Midrash Tanchuma Reader

And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass (Exod. 4:20). This is one of the ten verses our rabbis altered when they translated the Torah into Greek for King Ptolemy. The ten changes are: “God created in the beginning” (Gen. 1:1); “I shall make man in My image and My likeness” (ibid., v. 26); “And He finished on the sixth day, and rested on the seventh day (ibid. 2:2); “Male and female He created him” (ibid. 5:2); “Come, let Me descend and confound their tongue” (ibid. 11:7); “And Sarah laughed among her relatives” (ibid. 18:12); “For in their anger they slew an ox, and in their wrath they digged up a stall” (ibid. 49:6); “And Moses took his wife and his sons, and made them ride on a carrier of men” (Exod. 4:20); “Now the time that the children of Israel dwelt in Egypt, and in the land of Goshen and in Canaan was four hundred and thirty years” (ibid. 12:40); “And he sent the elect of the children of Israel” (ibid. 24:5); “And against the elect of the children of Israel he put not forth his hand (ibid., v. 11); “Since the Lord thy God hath arranged to give light to all the peoples under the entire heavens” (Deut. 4:19); “Which I had not commanded the people to serve” (Deut. 17:3); they wrote about “the slender-footed,” but they did not write the word ‘arnevet (“the hare”) (Lev. 11:5) because the name of Ptolemy’s wife was ‘Arnevet, and he might say: “The Jews are ridiculing me by writing my wife’s name in the Torah.”

Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb (Exod. 17:6). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wherever you find the imprint of a man’s foot, there I stand before you. And thou shalt smite within the rock. It does not say “upon the rock (al ha-tsur),” but within the rock (batsur). And there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink … and the name of the place was called Massah.

R. Joshua stated: Moses named it Massah, as it is said: And he called the name of the place Massah. R. Eleazar of Modi’im said: And the Omnipresent called it Massah and Meribah. Because of this the Great Court is called the place. And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying: “What shall I do unto this people? They are almost ready to stone me” (Exod. 17:4). Moses cried to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the world, I shall be slain, for I am trapped between you and them. You commanded me not to be angry at them, when you said to me: Carry them in thy bosom (Num. 11:12), but now they wish to stone me.

In this instance the Holy One, blessed be He, had suppressed His anger, while Moses increased his, but elsewhere the Holy One, blessed be He, increased (his anger), while Moses suppressed his, as is said: Now therefore, let Me alone that My anger may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them; and Moses besought the Lord (Exod. 32:10–11). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: You said They are almost ready to stone me, now Pass on before the people (ibid. 17:5), and let Me see who will stone you.

He began to walk before them, and all the Israelites arose and treated him with honor and deference. The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: Many times I commanded you not to lose patience with them, but to lead them as a shepherd does his flock. It was for their sake that I elevated you, and it was because of them that you found grace, life, and honor in My sight.

Go, get thee down (Exod. 32:7). The sages said: Moses was actually excommunicated by the heavenly court at that time. Here it is said: Get thee down (red) as a rebuke, for the people had dealt corruptly, and elsewhere it is said: And Judah went down (vayered) from his brethren (Gen. 38:1). What is written preceding that? And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him (ibid. 37:35). But when he remained uncomforted they arose and excommunicated Judah. They said: “When you told us: ‘Come and let us sell him,’ we listened to you, but if you had told us: ‘Come, let us take him back,’ we would have listened to you. You are responsible for our father’s grief.” That is why they excommunicated him. Hence the word red (“get thee down”) implies excommunication.

Thereupon Moses stood before the Holy One, blessed be He, and asked: “Wherein am I guilty?” He replied: “Your people have dealt corruptly.” “My people,” Moses responded; “they are Your people and Your inheritance which You did redeem with Your own power. But what is their sin?” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: “They exchanged their glory for the likeness of an ox that eateth.” Whereupon Moses said: “Master of the Universe, are You indeed jealous of an ox? Is he Your helper? Do You bring the winds while he causes the rain to fall? Do You make the sun shine, and he the moon to glow? Do You cause the trees to grow, and he the blossoms to sprout? After all, the ox is powerless; it merely eats grass and then is slaughtered. Lord, why doth Thy wrath wax against thy people? (Exod. 32:11).” He replied: “Is it honoring Me when they prostrate themselves before it and offer sacrifices to it? I have watched this people, and it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot (ibid., vv. 9–10).” From this verse you may infer that the Holy One, blessed be He, is suggesting to Moses that he should plead for mercy in their behalf, since it is said: And I will make of thee a great nation (ibid., v. 10).

And I will make of thee a great nation, and it shall be mighty. He said to Him: If the merit of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob cannot assuage Your anger, how can my merit sustain (my descendants)? Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and forget about me, lest it happen as the Egyptians said: For evil did he bring them forth (Ibid., v. 12).

Turn from Thy fierce anger (ibid.); Satan continued to contend against them on high. What did Moses do? He closed the breach through which Satan had entered to press his argument against Israel, as it is said: Had not Moses His servant stood before in the breach (Ps. 106:23). And God had mercy upon them. Therefore the prophet cried out: Who is God like unto Thee, that pardoneth the iniquity, and passeth by the transgression? (Mic. 7:18).

(Lev. 23:40:) “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day.” Is it the first [day]? Is it not the fifteenth day? So how is it the first? It is simply the first for the reckoning (heshbon) of sins.

R. Mani and R. Joshua of Sikhnin in the name of R. Levi said a parable, “To what is the matter comparable? To a province which owed back taxes to the king. [When] the king sent to collect [the sum], they did not hand it over, because the bill was large.

So it happened the first time, and a second time; when he sent [for it], they did not hand it over. What did the king do? He said to his courtiers, ‘Arise and let us move against them.’

While they were traveling about ten mil [away], the people of the province heard [what was happening]. What did they do? The nobles of the province began to go to a meeting with the king. He said to them, ‘Who are you?’

They said to him, ‘We are people of such and such a province where you sent to collect our taxes.’ He said to them, ‘So what do you want?’ They said to him, ‘If you please, show us kindness, because we have nothing to hand over.’ He said to them, ‘I will remit half for you.’

While he was [still] coming, the ruffians of the province went out and greeted him about five mil [away]. He said to them, ‘Who are you?’ They said to him, ‘We are people of such and such a province where you sent to collect our taxes, but we don’t have the ability to stand [up to the demand]; if you please, have mercy upon us.’ He said to them, ‘I have already remitted half [your debt], but for your sake I am remitting half of [the remaining] half.

While he was [still] coming, all the people of the province came out to him, [both] large and small. He said to them, ‘What do you want?’ They said to him, ‘Our Lord king, we don’t have the ability to remit what we owe you.’ He said to them, ‘I have already remitted half plus half of [the remaining] half, but for your sake I am remitting everything.

However, from now on there [begins] a new account (heshbon).’ This king is [the supreme King of kings], the Holy One, blessed be He. The people of his province? These are Israel, who acquire sins during all of the whole year.

What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He says, ‘Do penance at the beginning of the year.’ So they come in submission on the Day of Atonement, when they humble themselves and do penance. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, forgives them.

And what do they do? The eve of Rosh Hashanah, the great ones of the generation fast, and the Holy One, blessed be He, relinquishes [Israel] a third of its sins. And from Rosh Hashanah to the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), individuals fast, and the Holy One, blessed be He, relinquishes [another] third of their sins. And on the Day of Atonement, all of Israel fasts and requests mercy, men, women and infants.

And [so] the Holy One, blessed be He, relinquishes everything; as it is written (in Leviticus 16:30), ‘As upon this day, there will be atonement for you….’ What does Israel do [then]? They all take their lulavim on the first day of the festival and render praise to the Holy One, blessed be He. Thus He is reconciled to them and forgives them.

He says to them, ‘See, I have relinquished all your former sins for you. However, from now on there is a new account (heshbon).’ Thus it is stated (in Lev. 23:40), ‘And you shall take for yourselves on the first day.’ [It is] first for the reckoning (heshbon) of sins.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “In this world I have told you to make a sukkah in order to pay me my remuneration for what I have done for you.

It is so stated (in Lev. 23:42-43), ‘You shall dwell in sukkot for seven days […]. In order that your generations may know that I had [the Children of Israel] dwell in sukkot.’ So I reckon it to your credit, as if you are rendering payment to Me. But in the world to come I will appear over you like a sukkah, as stated (in Is. 4:6), ‘There shall be a sukkah as a shade from the heat by day.’”

(Numb. 4:17-18:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ‘Do not cut off the tribe of the Kohathite families [from the Levites].’” This text is related (to Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished.” R. Tanhuma bar Abba said that R. Levi said, “’Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished.’ This refers to the lupine which arrives with the dessert.

One should not say, ‘There are nuts and dates before me. I will say the blessing over them and leave the lupine alone.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said (ibid.), ‘Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished.’” R. Hezekiah said that R. Jeremiah bar Abba said in the name of R. Johanan, “It is with reference to everyone who does not say something in the name of the one who said it that the text says (ibid.), ‘do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished.’ So when a person hears something, it is necessary to cite it in the name of the one who [originally] said it, even though [doing so takes up] more than a third of a law (halakhah).”

Thus our masters have taught (in Pe'ah 2:6): R. Nahum the Scribe said, “I have received from R. May'asha, who received […] from the elders, a law (halakhah) of Moses from Sinai.

So it is with reference to whoever does not say something in the name of the one who said it that the text (of Prov. 22:22) says, ‘do not rob the impoverished.’ But everyone who does say something in the name of the one who said it brings redemption into the world. From whom have you learned it? From Esther when she heard of the matter from Mordecai.

For that reason she was worthy of having Israel be redeemed at her hands.” Ergo, if you hear something, cite it in the name of the one who said it. Another interpretation (of Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished.” It speaks about the tribe of Levi, and it is calling the tribe of Levi poor. Were [the Levites] poor? R. Judah bar Simon and our masters [differ about the matter]. One of them says, “Why were they called poor? Because they were poor from [lack of] inheritance, as stated (in Josh. 13:33), ‘But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi….’

Therefore, do not rob them of the donations, which I have told you [to give].” But the other (i.e., our masters) says, “It is because they were poor in number. Why so? Because the ark was destroying them.

Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Moses and said (in Numb. 4:18), ‘Do not cut off the tribe of the Kohathite families [from the Levites].’”

"And it was on the day that Moses had finished" (Numbers 7:1). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, made conditions with Israel before they left Egypt, that He would not take them out, except on condition that they make a tabernacle and that He would have His Divine Presence dwell upon them, as it is written (Exodus 29:46), 'And they shall know that I am the Lord, your God, who took you out of the Land of Egypt, to have Me dwell among you.'" And once the tabernacle was erected, the Divine Presence descended and dwelt among them. At that time all of those conditions were fulfilled. Hence it is written (Numbers 7:1), "the tabernacle," to [indicate] that the Holy One, blessed be He, did what He stipulated.

(Numb. 21:21:) “Then Israel sent messengers to Sihon […].” This text is related (to Ps. 34:15), “Depart from evil and do good; [seek peace and pursue it].” The Torah did not command [them] to go in pursuit of the commandments. Rather [it says] (in Deut. 22:6), “When you come on a bird's nest”; (in Exod. 23:4) “When you encounter the ox of one who hates you”; (in Exod. 23:5) “When you see the donkey of one who hates you”; (in Deut. 24:20) “when you beat your olive tree”; (in Deut. 24:21), “When you gather the grapes of your vineyard”; and (in Deut. 23:25) “When you go into your neighbor's vineyard.”

If [these situations] present themselves to you, you are given a command concerning them; but [you are] not to go in pursuit of them. In the case of peace, however, (according to Ps. 34:15), “seek peace,” wherever you are; “and pursue it,” wherever else it may be. And this is what Israel did. Although the Holy One, blessed be He, had said to them (in Deut. 2:24), “begin to take possession, and engage him in battle,” they went in pursuit of peace. So is it stated (in Numb. 21:21) “Then Israel sent messengers….”

(Genesis 11:1:) "Now the whole earth had one language and one set of words." Let our master teach us: A house in which one places an eruv — is it required to have an eruv of its own, or not? Rabbi Jacob bar Aha asked Rabbi Abbahu. He said to him: The House of Shammai say it is required, and the House of Hillel say it is not required, and the law follows the House of Hillel. Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said: They instituted the eruv of courtyards only for the sake of the ways of peace. How so? A woman sends her son to her companion, and she kisses him and embraces him, and his mother says, "See how she loves me; let my heart be drawn to her." Thus they end up making peace by means of the eruv. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I placed peace in My world, yet these wicked ones arose to bring strife. And from where do we learn that they disputed against the Holy One, blessed be He? From what we have read in the matter, (Genesis 11:1:) "Now the whole earth had one language and one set of words." And the generation of the dispersion likewise arose and rebelled against the Holy One, blessed be He, and sought to ascend to the firmament. They said: It is not for Him alone to choose the upper regions for Himself. They began to bring forth words of blasphemy. And from where do we learn this? From what we have read in the matter, (Genesis 11:1:) "Now the whole earth had one language..."

Another interpretation: "And Abram was ninety years old." This is what Scripture says: "You are fairer than the sons of man; grace is poured upon your lips… Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one…" (Psalms 45:3-4). Concerning whom did the sons of Korah speak this psalm? Concerning Abraham. "You are fairer" than the sons of Adam, the first man. And who were his sons? Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, Noah. And from the sons of Noah they were called "sons of man," as it is said: "And the tower which the sons of man had built" (Genesis 11:5). "Grace is poured upon your lips" — what is this? At the time when you swore to the king of Sodom, as it is said: "And Abram said to the king of Sodom: I have lifted up my hand to the Lord, God Most High… that I will not take so much as a thread" (Genesis 14:22-23). What is "grace upon your lips"? At the time he was speaking, grace was thus poured out. And what was his reward? That the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Leave to Me all that you have done and all for which you have been praised — you went down into the fiery furnace and were tested with many trials for My Name's sake, you arose and pursued the kings, and you were praised throughout the world for all that you did; from now on you seek to make My might known. "Gird your sword" — place circumcision between your thighs. In that hour, your splendor and your glory shall be in the world. And when? "And Abram was…" "And I will set My covenant…"

(Gen. 19:5:) "And they called to Lot <and said to him: Where are the men>… that we may know them" — for they sought to ravish them. Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said: From here you learn that they were steeped in lewdness. He said to them (Gen. 19:8): "Behold now, I have two daughters who have not known a man." This teaches that he sought to bring <the angels> into the midst of his house, but his wife would not allow him. What did he do? He concealed them within his own beam. (Gen. 19:11:) "And they wearied themselves to find the door." Once <the angels> saw that <the men of Sodom> were worthy of destruction, they too rescued Lot. What is written there? (Gen. 19:23-25): "The sun had risen over the earth… and the Lord rained upon Sodom… and He overturned those cities." Lest you say He overturned it with His five fingers — Rabbi Ayyevu said: With one of His fingers He overturned the cities of Sodom, as it is said (Job 28:9): "He put forth His hand upon the flint." In the world to come, when the Holy One, blessed be He, heals Israel, He heals her, as it is said (Hos. 2:17): "And I will give her her vineyards from there" — "her vineyards," these are the prophets. "And the valley of Achor for a door of hope" (ibid.) — the valley which I troubled (achor) in My wrath shall be for a door of hope. At that hour they recite song, as it is said (ibid.): "And she shall answer there as in the days of her youth." And "answer" (anah) means nothing but song, as it is said (Ps. 147:7): "Sing (enu) to the Lord with thanksgiving."

[(Genesis 31:3:) Then God said unto Jacob, <Return unto the land of your ancestors where you were born>, and I will be with you.] It is written (in Song of Songs 5:16): His palate is most sweet. [Rabbi Tanhum, Rabbi Yose said: Come and see what the Holy One says to Israel (in Leviticus 19:28): You shall not make a gash in your flesh for the dead. Why? (As it continues:) I am the LORD, faithful to pay you a reward. Is there a palate sweeter than this? A person says to his fellow, &ldquo;If you disfigure yourself, then I will give you your wages&rdquo;; but the Holy One said, &ldquo;If you do not disfigure yourselves, and you do not make a gash in your flesh for the dead, I give you a reward.&rdquo; Ergo: His palate is most sweet.]

It is written (Psalms 50:14): "Offer to God a thank-offering." When Jacob went out from his father's house, he went out with nothing but his staff, as it is said (Genesis 32:11): "For with my staff I crossed this Jordan." At once Jacob vowed a vow before the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said (Genesis 28:20): "And Jacob vowed a vow." What is written at the end of the matter? (Genesis 28:22): "And of all that You give me." And once he had grown rich, as it is said (Genesis 30:43): "And the man increased exceedingly," he forgot his vow. At once He incited Laban against him, as it is said (Genesis 31:23): "And he took his brethren with him." And he was delivered from Laban, and Esau was incited against him. At once the angel was revealed to him. He said to him: Do you not know all this trouble? Why has all this trouble come upon you? Because you delayed your vow. Jacob said to him (Genesis 32:30): "Tell me, I pray, Your name." He said to him (ibid.): "Why is it that you ask after My name?" At times the angel becomes wind, as it is said (Psalms 104:4): "He makes His angels winds." At times he becomes lightning, as it is said (Job 38:35): "Can you send forth lightnings, that they may go?" And according to the miracles, he makes himself accordingly. And likewise the angel said to Manoah (Judges 13:18): "Why is it that you ask after my name?" At once the angel blessed him, as it is said (Genesis 32:30): "And he blessed him there." (Hosea 12:5): "And he strove with an angel and prevailed." What did he speak with him? He said to him: Go, fulfill your vow. (Ecclesiastes 5:4): "It is good that you should not vow." At once, what did Simeon and Levi do? (Genesis 34:25): "And they took, the two sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each man his sword." At once he fell upon his face, and he did not rise until He gave him permission (Genesis 35:1): "Arise, go up to Bethel." And likewise with Joshua (Joshua 7:6, 10): "And he fell upon his face," "And the Lord said to Joshua: Arise, get you up; why is it that you have fallen upon your face?" And likewise with David (1 Chronicles 21:16): "And David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces." And what was said to him? (2 Samuel 24:18): "Go up, raise up to the Lord an altar in the threshing-floor of Araunah." Therefore it is said: "Arise, go up to Bethel." At once he journeyed, he and all his house, and the Holy One, blessed be He, set the dread of him upon all those around him, as it is said (Genesis 35:5): "And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities." And it is said (Deuteronomy 28:10): "And all the peoples of the earth shall see that the name of the Lord is called upon you, and they shall fear you."

The nations of the world were not able to taste the manna, for in their mouths it was like bitter sinews. And what would they do? They would hunt a deer that had drunk of it, and they would taste from it the flavor of the manna, and they would say: Happy is the nation that has such a thing! Rabbi Yose bar Hanina said: It is not the case that just as the old man tastes of it, so the children taste it. How so? The children would taste in it the taste of milk, as it is said, "And its taste was like the taste of cake baked in oil" (Numbers 11:8). And the young men would taste in it like honey, as it is said, "And its taste was like a wafer made with honey" (Exodus 16:31). And the old men would taste in it like bread, as it is said, "Behold, I am about to rain down for you bread from the heavens" (Exodus 16:4). And the sick person would taste it like fine flour mixed with oil and honey, like that barley-gruel which they make for a sick person, as it is said, "And they cooked it in a pot" (Numbers 11:8). And from where do we know that there was in it the taste of fine flour and honey? As it is said, "And My bread which I gave you—fine flour and oil and honey, etc." (Ezekiel 16:19). Each and every one would taste in it according to his strength. Whoever was diligent would go out and gather it from the field, as it is said, "And the people shall go out and gather" (Exodus 16:4). And the middling ones would go out to the entrance of their tents [and gather]. And the lazy would lie about, and they would stretch out their hands, and it would come down into their hands, as it is said, "And the layer of dew went up, etc." (Exodus 16:14). [Fine, flaky] (ibid.).

[Number every firstborn male (Numbers 3:40).] This is what Scripture says (Isaiah 43:4): "Since you are precious in My eyes, you are honored, and I love you." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob: Jacob, you are exceedingly precious in My eyes. Why? Because, as it were, I have fixed your image upon the throne of My glory, and in your name the angels praise Me and say (Psalms 41:14): "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel." Thus, "Since you are precious in My eyes, you are honored."

Another interpretation: "And it came to pass on the day that Moses finished erecting the Tabernacle, and he anointed them, etc." (Numbers 7:1). When he anointed it, he went back and anointed its vessels, "and the princes of Israel brought offerings." They said: Behold, this is the hour that we should offer sacrifices in joy, for the Shekhinah has come to rest among them. And when they saw that the Tabernacle had been made and that nothing at all was [lacking] for them in it, they said: What is there for us to bring? They went and brought wagons, so that they might carry the Tabernacle upon them. And who gave them this counsel? The tribe of Issachar, who were wise and mighty in Torah, as it is said, "And of the children of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times" (I Chronicles 12:32). Therefore they merited to offer on the second day, as it is said, "On the second day Nethanel ben Zuar, prince of Issachar, offered" (Numbers 7:18). Why is it that of all the princes it says "his offering," but here it says "he offered his offering" (ibid. 7:19)? For he offered by the word [of God]. For the other tribes, who were greater than he, sought to offer [first], but Heaven decided against them, and the tribe of Issachar was commanded to draw near with the offering of the altar and to offer his offering. Know for yourself that so it is written, "he offered" lacking a yod, for he had been far off and was brought near to come. And why all this? Because they were knowledgeable in Torah, as it is said, "And of the children of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times [etc.], and all their kinsmen were at their command" (I Chronicles 12:32) — to teach you that they all affirm the halakhah by their word.

Another interpretation of "Gather to Me seventy men" (Numbers 11:16): When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Gather to Me seventy men," Moses said: How shall I do this, to bring from all the tribes? If I bring five from each tribe, they do not add up to the number of seventy — they are only sixty. And if I bring six from each tribe, they add up to the number of seventy-two. And if I bring five from this tribe and six from that tribe, I impose jealousy among the tribes. What did Moses do? Rabbi Judah says: He took seventy slips and wrote on them "Elder," and he took another [two] blank slips, mixed them, and placed them in an urn. And he said to them: Come and take your slips. Whoever drew a slip on which "Elder" was written knew that he had been appointed an elder, and whoever drew a blank slip knew that he had not been appointed an elder. Rabbi Nehemiah said to him: There would still be controversy, for one could say to him: Where is the slip on which "Elder" was written? Had it been there, it would have come up in my hand. Rather, how did he do for them? Rabbi Nehemiah said: He took seventy-two slips and wrote on them "Elder," and another seventy-two blank slips, and he mixed them and placed them in an urn. He said to them: Come and take your slips. If a slip on which "Elder" was written came up in his hand, he knew that he had been appointed an elder; and if a blank one came up in his hand, he knew that he had not been appointed. And the appointed officer would say to him: Behold, there is another slip there on which "Elder" is written; had you been fit to be appointed, it would have come up in your hand. When Moses did this, the elders were appointed. Eldad and Medad were there, and they diminished themselves. They said: We are not worthy to be in the number of the elders. And because they diminished themselves, they were found to exceed the elders in five matters.

"They call upon the LORD, and He answers them" (Psalms 99:6). This one calls and is answered, and that one calls and is answered. "In a pillar of cloud" (Psalms 99:7). Behold, we have heard concerning Moses that He spoke with him in a pillar of cloud, as it is said, "And the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there" (Exodus 34:5). And concerning Aaron, He spoke with him in a cloud, as it is said, "And the LORD came down in a cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tent" (Numbers 12:5). But concerning Samuel we have not heard. And where have we heard it? From this verse: "And they answered them and said, He is (yesh) here before you" (I Samuel 9:12). Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Mari bar Yaakov: The women said to them, Do you not see a cloud bound above his courtyard? And yesh is nothing other than a cloud, as you say, "And it would be (yesh) that the cloud was" (Numbers 9:20). "And Samuel among those who call upon His name" (Psalms 99:6). We have heard concerning Moses that the Torah was written in his name, as it is said, "Remember the Torah of Moses My servant" (Malachi 3:22). And concerning Samuel, a book was written for him, as it is said, "And he wrote it in a book and laid it before the LORD" (I Samuel 10:25). But concerning Aaron we have not heard; rather it teaches that this parashah was given to him, that it should not depart from him nor from his sons, until the end of all the generations. And which is this? "This is the statute of the Torah" (Numbers 19:2).

Another interpretation of "His palate is sweetness" (Song of Songs 5:16): Rabbi Abbahu said: See what is written, "And I have set you apart from the peoples" (Leviticus 20:26). See the attributes of the Holy One, blessed be He. Had it been written, "And I have set the peoples apart from you," there would have been no hope for a gentile who worships stars, and no convert would convert. How so? A person who has figs before him: if he sorts out the bad ones from the good ones, in the end he will not go back over the bad ones; but if he sorts out the good ones, then if he wishes to sort from the bad ones, he sorts them. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "And I have set you apart from the peoples"—He gave a hint to the gentiles, to whoever wishes to convert: there is a palate more beautiful than this! Thus, "His palate is sweetness."

This is what Scripture says (Job 37:5): "God thunders marvelously with His voice, [He does great things which we cannot comprehend]." What is the meaning of "thunders"? It is simply that, at the hour when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah at Sinai, the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Israel wonder upon wonder through His voice. How? The Holy One, blessed be He, would speak, and the voice would go out and circle round through all the world. And Israel would hear the voice: it came to them from the south, and they would run [southward] to receive the voice from there; and so it was to the four directions. And afterward it turned for them from the heavens, and they would lift their eyes to the heavens; and the voice would turn for them from the earth. From where? As it is said (Deuteronomy 4:36): "From the heavens He made you hear His voice, to discipline you, and upon the earth He showed you His great fire, [and His words you heard from the midst of the fire]."

Bar Kappara said: What is the meaning of "fine and flaky" (mechuspas)? It is bread that was absorbed into the 248 limbs, corresponding to the numerical value of the letters of mechuspas: Mem is forty, Chet is eight, Samech is sixty, Peh is eighty, Samech is sixty — behold, two hundred and forty-eight, corresponding to the 248 limbs that are in a human being. As it is said, "Each one ate the bread of the mighty" (Psalms 78:25). Do not read "bread of the mighty" (abirim), but rather "bread of the limbs" (eivarim). The ministering angels would grind the manna, and it would come down to Israel, and they would eat it; and not one of them needed to relieve himself, because it was absorbed into the limbs. Thus "bread of the mighty" is "bread of the limbs."

Another interpretation (of Isaiah 43:4): "Because you are precious." The Holy One said: Jacob, you are precious in My eyes, for it is as though I and My angels were standing over you when you went out to Paddan-Aram and at your coming back, as it is said (Genesis 28:10, 11, 13): "And Jacob went out..., and he came upon a certain place..., and behold, the LORD stood over him...." Rabbi Hosha'ya said: Happy is one born of woman who has seen the King and His retinue standing over him and ministering to him. And from where is it shown at his coming back? As it is said (Genesis 32:2): "And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him." Here are the angels; from where the Divine Presence? "And God appeared to Jacob again..." (Genesis 35:9). Therefore it is said (Isaiah 43:4): "Because you are precious in My eyes."

The elders prophesied only concerning the morrow, as it is said (in Numbers 11:18): "And to the people you shall say: Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow." But these men prophesied what was destined to be at the end of forty years, as it is said (in Numbers 11:26-27): "And two men remained in the camp; the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the second Medad, and they were prophesying in the camp." And what were they prophesying? Some say: concerning the downfall of Gog and Magog. And some say: they were prophesying that Moses would die and Joshua would bring Israel into the land. Know that this is what they were prophesying, for it is said (in Numbers 11:28): "And Joshua son of Nun, the attendant of Moses from his youth, answered and said: My lord Moses, restrain them!" (And in Numbers 11:27): "And the lad ran and told Moses." And who was he? He was Gershom son of Moses. The elders did not enter the land, but these entered the land. Eldad is Elidad son of Chislon (Numbers 34:21), and Medad is Kemuel son of Shiphtan (Numbers 34:24). The elders' names were not specified, but these had their names specified. The elders' prophecy ceased, but these — their prophecy did not cease, as it is said (in Numbers 11:25): "And they prophesied, but they did not continue." The elders' prophecy was from that which belonged to Moses, for so Scripture said (in Numbers 11:17): "I will set aside some of the spirit." But these — their prophecy was from that which belonged to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said (in Numbers 11:26): "And the spirit rested upon them."

Another interpretation of (Song of Songs 5:16) "His palate is most sweet": Rabbi Aha said: A king of flesh and blood, when he gives a donativa (that is, a good gift), does not give a stativa (that is, a good rest); and when he gives a stativa, he does not give a donativa. But the Holy One, blessed be He, gives a stativa and gives a donativa. He gave the Sabbath and He gave a double portion of bread. What is written? "See, for the LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days" (Exodus 16:29). Thus, "His palate is most sweet."

[Another interpretation (of Isaiah 43:4): "Because you are precious in My eyes, you are honored."] The Holy One said: You are precious in My eyes, for to all the nations I gave no numbering, but to you I gave a numbering. A parable: to a king of flesh and blood who had many granaries, and they were all filthy and full of tares, and he was not exacting about their count; but this granary has fine wheat, therefore I wish to be exacting in counting it — how many kors there are, how many sacks are in it, how many measures are in it. So too the King, the King of kings of kings, the Holy One; and this granary is Israel, as it is said (Isaiah 21:10): "My threshing, and the child of My threshing floor." And it says (Jeremiah 2:3): "Israel is holy to the Lord, the first of His harvest." The child of His house is Moses, as it is said (Numbers 12:7): "Not so My servant Moses; he is trusted in all My house." The Holy One said to him: The nations are likened to thorns, as it is said (Isaiah 33:12): "And the peoples shall be burnings of lime, thorns cut down." Therefore do not be exacting in their numbering; but Israel are righteous, as it is said (Isaiah 60:21): "And your people are all righteous." And it says (Song of Songs 4:7): "You are wholly beautiful, My beloved, and there is no blemish in you." Therefore be exacting in the numbering of Israel. Thus did Moses: he counted them — how many kors, as it is said (Numbers 1:2): "Take a census…"; how many sacks, as it is said (Numbers 2:4): "His host and those of them numbered"; how many measures, as it is said (Numbers 3:40): "Number every firstborn male."

And if you should say: since the prophecy of the elders was from that of Moses, perhaps it diminished something of his prophecy — no. To what was Moses comparable? To a lamp that was burning, from which all kindle their own lamps, yet its light lacks nothing at all. So too Moses: even though the prophets took from his prophecy, the prophecy of Moses lacked nothing at all, [as it is said] (Deuteronomy 34:10): "And there never again arose in Israel a prophet like Moses."

Rabbi Yohanan said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said (Leviticus 19:3): "And you shall keep My Sabbaths; I am the LORD." I am faithful to give reward. And with what do you keep it? With food, and with drink, and with clean clothing — and I give the reward. Thus (Song of Songs 5:16): "His palate is most sweet."

"And all the people saw the voices" (Exodus 20:18). What is the meaning of "the voices"? Rather, the one voice was turned into seven voices, and from seven into seventy tongues. And why into seventy tongues? So that all the nations would hear. And when the voice went forth, every single nation heard the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, and its soul departed; but Israel were not harmed. How? [The voice went forth. Rabbi Tanchuma said:] The voice went forth and slew the nations, [because they did not accept] the Torah, and gave life to Israel, [because they accepted] the Torah. This is what Moses said to them at the end of forty years: "For who is there of all flesh that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?" (Deuteronomy 5:26). And it says: "Did ever a people hear the voice of God..." (Deuteronomy 4:33). You heard and lived, but the nations heard and died. Come and see how the voice went forth to Israel: each and every one heard according to his strength — the elders according to their strength, the young men according to their strength, the youths, the little ones, the sucklings, and the babes according to their strength, and even Moses according to his strength, as it is said: "Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice" (Exodus 19:19). What is the meaning of "by a voice"? Rather, by a voice that Moses was able to bear. And so it says: "The voice of the Lord is in strength" (Psalms 29:4) — by the strength of each and every one: the pregnant women according to their strength, and all according to their strength. Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Chanina said: If you are astonished at this, learn from the manna.

Rabbi Levi said: See the word that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave to the children of Adam. What is written? "And when the wicked one turns back," etc. (Ezekiel 18:21). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "All his transgressions that he committed shall not be remembered against him; by his righteousness that he did he shall live" (Ezekiel 18:22, that same place). This is the meaning of "his palate is most sweet" (Song of Songs 5:16).

For it did not come down to each and every one alike, but only according to what was needful for him. The young men used to eat it as bread, as it is said (in Exodus 16:4): &ldquo;Behold, I will rain down for you bread from the heavens.&rdquo; The old men used to eat it as honey, as it is said (in the same place, verse 31): &ldquo;And its taste was like a wafer in honey.&rdquo;

Resh Lakish said: You have something even greater than this to hear. What is written? "And when a wicked person turns back from his wickedness [and does justice and righteousness, by them he shall live]" (Ezekiel 33:19). "And he shall live" is not written here, but rather "by them he shall live" — for the Holy One, blessed be He, makes them into a merit for him, and he lives by them. Thus: "His palate is most sweet" (Song of Songs 5:16).

For the little ones it was like milk from their mother's breast, as it is stated (in Numbers 11:8): "And its taste was like the taste of rich cream." And the sick one would taste it as the taste of fine flour mixed with oil and with honey, like that barley gruel which they prepare for the sick, as it is stated (ibid.): "And they boiled it in a pot." And it says (in Ezekiel 16:19): "And My bread which I gave you, fine flour and oil and honey I fed you." Said Rabbi Yose son of Rabbi Hanina: If the manna, which was a single kind, was transformed into several appearances and into many kinds for the sake of Israel's need, then the voice, in which there was power, how much more so! Thus (Job 37:5): "God thunders marvelously with His voice…"

Another interpretation of "His palate is most sweet" (Song of Songs 5:16): A king of flesh and blood, if he has a beloved friend, cherishes him. And if that friend falls ill, he sends to inquire after him. And if he cherishes him exceedingly, he goes himself and visits him. But should the friend go out to a lodging, is it possible that the king would go out together with him? Yet the King of the kings of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, loved Jacob, as it is said, "And I loved Jacob" (Malachi 1:2). When Deborah died, He came to visit him. And when he went out to a lodging, He was with him, as it is said, "And behold, I am with you" (Genesis 28:15). And when he returned, He was with him, as it is said, "And God said unto Jacob: 'Return unto the land of your fathers,' and I will be with you" (Genesis 31:3).

"And he took in his hand the fire and the knife" (Genesis 22:6). Why is it called a ma'akhelet (knife)? Because it makes foods fit (okhalin) for a person's mouth. "And they came to the place of which God had told him, and he bound Isaac his son" (Genesis 22:9). When he came to slaughter him, Isaac said to him: Father, bind my hands and my feet, because the soul is brazen, and when I see the knife perhaps I will tremble and the offering will be rendered unfit. I beg of you, do not make a blemish in me. Immediately the two of them built the altar, and he bound him upon the altar, and he took the knife in order to slaughter him until a quarter of his blood should go out from him. Then Satan came and pushed the hand of Abraham, and the knife fell from his hand. And as he stretched out his hand to take it, a heavenly voice went forth and said to him from heaven: "Do not stretch out your hand against the lad" (Genesis 22:12). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Thus, when the children of Isaac sin and enter into distress, the binding of Isaac shall be remembered on their behalf, and it shall be reckoned before You as though his ashes were heaped upon the altar, and You shall forgive them and redeem them from their distress.

And he saw the place from afar off (Gen. 22:4). Abraham said to Isaac: “Do you see what I see?” “I behold a glorious mountain encircled by a cloud,” he replied. Then he asked his young men: “Do you see anything at all?” “We see only desert,” they answered. “Then abide with the ass,” he commanded, “for the ass sees nothing and you see nothing.” Abide ye here with the ass (ibid., v. 5), for ye are like unto them.

And I and the lad will go yonder (ibid.). What is meant by the word yonder (Heb. koh, which also means “thus, so”)? It means: “Let us see what will be the final outcome of koh. The Holy One, blessed be He, promised me: So (koh) shall thy seed be (Gen. 15:1).” And we will worship and come back to you (ibid. 22:5). His own mouth foretold him that they would both return in peace. And he took in his hand a fire and a knife (ibid., v. 6). Why was it called a slaughtering knife (ma’akhelet)? Because it made food (okhalin) suitable for eating.

Forthwith, And Isaac spoke unto Abraham, his father, and said: “My father.” And he replied: “Here am I, my son.” Then Isaac asked: “Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?” (ibid., v. 7). Immediately, an overpowering fear and violent trembling seized Isaac, for when he saw nothing to be sacrificed, he realized what was about to transpire. Yet he asked once again: “Where is the lamb for the burnt-offering?’ And Abraham responded: “Since you ask, the Holy One, blessed be He, has selected you.” “If he has chosen me,” Isaac replied, “I shall willingly surrender my soul to Him, but I am gravely concerned about my mother.” Nevertheless, they went both of them together (ibid., v. 8), of one mind: convinced that one was to slaughter and the other to be slaughtered. Isaac was thirty-seven years old at the time of his binding.

And they came to the place which God had told him of … and bound Isaac, his son (ibid., v. 9). As Abraham was about to slaughter him, Isaac cried out: “Father, bind my hands and feet, for the will to live is strong within me, and when I see the knife descending, I may tremble and the offering may become defective (as a result of the knife slipping). I implore you not to make me a blemished offering.” The Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son (ibid., v. 10). Isaac said to him: “Father, do not tell my mother about this while she is standing at the edge of a pit or a roof lest she hurl herself down and die.” After they had constructed the altar, Abraham bound Isaac upon it and took the knife in hand to slaughter him until a fourth of a measure of blood would flow from his body, Satan appeared and pushed Abraham’s hand, causing the knife to fall. As he reached out to grasp the knife again, a voice emanated from heaven, saying: Lay not thy hand upon the lad (ibid., w. 13). If this had not happened, Isaac would certainly have been sacrificed.

While all this was transpiring, Satan visited Sarah in the guise of Isaac. When she saw him she asked: “What did your father do to you, my son?” He replied: “My father led me over mountains and through valleys until we finally reached the top of a certain mountain. There he erected an altar, arranged the firewood, bound me upon the altar, and took a knife to slaughter me. If the Holy One, blessed be He, had not called out, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, I would have been slaughtered.” He had hardly completed relating what had transpired when she fainted and died, as it is written: And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her (ibid. 23:2). From where did he come? From Moriah.

When he was about to slaughter Isaac, an angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, saying: Abraham, Abraham (ibid. 22:11). Why was his name repeated? Because he was hastening to slaughter him. And He said: Lay not thy hand upon the lad (ibid., v. 12). Abraham asked: “Who are you?” And he replied: “An angel.’ Thereupon Abraham retorted: “When I was commanded, Take now thy son, it was the Holy One, blessed be He, who spoke to me; if He now wishes to stop me, let Him tell me so.”

Thereupon, And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven a second time (ibid., v. 15), for he had refused to heed the first call. Then Abraham cried out to the Holy One, blessed be He: “Master of the Universe, a man tests his companion because he does not know what is in his heart, but You know what is in the heart and the kidneys, the seat of deliberation. Surely, You did not need to test me.” He answered: Now, indeed, do I know that thou art a God-fearing man (ibid., v. 12).

Thereupon, the Holy One, blessed be He, opened the sky and the cloud (surrounding Him) and said: “By myself have I sworn,” saith the Lord (ibid., v. 16). “You have sworn.” Abraham replied, “and now I swear that I shall not descend from this altar until I say what I wish to say.” “Speak,” He answered. “Did You not tell me,” said Abraham, “Count all the stars, if thou be able to count them; so shall thy seed be (Gen. 15:5)?” “Yes,” He replied. “But from whom shall my seed descend?” queried Abraham. “From Isaac,” the Holy One answered. “It was in my heart, yesterday, to remind You that You told me that Isaac was my seed, when You said to me: Take him for a burnt-offering. But I restrained myself and did not challenge You. Therefore, when Isaac’s descendants sin and are being oppressed, recall the binding of Isaac, reckon it as if his ashes were piled upon the altar, and pardon them and release them from their anguish.”

The Holy One, blessed be He, answered: “You have spoken what was in you heart, now I will say what I wish to say. In the future Isaac’s descendants will sin against Me, and I will judge them on Rosh Hashanah. If they want Me to discover something to their credit, and to recall for their advantage the binding of Isaac, let them blow upon this shofar.” Abraham asked: “What shofar?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said: “Turn around. Then it was that Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind a ram caught in the thicket by his horns (Gen. 22:13). This was one of the ten things that were created at twilight.

A ram caught in the thicket by his horns (ibid.). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abraham: “Let them blow upon the ram’s horn to Me, and I will save them and redeem them from their sins.” This is what David meant when he sang: My shield and my horn of salvation, my high tower (Ps. 18:3). Then I shall remove the yoke of exile from them and comfort them in the midst of Zion, as it is said: For the Lord hath comforted Zion (Isa. 51:3). Amen.

And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass (Exod. 4:20). The singular form ass is employed here, as when a man says: “Lead out the animal” (though he may have many). And Moses took the rod of God in his hand (ibid.). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Take this rod in your hand, for with it you will be able to perform any miracle you desire. He struck the Nile with it, as it is said: And thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand (Exod. 17:5). Sometimes Scripture calls it the rod of the Lord and at other times thy rod.

And the Lord said unto Moses: When thou goest (ibid. 4:21). The Holy One, blessed be He, revealed all the miracles to him, all the signs and wonders it would perform. He asked him: What is in your hand? (ibid. 2). A rod (ibid.), he replied. Cast it to the ground (ibid., v. 3), said the Holy One, blessed be He, and it will become a snake. Why a snake and not something else? Moses asked. He replied: Just as a snake bites and destroys, so the Egyptians bite and destroy the Israelites. After that He turned it into a tree, for the Egyptians were to become like a withered tree. Now, place thy hand into thy bosom (ibid., v. 6), He told him. When he withdrew it, his hand was leprous, for just as leprosy is impure, so the Egyptians were impure and were making the Israelites impure. When he replaced his hand in his bosom the flesh returned to normal. Thus shall I cleanse the Israelites from the impurities of Egypt. said the Holy One. Even as when you smote the water of the river and it turned into blood, so shall I afflict the Egyptians with the plague of blood.

Another comment on this matter. Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He: But perhaps they will not believe me, nor hearken to my voice (Exod. 4:1). And He said: What is that in thy hand? (ibid., v. 2). The word is written as mazeh (“what is this?”), but it may be read as mi-zeh (“with this”): “With this that is in your hand you will be punished, for you have spoken slanderously against My children, just as the serpent spoke slanderously.” And He said: For God doth know (Gen. 3:5) that My son’s children are believers, and the descendants of believers. They are believers, because it is written: And the people believed (Exod. 4:31), and the descendants of believers, because it is written: And he believed in the Lord (Gen. 15:6). Just as I smote the snake with leprosy, so you shall be smitten by it, place your hand in your bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom; and behold, when he withdrew it, it was leprous and as white as snow (Exod. 4:6). And if it shall come to pass that they do not believe you (ibid., v., 8), then you shall smite the waters of the Nile and they shall turn into blood. This was also a sign to him that he would be judged in the future because of water, as it is said: Out of the rock, etc. (Gen. 20:8).

Our sages of blessed memory said: “Observe that the way of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not the way of man.” It is not man’s way to heal with what he wounds. If he wounds with a knife, he heals with a plaster, but the Holy One, blessed be He, heals with what He wounds. When He smote Job, He did so with a tempest, as it said: And multiply my wounds without cause (Job 9:17), and when He healed him He did so with a whirlwind, as it is said: Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind (ibid. 38:1). When He sent Israel into exile, He did so with clouds, as is said: How hath the Lord covered with a cloud (Lam. 2:1), and when He brought them back, He did so with a cloud, as it is said: Who are these that fly as a cloud? (Isa. 60:8). When He dispersed them, He scattered them like doves, as it is said: But they that shall at all escape of them, shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning (Ezek. 7:16). When He gathered them together, He did so as doves: As the doves to their cotes (Isa. 60:8). When He blesses them, He does so only while “looking forth,” as it is said: Look forth from Thy holy habitation (Deut. 26:15), and when He exacts retribution from their enemies, He does so while “looking forth,” as it is said: And it came to pass on the morning watch that the Lord looked forth through the pillar of fire and of cloud (Exod. 14:24). When the pillar of cloud descended it turned (the water) into mud, and the pillar of fire scalded them. The hoofs of their horses became entangled (and they fell), causing the horses to fall upon the mares that were beneath. Thus it says: Then did the horses’ hoofs stamp by reason of their prancings, the prancings of the mighty ones (Judg. 5:22). He confused and befuddled them. He took away their reasoning power, and they did not know what to do.

And He took off their chariot wheels (Exod. 15:25). R. Johanan said: The heavenly fire from above ignited the wheels below, and the yokes and the chariots, which were made of silver, gold, precious stones, and pearls, were melted together. This occurred so that Israel might take the spoils with them. R. Nehemiah stated: The roar of the heavenly thunder caused the water ducts below to fly asunder, as it is said: The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind (Ps. 77:19). Previously the mules had pulled the chariots, but now the chariots dragged the mules into the mire. He dealt harshly with them because the Egyptians had said: Let the heavier work be laid upon the men (Exod. 5:9).

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants (Exod. 32:13). May our masters teach us: Until what time may the morning prayers be recited? Thus our masters teach us that the morning prayers may be recited until mid-day. R. Judah maintained that the morning prayers could be recited only until the fourth hour of the day. What was the explanation of Judah’s opinion? R. Simeon explained it in the name of R. Joshua the son of Levi: The prayers were instituted to correspond to the sacrifices, and we are taught that the morning sacrifice could be offered only until the fourth hour.

Nothing is more beneficial than prayer. It was the three patriarchs who introduced the three prayers. Daniel, however, fixed the number of prayers that should be recited, as it is said: And he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed (Dan. 6:11). However, he did not prescribe the hour of the day. David came and specified evening, morning, and noonday: Evening, and morning, and noonday will I complain and moan (Ps. 55:18). When Moses arose and sought mercy for them, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Get thee down, let Me alone (Exod. 32:7, 10). When Moses realized that Divine justice demanded the extinction of Israel, he cried out: Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, who instituted the three prayers.

(Lev. 24:10:) “Now there went out the son of an Israelite woman.” From where did he go out? R. Levi says, “He went out from his world, just as it is stated (in I Sam. 17:4), ‘And there went out a champion.’” R. Berekhyah said, “He went out from the preceding Parashah, where it is written (in Lev. 24:5), ‘Then you shall take fine flour and bake it into twelve loaves.’

He said, ‘It is customary for a king to eat warm bread. Would [he eat it] cold?’” It is like that which we learn there (in the latter part of Men. 11:9), “The shewbread was eaten no earlier than the ninth day [after baking] and no later than the eleventh day. How so?

It was baked on the eve of the Sabbath and eaten on the Sabbath [of the following week, i.e.,] on the ninth day. [If] a holiday happened to fall on the eve of the Sabbath, it was eaten on the tenth. [In the case of] the two-day holiday of the new year, it was eaten on the eleventh, for [the baking] overrides neither the Sabbath nor a holiday. R. Simeon b. Gamaliel says in the name of R. Simeon the son of the Assistant [High Priest], ‘[The baking] overrides a holiday but does not override the fast day.’” (According the first part of Men. 11:9,) the two loaves of bread [offered at Pentecost] were eaten no earlier than the second day and no later than the third.

How so? They were baked on the eve of the festival [of Pentecost and] eaten on the festival, [i.e.,] on the second day. If the festival happened to fall on the day after the Sabbath, they were eaten on the third day.

(Numb. 4:18:) “Do not cut off.” Let our master instruct us: In the case of one who commits a transgression punishable with excision according to the Torah, how do they receive pardon [and] become freed from their excision? Thus have our masters taught (in Mak. 3:15): All who are liable to excision, when they have been scourged, are exempt from their excision, as stated (in Deut. 25:2-3), “then the judge shall have him lie down….

He may give him forty lashes but no more…; then your brother would be degraded.” When he has been scourged, then he is [again] your brother. And why forty lashes? It is simply that, because this adam was forty days in creation and transgressed against the Torah, which was forty days in the giving, he will be given forty lashes and be exempt from his punishment (i.e., from excision). And so you find in the case of the first Adam. When he was commanded and told (in Gen. 2:17), “But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat …,” he incurred the sentence of death; and the world was scourged with forty punishments: ten for Adam, ten for Eve, ten for the serpent, ten for the land.

Therefore, when a person commits one of the transgressions [punishable by death], he is scourged with forty lashes. And so you find with each and every thing that the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Moses, [there were] warnings and punishments. It is written concerning the Sabbath (Exod. 20:8), “Remember the Sabbath day,” as a warning; and as a punishment (there is Exod. 31:14), “whoever profanes it shall surely be put to death.”

They came to the desert and (according to Numb. 15:32) found one gathering [wood on the Sabbath], but Moses did not know by what death he should be killed. However, (according to Lev. 24:12) “They left him in custody [because it was not clear what should be done to him.]” The Holy One, blessed be He, said (in vs. 35), “The person shall surely be put to death; [all the congregation] shall stone him with stones.”

Immediately Moses rose in prayer and said, “Sovereign of the world, if a man should so sin, should he [really] be stoned? Behold, they would be destroyed. Make an [other] arrangement for them.” He said to him, “Let them be scourged with forty lashes, and they will be exempt from excision.”

Similarly when the children of Aaron died, the tribe of Kohath saw them. They began yelling to Moses, saying, “Are we to die like that?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Just as I have made an [alternate] arrangement for Aaron, as stated (in 16:3), ‘In this way shall Aaron come [into the sanctuary]…’; so also for the Kohathite families I am making a similar arrangement, lest they die, as stated (Numb. 4:19), ‘Do this for them (i.e., for the Kohathites) that they may live and not die….’” Where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Numb. 4:18), “Do not cut off….”

(Numb. 7:1:) “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.” R. Johanan said, “What is the meaning of ‘on the day that [Moses] had finished (rt.: klh)?’ [Finished is] a word for annihilation (rt.: klh). On the day that the Tabernacle was erected the destructive demons (mazziqin) were annihilated (rt.: klh) from the world.”

Before that Tabernacle was erected, the destructive demons had been common in the world. When Moses went up on the mountain, he said this psalm (i.e., Ps. 91, which begins), “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High,” in that he (Moses) did dwell in the shelter of the Holy One, blessed be He. (Ibid., cont.:) “He lodges in the shadow (tsel) of the Almighty,” in that he lodged there a hundred and twenty days, like the numerical count of [the letters in the word,] tsel. (Vs. 2) “[I will] say to the Lord, my refuge [and my fortress (metsudah)],” in that He is my refuge and has become like a wall for me. (Ibid., cont.:) “My God, in whom I trust.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “You have put your trust in Me; by your life, I am standing up for you.” (Vs. 3:) “That he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler.” What is the meaning of “from the snare of the fowler?”

From the trap of David, who [would have been] seized to be killed, as stated (in II Sam. 23:26) “and Saul and his men were trying to encircle David and his men and capture them.” (Vs. 4:) “You will take refuge under His wings; His truth is a shield and buckler.”

Resh Laqish said, “I have become a shield for whoever takes refuge in the Torah.” (Vs. 5:) “You shall not be afraid of any terror by night.” From here [we learn] that they were afraid of destructive demons. (Ibid., cont.:) “Nor of the arrow that flies by day.” R. Berekhyah the Priest Berabbi said, “There is a destructive demon (mazziq) that flies like a bird and shoots forth like an arrow.” (Vs. 6:) “Of the pestilence that walks in the darkness, of the plague that lays waste at noonday.”

This is the plague demon, Meriri; for whoever sees him will not survive in the world, whether he be human, cattle, or wild beast. How is he made? His head resembles a calf with one horn coming out of the middle of his forehead, and he is made of obsidian. And Meriri has dominion from the seventeenth of Tammuz (around July) to the ninth of Av (around August). [It is] therefore [written] (in vs. 6), “of the plague that lays waste at noonday.” (Vs. 10:) “There shall no evil come unto you, neither shall pestilence come near your tent.” This is the tent of meeting.

Ergo, until the day that the Tabernacle was erected, the destructive demons (mazziqin) were common, and on the day that the Tabernacle was erected they were annihilated (rt.: klh). R. Simeon b. Laqish said, “What [reason] is there for me to learn [this] from the book of Psalms? It is [to be] learned from its [proper] place (in Numb. 6:24), “The Lord bless you and keep you” [from the destructive demons] and from all evil. When? On the day that the Tabernacle was erected.