unto the herd (Gen. 18:7); and the two rams symbolized Isaac and Jacob. And unleavened bread. Because of the merit of unleavened bread, I shall bless the bread. R. Huna the son of Abba said:13In Buber Tanhuma, Tezaveh 10, and in other sources, this saying is attributed to R. Hiyya the son of Abba. At the time the offerings were (still) brought,14I.e., now that the Temple no longer exists. an Arbelite measure (of wheat) would produce a measure of fine flour, a measure of regular flour, a measured of crushed bran, a measure of coarse bran, a measure of coarser meal, and a measure of gennim, but now, when a man takes a measure of wheat to be ground, he brings back little more than he originally took. Why? Because the show-bread15Since the show-bread was not brought to the Temple, it could not be blessed by the priest. has been abolished.", "And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened (Exod. 29:1). Unleavened bread was brought because of the merit of Sarah, who kneaded dough and made cakes. Unleavened bread. Observe that at the time they brought sacrifices, whatever was to be sacrificed was blessed according to its kind.", "R. Hiyya the son of Abba said: The altar was made essentially for Israel’s atonement. In the word “altar” (mizbeah) the mem stands for the pardoning (mehilah) of their sins, the zayin stands for “remember (zikhron) Israel for good,” the bet stands for a blessing (berakhah), for You blessed each kind of offering, and the het stands for life (hayyim), for He is the giver of life. Because of the unleavened bread. Because of the show-bread they brought, the bread was blessed; because of the first fruits they brought as an offering, the fruit of the land was blessed.", "It happened that R. Jonathan the son of Eleazar was sitting one summer day beneath a fig tree laden with fine figs. When the dew lifted, the juice of the figs fell to the earth. Whereupon the wind mixed the juice with the dust of the ground. Later a goat, dripping milk, came along, and the milk and the juice were mixed together. He summoned his disciples and said to them: Observe this, for it is an illustration of what will transpire in the time-to-come.16Probably a reference to Joel 4:38, And it shall come to pass on that day that the mountain shall drop sweet wine and the hills shall flow with milk. Why did all this occur? Because they were still offering sacrifices.", "It is told that a certain scribe went to Jerusalem each year, and the people of Jerusalem knew that he was an outstanding student of the law. They said to him: “Take these fifty pieces of gold and dwell among us.” “I have only a single vine,” he replied, “but it is more valuable than anything you can offer me, for it provides me with three crops a year from which I gather six hundred barrels of grapes. The first crop produces three hundred barrels, the second, two hundred, and the third, one hundred; and I am able to sell them at a considerable profit.” What did he do? He left them and returned to his vine. He received this reward because he poured the wine as on offering upon the altar. If he had failed to pour the wine, the good things of the world would have been withheld from him.", "You find that after the Israelites were exiled to Babylonia, Ezra urged them to go up to the land of Israel. But the were unwilling to do so. Ezra then called out to them: Ye have sown much, and brought in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough, ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink, ye clothe you, but there is none warm, and he that earneth wages earneth wages for a bag with holes (Hag. 1:6). You have sown much and brought in little occurred when the commandment of the show-bread was abrogated. Ye eat, but ye have not enough indicates that the libation of water had ceased. Ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink alludes to the fact that the wine libation had ceased. Ye cloth you, but there is none warm applies to the time when the wearing of priestly garments was suspended. And he that earneth wages earneth wages for a bag with holes alludes to when the community sacrifices were eliminated. All this transpired because sacrifices were abandoned (after the destrction of the Temple).", "The prophet declared: For though the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olives shall fail, and the fields shall yield no food; the flocks shall be cut off from the herd, and there shall be no herd in the stall (Hab. 3:17). For though the fig tree shall not blossom alludes to the time when the commandment of the firstborn was suspended. Neither shall fruit be in the vines indicates that the libations were suspended. The labor of the olives shall fail refers to when the oil for the light was suspended. And the fields shall yield no food implies that offering of the early fruits was suspended. The flocks shall be cut off from the fold resulted from the suspension of the daily sacrifices. And there shall be no herd in the stalls signifies that the sacrifice of the bullock was suspended.", "R. Simeon the son of Gamliel said in the name of R. Joshua: Since the Temple was destroyed, no day has lacked a curse, as it is said: Yea, a God that hath indignation every day (Ps. 7:12). R. Ze’era was of the opinion that the earlier curse(s) still prevail.17While the new day brings a new curse. R. Judah the son of Ilai said: The land of Israel was so irrepressible that it continued to bear fruit, despite the curse. In this world He made her (Israel) smoulder for seven years because of her sins, as it is said: And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week; and for half of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease; and upon the wing of detestable things shall be that which causeth appalment; and that until the extermination wholly determined be poured out upon that which causeth appalment (Dan. 9:27). However, in the world-to-come, the Holy One, blessed be He, will grant her the blessings she had enjoyed previously, as it is said: But Ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to My people Israel; for they are at hand to come (Ezek. 36:8)." ], [ "And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense (Exod. 30:1). What do the letters in the word ketoret (“incense”) stand for? The kuf stands for kedushah (“sanctification”), tet for taharah (“purity”), resh for rahamim (“mercy”), and ta for tikvah (“hope”). A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; and two cubits shall be the height thereof (ibid.). What was the purpose of this altar? After they committed the act of erecting the golden calf, the Holy One, blessed be He, complied with his (Moses’) request, as is said: And the Lord repented of the evil (ibid., v. 14). Whereupon Moses said: Master of the Universe, You have already agreed with me (to forgive them), but who will make known to those who come unto the world that You are reconciled with Israel? He replied: Let them make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8), and let them offer sacrifices within it, and I will accept their lamb.", "The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; the other thou shalt offer at dusk (ibid. 29:39). These two offerings shall be made every day. However, if you should say (to Me), “Here is food and drink, eat the flesh of limbs, and drink the blood of the daily offerings,” even if I were hungry, I would not tell thee; for the world is Mine, and the fullness thereof (Ps. 50:12). I require the offerings only for their savor, as it is said: My food which is presented unto Me for offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Me, shall ye observe (Num. 28:2). Proof of this is that the altar upon which the burnt offering was placed was outside the tent, while the altar for the incense, which gave forth merely a sweet savor, was placed inside the tent. Therefore Moses was told: And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense." ], [ "And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon (Exod. 30:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart (Prov. 27:9). This verse refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, and to Israel. How is that? When the high priest was officiating on the Day of Atonement, he would place the incense in a pan and bring it into the innermost part of the Holy of Holies, as it is written: And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar. What else is written there? Ye shall put the incense upon the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of the incense may cover the ark cover (Lev. 16:12–13). What is the meaning of may cover? It is an expression that indicates forgiveness, as in the verse Thou hast covered up all their sins (Ps. 85:3). Whenever the cloud of incense ascended and spiraled upward, like a cluster of grapes, on the Day of Atonement, he knew that Israel’s sins were forgiven, as it is said: My beloved is unto me as a cluster of henna in the vineyards of En-gedi (Song 1:14). If the smoke of the incense resembled a cluster and rose straight upward, he knew that Israel was forgiven and his service was acceptable, but if the smoke of the incense did not cover the ark-cover he knew that he would die, as it is said: That the cloud of the incense may cover the ark-cover that is upon the testimony, that he die not (Lev. 16:13). Consequently, the high priest and all Israel trembled from the moment the high priest entered the innermost Sanctuary until he withdrew in peace. When he departed from the Sanctuary a great rejoicing took place among the Israelites, since it meant that it (the offering) had been received favorably, as it is said: Ointment and incense rejoice the heart (Prov. 27:9).", "The ointment refers to the high priest, who was anointed with the oil of installation. The incense alludes to the Israelites, who saw the smoke of the incense soaring upward and rejoiced. Hence, ointment and incense rejoice the heart. Similarly this verse alludes to the Holy One, blessed be He, who said to the Israelites: None of you is consecrated unto Me except the high priest, who is anointed with the oil of installation, for it is said: And Aaron was separated, that he should be sanctified as most holy (I Chron. 23:13), and I rejoice in him. Incense alludes to Israel. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: The sacrifices that you offer to Me are as desirable as incense. You know that all the sacrifices exist to meet the needs of Israel. How is that so? The sin-offering is brought because of sin and guilt; the burnt offering is brought because of a thought in one’s heart; the peace-offerings are brought to atone for violations of a positive commandment, while incense is brought, not because of sin or transgression or guilt, but only out of sheer joy. Hence, Ointment and incense rejoice the heart.", "Incense is precious to the Holy One, blessed be He,. You know this to be so because David was anxious to burn incense, as it is said: I will offer unto Thee burnt-offerings of fatlings with the sweet smoke of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats (Ps. 66:15). Hence you find that no sacrifices in the entire world were praised as highly as those of the leaders. Why? Because they offered incense prior to making their sacrifices, as Scripture states concerning each of their offerings: One golden pan of ten shekels, full of incense (Num. 7:20), and after that is written: One young bullock, etc. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, praised each of their sacrifices. He said: This is the sacrifice of so-and-so, this is the sacrifice of so-and-so, as though saying: “It was pleasing to Him, and He was praising them.” Similarly you find that though Ahaz suspended the study of the Torah and closed the schoolhouses, as it is said: Bind up the testimony, seal the instruction among My disciples (Isa. 8:16), and served idols and did many things to anger the Holy One, blessed be He, when the Holy One, blessed be He, weighed all his deeds, He [simply] said: How can I forgive all this? as it is said: Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt-offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel. Therefore, the wrath of the Lord was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He hath delivered them to be a horror, and astonishment, and a hissing, as you see with your eyes. For lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity because of all this (II Chron. 29:7–9). What does all this refer to? His failure to burn incense.", "A proof of the importance of incense is indicated in the fact the plague was halted by incense, as Moses said to Aaron: Take thy fire-pan, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon…. And Aaron took as Moses spoke and ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague was begun among the people (Num. 17:11–12). What is meant by the plague was begun? R. Judah the son of Simon stated: The angel administered the poison in sequence, neglecting neither the dead among the living nor the living among the dead. That is, he administered it in rotation. As it is said in the verse: The plague was begun among the people, and it is written elsewhere in the verse: From the time the sickle is first put to the standing corn thou shalt begin (Deut. 16:9).", "Just as one reaps row by row, so the plague acted upon the people (in rotation). Thereupon Aaron took as Moses spoke and ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague was begun (Num. 7:12). He found the angel standing among them and afflicting them. Aaron confronted him and would not permit him to continue. He forced him to stand idly among the dead. He said to Aaron: “Let me go that I may complete my task.” Aaron replied: “Moses sent me, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sent you, and both Moses and the Holy One, blessed be He, are in the Tent of Testimony; let us go to them.” The angel refused to go, and so Aaron seized him by his loins and dragged him in, as it is said: And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the Tent of Meeting, and the plague was stayed (Num. 17:15).", "What is meant by the plague was stayed? R. Isaac declared that this means that he grasped the angel and restrained him. Therefore, when Moses was about to depart from this world, he said: Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; smite through the loins of them that rise up (Deut. 33:11). Bless, Lord, his substance, that is, may his strength be blessed. Accept the work of his hands alludes to the incense through which he atoned, as it is said: And he put on the incense, and made atonement (Num. 17:12). Smite through the loins of them that rise up indicates that he smote the angel and restrained him.", "R. Abahu said in the name of R. Simeon the son of Lakish: When Aaron saw that the angel was about to overpower him, he placed the censer before his countenance, as it is said: They shall put incense before Thee, and whole burnt-offering upon Thine altar (Deut. 33:10). This reveals how beloved incense is. R. Isaac the son of Eliezer declared: You know that after he constructed the Tabernacle and all its implements, he slaughtered the sacrifices, and arranged them on the altar, he set the table, made the menorah, and did everything that had to be done, but the Shekhinah still had not descended. Only when the incense was offered did it descend. You know this for it is written: Awake, O north wind, and come, thou south; blow upon my garden that the spice thereof may flow out (Song 4:16). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: You shall be forgiven in this world because of the incense, but in the world-to-come, I will offer unto Thee burnt-offerings of fatlings, with the smoke of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah (Ps. 66:15)." ] ], "Ki Tisa": [ [ "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel (Exod. 30:12). May our masters teach us: How many times each year did the Israelites bring their offerings to the Temple? Thus did our masters teach us: They brought them three times a year; on the first day of the months of Nisan, Iyar, and Elul.1Our text says “Adar, Nisan, and Elul.” Etz Joseph, however, suggests that the reading should be “Nisan, Iyar, and Elul.” Cf. M. Shekalim 3:1. On the first day of the months of Nisan and Iyar the offerings for the Temple treasury would be collected and the priests would approach the altar to seek forgiveness for the sins of Israel with the shekels they had contributed. But why did they do so three times a year? In order that all the Israelites might be involved, throughout the year, in giving their contributions. Why did they begin to accumulate their contributions on the first day of Adar,2Actually, the Sanhedrin would make the announcement on the first day of Adar. though they did not bring it in until the first day of Nisan? It was done that way so that the offering would not become an unbearable hardship for the Israelites. Hence they (the priests) would remind the Israelites on the first day of the month of Adar (to prepare their offerings).", "Solomon exclaimed: The way of the sluggard is as though hedged by thorns; but the path of the upright is even (Prov. 15:19). Scripture is referring in this verse to the wicked Esau. Just as the thorns from a bush that cling to a man’s garment will cling to another part of the garment when he tries to brush them off, so the government of Esau (Rome), while still collecting a crop tax from Israel, would impose a head tax. And even before the head tax was fully collected, it would impose a levy for the care of its soldiers. The Holy One, blessed be He, did not do that: For the path of the upright is even, made level before Israel.", "They announced (the obligation) on the first day of Adar, and then it was collected (by the priests) on the first day of Nisan. How much did they collect? A half-shekel (the head-tax for the Temple). And how much was it? It was equal to half a sela. They were collected only to make it possible to atone for the sins of Israel. They would purchase the daily burnt offerings with the contribution. Because the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that in every census Israel would take in the future, some of them would be missing (as a punishment for the census).3Since there is a prohibition against taking a census of Jews; see Yoma 22b and II Sam. 24. He ordained the shekel offering as a remedy so that it might atone for them and no plague would befall them." ], [ "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel (Exod. 30:12). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Thy navel is like a round goblet, thy belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies, wherein no mingled wine is wanting (Song 7:3). Thy navel refers to the Sanhedrin. But why did they call the Sanhedrin a navel? Just as the navel is located in the center of a man’s body, so the Sanhedrin met in a chamber of hewn stone in the center of the Temple. Furthermore, just as the child, whose mouth is closed while within its mother’s womb, is sustained through the navel, so the Israelites were sustained only by virtue of the Sanhedrin. Hence they likened it to a navel. The word round indicates that just as the navel is round, so the Sanhedrin sat in a semicircular room.", "The meeting place of the Sanhedrin was called a sahar (“goblet”) because it resembled a sohar (“store”). For just as you are able to find whatever you need in a store, so the Sanhedrin decided what was pure and impure, fit and unfit, permitted and forbidden.", "Wherein no mingled wine is wanting. If one of the members of the Sanhedrin found it necessary to leave the meeting to satisfy his physical needs, he would first look about to see if twenty-three members were in attendance.4The judicial court, also called the small court, consisted of twenty-three members; all had to be present at a trial. If there were, he would leave, but if not, he would not depart. Thy belly is like a heap of wheat. Just as there is in a heap of wheat life for the world, so the world was sustained through the merit of the Sanhedrin. Another explanation. R. Johanan said: Thy belly is like a heap of wheat alludes to the Book of Leviticus, which contains the means for attaining atonement for guilt and sinful acts. It holds (a heap of) sin (het) offerings and (a heap of) guilt offerings. He placed it in the middle of the Torah, with all its offerings.5Two books of the Torah precede Leviticus, and two follow it. In that way it resembles a heap of wheat (hittim).", "R. Simeon the son of Lakish said: Why is it (Israel) compared to wheat? Just as wheat piles up when poured into a measure, so the elders, the students, the wise, and the pious increase in number when a census is taken.", "Thy belly is like a heap of wheat. R. Idi said: Is not a heap of cedar cones more beautiful than a heap of wheat? Why does this verse say a heap of wheat? They replied: The world cannot exist on cedar cones if it lacks wheat. Hence it says: Thy belly is like a heap of wheat.", "Set about with lilies. Does a man ever fence in his fields with lilies? Does he not normally fence in his fields with thorns and thistles, with pits and thornbushes? What then is the meaning of Set about with lilies? This refers to numerous commandments that are as sensitive as lilies. For example, a man is extremely anxious to enter his bridal chamber, for no day is dearer to him than that day. It is the day on which he rejoices with his bride. What does he do? He spends a considerable amount of money to set up the bridal chamber and he comes to have intercourse with her. But if she says to him: “I have seen something like a red lily (i.e., the blood of menstruation), he draws away from her. He turns his face to one side and she to the other. What compelled him to turn from her? Was it a snake biting him, a scorpion stinging him, or a thorn between them? No, only the words of the Torah, since it is said: And thou shalt not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is impure by her uncleanness (Lev. 18:19). Hence it is written: Set about like lilies.", "This they shall give (Exod. 30:12). Observe that Israel was so beloved that even their sins brought them considerable benefit. If their sins could do that, how much more so would their meritorious deeds. You find that when Jacob sent Joseph to his brethren, they watched him approach and said to one another: Behold, this dreamer cometh. Come now, therefore, and let us slay him (Gen. 37:19–20). They hurled him into the pit and said: Let us eat and drink, and then we will kill him. After eating and drinking, they were about to say grace when Judah said to them: We are planning to take a life, yet now we would bless God. If we should do this, we would be blaspheming against God and not blessing Him. Because of this Scripture says: And the covetous vaunteth himself, though he condemn the Lord (Ps. 10:3). Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and let not our hand be upon him (Gen. 37:27). (And they all agreed.)", "And they sat down to eat bread (ibid., v. 25). R. Judah the son of Shalum said: This is a notable instance of many sitting down together in unity, with a single thought in mind; to sell Joseph. Yet he fed the world for seven years, through two famines. If despite their sin he could feed the world and cause it to endure, how much more beneficial would have been the result if they had acted meritoriously. Similarly, observe what happened to the tribes in the chapter Shekalim, when they were permitted to atone for the incident of the golden calf. If the heinous sin they committed could lead to the performance of a worthy act, how much more so if they had acted meritoriously." ], [ "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel (Exod. 30:12). R. Tanhuma the son of Abba began the discussions with the verse Sweet is the sleep of a laboring man, whether he eat little or much; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep (Eccles. 5:11). They said to Solomon after he spoke these words: Surely you must be jesting, inasmuch as it is written concerning you: For he was wiser than all men (I Kings 5:11). And now you say: Sweet is the sleep of a laboring man, whether he eat little or much. Is it not a fact that anyone who is hungry because he ate only a little cannot sleep, while one who eats much sleeps well? He replied: I am speaking here only of righteous men and those who labor in (study) of the law. For example, a man who lives only thirty years may have devoted himself from his tenth year until the day of his death to the law and the commandments, while another man, who lives eighty years, may have devoted himself to the law and the commandments from his tenth year to the day of his death. You might say: Woe to the first one, who labored only twenty years in the law, while the other devoted himself to it for seventy years. Surely the Holy One, blessed be He, will give him a greater reward than He will give to him who labored in the law only twenty years. Hence I said: Whether he eat little or much. For the one who had devoted twenty years to the Torah might well say to the Holy One, blessed be He: “If you had not removed me from this world in the prime of my life, I would have had additional years to devote to the law and the commandments.” Therefore I repeat: Whether he eat little or much, the reward of one is equal to the reward of the other.", "R. Hanina said: A proof of this is the fact that though Moses served Israel in Egypt and in the desert for forty years and lived one hundred and twenty years, while Samuel lived only fifty-two years, and bore the burdens and pains of Israel (for only part of that time), Scripture treats them equally, as it is said: Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among them that called upon His name (Ps. 99:6). Hence, Sweet is the sleep of the laboring man, whether he eat little or much.", "R. Levi stated: This may be compared to a king who pays his workers for the labor they perform. The king called one of them from the work he was performing to take a stroll. That evening, when the workers came for their pay, the worker who had taken the stroll with the king also came for his. If the king should say to him: “You worked with the others for only two hours; go finish your time,” he could reply: “If you had not interrupted and taken me from my work, my pay would have been even greater than theirs.” Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, may His name be blessed, is a King, and those who labor in the Torah are His workers. One who has devoted himself to the Torah for fifty or thirty or twenty years is able to say: “If you had not taken me from this world, I would still be occupied in the study of the Torah.” Hence Solomon said: Whether he eat little or much his reward is the same.", "Then they said to him: You declared also that The satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. What can this mean? Certainly it permits him to sleep. In fact, a man sated with food falls asleep more quickly (than others). Solomon replied: I was speaking about those who possess the riches of the Torah and not material possessions. For example, a man who is distinguished and wealthy in the knowledge of the Torah will teach many students and disseminate his knowledge among the masses, and he is satisfied (in his knowledge) of Torah. And when he dies, the disciples he raised do not permit him to be forgotten. They sit and labor in the Torah, the Talmud, the law, and the Aggadah, quoting the law in his name and recalling him to mind constantly. They do not permit him to sleep undisturbed in his grave.", "R. Simeon the son of Lakish, R. Akiba, and R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: His disciples do not permit him to sleep undisturbed in his grave, as it is said: Moving gently the lips of those that are asleep (Song 7:10). Hence, The satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. Similarly, Moses taught the Torah to the Israelites, trained them in the observance of the law, arranged the order of the chapters of the Torah, and assigned the chapters to be read each Sabbath, on Rosh Hodesh, and on holy days. And they call him to mind as they read each Torah portion.", "With reference to the portion Shekalim, Moses had said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, when I die I shall not be remembered. The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Be assured that just as you stand here now, giving them the portion containing Shekalim, thereby lifting their heads upright,6Lifting up the head signifies to be forgiven. every year when they read it before Me, it will be as though you were standing in that place and lifting their heads upright. How do we know this? From what they shall read concerning this matter in the verse And the Lord spoke to Moses saying: “When thou liftest up the head of the children of Israel” (Exod. 30:11). “Lift up the head” is not said, but rather when thou liftest up.7The future tense of the word “lifting” is used: “they will be forgiven.”" ], [ "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel (Exod. 30:12). Scripture states elsewhere: Many there are that say of my soul: “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah. But Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me; my glory, and the lifter up of my head (Ps. 3:3–4). R. Samuel the son of Ammi and the rabbis discussed this verse. R. Samuel the son of Ammi contended that this verse refers to Doeg and Ahithophel, who were masters of the Torah. That say of my soul suggests that they would say to David: Can a man who captures a lamb and then kills the shepherd8Reading the word rabim (“many”) in Ps. 3:3 as though it were the plural of rab (“master”). causing Israel to fall before the sword gain salvation, since it is written: There is no salvation for him in God. Selah.", "Then David cried out: But Thou, O Lord, as if to say, O You who art Master of the world, Your law agrees with them, for You said: The adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death (Lev. 20:10). But art a shield about me refers to the merit of my ancestors. My glory indicates that you have restored me to kingship; and Lifter up of my head implies that though I was guilty of murder, You permitted me to lift up the head; that is, to be forgiven through Nathan the prophet, for he said: The Lord also has put away thy sin; thou shalt not die (II Sam. 12:13).9A reference to David’s arranging the death of Uriah, the husband of Bath-sheba.", "However, the rabbis held that this verse refers to the nations of the world. The idolaters are many (rabim), as it is written: The uproar of many peoples (Isa. 17:12). They said to Israel: You are a nation that heard at Sinai: I am the Lord Thy God, thou shalt have no other gods before Me (Exod. 20:3), yet at the end of forty days you said of a calf: This is your god, O Israel (ibid. 32:4). How can they enjoy salvation, since it says: There is no salvation for him in God (Ps. 3:3)? But Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me suggests that Israel cried out: Master of the Universe, do You agree with them, since You have said: He that sacrificeth unto the gods shall be utterly destroyed (Exod. 22:19)? A shield about me alludes to the merit of the fathers; my glory implies that You will cause your Shekhinah to dwell in our midst when You said: Build Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them (ibid. 25:8); and lifter up of the head indicates that instead of sentencing us to destruction, You permitted us to lift up the head, that is, to be forgiven because of Moses, as it is said: Thou liftest up the head.", "R. Jacob the son of Yohai, in the name of R. Jonathan, explained the text: And man boweth down, and man lowereth himself (Isa. 2:9). And man boweth down alludes to the Israelites, as it is said: And ye My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, are men (Exod. 34:31), while man lowereth himself refers to Moses, as it is said: Now the man Moses was very meek (Num. 12:3). Moses cried out: Master of the Universe, I know that Israel lowered itself before a calf, but I too lowered myself; will You not forgive them? He replied: You will forgive them. Hence, When thou takest the sum (forgivest them).10“Take the sum” (lit. “lift up the head”) is an idiom meaning “forgive.”" ], [ "When thou takest the sum (Exod. 30:12).11This entire section is to be found almost verbatim in Pesikta de-Rav Kahana, pisha 2:4–5. R. Jonah began to discuss the verse For God is judge; He putteth down one, and lifteth up another (Ps. 75:8). A Roman matron asked R. Yosé the son of Halafta: “In how many days did the Holy One, blessed be He, create the world?” “In six days,” he replied, “as it is said: For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth (Exod. 20:11).” “What has he been doing since that time?” she queried. “He has been uniting couples and making one man wealthy and another poor,” he responded. Whereupon she retorted: “I too am able to do this. I have many slaves and maid servants, and I can couple them all on this very night. What He has been doing since the time of creation, I can do easily in one hour.” “It may appear a simple matter to you,” he replied, “but to Him it is as difficult as splitting the Red Sea, for it is written: God maketh the solitary to dwell in a house (Ps. 68:7).”", "He left her and went on his way. What did she do? She took a thousand male slaves and a thousand female slaves and had them stand face to face in two rows. This male slave, she commanded, shall take this one as his wife, and this one shall take the other, and she continued to do this until she had coupled them all on that one night. When they returned in the morning, one had lost an eye, another had suffered a head wound, and a third one’s leg was broken. One shouted: “I do not want him as my husband,” while another exclaimed: “I do not want her as my wife.” Thereupon she summoned R. Yosé. When he came to her she said: “I agree that your God is a God of truth, and that His law is the truth, and that everything you have said is indeed so.” He said to her: “The Holy One, blessed be He, sits and joins them together even against their will. He binds a chain about the neck of one and brings him from one end of the earth to the other to couple him with his mate, as it is said: God maketh the solitary to dwell in a house; He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity (Ps. 68:7).”", "What does bakosharot (“prosperity”) imply? The one who is not pleased (with his mate) weeps, the one who is pleased sings. Hence the word bakosharot (from beki, “weeping,” and shirot, “songs”) is used in the text. He causes one to ascend the ladder and another to descend. Thus it is said: For God is judge; He putteth down this one, and lifteth up this one (Ps. 76:8).", "R. Jonah of Bozrah and the rabbis disagreed concerning the meaning of this verse. The rabbis maintained that it refers to Aaron. Because of the word this (in the preceding verse) he was humbled, as it is said: And I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf (Exod. 32:24), and because of the word this he was exalted, as is said: This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons (Lev. 6:13). R.Jonah, however, was of the opinion that this verse refers to Israel: With the word this they debased themselves, and with the word this they exalted themselves. With the word this they debased themselves in saying: As for this man Moses (Exod. 32:1), and with the word this they exalted themselves, as it is said: This they shall give (ibid. 30:13). Scripture states elsewhere: Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people (Prov. 14:34). R. Joshua said: Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people is indicated by the fact that when Israel sinned, the nations of the world turned against them and enslaved them.", "R. Nahuniah the son of Hakanah maintained that righteousness exalteth a nation alludes to Israel, while sin is a reproach to any people is applicable to the idolatrous nations that sinned against Israel. From whom do you learn this? You learn it from Mesha, king of Moab, for it is said: Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master (II Kings 3:4). What is meant by a noked (“sheep-master”)? He was shepherd, for it is said: And he rendered unto the king of Israel the wool of a hundred thousand lambs and a hundred thousand rams (ibid.). What is meant by the wool of rams? R. Abba the son of Kahana said: Sheep. What did he do? He assembled all his astrologers and said to them: “I have a problem, tell me what to do. Should I wage war together with all the nations against Israel and exile them, or should I wage war alone against Israel so that the victory might be mine alone?’ They replied: “Israel had a patriarch called Abraham who was given a child when he was one hundred years old, and he offered him as a sacrifice.” He asked them: “Was the sacrifice completed?” “No,” they answered. He replied: “He offered a sacrifice that was not completed and yet He performed miracles for them, how many more miracles would He have performed if the sacrifice had been completed. Now, since I have a firstborn son who will rule in my stead, I shall offer him as a sacrifice, and perhaps a miracle will be performed in my behalf.” Hence it is written: Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt-offering upon the wall, and there came a great wrath upon Israel (II Kings 3:27–28).", "Homah (“wall”) is written here, since he prostrated himself toward the hamah (“sun”) (in performing the sacrifice). Forthwith there came a great wrath upon Israel. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: The idolaters do not acknowledge My glory, and so they rebel against Me, but you, who acknowledged My glory, rebel against Me as well.", "R. Mani stated: Were it not for the merit of Obadiah’s wife, Israel would have been exterminated at that time: Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha (II Kings 4:1).", "R. Huna said: Whatever justice and kindness the idolaters perform is as dangerous to Israel as the poison of a serpent. From whom does one learn this? From Berodach, who would eat every day at the third hour of the day and would sleep until the ninth hour. Once, during the time of Hezekiah, he was allowed to sleep through the sun’s return on its track.12According to II Kings 20 the sun was made to go backwards for Hezekiah. When he awakened and discovered that it was morning, he wanted to slay all his servants. He asked them: “Why did you permit me to sleep through a whole day and night?” They replied: “The God of Hezekiah is the greatest of all the gods in the world.” Then Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent a letter and a present unto Hezekiah (II Kings 20:12). He wrote: “Peace to Hezekiah the king, peace to Jerusalem, and peace to the great God.” As the scribes were about to depart, he became uneasy. He said to himself: “Did I not do wrong in mentioning the peace of Hezekiah and of the city before addressing the great God?” He arose from his throne, took three steps to recall the scribes, and wrote another letter to replace it. This time he said: “Peace to the great God, peace to Jerusalem, and peace to Hezekiah.”", "The Holy One, blessed be He, then said to him: Because you arose and took three steps for the sake of My honor, I will cause three kings to descend from you who will rule from one end of the earth to the other. They were Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach, and Belshazzar. However, when these came to power they blasphemed, and so the Holy One, blessed be He, destroyed them and caused others to arise in their place. The rabbis said: Righteousness exalteth a nation refers to the free-will gifts that Israel brought to the Temple. Therefore He granted them forgiveness through Moses. And He said: When thou takest the sum." ], [ "R. Yudan opened the discussion with the verse: The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver; the heart of the wicked is little worth (Prov. 10:20). The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver alludes to the prophet Iddo. The heart of the wicked is little worth refers to Jeroboam. Scripture states: And behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Beth-el, and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to offer; and he cried against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said: “O altar, altar” (I Kings 13:1–2). Why is the word altar repeated twice? R. Abba the son of Kahana said: Because there were two altars, one at Bethel and one at Dan. Why did he say: Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he sacrifice the priests of the high places that offer upon thee, and man’s bones shall be burnt upon thee? (ibid., v. 2)? It does not say in the verse “the bones of Jeroboam” but rather man’s bones. You learn from this that he (the prophet) was respectful toward the government. And it came to pass, when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Beth-el, that Jeroboam put forth his hand from the altar, saying: “Lay hold on him.” And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back (ibid., vv. 4–5).", "R. Huna declared: Blessed be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, who endures much from His creatures, yet protects the honor of His righteous ones. When Jeroboam arose and sacrificed to idols, his hand did not shrivel up, but when he stretched forth his hand against the righteous man, his hand did shrivel up.", "And the king answered and said unto the man of God: “Entreat now the favor of the Lord thy God, and pray for me” (ibid., v. 6). Two amoraim13Talmudic authorities who lived after the final redaction of the Mishnah. discussed this verse. One commented that he said thy God and not “my God.” The other retorted: How could he call Him “my God” while he stood and sacrificed before an idol whom he addressed as “my god”? Nevertheless The man of God entreated the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored, and became as it was before (ibid.). What is meant by as it was before? R. Judah the son of Simon began the discussion with the verse in the name of R. Joshua the son of Levi: Though thou brayest a fool in mortar with a pestle among groats, yet will not his foolishness depart from him (Prov. 27:22). That is to say, it will have no effect (on the fool, he learns nothing). Likewise he had previously sacrificed to an idol, and he did so again.", "Another comment on The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver (Prov. 10:30). This refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, who chose the tongue of Moses when he told him: When thou takest the sum (to obtain forgiveness). What is written above concerning this very matter? And Aaron shall make atonement upon the horns of it once in the year (Exod. 30:10). After Israel had sinned, the Holy One, blessed be said to Moses: Go, atone for them. Whereupon Moses replied: Did You not say to me once in the year? The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Go lift up their heads (obtain forgiveness) now. Then Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, when they do good let them be at rest, but when they are without merit, as though that were possible, let them be forgiven once a year in order that the Day of Atonement may come and atonement be made for them, as it is said: For on that day shall atonement be made for you (Lev. 16:30)." ], [ "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel (Exod. 30:12). R. Yosé the son of Hanina said: This verse indicated to him that in the future he would bring the first of the tribes to the Shekhinah. But which one was the first tribe? It is Reuben, as it is said: Let Reuben live and not die (Deut. 33:6). This is what is meant by Thou liftest up the head (rosh) of the children of Israel; i.e. he lifted up the first (rishon) of the tribes." ], [ "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel (Exod. 30:12). R. Judah said in the name of R. Samuel the son of Nahman: This may be compared to a king who has many silk garments. He tells one of his stewards: “This robe looks better on me than any of the others. Remember that when I wore it for the coronation ceremonies, it clung firmly to my body and gave me a distinguished appearance.” In the same way, the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses: Bear in mind that Israel cleaves to my loins, as it is said: For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of man, so have I caused to cleave to Me the whole house of Israel (Jer. 13:11). They acknowledged My authority and said: The Lord shall reign forever and ever (Exod. 15:18). Because of their great love for Me, I have descended from the heavenly sphere to the earthly sphere and shall dwell behind the curtain of goats’ hair.", "Moses cried out: My master, You did not command me about even one of the seventy nations, only concerning Israel: When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel, Unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, And unto the children of Israel thou shalt say, Command the children of Israel, Speak unto the children of Israel. You commanded me to do this only to the children of Israel. He replied to him: I did so because they are dearer to me than all the nations. They are My treasure, I love them and have chosen them, as it is said: And the Lord hath chosen thee to be his own treasure out of all peoples (Deut. 14:2). Observe how precious they are that they are mentioned five times in a single verse: I have given the Levites—they are given to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel, through the children of Israel coming nigh unto the Sanctuary (Num. 8:19).", "R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: This may be compared to a king who has engaged a tutor for his son. He would summon him repeatedly and ask him: “Has my son eaten, has my son had a drink, has my son left for school, has my son returned from school?” In the same way, the Holy One, blessed be He, desired to remind the children of Israel each hour (about their relationship to Him).", "R. Judah the son of Simon said: This may be compared to one who is fashioning a crown. A man passing by sees it and tells him to set many precious stones and beautiful pearls in it, so that in the future it might rest upon the head of a king. Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Do whatever is in your power to glorify Israel and to praise them before Me, for I am to be glorified through them, as it is said: And He said unto me: “Thou art My servant Israel, through whom I will be glorified” (Isa. 49:3)." ], [ "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel according to their number (Exod. 30:12).14Pesikta de Rav Kahana, Shekalim, p. 156. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Take the sum of the children of Israel. He replied: My master, it is written: And Thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth (Gen. 28:14), and it is written elsewhere: And make Thy seed as the sand of the sea (ibid. 32:13), yet you tell me now to do this. He answered: If you want to know their number, you need only add together the first letter of the names of each of the tribes and this will give you their number. The resh in the word Reuben stands for two hundred thousand; the shin in Simeon stands for three hundred thousand, the yods in the names Judah, Issachar, and Joseph total thirty thousand, the nun in Naphtali accounts for fifty thousand, the zayin in Zebulun’s name is seven thousand, the daled in Dan is four thousand, the gimmel in Gad is three thousand, the bet in Benjamin is two thousand, and the alef in Asher is one thousand—totaling five hundred and ninety-seven thousand in all. The three thousand not accounted for were slain at the time of the episode of the golden calf, as it is said: And the sons of Levi did according to the words of Moses; and there fell of the people on that day about three thousand men (Exod. 32:28). Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: You are taking the count to learn how many are missing. R. Menahem said in the name of R. Bebai: This may be compared to a king who had many sheep. When wolves attacked and destroyed some of them, the king told his shepherd: “Count the sheep and find out how many are missing.” Likewise, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Go, count the Israelites, and find out how many are missing.", "A census of Israel was taken on ten different occasions. The first occurred when they descended to Egypt, as is said: Thy fathers went down into Egypt with three score and ten persons (Deut. 10:29). Again, when they came out of Egypt, as it is said: And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men (Exod. 12:37). Once in the Book of Numbers (it was taken) with reference to the standards (Num. 2:21); once with regard to the spies (Num. 13);15There is no biblical evidence that a census was taken at the time of the spies.. in the days of Joshua when the land was divided (Josh. 18:10); twice in the time of Saul, as is said: And he numbered them with lambs in Telaim (I Sam. 14:4) and He numbered them with pebbles in Bezek (ibid. 11:8). What is indicated by the word Telaim? When they were prosperous, he counted them by means of their lambs (telayim), but when they were poor in deeds, he counted them with stones. What is bezek? It is a stone. He took a stone for each one of them and then totaled the stones. A census was taken in the days of David, as is said: Joab gave up the sum, the number of the people to the king (II Sam. 24:9); and again at the time of Ezra: The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand, three hundred and three score (Ezra. 2:14). In the time-to-come (a census will be taken), as is said: The flock shall again pass into the hands of Him that counteth them (Jer. 33:13), and in this instance: When thou takest the sum.", "R. Menahem said in the name of R. Bebai, in the name of R. Hiyya the son of Abba in the name of R. Eliezer the son of Johanan: It is stated: And the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea (Hos. 2:1). Why were the children of Israel compared to the sand of the sea? To inform us that just as a hole dug in the sand of the sea at evening time fills up again by morning, so the thousands lacking at the time of David would be replaced by the time of his son Solomon, as it is said: Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude (I Kings 4:20).", "R. Eliezer said in the name of R. Yosé the son of Zimra: Whenever the Israelites were counted because it was essential to do so, none were lacking, but whenever they were counted when there was no need (to do so), some were missing. When were they counted to meet a need? When Moses took the census. When were they counted unnecessarily? At the time of David. Then they shall give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord (Exod. 30:12). This occurred at the time of Moses: That there be no plague among them (ibid.), but there was no plague at the time of David.", "This they shall give. R. Meir said: The Holy One, blessed be He, removed from beneath His throne of glory a coin of fire (the size of a half-shekel coin) and showed it to Moses. Then He said to him: This they shall give. That is to say, everyone who passes by as the census is taken shall give something similar to them." ], [ "This they shall give, everyone that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel (Exod. 30:13). Because they had sinned at the sixth hour,16Word-play reading the word boshet (“shame, disgrace”) as bo shish (“the sixth hour”); thus, “The sixth hour came, they erected the golden calf.” which is the middle of the day, they shall give half a shekel, which is six grammata. R. Johanan declared: Because they had violated the Ten Commandments each one had to give ten gerah, which totals half a shekel. R. Simeon the son of Levi said: Because they sold Rachel’s firstborn for twenty pieces of silver and each one took a coin for himself, each one had to give one coin.", "R. Judah the son of Simon stated: Moses heard three things from the lips of the Mighty One that confused and startled him. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Let them make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8), he replied: Master of the Universe, the heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain Thee. He responded: Moses, it is not as you think. Erect twenty boards on the northern side and twenty boards on the southern side and eight on the eastern side and eight on the western side, and I will compress My Shekhinah and dwell within them; as it is written: And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee (ibid., v. 22).", "Similarly, when He said: Command the children of Israel, and say unto them: My food which is presented unto Me for offerings (Num. 28:2), Moses called out: Master of the Universe, if I should assemble all the animals and all the beasts in the world, they would not be sufficient for even one offering, and all of the trees in the world would be insufficient for a single fire, for it is said: And Lebanon is not sufficient fuel, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for burial offerings (Isa. 40:16). He replied: Moses, it is not as you think. You need offer unto Me but one lamb in the morning and not two, for they are not meant to be food and drink for Me. If I had food and drink when you were with Me on the mountain for forty days, would I not have eaten, and if I had food would you not have eaten? Only for a sweet savor, shall ye observe to offer unto Me (Num. 28:2).", "And when He said: When shall they give every man a ransom for his soul (Exod. 30:12), he wondered and said: Who is able to give a ransom for his soul, since it is said: No man can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him, for too costly is the redemption of their soul (Ps. 48:8–9)? He replied: It is not as you imagine. This they shall give indicates that they shall give something like this. R. Huna said in the name of Rab: The Almighty, whom we cannot find out, is excellent in power (Job 37:23) implies that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not impose impossible burdens upon Israel. When Moses realized that he declared: Happy is the people that is in such a case (Ps. 144:15) and Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob (ibid. 146:5)." ], [ "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel … then shall they give every man a ransom (Exod. 30:12). When Moses heard this, he said: Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath he will give for his life (Job 2:4). R. Judah the son of Ilai stated: When Moses heard this he began to reflect upon it, and said to himself: Since we find that the soul of a man may be redeemed with a talent of silver, as is said: Then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shall pay a talent of silver (I Kings 20:39), let each Israelite give a talent of silver. R. Johanan posed the query: From what source do we learn the penalty for debasing the reputation of a person? He explained: From the fact that Scripture states: And they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he has brought an evil name upon a virgin of Israel (Deut. 22:19). Similarly, we brought an evil name (upon God) when we said of the golden calf: This is thy God, O Israel; therefore let each Israelite give a silver piece.", "R. Simeon the son of Levi said: Moses learned it from the law concerning (a woman) who has been violated, as it is stated: Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver (ibid., v. 29). Since we have violated the word that the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to us: Thou shalt have no other gods before Me (Exod. 20:3), and erected the calf, let each of us give fifty pieces of silver. Others say he learned it from the law of enticement, as it is said: And if a man entice a virgin that is not betrothed, he shall surely pay dowry for her (Deut. 22:15). The dowry one pays for a virgin (who has been enticed) is fifty pieces of silver. Hence, since they enticed Him with their mouths and deceived Him with their tongues, For their heart was not steadfast with Him, neither were they faithful in His covenant (Ps. 78:37), let each one give fifty shekels of silver.", "R. Judah the son of Simon contended that he learned it from the law concerning the ox that gored. It is said: If the ox gore a bondman or a bondwoman, he shall give thirty shekels of silver (Exod. 21:32), and since we replaced Him with an ox (i.e the golden calf), as is said: Thus they exchanged their glory for the likeness of an ox that eateth grain (Ps. 106:20), each one shall give thirty shekels of silver. The Holy One, blessed be He, knew what was in Moses’ heart, and so He showed him with His finger, as is said: Moses, this they shall give, that is, this amount they shall give." ], [ "And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying: “See, I have called by name Bezalel” (Exod. 31:1). Solomon said: Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is (Eccles. 6:10). Scripture also says elsewhere in reference to this: Who hath wrought and done it? He that called the generations from the beginning (Isa. 14:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: When I determined at the very beginning of time to build the Sanctuary, I already announced his name, and made his name known. And it is foreknown what man is. Even when the first man was a lifeless mass, the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him all the righteous men who would descend from him. Some hung from his head, others were suspended from his hair, and still others from his neck, his two eyes, his nose, his mouth, his ears, and his arms. Proof of this is in the fact that when Job complained against his Creator, saying: O that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even unto His seat! I would order my cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say unto me (Job 23:3–5). The Holy One, blessed be He, replied to him: Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? (ibid. 38:4). R. Simeon the son of Lakish maintained: Where wast thou is written because the Holy One, blessed be He, was in fact asking Job: Where were you suspended from the first man? Was it from his head, his hair, his neck, his eyes, or from one of his limbs?", "The Holy One, blessed be He, also revealed to Adam that Abraham would descend from him, and that his descendants would go down to Egypt and become enslaved. He revealed to him Moses appearing and redeeming them, Joseph feeding the tribes, Moses anointing the priests, the prophet Samuel anointing the king, Joshua leading them into their land, David laying the foundation of the Temple, and Solomon erecting it. He disclosed to him Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, and her children removing the nails from the Temple, Jehoiada replacing them, Amon erecting idols, Josiah destroying them, Nebuchadnezzar demolishing the Temple, Darius rebuilding it, and Bezalel erecting the Tabernacle. Hence, I have called by name Bezalel; that is to say, his name was known previously, and He had called him at the time of Adam. Therefore, Who hath wrought and done it? He that called the generations from the beginning (Isa. 41:4)." ], [ "Bezalel the son of Uri (Exod. 31:2). He was one of the seven descendants of Adam called by various names. Jesse was called by four names, Bezalel by six, Joshua by eight, Elijah by four, Moses by seven, Mordecai by eight, and Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah by four. Elijah was known by four names. R. Eleazar the son of Pedat said: He was called a man of Jerusalem, of the tribe of Benjamin, one who dwelt in the chamber of hewn stones in the Temple (i.e., he was a member of the Sanhedrin), and he came from a great city in Judah. He had a share in the land of two tribes, and in five localities in Benjamin, as it is said: And Zela, Elaph, and the Jebusite—the same is Jerusalem, Gibeath; and Kiriath (Josh. 18:28), and three in Judah: Zenan, and Hadashah and Migdal-Gad (ibid. 15:37). He was called Zenan because he was a zinah (“buckler,” i.e., protector of Israel), Hadashah because God would restore (mehadesh) it in the time-to-come; Migdal-Gad because from there the Holy One, blessed be He, would destroy (magdid) their dwelling places and lay the foundations of the nations of the world.", "Elijah was called by four names in the Book of Chronicles: And Jaareshiah, and Elijah, and Zichri, were the sons of Jeroham (I Chron. 8:27). Elijah was called Jaareshiah because at the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, became angry and shook (mar’ish, “quake”) His world, Elijah arose and reminded (mazkir) Him of the merit of the fathers. He then showed mercy (merahem). Hence it is written: Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham. Hence he had four names.", "Bezalel was called by six names. From his genealogy listed in the Book of Chronicles you learn that he was descended from the tribe of Judah, as is said: And the sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal. And Reaiah the son of Shobal begot Jahath, etc. (ibid. 4:1–2). Now Hezron was in fact the grandson of Judah, as it is said: And the sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul (Gen. 46:12), and it is also written: And after that Hezron was dead in Caleb-ephrath, then Abiah Hezron’s wife bore him Ashhur (I Chron. 2:24). Can a man die within another man that it should say: And after that Hezron died in Caleb? This must mean that after Hezron died Caleb came to Ephrath, who was in fact Miriam, through whom Israel increased and multiplied, as it is written: And Azubah died, and Caleb took unto him Ephrath, who bore him Hur. And Hur begot Uri, and Uri begot Bezalel (ibid., vv. 19–20). And Reaiah the son of Shobal begot Jahath; and Jahath begot Ahumai, and Lahad (ibid. 4:2).", "Bezalel was the name by which his mother and his people called him, but the Holy One, blessed be He, called him by other terms of endearment, because of the Sanctuary. He was called Reaiah because the Holy One, blessed be He, made known to all (hirah) the Israelites that he was destined from the very beginning to erect the Tabernacle; Shobal because he would erect a dovecot for God (shobek-el); Jahath because he instilled fear (hatito) of God in the Israelites; Ahumai because he united (ihah) God and Israel; Lahad because he brought glory (hod) and splendor through the Tabernacle, which was the glory of Israel.", "R. Abba the son of Hiyya17In text: R. Ada the son of Hiyya. said: He was called Lahad because the lowliest (hadal) of the tribes was associated (in the building of the Tabernacle) with him. He was Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. R. Hanina the son of Pazzi said: No tribe was greater than Judah, and none was more lowly than Dan, which descended from one of the maidservants, as it says: And the sons of Dan: Hushim (Gen. 46:23). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Let him come and join with Judah so that no tribe might become arrogant, for both the great and the lowly are equal in the sight of the Holy One, blessed be He. R. Hanina maintained: No man should become arrogant because of the honors bestowed upon him. The Tabernacle and the Sanctuary were erected by these two tribes, for Solomon was of the tribe of Judah, and Hiram was of the tribe of Dan, as it is said: The son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali (I Kings 7:4), and in the Book of Chronicles: The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan (II Chron. 2:12). These verses indicate that his father was of the tribe of Naphtali and his mother of the tribe of Dan. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world you erected a Tabernacle and a Sanctuary which were walled about, but in the world-to-come I will build a Sanctuary that will be encircled by a wall of fire, as it is said: For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire (Zech. 2:9)." ], [ "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of speaking (Exod. 31:18). R. Tanhuma began the discussion with the verse: Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth righteousness, but unto us confusion of face (Dan. 9:7). R. Nehemiah declared: Even though we believe that we have acted righteously before You, if we examine our actions we are abashed. There is no time at which we may come before You with confidence except when we bring our offerings to Your house, as it is said: When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase (Deut. 26:2). This entire subject is explained in the section Look forth from Thy holy habitation … and bless Thy people Israel (Deut. 26:15).", "R. Alexandri said: The influence of those who bring tithes is so great that they can convert a curse into a blessing. Whenever Scripture employs the word hashkafah (“looking forth”) it is an expression indicating disaster, as it is said: And he looked out toward Sodom (Gen. 19:28); The Lord looked upon the hosts of the Egyptians (Exod. 14:24); Through the window she looked forth and peered (Judg. 5:28); And there looked out to him two or three officers (II Kings 9:32); For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice; and I beheld among the thoughtless ones (Prov. 7:6). However, the words look forth connote a disaster in every instance except in the verse Look forth from Thy Holy habitation from heaven, and bless Thy people Israel (Deut. 26:15). Not only does it not indicate disaster, but (those who bring tithe) convert the disaster into a blessing.", "R. Nehemiah declared: When we examine our actions, we are filled with shame. Usually when a man gives his field to a tenant to work, the tenant supplies the seed and the labor, and they share equally in the produce. But the Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is written: The Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof (Ps. 24:1), causes the rain and the dew to descend and protects everything, yet He desires only one tenth as tithe and one fiftieth as the priestly offering. Hence, Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth righteousness, but unto us confusion of face (Dan. 9:7). R. Yosé said: Was there a more shameful act than this? Israel crossed the Red Sea, and the idol Micah (had made) was carried with them when, as it is said: And over the tree affliction shall pass (Zech. 10:11). Nevertheless the sea split asunder for them. Therefore, Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth righteousness, but unto us confusion of face.", "R. Yudan said: It is written: And the house of Joseph, they also went up to Beth-el, and the Lord was with them (Judg. 1:2). They went up to commit adultery, yet Scripture tells us: The Lord was with them. Is there greater charity than this? Hence, Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth righteousness, but unto us confusion of face. Similarly, And they took that which Micah had made, and the priest whom he had; and came unto Laish, unto a people quiet and secure (Judg. 18:7). And they took that which Micah had made refers to the idol, and the priest refers to the idolatrous priest. And came unto Laish, which is Paneas.18A prosperous city despite the fact that the poeple worshipped idols. It was situated in the northern part of Palestine. Unto a people quiet and secure who served idols and prospered with them. And that is why it says: A people quiet and secure. Is there charity greater than this? Hence it says: Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth righteousness. You find that on the day that Israel erected the golden calf, manna descended. They took it and brought it as an offering to the calf, as it is said: My bread also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey, wherewith I fed thee, thou didst even set it before them for a sweet savor, and thus it was (Ezek. 16:19). What is meant by And thus it was? It means that it descended as well on the next day, as Scripture states: And tomorrow shall be like this day (Isa. 56:12), and the manna did not cease falling. Hence, Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth righteousness; but to us confusion of face. Despite the golden calf (they erected): Thou withheldest not Thy manna from their mouth (Neh. 9:20).", "R. Eleazar queried: Who spoke this verse? Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah did when they left the furnace while all the nations gathered about, as it is said: And the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, and the king’s ministers being gathered about (Dan. 3:27). They stood around then and spat upon the Israelites, shouting at them: “You know that your God performs miracles and wonders such as these, yet you are responsible for destroying His house.”19The behavior of the Israelites, they charged, was responsible for the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. They spat upon their faces until the entire bodies were covered with spittle, but Hananiah and his companions lifted their faces and admitted the justice of Divine Judgment, saying: Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth righteousness, but unto us confusion of face (Dan. 9:7).", "Another explanation of Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth righteousness. R. Samuel the son of Nahman said: It was fitting for our ancestors to receive the Torah and to exclaim: All that the Lord hath spoken we will do and we will hear (Exod. 24:7), but was it proper for them to say: This is thy god, O Israel (ibid. 32:4)?", "You find that it is written about the time Moses descended from the mountain: And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto him: “There is a noise of war in the camp (ibid. 32:17). Moses replied: It is not the voice of them that shout after a victory, neither is it the voice of them that cry after being overcome, but the noise of them that sing do I hear (ibid.). What is the meaning of The noise of them that sing do I hear? It means: I hear the voice of those who are reproaching and blaspheming. Hence it is written: And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted.", "The men of the Great Synagogue later discussed the verse: Yea, when they had made them a golden calf and said: “This is the god that brought you up out of Egypt,” and wrought great provocations (Neh. 9:18). Is there anything lacking in Scripture that it should add: And wrought great provocations? They were reproaching and blaspheming as they sated themselves with the manna and brought some of it as an offering to the calf. They blasphemed with all their strength and indulged in revelry, but nevertheless: Thou withholdest not Thy manna from their mouth (ibid., v. 20). Hence, Unto Thee O Lord belongeth righteousness. R. Levi said: While Israel remained on the ground fashioning a calf, as it is said: And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with an engraving tool (Exod. 32:4), the Holy One, blessed be He, was above them engraving the life-giving words on the tablets, as it is said: And He gave unto Moses when He had made an end of speaking." ], [ "And he gave unto Moses when he had made an end of speaking (Exod. 31:18). Scripture states with reference to this verse: A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men (Prov. 18:16). The gift a man gives out of his own possessions resounds to his advantage, as is told about Abun Ramaah,20See Deut. R. chapter 4, sect. 8, where he is called Abin the deceiver, not deceitful, simply cunning in giving charity. who resided in Bozrah.21An Idumean town in which a number of scholars lived. Our rabbis went there to obtain a contribution from him. However, he refused to contribute anything at all until all the men of the community had made their contributions. Then he contributed an amount equal to all the others. That is why he was called Abun, the deceiver. What did our rabbis do after that? They sat him amongst themselves to fulfill what is written: A man’s gift maketh room for him. Another explanation of And He gave unto Moses is contained in the verse: Thou hast also given me Thy shield of salvation, and Thy right hand hath holden me up; and Thy condescension hath made me great (Ps. 18:26). Thou hast given me Thy shield of salvation refers to the Israelites, who trust in the Holy One, blessed be He; Thy right hand hath holden me up alludes to the Torah, as it says: At His right hand a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2); And Thy condescension hath made me great relates to the condescension of the Holy One, blessed be He.", "Is there any condescension greater than that shown by the Holy One, blessed be He? R. Abba ben Aha said: Ordinarily, a student in the presence of his master will wait for the master to depart before he leaves, but the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Ezekiel: “Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will speak there with thee”; then I arose, and went forth into the plain; and, behold, the Glory of the Lord stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face (Ezek. 3:22–23). This tells us that the Holy One, blessed be He, permitted him to depart first. Is there an example of condescension greater than this? Similarly it is expressed in the verse Moses spoke, and God answered him loudly (Exod. 19:19). Should not the verse say: “The Holy One, blessed be He, spoke, and Moses answered him loudly”? And it is written elsewhere: And the Lord said unto me: “This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, neither shall any man enter it, for the Lord, the God of Israel hath entered in by it” (Ezek. 44:1). But on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened (ibid. 46:1). The honor of a human king demands that he enter through the largest gate rather than through a small one, but the Holy One, blessed be He, entered through the smallest gate.", "Similarly God’s condescension is indicated in the verse And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day (Gen. 18:1). Normally, if a pupil is ill and his master intends to visit him, his fellow students visit him first and the master comes later. In this instance, however, while Abraham still suffered from the circumcision, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the angels: Let us go visit him. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, preceded them, as it is said: And He appeared unto him, and that is followed by: And he looked, and behold, three men.", "Ben Azzai said: Observe the humility of the Holy One, blessed be He. When a mortal king issues a proclamation in his dominion announcing that so-and-so is to be magistrate, another a prefect, and still another a general, he mentions his own name first and then his selections. However, the Holy One, blessed be He, mentioned his deeds first and then His name, as in the verse: In the beginning created God. Is there any humility greater than this? Ordinarily, a king will set aside supplies and precious gifts for the legionaries who are loyal to him, and he will divide the plunder with them. If they should rebel, however, he no longer feels any obligation to them. Though the Israelites fashioned a golden calf, the Holy One, blessed be He, was concerned with saving their lives, as it is said: For that is thy life and the length of thy days (Deut. 30:20)." ], [ "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of speaking with him (Exod. 31:18). R. Simeon the son of Lakish said: This may be compared to a man whose teacher is instructing him in the law. While the student is still learning, the master recites the law and the student repeats it after him, but when the student has learned the law, the teacher says to him: “Let us say it together.” Similarly, after He had taught Moses the law, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Come, let us say it together, you and I, as it is said: When He had made an end of speaking with him.", "Another explanation of “made an end” (kekhaloto). It is written as kekhalotah (“like a bride”). R. Simeon the son of Lakish said: A scholar is forbidden to teach the law in a community unless the words of the Torah are as pleasing to those who hear them as a bride is pleased with her spouse and as he is eager to listen to her words. R. Levi said in the name of R. Simeon the son of Lakish: Just as a bride is adorned with twenty-four kinds of ornaments,22So that she might be properly dressed for the wedding ceremony. so a scholar must be well versed in the twenty-four books of the Torah. Another comment on like a bride. When a bride secludes herself in her father’s house and does not appear in public until she is about to enter the bridal chamber, she indicates thereby: “Let anyone who knows anything against me come and testify,” so too a scholar must be retiring and well known for his good deeds.", "And He gave unto Moses when He made an end, etc. R. Abahu said: During the forty days Moses remained on the mountain, he would study the law and then forget it. Finally, he said: Forty days have passed and I still know nothing. What did the Holy One, blessed be he do? After the fortieth day, He gave him the Torah as a gift, as it is said: And He gave unto Moses when He made an end of speaking. Could Moses have possibly learned the entire Torah in forty days, since it is written: The measure thereof is longer than the earth (Job 11:9)? No. It was only the basic principles (kelalim)23A play on the words kelalim (basic things) and kekhalto (made an end of). that the Holy One, blessed be He, taught Moses, as it is stated: When he made an end of speaking.", "The two tablets correspond to heaven and earth, to the bride and groom, to the two best men (at a wedding), and to the two worlds. R. Hanina said that the word luhot (“tablets”) is written because there were of equal size. Tablets of stone. Why were they of stone? Because most of the punishments decreed in the Torah are administered through stoning.", "And the tablets were the work of God (Exod. 32:16). R. Joshua the son of Levi declared: Every day a heavenly voice reverberates from Mount Horeb exclaiming: “Woe unto you creatures for neglecting (lit. insulting) the Torah,” for whosoever is not constant in his study of the Torah is rebuked by the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: And the tablets were the work of God. It is like a man who asks his friend: “What is this made of?” And he replies: “The very best silver.” So it is with regard to the work of the King of Kings; be engaged in the study of the Torah.", "Graven upon the tablets (ibid.). What is meant by harut (“graven”)? R. Judah, R. Nehemiah, and the sages discussed it. R. Judah said it means freedom (herut)24A play on the words harut (graven) and herut (freedom). from domination by foreign kingdoms. R. Nehemiah was of the opinion that it means freedom from the angel of death. While the sages contended that it means freedom from suffering. R. Eliezer the son of R. Yosé the Galilean stated: If the angel of death should come to the Holy One, blessed be He, and say: “You created me for naught in this world,” the Holy One, blessed be he would answer him: I have given you dominion over all the nations of the world except this one, to which I have granted freedom (herut) because of the tablets. How do we know that this is so? Because it is written: I said: Ye are godlike beings, and all of you sons of the Most High, but since you have behaved evilly you shall die like men (Ps. 82:6–7)." ], [ "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of speaking with him (Exod. 31:18). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive. Thou hast received gifts among men (Ps. 68:19). Normally a man accepts gifts of silver and gold and garments from his neighbor in the hope that he might win his neighbor’s affection, but you Moses have taken captivity captive, that is, you have captured the Torah, which is in the midst of My heart.25Moses did not simply receive a gift from God but captured it, that is took the Torah himself. Hence, Thou hast led captivity captive. Thou hast received gifts among men.", "R. Ze’era said: The laws of uncleanness apply to human beings: To men: When any man hath an issue out of his flesh (Lev. 15:2), and to women: If a woman have an issue (ibid., v. 19). This is the law: When a man dieth in a tent, everything shall be unclean (Num. 19:14). Thou art fairer than the children of men (Ps. 45:3). Moses is merely called human (but his essence is of a higher level). In what way? The Holy One, blessed be He, causes death and restores to life, He casts men into the pit and brings them out again, and Moses did likewise. He cast Korah and his followers, while still alive, into the pit, as it is said: So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit (Num. 16:32). The Holy One, blessed be He, issued a decree, but he (Moses) caused it to be revoked, as is written: Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen stood before Him in the breach (Ps. 106:23). Grace is poured upon thy lips (ibid. 45:3) indicates that he spoke in their defense, as it is said: And Moses besought the Lord (Exod. 32:11), and He did not depart until the Lord repented (ibid., v. 14).", "Another explanation of Thou art fairer than the children of men. This refers to Abraham, for the Holy One, blessed be He, did not speak to any generation prior to his, as it is stated: And God said unto Abraham (Gen. 17:19). Grace is poured upon thy lips is said because he pleaded in behalf of the Sodomites: That be far from Thee (halilah) to do after this manner (ibid. 18:25). Some say That be far from Thee would be a profanation of Thy name (halil shemkha) to do this, while others say it means to be set aside (halelah), as in the case of an unchaste woman who is set aside. R. Huna said: It would be a profanation of the name of God if He were to destroy the righteous with the wicked, for men would then say: He did this to the generation of Enoch (which suffered a flood), the generation of the flood,26All were punished, righteous or not. (and) the generation of the dispersion27Punishment for building the Tower of Babel, though all were not involved. (Gen. 11:1–9), for they refrained from repenting. Grace is poured upon thy lips implies that you should be convinced that it (the law) will go forth from your descendants, since I gave him the Torah and he will teach it to your descendants, as is said: He gave unto Moses." ], [ "And he gave unto Moses, etc. (Exod. 31:18). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Thy lips, O my bride, drop honey (Song 4:11). R. Abba the son of Judah said: The community of Israel praised the Holy One, blessed be He, from on high to below, while the Holy One, blessed be He, praised Israel from below to on high. Israel praised Him from on high to below when she caused Him to descend from the upper spheres to the lower sphere, as it is said: That they make me a Sanctuary (Exod. 25:8). He praised them from below to on high when He said: The Lord Thy God will set them on high (Deut. 28:1). Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness? (Song 3:16). Israel praised him from above to below, that is, from His head to His foot: His head is as the most fine gold … His eyes … His locks … His eyes … His cheeks … His lips … His hands … His loins … His legs … His mouth is most sweet … this is my Beloved (Song 5:11–16), while He praised them from below to above: How beautiful are thy steps … the roundings of thy thighs … thy navel is like a round goblet … thy belly is like a heap … thy two breasts … thy neck is as a tower … thine eyes … thy nose … thy head upon thee is like Carmel (ibid. 7:2–6). Thy lips drip honey (ibid. 4:11).", "What is meant by nofet (“drip”)? R. Johanan declared: It is a Greek word for a beautiful bride. Just as a beautiful bride is prized above everything else, you are prized above all nations. Honey and milk under thy tongue (ibid. 4:11). When you devote yourself to the Torah you are consuming milk and honey, for you declared at Sinai: We will do and we will hear. Hence, Thy lips, O my bride, drop honey. Just as I called you My bride, so the Torah adorns and bedecks Israel like a bride. He gave Moses all of Israel’s adornments, the Scripture, the Mishnah, the Talmud, the laws and legends, as one gives gifts to a bride, as it is said: He gave unto Moses as though she was His bride (kekhalto28The usual English translation of this word is “when he made an end of (speaking).”). Tablets. Why is it called luhot (“tablets”)? Because they tire one’s lehi (“jaw”). Written with the finger of God (Exod. 31:18). If Israel had received the first tablets (which were shattered), no people would have been able to rule over them." ], [ "And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down (Exod. 32:1). The word boshesh (“delayed”) indicates that it was the sixth hour of the day. Forty thousand people had assembled to leave Egypt with the Israelites, and among them were two Egyptians named Jannes and Jambres, who had performed magical feats for Pharaoh, as it is written: And the magicians of Egypt in like manner with their arts (Exod. 7:22). All of them gathered about Aaron, as is said: And the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron and said (ibid. 32:11).", "When Moses failed to return by the fortieth day and the sixth hour of that day, Aaron and Hur told them: “He is now descending the mountain,” (but) they did not pay attention. Some say that Satan arose and showed them the likeness of his bier on the mountain, and that is why they said: For this man Moses (ibid., v. 1).29They believed that he was dead and that it was pointless to wait. Then Hur stepped forward and rebuked them. Forthwith they turned against him and slew him. When Aaron witnessed this he became terrified and sought to occupy them with other matters. But they cried out: Up, make us a god (ibid.). All that they demanded was known to the Holy One Who Spoke and the World Came into Being.", "Aaron said unto them: Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives (ibid., v. 2). Aaron told them to do this difficult thing because (he was aware that) the women would not agree to it. They had seen the miracles and the deeds that the Holy One, blessed be He, had wrought for them in Egypt, and what had transpired at the Red Sea and at Sinai, and so they went to the men and said: God forbid that we should renounce the Holy One, blessed be He, who has performed all these miracles and mighty deeds in our behalf, in order to fashion an idol. The men, however, refused to listen to them: And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears (ibid., v. 3). It does not say “in their wives’ ears” but rather in their ears.", "R. Jeremiah maintained that when they brought their earrings to him, Aaron raised his eyes heavenward and declared: Unto Thee I lift mine eyes, O thou that art enthroned in the heavens (Ps. 123:1). You who know all thoughts are aware that I do this unwillingly. He tossed their earrings into the fire, and the magicians approached and performed magical feats. Some say that Micah ground the bricks that Moses had saved into the mixture, and that he took the tablet which Moses had written upon when he raised Joseph’s coffin out of the Nile and cast them into the smelting furnace amidst the earrings. Then the calf came forth leaping. As it leaped about, the people began to cry out: This is thy god, O Israel. The guardian angels then began to proclaim: They forgot God, their savior, who had done great things in Egypt (Ps. 106:21).", "What did Aaron do then? He said: Let the celebration be delayed until tomorrow, as it is said: And Aaron made proclamation and said: “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord” (Exod. 32:5). Whereupon the Holy Spirit called out: Hasten, descend, they have forgotten what I did for them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world they have sinned because of the evil inclination within them, but in the time-to-come I will remove it from them, as is said: And I will take away the strong heart of your flesh (Exod. 36:26)." ], [ "And the Lord spoke unto Moses: “Go, get thee down…. I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people” (Exod. 32:7–9). R. Tanhuma the son of Abba began the discussion with the verses: As vapors and wind without rain, so is he that boasteth himself of a false gift. By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded (Prov. 25:14–15). One who promises a gift to his friend but fails to fulfill his promise can be likened to vapors and wind without rain. The generation of the desert behaved in that fashion. It is said: All the people answered with one voice, and said: “All the words which the Lord hath spoken we will do” (Exod. 24:7), yet they violated every command He issued. When the Holy One, blessed be He, observed that, He ordered Moses: Go get thee down, thy people have dealt corruptly (ibid. 32:7). The word dealt corruptly refers to immoral acts, as it is said: Is corruption His? No, His children’s is the blemish (Deut. 32:5). Not only did they make the golden calf, they were also guilty of sexual crimes and shedding blood, as it is said: And the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to make merry (ibid., v. 6). The words make merry imply sexual crimes, as is stated: The Hebrew servant, whom thou hast brought unto us, came unto me to make merry (Gen. 39:17). They were also guilty of bloodshed, as it is written: Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us (II Sam. 2:14).", "There was no one superior to Hur, who was killed at that time. Moses became angry because the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke harshly to him. The word daber (“spoke”) signifies harsh speech, as it is said: The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us (Gen. 42:30). At that moment five demons came toward him: Wrath, Anger, Fury, Destruction, and Annihilation. Moses prostrated himself on the steps before the Most High, and indeed, there was not a corner into which he did not hurl himself as he invoked the merit of the fathers. He said: Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Whereupon three of the demons fled leaving only Anger and Fury. Moses remained prostrate and bowed down, as it is said: And so I fell down before the Lord (Deut. 9:25). He cried out: Master of the Universe: For I was in dread of anger and fury (ibid., v. 19). The Holy One, blessed be He, responded: Perhaps you will escape unharmed if you attack one while I attack the other. Moses then answered: My Master, arise, O Lord, against Anger, while I arise against Fury, as it is said: Had not Moses his chosen stood before Him in the breach, to turn back His fury (Ps. 106:23)." ], [ "Go, get thee down (Exod. 32:7). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Mankind has already compelled Me to descend from this place to witness its degradation, as is said: And the Lord came down to see the city … Come, let us go down (Gen. 11:5, 7), and I will go down and see (ibid. 18:21). Hence you too must go down, for it behooves a servant to behave like his master. When Moses heard that, he said to himself: Truly, there is no forgiveness for them. The Holy One, blessed be He, was aware of what was transpiring in Moses’ heart, and so He said to him: Have I not already told thee at the thorn bush that I have surely seen (Exod. 3:7)? You saw but one vision, but I have seen two. I saw them coming to Sinai and accepting My Torah, and I also saw that I would descend at Sinai on My chariot with four animals and they would examine it and unhitch one of them in order to provoke Me, as it is said: And they four had the face of an ox, etc. (Ezek. 1:10), and it is written elsewhere: Thus they exchanged their glory for an ass that eateth grass (Ps. 106:20).", "Go, get thee down; for thy people … have dealt corruptly. The verse does not say “the people” but rather thy people. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: It was your people who made the golden calf. When I told you: Bring forth My hosts, My people, the children of Israel (Exod. 7:4), you welcomed also the mixed multitude, saying: Surely it is right to take along the penitent ones. But I foresaw what they would ultimately do; that they would make the golden calf, since they had been idolaters, and would, therefore, lead My people to sin with them. Observe what is written: And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf; and they said: “This is thy god, O Israel” (ibid. 32:4). The verse does not say “This is our god” but rather This is thy god. Hence it was the proselytes who had left Egypt with them who erected it. How much gold did the calf contain? R. Tanhum the son of Hanilai stated: It contained a hundred and twenty-five talents of gold, for that is how much (the letters of the word) molten total arithmetically. R. Issi said: The word masekhah (“molten”) indicates that it would become an evil web30Masekhah can mean both “molten” and “web.” to future generations." ], [ "Go, get thee down (Exod. 32:7). The sages said: Moses was actually excommunicated by the heavenly court at that time. Here it is said: Get thee down (red) as a rebuke, for the people had dealt corruptly, and elsewhere it is said: And Judah went down (vayered) from his brethren (Gen. 38:1). What is written preceding that? And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him (ibid. 37:35). But when he remained uncomforted they arose and excommunicated Judah. They said: “When you told us: ‘Come and let us sell him,’ we listened to you, but if you had told us: ‘Come, let us take him back,’ we would have listened to you. You are responsible for our father’s grief.” That is why they excommunicated him. Hence the word red (“get thee down”) implies excommunication.", "Thereupon Moses stood before the Holy One, blessed be He, and asked: “Wherein am I guilty?” He replied: “Your people have dealt corruptly.” “My people,” Moses responded; “they are Your people and Your inheritance which You did redeem with Your own power. But what is their sin?” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: “They exchanged their glory for the likeness of an ox that eateth.” Whereupon Moses said: “Master of the Universe, are You indeed jealous of an ox? Is he Your helper? Do You bring the winds while he causes the rain to fall? Do You make the sun shine, and he the moon to glow? Do You cause the trees to grow, and he the blossoms to sprout? After all, the ox is powerless; it merely eats grass and then is slaughtered. Lord, why doth Thy wrath wax against thy people? (Exod. 32:11).” He replied: “Is it honoring Me when they prostrate themselves before it and offer sacrifices to it? I have watched this people, and it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot (ibid., vv. 9–10).” From this verse you may infer that the Holy One, blessed be He, is suggesting to Moses that he should plead for mercy in their behalf, since it is said: And I will make of thee a great nation (ibid., v. 10).", "And I will make of thee a great nation, and it shall be mighty. He said to Him: If the merit of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob cannot assuage Your anger, how can my merit sustain (my descendants)?31Because it was the merit of the patriarchs that was decisive. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and forget about me, lest it happen as the Egyptians said: For evil did he bring them forth (Ibid., v. 12).", "Turn from Thy fierce anger (ibid.); Satan continued to contend against them on high. What did Moses do? He closed the breach through which Satan had entered to press his argument against Israel, as it is said: Had not Moses His servant stood before in the breach (Ps. 106:23). And God had mercy upon them. Therefore the prophet cried out: Who is God like unto Thee, that pardoneth the iniquity, and passeth by the transgression? (Mic. 7:18)." ], [ "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants (Exod. 32:13). May our masters teach us: Until what time may the morning prayers be recited? Thus our masters teach us that the morning prayers may be recited until mid-day. R. Judah maintained that the morning prayers could be recited only until the fourth hour of the day.32Ten o’clock. What was the explanation of Judah’s opinion? R. Simeon explained it in the name of R. Joshua the son of Levi: The prayers were instituted to correspond to the sacrifices, and we are taught that the morning sacrifice could be offered only until the fourth hour.", "Nothing is more beneficial than prayer. It was the three patriarchs who introduced the three prayers. Daniel, however, fixed the number of prayers that should be recited, as it is said: And he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed (Dan. 6:11). However, he did not prescribe the hour of the day. David came and specified evening, morning, and noonday: Evening, and morning, and noonday will I complain and moan (Ps. 55:18). When Moses arose and sought mercy for them, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Get thee down, let Me alone (Exod. 32:7, 10). When Moses realized that Divine justice demanded the extinction of Israel, he cried out: Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, who instituted the three prayers." ], [ "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Exod. 32:13). It is written elsewhere in reference to this verse: And when they shall say to you: “Seek unto the ghosts and the familiar spirits, that chirp and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? on behalf of the living unto the dead (Isa. 8:19). Who spoke this prophetic verse? Isaiah ben Amoz. He told Israel: If the nations tell you to commit idolatry by enquiring of the ghosts and familiar spirits as we (i.e., they) do, answer them: We will inquire of our God, and you inquire of your gods. Should not a people inquire of its own god?", "What is meant by On behalf of the living unto the dead? We leave the living to the life of the world, and we inquire of the dead through the dead. Another explanation of On behalf of the living unto the dead. He said to them: Normally we ask about the needs of the dead from the living, perhaps we should consult the dead about the needs of the living. Another comment on this verse. He said: Our dead are not truly dead, for it is said: Let the saints exult in glory; let them sing for joy upon their beds (Ps. 149:5). You find that after they had erected the calf, Moses arose and recited a prayer in which he recalled the departed, as it is said: Remember Abraham, Isaac, etc. There were many righteous men with him among the living in the camp, yet he mentioned only the departed. If he had done otherwise, they would have perished.33See above note 28. Thus Solomon exclaimed: Therefore I praised the dead (Eccles. 4:2).", "Why did he see fit to mention Abraham? After they had committed the deed (of erecting the golden calf) and Moses sought mercy in their behalf, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: How can I forgive (them)? Only yesterday I gave them the Ten Commandments and they have already discarded them. R. Simlai said: This may be compared to a king with whom a friend had left ten pearls for safekeeping. After some time the king married his friend’s daughter with those pearls. However, she lost them. The king became enraged and cried out: “I ought to kill her.” Her best friend heard this and said to the king: “My lord king, if she lost the pearls, remember that her father entrusted her pearls to you for safekeeping. Let him replace the lost pearls with another ten.” So too did Moses say to the Holy One, blessed be He: If they violated the Ten Commandments, remember their ancestor Abraham, whom you tested with ten temptations, and let him compensate for them. Hence he called to mind Abraham.", "Why did he see fit to recall the three patriarchs? Moses argued: Master of the Universe, if they are to be sentenced to burning, then remember Abraham, who risked his life in the furnace of the Chaldeans for the sake of Your Holy Name; if they merit decapitation, then remember Isaac their father, who willingly stretched out his neck for slaughter for the sake of Your Holy Name; if they deserve to be exiled, recall Jacob their father, who was exiled to Haran. That is why he mentioned the three patriarchs.", "To whom Thou didst swear by Thine own self (Exod. 33:13). You did not swear to them or to the mountains or to the valleys, for they are only Your creations: Thou didst swear by Thine own self. And thou saidest unto them: “I will multiply thy seed” (ibid.); why do You retract Your promise? They have violated the beginning of the commandment, but surely You cannot wish to abrogate what you will say finally: Showing mercy unto the thousandth generation (ibid. 20:6). Since only seven generations have passed—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Levi, Kohath, Amram, and Moses—would it be showing mercy to the thousandth generation if You destroyed them? Hence the Lord repented (ibid. 32:14)." ], [ "And the Lord spoke unto Moses: “Go, get thee down” (Exod. 32:7). May our masters teach us: If a person sends his eruv34Through the legal procedure known as eruv (“mixing”), various private domains are amalgamated so as to permit certain activities, such as carrying, that are prohibited on the Sabbath and the festivals. by means of a deaf mute, a fool, or a child, is his eruv considered a legal one? Thus do our masters teach us: If one sends his eruv by means of a deaf mute, a fool, or a child, his eruv is not a legal one. Shame upon the man who sends a fool as his messenger to the King, as it is said: He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off his own feet and drinketh damage (Prov. 26:6)." ], [ "And the Lord spoke unto Moses: “Depart, go up hence” (Exod. 33:1). This is what Scripture says in allusion to this verse: For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds (Jer. 30:17). What is meant by I will heal thee of thy wounds? R. Joshua the son of Levi said: When they transgressed by means of the golden calf, they sinned through Aaron, who said to them: Whosoever hath any gold (Exod. 32:24). And when the Holy One, blessed be He, became reconciled with them and desired to make known to them that He bore no resentment over the fashioning of the calf, He desired to do so through Aaron, as is said: And He said unto Aaron: “Take thee a bull calf for a burnt offering” (Lev. 9:2).", "Similarly, since He had indicated His wrath through the words Go, get thee down, He became reconciled with him through the words Depart, go up hence. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: With the very expression (with which) I humbled you, I will exalt you, as is said: Depart, go up hence. Another comment on Depart, go up hence. What is written previously concerning this matter? And Moses turned, and went down from the mountain (Exod. 32:15). After they had performed the wicked deed, Moses descended from the mountain and, as he approached the camp, observed the golden calf they had made. Until that moment, the tablets that the Holy One, blessed be He, had given him had been virtually self-borne, but as he descended the mountain, approached the camp, and saw the calf, the letters flew from the tablets and they became heavy in the hands of Moses. Forthwith, Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hand (ibid., v. 19).", "Observe how strong Moses was. R. Judah said: The tablets weighed as much as forty measures of wheat and were made of sapphire, yet they were like some small object in his hand. When the writing flew off, he shattered them. What did he do then? He took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire (ibid., v. 20). Then he began to search for the guilty ones. He convened a court from amongst the tribe of Levi, for they had not participated in fashioning the calf. All who appeared before the court but were not testified against underwent the water test, as a woman suspected of unfaithfulness is tested.35The drinking of the bitter water to determine whether she was faithful to her husband. And strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it (ibid.). Everyone against whom witnesses testified that they were involved were put to death at once, as is said: Slay every man his brother (ibid., v. 27). And everyone against whom witnesses did not testify that he had been involved was smitten by the plague, as it is said: And the Lord smote the people (ibid., v. 35). Finally about three thousand men were put to death.", "After the calf and its worshippers were destroyed, he came before the Holy One, blessed be He, pleading and beseeching, as it is said: And Moses returned unto the Lord and said: “Oh, this people have sinned … yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin (ibid., vv. 31–32). And the Holy One, said unto Moses: Whosoever hath sinned against Me … and now, go and lead the people unto the place (ibid., v. 33). In the day when I visit, I will visit their sins upon them (ibid., v. 34); that is, I shall sit in judgment against them on the Day of Atonement. Then the guiltless will be exonerated and the guilty will be condemned, as is said: In the day when I visit, etc. R. Hanina said: Whoever says the Lord is lax (in dispensing) justice, may his bowels become loose. He is simply long-suffering. Hence, In the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them. After he judged them and carried out the verdict, he called out: Master of the Universe, the calf and those who worshipped it have already been consumed. Perhaps you have something else against Your people? He replied: Depart, go up hence. Therefore Solomon said: Take away the dross from the silver (Prov. 25:4).", "I will send an angel before thee … unto a land flowing with milk and honey … if I go in the midst of thee, even for a moment, I shall consume thee (Exod. 33:2, 5). How long is a moment? R. Samuel the son of Abba maintained: It is one fifty-eighth thousandth, six hundred and fiftieth part of an hour. That I may know what to do unto thee (ibid.). I will give them the Day of Atonement that it may atone for them. And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments (ibid., v. 6). (The ornaments) were the crowns which they had received at Mount Horeb. And they stripped themselves of them—unwillingly." ], [ "And now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it without the camp, afar off (Exod. 33:7). R. Simeon the son of Lakish held that Moses made his decision by an inference ad minorem. He said: One who is excommunicated by a teacher must (all the more so) be treated as such by the disciple. Since this was the intention of the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning them, I must withdraw from them. Therefore Moses used to take the tent without the camp.", "R. Isaac said afar off is a mil, as it is said: Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure (Josh. 3:4). And it came to pass, that everyone that sought the Lord went out (Exod. 33:7). From this you learn that a man must go into exile if need be in order to study. And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tent, that all the people rose up (ibid., v. 8). You learn from this that a man must stand in the presence of an aged person, a wise man, the head of the court, and a king, and that he must remain standing until they have departed.", "And looked after Moses (ibid.). R. Ammi said: They looked after him to praise him. “Praised be the nurse who nursed one such as this.” R. Isaac maintained: They looked after him in reproach. They would look at his back and say: “Notice his neck, see his cap, he eats their portion, indeed two portions.”", "And it came to pass that everyone that sought the Lord went out (ibid., v. 7). “Everyone who sought Moses” is not written here but rather everyone that sought the Lord. Because of this they said: One should greet an elderly person as one greets the Shekhinah, as it is said: And it came to pass that everyone that sought the Lord went out. Even the angels, the seraphim, and the bands of angels sought Him out, saying to each other: He is in the dwelling of Moses. And it came to pass: When Moses entered into the tent, the pillar of clouds descended, and stood at the door of the tent (ibid., v. 9). When they observed that the Shekhinah had revealed Himself to Moses, all the people arose and prayed. And the Holy One spoke unto Moses face to face (ibid., v. 11). We do not know whether the humble one lifted himself or whether the Exalted One lowered Himself. Said R. Joshua the son of Levi: The Great One of the World inclined Himself, so to speak, since it is said: And the Lord went out unto the Tent of Meeting (ibid., v. 7).", "And he would return into the camp (ibid., v. 11). He said to Moses: Did I not tell you that when I am angry at them, you must be kindly disposed toward them, and that when you are angry at them I will be conciliatory toward them? But now you and I are angry at them. Both of us must not be angry with them at the same time. That is why it states: And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face (ibid.). His attitude toward them then changed, and he would return into the camp. Do not read the word as veshav (“sat”) but as veshuv (“returned”) to the camp. If he had not done so, the words His minister, Joshua the son of Nun would have been written as “Joshua the son of Nun will minister in your stead.”", "He said to Him: Master of the Universe, even when You are angry, You persuade me to be conciliatory toward them, as is said: And Moses said unto the Lord: “See, Thou sayest unto me: Bring up this people” (ibid., v. 12). Apparently You are not able to foreclose Your affection for them. Now, if I have found grace in Thy sight, show me Thy ways (ibid., v. 13).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: I have made decrees, and I have fulfilled your decree to forgive (them) for the entire episode of the calf—I will pardon in accordance with your word, and I will fulfill your desire that My presence shall go with thee (ibid.).", "He said to him: The nations make use of heavenly representations; if we do likewise (instead of having direct access to God), what difference is there between us? By your life, I will do as you say—My Presence shall go with thee.", "Now, therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found grace in Thy sight, show me Thy ways … and the Lord said: Behold, there is a place by Me (ibid. vv. 13, 21). R. Yosé the son of Halafta said: It does not say “Behold, I am in this place,” but rather there is a place by Me; that is to say, My place depends upon Me, I am not dependent upon My place. And He said: I will make all My goodness pass before thee (ibid., v. 19); that is, I will show you the measure of My goodness and the measure of My retribution. And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious (ibid.).", "He disclosed to him all the treasures that were to be bestowed upon the righteous, each in reward for certain acts. He (Moses) asked: “Whose treasure is this?” “This is the treasure of those who give charity.” “Whose treasure is this?” “This is treasure for the master of the law,” He replied. “And whose treasure is this?” he queried. “It belongs to those who honor them,” He said. Then he pointed to the greatest of the treasures and asked: “Master of the Universe, whose great treasure is this one?” “I shall give it to him who performs meritorious deeds. But even to the one who has no good deeds to his credit, I will give them as a gift for nothing (hinam) from among these,” as it is said: I will be gracious (ahon)36Playing on hinam (for no reason) and hanan (be gracious) to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.", "Another comment on I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. “I will be gracious to whom we have been gracious” is not written here, but rather, to whom I will be gracious. That is to say, I will be gracious to anyone who desires My graciousness, and I will be gracious unto the one to whom I wish to be gracious. Similarly, I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. He said: Thou canst not see My face (ibid., v. 20). Moses wanted to learn the rewards that were to be given to the righteous and why the wicked were at ease. The Holy One, blessed be He, answered: Thou canst not see My face. My face is mentioned here only with reference to the ease enjoyed by the wicked, as it is said: And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them (Deut. 7:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: And I will take away My hand (Exod. 33:23). That is to say, in this world I will not show you the rewards awaiting those that fear My name, but I shall in the world-to-come: Whereof from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God beside Thee who worketh for him that waiteth for him (Isa. 64:3)." ], [ "The Lord said to Moses: “Hew these two tablets of stone” (Exod. 34:1). May it please our masters to teach us: How many verses of the Torah must the reader recite? Thus did our masters teach us: One who reads the Torah may not recite less than three verses to correspond to the three patriarchs on whose behalf the Torah was given to Israel, as it is said: And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain (ibid. 19:3). How do we know the patriarchs were called mountains? Because it is said: Hear, O ye mountains, the Lord’s controversy (Mic. 6:2). Therefore a man must guard the Torah, for it guards his soul. R. Tanhum the son of Hanilai said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: My daughter is in thy hands, and thy daughter is in My hands. “My daughter is in thy hands’ refers to the Torah. “And your daughter is in My hands” alludes to the soul: In whose hand is the soul of every living thing (Job 12:10). If you guard what is Mine, I shall guard what is yours. Thus Scripture says: Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently (Deut. 4:9).", "Everyone who occupies himself with the Torah will become a leader and a king, as it is said: By Me kings reign and princes decree justice (Prov. 8:15). Hence Moses, who occupied himself with the Torah, became a leader and a king, as is said: And there was a king in Jeshurun (Deut. 33:5). How do we know that he was greatly occupied with the Torah? It is said: And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread nor drink wine (Exod. 34:28). During the day the Holy One, blessed be He, taught him the Written Law, and at night He instructed him in the Oral Law. Finally He gave him the tablets, and he descended only to discover that they had made the calf. Whereupon he broke the tablets and halted their revelry. He then sought mercy upon them. Moses did not fail to prostrate himself in a single corner while pleading in their behalf, until the Holy One, blessed be He, became reconciled with them. Then he said: Master of the Universe, give them a second tablet. He replied: I made the first tablets and you broke them; now you must replace them, as it is said: Hew these two tablets." ], [ "Hew these two tablets (Exod. 34:1). Scripture states elsewhere: The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich (Prov. 10:22). This refers to Elisha’s prayer for water, when he said: Thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not see rain, neither shall ye see wind, yet that valley shall be filled with water (II Kings 3:17). What else is written there? And it came to pass in the morning, about the time of making the offering (ibid., v. 20). One who says in the morning also says “the time of the morning offering.” R. Tanhuma said: A rain storm occurred in the south and the water reached (the Temple) at the time the offering was made. Hence, The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and toil addeth nothing thereto (Prov. 10:22). Though they did not experience either the rain or the wind, the valley was filled with water.", "Another explanation of The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich. This refers to Elijah’s blessing in the home of (the widow of) Zarephath, as is said: The jar of meal shall not be spent, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the land (I Kings 17:14). Though many jars were filled and much meal was ground, yet the jar of meal shall not be spent, etc. Hence, the blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and toil addeth nothing thereto implies that she was blessed in her own home.", "Another explanation of The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich. This refers to the blessing enjoyed by Moses when the Holy One, blessed be He, told him: Hew these two tablets. He revealed to him the quarry of sapphire that was in his tent. Hew these, He said: Hew some stone chips from it for yourself, and it will make you a ruler. From this you learn that everyone who devotes himself to the Torah acquires his sustenance from the Torah and becomes prosperous and successful. Thus He said to Joshua: For then thou shalt make thy ways prosperous (Josh. 1:8). And toil addeth nothing thereto indicates that it was not necessary for him to go elsewhere (to find it), for the Holy One, blessed be He, placed it in his tent." ], [ "Hew these two tablets of stone (Exod. 34:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The wrath of a king is as messengers of death; but a wise man will pacify it (Prov. 16:14). The wrath of a king is as messengers of death alludes to the Holy One, blessed be He. After the people had made the golden calf the demons attacked Moses. He pleaded for mercy, recalling the merit of the patriarchs and they departed from him. When he broke the tablets his anger diminished. What did Moses witness that compelled him to break the tablets? It may be compared to a king who travels abroad while his wife remains at home with the servants. Because she was alone with them, rumors began to circulate concerning her behavior. The king heard them, and when he returned home, he wanted to kill her. His advisor learned this and tore up her marriage certificate. He said: “If the king should say, my wife has done such and such, we can reply, she is no longer your wife.” The king inquired about her and found that she had done nothing wrong. Only the maidservants had acted shamefully. He became reconciled with her immediately. His advisor then said to him: “Master, write another marriage contract, since the first one was torn up.” “You tore it up,” the king replied, “so now you must bring the parchment and I will write the document with my own hand.” So too here. When the Israelites made the calf, the Holy One, blessed be He, felt the same way. He said to Moses: Go, get thee down, for thy people have dealt corruptly. Whereupon he replied: They are Your people and Your inheritance. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: This act proves that The ox knoweth his owner (Isa. 1:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the calf: Who made you? The calf answered: The mixed multitude that departed from Egypt with the Israelites, for it is written about them: Whose flesh is as the flesh of asses (Ezek. 23:20). Then the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Did I not tell you: Go, get thee down, for thy people that thou broughtest up out of the land of Egypt have dealt corruptly (Exod. 32:7) and have made the golden calf. My people did not do it, as it is said: But Israel doth not know, My people doth not consider (Isa. 1:3). Immediately Moses arose and pleaded in their defense: O Lord God, destroy not Thy people and Thine inheritance that Thou hast redeemed through Thy greatness (Deut. 9:26). And he went ahead and broke the tablets. When the Holy One, blessed be He, became reconciled, He told him: Go, hew these two tablets of stone.", "Why did he shatter them? R. Ishmael said: Moses arrived at his decision through an argument ad minorem. Since the paschal sacrifice, which is but one commandment, was not permitted to idolaters, as it is written: There shall no alien eat thereof (Exod. 12:43), how much more so would it not be fitting to give the entire law to idolaters! That is why he broke them.", "R. Akiba stated: The Holy One, blessed be He, told him to break them. Our sages were of the opinion that while the writing was on the tablets Moses did not feel their weight, but when the writing flew away, they became heavy in his hands and he dropped them and they were broken. Another explanation of why he broke them. When Moses saw that they were doomed, he sought a pretext through which to save them. He said: It is written on the tablets that he who sacrifices to gods will be excommunicated, and so, I will break them and say to the Holy One, blessed be He: Until now they did not know the punishment for idolatry. If they had, they would not have done it." ], [ "Hew these two tablets of stone (Exod. 34:1). When did Moses descend from the mountain? R. Judah the son of Shalum said: Moses remained on the mountain with the Holy One, blessed be He, for one hundred and twenty days. How did he arrive at this conclusion? From the verse In the third month after the children of Israel were gone out of the land of Egypt (Exod. 19:1). On the sixth day of that month He gave him the Ten Commandments, as it is written concerning him: And Moses went up into the mountain of God (ibid. 24:13). He remained there for forty days, that is, the twenty-four days of the month of Sivan and the sixteen days of the month of Tammuz—totaling forty days in all. He descended from the mountain on the seventeenth day of Tammuz, and on the eighteenth day and nineteenth day he saw the calf, broke the tablets, and halted their revelry. On the twentieth day he turned and ascended once again, as is said: And it came to pass on the morrow that Moses said unto the people: “Ye have sinned a great sin; and now I will go up unto the Lord” (ibid. 32:30). And it is written: And Moses returned unto the Lord and said: “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin” (ibid, v. 31). He remained there the ten days of the month of Tammuz and the entire month of Av, totaling another forty days. He went up on the first day of the month of Elul when He told him: Hew thee these two tablets … and be ready by the morning (ibid. 34:1–2). And he hewed … and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto Mount Sinai (ibid., v. 4). He stayed there throughout the month of Elul and until the tenth day of Tishri (another ten days). On the tenth day of Tishri he descended while the Israelites were praying and fasting. On that day He said to him: I have pardoned according to thy word (Num. 14:20). Then the Holy One, blessed be He, established that day as the day of forgiveness and pardon for the future generations (Yom Kippur), as it is said: For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you (Lev. 16:30). Thereupon He commanded Moses: Let them make Me a Sanctuary (Exod. 25:8).", "Hew thee and … and be ready by the morning (ibid. 34:1–2). With reference to the first tablets, it is written: And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightning (ibid. 19:16). But with regard to the second tablets, it is said: Neither let any man be seen (ibid. 34:3). Because the first tablets were given openly, the evil inclination prevailed over them, and (for that reason) they were broken. But in this instance (the second tablets) the Holy One, blessed be He, said: There is nothing more desirable than humility, as it is said: And what doth the Lord require of thee: only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with the God (Mic. 6:8)." ], [ "And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there (Exod. 34:5). How fortunate was Moses was that he could come before the Omnipresent while no angel or seraph was able to do so! Two people discussed this verse. One said that Moses was drawn into the cloud, and ascended into the firmament like a colias37A type of bird, butterfly or fish. until he reached the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: And stood with him there. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed (ibid., v. 6). He taught Moses how to plead in defense of Israel. He said to him: Tell Me about the merits of the patriarchs; remind Me of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, My servants. Were it not for their merit I would destroy them, but now and henceforth it will be said: The Lord, merciful and gracious (ibid.). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: I taught Moses to speak in their defense in this world, but in the future I that speak in victory, mighty to save, (Isa. 63:1); that is, I shall speak in their behalf." ], [ "And the Lord said unto Moses: “Write thou these words” (Exod. 34:27). May our masters teach us: Is one who writes two letters on the Sabbath (while unmindful of the prohibition or of the Sabbath) obligated (to bring a sin-offering)? Thus do our masters teach us: One who writes two letters thoughtlessly on the Sabbath is obligated (to bring a sin-offering) because he has made a mark and profaned the Sabbath. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Be zealous of the glory of the Sabbath, for on that day I rested from the work of creation, as it is said: And He rested on the seventh day (ibid. 20:9).", "It happened that the wicked Turnus Rufus encountered R. Akiba and asked him: “What difference is there between today and yesterday?” He responded: “What difference is there between one strong man and another?” Rufus retorted: “I asked you a question, yet you reply with another question.” R. Akiba then said: “You asked me what difference was there between the Sabbath and any other day, and I asked you what is the difference between Turnus Rufus and any other man.” “The king among kings wished to honor me,” he answered. R. Akiba replied: “It is the King of Kings who demands that Israel honor the Sabbath.” “If that is so,” he argued, why does He labor on the Sabbath?” “What labor does he perform on the Sabbath?” queried Akiba. “Exactly what He does during the week,” said Rufus. “He makes the winds to blow, the clouds to soar, the rain to fall, the sun and the moon to shine, the fruits to grow, and answers (the prayers) of women giving birth as they do on any other day of the week.” Akiba retorted: “I know that you are familiar with the law of eruv. Now if two men reside in one courtyard and one deposits an eruv while the other does not, you would not maintain that they are both permitted to walk about on the Sabbath.", "However, if a man lived alone in a courtyard as large as Antioch itself, he could walk about that courtyard, for no one else shares the area with him. So, too, the Holy One, blessed be He, may His name and His memory be blessed, has His throne in heaven and the earth is His footstool, His glory fills the earth and no one shares it with him, hence He goes about in his world. Nevertheless those who ate the manna testify that it descended on weekdays and not on the Sabbath, as it is said: Eat that today; for today is a Sabbath (ibid. 16:25). Likewise, those who conjure up the dead through witchcraft testify that the dead arise on weekdays but not on the Sabbath. If you doubt this, consult your father’s (corpse), may his bones be ground to dust.”", "He went to the sorcerer on the first day of the week and his father’s corpse was brought up. That occurred also on the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth day of the week, but on the Sabbath day it did not ascend. Then, on the first day of the next week, it reappeared. He asked his father’s corpse: “Now that you are dead, why do you behave as a Jew, observing the Sabbath?” He replied: “My son, everyone among you who does not observe the Sabbath as it is decreed will do so unwillingly when he arrives here.” He asked him: “What work do you do on weekdays? He answered: “On weekdays we are judged, but on the Sabbath we rest until the Sabbath ends and the Sabbath reading is completed. When the Sabbath reading is concluded, the angel in charge of souls comes and takes the souls of those people and casts them back into the pit of the earth that is called A land of thick darkness as darkness itself; a land of the shadow of death, without any order (Job 10:22).” What is meant by tzalmavet (“shadow of death”)? It means tze’u lemavet (“they go out to death”), since they have already completed reading the text for the Sabbath. He then asked him: “If that is so, then why does the Holy One, blessed be He, work on that day?” He replied: “He is like one who walks about a courtyard four cubits in size. Furthermore, the river Sabbatyon38The legendary river Sabbatyon flowed, and therefore was impassable, on the six weekdays, but was still on Sabbaths and holy days. According to legend it formed the boundary of the territory in which the ten lost tribes were exiled. See Gen. R. Chapter 73, sect. 6 and San.h. 65b testifies to this fact, for it carries stones and sand throughout the week, but on the Sabbath it rests.” He said to him: “Do you intend to fob me off (with this answer)?” He said to him: “It is written: He rested on the seventh day from all His labors (Gen. 2:2) (My answer is intended seriously).”", "R. Phinehas stated in the name of R. Joshua: Though it is written concerning Him that He rested from all His labors, it indicates merely that He rested from the work of creation, but not that He rests from considering the deeds of the righteous and the acts of the wicked. Rather, He works with them. He reveals to these (the righteous) the essential character of their deeds and to those (the wicked) the essential nature of their acts. How do we know that the punishment of the wicked is called work? It is said: The Lord hath opened His armory and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation; for it is a work that the Lord God of hosts hath to do (Jer. 50:25). How do we know that rewarding the righteous is considered work? It is said: Oh, how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou has wrought for them (Ps. 31:20).", "Thus you learn that even the dead are aware of the Sabbath day. R. Joshua the son of Hanina declared: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: “Keep the Sabbath, for it is equal to the entire law.” About the Sabbath, it is written: Keep the Sabbath day (Deut. 5:12), and concerning the law it states: Ye shall diligently keep the commandments (ibid. 6:17). The Sabbath was given through Moses: See that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath (Exod. 16:29), and similarly, the law was given through Moses." ], [ "And the Lord said unto Moses: “Write thou these words, for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel” (Exod. 34:27). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Though I write for him never so many things of My Law, they are accounted as stranger’s (Hos. 8:12). R. Judah the son of Shalum was of the opinion that when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses Write thou, Moses wanted to write the Mishnah as well. However, the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that ultimately the nations of the world would translate the Torah into the Greek language and would claim: “We are the Israelites.”", "Now the scales are balanced (as to who are His people). The Holy One, blessed be He, can say to the nations of the world: You claim that you are My children, but I know that only those who know My secrets are My children. Where are His secrets (to be found)? In the Mishnah, which was given orally, and from which everything can be derived.", "R. Judah the son of Shalum said: The Holy One, blessed be He, asked Moses: Why do you wish the Mishnah to be written?’ What would be the difference, then, between the peoples of the world and Israel? That is why it is written: Though I write for him never so many things of My Law, they are counted as a stranger’s. Therefore give them the Scripture in writing and the Mishnah orally.", "Write thou these words refers to Scripture, and after the tenor of these words alludes to the Mishnah, which was transmitted orally. Another comment on Write thou these words. They concluded from these words that one is forbidden to glance into the Torah and translate it (during the reading of the Torah in the synagogue),39While it was being read, the translator would translate the Hebrew text of Torah into Aramaic, the language familiar to the masses of the people. and that whoever is reading the Torah is prohibited from removing his eyes while reading it, since it was given in writing as it is said: And I will write upon the tablets the words (Exod. 34:1). One is prohibited from glancing into the Torah while translating it, for it is said: Write thou these words, but the Mishnah, concerning which it is stated: After the tenor of these words, may be interpreted freely because it was given orally.", "R. Judah the son of Shalum said in reference to the verses Write thou these words and for after the tenor of these words: I have made a covenant with You both with the words write thee and with after the tenor of. If you fulfill that which is written in writing and that which was given orally with you mouth, then will I have made a covenant with you, but if you should reverse the two, I will not have made a covenant with you." ], [ "Another comment on write thee (Exod. 34:27). Scripture states elsewhere: Let them be thine only, and not a stranger’s with thee (Prov. 5:17). What does this verse refer to? When they made the golden calf, Moses prayed until the Holy One, blessed be He, became reconciled with them. Moses cried out: My Master, restore the law to them just as David proclaimed: Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation (Ps. 51:14). However, the Holy One, blessed be He, responded: How can I return it to them, when only yesterday they said at Sinai: All that the Lord hath spoken we will do (Exod. 24:17), and now, in the very place in which they committed themselves (to observe the law), they debased themselves, as it is said: They made a calf in Horeb (Ps. 106:19)? Despite all the miracles and wonders that I performed in their behalf in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and even though they beheld My Glory at Sinai, where myriads of angels descended and crowned them, as it is said: A beautiful crown upon thy head (Exod. 16:12), they erected a calf at Horeb. Indeed, within the blinking of an eye they forgot Me.", "What is more, I preceded them into the desert as a quartermaster would: And the Lord went before them by day (ibid. 13:21). I lowered the high places for them and raised the valleys, I caused bread to rain down from the heavens and the sea to send up quail, as it is said: And brought across quails from the sea (Num. 11:31). Though they lacked nothing at all, they built the golden calf. I cannot restore the tablets to those idolaters. When he continued to plead, He said: Write thou, that is, I shall give the law to you, as it is said: Let them be thine own, and not a stranger’s with thee (Prov. 5:17); that is, not to the idolaters with you. Because He held Moses in the highest esteem, it is said: Remember ye the law of Moses My servant (Mal. 3:22).", "This is one of the three things to which Moses devoted himself: the law, judgeships and Israel. R. Hiyya the son of Yosé said: Moses also was deeply involved in the building of the Tabernacle. And it is called by his name. R. Hiyya the son of Yosé said: Throughout the seven days of consecration, Moses took apart the Tabernacle twice each day and then assembled it. The elder R. Hiyya said: He did it three times each day, for it is said: Thou shalt rear up (Exod. 40:1), The Tabernacle was reared up (ibid., v. 17), and Moses reared up the Tabernacle (ibid., v. 18).", "Observe how strenuously he worked at doing that. If you should be of the opinion that the tribe of Levi assisted him, the answer is no. Our sages of blessed memory said: Moses took it apart and assembled it by himself. Not a single Israelite aided him, as it is said: And it came to pass in the day that Moses had made an end of setting up the Tabernacle (Num. 7:1). “On the day that Israel made an end” is not written here, but rather Moses made an end. Because he did the work himself, it is called by his name. Similarly, because he devoted himself to working on the Torah alone, it is called by his name, as is said: Hew thee." ], [ "And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights (Exod. 34:28). How did Moses know when it was day? When the Holy One, blessed be He, taught him the Written Law he knew it was the day time, and when He taught him the Oral Law, the Mishnah and the Talmud, he was aware that it was night time. This was so because day and night are alike in the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He, as is said: And the light dwelleth with Him (Dan. 2:22). And as it is also written elsewhere: Even the darkness is not too dark for Thee, but the night shineth as the day; the darkness even as the light (Ps. 139:12). In what other way did he distinguish between night and day? When he beheld the constellations kneeling and bowing (descending), he realized that it was day, and when he saw the sun bowing, he knew that it was night, as it is written: The host of heave worship Thee (Neh. 9:6)." ], [ "And it came to pass, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai … Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent forth beams (Exod. 34:29). Why did Moses merit the beams of glory? Our sages of blessed memory said: Because of the incident at the rock, as it is said: And it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by (Exod. 33:22). The Holy One placed His Hand upon him, and because of that he merited the beams of glory. For so it says: Rays hath He at his side; and there is the hiding of His power (Hab. 3:4).", "There are others who say that at the time the Holy One, blessed be He, taught him the Torah, sparks emanated from the countenance of the Shekhinah, and he received the beams of glory from them. R. Samuel the son of Nahman said: The tablets were six handbreadths long and three handbreadths thick, and Moses held them by two of the handbreadths, and the Holy One, blessed be He, held them by two, and Moses obtained the beams of glory from the two handbreadths in the middle.", "R. Samuel said: After Moses wrote the Torah, a little ink was left in the pen, and when he passed it before his head, the beams of glory were formed upon him, as it is said: And Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent forth beams. All the glory he obtained was a reward (for what he had done), but You placed the beams, as it is said: Rays hath He at His side; and there is the hiding of His power. The righteous receive their reward in the world-to-come, but he received his reward at that time, as is said: Behold, the Lord will come as a Mighty One, and His arm will rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him (Isa. 40:10)." ] ], "Vayakhel": [ [ "And Moses said unto the children of Israel: “See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel the son of Uri” (Exod. 35:30). May it please our masters to teach us: How far must a person go to eliminate mixed materials (shatnez)?1A biblical injunction prohibiting the wearing of a garment made of wool and linen. The law also proscribes the planting of heterogeneous plants in the same field. R. Simeon the son of Yohai concluded from the verse Neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together (Lev. 19:19) that a man is prohibited from donning an outer garment of mixed material even though he puts it on over a hundred other garments. However, if he should put it on beneath his other garments, without the mixed material touching his body, he is permitted to do so, for it is said: Neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together. The words upon thee signify that it may not be worn as an outer garment but that it may be placed underneath (i.e. closer to the body). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Keep My commandments and My statues. Why? Because the consequence of a good deed is another good deed, but the result of committing a sin is another sin. Ben Azzai stated that one good deed results in another good deed, and one sin produces another sin. R. Meir said: For every good deed a man performs, an angel is assigned to watch over him. If he does one good deed, one angel is assigned to him, and if he performs many good deeds, many angels are assigned to him, as it is said: For he will give His angels charge over thee (Ps. 91:11). Every time a man increases the number of good deeds he performs, he adds to his good name. You find that a man is known by three names: the name by which his father and mother call him, the name by which other men call him, and the one he earns for himself; the most important name is the one he earns for himself.2His good deeds are apparent to all.", "You know this is so from the fact that Bezalel was granted the privilege of building the Tabernacle because he had earned a good name, as it is written: A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold (Prov. 22:1). Whence do we know this? From the name by which he called him: See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel.3The name Bezalel can be read as betzal el “in the shadow of God.”", "Scripture states elsewhere: A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth (Eccles. 7:1). They asked Solomon: Why is a good name better than precious oil? He replied: When a man is born, no one knows what he will become, but when he leaves this world with a good name, good deeds become abundant because of him. The Israelites attend him, they perform deeds of charity, they extol him with praises, and they exclaim: “How righteous was so-and-so, and how wholeheartedly he fulfilled the law and performed good deeds.” May his sleep be with the righteous.", "Why did Solomon not say: “A good name is better than wine or honey”? And why did he refrain from mentioning any other fluid except precious oil? Because of the fact that when you pour water into a bottle of oil it rises and floats to the surface, while other fluids are miscible with water. That is what happens to one who possesses a good name. He rises to a new level in his community.", "Another comment on A good name is better than precious oil. A good name increases (among people), while precious oil descends. A good name arises, as it is written: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great (Gen. 12:2), while precious oil flows downward, as it is said: It is like the precious oil upon the head (Ps. 133:2). Precious oil is transitory, while a good name is everlasting, as is said: May his name endure forever; may his name be continued as long as the sun (ibid. 72:17). This was said in reference to the prophets and the wise men. Precious oil may be destroyed, but a good name is indestructible, as it is said: I will give them an everlasting memorial, that they shall not be cut off (Isa. 56:5).", "Precious oil is possessed by men of wealth, but a good name may be attained by poor and rich alike. A good name adheres to the living and the dead, while precious oil exists for the living alone. The scent of precious oil may travel from the sleeping chamber to the anteroom, but a good name travels from one end of the earth to the other. When precious oil falls upon a corpse, it become putrid, as it is said: Dead flies make the oil of a perfumer fetid and putrid (Eccles. 10:1), but when a good name is possessed by a deceased person, it does not deteriorate, as is said: And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands, and he stretched himself out upon him; and the flesh of the child waxed warm (II Kings 4:34). Another explanation. When precious oil falls into water it floats away, but a good name does not float away, as is said: And the Lord spoke unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land (Jonah 2:11). Another explanation. When precious oil falls into a fire, it is consumed, but when a good name falls into fire, it is not consumed, as is said: Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth out of the midst of the fire (Dan. 3:26).", "R. Judah the son of Simon stated: We find that one who possesses precious oil may enter a healthy place and come out a corpse, while the owner of a good name can enter a place of death and come out alive: Nadab and Abihu approached the altar to offer sacrifices, but they were consumed even though they were anointed with it, as is written: And there came forth fire from before the Lord and devoured them (Lev. 10:2). Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, on the other hand, went into the fire and came out alive, as it is said: Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came forth out of the midst of the fire. And the day of death rather than the day of one’s birth (Exod. 7:1). When a child is born, no one can foresee the vicissitudes that may befall him, but at the time of his death everything about his life is known. When Miriam was born, no one was aware of it, but at her death the well disappeared.4See Taanit 4a. The well in the desert was given for Miriam’s sake. When Aaron was born, no one knew but when he died, the cloud of glory was removed;5Indicating that he had died and that his soul was lifted up by the cloud. when Bezalel was born, nobody knew but (before he died) he was called to build the Tabernacle. (After their deaths,) everyone knew these things. A good name is better than precious oil. Bezalel’s good name was more helpful to him than anointing oil to the sons of Aaron, for in the case of Bezalel, the Holy One, blessed be He, declared: See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel." ], [ "And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge (Exod. 35:31). Wisdom is mentioned, despite the fact that he had been endowed previously with wisdom, to teach us that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not grant wisdom to anyone unless he already possesses some wisdom. A lady asked R. Yosé the son of Halafta: “What is meant by He giveth wisdom to the wise (Dan. 2:21)? Should not the verse say ‘He giveth wisdom to the fool’?” He replied: “My daughter, if two men came to you to borrow money, one of them being poor and the other rich, to whom would you lend the money?” She answered: “I would lend the money to the rich man, of course.” “Why?” he asked. And she replied: “If the rich man should suffer a loss, he would still have sufficient money to repay me, but if the poor man lost my money, how could he possibly repay me?” He said to her: “Let your ears hear what your lips have said. If the Holy One, blessed be He, gave wisdom to fools, they would still sit in privies, in filthy alleys, and in bathhouses, and would not put the wisdom to use. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, gives wisdom to the wise, who sit in the chambers of the elders, in synagogues, and in house of study, and they utilize that wisdom.” Therefore it is written: He hath filled him with wisdom (Exod. 35:35).", "He gives wisdom to one who possesses wisdom and understanding and knowledge in all kinds of work. Similarly, you find that this was so in the case of Joshua: Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom (Deut. 34:9), for he already possessed wisdom. This may be compared to a shopkeeper to whom a man goes to purchase wine, honey, oil, or brine. The shopkeeper smells the odor that comes from the bottle, and if it is of wine he pours wine into it, and he does likewise with honey, oil, or brine. When the Holy One, blessed be He, observes that a man has the spirit of wisdom within him, He fills him with additional wisdom. Hence He hath filled him with the spirit of wisdom, since he already possesses some." ], [ "And Moses said unto the children of Israel: “See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel” (Exod. 35:30). Scripture states elsewhere: So shalt thou find grace and favor in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3:4). How is this so? At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to Moses on the mountain about the construction of the Sanctuary, He revealed to him every vessel that was to be made for the Sanctuary and how to make it, as it is said: And see that thou make them after their pattern (Exod. 25:40). Moses believed that he was to build the Sanctuary, since He had said to him: Thou shalt make the staves, thou shalt make a table, thou shalt make an altar, thou shalt make an ark-cover, and thou shalt make a basin. He told him all about the implements that were to be in the Sanctuary. After He had mentioned every item, Moses said: Master of the Universe, who will do all this? He replied: I have called by name, Bezalel.", "After Moses descended, he said to the Israelites: “The Holy One, blessed be He, told me how to build a Sanctuary, an altar, and a table for Him.” They asked: “Who will do all this?” “Bezalel,” he replied. The Israelites began to complain against Moses, crying out: “The Holy One, blessed be He, did not tell Moses that Bezalel would build the Sanctuary, Moses made that decision by himself because he is related to him; Moses is king, and his brother, Aaron, is the high priest; his sons are officials of the priesthood, Eleazar is chief of the Levites and the sons of Kohath are the bearers of the Tabernacle. Now this one is being given the authority to build the Sanctuary! Moses seeks to elevate him by giving him this great honor.” Moses attempted to explain. He said to them: “I have done nothing on my own; the Holy One, blessed be He, told me what to do.” And he showed them the words: See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel. He did this to fulfill what is stated: So shalt thou find grace and good favor in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3:4). In the sight of God alludes to Bezalel, as the Holy One, blessed be He, said: See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel. And man refers to Israel, as it is said: And ye My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, are men (Ezek. 34:31).", "Why was he called Bezalel? Because he constructed a place of shade for God,6See above, n. 3. as it is said: Thou shalt dwell in the covert of the Most High, and abidest in the shadow of the Almighty (Ps. 91:1)." ], [ "See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel (Exod. 35:30). Scripture says elsewhere: To whom then will ye liken Me, that I should be equal? saith the Lord. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who hath created these? (Isa. 40:25–26).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, asked: To whom will you liken Me? If a man walking in darkness encounters another who lights the way for him, should he not be grateful for his kindness? Even so, should not you, for whom I cause the light to shine as you sleep at night, be grateful to me for My kindness? Hence, to whom will ye liken Me, that I shall be equal? (ibid.). Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who hath created these? (ibid.). By whose merit did these generations of the heavens (Gen. 2:4) exist? Because of the merit of These are the names (Exod. 1:1)?7I. e., because of the merit of the children of Israel. For whose sake do they all exist? Because of the merit of These are the testimonies, and the statues and the ordinances (Deut. 4:45)? Who created these? He who bringeth out their hosts by number (Isa. 40:26).", "One verse tells us; He gave them all their names (Ps. 14:7), while another says: He called them all by their names (Isa. 40:26). How can these verses by reconciled? If He gave them all their names, why does it say: He called them all by their names? If the Holy One, blessed be He, so desires, He calls all of them by one name and they stand before Him as one, but when he so desires, He calls each one by his own name: Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael. Hence, He gave them all their names.", "Another comment on He gave them all their names. You might say that this verse alludes to the heavenly hosts, but how do we know that it refers as well to the inhabitants of the earthly sphere? We know it from the words See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel.", "Some are mentioned for praise, and others are referred to in scorn. One person mentioned in praise is found in the verse And with him was Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan (Exod. 38:23). It praises him, his mother, his family, and the tribe of Dan, from which he descended. One referred to in scorn is found in the verse And his mother’s name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan (Lev. 24:11). He was a disgrace to himself and is a disgrace to his mother, his family, and the tribe from which he descended.8The grandson of Dibri, who had been raped by an Egyptian, he blasphemed and cursed God. See Lev. 24:11. An illustration of one who is mentioned for ridicule is in the verse Akhan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah of the tribe of Judah (Josh. 7:1). This ridicules him,9Stoned to death at Jericho for his theft despite Joshua’s order to the Israelites not to take “devoted things.” He confessed his sin. his mother, his family, and the tribe from which he descended.", "See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel the son of Uri the son of Hur (Exod. 35:30). Why was it necessary to mention Hur? Because he (Hur) sacrificed his life for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He. When the people were eager to make the golden calf, he confronted them and rebuked them. Whereupon they attacked him and killed him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Be assured, I will reward you. To what may this be compared? To a king whose legions had rebelled. When the commanding officer arose and fought against them, and said, “You have rebelled against the king,” they killed him. The king came to them and asked: “Where is my commander-in-chief?” They replied: “The legionaries killed him.” The king cried out: “You gave your life for my life. If you had given me money, I could have repaid you, but since you have sacrificed your life for me, I will appoint all your descendants commanders and lieutenants.” Similarly, since Hur sacrificed his life for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He, at the episode of the calf, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because you did this, I will make you known, and those who descend from you shall be known throughout the world, as it is said: See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel the son of Uri the son of Hur.", "And He hath filled him with the spirit of God (Exod. 35:31). You must not believe that He did this only for Bezalel. The Holy One, blessed be He, instilled understanding and knowledge in all who were occupied in the construction of the Sanctuary, as it is said: And every wise-hearted man among them that wrought the work (ibid. 36:8). And you must not think He did so for men alone. The Holy One, blessed be He, instilled wisdom, as it is said: In whom (bahemah) the Lord hath put wisdom and understanding (ibid. 36:1). “In whom,” which may be understood as behemah (“animal”), indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave wisdom to man and beasts but only Bezalel was designated by name.", "See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel. Why did he merit this distinction? Because he descended from the tribe of Judah. But why did he merit all this knowledge and wisdom? Because of the merit of his mother.10His mother was Miriam. Scripture says elsewhere: Then did he see it, and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out. And unto man He said (Job 28:27–28).", "R. Aha and our sages discussed this verse. Our sages said: He repeated this twice to himself and then He told it to Israel, as it is said: Then did He see it and declare it. This refers to the first time, while He established it, yea, and searched it out alludes to the second time. And after that is written: and unto man He said, etc. R. Aha, however, contended that He considered the matter by Himself four times and then told it to Israel, as it is said: Then did he see it and declare it; He established it, yea, and searched it out, and after that is written: And unto man He said. From whom do you learn this? From Jochebed and Miriam, about whom it is written: And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them … ye shall look upon the birthstool; if it be a son (Exod. 1:15–16). Why were they commanded to do that? Because the astrologers had told him: “The redeemer of Israel will be born on that day, but we do not know whether he will be born to an Egyptian woman or an Israelite.” At the time he assembled every Egyptian and said to them: “Loan me your sons for a day,” as is said: Every son that is born ye shall cast (ibid., v. 22). It does not say “every child of an Israelite” but rather: Every son that is born, whether Egyptian or Israelite, ye shall cast into the river.", "Because the midwives feared God (ibid., v. 21).11See Sotah 11b. Tradition tells us that the two mid-wives, Shipra and Puah, were really Miriam and Jochebed. See Exodus Rabbah 1:13. How did the Holy One, blessed be He, reward them? He gave them houses. What houses did he give them? The house of priesthood and the house of kingship. Jochebed received priesthood and kingship, since Aaron became the high priest and Moses became a king: There was a king in Jerusalem (Deut. 33:5). What reward did Miriam receive for herself? Wisdom, as is said: The fear of the Lord is wisdom (Job 28:28), and it is written about Bezalel: And He hath filled him with the spirit of God, for he descended from her." ], [ "See, he hath called by name Bezalel (Exod. 35:30). Observe what He did for Bezalel. The Holy One, blessed be He, instilled wisdom in his heart, as it is said: And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge (ibid., v. 31). It was with these attributes the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, as it is said: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; by knowledge the depths were broken up (Prov. 3:19–20). With these same attributes Bezalel erected the Tabernacle.", "The Temple was similarly constructed by means of these three attributes, as it is said: He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, and he was filled with wisdom, understanding, and skill (I Kings 7:14). Similarly, the Temple will be rebuilt in the future with these three attributes, as is said: Through wisdom is a house builded, and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches (Prov. 24:3–4). Therefore, And He hath filled him with the spirit of God. Where did all this wisdom come from? From the spirit of God. And He filled him with the spirit of God alludes also to Joshua, who descended from the tribe of Ephraim, as it is written: And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom (Deut. 34:9). And it refers as well to Othniel the son of Kenaz, who came from the tribe of Judah, since it is written about him: And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel (Judg. 3:10). All this happened because Moses blessed the tribe: And this for Judah, and he said: “Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him in unto his people; his hands shall contend for him, and Thou shalt be a help against his adversaries” (Deut. 33:7). When they become involved in difficulties, You shall be a help to them.", "Another explanation of Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah. When You put in him the Holy Spirit, he will be exalted and grow strong. Therefore all of Bezalel’s distinction came from the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: And He hath filled him with the spirit of God.", "Elihu disclosed: I said: “Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.” But it is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty, that giveth them understanding (Job 32:7). All of the understanding possessed by Bezalel came from the spirit of the Almighty, and it was instilled into him. And He hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom. Understanding and knowledge (Exod. 35:31). He was wise in his knowledge of the Torah, in understanding, because he comprehended the law, and knowledge, because his mind was full of learning, and in all manner of workmanship, according to its plain meaning. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world, My spirit instills wisdom within you, but in the future I will implant My spirit within you and you will be restored to life, as it is said: And I will put My spirit within you and you shall live (Ezek. 37:14)." ], [ "And Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood (Exod. 37:1). Scripture states elsewhere: The opening of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple (Ps. 119:130). When the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, the entire world was composed of water, as it is said: And darkness was upon the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2). R. Judah and R. Nehemiah discussed this verse. R. Judah said: The Holy One, blessed be He, created the darkness first, and then He created the world. R. Nehemiah contended that the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world first and then the darkness. R. Simeon the son of Yehozadak inquired of R. Samuel about this. He said to him: You are an authority on aggadic traditions, so tell me, how did the Holy One, blessed be He, create His world? When He created the world, did He create the light first? R. Samuel the son of Nahman answered: When He decided to create His world, He surrounded Himself with light, and then He created the world, as is said: Who coverest Thyself with light as a garment, and that is followed by: Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain (Ps. 104:2). Therefore Scripture states: The opening of Thy word giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple (ibid. 119:130).", "R. Judah the son of Ilai said: This may be likened to a king who wished to build a palace in a dark place. First he lit candles, and then he built (the palace). The Holy One, blessed be He, did likewise. The world was dark, as it is said: And darkness was on the face of the deep (Gen. 1:2), and so He wrapped himself with light and created the world. Hence, the opening of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple (Ps. 119:130). The righteous learn from the Holy One, blessed be He, that they should begin with light. How do we know this? At the time that Moses told Bezalel that the Holy One, blessed be He, had said Build Me a Sanctuary, Moses told him: Go build the Tabernacle. What did he begin with? Bezalel began with the ark.", "Scripture states elsewhere: Give to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning (Prov. 9:9). Moses told him to begin by building the Tabernacle, but he began instead with the ark. Why? Because the ark is the place where the Torah, which is the light of the world and the world-to-come, is kept.", "Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning. This verse alludes to Noah. How is that? Of every clean beast thou shall take to thee seven and seven, and of beasts that are unclean two and two (Gen. 7:2), but when the time comes to depart from the ark, it is written: He took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar (ibid. 8:20), even though he had not been commanded to do so. Noah said to himself: The Holy One, blessed be He, told me to take a greater number of clean beasts than of unclean ones. He must have done this so that I might offer them as burnt offerings and sacrifices. Therefore he took of every clean beast, and every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. Hence, Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning (Prov. 9:9).", "Give to a wise man, and he will yet be wiser refers to Bezalel. At the time the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to erect the Sanctuary, Bezalel asked him: “What is the purpose of this Sanctuary?” Moses replied: “So that He might dwell therein and teach the law to Israel.” Then Bezalel said: “But where will the Torah be placed?” Moses answered: “After we have made the Sanctuary we will make the ark.” Bezalel replied: “That is not the way. Let us make the ark first and then we will build the Sanctuary.”" ], [ "And Bezalel made the ark (Exod. 37:1). You do not find Bezalel’s name associated with any vessel made for the Sanctuary other than the ark. All the other work and all the other implements were made at his suggestion and upon his advice. Why did he make an exception in the work of the ark by doing it himself? Because it was to be a shade for the Holy One, blessed be He, in which He would compress His Shekhinah. That is why He called Bezalel to make a shade for the Holy One, blessed He, between the cherubim, as it is said: And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee from between the two cherubim (Exod. 25:22).", "Has it not already been stated: Do I not fill heaven and the earth (Jer. 23:24)? R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: This may be compared to a cave situated at the edge of the sea. Though the sea rushes forth and fills the cave, the sea lacks nothing. Similarly with the Holy One, blessed be He, may His name be blessed, for though it is written: And the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle (Exod. 40:34), nevertheless His glory is above the heaven and the earth (Ps. 148:13). You should not say that the Holy One, blessed be He, compressed His Shekhinah only into the Tabernacle. He likewise compressed His Shekhinah into the ark that Bezalel had made, as it is written: Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth (Josh. 3:11). This indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, was within it. Who other than Bezalel could have made it, since it says: And Bezalel made the ark?", "R. Hanina of Sepphoris said that Bezalel made three chests for the ark, two of gold and one of wood. He inserted the wooden chest into one golden one, and then the other golden one into the wooden one. After that he covered the edges with gold in order to fulfill what is written: And he overlaid it with gold within and without (Exod. 37:2), and it is written elsewhere; And shalt make upon it a crown of gold roundabout (ibid. 25:11). From here we learn that a scholar’s “inside” should be as his exterior (i.e., he should not be a hypocrite), since it is said: Thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it (ibid.).", "What is meant by Thou shalt overlay it with gold, within and without? He said to him: Even though the wooden casket is to be inserted between them, handle it with the utmost care. Why? Because the Torah, the tablets, and even the broken tablets will be placed within it. Hence treat it with honor, since it is said: Thou shalt put them in the ark (Deut. 10:2); that is, both the (second) tablets and the broken tablets shall be placed inside it. And thou shalt put them in the ark. That is to say, even if you should see students of the Torah who are poor and unfortunate, treat them with respect, for the law is stored within them. And make a crown of gold (Exod. 37:2). Why? Because the Torah rests therein. There are three crowns, the crown of the Torah, the crown of priesthood, (and) the crown of kingship, but there is an additional crown, the crown of a good name, that excels them all. How do we know abut the crown of the Torah? It is said: That wisdom preserveth the life of him who has it (Exod. 7:12) both in this world and the world-to-come. Hence it is written: And made a crown of gold.", "You may be assured that the ark is beloved (by God), for just as the Throne of Glory is beloved, so too is the ark beloved, for the Torah was placed within it. Because the Torah was located at the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: At His right hand was a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2), therefore the ark was precious because the Torah was placed within it. As it is said: The tables were the work of God (Exod. 32:16).", "Why was the acacia-wood placed in between? Because the Torah is called the tree of life, as it is said: She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her (Prov. 3:18). He overlaid it with pure gold (Exod. 37:2). Because the words of the Torah are more precious than gold, yea, than fine gold, as is said: More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold (Ps. 19:11). And thou shalt make staves of acacia-wood wherewith to bear the ark (Exod. 25:15). They bore the ark with them, and it bore away the sins of Israel, for the Torah within it carries away the sins of Israel.12The Hebrew word nasa’ means both “to bear” “to forgive.”", "R. Nathan said: The building of the ark was as beloved as the Throne of Glory on high, as it is said: The place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in, the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established (Exod. 15:17). The location of the Sanctuary on high is directly opposite the Sanctuary below, and the ark is directly opposite the Throne of Glory, as is said: Thy throne of glory on high from the beginning (Jer. 17:12). What place is referred to here? The place in which our Sanctuary is situated. Hence it says: The Sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established (Exod. 15:17). You should not read the word as makhon (“foundation”) but as mekhuvvan (“directly opposite”) the Throne of Glory which He established on high that they might atone.", "He made a cover for its top so that the seraphim might be placed upon it. Then he fashioned the two cherubim for it, which were dear to Him, to correspond to heaven and earth for the dwelling place of the Holy One, blessed be He, was between them, as it is stated: And I will speak with thee from above the ark cover, from between the two cherubim (Exod. 25:22).", "It is written: One cherub at one end, and one cherub at the other end (ibid. 37:8). Just as the heavens open their treasures to the earth, as is said: The Lord will open unto thee His good treasure the heaven to give the rain of thy land in its season (Deut. 28:12), so the Shekhinah was placed above the two cherubim, which were face-to-face. And Israel was exalted through the tablets, as it is said: On the one side and on the other were they written (Exod. 32:15).", "The cherubim were placed directly opposite each other, as it is said: With their faces one to another (ibid. 37:9). This corresponds to the Throne of Glory, which was directly opposite the two cherubim. Each one was directly opposite, as it is said: Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined forth (Ps. 50:2).", "Observe how beloved the ark was from the fact that the entire Sanctuary was built because of the ark, in which the Shekhinah resided. All the miracles that were performed for Israel occurred by virtue of the ark, in which the Shekhinah dwelt. Notice that it is written concerning it: And the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them (Num. 10:33). It killed the snakes and scorpions, burned the thorns, and destroyed the enemies of Israel.", "R. Eleazar the son of Pedat declared in the name of R. Yosé the son of Zimra: Two sparks issued from between the cherubim that killed the snakes and scorpions and burned the thorns. The smoke rose up from it in a straight column, and all the nations that experienced the odor that issued forth called out: Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke? (Song 3:6). It preceded them at a distance of three days’ journey, both day and night in order to find a resting place for them, as it is said: And the ark of the Lord went before them three days’ journey, to seek out a resting place for them (Num. 10:33). Moses would say at that time: Rise up, O Lord. That is to say, Stand and wait for us, do not leave us, as it is said: And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said: Rise up, O Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered (ibid., v. 35). And when it came to rest, he would exclaim: Return, O Lord, unto the ten thousands of the families of Israel (ibid., v. 36).", "Observe that many miracles were performed by means of the ark. Since that is so, how were they able to carry it? Were they not afraid? That is why the sons of Kohath bore it. Two important priests bore the ark cover on a pole.13Numbers Rabbah 4:13. See Exod. 26:32. It was a huge curtain the thickness of a handbreadth. The curtain was woven out of seventy-two strands, and each strand was composed of twenty-four threads. Three hundred priests would wash it, and two of the highest priests would bear it on a pole before the ark. Then they placed a sealskin covering over the ark so that they would not be able to see into it, as it is said: But they shall not go in to see the holy things as they are being covered, lest they die (Num. 4:20).", "What is meant by As they are being covered? R. Levi said: If they glanced into the ark for as long as the blinking of an eye, they would have died at once. You know this is so from the fact that when the Philistines captured the ark and then sought to return it, they took the kine and hitched them in the usual way with their buttocks toward the ark, but the milch kine realized what was expected of them and turned their heads toward the ark and pushed it on the way, as is said: And the kine took the straight way (I Sam. 6:12).", "What is meant by The kine took the straight way (vayisharnah)? It means that the kine opened their mouths and sang (vayashir). When the kine reached Beth-shemesh and the people saw the cart and heard the kine singing, they looked at the ark that was on the cart: They lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it (ibid., v. 13). Whereupon a strong wind arose and revealed what was in the ark, and seventy thousand of them perished, as it is said: And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had gazed upon the ark of the Lord, even He smote of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand men (ibid, v. 19). Observe, therefore, how many miracles were performed because of the ark. Why did they occur? Because the Shekhinah and the Torah were within it. Wherever the Torah is present the Shekhinah accompanies it, as it is said: They that feared the Lord spoke to one another; and the Lord harkened and heard (Num. 13:16). Therefore the ark was more beloved than any other vessel in the Sanctuary." ], [ "And Bezalel made the ark of acacia-wood (Exod. 37:1). Because it was known to Him-who-spoke-and-the-world-came into-being that Israel will sin at Shittim, the Holy One, blessed be He, prepared shittim (acacia-wood) so that they might atone for what happened at Shittim.14In building the ark of shittim (acacia wood) they were able to obtain forgiveness for the sins perpetrated at Shittim. And he overlaid it with pure gold (ibid., v. 2). This alludes to the students of the Torah, for just as the wood was greatly adorned by the gold that overlaid it, so the students of the Torah are adorned by the Torah within their hearts. Just as men speak of pure gold, so the Torah purifies the heart and the kidneys of the scholar, as it is written: More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold (Ps. 19:11). And Bezalel made the ark. We find that when the Holy One, blessed be he, told Moses to construct the Tabernacle, He described every detail to him, saying: Thou shalt do, but with reference to the ark, He said simply: Make Me. Why? The Holy One, blessed be He, commanded all the Israelites to make it, so that not one of them would be able to humiliate his fellow Israelite by saying: “I contributed more for the building of the ark than you, therefore I am more learned and have a greater right to it than you do. And since you contributed little to the ark, you will have no portion in the Torah.” That is why the Torah is likened to water, as it is said: Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come you for water (Isa. 55:1). Just as no one should be ashamed to say to his companion: “Give me a drink of water,” no one should be ashamed to say to a person younger than himself: “Teach me the law, instruct me in this matter.” And just as one who desires to drink should be able to drink without cost, so all who desire to learn the law should be able to learn without cost and without price, as it is said: Yea, come without money and without price (ibid.).", "Why was the law given in the desert? To teach us that just as the desert is free to all men, so the words of the law are free to all who desire to learn them. Also, lest a man should say: “I am a student of the law that was given to me and my ancestors, while you and your ancestors are not students of the law; your ancestors were strangers”; hence it is written: An inheritance of the congregation of Jacob (Deut. 33:4). This tells us that the law was an inheritance for all who associate themselves with Jacob. Even outsiders who devote themselves to the law are equal to the high priest, as it is said: Which if a man do, he shall live by them: I am the Lord (Lev. 18:5). It does not refer to priest or Levite or Israelite but merely to man. Thus, One law and one ordinance shall be both for you and for the stranger that sojourneth with you (Num. 15:16). Observe what is written concerning the sons of Jethro: And the families of the scribes that dwelt at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, the Succathites (I Chron. 2:55). The name Tirathites (understood as derived from Aramaic tar’a, “gate”) indicates that they sat at the gate to the inner chamber of the Temple; Shimeathites (which includes the letters of the word shema, “hear”) implies that all the Israelites heard the law from their lips; and Succathites (which includes the word sukkah, “covered by”) suggests that they were enveloped by the Holy Spirit. Who were these? They were Kenites who came from The father of the house of Rechab (ibid.). The father-in-law of Moses was a Kenite, and Shemaiah and Abtalion and the descendants of Sisera were also Kenites. They studied the law in public like the men of the Great Synagogue. Why was that? Because the law was given to all Israel. Therefore it is written: These words that the Lord spoke unto all your assembly (Deut. 5:19).", "It is written: And they shall make an ark of acacia-wood (Exod. 25:10). R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: There are three crowns, the crown of Torah, of priesthood, and of kingship. How do we know about the crown of Torah? It is written concerning the ark: And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold (ibid., v. 11); we know about the crown of priesthood because it is written concerning the altar: A crown of gold (Exod. 37:26); and we know about the crown of kingship from the fact that it is written concerning the table: And made thereto a crown of gold (ibid., v. 11). Why is the word (in the preceding verse) written as zar (“stranger”) but read as zer (“crown”)? To teach us that if a man is worthy, it is his crown of gold, but if he is unworthy, he is to be considered a stranger among you.", "Why was it written about everything: And thou shalt make, except in the case of the ark, where it says: Thou shalt make upon it? It is to teach us that if a man is worthy of the Torah, he is worthy of everything. And it states also: And their charge the ark, and the table, and the candlesticks, and the altar (Num. 3:31) to teach you that no-one is more important for you than one who devotes himself to the law." ], [ "And he made the boards for the tabernacle of acacia-wood (Exod. 36:20). R. Tahlifa of Caesarea said: The Holy One, blessed be He, taught man correct behavior. If a man desired to build a house with the wood of a fruit-producing tree, one should say to him: Since the Holy One, blessed be He, to whom everything belongs, prohibited the use of the wood of a fruit-bearing tree in building the Tabernacle, how much more so are you prohibited from doing that.", "What is suggested by the word mishkan (“Tabernacle”)? If Israel is worthy (of punishment), the Tabernacle would be seized as a pledge (mashkon) for them. Moses said: Master of the Universe, when there is neither a Tabernacle nor a Temple, what will serve as a pledge for them? He answered: I shall take the righteous from among them, and they will be their pledge. Hence it says: And he that hath slain all that were pleasant to the eye (Lam. 2:4). These are the righteous. Therefore it is written: And he made the boards for the Tabernacle of acacia-wood (Exod. 36:20)." ], [ "And Bezalel made the ark (Exod. 37:1). You find that everything constructed for the Tabernacle was made in its proper order. First he made the boards and joined them together. After that he made the curtain of goats’ hair to spread over them, as it is said: And thou shalt make a curtain of goats’ hair for a tent over the Tabernacle (Exod. 26:7). When he completed the ark, he made the cover that was to be hung before the ark: After he made the ark, he made the ark cover of pure gold (ibid. 37:6).", "R. Eliezer the son of R. Yosé said: I saw the ark covering in Rome15After the conquest of the land of Israel by Rome, the ark and the covering were taken to Rome. and noticed drops of blood upon it. I asked them why this blood was upon the ark cover. They told me: This was some of the blood the high priest sprinkled on the Day of Atonement. Therefore this ark cover must have been on the ark made by Bezalel.", "Why was the ark cover called a kapporet? Because it effected atonement (mekapper) for Israel. After he made the ark cover, he fashioned the table upon which the show-bread rested, which was placed before the ark. When he completed the table, he constructed the menorah that illuminated the table. Hence he made everything according to the usual practice of kings. Therefore it is written: And Bezalel made the ark of acacia-wood. Did Bezalel do all the work by himself, that Scripture should repeat each time And Bezalel made? Indeed not. But since he devoted himself so zealously to the work of the Tabernacle, the Holy One, blessed be He, would not deprive him of his reward, and so He mentioned him each time, as is written: And Bezalel made.", "Another illustration of this is in the verse Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this matter (supporting Ezra’s decree that the Israelites were to send away their foreign wives); and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them (Ezek. 10:15).16See Ezra 10:9–33. Because Jonathan devoted himself zealously to this matter while the other only helped him, his name is mentioned first. Similarly in the case of Bezalel. All the wise men assisted him, but because he devoted himself most zealously to the erection of the Tabernacle, it is written: And Bezalel made the ark.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Be assured that because of the importance of the Tabernacle, I shall be a light unto you, and because of everything you did in constructing the Tabernacle, I will reward you. But do not imagine that it is for the Sanctuary alone that you will be rewarded. I will reward you, as well, for the garments worn by the high priest. Each one obtained forgiveness for the people.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because you have made a curtain of goats’ hair to serve as a tent over the Tabernacle in order to cover Me, I will cover you with a cloud on high, and I will consider it as if you had repaid Me. Because, at the time you went forth from Egypt, I brought a cloud that was a kind of tent to protect you, and I will reward you (in the same fashion) in the time-to-come, as it is said: And the Lord will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for over all the glory shall be a canopy (Isa. 4:5). You made an ark cover for Me, so be assured, because of the ark cover I will forgive all your sins, as it is said: When I have forgiven thee all that thou hast done (Ezek. 16:63). Because you made an ark for Me from which light will go forth to the world, be assured I will illumine for you the world-to-come, as it is said: Moreover, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun (Isa. 30:26), and it is written elsewhere: Arise, shine, for thy light is come (Isa. 60:1).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, declared; Because of all the things you did and the commandments you performed, I will repay you in the world-to-come. Because of the ark you made, in which the law is placed, I will be a light unto you and will bestow upon you the good that is stored up for the righteous, as it is said: Oh how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou has laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that take refuge in Thee, in the sight of the sons of men (Ps. 31:20). And it is also written: Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart (Ps. 97:11)." ] ], "Pekudei": [ [ "These are the accounts of the tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). It is written elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Thou throne of glory, on high from the beginning, thou place of our Sanctuary (Jer. 17:12). This verse indicates that the Throne of Glory is located directly opposite our Sanctuary.1See Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 5:292, n. 141. That is why it says: The place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in, the Sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established (Exod. 15:2). And you find that Jerusalem on high is situated directly opposite the earthly Jerusalem. It was because the earthly Jerusalem was exceedingly precious to Him that He fashioned another one on high, as it is said: Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before me (Isa. 49:16). Why was it destroyed? Because thy children make haste; thy destroyers and they that make thee waste shall go forth from thee (ibid., v. 17). That is why it was destroyed.", "Similarly David said: Jerusalem, thou art builded as a city that is compact together (Ps. 122:3); that is to say, like the city that the Lord built, a city that was destroyed called Jerusalem. It was built on high, directly opposite the one on earth, and concerning which He vowed that His Shekhinah would not enter the city above until the earthly Jerusalem was erected. How beloved was Israel in the sight of the Holy One, blessed be He. Whence do we know this? It is written: The Holy One in the midst of thee, and I will not come in fury (Hos. 11:9),2Be’ir (“in fury”) may be read as ba’ir (“into the city”). and it says elsewhere: Now, therefore, what do I here, saith the Lord, seeing that My people is taken away for nought? (Isa. 52:5). Our sages declared: Now, therefore, what do I here, saith the Lord implies: Why should I desire to be here in Jerusalem now that My people have been taken away from it? For nought would I be coming into it, therefore I will not come into it. May it be his will that it be rebuilt speedily in our day." ], [ "These are the accounts of the tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). Scripture states elsewhere: Lord, I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth (Ps. 26:8).", "This refers to the Temple, which is directly opposite the place where Your glory resides. R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: This verse indicates that the earthly Temple is directly opposite the heavenly Temple, since it is said: The place, O Lord, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in, the Sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have established (Exod. 15:17).", "R. Jacob the son of Issi asked: Why does it say; I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth? Because the Tabernacle is equal to the creation of the world itself. How is that so? Concerning the first day, it is written: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Gen. 1:1), and it is written elsewhere: Who stretched out the heavens like a curtain (Ps. 104:2), and concerning the Tabernacle it is written: And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair (Exod. 26:7). About the second day of creation it states: Let there be a firmament and divide between them, and let it divide the waters from the waters (Gen. 1:6). About the Tabernacle it is written: And the veil shall divide between you (Exod. 26:33). With regard to the third day it states: Let the waters under the heavens be gathered (Gen. 1:9). With reference to the Tabernacle it is written: Thou shalt also make a laver of brass … and thou shalt put water therein (Exod. 30:18). On the fourth day he created light, as is stated: Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven (Gen. 1:14), and concerning the Tabernacle it is said: And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold (Exod. 25:31). On the fifth day He created birds, as it is said: Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let the fowl fly above the earth (Gen. 1:20), and with reference to the Tabernacle. He directed them to offer sacrifices of lambs and birds, and it says as well: And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high (Exod. 25:20). On the sixth day he created man, as it is said: And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him (Gen. 1:27), and about the Tabernacle it is written: A man who is a high priest who has been anointed to serve and to minister before God.3You write that this is not a direct quote from the Bible. On the seventh day The heaven and the earth were finished (Gen. 2:1), and with regard to the Tabernacle it is written: Thus was completed all the work of the Tabernacle (Exod. 39:32). Concerning the creation of the world it is written: And God blessed (Num. 2:3), and of the Tabernacle it is said: And Moses blessed them (Exod. 39:43); with regard to the creation it is said: And God finished (Gen. 2:2), and of the Tabernacle it is written: On that day Moses made an end (Num. 7:1); of creation it says: And hallowed it (Gen. 2:2), and of the Tabernacle: And had anointed it and sanctified it (Num. 7:1). Why is the Tabernacle equal to heaven and earth? Because even as heaven and earth bear witness concerning Israel, as it is written: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day (Deut. 30:19), so the Tabernacle bears witness in behalf of Israel, as is said: These are the accounts of the Tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). Hence it is said: Lord, I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth (Ps. 26:8).", "Why is the word mishkan (“Tabernacle”) repeated (in Exod. 38:21)? R. Samuel said: The Holy One, blessed be He, would in the future seize it (the Temple) twice as a pledge (mashkon); at the time of its first destruction and again at its second destruction. Therefore He repeated the word mishkan.", "Another comment on the Tabernacle of testimony. It bears testimony to all people that the Holy One, blessed be He, would be reconciled with Israel despite the episode of the calf. How did that happen? When they made the calf, Moses arose and pleaded, as their advocate, until the Holy One, blessed be He, forgave them. Then Moses cried out: But Master of the Universe, who will make known to the nations that Thou hast forgiven them? He replied: Go tell them. Let them make Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8). Hence it is written: The Tabernacle of the testimony, for the Tabernacle testifies to the fact that the Shekhinah is with Israel.", "Another comment on The Tabernacle of the testimony. It informed Israel that if they should deny Him and neglect His commandments and statutes, it would be seized twice as a pledge. As we have explained previously, He equated the Tabernacle you erected to the creation of heaven and earth. And just as the Tabernacle bears witness, so He said: I will bear witness against you today (Deut. 4:26). He did so again when the prophet appeared in heaven, after Israel renounced the Holy One, blessed be He. He exclaimed: Hear, O heavens, give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken: “Children I have reared, and brought up and they have rebelled against Me” (Isa. 1:2). That is to say, when My testimonies were before you, you were a witness that they would not reject Me, yet Hear, I have reared and brought up and they have rebelled (ibid.).", "How did they examine the witnesses? It is written: Then thou shalt inquire, and make search, and ask diligently, and behold if it be true (Deut. 13:15). At the time they examined the witnesses concerning a sin an individual had committed, the Sanhedrin and all the Israelites would go out into the public square. They brought there the individual who had been charged with the offense which required stoning or one of the four death penalties that were imposed by the Beth Din. Two or three of the most distinguished leaders of the community would come forth and would question the witness. After they returned from the cross-examination, a member of the Sanhedrin would say to them: “What is your decision?” They would announce whether he was to live or to die. If he were to be sentenced to stoning, they would bring a pleasant-tasting but potent wine, and give it to him to drink so that he would not suffer pain from the stoning. Then the witnesses would come, bind his hands and feet, and place him where the stoning was to occur. The witnesses would then take a large stone, (large) enough to kill him, and would place it upon his heart. How did they place it on his heart? They did so simultaneously in order that no one of them might lower his portion of the stone before his companion.4And therefore be solely responsible for his death. They would place it on his heart together to conform to the verse: Thy hand shall be first upon him to put him to death (Deut. 13:10). After that all the Israelites were free to pelt him with stones. They did this to everyone condemned to death by the Beth Din.", "Similarly, when the representative of the community held the Kiddush or Havdalah cup in his hand he would say: “Have you agreed, what is your decision?”5A expression meaning: “Have you agreed to allow me to recite this prayer?” See Jastrow. And the congregation would respond: “To life”; that is to say, May this cup be for the living. R. Levi discussed the words Tabernacle of testimony. It is written elsewhere: For the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped (Ps. 63:12), that is to say, the mouths of the peoples of the world, who say to Israel that the Shekhinah will never return to Israel, should be stopped, as it is said: Many there are that say of My soul: “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah (Ps. 3:3). Before they built the golden calf, the Holy One, blessed be He, dwelt among them, but when He became angry at them they would say: “He will never return to them.” What did He do? He said: Let them make Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8). Then all the inhabitants of the world will know that I have pardoned Israel. Therefore it is written; The Tabernacle of the testimony. It hath already been6Indicating that what was to follow had already been written. (Eccles. 1:10)." ], [ "For example, Bezalel, who built the ark, was extolled before the Holy One, blessed be He, and the angels. He was praised in the upper regions and in the terrestrial regions, as it is said: See, I have called by name Bezalel (Exod. 31:2) and See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel (ibid. 35:30). The word see in the former verse speaks of the upper regions, and the word see in the latter verse refers to the terrestrial regions. Thus Scripture says: So shalt thou find grace and favor in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3:4).", "A faithful man shall abound with blessings (ibid. 28:20). This refers to Moses, who was appointed treasurer of the Tabernacle. Our sages tell us that no less than two men must be appointed as overseer of a community, but regarding Moses, who was most trustworthy, it is said: My servant Moses is not so; he is trusted in all My house (Num. 12:7).", "Another explanation of It hath been already (Eccles. 1:10). It is written: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth (Prov. 3:19) and also: I have filled him with the spirit of wisdom (Exod. 31:3). This teaches us that the Tabernacle was equal both to all the world and to a human embryo, which is a world in miniature.7Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 5:75, n. 20. How is that so? When the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, He did so just as a child is born to a woman. A child starts to grow at the navel and then develops in all directions, and the Holy One, blessed be He, began the creation of His world at the foundation stone, and built the world upon it. Why was it called a foundation stone? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, began the creation of His world upon it. Then He created the celestial Temple, as it is said: The place, O Lord, which Thou hast made to dwell in (Exod. 15:14). Do not read the word as makom (“foundation”), but as mekuvan (“exactly opposite”). Your dwelling place above is directly opposite Your dwelling place below. The formation of the embryo is like the formation of the world, for just as the embryo is formed in the womb of its mother, so too the world was formed at the foundation stone.", "R. Johanan asked: Why is it written: Who doeth great things past finding; yea, marvelous things without number (Job 9:10)? You should know that every soul, from Adam to the end of the world, was formed during the six days of creation, and that all of them were present in the Garden of Eden and at the time of the giving of the Torah, as it is said: With him that standeth here with us this day, and also with him that is not here with us this day (Deut. 29:14). What is the meaning of Great things past finding out? It refers to the great deeds the Holy One, blessed be He, did in the formation of the embryo. At the time that a man is about to have intercourse with his wife, the Holy One, blessed be He, informs the angel in charge of conception, whose name is Lailah.8Lailah’s role is described in Niddah 16b and Sanhedrin 6a. ", "The Holy One, blessed be He, says to her: Know that on this night a person will be formed from the semen of a certain individual known to you. Guard this drop of semen, take it into the palm of your hand, and sow it on the threshing floor, in three hundred and sixty-five parts. And she would do so. She took it into her hand and brought it at once to Him who had said It hath been already (Eccles. 1:10) and said to Him: “I have done all that You have commanded. Here is the drop, what have You decreed concerning it?” The Holy One, blessed be He, forthwith decreed concerning the semen what its end would be, whether male or female, weak or strong, poor or rich, short or tall, ugly or handsome, heavy or thin, humble or haughty. He decreed concerning everything that would happen to it except whether it would be righteous or wicked.9Ketubbot 30a. That choice alone he left to the individual, as it is said: See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil (Deut. 30:15).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, would summon the angel in charge of souls10See Ginzberg, Legends, 1:56. and say to him: Bring Me a certain soul which is in the Garden of Eden, whose name is so-and-so, and whose form is such-and-such. All the souls that would exist in the future were fashioned with the first man, and they will exist to the end of the world. All of them were created on the sixth day of creation. They were designated to be the descendants of Adam, as it is said: Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago (Eccles. 6:10). Then the angel departed to bring the soul to the Holy One, blessed be He. When the soul was brought in, it prostrated itself before the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, says to the soul: Enter the semen that is in this one’s hand. The soul opens its mouth and cries out: “Master of the Universe, I have always been satisfied with the place in which I dwelt from the day you created me, why do You desire that I enter this putrid drop? Now I am holy and pure, but then I will be cut off from the place of Thy glory.” Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, replied: The place which you are to enter is better for you than where you have dwelt. From the moment I created you it was only for this drop of semen. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, forced him to enter there though against his will. After that the angel turned around and placed the soul in the womb of his mother, and two angels were assigned to guard it lest it go out and fall. He placed a lighted candle at his head, as it is said: Oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me; when His light shined over my head (Job 29:2).", "He looked about and peered from one end of the world to the other. The angel took him and led him into the Garden of Eden and showed him the righteous ones sitting there in honor, with crowns on their heads. The angel said to him: “O soul, do you know who these are?” And the soul replied: “No, my master.” Whereupon the angel told him: “These that you see were formed at first, like you, in the womb of their mothers, and then went out into the world. They observed the Torah and the commandments, and therefore were deserving and were selected for this beautiful place that you see. Know that when you leave this world, if you are worthy and keep the law of the Holy One, blessed be He, you will merit sitting among these. But if not, be assured, you will be assigned to another place.”", "That evening he led him to the netherworld and showed him the wicked ones whom the demons were smiting with brands of fire and who were crying: “Woe is me, woe is me,” and none had mercy for them. The angel then said to the soul: “Do you know who these are?” And he replied: “No, my master.” Whereupon the angel told him: “These are the ones who will be consumed. They were formed like you and went out into the world, but they did not keep the Torah and the statutes of the Holy One, blessed be He, and that is why they have come to this disgraceful end that you are witnessing. Be assured that you will ultimately leave this world, but if you are righteous and not wicked, you will be worthy to enjoy life in the world-to-come.” How do we know that this is so? From the fact that it is said: For I was a son unto my father, tender and an only one in the sight of my mother. And he taught me, and said unto me: “Let thy heart hold fast upon My words, keep My commandments and live” (Prov. 4:3–4).", "For I was a son unto my father indicates that before I left my mother’s womb I was the son of the Holy One, blessed be He, who rebuked me as a father rebukes his son. Tender and an only one in the sight of my mother alludes to the time I was tender and alone and no one was with me in my mother’s womb. Then the angel instructed me and told me: “Take my words to heart, keep my commandments and it shall be as described above.” The Holy One, blessed be He, then warned him concerning everything that would transpire, and the angel led him about from morning until evening. He showed him where he would die and where he would be buried. Then he led him about and walked with him through the world, showing him the righteous and the wicked and everything else. In the evening he brought him back to his mother’s womb. The Holy One, blessed be He, fashioned bolts and doors (Job 38:10) before him, as it is said: Or who shut up the sea with the doors? (ibid., v. 8), and I have put My words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of My hand (Isa. 51:6). Then He said to him: Thus far shalt you come, but no farther (Job 38:11).", "The child remains in the womb of his mother for nine months. The first three months the child dwells in the lowest part of the mother’s womb; the next three months he dwells in the middle part; and the last three months he dwells in the upper part. When the time arrives for him to enter the light of the world, he rolls downward and descends in a single moment from the upper to the middle and from the middle to the lower part of the womb. He eats and drinks what his mother eats and drinks from the very beginning, so that he will not depart from her hungry. Hence Scripture says: Who doeth great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number (Job 5:9).", "When at last the time arrives for his entrance into the world, the angel comes to him and says: “At a certain hour your time will come to enter the light of the world.” He pleads with him, saying: “Why do you wish me to go out into the light of the world?” The angel replies: “You know, my son, that you were formed against your will; against your will you will be born; against your will you will die; and against your will you are destined to give an accounting before the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He”. Nevertheless, he remained unwilling to leave, and so the angel struck him with the candle that was burning at his head. Thereupon he went out into the light of the world, though against his will. Upon going out the infant forgot everything he had witnessed and everything he knew. Why does the child cry out on leaving his mother’s womb? Because the place wherein he had been at rest and at ease was irretrievable and because of the condition of the world into which he must enter.", "Then the seven stages in the life of man begin for him. In the first stage he is like a king, for everyone inquires about his health and is eager to look at him. They hug him and kiss him, since he is only one year old. In the second stage he is like a swine that grovels in dunghills, for a child waddles in the dirt when he is two years old. In the third stage he is like a kid who skips about in the pasture. He is a delight in the eyes of his mother and a joy to his father. He skips about here and there, while laughing, and everyone takes delight in him. In the fourth stage he acts like a horse about to run in a race. When is that? At the time of maturity, when he is eighteen years old. Just as the horse prances about and preens himself, so the youth preens himself before his companions. In the fifth stage he is like an ass upon which a saddle has been placed. Men place a saddle upon him by giving him a wife who bears him sons and daughters. He roams hither and yon to obtain food and sustenance for his children. They pile additional burdens upon him, and he is overwhelmed with problems because of his sons and daughters. When is that? When he is forty years old. In the sixth stage he is like a dog, who intrudes here and there, and takes from one and gives to another and is not embarrassed. In the seventh stage he resembles a monkey, who is different from all other creatures. He asks about everything, he eats and drinks like a youngster and laughs like a child. He returns to his childish ways in discernment but not in other things. Even his children and the men of his household mock him, curse him, and hate him. When he offers an opinion they say: “Ignore him, for he is an old fool.” He behaves like an ape in all situations and in whatever he says. Even the children laugh at him and mock him, and the wild birds can awaken him from his sleep.", "Finally, as his end draws near, the angel comes to him and asks: “Do you not recognize me?” And he answers: “Yes, but why do you come to me on this day of all days?” The angel replies: “To take you from this world; the time of your departure has come.” He begins to cry out immediately, and his voice can be heard from one end of the earth to the other, but no one recognizes or heeds his voice except a crowing cock. He says to the angel: “Have you not already taken me out of two worlds and brought me into this one?” And the angel responds: “Did I not tell you that you were formed against your will, that you were born against your will, that you would live against your will, and that ultimately you will have to render an accounting before the Holy One, blessed be He, against your will?”", "These are the four camps that the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to Elijah of blessed memory, as it is said: Go forth, and stand upon the mountain before the Lord and behold, etc. (I Kings 19:11). Elijah said to Him: “What are they?” These are the four camps that you will see. He told Him: “Master of the Universe, I do not know what they are.” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: These are the four experiences a man undergoes. They are: The strong and mighty winds of this world, for man’s days are as a wind that passeth by. After the wind comes the earthquake, which corresponds to the day of death, for death is like an earthquake, causing the body of man to quake. After the earthquake comes fire, and after death comes the judgment of the netherworld, which is composed of fire. Following the fire there is a still, small voice, and after the judgment of the netherworld there is this great day of judgment, as is said. For great is the day of the Lord (Joel 2:11). And none shall remain in His world except the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: And the Lord alone shall be exalted on that day (Isa. 2:11).", "This is explained in the tradition by David, king of Israel, as is said: My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth (Ps. 139:15). This refers to the lowest portion of the mother’s womb.", "Another comment on Curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Blessed be He, who fashioned man with wisdom just as He created the earth with wisdom, as is said: The Lord with wisdom founded the earth (Prov. 3:19). Concerning Bezalel it is stated: He hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, and in knowledge (Exod. 35:31). The very attributes with which the Holy One, blessed be he, created His world and fashioned man were possessed by Bezalel. And he constructed the Tabernacle. Furthermore it is stated: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; by His knowledge the depths were broken up (Prov. 3:19–20). And about Bezalel it is written: And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom and in understanding, and in knowledge (Exod. 35:31). The three attributes mentioned in the verse are referred to in the other: Therefore who doeth great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number (Job 5:9).", "When the Holy One, blessed be he, contemplated fashioning man, he said to the Torah: Let us make man (Gen. 1:26). It replied: Master of the Universe, the man You wish to make is of few days, and full of trouble (Job 14:1), and he will sin. If You are not forbearing with him, it would be better that he should not come into the world. He retorted: Is it for nothing that I am described as Slow to anger and plenteous in loving-kindness (Num. 17:18)? Whereupon He began to collect the dust for the body of the first man from the four corners of the earth, so that no one part of the earth might say: “The dust of the body of man is mine.” If he took the dust from the east and the man passed away to the west, the earth of the west might say: “The dust of your body did not come from me, I will not welcome you.” Therefore He took the dust from the four corners of the world, so that wherever man man passes away the earth would welcome him, as it is written: For dust thou art (Gen. 3:19).", "There were twelve hours in that day. During the first hour He collected the dust for the body of man; in the second hour He kneaded the dust of the east and the west together, as it is said: Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before (Ps. 139:4). Behind refers to the west, and before to the east, as is said: Before the east side (Exod. 38:13). The creatures of the earth saw him and feared him. They believed that he was their creator. They came and bowed down before him, and he said to them: “Why do you come to bow before me?” “All of us have come because we have seen all the creatures that the Holy One, blessed be he, has created.” And his heart was filled with wonder. He began to praise and extol his Creator, saying: Oh, how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for those that fear Thee (Ps. 31:20), and also How manifold are Thy works, O Lord (Ps. 104:24). He arose and had the appearance and the likeness of God; he was tall in stature and was clothed with majesty and glory, and he ruled over them for His creator. And they said: The Lord reigneth; he is clothed in majesty (Ps. 93:1)." ], [ "A new vessel filled with old wine. Another explanation of The Tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: There is no testimony other than the Torah, as it is said: These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the ordinances (Deut. 4:45). This may be compared to a king who has a daughter for whom he builds a palace. He sets it in the midst of seven other palaces and then decrees: “Anyone who approaches my daughter will be considered as though he were approaching me.” The Tabernacle was called by two names: The Tabernacle of the testimony, which is the Torah, and elsewhere: A Tabernacle of the Lord (Lev. 17:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Anyone who despises My daughter is considered as though he were despising Me. That is, if a man enters the synagogue and disparages My Torah, it is as though he arose and were disparaging My honor. You know this to be so from the fact that R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: When Hadrian entered the Temple he reviled and blasphemed against God. David said: Master of the world, it should be counted against them as though they had hewn cedars and built ladders in order to ascend into the firmament to wage war against You, as it is said: It seemed as when men wield upwards axes in a thicket of trees (Ps. 74:5). Since they are unable to accomplish this, they turned on You and attacked us, as it said: O God, the heathen are come into Thine inheritance; they have defiled Thy holy temple (Ps. 79:1). All of this transpired because the Temple was seized on account of our sins.", "These are the accounts of the Tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). R. Hiyya said: To what may the heathens be compared? They may be compared to a man who hates the king and decides to rebel against him, but is unable to do so. What does he do? He goes to the king’s statue and tries to topple it. However, he becomes fearful that the king might kill him. What does he do then? He takes an iron digging tool and wedges it beneath the statue. He says to himself: “If I weaken the base of the statue, it will topple.” Similarly, when the heathens sought to do battle with the Holy One, blessed be He, they were not able to do so, and so they attacked Israel. David said: The kings of the earth stand up (Ps. 2:2); that is to say, One who is unable to smite the ass smites the saddle. That was the case with the idolatrous nations. When they were unable to ascend to attack God, they turned against Israel. When did that occur? When they had nothing to serve as a pledge (Temple). However, now the Tabernacle is their pledge, as it is said: These are the accounts of the Tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the testimony." ], [ "These are the accounts of the Tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). Scripture states elsewhere: A faithful man shall abound with blessings; but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unpunished (Prov. 28:20). A faithful man shall abound with blessings refers to Moses, who was appointed treasurer of the Tabernacle, and all things were blessed because of his faithfulness. While He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unpunished alludes to Korah the Levite, who desired priesthood though, as a Levite, he was not eligible for priesthood.", "Another explanation of A faithful man shall abound with blessings. This refers to Moses, who was appointed sole custodian over the affairs of the Tabernacle. Our sages inform us that no less than two men should be appointed to control the affairs of a community, yet Moses was appointed as the sole custodian because he was extremely trustworthy, as is written: He is trusted in all My house (Num. 12:7). Nevertheless he summoned others to audit the accounts with him, as is said: By the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest (Exod. 38:21).", "Scripture states elsewhere: Moreover, they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to give to them that did the work; for they dealt faithfully (II Kings 12:16). This verse refers to the generation of Joash. Our sages teach us: One should not enter the Sanctuary with an offering while wearing a bordered cloak, a money belt, or felt shoes, for the people may say of him: “If he becomes wealthy, he acquired his wealth from the Temple treasury.” Just as a man must be morally pure in the sight of heaven, so must he be above suspicion among his fellowmen, as it is said: Then ye shall be clean before the Lord, and before Israel (Num. 3:22). Yet Moses alone was in charge of the Tabernacle treasury. At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses: Let them make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8), it is written: And Moses assembled all the congregation and said: “Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord” (Exod. 35:1, 5).", "R. Johanan stated: On two mornings they brought everything required, as it is written: And they brought unto him free-will offerings every morning (Exod. 36:3),11The word boker (“morning”) is repeated in the text, indicating that it took two mornings. and they were sufficient. Thereupon Moses issued the order that was announced through the camp, that said: For the stuff they had was sufficient (ibid., vv. 6–7).", "Moses said: Master of the Universe, we have completed the work, what shall we do with the balance of the offering? He replied: Build a Tabernacle for the testimony with it. He went and did so. When he came to give the accounting, he told them: Such-and-such was used for the Sanctuary, and with the balance I made the Tabernacle for the testimony. R. Samuel said: Why was the word mishkan (“Tabernacle”) repeated twice? Because it was seized twice on account of their sinfulness. That is why the men of the Great Synagogue said: We have dealt (habal habalnu) very corruptly against Thee (Neh. 1:7).12The repetition of the word habal indicates twice (Exodus Rabbah, Pekudei 41:6). Hence the Temple was seized twice as a pledge." ], [ "These are the accounts of the tabernacle, even the tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). The Tabernacle bears testimony to the entire world that He forgave them for the episode of the golden calf. This may be likened to a king who marries a woman he loves dearly. After some time he becomes angry with her and leaves her. Her neighbors ridicule her, saying: “Repent or your husband will not return to you.” After some time he returned to her palace and ate and drank with her. Still her neighbors were not convinced that the king had become reconciled with her. However, after they experienced the fragrance of spices ascending from the house, all of them realized that he had become reconciled with her. Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, loved Israel and gave them the Torah and called then a holy nation: A kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exod. 19:6). But when they sinned after forty days, the nations exclaimed: “He will not return to them.” Moses arose then and pleaded for mercy in their behalf. And He replied: I have pardoned according to thy word (Num. 14:20). Moses asked: Who will make it known to the nations? And He replied to him: Let them make Me a Sanctuary. When the nations smelled the fragrance of the smoke as it ascended from the midst of the Sanctuary, they knew that the Holy One, blessed be He, had become reconciled with them.", "These are the accounts of the Tabernacle. It is written elsewhere: Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Gen. 46:8). Observe how very precious the Tabernacle was to the Holy One, blessed be He, that He left the upper sphere to dwell in the Tabernacle. R. Simeon held that He dwelt in the lower sphere (at first), as is said: And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden (ibid. 3:8), but that after Adam sinned He ascended from earth to heaven. When Cain arose and killed his brother, He ascended from the first firmament to the second; when the generation of Enoch angered Him, He ascended from the second to the third; when the generation of the flood perverted His teaching, He ascended from the third to the fourth; when the generation of the separation (i.e., the Tower of Babel) became arrogant, He went from the fourth to the fifth sphere; when the Sodomites behaved immorally, He went from the fifth to the sixth; and when Amraphel and his companions appeared, He ascended from the sixth to the seventh. However, after Abraham came and performed good deeds, the Shekhinah descended from the seventh to the sixth firmament; after Isaac He went from the sixth to the fifth; after Jacob from the fifth to the fourth; after Levi, his son, from the fourth to the third; after Kohath the son of Levi, from the third to the second; after Amram from the second to the first; and on the day that Moses erected the Tabernacle: The glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle (Exod. 40:34). Scripture states: For the upright shall dwell in the land (Prov. 2:21). This should be read: “They caused the Shekhinah to dwell in the land.”" ], [ "These are the accounts of the tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). Scripture states elsewhere: Thou hast also delivered Me from the contentions of My people (II Sam. 22:44), and it is written elsewhere: Thou hast delivered me from the contentions of the people (Ps. 18:44). The contentions of the people refers to the nations of the world, and the contentions of My people alludes to Israel. David said: Master of the Universe, the Israelites are a contentious lot; do You wish them to murmur against me amongst themselves? A proof of this is that after the Tabernacle was erected, though everything was done according to numbers and weights, as it is written: The whole by number and by weight; and all the weight was written at that time (Ezra 8:34), they became contentious, as is said: And the people spoke against God, and against Moses (Num. 21:15). Hence, it says: Thou mayest deliver me from the contentions of My people (II Sam. 22:44). This verse alludes to Moses. At the time he erected the Tabernacle, Moses said: I know that the Israelites are a troublesome lot. They speak against their brothers and their mothers, as it is said: Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s sons (Ps. 50:20). What is meant by Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother? R. Johanan said: You must not believe that one is permitted to speak against a brother born of one’s father, but not against a brother born of one’s mother, for if you should speak against your brother born of your father, you will eventually speak against your brother born of your mother, as it is said: Thou sittest and speakest against thine own brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s sons.", "R. Joshua the son of Levi said: David has stated that if you should speak against Esau, who is your brother (by your father), you will ultimately speak against the son of your mother. This refers to Moses, the foremost of our prophets, against whom they spoke, as it is said: And the people spoke against God, and against Moses (Num. 21:15).", "Moses declared: I am aware that Israel is contentious; therefore, I shall give them an accounting of the construction of the Tabernacle. He began to make the accounting with them: These are the accounts of the Tabernacle. He accounted for everything, the gold, the silver, and the brass: And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was a hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred … and the hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the Sanctuary … and the brass of the offering was seventy talents (Exod. 38:25–29). While he was doing the accounting and going over everything that had been made for inside the Sanctuary, he forgot, because they were not visible, the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels with which he had fashioned the hooks for the columns. He became distressed and said to himself: “Now the Israelites will grasp the opportunity to say that I have taken them.” He began to review every aspect of the work. The Holy One, blessed be He, thereupon opened his eyes and caused him to lift them upward, and he saw the hooks of the columns. He told them loudly that the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels of gold had been used for the hooks for the columns. Then the Israelites were satisfied.", "What prompted him to sit down and give an accounting: These are the accounts of the Tabernacle? Why did he trouble to render an accounting, since the Holy One, blessed be He, trusted him, as it is said: He is trusted in all My house (Num. 12:7)? He gave them an accounting because he heard the scoffers of that generation whispering behind his back, as is said: And it came to pass, when Moses entered into the tent … and they looked after Moses (Exod. 33:8). What were they saying? R. Isaac explained: When one person would praise him, his companion would retort: “Fool, do you imagine that a man in charge of the work of building a Sanctuary, with weights of silver and gold that are not examined, nor weighed or accounted for, will not become wealthy!” When he heard that he said: “Be assured, when the work of the Tabernacle is completed, I will give them an accounting.” When it was completed he said to them: These are the accounts of the Tabernacle." ], [ "The tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). This refers the Torah in which they labored. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because of the Torah and the sacrifices, I will rescue you from Gehinnom. You may know this from the fact that the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to Abraham the Torah, the sacrifices, Gehinnom, and the servitude experienced by the exiles. The Torah: A flaming torch (Gen. 15:17), for it is written: At this hand was a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2), and the people perceived the thunder and lightning (Exod. 20:15); the sacrifices: Take me a heifer of three years (Gen. 15:9); Gehinnom: A smoking furnace and a flaming torch (ibid., v. 17); the servitude at the hands of the nations: For, behold, there was thick darkness (ibid.).", "The Holy One, blessed be He, told Abraham: Whenever your descendants occupy themselves with two of these, they will be saved from the other two, but since sacrifices will be abolished in the future and the Temple will be destroyed, do you prefer that your sons should be enslaved in Gehinnom or in exile? Abraham began to ponder the matter, but did not know which to choose. R. Hanina the son of Pappa held that Abraham chose the rule of foreign kingdoms and said: It is better that my descendants shall be enslaved in exile than that any one of them should descend into Gehinnom. The Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him, as is said: Except their rock had given them over, and the Lord had delivered them up (Deut. 32:30). Except their rock had given them over refers to Abraham, as is written: Look unto the rock whence ye were hewn (Isa. 51:1). And The Lord delivered them signifies that the Holy One, blessed be He, concurred with him.", "This is what David said: Thou hast caused man to ride over our heads; we went though fire and through water; but Thou didst bring us out unto abundance (Ps. 66:12). Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads refers to the kingdoms, and We went through fire and through water alludes to Gehinnom. But Thou didst bring us out unto abundance indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world you shall be oppressed by various kingdoms, but in the time-to-come I will remove the kingdoms, which are likened to water,13Above the kingdoms were likened to “men to ride over our heads and Gehinnom to “fire and water;” here the kingdoms are likened to water and Gehinnom to fire. from you. Since they were likened to water, indicates: I will rescue you from Gehinnom, as it is said: When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame be kindled upon thee (Isa. 43:2)." ], [ "These are the accounts of the tabernacle … and the bronze of the offering (Exod. 38:21, 29). The bronze of the offering (tenufah) refers to the bronze vessels given to a bride, for in Greek they call a bride nymphé.14A play on words: tenufah (“offering”) and nymphé, a Greek bride. You find that while the Israelites were making bricks in Egypt, Pharaoh decreed that they were not to sleep at home so that they would not have intercourse with their wives. R. Simeon the son of Halafta said: What did the Israelite women do? They would go to the Nile to draw water, and the Holy One, blessed be He, would fill their jugs with little fishes.15Small fishes arouse sexual desire (Berakhot 40a). They would (sell some), cook and prepare (the fish), and buy some wine (with the proceeds of the sale), and then bring it to their husbands in the fields, as it is said: In all manner of service in the field (Exod. 1:14). While the men were eating and drinking, the women would take out their mirrors and glance into them with their husbands. They would say: “I am more attractive than you,” and the men would reply: “I am handsomer than you.” In that way they would arose their sexual desires and become fruitful and multiply. The Holy One, blessed be He, caused them to conceive on the spot.", "Our sages said: They bore twins. Others say: Six were formed in a single womb. Others say: twelve were born from one womb. And still other contend six hudred thousand. Those who believed that twins were born explained it by the words: Were fruitful and increased abundantly (Exod. 1:7). Those who contended that six were born based it on the words: Were fruitful and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceedingly mighty (ibid.), that is, six. Those who say that twelve were born argue that the words in this verse are in plural form, thus making twelve in all. Those who said six hundred thousand did so because it is written about fishes: Let the waters swarm abundantly (Gen. 1:20), and here it is written: Increased abundantly.", "It is also written concerning them: And the land was filled with them (Exod. 1:7). That is to say, that even while they were suffering hardship, they increased and multiplied, by means of the mirrors in which they preened themselves before their husbands. They aroused their sexual desires despite the arduous labors they performed. They reared all the hosts that were to depart, as it is said: All the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt (ibid. 12:41), and also: The Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts (ibid.,v. 51).", "When the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to build the Tabernacle, all the Israelites brought their contributions. Some brought silver, others brought gold or copper or onyx stones or unset stones. They brought everything eagerly. The women asked themselves: What contribution can we make to the Sanctuary? They arose, took their mirrors, and brought them to Moses. When Moses saw them he became angry with them. He said to the Israelites: Take your canes and beat them on their shoulders. What purpose do these mirrors serve? The Holy One, blessed be He, called out to Moses: Moses, do you mistreat them because of these? These very mirrors produced the hosts in Egypt. Take them and make a basin of brass and its base for the priests, that they may sanctify the priests from it, as it is said: And he made the laver of brass, and base thereof of brass, of the mirrors of the serving women that did service (ibid. 38:8), for they had produced all the hosts. Therefore it is written: And the brass of the offering was seventy talents (ibid., v. 29), that is, the offering of the wives amounted to seventy talents.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world you shall offer gifts to the Temple that it might atone for you, but in the future I shall atone for you and love you freely, as it is said: I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely (Hos. 14:5). They replied: When we have neither Tabernacle nor Temple, let the prayers of our lips be our offerings. David exclaimed: Accept, I beseech thee, the free-will offering of my mouth, O Lord (Ps. 119:108)." ], [ "And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses (Exod. 39:32). May it please our masters to teach us: What things were instituted for the sake of peace? Thus do our masters teach us: The following were instituted for the sake of peace: The priest shall read from the Torah first, then the Levite, and finally the Israelite, because that is the path of peace. Observe how precious peace is in the sight of the Holy One, blessed be He, that when the time came for them to enter the land, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Neither contend with them in battle (Deut. 2:9).16At the conclusion of the portion Judges." ], [ "And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses (Exod. 39:32). It is written elsewhere in reference to the verse: He withdraweth not His eyes from the righteous; but with kings upon the throne He setteth them forever, and they are exalted (Job 36:7). What does this verse signify? That the Holy One, blessed be He, does not deny the righteous man the realization of his plans. Therefore He withdraweth not His eyes from the righteous. You may know this to be so from Abraham, who begot Isaac, who resembled him closely, as it is said: These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begot Isaac (Gen. 25:19). And Jacob begot Joseph, who resembled him, as is said: These are the generation of Jacob: Joseph (ibid. 37:2). Reuben, Simeon, et al., are not mentioned here but only Joseph. It says also: Because he was the son of his old age (ibid., v. 3).17Word-play on zikunim (“old age”) and kunim (“features”). Hence, He draweth not His eyes from the righteous.", "Another explanation of He draweth not His eyes from the righteous. At the time that Moses came and told the Israelites: Take ye from among ye an offering unto the Lord (Exod. 35:5), they rejoiced exceedingly and brought their free-will offering with joy and eagerness. Notice that it is written: And they came both men and women (ibid., v. 22); that is to say, in their eagerness they pressed against each other. The men and women came as a huge throng when they brought their gifts, as it is said: All the women that were wise-hearted (ibid., v. 25).", "They brought all that was required in two mornings. Hence it is written: For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work (ibid. 36:7). And He said to Moses: Tell the multitude to bring their gifts. This tells you that the Israelites were extremely eager to participate in the work of the Tabernacle. After two days the wise-hearted men, who desired to bring their gifts, were not permitted to do so, since He had already said: Let neither man nor woman make any more work (ibid., v. 6). The leaders were deeply distressed by not having been privileged to bring anything to the work of the Sanctuary. They said: “Since we did not merit to participate in the offerings for the Tabernacle, let us give the garments for the priesthood.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since My sons were so painstaking and conscientious concerning the Tabernacle, let their praise be inscribed in the Torah with reference to the Tabernacle. Therefore it is written: For the stuff they had was sufficient for the work (ibid., v. 7).", "Because the leaders were slow to bring their gifts, a letter is omitted from their names. Thus in Scripture the word for leader lacks one yod.18The yod, which comprises half of the name of God, was removed to indicate their slothfulness. Later, however, they helped in the work of the Tabernacle, joining Bezalel and Oholiab in their labors and the wise men in their work, as is said: And every wise-hearted man that wrought (Exod. 36:8). And the women spun the purple curtains, as is said: And all the women whose hearts stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats’ hair (ibid. 35:26).", "When at last they completed the work of the Tabernacle, they sat waiting for the Shekhinah to descend and hover over it. However, they were distressed because the Shekhinah failed to hover over it. What did they do then? They went to the wise-hearted men and said to them: “Why do you sit by idly? Erect the Tabernacle and the Shekhinah will come to rest among us.” They tried to erect the Tabernacle, but did not know how. They were unable to make it stand. Whenever they thought they had assembled it, it would fall apart. They went to Bezalel and Oholiab and said: “Come, erect the Tabernacle that you have constructed, perhaps you will be worthy to erect it.” They too tried to assemble it but were unable to do so. They began muttering and complaining, saying: “See what the Son of Amram19A disrespectful reference to Moses. did to us when he took our possessions for this Tabernacle, and made us assume this burden while promising us that the Holy One, blessed be He, would descend from the heavenly sphere and would dwell within the curtain of goats’ hair, as is said: That I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8).”", "Why were they unable to erect it? Because of the fact that Moses was distressed at not having participated in the construction of the Tabernacle. Why did that happen? The offerings were given by the Israelites, and the work was performed by Bezalel, Oholiab, and the wise-hearted. Because Moses was distressed, the Holy One, blessed be He, concealed the way to erect it from them, and that is why they were unable to do so. After they had tried in every way to do so and still were unable to set it up, all the Israelites approached Moses saying: “Moses, our master, everything you told us we have done, and everything you asked us to bring and to give, we have given: Behold, all the work of the Tabernacle (Exod. 39:32). Perhaps we have overlooked something, or perhaps something else should be added to what you told us. See, everything is here,” and they showed it all to him, as it is said: And they brought the Tabernacle unto Moses (ibid., v. 33) and Moses saw all the work (ibid., v. 43).", "They said to him: “Did you not tell us to do such-and-such?” He replied: “Yes, indeed.” And so they pointed to everything that had been done. They said: “If that is so, why does it not stand? We tried to have Bezalel, Oholiab, and the wise-hearted erect it, but they were unable to do so.” Moses was troubled by all this until the Holy One, blessed be He, told him: Moses, because you were unhappy over the fact that you did not share in the work of the building of the Tabernacle, these wise men are not able to erect it. Now Israel will know that if you do not erect it, it will never be set up. Have I not written previously that it would be done by you, as it is said: And Moses reared up the Tabernacle (Exod. 40:18)? And it says also: And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying: And the first day of the first month (Nisan) shalt thou rear up the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting (ibid., v. 2). Moses replied: Master of the Universe, I do not know how to erect it either. He said to him: Apply yourself to it and it will stand up of itself, for I have written concerning you that you will raise it, as is said: And it came to pass in the first month in the second year on the first day of the month, that the Tabernacle was reared up (ibid., v. 17). Who finally set it up? Moses, as it is said: And Moses reared up the Tabernacle.", "R. Hiyya the son of Joseph stated: Throughout the seven days of dedication, Moses took it apart and assembled it twice each day, as is indicated in those verses by the words reared up and it was reared. R. Hanina held that he did so three time each day, since it is said: Reared up, thou shalt rear up, and it was reared. How do we know that they showed him everything? Because it is said: And they brought the Tabernacle unto Moses (Exod. 39:32). Hence, He draweth not His eyes from the righteous (Job 36:7). And Scripture adds: And Moses saw all the work (Exod. 39:43). It does not say “all the work of the Tabernacle” but rather all the work, for the words all the work of the Tabernacle would be equal to the work of creation itself, as is stated above.", "He blessed them forthwith, as is said: And Moses blessed them (ibid.). What blessing did he confer upon them? Our sages said: O Lord, God of our fathers, etc. (Deut. 1:11). R. Meir held that he said: “May it be His will that the Shekhinah will rest within the labors of your hands,” and (that) they replied: And let the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us (Ps. 90:17). Why is it stated so many times: According to all the Lord commanded Moses (Exod. 39:1)? Because the Israelites criticized Moses at the time they strove to erect the Tabernacle but could not do so. They said: “Perhaps the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses some simple thing to do to erect the Tabernacle, and (thus) Moses alone is responsible for all this difficulty.” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since you have criticized him, I will attach My name to whatever I command him. Thus it is written: According to all the Lord commanded Moses.", "The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: If a man criticizes him, he will in fact be criticizing Me, since I told him to do all this: Make Me a Sanctuary (Exod. 25:8).", "When did he tell Moses to make the Sanctuary? It was on the Day of Atonement, the tenth day of Tishri. It happened then because he ascended the mountain three times and spent one hundred and twenty days there; that is, from the sixth day of Sivan to the Day of Atonement, the tenth day of Tishri. That is the day of which it is said: And the Lord repented of the evil which he said He would do unto His people (Exod. 32:14) because of the episode of the golden calf. It was the day He said to him: I have pardoned according to thy words (Num. 14:20); it was the day He said: Let them make Me a Sanctuary; it was the day he asked: And pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Thine inheritance (Exod. 34:5); on this day may You grant pardon to future generations; it was the day the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: For on this day shall atonement be made for you (Lev. 16:30). Hence they constructed the Tabernacle with joy and gladness.", "How many months were required to complete the work of the Tabernacle? R. Samuel the son of Nahman held that the work of the Tabernacle was completed in three months, Tishri, Marheshvan, and Kislev, and it remained unassembled through Tevet, Shevat, and Adar. It finally was erected on the first day of Nisan, as it is said: On the first day of the first month shalt thou rear up the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting (Exod. 40:2). R. Hanina held: The work on the Tabernacle was completed by the first day of Adar. Why? Because the work that can be accomplished on one day in the summer is equal to two days work in the winter.", "If what R. Samuel the son of Nahman said is correct, and the Tabernacle was completed in three months, then why was it not erected immediately? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to combine the festivities of the erection of the Tabernacle with the celebration of the birthday of our patriarch Isaac. Isaac was born on the first day of Nisan. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Himself: I will combine the celebrations. The scoffers in that generation grumbled and complained, saying: “The work of the Tabernacle has already been completed and it still has not been set up.” They were not aware of the plan and the intention of the Holy One, blessed be He. Because of this King David declared: For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through Thy work; I will exult in the works of Thy hands (Ps. 92:5).", "For Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work alludes to the Tent of Meeting. I will exult in the works of Thy hands refers to the building of the Temple, may it be rebuilt speedily in our time. How great are thy works, O Lord: Thy thoughts are very deep (ibid., v. 6) relates to the fact that You decided to combine the celebration of the erection of the Tabernacle with the celebration of the birthday of our patriarch Isaac. That day he received ten crowns, as discussed in Seder Olam.20See Seder Olam 7. Seder Olam is a tannaitic midrash dealing with chronological matters. See Strack, Introduction to Talmud and Midrash, p. 225. The ten crowns are ten events that occurred on that day. See the lis tin Ginzberg, Legends, vol. III, p. 181.. Therefore it says: A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a food understand this (ibid., v. 7). A brutish man knoweth not alludes to the scoffers and fools of that generation, who did not know the thoughts of the Holy One, blessed be He. Neither doth a fool understand refers to those who do not realize that none of them would be able to rear it, neither Bezalel nor Oholiab nor the wise men who had performed the work. Only Moses would come and do his part, since he was troubled by the fact that he had not participated at all in the work done on the Tabernacle. Therefore Moses reared the Tabernacle, and neither Bezalel nor Oholiab nor the wise could do it. And it is written: And it came to pass on that day that Moses made an end of setting up the Tabernacle (Num. 7:1). When the Tabernacle was set up, the Shekhinah descended into it immediately, as it is said: And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle (Exod. 40:35). It is written elsewhere: For the cloud of the Lord was upon the Tabernacle by day (ibid., v. 38) to fulfill what is written: Surely His salvation is nigh them that fear Him; that glory may dwell in our land (Ps. 85:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world My Shekhinah will dwell among you and within your sight, as it is said: And the appearance of the glory of the Lord (Exod. 24:1), but in the future the Shekhinah will never depart from you, as it is said: In that day I will dwell therein among the children of Israel and will not forsake My people Israel (I Kings 6:13). Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen. Selah." ] ], "Vayikra": [], "Tzav": [], "Shmini": [], "Tazria": [], "Metzora": [], "Achrei Mot": [], "Kedoshim": [], "Emor": [], "Behar": [], "Bechukotai": [], "Bamidbar": [], "Nasso": [], "Beha'alotcha": [], "Sh'lach": [], "Korach": [], "Chukat": [], "Balak": [], "Pinchas": [], "Matot": [], "Masei": [], "Devarim": [], "Vaetchanan": [], "Eikev": [], "Re'eh": [], "Shoftim": [], "Ki Teitzei": [], "Ki Tavo": [], "Nitzavim": [], "Vayeilech": [], "Ha'Azinu": [], "V'Zot HaBerachah": [] }, "schema": { "heTitle": "מדרש תנחומא", "enTitle": "Midrash Tanchuma", "key": "Midrash Tanchuma", "nodes": [ { "heTitle": "פתח דבר", "enTitle": "Foreword" }, { "heTitle": "הקדמה", "enTitle": "Introduction" }, { "heTitle": "בראשית", "enTitle": "Bereshit" }, { "heTitle": "נח", "enTitle": "Noach" }, { "heTitle": "לך לך", "enTitle": "Lech Lecha" }, { "heTitle": "וירא", "enTitle": "Vayera" }, { "heTitle": "חיי שרה", "enTitle": "Chayei Sara" }, { "heTitle": "תולדות", "enTitle": "Toldot" }, { "heTitle": "ויצא", "enTitle": "Vayetzei" }, { "heTitle": "וישלח", "enTitle": "Vayishlach" }, { "heTitle": "וישב", "enTitle": "Vayeshev" }, { "heTitle": "מקץ", "enTitle": "Miketz" }, { "heTitle": "ויגש", "enTitle": "Vayigash" }, { "heTitle": "ויחי", "enTitle": "Vayechi" }, { "heTitle": "שמות", "enTitle": "Shemot" }, { "heTitle": "וארא", "enTitle": "Vaera" }, { "heTitle": "בא", "enTitle": "Bo" }, { "heTitle": "בשלח", "enTitle": "Beshalach" }, { "heTitle": "יתרו", "enTitle": "Yitro" }, { "heTitle": "משפטים", "enTitle": "Mishpatim" }, { "heTitle": "תרומה", "enTitle": "Terumah" }, { "heTitle": "תצוה", "enTitle": "Tetzaveh" }, { "heTitle": "כי תשא", "enTitle": "Ki Tisa" }, { "heTitle": "ויקהל", "enTitle": "Vayakhel" }, { "heTitle": "פקודי", "enTitle": "Pekudei" }, { "heTitle": "ויקרא", "enTitle": "Vayikra" }, { "heTitle": "צו", "enTitle": "Tzav" }, { "heTitle": "שמיני", "enTitle": "Shmini" }, { "heTitle": "תזריע", "enTitle": "Tazria" }, { "heTitle": "מצורע", "enTitle": "Metzora" }, { "heTitle": "אחרי מות", "enTitle": "Achrei Mot" }, { "heTitle": "קדושים", "enTitle": "Kedoshim" }, { "heTitle": "אמור", "enTitle": "Emor" }, { "heTitle": "בהר", "enTitle": "Behar" }, { "heTitle": "בחוקתי", "enTitle": "Bechukotai" }, { "heTitle": "במדבר", "enTitle": "Bamidbar" }, { "heTitle": "נשא", "enTitle": "Nasso" }, { "heTitle": "בהעלותך", "enTitle": "Beha'alotcha" }, { "heTitle": "שלח", "enTitle": "Sh'lach" }, { "heTitle": "קרח", "enTitle": "Korach" }, { "heTitle": "חקת", "enTitle": "Chukat" }, { "heTitle": "בלק", "enTitle": "Balak" }, { "heTitle": "פנחס", "enTitle": "Pinchas" }, { "heTitle": "מטות", "enTitle": "Matot" }, { "heTitle": "מסעי", "enTitle": "Masei" }, { "heTitle": "דברים", "enTitle": "Devarim" }, { "heTitle": "ואתחנן", "enTitle": "Vaetchanan" }, { "heTitle": "עקב", "enTitle": "Eikev" }, { "heTitle": "ראה", "enTitle": "Re'eh" }, { "heTitle": "שופטים", "enTitle": "Shoftim" }, { "heTitle": "כי תצא", "enTitle": "Ki Teitzei" }, { "heTitle": "כי תבוא", "enTitle": "Ki Tavo" }, { "heTitle": "נצבים", "enTitle": "Nitzavim" }, { "heTitle": "וילך", "enTitle": "Vayeilech" }, { "heTitle": "האזינו", "enTitle": "Ha'Azinu" }, { "heTitle": "וזאת הברכה", "enTitle": "V'Zot HaBerachah" } ] } }