Midrash Tanchuma Reader

(Gen. 19:24:) "AND THE LORD RAINED DOWN UPON SODOM," etc. Let our master teach us: A court that decreed a fast upon the community so that rains would come down, and the rains came down on that very day — is it correct that they should complete it? Thus did our masters teach: If they were fasting and the rains came down before the rising of the sun, they do not complete it; after the rising of the sun, they complete it — the words of R. Meir. But R. Judah says: before noon they do not complete it; after noon they complete it. And from where did the generations find support that they should fast on the second day (Monday) and on the fifth day (Thursday)? Rather, when Israel did that deed (of the golden calf), Moses went up on a fifth day and came down on a second day. From where? R. Levi said: He went up on a fifth day. And from a fifth day to a fifth day to a fifth day — that is fifteen; and from a Sabbath eve to a Sabbath eve to a Sabbath eve — fifteen — that is thirty; and from a Sabbath to a Sabbath — eight — that is thirty-eight; and a first day of the week and a second day of the week — that is forty. Therefore the Sages ordained that they should fast on the second day and on the fifth day, on the ascent of Moses and on his descent. And at the end of forty days they fasted and were weeping before Moses, and the Holy One, blessed be He, was filled with mercy upon them, and He made that day for them a day of atonement for their iniquities, and this is the Day of Atonement, as it is said (Lev. 16:30): "For on this day He shall atone for you, to cleanse you." See how lovely is repentance! The Holy One, blessed be He, said (Mal. 3:7): "Return to Me, and I will return to you." For if a person has several iniquities in his hand, and he repents before the Holy One, blessed be He, He reckons it for him as though he had not sinned, as it is said (Ezek. 18:22): "All [his transgressions] that he committed," etc. And since the Holy One, blessed be He, warns him a first time, and a second, and a third, and he does not repent, He exacts punishment from him, as it is said (Job 33:29): "Behold, God works all these things," etc. Since He finds no benefit from him, immediately He exacts punishment from him. Know for yourself that it is so: when the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to overturn Sodom and her companions, Abraham stood and sought mercy for them, thinking that perhaps there was hope, as it is said (Gen. 18:23): "And Abraham drew near and said," etc. What is "and he drew near"? R. Joshua says: "drawing near" is nothing but an expression of war, as it is said (2 Sam. 10:13): "And Joab and the people who were with him drew near to the battle." R. Nehemiah says: "drawing near" is nothing but an expression of prayer, as it is said (1 Kings 18:36): "And it came to pass at the offering up of the evening offering, that Elijah the prophet drew near," etc. And the Sages say: "drawing near" is nothing but an expression of request, as it is said (Gen. 44:18): "Then Judah drew near to him." Abraham said before the Holy One, blessed be He (Gen. 18:25): "Far be it from You," etc. And he was seeking mercy for them until he went down from fifty to ten. Since he found no merit for them, the Shekhinah departed from him, as it is said (Gen. 18:33): "And the LORD went away when He had finished," etc. Immediately the punishment came upon them. [From where is it shown? From what we have read on the matter (Gen. 19:24):] "AND THE LORD RAINED DOWN UPON SODOM."

Another interpretation: The voice is the voice of Jacob (Genesis 27:22). All the voices are yours, as it is said: And there were thunders and lightnings (Exodus 19:16). And the rains do not come down except by your merit, as it is said: When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens (Jeremiah 10:13).

(Genesis 30:22:) "And God remembered Rachel etc., and He opened her womb." Let our master teach us: What is the law concerning whether a person may wipe off a table on the Sabbath with a sponge? Thus have our Rabbis taught (Shabbat 21:3): "A sponge, if it has a leather handle to grip, one may wipe with it; but if not, one may not wipe with it." For if it does not have leather sewn onto it, when he comes to wipe [on the Sabbath] the water enters and he presses down and the water comes out, and he is found to be squeezing on the Sabbath. Therefore, if it has a leather handle to grip, one may wipe with it; [but if not, one may not wipe with it], so that he will not press and the water come out. Come and see the works of the Holy One, blessed be He, that they are not like the works of flesh and blood. Flesh and blood: when one presses on a sponge the water comes down; he opens his hand and the water does not come down. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. If He presses, the water does not come down, as it is said (Job 12:15): "Behold, He withholds the waters and they dry up." And it is written (Deuteronomy 11:17): "And He shuts up the heavens so that there is no rain." But if He opens, they come down, as it is said (Deuteronomy 28:12): "The Lord will open for you etc." Rabbi Yochanan said: Four keys are in the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, and He did not hand them over to any creature in the world. And these are they: the key of rains, the key of sustenance, the key of graves, and the key of barren women. Yet when they were needed, the Holy One, blessed be He, handed them over to the righteous. The key of rains He handed over to Elijah, as it is said (1 Kings 17:1): "As the Lord lives, there shall not be dew or rain these years, except by my word." The key of sustenance He handed over to Noah, as it is said (Genesis 6:21): "And you, take for yourself from all food that is eaten." The key of graves He handed over to Ezekiel, as it is said (Ezekiel 37:3): "And say to them: O dry bones." The key of barren women He handed over to Elisha, as it is said (2 Kings 4:16): "At this season, when the time comes round, you shall embrace a son." And from where do we know that He did not hand them over to any creature in the world, but rather He Himself opens them? The key of rains, as it is said (Deuteronomy 28:12): "The Lord will open for you." The key of sustenance, as it is said (Psalms 145:16): "You open Your hand." The key of graves, as it is said (Ezekiel 37:12): "Behold, I will open your graves." And the key of barren women, from where? From what is written on the matter (Genesis 30:22): "And God remembered Rachel, and He opened her womb."

Another interpretation of "And Dinah went out" (Genesis 34:1): But did she go out because of sin? For Jacob had said, "I am too small for all the kindnesses" (Genesis 32:11 [10]). Rabbi Acha said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "I have fed your ancestors from their own deeds, and yet you say, 'I am too small'?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "Jacob, it is on account of your righteousness that I performed for you all these miracles of which you say, 'I am too small.' But behold, she is going out, and let your merit stand for you." And so, "And Dinah went out."

Another interpretation of "And Joseph was brought down" (Genesis 39:1): What is the meaning of "And Joseph was brought down"? That he kept moving the Egyptians from place to place, just as you say, "And as for the people, he removed them by cities" (Genesis 47:21) — that he would carry them from here and set them down there, so that they would not be able to reproach Israel by calling them exiles, children of exiles.

[(Genesis 43:14:) "And may God Almighty grant you mercy."] This is what Scripture says (Psalms 94:12): "Blessed is the man whom You chastise, O LORD, and whom You teach from Your Torah." What is the meaning of "Blessed is the man"? Rabbi Yehoshua said: If chastisements have come upon you, and you were able to occupy yourself with Torah, they are chastisements of love; but if you were not able to occupy yourself with Torah, they are chastisements of rebellion. "Blessed is the man whom You chastise, O LORD, and whom You teach from Your Torah." Rabbi Bisna said: There is no person in the world who does not come to suffering. Thus a person who suffers in his eye cannot sleep, and one who suffers in his tooth cannot sleep, but rather he is awake the whole night; and a person who is awake the whole night and occupies himself with Torah — this one is awake and that one is awake. Hence: Happy is the man whose sufferings are in Torah.

(Genesis 49:28:) "ALL THESE ARE THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, TWELVE IN NUMBER." These are the tribes; but concerning Ishmael it is written (Genesis 17:20): "HE SHALL BEGET TWELVE PRINCES." As for the tribes, the matter follows the order of the world: the day is twelve hours, the night is twelve hours, the year is twelve months, the constellations are twelve. Therefore, "ALL THESE ARE THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, TWELVE." Rabbi Yohanan said: But were there twelve tribes? Surely Ephraim and Manasseh make fourteen! Rather, when Levi was counted among them, Ephraim and Manasseh were not counted among them; and when Levi was not counted among them, Ephraim and Manasseh were counted among them as one tribe. From where? As it is said (Numbers 1:10): "OF THE CHILDREN OF JOSEPH: OF EPHRAIM, ELISHAMA SON OF AMMIHUD." Thus, "ALL THESE ARE THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, TWELVE" — no fewer and no more. Even Rebekah saw them [as twelve], as it is said (Genesis 25:23): "AND THE LORD SAID TO HER: TWO NATIONS ARE IN YOUR WOMB" — here are two; "AND TWO PEOPLES" — here are four; "ONE PEOPLE SHALL BE MIGHTIER THAN THE OTHER PEOPLE" — here are six; "AND THE ELDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER" — here are eight; "AND BEHOLD, THERE WERE TWINS IN HER WOMB" — here are ten; "AND THE CHILDREN STRUGGLED WITHIN HER" — here are twelve.

"And he said: Here I am" (Exodus 3:4). Rabbi Joshua ben Qorhah said: What is the meaning of "Here I am, Here I am"? "Here I am" for priesthood, "Here I am" for kingship. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: In the place of the pillar of the world you are standing. Abraham said "Here I am," and you have said "Here I am."

"And the LORD said to Moses: Rise early in the morning and station yourself before Pharaoh, etc." (Exodus 9:13). "For at this time, etc." (Exodus 9:14). This is what Scripture says: "Set, O LORD, a morah over them" (Psalms 9:21) — make their faces red. What is a morah? He put into them a spirit of folly. Another interpretation: "Set, O LORD, a morah over them." Because they make themselves into lordships, make known to them that You are Lord over all of them. "Set, O LORD, a morah over them" — let the nations know that they are mortal man, while they make themselves into deities. Hiram king of Tyre made himself into a god, as it is said: "Because your heart is haughty and you have said, I am a god" (Ezekiel 28:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, made known to him that he is mortal man, for He said: "I cast you to the ground, before kings I set you, that they might gaze upon you" (Ezekiel 28:17). The Holy One, blessed be He, made known to him that he is flesh and blood. Thus: "Let the nations know that they are but mortal man. Selah" (Psalms 9:21).

(Exodus 12:29:) "And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD smote all the firstborn." This is what Scripture says (in Psalm 119:62): "At midnight I will arise to give thanks to You." David said: I am obligated to arise and give thanks to You for what You did with my grandfather and with my grandmother at midnight. When? At the time when Naomi and Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, returned. What is written? "And the whole city was stirred over them, and they said: Is this Naomi?" (Ruth 1:19). This is the one who used to walk in a covered carriage. This Naomi is the one who used to walk about clothed in fine wool, "those who were raised in scarlet" (Lamentations 4:5). The two of them dwelt together in one house. "And Naomi said to her: My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you?" (Ruth 3:1). From here they said that a woman has no rest in her father's house, but only in her husband's house. "And now, is not Boaz our kinsman" (Ruth 3:2). What is "our kinsman" (moda'tanu)? He is of our near relations, as it is said: "The man is near of kin to us" (Ruth 2:21). And why did the prince of the generation go out and sleep in the threshing floor? Rather, because the generation was very licentious, he went out and slept in the threshing floor in order to fence in the licentious. Now, "you shall wash and anoint yourself" (Ruth 3:3) — she did not do so. Rather, Ruth was very modest. She said: Whoever would see me thus would say, "What has this harlot done?" "And she went down to the threshing floor and did according to all that her mother-in-law commanded her" (Ruth 3:6). Only after she went down did she do all that her mother-in-law had commanded her.

Another interpretation [of "Then Moses had Israel journey"]: What is the meaning of "Then Moses had Israel journey"? That he made them journey against their will, not with their consent. How so? It is simply that when Israel went out from Egypt, Pharaoh went out to pursue them with all those multitudes, as it is said (Exodus 14:7): "And he took six hundred chosen chariots." What did he do? He arose and adorned all those horses with precious stones and pearls. When they came to the sea and the Holy One drowned them, all those precious stones and pearls floated up upon the shore of the sea, and they were cast about. And Israel went down every day and took from them, and they did not wish to move from there. When Moses saw this, he said to them: What do you think? That every day the sea will bring up for you precious stones and pearls? He arose and made them journey against their will.

"I am the LORD your God" (Exodus 20:2). Rabbi Aha said: For twenty-six generations the alef kept crying out in protest before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: I am the first of all the letters, yet You did not create the world with me but with a bet, as it says, "In the beginning (Bereshit) God created" (Genesis 1:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: By your life, I shall repay you. The Torah was created two thousand years before the world was created, and when I come to give the Torah to Israel, with you I will open — "I (Anokhi) am the LORD your God." Rabbi Nehemiah said: What is "Anokhi"? It is an Egyptian expression. To what may the matter be compared? To a king whose son was taken captive and spent many days with the captors, and learned the speech of those captors. When the king had taken vengeance upon his enemies and brought his son back, he came to converse with him in his own language, but the son did not know it. What did the king do? He began to speak with him in the language of the captors. So too did the Holy One, blessed be He, do with Israel. During all those years that Israel were in Egypt, they had learned the speech of the Egyptians. When the Holy One, blessed be He, redeemed them and came to give them the Torah, they did not know how to understand it. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Behold, I will converse with them in the Egyptian tongue. A person in Egypt who wishes to say "I" to his fellow says "anokh." So the Holy One, blessed be He, opened in their language and said "Anokhi."

(Exodus 33:21:) "AND THE LORD SAID: BEHOLD, THERE IS A PLACE WITH ME," and so forth. Rabbi Jose bar Halafta said: "Behold, I am in this place" is not written here, but rather "BEHOLD, THERE IS A PLACE WITH ME" — My place is secondary to Me, and am I secondary to My place? (Exodus 33:19:) "AND HE SAID: I WILL CAUSE ALL MY GOODNESS TO PASS" — the goodness, "ALL MY GOODNESS," includes the attribute of punishment. "AND I WILL BE GRACIOUS TO WHOM I WILL BE GRACIOUS." At that time the Holy One showed him all the treasuries of the giving of reward that are prepared for the righteous. He said before Him: "Sovereign of the World, this treasury, to whom does it belong?" He said to him: "To those who do righteousness." "This one, to whom does it belong?" "To those who sustain orphans." And so it was for each and every treasury, until he saw one great treasury. He said to Him: "This one, to whom does it belong?" He said to him: "Whoever has merit, I give to him from what is his; and whoever has not, I act toward him for free." As it is stated (Exodus 33:19): "AND I WILL BE GRACIOUS TO WHOM I WILL BE GRACIOUS" — "to whom is fitting" is not written, but rather "TO WHOM I WILL BE GRACIOUS."

Our masters said: Even concerning the truth one cannot swear. Why? Our masters taught: Let no one of Israel be unrestrained in vows, neither in jest, nor in misleading his fellow with an oath by saying that it is not an oath. There is a story about the King's Mountain, where there were two thousand towns, and all of them were destroyed on account of a truthful oath. And if it is thus for one who swears truthfully, then for one who swears falsely, how much the more so! How would they act? A person would say to his fellow, "An oath that I am going to such-and-such a place, and I will eat and drink," and they would go and do it and fulfill their oath. Therefore it is said (Leviticus 5:1): "If a soul sins…"

(Leviticus 8:3:) "AND ASSEMBLE THE WHOLE CONGREGATION etc." He said to him: To where? He said to him: To the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Moses our master said to Him: Master of the world, sixty myriads of men and sixty myriads of young men—how shall I make them stand at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, when it is only the size of a two-se'ah plot, yet You say, "And assemble the whole congregation"? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: And about this matter you are astonished? These heavens—are they not like the pupil (cataract) of the eye? Yet I made them from one end of the world to the other, [as it is said,] "Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, [and spreads them like a tent to dwell in]" (Isaiah 40:22). And likewise in the time to come I will do thus for Zion. All [those] multitudes from the first Adam until the dead come to life—how shall they stand? And they are destined to say, "The place is too narrow for me; make room for me, that I may dwell" (Isaiah 49:20). What shall I do for them? I shall widen it, as it is said, "Enlarge the place of your tent" (Isaiah 54:2). From where do you learn this? From Mount Sinai. Once the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed upon it, what is written? "The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands, etc." (Psalms 68:18). Said Rabbi Avdimi of Haifa: I have taught in my teaching—once the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed on Mount Sinai to give the Torah, twenty-two thousand chariots descended with Him. Said Rabbi Berekhyah [the Priest]: For the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that none would stand firm in their conviction (literally, "in their waters") except the tribe of Levi; therefore He descended corresponding to the camp of the Levites. Said Rabbi Yannai: If so, what is "the chariots of God are myriads"? Rather, twenty-two thousand chariots descended with the Holy One, blessed be He, and each and every chariot was like the chariot that Ezekiel son of Buzi saw, and it (Sinai) held them—rather, it was a miraculous deed. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Widen, lengthen, and receive My children, My faithful children. And so you find for the world to come, that the Holy One, blessed be He, will widen Jerusalem, as it is said, "[and it became wider] and wound about upward, etc." (Ezekiel 41:7), until it ascends to the heavens. And "upward" means nothing other than the heavens, as it is said, "For Your kindness is great above [the heavens]" (Psalms 108:5). Once it reaches the heavens, it says, "The place is too narrow for me, etc." (Isaiah 49:20). Even so, the Holy One, blessed be He, raises it up from the heavens to the firmament, and from the second to the third, and from the third to the fourth, and from the fourth to the fifth, and from the fifth to the sixth, and from the sixth to the seventh. Said Rabbi Eleazar ben Yaakov: until it reaches the Throne of Glory. And how do they ascend? The Holy One, blessed be He, brings clouds, and they cause them to fly, as it is said, "Who are these that fly like a cloud?" (Isaiah 60:8). And each and every one of the righteous has a canopy of his own, as it is said, "And the Lord will create over [every] dwelling place of Mount Zion and over its assemblies [etc., for over all the glory shall be a canopy]" (Isaiah 4:5). Once it reaches the Throne of Glory, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to them: I and you shall walk together in the world, as it is said, "And I will walk among you" (Leviticus 26:12). And the Holy One, blessed be He, sits in the midst, and the righteous point to Him with the finger, as it is said, "And it shall be said on that day: Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us, etc." (Isaiah 25:9). And it says, "For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will lead us beyond death" (Psalms 48:15). Because the nations say, "And He shall say: Where are their gods?" (Deuteronomy 32:37)—therefore Israel say, "For this is God, our God [forever and ever]; He will lead us beyond death."

[Another interpretation of (Leviticus 22:27): "An ox or a sheep [or a goat]."] The ox is by the merit of Abraham, as it is said (Genesis 18:7): "And Abraham ran to the herd." The sheep is by the merit of Isaac, as it is said (Genesis 22:13): "And behold, a ram." The goat is by the merit of Jacob, as it is said (Genesis 27:9): "Go now to the flock, and fetch me from there two good kids of the goats." What is the meaning of "good"? Rabbi Berekhyah said in the name of Rabbi Helbo: They are good for you and good for your children. Good for you, because through them you are blessed; and good for your children, because through them atonement is made for them.

"Each man by his standard, with the ensigns [of their fathers' house, etc. At a distance, around the Tent of Meeting, shall they camp]" (Numbers 2:2). What is the meaning of "at a distance"? Rabbi Isaac said: At a distance of a mile. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Israel shall be far from the Ark by two thousand cubits, as it is said, "Yet there shall be a distance between you and it of about two thousand cubits, etc." (Joshua 3:4). But Moses and Aaron shall be near to it, as it is said, "And those camping before the Tabernacle [eastward, before the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, etc.]" (Numbers 3:38). Why were Moses and Aaron near to it? Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: If I become angry with My children, they shall make a reconciliation between Me and My children. Therefore they were near to it. But the tribes "at a distance, around the Tent of Meeting, shall they camp."

Another interpretation of (Numbers 6:23): THUS SHALL YOU BLESS. This is what Scripture says (Song of Songs 3:7): BEHOLD, IT IS THE BED OF SOLOMON, WITH SIXTY MIGHTY MEN AROUND IT. And what did Solomon see fit to occupy himself with a bed, that he said BEHOLD, IT IS HIS BED? Rather, he occupied himself only with the King to whom peace belongs. BEHOLD, IT IS HIS BED, this is the Temple. And why was the Temple likened to a bed? Rather, just as this bed is only for being fruitful and multiplying, so too the Temple: whatever was within it was fruitful and multiplied, as it is said (1 Kings 8:8): AND THE POLES GREW LONG. And it says (2 Chronicles 3:6): AND THE GOLD WAS THE GOLD OF PARVAIM, for it produced fruit. And likewise it says (1 Kings 7:2): AND HE BUILT THE HOUSE OF THE FOREST OF LEBANON. Why was it likened to a forest? Just as a forest is fruitful and multiplies, so too the Temple: whatever was within it was fruitful and multiplied. Therefore it is said: BEHOLD, IT IS HIS BED. (Song of Songs 3:7) WITH SIXTY MIGHTY MEN, these are the sixty letters that are in the priestly blessing. (Song of Songs 3:8) ALL OF THEM GRASPING THE SWORD, for in each and every one the name of the Holy One is mentioned: THE LORD BLESS YOU; THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE; THE LORD LIFT UP (Numbers 6:24–26). (Song of Songs 3:8) EACH WITH HIS SWORD UPON HIS THIGH, what reason did the thigh have to be mentioned here? Rather, even if a person sees in his dream the drawn sword set upon his neck and cutting off his thigh, he rises early in the morning and goes to the synagogue. (Song of Songs 3:8) BECAUSE OF FEAR AT NIGHT, because of the fear that he saw at night in his dream; and he sees the priests raising their hands, and the bad dream is annulled from him. Therefore it is said: BECAUSE OF FEAR AT NIGHT. Therefore the Holy One said to Moses: Caution Aaron and his sons that they bless My children, as it is said (Numbers 6:23): THUS SHALL YOU BLESS [THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL].

Another interpretation [(of Numbers 10:2): "Make for yourself two silver trumpets."]. This is what Scripture says (Proverbs 24:21): "Fear the Lord, my son, and the king." Rabbi Isaac bar Eleazar of Caesarea said: What wisdom made into a crown for her head, humility made into a slipper for her foot. It is written (Psalms 111:10): "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord," and it is written there (Proverbs 22:4): "The heel of humility is the fear of the Lord." Therefore Solomon said: "Fear the Lord, my son, and the king." What is the meaning of "and the king"? Rather: make Him king over you. Another interpretation of "and the king": rule over the evil inclination, which is called a king, as it is said (Ecclesiastes 9:14): "And a great king came against it." Another interpretation of "and the king": [more] than the king; lest you suppose that if the king says to you, "Worship an idol," you should obey him, Scripture teaches (Proverbs 24:21): "Fear the Lord, my son." Thus, when Nebuchadnezzar told Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to worship an idol, they did not obey him, but said to him (Daniel 3:18): "We will not serve your gods, and we will not bow to the golden image that you have set up." (Daniel 3:14:) "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?" [You are saying nonsense! Yesterday, whoever wished to acquire an idol for himself would go to Jerusalem, as it is said (Isaiah 10:10): "And their idols were from Jerusalem and from Samaria." And now you have come to mock my idol! "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?"] Did not the Holy One say to you that you should obey the kingdom in all that it tells you, as it is said (Ecclesiastes 8:2): "I keep the king's command"? They said to him: You are king over us for taxes and tributes, but as for worshiping an idol, Nebuchadnezzar and a dog are equal. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered [and said to King Nebuchadnezzar] (Daniel 3:16-17): "We have no need to answer you in this matter; if our God [whom we serve] exists [He is able to deliver us]." They said: "Whether He delivers or does not deliver, be it known to you" (Daniel 3:18). Thus, "Fear the Lord, my son, and the king." "Do not associate with those who differ" (Proverbs 24:21): with those who say that there are two divine powers in the world, do not associate with them, for their end is to perish from the world, as it is said (Zechariah 13:8): "And it shall come to pass in all the land, says the Lord, that two parts in it shall be cut off [and perish], but the third shall remain in it." Who are the third? These are Israel, as it is said (Isaiah 19:24): "On that day Israel shall be a third." Thus, "Fear the Lord, my son, and the king."

(Numbers 13:24:) THAT PLACE HE CALLED THE WADI ESHCOL, etc. This is what Scripture says (Isaiah 46:10): DECLARING THE END FROM THE BEGINNING, [AND FROM OF OLD THINGS THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN DONE], in that everything is foreseen before the Holy One, blessed be He. Eshcol was a friend of Abraham, and he was called Eshcol on account of the cluster (eshkol) that Israel were destined to cut down from there, from his place.

(Numbers 16:13:) "IS IT TOO LITTLE THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT US UP, etc." (the same chapter, the same verse). On what basis do you exalt yourself over us? What good have you done for us? You brought us out from the land of Egypt, which is like the garden of the LORD (as in Genesis 13:10), but into the land of Canaan you have not brought us. Rather, behold, we are dying in the wilderness, and the plague is sent among us every day. (Numbers 16:14:) "WOULD YOU PUT OUT THE EYES OF THESE MEN? WE WILL NOT COME UP" (the same chapter, the same verse).

"Who is like the wise person, and who knows the interpretation of a matter?" (Ecclesiastes 8:1). {There are many lines of interpretation in Scripture, but so as not to trouble before our masters, let us open the matter of our need.} "Who is like the wise person?" — this is the Holy One, blessed be He, of whom it is said, "The LORD by wisdom founded the earth" (Proverbs 3:19). "And who knows the interpretation of a matter?" — this is the Holy One, blessed be He, who interpreted the Torah for Moses.

(Numbers 23:1:) And Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me here [seven altars]," etc. Why seven altars? Corresponding to the seven righteous ones who built seven altars, from Adam until Moses, and were accepted: Adam, Abel, Noah, and Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses. And he [Balaam] said: Why did You accept these? Was it not on account of the service they performed before You that You accepted them? Is it not fitting for You that You be served by seventy nations, and not by a single nation? The Holy Spirit answered him (Proverbs 17:1): "Better a dry morsel with tranquility in it than a house full of feasts of strife." Better a meal-offering mixed with oil, or dry, than a house full of feasts of strife — for you wish to introduce strife between Me and the children of Israel.

ON THE EIGHTH DAY (Numbers 29:35). What was the reason for the offerings being diminished on each day? Rather, the Torah is teaching you proper conduct (derekh eretz) from the offerings: that if a person goes to a lodging place and his fellow receives him, on the first day he receives him and feeds him fowl; and on the second he feeds him fish; [on the third he feeds him meat;] on the fourth he feeds him vegetables. So he keeps diminishing until he feeds him legumes.

"And you were faint and weary, and he did not fear God" (Deuteronomy 25:18). Faint from thirst, and weary from the road, "and he did not fear God" (ibid.). Rabbi Pinchas said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani: It is a transmitted tradition (mesorat aggadah) that by the hand of the sons of Rachel, Esau falls, as it is said, "Surely the youngest of the flock shall drag them away" (Jeremiah 49:20). Why does it call them "the youngest of the flock"? Because they were the smallest of the tribes, for concerning this one "youth" is written, and concerning that one "small" is written. Concerning this one "youth" is written: "And he was a youth with the sons of Bilhah" (Genesis 37:2). And concerning that one "small" is written: "Behold, I have made you small among the nations" (Obadiah 1:2). This one grew up between two righteous people and did not learn from their deeds, and that one grew up between two wicked people and did not learn from their deeds. Therefore this one will come and fall by the hand of that one: this one, concerning whom is written "and he did not fear God" (Deuteronomy 25:18), will come and fall by the hand of that one, concerning whom is written "I fear God" (Genesis 42:18).

[AND HE ARMED HIS TRAINED MEN], (Gen. 14:14). What is the meaning of "and he armed his trained men"? That he took silver and gold and overlaid them with it. He said to them: You know that we are going out to war, and that we are going in order to save lives. Do not set your eyes upon wealth. If it is for the sake of silver and gold, behold, it is before you, as it is said, "And he armed his trained men." "And he armed" (vayareq) means nothing other than that he overlaid them with silver and gold, as it is said, "The wings of a dove covered with silver, and her pinions with the yellow (yeraqraq) of gold" (Ps. 68:14).

Another interpretation (of Genesis 27:22): "The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau." The hands of Esau totter when the voice of Jacob comes. This is the King Messiah, as it is said (Isaiah 40:9): "Get you up onto a high mountain, O herald of good tidings to Zion; lift up your voice with strength."

Another interpretation (of "And God Almighty"): Rabbi Alexandri said: Happy is the man upon whom sufferings come, and the Holy One, blessed be He, says to them, "Enough!"—for they have an end. Who was this? This was Jacob, who said to his sons, "And God Almighty (El Shaddai)"—may God (El) say to my sufferings, "Enough (dai) for you." Thus: "And God Almighty (El Shaddai)."

Another interpretation (of Exod. 15:22): THEN MOSES HAD <ISRAEL> JOURNEY. Rabbi Joshua said: Which is the journey that Israel journeyed that was not by the command of the Gevurah (the Divine Power)? This is the one of which it is stated (in Exod. 15:22): THEN MOSES HAD <ISRAEL> JOURNEY. Rabbi Eleazar of Modim said: It was by the command of the Gevurah that they journeyed. This is the one of which it is stated (in Exod. 15:22): THEN MOSES HAD <ISRAEL> JOURNEY.

Another interpretation: Because the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared to them at the sea as a warrior waging war, and appeared to them at Sinai as a scribe teaching Torah, appeared to them in the days of Solomon as a young man, and appeared to them in the days of Daniel as an elder, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: It is not because they see Him in many forms [that there is more than one God]. I am He who was at the sea; I am He who was at Sinai. "I am the LORD your God."

And He said, "You cannot see My face" (Exodus 33:20). Moses sought to grasp the giving of the reward of the commandments, and the tranquility of the wicked. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "You cannot [see My face]." And this expression refers to nothing other than the tranquility of the wicked, as it is said, "And He repays those who hate Him to their face [and so forth]" (Deuteronomy 7:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, said [to him], "And I will remove My palm" (Exodus 33:23). In this world I show you the giving of the reward of those who fear [Me], and in the world to come I will show the good that is treasured up for them. David said, "How abundant is Your goodness, which You have treasured up for those who fear You" (Psalms 31:20).

Another interpretation: "And those who encamp eastward, toward the sunrise." You find that in every place Judah comes first among the standards, as it is said, "And those who encamp eastward, toward the sunrise, shall be the standard of the camp of Judah" (Numbers 2:3). This is for encamping. For journeying, from where? As it is said, "And the standard of the camp of the children of Judah set out first" (Numbers 10:14). For the offerings, from where? As it is said, "And the one who brought his offering on the first day was Nahshon ben Amminadav, of the tribe of Judah" (Numbers 7:12). From where for war? As it is said, "Who shall go up for us against the Canaanite first, to fight against him? And the Lord said: Judah shall go up" (Judges 1:1-2). And even when the herald comes, Judah is heralded first, as it is said, "Behold, upon the mountains the feet of the herald who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, fulfill your vows" (Nahum 2:1). The Holy One said to them: In this world I have made you into standards (degalim), as it is said, "Each man by his own standard…" (Numbers 2:2); and in the world to come, by the merit of the standards, I will leap (medaleg) and redeem you, as it is said, "The voice of my beloved! Behold, here he comes, leaping over the mountains…" (Song of Songs 2:8).

(Numbers 23:2-3:) "Then Balak did as Balaam had {said} [commanded]" and so forth. "Then Balaam said: Stand beside" and so forth, "and he went to a bare height (shefi)." He had been at ease (shafui) about cursing; for until that moment he had been at ease (shafui), but from that moment on he was driven off.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 14:14): HE ARMED HIS TRAINED MEN. "He armed" (vayareq) means nothing but that he made them turn pale (horiq) with words, just as it is written in the Torah (in Deut. 20:8): WHO IS THE MAN WHO IS AFRAID (yare) AND FAINT (rakh) OF HEART. So did Abraham do: He said to them: We are going out to war. Whoever has transgressions in his hand, and is afraid because of his deeds, let him not go out with us. When they heard this, everyone who knew in his heart that he had sinned was afraid and did not go out, and they went back. And no one remained with him except Eliezer alone. In that hour the Holy One said: All have forsaken you, and no one remained with you except Eliezer alone. By your life, I am placing within him the strength of three hundred and eighteen, as it is stated: AND HE ARMED HIS TRAINED MEN, THE ONES BORN IN HIS HOUSE, EIGHTEEN AND THREE HUNDRED. From where? The number of "Eliezer" by gematria is three hundred and eighteen.

Another interpretation of (Genesis 27:22): "THE VOICE IS THE VOICE OF JACOB, but the hands are the hands of Esau." He said to him: Your brother Esau, if troubles reach him, begins to revile and to blaspheme; but you, if sufferings reach you, subdue your impulse and do not, with your voice, provoke your Creator to anger. And if you prattle with your voice, behold, the hands of Esau are groping about you; [but if not, "the voice is the voice of Jacob." What is the meaning of "but the hands are the hands of Esau"?] For thus you find at Rephidim: Israel prattled with their voice and said, "Is the LORD in our midst or not?" (Exodus 17:7), and immediately Amalek came upon them, as it is said, "Then Amalek came" (Exodus 17:8).

Another interpretation of "And may God Almighty (Shaddai)" (Genesis 43:14): Rabbi Aha said: These heavens were created from a curtain (doq), and the earth was created from snow, as it is said, "Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain" (Isaiah 40:22), and the earth from snow, as it is said, "For to the snow He says, 'Become earth'" (Job 37:6). When the Holy One, blessed be He, told them to be created, they kept stretching forth and going on. Rabbi Aha said: Had the Holy One, blessed be He, not said to them, "Enough (dai)," they would have kept stretching forth and going on until the dead would be revived. Jacob said: He who said to the heavens and the earth, "Enough (dai) for you," may He say to my afflictions, "Enough (dai) for you" — "And may God Almighty (Shaddai)."

(Exodus 3:6:) "And He said: I am the God of your father." He was revealed to him in the voice of his father Amram, so that he would not be afraid. At that moment Moses rejoiced and said, "My father Amram [is alive]." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "You said that I am your father, but I am none other than the God of your father." At that moment, (Exodus 3:6:) "And Moses hid his face," etc. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "By your life! You apportioned honor to Me; I apportion honor to you," as it is said (Exodus 34:35), "And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses," etc. "You were afraid, (Exodus 3:6:) for he was afraid to look. By your life! I will do just as it says, (Exodus 34:30:) 'and they were afraid to come near him.'" By the merit of "to look" (mehabbit), (Numbers 12:8:) "and the likeness of the Lord he beholds (yabbit)."

Joash also made himself into a god, as it is stated (II Chron. 24:17): "[Now] after the death of Jehoiada the priest, [the princes of Judah came and bowed low to the king]." They said to him: You are a god! Were you not a god, you would not have spent six years in the Holy of Holies. The High Priest would enter there only one time, and everyone would pray for him that he enter in peace; yet you spent six years there. Were you not a god, you would not have lived. At that time he accepted it from them, as it is stated (II Chron. 24:17, continued): "Then the king hearkened unto them." Immediately the Holy One made known to him that he was flesh and blood. What is written (II Chron. 24:24)? "So they inflicted judgments on Joash." Ergo (Ps. 9:21): "Let the nations know that they are only human. Selah."

Rabbi Eleazar of Modiim says: They journeyed at the command of the Gevurah (the Almighty), for so we find in another place, in two or three places, "At the command of the LORD they journeyed," and so forth (Numbers 9:18). And here too, even though it is written, "And Moses had Israel journey" (Exodus 15:22), they journeyed at the command of the Gevurah. And what, then, is the meaning of "And Moses had Israel journey"? At the time he told them that they should journey, they did not say to him, "To where are we journeying? Into the wilderness? Perhaps there is nothing in it." Rather, they arose and journeyed for themselves, on the basis of faith. Jeremiah said, "Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus says the LORD: I remember in your favor the devotion of your youth, and so forth, your following Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown" (Jeremiah 2:2).

Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said: According to each and every concern, and likewise according to each and every matter, He appeared to them. At the sea He appeared to them as a warrior who waged the wars of Israel. At Sinai He was teaching Torah to Israel and standing as a scribe. In the days of Daniel He appeared as an elder teaching Torah, for so it is fitting that Torah should go forth from the mouths of the elders. He appeared to them in the days of Solomon as a young man, according to their deeds, as it is said, "His appearance is like Lebanon, choice as the cedars" (Song of Songs 5:15).