Midrash Tanchuma Reader

And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord thy God” (Exod. 20:1). R. Isaac said: All the prophets received the inspirations for their future prophesies at Mount Sinai. How do we know this to be so? It is written: But with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day (Deut. 29:14). That standeth here with us this day refers to those who were already born, and with him that is not here alludes to those who were to be born in the future. Hence they are not with us this day. “Not standing here with us this day” is not written in this verse, but rather Is not here with us this day. This alludes to the souls who were to be created in the future, since standing here could not be said of them. They were included in the general statement. And that is why the verse states: The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi (Mal. 1:1). It does not say “of Malachi,” but merely by Malachi, indicating that the prophecy had been transmitted to him previously at Sinai. Similarly Isaiah said: Come ye near unto Me, hear ye this: From the beginning I have not spoken in secret; from the time that it was, there am I; and now the Lord hath sent me, and His spirit (Isa. 48:16). Isaiah is saying here that at the time the Torah was given I received the prophecy. Hence it says: from the time that it (the Torah) was, there am I; and now the Lord God hath sent me, and His spirit, but until now He did not give me permission to prophesy.

Not only the prophets but also the wise men who were there, and those who were destined to come, received their inspiration at Sinai, as it is said: These words the Lord spoke unto all your assembly … with a great voice, and it went on no more (Deut. 5:19). What is meant by a great voice, and it went on no more? Our sages said: The entire Ten Commandments came forth from the mouth of the Mighty One in sound. This was an extremely difficult procedure. No ordinary individual is able to speak in that fashion nor is any human ear able to endure such a sound. Therefore it is written: My soul failed me when he spoke (Song 5:6). With a great voice, and it went on no more. The voice divided itself into seven different sounds, and then turned into seventy different languages.

R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated that R. Jonathan discussed the meaning of the words The voice of the Lord is powerful (Ps. 29:4). Is it reasonable to make this statement? No creature is able to endure the sound of the voice of even a single angel, as it is said: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as torches of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude (Dan. 10:6). How much more, then, is this so of the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning whom it is written: Do I not fill heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:24). Was it necessary for Him to speak in a powerful voice? (No.) Only in a voice that Moses was able to tolerate.

If thou lend money to any of My people (Exod. 22:24). The prophet Jeremiah said: Refuse silver shall men call them (Jer. 6:30). You find that when Israel was exiled from Jerusalem, they were led out in chains and the peoples of the world declared: Their God already rejects them, as it says: Refuse silver shall men call them. But just as silver may be refined and converted into one vessel and then melted down repeatedly and fashioned into other utensils, until it crumbles when hammered and is not suitable for any purpose, so too there was no more hope for Israel’s survival, since the Holy One, blessed be He, had rejected them. When Jeremiah heard that, he said unto Him: Master of the Universe, Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath Thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast Thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? (Jer. 14:19).

This may be likened to a king who beats his wife. His best friend says to him: “If you desire to drive her away, beat her until she dies, but if you intend to take her back, why do you punish her so severely?” “Even if my kingdom was to be destroyed I would not drive her away,” he replied. So Jeremiah said: If you desire to drive us out, smite us until we die, since it is said: Thou canst not have utterly rejected us, and be exceeding wroth against us! (Lam. 5:22), but if that is not (Thy desire), Why hast Thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? (Jer. 14:19). The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Even if I were to destroy My entire world, I would not cast off Israel, as it is said: Thus saith the Lord: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then will I also cast off the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord (ibid. 31:37). Nevertheless, I have made an agreement with them that if they should sin, the Temple will be seized as a pledge on their account, as it is said: And I set My Tabernacle among you (Lev. 26:11). The word mishkani (“My Tabernacle”) should be read as mashkoni (“My pledge”). Similarly, Balaam said: How goodly are thy tents (ohalekha), O Jacob, thy dwellings (mishkenotekha), O Israel (Num. 24:5). The tabernacles are called ohalekha (“thy tents”), but when they are demolished they are called mishkonotekha (“Thy pledges”).

The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: It is not because I am indebted to the nations of the world (because of their merit) that I have pledged My Temple to them, it is only your transgressions that have caused Me to do so, as it is said: Thus saith the Lord: “Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement, wherewith I have put her away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities were ye sold, and for your transgressions was your mother put away” (Isa. 50:1). Similarly, I made an agreement with Moses concerning them, If thou lend money to any of My people. However, if they transgress these commandments, I shall seize two pledges, as it is said: If thou at all take (habol tahbol) thy neighbor’s garment to pledge (Exod. 22:25). Our master Moses asked: How long shall they remain as pledges? He answered: Until the sun cometh (ibid.) that is, until the Messiah comes, as it is said: But unto you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings (Mal. 3:20).

Even to the poor with thee. Our sages of blessed memory said: All manner of physical suffering is on one side (of the scale), while poverty is on the other. At the time that Satan came to denounce Job, it is said: Then Satan answered the Lord, and said: “Doth Job hear God for nought?” (Job 1:9). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Job: Which do you prefer, poverty or suffering? He replied: I willingly accept all the suffering in the world but not poverty. How can I transact business in the marketplace without even a perutah in my possession? Satan thereupon departed from God and afflicted Job with ugly boils from the sole of his foot to his head. Job cried out: O that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even to His seat (Job 23:3), to plead for divine justice. Elijah then said to him: Why do you complain? Did you not choose suffering in preference to poverty, as it is said: For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction (ibid. 36:21).

And thou shalt overlay it with brass (Exod. 27:2). R. Judah the son of Shalum stated: Moses had said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, You told me to make an altar of acacia-wood and to overlay it with brass, and You said also: A fire should burn perpetually unto Me on the altar (Lev. 6:6). But will not the fire penetrate the overlay and burn the wood? The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Moses, normally this does happen, but think of the angels of glowing fire who are near Me, and of the treasures of snow and hail that I possess, as it is said: Hast thou entered the treasuries of the snow, or hast thou seen the treasuries of the hail? (Job 38:22), and it says also: Who layest the beams of thine upper chambers in the waters (Ps. 104:3). The water, however, does not extinguish the fire, nor does the fire consume the water. The creatures of fire, likewise, are unaffected by the waters of the firmament above their heads, as is said: As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like the coals of fire, burning like the appearance of torches; it flashed up and down among the living creatures (Ezek. 1:13). It is also written there: And over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, like the color of the terrible ice, stretched forth over their heads above (ibid., v. 22). They bore the entire body of water which was the thickness of the firmament, a distance of five hundred years’ journey, and they also supported the great bodies of fire, which stood between the firmaments, that were a distance of five hundred years’ journey.

R. Berechiah stated in the name of R. Helbo and in the name of R. Abba: The hoofs of the beasts are also a distance of four hundred years’ journey, and all of them bear fire through the firmament which is filled with water, and the fire does not consume the water, and the water does not extinguish the fire. Why was that? He makes peace in His heavens. Yet because I told you to burn a perpetual light on the altar, you are fearful that it might burn the wood!

The lifeless and dead things are brought before Me, and they depart alive. This refers to the staff of Aaron: And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the Testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and blossomed blossoms, and bore ripe almonds (Num. 17:23). The cedars that Hiram king of Tyre sent to Solomon for the building of the Temple absorbed the living spirit of the world and were restored to life.

R. Levi said: When Solomon brought the ark into the Temple, all the trees and cedars there came to life and bore fruit, as it is said: Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God (Ps. 92:14). They brought forth fruit and supplied a large share of the provisions for the young priests. But when Manasseh brought the idol into the Temple, the Shekhinah departed from it and the fruit withered, as is said: And the flower of Lebanon languisheth (Nah. 1:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: The staves which you employed in the ark will grow longer during the next (four hundred and) eighty-four years, as it is said: And the staves were so long that the ends of the staves were seen from the holy place (I Kings 8:8).

The lifeless brought before Me depart alive, yet you fear that the wood in the altar erected in My honor will burn! Who commanded the fire to burn? Learn from your own experience! When you entered into the midst of the wall of fire and walked among the bands (of angels in heaven), you should have been consumed, yet you came unto Me, as it is said: But Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was (Exod. 20:18). I am a consuming fire, as is said: For the Lord thy God is a devouring fire (Deut. 4:24), and it would have been normal for you to have been consumed. Why were you not (consumed)? Because you ascended for My glory. Likewise, in the case of the altar of the burnt offering, concerning which it is written: Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually, neither the brass will be affected, nor will the wood be burned.

If you should be of the opinion that the brass was not affected because it was thick, R. Nehemiah declared that the overlay was but the thickness of a dinar. R. Phinehas the son of Hama said: If you should believe that the fire descended from on high only for a short time, and that is why the altar was not damaged, the fact is that this altar was so important that the fire was not removed from it either by day or by night, as it is said: The fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually. Why was the overlay made of brass? In order to atone for the brazen brow (i.e., Israel’s stubbornness), as it is said: And thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass (Isa. 48:4).

You find that the altar erected by Moses was more precious to the Holy One, blessed be He, than the altar for the burnt offering made by Solomon. Proof of this is that when Solomon built the Temple, he built an altar for the burnt offering, as is said: A thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar (I Kings 3:4). but because he knew that the altar of brass that Moses had erected was more precious to the Holy One, blessed be He, he brought out the brass altar (which Moses had made), as it is said: Moreover, he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof (II Chron. 4:1).

Observe how precious the altar of brass that Moses constructed was to the Holy One. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because of this altar upon which fire will burn day and night, I will call to account the kingdom of Edom through fire, and she shall burn day and night, as is said: It shall go up forever; from generation to generation it shall lie waste. None shall pass through it forever and ever (Isa. 34:10).

This is the thing that thou shalt do unto them (Exod. 29:11). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The wise shall inherit honor; but as for the fools, they carry away shame (Prov. 3:35). The wise shall inherit honor refers to the Israelites, and the fools they carry away shame alludes to idolaters. When did Israel inherit honor? When she accepted the law.

R. Johanan stated: Sixty thousand guardian angels descended at Sinai with the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: The chariots of God are myriads, even thousands upon thousands (Ps. 68:18). They placed a wreath upon the head of each Israelite. R. Abba the son of Kahana held: When the Israelites stood at Sinai and proclaimed: All that the Lord hath spoken will we do, and obey (Exod. 24:17), the Holy One, blessed be He, loved them immediately and sent two angels to each of them; one to strap on his armor and the other to place a crown upon his head.

R. Simeon was of the opinion that He clothed them in royal garments, as is said: I clothed thee also with richly woven work (Ezek. 16:10). R. Huna of Sepphoris maintained: He girded them with armor, as it is said: I wound fine linen (ibid.). R. Simeon the son of Yohai insisted: He girded them with armor and encircled them with the Tetragrammaton. Therefore, The wise shall inherit honor (Prov. 3:35) refers to the Israelites who received this honor because of the events at Sinai. But as for fools, they carried away shame (ibid.) alludes to the nations of the world, who earned their fate at Sinai. Whence do we know this? R. Johanan said: Because it is stated: Yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted (Isa. 60:12), it is written about them: They shall be utterly wasted. Therefore, But as for fools, they carry away shame.

Another explanation of The wise shall inherit honor. This verse refers to David and his son Solomon, who built the Temple and inherited honor. As for fools, they carry away shame alludes to the nations that destroyed the Temple. The Holy One, blessed be He, put them to shame. Proof of this is contained in the verse: O Lord, in the city Thou wilt despise their semblance (Ps. 73:20). Why is the word ba’ir (“in the city”) used? There is a proverb which states: The brigand is hung at the place of his crime, And therefore, O Lord (in the city), Thou wilt despise their semblance. Hence, for fools, they carry away shame. The wise shall inherit honor refers to Moses and Aaron, and Fools, they carry away shame alludes to Dathan and Abiram. Why is that so? When the manna descended for the Israelites, Moses said to them: Let no man leave of it till the morning (Exod. 16:19). Everyone did not listen to Moses; some of them permitted some of it to remain. Those that did so were Dathan and Abiram. R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: What is meant by And it bred worms, and rotted (ibid., v. 20). It means that the source of worms (kelanin) went from the tent of Dathan and Abiram into the tents of the Israelites. Hence, Fools, they carry away shame. Another explanation of The wise shall inherit honor. This refers to the tribe of Levi, while Fools, they carry away shame alludes to Korah and his supporters (who rebelled against Moses). Another explanation of The wise shall inherit honor. This alludes to Aaron and his sons, through whom the high priesthood was firmly established in accordance with the decree: And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them.

When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel … then shall they give every man a ransom (Exod. 30:12). When Moses heard this, he said: Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath he will give for his life (Job 2:4). R. Judah the son of Ilai stated: When Moses heard this he began to reflect upon it, and said to himself: Since we find that the soul of a man may be redeemed with a talent of silver, as is said: Then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shall pay a talent of silver (I Kings 20:39), let each Israelite give a talent of silver. R. Johanan posed the query: From what source do we learn the penalty for debasing the reputation of a person? He explained: From the fact that Scripture states: And they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he has brought an evil name upon a virgin of Israel (Deut. 22:19). Similarly, we brought an evil name (upon God) when we said of the golden calf: This is thy God, O Israel; therefore let each Israelite give a silver piece.

R. Simeon the son of Levi said: Moses learned it from the law concerning (a woman) who has been violated, as it is stated: Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver (ibid., v. 29). Since we have violated the word that the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to us: Thou shalt have no other gods before Me (Exod. 20:3), and erected the calf, let each of us give fifty pieces of silver. Others say he learned it from the law of enticement, as it is said: And if a man entice a virgin that is not betrothed, he shall surely pay dowry for her (Deut. 22:15). The dowry one pays for a virgin (who has been enticed) is fifty pieces of silver. Hence, since they enticed Him with their mouths and deceived Him with their tongues, For their heart was not steadfast with Him, neither were they faithful in His covenant (Ps. 78:37), let each one give fifty shekels of silver.

R. Judah the son of Simon contended that he learned it from the law concerning the ox that gored. It is said: If the ox gore a bondman or a bondwoman, he shall give thirty shekels of silver (Exod. 21:32), and since we replaced Him with an ox (i.e the golden calf), as is said: Thus they exchanged their glory for the likeness of an ox that eateth grain (Ps. 106:20), each one shall give thirty shekels of silver. The Holy One, blessed be He, knew what was in Moses’ heart, and so He showed him with His finger, as is said: Moses, this they shall give, that is, this amount they shall give.

And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses (Exod. 39:32). It is written elsewhere in reference to the verse: He withdraweth not His eyes from the righteous; but with kings upon the throne He setteth them forever, and they are exalted (Job 36:7). What does this verse signify? That the Holy One, blessed be He, does not deny the righteous man the realization of his plans. Therefore He withdraweth not His eyes from the righteous. You may know this to be so from Abraham, who begot Isaac, who resembled him closely, as it is said: These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begot Isaac (Gen. 25:19). And Jacob begot Joseph, who resembled him, as is said: These are the generation of Jacob: Joseph (ibid. 37:2). Reuben, Simeon, et al., are not mentioned here but only Joseph. It says also: Because he was the son of his old age (ibid., v. 3). Hence, He draweth not His eyes from the righteous.

Another explanation of He draweth not His eyes from the righteous. At the time that Moses came and told the Israelites: Take ye from among ye an offering unto the Lord (Exod. 35:5), they rejoiced exceedingly and brought their free-will offering with joy and eagerness. Notice that it is written: And they came both men and women (ibid., v. 22); that is to say, in their eagerness they pressed against each other. The men and women came as a huge throng when they brought their gifts, as it is said: All the women that were wise-hearted (ibid., v. 25).

They brought all that was required in two mornings. Hence it is written: For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work (ibid. 36:7). And He said to Moses: Tell the multitude to bring their gifts. This tells you that the Israelites were extremely eager to participate in the work of the Tabernacle. After two days the wise-hearted men, who desired to bring their gifts, were not permitted to do so, since He had already said: Let neither man nor woman make any more work (ibid., v. 6). The leaders were deeply distressed by not having been privileged to bring anything to the work of the Sanctuary. They said: “Since we did not merit to participate in the offerings for the Tabernacle, let us give the garments for the priesthood.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since My sons were so painstaking and conscientious concerning the Tabernacle, let their praise be inscribed in the Torah with reference to the Tabernacle. Therefore it is written: For the stuff they had was sufficient for the work (ibid., v. 7).

Because the leaders were slow to bring their gifts, a letter is omitted from their names. Thus in Scripture the word for leader lacks one yod. Later, however, they helped in the work of the Tabernacle, joining Bezalel and Oholiab in their labors and the wise men in their work, as is said: And every wise-hearted man that wrought (Exod. 36:8). And the women spun the purple curtains, as is said: And all the women whose hearts stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats’ hair (ibid. 35:26).

When at last they completed the work of the Tabernacle, they sat waiting for the Shekhinah to descend and hover over it. However, they were distressed because the Shekhinah failed to hover over it. What did they do then? They went to the wise-hearted men and said to them: “Why do you sit by idly? Erect the Tabernacle and the Shekhinah will come to rest among us.” They tried to erect the Tabernacle, but did not know how. They were unable to make it stand. Whenever they thought they had assembled it, it would fall apart. They went to Bezalel and Oholiab and said: “Come, erect the Tabernacle that you have constructed, perhaps you will be worthy to erect it.” They too tried to assemble it but were unable to do so. They began muttering and complaining, saying: “See what the Son of Amram did to us when he took our possessions for this Tabernacle, and made us assume this burden while promising us that the Holy One, blessed be He, would descend from the heavenly sphere and would dwell within the curtain of goats’ hair, as is said: That I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8).”

Why were they unable to erect it? Because of the fact that Moses was distressed at not having participated in the construction of the Tabernacle. Why did that happen? The offerings were given by the Israelites, and the work was performed by Bezalel, Oholiab, and the wise-hearted. Because Moses was distressed, the Holy One, blessed be He, concealed the way to erect it from them, and that is why they were unable to do so. After they had tried in every way to do so and still were unable to set it up, all the Israelites approached Moses saying: “Moses, our master, everything you told us we have done, and everything you asked us to bring and to give, we have given: Behold, all the work of the Tabernacle (Exod. 39:32). Perhaps we have overlooked something, or perhaps something else should be added to what you told us. See, everything is here,” and they showed it all to him, as it is said: And they brought the Tabernacle unto Moses (ibid., v. 33) and Moses saw all the work (ibid., v. 43).

They said to him: “Did you not tell us to do such-and-such?” He replied: “Yes, indeed.” And so they pointed to everything that had been done. They said: “If that is so, why does it not stand? We tried to have Bezalel, Oholiab, and the wise-hearted erect it, but they were unable to do so.” Moses was troubled by all this until the Holy One, blessed be He, told him: Moses, because you were unhappy over the fact that you did not share in the work of the building of the Tabernacle, these wise men are not able to erect it. Now Israel will know that if you do not erect it, it will never be set up. Have I not written previously that it would be done by you, as it is said: And Moses reared up the Tabernacle (Exod. 40:18)? And it says also: And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying: And the first day of the first month (Nisan) shalt thou rear up the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting (ibid., v. 2). Moses replied: Master of the Universe, I do not know how to erect it either. He said to him: Apply yourself to it and it will stand up of itself, for I have written concerning you that you will raise it, as is said: And it came to pass in the first month in the second year on the first day of the month, that the Tabernacle was reared up (ibid., v. 17). Who finally set it up? Moses, as it is said: And Moses reared up the Tabernacle.

R. Hiyya the son of Joseph stated: Throughout the seven days of dedication, Moses took it apart and assembled it twice each day, as is indicated in those verses by the words reared up and it was reared. R. Hanina held that he did so three time each day, since it is said: Reared up, thou shalt rear up, and it was reared. How do we know that they showed him everything? Because it is said: And they brought the Tabernacle unto Moses (Exod. 39:32). Hence, He draweth not His eyes from the righteous (Job 36:7). And Scripture adds: And Moses saw all the work (Exod. 39:43). It does not say “all the work of the Tabernacle” but rather all the work, for the words all the work of the Tabernacle would be equal to the work of creation itself, as is stated above.

He blessed them forthwith, as is said: And Moses blessed them (ibid.). What blessing did he confer upon them? Our sages said: O Lord, God of our fathers, etc. (Deut. 1:11). R. Meir held that he said: “May it be His will that the Shekhinah will rest within the labors of your hands,” and (that) they replied: And let the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us (Ps. 90:17). Why is it stated so many times: According to all the Lord commanded Moses (Exod. 39:1)? Because the Israelites criticized Moses at the time they strove to erect the Tabernacle but could not do so. They said: “Perhaps the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses some simple thing to do to erect the Tabernacle, and (thus) Moses alone is responsible for all this difficulty.” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since you have criticized him, I will attach My name to whatever I command him. Thus it is written: According to all the Lord commanded Moses.

The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: If a man criticizes him, he will in fact be criticizing Me, since I told him to do all this: Make Me a Sanctuary (Exod. 25:8).

When did he tell Moses to make the Sanctuary? It was on the Day of Atonement, the tenth day of Tishri. It happened then because he ascended the mountain three times and spent one hundred and twenty days there; that is, from the sixth day of Sivan to the Day of Atonement, the tenth day of Tishri. That is the day of which it is said: And the Lord repented of the evil which he said He would do unto His people (Exod. 32:14) because of the episode of the golden calf. It was the day He said to him: I have pardoned according to thy words (Num. 14:20); it was the day He said: Let them make Me a Sanctuary; it was the day he asked: And pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Thine inheritance (Exod. 34:5); on this day may You grant pardon to future generations; it was the day the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: For on this day shall atonement be made for you (Lev. 16:30). Hence they constructed the Tabernacle with joy and gladness.

How many months were required to complete the work of the Tabernacle? R. Samuel the son of Nahman held that the work of the Tabernacle was completed in three months, Tishri, Marheshvan, and Kislev, and it remained unassembled through Tevet, Shevat, and Adar. It finally was erected on the first day of Nisan, as it is said: On the first day of the first month shalt thou rear up the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting (Exod. 40:2). R. Hanina held: The work on the Tabernacle was completed by the first day of Adar. Why? Because the work that can be accomplished on one day in the summer is equal to two days work in the winter.

If what R. Samuel the son of Nahman said is correct, and the Tabernacle was completed in three months, then why was it not erected immediately? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to combine the festivities of the erection of the Tabernacle with the celebration of the birthday of our patriarch Isaac. Isaac was born on the first day of Nisan. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Himself: I will combine the celebrations. The scoffers in that generation grumbled and complained, saying: “The work of the Tabernacle has already been completed and it still has not been set up.” They were not aware of the plan and the intention of the Holy One, blessed be He. Because of this King David declared: For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through Thy work; I will exult in the works of Thy hands (Ps. 92:5).

For Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work alludes to the Tent of Meeting. I will exult in the works of Thy hands refers to the building of the Temple, may it be rebuilt speedily in our time. How great are thy works, O Lord: Thy thoughts are very deep (ibid., v. 6) relates to the fact that You decided to combine the celebration of the erection of the Tabernacle with the celebration of the birthday of our patriarch Isaac. That day he received ten crowns, as discussed in Seder Olam. Therefore it says: A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a food understand this (ibid., v. 7). A brutish man knoweth not alludes to the scoffers and fools of that generation, who did not know the thoughts of the Holy One, blessed be He. Neither doth a fool understand refers to those who do not realize that none of them would be able to rear it, neither Bezalel nor Oholiab nor the wise men who had performed the work. Only Moses would come and do his part, since he was troubled by the fact that he had not participated at all in the work done on the Tabernacle. Therefore Moses reared the Tabernacle, and neither Bezalel nor Oholiab nor the wise could do it. And it is written: And it came to pass on that day that Moses made an end of setting up the Tabernacle (Num. 7:1). When the Tabernacle was set up, the Shekhinah descended into it immediately, as it is said: And Moses was not able to enter into the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle (Exod. 40:35). It is written elsewhere: For the cloud of the Lord was upon the Tabernacle by day (ibid., v. 38) to fulfill what is written: Surely His salvation is nigh them that fear Him; that glory may dwell in our land (Ps. 85:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world My Shekhinah will dwell among you and within your sight, as it is said: And the appearance of the glory of the Lord (Exod. 24:1), but in the future the Shekhinah will never depart from you, as it is said: In that day I will dwell therein among the children of Israel and will not forsake My people Israel (I Kings 6:13). Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen. Selah.

(Lev. 8:3:) “And assemble the whole congregation.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Pay him honor in front of all Israel, in order that they may see him today when he enters the high priesthood. [In addition,] you are to warn them not to rebel against the priesthood like Korah and his crowd (in Numb. 16:1-35). For I know that Uzziah is going to arise and rebel against the priesthood (in II Chron. 26:16-21).”

Thus it is stated (in Numb. 17:5), “It was to be a reminder to the Children of Israel that no outsider [who was not of Aaron's seed] should draw near [to offer incense before the Lord].” He (i.e., Uzziah) was not of Levi's seed, as Korah was [of Levi's seed], and not of Aaron’s seed. Immediately (in II Chron. 26:19), “Uzziah, holding the censer and ready to burn incense, got angry; but as he got angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead.” [So Moshe] said to [God], “According to the judgement that You did to Korah You would do to him?”

He said to him, “No, (Numb. 17:5, cont.), ‘let him not be like Korah and his crowd.’” He said to Him, “And how do You act toward him?” He said to him (ibid., cont.), “as the Lord spoke to him through Moses.” [So] he said to Him, “And what is that?” He (the Holy One, blessed be He,) said to him (Moses), “Just as I did to your hand (in Exod. 4:6), ‘and when he withdrew it, behold it was leprous, (as white) as snow’; so will I do to him.” Therefore (in Lev. 8:3), “And assemble the whole congregation”.

And to the elders of Israel: Rabbi Akiva said, "Israel is compared to a bird - just like a bird cannot fly without wings, so [too,] Israel cannot do anything without elders. Rabbi Yose bar Chalafta said, "Great is old age - as if they are elders, they are beloved; and if they are youths, the Holy One, blessed be He, makes old age spring upon them [early]." Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said, "Not [only] in one place, nor in two or three places do we find that the Omnipresent dispenses honor to the elders: In Egypt, as it is stated (Exodus 3:18), 'And they will listen to your voice and you will come, you and the elders of Israel'; at the [burning] bush, 'Go and collect the elders of Israel' (Exodus 3:16); at Sinai, 'you and Aharon, Nadav and Avihu and seventy of the elders of Isreal' (Exodus 24:10); at the tent of meeting, 'to Aharon and to his sons and to the elders of Israel.

So [too,] in the future to come, the Holy One, blessed be He, dispenses honor to the elders, as it is stated (Isaiah 24:23), 'And the moon will be embarrassed and the sun ashamed, since the King, the Lord of hosts [will be] on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and across from His elders will be honor.'" The Sages, may their memory be blessed, said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, will in the future make an assembly of His elders.

And that is what the verse states, 'since the King, the Lord of hosts [will be] on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and across from His elders will be honor.'" And the Holy One, blessed be He, honors the righteous ones and the pious ones, but any time that a mistake comes from them, He chastises them. See that which is written about the sons of Aharon, as they were assistant priests and erred with wine, as so did they, may their memory be blessed, say - that they were inebriated with wine; and hence the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded after their death, to warn about wine, as it is stated, "Wine and strong drink shall you not drink, you and your sons with you."

The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Be careful with wine. See that which Noach did, as he began to err with it, as it is stated (Genesis 9:20), 'And Noah, the man of the earth, began to plant a vineyard,' and it is written (Genesis 9:21), 'And he drank from the wine and he became drunk and he revealed himself.' What caused him to become disgraced? The wine.

And it caused him to bring a curse upon his seed, as it is stated (Genesis 9:25), 'And he said, "Cursed is Canaan."' And hence, be warned about wine, since wine brings a person to all the sins in the world - to licentiousness, to the spilling of blood, to theft and to all the [other] sins in the world." And does it not gladden the heart of man; and the verse praise it like one reading in the Torah?

As it is stated, (Psalms 104:15), "And wine gladdens the heart of a man," and it states (Pslams 19:9), "The precepts of the Lord, gladdening the heart." And further, He bequeaths the Garden of Eden to those occupied with Torah and its precepts, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 30:20), "as it is your life and the length of your days"; and a drunk - when the wine is still with him - sits happily, as if he was sitting in the Garden of Eden. [The resolution is] like [the story of] that student who was a pious man, and he had a father that drank heavily.

And each time he would fall in the marketplace [from drinking], people would come and hit him with stones and pebbles. And they would yell and call out behind him, "Look at the drunkard." And when his son the pious man saw, he was embarrassed and wished for his soul to die. And every day, he would say to [his father,] "I will order [it] and they will bring you from every wine that they sell in the province to your house, and [just] don't go to drink in the tavern, such that you make a disgrace of yourself and of me."

And he [would] say this to him once or twice every day, until his father said that he would do this, as he said, not to go to drink in the tavern. And so did the pious man do, that he would make food and drink for him every day and every night and put him to sleep in his bed, and then leave. One time, rain was falling and that pious man went out to the marketplace and was walking to the synagogue for prayer.

And he saw a drunkard laying in the marketplace and a puddle of water was falling on him. And the young men and the youths were hitting him with stones and pebbles and throwing clay in his face and into his mouth. When this pious man saw, he said in his heart, "I will go to father and bring him to here, and I will show him this drunkard and the disgrace that the young men and youths make out of him; maybe he will prevent his mouth from drinking in the tavern and from getting drunk."

And so did he do, he brought him to there and showed [the drunkard] to him. What did his old father do? He walked over to the drunkard and asked him in which [tavern] he drank that wine from which he became drunk. His pious son said to him, "Father, for this did I call you?

Rather to see the disgrace they make out of him, as so do they do to you at the time that you drink - maybe you will prevent your mouth from drinking in the tavern?" He said to him, "My son, I have no enjoyment and Garden of Eden in my life besides this." When the pious man heard, he left with a bitter spirit. But the precepts and the Torah are not [just like] the joy of wine - since when the wine leaves his body, sorrow comes into his heart, 'this one leaves and that one comes'; but the Torah and the commandments are a delight and joy in this world and in the world to come, as it is stated, "as it is your life and the length of your days" - in this world and in the world to come, which is completely long.

And you will find further with the sacrifices that it states about the lambs, "two one-year old unblemished lambs" (Numbers 28:9); about the bread, two issaron; but about the wine, [only] a quarter of a hin. So little would they offer [of the wine] to make known proper action (derekh erets). As much wine brings a person to sin, to great grief and to loss of the purse, as it is stated (Proverbs 23:31), "Do not ogle that red wine, as it lends its color to the cup, as it flows on smoothly" - in his home, such that there not be with what to cook, since he sells and gives everything for the sake of wine.

Another [understanding]: Do not read it [as] "to the cup (kos)," but rather "to the purse (kis)," as he puts an evil eye into his purse. And so do you find with the Children of Ephraim, as it states (Hosea 7:11), "But Ephraim was like a silly dove, with no heart." Why? Because they drink much wine; and it states (Isaiah 28:1), "Woe, the crown of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim."

And we have also found with a man and a woman that the verse states to take out their son to pelt him with stones, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 21:18), "And if a man has a son that is wild and rebellious," and it states (Deuteronomy 21:19), "And his father and his mother shall grab him." And why all of this? Because he went out to bad culture, such that he will spend his money, steal and do sins, and become liable for the death penalty.

And before he becomes liable for death, "And his father and his mother shall grab him, etc. And all of the people of his city shall pelt him, etc." (Deuteronomy 21:19-21). And know [from this], that there is great evil in drinking much wine. And how much meat does he eat more than another man, for which he is liable for death? One litra.

And another verse states, "Do not be of those who guzzle wine, or glut themselves on meat to them" (Proverbs 23:20). What is [the meaning of] "to them?" Meaning to say, to them do they do the evil - as they spend [all] their money and come to disgrace; and in the end, they become liable for death in this world and in the world to come.

(Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh.” Why do the plagues come? Because of harlotry. And so you find in Jerusalem, that because they were absorbed in harlotry, they were afflicted with leprosy. What is written there (in Is. 3:16)?

“Moreover, the Lord said, ‘Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with extended neck [and roving eyes] ….’” What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do to them? He struck them with leprosy, as stated (in vs. 17), “And the Lord will smite with sores (sph) the scalps of the daughters of Zion.” Smite with sores (sph) must mean "with leprosy," since it is stated (with reference to leprosy in Lev. 13:2), “a swelling or a sore (rt.: sph) […].”

Hence it says (Lev. 13: 2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh a swelling or a sore (rt.: sph) […. (Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh a swelling or a sore or a bright spot, and it becomes… the plague of leprosy.”] The verse is speaking about [the four] empires. The swelling (s't) represents Babylon, since it is stated (in Is. 14:4), “And you shall take up (ns't) this song of scorn against the king of Babylon….”

The sore (rt.: sph) represents Media, because Haman conspired (rt.: sph) with Ahasuerus (Esth. 3:18), “to devastate, kill, and destroy.” The bright spot represents the Greek empire, because it “lorded” it (rt.: bhr) over Israel and said, “Whoever has an ox, let him write on the horns of the ox that he has no share in the God of Israel.” And if [they did] not [do so], they would sentence them to death.

The plague of leprosy represents the empire of Edom (i.e., of Rome), because the Holy One, blessed be He, afflicted it and its guarding angel with leprosy, as stated (in Jer. 46:15), “Why has abbireka been washed away? Because the Lord has pushed him away.” In the world to come the Holy One, blessed be He, shall sit in judgment over the empire of Edom.

He will say to them, “Why did you oppress My children?” They will say, “Was it not You that delivered them into our hands?” Then the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to them, “Because (to paraphrase Is. 47:6) I delivered them into your hands, did you [see fit to] not show them mercy?” [Instead (according to Is. 47:6, cont.),] “upon the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy.” This [aged one] is Rabbi Aqiva, whom the empire oppressed, [the empire] which has no end. Another interpretation (of Is. 47:6, cont.), “upon the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy”: Because they made their yoke as heavy on the aged as upon the youth.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Babylon, “By your life, I am sitting over you in judgment to judge you and convict you.” Thus it is stated (in Is. 47:1), “Come down and sit upon the dust, O maiden daughter of Babylon; sit on the earth, not a throne.” Since she formerly sat upon a throne, now [she is told,] “Sit on the earth, not a throne; (Is. 47:1, cont.) for you shall no more be called [tender and delicate].”

What shall I do to you? I will exact retribution from your guarding angel first and smite him with leprosy. Then after that, I will exact retribution from you. You should not say, “On this empire [only]”; but even upon Gog, since he vaunts himself upward in the world.

I will smite him with leprosy, as stated (in Zech. 14:12) “And this shall be the plague [with which the Lord will smite all the peoples who have warred against Jerusalem]: their flesh shall rot away while they stand on their feet.” For what reason? Because they engaged in battle with Israel. And so is it stated (Zech 14:12), “and this shall be the plague,” because they came against Israel.

And do not be surprised, as behold the Lord exacts heavy retribution in leprosy from those who hate them even in this world. And who was [such a one]? This was Naaman, of whom it is stated (in II Kings 5:1), “Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram…; but the man, though a valiant warrior, was a leper.” For what reason was he a leper?

Because he had taken a little girl captive from the Land of Israel. In this world He struck the idolaters with leprosy. And also in the world to come the Holy One, blessed be He, will afflict them with leprosy, as stated (in Zech. 14:12), “And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will smite ….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Because you have called my children unclean, I am making you unclean with a great uncleanness through leprosy.”

Where is it shown that they called Israel unclean? Where it is stated (in Lam. 4:15) “Away, unclean, they cried at them….” [So] you will be leprous and impure, but Israel, I will sanctify, purify, and redeem them from among you, as stated (in Is. 62:12), “And they shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called, sought out, a city not forsaken.” So also King Solomon has said (in Cant. 4:7), “You are beautiful all over, my beloved, and there is no blemish in you.”

(Lev. 17:3:) “If any single person from the House of Israel slaughters.” R. Aqiva says, “When Israel was in the desert, they would slaughter cattle by stabbing and eat them; but here the Torah has forbidden it and says to them (ibid.), ‘If any single person from the House of Israel….’ Then it told them, ‘You are forbidden to slaughter apart from the tent of meeting (cf. vs. 4).’”

R. Ishmael says, “When Moses said this to them, they were craving to eat meat. At that time, they were cautioned away from slaughtering, i.e., not to slaughter apart from the tent of meeting.” And why so? It is simply that up to then they had been lusting after idols.

Where is it shown that they were slaughtering to idols? Where it is stated (in Lev. 17:7), “And they shall no longer offer sacrifices [to the goat demons after whom they went whoring]….” When they wished to enter the Land of Israel, they came to Moses. They said to him, “O our master, if we wish to eat flesh, how shall we do so?”

He said to them, “In the past, when you were in the desert, you were forbidden to slaughter apart from the tent of meeting; but when you enter the land, you are permitted to slaughter in any place,” as stated (in Deut. 12:20), “When the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as He promised you, [and you say, ‘Let me eat meat, because your soul longs to eat flesh,’ you may eat flesh to your soul's desire].”

He said to them, “When I shall have permitted you to slaughter, you may [nonetheless] not take from your flock and slaughter.” Solomon said (in Prov. 27:27), “And there will be enough goat's milk for your food, for the food of your household.” Moses was teaching Israel by saying to them, “If you have sheep, that which you shear is for your clothing,” as stated (in Prov. 27:26), “The sheep will be for your clothes, and the he-goats the reward of a field.”

What is the meaning of “and the he-goats the reward of a field?” That whatever you gain as reward from the he-goats that procreate the herd, you are to buy fields with it (i.e., the offspring). (Prov. 27:27:) “And there will be enough goat's milk,” [meaning] you will have enough goat's milk “for your food, for the food of your household.”

R. Aqiva said, “See how the Holy One, blessed be He, cares for the assets of Israel. See what is written (in Deut. 12:21), ‘then you may slaughter from your cattle or flock,’ from what they bear. You shall only take and sacrifice from what they give birth to.” Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Deut. 15:19), “[You shall consecrate to the Lord] all the male firstlings which are born in your herd and in your flock.”

You are permitted to sacrifice from what they give birth to. R. Eleazar ben Azariah said, “The Torah has taught you a rule of conduct: If someone from Israel should have ten pounds of silver, let him eat green vegetables in the pot; if he has twenty, let him eat them in a casserole; if he has thirty, let him eat a pound of meat from Sabbath to Sabbath; and if he has fifty, let him eat meat on each [and every] day.”

Now why all this? In order to care for the assets of Israel. R. Eleazar ben Shammua' said, “And when he buys from Sabbath to Sabbath, he should not buy until he consults within his household.” Where is it shown?

Because it is so written (in Deut. 12:20), “and you say, ‘Let me eat meat,’” For this reason Moses warned them and gave them a hint (in vs. 21), so that they would not do too much slaughtering.

Another interpretation (of Lev. 19:23), “When you come into the land.” This text is related (to Ps. 105:44-45), “He gave them the lands of nations […]. In order that they might keep His statutes […]”: “He gave them the lands of nations.” Whatever the Holy One, blessed be He, took from the peoples of the world He gave to Israel; lands of silver and gold, fields, vineyards, and cities.

But He gave these to them only so that they would occupy themselves with the Torah, as stated (in vs. 45), “In order that they might keep His statutes […].” But they did not do so. Instead (according to Ezek. 36:17), “and they defiled it (i.e., the land) by their way and by their deeds.” They defiled them (according to Josh. 7) in the anathema of Achan, as stated (in Jer. 2:7), “but you came and defiled My land,” by the anathema of Achan; (ibid. cont.), “and you made My heritage an abomination,” by the image of Micah (in Jud. 17-18).

So what did the Holy One, blessed be He, do to them? He exiled them from it, as stated (in Deut. 29:27), “So the Lord uprooted them from their land.” What is the meaning of “And […] uprooted (rt.: ntsh) them?” He weakened (rt.: tshsh) their strength.

They planted and toiled, but the peoples of the world came and took. It is so stated (in Jud. 6:3-4), “And so it happened that, if Israel planted, Midian, Amalek, and the Children of Kedem would arise against it. And they would encamp against them [and destroy the produce of the earth].” When they repent, (according to Is. 65:22), “They shall not build for another to dwell in; they shall not plant for another to eat.”

Why? Because when they plant no one uproots, as stated (in Amos 9:15), “they shall never again be uprooted (rt.: ntsh) from their land.”

(Lev. 22:27:) “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” This text is related (to Is. 41:24), “Behold (hen), you are nothing (me'ayin), and your work is naught (me’afa’); an abomination shall He choose among you.” “Behold, you are nothing,” full of nothing, from a putrid liquid. “Naught (me’afa’)”; from the hundred screams (meah puot), that a woman screams when she sits on the birthing chair, ninety-nine are for death and [only] one is for life.

“An abomination shall He choose among you.” What is the meaning of, “an abomination shall He choose among you?” [It is] speaking about this baby; even though it comes out from its mothers womb dirty, defiled and full of mucous, everyone kisses it and everyone hugs it, and especially if it is a male. Another interpretation: That (hen) is Greek. Hen [in Greek] means "one."

You (Israel) are the one for Me, from (min) the nations of the world, who are called "nothing ('ayin)," as stated (in Is. 40:17), “All the nations are as nothing ('ayin) before Him.” (Is. 41:24, cont.:) “And your work is naught.”

R. Levi said, “All the good works and consolations which the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to bring about with Israel are only as reward for a single shout which they shouted on Sinai, when they said (according to Exod. 24:7), ‘All that the Lord has spoken we will carry out and obey.’” (Is. 41:24, cont.:) “An abomination shall He choose among you.” That is the abomination which you made as a molten calf.

Of that very abomination, bring Me sacrifice, and I will choose you. And what is it? (As in Lev. 22:27), “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” [This text is related (to Hos. 7:3),] “They make a king glad with their evil.” What did He see in the bull for making it first among the sacrifices? R. Levi said, “[The situation] is similar to a matron concerning whom there went forth an evil report in connection with one of the notables in the kingdom.

The king looked into the rumors and found no substance in them. What did the king do? He made a great banquet and sat him at the head of those reclining in order to show that the king had looked into the rumors and found no substance in them. [Similarly,] because the nations of the world were saying to Israel, “You made the calf,” the Holy One, blessed be He, examined the rumors and found no substance in them.

Therefore the bull was made first among the sacrifices. How is this shown? From that which they read about the matter (in Lev. 22:27), “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” R. Huna and R. Idi [said] in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman, “Israel was saved from that act.

Because if they had made the calf, it would have been [natural] for them to say (in Exod. 32:8), ‘These are our Gods, O Israel.’ However, it was the proselytes who came up with them from Egypt that made it, and they directed Israel [by saying] (in Exod. 32:8), ‘These are your Gods, O Israel.’” R. Judah bar Simon said, “It is written (in Isaiah 1:3), ‘An ox knows its owner, and an ass..., Israel does not know [...].’

And did they not know? It is simply that they trampled [the notion] with their heel.” And similar to it is (Hos. 2:10) “And she did not know that it was I who bestowed on her the grain....” And did she not know? It is simply that she trampled it with her heel.

(Numb. 2:2:) “Each with his standard, under the banners [for their fathers' houses….]” This text is related (to Cant. 6:10), “Who is this woman that shines through like the dawn, as beautiful as the moon.” Holy and grand was Israel by her standards! So all the nations were looking at them, as they said in astonishment (ibid), “Who is this woman that shines through?”

The nations said to them (in Cant. 7:1), “Return, return, O Shulammite (i.e., O Israel). Cling to us and come to us; then we will make you sultans, generals, and commanders,” [as stated] (in ibid., cont.), “Return, return that we may look upon you.”

Now “we may look (rt.: hzh)” can only [refer to giving] authority, for so Jethro said to Moses (in Exod. 18:21), “You shall also seek out (rt.: hzh) [able men].” Then Israel said to them (in Cant. 7:1, cont.), “What will you see (rt.: hzh) in the Shulammite?” And what grandeur are you giving to us? [It is] perhaps (ibid., cont.) “like a dance of the camps?” Can you possibly give us anything like the grandeur which the Lord our God gave us in the desert? [There he gave us] the standard of the camp of Judah, the standard of the camp of Reuben, the standard of the camp of Ephraim, the standard of the camp of Dan. Are you able to do so for us? (Cant. 7:1), “What will you see (rt.: hzh) in the Shulammite?

It is perhaps (ibid., cont.) “like a dance (meholat) of the camps”; [in] that when we sin, He pardons (mohel) us and says to us (in Deut. 23:15 [14]), “and your camp shall be holy?” So also Balaam the wicked beheld them and his eyes popped out as he faced them, because he could not touch them; as stated (in Numb. 24:2), “Then Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe.” He began to say, “Who can touch these people, when each and every one dwells by his standard.”

(Numb. 7:1), “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.” Let our master instruct us: How many things preceded the act of creation? Thus have our masters taught: Seven things preceded the world. These are the following: The throne of glory, the Torah, the Temple, the ancestors of the world, Israel, the name of messiah, and repentance.

And some say also the Garden of Eden and gehinnom. In the case of the throne of God, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 93:2), “Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting,” [meaning] from before the world was created. And in the case of the Torah, where is it shown?

Where it is stated (in Prov. 8:22), “The Lord acquired me (i.e., wisdom) as the beginning of His way the first of His works of old.” In the case of the Temple, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Jer. 17:12), “O glorious throne, on high from the beginning, the place of our sanctuary.” In the case of the ancestors (forefathers), where is it shown?

Where it is stated (in Hos. 9:10), “I saw your ancestors like the first fruit on a fig tree in its first season.” In the case of Israel, where is it shown? “Where it is stated of them] (in Ps. 74:2), “Remember Your congregation which You acquired of old […].” In the case of the name of the messiah, where is it shown?

Where it is stated (in Ps. 72:17), “Before the sun, his name is Yinon (a name of the messiah).” In the case of repentance, where is it shown?

Where it is stated (in Ps. 90:2-3), “Before the mountains were brought forth […]. You return humanity to contrition and say, ‘Repent you mortals.’” In the case of the Garden of Eden [that] some say, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 2:8), “And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, from of old.” In the case of gehinnom, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Is. 30:33), “For Topheth has been prepared from of old.” Come and see. When the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to tell Israel to make a Tabernacle for Him, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Moses, Behold, My sanctuary is [already] built above.”

It is so stated (in Jer. 17:12), “O glorious throne, on high from the beginning.” And a chamber is there, as stated (in Hab. 2:20), “But the Lord is in His holy chamber […].” So also has Isaiah said (in Is. 6:1), “[I saw the Lord] seated upon a throne, high and lifted up […].” Out of love for you I left my Temple on high, which had been prepared before the world was created, to come down and dwell among you.

It is so stated (in Exod. 25:8), “[And make me a sanctuary] that I may dwell among them.” R. Judah bar Simon said in the name of R. Johanan, “This is one of the three commands which Moses heard from the mouth of the Almighty and which took him aback: When He said to him (in Exod. 30:12), ‘each shall give a ransom for his life.’ Moses said, ‘Who can give a ransom for his life?

It is written (in Job 2:4), “Skin for skin; all that one has [he will give for his life],” and still it is not enough. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 49:8), “Surely no one will redeem a brother nor give a ransom for him to God.”’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘I am not asking [a ransom] in accordance with My means but in accordance with their means.’ [Hence,] (Exod. 30:13) ‘This shall they give.’”

R. Meir said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, took something like a kind of coin of fire from under the throne of glory and showed it to Moses and He said to Him, ‘This shall they give.’” Again, when He said (in Numb. 28:2), “My offering, My bread for My fire offering,” Moses said, “Who can supply enough offerings for You. If we sacrificed all the beasts of the forest and all the trees of Lebanon, they would not be enough, as stated (in Is. 40:16), ‘For Lebanon is not fuel enough, nor its beasts enough for sacrifice.’”

He said to him, “I am not asking [offerings] in accordance with My means but in accordance with their means.” Thus it is stated (in Numb. 28:3), “Now you shall say to them, ‘This is the burnt offering [which you shall offer to the Lord: two yearling lambs without blemish…].’” And not both of them at once, but (according to vs. 4), “The one lamb you shall offer in the morning and the second lamb you shall offer at twilight.”

And when He said to him (in Exod. 25:8), “And make me a sanctuary [that I may dwell among them],” Moses said [to the Holy One, blessed be He,] (in I Kings 8:27), “Even the heavens and the heavens above the heavens cannot contain you!” It also says (in Jer.. 23:24), “’Do I not fill the heavens and the earth,’ says the Lord.”

And it says (in Is. 66:1), “The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool.” So can we make Him a sanctuary? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I am not asking [a sanctuary] [in accordance with My means] but in accordance with their means.” Thus it is stated (in Exod. 26:1), “Now as for the Tabernacle, you shall make it with ten curtains.”’

When Israel heard this, they arose and donated gladly. So they made the Tabernacle. Moreover, when they had made the Tabernacle, it was filled with His glory, as stated (in Exod. 40:35), “Now Moses could not enter the tent of meeting, [because … the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle].” The princes said, “Now is the time for us to offer sacrifices with joy, because the Divine Presence is dwelling among us.”

Where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Numb. 7:1), “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.”

Rabba expounded that which is written (in Hab. 3:11), “Sun and moon remain on high (zevul)”: [This] teaches that the sun and moon ascended to Zebul and said to Him, “Master of the world, if you act justly toward the son of Amram, we shall go forth; but if not, we shall not go forth.” [So they refused to shine,] until He hurled darts at them, as stated (in Hab. 3:11, cont.), “they go for the light of your darts.”

He said to them, “For My honor you did not protest, but for flesh and blood you did protest.” And at the present time until they are hit, they do not come out. Rabba expounded what is written (in Numb. 16:30), “But if the Lord creates something new, [and the earth opens its mouth]”: To what [does the verse refer]?

If we say to an actual creation of something, then is it not written (in Eccl. 1:9), “For there is nothing new under the sun.” Rather [it refers] to bringing the opening (into gehinnom) up close (to the surface of the earth where Korah was standing). (Numb. 26:11:) “The sons of Korah, however, did not die.” It was taught in the name of our master, “A place was set aside for them in gehinnom where they sat [and uttered hymnody].” Rabbah bar bar Hanah said, “One time it happened that we were travelling on the road, when a certain Arab merchant said to me, ‘Come, I will show you chasms of Korah.’ I went and saw two fissures out of which was coming smoke. He took a ball of clipped wool, steeped it in water, placed it on a spearhead, [and raised it] over them. Then he said to me, ‘Listen, what do you hear?’ I heard them saying, ‘Moses and his Torah represent truth, but they (i.e., Korah and his community) are liars.’”

But in the future to come the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to take them out [of gehinnom]. Moreover, it is with reference to them that Hannah said (in I Sam. 2:6), “The Lord brings death and gives life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up.”

"Those are the Waters of Merivah [...]" (Numbers 20:13). From here you learn that it was set from before that Moshe would be punished at [these] Waters. See what is written, "And they returned and they came to En-mishpat (literally, the Spring of Judgment), which is Kadesh" (Genesis 14:7). That is the spring of Moshe's judgement, which is Kadesh.

"Those are the Waters of Merivah and He was sanctified through them" (Numbers 20:13). And it is called Kadesh, on account of that which is stated (Numbers 20:12), "to sanctify Me in the eyes of the Children of Israel. "Those are the Waters of Merivah." There is a parable: To what is this comparable?

To the son of a king that took a stone and blinded his [own] eye. Upon each and every stone, his father would say, "This is the stone that blinded my son's eye." Hence it is stated, "Those are the waters upon which the Children of Israel contended."

(Numb. 22:39:) “Then Balaam went unto Balak, and they came unto Kiriath-Huzoth (literally: city of markets),” where he had made market places for buying and selling. He had [also] made a bazaar. [His purpose was] to show him crowds and say, “See what those [people] are coming to kill, people and infants who have done them no wrong.” (Numb. 22:40:) “Then Balak sacrificed an ox and a sheep.” The righteous say little and do much. It is written of Abraham (in Gen. 18:5), “Let me bring a piece of bread that you may refresh your souls.”

But after that (in vs. 6-7), “’Hurry up with three se'ah [of fine meal]….’ Then Abraham ran unto the herd.” But the wicked say a lot and do not even do a little. Balak said (in Numb. 22:17), “For I will surely honor you greatly….”

When [Balaam] came, he only sent him an ox and a sheep. Balaam began gnashing his teeth at him, for he was greedy. He said [to himself], “Is this what he sent me? Tomorrow I will deliver a curse through his [own] property,” as stated (in Numb. 23:1), “Then Balaam said [unto Balak], ‘Build [seven altars] for me here, [and make ready for me here seven bulls and seven rams]….’” (Numb. 22:41:) “So it came to pass in the morning that Balak took Balaam and brought him up to the high places of Baal, [and from there he saw the edge of the people].”

Balak was a more of a master of divinations and auguries than Balaam, for Balaam was being dragged along after him like a blind man. What did the two of them resemble? Someone who had a knife in his hand but did not know [where to find] the [animal] joints, while his companion knew the joints but did not have a knife in his hand.

Balak saw the places in which Israel would fall and (ibid.) “brought him up into the high places of Baal.” This was Baal Peor, where he saw that Israel would fall. (Numb. 23:1:) “Then Balaam said unto Balak, ‘Build seven altars for me here.’” Why seven altars? [They] corresponded to seven righteous ones from Adam to Moses, who built seven altars and had been accepted: Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses.

Then [Balaam] said, “Why did you accept these? Was it not because of the service (the sacrifices) which they performed before you that you accepted them? Is it not [more] suitable for you to be served by seventy nations and not by [merely] one nation?” As it were, the holy spirit [answered him] (in Prov. 17:1), “Better a dry morsel with tranquility than a house full of quarrelsome feasting.”

Better (in the words of Lev. 7:10) “a grain offering mixed with oil or dry” than (in Prov. 17:1) “a house full of quarrelsome feasting”; for you want to introduce strife between Me and Israel. (Numb. 23:2-3:) “Then Balak did as Balaam had [spoken…]. And he said to Balak, ‘Stand beside your burnt offerings [...]’; so he went alone (rt.: shph).” [Balaam] had been at ease (rt.: shph) to curse. Thus he had been at ease until that moment, but from that moment on he was troubled.

(Numb. 27:16:) “Let the Lord, [the God of the spirits of all flesh], appoint….” This text is related (to Is. 45:11), “Regarding the things to come, would you question Me concerning My children and command the work of My hands?” A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who took a wife and had a best man (shoshevin). Every time that the king was angry with his wife, the best man would placate him and the king would be reconciled. When the best man was about to die, he began to make a request of the king.

He said to him, “Would you please pay attention to your wife [to be foregoing with her after I die].” The king said to him, “Instead of you charging me concerning my wife, charge my wife concerning me, that she be careful with my honor.” So did the Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, say to Moses, “Instead of you charging Me (in Numb. 27:16), ‘Appoint…,’ charge them concerning Me, that they be diligent with My honor.”

What is written below (in Numb. 28:2)? “Command the Children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘My offering, My bread.’” What reason did [Moses] have to request this need after the ordering of inheritance? It is simply that since he saw the daughters of Zelophehad inherit the properties of their father, Moses said, “See it is the time for me to claim my needs.

If daughters inherit, it is [also] proper for my sons to inherit my glory.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Prov. 27:18), “’He who tends a fig tree will enjoy its fruit.’ Your sons sat [with] their own [concerns] and were not involved with Torah [study]. It is [more] appropriate that Joshua, who served you, serve Israel and not lose his compensation,” as stated (in Numb. 27:18), “Take Joshua bin Nun.”

And why is the Torah compared to a fig tree? Since [the fruit of] most trees – the olive tree, the grapevine, the date palm – is gathered [all] at once, but the fig tree is gathered a little [at a time]. And so too is the Torah. Today he studies a little and tomorrow he studies much; as it is not taught in a year, nor in two. (Numb. 27:18:) “A man with the spirit of God with him.”

Since you said (in Numb. 27:16), “’The God of the spirits of all flesh,’ since You know each and every one, one should be appointed who knows how to proceed with each and every one of them according to his temperament”; [so then (in Numb 27:18, cont.),] “lay your hand upon him,” like one who lights a candle from a candle. (Numb 27:20), “Invest him with your majesty,” like one who pours from one vessel to another vessel.

Concerning that which I said to you (in Numb. 36:9), “So the inheritance will not move around from one tribe to another,” this glory will not move from the house of your father, as even Joshua who will arise in your place (according to Numb. 27:19), “shall stand in front of Elazar the priest” (nephew of Moses).

(Numb. 35:9–11:) “And the Lord spoke [unto Moses, saying], ‘Speak unto the Children of Israel, and say unto them, “When you cross the Jordan to the Land of Canaan, you shall provide yourselves with cities [to be cities of refuge, where a killer may flee who has taken a life by mistake].”’” This text is related (to Ps. 25:8), “The Lord is good and straightforward; therefore He instructs sinners in the way.” (Ibid., vs. 6:) “Be mindful of Your mercies, O Lord, and of Your steadfast love.”

David said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, were it not for Your mercies, which took precedence for the first Adam, he would not have survived. Although You said to him (in Gen. 2:17), ‘For on the day that you eat from it, you shall surely die,’ You did not act in that way. Instead You excluded him from the Garden of Eden, as stated (in Gen. 3:24), ‘So he drove out the man.’

So why was he driven out? Because he had brought death to [all future] generations. He should have died immediately; but because You were merciful to him, You [simply] drove him out. It is the same with one who kills by mistake, when he goes into exile into the cities of refuge.”

It is therefore stated (in Ps. 25:6), “Be mindful of Your mercies, O Lord, and of Your steadfast love….” When Moses arose, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to [him] (in Numb. 35:11), “You shall provide yourselves with cities [to be cities of refuge].” Moses said, “Master of the world, when someone takes a life by mistake in the south or in the north, how will he know where the cities of refuge are, that he should flee to it?”

He said to him (in Deut. 19:3), “’You yourself shall prepare (rt.: tkn) the road (derekh).’ You yourself shall make the roads [to these cities] straight (rt.: tkn), so that [anyone fleeing to them] will not go astray for the blood avenger to find him and kill him, when (according to Deut 19:6) ‘he did not incur the death penalty.’” He said to him, “How?” He said to him, “Erect road markers directing (rt.: tkn) [such a refugee] to the cities of refuge, so that he will know how to go there; and on every marker inscribe, ‘[Involuntary] killers to the cities of refuge,’ as stated (in Deut. 19:3), ‘You yourself shall prepare (rt.: tkn) the road (derekh).’”

Thus David has said (in Ps. 25:8), “The Lord is good and straightforward; therefore He instructs sinners in the way (derekh).” [Now] if for killers He has made a way and a road (derekh; rt.: drk), for them to flee and escape death), how much the more so in the case of the righteous. (Ps. 25:9:) “He leads (rt.: drk) the lowly in justice.”

That you smashed (Deuteronomy 10:2): Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yishmael [differed on the matter]. One said, "[God was saying,] 'Take this here from Me which you broke, Moshe.'" And one said, "He did well." There is a [relevant] parable: To what is the matter comparable?

To a a king who betrothed a woman. He said to her, "After some time, I will send your marriage contract through a nuptial agent. After some time the king sent [it]. While [the agent] was going, he found that she was sullied with another [man].

What did the agent do? He tore that marriage contract. He said, "It is better that [the king] judge her as a single woman, and not as a married woman." So [too,] did the Holy One, blessed be He, betroth Israel, as it is stated (Exodus 19:10), "and you shall be sanctified (a word sometimes used to denote marriage) today and tomorrow."

Moshe [then] came to give them the Torah, and found that they did that act [of the golden calf]. What did he do? He broke the talets, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 9:16-17), "I saw how you had sinned against the Lord, your God [...]. Thereupon I gripped the two tablets and flung them away with both my hands, smashing them before your eyes."

Rabbi Beracheya said in the name of Rabbi Helbo in the name of Rabbi Yishmael bar Nechemiah, "The length of the tablets was six handbreadths and their width was three. Moshe held on to two and the Holy One, blessed be He, to two and there were two handbreadths of space in the middle. And Moshe's hands became strong and he grabbed the tablets and broke them, as it is stated (Exodus 32:19), 'and he flung from his hands.'

Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "that you broke." Why did he break them? Because the writing upon them flew away. And therefore he broke them.

There is a [relevant] parable. To what is the matter comparable? To a courier who was going to bring a royal edict in his hand to a province. And he passed through a river and the [documents] fell into the water and the letters were erased.

What did that courier do? He tore them. As it is stated (Deuteronomy 9;16), "I saw how you had sinned against the Lord, your God." What did he see?

He saw the letters flying away. And so he also broke [the tablets], as it is stated, "which you broke." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "I dictated in My Torah and stated (Leviticus 5:23), 'he would restore that which he got through robbery [...], or the deposit that was entrusted to him.' And [so] restore that deposit that was with you.

And this is what is stated (Deuteronomy 10:1), 'Carve out for yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones.' And not only that, but tomorrow they will be reviewing that which they will be learning from you, 'If a barrel is broken, and the intermediary breaks it, [the payment] is from him.' You were the intermediary between us, and you broke [them]. Therefore you have to pay."

Therefore it is stated, "Carve out for yourself." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "In this world, you learn and forget, because of the evil impulse. But in the future to come, I am uprooting the evil impulse from you and you will not forget, as it is stated (Isaiah 36:26), 'I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh.' And not only that, but you will not need [another] person to teach [you the Torah], as it is stated (Jeremiah 31:34), 'No longer will they need to teach one another and say to one another, "Know the Lord"; for all of them, from the least of them to the greatest, shall know Me.'" And so may it be His will; and let us say, "Amen!"

It is written (in Ps. 37:3), “Trust in the Lord and do good; settle the land and maintain yourself with faith.” R. Haggai said in the name of R. Isaac, “Interpret this verse by transposition, like this: Do good; trust in the Lord. It is comparable to a market commissioner who went out to inspect the measures. When a certain person saw him, he began hiding from him.

He said to him, ‘Why are you hiding from me? Look to your measures, and do not be afraid.’ This is what is written, ‘Trust in the Lord and do good.’” (Ps. 37:3, cont.:) “Settle the land and maintain yourself with faith.” [Have] faith, which settles the Divine Presence in the land. Another interpretation: Bring about the settlement of the land, sow and plant.

Another interpretation (of Ps. 37:3), “settle the land”: Make His staff dwell in the land. (Ps. 37:3, cont.:) “And maintain yourself with faith,” maintain yourself from the faith of the forefathers. It is so written (in Ps. 101:6), “My eyes are on the faithful of the land that they may dwell with Me.”

R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “Israel atones for itself before the Omnipresent by merit from [observing] two commandments, [i.e.,] by merit from the Sabbath and by merit from tithes: By merit from the Sabbath, since it is written (in Is. 58:13), ‘If you refrain from trampling the Sabbath.’ What is written after it (in vs. 14)? ‘Then you shall take delight in the Lord.’ By merit from tithes, since it is written (in Deut. 26:11), ‘Then you shall rejoice with all the good.’ And good can only [mean] Torah, since it is written (in Prov.4:2) ‘For I gave you good instruction; [do not abandon my Torah].’” For that reason Moses warned Israel (in Deut. 14:22), “You shall surely tithe.”

Another interpretation: "As these nations that you are about to dispossess, etc. but you not like this to you" (Deuteronomy 18:14). It is speaking about Avraham, as he saw through astrology that the constellation said to him that Avram and Sarai would not have a child. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do for them? Rabbi Yehudah beRabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Chanin, "It is written (Genesis 15:5), 'And He took him outside and said, "Observe towards the heavens."'

He raised him above the dome of the firmament (above the skies)." As "out" can only [indicate] firmament, as it is stated (Proverbs 8:26), "Before He had made the land and the outside places." And it is also stated (Isaiah 33:7), "Behold the [angels of] Ariel yelled outward." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "That which you said (Genesis 15:3), 'Behold, the one over my household shall inherit me'; the matter is not like this, 'but rather the one who will come out of your innards will inherit you' (Genesis 15:4)."

He said [back] to Him, "Are You telling me that I will have a child?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Leave your measure! Avram will not have a child, Avraham will have a child; Sarai will not have a child, Sarah will have a child." "And He took him outside."

He said to him, "Behold, you are above the constellation. Who is greater than whom? Is it not you, as you are above it?" "Observe towards the heavens."

It is not written, "Lift up your eyes towards the heavens," here, but rather "observe." [This] is like a man who observes [what is] below from above. So is it stated (Psalms 13:4), "Observe; answer me, Lord, my God." "And He said to him, 'So will be your seed'" (Genesis 15:5). Moshe said to them, "Just as Avraham left the constellation and did not occupy himself with it, also you." "The Lord, your God, did not give you like this" (Deuteronomy 18:14).

(Deut. 25:19:) “And it shall come to pass when the Lord your God grants you rest [… you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek].” R. Azariah and R. Judah bar Simon said in the name of R. Judah bar Il'ay, “Israel was given three commandments on their entrance to the land: To appoint a king over themselves, as written (in Deut. 17:15), ‘You shall surely place a king over yourself.’

To build the Temple, as written (in Exod. 25:8), ‘And make Me a sanctuary.’ To cut off the seed of Amalek, as stated (in Deut. 25:19), ‘[…] you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek.’” R. Joshua ben Levi [said] in the name of R. Alexandri, “One text says (in Deut. 25:19), ‘you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek,’ while another text says (in Exod. 17:14), ‘I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek.’ How are these two texts to be harmonized?

Before [the Amalekites] raised their hands against the [heavenly] throne, ‘you shall blot out.’ When they had raised their hands against the [heavenly] throne, ‘I will blot out.’” Can flesh and blood possibly raise its hand against the throne of the Holy One, blessed be He? It is simply because they destroyed Jerusalem, since it is written (in Jer. 3:17), “For at that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord.”

It is therefore written (in Exod. 17:14), “I will utterly blot out.” And it is stated (Exod. 17:16), “Because a hand is upon the throne of the Lord, the Lord has a war [with Amalek from generation to generation].” It is taught in the name of R. Il'ay: The Holy One, blessed be He, swore an oath and said, “[By] My right hand, [by] My right hand, [by] My throne, [by] My throne, [I swear that] if gentiles come from any of the peoples, them I will accept; but those from the seed of Amalek I will not accept.” And David also acted in this way, as stated (in II Sam. 1:13), “And David said unto the young man who had told him, ‘Where do you come from?’

Then he said, ‘I am the son of an Amalekite proselyte.’” R. Isaac said, “He was the son of Doeg the Edomite.” (II Sam. 1:16:) “Then David said to him, ‘Your blood be upon your own head […].’” [This is what one reads, but] the written text (ketiv) is “Your bloods,” [meaning] You shed a lot of bloods; you killed [the inhabitants of] Nob, the city of priests.(Exod. 17:16:) “From generation to generation.”

The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “’From generation to generation,’ I am [keeping] after them (i.e., after the Amalekites) for generations of generations.” R. Eliezer, R. Joshua, and R. Jose differ. R. Eliezer says, “From the generation of Moses to the generation of Samuel.” R. Joshua says, “From the generation of Samuel to the generation of Mordecai and Esther.”

And R. Jose says, “From the generation of Mordecai and Esther to the generation of the messianic king, which itself equals three generations.” And where is it shown that the generation of the messianic king equals three generations? Where it is stated (of the messianic king in Ps. 72:5), “Let them fear You as long as the sun endures and as long as the moon, for a generation and generations.” [The singular] generation equals one, [and the plural] generations equals two, for a total of three.

R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Abba bar Kahana, “As long as the seed of Amalek remains alive in the world, it is as though a wing (kanaf) is hiding the [divine] face. When the seed of Amalek has passed from the world, (in Is. 30:20), “your Teacher (i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He,) will no longer be hidden (yikanef).”

R. Levi says in the name of R. Hama bar Hanina, “As long as the seed of Amalek is in the world, the [divine] name will not be at peace (literally, whole) and the [divine] throne will not be at peace. When the seed of Amalek passes from the world, the throne will be at peace, and the name will be at peace.” What is the evidence? That which is stated (in Ps. 9:7), “The enemy is no more, in everlasting ruins, [and you have uprooted their cities, their very memory has perished].”

What is written after that (in vs. 8), “But the Lord sits [enthroned] forever; He has established His throne for judgment.” Ergo, the name is at peace, and the throne is at peace. Amen, and so may it be His will!

Another interpretation: "And God remembered Noah" (Genesis 8:1). If it was Noah who was remembered, why also the beasts and the cattle? Rather, may the Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, be blessed, for He does not withhold the reward of any creature. Even a mouse guarded its own family and did not mingle with another kind, in order to receive its reward. But all the people of the generation of the Flood mingled their families, as it is said, "And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt" (Genesis 6:12). Therefore, just as He exacted punishment from the human beings who sinned, so He exacted punishment from the cattle and the beasts and the birds. And from where do we know that He exacted punishment from them? As it is said, "And the Lord said: I will blot out" (Genesis 6:7). And why all of this? To teach you that they too mingled their families, and were going after a kind that was not their own, each and every kind after a kind that was not its own. And the Holy One, blessed be He, called to Noah and said to him: Choose for yourself cattle and beasts and birds [from those] that did not mingle their families, as it is said, "Of every clean beast" (Genesis 7:2)—clean just as it was created. And once they went out of the ark, the Holy One, blessed be He, testified concerning them that they had not mingled their families, as it is said, "By their families they went out" (Genesis 8:19). Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, remembered them along with Noah, as it is said, "And God remembered Noah" (Genesis 8:1).

Another interpretation of "And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel" (Genesis 14:1). This is what Scripture says: "Through You we will gore our adversaries" (Psalms 44:6) — "Through You," that is, through Your Torah. [Rabbi Yitzhak said:] "Through You" (be-kha) by gematria — bet is two, kaf is twenty, which makes twenty-two — through the twenty-two letters that are in the Torah. (And the verse continues:) "[in Your name we will trample down those who rise against us]." Abraham said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, had You not joined Your glory with me and helped me, what could a single man do against nine kings and their armies? Rather, because You helped me, they fell into my hand. What is written? "And the night was divided against them" (Genesis 14:15). The Rabbis say: the night divided of itself. Rabbi Binyamin ben Yefet said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: the Holy One, blessed be He, who knows His times and His instants, He divided it. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You have acted with Me from last evening until the middle of the night and have slain My enemies. By your life, I will act with your children from midnight until the morning and slay their enemies, as it is said: "And it came to pass at midnight" (Exodus 12:29). Therefore it is said: "And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel."

And the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth (Gen. 6:5). Our sages taught: As punishment for lewdness (in the world) androlepsia appeared, destroying the virtuous together with the wicked. R. Azariah said: The Holy One, blessed be He, would overlook everything but lewdness. Observe that when they were immersed in lewdness, it is written in Scripture: The sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair; and they took them wives, whomsoever they chose (Gen. 6:1), and after that it is said: And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth … and He said: I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the earth (ibid. 6:6–7). Likewise in reference to the Sodomites, it is said: But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, compassed the house around … and they called unto Lot … For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxed great before the Lord; the Lord hath sent us to destroy it (Gen. 19:4, 13). Why is the Lord repeated twice in this verse? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I am He who exacted punishment upon Zimri, Samson, and Amnon, and I am He who will bestow a reward upon the one who refrains from lewdness, even as I did for Joseph, Jael, and Palti.

R. Simeon stated: Joseph was rewarded in kind for his behavior. Because his mouth had not indulged in sinful kissing, he was told: According to thy word shall all my people be kissed (i.e. ruled)(Gen. 41:40); because he had not lowered his neck to sin, He placed a gold chain about his neck (ibid., v. 42); because he had not used his hand to fondle sinfully, Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and put it upon Joseph’s hand (ibid.); because his body had not clung to another in sin, he arrayed him in garments of fine linen (ibid.); because his feet had not led him to her, He caused him to ride in the second chariot (ibid., v. 43); because he did not entertain wicked thoughts, he was called understanding and wise (ibid., v. 39); and because his heart had not reflected upon committing evil, they called before him: “Abrech” and Zaphenath-paneah (ibid., vv. 43, 45). Upon the Sodomites, however, He rained fire and brimstone, as it is said: The Lord caused to rain upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone (ibid. 19:24), and it likewise says: I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man and beast and creeping things, and fowls of the air; for it repenteth Me that I have made them (Gen. 6:7).

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days…. these were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown (Gen. 6:4). This verse informs us that the Nephilim would gaze upon the sun and the moon and perform feats of magic through them, as it is said of them: These are of them that rebel against the light (Job 24:13). The word these in both verses indicates that the Nephilim were the mighty men and were cruel and rebellious and performed acts of magic. Yet they said unto God: Depart from us, for we desire not knowledge of Thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? (Job 21:14–15).

R. Yohanan explained the cause of their rebelliousness as follows: They would sow for a single year and it would produce harvests that lasted forty years. Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: “Is this how you act? While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease (Gen. 8:22).”

R. Samuel the son of Abba explained the cause of their rebelliousness as follows: They lived so long that they beheld the fifth and sixth generations of their descendants. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: “Since ye rebelled, seedtime and harvest means ye shall beget children and bury them, cold and heat implies that you shall be afflicted with consumption and fever; summer and winter indicates that you shall be nauseated, your faces shall turn pale, your punishment shall not cease, and you shall be afflicted in your bodies; day and night indicates that you shall have no rest by day and night, and you shall be sentenced to fire and snow.”

And the sons of Noah left the ark (Gen. 9:18). May it please our master to instruct us whether man or woman is enjoined to fulfill the commandment to Increase and multiply (Gen. 1:28)? Our masters instruct us that the man is commanded to fulfill this decree and not the woman.

R. Yohanan contended that it was enjoined upon both sexes, since it is said: And God blessed them and said to them: And fill the land and subdue it (ibid.). However, the singular form of subdue is written in this verse, thus indicating that man and not woman subdues the earth. Therefore, it follows that man is commanded to increase and multiply and not the woman.

You know this to be so from the fact that Abraham sought a wife for his son Isaac: And Abraham said unto his servant, the elder of his household, etc. (Gen. 24:2), and it is written also: I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven … that thou shalt go unto my country (ibid., vv. 3–4). Hence, it is apparent that Abraham was concerned with the observance of the law of Increase and multiply. Similarly, Isaac told Jacob: Arise! Go to Padan-aram (Gen. 28:2), to seek a wife proper for him. He did not wish him to be like the men of the generation of the flood, who wallowed in unchastity and indulged in sexual intercourse with species other than their own. Observe what is written concerning them: The sons of God saw the daughters of men … and took them wives, whomsoever they chose (Gen. 6:2). That was the reason they were obliterated from the earth.

The animals, likewise, copulated with species other than their own: the horse with the ass, the ass with the horse, and the serpent with the bird, as it is said: And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth (Gen. 6:12). Notice that Scripture does not say in this verse “all man” but all flesh. Therefore, He blotted out every living substance which was upon the face of the ground, both man and cattle (ibid. 7:23). No being that had copulated with a species other than its own entered the ark, as it is said: From all the pure cattle (ibid., v. 2). Because the ark could harbor only pure beings, they came from among those alone, as it is said: Two and two unto Noah (ibid., v. 9).

Observe, however, that it is written in reference to their departure from the ark: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, whatsoever moveth upon the earth, after their families went forth from the ark (Gen. 8:19). Do animals actually have families? The word families applies to the various breeds of animals that cleave only to their own kind. Therefore, Scripture records them with the sons of Noah.

And they were the sons of Noah that went forth from the ark (Gen. 9:18). And they were indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, would cause them (their descendants) to exist permanently in the world. In reference to idolaters it is written, however: I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more; though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again (Ezek. 26:21).

I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more refers to the present time; thou shalt be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again refers to the Messianic Age. But Israel existed in the past, and will live in the future. Whence do we know this? It is written: Remember thy congregation which Thou has acquired of old (Ps. 74:2). Of old alludes to the time before the world was created. And they exist now, for it is said: Ye are standing this day (Deut. 29:9), But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive, every one of you this day (ibid. 4:4); that they will exist in the future is indicated in the verse And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in the day that I do make, even Mine own treasure; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him (Mal. 3:17).

And the sons of Noah, that went forth from the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth (Gen. 9:18). Was Shem the eldest of Noah’s sons, that his name is mentioned first? Is it not written that Japheth was the eldest? Why then was Shem mentioned first? Because he was considered to be more righteous and perfect by his Creator.

Ham, the progenitor of the Canaanites, was one of the three beings who indulged in intercourse while in the ark. Those who did so were Ham, the dog, and the raven. All three were punished for their sin; Ham was afflicted with a dark skin, the male dog remains attached (to the body of the female after copulation), and the raven emits his semen from his mouth. These are the three sons of Noah.

After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram (Gen. 15:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The wicked earneth false wages, but he that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward (Prov. 11:18). The wicked earneth false wages refers to the evil Nimrod, who erected idols and led mankind astray. Idolatry is coupled with falsehood, as it is said: His molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them (Jer. 10:14). But he that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward alludes to Abraham, who sowed righteousness by feeding passers-by and travelers, as it is said: And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and called thereupon the name of the Lord, the everlasting God (Gen. 21:33).

After Abraham fed the passers-by and gave them drink, they would bless him in return. However, he would say to them: “Why do you bless me? Bless rather the Master of this inn, who gives food and drink to all mankind, and instills in man the breath of life.” They would ask: “Where is he?” And he would reply: “He rules over heaven and earth; He causes death and He gives life; He afflicts and heals; He forms the embryo in the womb of its mother and brings it forth into the light of the world; He causes plants and trees to grow; and He casts man down to Sheol and lifts him up again.” Upon hearing this they would inquire: “But how may we bless Him and express our gratitude to Him?” Forthwith, he would answer: “Say: ‘Bless the Lord, who is to be blessed for all eternity; blessed be He, who giveth bread and food to all His creatures.’” In that way he taught them the blessings and righteousness.

Scripture says elsewhere And the souls that they made in Haran (Gen. 12:5). R. Alexandri stated: The fact is that if all mankind assembled to make just one mosquito, they would not be able to do so. What then is the meaning of this verse, And the souls that they made in Haran? It means that he taught them about the fear of heaven and instructed them in the law (in that place). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You have sown righteousness and have made Me known in this world, hence you will be rewarded, as it is said: Thy reward shall be exceedingly great (Gen. 16:1).

But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, came … and they called unto Lot and said: “Where are the men?” (Gen. 19:4–5). From this incident you learn that when he departed from Abraham, Lot chose him all the plain of the Jordan (Gen. 13:11), which was Sodom. Although he saw that the men of Sodom behaved dissolutely, he nevertheless chose Sodom so that he might behave as they did. How do we know this? He said to the men of Sodom: I have two daughters, who have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out to you (ibid. 19:7). Normally, a man would prefer to undergo death for the sake of his daughter or his wife; indeed he would willingly kill or be killed for their sake, but this man was willing to allow his daughters to be abused by men. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: By thy life, keep them (your daughters) for yourself! Schoolchildren will laugh derisively when they read: Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father (ibid., v. 36).

R. Nahman said: How do we know that whosoever is consumed with immoral desires is eventually fed with his own flesh? We know this from Lot (who had intercourse with his own daughters). And they said: Stand back. (And they said: This one fellow came to sojourn, and he will needs play the judge.) Now we will deal worse with thee than with them (ibid., v. 9). That is, we shall do to you what we had intended to do to these men. Now we will deal worse is an expression that implies committing an obscene act: And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and drew near to break the door. But the men put forth their hand and brought Lot into the house to them, etc. (ibid., vv. 9–10).

"And Isaac trembled with a very great trembling" (Genesis 27:33). This is what Scripture says: "The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made them both" (Proverbs 20:12). Now did the Holy One, blessed be He, make only the eye and the ear? Did He not fashion all the limbs in man? Rather, what is the meaning of "the hearing ear," and so forth? You find that the Holy One, blessed be He, created three things within man's control, and three that are not within his control. Those that are within his control are the hands, the mouth, and the feet. How so? The hands -- if he wished to occupy them with the work of Heaven, with the sukkah, the lulav, the shofar, and the tzitzit, to write tefillin and mezuzot, he does so. If he wished to steal, to shed innocent blood, to rob the passersby, to commit many transgressions with them, he does so. The mouth -- if he sought to occupy himself with Torah, to speak a good tongue, to praise, to extol, to pray, to recite songs, he speaks. If he sought to speak evil talk, to revile, to blaspheme, to swear falsely, he speaks. The feet -- if he sought to walk to a matter of commandment, to visit the sick, to comfort mourners, to bury the dead, and to acts of loving-kindness, he walks. If he sought to walk to a matter of transgression, to commit adultery and to murder and to steal, he walks. Those that are not within his control are the eyes, the ears, and the nose. The eyes, how so? He was passing through the marketplace, and he saw a transgression, or something loathsome in his eyes, or a man he had no desire to see, or a ruler whom it was not his will to see -- what does he do? He sees, against his will. The ears -- they hear revilings and blasphemies, or something he has no desire for -- what does he do? He hears, against his will. The nose -- he passed along the way and smelled unclean cooked foods, or the scent of the incense of idolatry, or filthy alleys, which it was not his will to perceive -- what does he do? He smells them, against his will. And when the Holy One, blessed be He, desires, even those that are within his control are not within his control. From where? From Moses, and Balaam, and Jonah, and Jeremiah, and Jeroboam. Moses, from where? For Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: For seven days the Holy One, blessed be He, was coaxing Moses at the bush, as it is said: "And now come, and I will send you to Pharaoh" (Exodus 3:10). And he answers Him: "I am not a man of words, neither yesterday (temol) nor the day before (shilshom) nor since (me'az)" -- "yesterday," "from yesterday," "the day before," "from the day before," "also," "since" -- behold, seven days. And he says to Him: "Send, I pray, by the hand of him whom You will send" (Exodus 4:13). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Do you suppose that your feet are within your control? He arose and went against his will. Jonah -- the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (Jonah 1:2), "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city," the whole of that matter, "and Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from before the LORD, and went down to Joppa." In the end He showed him in the sea all those troubles, and the fish swallowed him, "and he called to the LORD out of the belly of the fish," and in the end the hair of his head and his beard were plucked out from the heat he suffered in the belly of the fish, and afterward he went against his will. Jeremiah -- the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." "And I said, Ah, Lord GOD, behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am a youth" (Jeremiah 1:6). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Do not say, I am a youth, for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak" -- against your will you shall go, and against your will you shall speak. And when the Holy One, blessed be He, desires, even the hands are not within man's control. When? When Iddo the prophet came to Jeroboam, as it is written: "And behold, a man of God came from Judah by the word of the LORD to Bethel, and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense. And he cried against the altar by the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus says the LORD: Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name, and upon you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and men's bones shall be burned upon you" (First Kings 13:1-2). And why "altar, altar" twice? The altar that was in Bethel and the altar that was in Dan, where these two calves were. "And men's bones" -- it is not written here "the bones of Jeroboam" but "of men (adam)," from which we learn that he showed honor to the kingship. Immediately Jeroboam said: This man is a fool. He said to him: This is the sign: "Behold, the altar shall be torn apart, and the ashes upon it shall be poured out." "And the altar was torn apart, and the ashes were poured out from the altar, according to the sign that he had given." "And it came to pass, when the king heard the word of the man of God, who cried against the altar in Bethel, that Jeroboam put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Seize him! And his hand which he put forth against him dried up, and he could not draw it back to himself." When he was standing and burning incense to idolatry, his hand did not wither, but as soon as he stretched it out against the prophet, it withered. From here you learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, was concerned for the honor of that righteous man more than for His own honor. He said to him: Do you suppose that your hand is within your control? Immediately, "And the king answered and said to the man of God, Entreat now the face of the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me. And the man of God entreated the face of the LORD, and the king's hand was restored to him and became as it was at first." And the feet too are not within his control -- a verse declares it plainly: "A man's steps are from the LORD; how then can a man understand his own way?" (Proverbs 20:24). A man walks and does not know where he is going, whether to good or to evil, whether to death or to life. And so Elisha said to the troops of Aram: "This is not the way, neither is this the city" (Second Kings 6:19). And the mouth too is not within man's control. From where do we know it? From Balaam and from Isaac. Balaam, as it is said: "But the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, and the LORD your God turned," and so forth (Deuteronomy 23:6). Isaac -- at the time when Esau entered, he began to tremble and to say, "He shall also be cursed." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: What do you seek? Do you suppose that your mouth is within your control? He turned back and said, "He shall also be blessed." Therefore it is said: "The hearing ear and the seeing eye."

And God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream of the night (Gen. 31:24). This is one of the occasions on which the Holy One, blessed be He, contaminated the purity of His divine glory in behalf of the righteous. It happened also when God came to Abimelech in a dream (Gen. 20:3) on Sarah’s behalf. Laban began to rebuke Jacob, saying: And now that thou art surely gone, because thou sore longest after thy father’s house, wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? (ibid. 31:30). He replied: With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall not live (ibid., v. 32). At that moment Rachel’s death was decreed. Laban searched the entire tent but was unable to find them. Now Rachel had taken the teraphim (ibid., v. 34). Why did she steal them? To prevent them from informing Laban that Jacob had fled with his wives, his sons, and his flock. Do teraphim actually speak? They do indeed, as it is written: The teraphim have spoken vanity (Zech. 10:2). This is so even though you say: Eyes have they, but they see not (Ps. 115:5).

Why are they called teraphim? Because they were works of toref (“filth”), works of uncleanness. And how were they constructed? They would take a firstborn male child, kill him, and sprinkle him with salt and spices. Then they would write a demon’s name upon a gold tablet and place it beneath the child’s tongue while performing certain magical rites. After this, they inserted the corpse into a recess in the wall and lighted candles before it. They would then bow down before it, and it would speak to them in a whisper. This is stated in the verse For the teraphim have spoken vanity (Zech. 10:12). That is why Rachel stole them. Furthermore, she sought thereby to eradicate idolatry from her father’s home. However, Jacob was not aware that she had stolen them. Hence, it is written: And Rachel stole the teraphim.

Dan shall judge his people like one of the tribes of Israel (Gen. 49:16). Like one signifies that like Judah, he was one of the most distinguished of the tribes. Another explanation of like one of the tribes of Israel. He was like the Unique One of the world, who requires no assistance in battle, as it is said: I have trod the wine press alone (Isa. 43:3). Samson, who descended from Dan, needed no assistance from others, as is said: With the jawbone of an ass have I smitten a thousand men (Judg. 15:16).

Dan shall be a serpent on the way (Gen. 49:16). All animals travel about in pairs, but the serpent goes about alone. And just as the serpent is vengeful so too was Samson, as is said: I may be this once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes (Judg. 16:18). When Jacob saw him he exclaimed: I wait for Thy salvation, O Lord (Gen. 49:18).

Gad, a troop shall troop upon him; but he shall troop at the end (Gen. 49:19). That is to say, the redeemer who will come at the end of days will descend from Gad, for he was one of the last to come: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord (Mal. 3:23). And Elijah descended from Gad. Hence it is said: But he shall troop in the end.

And Moses was content to dwell (Exod. 2:21). The word content (vayo’el) is used with reference to an oath, as in the case of Saul: And he adjured (vayo’el) the people (I Sam. 14:24).

Why did Jethro compel him to take an oath? Lest he do to him what Laban had stated: If thou shalt afflict my daughters and take wives (Gen. 31:50). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: The righteous Moses risked his life for the sake of My children and was forced to flee to Midian, but he will redeem them from Egypt. Therefore it is written: And Moses was keeping the flock (Exod. 3:1).

Moses was keeping the flock. Though the time for their redemption was at hand, they had not as yet performed any meritorious deeds. Scripture declares this through the words of Ezekiel: I caused thee in increase even as the growth of the field … thy breasts were fattened, and thy hair was grown, yet thou wast naked and bare (Ezek. 16:7). Is it not so that the Holy One, blessed be He, would not have written breasts and hair except for the fact that breasts and hair allude to Moses and Aaron? Inasmuch as it is said concerning them: Thy two breasts are like two fawns, that are twins of a gazelle (Song 4:5). Thy hair was grown implies that the time for redemption had arrived, but naked and bare signify that Israel had not yet performed any good deeds. The verse For thy love is better than wine (ibid. 1:2) refers to the patriarchs, who are called beloved. And God heard their groaning, and remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God saw the children of Israel (Exod. 2:24). That is, though He saw that they had not yet performed any meritorious deeds, He redeemed them nevertheless, as is said: He saved them for His name’s sake (Ps. 106:8).

When Pharaoh shall speak unto you (Exod. 7:9). Scripture says elsewhere: A fool spendeth all his spirit; but a wise man stilleth it within him (Prov. 29:11). That is, the fool says everything he has to say at one time, while quarreling with his neighbor, and the wise man eventually is able to refute him. A fool spendeth all his spirit refers to the wicked Pharaoh, while a wise man stilleth it within him alludes to Moses and Aaron, as it is written: But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods (Exod. 7:12). Show a wonder for you; then thou shalt say unto Aaron, etc. (Exod. 7:9). Aaron will perform all the miracles while you stand by like a prince who instructs the elders and they do it. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses at the bush: He shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him in God’s stead (ibid. 4:16).

And Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh, and they did so (ibid. 7:10). Aaron should have entered first inasmuch as he was the elder. Why did Moses enter first? Because he was more famous in Egypt, both in the eyes of Pharaoh’s slaves and in the eyes of the people. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh … and Aaron cast down his rod, smiting him with the first plague. After speaking to Pharaoh, he brought on the second plague. He performed magical feats in his presence, but he (Pharaoh) would not pay heed to them. God said to Moses: Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn (kabed), he refuseth to let the people go (ibid., v. 14). Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, exclaimed: Wretch! With the very expression that tells of your stubbornness (kabed), I will glorify Myself (mitkabed) over you, as it is said: And the Egyptian shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten Me honor upon Pharaoh (ibid. 14:18).

"And it shall be when the LORD brings you to the land" (Exodus 13:5): of five nations, which are really seven. "As He swore" (Exodus 13:5). And where did He swear? To Abraham: "On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: To your seed..." (Genesis 15:18). To Isaac: "Sojourn in this land, for to you and to your seed..." (Genesis 26:3). To Jacob: "the land on which you lie, to you I will give it" (Genesis 28:13). "And you shall perform this service" (Exodus 13:5). Just as the service that you performed in Egypt, so do it for the generations. And to us, where did He swear? "And I will bring you to the land concerning which I lifted up My hand" (Exodus 6:8). "To the land of the Canaanite" (Exodus 13:5). Why did Canaan merit that the land be called by his name? Because when he heard that Israel were coming, he cleared out the place. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You cleared out the place; the land shall be called by your name, and I will give you a land as beautiful as your land. And which is it? This is Africa. "And He gives it to you" (Exodus 13:11): so that you should not say, I inherited it from my fathers. "And you shall set apart (ve-ha'avarta) every opener of the womb to the LORD" (Exodus 13:12). The word "ha'avarah" means nothing other than setting apart. And so you find with inheritances: "And you shall transfer (ve-ha'avartem) his inheritance to his daughter" (Numbers 27:8). Shimon ben Azzai says: What does Scripture teach by saying "and you shall set apart"? Because it says: "whatever passes under the rod" (Leviticus 27:32), I might understand that even an orphaned animal is included. "Service" is stated here (Numbers 18:21). Just as there holiness does not take effect upon it except during its mother's lifetime, so too the "service" stated here, holiness does not take effect upon it except during its mother's lifetime. If so, just as here males, so too there males? Scripture therefore teaches, saying: "whatever passes under the rod," including both males and females. "And every firstling that an animal casts (sheger)" [understood as: that its mother sends forth prematurely]: it shall be exempt from the firstborn law, and the one that comes after it is not a firstborn. "That shall be to you" (Exodus 13:12): excluding one who sells the fetus of his animal to a gentile. And as for one who buys the fetus of an animal from a gentile, one might think he would be obligated? Scripture therefore teaches, saying: "that is born among your cattle and your flock" (Deuteronomy 15:19). "The males shall be to the LORD." Rabbi Yose said: from here you learn that if a ewe that had not yet borne a firstborn gave birth and bore two males, and their heads came out together, both belong to the priest, as it is said: "the males shall be to the LORD" (Exodus 13:12). "And every firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb" (Exodus 13:13): and not with a calf, nor with a wild animal, nor with a slaughtered one, nor with a mixed breed, nor with a koy. The firstling of a donkey you redeem, but not other unclean beasts. And what is the meaning of "you shall surely redeem" (Numbers 18:15)? "Redeem" refers to the firstling of a donkey alone; "you shall redeem" teaches that one may consecrate an unclean beast for the maintenance of the Temple and redeem it from the consecration for Temple maintenance. "And if you do not redeem it, you shall break its neck" (Exodus 13:13). We learn that the commandment of redemption takes precedence over the commandment of breaking the neck. And why does one break its neck? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: You destroyed the property of a priest; break its neck, and let your own property be destroyed, and you shall not derive benefit from it. And from where do we know that it is forbidden to derive benefit from it? "Breaking of the neck" is stated here, and "breaking of the neck" is stated regarding the heifer, as it is written: "And they shall break the heifer's neck there" (Deuteronomy 21:4). Just as the heifer whose neck is broken is forbidden for benefit, so too this is forbidden for benefit. "And every firstborn of man." "Among your sons you shall redeem" (Exodus 13:13): a general statement. "At your valuation, five shekels of silver" (Numbers 18:16): a specification. There is in the general statement only what is in the specification. It then repeated and stated a general principle: "and every firstborn of man you shall redeem" (Exodus 13:13). A general statement, a specification, and a general statement: you may deduce only something similar to the specification. Just as the specification is explicitly a movable item, namely property that has no security in land, so too anything is a movable item, namely property that has no security in land. From here they said: with anything one redeems firstborn sons, except for slaves, deeds, and lands, which are property that has security in land. "Every firstborn of your sons." If a man had five wives, all of them virgins, and they bore firstborn males, he is obligated to redeem them. The Merciful One said "opener of the womb": they are firstborn for the priest but not for inheritance. And why did Scripture need to say "every firstborn of your sons you shall redeem" (Exodus 13:13)? To say that if his father did not redeem him, he is obligated to redeem himself. And from here you learn that a man is obligated to teach his sons Torah. If his father did not teach him, he is obligated to teach himself, by an inference from minor to major, from redemption.

For He is highly exalted (Exod. 15:1). He exalted me and I exalted Him. He exalted me in Egypt, saying: Israel is My son, My firstborn (Exod. 4:22), and I exalted him in Egypt, saying: Ye shall have a song as in the night when a feast is hallowed (Isa. 30:29). He exalted me at the sea: And the angel of God, who went before the camp (Exod. 14:19), and I exalted Him at the sea: I will sing unto the Lord (ibid. 15:1). He is exalted in this world and will be exalted in the world-to-come, as it is said: For the Lord of hosts hath a day upon all that is proud and lofty, and upon all that is lifted up, and it shall be brought low; and upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan; and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up; and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fortified wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all delightful imagery. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols shall utterly pass away (Isa. 2:12–18).

Another comment on For He is highly exalted. He is exalted above all who exalt themselves. Everyone who exalts himself is punished by the very thing of which he boasted. Egypt was smitten by water because Pharaoh exalted himself because of the water.

It is written concerning the generation of the flood: Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance…. Yet they said unto God: “Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? What profit should we have, if we pray unto Him?” (Job 21:10–15). They said: We do not require even a drop of rain, for A mist went up from the earth (Gen. 2:6). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Because you prided yourselves on possessing the good things I have lavished upon you, I shall exact punishment from you by means of those things; as it is said: And the flood was forty days upon the earth (ibid. 7:17), and all flesh perished.

R. Yosé the son of Durmaskis said: The heavenly beings watched the inhabitants of the lower spheres in order to behave as they did, and so the Holy One, blessed be He, opened the wells below and above to destroy them, as it is said: On the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up (ibid., v. 11).

With the very thing (by which) the men of the tower of Babel exalted themselves He punished them. They said: Come, let us build us a city (ibid. 11:4), and through it they were punished, as it is said: Come, let us go down, and there confound their language … so the Lord scattered them (ibid., v. 8).

The men of Sodom were punished with the very thing (by which) they exalted themselves. Concerning them it is written: As for the earth, out of it cometh bread, and underneath it is turned up as it were by fire. The stones thereof are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold. That path no bird of prey knoweth, neither hath the falcon’s eye seen it; the proud beasts have not trodden it, nor hath the lion passed thereby (Job 28:5–8). They said: There is no reason why we should permit men to travel over our highways, for they deprive us of our food, silver, gold, precious stones, and pearls. Let us abrogate the law of unrestricted travel in our land. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, told them: Since you have become arrogant because of the good things I lavished upon you, I will cause you to be forgotten in the world, as it is said: He breaketh open a shaft away from where men sojourn; they are forgotten of the foot that passeth by; they hang afar from men (ibid., v. 4). It is written also: A contemptible brand in the thought of him that is at ease … the tents of the robbers prosper (ibid. 12:5). What happened to them for this? In whatsoever God hath brought into their hand (ibid., v. 6). Thus it says: Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, and careless ease was in her and her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy (Ezek. 16:49). Likewise it says; Before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah they were like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt (Gen. 13:10). But after that is written: And they made their father drink wine that night (ibid. 19:33). Where did they obtain the wine for the meal? The Omnipresent provided the wine for the meal, as it is said: And it shall come to pass in that day, the mountains shall drop down sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the brooks of Judah shall flow with waters; and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord (Joel 4:18). Now, if the Holy One, blessed be He, provided for those who angered Him, surely He would do as much for those who performed His will.

Pharaoh likewise was punished through the very thing he boasted of: And he took six hundred chariots (Exod. 14:7). And therefore Pharaoh’s chariots and all his host hath He cast into the sea (ibid. 15:4).

Sisera similarly was punished by the very thing of which he boasted. Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron (Judg. 4:13). For that reason they fought against him from heaven: The stars in their courses fought against Sisera (ibid. 5:20). And Samson, too, was punished by the Holy One, blessed be He, through the very thing in which he prided himself, as it is said: And Samson said unto his father: “Get her for me, for she pleaseth me well” (Judg. 14:3). Hence, the Philistines laid hold on him and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza (ibid. 16:21).

Similarly, Absalom was punished by the very thing with which he prided himself, as it is said: Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the soul of his feet to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him … and when he polled his head … now it was every year’s end that he polled it (II Sam. 14:25–26). R. Nehorai stated: He was a Nazirite, yet he cut his hair every thirty days, as it is said: Now at the end of the days he polled it. R. Judah maintained that he was a Nazirite throughout his life, yet he cut his hair every twelve months, as it is said: And it came to pass at the end of forty years that Absalom said unto the king: “I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the Lord in Hebron. For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Aram, saying: If the Lord shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord” (II Sam. 15:7–8).

Rabbi declared: He would cut his hair on the eve of every Sabbath as was customary with princes. Thus it says: And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth, and his hair caught hold of the terebinth, etc. (II Sam. 18:9).

Similarly Sennacherib was punished with the thing of which he boasted, as is said: By thy messengers thou hast taunted the Lord, and hast said: With the multitude of my chariots am I come to the height of the mountains, to the innermost parts of Lebanon; and I have cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice cypresses thereof; and I have entered in his farthest lodge, the forest of his fruitful field. I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my feet have I dried up all the rivers of Egypt (II Kings 19:23–24). Therefore, the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand, etc. (ibid., v. 35).

Their supreme commander was in charge of a hundred fourscore and five thousand men, and their lowliest officer was in charge of two thousand men, as it is said: How then canst thou turn away the face of one captain, even of the least of my master’s servants? and yet thou puttest thy trust on Egypt for chariots and horsemen (ibid. 18:24). It is also written: This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning him: The virgin daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee. Whom hast thou taunted and blasphemed? And against whom hast thou exalted thy voice? Yea, thou hast lifted up thine eyes on high, even against the Holy One of Israel (ibid., vv. 21–23).

Nebuchadnezzar was also punished with the thing of which he boasted, for it is said: And thou saidst in thy heart: “I will ascend into heaven, above the stars of God will I exalt my throne; and I will sit upon the mount of meeting, in the uttermost parts of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds” (Isa. 14:13–15), but after that is written: Yet thou shalt be brought down to the netherworld, to the uttermost parts of the pit.

Similarly, retribution was exacted from Tyre by the very thing in which it prided itself. Thou, O Tyre, hast said: I am of perfect beauty. Thy borders are in the heart of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty (Ezek. 27:3–4), and that is followed by: Behold, I am against thee, O Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth its waves to come up (ibid. 26:3). And the prince of Tyre was likewise punished through the thing for which he had extolled himself. Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyre: “Thus saith the Lord: Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said: I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the heart of the sea; yet thou art a man, and not God, though didst set thy heart as the heart of God, etc. (Ezek. 28:2). Hence, thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers (ibid., v. 10). With whatever nations exalt themselves, retribution is exacted upon them. Hence it is said: For He is highly exalted.

"And God spoke all the words" (Exodus 20:1): all at once. He brings death and gives life at once. He strikes and heals at once. He answers a woman upon the birthstool, those who go down to the sea and those who walk through the wildernesses, those confined in the prison house, one in the east and one in the west, one in the north and one in the south. He forms light and creates darkness, makes peace and creates evil (Isaiah 45:7), all these at once. Dust is turned into a man, and a man is turned into dust, as it is said: "And He turns deep darkness into morning" (Amos 5:8). What is the meaning of "deep darkness into morning"? To its beginning. And it says: "And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood" (Exodus 7:20). The blood reverted and was turned back into water. Living flesh is turned into a corpse; the corpse reverts and is turned back into the living. The staff was turned into a serpent, the serpent was turned into a staff. The sea was turned into dry land, the dry land was turned into sea. And so it says: "He who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the face of the earth, the LORD is His name" (Amos 9:6). Therefore it is said: "And God spoke all the words." What is written above on this matter? "And Mount Sinai smoked, all of it" (Exodus 19:18). Could this mean the place of the Glory? The teaching says: "because the LORD descended upon it in fire" (Exodus 19:18). This tells you that the whole Torah is fire; it was given from fire and is compared to fire. What is the way of fire? That if a person draws near to it he is scorched, and if he keeps far from it he grows cold. So a person has no choice but to warm himself against the flame of the sages.

If thou lend money to any of my people (Exod. 22:24). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: Well is it with the man that dealeth graciously and lendeth, that ordereth his affairs rightfully, for he shall never be moved (Ps. 112:5). All of God’s creations borrow from each other; day borrows from night, and night from day, but they do not bring charges against each other in court as mortals do, for it is said: Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night revealeth knowledge; there is no speech, there are no words (Ps. 19:3).

The moon and the stars borrow from each other, and when the Holy One, blessed be He, wills it, they do not go forth, as it is said: Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars (Job 9:7). The night borrows from the sun, and the sun from the night, yet it is said: The sun and moon stand still in their habitation (Hab. 3:11). Wisdom borrows from understanding, and understanding borrows from wisdom, as it is said: Say unto wisdom: “Thou art my sister,” and call understanding thy kinswoman (Prov. 7:4). Mercy and righteousness borrow from each other, as it is said: He that followeth after righteousness and mercy (Prov. 21:21). Heaven and earth borrow from each other, as it is said: The Lord will open unto thee His good treasure the heaven (Deut. 28:12). The Torah and the commandments, likewise, borrow from each other, as is said: Keep My commandments and live (Prov. 7:2).

All the creations of the Holy One, blessed be He, borrow from each other yet live at peace with each other; only man borrows form his fellow man and the lender seeks to devour the borrower through interest and robbery. One who takes interest is actually saying to the Holy One, blessed be He: Do You not take payment from Your world in which Your creatures reside? Payment from the earth which You water, from the flowers which You cause to grow, from the light You make shine, from the soul which You breathe (into us), from the body which You protect? The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: See how much I have loaned, yet I do not take interest, and see how much the earth has loaned you for which it does not take interest. I take only the principal which I have loaned, and the earth takes back only her principal, as it is said: And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it (Eccles. 12:7).

What is written about one who takes interest? He that hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live (Exod. 18:13). This may be compared to a king who makes his treasures available to a certain individual who later begins to oppress the poor, kill the widows, embarrass the needy, despoil the naked, do violence and theft, indulge in falsehood, and squander the king’s treasures. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, opens His treasure to the wealthy, with all that He possesses in it, as it is said: Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold (Hag. 2:8). Then the rich man begins to loan money on interest. And he starts to taunt the widows and oppress them with interest, to embarrass the poor, and to humiliate the naked who seek charity from him, even though the Holy One, blessed be He, had declared: Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker (Prov. 17:5). If a man’s neighbor is in debt to him for a hundred zuzim, he beats him, strips him, does violence to him, steals from him, and destroys the pledges he entrusted to him. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, says: Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou was not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! When thou hast ceased to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled (Isa. 33:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, gave him wealth from His treasure house, which was a treasure house of truth, and he made it into a treasure house of falsehood, as it is said: Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity, ye have eaten the fruit of lies, for thou didst trust (Hos. 10:13). Hence, when the whirlwind passeth, the wicked is not more (Prov. 10:25). And that is why Solomon proclaimed: Rob not the weak, because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause (ibid. 22:22).

Thou shalt not revile God (Exod. 22:7). Observe that the Holy One, blessed be He, warned the people concerning their judges and their leaders. You find that Korah and his followers would not have been destroyed had they not embarrassed Moses and Aaron. Similarly, the men of Jerusalem were stricken only because they despised the words of the prophets, as it is said: That they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words; until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy (II Chron. 36:16). It is also written: They have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return (Jer. 5:3). Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, reminded the Israelites concerning the respect due to elders, who had warned Israel against idolatry, as it is said: And in all things that I have said unto you take ye heed; and make no mention of the name of other gods (Exod. 23:13).

What is written following this? Three times thou shalt keep a festival unto Me in the year (ibid., v. 14). The Holy One, blessed be He, established the festival of unleavened bread, on which He performed miracles in their behalf in Egypt; the harvest festival (Shavuot), on which He gave them the Torah, the fruits of which they were to enjoy in this world and their interest in the world-to-come, as it is said: My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and My produce than choice silver (Prov. 8:19); and the feast of ingathering (Sukkoth), on which the Holy One, blessed be He, fills their homes with blessings, as is said: Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy vats shall overflow with new wine (Prov. 3:9–10). Thus it is said: The choicest first-fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord thy God (Exod. 23:19).

And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them (Exod. 29:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Forever, O Lord, Thy word standeth fast in heaven (Ps. 119:89).

R. Berechiah the priest BeRabbi, declared: The Holy One, blessed be He, will deal mercifully with us forever. Wherein is this stated? At the time that Abraham descended into the fiery furnace, the guardian angels quarreled with one another. One said: I shall descend and save him; while another one insisted: I shall descend and save him. While Michael declared: I shall descend (to save him), and Gabriel called out: I shall descend. Thereupon, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the angels: None of you will do so. I, in all My glory, will descend and rescue him, as it is said: I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees (Gen. 15:7).

The Holy One, blessed be He, told the angels: You shall descend to rescue his descendants Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah when they are cast into the furnace. The angels did descend to rescue them, as it is said: Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent His angel, and delivered His servants that trusted in Him (Dan. 3:26). Then the guardian angels proclaimed: Forever, O Lord, Thy word standeth fast in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations; Thou hast established the earth, and it standeth. They stand this day according to Thine ordinances (Ps. 119:89–91). Unto all generations you demonstrated Your faithfulness when You informed us that we would descend to rescue Abraham’s descendants.

Thou hast established the earth, and it standeth. They stand this day according to Thine ordinances (ibid.). It was according to Your ordinances that You created everything, as is said: In the beginning God created (Gen. 1:1). Another comment on They stand this day according to Thine ordinances. Even this day was brought forth according to Your ordinances, as it is said: Every morning, every morning doth He bring His ordinance to light (Zeph. 3:5). They stand this day according to Thine ordinances; they shall perish, but Thou shalt stand (Ps. 102:27), for You are the foundation of the world. Another explanation of But Thou shalt stand is that You shall cause others to stand. Another comment on And it standeth according to thine ordinances. That is, according to the words You spoke to Aaron (that) the priesthood would be firmly established through him.

And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying: “See, I have called by name Bezalel” (Exod. 31:1). Solomon said: Whatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is (Eccles. 6:10). Scripture also says elsewhere in reference to this: Who hath wrought and done it? He that called the generations from the beginning (Isa. 41:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: When I determined at the very beginning of time to build the Sanctuary, I already announced his name, and made his name known. And it is foreknown what man is. Even when the first man was a lifeless mass, the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him all the righteous men who would descend from him. Some hung from his head, others were suspended from his hair, and still others from his neck, his two eyes, his nose, his mouth, his ears, and his arms. Proof of this is in the fact that when Job complained against his Creator, saying: O that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even unto His seat! I would order my cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words which He would answer me, and understand what He would say unto me (Job 23:3–5). The Holy One, blessed be He, replied to him: Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? (ibid. 38:4). R. Simeon the son of Lakish maintained: Where wast thou is written because the Holy One, blessed be He, was in fact asking Job: Where were you suspended from the first man? Was it from his head, his hair, his neck, his eyes, or from one of his limbs?

The Holy One, blessed be He, also revealed to Adam that Abraham would descend from him, and that his descendants would go down to Egypt and become enslaved. He revealed to him Moses appearing and redeeming them, Joseph feeding the tribes, Moses anointing the priests, the prophet Samuel anointing the king, Joshua leading them into their land, David laying the foundation of the Temple, and Solomon erecting it. He disclosed to him Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, and her children removing the nails from the Temple, Jehoiada replacing them, Amon erecting idols, Josiah destroying them, Nebuchadnezzar demolishing the Temple, Darius rebuilding it, and Bezalel erecting the Tabernacle. Hence, I have called by name Bezalel; that is to say, his name was known previously, and He had called him at the time of Adam. Therefore, Who hath wrought and done it? He that called the generations from the beginning (Isa. 41:4).