Devarim Rabbah Reader

Halakha: Is it permitted for a person of Israel to read the rebukes in several readings?1Is it permitted to divide the verses of rebuke in Leviticus chapter 26 and Deuteronomy chapter 28 between different individuals who are called to the Torah on Shabbat? This is what the Sages taught: One may not interrupt the curses; rather, one individual reads all of them. Our Rabbis taught us: Why may one not interrupt the curses?

Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Gamda said: Because it is written: “The admonition of the Lord do not despise, my son, and do not loathe [takotz] His rebuke” (Proverbs 3:11) – do not cause the rebukes to be cut into pieces [kotzin kotzin]. Instead, one individual should read them all. “See, I place before you today a blessing and a curse” (Deuteronomy 11:26). Another matter, why may one not interrupt the curses?

Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I wrote regarding My glory: “I am with him in distress” (Psalms 91:15); it is inappropriate for My children to be cursed while I am blessed.’ How so? If they read the rebukes in several readings, there is not one of those called [to the Torah] who will not recite two blessings, [one] before [his reading] and [one] after.

Instead, one individual should read all of them. The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘It is not to their detriment that I gave them blessings and curses, but rather, to inform them which is the proper path that they should choose, so they will receive reward.’ From where is this derived? From what we read in this matter: “See, I place before you…”

That which the verse said: “Hear and listen, do not be haughty [tigbahu]…” (Jeremiah 13:15) – what is “hear and listen”? Rabbi Tanḥuma said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Hear the words of the Torah and do not speak haughtily.’ “For the Lord has spoken” (Jeremiah 13:15) – where did He speak? “Anyone haughty of heart is an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 16:5).

Another matter, “hear” the words of the Torah and do not lift [tagbia] your ears to avoid hearing the Torah. “For the Lord has spoken” – where did He speak? “One who removes his ear from hearing Torah, even his prayer is an abomination” (Proverbs 28:9). Another matter, “hear” the words of the Torah, “listen” to the words of the Torah.

What is “do not be haughty [tigbahu]”? Do not cause goodness to be ascend [tigbehu] so that it does not come into the world.2Do not sin and thereby prevent goodness from coming to the world. “For the Lord has spoken” – where did He speak? “If you are willing and heed, the goodness of the land you will eat.

But if you refuse and are defiant, you will be devoured by the sword, as the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 1:19–20). What is, “if you are willing and heed…”? Rabbi Elazar said: The sword and the [Torah] scroll descended intertwined from Heaven. [God] said to them: ‘If you perform what is written in this scroll, you will be delivered from this sword. If you do not perform it, you will be killed with this sword.’

Another matter, “if you are willing and heed…” – Rabbi Levi said: To what is the matter comparable? To a slave whose master said to him: ‘Here is a gold chain, and if [you do] not [act in accordance with my will], here are iron shackles.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘If you perform My will, here is goodness and blessing. If not, here is the curse. There are two paths before you: “See, I place before you today a blessing and a curse.”’

Another matter, “see I” – Rabbi Elazar said: When the Holy One blessed be He said this matter at Sinai, from that time: “From the mouth of the Most High, evil and good do not emerge” (Lamentations 3:38). Rather, on its own, evil befalls those who perform evil, and good occurs to those who perform good. Alternatively, Rabbi Ḥagai said: [God said:] ‘Not only did I give you two paths; I went beyond the letter of the law, and said to you: “You shall choose life”’ (Deuteronomy 30:19).

Another matter, what is written prior to this passage? “For if you will observe [this entire commandment]” (Deuteronomy 11:22). What is “this entire commandment”? Rabbi Levi said: This is the recitation of Shema. The Rabbis say: This is Shabbat, which is equivalent to all the mitzvot in the Torah. Another matter, “for if you will observe [this entire commandment]” – bar Kappara said: The soul and the Torah were likened to a lamp. The soul, as it is written: “The soul of man is the lamp of the Lord” (Proverbs 20:27). And the Torah, as it is written: “For a mitzva is a lamp, the Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23). The Holy One blessed be He said to man: ‘My lamp is in your hand and your lamp is in My hand. My lamp is in your hand – this is the Torah. Your lamp is in My hand – this is the soul. If you observe My lamp, I protect your lamp. If you extinguish My lamp, I extinguish your lamp.’ From where is this derived? As it is written: “Only beware, and protect yourself greatly, [lest you forget the matters that your eyes saw]” (Deuteronomy 4:9). That is, “for if you will observe.”3The verse states “if you will observe [shamor tishmerun],” with a double usage of the Hebrew term for “observe.” The midrash reads the verse as though it says “if you will observe [tishmor], you will be guarded [tishamerun]” (Matnot Kehuna). Another matter, Rabbi Shimon said: To what is the matter comparable? To two people; one of them had a vineyard in the Galilee, and one….4A fuller version of this analogy appears in other midrashic texts. One man lived in Judah and had a vineyard in Galilee, and one lived in Galilee and had a vineyard in Judah. One day they met, and one said to the other: ‘Guard mine and I will guard yours. If you ruin mine, I will ruin yours’ (Yalkut Shimoni, Tehillim 671). So the Holy One blessed be He said to man: ‘My Torah is in your hand and your soul is in My hand – if you observe mine, I protect yours. If you ruin mine, I will ruin yours.’ That is, “for if you will observe.” Another matter, Rabbi Yehuda bar Sima said: If you observed two hundred and forty-eight…until “will be broken.”5The reference here is possibly to a statement in a different midrash (Tanḥuma, Buber ed., Kedoshim 6): “Be careful about reciting Shema, for it has two hundred and forty-eight words, corresponding to the limbs of a man…the Holy One Blessed be He said: ‘If you observe mine, reciting it properly, I will guard yours.’” Another matter, what is “for if you will observe”? The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If you observe the words of the Torah, I will protect you from the demons.’ Rabbi Abba bar Ze’ira said: There is no beit rova6This is a small space, defined as the area required for sowing one-quarter of a kav of seed. According to Rav Avraham Ḥayyim Naeh, it amounts to 24 square meters. of space in the world in which there are not thousands of demons. Each one has a mask on its face so it will not look at a person and harm him. But when a person’s iniquities warrant it, it removes the mask from its face, and it looks at him and harms him. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “He redeemed me unharmed from the battle against me” (Psalms 55:19). When? [When He protects me, as in the verse:] “For there were many with me” (Psalms 55:19). Who are they? They are the angels that protect a person. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: An image goes before a person,7Human beings are created in the image of God (see Genesis 1:27). The meaning here is that man’s divine image is noticeable to the demons as the man approaches. and the heralds proclaim before him. What do they say? ‘Make room for the image of the Holy One blessed be He.’ See how many guards are protecting you. When [is this so]? When you observe the words of the Torah. I have placed two paths before you – blessing and curse; blessing, if you heed My words, curse, if you do not heed My words.

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Heed Me, as there is no person who heeds Me and loses.’ The Rabbis say: You find there is one who heeds [his wife and loses, and one who heeds] his wife and gains. How so? Adam the first man heeded his wife and lost.

From where is this derived? As it is stated: “And to Adam He said: Because you heeded the voice of your wife…[cursed is the ground on your account]” (Genesis 3:17). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who said to his servant: ‘Do not taste anything until I return from the bathhouse.’

His wife said to him: ‘Taste the cooked dish, so he will not need to seek to add salt or fish gravy.’ The king came and saw him licking his lips. The king said to him: ‘Did I not tell you do not eat, and yet you ate?’ He said to him: ‘My master, your maidservant gave it to me.’

The king said to him: ‘And you heeded my maidservant more than me?’ So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Adam: “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it” (Genesis 2:17). What did Eve do? She fed him.

Rabbi Avin said: She did not ask, but she wept and wailed to him with her voice, and he ate of it, as so it is written: “[Because you heeded] the voice of your wife.” “The words of your wife” is not written here, but rather, “the voice of your wife.” The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat of it?” (Genesis 3:11). He said to Him: ‘My Master, Your maidservant gave it to me.’

From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The man said: The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate” (Genesis 3:12). He said to him: ‘And you heeded Eve more than Me?’ [Adam] was immediately expelled [from the Garden of Eden], as it is stated: “He banished the man; He stationed the cherubs east of the Garden of Eden, and the blade of the ever-turning sword, to guard the path of the tree of life” (Genesis 3:24).

That is, he heeded his wife and lost. There is one who heeded his wife and gained. This is Abraham. From where is this derived?

As it is stated: “Sarai said to Abram: Please, behold, the Lord has kept me from bearing; please, consort with my maidservant; perhaps I shall be built through her. Abram heeded the voice of Sarai” (Genesis 16:2). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: To what is the matter comparable? To one to whom a son was born.

A certain astrologer saw him and said: ‘This lad is destined to be an arch-robber, his father must cast him away.’ His father heard and said: ‘Would I cast away my son?’ The father of that astrologer heard and said: ‘Everything that my son said to you, heed him.’ So, Sarah foresaw that Ishmael was taking to evil ways, and she would say to Abraham: “Banish this maidservant and her son” (Genesis 21:10) and it distressed him.

The Holy One blessed be He appeared to [Abraham] and said to him: “Do not be distressed about the lad and about your maidservant; everything that Sarah says to you, heed her voice…” (Genesis 21:12). He heeded her voice and gained, as his descendants were considered [only those] descending from Isaac, as it is stated: “For it is through Isaac that descendants will be accounted to you” (Genesis 21:12).

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If one who heeded his wife is so rewarded, one who heeds Me, all the more so.’ King Solomon came and articulated it: “But one who heeds me will reside securely and tranquilly, without fear of evil” (Proverbs 1:33).

“When the Lord your God will expand your border, as He spoke to you, and you will say: I will eat meat, because your heart will desire to eat meat; with all your heart’s desire, you may eat meat” (Deuteronomy 12:20). “When the Lord your God will expand…” Halakha: is it permitted for a person of Israel to cover the blood of slaughter on a festival?8Upon slaughtering birds or undomesticated animals, one is required to cover the blood with dirt (Leviticus 17:13).

This is what the Sages taught: One who slaughters an undomesticated animal or a bird on a festival, Beit Shammai say: He digs with a shovel and covers the blood. Beit Hillel say: He may slaughter only if he had earth prepared.9Mishna Beitza 1:2. Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: One who does not have earth prepared should not slaughter. Why?

Because the difference between Festivals and Shabbat is only preparing food alone.10Mishna Megilla 1:5. The only difference between the prohibition of labor on Shabbat and Festivals is the dispensation to perform certain actions on Festivals in the course of food preparation. Covering the blood is not directly connected to food preparation, and therefore digging dirt in order to cover the blood would be prohibited on a Festival.

Therefore, if one slaughtered on a festival, one must have earth prepared to cover it with. Rav Bisena said in the name of Rav Aḥa: Come and see, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘What I prohibited for you in a domesticated animal, I permitted for you in an undomesticated animal…until [I permitted all of them] in fish.’11The reference is to a statement cited in full elsewhere: “I prohibited the fat of a domesticated animal for you, but I permitted it for you in an undomesticated animal.

I prohibited the sciatic nerve for you in an undomesticated animal, but I permitted it for you in birds. I prohibited for you birds without slaughter, but I permitted fish for you” (see Vayikra Rabba 22:10; Ḥullin 109b). The Rabbis said: There are many matters that the Holy One blessed be He prohibited and then permitted them elsewhere. Know that the Holy One blessed be He prohibited slaughtering and eating [an animal] until one brings it to the Tent of Meeting [as an offering].

From where is this derived? As it is stated: “[If anyone…offers a burnt offering or a sacrifice], and to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting does not bring it, to present it to the Lord, that man shall be excised from his people” (Leviticus 17:8–9). What [else] is written there? “And he did not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, to present an offering to the Lord before the Tabernacle of the Lord, it will be accounted as blood for that man; he has shed blood, and that man shall be excised from among his people” (Leviticus 17:4).

But He then permitted it to them here, as it is stated: “Only, with all of your heart’s desire, you may slaughter and eat meat in accordance with the blessing of the Lord your God that he gave you within all your gates, the impure…” (Deuteronomy 12:15). From where is it derived? From what we read here: “When the Lord your God will expand your border.”

Another matter, “When [the Lord your God] will expand [your border]” – that is what the verse said: “I rejoice and am happy in Your kindness, for You have seen my affliction. You have known my soul’s distress, and You did not deliver me into the hand of the enemy; You set my feet in open space” (Psalms 31:8–9). The Rabbis say: This verse is speaking of Joseph. Joseph said: ‘Master of the universe, “I rejoice and am happy in Your kindness” that You performed with me.

Had You exacted revenge on my behalf from Potifera’s wife, and had not given me the kingship, I would have rejoiced and been happy. Now that I have the kingship, “I rejoice and am happy in Your kindness….”’ “For You have seen my affliction” – this is Joseph, in whose regard it is written: “[He had sent a man before them, Joseph, who had been sold as a slave.] They tortured his legs with chains; his body was placed in irons” (Psalms 105:17–18).

“You did not deliver me into the hand of the enemy” – this is Potifera. “You set my feet in open space” –You made me ruler over the entire land of Egypt. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the provider of grain to all the people of the land.

Joseph's brothers came, and prostrated themselves to him, faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers, and he recognized them, but he acted as a stranger to them, and spoke harshly to them; he said to them: From where did you come? They said: From the land of Canaan, to acquire food” (Genesis 42:6–7). Another matter, [the verse] “I rejoice and am happy in Your kindness” is speaking of Israel.

Israel said: ‘Master of the universe, “I rejoice and am happy in Your kindness” that You performed with us. Had You exacted revenge against the Egyptians and not given us their wealth, we would have rejoiced. We have joy and happiness because You gave us their wealth.’ “For You have seen my affliction” – this is Israel, in whose regard it is written: “The Egyptians mistreated us, and afflicted us, and imposed upon us hard labor.

We cried out to the Lord, God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice, and He saw our affliction…” (Deuteronomy 26:6–7). “You have known my soul’s distress” – this is Israel, in whose regard it is written: “They embittered their lives” (Exodus 1:14). “You did not deliver me into the hand of the enemy” – this is the wicked Pharaoh, as it is written: “The enemy said: I will pursue” (Exodus 15:9).

“You set my feet in open space” – as you expanded my border, as it is stated: “When [the Lord your God] will expand [your border].”

“When the Lord your God will expand your border” – this is what the verse said: “A man’s giving expands for him, and will guide him before the great” (Proverbs 18:16). What is [the meaning of] “a man’s giving expands for him”? There was an incident involving Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua who went out to collect for the matter of a mitzva for our rabbis.12They sought to collect donations to support the rabbis.

They went to the environs of Antioch and there was a certain man there who was called Abba Yudan, who was accustomed to giving generously to our rabbis. That Abba Yudan had become poor. He saw that Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua had come there to collect, and he concealed himself from them and entered his house. He spent a day there, and a second, and did not go down to the marketplace.

His wife said to him: ‘Why did you not go down to the marketplace these two days?’ He said to her: ‘Our rabbis came to collect for the matter of a mitzva for those who toil in Torah. I do not have enough to give them and I am embarrassed to go down to the marketplace.’ His wife, who was very fond of mitzvot, said to him: ‘Do we not have one field remaining?

Sell half of it and give [the money] to them.’ He went and he did so. He sold half of the field for five gold pieces and gave them to our rabbis. He said to them: ‘Pray on my behalf.’

They prayed on his behalf and said to him: ‘May the Omnipresent restore what you have lost.’ Our rabbis went on their way to collect elsewhere. That Abba Yudan plowed half the field and found a large hidden treasure. He became wealthier than he had been previously.

When our rabbis were returning, they passed through that same place. They said to someone: ‘As you live, arrange a meeting for us with Abba Yudan.’ That man said to them: ‘Who can arrange a meeting – with the king and not with him.’13It is easier to meet the king than to meet with Abba Yudan. They said to him: ‘We seek only to ensure that he will not find out that we passed here and did not inquire after his wellbeing.’

Abba Yudan found out and came to them and gave them one thousand gold pieces. He said to them: ‘Your prayer bore fruit.’ They said to him: ‘We were aware of your good deeds and placed you at the head of the list.’ The Sages read in his regard: “A man’s giving expands for him, and will guide him before the great.”

Another matter, there was an incident involving Rabbi Ḥiyya, who held a fundraising campaign in the great study hall in Tiberias and a certain person pledged a litra of gold.14This was a very significant sum of money. Rabbi Ḥiyya took him, seated him next to him, and read in his regard: “A man’s giving expands for him [and will guide him before the great].”15Rabbi Ḥiyya was indicating that, just as the end of the verse had been fulfilled, as he had been seated among prominent people, he should fulfill the beginning of the verse, by making good on his pledge and giving generously (Etz Yosef).

Another matter, there was an incident involving Reish Lakish who went to Basra. There was a certain person there who was called Avin Ramaa. It is not that he was, God forbid, a swindler [ramai], but rather, he would employ cunning [merameh] regarding mitzvot. The entire congregation would pledge, and then he would pledge a sum corresponding to that of the entire congregation.16At first he would abstain from making any pledge, leading others to think he would not participate.

Therefore they would pledge more money, so that the charity collection would meet its goals. Only afterward would he pledge as much as everyone else donated together. Alternatively, the people would know that he would match their donations and therefore they would pledge more, knowing that their donation would lead to even greater gain for the charity. Reish Lakish held a fundraising campaign there and he gave corresponding to the entire congregation.

Reish Lakish took him, seated him next to him, and read in his regard: “A man’s giving expands for him, and will guide him before the great.” Rabbi Abahu said: Why do I need another place, derive it from its own place.17Why do I need to derive from a verse in Psalms that if someone gives charity generously he will be rewarded materially, when this can be derived from the Torah itself? What is written prior to it?

“Beware lest you forsake the Levite” (Deuteronomy 12:19) and then, “when the Lord your God will expand your border, as He spoke to you.”18The juxtaposition of the verses indicates that if the Israelites take care of the Levites, who did not have ancestral property, God will expand their borders.

“And you will say: I will eat meat, because your heart will desire to eat meat; with all your heart’s desire, you may eat meat” – this is what the verse said: “Who performs justice for the oppressed, gives bread to the hungry; the Lord releases the imprisoned” (Psalms 146:7) – it is speaking of Israel. Rabbi Pinḥas bar Ḥama said: It teaches that there were more than seventy nations in Egypt, and of all of them, they enslaved only Israel.

Who executed justice on their behalf? He “who performs justice for the oppressed.” “Gives bread to the hungry” – this is Israel. From where is this derived?

As it is stated: “He afflicted you, and starved you, and fed you the manna that you did not know and your fathers did not know, in order to impart to you that man does not live by bread alone; rather, it is by everything that emanates from the mouth of the Lord that man lives. Your garment did not grow worn from upon you and your foot did not swell these forty years. And you shall know in your heart, that, as a man chastises his son, so the Lord your God chastises you” (Deuteronomy 8:3–5).

“The Lord releases the imprisoned [matir asurim]” – these are Israel. How so? The Rabbis said: The Holy One blessed be He prohibited eight matters for them and permitted eight of them. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I prohibited fats for you…until cloaks with ritual fringes.’19The full version of this passage is found in Vayikra Rabba (22:10): “I prohibited for you menstrual blood; I permitted for you hymenal blood.

I prohibited for you a married woman; I permitted for you a captive woman. The brother’s wife [is forbidden], I permitted for you a levirate wife. A woman and her sister, [which is forbidden] during their lifetimes, I permitted for you after death. Wearing diverse kinds [is forbidden], I permitted for you a linen garment with ritual fringes.

The flesh of a pig, I permitted for you a fish called shibuta. Animal fat [ḥelev], I permitted for you animal fat [shuman].” That is, “the Lord releases the imprisoned [matir asurim].”20This is expounded in the sense of “permits [matir] prohibitions [isurim].” So, too, elsewhere He prohibited meat of desire [taava]21He prohibited slaughtering and eating an animal without bringing it as an offering. and here, he permitted it for them.

From where is it derived? “Only, with all of your heart’s desire [avat], you may slaughter and eat meat” (Deuteronomy 12:15).

Another matter, what is written prior to this passage? “Beware lest you forsake the Levite” (Deuteronomy 12:19), and then, “when the Lord your God will expand your border.” Rabbi Levi said: To what is the matter comparable? To one who says to another: ‘Lend me one gold piece.’

He said to him: ‘I am not familiar with your credit [history].’ He said to him: ‘Test me.’ He gave it to him, and he repaid him immediately [when the loan was due]. He said to him: ‘Even if you need twenty to thirty gold pieces, take them.’

He said: ‘What caused you to [be able to] take everything that you wish? It is because you proved to me that your credit is good.’ So too, when a person is tested and separates his tithes appropriately, his border is expanded. That is, according to your gift, your own [property] is expanded.

Another matter, “when the Lord your God will expand [your border]” – is it possible that the Holy One blessed be He will expand the Land of Israel? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This scroll, no one knows how long it is or how wide it is. When it is unfurled, it becomes clear what its [true size] is. So, the Land of Israel, the great majority of it is mountains and hills.

From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Rather, the land into which you are crossing to take possession of it is a land of mountains and valleys, from the rain of the heavens it drinks water. A land that the Lord your God seeks; always the eyes of the Lord your God are upon it, from the beginning of the year until year’s end” (Deuteronomy 11:11–12). When the Holy One blessed be He will flatten it – from where is it derived [that He will do so]?

As it is stated: “Every valley will be raised and every mountain and hill will be lowered; the crooked will become straight and the ridges a valley” (Isaiah 40:4) – at that time it will become clear what its [true size] is. Another matter, “when [the Lord your God] will expand [your border]” – the Rabbis say: It is speaking of Jerusalem. If only I could see the tranquility of Jerusalem when the Holy One blessed be He will expand it!

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: To what is the matter comparable? It is to a province….22The midrash appears to be referencing a known midrashic exposition, but there is no extant midrash that would seem to fit into the midrash here. “The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old and as in former years” (Malachi 3:4).23The midrash cites a number of verses that describe a future period of blessing, in order to conclude this section on a positive note.

“Behold, I am sending Elijah the prophet to you before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. He will return the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with utter destruction” (Malachi 3:23–24). “Behold, I am sending My messenger, and he will clear a way before Me, and suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to His Sanctuary; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, behold, he is coming, said the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:1).

“Therefore, so said the Lord: I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion. My House will be built in it, the utterance of the Lord of hosts, and a line will be extended over Jerusalem. Again proclaim, saying: So said the Lord of hosts: My cities will again expand with prosperity, and the Lord will comfort Zion again, and will choose Jerusalem again” (Zechariah 1:16–17). “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; cheer, daughter of Jerusalem; behold, your king will come to you; he is righteous and saved; he is humble, and riding upon a donkey, on the foal of a female donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

“Judges and officers you shall place for you within all your gates that the Lord your God is giving you for your tribes, and they shall judge the people with fair judgment” (Deuteronomy 16:18). “Judges and officers you shall place for you within all your gates that the Lord your God is giving you for your tribes, and they shall judge the people with fair judgment” – halakha: A person’s relative, what is the ruling, is it permitted for him to sit in judgment for him?

This is what the Sages taught: These are considered relatives:1Whose testimony is not accepted. One’s father, one’s brother, one’s father’s brothers, and one’s mother’s brothers…Why is it so? Just as a relative is ineligible to testify, so is he ineligible to judge. What do you see that leads you to say so?

Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: It is written: “The priests, sons of Levi, shall approach, as the Lord your God chose them to serve Him, and to bless in the name of the Lord, and by their word shall be every dispute and every case of leprosy” (Deuteronomy 21:5). Come and see that it compares leprosy to disputes, and disputes to leprosy. Just as [the examination of] leprosy is only during the day, so judgment is only during the day, and just as disputes exclude relatives, so, too [the examination of] leprosy excludes relatives.

Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: Do not regard justice lightly, as it is one of the stanchions that support the world. Why? It is as the Sages taught: The world stands upon three matters: Upon justice, upon truth, and upon peace. Consider that if you distort judgment you destabilize the world, as it is one of its stanchions.

The Rabbis say: The potency of justice is considerable, as it is one of the legs of the Divine Throne. From where is this derived? “Righteousness and justice are at the base of Your throne; kindness and truth greet Your countenance” (Psalms 89:15). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Since that is so, the punishment for injustice is harsh; be careful.’ From where is this derived? It is from what we read in our context, “Judges and officers.”

This is what the verse said: “Idler, go to the ant; see its ways and become wise. Though it does not have a commander, officer, or governor, it prepares its bread in the summer and amasses its food at the harvest” (Proverbs 6:6–8). Why did Solomon see fit to teach the idler a lesson from the ant? The Rabbis said: An ant has three houses.2That is, ant holes have three compartments.

It does not store [food] in the upper one, to avoid [water] dripping in, nor in the bottom one because of the [moistness of the] mud, but in the middle one. And it lives only six months. Why? Because anything that does not possess sinews and bones can live only six months.

Its diet is only one-and-a-half wheat kernels, but is goes and gathers in the summer everything that it finds – wheat, barley, and lentils. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: All [it requires in] its life is only one-and-a-half wheat kernels, yet it gathers [all] these. Why does it do so? Because it says: ‘Perhaps the Holy One blessed be He will decree life upon me, so I will have something prepared to eat.’

Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: There was once an incident where they found three hundred kor3A kor is a very large volume, around 350 liters. [of food] in its hole, from what it gathered from summer to winter. That is why Solomon said: ‘“Idler, go to the ant; see its ways and become wise.” You, too, prepare for yourself mitzvot in this world for the World to Come.’ What is meant by “see its ways and become wise”?

The Rabbis said: See the proper behavior that it exhibits, as it eschews robbery. Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: There was once an incident involving a certain ant that dropped a wheat kernel. All the others came and smelled it, but not one of them would take it. The one to whom it belonged came back and took it.

See the wisdom that it has, all this virtue that it has, which it did not learn from any other creature, and it has neither judge nor officer, as it is stated: “It does not have a commander, officer, or governor”; you, for whom I appointed judges and officers, all the more so that you should heed them. That is, “Judges and officers you shall place for you within all your gates.”

This is what the verse said: “Acting with righteousness and justice is preferable to the Lord, more than an offering” (Proverbs 21:3). “Like an offering” is not written, but “more than an offering.” How is this so? Offerings are sacrificed and practiced only when the Temple is standing, but righteousness and justice are practiced when the Temple is standing and when the Temple is not standing.

Another matter, offerings atone only for unwitting sinners, but righteousness and justice atone for both unwitting and intentional sinners. Another matter, offerings are practiced only in the lower worlds; righteousness and justice are practiced both in the upper worlds4In Heaven. and in the lower worlds. Another matter, offerings are practiced only in this world, but righteousness and justice are practiced both in this world and in the World to Come.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: When the Holy One blessed be He said to Natan: “Go and say to David My servant: So says the Lord: It will not be you who will build for Me a house in which to dwell, for I have not dwelled in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, I have been [going] from one tent or another, and from a Tabernacle” (I Chronicles 17:4–5). Anyone who sought to curse David, what would he say? ‘It would be good if the Temple would be built.’5That could happen only if David were to die.

You may know this is so, for what did David say? ‘“I rejoiced when they said to me: Let us go to the House of the Lord” (Psalms 122:1)6Despite their attempts to provoke me, I rejoiced when I thought about going to the House of the Lord. – they seek to taunt me, saying: You will not build it.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘By your life [I swear], I will not deduct even one moment from your life.’

From where is this derived? As it is stated: “When your days are completed and you lie with your fathers, I will establish after you your offspring, who will emerge from your loins, and I will establish his kingdom” (II Samuel 7:12). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘The righteousness and justice that you practice are more beloved to Me than the Temple.’ From where is this derived?

It is as it is stated: “David performed justice and righteousness [for his entire people]” (II Samuel 8:15). What is meant by “justice and righteousness for his entire people”?7Righteousness (tzedaka) connotes acting with kindness, which would seem to be the opposite of strict justice. Rabbi Yehuda and Rav Naḥman, one said: He would adjudicate a judgment, acquit the innocent party and condemn the guilty party, and if the guilty party did not have the means to pay [what the court had ordered], David would pay from his own money.

That is “justice and righteousness.” Rav Naḥman said to him: If so, you would be encouraging Israel to engage in deception.8A poor man could conspire with another person to bring a suit to court, just to get money from David. What, then, is meant by “justice and righteousness”? He would adjudicate a judgment, acquit the innocent party and condemn the guilty party – that itself is “justice and righteousness,” as [in doing so] he removes the stolen money from his [the guilty one’s] possession.9In this manner, David was actually doing a favor for the guilty party by ordering him to pay. The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘My children, since justice is so beloved before Me, be careful with it.’

Another interpretation, “judges and officers you shall place” – this is what the verse said: “If I hone [shanoti] My flashing [berak] sword, and My hand will grasp judgment, I will return vengeance upon My enemies, and those who hate Me, I will requite. I will intoxicate My arrows with blood, and My sword will devour flesh, from the blood of the slain and the captive, from the heads of the enemy raiders” (Deuteronomy 32:41–42).

What is meant by this verse? Rabbi Yehuda and Rav Naḥman, Rabbi Yehuda says: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I hone [shonen] My sword like lightning [barak], I will destroy My world. What will I do instead? I will grasp judgment in My hand.’10I will restrain the judgment from being implemented.

Rabbi Naḥman said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I change [meshaneh] the attribute of justice,11If I no longer moderate it with the attribute of mercy. I will take out one lightning bolt [barak] and destroy the world. What will I do instead? I will grasp judgment in My hand.’

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: There are two things held in the right hand of the Holy One blessed be He, righteousness and Torah. Righteousness, as it is written: “Your right hand is filled with righteousness” (Psalms 48:11). Torah, as it is written: “From His right hand, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2). There are two things in His hand, and they are: The soul and justice.

The soul, as it is written: “In whose hand is the life of every living thing” (Job 12:10). And justice, as it is written: “And My hand will grasp judgment.” The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The soul and justice are both in My hand; you keep justice, and I will keep your souls.’ That is “judges and officers.”

What is meant by “judges and officers”? The Rabbis said: [It implies] that the officer should be [virtuous] like a judge, so that his deeds should be in the presence of the rod and the whip,12In his day-to-day conduct, he should imagine the rod and whip before him, and act virtuously. so that the one flogging should not himself incur liability to be flogged. Another interpretation, Rabbi Eliezer says: In a place where there is justice, there is no judge, and in a place where there is no justice, there is a judge. What is meant by this? The explanation is that Rabbi Eliezer said: If justice is performed below [on earth], justice will not have to be performed above [by divine punishment], but if justice is not performed below, justice will be performed above.

Another interpretation, “judges and officers” – Rav Aḥa said: Come and see that Solomon’s throne had six stairs. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “There were six stairs to the throne” (I Kings 10:19). And in this passage, six matters are written as negative commandments, and they are: “You shall not distort judgment, you shall not give preference, and you shall not take a bribe” (Deuteronomy 16:19); “You shall not plant for you any kind of sacred tree” (Deuteronomy 16:21); “You shall not establish a monument for you” (Deuteronomy 16:22); “You shall not slaughter to the Lord your God an ox, or a lamb, [in which there is a blemish]” (Deuteronomy 17:1).

There you have six. The herald would stand before Solomon’s throne, and when he [Solomon] would ascend the first stair, he would proclaim: “You shall not distort judgment”; for the second stair he would proclaim: “You shall not show preference”; for the third, he would proclaim: “And you shall not take a bribe”; for the fourth: “You shall not plant for you any kind of sacred tree”; for the fifth: “You shall not establish a monument for you”; for the sixth: “You shall not slaughter to the Lord your God […in which there is a blemish].”

Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: The protocol for a trial is as follows: The plaintiff states his claim, the defendant responds, and the judge renders a decision. Rabbi Sima said: The judge must orally review their claims. From whom can you learn this? From Solomon, as it is stated: “The king said: This one says: This is my living son, and your son is the dead one; and that one says: No, rather, your son is the dead one, and my son is the live one” (I Kings 3:23).

Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai said: I heard that if a judge wishes to seat the litigants, he may seat them. What is it that is prohibited? There may not be one [litigant] sitting and the other one standing, as Rabbi Yishmael said: If there was a judge and two people came to him for judgment, one wealthy and one impoverished, he should say [to the wealthy one]: ‘Dress as he is dressed, or dress him as you are dressed.’

“You shall not show preference” (Deuteronomy 1:17) – Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, Rabbi Elazar said: If you [the judge], realize that justice is in his favor [one of the litigants], do not show him a favorable countenance, so he [the other litigant] should not say: ‘From the outset he sought to rule in his favor.’ Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: If you [the judge] know that justice is not in his favor, show him a favorable countenance, so he should not say: ‘From the outset he sought to convict me.’

Rabbi Ḥanina said: One verse says: “You shall judge fairly” (Deuteronomy 1:16),13This verse does not mention extensive investigation of the claims. and another verse says: “You shall inquire, interrogate, and ask diligently” (Deuteronomy 13:15). How can this be [resolved]? If you sense that the case [presented by one of the litigants] is fraudulent, interrogate him, but if you sense that the case is being resolved truthfully, judge him fairly.14Without interrogation.

Another interpretation, “judges and officers you shall place” – Rabbi Levi said: To what is this matter comparable? To a king who had many children, and he loved the youngest more than them all. He had a certain orchard, and he liked it more than all his possessions. The king said: ‘I will give this orchard that I like more than all my [other] possessions, to my youngest son, whom I love more than all my children.’

So, too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘From all the nations that I created, I love only Israel, as it is stated: “When Israel was a lad, I loved him” (Hosea 11:1). From everything that I created, I love only justice, as it is stated: “For I am the Lord, who loves justice”’ (Isaiah 61:8). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I am giving what I love to the people that I love.’ That is, “judges and officers.”

The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘My children, by your lives, in the merit of your preserving justice, I am exalted.’ From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “But the Lord of hosts will be exalted through justice” (Isaiah 5:16). [God said:] ‘And as a result of you exalting Me through justice, I will perform righteousness and rest My sanctity in your midst.’ From where is this derived?

It is as it is stated: “And the Holy God will be sanctified through righteousness” (Isaiah 5:16). [God said:] ‘And if you keep both of them, righteousness and justice, I will immediately redeem you with a full redemption.’ From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “So said the Lord: Maintain justice and act with righteousness, for My salvation is soon to come, and My righteousness to be revealed” (Isaiah 56:1).

“When you will come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall take possession of it, and you shall live in it, and you will say: I will install a king over me, like all the nations that are around me” (Deuteronomy 17:14). “When you will come to the land…” – halakha: A king of Israel who had a legal issue, what is the ruling? Is it permitted for him to go for a trial before the court?

This is what the Sages taught: A king cannot act as judge and others cannot judge him; he cannot testify and others cannot testify concerning him. Our Rabbis taught us: Why is it that others may not judge him? Rabbi Yirmeya said: As it is written regarding King David: “Let my judgment emerge from before You” (Psalms 17:2). That is, no person may judge the king except for the Holy One blessed be He.

The Rabbis said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘My children, I had thought that you would be free from the rule of kings.’ From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness” (Jeremiah 2:24). Just as the wild donkey grows up in the wilderness and has no fear of man, so I thought that you would have no fear of kings.

But that is not what you sought. Instead, “at its soul's desire it inhales wind” (Jeremiah 2:24). “Wind” [here] refers to nothing other than kingdoms. From where is this derived?

It is as it is stated: “And behold, the four winds of the heavens bursting forth to the great sea”15The text there goes on to say that the four winds represent four kingdoms: Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. (Daniel 7:2). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘And if you should say that I do not know that you will ultimately forsake Me [by appointing a king], I already cautioned you through Moses. I said to him: Since, ultimately, they will request a flesh and blood king, from their midst they should crown a king over themselves, not a foreign king.’

From where is this derived? It is from what we read regarding the matter: “And you will say: I will install a king over me.”16In the following verse it says: “From among your brethren you shall install a king over you; you may not install over you a foreign man” (Deuteronomy 17:15).

This is what the verse said: “He prevents a deceitful person from reigning, from setting hindrances [mokeshei] for the people” (Job 34:30). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: If you see a deceitful and wicked man leading the generation, it would be preferable for the generation to fly in the air rather than make use of him. This expression, from setting hindrances [mokeshei] for the people means nothing other than flying, like the matter that is stated: “Will a bird fall into a trap on the ground, and there is no snare [mokesh] for it?” (Amos 3:5).

“He prevents a deceitful person from reigning…” – the Rabbis said: When kings arose over Israel and began subjugating them, the Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Did you not forsake Me and request a king for yourselves?’ That is, “I will install a king over me.” This is what the verse said: “Do not trust in princes…” (Psalms 146:3). Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Anyone who places his trust in the Holy One blessed be He, merits to be comparable to Him.17People will refer to him as a Godly person.

From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and the Lord is his haven” (Jeremiah 17:7). But one who places his trust in idolatry is condemned to be comparable to it. From where is this derived?

It is as it is stated: “Those who make them will be like them” (Psalms 115:8). The Rabbis say: Anyone who places his trust in a flesh-and-blood human, who passes away, his protection, too, passes away, as it is stated: “In man, in whom there is no salvation” (Psalms 146:3). What is written thereafter? “His spirit departs; he returns to his earth” (Psalms 146:4).

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘They know that a flesh-and-blood human is nothing, yet they forsake My honor and say: “Install a king for us” (I Samuel 8:5). Why do you seek a king? By your lives, ultimately you will feel what is destined to befall you under your king.’ From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “All their kings have fallen; no one among them calls to Me” (Hosea 7:7).

Another interpretation, “and you will say: I will install a king over me” – Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai said: There were three things that Israel was commanded to do upon their entry into the Land. These are: To eradicate the name of Amalek, to appoint a king for themselves, and to build themselves a Temple. They appointed a king for themselves and they eradicated the name of Amalek. Why, then, did they not build the Temple [at that time]?

It is because they had informers in their midst.18The existence of those informers prevented the Divine Presence from resting in their midst. You may know that this is so, as Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The people of the generation of Ahab were idol worshippers, yet they would go out to war and emerge victorious. Why was it so? Because they did not have informers in their midst.

That is why they would go out to war and emerge victorious. You may know that this is so, as when Jezebel sought to kill all the prophets of the Lord, what did Ovadya do? He concealed them in caves, as it is stated: “I concealed one hundred men of the prophets of the Lord, fifty men to a cave” (I Kings 18:13), and there was no person who said to Ahab: ‘Ovadya did such and such.’ But the generation of Saul, all of them were informers.

You may know that it is so, as when Saul was pursuing David, everyone would utter malicious speech about him to Saul, as it is stated: “When Doeg the Edomite came [and informed Saul, saying to him: David has come to the house of Aḥimelekh]” (Psalms 52:2); “when the Zifites came and said to Saul: [David is hiding among us]” (Psalms 54:2). That is why they would suffer defeat in war. Another interpretation, Rav Mona said: Anyone who utters malicious speech drives away the Divine Presence from below [on earth] to up above.

You may know that it is so from what David said: “I lay my soul amid lions, anxious beasts, among men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are a honed sword” (Psalms 57:5). What is written thereafter? “Rise above the heavens, God…” (Psalms 57:6) – David said: ‘Master of the universe, what is the Divine Presence doing below? Remove the Divine Presence to the firmament.’

Another interpretation, Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Why is malicious speech known as ‘the third speech’? It is because it kills three people – the one who speaks it, the one who accepts it, and the one about whom it is spoken. From where is this derived? From Doeg who spoke it, Saul who accepted it, and Nov the city of priests, about which it was spoken.19See I Samuel chapter 22.

Another interpretation, Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: They asked the serpent, saying to it: ‘Why are you found among fences?’ It said to them: ‘Because I breached the fence of the world.’ They said to it: ‘Why do you walk on the ground and your tongue protrudes onto the ground?’ It said to them: ‘Because it [my tongue] caused me to utter malicious speech against my Creator.’

What was the malicious speech? Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The primeval serpent was able to speak like humans. When Adam and Eve did not want to eat from that tree [the tree of knowledge], he began uttering malicious speech about his Creator. He said to them: ‘It was from this tree that the Creator ate and thereby created His world.

He commanded you that you should not eat from it and create another world.’ What did the Holy One blessed be He do to it? He severed its legs and cut out its tongue, so it would not be able to speak. Another interpretation, they asked the serpent, saying to it: ‘What benefit do you have from biting?’

It said to them: ‘Before you ask me, why do you not ask those who utter malicious speech [baalei lashon hara],’ as it is stated: “If the serpent bites without a spell, there is no advantage to the charmer [baal halashon]” (Ecclesiastes 10:11) – what benefit does he get by uttering malicious speech? Another interpretation, they said to the serpent: ‘Why do you bite one limb yet your venom circulates into all the limbs?’

It said to them: ‘Before you ask me, why do you not ask those who utter malicious speech, who can be standing in Rome and kill someone in Syria, or stand in Syria and kill someone in Rome?’ See how harsh is the power of malicious speech, as they [the Israelites] were commanded to build the Temple [upon their entry to the Land], and because the people of that generation engaged in malicious speech, it was not built in their days.

Another interpretation, “I will install a king over me” – the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘In this world, you requested kings, and the kings of Israel arose and caused you to be felled by the sword.’ Saul caused them to be felled on Mount Gilboa. From where is this learned? “Israel has fled before the Philistines…” (I Samuel 4:17).

David brought about a plague, as it is stated: “The Lord sent pestilence in Israel” (II Samuel 24:15). Ahab caused the rain to stop falling for them, as it is stated: “There will not be dew or rain during these years…” (I Kings 17:1). Zedekiah caused the Temple to be destroyed. When Israel saw what befell them under the rule of their kings, they all began crying out: ‘We do not want a king of Israel, we want our original King: “For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; He will save us”’ (Isaiah 33:22).

The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘By your lives, I will do so.’ From where is this derived? “The Lord will be King over the entire earth…” (Zechariah 14:9).

“When you approach a city to wage war against it, you shall call to it for peace” (Deuteronomy 20:10). “When you approach a city” – halakha: These are the laws that were instituted in order to adhere to the ways of peace. This is what the Sages taught: These are the laws that they instituted in order to adhere to the ways of peace: A priest reads [from the Torah] first, and after him a Levite, and after him an Israelite.

See how great the power of peace is. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The sun has never seen the dark part of the moon’s crescent.20It is always the luminous part of the lunar crescent that faces the sun. Why is it so? It is in order to adhere to the ways of peace,21It is to prevent the moon from being embarrassed, as it were, by the sun. as it is stated: “Dominion and fear are with Him; He makes peace in His heights” (Job 25:2).22God arranges even the heavenly bodies in a manner that ensures peace among them, as it were.

Rabbi Levi said: None of the constellations that move in the firmament see the one that precedes it, but only what is after it, like a person climbing down a ladder, and he turns his face [over his shoulder, to look] behind him, so that each and every constellation should say: ‘I am the first one.’ That is, “He makes peace in His heights.” Another matter, “He makes peace in His heights” – Reish Lakish said: Mikhael is all snow and Gabriel is all fire and yet they stand adjacent to one another and they do not harm one another.

Bar Kappara said: If the supernal beings, among whom there is neither jealousy, nor hatred, nor rivalry, are in need of peace, earthly beings, who consist entirely of hatred, rivalry, and jealousy, all the more so are in need of peace. The Rabbis say: You may know how great the power of peace is – even regarding war, into which a person enters only with swords and spears, the Holy One blessed be He said that when you go to wage war, begin only with peace. From where is this derived? From what we read regarding the matter: “When you approach a city….”

Another matter, “when you approach a city” – this is what the verse said: “You will utter a decree, and it will become fulfilled for you…” (Job 22:28). The Rabbis said: This verse is speaking about the time when the Holy One blessed be He became angry at Israel regarding the [Golden] Calf. The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “I will smite them with pestilence and destroy them” (Numbers 14:12).

What is meant by “I will smite them with pestilence [dever] and I will destroy them”? The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘What do you think, that I need swords and spears with which to kill them? Just as I created My world with a word [davar], as it is stated: “By the word of [dvar] the Lord were the heavens made; by the breath of His mouth, all their hosts” (Psalms 33:6), so I will do to them; I will pronounce a word [davar] from My mouth and kill them.’

That is, “I will smite them with pestilence [dever] and I will destroy them.” Another interpretation, what is meant by “I will…destroy them” [veorishenu]? He [God] said to him: ‘I will bequeath [morish] them to you, and I will produce others out of you.’ From where is this derived?

It is as it is stated: “And I will render you a great nation” (Numbers 14:12). When Moses heard this, he began asking for mercy on their behalf. What did Moses say at that time? “That with their very eyes, You, the Lord, were seen” (Numbers 14:14).

What is meant by “with their very eyes [ayin be’ayin]”? Rav Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, Your attribute of justice is evenly balanced [me’uyan] on the scales. [On the one hand] You say: “I will smite them with pestilence,” but I say: “Please pardon”’ (Numbers 14:19). He said to Him [further]: ‘The matter is balanced, we will see who prevails – You, the Lord; or I.’ Rabbi Berekhya said: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘By your life, you have nullified Mine [My decree], and yours has been maintained.’

From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “The Lord said: I have pardoned in accordance with your word” (Numbers 14:20). That is, “you will utter a decree, and it will become fulfilled for you…” Another interpretation, “you will utter a decree ” – Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Everything that Moses decreed, the Holy One blessed be He agreed with him. How is this so?

The Holy One blessed be He did not tell him to break the Tablets; Moses went and shattered them on his own. From where is it derived that the Holy One blessed be He agreed with him? It is as it is written: “[The Tablets] that you shattered [asher shibarta]” (Exodus 34:1) – more [yishar] power to you that you have shattered them. The Holy One blessed be He told him to wage war with Siḥon, as it is stated: “Provoke war against him” (Deuteronomy 2:24).

But he did not do so. Instead, “I sent messengers [from the wilderness of Kedemot to Siḥon, king of Ḥeshbon, with words of peace]” (Deuteronomy 2:26). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘This is what I said to you, to wage war against him, but you started off with an offer of peace. By your life, I will fulfill your decree: Every war that they wage, they shall start off only with an offer of peace,’ as it is stated: “When you approach a city…”

Who fulfilled this passage?23“When you approach a city to wage war against it, you shall call to it for peace” (Deuteronomy 20:10). Joshua son of Nun. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: What did Joshua do? He would publicize an edict in every place that he went to conquer.

In it was written: ‘Anyone who wishes to leave, let him leave; whoever wishes to make peace let him do so; and whoever wishes to wage war, let him do so.’ What did the Girgashite nation do? It evacuated and went away from before them, and the Holy One blessed be He gave them a land as beautiful as their land – that is Africa. The Givonites, who made peace, Joshua made peace with them.

But the thirty-one kings, who came to wage war with him, the Holy One blessed be He caused them to fall into his hands. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “We smote him until we left him no remnant” (Deuteronomy 3:3).

Another interpretation, “you shall call to it for peace” – see how great the power of peace is. Come and see, a flesh-and-blood human, if he has an enemy, he looks for and seeks out what [harm] to do to him. What does he do to him? He goes and seeks a man greater than he is, to cause harm to that enemy.

But the Holy One blessed be He is not like that. Instead, all the idolaters anger Him and yet they go to sleep and all their souls ascend to Him [during their sleep]. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “In whose hand is the life of every living being” (Job 12:10), and in the morning, He restores the souls to each and every one of them.

From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “He gives souls to the people upon it” (Isaiah 42:5). Another interpretation, a flesh-and-blood human, if he causes harm to another person, it never leaves his heart.24He forever holds a grudge against the person who wronged him. But the Holy One blessed be He is not so.

Rather, Israel was in Egypt, and the Egyptians enslaved them with mortar and bricks. After all the evils that they committed against Israel, the Scripture had pity upon them and said: “You shall not despise an Egyptian, as you were a stranger in his land” (Deuteronomy 23:8). Instead, pursue peace, as it is stated: “Seek peace and pursue it” (Psalms 34:15). Another interpretation, “seek peace and pursue it” – there was once an incident involving Rabbi Meir, who was sitting and lecturing….25And a certain woman came to hear his lecture.

That woman went home. It was Shabbat eve, and she found that her candle had already become extinguished. Her husband asked her: ‘Where have you been until now?’ She said to him: ‘I was listening to Rabbi Meir lecture.’

That man was a scoffer, and he said to her: ‘I swear, you will not enter my house until you go and spit in Rabbi Meir’s face.’ She left his house. Elijah, of blessed memory, appeared to Rabbi Meir, and said to him: ‘Because of you, that woman has left her house.’ Elijah, of blessed memory, informed him how the incident transpired.

What did Rabbi Meir do? He went and sat in the great study hall. That woman came there to pray and he saw her. He pretended to have a sore [in his eye] and said: ‘Does anyone know how to cure an eye with a charm?’

That woman said to him: ‘I have come to cure by using charms.’ She spat in his face.26That was the cure for an eye sore. He said to her: ‘Say to your husband: I have spat in Rabbi Meir’s face.’ He said to her [further]: ‘Go and reconcile with your husband.’

See how great the power of peace is. Another interpretation, Rabbi Akiva said: You may know how great the power of peace is, as the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘When a man issues a warning to his wife,27Warning her not to be alone with a certain man. the holy Name that is written in sanctity is erased with water28If the woman did not heed the warning, and secluded herself with the man, the procedure described in Numbers chapter 5 is followed.

Part of the procedure is to write down a passage which includes God’s name, and then erase the passage with water. in order to make peace between the woman suspected of adultery and her husband.’ Reish Lakish said: Great is peace, as the verse stated fabricated words in order to make peace between Joseph and his brothers. When their father died, they were fearful lest he exact vengeance against them.

What did they say to him? “Your father commanded before his death, saying: So say to Joseph: [Please, forgive the transgression of your brothers]” (Genesis 50:16–17). But we do not find anywhere that Jacob our patriarch [actually] issued such a command. Rather, the verses stated fabricated words in order to adhere to the ways of peace.

Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He granted it to Zion, as it is stated: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalms 122:6). Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He installed it in the heavens, as it is stated: “He makes peace in His heights” (Job 25:2). Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He provided it to both those who are near and far, as it is stated: “Peace, peace for the far and for the near” (Isaiah 57:19).

Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He did not provide it to the wicked, as it is stated: “There is no peace, said the Lord, for the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22). Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He provided it to Pinḥas as his reward, as it is stated: “Behold, I am giving him My covenant of peace” (Numbers 25:12). Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He heralds to Jerusalem that they [its inhabitants] will be saved only by means of peace, as it is stated: “Announcing peace…[heralding salvation]” (Isaiah 52:7).

Another interpretation, Rabbi Levi said: Beloved is peace, as the endings of all the blessings are always about peace. The recitation of the Shema ends with peace – ‘He who spreads a canopy of peace.’ The [Amida] Prayer ends with peace. The Priestly Benediction ends with peace – “and grant you peace” (Numbers 6:26).

Another interpretation, beloved is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He comforts Jerusalem only with peace. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “Behold, I will direct peace to it like a river” (Isaiah 66:12). David said: ‘I was seeking to hear what is the discourse of the Holy One blessed be He regarding Israel, and I heard that He was speaking about peace for them,’ as it is stated: “I will hear what the Almighty Lord will speak, as He will speak peace for His people and to His pious ones” (Psalms 85:9).

Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: See how beloved peace is, as when the Holy One blessed be He sought to bless Israel, he did not find a receptacle that holds all the blessings with which He would bless them other than peace, as it is stated: “The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace”29Literally, “inside peace,” as if peace is the receptacle that contains all the blessings. (Psalms 29:11).

“If a bird's nest will happen before you on the way, on any tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs, and the mother is crouching on the fledglings or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the offspring” (Deuteronomy 22:6). You shall surely send away the mother, and then take the offspring for yourself, so that it will be good for you, and you will have length of days (Deuteronomy 22:7).

Ki Tetze.1This is the Hebrew name of a section of the Torah. It is used here as a heading for the midrash on this section. “If a bird's nest will happen before you” – halakha: A baby who was born circumcised, what is the ruling, is it permitted to circumcise him?2The question is whether it is obligatory to draw blood from the place of circumcision. If it is not obligatory, it would be forbidden to do so, lest he be injured in the process.

This is what the Sages taught: A baby who is born circumcised, one must draw covenantal blood from him, because of the covenant of Abraham. From where can you derive this from the Torah? It is as it is stated: “You shall surely circumcise [himol yimol] those born in your house, or those purchased with your money” (Genesis 17:13).3The double expression himol yimol could be interpreted as follows: Even if someone is already circumcised [at birth], circumcise him.

Another interpretation, himol yimol – read it only as two acts of circumcision, circumcision and peeling back.4After removing the foreskin, a membrane still remains, which must be peeled back. There are thus two steps that must be followed when performing a circumcision. Rabbi Levi said: Himol yimol – from here we learn that the circumciser must himself be circumcised, as it is written: “Himol yimol.”5The double expression is interpreted to mean: The circumciser shall be circumcised.

Rabbi Yudan ben Pazi said: What is written regarding Tzippora, Moses’s wife? “Then she said: A bridegroom of blood [because of circumcisions…]” (Exodus 4:26). “Because of circumcision” is not written here, but rather, “circumcisions” – from here we learn about circumcision and from here we learn about peeling back. Why is a baby circumcised at eight days?

It is because the Holy One blessed be He extended mercy towards him, to wait for him until he has his strength. Just as the mercy of the Holy One blessed be He extends towards people, so does His mercy extend over animals. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “From the eighth day on, [it shall be accepted as a fire offering to the Lord]” (Leviticus 22:27).

Moreover, the Holy One blessed be He said: “It and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day” (Leviticus 22:28). And just as the Holy One blessed be He extended mercy towards animals, so did He become filled with mercy towards the birds, as it is stated: “If a bird's nest will happen before you.”

This is what the verse said: “Lest you delineate a path of life: Her tracks wander; you will not know” (Proverbs 5:6) – what is meant by “lest you delineate [tefales] a path of life”? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Do not sit and evaluate the mitzvot of the Torah, as it is stated: “He weighed mountains with a scale [peles]” (Isaiah 40:12). Do not say: Since this mitzva is great, I will perform it, as its reward is substantial, but since that one is a minor mitzva, I will not perform it.’

What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He did not reveal to people what is the reward granted for each and every mitzva, so that they would perform all the mitzvot without guile. From where is this derived? “Her tracks wander; you will not know.”

To what is the matter comparable? To a king who hired laborers and took them into his orchard [containing various trees]. He was unspecific, and did not reveal to them the wages for the [different trees of the] orchard, so they should not forsake [working on] those with minimal wages and go and work [only] on those with substantial wages. In the evening, he summoned each one of them and said to him: ‘Beneath which tree did you work?’

He said to him: ‘Beneath this one.’ He said to him: ‘That is a pepper tree, its wages are one gold piece.’ He summoned another and said to him: ‘Beneath which tree did you work?’ He said to him: ‘Beneath this one.’

He said to him: ‘Its wages are one-half gold piece, as it is a [tree with] white blossoms.’6And not very valuable. He summoned another and said to him: ‘Beneath which tree did you work?’ He said to him: ‘Beneath this one.’ He said to him: ‘That is an olive tree, its wages are two hundred zuz.’

They said to him: ‘Should you not have informed us [at the outset] which tree has abundant wages so that we could work beneath it?’ The king said to them: ‘Had I informed you, how would all of my orchard have been cultivated?’ So, too, the Holy One blessed be He did not reveal the reward granted for each of the mitzvot, with the exception of two mitzvot – the one of the greatest difficulty, and the one of the least difficulty.

Honoring one’s father and mother is of the greatest difficulty, and the reward granted for it is prolonging of one’s days, as it is stated: “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days will be prolonged” (Exodus 20:12). The one of least difficulty is the dispatching of the mother bird, and what is its reward? Prolonging of days, as it is stated: “You shall surely send away the mother…and prolong your days” (Deuteronomy 22:7).7This teaches that the amount of reward for a mitzva is not necessarily commensurate with its level of difficulty. That is, “if a bird's nest will happen before you.”

This is what the verse said: “For they are a graceful adornment for your head [roshekha]” (Proverbs 1:9) – the Rabbis said: Matters of Torah are grace for your infirmity [rashiyutekha]. How so? A learned person, when he grows old, everyone [still] comes and surrounds him and asks him about matters of Torah. Another interpretation, what is “for they are a graceful adornment [livyat] for your head”?

Rabbi Pinḥas bar Ḥama said: Wherever you go, mitzvot accompany [melavot] you. “If you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof” (Deuteronomy 22:8). If you install a door for yourself, mitzvot accompany you, as it is stated: “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house” (Deuteronomy 6:9). If you don new garments, mitzvot accompany you, as it is stated: “You shall not wear a mixture of fibers” (Deuteronomy 22:11).

If you go to cut your hair, mitzvot accompany you, as it is stated: “You shall not round the edge of your head” (Leviticus 19:27). If you have a field and go to plow in it, mitzvot accompany you, as it is stated: “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together” (Deuteronomy 22:10). If you sow it, mitzvot accompany you, as is stated: “You shall not sow your vineyard with diverse kinds” (Deuteronomy 22:9).

If you reap it, mitzvot accompany you, as it is stated: “When you reap your harvest in your field, and you forget a sheaf in the field, [you shall not return to take it]” (Deuteronomy 24:19). The Holy One blessed be He said, [moreover]: ‘Even when you are not occupied with any activity at all, but are [simply] walking on the road, mitzvot accompany you.’ From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “If a bird's nest will happen before you.”

Another interpretation, ben Azzai says: One mitzva leads to another mitzva, and one sin leads to another sin. How is this so? It is written previously: “When you go out to war…and you see in the captivity [a beautiful woman]…” (Deuteronomy 21:10–11). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Although I permitted her to you, I said to you: “She shall shave her head, and she shall grow her nails,” (Deuteronomy 21:12), so that she should not find favor in your eyes and you send her away.

If you did not do so, what is written thereafter? “If a man will have a defiant and rebellious son” (Deuteronomy 21:18). And as a result of that, “if there will be in a man a sin with a death sentence”’ (Deuteronomy 21:22). This shows that one sin leads to another sin.

One mitzva leads to another mitzva – from where is it derived? “If a bird's nest will happen before you” (Deuteronomy 22:6). As a result [of following this mitzva], “when you build a new house [you shall make a parapet for your roof]” (Deuteronomy 22:8). And as a [further] result [of following the mitzva, you will have a vineyard, and] “you shall not sow your vineyard with diverse kinds” (Deuteronomy 22:9).

And as a [further] result [of following the mitzva, you will have a field, and] “you shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together” (Deuteronomy 22:10). And as a [further] result [of following the mitzva, you will have clothing, and] “You shall make for you twisted threads [on the four corners of your garment]” (Deuteronomy 22:12). This shows that one mitzva leads to another mitzva.

Another interpretation, “you shall surely send away” – Rabbi Elazar said: It should not have said this;8The Torah should not have concerned itself with the feelings of a bird. however, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Since it participated in the glory of the world and in improving the world, it is worthy to be rescued.’9By having produced eggs or hatchlings, it has contributed to the continuing functioning of the world.

Another interpretation, Rabbi Ḥiyya said: If a bird, which does not possess the merit of illustrious ancestors, nor covenants, nor oaths, its offspring atone for it,10It is to be set free as a reward for its merely producing offspring, as in the previous paragraph. then the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who have the merit of illustrious ancestors, all the more so, that if one of them sinned, that He will grant atonement for them in the future.

Another interpretation, “you shall surely send away” – Rabbi Berekhya said: There is a certain demon that shoots forth like an arrow and flies like a bird. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day” (Psalms 91:5). The Holy One blessed be He was saying [here]: ‘If you fulfilled the mitzva of dispatching the mother bird, I will deliver you from those [kinds of demon].’

Another interpretation, there are mitzvot for which the reward granted is wealth, and there are mitzvot for which the reward granted is honor. What is the reward granted for this mitzva? It is that if you do not have children, I will give you children. From where is this derived?

It is as it is stated: “You shall surely send away the mother.” What is the reward that you receive? “And take the offspring for yourself” (Deuteronomy 22:7).

Another interpretation, “you shall surely send away [shale’aḥ teshalaḥ]” – the Rabbis say: Why is this [verb written] twice? It is so that if this mitzva presents itself to you a second time, do not say: ‘I have already fulfilled my obligation.’ Instead, each time it presents itself to you, you must fulfill it. Another interpretation, “you shall surely send away [shale’aḥ teshalaḥ]” – the Rabbis say: If you sent away [the mother in accordance with] the mitzva of the nest, you will be privileged to send away a Hebrew slave.11That is, you will be wealthy enough to purchase a Hebrew servant, who is freed at the end of seven years’ service.

From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “But when you send him free away from you” (Deuteronomy 15:13). Another interpretation, “you shall surely send away [shale’aḥ teshalaḥ] the mother” – if you fulfil this mitzva, you will hasten the coming of the messianic king, in whose regard sending is written, as it is stated: “Who send out the foot of the bull and the donkey” (Isaiah 32:20).12The bull is an allusion to the proto-messianic king, a descendant of Joseph, in whose regard it is written: “A firstborn bull is his majesty” (Deuteronomy 33:17), and the donkey alludes to the messianic king, a descendant of David, in whose regard it is written: “Your king will come to you…he is humble, and riding on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

Another interpretation [shale’aḥ teshalaḥ], Rabbi Tanḥuma said: If you fulfil this mitzva, you will hasten the coming of Elijah the prophet of blessed memory, in whose regard sending is written: “Behold, I am sending Elijah the prophet to you” (Malachi 3:23), and he will come and comfort you. From where is this derived? It is as it is written [of Elijah]: “He will restore the heart of parents with children” (Malachi 3:24).

“Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam on the way, upon your exodus from Egypt” (Deuteronomy 24:9). “Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam” – halakha: If a person has a leprous spot and has a relative who is a priest, what is the ruling, is it permitted for him [the relative] to examine it?13The halachic status of leper must be conferred by a priest (Leviticus 13:2). This is what the Sages taught: A person [a priest] may examine any leprous spot other than his own leprous spot; Rabbi Meir says: He is also [barred from examining] the leprous spots of his relatives.

Through what [sin] does leprosy come about? It is a result of parsimony. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is a common occurrence that when a person says to another: ‘Lend me your axe so I can chop this wood with it,’ he [evades the request and] says: ‘I do not have one,’ due to parsimony. Similarly, one may say [to his neighbor]: ‘By your life, lend me your sieve,’ and he [that neighbor] has one, but says: ‘I do not have one,’ due to parsimony.

As a result, leprosy befalls his house first. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “He shall examine the leprous spot, and, behold, the leprous spot is in the walls” (Leviticus 14:37). What would they do to him?

They would remove everything that he had in his house. From where is this known? It is as it is stated: “The priest shall command, and they shall empty out the house” (Leviticus 14:36). When he would take out everything that he had in his house, [including] his axes and sieves, people would say: ‘Do you see the parsimony that he exhibited?

He did not want to lend something that he owned.’ What caused him to empty out [his house]? It is because he had [the flaw of] parsimony. Another interpretation, Rabbi Ḥanina said: Leprosy comes about specifically as a result of malicious speech.

The Rabbis said: You may know for a fact that leprosy comes about as a result of malicious speech, as the righteous Miriam, because she uttered malicious speech regarding Moses her brother, leprosy befell her, as it is stated: “Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam.”

This is what the verse said: “You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your mother’s son [ben imekha]” (Psalms 50:20). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: If you accustomed your tongue to speak against your brother14Meaning, your friend. who is not a member of your nation [ben umatekha], ultimately you will slander a member of your nation. Rabbi Yehuda ben Levi said: If you accustomed your tongue to speak against your paternal brother who is not your maternal brother, ultimately you will slander your maternal brother.

For anyone who is so arrogant as to speak against someone greater than he, [he] brings it about that leprosy comes upon him. If you do not believe it, let the righteous Miriam15Who spoke against Moses. be a model for all who engage in malicious speech. That is, “Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam.”

This is what the verse said: “Do not allow your mouth to bring sin upon your flesh” (Ecclesiastes 5:5). The Rabbis say: This verse is speaking of those who engage in malicious speech. How so? “Do not allow your mouth.”

What does this mean? Once the mouth [of a person] utters malicious speech, it has committed a sin against his body, in that it causes it to be afflicted [by leprosy]. That is the meaning of: “to bring sin upon your flesh,” as the mouth commits a sin against the flesh. What is meant by, “and do not say before the angel that it was a mistake”? (Ecclesiastes 5:5).

It means that you should not say: ‘I will go and utter malicious speech and no person will know about it.’ The Holy One blessed be He says to him: ‘Know that I will send an angel who will stand alongside you and record everything that you say about another person.’ From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “Even in your thoughts, do not curse a king” (Ecclesiastes 10:20).

Why? “Because a bird of the heavens will carry the voice [and a winged creature will tell the matter]” (Ecclesiastes 10:20). What is “and a winged creature will tell the matter”? (Ecclesiastes 10:20). This refers to the angels in whose regard it is written: “Six wings to each one” (Isaiah 6:2).

“Why should God become angry at your voice” (Ecclesiastes 5:5) – at that voice that emerged from your mouth. “And destroy your handiwork” (Ecclesiastes 5:5) – as that person will be afflicted with leprosy. If you do not believe it, consider Miriam, who, because she uttered malicious speech about Moses her brother, was afflicted. “Remember what the Lord your God did…” and as a result, she was afflicted.

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: To what is the matter comparable? To an akhina16A kind of poisonous snake. that was sitting at a crossroads and biting passersby. Along came a darvon17A kind of non-venomous snake. and sat next to it. A snake charmer came along and saw them.

He said, ‘This akhina, it is its nature to bite. But this one, I am surprised that he has come and clung to it.’ So, too, Moses was saying: ‘Miriam, who spoke in that manner, that is the nature of women, they like to chatter. [But] the righteous Aaron, did he have to speak against me as well?’ Moses said: ‘“[Miriam spoke, and also Aaron]” (Numbers 12:1).

That “Miriam spoke” [is understandable], but could it be “and also Aaron”?’ (Numbers 12:1). When Moses learned that Aaron also spoke [against him], he began crying out: “Even my ally, upon whom I relied, who partook of my bread, has lifted his heel against me”? (Psalms 41:10). What is “my ally [ish shlomi]”? This is Aaron, who bestows peace [shalom] upon me, as it is stated [in the priestly blessing]: “He will grant peace to you” (Numbers 6:26).

“Upon whom I relied” – when he stopped the angel of death. From where is this known? It is as it is stated: “Aaron returned to Moses, to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and the plague was stopped” (Numbers 17:15). “Who partook of my bread” – these are the twenty-four priestly gifts that he receives as benefits from Israel.18Enumerated in Numbers chapter 18.

After all this goodness, he “has lifted his heel against me.” “Miriam spoke against Moses, and also Aaron” (Numbers 12:1) – Rabbi Levi said: There are four [negative] traits found in women: They are gluttons, eavesdroppers, jealous people, and lazy people. Gluttons – from where is it derived? It is from Eve, as it is written: “The woman saw that the tree was good for eating…” (Genesis 3:6).

Eavesdroppers – from where is it derived? It is as it is written: “Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent” (Genesis 18:10), as she was eavesdropping on the angel. Jealous people – from where is it derived? It is as it is written: “Rachel was jealous of her sister” (Genesis 30:1).

Lazy people – from where is it derived? It is as it is written: “Hurry, three se’a of high quality flour” (Genesis 18:6).19Since Abraham had to hurry her on, the implication is that she was not acting with alacrity. The Rabbis said two more: They are sensitive and talkative. Sensitive – from where is it derived?

“Sarai said to Abram: The injustice done to me is on you” (Genesis 16:5). Talkative – from where is it derived? It is as it is written: “Miriam spoke [against Moses].” Another interpretation, “Miriam spoke” – Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said: When the Holy One blessed be He came to create Eve from Adam, He was contemplating [hitbonen] from where to create her, as it is stated: “The Lord God built [vayiven] the side…” (Genesis 2:22).

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I will not create her from the eye, so she should not be curious; nor from the ear, so she should not be an eavesdropper; nor from the mouth, so she should not be a chatterer; nor from the hand, so she should not steal; nor from the foot, so she should not be one who walks about. From where will I create her? From a concealed limb of his, from the thigh.’ Nevertheless, it was to no avail, and all [these traits] that the Holy One blessed be He intended not to be in her, they are all found [even] in the most upright [among them].

The Holy One blessed be He had said: ‘I will not create her from the eye, so she should not be curious’ – Eve, it is written in her regard: “The woman saw….” ‘I will not create her from the ear, so she should not be an eavesdropper’ – “Sarah was listening ….” ‘I will not create her from the hand, so she should not steal’ – “Rachel stole the household idols” (Genesis 31:19). ‘I will not create her from the foot, so she should not be one who walks about’ – but Leah, it is written in her regard: “Leah went out to greet him…” (Genesis 30:16). ‘I will not create her from the mouth, so she should not be a chatterer’ – but the righteous Miriam, it is written in her regard: “Miriam spoke.” See what befell her: “Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam.”

Another interpretation, “remember” – the Rabbis said: To what is this matter comparable? To a king who returned from war, whereupon a noblewoman lauded him. The king said: ‘You shall be called: Specialist of the Council.’ Days later she began to cause confusion in administering the king’s grants. The king said to her: ‘Is this what you have done? Be banished to confinement.’ So, too, when the Holy One blessed be He waged war at the Sea, Miriam recited song and was called a prophetess, as it is stated: “Miriam the prophetess took [a timbrel…]” (Exodus 15:20). Once she uttered malicious speech about her brother, however, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Let her be banished to confinement, as it is stated: “Miriam was quarantined”’ (Numbers 12:15).

Another interpretation, when Moses saw what befell his sister, he began crying out and praying on her behalf with all his heart and soul: “God, now, heal her now” (Numbers 12:13). The Rabbis said: Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, You have already rendered me a physician.20As explained in the following paragraph. If You heal her, that is fine, If not, I will heal her.’21The midrash is expounding on the doubling of the word “now.”

Moses was saying: ‘God, heal her now, and if not, I will heal her now.’ Another interpretation, what is “God now”? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: To what is the matter comparable? To a physician’s apprentice, to whom a certain sick woman came up to call on.

He brought her to his mentor. The apprentice said to his mentor: ‘Master, you have already taught me all the procedures of administering remedies. If you heal her, that is fine; if not, I will heal her myself.’ So, too, Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, You already taught me all the procedures of leprosy.

If you heal her, that is fine; if not, I will heal her.’ Another interpretation, “Moses cried out to the Lord, saying…” (Numbers 12:13) – to what is this matter comparable? To a mighty man who had a chain around his neck. He freed himself from that chain.

Some time later, he saw the chain placed around the neck of another. He began crying out. People said to him: ‘Why are you crying out?’ He said to them: ‘You do not know [what he is going through], but I know what pain he is experiencing.

The chain was around my neck just like this, and I know what pain he is experiencing.’ So, too, Moses was crying out. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Why are you crying out?’ He said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, I know what pain she [Miriam] is suffering, as I remember the “chain” into which my hand was once placed.’

From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “Behold, his hand was leprous like snow” (Exodus 4:6). After Moses prayed on her behalf, the Holy One blessed be He healed her. From where is this derived?

It is as it is stated: “The people did not travel until Miriam’s readmission” (Numbers 12:15). That is why they remembered what befell Miriam as a result of malicious speech.

Another interpretation, Rav Asi said: A person does not utter malicious speech until he denies the existence of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Those who said: With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own. Who is a lord over us?” (Psalms 12:5). Rabbi Shimon said: If the righteous Miriam, who did not intend to utter malicious speech, but spoke out only because of procreation,22Her comment about Moses was that he had separated from his wife.

She thought it proper that he should take her back and have children with her. this befell her, the wicked who intend to utter malicious speech about their counterparts in order to cut short their lives, all the more so that the Holy One blessed be He should sever their tongues, as it is stated: “May the Lord sever all flattering lips [and the tongue that boasts]” (Psalms 12:4). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘In this world, because there were speakers of malicious speech in your midst, I removed My Divine Presence from your midst, as it is stated: “Rise above the heavens, God” (Psalms 57:6).23See Devarim Rabbah 5:10.

But in the future, when I will uproot the evil inclination from your midst, as it is stated: “I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26), I will restore My Divine Presence to your midst.’ From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “It will be thereafter, I will pour My spirit upon all flesh…” (Joel 3:1). [God said:] ‘As a result of My restoring My Divine Presence upon you, all of you will merit to study the Torah and will reside in peace in the world,’ as it is stated: “All your children will be disciples of the Lord and the peace of your children will be abundant” (Isaiah 54:13).

“It will be if you will heed the voice of the Lord your God to observe, to perform all His commandments that I am commanding you today, the Lord your God will place you uppermost over all the nations of the earth” (Deuteronomy 28:1). Halakha – a person of Israel who was passing before the ark,1He was serving as the prayer leader and reciting the communal Amida prayer. what is the ruling; is it permitted for him to answer amen after the priests?2After the priestly benediction.

So the Sages taught:3Berakhot 34a. One who passes before the ark should not answer amen after the priests, due to confusion.4He will become confused and will not be able to continue praying properly. The Sages taught us: But if he is able to answer without becoming confused, he should answer. Why? It is because there is nothing greater before the Holy One blessed be He than the amen that Israel answers.

Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: This amen has three connotations: Oath, acceptance, and faith. Oath, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The priest administered an oath…and the woman said amen, amen” (Numbers 5:21–22). Acceptance, from where is it derived?

It is as it is stated: “And the entire people will say amen” (Deuteronomy 27:16). Faith, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Benayahu son of Yehoyada answered the king and said: Amen; and so may the Lord, [God of my lord the king], say” (I Kings 1:36). Another matter: Anyone who answers amen in this world, will be privileged to answer amen in the future.

Alternatively, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Anyone who enters synagogues and study halls in this world will be privileged to enter synagogues and study halls in the World to Come. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Happy are the dwellers in Your House; they will continue to praise You, Selah” (Psalms 84:5). Another matter: Rabbi Yudan said: Anyone who hears the sound of Torah in this world will be privileged to hear the sound in whose regard it is written: “The sound of gladness and the sound of joy, the sound of a bridegroom and the sound of a bride…” (Jeremiah 33:11).

Moses said to Israel: ‘Since everyone who hears matters of Torah is exalted in two worlds, be vigilant to hear matters of Torah.’ From where is it derived? It is from what is written regarding the matter: “It will be if you will heed the voice5“You will heed” could be written as tishma, but in the verse it is written as shamo’a tishma. of the Lord your God.”