Midrash Aggadah Reader

"God who brings them out of Egypt." They make use neither of demons nor of angels, and they call to mind none but their God; and there is nothing upon their lips when they lie down and when they rise up except the name of God. And if so, how can any creature attach itself to them, if God is with them? Therefore it is said, "God who brings them out of Egypt." "He has as it were the strength of a wild ox (ke-to'afot re'em lo)." "To'afot" — these are the angels, as it is written, "and with two he flies" (Isaiah 6:2). "Re'em" — these are the demons, as it is said, "they fly upward" (Job 5:7), for they lift themselves up to fly. Another interpretation: When the weak is above and the strong is below, a man cannot join battle; how much more so when the strong is above and the weak is below. And their God has the might; therefore it is said, "He has as it were the strength of a wild ox." As you say, "and the heights of the mountains are His" (Psalms 95:4) — the strength of the mountains is His. And He sits above all the creatures, as it is said, "I dwell on high and holy" (Isaiah 57:15). And who can join battle with Him? Therefore it is said "re'em," denoting exaltation (romemut).

"For there is no divination in Jacob" (Numbers 23:23). Israel is not like the rest of the nations of the world, for the nations go after diviners and soothsayers, as it is written: "For these nations that you are dispossessing hearken to soothsayers and to diviners" (Deuteronomy 18:14), "and because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you" (Deuteronomy 18:12). But Israel, when they seek to know a matter, they have prophets who tell them what the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to do. Therefore it is said: "in due time it shall be said to Jacob and to Israel what God has wrought" (Numbers 23:23). And as you say: "But as for you, the LORD your God has not given you so; a prophet from your midst, from your brethren, like me, the LORD your God will raise up for you" (Deuteronomy 18:14-15). Because Israel did not go after diviners and soothsayers, they merited a new world, where they all sit before the Divine Presence, they and the angels outside of them, and the angels ask them: "what has God wrought?" And because there is in him neither divination nor sorcery, but rather they go according to the word of the Holy One, blessed be He, therefore they are a people that "rises up like a lioness" at the first and "lifts itself up like a lion," and in the end "it shall not lie down" and shall not enter the land until it enters and slays the nations who are there, and devours their prey, which is of their kind, as you say: "and you shall devour all the peoples" (Deuteronomy 7:16). "And drinks the blood of the slain" (Numbers 23:24) - that they will leave them slain upon the face of the field, and not one of them shall remain. When Balak saw that Bilam had added a second time to speak of their greatness, and a third time he began to bless them - that is to say, he spoke the words to them in the language of blessing - Balak said to Bilam: I called you to curse them, not to bless them; and since I see that you cannot curse them, leave yourself be, that you neither curse them nor bless them. Therefore it is said: "And Balak said to Bilam: neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all" (Numbers 23:25).

"And Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor" (Numbers 23:28). Balak was a great diviner, for he saw that Israel were destined to worship Peor, and that the Holy One, blessed be He, was destined to be angry with them; therefore he led him to Peor. And therefore he said, "Perhaps it will be right in the eyes of God" (Numbers 23:27), so that He would grant you permission to curse them, and curse him for me from there.

"And Abraham was old, advanced in days" (Genesis 24:1). "Old" (zaken) — this is one who has acquired wisdom. "Advanced in days" — for the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him a taste of a foretaste of the World to Come. And there were three who tasted of a foretaste of the World to Come, and these are they: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Of Abraham it is said, "And the LORD blessed Abraham in all things." Of Isaac it is said, "and I ate of all" (Genesis 27:33). And of Jacob it is said, "and of all that You give me I will surely set aside a tenth for You" (Genesis 28:22). Another interpretation: "and because I have all" (Genesis 33:11).

"And Balaam saw that it was good in the eyes of the Lord to bless Israel, and he did not go, as time after time" (Numbers 24:1), and so forth. And why "as time" twice ["as time after time"]? Rather, that wicked one had gone on two prior occasions, for he said: Perhaps the Lord will chance upon me, that He will be pleased with my sacrifices, so that He will permit me to curse them. "And he set his face toward the wilderness" (Numbers 24:1) — he said: I will recall the deed of the calf that they made in the wilderness.

"The elder of his house" (Genesis 24:2): The elder — the radiance of the visage (ziv ikonin) of Abraham resembled Eliezer. "Who ruled over all that he had": who ruled in the Torah of his master. "Place now your hand under my thigh" (Genesis 24:2): For all who take an oath must grasp an object in their hand. And what was the matter concerning which Abraham told Eliezer that he should swear to him by the circumcision? And why did he have him swear by the circumcision? Because he had suffered greatly through the circumcision. One verse says, "And I will make you swear by the LORD, God of heaven and God of earth" (verse 3), and another verse says, "God of heaven" (verse 7), and it does not say "God of earth." And why did it mention "God of earth" in one verse, and in another verse it did not say "God of earth"? Rather, because Abraham established an inn (pundak) and made it so that all would recognize the Holy One, blessed be He. And why so? Rather, Abraham said: At the time when He took me from my father's house, He was only "God of heaven," for there was no one on earth who recognized Him; but now He is "God of earth," because Abraham established an inn and did everything so that they would recognize the Holy One, blessed be He. And so it says, "and the souls that they had made in Haran" (Genesis 12:5), and it says, "and he called there in the name of the LORD, God of the world" (Genesis 21:33).

"And Balaam lifted up his eyes." When he saw that he could not curse them, he sought to harm them with an evil eye, and he began to gaze at them. "And he saw Israel dwelling according to their tribes" — that each and every tribe was dwelling according to its tribes by itself, that they were not all dwelling intermingled. "And the spirit of God was upon him." Even though he did not wish to go, so that the word would not come to him, the Holy One, blessed be He, caused His Shekhinah to rest upon him. And even though the Shekhinah does not rest upon the impure, yet because of the love of Israel, "and the spirit of God was upon him" — this is the holy spirit that fell into his mouth, and he spoke by the holy spirit all that he spoke.

"The oracle of Balaam son of Beor" (Numbers 24:3). Balaam and Balak were not worthy men; rather, both of them were "a maneh that is the son of a peras." Concerning Balak it says "son of Zippor" (Numbers 23:18), for his son was fit for kingship, but Balak himself was not so a king; therefore he was "a maneh that is the son of a peras." And likewise concerning Balaam it says "son of Beor," teaching that Beor, Balaam's father, was not esteemed in prophecy as much as he, but was rather like a son in relation to his father. "And the oracle of the man whose eye is open (shetum)." From here we learn that Balaam was blind in one of his eyes. Do not read it "shetum" (open) but "satum" (closed). And why did God close it? Because he said "and counts the issue (rova) of Israel" (Numbers 23:10), teaching that the Holy One, blessed be He, counts the seed of Israel and says: When will the hour come that there will come forth from it [a soul]? That wicked man, whose eye was evil, said: He who is holy and whose ministers are holy — should He gaze upon such a thing? And once the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that his eye was evil, He stored it up and blinded his eye. Another interpretation: "whose eye is open (shetum)" — open of eye, for he saw what all the prophets did not see; and "shetum" means nothing other than the language of "open," as the Mishnah says: "so that one may open (yishtom) and stop up and seal."

"The speech of one who hears the words of God" (Numbers 24:4) — for the Shekhinah was speaking with him. "Who sees the vision of Shaddai" — for he would gaze upon the Shekhinah. "Falling down, yet with open eyes" — when he wished to speak with Him, the Holy One, blessed be He, he would prostrate himself to the ground and cast himself down at the gate, and immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, by means of it would show him all that he asked. And why was he unable to see the Shekhinah unless he fell down? Because he was uncircumcised and was unable to stand upon his feet.

"How goodly are your tents, O Jacob" (Numbers 24:5). He saw that the entrances of Israel were not aligned one opposite the other, but each entrance was opened away from the tent of its neighbor, so that none of them would gaze into the dwelling of his fellow. He began to cast an evil eye upon them; and therefore he began to praise them, so that the evil eye should not have power over them; and therefore his eye was stopped up. Another interpretation: "How goodly are your tents" — by the merit that Jacob dwelt in them, as it is said, "And Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents" (Genesis 25:27); and on account of this Israel merited to dwell in tents in the wilderness. "Your dwelling-places, O Israel" — he spoke of the Tabernacle and of the Temple that Israel made, in which the Shekhinah dwelt, and it was what protected them.

"Like streams stretched out (kinḥalim nittayu)." From his blessings you can know what was in his heart to curse. Concerning this the verse says, "But the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you" (Deuteronomy 23:6). He wished to say that they should [not] have houses of study to establish things permanently, but [should be] like streams: just as streams sometimes flow and sometimes do not flow but are dry, the Holy Spirit answered, "stretched out" — that they flow at all times. He wished to say "like gardens," which are sometimes moist and sometimes dry, but the Holy One, blessed be He, put in his mouth "by a river," that they are moist at all times. He wished to say "like tents of spices," for these are sometimes moist and sometimes dry, for when they are moist their fragrance spreads, and when they are dry their fragrance is lost; therefore the Holy Spirit said "the LORD planted," that they are as on the day the LORD planted them, when they are moist. He wished to say "like cedars," which have no roots, and when they are dry the wind comes and uproots them; but the Holy One, blessed be He, put in his mouth and said "by the water," whose roots are deep. He wished to say that they should not have a king son of a king; [but] against his will he said, "Water shall flow from his buckets" (Numbers 24:7), that they should have a king son of a king. He wished to say that they should not rule over another kingdom, and the Holy One, blessed be He, put in his mouth and said, "and his seed shall be in many waters." He wished to say that they should be a lowly nation and fall by the hand of Amalek; the Holy One, blessed be He, [arranged it] so that he should say, "and his king shall be higher than Agag" — and this was Saul, who slew every city of Amalek and placed under the ban Agag king of Amalek. "And his kingdom shall be exalted" — forever, that his kingdom should be prolonged. Another interpretation: "streams stretched out" — these are the heavens, as it is said, "and stretched them out like a tent to dwell in" (Isaiah 40:22), to say that Israel shall endure as the heavens endure, as it is written, "to plant the heavens and to lay the foundations of the earth, and to say to Zion, You are My people" (Isaiah 51:16). "Like cedars by the water" — as you say, "like a cedar in Lebanon he shall grow" (Psalms 92:13). Another interpretation: "I will set in the wilderness a cedar" (Isaiah 41:19) — this is Jerusalem, which was made like a wilderness.

"Water shall flow from his buckets" (Numbers 24:7) — that sages and masters of Torah would come forth from her, as you say, "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters" (Isaiah 55:1). Another interpretation: they merited prophecy, as you say, "a fountain of living waters" (Jeremiah 17:13), and as it is said, "for I will pour water upon the thirsty" (Isaiah 44:3). Another interpretation: that the Holy One, blessed be He, purified them of their iniquities, as in "and I will sprinkle clean water upon you" (Ezekiel 36:25). Another interpretation: that they would do repentance and the Holy One, blessed be He, receives them. Another interpretation: "Water shall flow from his buckets" — as you say, "and you shall draw water in joy from the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3). "And his seed in many waters" — that the King Messiah would come forth from them, who would rule over many waters, over all the peoples, even though the Edomites preceded them to kingship, as it is said, "and these are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom" (Genesis 36:31). This matter would not be theirs for long; rather, at the time when Agag would be king, at that hour their kingship would cease, and Saul would come and take him. And afterward the kingship would cease from Saul, and the kingship of David son of Jesse would be exalted, for the Holy One, blessed be He, cut a covenant with him that his sons would all be kings, and he would rule over Edom, as it is said, "and all Edom became servants to David" (1 Chronicles 18:13). "God who brought them out of Egypt" — just as He had power at the time when He brought them out of Egypt, so He has might and loftiness to feed them all the kings of the nations of the land of Canaan. Therefore it is said, "he shall devour the nations his adversaries" — these are the rest of the people. "And shall break their bones" — these are their kings, whom they will kill and take their money. "And pierce them with his arrows" — that they will inherit their land.

"He couches, he lies down like a lion" (Numbers 24:9). For he shall fall upon all the nations like a lion. After they conquer the Land, no other nations shall come to drive them out of their land. This is the meaning of "like a lioness, who shall rouse him?" "Blessed are those who bless you." Balaam said to him: As for what you say, "neither curse them at all nor bless them at all" (Numbers 23:25), I will not restrain myself from blessing them. For Isaac already blessed Jacob, as it is said, "and blessed be those who bless you" (Genesis 27:29), so that everyone who blesses Israel is himself blessed. And as for what you say to me, "Come, curse Jacob for me," his father Isaac already blessed him, and said, "cursed be those who curse you" (Genesis 27:29), so that everyone who curses Israel shall be cursed. And if I should curse them, I would be among the cursed. Therefore, when Balak heard Balaam say "cursed be those who curse you," at that moment Balak recognized concerning Balaam that if he should curse them, he himself would be among the cursed; and he was afraid to curse them further. Therefore his anger burned, as it is said, "and Balak's anger burned" (Numbers 24:10) — for he no longer had the strength to curse them.

"And he struck his hands together" (Numbers 24:10) — he beat this one against that one, as it is said, "I will strike My hands together" (Ezekiel 21:22); and this "and he struck" is an expression of striking. He said to him: I said, "I will surely honor you," and your God in whom you trusted has withheld you from honor. He said to him: I already said to your officers whom you sent to me, "I cannot go beyond the mouth of the LORD" (Numbers 22:18). Before he went with the officers of Balak, he would call Him "the LORD my God," but after he went and transgressed the mouth of the LORD, he did not call Him "my God" — for he understood and knew that he had already been banished from the world.

"And now, behold, I go to my people" (Numbers 24:14) — that is to say: I know that my portion is with you. Whatever you will lose, I too will lose. "Come, I will advise you" (Numbers 24:14) — and what counsel did he give him? Make markets and seat harlots in them. He said: They love harlotry, and since the women will withhold themselves and not listen to them unless they worship idolatry and bow down to it, and the Holy One, blessed be He, hates idolatry and hates lewdness, He will be angry at them and will slay among them. And from where do you say that he gave this counsel to Balak? For thus Moses our teacher says in the Repetition of the Torah: "Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the word of Balaam" (Numbers 31:16). And further he said: That of which you are afraid of them — do not fear them, for their God has already commanded and said to them, "Do not harass Moab" (Deuteronomy 2:9); but at the end of days they are destined to rule over them.

"And behold, Rebecca came out" (Genesis 24:15). A daughter of kings came out on account of the prayer of Eliezer. Four asked improperly; three were answered, and one was not answered. Eliezer the servant of Abraham said, "Let it be that the maiden to whom I shall say, 'Let down your jar, I pray you'" (Genesis 24:14) — she might have been a mamzeret, or a Gibeonite, or a maidservant; yet Rebecca was made to meet him. Saul said, "And it shall be that the man who strikes him [the Philistine] down, the king will enrich him with great riches and will give him his daughter" (1 Samuel 17:25) — he might have been a gentile, or a slave, or a Gibeonite; yet David son of Jesse was made to meet him. Caleb said, "The man who strikes Kiriath-sepher and captures it, to him I will give Achsah my daughter as a wife" (Judges 1:12); Othniel was made to meet him. Jephthah said, "And it shall be that whatever comes out, which comes forth from the doors of my house, I will offer it up to the Lord as a burnt offering" (Judges 11:31) — it might have been a pig, or a donkey, or a horse, and he would have offered it up; yet his daughter was made to meet him, who is not fit to be vowed — until the one who vows knows how he should vow.

"And knows the knowledge of the Most High" (Numbers 24:16). But did he not know the mind of his own beast, yet know the mind of the Holy One, blessed be He? Rather, he was able to determine that hour in which the Holy One, blessed be He, grows angry each day, as it is said, "and a God who is wrathful every day" (Psalms 7:12). And when does He grow angry? In the first three hours, at the hour when He sees the kings sleeping until three hours, and at the hour when they rise from their beds and place their crowns upon their heads and bow down to the sun — immediately He grows angry. Another interpretation: "And knows the knowledge of the Most High." Our Sages of blessed memory said, "And there arose not a prophet again in Israel like Moses" (Deuteronomy 34:10) — in Israel none arose, but among the nations of the world one did arise, and who was he? Balaam. And in three matters Balaam was greater than Moses, they said. For Moses our teacher, peace be upon him, did not know when the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to speak with him, but Balaam knew when the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to speak with him, as it is said, "and knows the knowledge of the Most High." Moses our teacher, peace be upon him, did not gaze upon the Divine Presence, but Balaam gazed, as it is said, "and beholds the vision of Shaddai." With Moses the Divine Presence did not speak whenever he wished, but Balaam knew when the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to speak with him, as it is said, "fallen, yet with eyes uncovered" — for he would compose himself before the Divine Presence, and immediately his eyes were uncovered, and he would speak with the Divine Presence. And why all this? So that the nations of the world should not say, "Had we a prophet like Moses, we would have heeded him." Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke with Balaam. But neither they nor their prophets availed, for there was no remedy for them nor for their prophets.

"I see him, but not now" (Numbers 24:17). He said: I shall see the one who will arise to despoil Moab — this is David son of Jesse, who measured them with ropes, and with two ropes he put to death and with the third rope he kept alive. "I behold him, but not near" — this is the King Messiah, over whom Israel are destined to rule in his days, as it is said, "Edom and Moab shall be the laying on of their hand, and the children of Ammon shall obey them" (Isaiah 11:14). "A star steps forth from Jacob" — because Israel are likened to stars. And what is "a star steps forth (darakh kokhav)"? As you say, "and you shall tread upon their high places" (Deuteronomy 33:29) — and this was "treading." "And a scepter rises from Israel" — this is the King Messiah, as it is said, "And a shoot shall come forth from the stock of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:1). "And it smites the corners of Moab" — as you say, "Edom and Moab shall be the laying on of their hand, and the children of Ammon shall obey them" (Isaiah 14:11). "And it tears down all the sons of Seth" — that he will demolish all the nations, who are the sons of Seth. And "qarqar" means nothing but tearing down, as it is said, "tearing down the wall (meqarqar qir) and crying to the mountain" (Isaiah 22:5).

"And Edom shall be a possession" (Numbers 24:18). And that was in the days of David, as it says, "and he put garrisons in Edom" (2 Samuel 8:14). "And Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies" — this was Mount Seir, which shall be a possession for Israel in the days of the Messiah, they being the enemies, as you say, "And saviors shall come up on Mount Zion..." (Obadiah 1:21). "And Israel shall do valiantly" — at that hour all the exiles shall return to the Land of Israel and shall possess their land, as it says, "And they of the South shall possess the mount of Esau... and the captivity of this host of the children of Israel..." (Obadiah 1:19-20).

"And he saw Amalek" (Numbers 24:20). That is to say, he saw that with that same strength of Esau, and Amalek supposed that he would be able to reveal himself against them in war; therefore it is said, "and Amalek came." He began to say, "Amalek is the first of the nations," for he fought against Israel first; therefore "and his end shall be unto destruction," as it is said, "I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek" (Exodus 17:14). Another interpretation: "and one shall come down from Jacob" — that one is destined to go forth from the children's children of Jacob, and he is Samson son of Manoah, who shall destroy the survivor from the city. And some say: this is the King Messiah. "And he saw the Kenite" (Numbers 24:21). He saw the seed of Jethro who was dwelling in the midst of Amalek. He began to say, "Firm is your dwelling-place" — that you fear the war of Amalek, that they will not wish to do you harm, because you are of the children's children of Jethro; as it is written, "And Saul said to the Kenite, Go, depart, get you down from among the Amalekites" (1 Samuel 15:6); and from here I counsel you. "And set your nest in the rock" — that you should dwell in a fortified city and in a strong place, for if you do not do so...

"And the man took a gold nose-ring, a beka its weight" (Genesis 24:22). Before he had even asked her, he gave the beka and the bracelets, because he trusted in the merit of Abraham, who had said to him, "He will send His angel" (Genesis 24:7). "A gold nose-ring" — this was the betrothal. "And two bracelets upon her hands" — which are two hundred and fifty: the two hundred corresponding to the marriage-contract of virgins, and the fifty being the supplement. Another interpretation: "A beka its weight" — corresponding to "a beka per head" (Exodus 38:26). "And two bracelets upon her hands" — corresponding to the two tablets of stone.

"Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted (ki im yihyeh le-va'er Kayin)" — for the nations will seek to consume you, and on account of the hatred of Israel, how long will you be able to be saved, until Sennacherib king of Assyria comes and confounds the whole entire world. This is "how long? Asshur shall carry thee away captive (ad mah Asshur tishbeka)." Another interpretation: "Strong is thy dwelling-place (eitan moshavekha)." Balaam said to Jethro: You were with us in Egypt in one counsel, and you ought to have toiled with us, but instead you became a proselyte and cleaved to the seed of Abraham, who is called "Ethan the Ezrahite." "And thou puttest thy nest in a rock (ve-sim ba-sela kinnekha)." Our Sages of blessed memory said: The grandsons of Jethro, they sat in the Chamber of Hewn Stone and taught Torah in public, as it is said, "And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, the Suchathites" (1 Chronicles 2:55). And "rock" means nothing but the Temple, as it is said, "upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place" (Job 39:28). Another interpretation: "And thou puttest thy nest in a rock." This is the Holy One, blessed be He, who is called "rock," and he came to take shelter under the wings of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress" (2 Samuel 22:2). For were it not so, "nevertheless Kain shall be wasted." And from when does it become liable to be consumed? From when the tribes were exiled; but those who were in Jerusalem were not exiled. And even at the destruction of the Temple, the sons of Jonadab son of Rechab, who were of the sons of the Kenite, were not exiled, for the Holy One, blessed be He, sent them to the mountains of darkness.

"Oh, who shall live when God appoints him" (Numbers 24:23). "El" — this is the angel who will throw the whole world into confusion. Another interpretation: Woe to the nation that will be found present at the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, performs redemption for His children. Another interpretation: "Alas, who shall live" — [this refers to] one who makes himself a god; and he prophesied also concerning Ashur (Assyria). "And the children of Israel journeyed." Eight journeys did Israel turn backward, as far as Moserah, on account of the death of Aaron, when they sought to return to Egypt — were it not that the tribe of Levi pursued after them and made war with them and killed four families of them, and they killed two families of the Levites there. And why have I mentioned the death of Aaron here? On account of the Israelites who died in the plague, twenty-four thousand; for had he been alive, he would have offered the incense, and not so many would have died. Therefore I was obliged to mention his death here.

"And I asked her" (Genesis 24:47). From here we learn that a person must inquire after the brothers of the bride and after her relatives. Another interpretation of "And I asked her, etc.": He did not tell them that he had given her the nose-ring and the bracelets before he asked her, for if he had said so they would have said: "How could you have known whether she was of the family of Abraham? And had she been a mamzeret (one of illegitimate birth) or a maidservant, you would have taken her for Isaac!"

"From the LORD the matter has come forth" (Genesis 24:50) — from the fact that the land leapt for you, and furthermore that the condition which you stated came about for you; therefore "we cannot speak to you" and so forth (Genesis 24:50). From here our Sages, of blessed memory, said: From the LORD [comes] a wife for a man. And this matter is written in the Torah, as it is said, "From the LORD the matter has come forth." And furthermore it is threefold, [stated also] in the Prophets and in the Writings. In the Prophets: "and his father and his mother did not know that it was from the LORD" (Judges 4:4). In the Writings: "and from the LORD [comes] a prudent wife" (Proverbs 14:4).

"And he gave precious things to her brother and to her mother" (Genesis 24:53). He brought out kinds of choice fruits and gave them to them. "Her brother and her mother" — and where was Bethuel? They said concerning him: that very angel of whom Abraham said to Eliezer, "He will send His angel" (Genesis 24:7), switched the dish in which there was the poison of death that was set before Eliezer, and placed it before Bethuel, and he ate it and died. And some say that an angel struck him down, because every virgin who would be married in that place — Bethuel would lie with her first; and so that he would not lie with his own daughter, the angel came and struck him down. Another explanation: that the men of his place said, "Now we shall see what he will do with his daughter. If he lies with his daughter as with the other daughters, just as he lies with our daughters, well and good; but if not, we shall kill him and all that is his." The angel struck him down over this matter on that very night. And therefore his name was called Bethuel, for he would lie with the virgin (betulah) first.

"Days" — a year. "Or ten" — ten months. This is because we learned that a virgin is given twelve months to provide for herself. "Days" means a complete year of twelve full months, as it is said, "Days shall be its redemption" (Leviticus 25:29), and like "from days to days" (1 Samuel 1:3). "Or ten" — one day at the end of the first month, and one day at the beginning of the last month, and ten complete months in the middle: he counted them as a complete year.

"And Isaac went out to meditate in the field" (Genesis 24:63). The patriarchs instituted three prayers. Abraham instituted the morning prayer, as it is said, "And Abraham rose early in the morning" (Genesis 19:27). And Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer, as it is said, "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field" (Genesis 24:63); and "to meditate" means nothing but prayer, as it is said, "A prayer of the afflicted, when he faints and pours out his complaint before the LORD" (Psalms 102:1). Jacob instituted the evening prayer, as it is said, "And he encountered the place" (Genesis 28:11); and "encountering" means nothing but prayer, as it is said, "And you, do not pray... and do not entreat Me" (Jeremiah 7:16).

"Into the tent of Sarah his mother" — for he found her fit like Sarah his mother. And our Sages of blessed memory said that over Sarah a cloud was bound upon her tent, and when she would kindle lamps on the eve of the Sabbath, the lamps would burn until the going out of the Sabbath; and so too with Rebecca. "And the cloud covered the tent of Sarah" — when Sarah died the cloud departed, and when Rebecca came the cloud returned. And just as Sarah was scrupulous in the three commandments by which a woman is obligated — niddah (menstrual separation), challah, and the kindling of the lamp — so too was Rebecca scrupulous. "And Isaac was comforted after his mother" — all the time that a man's mother is alive his love goes with his mother; once his mother dies his love goes to his wife. And some say that he did not find her a virgin, so that he suspected Eliezer. Rebecca said: Heaven forbid, Eliezer did not lie with me; rather, because of the fall that I fell I lost my virginity. Let us arise and go to that place where I fell, and perhaps the Lord will perform a miracle and the blood of virginity will be found there. And so they did: they went and found the blood upon a certain tree, and she had been injured by wood (mukkat etz). And the blood — Gabriel was guarding it so that neither bird nor beast should eat of it. And because he suspected Eliezer for no cause, while Eliezer had carried out Abraham's mission faithfully, he merited to enter the Garden of Eden alive.

"And Abraham again took a wife" (Genesis 25:1). Wherever it is said "and he added [vayosef]," there was an addition there. For at first two sons were born to him, Ishmael and Isaac, and here four sons were born to him. "And her name was Keturah." Why was her name called Keturah? Because she became like the scent of the incense [ketoret]. Another interpretation: because she was bound up [niktərah] in purity, for no other man ever came upon her, and Abraham found her bound [keshurah]; therefore she was called Keturah.

"And the LORD spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai, saying" (Leviticus 25:1). This is what the verse says: "Fear not, O land, be glad and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things" (Joel 2:21). Rabbi Tanchuma said: At the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, came to give the Torah to Israel and to make the laws heard by Israel, at that hour [the earth] was afraid, as it is said, "From heaven You caused judgment to be heard; the earth feared and was still" (Psalms 76:9). If it feared, why was it still? Rather, thus said the earth before the Holy One, blessed be He: "Master of the world, if Israel keep the Torah, well and good; but if not, I am afraid of You, that You will do to me as in the days of Adam, when You cursed me, as it is said, 'Cursed is the ground because of you' (Genesis 3:17)." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her: "But did I not thus write, 'And the LORD said: I will not again curse [the ground any more for man's sake]' (Genesis 8:21)?" Immediately the earth was still, when it heard the word of the Name that He would not curse, and heard that Israel said, "We will do and we will hear," as it is said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do and we will hear" (Exodus 24:7).

Another interpretation: "at Mount Sinai." This is what the verse says: "Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good" (Ecclesiastes 9:18). King Solomon saw in his wisdom that wisdom is better for a person than all the wealth in the world; therefore he asked nothing of his Creator but wisdom, as it is said, "[And] God said: Ask what I shall give you" (1 Kings 3:5), and it is written, "And give to Your servant an understanding heart [to judge Your people]" (1 Kings 3:9). What is the matter? Because the hearts of human beings are not alike, he said, "Who is able to do a thing such that all people will say, 'This is good'?"—in order to make their opinions agree together. And it is written, "Behold, I have done according to your words; behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has been none like you before you, and after you none shall arise like you" (1 Kings 3:12). And concerning this the wise one said, "Wisdom is better, etc.," for all the wars that Israel waged until they came to the land of Canaan did not enable them to conquer the whole world under their hand as it was conquered under the hand of Solomon by his wisdom; and so it says, "For he had dominion over all the region beyond the River" (1 Kings 5:4). "But one sinner destroys much good" (Ecclesiastes 9:18), as it is said, "And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD" (1 Kings 11:9), "And the LORD said to Solomon: Because this has been with you, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes which I commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant" (1 Kings 11:11).

Come and see that the Holy One, blessed be He, desired Israel, and gave them a desirable land, "a heritage, the most beautiful of the nations" (Jeremiah 3:19). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "Sow there and let it rest in the seventh year, so that you may know that the land is Mine, and I have given it to you as an inheritance," as it is said, "When you come into the land which I give you"—not by your sword and not by your bow, but I give it to you. Yet they did not do so, but sinned and did not keep the sabbatical and jubilee years, and brought exile upon themselves, as it is said, "All the days that it lies desolate it shall rest" (Leviticus 26:35). And how many good things did Israel lose—until "the spirit be poured upon us from on high" (cf. Isaiah 32:15), until He returns and establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (cf. Isaiah 62:7).

"And Israel dwelt in Shittim" (Numbers 25:1). This is what Scripture says: "Pride goes before destruction" (Proverbs 16:18). Because Israel saw all those benefits that they had, they grew proud. And what were the benefits? The manna came down for them, the well rose up for them, the clouds of glory surrounded them, all their enemies fell before them, and Balaam came to curse them and the curse was turned for them into a blessing. Since they saw themselves, they grew proud, and immediately they began to be suspected concerning sexual immorality, as it is said, "And Israel dwelt in Shittim." And what happened? "Those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand," to fulfill what is said, "And Israel dwelt in Shittim." Another interpretation: "And Israel dwelt in Shittim." There is no "dwelling" that does not have trouble in it. Come and learn from the beginning of the world. What is written? "And Cain went out from before the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, east of Eden" (Genesis 4:16); what is written there? "A fugitive and a wanderer shall you be in the earth" (Genesis 4:12). And so it is written concerning Jacob, "And Jacob dwelt in the land of his father's sojournings" (Genesis 37:1) — the trouble of Joseph came upon him, as it is said, "These are the generations of Jacob: Joseph" (Genesis 37:2). And so you find that Joseph was not sold except by means of "dwelling," as it is said, "And they sat down to eat bread" (Genesis 37:25). And so in the matter of the calf, what is written? "And the people sat down to eat and to drink" (Exodus 32:6). And here too, by means of "dwelling" the plague came upon them, as it is said, "And Israel dwelt in Shittim." Another interpretation: "And Israel dwelt" etc. Balak and the men of his palace stationed their daughters in the market of harlots, as Balaam the wicked had advised them, and they made tents there. They would adorn the young women and station them inside, and the old women stood outside. And when a man of Israel went to take from them some article, the old women would say to them, "Enter inside, and I will show you a fair countenance." And when he entered, he would see her sitting and adorned. And at first the wine of the gentiles was permitted to Israel, but from that day it was forbidden. And the young woman would pour for him from the Ammonite wine, which is good and seduces toward the heart and the body to fornication, and he would take it from her hand and drink from that wine which brings him to fornication, as it is said, "Fornication, wine, and new wine" (Hosea 4:11). Immediately the evil inclination would enter into his heart, and he would say to her, "Listen to me." And she would bring out an idol from her bosom and say to him, "Bow down to this, and I will listen to you." He would say to her, "I do not bow down to an idol." And she would say to him, "You do not need to uncover yourself to me — what difference is there between uncovering yourself to me and uncovering yourself to the idol?" For this Peor — this is its worship, that a man should uncover his lower part before it. And so our Rabbis of blessed memory said: One who uncovers himself to Peor — this is its worship; and likewise Mercury, that one throws a stone before it — this is its worship.

"And they bowed down to their gods." And what is written? "And Israel joined itself to Baal Peor" (Numbers 25:3). What is the meaning of "joined" (vayitzamed)? Like bracelets (tzemidim) that are upon the hand. Another interpretation: at first they entered modestly, and afterward they entered in pairs (zugot zugot), as it is said, "a yoke (tzemed) of oxen" (1 Samuel 11:7). And when Zimri sought and went to Kozbi—and she was the daughter of Balak—she said to him: "I will not obey you, for so my father commanded me, that I should obey none but Moses your teacher, for he is a king and my father too is a king, and it is fitting for the daughter of a king to be for a king." And what was Balak's intent? He said: "Every evil deed that Israel does, Moses stands and annuls the decree. And if my daughter is able to seduce Moses, all Israel will be delivered into my hand." And Balak's daughter was very beautiful of form. Zimri said to her: "I am greater than Moses, for I am from the second tribe and he is from the third tribe." He pulled her by her hair-lock and went out before Moses. He said to him: "Is this one permitted or forbidden?" Moses said: "Forbidden, because she is a Midianite woman." Immediately Moses' hands became slack. Moses and Eleazar and the elders began to weep, as it is said, "and they were weeping" (verse 6). And the Holy Spirit cried out: "The stout-hearted are despoiled, they have slept their sleep" etc. (Psalms 76:6). Pinchas saw this; immediately he was zealous and arose, as it is said, "And Pinchas son of Eleazar saw" etc. And what is "And Pinchas saw"? He saw that neither Eleazar nor any one of the elders nor of the princes arose. And since not one of them arose, immediately "he arose" and saw. And what did he see? He saw the deed and remembered the law, which he had learned before Moses our teacher, and he said: "You taught me, our teacher: one who has relations with an Aramean woman, the zealous strike him down." Another interpretation: "And he saw and he arose." What did he see? He saw the law that one who is suspected of a matter may not judge it nor testify about it. He said: Reuben is suspected in the matter, as it is said, "And Reuben went and lay with Bilhah" (Genesis 35:22)—one of his tribe cannot stand up in this matter, for they would say to him, "Judge yourself first, and afterward judge others." And Simeon, the great one of his tribe, committed this very transgression; the matter depends on none but me. Will he not remember that his father and my father slew all the men of Shechem over sexual immorality, when none had sinned but Hamor son of Shechem—and Zimri ought to have learned from his father's deed! Moreover, my tribe is zealous, in the affair of the Calf: my tribe arose and was zealous for His great Name, and felled of the people about three thousand men; and now it is fitting for me to be zealous for His great and awesome Name. And he arose from amid the congregation and took a spear in his hand—in his hand was a spear (romach)—and they were under the ban (cherem); for so "romach" and "cherem" are in all the numbers of their limbs, which is the number 248. And the Holy One, blessed be He, performed for him all those miracles, and they are twelve miracles: First, that it is their way to separate one from the other—but here the angel held them joined together. Second, the angel stopped their mouths so that they would not cry out. Third, the Holy One, blessed be He, aimed the spear so that it would enter into his male member and into her female part, so that the others would not say that he too entered and did his need. Fourth, He lengthened the iron so that it would pierce them both. Fifth, He put strength in his arm so that he could lift them both. Sixth, they did not slip off the weapon but stayed in their place. Seventh, the angel turned them over upon the spear, in their manner, so that all might see their disgrace. Eighth, they did not drip blood, so that Pinchas would not be defiled. Ninth, the Holy One, blessed be He, guarded their breath so that they would not die and defile Pinchas. Tenth, the angel raised up the lintel for him so that the two of them would go out between his shoulders. Eleventh, when they came out, he saw the plague destroying the people, and he cast them to the ground and stood and prayed, as it is said, "And Pinchas stood" etc. Twelfth, by his hands the plague was stayed. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "I hold much good in store for Pinchas." Pinchas son of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest—of him it is said, "The wrath of a king is messengers of death, but a wise man will pacify it" (Proverbs 16:14). A parable: to what is the matter like? To a king who was passing by, and a band of youths were standing there. One of them arose and reviled the king, and the king was filled with wrath against them. One who was sitting among them arose and struck the one who had reviled the king. The king saw what he did, and immediately the king's wrath subsided. Who caused the king to turn back from his wrath? The one who was sitting and arose and struck the other. So too, who caused the Holy One, blessed be He, that His wrath should turn back and He not destroy the children of Israel? You must say: Pinchas—to fulfill what is said, "The wrath of a king" etc. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "By right he should receive his reward," as it is said, "Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace." Great is peace, for the Torah is called peace, as it is said, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace" (Proverbs 3:17).

"Six years you shall sow your field." Our Rabbis, of blessed memory, said: Come and see the creatures of the Holy One, blessed be He, whose mercies are upon all His works, and the Holy One, blessed be He, loves Israel and did not wish to feed them anything forbidden. For it is the way of the earth to bring forth much fruit and seed on the eves of the Sabbatical years and in the seventh year, and they are not good fruit; therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded that they be left for the beasts of the field, and for the stranger, and for the orphan.

"And in the seventh year, etc." This is to affirm the renewal of the world. Just as He commanded to perform labor for six days and to rest on the seventh, so He commanded to sow for six years and to release the land in the seventh, for the Holy One, blessed be He, has compassion upon His creatures. And Israel is beloved before the Holy One, blessed be He. And the earth, too, prays before Him more than all created things, for she conceives and brings forth and gives birth all the year through, and produces her yield before the Holy One, blessed be He. And when the creatures do the will of the Omnipresent, she sings with her wings, as it is said: "From the wing of the earth we have heard songs" (Isaiah 24:16). But when they sin, she is stricken on their account. Adam sinned, and she was stricken because of him, as it is said: "and you ate from the tree, etc." (Genesis 3:17). Cain sinned, and she was stricken because of him, as it is said: "When you till the ground, etc." (Genesis 4:12). The generation of the Flood sinned, and she was stricken because of them, as it is said: "Behold, I will destroy them with the earth" (Genesis 6:13). The men of Sodom sinned, and she was stricken because of them, as it is said: "and He overthrew the cities" (Genesis 19:28). Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, gave over the law to rest in the seventh year.

"And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac" — this is the birthright. Another interpretation: What did he give him? His blessing. Therefore it says "and he gave." "And Abraham again [took a wife]." And why is this passage juxtaposed to the one above? To tell you that if a person has a grown son, he must marry him off first, and afterward he himself may take a wife. "And Abraham gave" etc. Because the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "For in Isaac shall seed be called to you" (Genesis 21:12), therefore he gave him all that he had.

"And the sabbath of the land shall be [food for you]" (Leviticus 25:6) — that there shall be one of rest for every seven, for on account of the sabbatical [release] the earth brings forth seeds and all good things, and it belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof" (Psalms 24:1). Come and see that every seventh is beloved before the Holy One, blessed be He: among generations, among the patriarchs, among sons, among the firmaments, among the lands, among years, among months, and among days. Among generations: Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch — and of them all He chose none but Enoch, as it is said, "And Enoch walked with God" (Genesis 5:24). Among the patriarchs [forebears]: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, [Levi], and Kohath, Amram, and Moses — and of them all none was chosen to speak with Him mouth to mouth like Moses, as it is said, "With him I speak mouth to mouth" (Numbers 12:8). Among the sons that Jesse had: "And Jesse begot his firstborn Eliab," and Abinadab the second, and Shimea the third, Nethanel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, Ozem the sixth, and David the seventh (1 Chronicles 2:13-15). Among the firmaments: Raki'a (firmament), Shamayim (heavens), Sheḥakim, Zevul, Ma'on, Makhon, Aravot — and of them all He chose Aravot, as it is said, "Extol Him who rides upon the heavens (aravot), whose name is Yah" (Psalms 68:5). Among the lands: Eretz, Adamah, Arka, Ḥaravah, Yabashah, Neshiyah, Tevel — and of them all He chose none but Tevel, as it is said, "And He shall judge the world (tevel) in righteousness" (Psalms 9:9). Among years: "Six years you shall sow your land, but the seventh you shall let it rest and lie fallow" (Exodus 23:11). Among months: Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, Elul, Tishrei — and of them all He chose Tishrei, which is the seventh month, as it is said, "And in the seventh month, on the first of the month" (Leviticus 23:24), and it is for the shofar-blast and for atonement and for rejoicing. Among days: "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God" (Exodus 20:9-10). "When you come into the land which I give you" (Leviticus 25:2) — this is what Scripture says, "What profit has a man of all his labor wherein he labors under the sun?" (Ecclesiastes 1:3) — and there is a treasure above the heavens; yet it says "under the sun." Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Come and see the goodness of the Holy One, blessed be He, that creatures sleep upon their beds, and the Name causes the winds to return, and raises clouds, and brings down rains, and makes the dews to fly, and grows plants, and fattens fruits — and you give Him nothing but the omer. Rabbi Levi said: Suppose you labored, and plowed, and sowed, and weeded, and pruned, and bound sheaves, and threshed, and made it a heap — if the Holy One, blessed be He, does not bring forth a little wind to winnow it, from what would you live? You do not even give Him the wage of the wind. See: when the Holy One, blessed be He, gives to Israel, He gives a thing without measure, but when He asks of them, He asks only a little of the little. Do you not see that when He gave them in Egypt a thing that has no measure — He gave them money and garments and ornaments and gold in abundance, and flocks and herds — yet when He asked of them, He asked only the half-shekel; and of the flock He asked only "the one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the second lamb you shall offer at dusk" (Exodus 29:39). He gave them fowl according to His power, as it is said, "And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and it brought quails" (Numbers 11:31), and when He sought of them, He sought only according to their power, "two turtledoves or two young pigeons" (Leviticus 5:7). And He gave light according to His power, as it is said, "And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud" (Exodus 13:21), and when He sought of them, He sought according to their power, as it is said, "And they shall take to you pure olive oil" (Exodus 27:20). When He gave them the manna, He gave according to His power, and when He asked of them, according to their power, as it is said, "And put there a full omer of manna" (Exodus 16:33). When He gave them produce according to His power, as it is said, "And you shall eat old store long kept, and you shall bring forth the old because of the new" (Leviticus 26:10), and when He asked of them according to their power, as it is said, "And you shall reap its harvest and bring the omer of the first of your harvest to the priest" (Leviticus 23:10).

"A hundred years and seventy years and five years." And he resembled one who was seventy years old. And why did the Holy One reduce five years from him? Corresponding to the five transgressions that Esau committed: he stole, and he came upon a betrothed maiden, and he killed a person, and he denied the fundamental principle, and he despised the birthright. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I said to him, "You shall be buried at a good old age" — therefore He reduced from him the years of his life, so that he should not see his wickedness.

"And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him" (Genesis 25:9). This teaches that Ishmael repented, for Ishmael was the firstborn, yet he let Isaac go before him, because he knew of him that he was more righteous than himself. But Esau did not repent, for it does not say, "And Esau and Jacob his sons buried him."

"And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that [God] blessed," etc. (Genesis 25:11). And He left out Ishmael. And why? Because "in Isaac shall seed be called to you" (Genesis 21:12). And during his lifetime Abraham did not wish to bless Isaac, on account of Ishmael. He said: After my death the Holy One, blessed be He, will bless whomever He wishes. Even though Ishmael was the firstborn, He did not wish to bless him; rather, after his death the Holy One, blessed be He, blessed Isaac. "And Isaac dwelt by Beer-lahai-roi" (Genesis 25:11). He dwelt with Hagar, the widow of his father, who said "the well of the Living One who sees me" (Genesis 16:14) — to the Life of the worlds.