Mountains and the Deep - The Righteous and the Wicked in Tanchuma

Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Emor 7:1

Curated by Arthur·Translated by Maggid (Beta)·

"A bull or a sheep or a goat, when it is born, etc." (Leviticus 22:27). This is what Scripture says: "Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains; Your judgments are like the great deep" (Psalms 36:7). These are the righteous, who are compared to mountains, as it is said: "Hear, O mountains, the dispute of the LORD, etc." (Micah 6:2). "And Your judgments are like the great deep" — these are the wicked, as it is said: "And He cast off Pharaoh and his host into the Sea of Reeds" (Psalms 136:15).

Themes

Divine JudgmentRighteousnessDavidPsalmsSin

Biblical References

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Midrash Tanchuma Buber, NoachWhy the Deeds of the Righteous Bear Fruit Like the MountainsMountains and the Deep The Sages opened the verse, "Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, and Your judgments are a great deep" (Psalms 36:7), and askMidrash Tanchuma Buber, NoachThe Righteous as Mountains and the Wicked as the DeepThe sages turned a single verse of David over like a stone in the sun, and beneath it they found two kinds of men. "Your righteousness is like the mighty mountaMidrash AggadahWhy the Murmurers at Taberah Sought a Pretext Against GodThe people walked three days from the mountain of the Lord, and on the road their hearts soured. Scripture calls them k'mit'onenim — "as murmurers" — and the MaMidrash Tanchuma Buber, NoachGod Remembers Noah and the Darkness That Covers the WickedWhen Scripture says "God remembered Noah," the Sages opened with the verse, "Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, Your judgments like the great deepMidrash Tanchuma Buber, VayeraThe Cup of Wrath Prepared for Sodom Before CreationWhen the verse declares that the LORD rained fire upon Sodom, the Maggid hears an echo from the Psalms: "He will rain down upon the wicked snares, fire and brimMidrash Tanchuma Buber, BamidbarWhy God Records the Date Israel Was Counted in Sinai"Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains," sang the Psalmist, "Your judgments a great deep." Hear the difference, my children. Righteousness the Holy On