Midrash Tanchuma Reader

(Lev. 15:25:) “And when a woman has had a discharge of blood [for many days].” Thus did R. Hiya teach: Any place where [Scripture] says, “days,” it is two days; and any place where it says, “many days,” it is three days. How so? The woman is unclean from menstruation for seven days and becomes clean on the eighth day. [If] she sees blood on that day, she observes a day [like the rest] and becomes clean. [If] she sees it again on the ninth day, she observes that day and becomes clean. [If] she sees it again on the tenth day, she observes that one and is clean.

Ergo, three days which are “many days.” However, if she sees blood on day eleven, which is the fourth day of her cleansing, she returns to her uncleanness, and observes her seven days of menstruation from the beginning. For so have the sages taught: There are eleven days between one menstrual period and another; therefore, the woman has to keep fifteen days. How does she do so?

She keeps seven days of her menstrual period. Then after that she counts seven clean days and becomes clean on the eighth day. Then she performs a strict immersion after sunset, and she is lawful for her husband. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 15:28), “And when she is clean from her discharge, she shall count off seven days, and after that she shall be clean.”

(Numb. 3:4:) “And they had no children.” R. Jacob bar Abin said in the name of R. Aha, “If they had had children, they would have taken precedence over Eleazar and Ithamar, since whoever takes precedence with respect to inheritance takes precedence with respect to honor, provided that he follows the behavior of his forebears.” (Ibid.:) “So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the presence of ('al-pene) their father Aaron.” R. Isaac said, “During his lifetime”; but R. Hiyya bar Abba said, “At his death.” According to the opinion of R. Isaac, who said, “During his lifetime,” 'al-pene is mentioned here, and pene is also mentioned elsewhere (in Gen. 11:28), “And Haran died in the lifetime of ('al-pene) his father Terah.”

If pene as used elsewhere (i.e., in Gen. 11:28) [means] during his lifetime, pene as used here (in Numb. 3:4) also [means] during his lifetime. According to the opinion of R. Hiyya bar Abba, who said, “At his death,” pene is used here (in Numb. 3:4) and pene is used elsewhere (in Gen. 23:3), “Then Abraham arose from beside ('al-pene) his dead (i.e., his dead wife).”

If pene as used elsewhere (in Gen. 23:3) [means] at his death, pene as used here (in Numb. 3:4) also [means] at his death. Now according to the opinion of R. Isaac, who said, “during his lifetime,” [when] uncleanness befell Aaron, Eleazar ministered; [when] uncleanness befell Eleazar, Ithamar ministered. There is a story about Simeon ben Gimhit, that he went out to speak with the king of the Arabians. When a streak of saliva squirted from [the king's] mouth onto his clothes and rendered him unclean, his brother Judah entered and ministered in the high priesthood in his place.

That day Gimhit saw two of her sons as high priests. They said, “Gimhit had seven sons, and all of them ministered in the high priesthood.” The sages entered her home and said to her, “Tell us what good deeds you have to your credit?” She said to them, “By the Temple service, the rafters of my house have never seen the hair of my head.”

They say, “All flours (qimhayya) are flour (qimhin), but the flour of Gimhit is fine flour.” In reference to her they read this verse (Ps. 45:14), “All glorious is the king's daughter within; her clothing is of gold brocade.” Now according to the opinion of R. Hiyya bar Abba, who said, “At his death,” when Aaron died, Eleazar ministered; when Eleazar died, Ithamar served in his place.

R. Abba bar Abbina said, “For what reason is the parashah [about the death of] of Miriam (Numb. 20:1) near the parashah of the ashes of the [red] heifer (Numb. 19:1ff.)? Simply to teach that just as the ashes of the [red] heifer atones, so does the death of the righteous atone.”

R. Judan said, “For what reason is the death of Aaron (Deut. 10:6) near the breaking of the tablets (Deut. 9:17)? To teach that the death of the righteous is as grievous to the Holy One, blessed be He, as the breaking of the tablets.” R. Hiyya bar Abba said, “The sons of Aaron died on the first of Nisan. For what reason does it mention their death on the Day of Atonement (in Lev. 16:1)?

It is simply to teach that, just as the Day of Atonement atones, so does the death of the righteous atone.” And where is it shown that the Day of Atonement atones? Where it is stated (in Lev. 16:30), “For on this day atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you.” And where it is shown that the death of the righteous atones?

Where it is stated (in II Sam. 21:14), “Then they buried the bones of Saul […] and God responded to the plea of the land thereafter.”

(Lev. 19:23:) “Now when you come into the land and plant any tree for food.” This text is related (to Zech. 8:11-12), “But now [I will not treat the remnant of this people] as in the former days…. For as the seed of peace, the vine shall yield its fruit, the earth shall yield its harvest […].” What is the meaning of “not as in the former days?”

When Israel went forth from Egypt and was walking in the desert, He brought down manna for them, brought over quails for them, and raised up the well for them. Then each and every tribe made itself a conduit for water, which [drew [the water] from the well and brought it in to them.

Moreover, [each and every one] planted fig trees, vines, and pomegranates, which yielded fruit on the same day, just as it was from the beginning at the creation of the world (according to Gen. 1:11), “fruit tree bearing fruit according to its kind.” When Adam sinned, he sowed wheat and it sprouted thorns and thistles. When the well disappeared, [all the bounty disappeared.] What is written there (in Numb. 20:5)?

“A place with no seeds, figs, vines, or pomegranates.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Say to these Israelites, ‘When you enter the Land of Israel, I am restoring all the bounty to you.’” This is as it is stated (in Deut. 8:7-9), “For the Lord your God is bringing you unto a good land, a land with streams of water […]. A land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates […].

A land [in] which you shall eat bread without stint.” When they came into the Land of Israel they began sinning (rt.: ht'), as stated (in Jer. 2:7), “But you came and defiled (rt.: ht') My land.” So it did not bear fruits as was appropriate. They planted much wheat and brought in little, because they ceased [offering] the firstfruits.”

But in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will not act so. Thus it is stated (in Zech. 8:11), “But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days.” And it states (in Zech. 8:12), “For as the seed of peace, the vine shall yield its fruit, [the earth shall yield its harvest, the heavens shall yield their dew, and I will bequeath all these things to the remnant of this people].”

R. Tanhuma opened [his discourse] (with Job 41:3), “Who has advanced Me anything that I shall repay him; everything under the heavens is Mine.” This refers to a bachelor who dwells in a province and gives an allowance to scribes and Mishnah teachers. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “It is for me to pay him the compensation of a male child.” R. Jeremiah bar Eleazar said, “There is going to be a heavenly voice (bat qol) that shall explode on the tops of the mountains and say, ‘Whoever has done [something] along with God, let him come and receive his reward.’”

The holy spirit also proclaims (in Job 41:3), “’Who has advanced Me anything that I shall repay him?’ Who offered Me praise before I gave him breath? Who has performed circumcision for Me before I gave him a male child? Who made a tassel for Me before I gave him a prayer shawl?

Who made a parapet (in accord with Deut. 22:8) for Me before I gave him a roof? Who made a sukkah for Me before I gave him room? Who set aside pe'ah before I gave him a field? Who set aside the priestly tithe and the [other] tithes before I gave him a threshing floor?

Who offered a sacrifice before I gave him a beast?” Ergo (in Lev. 22:27), “When a bull or a sheep or a goat [is born…].”

(Numb. 1:1) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Sinai desert.” [Sinai] was called by six names: Mountain of God (as in Ps. 68:16), Mount Bashan (ibid.), Mountain of Peaks (ibid.), Mountain of Desire (hmd), Mount Horeb (Exod. 3:1; 33:6; etc.), and Mount Sinai. The Mountain of God is [so called] because on it God sat in judgment, as stated (in Exod. 21:1), “Now these are the judgments which you shall set before them.”

Mount Bashan is the mountain where (sham) Holy One, blessed be He, came (ba'). The Mountain of Peaks (gavenunnim, rt.: gbn) is the mountain where He disqualified all the [other] mountains, just as you say (in Lev. 21:20), “or a hunchback (gbn) or a dwarf.” Mountain of Desire (rt.: hmd) is [so called], because on it the Holy One, blessed be He, desired (hmd) to dwell, as stated (in Ps. 68:17), “the mountain God desired for His dwelling.” Mount Horeb (rt.: hrb) is [so called], because upon it the sword (rt.: hrb) [of judgment] was unsheathed, as stated (in Lev. 20:10), “the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death,” [and] (in Numb. 35:16), “the murderer shall surely be put to death.”

Mount Sinai is [so called], because on it the peoples of the world became hateful (rt.: sn') to the Holy One, blessed be He; and He rendered a verdict against them, as stated (in is. 60:12), “and the gentiles shall be utterly (hrb) destroyed (rt.: hrb).” R. Abba bar Kahana said in the name of R. Johanan, “’And the gentiles shall be utterly destroyed’ – it was where they received a verdict.”

(Numb. 5:13, cont.:) “And it is hidden from her husband's eyes,” [is to] exclude one who is blind. Another interpretation (of Numb. 5:13, cont.), “and it is hidden from her husband's eyes.” [These words mean to exclude the case in which] her husband saw [her transgression] and overlooked [it]. (Ibid., cont.:) “So that she is secluded.”

We have not yet heard of a specific length of time for her to be in seclusion (with her lover) [in order to cause defilement]. R. Eleazer says, “[The time needed] for a palm tree to sway back.” R. Joshua says, “For mixing the cup.” Ben 'Azzay says, “For drinking it.” R. Aqiva says, “For roasting an egg.”

R. Judah says, “For eating three eggs one after the other.” R. Eleazar ben Pinhas says, “For a weaver to knot the thread.” R. Hanin says, “For her to put her finger in her mouth.” Pelimo says, “For his (sic) hand to reach over the basket and take a loaf of bread. And even though there is no evidence for [this understanding], there is a hint [that it is correct], where it is stated (in Prov. 6:26), ‘For on behalf of a woman playing the harlot [one will be reduced] to a loaf of bread.’” (Numb. 5:13, cont.:) “And there is no witness against her.” Although she has no [witness against her] now, she will have one at another time. In a similar usage you say (in Gen. 11:30), “Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.” Although [Sarai] had no [child] then, she would have one at another time, as stated (in Gen. 21:1), “Then the Lord visited Sarah […].”

In a similar usage you say (in Esth. 2:10), “Esther had not disclosed her people [and her native land].” Although she had not disclosed them to him then, she did disclose them to him at another time, as stated (in Esth. 8:1), “then Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had disclosed what relationship he had to her.” And here also (in Numb. 5:13), “and there is no witness against her.” Although she has no [witness against her] now, she will have one at another time, as stated (in Mal. 3:5), “and I will be a swift witness [against sorcerers, against adulterers].”

Our masters have said, “When a woman is alone with her husband and he is having sexual intercourse with her, if she sets her eyes on another at the time of [their] sexual intercourse, there is no greater adultery for her than this. Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 16:32), “The adulterous woman [receives strangers] instead of her husband (literally: under her husband).”

Is there a woman who commits adultery [while] under her husband? It is simply that this is [the kind of woman] who encounters a certain man and sets her eyes on him. Then she has sexual intercourse with her husband while her heart is on him. [There is] a story about the king of the Arabs, who asked R. Aqiva, “I am black and my wife is black, but she has borne me a white son.

Shall I kill her because she has played the harlot while under me?” He said to him, “Are the images within your house white or black?” He said to him, “White.” He said to him, “When you were busy with her, she set her eyes on the images and bore [a child] like them.

Now if you are surprised over this matter, learn from the Jacob's flock. They were conceived from the sticks, as stated (in Gen. 30:39), ‘Since the flock conceived by the sticks, [the flock bore streaked, speckled, and spotted young].’” Then the king of the Arabs thanked R. Aqiva. Thus, when any woman is alone with her husband in holiness, in the end he produces righteous children from her.

Thus we find it so in the case of Hannah, who was alone with her husband in holiness, and [so] the Holy One, blessed be He, did not deprive her of her reward. Rather he gave her a righteous son like Moses, as stated (in Jer. 15:1), “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me.” It also says (in Ps. 99:6), “Moses and Aaron were among His priests, and Samuel was among those who call upon His name.” So also did Hannah say (in I Sam. 1:27), “For this child did I pray, [and the Lord has granted me my petition].”

Why? Because he was sown in holiness. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world I abhor all those peoples, because they are from unclean seed; but I have chosen you, because you are from true seed, as stated (in Jer. 2:21), ‘And I planted you as a choice vine, all of it from true seed.’ It is also written (in Deut. 7:6), ‘and the Lord your God has chosen you […].’

And also in the future to come I am choosing only you, because you are a holy seed, as stated (in Is. 65:23), ‘They shall not labor in vain, nor bear children in terror, because they are a seed blessed of the Lord, [and their offspring along with them].’”

(Numb. 16:15, cont.:) “And he said unto the Lord, ‘Pay no attention unto their meal offering.’” Do not accept them in repentance. Scripture should have said, “Pay no attention unto their service"? What is the meaning of “their meal offering?”

This is what Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, I know that these have a share in that meal offering that Israel offers every day. [But] in as much as these have withdrawn from Your children, do not pay attention to their portion. Let the fire leave it alone and not consume it.” (Numb. 16:15, cont.:) “I have not taken one donkey from them.” That which I had [a right] to take I did not take.

By universal custom, one who works in the sanctuary receives wages from the sanctuary. [In my case, however,] when I went down from Midian to Egypt I had a right to take a donkey from them, since it was on behalf of their needs that I was going down [there]; but I did not take [one]. Similarly also did Samuel the righteous say (in I Sam. 12:3), “Here am I, testify against me before the Lord and before His anointed; whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken?”

When I sacrificed an ox for their offerings to seek mercy for them and likewise for anointing a king over them, it belonged to me, as stated (in I Sam. 16:2), “Take a heifer with you […].” And similarly it says (in I Sam. 9:12), “because the people have a sacrifice today at the high place (bamah).” But I took nothing from what belonged to them. Also when I sought to handle their lawsuits and their [other] needs, and when I made the circuit of the cities, as stated (in I Sam. 7:16), “And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all those places;” [although] by universal custom litigants go to the judge, I went around from city to city and from place to place. Now even Moses said to Israel (in Exod. 18:16), “When they have a matter, it comes unto me.”

But I (Samuel) did not act in this way. Instead I took the trouble to go to them. (Numb. 16:15, cont.:) “’And I have not harmed a single one of them,’ in that I neither convicted the innocent nor acquitted the guilty.” When Moses saw that they continued in their pride and in their rebellious acts, then (according to Numb. 16:16-18) “Moses said unto Korah, ‘[Tomorrow] you and all your company [are to be present before the Lord: [you, they, and Aaron]; And let each one take his censer […].’

So each one took his censer.” Then Korah went about all that night and led Israel astray. Now he would say to them, “What do you suppose? That I am busy obtaining greatness for myself?

I wish for greatness to go the rounds to all of us, while Moses has taken kingship for himself and has given the high priesthood to his brother Aaron as an eternal statute.” So did he go about seducing each and every tribe as it suited them, until they joined him. How is it shown that when they entered and approached, they were all speaking? It is so stated (Numb. 16:19), “And Korah gathered all the congregation against them.”

When they entered and came with him, immediately (we read in Numb. 16:20–21), “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ‘Separate yourselves from the midst of this evil congregation, [so that I may consume them in a moment].’” (Numb. 16:22:) “But they fell on their faces and said, ‘O God, the God of all human spirits, [shall one person sin and You become angry with the whole congregation]?’”

They said to him, “Master of the world, in the case of a king, when a province rebels against him, when they persist in cursing the king or his deputies, ten or twenty of them, he sends out his legions and carries out reprisals against it.

So he kills the good with the evil, because he does not know who among them has rebelled and who has not rebelled, who has honored the king and who has cursed him. You, however, know the thoughts of every person, even what the hearts and the reins counsel. So You know who has sinned and who has not sinned, for You know the spirit of each and every person.” It is therefore stated (in Numb. 20:22), “O God, the God of all human spirits.”

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “You have spoken well. I am making the matter known, who has sinned and who has not sinned.”

R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “There are four things that the evil drive would refute [as irrational], and for each of them is written [the word,] huqqah (i.e., an unquestioned statute). Now these concern the following: (1) the nakedness of a brother's wife, (2) diverse kinds, (3) the scapegoat, and (4) the red heifer.” In regard to the nakedness of a brother's wife, it is written (in Lev. 18:16), “You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife”; [yet if the brother] dies without children [it is written] (in Deut. 25:5), “her brother-in-law shall have sexual intercourse with her [and take her for a wife].” And it is written about the sexual prohibitions (in Lev. 18:5), “And you shall keep [all] My unquestioned statutes [...].”

In regard to diverse kinds, it is written (in Deut. 22:11), “You shall not wear interwoven stuff, [wool and flax together]”; yet a linen cloak with [wool] tassels is permitted. And for [this commandment also] it is written, [that it is] an unquestioned statute. [Thus it is written (in Lev. 19:19),] “You shall keep My unquestioned statute.

You shall not mate your cattle with a different kind…, [nor shall you wear a garment with diverse kinds of interwoven stuff].” In regard to the scapegoat, it is written (in Lev. 16:26), “And the one who sets the azazel-goat free shall wash his clothes”; yet it is [the goat] itself that atones for others. And for [this commandment also] it is written (in Lev. 16:34), “And this shall be to you an unquestioned statute forever.”

In regard to the red heifer, where is it shown? Since we are taught (in Parah 4:4), “All engaged with the [rite of the red] heifer from beginning to end render [their] garments unclean”; yet it is [the heifer] itself that purifies [what is] unclean. And for [this commandment also] it is written, [that it is] an unquestioned statute. Thus it is written (in Numb. 19:2), “This is an unquestioned statute of the Torah.”

(Numb. 22:20:) “Then God came unto Balaam at night.” This text is related (to Job 33:15-17), “In a dream, a vision of the night […]; Then he uncovers a human ear […]; To turn a person from an action and conceal pride from a man.” What is the meaning of “conceal from a man”? The Holy One, blessed be He, hid from him (i.e, from Balaam) that his going (with Balak's messengers) would obliterate him from the world and bring him to the grave. ” [To darken (from)] (as in Job 33:30) “Bringing him back from the grave, that he may bask in the light of life.”

For when someone is going to sin, Satan dances before him until he completes the transgression. As soon as he has transgressed, he returns to inform Him. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 7: 22–23), “Going after her right away, he comes like an ox to the slaughter …. Until an arrow pierces his liver….”

So did the Holy One, blessed be He, hide [obliteration] from Balaam, until he had gone and destroyed his soul. After he had taken leave of his honor, had gone and destroyed his soul and realized how he stood, he began to beg for his soul (saying in Numb. 23:10), “let my soul die the death of the righteous.”

(Numb. 27:1:) “Then came forward the daughters of Zelophehad.” In that generation the women were fencing that which the men were breaching. Accordingly you find that Aaron said to them (i.e., the men in Exod. 32:2), “Take off the gold rings [that are in the ears of your wives…]”; but the women were unwilling and protested against their husbands.

Thus it is stated (in vs. 3), “So all the people took off the gold rings that were in their ears.” Thus the women did not take part in making the [golden] calf. So also in the case of the spies who had spread slander (according to Numb. 14:36), “when they returned, they made [the whole congregation] murmur against him.”

A decree was issued against them, because they had said (in Numb. 13:31), “We are unable to go up [against this people for they are stronger than us].” The women, however, were not with them in their counsel. What is written above the matter (in Numb. 26:65)? “Because the Lord had said to them, ‘They shall surely die in the wilderness,’ not a man of them remained.” [Note that Scripture speaks of] “a man,” and not of "a woman.”

Because they (i.e., the men) did not want to enter the land, but the women came forward to ask for an inheritance [in the land]; (Numb. 27:1) “Then came forward the daughters of Zelophehad.” Therefore the parashah [about the death of that generation] was written next to this parashah, because what the men broke down the women fenced in. Another interpretation (of Numb. 27:1), “Then came forward [the daughters of Zelophehad ben Hepher ben Gilead ben Machir ben Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh ben Joseph”: [Their action was] an honor to them. [It was also] an honor to their father, an honor to Machir, an honor to Manasseh and an honor to Joseph that such righteous and wise women had issued from him. But what was their wisdom? They [only] spoke up at the proper time, when Moses was busy with the parashah about inheritance (in accordance with Numb. 26:53), “To these shall you apportion the land [for an inheritance].” [So what was their wisdom? That] they said to him, “If we are like a son, let us inherit; but if not, let our mother perform levirate marriage (marry her husband's brother).” Immediately (in Numb. 27:5), “Moses brought their cause before the Lord.” They were righteous, In that they had never been married to someone unworthy of them. Then why did they meet with Moses now? So that he would not [put on airs] over having abstained from his wife for forty years. The Holy One, blessed be He, informed him through these [women], saying, “Here are women who without being commanded [remained unmarried] for forty years, until they were married to someone worthy of them.”

"And much cattle" (Numbers 32:1). This is [the meaning of] that which is stated by the verse (Ecclesiastes 10:2), "A wise man’s heart is to his right," that is Moshe; "but a fool’s heart is to his left," that is the Children of Reuven and the Children of Gad, who made the essential, secondary, and the secondary, essential. Why? Because they loved their possessions more than their selves.

As they said to Moshe (Numbers 32:16), "'We will build here sheepfolds for our flocks,' first, and afterwards, 'and towns for our children.'" Moshe said to them, "Do not do like this, make the essential first; 'build towns for your children,' and afterwards 'sheepfolds for your flocks' (Numbers 32:24)." Hence, "A wise man’s heart is to his right," that is Moshe; "but a fool’s heart is to his left," that is the Children of Reuven and the Children of Gad.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "You loved your money more than your souls. By your lives, there is no blessing in this, as stated (Proverbs 20:21), 'An estate acquired in haste at the outset will not be blessed in the end.'" "Do not toil to gain wealth; have the sense to desist" (Proverbs 23:4). And who is wealthy?

One who is happy with his lot, as stated (in Psalms 128:2), "You shall eat the produce of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you."

"Command the Children of Israel" (Numbers 34:2:). This is what is stated in the verse (in Numbers 23:19), "God is not a man to be deceitful," [meaning] a man will not make God deceitful; "nor the son of" Amram (this is a play on words, as the verse reads, the son of man, "Adam") to make Him "change His mind." As [only after God] said, "Let Me go," did the son of Amram stand and make Him change His mind, as stated (Exodus 32:14), "And the Lord rescinded the evil that He was saying to do to His people."

Another interpretation (of Numbers 23:19): "God is not a man to be deceitful," with the good. When He speaks to bring good - even if the generation is liable - He does not go back on it, [as] "God is not a man to be deceitful." But when He speaks to bring evil, He does go back on it, as it is stated (Numbers 23:19), "He said it but does not do [it]." You should know that He said to Avraham (Genesis 15:5), "Look toward heaven and count the stars...."

And He did it, as stated (Deuteronomy 1:10), "The Lord, your God, multiplied you, and behold you are today...." [But when] He said to Avraham (Genesis 15:13), "Know well that your offspring shall be strangers [... four hundred years]," they were oppressed for only two hundred and ten years. That is [the meaning of], "God is not a man to be deceitful" - with the good. But with the evil, "He said it but does not do [it]." [In this vein,] He said to Israel, "as you are not My people" (Hosea 1:9).

But He went back and said, "and I will say to Not My People, 'You are My people'" (Hosea 2: 25). That is [the meaning of], "He said it but does not do [it]." He said to Avraham, "As I will give [the land] to you and your offspring" (Genesis 26:3), and He did not go back [on it]. As it is stated (Numbers 34:2), "when you come to the Land of Canaan," and He brought them into the Land.

All of the commandment that I command you today (Deuteronomy 8:1): Any commandment that you do, say [that] it is as if you heard it today at Sinai from Moshe; as so is it written, "that I command you today guard to observe in order that you shall live." You and your children, in order that you shall live to others, in order that you shall live in the world to come. (Deuteronomy 8:1) "And increase," with children; "and increase," with livestock; "and increase," with silver and gold.

Another interpretation: "And increase," (which can be read as grow tall) is speaking about the messiah who will come in a chariot. "And increase (or grow)," in height. Rabbi Yehudah says, "In the future, each and every one in Israel will be a hundred cubits tall, as it is stated (Psalms 144:12), 'our daughters are like cornerstones trimmed to give shape to a chamber'; and it is stated (Ezekiel 42:8), 'the chamber a hundred cubits.'"

Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says, "Two hundred cubits, as it is stated (Leviticus 26:13), 'and walked with you upright (komemiyut, which sounds like the plural of height).' And in the future, each and every one of Israel will be seen by the nations when he leaves the city." Rabbi Chiya bar Yaakov said, "There are places [in which] they call pat liftoota, pisata, as it is stated (Psalms 72:16), "Let abundant (pisat) grain be in the land, etc." Rabbi Chaninah bar Pappa and Rabbi Shmuel bar Maniya [differed about the matter].

One said, "Turnips (lefet) was not bread." And the other said, "It was not bread, but rather it will make bread in the future; as it is stated (Psalms 72:16), "Let abundant (pisat) grain be in the land, etc." When? In the time of the messiah. And how many are the days of the messiah?

Rabbi Akiva says, "Forty years, in the same way that Israel was in the wilderness forty years. And He drags them and pulls them out to the wilderness and feeds them saltwort and broom, as it is stated (Job 30:4), 'They pluck saltwort and wormwood; the roots of broom are their bread.'" Rabbi Eliezer says, "One hundred years." Rabbi Berachaya says in the name of Rabbi Dosa, "Six hundred years."

Rabbi says, "Four hundred years, as stated (Micah 7:15), 'As in the days when you left from the land of Egypt I will show him wondrous deeds.' Just like [the sojourn in] Egypt was four hundred years, so [too] will the days of the messiah be four hundred years." Rabbi Eliezer [beRebbi Yose the Galilean] says a thousand years, as it is stated ([Psalms 90:15], 'Give us joy for as long as You have afflicted us.') [(Psalms 90:4), 'For in Your sight a thousand years are like yesterday that has passed.']"

Rabbi Abahu says, "Seven thousand years, as it is stated (Isaiah 62:5), 'As a youth espouses a maiden, your sons shall espouse you' - just as the days of rejoicing (for a marriage) are seven, so will the days of the messiah be seven thousand years." Our rabbis said, "Two thousand years, as it is stated ([Isaiah 63:4], 'For I had planned a day of vengeance, and My year of redemption arrived.') [(Psalms 90:15)], 'Give us joy for as long as (literally, like the days) You have afflicted us.']"

And after the days of the messiah is the world to come. And [then] the Holy One, blessed be He, appears in His glory and shows His forearm, as it is stated (Isaiah 52:10), "The Lord will bare His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and the very ends of earth shall see the victory of our God." At that time, Israel sees the Holy One, blessed be He, in His glory, as it is stated (Isaiah 52:8), "for every eye shall behold when the Lord returns to Zion, etc."

"When the LORD cuts off..." (Deuteronomy 12:29). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: By your lives, I fight your wars, and I write down concerning you that you killed them. Come and see: the deeds of the Holy One, blessed be He, are not like the deed of a king of flesh and blood. A king of flesh and blood goes out to war, and his legions go out before him. If they are victorious, they come and make a crown and crown him with it. But the Holy One, blessed be He, does not do so; rather He makes the war and gives the crown to Israel, as it is said, "To Him who struck down great kings, Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan" (Psalms 136:17-20). And He gave the crown to Israel, as it is said, "Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel struck them" (Joshua 12:6). And so too with Joshua, what is written? "And the LORD cast down great stones upon them from heaven" (Joshua 10:11). And it is said, "And these are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel struck" (Joshua 12:7). Because we are to inherit their land, He cut them off from the world, so that we might enter and inherit houses full of every good thing. For all the days that Israel existed, they were moved about and wandered in the wilderness forty years, though they were fit to go up at once, as it is said, "I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt" (Exodus 3:17), "to a land good and broad." Yet they did not enter at once, for as soon as they went out from Egypt, the seven nations heard that they were coming to inherit. What did they do? They cut down the trees, and stopped up the springs, and demolished the houses, so that if they entered there, they would find nothing. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If I bring them in there at once, they will find it desolate, and I have promised them that they would find it full of every good thing. What did He do? He detained them in the wilderness forty years, and the Canaanites despaired of Israel, saying that they were not coming. They arose and planted the trees, and repaired the pits and the towns, so that Israel might come to its built-up state, to fulfill what is said, "And houses full of every good thing" (Deuteronomy 6:11). This is what is written, "And God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines" (Exodus 13:17). Once they had set everything in order, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Why are you standing? "Go up from here, you and the people" (Exodus 33:1); make war with them and cut them off. Israel said to Moses: When will we enter the land? When the LORD your God cuts off the nations from within it, you will enter.

(Deut. 16:19:) “You shall not turn aside justice; you shall not show partiality.” [Here is] a warning for the prince not to place one suited to be low, high; and one suited to be high, low. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19), “You shall not turn aside justice,” because of wealth; “you shall not show partiality,” because of honor, so that a poor person does not stand while a wealthy one sits. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19), “You shall not turn aside justice.”

It is a warning to the sage not to seat someone beside him who is unfit for jurisdiction. Moreover, if he should so seat someone [like this], it is as though he had planted an asherah. So near [this verse] is [the following] (in Deut. 16:21), “You shall not plant for yourselves [any tree as] an asherah [beside an altar of the Lord your God…].” (Deut. 16:19) “You shall not turn aside justice.”

Let the judges always feel as if the Divine Presence is among them, as stated (in Ps. 82:1), “[God stands in the divine congregation;] he pronounces judgment in the midst of powers.” From here it follows for litigants that they conduct themselves in awe. There is a story about a certain person who had a lawsuit with a king, one of the kings of the Hasmonean dynasty. He came and stood before Simeon ben Shetah.

He said to him, “I have a lawsuit with the king.” Simeon ben Shetah said to those judges who were judging along with him, “If I send for the king, will you reprimand him?” They told him, “Yes.” He sent for him.

He came and put his throne beside Simeon ben Shetah. Simeon ben Shetah said to him, “Stand on your feet and give satisfaction." He said to him, “Do we judge a king?” [Simeon ben Shetah] turned to the right, and the judges [on the right] pressed their faces on the ground (to hide them). He turned to the left, and [those on the left] pressed their faces on the ground.

The angel came and beat them on the ground, until their souls left them. Immediately the king trembled. Simeon ben Shetah said to him, “Stand on your feet and give satisfaction, since you are not standing before me, but before the One who spoke and the world came into being, as stated (in Deut. 19:17), ‘The two parties to the dispute shall stand before the Lord.’” He immediately stood on his feet and gave satisfaction.

Hence the litigants need to conduct themselves in awe and the judges need to conduct themselves in awe; as they are rendering judgment, as it were, for the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore Jehoshaphat said to the judges (in II Chron. 19:6), “[Consider what you are doing], since you are not rendering judgment for humans but for the Lord.” R. Hama bar Hanina said, “Come and see! If there were no scriptural text written, it is not possible for him to say that flesh and blood judges its Creator.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the judges, ‘Let them conduct themselves in awe, as if you were judging Me. How? One fulfills a commandment before Me. [So] I have decreed over him to give him a hundred fields. If you pass judgment against him on one thing that I have decreed over him, I will give him other [fields] from what I possess; and I will credit it against you as though you had gotten it from Me.’”

Remember that which [Amalek] did to you, etc. (Deuteronomy 25:17): Here it is written, "Remember," and with Shabbat it is written, "Remember." Both of them are equal. Shlomo said (Ecclesiastes 2:15-16), "So I reflected: 'The fate of the fool is also destined for me; to what advantage, then, have I been wise?'... Because the wise man is never remembered as the fool."

Even though it is written about Shabbat, "Remember," and about Amalek, "Remember," they are not equal. Shlomo said, "The fate of the fool is also destined for me." There is a [relevant] parable [about this]. To what is the matter comparable?To a king that made a banquet and invited guests.

The tray entered in front of him, full of all good things. He said, "I mention (remember) my friend x." When the tray was cleared, he said, "I mention (remember) my enemy y." His friends said to him, "You mentioned this one and you mentioned that one [alike]?"

He said to them, "This one I mentioned over a tray full of all good things and that one I mentioned over an empty tray." So [too], about the Shabbat it is written (Exodus 20:8), "Remember the Shabbat, to sanctify it," and to honor it with food, drink and clean clothing. But with Amalek it is written, "Remember that which Amalek did to you." Upon what do you remember it? Upon an empty table, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 25:19), "you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."

"Then God remembered Noah" (Genesis 8:1). [Let our master teach us: One who has seen the bow in the cloud, what must he bless? Thus] our masters taught: One who sees the bow in the cloud must recite a blessing. What does he bless? "Blessed is the One who remembers the covenant, and is trustworthy in His covenant, and upholds His word." This, then, is from the Mishnah. From where in the Torah is it derived? Scripture teaches, saying: "I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of a covenant" (Genesis 9:13). The deed of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like the deed of flesh and blood. How so? With flesh and blood, all the days that the one he loves is alive, the love is in its place; but if he dies, the love is annulled. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, is not so. Abraham died, yet His love endured for Isaac his son, as it is said: "And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son" (Genesis 25:11).

[(Genesis 14:1:) AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE DAYS OF AMRAPHEL.] Thus did Rabbi Tanchuma bar Abba begin: "THE WICKED HAVE DRAWN A SWORD, etc.... THEIR SWORD SHALL ENTER THEIR OWN HEART" (Psalms 37:14-15). What is the meaning of "THE WICKED HAVE DRAWN A SWORD"? This is Cain, for until then there had been no killer in the world; but Cain came and opened with killing, as it is said, "AND CAIN ROSE UP [AGAINST ABEL HIS BROTHER AND KILLED HIM]" (Genesis 4:8). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wicked one, you have opened with the sword in the world. "THE WICKED HAVE DRAWN A SWORD"—this is Cain. "TO BRING DOWN THE POOR AND NEEDY"—this is Abel. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You have opened the sword in the world; the sword shall enter the heart of that same man. "THEIR SWORD SHALL ENTER THEIR OWN HEART" (Psalms 37:15).

It is written, "So shall you find favor and good understanding in the eyes of God and man" (Proverbs 3:4). There is a person who is dear before the king but is not dear before the members of the king's palace, and there is one who is dear before the members of the palace but is not dear before the king. But the righteous, when they are dear before the Holy One, blessed be He, they are dear before the angels and before the creatures. For so you find in the case of Daniel: when the angel came to him, he called him "greatly beloved" three times. "Greatly beloved one, understand the words" (Daniel 10:11); and it is written, "Fear not, greatly beloved one" (Daniel 10:19); and "I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved" (Daniel 9:23). And why did he call him "greatly beloved" three times? Rather, happy is the man to whom the angel brought tidings and said: You are beloved before the Holy One, blessed be He; you are also praised among the heavenly beings, and you are beloved among your generation. Bezalel too was praised among the heavenly beings and also among the lower beings. From where? As it is said, "See, I have called by name Bezalel" (Exodus 31:2), and it is written, "See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel" (Exodus 35:30). "See" among the upper beings, "see" among the lower beings. Thus it says, "So shall you find favor," and so forth.

(Genesis 25:1:) "Then Abraham took another wife." This is what Scripture says (Ecclesiastes 12:1): "Remember your Creator." What is the meaning of "your Creator"? This is the Holy One, blessed be He. Akavya ben Mahalalel says: Look at three things [and you will not come into the grip of transgression, etc.: From where did you come? From a putrid drop. And to where are you going? To a place of dust, rot, and worm. And before whom are you destined to give account and reckoning? Before the King who is King over kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.] R. Joshua of Sikhnin in the name of R. Levi: And all three of them are in this verse. "And remember your Creator (bora'akha)" — this is the Holy One, blessed be He. "Your well (be'erkha)" — this is the well that came forth from putrid fluid. "Your pit (borkha)" — to the place where you are destined to give account and reckoning. Hence, "And remember."

Thus did R. Tanchuma expound (Genesis 27:1): "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old," and so forth. You find that there are twenty generations from Adam to Abraham, and old age is not written concerning any of them except concerning Abraham, as it is said (Genesis 24:1): "And Abraham was old." Isaac arose, and concerning him too it is written (Genesis 27:1): "And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old." Jacob arose, and concerning him too it is written (Genesis 48:10): "Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age." This is what Scripture says (Psalms 90:16): "Let Your work appear unto Your servants, and Your glory upon their children." And "glory" is nothing other than old age and gray hair, as it is said (Proverbs 20:29): "The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is the gray head." Hence, "and Your glory upon their children" — for Abraham endowed Isaac with five things. Thus did our Rabbis teach: A father endows his son with five things — with beauty, with strength, with wealth, with wisdom, and with years. Beauty — from where? For Isaac was as handsome as Joseph. It is written of Joseph (Genesis 39:6): "And Joseph was of beautiful form." And when he went to his brothers, they said (Genesis 37:19): "Behold, this one (hallazeh), the master of dreams, comes." And it is said of Isaac (Genesis 24:65): "Who is this man (hallazeh)?" and so forth — that Isaac was as handsome as Joseph. From where that Isaac was mighty in strength? See how many wells he dug, as it is said (Genesis 26:18): "And Isaac dug again," and so forth; (Genesis 26:19): "And Isaac's servants dug," and so forth; (Genesis 26:21): "And they dug another well," and so forth; (Genesis 26:22): "And he removed from there and dug." See the might that was in his hand. Wealth — from where? As it is said (Genesis 26:13): "And the man grew great," and so forth; and it says (Genesis 26:14): "And he had possession of flocks," and so forth. Wisdom — from where? For he said to his father (Genesis 22:7): "Behold the fire and the wood," and so forth. And years — [from where]? For he was one hundred and eighty years old, while Abraham was one hundred and seventy-five. On account of these five things {by which he attained merit}, five years more than his father were added to him. Therefore it is said (Psalms 90:16): "Let Your work appear unto Your servants," and so forth. Everyone who has merit attains these five things, and everyone who has no merit does not attain them, and receives in their stead five retributions. And who was this? This was Joab, as it is said (2 Samuel 3:29): "Let it fall upon the head of Joab and upon his son, [and let there not be cut off from the house of Joab one that has a discharge, or that is a leper, or that leans on a staff, or that falls by the sword, or that lacks bread]." "One that has a discharge" — corresponding to strength; one who has a discharge, there is none weaker than he. "A leper" — corresponding to beauty; one who is a leper, even a young man, there is none more disfigured than he. "One that leans on a staff (handles the spindle)" — corresponding to wealth, for he is {like a poor woman} who, if she does not spin flax, has nothing from which to eat. "One that lacks bread" — corresponding to wisdom, as it is said (Proverbs 9:5): "Come, eat of my bread." "One that falls by the sword" — corresponding to years; one who sins is smitten through them, but one who has merit receives, just as Isaac did. And David gave praise (Psalms 45:17): "Instead of your fathers shall be your sons."

Another interpretation (of Genesis 28:12): "And he dreamed, and behold a ladder (sullam)." Rabbi Yose the Galilean said: He showed him Manasseh, who made an image (semel). [Another interpretation:] "And he dreamed, and behold a ladder." Rabbi Eleazar son of Rabbi Shimon ben (Yose) [Yochai] said: He showed him an altar, as it is stated, "An altar of earth [you shall make for Me... and you shall not go up by steps upon My altar]" (Exodus 20:24, 26). "And its top reached to the heavens" — this is the cloud of the incense. "And behold, angels of God" — these are the priests who stand upon the ramp of the altar and minister. Rabbi Shimon ben Halafta said: He showed him Korah, as it is stated, "And the earth opened its mouth" (Numbers 16:32). "And its top reached to the heavens" — He showed him Moses, as it is stated, "And to Moses He said: Come up to the LORD" (Exodus 24:1).

(Genesis 32:25:) "And Jacob was left alone." What is written above the matter? "And Jacob feared greatly, and he was distressed." When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw how Jacob was in anguish, Rabbi Berekhyah said: He sent four companies of angels to wage war with Esau all night. The first company came; it said to them, "To whom do you belong?" They said to him, "We are the children of Isaac," and they began striking him. He said to them, "We are of the children's children of Abraham"; they began striking him. When they said, "We are the brothers of Jacob," they began leaving them: "For the sake of the honor of Jacob we will leave you." This is "And Jacob was left alone." And Jacob did not know how many miracles the Holy One, blessed be He, had done with him. He did nothing; but when he came in the morning, Esau his brother said to him, "What is all this camp which I met?" (Genesis 33:8). It is not written here "which I saw," but rather "which I met." And Jacob did not know that the Holy One, blessed be He, had sent him angels; rather, he supposed that he was occupied with that present which he had sent him. Therefore he said to him, "to find favor in the eyes of my lord" (ibid.). And when the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that he was afraid, He sent him Michael to make strife with him. What did the angel do to him? He appeared to him in the likeness of a shepherd, as it is said, "And a man wrestled with him, etc.," "and he saw that he could not prevail against him, etc.," "and he said, Send me away, etc." (Genesis 32:25, 26, 27).

(Gen. 37:4:) AND HIS BROTHERS SAW THAT THEIR FATHER LOVED HIM MORE THAN ALL HIS BROTHERS, [AND THEY HATED HIM AND COULD NOT SPEAK TO HIM IN PEACE]. For he would come and ask after their welfare (shalom), and they would not answer him. Why? Because such was his custom, that he would ask after their welfare. You have a person who, before he has entered into office [asks after the welfare of people; but once he has entered into office], his spirit grows coarse upon him, and he does not take care to ask after the welfare of the people of the city. But Joseph was not so: even though he had entered into office, it was still his custom to ask after the welfare of his brothers, as it is said (Gen. 43:27), AND HE ASKED THEM CONCERNING THEIR WELFARE. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Joseph, you were the one who began to ask after the welfare of your brothers in this world, and they hated you; but in the world to come I will reconcile you and remove the hatred from among you, and I will settle you in tranquility and make peace among you. And thus said David (Ps. 133:1), BEHOLD, HOW GOOD AND HOW PLEASANT IT IS FOR BROTHERS TO DWELL TOGETHER.

Another interpretation (of Genesis 42:1): "And Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, etc." Rabbi Joshua said: A great and aged man, sitting in his house and seeing what there was in Egypt. Scripture says (Ecclesiastes 7:19): "And wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers, etc." This is Jacob, who was sitting and seeing what there was in Egypt, while his ten sons were coming in [and going out] and did not know.

Another interpretation: When Judah saw that Joseph would not be appeased, he began to say to his brothers, "[Why] are we standing here? From this one we will begin, and with Pharaoh we will finish." And they did not know that Joseph understood their language, as it is said, "And they did not know that Joseph was listening" (Genesis 42:23). When Joseph saw this, he began to speak to them with pleadings and with soft language. He said to them, "I do not wish to know anything except about this Benjamin: who gave him the counsel to steal the goblet? Perhaps it was you who gave him counsel to steal the goblet." When Benjamin heard this, he said, "They did not give me counsel, and I did not touch the goblet." He said to him, "Swear to me." He began to swear to him. And by what did he swear to him? By the separation of my brother Joseph from me: "I did not touch him, nor in the shooting of the arrows that were shot at him, as it is said, 'And the archers hated him' (Genesis 49:23); nor in the stripping with which they stripped him, as it is said, 'And they stripped Joseph of his tunic' (Genesis 37:23); nor in the throwing with which they threw him into the pit, as it is said, 'And they cast him into the pit' (Genesis 37:24); nor in the selling with which they sold him to the Ishmaelites; nor in the dipping with which they dipped his tunic in blood — that they did not give me counsel, and I did not touch the goblet." Joseph said, "Who will make known to me that you are swearing about your brothers truthfully?" He said to him, "From the names of my sons you can know how much I cherish him, for I brought forth their names according to what happened to him." He said to him, "And what are the names of your sons?" He said to him, "Bela, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard" (Genesis 46:21). He said to him, "Why Bela?" He said to him, "Because my brother was swallowed up (nivla) from me. And Becher, because he was the firstborn (bekhor) to my mother. And Ashbel, because my brother was taken captive (shenishbah). Gera, because he was a sojourner (ger) in lodging. Naaman, because his words were pleasant (ne'imim). Ehi, because he was my brother (ahi) from the same mother, and I have none but him. And Rosh, because he was greater than I. Muppim, because he learned Torah from the mouth (mi-pi) of our father and taught it to me — and all his brothers would return and shepherd, while he sat beside my father and learned from him the traditions which he had received from Shem and Eber. And Huppim, because he was covered over (shenithapeh) until this very day. Another interpretation of Huppim: because I did not see his wedding canopy (huppah) and he did not see my wedding canopy. Another interpretation of Huppim: because until now I am mourning for him and go barefoot (yahef). And Ard, because he brought down (horid) all of us here. Another interpretation of Ard: 'For I will go down (ered) to my son mourning, to Sheol' (Genesis 37:35). I beg of you, do not bring down my father in grief to Sheol." And likewise Judah said, "For how shall I go up to my father, [and the lad not be with me]" (Genesis 44:34). When Joseph heard this, he could not restrain his compassion, as it is said, "And Joseph could not restrain himself" (Genesis 45:1), "and he gave forth his voice in weeping" (Genesis 45:2), "and Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am Joseph'" (Genesis 45:3). When he said to them, "I am Joseph (your brother)," his brothers could not answer him, for they were terrified before him (Genesis 45:3). Rabbi Eleazar son of Rabbi Simeon said in the name of Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah: If, in the case of Joseph, who said to his brothers, "I am Joseph," and they knew what they had done to him, they could not answer him — when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to contend with each and every one of the creatures and to tell him his deeds, as it is written, "For behold, He who forms the mountains and creates the wind and declares to a man what his thought is" (Amos 4:13) — how much more so will no creature be able to stand.

(Gen. 47:30:) "And I will lie down with my fathers." Jacob said to Joseph: If you do for me as I tell you, well and good; but if not, my soul shall depart from me. He said to him: I will do so for you. He said to him: "Swear to me"—(Gen. 47:31:) "and he swore to him." When he had passed away, what is written? (Gen. 50:12:) "And his sons did for him [thus], just as he had commanded them." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world death does not let a person rejoice, but in the world to come, (Isa. 25:8:) "He will swallow up death forever," and so forth. When death is removed, what is written? (Isa. 65:19:) "And I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people, and there shall no longer be heard in her the sound of weeping or the sound of crying out."

Another interpretation: "Who is this King of glory?" (Psalms 24:8, 10). Who is this King who has shared glory with those who fear Him? "The LORD of hosts" and so forth. How so? A king of flesh and blood, none may sit upon his throne; yet the Holy One, blessed be He, seated Solomon upon His throne, as it is said, "And Solomon sat upon the throne of the LORD" (I Chronicles 29:23). A king of flesh and blood, none may ride upon his horse; yet the Holy One, blessed be He, mounted Elijah upon His horse. And what is the horse of the Holy One, blessed be He? The whirlwind and the storm, as it is said, "The LORD, His way is in the whirlwind and in the storm" and so forth (Nahum 1:3). A king of flesh and blood, none may make use of his scepter; yet Moses made use of the scepter of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "And Moses took the rod of God in his hand" (Exodus 4:20). A king of flesh and blood, none may wear his crown; yet the Holy One, blessed be He, gave crowns to the King Messiah, as it is said, "You set upon his head a crown of fine gold" (Psalms 21:4). A king of flesh and blood, none may wear his garment; yet Israel wore the garment of the Holy One, blessed be He, namely strength, as it is said, "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD" (Isaiah 51:9); and He gave it to Israel, as it is said, "The LORD will give strength to His people" (Psalms 29:11). A king of flesh and blood, none may be called by his title, such as Caesar Augustus or Basileus; and if a person calls another by one of them, he has no life. Know this for yourself, that no man calls his fellow "Augustus So-and-so." But the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Behold, I have made you like Myself, a god to Pharaoh, as it is said, "See, I have made you a god to Pharaoh" (Exodus 7:1). Thus, "Who is this King of glory?", the One who shared His glory with those who fear Him.

Thus did Rabbi Tanchuma expound: "And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 'This month shall be for you the beginning of months'" (Exodus 12:1-2). This is what Scripture says: "My beloved answered and said to me, 'Arise, my darling, my fair one, and come away. For behold, the winter is past'" (Song of Songs 2:10-11); "the blossoms have appeared in the land" (Song of Songs 2:12). "My beloved answered" — by the hand of Moses; "and said to me" — by the hand of Aaron. "Arise, my darling (ra'yati)" — daughter of Abraham, who befriended (ri'ah) Me in My world. "My fair one (yafati)" — daughter of Isaac, who beautified (yipah) Me in My world at the hour when his father bound him upon the altar. "And come away" — daughter of Jacob, who heeded his father and his mother [and went to Paddan-Aram] (Genesis 28:5). Rabbi Akiva says: "Arise" [and] "come away" are written [with the letter] yod, [whose numerical value is] ten — [in the merit of] the Ten Commandments that you are destined to receive at Sinai. "Arise, my darling, my fair one." Rabbi Yochanan said: "my darling (ra'yati)" — as it is written, "the one lamb you shall offer in the morning" (Exodus 29:39).

Another interpretation of (Exodus 13:17) "And it came to pass when Pharaoh let [the people] go": Who cried "Woe" (vav-yod)? The Canaanites [cried "Woe"]. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a small son, and who had an ousia (that is, an orchard). And he sought to go abroad, to a province across the sea. He said to a certain tenant-farmer that he should guard it, and that he should eat of its fruits, until his son should reach his maturity; and afterward he would give it to him. When the king's son grew up, he sought the ousia. Immediately the tenant-farmer began to cry "Woe." So too were Israel in Egypt, while the Canaanites were dwelling and guarding the Land of Israel and eating its fruits. When they heard that Israel had gone out from Egypt, they began to shriek "Woe." [Thus it says,] "And it came to pass when Pharaoh let [the people] go" (Exodus 13:17).

"In the third month, etc." (Exodus 19:1). This is what Scripture said: "Have I not written for you threefold things in counsels and knowledge, etc." (Proverbs 22:20). If you sought to take counsel, you should take it from the Torah. David said: When I wished to take counsel, I would take it from the Torah, as it is said: "In Your precepts I will meditate, etc." (Psalms 119:15). Ben Zoma says: What is written? "In the third month" — "on that day" is not written here, but rather "on this day" — as though on this very day they came to the wilderness of Sinai. Every day that you occupy yourself with the Torah, you should say: it is as though on this very day I received it from Sinai. And it says: "This day the LORD your God commands you to perform these statutes, etc." (Deuteronomy 26:16).

Another interpretation of "If you lend money" (Exodus 22:24). What is the difference between the act of a human being and the act of the Holy One, blessed be He? When a human being owes his fellow, [the lender] says to him, "Give me what I have in your hand." He says to him, "I have nothing now." Immediately they make a quarrel and humiliate one another. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. For thus you find: in the summer the day borrows from the night, until the solstice of Tammuz; and from the solstice of Tammuz until the solstice of Tevet the night borrows from the day. From where [do we know this]? David said, "Day unto day pours forth speech" (Psalms 19:3) — this one lends to that one, and that one lends to this one, and no person hears what is between them, as it is said, "There is no speech, there are no words" (Psalms 19:4). But human beings lend to one another and make a quarrel. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Go, say to Israel: Even though you lend to one another, do not conduct yourselves in the manner of contempt.

(Exodus 26:7:) "AND YOU SHALL MAKE CURTAINS OF GOATS' HAIR," etc. This is what Scripture says (Malachi 1:2): "I HAVE LOVED YOU, SAYS THE LORD." Who spoke this verse? Malachi [spoke it]. When? At the time when he was rebuking Israel. Malachi said to them (Malachi 3:8): "WILL A MAN ROB GOD?" They answered him (ibid.): "IN WHAT HAVE WE ROBBED YOU?" Our Rabbis said: The generation of Malachi—he was rebuking them, and they were answering him back. He said to them, "WILL A MAN ROB GOD?" Rabbi Levi said: It is an Arabic expression. When an Arab comes to converse with his fellow, he says to him, "Are you robbing us? Are you defrauding us?"—"WILL A MAN ROB GOD?" And he said, "AND YOU SAY, 'IN WHAT HAVE WE ROBBED YOU?'—THE TITHE AND THE HEAVE-OFFERING" (ibid.), for they were not bringing it out as is fitting. He turned again and said to them (Malachi 1:2): "WAS NOT ESAU JACOB'S BROTHER?" yet you say, "IN WHAT HAVE YOU LOVED US?" (ibid.). In the way of the world, when a man has children, one a firstborn and one a younger, who takes the larger portion? The firstborn. Esau came out first, as it is said (Genesis 25:25): "AND THE FIRST CAME OUT RUDDY." He was fit to take two portions, yet I did not do so; rather, Jacob took two portions—this world and the world to come. So too Esau said to Jacob (Genesis 33:12): "LET US JOURNEY AND GO," etc.—let the two of us walk together in the world. Jacob said to him: Take your world and pass on, as it is said (Genesis 33:14): "LET MY LORD, I PRAY, PASS OVER BEFORE HIS SERVANT," etc., "UNTIL I COME TO MY LORD AT SEIR." Rabbi Jacob said: I went over all of Scripture [to see] whether Jacob went to Seir or whether he did not go, and I did not find [it]. And when does he go? In the time to come, as it is said (Obadiah 1:21): "AND SAVIORS SHALL GO UP ON MOUNT ZION," etc. Therefore, "AND I LOVED JACOB"—Jacob is a partner with Esau in this world, [but Esau is not] a partner with Jacob in the world to come. Solomon said (Proverbs 5:17): "LET THEM BE FOR YOU ALONE, AND NOT FOR STRANGERS WITH YOU."

(Exodus 29:1:) "And this is the thing which you shall do to them, etc." This is what Scripture says (Proverbs 3:35): "The wise shall inherit glory" — these are Israel; "but fools carry away shame" (ibid.) — these are the nations of the world. And when shall Israel inherit the glory? When they received the Torah from Sinai. Rabbi Yochanan said: Sixty myriads of ministering angels descended with the Holy One, blessed be He, to Sinai, and they placed crowns upon the head of each and every one of Israel. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: When Israel stood at Mount Sinai and said, "We will do and we will obey," immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, cherished them, and gave to each and every one of them two angels; and the one girded him with his weapon, and the other placed a crown upon his head. Rabbi Simon said: They clothed them in purple robes, as it is said (Ezekiel 16:10): "And I clothed you with embroidered garments." Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: He gave them a weapon, and the Ineffable Name was engraved upon it. Thus, "The wise shall inherit glory" — these are Israel, who received the Torah; "but fools carry away shame" — these are the nations of the world, and the Holy One, blessed be He, makes shame for them. Rabbi Shmuel said: "The wise shall inherit glory" — these are David and Solomon, who built the Temple; "but fools carry away shame" — these are the nations of the world who destroyed it, and the Holy One, blessed be He, makes shame for them. Rabbi Nachman said: See what is written (Psalms 73:20): "O Lord, in the city You shall despise their image." Why "in the city"? Rather, the proverb says: In the place where the robber commits his robbery, there he is hanged. Therefore it is written "in the city."

"This they shall give" (Exodus 21:13). Rabbi Meir said: The Holy One, blessed be He, took something like a coin of fire from beneath the Throne of Glory and showed it to Moses, and He said to Moses, "This they shall give." Moses said, "Who can give such a thing?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Everyone who passed through the sea." A half-shekel.

(Exodus 37:1:) "And Bezalel made the Ark." This is what Scripture said (Psalms 119:130): "The opening of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple." Rabbi Shimon [ben Yehotzadak] asked Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman, "Since you are a master of Aggadah, tell me, how did the Holy One, blessed be He, create the world?" He said to him: When the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to create the world, He wrapped Himself in light and created His world, as it is said (Psalms 104:2): "Wrapping Himself in light like a garment." Afterward (in the same verse): "spreading out the heavens like a curtain." Therefore, "the opening of Your words gives light," and so forth. Rabbi Yehudah said: To what is the matter comparable? To a king [who sought to build] himself a palace, and that place was dark. What did he do? He kindled the lamps, and afterward he built the palace. So too the Holy One, blessed be He, when He built the world, it was entirely darkness. What did He do? He wrapped Himself in light and created it. This is, "the opening of Your words gives light," and so forth. From the Holy One, blessed be He, the righteous learned that they should begin with light. When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (Exodus 25:8): "And let them make Me a sanctuary," Moses told Bezalel to make a Tabernacle. With what did he begin first? The work of the Ark. (Exodus 37:1:) "And Bezalel made the Ark."

[(Exodus 39:33:) AND THEY BROUGHT THE TABERNACLE.] This is what Scripture says (Proverbs 31:25): "Strength and splendor are her clothing, and she shall laugh at the latter day." There was a case of Rabbi Abbahu. When he was departing from the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him the reward that was prepared for him in the world to come, and He passed before him thirteen rivers of balsam. And he was looking at them and was astonished, and he kept saying: Are all these for Abbahu? And he applied to himself the verse (Isaiah 49:4): "I have spent my strength for emptiness and vanity; yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God." [Thus: "and she shall laugh at the latter day."] Zavdi ben Levi, and Levi ben Paytam, and Rabbi Yehudah ben Levi—each one of them [recited] a verse at the time of his departure from the world. One recited (Psalms 32:6): "For this let every pious one pray to You..." And one recited (Psalms 31:20): "How abundant is Your goodness..." And one recited (Psalms 5:12): "And let all who take refuge in You rejoice..." Thus, at the time of their departure from the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, shows them the gift of their reward. Ben Azzai said (Psalms 116:15): "Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of His pious ones." When does the Holy One, blessed be He, show the righteous the honor that is prepared for them? Close to their death. Thus: "and she shall laugh at the latter day..."

"And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and they shall lay wood in order upon the fire" (Leviticus 1:7). All the trees are fit for the arrangement of wood, except for the vine and the olive. Why? Because they produce excellent fruit. From this you have learned that by virtue of the sons the fathers are honored.

[And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings (Leviticus 7:11).] When they would offer the sacrifice of peace offerings, the Holy One, blessed be He, would lift up His face to them, as it is said, "The Lord lift up His face unto you and grant you peace" (Numbers 6:26). Is it possible that the Holy One, blessed be He, lifts up a face to creatures? Two verses contradict one another. One verse says, "[For] [if] I desire the death of the wicked" (Ezekiel 33:11), and one verse says, "For the Lord desired to slay them" (1 Samuel 2:25). How does He not desire the death of the wicked? Rather, before their sentence is sealed He does not desire it; after the sentence is sealed, "the Lord desired to slay them." And so Daniel says, "But I will tell you that which is inscribed in the writing of truth" (Daniel 10:21). Our Rabbis said: There was an incident with Rabbenu the Holy One, that he was passing through Simonia. All the people of the city went out to meet him. They asked of him one elder to teach them Torah. He gave them Rabbi Levi bar Sison. They said to him, "Rabbenu, what is the meaning of what is written in Daniel, 'But I will tell you that which is inscribed in the writing of truth' (Daniel 10:21)? Is there then a false matter in the Torah, that it says 'truth'?" He found no answer to give them. Immediately he went out [from there and came] before Rabbi. He said to him, "I could not stand before them. They asked me one matter, and I found nothing to answer them." He said to him, "What is the matter?" He said to him, "'But I will tell you that which is inscribed in the writing of truth'—is there then a false matter in the Torah?" He said to him, "There was a great answer for you to give them." He said to him, "You should have said to them: When a person sins, the Holy One, blessed be He, inscribes death upon him. If he repents, the writing is annulled; if he does not repent, 'that which is inscribed in the writing of truth.'" So [here] too, one verse says, "The Lord lift up His face, etc." (Numbers 6:26), and one verse says, "Who does not lift up a face" (Deuteronomy 10:17). If He lifts up, why does He not lift up? Rather, to the nations of the world, "Who does not lift up a face," but to Israel, "The Lord lift up His face unto you." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Just as Israel lift up a face to Me, so I lift up a face to them. And how do they lift up a face to Me? A poor man of Israel has four children; he takes one loaf. They sit and eat all that loaf, and they are not satisfied from what is in it, yet they bless and say, "And you shall eat and be satisfied [and bless]" (Deuteronomy 8:10). So I too will lift up a face to them, "The Lord lift up His face unto you." Therefore it is said, "And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings" (Leviticus 7:11).

"And the Lord spoke to Aaron, [saying]: Drink no wine or strong drink" (Leviticus 10:8-9). Why was he commanded concerning wine? Because everyone who drinks wine, bruises and wounds and shame and disgrace come upon him. And the Holy Spirit cries out: "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaint? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who tarry long over wine. Do not look at wine when it is red; its end is like a serpent that bites; your eyes will see strange things; and you will be like one who lies down in the heart of the sea: 'They struck me but I was not hurt'" (Proverbs 23:29-30-31-32-33-34-35). "Who has woe? Who has sorrow?" — [about whom do they say "Woe"? "Who has contentions"] — about whom do they say [that he is a master] of quarrels? ["Who has complaint"] — and about whom do they murmur? "Who has wounds without cause" — about whom [do they say] that there are bruises on his face? ["Who has redness of eyes"] — and about whom do they say that his eyes are murky and red from wine? About whom do they say all these evils? "Those who tarry long over wine." "Do not look at wine when it is red" — its end is blood. It is pleasant on the outside and bad on the inside; and do not say that it is beautiful within just as it [appears] on the outside. "For he sets his eye upon the cup" (Proverbs ibid. 31) — it is written "purse." The drunkard sets his eye upon the cup, and the shopkeeper sets his eye upon the purse.