Midrash Tanchuma Reader

(Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh.” This text is related (to Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness. [This verse is] to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not delight in convicting a person, as stated (in Ezek. 33:11), “As I live, says the Lord, it is not My delight for the wicked to die.” In what does He delight? In vindicating (rt.: tsdq) His people.

Thus it is stated (in Is. 42:21), “The Lord was delighted because of His [servant's] vindication (tsdq)…,” [i.e.] because of His people's vindication (tsdq)] and not [their] conviction. So also you find that in the case of the first Adam, when he created him, He set him in the Garden of Eden.

Then He gave him a command and said to him, “Eat this, but do not eat from this, for (according to Gen. 2:17) ‘on the day that you eat from it, you shall surely die.’” [When] he transgressed, he brought a sentence upon himself. [And then] the Sabbath came, and He acquitted him. He began to talk with him [about] whether he would repent. It is so stated (in Gen. 3:9), “The Lord God called unto Adam and said, ‘Where are you?’” [This means, “What is your state?”] The Lord can only mean the quality of mercy, as stated (in Exod. 34:6), “The Lord, the Lord is a merciful and gracious God.”

For him He had the quality of mercy precede the quality of strict justice. Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness,” in that He does not delight in convicting a person. He began to talk with him, as stated (in Gen. 3:11-12), “Who told you that you were naked? Then the man said, ‘The woman….’”

He left Adam alone and began to talk with the woman, as stated (in vs. 13), “Then the Lord God said to the woman….” But when He came to the serpent He did not talk with him. Instead He immediately gave him a sentence, as stated (in vss. 14–15), “So the Lord God said unto the serpent, ‘Because you have done this ���. I will put enmity between you [and the woman]….’” [Then] He returned to the woman and said to her (in vs. 16), “I will greatly multiply your pain in pregnancy.”

And when He returned to the man, He did not convict him. Rather He intimated to him that he should repent. Where is it shown? R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Levi, “When He said to him (in vs. 19), ‘By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread, [until you return …].’ ‘You return’ can only be mean repentance, since it is stated (in Hos. 14:2), ‘Return O Israel, to the Lord your God, as you have stumbled in your iniquity.’”

When [Adam] did not repent, He expelled him from the Garden of Eden, as stated [(in Gen. 3:24), “And He drove out the man.” Ergo I would say (in Ps. 5:5), “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness.” What is the meaning of (ibid., cont.), “evil may not abide with You.” R. Tanhuma bar Hanila'i in the name of R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Johanan, “Before the Holy One, blessed be He, stand only angels of peace and angels of mercy, but the angels of wrath are far from Him.

It is so stated (in Numb. 14:15), ‘the Lord, of long patience.’ Do we not already know that He is of long patience? But rather what is the meaning of He is ‘of long patience?’ That the angels of wrath are far from Him, as stated (in Is. 13:5), ‘They come from a far land from the end of the heavens, even the Lord and the weapons of his wrath.’”

Another interpretation (of Ps. 5:5, cont.), “evil may not abide with You”: R. Johanan said, “If you do not pursue evil, evil will not pursue you, nor will it dwell with you. Ergo, (Ps. 5:5, cont.), ‘evil may not abide with You,’ as ‘abide with You,’ can only mean dwelling, as stated (Exodus 2:48), ‘And if a stranger dwells with you.’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 5:5, cont.), “evil may not abide with You”: R. Eleazar ben Pedat said in the name of R. Johanan, “The name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not mentioned in connection with evil but only in connection with good.”

You know that it is so. When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the light and the darkness and gave them names, [Scripture] mentioned His name in connection with the light but did not mention His name in connection with the darkness. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 1:5), “And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night.”

Behold, it mentioned His name with the light; but when it comes to the dark it doesn’t say, “and God called the darkness night,” but “He called [the darkness] night.” So also you find that, when He created Adam and Eve, [Scripture] mentioned His name in connection with them, as stated (in Gen. 1:28), “Then God blessed them…”; but when He cursed them, it did not mention His name in connection with them. [Thus it is stated] (in Gen. 3:16-17), “And unto the woman He said […].

And unto Adam He said.” Now if you say [that] behold, [Scripture] mentioned [His name] in connection with the serpent when He cursed him, since it is written (in Gen. 3:14), “So the Lord God said unto the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, more cursed shall you be’”; the sages have taught thus: The Holy One, blessed be He, has mentioned His name in connection with three things, even though they stood for evil: In connection with the inciter, i.e., the serpent, since he incited the woman and said (in Gen. 3:5), “’For God knows that on the day that you eat from it, your eyes shall be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil,’ like Him.

Just like He created His world, you [two] will be able to create worlds like Him. [But He doesn’t want this,] as every artisan hates his fellow [artisan].” So because he incited her and spoke slander, [Scripture] mentions His name in connection with [the serpent]. In connection with one who transgresses the words of the sages, as is stated (in Jer. 11:3), “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Cursed is the one who does not heed the words of this covenant.’”

In connection with one who puts his trust in flesh and blood, as stated (in Jer. 17:5), “Thus says the Lord, ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in a human being, who makes flesh his strength and whose heart turns from the Lord.’” So also you find in the case of Noah, [that Scripture used (God’s) name] when he blessed his sons, as stated (in Gen. 9:26), “And he said, ‘blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem…;’” but when he cursed Canaan, [Scripture did not mention the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, in connection with him], as stated (in vs. 25), “And he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan….’”

So also you find in the case of Elisha the prophet, that when the king of Aram came to fight against Israel, he consulted with his servants and made pits [to trap] them. He said, “When Israel comes to fight against us, they will fall into the pits,” as stated (in II Kings 6:8-9), “When the king of Aram was fighting against Israel, [he consulted with his servants, saying, ‘My camp shall be in such and such a place.’

But the man of God sent unto the king of Israel [saying], ‘Take care [not to pass this place, because the Aramaeans are camping there.]’” So the Holy One, blessed be He, does nothing (according to Amos 3:7) without having revealed His purpose unto His servants the prophets. When Israel passed by once and twice without falling in, the king of Aram took notice and said to his servants (in II Kings 6:11), “Will you not tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?”

His servants said to him (in vs. 12-14), “’[It is because] Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words which you speak in your bedroom.’ So he said, ‘Go and see [where he is, so that I can send and seize him,’ and it was told to him, saying, ‘Behold he is in Dothan.’ Then he sent horses and chariots and a heavy force there.” Immediately Elisha’s youth rose and saw that horses, riders and a force encircled the city.

Immediately he cried out (in vss. 15-16), “and said [unto him], ‘Alas, my Lord, what shall we do?’ Then he said, ‘Fear not, for there are more with us than with them.’” Immediately Elisha prayed and mentioned the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in vs. 17), “Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘Lord, please open his eyes and let him see’; so the Lord opened the eyes of the servant and he saw, and there was the hill full of fiery horses and chariots round about Elisha!”

Immediately Elisha arose and cursed the Aramaeans (in vs. 18), and he said, “’Please smite this nation with a blinding light’; so He smote them with a blinding light according to the word of Elisha.” Now [Scripture] did not mention the name, but when [Elisha] prayed over them again for their eyes to be opened, he said (in vs. 20), “O Lord, open the eyes of these men that they may see.” Ergo, the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is mentioned in connection with good, but not with evil.

So also you find that when the prophet saw the four chariots that were compared to the four kingdoms (that would rule over Israel), [it states (in Zech. 6:1),] “and I lifted my eyes, and behold, four chariots were coming out between the two mountains….” But when it spoke about the redemption, [it states (in Zech. 2:3),] “Then the Lord showed me four smiths.” So also you find that when the five angels of destruction came to destroy Jerusalem, as stated (in Ezek. 9:2), “And here were six persons coming by way of the upper gate [which faces north, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand]”; Gabriel was sent with them, as it is written (in Ezek. 10:2), “Then He spoke unto the person clothed in linen and said, ‘Go in among the wheelwork.’”

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Gabriel, “Fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city,” as it is written (in Ezek. 10:2), “Then He spoke unto the person clothed in linen and said, ‘Go in among the wheelwork [under the cherub, and fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city].’” Gabriel came and stood at the wheel.

The cherub said to him, “What do you desire?” He said to him, “Thus and so has the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded me.” He said to him, “Take [them].” He said to him, “You put them in my hand.”

Immediately (according to Ezek. 10:7), “Then the cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim [unto the fire that was among the cherubim…].” R. Johanan said in the name of R. Simeon ben Johay, “If the coals had not been cooled off [while passing] from the hand of a cherub to the hand of Gabriel, there would not have remained of the enemies of Israel (a euphemism, meaning Israel) a [single] survivor or refugee.” So the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to do what was evil, not by Himself, but through an angel. In the age to come, however, He will do what is good by Himself, as stated (in Ezek. 36:25), “I will sprinkle pure water upon you….” Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not abide with You.” What is the meaning of (Ps. 5:5) “and evil may not abide with You?” [It is] that [Scripture] does not cause the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, to rest upon evil, except for two [evil] sayings upon which the Holy One, blessed be He, did cause His name to rest.

These are the following: (The first one is Dan. 9:14:) “So the Lord watched over evil and brought it upon us, because the Lord our God is righteous.” Was it because the Lord our God is righteous (tsaddik), that He brought the evil? It is simply that the Holy One, blessed be He, was charitable (tzekekah) to us when He first brought about the exile to Babylon of Jeconiah before the exile of Tsidikiyah.

And what was charitable? That He first brought about the exile of Jeconiah to Babylon along with the artisans, the smiths, and all the valiant men. Now [those] descended to Babylon and they established a [framework] for Torah [study]. For if it had not happened like that, the Torah would have been forgotten in the exile.

It is simply that those who believed in the words of Jeremiah went forth with the Torah. [They included (according to II Kings 24:16)] “a thousand artisans and smiths.” What is the meaning of “artisans (hrsh)?” When they opened with words of Torah, all [present] became as those who are (deaf-)mute (hrsh). [And what is the meaning of] “smiths (rt.: sgr)?”

After they closed (rt.: sgr) it, there was no one in all Israel who was able to open it. Ergo (in Dan. 9:14), “because the Lord our God is righteous.” So He acted justly during that exile in that He watched over it, and He still performed a great kindness for Israel [with reference to that exile]. How?

In [the month of] Tebet they were scheduled to go into exile from Jerusalem, for so does [Scripture] say (in Ezek. 24:1-2), “[Then the word of the Lord came unto me in the ninth year of the tenth month on the tenth day of the month, saying,] ‘Son of man, write down the name of the day, [this very day;] on this very day [the king of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem].’” What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do?

He said, “If they go forth now in the cold, they will die.” What did He do for them? He waited for them and sent them into exile during the summer. This is what the prophet says (in Jer. 8:13), “I will utterly gather them, says the Lord.”

"Gather" ('sp) can only mean "exile," since it is stated (in Micah 2:12), “I will gather Jacob, all of you.” Hence, this too was a great kindness. Now, the second [evil saying associated with the name of the Holy One, blessed be He] is (Ezek. 9:4:) “And the Lord said unto him, ‘Pass through the midst of the city, [through the midst of Jerusalem and mark (the letter) taw on the foreheads of those people who moan and groan over all the abominations] ….’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Gabriel, “Go and write an ink taw upon the foreheads of the righteous, so that the angels of destruction will have no dominion over them. Then upon the foreheads of the wicked write a blood taw so that the angels of destruction will have dominion over them.” [The] prosecution came in before the Holy One, blessed be He, [and said to him], “Master of the world, how do the former differ from the latter?” He said to it, “The former are completely righteous, and the latter are completely wicked.” It said to Him, “It was in their power to protest, but they did not protest.” He said to it, “It was revealed and known to Me that, if they had protested, [the sinners] would not have accepted their [protest].”

It said to Him, “Master of the world, if it was revealed and known in front of You, was if revealed in front of them? Hence they should have protested against them and demeaned themselves for the sanctification of Your name and take beatings from Israel upon themselves, just as the prophets endured [them].” So look at how many woes Jeremiah suffered from Israel; also Isaiah, of whom it is written (in Is. 50:6), “I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to the tearers of hair.”

And [so with] the rest of the prophets. Immediately (in Ezek. 9:6) He spoke again to the angels of destruction, “[Kill off] old folk, youth ….” This also was a kindness, in that the Holy One, blessed be He, mitigated His wrath [by striking out] against Jerusalem, as stated (in Lam. 4:11), “The Lord has completed (klh) His wrath.” For if He had not done so, all Israel would have received a verdict of destruction (klyh).

Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “and evil may not abide with You,” because the Holy One, blessed be He, does not cause His name to rest upon evil. So also even in the case of the wicked of Israel, He allotted them glory and did not mention them for evil. When He came to the offerings, He said to Moses (in Lev. 1:2), “Speak unto the Children of Israel and say unto them, ‘When one of you presents an offering to the Lord,’” [i.e.] “from Israel” and not from the idolaters.

However, when He came to mention leprosy spots, He said (in Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has,” only saying “anyone.” Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “and evil may not abide with you.”

(Lev. 15:25:) “And when a woman has had a discharge of blood for many days.” Why a woman and not a man? Previously it applied to men and women. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 15:2), “When any man has a discharge issuing from his flesh.”

R. Meir says, “The man's uncleanness was more serious than the woman's uncleanness. Why? Because the uncleanness of women is a sign of children; however, that of a man is [a sign] of suffering. Thus it is stated (in vs. 3), ‘And this shall be the uncleanness in his discharge,’ [i.e.] something which seals and closes.”

Previously the men saw water, until Rachel arose and said (in Gen. 31:35), “for the period of women is upon me.” Then it was given to her. Therefore (in Exod. 15:25), “And when a woman has had a discharge of blood.” (Lev. 15:25:) “And when a woman has had a discharge of blood for many days.” Thus have our masters taught (in Shab. 2:6): Women die at the time of their childbirth for three transgressions: Because they have not been careful in regard to menstruation, in regard to the hallah, and in regard to the lighting of the lamp. Why at the time of their childbirth?

Because the adversary (Satan) only makes accusations in time of danger. Now the three of them are from the Torah. [Where is it shown about] menstruation? (Lev. 15:25:) “And when a woman has had a discharge of her blood.” [Where is it shown about] the hallah? (Numb. 15:20:) “[You shall set aside] the first of your dough as a hallah offering.” [Where is it shown] in regard to the lighting of the [Sabbath] lamp?

As our masters taught, “Where is it shown that a person is to be zealous and diligent in the lighting of the [Sabbath] lamp? Where it is stated (in Is. 58:13), ‘and you call the Sabbath a delight.’ This refers to the lighting of the lamp.” And why were [these commandments] transmitted to the woman? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “She extinguished the lamp of the world….”

In regard to menstruation, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “She shed the blood of Adam, and she was sentenced to have her own blood shed, since it is stated (in Gen. 9:6), ‘Whoever sheds human blood [by a human will his blood be shed].’ She shall observe her menstrual period to atone for the blood that she shed.” Ergo (in Lev. 15:25), “And when a woman has had a discharge of blood.” Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, compares the uncleanness of Israel to the uncleanness of the menstrual period, when [a woman] is unclean and [then] purified.

So the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to purify Israel, as stated (in Ezek. 36:25), “I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you shall be pure.” Another interpretation: (Ezek. 36:17:) “Their way before Me was like the uncleanness of a menstruant woman”; like the uncleanness of a menstruant woman, and not like the uncleanness of a corpse. With a corpse in the house, a high priest does not enter there; but in the case of a menstruant woman, a high priest enters into the house with her and sits [with her] on the couch, but on condition that it not shake (when they sit on it).

So if Israel were compared to the impurity of death, the Divine Presence would never return upon them; however, they are compared to the menstruant because there is cleansing for her in a mikveh, so that the priest may be with her in the house and not be afraid. Thus the Divine Presence dwells with Israel, even though they are unclean, as stated (in Lev. 16:16), “which dwells with them in the midst of their uncleannesses.”

R. Levy said, “When Israel was in Egypt, the women did not see menstrual blood, because the fear of Egypt was upon them. And also after Israel left Egypt, they did not see menstruation in the desert, because the Divine Presence was among them.” [Moreover,] the women accepted the Torah first. It is so stated (in Exod. 19:3), “Thus shall you say to the House of Jacob,” these are the women; (ibid., cont.), “and declare to the sons of Israel,” these are the men. And so it says (in Cant. 6:10), “terrible like bannered hosts.”

Now about them it is stated (in Cant. 4:12), “A locked garden is my sister, my bride, a locked fountain, a sealed spring.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “In this world you became clean but returned to uncleanness; but in the world to come I Myself will cleanse you so that you shall not ever become unclean.” Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 36:25), “I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you shall be pure; I will purify you from all your uncleannesses and from all your idols.”

(Lev. 17:1, 3:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses, ‘Speak to Aaron saying, “…. If any single person from the House of Israel slaughters.”’” The holy spirit proclaims (in Mal. 1:11), “From the rising of the sun to its setting, My name shall be great among the gentiles.” From the time that the sun rises until it sets, the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He, never ceases from its mouth, as stated (in Ps. 113:3), “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is praised.”

And you find it so when Joshua waged war with Gibeon. What is written there (in Josh. 10:12)? “Then Joshua spoke to the Lord…, ‘O sun, be quiet (dom) at Gibeon.’” [When] Joshua wanted to silence the sun, he did not say to it, "O sun, stand still ('amod) at Gibeon," but “Be quiet (dom).”

Why did he say, “Be quiet?” Because every hour that it is traveling, it is praising the Holy One, blessed be He; and as long as it praises [the Holy One, blessed be He], it has the power to travel [its course]. Joshua therefore told it to be silent, as stated (ibid.), “O sun, be quiet at Gibeon.” The sun said to Joshua, “May someone younger be saying, ‘Be quiet,’ to someone older?

I was created on the fourth [day], while human beings were created on the sixth; and are you saying, ‘Be quiet,’ to me?” Joshua said to [the sun], “When a young free person has an elderly slave, does he not say to him, ‘Be silent?’ In the case of our father Abraham, the Holy One, blessed be He, delivered (rt.: pnh) heaven and earth to him, as stated (in Gen. 14:19), ‘Then he blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God most high, acquirer (rt.: pnh) of heaven and earth.”’

And not only that, but you bowed down to Joseph, as stated (in Gen. 37:9), ‘here were the sun, the moon, [and eleven stars bowing down to me.’ So would you speak against me?]” Ergo (in Josh. 10:12), “O sun, be quiet at Gibeon.” The sun said to Joshua, “And so are you decreeing over me that I am to be quiet?”

He said to it, “Yes.” It said to him, “Then who will speak the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He?“ He said to him, “You be quiet, and I will speak the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He,” as stated (in Josh. 10:12), “Then (az) Joshua spoke to the Lord.” Now az can only be a hymn, since it is stated (in Exod. 15:1), “Moses sang then (az).” (Mal. 1:11:) “And in every place incense is offered to My name, even a pure oblation.” R. Ammi asked R. Samuel bar Nahman, “Is it correct that ‘In every place incense is offered to My name, even a pure oblation?’ The Torah warns (in Deut. 12:13-14), ‘Take heed that you do not offer up your burnt offerings in any place that you see.

But only in the place that [the Lord] will choose….’ So also it says (in Lev. 17:3-4) ‘If any single person from the House of Israel slaughters an ox, a lamb, or a goat in the camp…. And does not bring it unto the entrance of the tent of meeting…, [bloodguilt shall be imputed to that person.’ So how can you] say (in Mal. 1:11), ‘and in every place incense (muqtar) is offered to My name, [even a pure oblation]?’”

R. Samuel bar Nahman said to him (i.e., to R. Ammi), “What is a pure oblation (minhah) which is burned (muqtar) in every place and offered to the name of the Holy One, blessed be He? This is the prayer of the afternoon service (minhah).

Incense (muqtar) can only be the prayer of the afternoon service (minhah), since it is stated (in Ps. 141:2), ‘Let my prayer be set forth as the incense before you….’ [It also says] (in I Kings 18:36), ‘And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the oblation (minhah), Elijah drew near.’”

(Lev. 19:2:) “You shall be holy.” This text is related (to Ps. 20:3), “May He send you help from the sanctuary and sustain you from Zion.” From the sanctuary (qdsh) [means] from the holiness (rt.: qdsh) of the works that are in you; and [sustain you] from Zion (mtsywn) [means] [from the marker (tsywn)] of the works that are in you. R. Berekhyah said, “There was a story in our village about a certain spirit who dwelt by the spring. Another spirit came to attack it and sought to get it away from there. There was also there a certain saint whose name was Jose the man of Zaythor.

The first spirit appeared to him. It said to him, ‘Rabbi, look at how many years I have been situated here; yet neither at noon nor at night nor during the day have I harmed [any] mortal. But now this spirit has come upon me from another place and wants to get me away from here in order to harm mortals.’ He said to it, ‘What shall we do?’

It said to him, ‘Take your staves and your scythes, and go out against it at the noon hour. Then say, “Ours has won! Ours is winning!” And it will run away.’

They did so and drove it away from there.” They used to say, “They did not move from here until they saw, as it were, a clot of blood floating on the water.” When the sages heard about the matter, they said, “If something which was not created with a need for assistance, needs assistance and support, how much the more so in the case of people.” David, therefore, said (in Ps. 20:3), “May He send you help from the sanctuary.”

(Lev. 22:27:) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat.” This text is related] (to Eccl. 3:15), “That which is has already happened.” R. Judah and R. Nehemiah [differ]. R. Judah says, “If someone says to you that if the first Adam had not sinned, he would have remained alive forever, you say to him, ‘Look at Elijah.

Since he did not sin, he has remained alive forever.’ (Ibid., cont.:) ‘And that which is to be has already happened.’ If someone says to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, will be raising the dead, say to him, ‘Look, He has already done so through Elijah, through Elisha, and through Ezekiel.’” [But] Rabbi Nehemiah says, “If someone says to you that the whole world was water within water, you say to him, ‘The ocean is all water within water.’ (Ibid., cont.:) ‘And that which is to be has already happened.’

If someone says to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to make the sea into dry ground, say to him, ‘He has already done so in the days of Moses, as stated (in Exod. 14:29), “But the Children of Israel went through the sea on dry ground, and the waters were a wall for them to the right and to the left.”’” [Moreover,] R. Aha said in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman, “Everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to do in the world to come He has already anticipated and partly done at the hands of the righteous in this world.

In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to raise the dead; He has already done so at the hands of Elijah, at the hands of Elisha, and at the hands of Ezekiel. In the future, He is going to make the sea into dry ground; He has already done so (ibid.), “But the Children of Israel went through the sea on dry ground.” In the future, He is going to open the eyes of the blind; He has already done so, as stated (in II Kings 6:17), ‘so the Lord opened the eyes of the servant [and he saw].’

In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to going visit barren women; He has already done so through Abraham and Sarah, as stated (in Gen. 21:1), ‘Then the Lord visited Sarah […].’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said, (in Is. 49:23), ‘Kings shall be your guardians [… they shall bow down before you, nose to the ground, and lick the dust of your feet].’ It has already happened at the hands of Daniel, when the wicked Nebuchadnezzar bowed down to Daniel, as stated (in Dan. 2:46), ‘Then king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, [paid homage to Daniel].’”

This is what Scripture stated (in Eccl. 3:15, cont.), “then God seeks the pursued.” R. Huna said in the name of R. Joseph, “In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to claim the blood of the pursued from the hand of those who pursue them. When a righteous person pursues a righteous person, God seeks the pursued. When a wicked person pursues a wicked person and when a wicked person pursues a righteous person, then God seeks the pursued.

It comes out that you will say that even when a righteous person pursues a wicked person, in any case, then God seeks the pursued.” You know that this is so. Note that Abel was pursued by Cain; and therefore (in Gen. 4:4), “and the Lord paid heed unto Abel and unto his offering.” Noah was pursued by his generation, but (according to Gen. 6:8), “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”

Abraham was pursued by Nimrod; and it is written (Neh. 9:7) “You are the Lord, the God who chose Abraham […].” Isaac was pursued by the Philistines; and it is written (Gen. 26:28), “And [they] said, ‘We see plainly that the Lord has been with you […].’” Jacob was pursued by Esau; and it is written (Ps. 135:4) “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself.” Joseph was pursued by his brothers; and it is written (Gen. 39:2) “And the Lord was with Joseph […].”

Moses was pursued by Pharaoh; and it is written (Ps. 106:23), “therefore He said He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen [stood in the breach before Him…].” Israel is being pursued by the nations of the world; and it is written (Deut. 7:6), “the Lord your God has chosen you […].” R. Judah bar Simon said in the name of R. Nehoray, “Here also (in the case of sacrificial animals), the bull is pursued by the lion; the sheep is pursued by the wolf; the goat is pursued by the leopard.

The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘You shall not bring me a sacrifice from the pursuer but from the pursued.’ [Thus it is stated] (Lev. 22:27), ‘When a bull or a sheep or a goat […].’”

(Numb. 2:1-2:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ‘[The Children of Israel shall camp,] each with his standard, under the banners….’” Let our master instruct us: Within how many cubits is it permitted for one to walk on the Sabbath? Thus have our masters taught: One who observes the Sabbath on the road makes a circle with a radius of four cubits for himself. [These are] the words of R. Haninya ben Antigonus. Then he moves [objects] on the Sabbath within four cubits and says, “My Sabbath rest is in this place where I am.” So his place gives him the right [to go] two thousand cubits in any direction. But how much are four cubits?

R. Judah says, “Enough for him to take a cask from his feet and put it by his headrest.” And one who keeps the Sabbath in a city, even though it is as large as Antioch, may walk all of it, its outskirts, and two thousand cubits beyond its outskirts. What is the meaning of "outskirts"? The shops and the inns which are on the road outside the city.

And the one who keeps the Sabbath in a cave, even though it is as large as the cave where king Zedekiah of Judah fled, which was twelve mil long, may walk all of it and outside of it for two thousand cubits in any direction he wishes. And from where did the sages find support? From the words of the Torah, [where it is stated] (in Numb. 35:5), “And you shall measure off two thousand cubits outside the town on the east side….” And likewise you find in the case of Joshua, when he went to destroy Jericho, Joshua said to them (i.e., to Israel), “You are going to keep the Sabbath there.

Do not go further than two thousand cubits from the ark in any direction. Why? So that you may be entitled to come to pray before the ark on the Sabbath.” And so it says (in Joshua 3:4), “Yet there shall be a distance between you and it (the ark of the covenant) of about two thousand cubits by measure, never coming any closer to it; so that you may know by what route to march, since it is a road you have not traveled before.”

And likewise you find, when God told Moses that he should have Israel encamp under standards, He said to him, “Have them encamp under their standards in every direction. Where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Numb. 2:2), “each with his standard” (meaning that they shall camp around the tent of meeting at a distance).

(Numb. 6:23:) “Thus shall you bless.” This text is related (to Cant. 3:7), “There is his bed, the one belonging to Solomon (rt.: shlm), with sixty warriors around it […].” What reason did Solomon (rt.: shlm), have to be concerned with a bed? When it said, “There is his bed,” it is simply that [the verse] was only concerned with the King to whom peace (rt.: shlm) belongs (God). (Ibid.:) “There is his bed.”

This is the Temple. But why was the Temple compared to a bed? It is simply that just as a bed is only for being fruitful and multiplying, so it was with the Temple. Whatever was in it was being fruitful and multiplying, as stated (in I Kings 8:8 = II Chron. 5:9), “The poles grew long.” It also says (in II Chron. 3:6), “the gold was gold from Parvaim (as if from prh),” which produced fruit (rt.: prh). And so it says (in I Kings 7:2), “And he built the house of the Forest of Lebanon.” Why was it compared to a forest? Just as a forest is fruitful and multiplies, so it is in the case of the Temple.

Whatever was in it was being fruitful and multiplying. It is therefore stated (in Cant. 3:7), “There is his bed.” (Ibid., cont.:) “With sixty warriors.” These are the sixty letters that are in the priestly blessing (in Numb. 6:24-26). (Cant. 3:8:) “All of them equipped with a sword,” because in each and every [verse of the priestly blessing] the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is mentioned, “The Lord bless you […]; The Lord make [His face] shine […]; The Lord lift up [His face …].” (Cant. 3:8, cont.:) “Each with his sword on his thigh.”

What is the reason for the thigh to be mentioned here? Simply that, even if one sees in his dream a sword being drawn, placed over his neck, and [then] cutting off his thigh, he rises early in the morning and goes to the synagogue, from the fear [of what] he saw at night in his dream; then [when] he sees the priests raising their hands, the bad dream is cancelled from him. It is therefore stated (Cant. 3:8, cont.), “because of fear at night.” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to caution Aaron and his children to bless My children, as stated (in Numb. 6:23), “Thus shall you bless [the Children of Israel].”

The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In the past I needed to bless My creatures. I blessed the first Adam and his wife, as stated (in Gen. 1:28), ‘Then God blessed them.’ I blessed Noah and his children, as stated (in Gen. 9:1), ‘Then God blessed Noah and his children.’

I blessed Abraham, as stated (in Gen. 24:1), ‘and the Lord had blessed Abraham in everything.’” [Then] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham, “From now on behold, the blessings are being delivered to you.” Thus it is stated (in Gen. 12:2), “and you are to be a blessing.” Abraham begot two [children], Ishmael and Isaac, but he did not bless them. A parable: To what is the matter comparable?

To a king who had an orchard [and] gave it to a tenant. Now in the midst of that orchard was one tree with an elixir of life…. Then Isaac blessed Jacob, and Jacob blessed the twelve tribes, as stated (in Gen. 49:28), “All these are the tribes of Israel, twelve in number, and this is what [their father] spoke to them [when he blessed them…].”

From now on, said the Holy One, blessed be He, behold, the blessings are being delivered to you; and the priests will bless Israel.

(Numb. 16:31:) “Then it came to pass, as soon as he had finished speaking […, that the ground under them was split apart].” [This is] to teach you He causes retribution to spring up from any place that He wants. (Numb. 16:33:): “So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol.” Some say they are alive and being punished up to the present. (Ibid., cont.:) “Then the earth closed over them.”

They perished but not their offices; indeed, other leaders were appointed in their stead. (Numb. 16:34:) “Then all Israel, since they were round about them, fled at their cry”; since they cried out to Moses, “Moses our master, save us!” (Numb. 16:35:) “And a fire went forth from the Lord [and consumed the two hundred and fifty men offering the incense].” These had been swallowed up, but those were burned; and Korah stood among those who were burned, as Moses had said (in Numb. 16:17), “you also and Aaron, each his censer.”

Moreover, Korah received more [punishment] than all of them, in that he was [both] burned and swallowed up. And why were both sentences carried out against him? Because if he had been burned but not swallowed up, those who were swallowed up would have complained and said that though only Korah had brought retribution upon them, here they were being swallowed up while he escaped. But if he had been swallowed up and not burned, those who were burned would have complained and said, “Although only Korah brought this retribution upon us, here we are burned while he escaped.”

For that reason he was condemned to both deaths. First in the sight of all who were being burned, he was set ablaze; in his hand was the censer with the incense in it, and [then] the fire rolled him up like a ball. And the fire rolled him along until it brought him to the mouth of the earth among those being swallowed up, as stated (in Numb. 16:32), “And the earth opened its mouth.”

(Numb. 20:7-8:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses saying, ‘Take the rod... and you shall provide the congregation and their cattle with water.” From here it is shown that the Holy One, blessed be He, is concerned for Israel's wealth. (Ibid., vs. 10:) “So Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation before the rock.” [This verse] teaches that each and every person sees himself as if he were standing at the rock.

And similarly it says (in Lev. 8:3), “And assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting.” And so too when they crossed the Jordan, all of Israel fit in between the two poles of the ark, as stated (in Josh. 3:9), “And Joshua said to the Children of Israel, ‘Come closer and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” And it is [also] written (in Josh. 8:33), “All Israel [...] stood on either side of the ark.”

Here also all Israel was standing and seeing the miracles which happened at the rock [in front of them]. They began to say, “Moses knows the natural properties of rock. If he wants, he will bring forth water out of this [other] one.” Moses found himself confronted with a dilemma: If he would listen to them, he would disregard the words of the Omnipresent; and the Holy One, blessed be He, (according to Job 5:13) “Catches the wise in their own cunning.”

As for the whole of these forty years Moses had been keeping himself from becoming angry with them, because he was afraid of the oath that the Holy One, blessed be He, had sworn (in Deut. 1:35), “Not one of these people from this evil generation shall see [the good land].” They said to him, “Here is a rock. Just as you wish to bring [water] from another rock, you should bring it from this one.” He gave a command to them (in Numb. 20:10), “Please listen, you rebels, shall we bring forth [water for you] from this rock.”

What is the meaning of “hamorim (rebels)?” There are many understandings of it. Hamorim is rebels; hamorim is fools, as in the islands of the sea they call fools, morim. Some say hamorim are those that [inappropriately] instruct their teachers. Hamorim [can also be] arrows, as stated (in I Sam 31:3), “and some of the arrows (morim) struck him, men with bows.” (Numb. 20:11:) “Then Moses raised his hand and struck.” [When] he struck one time, the rock began dribbling a little water, as stated (in Ps. 78:20), ��See, he struck a rock, and water trickled out (yazuvu),” like a person with a discharge (zav), in that it dribbles [in] drops.

They said to him, “Son of Amram, is this water for nursing children or for babes weaned from milk?” Immediately, he became angry with them, struck it (according to Numb. 20:11) “twice [with his rod], and a lot of water came forth.” Yet for all that, Moses only made [water] from the rock that the Holy One, blessed be He, had told him. And how do we see that they also brought out water from the rock that Israel had said to him and every rock and stone that was in that place?

It is so stated (in Ps. 78:15), “He split rocks in the desert.” Moshe already had his [sin] in his hand; because [the Children of Israel] were silent and did not sing praise, they were [also] caught.

(Numb. 22:28:) “Then the Lord opened the mouth of the she-ass,” in order to make known to him that the mouth and the tongue are under His (i.e., God's) control, so that if he desired to curse, his mouth was under His control. (Ibid., cont.:) “And she said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times (shalosh regalim)?’”

She intimated to him, “You are seeking to uproot a people that celebrate three pilgrimage festivals (shalosh regalim) in the year!” (Numb. 22:29:) “But Balaam said to the she-ass, ‘Because you have made a fool of me!’” Even though he spoke in the holy tongue, he had a foul tongue. (Ibid., cont.:) “If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.” [The situation] is comparable to a physician who came to cure with his tongue a person bitten by a snake on the road.

On the way he saw a lizard. He began searching for a stick to kill it. They said to him. “Are you unable to get this [creature] (without a stick)?

How do you come to cure with your tongue a person bitten by a snake?” Similarly, the she-ass said to Balaam, “You cannot kill me unless you have a sword in your hand. How do you intend to uproot an entire people with your tongue?” He was silent and could not find an answer.

The princes of Moab began to express astonishment, for they had seen a miracle the like of which had never happened in the world. Now there are some who say that they said to him, “What is the reason you are not riding on a horse (over which you might have more control)?” He said to them, “She is not mine (and so I did not know she would cause such problems).” [The ass] answered him (in Numb. 22:30), “Am I not your she-ass?” [He said,] “Only for loading.” [She said] (in Numb. 22:30, cont.), “Upon which you have ridden.” [He said,] “Only occasionally.” [She said] (in Numb. 22:30, cont.), “All your life long until this day!”

Here you learn that he was not an old man, since [the ass] was older than he. (Numb. 22:30, cont.:) “Have I ever been in the habit of doing this to you?” As soon as she had spoken, she died, so that the people would not say, “This is the she-ass that spoke,” and make it an object of reverence. Another interpretation (of Numb. 22:30): The Holy One, blessed be He, was concerned for the honor of that wicked man, lest they would say, “This is the very one through which Balaam was struck.”

And if the Holy One, blessed be He, has concern for the honor of the wicked, it is not necessary to say [the same] about the honor of the righteous. And so is it stated (in Lev. 20:16), “If a woman approaches any beast to mate with it, [you shall kill the woman and the beast].” If the woman sinned, [how] did the animal sin? It is simply since the calamity came to the woman though it.

Hence the verse says, “Kill it.” Another interpretation is that [it is so] that the animal should not pass through the marketplace and [people] say, “This is the animal for which x was killed.” [This is] to show how the Holy One, blessed be He is concerned about the honor of the creatures and knows their needs. And [so] He closed the mouth of the animals. As if it could speak, [people] would not be able to subdue it and master it.

As this was the silliest of animals and this was the greatest of the sages. [And yet] once she spoke, he could not master her.

Another interpretation (of Numb. 27:5), “Moses brought their cause [before the Lord]”: R. Simeon ben Laqish said, “Our master Moses knew this judgment, but they first came before chiefs of tens. They said to them, ‘It is a judgment concerning inheritance, and this is not for us but for those greater than us.’ They came before the chiefs of fifties. [When] they saw that the chiefs of ten had shown them honor, the chiefs of fifty said, ‘[In our case] also there are those greater than us.’

So also [they came before] the chiefs of hundreds, the chiefs of thousands, and the princes. They all responded to them in a similar way, because they did not want to open their mouths before one who was greater than them. Moses said, ‘If I tell them the decision, I shall be appropriating all their dignity.’ He said to them, ‘In my case also there is One greater than I.’ Therefore (in Numb. 27:5), ‘Moses brought their cause [before the Lord].’”

He answered him with (in vs. 7), “The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly.” Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, acknowledged their utterance. (Numb. 27:7, cont.:) “You shall indeed grant them [possession of an inheritance among the brothers of their father].” Give them [also] chattel and their father's birthright in the assets of Hepher. They took three portions: The portion of their father, who was among those who had come out from Egypt; his portion with his brothers in the assets of Hepher; and since he was the first born, he took two portions.

Another interpretation (of Numb. 27:7), “you shall indeed grant them [possession of an inheritance among the brothers of their father]”: After they [already] received [their share] on the other side of the Jordan, they came before Joshua in the land of Canaan, as stated (in Josh. 17:4), “Now they (i.e., the daughters of Zelophehad) came before Elazar the priest, Joshua ben Nun, and the princes [and said, ‘The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance along with our male kin’].”

Moreover, our ancestor Jacob also knew that they were receiving [an inheritance] on this side [of the Jordan] as well as on that side, since it is stated (in Gen. 49:22), “daughters step over a wall.” This [wall] is the Jordan, which became a wall [for Moses] so that he would not enter the land.

Thus Jacob said to Joseph, “Your daughters shall receive a share on this [side of the Jordan] as well as on that [side].” (Numb. 27:7, cont.:) “And you shall transfer to them the inheritance of their father.” With reference to [standard] inheritance it is stated (in vs. 9), “and you shall give,” but with reference to a daughter, [it says (in vs. 8),] “and you shall transfer.” Thus she may transfer an inheritance from tribe to tribe. (Numb. 27:11:) “And it shall be a statutory judgment for the Children of Israel.” [The word judgment] teaches that inheritances [can only] be carried out through judges. (Numb. 27:12:) “Then the Lord [said] unto Moses, saying, ‘Go up on this mountain of Abarim.’”

What reason did he have [for it] to be written after the parashah about inheritance? It was simply that when Moses heard from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, (in Numb. 27:7), “you shall indeed grant them,” he thought that the Holy One, blessed be He, had been reconciled to him. He said, “Here I am entering with Israel.” [Hence] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “My decree remains in place; (Numb. 27:12-13) ‘Go up into the mountain of Abarim […] and you shall be gathered to your people…’ You are no better than your brother [in this].’”

(Numb. 34:2:) “When you come [into the land of Canaan].” This text is related (to Jer. 2:31), “You, O generation, understand the word of the Lord! Have I been a desert (hmdbr, voweled as (hamidbar) to Israel…?” Do not read “a desert,” but “have I spoken (hmdbr, voweled as hamedabber)” anything (dbr) to Israel that I have not fulfilled? With regard to the land which I agreed to give to them, did I say that it was beautiful and mislead them? (Ibid., cont.:) “Or a land of utter darkness (ma'pelyah)?” What is the meaning of “ma'pelyah (rt.: 'pl)?” Did I, perhaps, promise you to bring you into the land and [then] delay you? After all, ma'pelyah can only mean "delay," as stated (in Exod. 9:32), “But the wheat and the spelt were not hurt because they ripen late (i.e., are delayed, rt.: 'pl).” See, you will be entering into its midst, “When (according to Numb. 34:2) you come into the land of Canaan (kena'an),” [i.e., into] a land of business, a land of trade. [The usage is] just as you say (in Is. 23:8 with reference to Tyre), “whose traders (kena'anim) the world honored.”

At that time, etc. (Deuteronomy 10:1): This is what the verse stated (Ecclesiastes 3:1), "A time and season is set for everything, for every experience under heaven." There was a time for the world to be created; there was a time for the generation of the flood to be destroyed in water. There was a time to go into the ark, and a time to exit from it. And there was a time for Avraham to be created, and so too with all the forefathers.

There was a time that our fathers were to go down to Egypt, and a time for them to exit from there. And there was a time that they were to be subjugated. And there was a time for the tablets to be broken, and there was a time when others would do that act [of the golden calf]. Hence, "Carve out two tablets of stone."

Shlomo said (Ecclesiastes 3:5), "A time for throwing stones and a time for gathering stones." "A time for throwing stones," these are the first tablets; "and a time for gathering stones," the time to carve out other tablets of stone, as it is stated, "Carve out (pesal) two tablets of stone." Rabbi Yehoshua said, "That he destroy the idols of (pesilei) their gods." Another interpretation: "Carve out (pesal) for yourself," that the remnant (pesolet) be for yourself.

Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yochanan say, "From where did he carve them?" One [answered], "From under [God's] throne of glory." And the other said, "[God] created a quarry in the midst of his tent, and he quarried two tablets of stone from there. And he took the remnants from there and he became wealthy from there, since they were from sapphire."

This is what Shlomo stated (in Song of Songs 5:14), "His hands are rods of gold, studded with beryl [...] adorned with sapphires.""His hands are rods of gold," these are the tablets. And how many [commandments] were on each tablet? Five commandments were on [each] tablet. And they were made with a type of rods between them, as it is stated, "His hands are rods of gold."

"Adorned with sapphires," as they were made of sapphire. Another explanation: "Carve out for yourself," in your merit, and it shall be yours. He said, Moshe, [I have given it to you] (you have given it to Me), and you are behaving generously [by] giving it to them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:1), "Carve out (pesal) for yourself." By your life will I make you a king. And you shall (pesol) whoever you want, and you shall bring close whoever you want.

(Deut. 12:29:) When the Lord God has cut off the nations.” A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who planted a vineyard within his field, but within [that field] were great cedars and thorns. The king went and cut down the cedars and left the thorns.

His servants said to him, “Our lord king, the thorns which catch our clothes you have left [standing]; but you have cut down the cedars?” He said to them, “If I had left the cedars and cut down the thornbushes, how should I have fenced in my vineyard. So also Israel is the vineyard of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Is. 5:7), “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the House of Israel.”

He brought Israel into the land and cut down the cedars that were in it, as stated (in Amos 2:9), “Yet I destroyed the Amorites before you, whose stature was like the cedars in height.” But he left their children and their children's children so that Israel would observe the Torah, as stated (in Jud. 3:1), “Now these are the nations which the Lord left to test Israel,” “whether they are keeping the commandments of the Lord” (Jud. 2:22).

So when the vineyard stands in its place in the service of the Torah, then (according to Is. 33:12) “The peoples shall become burnings of lime, thorns cut down that are burned in the fire].” It is also written (in Is. 40:17), “All the nations are as nothing before Him….” And so do you find when Israel left Egypt. Look at what Pharaoh did.

“He took six hundred choice chariots…” (Exod. 14:6). Thirty men went out against each and every one of Israel. See how many multitudes went out with Pharaoh! When Israel saw them, they were terrified before them.

What is written (in Exod. 14:19)? “And the angel of God traveled.” And Israel was saying, “Who can stand against these?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “By your lives, all these are as unimportant before Me as [if they were only] a single man or a single chariot, as stated (in Exod. 15:19), “When the horse (in the singular) of Pharaoh came….”

And [so] they all died in a single breath (rt.: nshp), as stated (in Exod. 15:10), “You blew (rt.: nshp) with Your wind, and the sea covered them.” Similarly Gog and Magog are going to come against Israel in the future, and all of them will also all be burnt with one burning, as stated (in Ezek. 38:22), “I will enter into judgment against him with pestilence and with blood […].” At that time (according to Ezek. 38:23), “And I will be magnified, be sanctified, and be made known before the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am the Lord.”

(Zech. 13:8:) “’And it shall come to pass throughout all the land,’ says the Lord, ‘that two-thirds in it shall be cut off [and] die, but one-third shall remain in it.’” This is what is stated with the holy spirit through David (in Ps. 97:7), “All who worship an image, who boast in idols, are put to shame.” With reference to whom was he saying it? He only said it with reference to the Holy One, blessed be He.

R. Hanina said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, is going to show His glory to all who have come into the world; for He will lower His throne in the middle of the firmament and again set it in place where the sun rises during the period of [the month of] Tebeth.” R. Hanina the Elder said to him, “Is it possible to see His glory, even the One of whom it is written (in Exod. 33:20), ‘for no human may see Me and live?’

Now you are saying, ‘The Holy One, blessed be He, is going to show His glory to all who have come into the world.’” He said to him, “See, it is written (in Ps. 84:12), ‘For the Lord God] is sun and shield […].” Just as a sun and shield denotes a shield over one in time of war, so also will the Holy One, blessed be He, be a shield over His children at that time [of His appearing]. R. Hanina said, “In the time that the Lord judges the peoples of the world, He seizes them for judgment; them, their Gods, and the one who sets up images for them. Next He brings the two tablets with the Ten Commandments and says to them (i.e., to the tablets), ‘Have they all paid attention to you?’ Then they say to him, ‘From the day that You created us, no one has paid attention to us with the lone exception of Your people Israel.’” (Ps. 96:7:) “Who boast in idols.” [It would be] more fitting for Scripture to say, “who trust.”

What is the meaning of “who boast?” That they did not perform idol worship until they had honored each other (for doing so). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “On each day you will feel shame before Me. There are those among you who serve doves, and a lot of doves are slaughtered.

There are also those among you who serve bricks, and a lot of bricks are broken in the marketplace. There are those among you who serve fish, and a lot of fish are sold in the marketplace.” Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, put them to shame, as stated (in Micah 7:16), “The nations shall see Me and be ashamed […].” R. Hama bar Hanina said, “What is the meaning of (Is. 43:9), ‘All the nations are gathered together […].’

In the world to come the Holy One, blessed be He, brings the book of Torah and puts it on His lap. Then He says, ‘Let anyone who is occupied with this, come and receive his reward.’ Immediately all the peoples gather in confusion, as stated (ibid.), ‘All the nations are gathered together […].’ The Holy One, blessed be He, says to them, ‘Do not be gathered in confusion, but [have] every nation [come separately] with its scribes,’ as stated (ibid, cont.), ‘and let the peoples assemble.’

Edom (the Roman Empire) entered. The Holy One, blessed be He, says to them, ‘With what were you occupied?’ They say to Him, ‘We have established a lot of marketplaces, produced a lot of baths, and multiplied silver and gold. And everything was [done] so that Israel would [have leisure to] be occupied with Torah.’

He [then says] to them, ‘Everything that you did, you did for your own needs. Marketplaces are for settling harlots in. Baths are to refresh yourselves. Silver and gold are mine, as stated (in Hag. 2:8), “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine.”’

The Persian Empire entered. He says to them, ‘With what were you occupied?’ They say, ‘We have conquered a lot of cities, established a lot of bridges, waged a lot of wars. And everything was [done] for the sake of Israel.’

He [then] says to them, ‘Everything that you did, you did for the sake of yourselves. Cities were for producing forced labor in them. Bridges were for collecting tolls. Wars [are what] I have waged, as stated (in Exod. 15:3), “The Lord is a man of war.”

Are there any among you declaring “this?”’ It is so stated (in Is. 43:9, cont.), ‘who among them will declare this?’ Now ‘this’ can only be Torah, since it is stated (in Deut. 4:44), ‘And this is the Torah which Moses set.’ They say to Him ‘Did you give us anything that we have not accepted?’ [But] it says about them (in Deut. 33:2), ‘The Lord came forth from Sinai, and shone upon them from Seir….’ [This] teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought [the light of Torah] to all the peoples of the world, but they did not want to accept it. [So] they say to Him, ‘Did You overturn the mountain above us like a basin like you did to Israel, as stated (in Exod. 19:17), “And they stood at the nether part of the mount,” and You said to them, “If you accept the Torah, excellent, but if not, there [under the mountain], will be your burial.”

As if it were not for this, they [too] would not have accepted it.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, says to them, ‘But did they not say from the beginning (in Exod. 24:7), “we shall do and we shall heed?”’ They [then] say to Him, ‘Master of the world, give it to us in advance, and we will carry it out.’ He says to them, ‘I am giving you an easy commandment.

If you observe it, I will give you a reward like [that of] Israel.’ He says to them, ‘Go and make a sukkah (booth).’ Immediately each and every one goes and builds a sukkah for himself. [But] when the Holy One, blessed be He, brings out the sun from its case, each one tramples down his sukkah and goes away, as stated (in Ps. 2:3), ‘Let us break their bonds asunder.’

Then the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and laughs at them, as stated (in vs. 4), ‘The One sitting in the heavens will laugh; the Lord will deride them.’” (Ps. 97:7, end:) “And all the powers will bow down to Him.” When He judges the peoples of the world, he will judge their gods along with them, as stated (in Is. 66:16), “For in fire will the Lord execute judgment….” When they are unable to remain in the fire, they fly away.

Then the Holy One, blessed be He, sends out angels with [prisoner] collars and chains, and they cast them into the midst of the fire, as stated (in Mal. 3:19), “’And that day is coming burning like an oven,’ said the Lord of Hosts, ‘[(it) shall burn them to ashes] and leave of them neither stock nor boughs.’”

Another interpretation (of Ps. 97:7), “And all the powers bow down to Him”: All the idolaters say to their gods, “Come and bow down before the Holy One, blessed be He, for you have led us astray.” Immediately (according to Is. 2:18), “And the idols shall completely vanish,” and the idolaters bring them down into Gehinnom. It is therefore stated (in Ps. 97:7), “All who worship an image are put to shame.” (Zech. 13:8:) “And it shall come to pass throughout all the land, says the Lord, that two-thirds in it shall be cut off [and] die,” these are those that say there are two powers in the Heavens; “but one-third (shelishit) shall remain in it,” these are Israel, who are from a third (shelishit) of the world, [as they are] the children of three (sheloshet) patriarchs.

Another interpretation (of Zech. 13:8) “but one-third shall remain in it”: [These words mean] that they shall only settle in their land in the third deliverance. The first deliverance was the deliverance from Egypt. The second was the deliverance of [in the time of] Ezra. The third has no interruption.

R. Simlay said, “Six hundred and thirteen commandments were spoken to Moses on Sinai. David came and established them upon eleven [principles], as stated (in Ps. 15:1), ‘O Lord, who shall dwell in Your tent,’ and all [of that] psalm. Isaiah came and established them upon six, as stated (in Is. 33:15), ‘(1) One who walks righteously and (2) speaks uprightly, (3) who detests the unjust gain of oppression, (4) who shakes his finger (literally, his hand) against grasping at a bribe, (5) [who shuts off his ears against hearing of bloodshed, and (6) closes his eyes against looking at evil].’

And it is written after that (in vs.16), ‘Such a one shall dwell on the heights; the strongholds on cliffs shall be his refuge, with his food supplied and his water assured.’ Micah came and established them upon three, as stated (in Micah 6:8), ‘He has told you, O human, what is good; so what does the Lord demand of you but to practice justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.’ Amos came established them upon two, as stated (in Amos 5:4), ‘For thus says the Lord […], “seek Me and live.”’

Habakkuk came and established them upon one, as stated (in Hab. 2:4), ‘but the righteous person shall live by his faithfulness.’”

R. Levi opened [his discourse] (with Ps. 9:6), “You have rebuked the nations; you have destroyed the wicked one”: “You have rebuked the nations.” This refers to Amalek, of which it is written (in Numb. 24:20), “First among the nations (to attack Israel) was Amalek.” (ibid., cont.:) “You have destroyed the wicked one.”

This refers to Esau, of whom it is stated (in Mal. 1:4), “and they shall call them (i.e., Edom) a country of wickedness.” If someone says to you, “Jacob also is included [among the wicked one],” say to such a one, "’You have destroyed wicked ones (in the plural)’ is not written here, but ‘You have destroyed the wicked one (in the singular).’” (Ps. 9:6, cont.:) “You have blotted out their name for ever and ever,” as stated (Deut. 25:19), “You shall blot out the remembrance [of Amalek]….” (Ps. 79:12:) “And return sevenfold unto the bosom (heq) of our neighbors [their taunt with which they have taunted you, O Lord].”

R. Judan bar Gadya, R. Joshua ben Levi, and the masters [differ]. R. Judan bar Gadya said, “Remember what [our neighbor Amalek] did to us in the penis, which is attached to the lap (heq) [i.e., to the center] of a man.” And this agrees with what R. Hanina bar Shilqa, R. Joshua ben Levi and R. Jochanan said, “What did the House of Amalek do to Israel? They cut off their penes and flung them heavenward, as they said, ‘This is what You have chosen, take for Yourself what You have chosen.’

This is related to the verse (in Ps. 9:6), ‘their taunt with which they have taunted You, O Lord.’” R. Joshua [ben Levi] said, “It should be remembered what they did in the Torah, as it is written about it (in Ps. 12:7), ‘refined sevenfold.’” And the masters said, “It should be remembered what they did to the Temple, which was the bosom (heq) [i.e., the center] of the earth, as stated (with reference to the Temple in Ezek. 43:14), ‘And from the lap (heq) of the earth to the lower ledge, two cubits.’”

When Samuel came, he repaid them, as stated (in I Sam. 15:33), “then Samuel hewed Agag.” What did he do to him? R. Abba bar Kahana said, “He cut olive-sized pieces from his flesh and fed them to ostriches. This is what is written (in Job 18:13), ‘It shall consume pieces of his flesh; the firstborn of death shall consume his pieces’; in that [Samuel] chose a cruel (mar) death for him.” But the masters say, “[Samuel] set up four poles and stretched him upon them.”

It also says (in I Sam. 15:32), “and Agag said, ‘Surely the bitterness (mar) of death is at hand (sr),’” [meaning,] “Do they thus put princes (sr) to death with harsh deaths?” R. Samuel bar Avdimi said, “He judged him by the justice of the peoples of the world (instead of by Torah) without witnesses and without a warning.”

Rabbi said, “He castrated him (rt.: srs) him, as stated (in I Sam. 15:33), ‘But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women bereaved, so shall your mother be bereaved among women.”’” R. Levi said, “Moses also gave a hint to Israel in the Torah (about Agag's castration), since it is stated (in Deut. 25:11-12), ‘When two men get into a fight with each other, and the wife of one draws near [to save her husband from the hand of the one smiting him, if she puts out with her hand and grabs [the other man] by his genitals.]

Then you shall cut off her hand….’ What is written after that (in vs. 17), ‘Remember what Amalek did to you.’” Israel said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, are You telling us to remember? You remember; as forgetfulness is common among us. But with You there is no forgetfulness.”

Thus (in Deut. 25:17), “Remember what Amalek did to you.” He did to us, and he did not do to You? (Ps. 137:7:) “Remember against the children of Edom, O Lord, the day of [the destruction of] Jerusalem, [how they said, ‘Aru, 'aru (rt.: 'rh, rt.: 'rh) her to the foundation].’” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said, “'Aru, 'aru [means], paggeru, paggeru (destroy, destroy), even as [the word is] used (in Jer. 51:58), ‘Babylon's broad wall shall be utterly demolished ('ar'er tit'ar'ar, rts.: 'rr, 'rh).’”

R. Levi said, “['Aru, 'aru means,] empty, empty, even as [the word is] used (in Gen. 24:20), ‘She hastened to empty (te'ar, rt: 'rh) her jar into the trough.’” In the opinion of the one who said, “paggeru, paggeru (destroy, destroy),” ['aru, 'aru means] to its foundations is intended (meaning, down to them but not to the foundation per se). [But] in the opinion of the one who said, “pannun, pannun (empty them, empty them)” [the words mean,] empty its foundations.

What is the meaning of Amalek ('mlq)? People ('m) of the locust (ylq). They spread out like the zahla locust. [Alternatively] Amalek ('mlq) is a people ('am) who came to lap up (l’leq) the blood of Israel like a dog. R. Levi said in the name of R. Simeon ben Halafta, “To what may Amalek be likened?

To a fly who is inflamed [with passion] after an [open] wound. So was Amalek inflamed like a dog [with passion] after Israel.” As the Israelites went out of Egypt, [Amalek] heard that they were redeemed, and came against them upon the [Reed] Sea. But [Israel] mentioned the explicit name [of God], and [Amalek] was bewildered, as stated (Exod. 15:15), “Then the captains of Edom were bewildered.” (Deut. 25:17:) “On the way as you came out of Egypt.”

It is taught (in a baraita) in the name of R. Nathan: Amalek came four hundred parasangs (i.e., a little over 900 miles) to fight with Israel in Rephidim, as stated (in Numb. 13:29), “Amalek dwells in the land of the Negeb […].” And he [dwells] in the interior beyond all of them (i.e., beyond all the tribes listed in this passage). (Deut. 25:17:) “On the way as you came out of Egypt.” R. Levi said, “He came upon them from the wayside like a bandit.” It is comparable to a king who had a vineyard which he had enclosed with a fence and in which he had put a biting dog. The king said, “Whenever anyone comes to break through the fence, the dog will bite him.” One day the king's son came and broke through the fence.

The dog bit him. Whenever he wanted to bring to mind the transgression of his son who broke through to the vineyard, he would say to him, “You remember how the dog bit you.” Similarly, whenever the Holy One, blessed be He, wants to bring to mind the sin of Israel - what they did in Rephidim, when they said (in Exod. 17:7) “Is the Lord present among us or not” - He says to them (in Deut. 25:17), “Remember what Amalek did to you.” (Deut. 25:18:) “How he encountered you [on the way].”

R. Judah, R. Nehemiah, and the masters [differ]. R. Judah says, “’How he encountered (qr, rt.: qrh) you, [i.e.,] defiled you. [It is] just as you say (in Deut. 23:11), “who is unclean because of what he encounters (rt.: qrh) at night (i.e., a nocturnal emission).’” R. Nehemiah said, “He actually called (qr') you.

What did Amalek do? He went down to the Egyptian hall of records and obtained the records on the tribes, where their names were inscribed against them for the number of bricks. Then he would stand outside [Israel's protective] cloud and call out (rt.: qrh) to them, ‘Reuben, Simeon, Levi, come out, for I am your brother; and I want to transact business with you.’

When they came out, he killed them.” And the masters say, “He cooled (qr) you, i.e., he made Israel [appear] lukewarm (rt.: qrr) before others.” R. Huniya said, “A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a boiling bath into which no creature is able to descend.

A certain ruffian came and leaped down into it. Even though he was scalded, he made it cool to others. So also when Israel came out of Egypt, and the Holy One, blessed be He, divided the sea before them, while the Egyptians were drowned in its midst, fear of them fell upon all the peoples, as stated (in Exod. 15:15-16), ‘Then were the chiefs of Edom bewildered…. [Terror and fright fell upon them].’

When Amalek came and joined in battle with them - even though he received his [scalding] at their hands - he made [Israel appear] lukewarm (in battle) before the peoples of the world.”

"And God remembered Noah" (Genesis 8:1). This is what Scripture says: "The remembrance of a righteous one is for a blessing" (Proverbs 10:7) — this is Noah, concerning whom it is written, "a righteous man" (Genesis 6:9). "But the name of the wicked shall rot" (Proverbs 10:7) — this is the generation of the flood, who rotted away from the world, as it is said, "And He blotted out" (Genesis 7:23). What is the meaning of "And He blotted out"? It is like the matter of which it is said, "For I will utterly blot out" (Exodus 17:14). Therefore, "but the name of the wicked shall rot" (Proverbs 10:7).

It is written, "A righteous one shall flourish like the date palm" (Psalms 92:13). Rabbi Tanhuma opened: Why are the righteous compared to a date palm and a cedar, and not to another tree? You find that, of all the trees, no person is able to say from afar, "This is such-and-such a tree," because they are short. But the date palm and the cedar, because they are tall in stature, are seen from afar. So too the righteous are seen from afar.

(Genesis 18:25:) FAR BE IT FROM YOU TO DO SUCH A THING. Let our master teach us: What of one who stands and prays with frivolity? Thus our masters taught: One stands to pray only with gravity (literally, heaviness of head). David said (Psalms 2:11): SERVE THE LORD WITH FEAR, AND REJOICE WITH TREMBLING. There was a case of a certain man who stood to read from the Torah and leaned himself against the wall, and Rabbi Samuel bar Nahmani turned him back, saying that he should not conduct himself with frivolity. And so you find with the fathers of the world: when they prayed, they prayed with awe. For so Moses said (Deuteronomy 9:18, 25): AND I CAST MYSELF DOWN BEFORE THE LORD, when he was seeking mercy for Israel, as it is said (Exodus 32:11): AND MOSES IMPLORED. He girded his loins in prayer [to plead an advocacy for Israel]. He said before Him: Master of the Universe, WHY, O LORD, SHOULD YOUR WRATH BURN AGAINST YOUR PEOPLE, etc.; WHY SHOULD EGYPT SPEAK, etc.; REMEMBER ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND ISRAEL YOUR SERVANTS, etc. (Exodus 32:11-13). Hezekiah bar Hiyya said: It was not pleasing to the Holy One, blessed be He, until Moses mentioned the merit of the fathers. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Moses, had they not had the merit of the fathers, I would have destroyed them. You do not know how to plead merit. Rabbi Pinhas the Priest bar Hama in the name of Rabbi Simon, and Rabbi Abin in the name of Rabbi Aha, said: What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He wrapped Himself in His prayer shawl like a leader of the congregation [who passes] before the ark, and said to Moses: Thus shall you pray before Me, and say: THE LORD, THE LORD, A GOD MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS, etc. (Exodus 34:6), as it is said: AND THE LORD PASSED BEFORE HIS FACE AND PROCLAIMED, etc. (ibid.). What is AND HE PASSED? Like one who passes before the ark. See how the righteous seek merit for the world and plead an advocacy for Israel, and not for Israel alone but even for the wicked, as it is said (Ezekiel 33:11): AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD GOD, I DO NOT DESIRE THE DEATH OF THE WICKED. Why? Perhaps he will repent. Know for yourself that this is so: at the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to overturn these five cities, He took counsel with Abraham, as it is said (Genesis 18:20): AND THE LORD SAID, THE OUTCRY OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH. Abraham began to plead an advocacy for them before the Holy One, blessed be He, thinking that perhaps they would repent. From where? From what they read on the matter: FAR BE IT FROM YOU TO DO SUCH A THING.

What is written above the matter? "And Isaac came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi" (Genesis 24:62), and afterward, "And Abraham took another wife" (Genesis 25:1). Rather, at the time when Isaac took Rebekah, Isaac said: Let us go and bring a wife for my father. She is Hagar, she is Keturah — the words of Rabbi. But our Rabbis say: he took another wife. What is Rabbi's reasoning? She is Hagar, she is Keturah — for it is written, "And Isaac came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi," that same one of whom it is written, "Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi" (Genesis 16:14).

Another interpretation of (Genesis 27:1): "And he said to him, 'My son'; and he said to him, 'Here I am.'" And Solomon declared (Proverbs 26:23): "Silver dross overlaid upon earthenware are burning lips and an evil heart." To what was Esau like? To a caldron whose outside is of gold, with pearls set into it, but inside it is of earthenware. So too Esau would say to his father, "Here I am," but in his heart he was saying, "When will he die?" As it is stated (Genesis 27:41): "And Esau said in his heart, 'Let the days of mourning for my father draw near, and I will kill Jacob my brother.'" Behold, "Silver dross overlaid upon earthenware," and so forth. And you find that the seed of Esau, Haman, says in his heart, as it is written (Esther 6:6): "And Haman said in his heart." (Psalms 14:1): "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" And you said in your heart (Isaiah 14:13): "I will ascend to the heavens," and so forth. (Ezekiel 38:10): "And it shall come to pass on that day that thoughts shall arise upon your heart," and so forth. (Psalms 10:11): "He has said in his heart, 'God has forgotten.'" (Isaiah 47:8): "And now hear this, O luxurious one who dwells securely, who says in her heart, 'I am, and there is none besides me.'" Behold (Proverbs 26:25), "for there are seven abominations in his heart"; and Solomon declared (Proverbs 26:23), "Silver dross overlaid upon earthenware are burning lips and an evil heart."

(Hosea 12:13:) "Then Jacob fled to the field of Aram." And from where did he flee? From Beersheba, as it is said (Genesis 28:10): "And Jacob set out from Beersheba." But was he in Beersheba? Was he not rather in Hebron, as it is said (Genesis 35:27): "that is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had sojourned"? Rather, he fled from the place designated for oaths, for there Abraham swore to Abimelech, as it is said (Genesis 21:23): "And now swear to me by God here, etc." (Genesis 21:31): "Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there the two of them swore." And from where do we know that Isaac swore there? As it is said (Genesis 26:32): "And the servants of Isaac came, etc.," (Genesis 26:33) "and he called it Shibah." And Esau too swore to Jacob, as it is said (Genesis 25:33): "Swear to me as of this day." When he took his birthright, he thought in his heart and said: If he should come and say, "Come, swear to me that you did not take the blessings by deceit," what can I do to him? Rather, I will go out from this place designated for oaths. Therefore it is said: "And Jacob set out from Beersheba, etc." Thus: "Then Jacob fled to the field of Aram."

"And Jacob came whole <to the city of Shechem>" (Genesis 33:18). Let our master teach us: what is the law concerning speaking a superfluous word on the Sabbath? Thus our Rabbis taught: vows may be inquired into for annulment when they are for the needs of the Sabbath. Behold, a matter that is not for the needs of the Sabbath may not be inquired into, and it need not be said that it is forbidden to multiply words on the Sabbath. Rabbi Huna said: if a person is corrupted through a transgression, immediately the angels of destruction denounce him, as it is said, "And his soul draws near to the pit" (Job 33:22). What shall a person do? Let him occupy himself with Torah and he will endure. And if he does not know how to study Mishnah, let him read Scripture. And if he does not know how to read, let him take hold of the Torah and live, as it is said, "It is a tree of life to those who take hold of it" (Proverbs 3:18) — for if he is not a master of Torah, let him take hold of a Scripture-teacher and a Mishnah-teacher, who teach Torah, and he merits to live, as it is said, "It is a tree of life to those who take hold of it." But if he was a master of Torah, the Torah heals him from every evil thing and from every pain, as it is said, "A healing tongue is a tree of life" (Proverbs 15:4) — this is the Torah. You have no person who labored in Torah like our father Jacob, as it is said, "And Jacob was a wholehearted man, dwelling in tents" (Genesis 25:27). It is not written here "dwelling in a tent," but "dwelling in tents" — going forth from the house of study of Shem, and going to the house of study of Eber, and from the house of study of Eber to the house of study of Abraham. Therefore, when he wrestled with the angel, he was limping upon his thigh, as it is said, "And the sun rose for him <...> and he was limping upon his thigh" (Genesis 32:32 [31]). Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to him and healed him and brought him whole to the city of Shechem. From where? From what is read in this matter: "And Jacob came whole <to the city of Shechem>" (Genesis 33:18).

[(Genesis 38:1:) AND JUDAH WENT DOWN.] This is what Scripture says (Malachi 2:11): JUDAH HAS ACTED TREACHEROUSLY, AND AN ABOMINATION HAS BEEN COMMITTED IN ISRAEL. What is the meaning of JUDAH HAS ACTED TREACHEROUSLY? Judah dealt falsely, just as you say (ibid. 14): WITH WHOM YOU HAVE ACTED TREACHEROUSLY. Thus you say: Judah dealt falsely. Over what did he deal falsely? (ibid. 11:) FOR JUDAH HAS PROFANED THE HOLINESS OF THE LORD. Thus, JUDAH HAS ACTED TREACHEROUSLY, (ibid.:) AND HAS MARRIED THE DAUGHTER OF A FOREIGN GOD. And further on it says (Psalms 114:2): JUDAH BECAME HIS SANCTUARY, while here it says: FOR JUDAH HAS PROFANED. Thus, AND HAS MARRIED THE DAUGHTER OF A FOREIGN GOD.

Another interpretation (of Genesis 42:1): "Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt," etc. This is what Scripture says (Job 32:9): "It is not the many who are wise, nor the elders who understand judgment." Not everyone who occupies himself with Torah becomes wise; rather, "surely it is a spirit in a person" (Job 32:8). Who said this verse? Elihu said it. When? At the hour when Job's friends were rebuking him and he was answering them. When Job had silenced them, Elihu saw that they could not answer him, as it is said (Job 32:5): "And when Elihu saw that there was no answer," etc. At that hour he said to them: "It is not the many who are wise" — not everyone who occupies himself with Torah becomes wise; rather, "surely it is a spirit in a person" — that is, unless the Holy One, blessed be He, has placed within him a spirit so that he may be practiced in his learning, as it is said (Job 32:8): "Surely it is a spirit in a person." A matrona asked Rabbi Yose ben Halafta. She said to him: Behold, all the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He, is that He gives wisdom to the wise, as it is said (Daniel 2:21): "He gives wisdom to the wise." Should it not rather have said, "He gives wisdom to the foolish"? He said to her: Do you have jewels? She said to him: Yes. He said to her: If a person comes to borrow your jewels, would you lend them to him? She said to him: If the person were of standing (that is, a worthy person), I would lend him my jewels. He said to her: You would lend your jewels only to a person of standing; shall the Holy One, blessed be He, give wisdom to fools? Therefore it says (Daniel 2:21): "He gives wisdom to the wise." Elihu said: Not everyone who asks does He give to him. Thus (Job 32:9): "It is not the many who are wise" — rather, "surely it is a spirit in a person."

(Genesis 46:28:) NOW HE SENT JUDAH AHEAD OF HIM TO JOSEPH. This is what Scripture says (Isaiah 65:25): "THE WOLF AND THE LAMB SHALL FEED AS ONE, etc." Come and see: everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, struck in this world is healed in the World to Come. The blind are healed, as it is said (Isaiah 35:5): "THEN THE EYES OF THE BLIND SHALL BE OPENED." And the lame are healed, as it is said (ibid. v. 6): "THEN SHALL THE LAME LEAP LIKE A HART." And the dumb are healed, as it is said (ibid.): "AND THE TONGUE OF THE DUMB SHALL SING FOR JOY." All are healed. But just as a person goes, so he comes back: he goes blind and comes back blind, he goes deaf and comes back deaf, he goes lame and comes back lame, he goes dumb and comes back dumb. Just as he goes clothed, so he comes back clothed, as it is said (Job 38:14): "IT IS CHANGED LIKE CLAY UNDER A SEAL, AND THEY STAND FORTH AS A GARMENT." From whom do you learn this? From Samuel. When Saul brought him up, what did he say to the woman? He said to her, "What do you see?" "AND SHE SAID: AN OLD MAN IS COMING UP, AND HE IS WRAPPED IN A ROBE" (1 Samuel 28:14)—for so he had been clothed, as it is said (1 Samuel 2:19): "AND HIS MOTHER WOULD MAKE HIM A LITTLE ROBE." And why, when a person goes, does he come back in the same way? So that the wicked of the world will not say: After they died, the Holy One, blessed be He, healed them and afterward brought them back—it would seem these are not the same ones but others. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If so, let them rise just as they went, and afterward I will heal them, as it is said (Isaiah 43:10): "BEFORE ME NO GOD WAS FORMED." And afterward even the beasts are healed, as it is said (Isaiah 65:25): "THE WOLF AND THE LAMB SHALL FEED AS ONE, etc." But the one who brought a blow upon all is not healed, as it is said (ibid.): "AND DUST SHALL BE THE SERPENT'S FOOD." And why? Because he brought everything down to dust.

[(Genesis 49:1:) And Jacob called to his sons.] This is what is written (Job 12:20): "He removes the speech of the trustworthy, and takes away the discernment of the elders." This refers to Isaac and Jacob, for both of them sought to reveal a mystery of the Holy One, blessed be He (that is, His secret). Isaac called for Esau, seeking to reveal to him the End, but the Holy One, blessed be He, concealed it from him, as it is said (Genesis 27:1): "And he called Esau his elder son, etc." And Jacob too sought to reveal to his sons the End, as it is said (Genesis 49:1): "Gather together and I will tell you, etc." To what is the matter comparable? To a servant whom the king had entrusted with all that he had. When that servant came to die, he called for his sons in order to make them free men, and to tell them where their deed of trust (deyateki) was. The king stood above him. When that servant saw him, he set aside the matter that he had been seeking to reveal to them. He began and said to them: "I beg of you, you are the servants of the king; honor him in the way that I have honored him all my days." Likewise Jacob called for his sons to make known to them when the End would be. Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed over him. He said to him: "You call for your sons, yet to Me you did not call! 'And you have not called upon Me, O Jacob' (Isaiah 43:22)." When he saw the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed over him, immediately he began to say to them: "I beg of you, honor the Holy One, blessed be He, just as my fathers honored Him, as it is said (Genesis 48:15): 'The God before whom my fathers walked, etc.'" They said to him: "Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One" (Deuteronomy 6:4). Immediately, "Israel bowed himself upon the head of the bed" (Genesis 47:31). He began to say in a whisper: "Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (Proverbs 25:2): "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter."

(Exodus 3:1:) "Now Moses was tending the flock." This is what Scripture says (Psalms 103:7): "He made His ways known to Moses, etc." Why did He make His ways known to Moses? Because Moses knew all the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, and no other person knew them. It is written (Exodus 33:13): "And now, etc., make Your ways known to me, please." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: It is upon His ways that you seek to stand? By your life, I shall make them known to you—(as it says,) "He made His ways known to Moses."

Another interpretation of "See, I have made you a god to Pharaoh" (Exodus 7:1): What is the meaning of "to Pharaoh"? Just because I have called you a god, your spirit should not become haughty within you. You are a god only over Pharaoh. And likewise it says, "And God spoke to Moses and said to him: I am the LORD" (Exodus 6:2). What is the meaning of "I am the LORD"? Rather, He said to him: Even though I have made you a god, I am the LORD. You are a god only over Pharaoh, as it is said, "See, I have made you a god to Pharaoh" (Exodus 7:1).

"This month shall be for you" (Exodus 12:2). You count by months (that is, by moons), but the nations of the world count by days. Said Rabbi Abin the Levite: It is the way of the world that the great one counts by the great, and the small one by the small. Esau, who is the elder, as it is said, "her elder son" (Genesis 27:15), counts by the sun, which is the great one, as it is said, "the greater light" (Genesis 1:16). Jacob, who is called the younger, as it is said, "her younger son" (Genesis 27:15), counts by the small one, by the moon, as it is said, "and the lesser light" (Genesis 1:16). Thus, "this month [shall be for you]."

[(Exodus 13:17:) "And God did not lead them" — read it instead as "And God did not console (niḥam) [Pharaoh]."] For the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the prophet (Ezekiel 32:18): "Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and so forth." Pharaoh began to exalt himself and said, "Shall I go down beside him?" He said to him (Ezekiel 32:19): "Whom do you surpass in pleasantness, and so forth" — whom are you more beautiful than? Are you better than the king of Assyria, or than the king of Tyre and Sidon? "Go down and be laid with the uncircumcised" (ibid.). "There is Assyria and all her assembly" (Ezekiel 32:22). "There is Elam and all her multitude" (Ezekiel 32:24). "There are Meshech, Tubal, and all their multitude" (Ezekiel 32:26). "There is Edom, her kings and all her princes" (Ezekiel 32:29). "There are the princes of the north" (Ezekiel 32:30). At that moment Pharaoh would see them and be consoled, as it is said: "[Them] Pharaoh shall see, and he shall be consoled [over all his multitude, those slain by the sword, Pharaoh and all his army]" (Ezekiel 32:31). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Pharaoh, you are not to be consoled for what you did to My children." [Hence:] "And God did not console."

[(Exodus 19:1:) In the third new moon.] This is what Scripture says (Proverbs 3:17): "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, [and all her paths are peace]." The Holy One, blessed be He, sought to give the Torah to Israel at the hour when Israel went out from Egypt, but they were quarreling with one another and were saying at every hour (Numbers 14:4): "Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt." What is written? "And they journeyed from Succoth and encamped at Etham" (Exodus 13:20) — for they were journeying in strife and encamping in strife. When they came to Rephidim, they all became equal and were made into a single band. And from where do we know that they all became a single band? As it is said (Exodus 19:2): "And Israel encamped there opposite the mountain." "And they encamped" is not written here, but rather "And he encamped." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: The whole Torah is peace, and to whom shall I give it? To a nation that loves peace. Thus (Proverbs 3:17): "And all her paths are peace."

(Exodus 22:25) "If you indeed take your neighbor's garment in pledge, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: How much you owe Me! You sin before Me, yet I am patient with you. Your soul ascends to Me every single evening and renders judgment and account, and it is liable; yet I return it to you, though you are in debt. So you too, even though he is in debt, "before the sun goes down you shall restore it to him." "For that is his only covering, etc.; and it shall come to pass, when he cries to Me, etc." (Exodus 22:26). Why? Because he lodges a complaint before Me and says: I am a person and he is a person. He lies upon his bed, but I have nothing upon which to lie. "And I will hear, for I am gracious" (Exodus 22:26). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world, an individual would cry out to Me, and I would hearken to him; but in the world to come you will cry out to Me, and immediately I will answer you. The prophet said: "He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will answer you" (Isaiah 30:19).

Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Nehemiah differ. Rabbi Judah says: There was a great clean animal in the wilderness, and from it they made the tent-curtains. But Rabbi Nehemiah says: It was a work of miracles. For the hour it was created, and then it was hidden away. Know this for yourself, for it is written, "And you shall make curtains" and so forth, "the length of the one curtain shall be thirty cubits" and so forth (Exodus 26:7-8). Who would bring you curtains of thirty? From here you learn according to the words of Rabbi Nehemiah, that it was a work of miracles. [And do not say so only concerning the curtain, but even concerning the boards it was a work of miracles.] From where were the boards? Our father Jacob planted them at the time when he went down to Egypt. He said to his sons: My sons, you are destined to be redeemed from here, and the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to say to you, when you are redeemed, "Make Me a Sanctuary." Rather, arise and plant cedars, so that at the time when He says to you to make the Sanctuary, the cedars will be ready in your hands. Immediately, when their father told them, they arose and planted cedars.

"And this is the thing that you shall do to them" (Exodus 29:1). To them you shall do it, and not to others. He began to teach them how they were to purify themselves and eat of the holy things, how they were to immerse themselves and eat of the terumah (the priestly portion). "To sanctify them to serve Me as priests" (li). Rabbi Mani said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: Wherever "to Me" (li) is stated, it is forever and to all eternity. The firstborn are forever, as it is said, "For every firstborn is Mine" (Numbers 3:13). The silver and the gold are forever, as it is said, "Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold" (Haggai 2:8). The kingship is forever, as it is said, "For I have seen among his sons a king for Myself" (I Samuel 16:1). The land is forever, as it is said, "For the land is Mine" (Leviticus 25:23). Israel is forever, as it is said, "For the children of Israel are Mine" (Leviticus 25:55). The Levites are forever, as it is said, "And the Levites shall be Mine" (Numbers 3:12). The priesthood is forever, as it is said, "to serve Me as priests" (Exodus 29:1).

"And He gave to Moses when He had finished" (Exodus 31:18). This is what Scripture says: "Your lips drip nectar, O bride" (Song of Songs 4:11). See the praise with which the Holy One, blessed be He, extols the Congregation of Israel. Rabbi Judah bar Abba said: He praises her from below to above, and she praises Him from above to below. Why so? Because she was below, and He raised her up above; for she was enslaved with bricks, and He redeemed her. And she praises Him from above to below, for He is set above the seven firmaments, and she brought Him down beside her. See the praise with which He extols her: "Your lips drip nectar." Rabbi Yochanan said: What is "nectar" (nofet)? "Kalonympi" — it is a Greek word. Rabbi Eleazar said: "Nectar" (nofet) is the honey of Tzofim; there is a honey that is called "the nectar of Tzofim" (nofet tzufim), which is the finest of all the honey in the world. So too you are the finest of all the nations in the world. "Your lips drip nectar, [honey and milk are under your tongue]" — when? At the hour when you are engaged in the Torah.

[(Exodus 37:1:) "And Bezalel made the ark of acacia (shittim) wood."] R. Jeremiah said: (Jeremiah 30:17:) "For I will bring up healing for you, and I will heal you of your wounds, etc." A king of flesh and blood strikes with a scalpel and heals with a plaster, but the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so: with the very thing by which He strikes, He heals. As it is said (Exodus 15:23): "And they came to Marah, [and they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter (marim)]." R. Levi said: Why "for they were bitter"? The generation was bitter in its deeds. (Exodus 15:25:) "And he cried out to the Lord, [and the Lord showed him a tree ( etz)]." The Holy One, blessed be He, gave him bitter wood, and he put it into the bitter [water], "and the waters became sweet" (ibid.). This is [the meaning of] "and I will heal you of your wounds." So too Israel, when they sinned at Shittim, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: By your lives, through that very thing by which you sinned, you shall be healed. "And Bezalel made the ark [of acacia (shittim) wood]."

Another interpretation (of Ecclesiastes 3:16): "The place of justice, there [was] wickedness." This is the central gate in which the Great Sanhedrin sat: "there [was] wickedness." (Lamentations 2:9:) "Her gates have sunk into the ground." The Holy One, blessed be He, said (Ecclesiastes 3:16): "The place of justice, there [was] wickedness" (rasha). There was one place for the Righteous One of the world, the Holy Temple, which was set apart for the Shekhinah, and Manasseh did wickedly (hirshia) and brought an image into its midst.

"And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, etc." (Leviticus 7:11). You find: "And they gave their hand to put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt" (Ezra 10:19). And the sin offering would come for an unintentional transgression, as it is said: "And their sin offering before the LORD for their unintentional sin" (Numbers 15:25). The burnt offering would come for a thought of the heart, as it is said: "And he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all, for Job said, Perhaps my children have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts" (Job 1:5). But the thank offering, which would come freely, would come, and the Holy One, blessed be He, said: This one is more beloved to Me than all the offerings. David said: "Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me (yekhabedanani)" (Psalms 50:23). It is not written here "yekhabedeni" (he honors Me), but rather "yekhabedanani" (he honors Me) — two times: this world and the world to come.

Blessed is the person who is not greedy for wine, for thus you find with the children of Jonadab ben Rechab, whose father commanded them and told them not to drink wine. And what did he see that they should not drink wine? Only that he heard Jeremiah prophesying that the Temple would be destroyed. He said to them: Be in mourning from now on. "You shall not build a house, [and you shall not sow seed,] and you shall not plant a vineyard, and you shall not have one, but you shall dwell in tents all your days" (Jeremiah 35:7). And they kept the commandment of their father. When Jeremiah was prophesying to Israel, telling them to repent, they would not do so. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jeremiah: You tell them to repent and they do not do so; yet the children of Jonadab ben Rechab—their father commanded them a light commandment and they keep it, while I tell Israel to repent and they do not heed. As it is said: "The words of Jonadab ben Rechab have been upheld, who commanded his children not to drink wine, and they have not drunk to this day, for they have obeyed the commandment of their father; but I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, and you have not hearkened to Me" (Jeremiah 35:14). What is written there? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jeremiah: Say to them, by your lives, since you have kept this commandment, your families shall never cease from before Me. For thus it is written: "Therefore thus said the Lord [of hosts, the God of Israel]: There shall not be cut off a man belonging to Jonadab ben Rechab standing before Me all the days" (Jeremiah 35:19). Therefore He warns them concerning wine: "Drink no wine nor strong drink" (Leviticus 10:9). Isaiah cried out concerning wine: "There is an outcry over wine in the streets; all joy is darkened" (Isaiah 24:11). What is "all joy is darkened (arvah)"? All joy has grown dark, as you say, "And there was evening (erev)" (Genesis 1:5). "The gladness of the earth is exiled" (Isaiah 24:11)—for Zion has ceased, of which it is written, "Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth" (Psalms 48:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: In this world wine is a sign of a curse, but in the world to come I will make it into sweet juice, as it is said: "And it shall come to pass on that day that the mountains shall drip sweet juice" (Joel 4:18).