“And blessed is God, the Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand. He gave him a tithe of everything” (Genesis 14:20). “And blessed is God, the Most High, who delivered [migen] your enemies into your hand” – Rabbi Huna said: He turned the plot [mangenin] against you upon your enemies. Rabbi Yudan said: How many stratagems [mangenaot] did I perform in order to deliver them into your hand.
They38The two sets of kings. had been fond of one another; this one would send letters to that one, and that one would send gifts to this one, but I incited discord between this one and that one so they would come and fall into your hand. “He gave him a tithe of everything [mikol]” – Rabbi Yehuda bar Rav Simon said: On the basis of that tribute, three of the pillars of the world, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, benefitted.
Regarding Abraham it is written: “The Lord had blessed Avraham with everything [bakol]” (Genesis 24:1), due to the merit of: “He gave him a tithe of everything [mikol].” Regarding Isaac it is written: “And I partook of all [mikol]” (Genesis 27:33), due to the merit of: “He gave him a tithe of everything [mikol].” Regarding Jacob it is written: “For God has graced me and because I have everything [kol]” (Genesis 33:11), due to the merit of: “He gave him a tithe of everything [mikol].”
From where did Israel merit the Priestly Benediction?39Numbers 6:23–26. Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda said: From Abraham: “So [ko] shall your descendants be” (Genesis 15:5) – “so [ko] shall you bless the children of Israel” (Numbers 6:23). Rabbi Neḥemya said: From Isaac, as it is stated: “I and the lad will go to there [ko]” (Genesis 22:5). That is why the Omnipresent said: “So [ko] you shall bless the children of Israel.”
The Rabbis said: From Jacob, as it is stated: “So [ko] you shall say to the house of Jacob” (Exodus 19:3). Corresponding to it is: “So [ko] shall you bless the children of Israel.” Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina, Rabbi Eliezer said: [God said:] ‘When will I increase your descendants like the stars?40This section is referring to the verse: “He took him outside, and said: Look now to the heavens, and count the stars, if you could count them, and He said to him: So [ko] will your offspring be” (Genesis 15:5).
When I reveal Myself to them through the word ko’ – “So [ko] you shall say to the house of Jacob” (Exodus 19:3). Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: When I reveal Myself to their leader41Moses. through the word ko: “So [ko] said the Lord: My firstborn son is Israel” (Exodus 4:22).