Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Reader

(Ibid. 8:1-6) "King Belshazzar made a great banquet, etc." About this it is written (Habakkuk 2:15) "Woe unto him who makes his neighbor drink! You pour out your wrath even unto intoxication," and (Ibid. 16) "You will be sated with shame rather than glory." (Daniel 5:30) "That very night King Belshazzar was killed."

R. Yossi says: Just as the prophet reveals ("maggid," like "gad") what is hidden, so, did the manna reveal it. How so? (see Yoma 75a)

R. Yossi says: Why "other gods"? Not to give a pretext to the nations of the world to say: If they were called by His name, they would be effectual. Behold, they were called by His name and they remained ineffectual! And when were they called by His name? In the days of Enosh the son of Sheth, viz. (Genesis 4:26) "Then (men and images) were called profanely in the name of the L–rd, (being rendered deities)" — whereupon Oceanus rose and flooded a third of the world, the L–rd, as it were, telling them: You did a new thing and "called"; I, too, shall do a new thing and I shall "call" (to the waters of the sea), as it is written (Amos 5:8) "He 'calls' the waters of the sea, etc."

R. Nathan says: Stone is being likened to fist, and fist to stone. Just as a stone has the potential to kill, so, a fist which has the potential to kill (is intended). And just as a fist is specific, so, the stone must be specific — so that if it is intermixed with other stones, he is not liable.

(Exodus 15:7) It is not written "You have destroyed those who rose up against You," but "You will destroy ('taharos') those who rise up against You" — in the future, viz. (Psalms 58:7) "O G–d, smash ('haras') their teeth in their mouth." Why? (Ibid. 58:5) "For they do not consider the deeds of the L–rd and His handiwork. He will tear them down ('yeharsem') and not rebuild them": He will tear them down in this world and not rebuild them in the world to come.

R. Eliezer says: "elohim acherim": They "renew" gods for themselves every day. How so? If one had a golden god and he needed gold, he make it of silver. If he needed that, he made if of copper. If he had a copper god and he needed copper, he made it of iron or of lead. And thus is it written (Devarim 32:17) "new ones (gods), newly come."

(Ibid. 24) "And it was in the morning watch": We find that the prayers of the righteous are heard in the morning. The "morning" of Abraham — (Genesis 22:3) "And Abraham rose early in the morning, etc." The "morning" of Isaac — (Ibid. 9) "and both of them went together, etc." — and both had risen early in the morning.

It is not written "You have sent forth Your wrath," but "You will send forth Your wrath" — in time to come. (Psalms 69:25) "Pour Your wrath upon them, etc." (Jeremiah 10:25):Pour Your wrath upon the nations": Why? (Ibid.) "For they have consumed Yaakov, etc"

(16:32) "And Moses said: This is the thing, etc.": I might think that Aaron placed it there in the fortieth year. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 34) "And Aaron placed it before the (ark of) testimony." When was the ark made? In the second year (of the exodus). Thus, Aaron placed it there in the second year.

And whence is it derived that in the absence of matzoh and maror one fulfills his obligation with the Pesach? From "shall they eat it" (in any event). I might think that if one does not have a Pesach he fulfills his obligation with matzoh and maror, and that it follows, viz.: (The eating of the) Pesach is a positive commandment and matzoth and maror is a positive commandment. Just as in the absence of matzoh and maror one fulfills his obligation with the Pesach, so, in the absence of the Pesach one fulfills his obligation with matzoh and maror.

The "morning" of Jacob — (Ibid. 28:18) "and Jacob rose early in the morning, etc." The "morning" of Moses — Exodus 34:4) "and Moses rose early in the morning, etc." The "morning" of Joshua — (Joshua 3:1) "And Joshua rose early in the morning and they journeyed from Shittim, etc." The "morning" of Samuel — (I Samuel 15:12) "and Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, etc." The "mornings" of the prophets that were destined to arise (for Israel) — (Psalms 5:4) "O L–rd, in the morning shall You hear my voice; in the morning will I order (my prayer) before You, and I will hope."

The "morning" of the world to come — |(Eichah 3:23) "New every morning; great is Your faith." And thus do you find that the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to exact punishment of the wicked in the world to come only in the mornings" — (Psalms 101:8) "In the mornings I will cut off all the wicked of the land to cut off from the city of the L–rd all the workers of iniquity." Also Jerusalem, in time to come, every morning her judgment will come to light, viz. (Tzefaniah 3:5) "The L–rd is righteous in its midst.

He will do no wrong. Every morning He will bring His judgment to light. It will not fail. But the churl will not know shame." (Exodus 14:24) "And it was in the morning watch": This occurred at dawn. "and the L–rd looked to the camp of Egypt with a pillar of fire and cloud, etc.":

It is not written (Exodus 15:7) "He has consumed them as stubble," but "He will consume them as stubble" — in time to come, viz. (Ovadiah 1:18) "And the house of Yaakov will be fire, and the house of Joseph, flame, and the house of Esav, stubble, and they will ignite them and consume them, etc." And it is written (Zechariah 12:6) "On that day I will make the chieftains of Judah like a stove — fire (burning) wood, torch (burning) sheaf, etc."

And this is one of the ten things created on Sabbath eve (of the creation) at twilight: the rainbow, the manna, the staff (with which the signs were performed), the writing, (the form of the letters carved on the tablets), the shamir (a miraculous stone-cutting worm), the tablets, the opening of the mouth of the earth to swallow up the wicked, the opening of the mouth of (Bilam's) ass, the grave of Moses, and the cave where Moses and Eliyahu stood. Others say: Also the vestments of the first man and the staff of Aaron, its almonds and blossoms.

R. Chanina b. Antignos says: (in confirmation of the above) Witness the Torah's denomination of (the god) Molech — anything (is called "a god") that you make a king ("melech") over you, even a chip or a shard.

It is, therefore, written "with matzoth and maror shall they eat it" (i.e., the eating of the Pesach is a categorical requirement for fulfillment of the obligation.) Variantly: "with matzoh and maror shall they eat it": From here they ruled: The Pesach is to be eaten in a state of satiety, but matzoh and maror are not (necessarily) to be eaten in a state of satiety.

The Holy One Blessed be He heals all who enter the world, viz. (Exodus 15:26) "for I am the L–rd who heals you", (Jeremiah 17:14) "Heal me, O L–rd, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved.", (Ibid. 3:22) "Return, wayward sons; I will heal your waywardness." Come and see that the healing of the Holy One Blessed be He is not like the healing of flesh and blood. The healing of flesh and blood — With what he smites, he does not heal.

He smites with a knife and heals with a plaster. Not so the Holy One Blessed be He. With what He smites, He heals. When He smote Iyyov, He smote him with a tempest, viz. (Iyyov 9:11) "He struck me with a tempest and multiplied my wounds in vain."

When He healed him, He healed him with a tempest, viz. (Ibid. 38:1) "And the L–rd answered Iyyov from the tempest." He answered him from the tempest and He healed him. And when the Holy One Blessed be He exiled Israel, He did so with clouds, viz. (Eichah 2:1) "How the L–rd has beclouded in His wrath the daughter of Zion." And when He gathers them in, He does so with clouds, viz. (Isaiah 60:8) "Who are those who fly like a cloud, like doves to their dove-cotes?"

When He scatters them, He scatters them like doves, viz. (Ezekiel 7:16) "And their fugitives will flee. They will be in the mountains, all of them moaning like the doves of the valleys, each man in his sin." And when He returns them, He returns them like doves, viz.: "like doves to their dove-cotes." When He blesses Israel, He blesses them with looking, viz. (Devarim 26:15) "Look down from Your holy abode, from the heavens, and bless Your people, Israel."

And when He exacted punishment of Egypt, He did so with "looking," viz. "and the L–rd looked to the camp of Egypt with a pillar of fire and cloud, and He confounded the camp of Egypt, etc." The pillar of cloud descended and made the sea-bed clay, and the pillar of fire made it so hot that the horses' hooves fell off. "and He confounded the camp of Egypt": He confounded them, He mixed them up, He removed their ensigns and they did not know what they were doing.

Variantly: "Confounding" is plague, viz. (Devarim 7:23) "And He will confound them with a great confusion until they are destroyed."

All woods, when they burn, their sound is not heard; but stubble, when it burns, it crackles and is heard. Thus did the sound of Egypt, in its destruction, make itself heard. All woods, when they burn, leave a trace; but stubble, when it burns, leaves no trace. And the L–rd said (Isaiah 43:17) "They (the chariots of Egypt) all lie together, never to rise, snuffed out like flax" — to teach that there was no kingdom so abject as that of Egypt, but it seized power for the moment towards the aggrandizement of Israel.

Seven things are concealed from the eyes of man: the day of death, the day of consolation, the depth of judgment, the source of his livelihood, what is in the heart of his neighbor, the restoration of the kingdom of the house of David, and the uprooting of the kingdom of the "liable one" (i.e., Rome).

This is one of three things in the Torah which R. Yishmael expounded metaphorically. Similarly, (Exodus 22:2) "If the sun shone upon him." Now is it upon him alone that the sun shines? Does it not shine upon the whole world? But, (the intent is) just as the sun is peace for the world, so, this one, if it were known about him that he (the one breaking into his house) were at peace with him (i.e., would not kill him, as in the instance of a father breaking in to steal from his son), and he (the son) killed him, he is liable.

(Exodus 14:25) "And He removed their chariot wheels": R. Yehudah says: Because of the fire on high, the wheels below were broken, the yokes and the chariots ran of themselves, being filled with vessels of silver and gold and precious gems and pearls for Israel to take as spoil.

And when He likens the kingdoms, He likens them only to cedars, as it is said (Ezekiel 31:3), "Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon, fair of branch," and it says (Amos 2:9), "Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars," and it says (Daniel 4:17), "The tree that you saw, which grew great and strong, whose height reached to heaven, and which was visible to the ends of all the earth." But when He likens the Egyptians, He likens them only to stubble. As it is said, "It consumes them like stubble" (Exodus 15:7). When He likens the kingdoms, He likens them only to silver and gold, as it is said (Daniel 2:32), "As for that statue, its head was of fine gold." But when He likens the Egyptians, He likens them only to lead, as it is said (Exodus 15:10), "They sank like lead." When He likens the kingdoms, He likens them only to wild beasts, as it is said (Daniel 7:3), "And four great beasts." But when He likens the Egyptians, He likens them only to foxes, as it is said (Song of Songs 2:15), "Catch us the foxes."

(Exodus 16:33) "And Moses said to Aaron: Take one tzintzeneth": I would not know what it is — whether of silver, or iron, or lead, or copper, or tin. It is, therefore, written "tzintzeneth" — something that can be seen through ("metztith"), i.e., an earthenware vessel (from which glass is made).

"before My presence": What is the intent of this? So that no pretext be given to Israel to say that idolatry was forbidden only to those who left Egypt — wherefore it is written "My presence," i.e., Just as I live and endure forever and ever, so, you and your children and your children's children may not serve idols — to the end of all the generations.

Similarly, (Devarim 22:17) "And they (the parents of the girl accused of infidelity) 'spread the garment' (i.e., make her innocence as manifest as a spread-out garment.) Here, too, "al mishanto" is understood (metaphorically) as "on his own power."

"and vashel mevushal": to make one liable (both) for what is raw and for what is cooked. You say this. But perhaps (the meaning is) to make him liable for what is overly roasted? It is, therefore, written, "but roasted in fire." How, then, is "vashel mevushal" to be understood? As (to make him liable for) what is raw and what is cooked.

R. Nechemiah says: Because of the thunders on high, the pivots below flew off, viz. (Psalms 77:19) "The rumble of your thunder caught the wheel; lightings lit the world", and the yokes and the chariots ran of themselves.

Antoninus asked Rabbeinu Hakadosh: I want to go to Alexandria. Is it possible that a king will arise there who will beat me? He answered: I do not know. In any event, we have it in writing that Egypt is incapable of establishing either a king or a governor, viz. (Ezekiel 29:15) "Of all the kingdoms it (Egypt) will be the lowest, and it will not exalt itself again among the nations. And I will diminish them, so that they not dominate the nations."

"and put therein a full omer of manna and place it before the L–rd as a keeping for your generations": R. Yehoshua says: for the fathers (i.e., for those of that generation).

(Ibid. 4) "You shall not make for yourself an idol (lit., "a carving")": I might think that he may not make one that projects but he may make one that is flat. It is, therefore, written "any likeness." I might think that he may not make a flat one, but that he may make (an idol of) a planting. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:25) "You shall not plant for yourself an asheirah."

I might think that he may not plant one, but that he may make one of wood. It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "any wood." I might think that he may not make one of wood, but that he may make one of stone. It is, therefore, written (Leviticus 26:1) "And a covering stone, etc." I might think that he may not make one of stone, but that he may make one of silver.

It is, therefore, written (Exodus 20:20) "gods of silver." I might think that he may not make one of silver, but that he may make one of gold. It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "and gods of gold." I might think that he may not make one of gold, but that he may make one of copper or tin or lead.

It is, therefore, written (Exodus 34:13) "Molten gods you shall not make for yourself." I might think that he may not make for himself the likeness of all these but that he may make one of any form. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 4:16) "Lest you corrupt yourselves and make … of any form." I might think that he may not make one of any form, (of human being), but that he may make one of the likeness of an animal, beast, or bird.

It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 17) "the figure of any beast, etc." I might think that he may not make the likeness of all of these, but that he may make the likeness of fish, hoppers, reptiles, and creeping things. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 19) "any thing that creeps on the ground." I might think that he may not make the likeness of sun, moon, stars, and constellations. It is, therefore written (Ibid. 19) "And lest you lift your eyes to the heavens, etc." I might think that he may not make the likeness of any of these, but he may make the likeness of angels, cherubs, ofanim and chashmalim (angelic entities).

It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 39) "in the heavens." If "in the heavens," I might think that he may not make the likeness (only) of sun, moon, and stars. It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "above" — neither the likeness of cherubs or ofanim. I might think that he may not make the likeness of all these, but he may make the likeness of the depths or of darkness. It is, therefore, written

"then the striker shall be absolved": I might think that he provides guarantors and goes free. It is, therefore, written "If he arise and walk outside, etc." We are hereby apprised that he is incarcerated until the other is healed.

"or cooked in water": This tells me only of water. Whence do I derive (the same for) other liquids? R. Yishmael was wont to say: It follows a fortiori, viz.: If it is forbidden to cook it in water, which does not impart its taste (to the flesh), how much more so other liquids, which do impart their taste!

In the past, the mules would pull the chariots. Now, the chariots were pulling the mules.

(Exodus 15:8) "And with the breath of Your nostrils, the waters ne'ermu": "With their measure was it meted out to them." They said (Ibid. 1:10) "Come and let us outsmart them." You, likewise, gave wisdom ("armah" [as in "ne'ermu"]) to the waters, and the waters embattled them in all kinds of torrents.

R. Eliezer says: for the days of the prophet Jeremiah. For when Jeremiah said to Israel: Why are you not studying Torah, they said to him: How will we feed ourselves? He took out the flask of manna and said to them (Jeremiah 2:31) "O generation, see the word of the L-td, etc." Your fathers, who studied Torah, see how they were fed. You, too, if you study Torah, the Holy One Blessed be He will feed you of this.

(Ibid. 18) "which is in the waters beneath the earth." To include reflected images. These are the words of R. Akiva. Others say: To include shavririm (water creatures). So far did the Holy One Blessed be He pursue the yetzer hara (the evil inclination) to give it no pretext for permissiveness (in this area).

"then the striker shall be absolved": from the death penalty. I might think, from disability payments (sheveth) and ripui (medical expenses). It is, therefore, written "but his sheveth shall he give, and heal shall he heal." Aside from what he pays for (injury to his limbs [nezek]), he pays for sheveth and ripui.

R. Akiva says: This tells me only of water. How do I derive (the same for) other liquids? It is, therefore, written "uvashel mevushal," (which conveys the sense of "no matter what it is cooked in), to include (as forbidden) other liquids.

And this is one of the three things that Eliyahu is destined to present to Israel: the flask of manna, the flask of the sprinkling waters (viz. Numbers 19:9), and the flask of the anointing oil, (viz. Exodus 30:31). Others say: Also the staff of Aaron, its almonds and its blossoms, (viz. Numbers 17:25).

(20:5) "You shall not bow down to them and you shall not serve them." What is the intent of this? From (Devarim 17:3) "… and he go and serve other gods and he bow down to them," I would not know whether he is liable for the serving in itself and for the bowing down in itself or that he is not liable until he serves and bows down; it is, therefore, written (here) "You shall not bow down to them and you shall not serve them" — to make each liable in itself.

"but his sheveth shall he give": I might think, forever (i.e., for life-long disability.) It is, therefore, written "and heal shall he heal" (i.e., he pays) sheveth only for so long as it takes for the wound to heal.