Midrash Tanchuma Reader

And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron: “This is the ordinance of the passover” (Exod. 12:43). There are chapters of the Torah in which a general statement is made at the beginning of the chapter, and a particular statement is made at its end. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests (Exod. 19:6) is a particular statement, while the verse These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel (ibid.) is a general statement. This is the statue of the law (Num. 19:2) is a general statement, while the verse That they bring thee a red heifer (ibid.) is a particular statement. This is the ordinance of the Passover (Exod. 12:43) is a general statement, whereas There shall no alien eat thereof (ibid.) is a particular statement. Whenever a general statement is followed by a particular one, the general statement does not include more than is contained in the particular. This is the ordinance of the Passover. This passage deals with the Passover in Egypt. How then do we know about Passover in subsequent generations? Scripture informs us of this in the verse According to all the statutes of it, and according to all the ordinances thereof, shall ye keep it (Num. 9:3). There shall no alien eat thereof (Exod. 12:43) alludes also to a renegade Jew and a Gentile. Every man’s servant that is bought for money (ibid., v. 44). (The verse states:) Every man’s servant. Does this mean that the servant of a woman or of a child is excluded? Scripture says: That is bought for money, which implies (every servant that was purchased).

A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat thereof, no matter who owns him (ibid., v. 45). A sojourner refers to an alien who is not an idolater, but who commits other forbidden acts. A hired servant alludes to one who serves idols. Hence, just as the words a sojourner and a hired servant, etc., mentioned in the chapter on the paschal lamb disqualify an uncircumcised man from eating the paschal lamb, so does the phrase A sojourner and a hired servant used with reference to the terumah teach us that an uncircumcised man is disqualified from eating the terumah (the priest’s share of the crop).

In one house shall it be eaten (ibid., v. 46). However, it is written elsewhere: Upon the houses wherein they shall eat it (ibid. v. 7). From this verse we learn that the paschal lamb may be eaten in two places. How am I to interpret the phrase In one house? It may be interpreted to mean (that it may be eaten) by one group of people. How does it happen then that one may eat the paschal lamb in two places? For example, if men are seated inside a house when a beam splits above their heads, they are compelled to go outside to eat it, and if they are outside when it commences to rain, they are forced to go inside. Hence they may eat it in two places. If this (is so), what is meant by Thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh abroad out of the house (ibid., v. 46)? This means you may not carry it out from the group. Thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh refers to the meat on the outside of the bone and not to that which is within the bone (i.e., the marrow). Neither shall ye break a bone thereof (ibid.) indicates that you shall not break the bone of the paschal sacrifice, but that (does not apply) to the bones of any other sacrifices of less sanctity. It is not a transgression of the commandment: Neither shall you break a bone thereof. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it (ibid., v. 47). Why is this said? Since Scripture states: Draw out, and take you lambs according to your families (Exod. 12:21), (you might think that the paschal lamb can be brought [to the Temple] only by a family group. Nevertheless) this verse informs us that the Passover offering of subsequent generations may be brought by mixed groups.

And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Passover to the Lord (ibid., v. 48). Does this mean that a stranger who is converted should offer a paschal sacrifice at the first opportunity? Yes, for Scripture says: And he shall be as one that is born in the land (ibid.). Therefore, just as one born in the land offers his sacrifice on the fourteenth day, so the proselyte should do so on the fourteenth day. If he is converted, however, between the two Passovers, he should offer the sacrifice on the second Passover. Let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it (ibid.). This refers to the circumcision of free males and the circumcision of slaves, (the absence of which) prevents him (from offering the paschal sacrifice). If one wishes to perform the two rituals, the commandment of circumcision and the commandment of the paschal lamb, which takes precedence? Let all his males be circumcised is stated first, and that is followed by And let him come near and keep it. One law shall be to him that is home-born (ibid., v. 49). This verse declares that the home-born and the convert are equal with regard to all the commandments inscribed in the Torah.

And lift thou up thy rod (Exod. 14:16). Ten miracles were performed in their behalf at the sea. The sea was split asunder for them, and became a kind of vault, as it is said: Thou hast struck through with his own rods the heads, etc. (Hab. 3:14). It was divided into twelve paths, as it is said: And stretch out thy hand over the sea and divide it (Exod. 14:16). It was turned into dry land, as it is said: And the children of Israel walked upon dry land the midst of the sea (ibid., v. 29). It was converted into a kind of clay, as is said: Thou hast trodden the sea with thy horses, the mud of mighty waters (Hab. 3:15). The water was made into pieces, as it is said: Thou didst break the sea into pieces by Thy strength (Ps. 74:13). It was changed into rocks, as is said: Thou didst shatter the heads of the sea monsters in the waters (ibid.). It was torn asunder, as it is said: To him who divided the Red Sea asunder (ibid. 136:13). It was piled up into stacks, as it is said: And with the blast of Thy nostrils, the waters were piled up (Exod. 15:8). It was made into a heap, as is said: Stood upright like a heap (ibid.). Barrels of sweet water flowed out of the salt water for them, and the sea congealed and became like a glass vessel, as it is said: The deeps were congealed (ibid.).

R. Judah declared: These ten verses are derived from various sources. It may be compared to a man traveling over a road, preceded by his son. If robbers approach from the front to seize the lad, he places him behind himself. If a wolf comes from behind to snatch him, he puts the lad in front of him. If he sees robbers behind him and the wolf before him, he takes his son in his arms. The Holy One, blessed be He, did likewise for Israel. When the sea was before them and the Egyptians behind, He bore them in His arms. When Israel began to suffer from the sun, He spread His cloak over them, as it is said: He spread a cloud for a screen (Ps. 105:39). When Israel became hungry, He gave them bread, as is stated: Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you (Exod. 16:4). When they became thirsty He gave them water, for He brought streams also out of the rock (Ps. 78:15).

The Israelites sang ten songs because of the ten miracles performed in their behalf. The first was in Egypt, as is said: You shall have a song as in the night when a feast is hallowed (Isa. 30:29). The second was at the Red Sea, as it is said: Then Moses sang (Exod. 15:1). The third was at the well: Then Israel sang this song (Num. 21:16). The fourth took place when Moses said: And it came to pass when Moses had made an end of writing (Deut. 31:24). The fifth: Then spoke Joshua to the Lord (Josh. 10:12). The sixth: Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam (Judg. 5:6); the seventh: And David spoke unto the Lord the words of this song (II Sam. 22:1); the eight: A song at the dedication of the House; of David (Ps. 30:1). Did David actually dedicate the House (Temple)? The fact is that Solomon dedicated it, but inasmuch as David had set his heart upon erecting it, the song of dedication was ascribed to him. A similar example is contained in the verse And his sister stood far off (Exod. 2:4). Was she not the sister of both of them? Indeed she was, but inasmuch as she had devoted herself to Moses’ welfare, she is referred to by his name. Another instance of this is contained in the verse And the two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers took (Gen. 34:25). Was she not the sister of each of the tribal ancestors? She was indeed, but because these two had devoted themselves to her welfare, she is mentioned with their names. Another illustration is contained in the verse Cozbi the daughter of the chief of Midian, their sister (Num. 26:18). Was she actually a sister to all of them? (Hardly!) She was called their sister because she was deeply devoted to her people.

Then sang Moses (Exod. 15:1). They had faith in God (ibid. 14:31) and therefore merited acquiring the land. You find that because of his faith in God, our patriarch Abraham inherited both this world and the world-to-come, as is written: And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness (Gen. 15:6). Similarly, because the people believed (Exod. 4:31), it is written: The Lord preserveth the faithful and plentifully repayeth him that acteth haughtily (Ps. 31:24). Similarly, with reference to Moses it says: And his hands were steady (faithful) until the going down of the sun (Exod. 17:12).

Scripture states: This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter into it (Ps. 118:20). Who are the righteous ones that will enter? The faithful ones, as it is said: Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation that keepeth faithfulness may enter in (Isa. 26:2). This is the gate that the faithful enter, as it is said: It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High, to declare Thy loving-kindness in the morning (Ps. 92:2). What is written after that? For Thou hast made me glad. What makes us glad? It is the faith which our fathers professed in this world, which is all night, as it is written: And thy faithfulness in the night seasons (ibid., v. 3). And it is also written: But the righteous shall live by his faith (Hab. 2:4), and They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness (Lam. 3:23).

In the future exiles will not be redeemed except as a reward for faithfulness, as it is said: Come with me from Lebanon, my bride, with me from Lebanon; look from the top of Amana (Song 4:8). It says likewise: And I will betroth thee unto Me in faithfulness (Hos. 2:28). Thus you learn that faith is powerful, for in reward for faith, the Shekhinah hovered over them and they sang the song, as it is said: And they believed in the Lord … and Moses sang (Exod. 14:31–15:1), and it says also: Then believed they his words; they sang his praise (Ps. 106:12).

Then sang Moses. At times the word then refers to events that happened in the past, and at other times it refers to events that are to transpire in the future. The word then refers to past events in the following verses: Then began man to call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26), Then she said: “A bridegroom of blood” (Exod. 4:26), Then sang Israel this song (Num. 21:17), Then Solomon spoke (I Kings 18:12). All of these refer to past events. Instances in which the word then alludes to future events are: Then thou shalt see (Isa. 60:5), Then shall thy light break forth (ibid. 58:8), Then shall the lame man leap as a hart (ibid. 35:6), Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened (ibid., v. 5), Then shall the virgin rejoice (Jer. 31:13), Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing (Ps. 126:2), and Then said they among the nations (ibid.). All these allude to future events. From this we learn that the concept of the resurrection of the dead is derived from the Torah.

Moses and the children of Israel (Exod. 15:1). This verse implies that Moses was equal to all the Israelites. Another explanation of Moses and the children of Israel is that Moses sang the song before the children of Israel did.

This song. Is there only one song? Was it not stated previously that there were ten songs? The eighth song is A psalm, a song at the dedication of the house, of David (Ps. 30:1). The fact is that Solomon was the one who dedicated it, as it is said: So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord (I Kings 8:63). However, because David had set his heart upon dedicating it, the song was ascribed to him. Similarly, it says: Lord, remember unto David all his afflictions; how he swore unto the Lord, and vowed unto the Mighty One of Jacob: “Surely I will not come into the tent of my house, nor go up into the bed that is spread for me … until I find out a place for the Lord, a dwelling-place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” Lo, we heard it as being in Ephrath; we found it in the field of the wood (Ps. 132:1–6). Observe that it is written concerning it: Now see to this house, O David (I Kings 12:16). Hence you learn that because David desired with all his soul to build the Temple, it was called by his name.

Similarly, because Moses yearned for the Torah, it is called by his name. Whence do we know that he yearned for the Torah? It is said: And Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights (Exod. 24:18). Where do we find that it is called by his name? It is written: Remember ye the law of Moses My servant (Mal. 3:22). Because he offered to sacrifice his life for Israel, Yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin (Exod. 32:33), they were called by his name: And his people remembered the days of old, the days of Moses (Isa. 63:11). And it is also written: Go, get thee down; for thy people have dealt corruptly (Exod. 32:7). Since He risked his life for the sake of justice, as it is written: Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? (Exod. 2:13), he fled because of justice and returned because of justice. He executed righteousness, Lord, and his ordinances with Israel (Deut. 33:21). Does not justice, however, belong to God? Indeed! But since he devoted his life to justice, it is called by his name.

Similarly, it is written concerning Jehoshaphat: And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed them that should sing unto the Lord, and praise in the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and say: “Give thanks unto the Lord, for His mercy endureth forever” (II Chron. 20:21). What is the difference between this song of praise and others found in the Torah? In all the other songs, For He is good is added, but in this instance For He is good is omitted, since there can be no rejoicing before Him on High over the destruction of the wicked. And since there could be no rejoicing before Him over the destruction of the wicked, surely there could be no joy at the destruction of the righteous, a single one of whom is equal to all the world in His sight. Hence it is said: But the righteous is an everlasting foundation (Prov. 10:25). The ninth song is the Song of Songs of Solomon. The tenth song is the song of the future: A psalm, O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvelous things (Ps. 98:1).

In the third month (Exod. 19:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Have I not written unto thee excellent things (shilshom) of counsels and knowledge (Prov. 22:20). R. Joshua the son of R. Nehemiah said: This verse refers to the Torah, the letters of which are in groups of three (shaloshim): alef, bet, gimel, etc. In fact, everything is in groups of three. The Scripture is made up of three sections: Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets), Ketuvim (Writings); the Talmud is in three parts: Mishnah, Halakhah, and Aggadah, (God’s) agents were three: Miriam, Aaron, and Moses; prayers are recited three times; evening, morning, and noon; the sanctification is three-fold; “holy, holy, holy”; Israel is composed of three groups, the priests, the Levites, and the Israelites; the letters of Moses’ name are three, and the letters in the name of the tribe of Levi are three; the progenitors of Israel were three; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the months are arranged in groups of three, Nisan, Iyar, and Sivan, etc.; the letters in the word Sinai are three, as it is said: And were come to the wilderness of Sinai (Exod. 19:2); and in three days they made themselves holy, as it is said: And be ready against the third day (ibid., v. 11).

R. Joshua the son of Nehemiah said: The third was always the most precious. Adam had three sons, Cain, Abel, and Seth; and Seth was the most beloved, as it is said: This is the book of the generations of Adam, and that is followed by the sentence And begot a son in his own likeness (Gen. 5:3). Noah had three sons, as it is said: And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth (ibid. 6:10), and though Japheth was the eldest, only Shem merited greatness. Amram had three children, Miriam, Aaron, and Moses, and it is written: Had not Moses His chosen stood before him (Ps. 106:23). Concerning the tribes of Reuben, Simeon and Levi, Levi was the most important, as it is said: At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi (Deut. 10:8). Among the kings Saul, David, and Solomon, Solomon was the most beloved, as it is said: Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord (I Chron. 29:23). In the case of months, the third month is the most precious, as it is stated: In the third month (the Torah was given).

Why was the Torah not given as soon as the Israelites departed from Egypt? He did not do so because He had said to Moses: After you bring the people out of Egypt, serve God on this mountain (Exod. 3:12). R. Judah the son of Shalum said: This may be compared to a king’s son who has just arisen from a sickbed. His father says: “We will wait three months so that he may recuperate completely from his illness before we take him to the teacher’s home to study the law.” Similarly, when the Israelites departed from Egypt there were among them men who had been injured in their labors, and so the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I will delay giving them the Torah until they are healed.

There are two matters here. "You shall surely take in pledge" (Exodus 22:25). Scripture teaches you that if one takes the peg of the plow, when he rises early he must return it to him. One verse says: "Until the sun goes down you shall return it to him" (Exodus 22:25), and another verse says: "When the sun goes down" (Deuteronomy 24:13). Say therefore that you must return to him that in which he sleeps, as it is said, "until the sun goes down"; and in the morning you must return to him the peg of the plow. And likewise, "On his day you shall give him his wages" (Deuteronomy 24:15). Why? "For he is poor." And it says: "For it is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin; in what shall he sleep?" (Exodus 22:26). Behold, the cold strikes him in the night. "And it shall come to pass, when he cries out to me, that I will hear" (Exodus 22:26). Two matters here resemble one another. Concerning the hired laborer it is written: "On his day you shall give him his wages" (Deuteronomy 24:15). This is like one who was walking on the road with his donkey behind him. They sold him a sheaf of standing grain; he placed it on his shoulder, and the donkey came along the road behind him, hoping to eat that sheaf. What did his master do to him? He came and stood him in his house and tied the sheaf up above him. They said to him: Wicked one, all along the road it ran on account of it, and you did not place it before it. So too the hired laborer: he toils and suffers all day long, hoping for his wages, and you send him away empty; "and to it he lifts up his soul" (Deuteronomy 24:15). And here (Exodus 22:26) it is written: "And I will hear, for I am gracious." What is written after it? "You shall not revile God" (Exodus 22:27). What has this matter to do with that one? There was an incident concerning a certain man who went to the judge with his fellow. He acquitted him; he came out praising the judge. He said: There is no sage in the world like so-and-so the judge, and he is an angel. After a time he came back before him for judgment, and he found him liable. He began to revile him and say: There is no fool in the world like him. They said to him: Yesterday an angel and today a fool? Therefore it is written: "You shall not revile God." What is written after it? "Your fullness and the outflow of your presses you shall not delay" (Exodus 22:28). If you have reviled the judge, you are reviling your own produce. And so you find that whenever the judge is reviled, the produce diminishes and famine comes, as it is said, "And it came to pass in the days when the judges judged" (Ruth 1:1), a generation that judged its judges. Therefore it is said: "You shall not revile God," and adjoining it, "Your fullness and the outflow of your presses."

And thou shalt make the altar of acacia-wood (Exod. 27:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Tell them to erect an altar for burnt offerings so that it may atone for the sins of My sons. I made an agreement with Abraham their father that if his sons sinned, I would forgive them because of their sacrifices, as it is said: And he said unto him: “Take me a heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old (Gen. 15:9). What do the letters in the Hebrew word mizbeah (“altar”) stand for? The mem stands for mehilah (“pardon”), the zayin stands for zekhut (“merit”), the bet for berakhah (“blessing”), and the het for hayyim (“life”). The burnt offering (ha’oleh) ascended on your account. Thus Solomon said: Who is this that cometh (oleh) up out of the wilderness? (Song 3:6). Boards of acacia-wood standing. These were used because of the merit of Abraham, as it is said: And He stood by them under the tree, and they did eat (Gen. 18:8).

Shittim implies that they acted foolishly (sh’tut) and angered Me by erecting the golden calf. However, they brought acacia-wood (shittim) and were forgiven for their foolish (shetutan) foolishness.

Another explanation of the word shittim. The shin stands for shalom (“peace”), the tet for tov (“good”), the yod for yeshuah (“salvation”), and the mem for mehilah (“pardon”). They held the tablets on which the ten words (commandments) are written; five were inscribed on one tablet, and five on the other. Five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof (Exod. 38:1). They contained the tablets, for it is written concerning the Ten Commandments, five were on one tablet and five on the other. And the height thereof shall be three cubits (ibid. 27:1). This corresponds to the three redeemers, as is said: I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam (Mic. 6:4).

And he made the horns thereof upon the four corners of it (Exod. 38:2), in order to obtain forgiveness for the nation that exalted Him through four horns. The horn that came from Sinai, as it is said: And He hath lifted up a horn for His people (Ps. 148:14); the horn of the Torah: Horns hath He set at His side; and there is the hiding of His power (Hab. 3:4); the horn of the priesthood, as it is said: And My horn hast thou exalted (Ps. 92:11); and the horn of kingship, as is said: Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent forth beams (horns) (Exod. 34:29). And it is written elsewhere: And there was a king in Jeshurun (Deut. 33:5).

"And this is the thing that you shall do to them" (Exodus 29:1). This is what Scripture says: "But You, O LORD, are on high forevermore" (Psalms 92:9). What is written above this verse? "When the wicked spring up like grass, and when all the workers of iniquity flourish, it is that they may be destroyed forever" (Psalms 92:8). What is written after it? "But You, O LORD, are on high forevermore." For whenever the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts punishment from the wicked, His name is magnified in the world, as it is said: "And against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments" (Exodus 12:12). At that moment, "I am the LORD" (Exodus 12:12). And likewise Rahab says: "For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt," and so forth, "And when we heard, our hearts melted, and there remained no more spirit in any man because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath" (Joshua 2:10-11). And likewise it is written: "And the idols shall utterly pass away" (Isaiah 2:18). At that moment, "And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day" (Isaiah 2:17). And likewise: "And saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau" (Obadiah 1:21). And at that moment: "and the kingdom shall be the LORD's" (Obadiah 1:21). And it is written: "And the LORD shall be king," and so forth (Zechariah 14:9). And likewise: "Thus shall you say to them: The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens. He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom" (Jeremiah 10:11-12). And likewise: "Let sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more" (Psalms 104:35). At that moment, "Bless the LORD, O my soul, Hallelujah" (Psalms 104:35). And you may interpret them all according to this view, heaps upon heaps of verses. "In Salem also is His tabernacle," and so forth, "There He broke the flashing arrows, the shield and the sword and the battle, Selah" (Psalms 76:3-4), "In Judah God is known" (Psalms 76:2). This is to say: whenever He exacts punishment from the wicked, His name is magnified in the world. "But You, O LORD, are on high forevermore" (Psalms 92:9). A king of flesh and blood, when he judges and acquits, they praise him; but when he condemns, they do not praise him. But the Holy One, blessed be He -- for the good, His praise ascends, "Blessed is the Good and Doer of good," and for the evil, His praise ascends, "Blessed is the true Judge" (Tractate Berakhot 54). This is to say, "But You are on high." And so David says: "I will lift up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD" (Psalms 116:13). "I found trouble and sorrow, and I called upon the name of the LORD" (Psalms 116:3-4). And likewise: "In God I will praise His word, in the LORD I will praise His word" (Psalms 56:11). And likewise Job says: "The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21). Another interpretation: "But You, O LORD, are on high forevermore." David said: Master of the universe, once You grant exaltation to a man, it never departs from him forever. You gave kingship to the house of David -- it never departs from him forever, as it is said: "And David My servant shall be prince over them forever" (Ezekiel 37:25). You gave the priesthood to Aaron -- it never departs from him forever, as it is said: "And it shall be to him and to his seed after him a covenant of everlasting priesthood" (Numbers 25:13). Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, commands to grant Aaron exaltation in the high priesthood. This is to say, "But You, O LORD, are on high forevermore." And what did He see, to magnify Aaron and his sons by sanctifying them? Rabbi Mani of Sheab and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: At the time when Israel sought to commit that deed, they said to Aaron, "Arise, make us gods" (Exodus 32:1). Hur the son of Caleb arose and rebuked them; immediately they rose against him and killed him. Aaron saw and feared for himself, as it is said: "And Aaron saw, and built an altar before it" (Exodus 32:5). This is to say, read it: "And Aaron feared (vayyira), and built an altar before it." Know that they killed Hur, for when Moses went up to the mountain, what did he say to them? "Behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute, let him approach them" (Exodus 24:14). When he came down, you do not find that he mentioned Hur, neither among the living nor among the dead. And what does it say? "And Moses said to Aaron, What did this people do to you, that you have brought," and so forth (Exodus 32:21). This is to say, they killed Hur. "And Aaron saw, and built an altar" (Exodus 32:5). Immediately he took there a plate of a gold earring and cast it into the fire, as it is said: "And I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf" (Exodus 32:24). And Aaron was afraid that perhaps there was something in the heart of the Holy One, blessed be He, against him. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: "And this is the thing that you shall do to them to sanctify them, to serve Me as priests" -- to exalt and magnify Aaron and his sons in the high priesthood, since it was revealed and known before Him that Aaron acted only out of fear; and therefore He made known to them that there was nothing in the heart of the Holy One, blessed be He, against him. "Take one bull" (Exodus 29:1). A bull, to atone for the calf, which was a bull. "Two rams," corresponding to his two sons who were destined to die. For all his sons deserved to die, as it is said: "And the LORD was very angry with Aaron, to destroy him" (Deuteronomy 9:20). "To destroy him" means nothing other than the destruction of children, as it is said: "And I destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from beneath" (Amos 2:9). Once Moses prayed for him, as it is written, "And I prayed for Aaron also" (Deuteronomy 9:20), two died and two remained.

This they shall give, everyone that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel (Exod. 30:13). Because they had sinned at the sixth hour, which is the middle of the day, they shall give half a shekel, which is six grammata. R. Johanan declared: Because they had violated the Ten Commandments each one had to give ten gerah, which totals half a shekel. R. Simeon the son of Levi said: Because they sold Rachel’s firstborn for twenty pieces of silver and each one took a coin for himself, each one had to give one coin.

R. Judah the son of Simon stated: Moses heard three things from the lips of the Mighty One that confused and startled him. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Let them make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8), he replied: Master of the Universe, the heavens and the heavens of the heavens cannot contain Thee. He responded: Moses, it is not as you think. Erect twenty boards on the northern side and twenty boards on the southern side and eight on the eastern side and eight on the western side, and I will compress My Shekhinah and dwell within them; as it is written: And there I will meet with thee, and I will speak with thee (ibid., v. 22).

Similarly, when He said: Command the children of Israel, and say unto them: My food which is presented unto Me for offerings (Num. 28:2), Moses called out: Master of the Universe, if I should assemble all the animals and all the beasts in the world, they would not be sufficient for even one offering, and all of the trees in the world would be insufficient for a single fire, for it is said: And Lebanon is not sufficient fuel, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for burial offerings (Isa. 40:16). He replied: Moses, it is not as you think. You need offer unto Me but one lamb in the morning and not two, for they are not meant to be food and drink for Me. If I had food and drink when you were with Me on the mountain for forty days, would I not have eaten, and if I had food would you not have eaten? Only for a sweet savor, shall ye observe to offer unto Me (Num. 28:2).

And when He said: When shall they give every man a ransom for his soul (Exod. 30:12), he wondered and said: Who is able to give a ransom for his soul, since it is said: No man can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him, for too costly is the redemption of their soul (Ps. 48:8–9)? He replied: It is not as you imagine. This they shall give indicates that they shall give something like this. R. Huna said in the name of Rab: The Almighty, whom we cannot find out, is excellent in power (Job 37:23) implies that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not impose impossible burdens upon Israel. When Moses realized that he declared: Happy is the people that is in such a case (Ps. 144:15) and Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob (ibid. 146:5).

And Bezalel made the ark (Exod. 37:1). You find that everything constructed for the Tabernacle was made in its proper order. First he made the boards and joined them together. After that he made the curtain of goats’ hair to spread over them, as it is said: And thou shalt make a curtain of goats’ hair for a tent over the Tabernacle (Exod. 26:7). When he completed the ark, he made the cover that was to be hung before the ark: After he made the ark, he made the ark cover of pure gold (ibid. 37:6).

R. Eliezer the son of R. Yosé said: I saw the ark covering in Rome and noticed drops of blood upon it. I asked them why this blood was upon the ark cover. They told me: This was some of the blood the high priest sprinkled on the Day of Atonement. Therefore this ark cover must have been on the ark made by Bezalel.

Why was the ark cover called a kapporet? Because it effected atonement (mekapper) for Israel. After he made the ark cover, he fashioned the table upon which the show-bread rested, which was placed before the ark. When he completed the table, he constructed the menorah that illuminated the table. Hence he made everything according to the usual practice of kings. Therefore it is written: And Bezalel made the ark of acacia-wood. Did Bezalel do all the work by himself, that Scripture should repeat each time And Bezalel made? Indeed not. But since he devoted himself so zealously to the work of the Tabernacle, the Holy One, blessed be He, would not deprive him of his reward, and so He mentioned him each time, as is written: And Bezalel made.

Another illustration of this is in the verse Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this matter (supporting Ezra’s decree that the Israelites were to send away their foreign wives); and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them (Ezek. 10:15). Because Jonathan devoted himself zealously to this matter while the other only helped him, his name is mentioned first. Similarly in the case of Bezalel. All the wise men assisted him, but because he devoted himself most zealously to the erection of the Tabernacle, it is written: And Bezalel made the ark.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Be assured that because of the importance of the Tabernacle, I shall be a light unto you, and because of everything you did in constructing the Tabernacle, I will reward you. But do not imagine that it is for the Sanctuary alone that you will be rewarded. I will reward you, as well, for the garments worn by the high priest. Each one obtained forgiveness for the people.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because you have made a curtain of goats’ hair to serve as a tent over the Tabernacle in order to cover Me, I will cover you with a cloud on high, and I will consider it as if you had repaid Me. Because, at the time you went forth from Egypt, I brought a cloud that was a kind of tent to protect you, and I will reward you (in the same fashion) in the time-to-come, as it is said: And the Lord will create over the whole habitation of Mount Zion, and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night, for over all the glory shall be a canopy (Isa. 4:5). You made an ark cover for Me, so be assured, because of the ark cover I will forgive all your sins, as it is said: When I have forgiven thee all that thou hast done (Ezek. 16:63). Because you made an ark for Me from which light will go forth to the world, be assured I will illumine for you the world-to-come, as it is said: Moreover, the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun (Isa. 30:26), and it is written elsewhere: Arise, shine, for thy light is come (Isa. 60:1).

The Holy One, blessed be He, declared; Because of all the things you did and the commandments you performed, I will repay you in the world-to-come. Because of the ark you made, in which the law is placed, I will be a light unto you and will bestow upon you the good that is stored up for the righteous, as it is said: Oh how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou has laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that take refuge in Thee, in the sight of the sons of men (Ps. 31:20). And it is also written: Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart (Ps. 97:11).

And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses (Exod. 39:32). May it please our masters to teach us: What things were instituted for the sake of peace? Thus do our masters teach us: The following were instituted for the sake of peace: The priest shall read from the Torah first, then the Levite, and finally the Israelite, because that is the path of peace. Observe how precious peace is in the sight of the Holy One, blessed be He, that when the time came for them to enter the land, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Neither contend with them in battle (Deut. 2:9).

(Lev. 8:2:) “Take Aaron and his sons.” This text is related (to Prov. 20:7), “The one who walks in his integrity is righteous; blessed are his children after him.” This refers to Aaron and his children. If this interpretation is so, Moses also was righteous, but his children were not like him. And Eli also was righteous, but his children were not like him. And Samuel [was] righteous, but his children were not like him, as stated (I Sam. 8:3), “But his sons did not walk in his ways.” So why do you say [of Aaron] (in Prov. 20:7), “The one who walks in his integrity is righteous; blessed are his children after him?”

Because during his lifetime he saw his sons after him serving in the high priesthood. Therefore (in Lev. 8:2) “Take Aaron and his sons.” Another interpretation (of Lev. 8:2) “Take Aaron and his sons.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (i.e., to Moses), “Entice him with words, because he is fleeing from [the priestly] office.”

Take can only be a word [implying] persuasion, for so did Nebuchadnezzar say to Nebuzaradan (concerning Jeremiah in Jer. 39:12), “Take him and look after him.” So also it (i.e., Scripture) speaks of our mother Sarah (in Gen. 12:15), “and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house,” as she did not seek to go.

So also with Dinah, [it states] (Genesis 34:2), “and he took her and lay with her,” as she did not seek to go. And also (here in Lev. 8:2), “Take Aaron” is language [implying] persuasion because he was fleeing from office.

All of those seven days that Moshe was occupied with the tabernacle, he was sprinkling the blood and incinerating the fats. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "What do you think, call to your brother [so that he will do it from now on]." Hence it is written, Moshe called to Aharon and to his sons and to the elders of Israel” – so as to aggrandize him in front of the elders. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Call the elders and appoint him in front of them, that they not say, 'He became high priest on his own.'"

"Take for yourself a young calf" – and why did He not say, "A bull?" But rather, the priesthood was made doubtful in your hand with a calf, [so too,] is it established in your hand with a calf. And not only that, but [so] that Israel not say, "The sins from the event of the golden calf are [still] ours." Hence they should also offer a calf, as it is stated, "And to the Children of Israel speak, saying, 'Take a male goat for a sin-offering and a calf and a lamb that are a year old'" - so that they would know that they underwent atonement for the event of the calf.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "In this world, they underwent atonement with a sacrifice; and in the world to come, I pardon your transgressions without a sacrifice, as it is stated (Isaiah 43:25), 'I, I am the One that wipes away your transgressions for My sake.'"

(Lev. 13:2), “When a man has on the skin of his flesh.” It is difficult for the Holy One, blessed be He, to reach out His hand against this man. Rather He forewarns a person [and afflicts his house] first and then He strikes him, as stated (in Lev. 14:34), “And when I put a plague of leprosy in a house of the land you possess.” First, He strikes his house. [If] he repents, fine; but if not, He strikes his clothes, as stated (in Lev. 13:47), “When the plague of leprosy is in a garment.” [If] he repents, fine; but if not, [they come] upon his body, as stated (in Lev. 13:2), “When a man has on the skin of his flesh.”

(Lev. 17:3:) “If any single person from the House of Israel.” This text is related (to Ps. 51:20–21), “Make Zion prosper in Your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then You shall delight in sacrifices of righteousness, burnt offerings, and whole offerings….” To what is the matter comparable?

To a rich and noble man, who has no wife. His house was not [really] a house. Why? When the tenants came, he said to them, “Go rest in another place.”

Why? Because he had neither house nor wife. He took a wife. He said to them, “Whatever you bring me, from now on bring them up to the house.”

Thus all the days before Moses erected the tent of meeting, they offered sacrifices [in] any place, as stated (in Exod. 24:5), “Then he sent youths of the Children of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings….” And so it says (in Exod. 8:23), “Let us go a distance of three days into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God.” When the tabernacle was raised, the [Holy One, blessed be He,] said to Moses, “From now on you are only permitted to offer sacrifice in the tent of meeting”; and there they offered up the [gift] to the Holy One, blessed be He.

It is so stated (in Deut. 12:13-14), “Take heed that you do not offer up your burnt offerings in any place that you see. But only in the place that the Lord will choose.” And where did the Holy One, blessed be He, choose? Jerusalem, as stated (in Ps. 132:13), “For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling.”

Moses therefore warns Israel, saying (in Lev. 17:3-4), “If any single person from the House of Israel [slaughters an ox, a lamb, or a goat in the camp]…. And does not bring it unto the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a sacrifice… [bloodguilt shall be imputed to that person].“ The Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that the Temple was going to be destroyed; so the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “As long as the Temple exists, you shall sacrifice within it, [and] there will be atonement for you; but when the Temple does not exist, how will there be atonement for you?

Occupy yourselves with the words of Torah, because they are comparable with offerings, and they will atone for you.” Thus it is stated (ibid.), “This is the thing (literally: word).” So also the prophet says (in Hos. 14:3), “Take words with you, and return unto the Lord.” The words of Torah resemble all the offerings.

One offers wine as a libation upon the altar, as stated (in Numb. 15:5), “And a quarter hin of wine for a libation”; and Torah resembles wine, as stated (in Prov. 9:5, where wisdom says), “and drink of the wine I have mixed.” One offers bread upon the altar, as stated (in Numb. 28:2), “My offering, My bread for My fire offering; and so it says (in Exod. 25:30), “And you shall set the [show]bread upon the table before Me always”; and Torah resembles bread, as stated (in Prov. 9:5, where wisdom says), “Come and eat of my bread.”

One offers oil upon the altar, as stated (in Lev. 2:5), “fine flour mixed with oil”; and Torah resembles oil, as stated (in Eccl. 9:8), “Always let your clothes be white, and let there be no lack of oil upon your head.”

(Lev. 19:23:) “When you come into the land and plant.” This text is related (to Eccl. 2:5), “I made gardens and orchards for myself, and in them I planted every kind of fruit tree.” Do not all people plant whatever they want, whatever someone plants in the earth, be it pepper or anything [else. But] if he plants, do [the plants automatically] produce?

As no one knows the place of every plant, [i.e.] where to plant it. However, because Solomon was wise, he planted all the species of trees [in their place], as stated (ibid.), “I made gardens and orchards for myself, in which I planted every kind of fruit tree.” What is the meaning of “every kind of fruit tree?” R. Jannay said, “Solomon even planted peppers in the land.”

But how did he plant them? It is simply that Solomon was wise and knew the root of the foundation of the world. How? (Ps. 50:2), “Out of Zion God has shined forth as the perfection of beauty.” [This means that] out of Zion has all of the whole world been perfected, as it is taught: Why is it called foundation stone? Because out of it the world was founded. Now Solomon knew which vein went to Cush and planted peppers on it, and they produced immediately.

See what he says (in Eccl. 2:5), “and in them I planted every kind of fruit tree.” Another interpretation (of Eccl. 2:5), “and in them I planted every kind of fruit tree.” Just as a navel is set in the middle of a person, so the Land of Israel is the navel of the world. Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 38:12), “who dwell on the navel of the earth.”

And the foundation of the world comes out of it, as stated (Ps. 50:1), “A psalm of Asaph. God, the Lord God spoke and summoned the world from East to West.” How is this known? (Ps. 50:2), “Out of Zion God has shined forth as the perfection of beauty.” The Land of Israel sits at the center of the world; Jerusalem is in the center of the Land of Israel; the sanctuary is in the center of Jerusalem; the Temple building is in the center of the sanctuary; the ark is in the center of the Temple building; and the foundation stone, out of which the world was founded, is before the Temple building. Now Solomon, who was wise, determined the roots that went out from [that stone] into the whole world and planted all species of trees in them. He therefore said (in Eccl. 2:5), “I made gardens and orchards for myself.”

(Lev. 22:27:) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat […].” This text is related (to Micah 6:3), “My people, what have I done to you and how have I wearied you; testify against Me.” R. Aha said, “Testify against Me (i.e., prove me wrong by keeping the commandments), and receive a reward. And do not testify (against your neighbor falsely), and receive a settlement of accounts.”

R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “On three occasions the Holy One, blessed be He, came to dispute with Israel, when the nations of the world rejoiced: At that time, when He said to them (in Is. 1:18), ‘Please come and let us dispute together,’ they rejoiced and said, ‘Now He will finish them off.’ When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that they were rejoicing, He reversed [the punishment] for the better.

He said (ibid.), ‘though your sins be as scarlet, they shall become as white as snow […].’ When the nations of the world heard this, they were astonished and said, ‘Is this an answer; is this a rebuke? He has only come to amuse Himself with His children (and not to dispute with them seriously).’ In the second [occasion], when He said to them (in Micah 6:2), ‘[Hear, O mountains, the claim of the Lord …] for the Lord has a claim with His people, and He will dispute with Israel,’ they rejoiced and said, ‘Now He will finish them off.’

When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that, He reversed [the punishment] for the better and said (in Micah 6:5), ‘My people, please remember what King Balak of Moab plotted and what Balaam answered him….’ When the nations of the world heard this, they were astonished and said, ‘Is this an answer; is this a rebuke? He has only come to amuse Himself with His children.’

The third [occasion] when He said (in Hos. 12:3), ‘The Lord has a claim with Judah,’ they rejoiced and said, ‘Now He will finish them off.’ When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that, He reversed [the punishment] for the better and said (in Hos. 12:4) ‘In the womb he grabbed his brother by the heel […].’” [The situation] is similar to a woman who complained to the judge about her son and brought him for trial.

Everyone came to see. They said, one to another, “See that this woman has brought her son to be killed in the case.” When the woman saw this and heard what they said, she reversed [her mind] to speak with different words. When she came before the judge, he said to her, “What has your son done to you?”

She said to him, “When he was in my womb, he kicked me.” He said to her, “Has he done anything else to you?” She said, “No.” He said to her, “There is no legal offense at all.” Everyone was astonished and said, “Is this an answer; is this a rebuke?

She only came to amuse herself with her son.” So they left with embarrassment on their faces. So too did the Holy One, blessed be He, go back and reverse His rebuke to love, and the nations of the world left confounded. (Micah 6:3:) “And how have I wearied you?” R. Berekhyah said, “[The situation] is similar to a king who sent his proclamation to a province.

What did the people of the province do? When they received it, they uncovered their heads, and read it in fear, in awe and in trembling. So did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Israel, ‘The reading of the Shema is My proclamation. I did not burden you and I did not tell you that you were to read it either standing upon your feet or with your heads uncovered, but (according to Deut. 6:7) “when you are sitting in your house, when you are walking on the road, when you are lying down, and when you are getting up.”’”

Another interpretation (of Micah 6:3), “and how have I wearied you”: R. Judah bar Simon said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I have delivered ten [kinds of] beasts to you (for food). Three are in your possession, and seven are not in your possession. Now these are those which are in your possession (according to Deut. 14:4), “the bull, the sheep, and the goat.”

And these are those which are not in your possession (according to Deut. 14:5), “The deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.” I did not burden you, nor did I tell you to go up into the mountains or tire yourselves out in the fields in order to bring Me a sacrifice from those [which are not in your possession]. Rather [your sacrifices come] from those which are in your possession, which grew up at your feeding trough. This is what is stated (in Lev. 22:27), “A bull or a sheep or a goat.”’”

(Numb. 2:2:) [“The Children of Israel shall camp,] each with his standard, under the banners for their fathers' houses….” This text is related (to Ps. 20:6), “Let us shout for joy in your salvation, and in the name of our God let us set up our standards….” “Let us shout for joy in your salvation,” as is stated (in Exod. 14:30), “So the Lord saved.” (Ps. 20:6, cont.:) “And in the name of our God let us set up our standards,” for God has inserted His name] among our names and has appointed us standards, as stated (in Numb. 2:2), “each with his standard, under the banners.”

The Holy One, blessed be He, cherished Israel with great love, in that He appointed them standards like [those of] the ministering angels, so that they would be recognizable, the Children of Reuben by themselves, the Children of Simeon by themselves, [etc.]; but where is it shown that He loved them? Where it is stated (in Cant. 2:4), “He brought me unto the banquet house, and His standard over me is love.”

To what is the matter comparable? To a rich person who had a storehouse full of wine. He went in to inspect it and found it to be vinegar. [When] he went to leave the storehouse, he found there one cask of [good] wine. He said this cask is worth as much to me as the full storehouse.

Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, has created seventy nations, but of them all He has found pleasure only in Israel, as stated (in Cant. 2:4), “He brought me unto the banquet house (literally: house of wine [yyn]). [Now] y (yod) plus y (yod), [which] equals twenty, plus n (nun), [which stands for] fifty, results in seventy; and of all those [seventy nations] He loved only Israel.

It is so stated (ibid., cont.), “and His standard over me is love.” It also says (in Cant. 6:8-9), “There are sixty queens…. One is My dove, My perfect one.” (Cant. 2:4), “He brought me unto the house of wine.” R. Judah says, “He brought me to the great wine cellar, namely Sinai; and from there He taught me Torah, which is expounded in forty-nine ways to render pure and in forty-nine ways to render impure. And the numerical count (gematria) of (ibid., cont.) “and His standard (wdglw)” is forty-nine. [Another interpretation (of Cant. 2:4),] “He brought me unto the house of wine. R Hunya said, “In the past whoever pointed his finger at a likeness of the king was put to death; but when the children go to school and point a finger at the [likenesses of] the Divine Name [in the book], the Holy One, blessed be He, says (ibid., cont.), ‘and His standard (wediglo) over me is love.’” Even though, when sitting and studying the Torah, [one skips (rt.: dlg)] from precept (halakhah) to precept and from verse to verse, the Holy One, blessed be He, says, “He is dear to Me (literally: over Me), ‘and His standard (rt.: dgl) over me is love,’ [and his skipping (rt.: dlg) over Me is love].”

Another interpretation (of Cant. 2:4), “and His standard over me is love.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “The nations of the world have standards, but only the standard of Jacob is dear to Me, as stated (ibid.), ‘and His standard over Me is love--.’”

Another interpretation (of Numb. 6:23-24), “Thus shall you bless the Children of Israel: The Lord bless you and keep you.” “Bless you,” with wealth; “and keep you,” so that may do good works (mitswot). (Vs. 25:) “The Lord make His face shine,” and raise up children from you to be Torah scholars. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 6:23), “For the commandment (mitzvah) is a lamp, and Torah is [a light].”

Another interpretation (of Numb. 6:25), “The Lord make His face shine (from he'ir) [upon you],” to raise up priests from you, who kindle fire (from he'ir) upon the altar. Thus it is stated (in Mal. 1:10), “you will not kindle fire (from he'ir) on My altar in vain.” (Numb. 6:25, cont.:) “And be gracious to you.”

R. Hiyya the Great taught, “May the Lord encamp with you.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 6:25), “and be gracious to you,” to raise up prophets from you. Thus it is stated (in Zech. 12:10), “And I will pour out upon the House of David and upon anyone dwelling in Jerusalem a spirit of grace and mercy.”

Another interpretation (of Numb. 6:25), “and be gracious to you.” May He set His grace upon you in whatever place you go. Thus it is stated (in Esth. 2:17), “and she won grace and favor.” (Numb. 6:26:) “The Lord lift up His face unto you.” But another text says (of the Holy One, blessed be He, in Deut. 10:17), “who does not lift up His face (i.e., show favor).”

How can this be? [If] one has repented before judgment is sealed, (Numb. 6:26:) “The Lord lift up his face (i.e., show favor).” When judgment has been sealed, (Deut. 10:17:) “who does not lift up His face.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 6:24), “The Lord bless you and keep you.” Along with the blessing there is a keeping. A king of flesh and blood has a friend in Syria, but he dwells in Rome; when the king sent for him, he arose and came to him, and [the king] gave him a hundred pounds of gold; [but when] he loaded it up and set out on the road, bandits fell upon him.

They took everything that he had given him and everything [else] that he had with him. Do you suppose that he could have kept him from the bandits? For that reason it is stated (in Numb. 6:24), “The Lord bless you and keep you.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 6:24), “The Lord bless you and keep you.”

May He bless you with money, that there not be a tax collection in the province, and that a tax collector not come to the province and say to you, “Give your gold.” Rather (as in Numb. 6:24), “The Lord bless you and keep you.” Another explanation. “Bless you” refers to sons (who can produce wealth), [while] “keep you” refers to daughters, since the females need keeping.

And so it says (in Ps. 121:5), “The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade [on your right hand].” (Numb. 6:25:) “The Lord make His face shine upon you. May He make the light of His face shine for you.” Now “make shine” (y'r) can only mean life, since it is written (in Prov. 16:15), “In the light of the king's face there is life.” It also says (in Ps. 118:27), “The Lord is God and has given light (y'r) to us.”

And similarly it says (in Ps. 67:2), “May God be gracious to us and bless us; [may He make His face shine for us].” (Numb. 6:26:) “The Lord lift up his face.” Does the Holy One, blessed be He, lift up His face for a creature? Moreover, is it not already written (in Deut. 10:17), “who does not lift up His face (i.e., show favor).” It is simply that, just as they lift up their faces (show favor) to Me, so do I lift up My face to them.

How so? I have written in the Torah (in Deut. 8:10), “Then you shall eat, be full, and bless [the Lord your God].” So when a person sits down with his children and the children of his house, and when there is not enough before them to be full, they [still] lift their faces to Me as they give the blessing. Moreover, they exercise meticulous care [to recite a blessing] for [something as small] as an olive, for [something as small] as an egg.

Therefore (in Numb. 6:26), “The Lord lift up his face unto you […].” (Numb. 6:23:) “Thus shall you bless the Children of Israel], ‘Say to them.’” “Say (amor)” is written] fully (i.e., with the o represented by the vowel letter, waw). Say to them, i.e., to the priests, “[It does] not [follow that], because I told you to bless Israel, that you will bless them [as though] in forced labor and in sudden haste.

Rather you shall bless them (fully) with religious devotion (kawwanah) of the heart, so that the blessing will be fully effective with them. It is therefore stated, “Say” fully, to say that a person should wish his fellow well with a full [heart].

(Numb. 16:1:) “And On ben Peleth.” Why was he named On (which means "sorrow")? Because he remained in sorrow all his days. (Ibid.:) “Ben Peleth (plt)?” The son of (ben) one for whom miracles (pl'wt) have been performed.

Rav said, “On ben Peleth had his wife save him; for she said to him, ‘What has this dispute to do with you? If Aaron is the high priest, you are a disciple; if Korah is high priest, you are [still] a disciple].’ He said to her, ‘I know that the whole community is holy, since it is written in Numb. 16:3), “for all the congregation are holy.”’ What did she do?

She gave him wine to drink, got him drunk, and had him lie down in her bed. Then she sat down at the entrance [of the house] and let down her hair. Everyone who came for her husband On saw her and returned. In the meanwhile they were swallowed up.” It is this which is written (in Prov. 14:1), “The wisdom of women builds its house,” this refers to the wife of On; “but folly tears it down with its own hands,” this refers to the wife of Korah. (Numb. 16:2:) “And they rose up against Moses, [together with men from the Children of Israel], two hundred and fifty princes of the congregation,” the special ones of the congregations; “chosen by the assembly (moed),” because they knew how to intercalate years and fix new moons (which determine the date of the festival (moed); “men of renown,” in that they had a name throughout the whole [world]. (Numb. 16:4:) “When Moses heard this, he fell on his face.”

What news did he hear? That they suspected him of [adultery with] a married woman. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 106:16), “And they were jealous (rt.: qn') of Moses in the camp.” Rav Samuel bar Isaac said that Rav said, “[This] teaches that each and every one suspected (rt.: qn') his wife of adultery with Moses.”

Reish Lakish says, “From here we derive that one may not perpetuate a dispute.” Rav says, “Anyone who perpetuates a dispute violates a prohibition. It is so stated (in Numb. 17:5), ‘and he will not be like Korah and his assembly.’” Rav Ashi says, “He is fit to be afflicted with leprosy.

It is written here (in Numb. 17:5, cont.), ’by the hand of Moses to him,’ and it is written there (in Exod. 4:6), ‘And the Lord said furthermore to him, “Put now your hand into your bosom.”’” Rav Ḥisda says, “Anyone who disagrees with his teacher is like one who disagrees with the Divine Presence, as it is stated [with regard to Dathan and Abiram] (in Numb. 26:9), ‘when they strove against the Lord.’”

R. Ḥama, son of R. Ḥanina, says, “Anyone who initiates a quarrel [meriva] with his teacher is like one who initiates a quarrel with the Divine Presence, as it is stated (in Numb. 20:13), “These are the waters of Meribah, where the Children of Israel quarreled with the Lord.’” R. Ḥanina bar Pappa says, “Anyone who expresses resentment against his teacher for wronging him, it is as though he is expressing resentment against the Divine Presence, as it is stated (Exod. 16:8), ‘your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.’”

R. Abbahu says, “Anyone who suspects his teacher of wrongdoing, it is as though he suspects the Divine Presence, as it is stated (in Numb. 21:5), ‘And the people spoke against God, and against Moses.’”

(Numb. 20:12:) “But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in Me.’” Why was Aaron punished? The matter is comparable to a creditor who came to take the threshing floor of the borrower [as repayment, and] takes his and his neighbor’s. The borrower says to him, “If I am in debt, what is my poor neighbor’s sin?”

So too did Moses say to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, “I got angry, [but] what is Aaron’s sin?” Therefore the verse lauds [Aaron] (in Deuteronomy 33:8), “And of Levi he said, ‘Let Your thummim and urim be with Your faithful one [whom you tested at Massah, with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah].’” (Numb. 20:12:) “Because you did not trust in Me.”

Did not Moses say something worse than this? As he said (in Numb. 11:22), “Are there [enough] flocks and herds to slaughter for them; [are there enough fish in the sea to gather for them]?” There also trust was lacking, and [that lack of trust] was greater than this one. So why did the Holy One, blessed be He, not decree death for him there?

The matter is comparable to a king who had a friend. Now when in private he displayed arrogance towards the king with harsh words, the king did not become angry with him. [When, however,] he arose one day and was arrogant in front of the legions, he decreed death for him. So also did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Moses, “When you acted privately with Me, I did not become angry, but now [that you have acted] in public, it is impossible [to overlook your action].”

Thus it is stated (in Numb. 20:12), “to sanctify Me in the sight of the Children of Israel.” This text is related (to Ecclesiastes 8:14), “Here is a vanity that occurs in the world: sometimes an upright man is requited according to the conduct of the scoundrel.” You find that when the Holy One, blessed be He, cursed the serpent and said to him (in Genesis 3:14), “You are cursed,” He did not allow him to make any claim.

As the serpent could have said in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, “You said to Adam, ‘Do not eat,’ and I said to him, ‘Eat.’ Who does one listen to, the words of the master or the words of the student? [So] why do You curse me?” And he did not allow [Moses] to make any claim [either]. As [Moses] could have said, “I did not transgress Your words.

Why should I die?” (Numb. 20:12:) “Because you did not trust in Me, therefore you shall not lead this congregation.” The matter is comparable to two woman that were lashed in court. One had been corrupted (was unfaithful) and the other ate unripe fruit of the sabbatical year. The one that ate the unripe fruit of the sabbatical year said to them, “I plead with you to make known to the creatures why I am being lashed, so that they do not say, that I was also corrupted. [So] they brought the unripe fruit that was in her possession and suspended them upon her and announced and said, “This one was corrupted and was lashed, and that one ate unripe fruit from the sabbatical year and was lashed.”

So too Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, see, You have decreed for me to die in the desert along with this wicked generation who angered You,” as stated (in Ps. 78:40), “How often did they defy Him in the desert and grieve Him in the wilderness.” “Now the [future] generations will say I was like them.

Let it be written about me why I came to be punished.” It is therefore written (in Numb. 20:12), “because you did not trust in Me to sanctify Me, therefore you will not bring.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “With what countenance do you want to enter the land?" The situation is comparable to a shepherd who went out to feed the king's flock, and the flock was carried off. [When] the shepherd wanted to come into the king's palace, the king said to him, “They will say that you caused the flock to be carried off.”

Here also the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “[Would it be] your glory that you are the one who led sixty myriads out [of bondage] and buried them in the desert and are bringing another generation into [the land]. Now they will say, ‘The generation of the wilderness has no share in the world to come.’ Rather be by their side, and come along with them [in the future].” Thus it is stated (in Deut. 33:21), “[for there is an honored lawgiver's portion,] where he came at the head of the people....” Therefore it is stated (in Numb. 20:12), “therefore you shall not lead this congregation,” that came out with you.

(Numb. 22:31:) “Then the Lord uncovered the eyes of Balaam and he saw [the angel of the Lord….].” Was he blind? [These words were] simply to inform him that even the eye is not under his control. (Ibid., cont.:) “Then he bowed down and prostrated himself on his face,” because [the angel] had spoken with him. (Numb. 22:32:) “And the angel of the Lord said unto him, ‘Why did you strike your she-ass these three times?’”

The angel come to seek satisfaction at his hand for the she-ass. He said to him, “Now if for the she-ass, which has neither its own merit nor merit from ancestors, I have been commanded to seek satisfaction from your hand, how much the more so for an entire people that you have come to uproot!“ (Numb. 22:32, cont.:) “Here I have come out as an adversary (satan), because your way is contrary (yrt).” [Yrt is interpreted as] an acronym [concerning the ass for] yare'ah (she feared), ra'atah (she saw), natetah (she turned away).

Another interpretation: [The numerical value of] yrt, in the atbash [scheme] is [equivalent to that of] shield (magen). (Numb. 22:33:) “For the she-ass saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away [from me, surely just now I would have killed you] and let her live.” From here you have learned that he killed the ass. (Numb. 22:34:) “Then Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, ‘I have sinned because I did not know.’” [These words are] to teach you that he was completely evil.

He knew that nothing can withstand divine punishment except for repentance; for whenever anyone sins and says, “I have sinned,” the angel has no authority to touch him. (Ibid.:) “Because I did not know.” Although that wicked man was praising himself and saying (in Numb. 24:16), “who has knowledge of the Most High,” his mouth bore witness about him and said (in Numb. 22:34), “I did not know.” (Ibid., cont.:) “And now, if it is evil in your eyes, I will return.” He said to him, “I did not go until the Holy One, blessed be He, said to me (in Numb. 22:20), “Arise and go with them”; yet you are saying that I should return! [Indeed] such is His practice!

Similarly, did he not tell Abraham to sacrifice his son? Then after that [it is stated (in Gen. 22:11-12)], ‘But the angel of the Lord called [unto him…]. And he said, “Do not raise your hand [against the lad].”’ He is used to saying something, then to have an angel come and reverse it.” [So (in vs. 34),] “if it is evil in your eyes, I will return.” (Numb. 22:35:) “The angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, ‘Go with the men’”; for your lot is [to be] with them, and your end is to be obliterated with them from the world. (Ibid., cont.:) “So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.” [These words] teach that just as they were happy to curse [Israel], so was he happy. (Numb. 22:36:) “When Balak heard that Balaam had come.” [These words] teach that he sent messengers unto [Balak] to send him tidings. (Ibid., cont.:) “He went out to meet him unto the city of Moab,” [i.e.,] unto their metropolis. What was [Balak's] reason for preceding him to the borders? He said to him, “These are borders which have been fixed from the days of Noah, so that a nation would not enter the territory of its neighbor.

These [people] are coming to uproot them.” He said to him, “Come to curse them.” Then he showed him how they had broken through and crossed the border of Sihon and Og, as though lodging a complaint against them. (Numb. 22:37:) “Then Balak said unto Balaam, ‘Did I not truly send unto you [to summon you; why did you not come unto me; am I really unable to honor you]?’” He prophesied that his end would be to go in disgrace.

Then did Balaam also answer him like the [truth of the] matter (in Numb. 22:38), “So Balaam said unto Balak, ‘See, I have come unto you now, [but am I really able to say anything at all…?]’” For I do not have authority to say what I want.

(Numb. 27:15-16:), “And Moses spoke […], ‘Let the Lord, [the God of the spirits of all flesh], appoint….’” Let our master instruct us: What blessing does one say on seeing a human being that is different? Thus have our masters taught: On seeing a black person, one with white blotches, a hunchback, a pockmarked person or one afflicted with dropsy, one says, “Blessed is the One who makes mortals different.”

On seeing an amputee, someone blind, or someone smitten with boils, one says, “Blessed is the true Judge.” When [should one recite this]?

When they who were [once] whole have become different. But if they were like that from their mother's womb, one says, “Blessed is the One who makes mortals different.” On seeing good creatures and good trees, one says, “Blessed is the One who has created such things in his world.” But if he sees crowds of human beings, he says, “Blessed is the One who is learned in mysteries.” [As] just as their faces are unlike each other, so are they unlike in temperament. Rather each and every individual has his own individual temperament; and so it says (in Job 28:25), “To fix a weight for the spirit,” [i.e.,] the [spiritual] weight of each and every individual. You yourself know that it is so, because of what Moses asked from the Holy One, blessed be He, at the time of his death, when he said to him, “Master of the world, the temperament of each and every person is revealed to You; and the temperament of one person is unlike the temperament of another.

Now that I am departing from them, would You please, if You so desire to appoint a leader over them, appoint over them a person who will bear with each and every one of them according to his temperament.” Where is it shown? From what they have read on the matter (in Numb. 27:16), “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint [someone over the congregation]….”

(Numb. 34:2), “This is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance.” What is the meaning of “to you?” To you it is fitting. [The matter] is comparable to a king who had male and female slaves and would have his male slaves marry female slaves from another estate and his female slaves [marry] male salves from a different estate. The king stopped and reflected. He said, “The male slaves are mine and the female slaves are mine. It would be better for me to marry my male slaves ('avadim) to my female slaves, my own to my own.” Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “The land is Mine, as stated (in Ps. 24:1), ‘The land is the Lord's and all that is in it.’

Moreover Israel is Mine, as stated (in Lev. 25:55), ‘For to Me the Children of Israel are servants ('avadim).’ [It is] better for Me to bequeath My land to my servants who belong to Me, My own to My own.” It is therefore stated (in Numb. 34:2), “this is the land that shall fall to you.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 34:2), “this is the land”: This text is related (to Ps. 111:6), “He revealed to His people His powerful works.”

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “I could have created a different desirable land for you. But in order to show you My strength, I am expelling your enemies in front of you and giving you their land, to fulfill that which is stated, ‘He revealed His powerful works....’”

Two tablets of stone (Deuteronomy 10:1): Corresponding to a groom and bride; corresponding to two ushers/benefactors; corresponding to heaven and earth; corresponding to two scribes; corresponding to two Torahs, the written Torah and the oral Torah; corresponding to two worlds, this world and the world to come, as it is stated, "two tablets". Rabbi Chanina said, "It is written 'tablets,' that neither was bigger than the other, but rather both of them were equal; and the carving of both was as one (at the same time)."

Another interpretation: "Tablets (luchot) of stone," that anyone who does not make his life (lechayav) like this stone, does not merit words of Torah. Another interpretation: "Tablets of stone," because the majority of the deaths prescribed in the Torah are by stoning. Another interpretation: "Tablets of stone," in the merit of Yaakov, of whom it is stated (Genesis 49:24), "from there, the shepherd, the stone of Israel."

Another interpretation: "Tablets of stone," in the merit of the Temple, as it is stated (Isaiah 28:16), "Behold, I will found in Zion stone." And Reish Lakish says, "In the merit of Moshe who was called a stone, as it is stated (Daniel 2:34), 'as a stone was hewed out [...].'" "Like the first ones" (Deuteronomy 10:1). As the first ones were given with a voice of voices, so were the second ones.

As the first ones were given with six hundred thousand, so were the second ones. But behold, it is written (Exodus 34:3), "And no one may go up with you." But rather, the Holy Blessed One brought out six hundred thousand from Moshe our teacher at that time. As so is it written in the Book of Chronicles (I Chronicles 23:17), "The sons of Rechavya were very numerous (literally, above)."

And our rabbis expounded, "Above six hundred thousand." "And come up to Me on the mountain; and make an ark of wood" (Deuteronomy 10:1). But Moshe did not do this, but rather he made an ark of wood, and afterwards went up the mountain and took the tablets, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:3-4), "I made an ark of acacia wood [...] and I went up the mountain [...]. And He wrote on the tablets."

(Deut. 14:22:) “You shall surely tithe.” This text is related (to Prov. 28:22), “An evil-eyed person (i.e., a miser) moves quickly after wealth; [and he does not know that loss will come to him].” R. Hanina interpreted the verse with reference to Ephron (of Gen. 23). For R. Hanina said, “All the shekels mentioned in the Torah are sela, those in the prophets are litrai, and those in the writings are centenarii, except for the shekels of Ephron, which are not centenarii. This is what is written (in Gen. 23:9), ‘let him give it to me at the full price.’”

Because he brought the evil eye (of greed) into Abraham's wealth, the written text lacks the letter waw. This is what is written (in Gen. 23:15), “My lord, listen to me, what is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between you and me?” He said to him, “If you want to give me four hundred centenarii of silver from the goods of your house, you can give it to me.” Because he brought in an evil eye (i.e., of greed) into Abraham's wealth, [his name] is lacking the letter waw, where it is stated (in Gen. 23:16), “So Abraham heeded Ephron, and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron.

It is the second Ephron that is written deficient. R. [Ammi] interpreted the verse (Prov. 28:22) with reference to one who borrows a cow. Since he was too miserly to rent two cows, he borrowed one and rented one. And (according to Prov. 28:22) “he does not know that loss will come to him”; that it is written (in Exod. 22:13), “[When someone borrows an animal from his neighbor and it is injured or dies,] and its owner is not with it, he shall surely pay.”

R. Isaac interpreted the verse (Prov. 28:22) with reference to the one who lends to an Israelite at interest and is too miserly to lend it without interest, and (Prov. 8:22) “he does not know that loss will come to him”; that it is written (in Prov. 28:8), “The one who augments his wealth by interest and usury amasses it for one who is generous to the poor.” Who is the one that is generous to the poor?

This is Esau the wicked. Is Esau the wicked generous to the poor? Rather does he not oppress the poor? He is like those procurators who go out to the villages and plunder tenants.

Then they go back to the capital and say, “Gather the poor, because we want to perform a good act for them.” The [Aramaic] adage says, “[She commits adultery] for apples, and distributes [them] to the sick.” R. Levi interpreted the verse (i.e., Prov. 28:22) with reference to the person who does not take out his tithes properly. To this end R. Levi told a story about someone who did take out his tithes properly: Now he had a certain field that produced a thousand measures every year.

So he took a hundred measures from it for his tithes; and from the remainder he and the children of his household sustained themselves all of his days. At the time of his death, he summoned his son. He said to him, “My son, give your attention to this field. It yields such and such [a number of] measures, and I take out such and such a tithe.

From it I have sustained myself and my household all my days.” When that son planted it the first year, it produced a thousand measures, and he took out a hundred measures from it for the tithe. For the second year, an evil eye (i.e., of greed) entered within him. So he subtracted ten [measures from the tithe], but [the field] subtracted one hundred [measures from its yield].

Similarly also [on the third, fourth, and fifth [years], until it was reduced to its tithes. When kinfolk and friends saw [what was happening], they put on white (i.e., festive) [tunics] and wrapped themselves in white [mantles]. [When] they came to him, he said to them, “Why have you come? To rejoice over the very one who has been excommunicated [by the Heavens]?” They said to him, “God forbid!

We have only come to rejoice with you. In the past you were the owner of the house, and the Holy One, blessed be He, was the priest; but now the Holy One, blessed be He, has become the owner of the house, and you are the priest.” For that reason Moses warned Israel (in Deut. 14:22), “You shall surely tithe.”

As these nations that you are, etc. (Deuteronomy 18:14): This is that which is stated in the verse (Deuteronomy 28:13), "The Lord will make you the head, not the tail; you will always be at the top and never at the bottom." That there should not be lying judges and that you all be poor in Torah. [It is as you say (Isaiah 9:14), "Prophets who give false instruction, such are the tails." "You will always (rak) be at the top," you will only (rak) be few in this world, not forever.

Another interpretation: "You will always (rak) be at the top (above),"When you come to ask something, you should not ask what is above, and not ask what is below, in the way that the [other] nations of the world [ask], as it is stated (Isaiah 29:4), "your speech shall sound like a ghost’s from the ground."As these nations that you are dispossessing, etc.," such that you should ask from it: This is that which is stated in the verse (Isaiah 8:19), "Now, should they say to you, 'Inquire of the ghosts and familiar spirits that chirp and moan,'" say to them (Isaiah 8:19, cont.), "Does a people inquire of its god, of the dead on behalf of the living?"

The needs of the dead are done by the living. Would the needs of the living be done by the dead? "That moan," as they do not do not serve the needs of their heads. "As these nations, etc. but not like this to you."

There is a story about a convert who was from Batsra. He said, "When I was a foreigner, I would ask of idolatry. Now I have become an Israelite and it is forbidden to me." What did he do?

He saddled his donkey and went to a province and he did not ask of the idolatry. He entered the province and its priest was standing at the entrance of the province. When he entered, he saw them and was immediately afraid. He descended from the donkey and the donkey fled.

The [people] that were standing there came down and he became frightened of them. [But] they stood him upright, supported him and said, "This old man fell." They [then] immediately brought him to his donkey, and [so] he entered in peace and left in peace. What caused him this? Because he held on to the Torah.

Hence, "As those nations that you are about to dispossess listen to soothsayers and augurs, but the Lord your God did not give like this to you." There is a story about Rabbi Yannai and Rabbi Yochanan who were sitting at the entrance of Teveriya. There were two astrologers there who saw two Jews going out to their work. These astrologers said, "Those two men will go out but they will not come back, [as] a snake will poison them."

Rabbi Yannai and Rabbi Yochanan heard [this]. What did they do? They sat at the entrance of the province to know if those two men would come back from their work. And they did come back and Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Yannai saw them.

They said to the astrologers, "Did you not say that these two men would go out but not come back, as a snake would poison them?" They said, "Yes." They said [back], "Behold, they went out in peace and came back in peace." The astrologers observed them [and then] they said to them, "Tell us, what did you do today?"

They said, "We did not do anything [unusual], but rather that which we are accustomed to do. We read the Shema and we prayed." They said to them, "You are Jews, the words of astrologers do not materialize with you, as you are Jews." Hence, "but the Lord your God did not give like this to you."

(Deut. 25:18, cont.:) And he cut off (rt.: znb) all who were lagging behind you. He smote them with a blow to the tail (rt.: znb). And this agrees with what R. Hanina bar Shilqa, said, “What did the House of Amalek do to Israel? They cut off their penes and flung them heavenward, as they said, ‘This is what You have chosen, take for Yourself what You have chosen.”

As Israel did not know what the nature of spit was, until Amalek came and taught them, as stated (with reference to Ezek. 8:17), “here they were sending the spit in their faces.” From whom did he learn it? From his grandfather Esau, as stated (in Gen. 27:36), “And he said, ‘Is he not (hky) rightly named Jacob?’” He rubbed (rt.: hkk) his throat and brought out the spit. (Deut. 25:18), “All who were lagging behind you.”

R. Judah, R. Nehemiah, and the masters [differed]. R. Judah said, “They said, ‘If He is master over all of out deeds, we will serve Him; but if not, we will revolt against Him.’” R. Nehemiah said, “They said, ‘If He furnishes us with our food like a king who is living in the province, such that the province lacks nothing at all, we will serve Him; but if not, we will revolt against Him.’” And the masters said, “They said, “’If we have a thought in our hearts and He knows what we are thinking, we will serve Him; but if not, we will revolt against Him.’”

R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Levi, “In their heart they had a thought, and the Holy One, blessed be He, granted them their request.” And what is the evidence? (Ps. 78:18:) “They tested God in their heart by asking food for themselves.” See what [else] is written there (in vs. 29), “So they ate and were very full.” Another interpretation (of Deut. 25:18), “all who were lagging behind you”: R. Judah, R. Nehemiah and the masters [differ]. R. Judah says, “Whoever was overcome was discarded.”

R. Nehemiah says, “Whomever the cloud vomited up was discarded.” And the rabbis say, “It was the tribe of Dan that the cloud vomited up, [as] they all served idols, as stated (Deut. 25:18, cont.), ‘when you were tired and weary, and did not fear God.’” [You were] tired from thirst and weary from the road, and you did not fear God. R. Pinhas said in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman, “It is a transmitted aggada [that] Esau will fall at the hand of the children of Rachel (Joseph and Benjamin), as stated (in Jer. 49:20), ‘Surely the youngest of the flock shall drag them away.’

Why does it call them the youngest of the flock? Because they were the youngest of the tribes.” Hence, Moses said to Joshua (Exod. 17:9), “Choose men for us.” As he was [descended from] Joseph, about whom it is written (Gen. 42:18), “I fear God.”

And about Esau, it is written (Deut. 25:18), “and did not fear God.” Youth is written with reference to the one and small is written with reference to the other (i.e., with reference to Esau). Youth is written with reference to the one (in Gen. 37:2), “since he (Joseph) was a youth with the children of Bilhah [and with the children of Zilpah].” And small is written with reference to the other (in Obad. 1:2), “I will surely make you (Edom) smallest among the nations.”

The one (Esau) grew up with two who were righteous (i.e., with Isaac and Rebekah) and did not learn from their deeds, while the other grew up with two who were wicked (i.e., Potiphar and Pharaoh) and did not learn from their deeds. The one received the birthright as a result of his good deeds, while the other lost his birthright from his evil deeds. The one supported his brothers, while the other sought to kill his brother.

The one fenced himself away from sexual immorality and from the spilling of blood, while the other sullied himself with sexual immorality and the spilling of blood. The one conceded to the revival of the dead, as stated (Gen. 50:24), “God will surely remember you”; while the other denied the revival of the dead, as stated (Gen. 25:32), “Behold, I am going to die.” The one offered his life for his mother’s honor, as stated (Gen. 33:7), “and after, Joseph and Rachel came forward and bowed”; while the other sought to kill his mother, as stated (Amos 1:11), “and he destroyed his uterus.” Therefore, the one (Esau) will fall by the hand of the other (Jospeh).

And R. Johanan said, “All of the ministering angels sought to battle with the ministering angel of Esau, but he would not fall by their hand, as he would remove each and every one with a response: To Reuben, he says, ‘You were suspected about your father’s concubine.’ To Simeon and Levi, ‘You also killed [the inhabitants of] Shekhem.’ To the other tribes, ‘You sold your brother and sought to kill him.’

To Judah, ‘You were also suspected about your daughter-in-law, Tamar.’ To Benjamin he said, ‘You were suspected about the concubine in Giveah.’ When the ministering angel of [Joseph] came and battled with him, he immediately fell in front of him, as he had no response to answer him. This is what is written (Obad 1:18), “And the House of Jacob shall be fire, and the House of Joseph flame, and the House of Esau shall be straw.”

Another interpretation (of Genesis 8:1): "Then God remembered Noah." It is written (Proverbs 12:10): "A righteous one knows the soul of his beast." The Righteous One of the world knows even the soul of His beast, even when He is angry. The attributes of the Holy One, blessed be He, are not like the attribute of flesh and blood. The attribute of flesh and blood: when a province rebels against him, he sends out his legions and destroys it, and he makes the good and the wicked equal as one, and there is no one there to say, "So-and-so is upright, leave him be" — rather they kill them all. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. Rather, the whole generation provokes Him, and He is angry with them, yet there is but a single righteous one there, and He saves him. This is the meaning of "A righteous one knows the soul of his beast." And so it says (Nahum 1:7): "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him." "But the compassion of the wicked is cruel" (Proverbs 12:10) — these are the generation of the flood, who were cruel. Our Rabbis said: At the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, brought up the deep, and they saw the fountains rising over them, what did they do? They had many children, and each and every one would take his child and set him upon the deep, and the waters kept rising. This is the meaning of "But the compassion of the wicked is cruel." [And whence that they did so?] For Job said of them (Job 24:20): "The womb forgets him, the worm feeds sweetly upon him, he is no longer remembered" — his womb, that is, his children. And what did the Holy One, blessed be He, do to them? He brought down upon them a flood from above and shattered them, as it is said (Job 24:20): "And unrighteousness is broken like a tree." Rabbi Berekhyah said: They were exceedingly hard, and they were of great stature, and had He not exacted punishment upon them from above, the waters could not have prevailed against them. For so Job said (Job 22:20): "Surely our adversaries are cut off, and their remnant the fire has consumed." What is the meaning of this? Since the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that they had not died in the depths below, He brought down upon them fire from above and burned them, as it is said, "Surely our adversaries are cut off," and so forth. And not only that, but He turned the bird and the beast and the wild animal against them, and they made them perish, as it is said (Genesis 7:21): "And all flesh perished," and so forth. When they saw themselves that they were lost, they sought to overturn the ark. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He surrounded the ark with lions, and they devoured them, as it is said (Genesis 7:16): "And the Lord shut him in." What is the meaning of "shut in"? As in the matter of which it is said (Daniel 6:23): "My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions."

There is a story about Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus, who was a child of the palace; and his father was attached to the government and to the affairs of the army commanders. In time, Rabbi Eliezer's father went to another place. When he sensed that they were coming, he said to his sons: Let us arise and flee from before them. At once he called his witnesses and his servants. He said: Bring me the cattle and the camels. They loaded the goods upon the cattle, and Hyrcanus and his sons fled. But Rabbi Eliezer did not go with his father; rather he fled to Jerusalem. And he took in his hand neither a loaf nor a coin nor anything at all, but entered Jerusalem like a poor man. And he saw Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai sitting and teaching Torah, with the students sitting before him at the lesson. When they finished the lesson, he would tell them haggadah, and afterward he would say mishnah. He entered and sat beside Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai. He spent two or three weeks before him, and he came to speak before the students, and they would smell the foul odor of his mouth, and they would conceal it and say nothing. Again he came to speak, and they would conceal it and say nothing. Again he came to speak, and they would conceal it and say nothing. Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai knew that the odor of his mouth did not speak of something bad that was within his mouth, but rather came from hunger, for he was not eating anything. Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai said to the students: By your lives, examine the matter and find out what is the affair of this student—whether he is hungry, and what he eats. And they went about all Jerusalem and asked the innkeepers: Is there a haver lodging here? They said to them: No. They came to a certain woman. They said to her: Is there a haver lodging here? She said to them: Yes. Does he have anything here? She said to them: He has one sack. They said to her: Show it to us. At once she brought it before them. They opened it and found in it dust, for he would put his head into it and suck as upon a wineskin. They went and told Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, and he was amazed at the matter, and he saw the righteousness that was in the hand of Rabbi Eliezer, that he did not demand of any man, saying, Give me something. At that hour he set aside much money for him, so that he might eat good foods, as he had been accustomed to in his father's house, where he would eat and drink well, until the odor of his mouth was healed. He spent before Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai one, two, and three years, until Rabbi Eliezer's father returned to his place. When he came to his place and remained there a month and two months and Rabbi Eliezer his son did not come, it grieved him to say that he had abandoned him and gone off to Jerusalem. And the brothers of Rabbi Eliezer said to their father: See what Eliezer your son has done—he abandoned you and went off to Jerusalem to eat fattened delicacies, while you carried yourself away from your house and went after him. Were it a bad matter, he would not leap to take an inheritance. And how great is the difference between us and your son! We gave our lives for you and did not abandon you, but he did not come to see your distress; and now, if he hears that some matter has befallen you, he is destined to come to us and share with us. At that hour he said to them: In such-and-such a manner he shall inherit nothing from me. They said to him: When you die, you remove him. He said to them: Call me a tablet. They said to him: It will be of no use. There is in Jerusalem a certain nasi, and his name is Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai, and he supports him; and when you die, he will surely come, and he will say, Who says that his father removed him? And we shall bring out the writing, and he will say, It is a forgery—you made it, and I do not believe it—until we come to a court of law. He said to them: Since you have said this before me, even though Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai praises him, I will remove him. At that hour his sons mounted him upon a carriage, and he entered Jerusalem on the eve of the Sabbath. He said: I will not remove him except on the Sabbath in the house of study, when? At the hour when all the congregation assembles. He entered to sit in the house of study, and all Israel entered according to their custom to hear the homily that Rabbi Eliezer was expounding before the multitude upon the chair, with the hazzan standing before him. His father saw him wrapped in his prayer-shawl with tefillin upon his head. At once he saw—for he had supposed that he had gone off to evil ways. When he saw him sitting upon his chair and expounding, Hyrcanus stood upon the bench and said before the people of Jerusalem: I did not come up to Jerusalem except to excommunicate you, Eliezer my son, and also to remove you from the inheritance; now behold, I give you two portions more than your brothers. And upon what matter was Rabbi Eliezer expounding at that hour? Our Rabbis said: On this matter (Genesis 14:1), "And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel." Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrcanus opened: This is as Scripture says (Psalms 37:15), "Their sword shall enter into their own heart"—all that matter which is at the head of the parashah.

And the Lord said unto him: “Therefore, whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” and the Lord set a sign for Cain (Gen. 4:15). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Four families were destined to descend from Abel, but since you have eliminated them from the face of the earth, the earth will open up and devour four families that will descend from you: these are Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, and Methushael.

How was Cain slain? For one hundred and thirty years, Cain became an angel of death, wandering and roaming about, accursed. Lamech, his descendant in the seventh generation, who was blind, would go hunting led about by his young son. At the sight of game, the lad would apprise his father of its whereabouts. One time the lad said to his father: “I see some kind of beast in the distance.” Lamech sent his arrow in that direction, and Cain was slain. As they approached the corpse, the lad saw a horn protruding from the forehead of the slain creature, and he said to his father: “The corpse resembles a man, but a horn protrudes from its forehead.” Thereupon, Lamech cried out: “Woe is me, it is my grandfather.” In his grief, he clasped his hands together, and accidentally struck the child’s head, killing him. As it is said: I can slay a man by a wound of mine and a child by a strike of mine (Gen. 4:23).

The three remained where they were: Cain dead, the child slain, and Lamech blind. At nightfall his wives went out to search for them and found their grandfather dead, their son Tubal-cain slain, and Lamech. It was then that the earth swallowed up the four families: Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, and Methushael. Thereafter, Lamech served as the Angel of Death in fulfillment of the verse: Cain was avenged sevenfold, and Lamech seventy and seven (Gen. 4:24).

Upon returning home, Lamech said to his wives: “Let us go to bed.” They replied: “You have slain our ancestor and our son Tubal-cain; we shall no longer go to bed with you.” He retorted: “Cain received his punishment only after seven generations, surely mine should be postponed for seventy and seven generations.” “We shall not listen to you,” they insisted. “Why should we give birth to one who will be dishonored?” Thereupon, he said: “Let us go to the court for a decision.” They went to Adam, and Adah and Zillah cried out: “Oh, lord Lamech, our husband, has slain our grandfather.” Whereupon Lamech declared: “Did our grandfather kill unwittingly?” Adam replied: “Wives of Lamech, hearken to my words! Lamech says: Have I have slain a man intentionally? (Gen. 4:23). Therefore I say to you: Go and obey your husband.” They retorted: “O physician, heal your own lameness. You have not had sexual intercourse with your wife for one hundred and thirty years, yet you command us to do so.” Hence it is written in Scripture following this incident: And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years and begot his son in his own likeness (Gen. 5:3).

Lamech lived a hundred and eighty-two years and begot his son (Gen. 5:28), through whom the world was to be reestablished. He called him Noah (lit. “comfort, ease”), saying: This one will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hand (Gen. 5:29). How did he know that this one would comfort us in our work? Was Lamech a prophet? R. Simeon the son of Yehozadak said: There was a tradition that when the Holy One, blessed be He, told Adam: Cursed be the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it (Gen. 3:17), Adam inquired: “Master of the Universe, how long will the ground be cursed?” He replied: “Until a man-child already circumcised shall be born.” When Noah was born circumcised, Lamech understood immediately that this was the one concerning whom the Holy One, blessed be He, had said: This one will comfort us in our work (ibid. 5:29).

What do the words in our work and in the toil of our hands (ibid.) imply? Prior to Noah’s birth, men did not reap what they sowed. They would sow wheat and reap thorns and thistles, but when Noah was born, the world reverted to normal: Wheat was sown and wheat was reaped; barley was sown and barley was reaped. Furthermore, prior to Noah’s birth, men performed all their labor by hand, as it is written: And in the toil of our hands, but after Noah was born, plows, scythes, axes, and other implements were introduced.

Another explanation of go forth from the ark. David said: Bring my soul out of prison (Ps. 142:8). Noah, while in the ark, prayed continually: Bring my soul out of prison, and it is said elsewhere: For this let everyone that is godly pray unto Thee in a time when Thou mayest be found; surely, when the great waters overflow, they will not reach unto him (ibid. 32:6).

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Noah, I have decreed that you are not to depart from this ark until twelve months have elapsed. And thus Isaiah declared: Thus said the Lord: In an acceptable time have I answered thee; and in a day of salvation have I helped thee … saying to the prisoners: “Go forth”; to them that are in darkness, “Show yourselves” (Isa. 49:8–9).

To say to the prisoners go forth implies that they were enjoined from sexual intercourse. Why was that? When the world is overwhelmed by suffering and destruction, men are forbidden to (fulfill the command to) increase and multiply (Gen. 6:28) Surely, while the Holy One, blessed be He, is engaged in destroying the world, men should not strive to populate it. Joseph behaved accordingly. He indulged in intercourse with his wife only prior to the years of hardship, as it is said: And unto Joseph were born two sons (Gen. 41:50). When were they born? In the years preceding the famine.

That is why Job declared: They are lonely in want and famine (Job 30:3). That is, when want and famine come into the world, be lonely; abstain from sexual intercourse. Noah acted accordingly. When he entered the ark, it is said: And Noah and his sons came, and after that is written: His wife and his sons’ wives (Gen. 7:7). However, when he was about to depart from the ark, the Holy One, blessed be he, told him: Go forth from the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives (Gen. 8:16). Thus we learn that Noah and his sons were forbidden to indulge in sexual intercourse while in the ark.

Scripture states in reference to Noah, that thou mayest say to the prisoners “Go forth,” and to them that are in darkness, “Show yourselves” (Isa. 49:9). Say to the prisoners; that is, say to those who are forbidden to have sexual intercourse, Go forth from the ark. To them that are in darkness, show yourselves. Show yourselves refers to the beasts, the animals, and the birds. Thereupon, He told them: And you, be ye fruitful and multiply; swarm in the earth, and multiply therein (Gen. 9:7).

Forthwith, Noah said: Master of the universe, will you retract the promise you made, and bring another flood? He replied: I promise that I shall not bring another flood. As it is said: And the Lord smelled the sweet savor, and the Lord said in his heart: “I will not again curse the ground,” etc. (Gen. 8:21); and it says elsewhere: For this is as the waters of Noah unto me; for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go forth over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee (Isa. 54:9).

You find that from that time until Solomon erected the Temple, it rained continuously for forty days each year as a reminder of the waters of the flood that lasted forty days. After Solomon completed the Temple, he pleaded for mercy in behalf of them (Israel), and the continuous rains ceased, as it says: And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul (I Kings 6:38). What is the meaning of the words In the month of Bul? It refers to the month when the cattle are given mixed fodder which was stored inside the house (because of the rains).

Another comment upon In the month of Bul. It was named Bul because He selected it as the month for the forty days of the flood (mabul).

We find that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Noah: Neither shall there anymore be a flood (Gen. 8:11). Isaiah later explained that this was an oath, as it is said: For as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth (Isa. 54:9), and that this promise will be fulfilled everlastingly. How much more so, then, will He keep the three oaths that He explicitly swore to Israel. The first oath was: So have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee (ibid.); the second was: The Lord God has sworn by His holiness (Amos 4:2); and the third was: The Lord God has sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength: Surely I will no more give thy corn to be food for thine enemies (Isa. 62:8).

The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength (Isa. 62:8). By his right hand refers to the Torah, as it is said: His right hand was a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2). And by the strength of His arms alludes to the tefillin (phylacteries), as it is said: The Lord will give strength unto His people (Ps. 29:11). Surely I will no more give thy corn to be food for thine enemies … in the courts of My sanctuary (Isa. 68:8–9) refers to Jerusalem. What oath did He proclaim in reference to Jerusalem? He vowed that He Himself would build it, as it is said: The Lord doth build up Jerusalem; He gathered together the dispersed of Israel (Ps. 147:2).

R. Samuel the son of Nahmani stated: There is an aggadic tradition which states that Jerusalem will not be rebuilt until the dispersed of Israel are gathered together. However, if one should tell you: The exiles are already gathered together and Jerusalem still hath not been rebuilt, believe him not, for it is written: The Lord doth build up Jerusalem, and after that Scripture says: He gathered together the dispersed of Israel (ibid. 147:2).

Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the universe, has not Jerusalem already been rebuilt and destroyed? And He replied: It was destroyed and you were exiled from it, because of your sins, but in the future I will rebuild it and it will never be destroyed again, as it is said: When the Lord hath built up Zion … He hath appeared in His glory (Ps. 102:17).

"After these things the word of the LORD came." This is what Scripture says: "He stores up sound wisdom for the upright, a shield for those who walk in integrity" (Proverbs 2:7). What is the meaning of "He stores up sound wisdom for the upright"? Before the world was created, the Holy One, blessed be He, stored away the Torah, until Abraham came and fulfilled it, as it is said: "Because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws" (Genesis 26:5). Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nahman said: Nine hundred and eighty generations the Holy One, blessed be He, folded back in order to give circumcision to Abraham, as it is said: "He has remembered His covenant forever, the word which He commanded for a thousand generations" (Psalms 105:8). Yet it was given only after twenty generations: from Adam to Noah, ten; from Noah to Abraham, ten; behold, twenty, and it was given to Abraham. And Rabbi Yohanan in the name of Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: Nine hundred and seventy-four generations the Holy One, blessed be He, folded back in order to give the Torah to the generation of the wilderness, because they were upright, as it is said: "He stores up sound wisdom for the upright." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nahmani said: Abraham even observed the combining of cooked dishes, as it is said: "Because Abraham obeyed My voice." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You have occupied yourself with My Torah; by your life, I am a shield for you. Just as the shield holds the sword, and even if they throw arrows and stones at it, the shield receives them, so too I am a shield for you. And not for you alone, but even for your children: if they occupy themselves with My Torah just as you have occupied yourself, so too I will become for them like a shield, as it is said: "The word of the LORD is refined; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him" (2 Samuel 22:31). Therefore it is said: "a shield for those who walk in integrity."

And the two angels came to Sodom … and he said: “Behold now, my lords, turn aside, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet” (Gen. 19:1–2). There is a proverb which says: Associate with a greasy man and you too will become greasy. Because Lot associated with Abraham he learned to welcome travelers. And they said: “Nay” (ibid.): From this episode our sages taught that one may refuse the request of one’s inferior but not of one’s superior.

It is written concerning Abraham that he said: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart … and they said: “So do as thou hast said” (ibid. 18:5), but in reference to Lot it is written: And he urged them greatly; and they turned into his house … and they ate (ibid. 19:3). Surely, ministering angels do not partake of food. This was done only in order to teach us that proper behavior requires that no man should deviate from the custom of the land. You learn this lesson from Moses as well. It is written that after he ascended the mountain: And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights, and he did neither eat bread nor drink water (Exod. 34:28).

If it was customary to eat and drink there, he would have done so. Therefore concerning the angels who came to visit Abraham, to destroy Sodom and to rescue Lot, it is written: He made them a feast and baked them unleavened bread, and they ate (Gen. 19:3).

And Isaac trembled very exceedingly (Gen. 27:33). What is written before this? Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father (ibid., v. 30). This indicates that as one withdrew, the other entered. How could this happen? A person standing in a lighted area is unable to see a person standing in a dark place, while a person standing in a dark place can see one standing in a lighted area. Thus Esau, who came from the marketplace, was unable to see Jacob, who was inside the house, but Jacob could see him as he hid behind the door. As soon as Esau entered the room, Jacob slipped out, as it is said: And Jacob was yet scarce gone out … that Esau, his brother, came in from his hunting (ibid.).

How did Jacob know when to go in to his father so that Esau would not precede him and receive the blessing? As soon as Esau went out to hunt, the Holy One, blessed be He, sent Satan after him to keep him from catching anything until Jacob had received the blessing, as it is said concerning Esau: Set thou a wicked man over him, and let an adversary stand at his right hand (Ps. 109:6).

How did he do that? When Esau caught a deer, he would tether it and then set out to catch another deer. In the meantime Satan would release the deer that had been caught and permit it to escape. When Esau returned, he was unable to find the deer. He repeated this a second and a third time. And thus it says: A slothful man shall not catch his prey (Prov. 12:27). He was forced to roam about for hours while Jacob received the blessings. Hence, Scripture states: And Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac, his father, that Esau, his brother, came in from his hunting. When the wicked Esau entered, he called out to his father impudently: Let my father arise, and eat of his son’s venison (Gen. 27:31). It is of him that Scripture states: When the wicked cometh, there cometh also contempt (Prov. 18:3). The words Let my father arise sound as though he were issuing a decree. Jacob did not speak like that. He spoke gently, saying: Arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison (Gen. 27:19).

Three words in this one verse are expressions of pleading, humility, and meekness. The wicked one, however, said merely: Let my father arise, and eat. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob: Inasmuch as you said Arise, I pray thee, your descendant Moses will say to Me: Rise up, O Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered (Num. 10:35). Inasmuch as you said sit (shevah), your descendants will say: Return (shuvah), O Lord, unto the tens of thousands (ibid., v. 36). However, because Esau said Let my father arise, I will exact retribution from him through that very expression, as it is said: Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered (Ps. 68:2). Let my father arise. At that moment Isaac recognized his voice and began to tremble. Who art thou? (Gen. 27:32), he asked. When Jacob entered the room, a fragrance from the Garden of Eden accompanied him; a fragrance so pleasant that the righteous one’s mind was set at ease, as is said: See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed (ibid., v. 27). However, when Esau entered, Gehenna was revealed to him. Hence, it says: Isaac trembled very exceedingly (ibid., v. 33). Isaac was astonished and cried out: I see Gehenna and Esau is causing the flames to rise.

Who, then, is he that hath trapped venison? (ibid.). Why is the word trapped repeated in the text? Isaac said to Esau: “You went out to trap, and you were trapped.” “Why are you upset?” Esau asked. He replied: I have eaten of all (ibid.); that is, everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, created during the six days of creation was contained in the food I ate before you entered, and I blessed him. Isaac desired to withdraw the blessing he had conferred upon Jacob and to declare instead: “Cursed shall ye be,” but the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him, saying: What are you doing? You are, in fact, cursing yourself, for you said to him: Cursed be everyone that curseth thee, and blessed be everyone that blesseth thee (ibid., v. 29). He changed his mind and confirmed the blessings, saying: Yea, and he shall be blessed (ibid., v. 33).

Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred (Gen. 31:3). What is written above concerning this? Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the he-goats which leap upon the flock are streaked (ibid., v. 12), and it is also written there: And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, and said unto them: “I see your father’s countenance,” etc. (ibid., vv. 4–5). This teaches us that he was not slothful, but that he labored with all his strength.

And your father hast mocked me, and changed my wages ten times (ibid., v. 7). What is meant by ten times (aseret monim), and why is the (usual) word pe’amin not used instead of monim? R. Abba said: Ten monim actually indicates one hundred times, that is, ten times ten. R. Hiyya stated: It was actually a thousand times, ten times a hundred.

He would change his wages in the following manner. If he said thus: The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the flock bore speckled; and if he said thus: The streaked shall be thy wages; then bore all the flock streaked (ibid., v. 8). When Laban saw that they changed from streaked to speckled, and from speckled to streaked, he cried out: “Is there a God or not?” That is to say, Laban asked: “Did God do this or not?”

What did Laban do when the sheep conceived? He would tell Jacob: “This kind shall be yours,” and whatever kind he mentioned would be born, for the Holy One, blessed be He, changed the streaked to speckled and the speckled to streaked, as it is said: And he changed my wages ten times. Laban reversed his decision so that none would belong to Jacob. And so, after Laban had made his final decision, the Holy One, blessed be He, would tell the angel: Let them be born in accordance with his last decision. Thus Scripture says: But God suffered him not to hurt me (ibid., v. 7).

What did they respond after Jacob told them this? Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him: “Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? Are we not accounted by him strangers? For he hath sold us” (Gen. 31:14–15).

And Jacob outwitted Laban (ibid., v. 20), so that Laban would not become incensed with him: Then Jacob arose, and set his sons and his wives upon camels … and carried away all his cattle…. And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled. And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him (Gen. 31:17–18, 23). The Holy One, blessed be He, immediately appeared before him and slit his ear.

And he sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:28). Jacob sent Judah before him to establish an academy wherein he might teach the Torah as he had previously done for the tribes. You know that he taught his sons earlier from the fact that Jacob remembered the chapter of the Torah that Joseph was studying with him at the time of his disappearance. When Joseph’s brothers returned and told him: “Joseph is yet alive” … his heart fainted, for he believed them not (Gen. 45:26). Jacob recalled the chapter of the Torah that Joseph was studying at the time of his departure, and he said to himself: “I know that he was studying the portion devoted to the beheaded heifer.” Whereupon he turned to them and said: “If he gave you something to indicate the chapter he was studying when he departed from here, I will believe you.” Joseph had also remembered the chapter he was studying when he was separated from his father. What did Joseph do? He gave them wagons (ibid., v. 21). When Jacob saw the wagons (‘agalot), the spirit of their father revived forthwith. This teaches us that wherever Joseph went, he devoted himself to the law, as his ancestors had done before him, even though the Torah itself had not yet been given. And thus it is written: Because that Abraham hearkened to My voice and kept My laws (Gen. 26:5).

From what source did Abraham learn the law? R. Simeon the son of Yohai declared: His two kidneys (kelayot) became like two pitchers filled with water, from which the law flowed forth, as it is said: In the night season my kidneys instruct me (Ps. 16:7). R. Levi maintained: He studied the law by himself, as it is said: The dissembler from his heart shall have his fill from his own ways; and a good man shall be satisfied from himself (Prov. 14:14). He taught the law to his sons, as it is said: For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children (Gen. 18:19).

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Him: You have taught your sons the law in this world, but in the world-to-come I shall teach them the law, as Scripture states: And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children (Isa. 54:13).

Zebulun shall dwell at the shore of the sea (Gen. 49:13). Zebulun was mentioned before Issachar even though Issachar was the elder. Why? Zebulun was engaged in commercial activity, while Issachar devoted himself to the study of the Torah, and they had agreed that Zebulun’s earnings would be shared by Issachar. That is why Moses blessed them: Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out, and Issachar in thy tents (Deut. 33:18). Rejoice, Zebulun, in going about to do business, for Issachar is in your tents studying the Torah. Why should he rejoice? Because the Torah is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is everyone that holdeth her fast (Prov. 3:8). Therefore Zebulun preceded Issachar. If it had not been for Zebulun, Issachar could not have studied the Torah. Since Issachar engaged exclusively in the study of the Torah, and was not concerned with business nor did any kind of work, it is written about him: And the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the times (I Chron. 12:33).

Issachar is a large-boned ass (Gen. 49:14). That is, he bears the yoke of the Torah like an ass that bears its load, while Zebulun brings his wares in ships. Crouching down between the sheepfolds (ibid.). This refers to his disciples, who spread the knowledge of the Torah before the wise throughout the land, as it is said: When ye lie among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver (Ps. 68:14). For he saw a resting place that it was good (Gen. 49:15). This refers to the Torah, as it is said: I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest (Jer. 45:3). That it was good alludes to the Torah, since it is said: For I give you good doctrine (Prov. 4:2). And he bowed his shoulders to bear (Gen. 49:15) the yoke of the Torah. And he became a servant under task-work (ibid.). Task-work refers to the law. Whenever the people erred in the law, they would seek a decision from him, as is said: And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; as was Issachar, so was Barak; into the depth they rushed forth at his feet (Judg. 5:15); for he would search deeply into the law.

Now the Priest of Midian had seven daughters (Exod. 2:16). Was it proper for this righteous man to go to the home of an idolater? After all, since the Holy one, blessed be He, detests idolatry, why did he permit Moses to go to a place where idols were worshipped? That fact is that though Jethro had been the priest of idolaters, he always held idols in contempt. Jethro was convinced of their falseness and despised them. In fact he had decided to repent even prior to the arrival of Moses. He had summoned his townsmen and told them: “I have served you until now, but now I am old; select another priest.” Because he had returned the paraphernalia used in idolatrous worship, they were angry with him, and turned against him so violently that no one would speak to him, or work for him, or tend his flocks. He pleaded with the shepherds to care for his flocks, but they refused. Hence his daughters were compelled to take them out to pasture, as it is said: Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters (Exod. 2:16).

And the shepherds came and drove them away (ibid., v. 17). If he had been a great and powerful priest of Midian, would they have dared drive them away? This teaches us that they oppressed him and drove his daughters away just as a divorced woman is driven away, as Scripture states: So he drove out the man (Gen. 3:24). But Moses stood up and saved them (Exod. 3:17). You learn from this that the shepherds were about to attack them, as is stated in the verse: The betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her (Deut. 22:27). And when they came to Reuel, their father … they said: “An Egyptian saved us” (Exod. 2:18).

Did Moses actually look like an Egyptian? No. This implies that if it had not been for the Egyptian whom he slew, Moses would not have entered Midian. This may be compared to a man bitten by a wild ass. After he is bitten he runs to the water’s edge to bathe his feet. As he is about to enter the river, he sees a drowning child, and he stretches out his hand, and rescues the child. The child then says to him: “Were it not for you, I would have died.” But the man replies: “Not I, but the wild ass that bit me, and from whom I was fleeing, was actually responsible for your rescue.”

Similarly, when Jethro’s daughters said to Him: “We thank you for saving us from the shepherds,” Moses replied: “It was the Egyptian whom I killed who actually was responsible for your rescue.” Therefore they said to their father: “It was an Egyptian,” in order to tell him that the man responsible for his coming to us was the Egyptian whom he had slain. And he said unto his daughters: “And where is he?” (ibid., v. 20). He said to them: “All that ye have told me concerning his drawing the water from the well and watering the flock is, indeed, a sign that he is a descendant of those who stood at the well, for the well recognized its master. Call him, that he may eat bread (ibid.), perhaps he will wed one of you,” as it is said: He knew not aught save the bread which he did eat (Gen. 39:6). And Scripture also says: Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant (Prov. 9:17), and For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a loaf of bread (ibid. 6:26).

When Pharaoh shall speak unto you (Exod. 7:9). Scripture states (elsewhere in reference to this verse): Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying: “My counsel shall stand, and all My pleasure will I do” (Isa. 46:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared at the very beginning what the end would be, when He said to Moses: Behold, thou art about to sleep with thy fathers, and this people will rise up, and go astray (Deut. 31:16). They were destined to do so upon Joshua’s death. And will forsake Me, and break My covenant (ibid.), as it is said: And they forsook the Lord, and served Him not (Judg. 10:7). Hence at the very beginning he disclosed what would follow.

R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama, stated: One who reads this verse may think that there must be a difference of opinion above (in heaven), since it says: My counsel shall stand, and My pleasure will I do. What is the actual meaning of My counsel shall stand, and all My pleasure will I do? It means that He desires to justify His creatures, as it is said: The Lord was pleased, for His righteousness’ sake (Isa. 42:21). Certainly He does not take delight in proving anyone guilty, as it is said: For I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live (Ezek. 33:11). Hence, it is said: All my pleasure will I do.

"Sanctify to Me every firstborn" (Exodus 13:2). This is one of the thirteen principles by which the Torah is expounded: a general statement that requires a specification. "Sanctify to Me every firstborn" is a general statement that includes both males and females. One might think that whatever is born first, whether male or female, would be a firstborn? Scripture therefore teaches, saying: "Every firstborn... the male you shall sanctify" (Deuteronomy 15:19). A male and not a female. One might think that one born by Caesarean section would be a firstborn? Scripture therefore teaches, saying: "every opener of the womb" (Exodus 13:2), meaning that there must be a male that opens the womb. "Among man and among beast" (Exodus 13:2). This compares the firstborn of man to the firstborn of a beast: just as with a beast a stillbirth is exempt from the law of the firstborn, so too with a man it is exempt. Excluded are the Levites, who have neither a firstborn of man nor a firstborn of beast. A firstborn of a human being: from thirty days old one is obligated to redeem him; less than this, it is a non-viable birth. A firstborn of a beast: eight days; less than this, it is a non-viable birth. It is written, "And those that are to be redeemed of them, from a month old you shall redeem" (Numbers 18:16). And concerning the beast it is written: "And from the eighth day onward it shall be acceptable" (Leviticus 22:27). One might think that he should bring it to the Chosen House, as it is written, "And you shall bring there... the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks" (Deuteronomy 12:6). Scripture therefore teaches, saying: "you shall redeem." In any place that he wishes, he may redeem it from a priest. If so, what does Scripture teach by saying "you shall sanctify" (Deuteronomy 15:19)? Sanctify it so that you may receive reward. If you did not sanctify it, it is nonetheless holy, as it is said, "it is Mine," in any case. If so, what does Scripture teach by saying "you shall sanctify"? So that you may receive reward for it. In a similar manner you may say: "And the priest shall kindle wood upon it every morning" (Leviticus 6:5). But is it not written: "And Lebanon is not sufficient for fuel" (Isaiah 40:16)? Rather, it is so that one may receive reward. Similarly: "The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb" (Exodus 29:39). But is it not written, "And its beasts are not sufficient for a burnt offering" (Isaiah 40:16)? Rather, it is so that one may receive reward. Similarly: "And they shall make Me a sanctuary" (Exodus 25:8). But is it not written: "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" (Jeremiah 23:24). Rather, it is so that one may receive reward. "And Moses said to the people: Remember this day" (Exodus 13:3). And it says: "so that you may remember the day of your going out" (Deuteronomy 16:3). Now is it during the day that one mentions it and not at night? This is the exposition that Ben Zoma expounded: "so that you may remember the day of your going out... all the days of your life." "The days of your life" means the days; "all the days of your life" includes the nights. "No leavened bread shall be eaten" (Exodus 13:3). This makes the one who feeds it like the one who eats it. "It shall not be eaten": neither it nor its monetary value, and it is forbidden to derive benefit from it. "This day you are going out." Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: What does Scripture teach by saying "No leavened bread shall be eaten" and placing next to it "this day"? It teaches that Israel ate unleavened bread for one day in Egypt. "The month of spring" (Exodus 13:4): the month that is fit for you, with neither sun nor rains. And from where do we know that it is fit? It is written here "the month of spring," and it is written elsewhere: "God settles the solitary in a home, He brings out prisoners into prosperity" (Psalms 68:7). "Prosperity" (ba-kosharot) means none other than a month that is fit (kasher), with neither sun nor rains. Another interpretation: "into prosperity" (ba-kosharot). Rabbi Yonatan said: weeping (bekhi) and songs (shirot) [reading the word as two words]: these weep and those sing. The Egyptians weep, "for there was no house where there was not one dead" (Exodus 12:30); and Israel sing, "The sound of joyful song and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of the LORD does valiantly" (Psalms 118:15). Rabbi says: "into prosperity" (ba-kosharot): the Holy One, blessed be He, dealt with Israel in fitting manner (kashrut), as it is said: "yet the rebellious (sorerim) dwell in a parched land" (Psalms 68:7). "Rebellious" is written, and so they indeed were, except that He dealt with them in fitting manner. "In the month of spring": they began to intercalate the years.

Unto the Lord (Exod. 15:1). They sang unto the Lord and not to a mere mortal. When will they sing unto man? When His right hand and His mighty arm have wrought salvation. That is to say, as it is written: He hath drawn back His right hand (Lam. 2:3). And spoke, saying. What is meant by the word saying? R. Eleazar the son of Taddai maintained: Moses would start the song and the Israelites would complete it. Moses began with the words: I will sing unto the Lord (Exod. 15:1), and Israel added: For He is highly exalted. Moses said: The Lord is my strength and song (ibid., v. 2), and Israel declared: And He is become my salvation. Moses sang: The Lord is a man of war (ibid., v. 3), and Israel responded with the words: The Lord is His name. The same procedure was followed in all the verses of the hymn. What is meant by I will sing unto the Lord? It implies that it is fitting to sing a song unto the Lord, to ascribe power unto the Lord, and to praise the greatness of the Lord. Thus, David said: Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory (I Chron. 29:11).

A mortal king is praised as mighty, though he may be weak, and as rich, merciful, and handsome, because they wish to flatter him. But concerning the Holy One, blessed be He, they say: The great God, the mighty God, and the awful (Deut. 10:17); The Lord will go forth as a mighty man (Isa. 42:13); There is none like unto thee, O Lord (Jer. 10:6). They say He is rich, and indeed there are no limits to his wealth, For behold, unto the Lord thy God belongeth the heaven, and the heaven of heavens (Deut. 10:14). And it is written also: The sea is His, and He made it, and His hands formed the dry land (Ps. 95:5); The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof (ibid. 24:1); Mine is the silver, and Mine is the gold (Hag. 2:8); Behold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son (Ezek. 18:4).

As to His wisdom: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth (Prov. 3:19); With Him is wisdom and might (Job 12:13); With Him is strength and sound wisdom (ibid., v. 16); For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of His mouth cometh knowledge and discernment (ibid. 2:6). It likewise says: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding (Dan. 2:21), and Forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royalty, there is none like unto Thee (Jer. 10:7).

They said that He is merciful, but He is more than merely merciful, For the Lord thy God is a merciful God (Deut. 4:31); the Lord is full of compassion and gracious (Ps. 103:8); The Lord is good to all (ibid. 145:9); To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness (Dan. 9:9). They said that He is a true judge (but He is more than a judge), for the Judgment is God’s (Deut. 1:17); God standeth in the congregation of God; in the midst of the judges He judgeth (Ps. 82:1). It says also: The Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice (ibid. 32:4). They said: He is faithful, yet He is more than simply faithful: The faithful God (ibid. 7:9); A God of faithfulness (ibid. 32:4). They said He is praiseworthy, but He is more than merely praiseworthy, as it is said: For who in the skies can be compared unto the Lord? (Ps. 89:7). It also says: A God dreaded in the council of the holy ones (Ps. 98:8); O Lord God of hosts, who is a mighty one like unto thee, O Lord? (ibid., v. 9); O Lord God of hosts, who is like unto thee among the gods, O Lord? (ibid. 86:8). It says likewise: My beloved is white and ruddy, His head is as the most fine gold. His hands are as rods of gold. His legs are as pillars of marble (Song 5:15).

R. Yosé the Galilean explained: Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast Thou founded strength (Ps. 8:3). Babes are those still in their mother’s wombs, as is said: Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as babes that never saw life (Job 3:16). Sucklings are those who suckle at their mother’s breasts, as is said: Gather the children and those that suck the breasts (Joel 2:16). Rabbi maintained: Babes refers to children out on the street, as it is said: To cut off the children from the street (Jer. 9:20). Likewise it says: The young children ask bread (Lam. 4:4). All opened their mouths and sang the song unto the Lord. R. Meir declared: Even the embryos in their mother’s wombs sang the song, as it is said: Bless ye God in full assemblies, even the Lord, ye that are from the fountain of Israel (Ps. 68:27). Even the angels sang the song, as it is said: O Lord our Lord, how glorious is Thy name in all the earth! Whose majesty is rehearsed above the heavens (ibid. 8:2).