Midrash Tanchuma Reader

"When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh, etc." (Leviticus 13:2). Why does it not say "Speak to the children of Israel," just as it says in all the other sections, but rather "When a man shall have"? This is what Scripture says (Psalms 5:5): "For You are not a God who desires wickedness; evil shall not abide with You." Because the verse says (Isaiah 46:10): "My counsel shall stand, and all My desire I will do" — whoever hears this verse says: perhaps there is an overreach of judgment above. Rabbi Tanchuma bar Abba said: What is the meaning of "and all My desire I will do"? That He does not desire to condemn any creature, as it is said (Ezekiel 33:11): "For do I desire the death of the wicked?" — hence (Psalms 5:5): "For You are not a God who desires evil." What is the meaning of "evil shall not abide with You"? Rabbi Yochanan said: David said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the world, if You desire to acquit, who can protest against Your hand? "Inasmuch as the word of a king is sovereign, and who may say to him, 'What are you doing?'" (Ecclesiastes 8:4). Who is greater than You? It is the way of the world that a ruler who sits in judgment and seeks to acquit or to condemn is afraid of one greater than himself, lest they bring an appeal (anqliton) to the komos; the komos is afraid of the eparchos; the eparchos is afraid of the king; the king is afraid of You; but You, if You seek to acquit Your creatures, of whom are You afraid? "Evil shall not abide with You" — and this expression (yagur) is only an expression of fear, as in the matter that is said (Deuteronomy 9:19): "For I was afraid (yagorti) before the anger and the wrath."

Another interpretation of (Lev. 13:59): "This shall be the law of the leper." It speaks of Israel when they were in Jerusalem, and Jeremiah was saying to them, "Repent!" but they did not repent. And what did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He afflicted them with leprosy, as it is said (Isa. 3:17), "Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab (ve-sippach) the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion." And "scab" (sippach) can mean nothing but leprosy, as it is said (Lev. 13:2), "a swelling or a scab (sappachat)…."

(Numbers 3:4:) "AND THEY HAD NO CHILDREN." Rabbi Jacob bar Abbayi said in the name of Rabbi Aha: Had they had children, those children would have taken precedence over Eleazar and Ithamar, since whoever takes precedence with respect to inheritance takes precedence with respect to honor, provided that he conducts himself according to the custom of his forebears.

"You shall be holy" (Leviticus 19:2). This is what Scripture said: "May He send your help from the Sanctuary, and from Zion may He sustain you" (Psalms 20:3). "From the Sanctuary" (mi-kodesh) means from the sanctification (mi-kiddush) of the deeds that are within you; "and from Zion may He sustain you" (mi-Tziyyon) means from the marker (mi-tziyyun) of the deeds that are within you. Rabbi Berekhyah said: There was an incident in our town concerning a certain spirit that dwelt at the spring. Another spirit came to join with it and sought to drive it out from there. There was a certain pious man there, and his name was Rabbi Yose, the man of Tzaytor. That spirit revealed itself to him and said to him: Rabbi, behold, for how many years have I been settled here, and at noon and at night I have harmed no creature (and not even by day). Yet this spirit has come upon me from another place and seeks to drive me out from here and to harm the creatures. He said to it: What shall we do? It said to him: Take your staffs and your sickles and go out against it at the hour of noon, and say, "Ours is victorious! Ours is victorious!" and it will flee. So they did, and they drove it away from there. And they did not stir from there until they saw something like a clot of blood floating upon the water. When the sages heard of the matter, they said: If a thing that was not created with any need for help requires help, how much more so the children of man! Therefore David said: "May He send your help from the Sanctuary."

Alexander of Macedon went off [to King Qatzya] beyond the Mountains of Darkness. He arrived at a province whose name was Carthage, and it was entirely [women]. They came out to meet him. They said to him: "If you wage war with us and conquer us, your name will go forth in the world as the [province] of women that he destroyed; and if we wage war with you and conquer you, your name will go forth in the world as: women waged war with him and conquered him, and you will never again stand before [any] kingdom." When he departed, he wrote upon the gate of the entrance: "I, Alexander of Macedon, was a fool until I came to the province of Carthage and learned counsel from women." He went to another province whose name was Africa. They came out to meet him [with golden apples], with golden pomegranates, and with golden bread. He said to them: "Is gold eaten in your land?" They said to him: "Was there [nothing to eat then] in your own land, that you have come to us?" He said to them: "I have not come to see your wealth; rather, I have come to see your judgments." While they were sitting, two men came for judgment before the king. One said: "My lord king, I bought a ruin from this man, and I cleared it out and found in it a treasure, and I said to him, 'Take your treasure, for I bought a ruin; a treasure I did not buy.'" And the other said: "Just as you fear the punishment for robbery, so too do I fear the punishment for robbery; and when I sold you the ruin, I sold you everything that is in it, from the depths of the earth to the height of the heavens." He called to one of them and said to him: "Do you have a son?" He said to him: "I have." He called to the other and said to him: "Do you have a daughter?" He said to him: "Yes." He said to them: "[Let them go] and marry one another, and let the two of them consume the treasure." Alexander began to wonder. The king said to him: "Why do you wonder—did I not judge well?" He said to him: "Yes." He said to him: "Had this case been in your land, what would you have done with it?" He said to him: "We would have killed this one and that one, and the treasure would go up to the king's house." He said to him: "And does the sun shine upon you?" He said to him: "Yes." "And does the rain come down upon you?" He said to him: "Yes." He said to him: "Perhaps there is small cattle in your land?" He said to him: "Yes." He said to him: "Woe to the spirit of that man! It is by the merit of the small cattle that the sun shines upon you and the rain comes down upon you, [and by the merit of the small cattle you are delivered]," as it is written, "Man and beast You save, O Lord" (Psalms 36:7)—by the merit of the beast You save man.

"And when your brother becomes poor" (Leviticus 25:25) — these are Israel, as it is said, "And they were brought low through their iniquity" (Psalms 106:43). "And sells some of his possession" — for they were sold into the hand of Media, into the hands of Haman. "Then his redeemer shall come" — this is Mordecai. "And he shall redeem what his brother sold" — for he covered over the iniquities of Israel, since they were all deserving of slaughter, because they had eaten from the cooked foods of the star-worshipers, as it is said, "And when these days were fulfilled, the king made for all the people, etc." (Esther 1:5). And Haman incited himself against them, as it is said, "He cast pur, etc." (Esther 3:7). And by the merit of Mordecai they were saved, as it is said, "And it was overturned, etc." (Esther 9:1). Thus, "And he shall redeem what his brother sold."

"The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: Each man by his standard, with the banners of their fathers' houses, etc." (Numbers 2:1-2). Let our master teach us: Within how many cubits is a person permitted to walk on the Sabbath? Thus did our masters teach: One who rests for the Sabbath while on the road makes himself circles up to four cubits — these are the words of R. Hananyah ben Antigonus — and he carries within four cubits on the Sabbath, and he says, "My Sabbath rest is in my place," and his place acquires for him two thousand cubits in every direction. And how much are four cubits? R. Judah says: Enough that he may take a jug from at his feet and place it at his head. And one who rests for the Sabbath in a city, even if it is as large as Antioch, may walk through all of it, and its outskirts, and beyond its outskirts two thousand cubits. And what are its outskirts? The shops and the inns that are outside the city upon the road. And one who rests for the Sabbath in a cave, even if it is as large as the cave in which Zedekiah king of Judah fled, which was twelve miles, may walk through all of it, and beyond it two thousand cubits in any direction he wishes. And from where did the Sages derive support? From the words of the Torah, [as it is said:] "And you shall measure outside the city the east side, two thousand by the cubit, etc." (Numbers 35:5). And likewise you find with Joshua, when he went to destroy Jericho: Joshua said to them, "You are destined to observe the Sabbath there. Do not go far from the Ark more than two thousand cubits in every direction" — so that you may be permitted to come to pray before the Ark on the Sabbath. And so it says: "Yet there shall be a distance between you and it of about two thousand cubits by measure" (Joshua 3:4). And likewise you find, when God said to Moses that he should settle Israel by standards, He said to him: Settle them by their standards in every direction. From where? From what they read on the matter: "Each man by his standard, with the banners of their fathers' houses, shall they encamp" (Numbers 2:2).

Beha'alotcha. This is what Scripture says (Psalms 139:12): "Even darkness is not dark to You, [and night shines as the day; the darkness is as the light]." Yet You say to us, "When you set up the lamps" (Numbers 8:2)? To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a beloved friend. The king said to him: Know that I will dine at your house, so make ready for me. His friend went and prepared a commoner's couch, a commoner's lamp, and a commoner's table. When the king came, his servants came with him, and they set before him on this side and on that side lamps of gold. When his friend saw all this honor, he was ashamed, and he hid away everything that he had prepared, for it was all of a commoner's sort. The king said to him: What is this? Did I not say to you that I would dine at your house? Why have you prepared nothing for me? His friend said to him: My lord the king, I saw all this honor that came with you, and I was ashamed, and I hid away everything that I had prepared for you, because they are a commoner's vessels. The king said to him: By your life, I disqualify all the vessels that I brought with me, and for the sake of your love I desire to use nothing but what is yours. So too the Holy One, blessed be He, is wholly light, as it is said (Daniel 2:22): "and the light dwells with Him." And He says to Israel: Prepare for Me a menorah and lamps. What is written there? "And let them make Me a sanctuary" (Exodus 25:8), "and you shall make a menorah of pure gold" (Exodus 25:31). When they had made it, the Divine Presence came. What is written there? "And Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting" etc. (Exodus 40:35). Immediately He called to Moses, "and when Moses came into the Tent of Meeting to speak with Him" (Numbers 7:89). And what did He speak to him? "When you set up the lamps." By your lives, for the sake of your beloved devotion I disqualify everything, and I use what is yours: "When you set up the lamps."

(Numbers 13:16:) "AND MOSES CALLED HOSHEA BEN NUN JOSHUA." And what did Moses see <fit> to add a yod to the name of Joshua? Rather, Caleb took his reward from the land, as it is said (Joshua 14:9): "SURELY THE LAND ON WHICH YOUR FOOT HAS TROD <SHALL BE AN INHERITANCE FOR YOU>," and so on. And Joshua <took> the reward of the ten spies, so that a yod, <which stands for> ten, was added to his name. <Therefore> "AND MOSES CALLED HOSHEA BEN NUN JOSHUA." [Another interpretation:] When Moses saw that they were very wicked, Moses said to him: May Yah save you from this evil generation.

(Numbers 16:19:) "AND KORAH ASSEMBLED AGAINST THEM." He said to them (in Numbers 16:3): "FOR ALL THE CONGREGATION, ALL OF THEM, ARE HOLY, [AND THE LORD IS AMONG THEM]," and all of them heard at Sinai "I am the LORD your God"; (Numbers 16:3, continued:) "AND WHY DO YOU RAISE YOURSELVES UP?" Immediately Moses trembled, since their offense was already the fourth in their hands. A parable: It is like a king's son who offended against his father, and the king's beloved friend appeased him on his behalf once, twice, and three times. When he offended a fourth time, the hands of the king's beloved friend grew slack. He said, "How many times shall I trouble the king?" So too Moses. They sinned with the calf, (and so) "And Moses entreated" (Exodus 32:11). With the murmurers, "And Moses prayed to the LORD" (Numbers 11:2). [With the spies, "And Moses said to the LORD" (Numbers 14:13),] "And the Egyptians will hear" etc. (ibid.). In the dispute of Korah his hands grew slack. He said, "How much can I trouble before the Omnipresent?" Therefore "And Moses heard and fell on his face" (Numbers 16:4).

[(Psalms 12:7:) "Refined sevenfold."] Rabbi Hanan bar Pazzi expounded the verse with regard to the section of the [Red] Heifer, in which there are seven [sets] of seven: seven heifers, seven burnings, seven sprinklings, seven launderings, seven [who are] unclean, seven [who are] clean, seven priests. If a person should say to you that they are lacking [fewer than seven priests], say to him: Moses and Aaron were included in the count, as it is stated (Numbers 19:1-2), "And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: This is the statute of the Torah."

(Numbers 22:12:) "And God said to Balaam: You shall not go with them." He said to Him: If so, I will curse them from my place. (Ibid.:) "You shall not curse the people." He said to Him: Let me bless them. He said to him: They have no need of your blessing, (ibid.:) "for it is blessed." A parable: They say to the hornet, "Neither from your honey nor from your sting."

(Numbers 32:1:) "MUCH LIVESTOCK." This is what Scripture says (Psalms 75:7-8 [6-7]): "For not from the east or from the west, and not from the wilderness of mountains; for God is the judge: this one He brings low and that one He lifts up." What is the meaning of "For not from the east or from the west"? Not from that which a person toils over and goes out for trade, traveling from east to west, does he become wealthy. Even if he sets sail in ships and travels from east to west and goes about over the wildernesses and over the mountains, he does not become wealthy. What is the meaning of "and not from the wilderness of mountains (harim)"? Rabbi Abba said: Every instance of "harim" in Scripture means mountains, except for this one, where it means "exaltation" (rommemut), for a person is not exalted from these things. And what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He takes from this one and gives to that one. A certain matron asked Rabbi Yose ben Halafta: In how many days did the Holy One, blessed be He, create His world? He said to her: In six days. She said to him: And from that day on, what does He do? He said to her: He sits and makes ladders, raising up this one and bringing down that one. Know this for yourself: when He wished that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad should become wealthy, He cast the Midianites into their hand. What is written? (Numbers 31:9:) "And the children of Israel took captive the women of Midian [and their little ones, and all their cattle, and all their flocks]." And afterward, "And the children of Reuben had much livestock." Thus: "For God is the judge: this one He brings low and that one He lifts up." And who is wealthy? He who rejoices in his portion, as it is said (Psalms 128:2): "When you eat the labor of your hands, happy shall you be, and it shall be well with you."

(Numbers 35:11:) "Where a slayer may flee who has killed a person by mistake" — and not deliberately. If a person goes and kills deliberately and then says, "I killed by mistake," and flees to the cities of refuge, the Holy One, blessed be He, says: Even if he enters and flees to My altar, kill him, as it is said (Exodus 21:14): "But if a man acts presumptuously, etc., you shall take him from My altar, etc." And who was it that fled to the altar and was slain? This was Joab, as it is said (1 Kings 2:28): "And the report came to Joab, etc., and he seized the horns of the altar." You find that Joab was a great sage and the head of the Sanhedrin, as it is said (2 Samuel 23:8): "He who sits in the seat of wisdom." Did he not know that it is written in the Torah, "you shall take him from My altar to die" (Exodus 21:14), that he went and seized the horns of the altar? Rather, Joab said: Those put to death by the court are not buried in the graves of their fathers, but apart by themselves. Better to die here, so that I may be buried with my fathers. "And Benaiah brought back word to the king, saying: Thus has Joab spoken, and thus has he answered me. And the king said to him: Do as he has spoken, and strike him down and bury him" (1 Kings 2:30–31). Why was he slain? Because David his father had commanded him: "Moreover, you also know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, etc." (1 Kings 2:5). What did he do to him? You find that when David wrote to Joab, "Set Uriah in the front of the fiercest fighting" (2 Samuel 11:15), he did so, and he was slain. All the commanders of the army gathered against Joab — of whom it is said, "Uriah the Hittite," one of all the thirty-seven (2 Samuel 23:39) — and he showed them the letter. Therefore it is said, "[You know] what [Joab son of Zeruiah] did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner son of Ner, etc." (1 Kings 2:5). They had supposed that David had commanded him to kill him, for Abner was the cousin of Saul; therefore David arose and cursed Joab, and said, "May the house of Joab never be cut off from, etc." (2 Samuel 3:29). And all Israel was appeased, and they knew that it had not been from David. And he commanded Solomon his son to slay him, for Joab was the son of David's sister, and he wished to bring him near to the world to come. When Solomon sought to slay him, Joab said to Benaiah: Go, say to Solomon — do not judge me with two judgments. If you slay me, remove from me the curses with which David your father cursed me; and if not, leave me in his curses. Immediately, "the king said to him: Do as he has spoken, and strike him down and bury him" (1 Kings 2:31). Rabbi Judah said: All the curses with which David cursed Joab were all fulfilled in David's offspring. "May the house of Joab never lack one with a discharge, a leper, one who grasps the spindle, one who falls by the sword, and one lacking bread" (2 Samuel 3:29). "One with a discharge" — in Rehoboam son of Solomon: "And King Rehoboam mustered strength to mount the chariot (merkavah)" (1 Kings 12:18); and it is written concerning the one with a discharge, "and every saddle (merkav) on which the one with the discharge rides" (Leviticus 15:9). "A leper" — in Uzziah, as it is said, "And he was a leper until the day of his death" (2 Kings 15:5). "One who grasps the spindle" — in Asa, as it is written, "Only in the time of his old age he became diseased in his feet" (1 Kings 15:23), for gout seized him. "One who falls by the sword" — in Josiah, as it is written, "And the archers shot King Josiah" (2 Chronicles 35:23); and Rav Judah said in the name of Rav: They thrust into him three hundred iron lances, until they perforated him like a sieve. "One lacking bread" — in Jehoiachin, as it is said, "And as his allowance, a regular allowance was given to him by the king" (2 Kings 25:29), from the table of Evil-merodach. And you find that as long as Jehoiada lived, Joash did the will of his Creator, as it is said, "And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, as Jehoiada the priest instructed him" (2 Kings 12:3). "And after the death of Jehoiada, the princes of Judah came and bowed down to the king; then the king listened to them" (2 Chronicles 24:17) — for he took it upon himself to make him a god; therefore, "they executed judgments upon Joash" (2 Chronicles 24:24). And for what was Abner punished? Because he made the blood of the young men into sport, as it is said, "And Abner said to Joab: Let the young men now arise and play before us; and Joab said: Let them arise" (2 Samuel 2:14). And some say: because he put his own name before the name of David, as it is said, "And Abner sent messengers to David in his place, saying: To whom does the land belong?" (2 Samuel 3:12). And the sages say: because he did not wait for Saul to be reconciled with David, and it was in his power to protest at Nob, the city of the priests, and he did not protest.

(Proverbs 3:9:) "Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce." That is, if you were handsome, do not be unrestrained in sexual matters, so that people will not say: "So-and-so is handsome but is not guarded against sexual immorality." This is on account of (the verse) "Honor the Lord with your substance."

Rabbi Hama bar Hanina said: What is the meaning of (Isaiah 43:9), "All the nations are gathered together"? In the time to come the Holy One, blessed be He, brings a Torah scroll and places it in His bosom, and says, "Whoever occupied himself with Torah, let him come and take his reward." Immediately all the nations gather together in confusion, as it is said, "All the nations are gathered together [etc.]." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "Do not gather in confusion; rather, let every nation and its scribes [come], [as it is said] (ibid.), 'and let the peoples be assembled.'" The kingdom of Rome entered. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "With what did you occupy yourselves?" They say, "We established many marketplaces, we built many bathhouses, and we multiplied silver and gold; all of it so that Israel could occupy themselves with Torah." He said to them, "Everything you did, you did for your own needs: marketplaces, to seat harlots in them; bathhouses, to pamper yourselves; the silver and gold are Mine, as it is said (Haggai 2:8), 'Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold.'" The kingdom of Persia entered. He said to them, "With what did you occupy yourselves?" They say, "We conquered many cities, we built many bridges, we waged many wars; all of it for the sake of Israel." He said to them, "Everything you did, you did for your own sake: cities, to impose forced labor in them; bridges, to collect tolls; as for wars, I waged them, as it is said (Exodus 15:3), 'The LORD is a man of war.' Is there any among you who declares this? as it is said (Isaiah 43:9), 'Who among them will declare this?' And 'this' is nothing but the Torah, as it is said (Deuteronomy 4:44), 'And this is the Torah which Moses set [before the children of Israel].'" They say before Him, "Did You give it to us and we did not accept it?" [Concerning them He says (Deuteronomy 33:2), "The LORD came from Sinai and shone forth from Seir upon them." This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, went around to all the nations of the world, and they did not accept it.] They say before Him, "Master of the Universe, give it to us anew and we will perform it." He said to them, "I will give you a minor commandment; if you observe it, I will give [you reward] like Israel." He said to them, "Go and make a sukkah." Immediately each and every one goes and makes himself a sukkah. And the Holy One, blessed be He, brings the sun out from its sheath, and each one kicks at his sukkah and goes out; as it is said (Psalms 2:3), "Let us tear off their bonds." And the Holy One, blessed be He, laughs at them, as it is said (ibid. 2:4), "He who sits in heaven laughs, the LORD mocks them."

Rabbi Levi opened his discourse with the verse (Psalms 9:6): "You have rebuked the nations; you have destroyed the wicked one; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever." "You have rebuked the nations" — this refers to Amalek, as it is written (Numbers 24:20): "First among the nations was Amalek." "You have destroyed the wicked one" — this refers to Esau, as it is said (Malachi 1:4): "And they shall call them a country of wickedness." If a person should say to you that Jacob too is included in the count, say to him: It is not written here "You have destroyed the wicked ones" (in the plural), but rather "You have destroyed the wicked one" (in the singular) — this refers to Esau the Wicked. "You have blotted out their name for ever and ever" (Psalms 9:6); "You shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek" (Deuteronomy 25:19).

Another interpretation: Why are the righteous likened to a date palm and a cedar? Because you find that with most trees, even though they are cut down, if one takes a shoot from them and plants it in another place, they at once spring up. But the date palm and the cedar, once they are cut down, who can raise up others in their stead? Only after many years, and with great toil. So too, if a righteous person is lost from the world, who can raise up another in his stead? Only after several years.

Another interpretation of (Job 32:9): "Not the many are wise." It speaks of Jacob. Jacob said to his sons: It is not because you are many that you are wise, for you are ten and I am one. For I say to you, "Go down to Egypt," yet you do not seek to go down. I foresee by the Holy Spirit that there is grain there, as it is said (Job 32:8): "Surely it is a spirit in a person." I have seen that Joseph is there, as it is said (Genesis 42:1): "And Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt."

Another interpretation (of Isaiah 65:25): "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together." The wolf — this is Benjamin, as it is said (Genesis 49:27): "Benjamin is a ravenous wolf." And the lamb — these are the tribes, as it is said (Jeremiah 50:17): "Israel is a scattered sheep, etc." "They shall feed together" — when? When Benjamin went down with them. For Jacob had said (Genesis 42:38): "My son shall not go down with you." Once the time arrived and he went down with them, they placed him in their midst and guarded him. And so Joseph (Genesis 43:29): "lifted his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, etc." "The lion" — this is Judah, as it is said (Genesis 49:9): "Judah is a lion's whelp." "Like the ox" — this is Joseph, as it is said (Deuteronomy 33:17): "His firstling bullock, majesty is his." "Shall eat straw" — that they were found eating as one, as it is said (Genesis 43:33): "And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright." Therefore, "and Judah he sent before him" (Genesis 46:28).

Another interpretation: &ldquo;He made His ways known to Moses&rdquo; (Ps. 103:7), for the Holy One, blessed be He, alone knew the appointed end of the Egyptian exile, as it is said, &ldquo;And God saw the children of Israel, and God knew&rdquo; (Exod. 2:25). And to whom did He make it known? To Moses, as it is said, &ldquo;Now Moses was tending [the flock]&rdquo; (Exod. 3:1).

Similarly you say (in Psalms 50:7): "Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God." When Israel stood at Mount Sinai and said (in Exodus 24:7): "All that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will obey," Rabbi Yochanan said: Six hundred thousand angels came down and placed crowns upon their heads. Rabbi Simai said: He clothed them in purple. Rav Huna of Tzippori said: He girded them with girdles. Rabbi Shimon said: They gave them weapons, and the Great Name was inscribed upon them; and as long as it was in their hands, the angel of death could not have power over them, as it is said (in Exodus 32:16): "engraved upon the tablets." What is the meaning of "engraved" (charut)? Rabbi Yehudah says: Freedom (cheirut) from the kingdoms. Rabbi Nechemiah says: Freedom from the angel of death. Rabbi Pinchas the Priest, son of Chama, said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, in the name of Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Yose [the Galilean]: If the angel of death should come and say to me, "Why was I created?", I would say to him: If I created you, I created you over the nations of the world, and not over My children. Why? Because I made them gods, as it is said (in Psalms 82:6): "I said: You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High." Therefore, when He came to give them the commandments, He said to them: Hear what I am saying to you. Thus it is said: "Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God." See, here the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Even though I made you a god, I am your God, and you are a god only to Pharaoh, as it is said (in Exodus 7:1): "See, I have made you a god to Pharaoh."

Our masters said: The center bar came down to Egypt by the hand of Jacob, the one that served from end to end. Not only that, but the cedars uttered song. This is what David says, "Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy" (Psalms 96:12). "Then" (az) means nothing but a song that one utters to the Holy One, blessed be He, and it says: When will the Tabernacle be made? And when the Holy One, blessed be He, said [to Moses] that he should make the Tabernacle, what did He say to him? "And you shall make the boards for the Tabernacle" (Exodus 26:15) — those same boards that their father had prepared for them. Rabbi Samuel bar Nahmani said: There were twenty-four kinds of cedar, and of all of them only seven were chosen, as it is said, "I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane tree, and the box tree together" (Isaiah 41:19). Cypress is altin; plane tree is ispandamon; box tree (te'ashur) is paksinon, which is the most approved (me'ushar) of all kinds of cedar. And of all of them, only the acacia (shittah) alone was chosen, [as it is said,] "acacia wood" (Exodus 26:15). And why did He call it shittim? Only in order to heal what Israel did at Shittim. Another interpretation: "acacia (shittim) wood" — they sinned at Shittim and they were stricken at Shittim. They sinned at Shittim: "And Israel dwelt at Shittim" (Numbers 25:1). And they were stricken at Shittim: "And those that died in the plague were [twenty-four thousand]" (Numbers 25:9). And they did not stir from there until they were healed. Phinehas arose and turned back the wrath from them, as it is said, "Phinehas the son of Eleazar" (Numbers 25:11). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In the world to come I will heal the Shittim, as it is said, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the watercourses of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim" (Joel 4:18).

Another interpretation: "Honey and milk are under your tongue" (Song of Songs 4:11). At the hour when they stood before the Lord at Sinai and said, "All that the Lord has spoken we will do and we will obey" (Exodus 24:7), in that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: "Honey and milk are under your tongue." Another interpretation: "nectar." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Just as you have cherished the Torah, by your lives, it is given to you as a gift. "And He gave unto Moses" (Exodus 31:18).

Another interpretation of (Ecclesiastes 3:16) "the place of justice": The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I created the soul, and it is given into My hand, [as it is said] (Job 12:10) "In whose hand is the soul of every living thing." And justice too is given into My hand, as it is said (Deuteronomy 32:41) "and My hand lays hold on justice." And I did not place the soul beside the judgment except that it should see what is prepared for it and not sin; yet it sins. (Ecclesiastes 3:16) "there was wickedness" — because the soul is placed at the side of the judgment.

Rabbi Judah bar Gadya said: Whoever answers Amen in this world merits and answers Amen in the world to come. From where? "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting (literally: from the world and unto the world). Amen and Amen" (Psalms 41:14). What is "Amen and Amen"? Amen in this world, and Amen in the world to come. Therefore it is said: "Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me" (Psalms 50:23).

"And the priest shall look" (Leviticus 14:3) — this is Jeremiah, of whom it is said, "of the priests who were in Anathoth" (Jeremiah 1:1). "And behold, the plague of leprosy is healed" — that he exiled them to Babylon. After they had been exiled, Nebuchadnezzar said to them that they should bow down to the image, as it is said, "and whoever does not fall down and worship" (Daniel 3:6). They said to him, "We do not serve your god" (Daniel 3:18). What did he do? "And the priest shall take cedar wood and crimson thread and hyssop" (compare Numbers 19:6) — these are Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; "and he shall cast them into the midst of the burning of the heifer" — that he cast them into the fire, as it is said, "and they were thrown into the midst of the burning fiery furnace" (Daniel 3:21). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: In this world, on account of your iniquities, you were being afflicted and purified, and again afflicted; but in the time to come, it is I who will purify you from above, as it is said, "And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean; from all your uncleannesses and from all your idols I will purify you" (Ezekiel 36:25).

"And Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the presence of (al-penei) Aaron their father" (Numbers 3:4). Rabbi Isaac said: during his lifetime; and Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said: at his death. According to the opinion of Rabbi Isaac, who said "during his lifetime": "al-penei" is stated here, and "penei" is stated elsewhere—"And Haran died in the presence of (al-penei) Terah his father" (Genesis 11:28). Just as "penei" stated there means during his lifetime, so too "penei" stated here means during his lifetime. And according to the opinion of Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba, who said "at his death": "penei" is stated here, and "penei" is stated elsewhere—"And Abraham arose from before (me-al penei) his dead" (Genesis 23:3). Just as "penei" stated there means at his death, so too "penei" stated here means at his death. And according to the opinion of Rabbi Isaac, who said "during his lifetime": if uncleanness befell Aaron, Eleazar served; if uncleanness befell Eleazar, Ithamar served. It happened with Simeon ben Kimhit that he went out to speak with the king of the Arabians, and a spurt of saliva splashed from his mouth onto his garments and rendered him unclean; and Judah his brother entered and served in his place in the high priesthood. On that day Kimhit saw two of her sons as high priests. They said: Kimhit had seven sons, and all of them served in the high priesthood. The sages came in to her and said to her: Tell us, what good deeds are in your hand? She said to them: By the Temple service! The beams of my house have never seen the hairs of my head. They said: All flours (kimhayya) are flour (kimhin), but the flour of Kimhit is fine flour. They read concerning her this verse: "All glorious is the king's daughter within; [her clothing is of gold brocade]" (Psalms 45:14).

Israel said: Master of the World, we are human, yet You shall save us as cattle — because we are drawn after You like cattle, as it is said, "Draw me after you" (Song of Songs 1:4). To where are we drawn after You? To the Garden of Eden, as it is said, "They shall be sated from the fatness of Your house, and from the stream of Your Edens You shall give them to drink" (Psalms 36:9). Rabbi Eleazar bar Menahem said: "Your Eden" is not written here, but "Your Edens" — for every single righteous person has a dwelling of his own in Eden. "Human and cattle You save, O Lord" (Psalms 36:7). Rabbi Isaac said: the ordinance of the human and the ordinance of the cattle are alike. The ordinance of the human: "And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised" (Leviticus 12:3). And the ordinance of the cattle: "And from the eighth day onward it shall be accepted..." (Leviticus 22:27).

Another interpretation of "and his redeemer who is near to him shall come" (Leviticus 25:25): this is the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "Their Redeemer is strong, the LORD of hosts is His name" (Jeremiah 50:34). "Who is near to him" — this is the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "And He has raised up a horn for His people, praise for all His pious ones, for the children of Israel, a people near to Him. Hallelujah" (Psalms 148:14).

Another interpretation of (Numbers 5:12): "Any man whose wife goes astray." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her: You make sport with your husband below; do you suppose you can mock Me? A parable: To what may the matter be compared? To one who was imprisoned within two houses, one inside the other, and there were two guards there, one inside and one outside. He opened the inner one and went out, and the guard did not notice him. When he came to go out from the outer one, the guard noticed him and seized him. He said to him: At that one inside you made sport, but at me you cannot make sport. So too the Holy One, blessed be He, said to the adulterous woman: At your husband you made sport, but at Me you cannot make sport. Rather, I sit and make sport of My creatures, as it is said (Psalms 2:4): "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh."

(Numbers 22:13:) "So Balaam arose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak: Go to your land, etc." He did not say to them: "The Holy One, blessed be He, gave me permission neither to go nor to curse." Rather, (the verse continues:) "The LORD has refused to give me leave to go with you." He said to me: "It is not befitting your honor to go with these, but only with men greater than they"—for he desires my honor. (Numbers 22:14:) "And the princes of Moab arose (and went) [and came] to Balak and said: Balaam has refused to go with us." Therefore (Numbers 22:15:) "And Balak once again sent princes, more numerous and more honorable than these."

Another interpretation (of Numbers 27:5): "And Moses brought their case <before the Lord>." Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Our Master Moses knew this law; but they came first before the chiefs of tens. They said to them: It is a law concerning inheritance, and this is not for us, but for those greater than we. They came before the chiefs of fifties. When they saw that the chiefs of tens had honored them, the chiefs of fifties said: For [us] also there are (here) those greater than we. And so too for the chiefs of hundreds, and so too for the chiefs of thousands, and so too for the princes. They all answered them in this same manner, for they did not wish to open their mouths before one who was greater than they. Moses said: If I tell them the law, I shall be taking away their greatness. He said to them: For me also there is one greater than I. Therefore "And Moses brought their case <before the Lord>." He answered them: Yes (Numbers 27:7): "The daughters of Zelophehad speak rightly" — for the Holy One, blessed be He, conceded to their words.

(Genesis 28:17:) "And he was afraid, and said: How awesome is this place!" This is nothing other than the Holy Temple, as it is said (Psalms 78:54): "And He brought them to the border of His sanctuary, this mountain which His right hand had acquired." And "awesome" refers to nothing other than the Holy Temple, as it is said (Psalms 68:36): "Awesome is God out of your sanctuaries." He saw it destroyed, as it is said, "This is nothing"; "but the house of God" (ibid.), for he saw it built. And all the prophets saw it built, destroyed, and built. Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: You saw it destroyed in this world, but in the world to come I will build it Myself. And I, in My glory, will return within it, and you will see, as it is said (Isaiah 52:8): "For eye to eye they shall see, when the Lord returns to Zion."

(Gen. 42:2:) "Go down there." It is a descent for them. Go down and subdue the land before your children. {(Gen. 42:2, cont.:) "Go down there and buy for us from there"} [(Gen. 44:25:) "Return, buy us"] "a little food" (Gen. 44:25) — before those of whom it is written: "For you are the fewest of all the peoples" (Deut. 7:7).

(Numbers 22:16-17:) "And they came unto Balaam and said unto him: Thus has Balak ben Zippor said, etc., 'for I will surely honor you greatly.'" More than what you [sought] formerly I am giving, and everything that you desire, and whatever you decree I will do.

(Numbers 27:7:) "You shall surely give them <a possession of an inheritance among the brothers of their father>." Give them movable property, and their father's birthright in the assets of Hepher. They took three portions: the portion of their father, who was among those who came out of Egypt; and his portion with his brothers in the assets of Hepher; and since he was a firstborn, he took two portions.

Hiyya bar Adda, the son of bar Kappara's sister, had a pleasant voice. So bar Kappara would say to him: My son, recite the Shema, and pass before the Ark (to lead the congregation in prayer), on account of (Proverbs 3:9): "Honor the LORD with your substance" — with that which He has graced you. Another interpretation: "Honor the LORD with your substance (me-honekha)." Serve Him with your substance, before you come to serve Him without substance (that is, in poverty).

(Numbers 22:18:) BUT BALAAM ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THE [SERVANTS] OF BALAK: IF BALAK SHOULD GIVE ME [a houseful of silver and gold], and so forth. From here you learn that there was in him [an evil eye, a haughty spirit], a greedy soul. An evil eye, as it is stated (Numbers 24:2): AND BALAAM LIFTED UP HIS EYES AND SAW ISRAEL DWELLING ACCORDING TO ITS TRIBES. And a haughty spirit, (Numbers 22:13:) THE LORD HAS REFUSED TO LET ME GO WITH YOU. A greedy soul, (Numbers 22:18:) IF BALAK SHOULD GIVE ME [a houseful of silver and gold].

There is a story about a certain man who was gathering in wine and oil, but he did not take out his tithes as was fitting. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do to him? He put a spirit of madness (that is, an evil spirit) into him, and he took up the staff and began to smash the jars. A member of his household rebuked him. What did he do to him? He took the staff and split open his head. He said to him: Instead of helping me, you are rebuking me? He said to him: Give me the staff and I will smash. He gave him the staff. The one was breaking one, the other was breaking two. What brought this upon him? Because he had not taken out his tithes as was fitting.