Midrash Tanchuma Reader

Another interpretation of (Proverbs 22:22) "Do not rob the poor": It speaks of the tribe of Levi, and it calls the tribe of Levi "poor." But were they poor? Rabbi Judah bar Simon and our Rabbis differ. One of them says: Why were they called "poor"? Because they were poor of inheritance, as it is said (Joshua 13:33), "But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance." Therefore, do not rob it of the gifts that I told you to give. And the other one said that they were poor in number. And why? Because the ark was consuming them. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, commands Moses and says (Numbers 4:18), "Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites."

Go into the wilderness to meet Moses (Exod. 4:27). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other (Ps. 85:11). Mercy refers to Aaron, as it is said: And of Levi he said: Thy Thummin and Thy Urim be with thy Merciful One (Deut. 33:8). While truth alludes to Moses, as is said: He is trusted in all My house (Num. 12:7). Hence, Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Righteousness refers to Moses, as it is said: He executed the righteousness of the Lord (Deut. 33:21), while peace applies to Aaron, as is said: He walked with me in peace and righteousness (Mal. 11:6).

Have kissed each other (Ps. 85:11) tells us that he kissed him. Our rabbis teach us that all but three kinds of kisses are frivolous. Those not frivolous are the kiss of parting, the kiss of homage, (and) the kiss of reunion. How do we know about the kiss of parting? From the fact that it is written: And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law Ruth (Ruth 1:14); the kiss of homage we know from what is written: Then Samuel took the vial of oil, poured it upon his head, and kissed him (I Sam. 10:1); we know about the kiss of reunion because it is written: And he went, and met him in the mountain of God and kissed him (Exod. 2:27).

And his hands were steady until the going down of the sun (Exod. 17:12). Since time was calculated by means of the stars, what did Moses do? He stopped the revolution of the sun, the moon, and the coming of nightfall in their tracks, as it is said: The sun and the moon stand still in their habitation (Hab. 3:11). It is also written: The deep uttereth its voice, and lifteth up its hands on high (ibid., v. 10). And Joshua discomfited Amalek, etc. R. Joshua said: He went down and cut off the heads of their mighty men with a sword. Hence we learn that this battle was waged only at the command of the Mighty One. Others say that the following verse was fulfilled with regard to them: Therefore as I live, saith the Lord God, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee (Exod. 35:6).

Write this for a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua (ibid. 17:14). He was one of the four righteous men who was given a sign. Two of them took cognizance of the sign, and two did not. Jacob and Moses were given signs, but they did not take cognizance of them. Jacob: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee withersoever thou goest (Gen. 28:15); nevertheless, Then Jacob was greatly afraid (ibid. 32:8). Should a man to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, has given a promise become frightened? However, Jacob said: Perhaps I became unworthy while living with Laban, the sinner, whose home was impure and sinful. Moses was given a sign, but he did not comprehend it, as it is said: Write this for a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua. Thus He was saying (to Moses): You shall die, and Joshua will lead Israel into the land. He told him that in this verse, but he failed to take cognizance of it, and so he later pleaded, as it is said: And I besought the Lord at that time … let me go over, I pray thee (Deut. 3:25).

David and Mordecai were given signs and took cognizance of their meaning. To David: He said: Thy servant smote both the lion and the bear (I Sam. 17:34), and to Mordecai: And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, etc. (Est. 2:11). Mordecai had said to himself: Perhaps this righteous woman is to marry this uncircumcised man in anticipation of some momentous event that will occur to Israel in the future. And ultimately Israel was saved through her.

I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek (Exod. 17:14). Utterly refers to this world; I will blot out alludes to the world-to-come; the remembrance refers to Haman, while Amalek is to be understood in its usual sense.

And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Adonai-nissi (Exod. 17:15). Moses said to the Israelites: The miracle that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed, was only for the sake of His name, since they were not worthy of having a miracle performed for their sake. You find that whenever a miracle was performed for Israel, the miracle was for His sake, as it is said: In all their afflictions He was afflicted (Isa. 63:9). And Israel’s joys were His joys, as it is said: Because I rejoice in thy salvation (I Sam. 2:1). Thus it says: I will rejoice in Jerusalem and joy in My people (Isa. 65:19). It likewise says: And as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee (ibid. 62:5). Amen, and so may it be.

The Lord said to Moses: “Hew these two tablets of stone” (Exod. 34:1). May it please our masters to teach us: How many verses of the Torah must the reader recite? Thus did our masters teach us: One who reads the Torah may not recite less than three verses to correspond to the three patriarchs on whose behalf the Torah was given to Israel, as it is said: And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain (ibid. 19:3). How do we know the patriarchs were called mountains? Because it is said: Hear, O ye mountains, the Lord’s controversy (Mic. 6:2). Therefore a man must guard the Torah, for it guards his soul. R. Tanhum the son of Hanilai said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: My daughter is in thy hands, and thy daughter is in My hands. “My daughter is in thy hands’ refers to the Torah. “And your daughter is in My hands” alludes to the soul: In whose hand is the soul of every living thing (Job 12:10). If you guard what is Mine, I shall guard what is yours. Thus Scripture says: Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently (Deut. 4:9).

Everyone who occupies himself with the Torah will become a leader and a king, as it is said: By Me kings reign and princes decree justice (Prov. 8:15). Hence Moses, who occupied himself with the Torah, became a leader and a king, as is said: And there was a king in Jeshurun (Deut. 33:5). How do we know that he was greatly occupied with the Torah? It is said: And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread nor drink wine (Exod. 34:28). During the day the Holy One, blessed be He, taught him the Written Law, and at night He instructed him in the Oral Law. Finally He gave him the tablets, and he descended only to discover that they had made the calf. Whereupon he broke the tablets and halted their revelry. He then sought mercy upon them. Moses did not fail to prostrate himself in a single corner while pleading in their behalf, until the Holy One, blessed be He, became reconciled with them. Then he said: Master of the Universe, give them a second tablet. He replied: I made the first tablets and you broke them; now you must replace them, as it is said: Hew these two tablets.

(Numb. 7:48:) “On the seventh day it was the prince of the Children of Ephraim.” This text is related (to Ps. 60:9), “Gilead is Mine and Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is My chief stronghold; Judah is My scepter.” Resh Laqish said, “If the idolaters should say to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not enliven the dead, say to them, ‘See here, Elijah bears witness that I enlivened the dead through his hand.’ Ergo (in Ps. 60:9), ‘Gilead is mine,’ as Elijah was of the inhabitants of Gilead. (Ibid., cont.:) ‘And Manasseh is Mine.’ If they should say to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not receive repentant sinners, say to them, ‘See here, Manasseh bears witness that I received him through repentance, since it is stated (in II Chron. 33:13), “When he (i.e., Manasseh) prayed unto him, He (i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He,) granted his request, heard his [entreaty,] and restored him to Jerusalem and to his kingdom […].”’

Ergo (in Ps. 60:9), ‘and Manasseh is Mine.’ (Ibid., cont.:) ‘Ephraim also is My chief stronghold.’ And if they say to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not attend to (pqd) barren women, say to them, ‘See here, Elkanah of Mount Ephraim bears witness that I attended to (pqd) his wife Hannah, as stated (in I Sam. 2:21), “For the Lord visited (pqd) hannah; [so she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters].”’ (Ibid., cont.:) ‘Judah is my scepter.’

If they say to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not rescue from the fire, say to them, ‘See here, Hananiah and his friends bear witness that I rescued them from the fire, as stated (in Dan. 1:6), “Now among those from the Children of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.”’ Ergo (in Ps. 60:9), ‘Judah is my scepter.’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 60:9), “Gilead is Mine”: If someone says to you, “Why did Elijah build an altar up on Mount Carmel and sacrifice on it, when the Temple existed at that time?

For Moses has said (in Lev. 17:3–4), ‘If any single person from the house of Israel slaughters [an ox, a lamb or a goat in the camp]…, And does not bring it unto the entrance of the tent of meeting [to offer a sacrifice to the Lord before the Tabernacle of the Lord, blood guilt shall be imputed to that person],’” say to him, “Everything that Elijah did, he did for the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and by divine command. It is so stated (in I Kings 18:36), ‘And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the oblation (minhah), the prophet Elijah drew near and said […, and that I have done all these things at Your bidding].’”

Ergo (in Ps. 60:9), “Gilead is Mine.” (Ibid., cont.:) “And Manasseh is Mine.” If someone says to you, “Why did Gideon sacrifice in a high place (bamah); see here, it was forbidden because there was Shiloh in existence?” [In answer to this question,] R. Abba bar Lahana said, “Gideon did seven [unlawful] things: (1) He sacrificed a bull which had been worshipped, (2) a bull which had been set aside (for idolatry), (3) he built an altar, (4) he cut wood [for it] from the asherah, (5) he sacrificed at night, (6) without the high priest, and (7) he was among idol-serving priests.

Yet whatever he did, he did by divine command. It is so stated (in Jud. 6:25-26), ‘And it came to pass during that night that the Lord said to him, “Take the bull ox that belongs to your father […]”’” Ergo (in Ps. 60:9), “and Manasseh is Mine.” (Ibid., cont.:) “Judah is my scepter.” If someone says to you, “See here, David transgressed against a negative commandment,” the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Say to him, ‘David taught the penitents, like a scribe teaching children.’”

It is so stated (in Ps. 51:15), “Let me teach transgressors your ways and the sinners shall return unto You.” Ergo (in Ps. 60:9), “Judah is My scepter. (Ibid.:) “Ephraim also is My chief stronghold.” If someone says to you, “Why did Joshua profane the Sabbath in Jericho,” say to him, “He acted on divine command.” It is so stated (in Joshua 6:2), “Then the Lord said unto Joshua, ‘See, I have given Jericho into your hand […].’”

It is also written (in vss. 3-4), “So you shall go around the city […]; thus shall you do for six days. And seven priests […]; but on the seventh day you shall go around the city seven times, [and the priests shall blow on the shofars].’” And how is it shown that it was on the Sabbath? In that there are never seven days without a Sabbath. Ergo, “Ephraim also is My chief stronghold.”

Now Joshua did yet another thing on his own initiative, which was not told to him. When Jericho was conquered, it was Sabbath. He said, “All of the Sabbath is holy, so whatever we conquer on the Sabbath will be holy to the Lord, as stated (in Josh. 6:19), “But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord […].” R. Berekhyah the Priest Berabbi said, “He treated it like a city condemned (for idolatry), and in the case of a city condemned (for idolatry) it is forbidden [to derive] benefit [from it].

Thus it is stated (in Deut. 13:17), ‘and you shall burn with fire the city with all its plunder, wholly for the Lord your God.’” R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite said, “[Joshua] taught Israel what the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel (in Numb. 15:20), ‘You shall set aside the first of your dough [as a hallah offering].’ Joshua said, ‘In as much as we conquered it first, we shall dedicate all its booty to the most high.’

The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘In as much as you have done so, see, your offering is supporting your tribe and overriding the Sabbath.’ Thus it is stated (in Numb. 7:48), ‘On the seventh day it was the prince of the Children of Ephraim (who made the offering).’” This text is related (to Eccl. 8:4–5), “For a king's word is supreme […]. Whoever observes a commandment shall not know anything evil.”

And so it says (in II Sam. 23:3), “The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me, ‘One who governs over a person, who governs righteously the fear of God.” And who is the one who governs over his [evil] drive. One who does the will of the Omnipresent. And who is this? This was Joseph, the father of [Ephraim], the father of the father of Joshua ben Nun.

What is written about him (in Gen. 39:7–8)? “And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph […]. But he refused […].” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “You did not heed her.

By your life, I am making you king over Egypt. Then they all shall obey you, as stated (in Gen. 41:55), “then Pharaoh said to all Egypt, ‘Go unto Joseph.’” It also says (in vs. 40), “You shall be over my house,” and the children of my palace shall do nothing without your consent. So it says (in Gen. 42:6), “Now Joseph was the governor over the land.”

Because he governed his [evil] drive, he became governor over the land. (Gen. 39:2:) “And he was a successful man. It was only necessary to say "righteous man." Why is “successful man,” written? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to [Joseph], “You achieved what the first Adam did not achieve.” Successful (rt.: tslh) simply means achievement.

Thus it is stated (in II Sam. 19:18), “and they crossed (rt.: tslh) the Jordan ahead of the king.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “No sacrifice by an individual overrides the Sabbath; yet by your life, the sacrifice by your son (Ephraim) will override the Sabbath, because of the good work (mitswah) that you did (in resisting temptation).”

Ergo (in Numb. 7:48), “On the seventh day it was the prince of the Children of Ephraim, Elishama ben Ammihud.” R. Azariah said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, [i.e.] to Joseph, ‘You have kept the commandment (mitswah) (from Exod. 20:13 = Deut. 5:17), of “You shall not commit adultery.” So you have fulfilled the Torah before I gave it. By your life, no tribe shall come between your two sons with a sacrifice.

Instead (according to Numb. 7:48) Ephraim [shall bring an offering] on the seventh day; and (according to Numb. 7:54) Manasseh, on the eighth day.’” R. Meir and R. Joshua ben Qorhah were interpreting the names, “Elishama [means], he (Joseph) heeded (shama') my God (Eli), and he did not heed his mistress. Ben Ammihud (‘MYHWD) means, His glory (HWDW) was with me (‘MY) and not with another.

Similarly also in the case of (Numb. 7:54), Gamaliel ben Pedahzur [prince of the Children of Manasseh, means that] Joseph said, God (El) has recompensed (gamal) my people with a good recompense (gemulim).’ Ben pedahzur (pdhtswr) means, the Rock (tswr) redeemed (pdh) me from my distress of the prison. And so is it written (according to Ps. 18:21), ‘The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the purity of my hands…’” R. Samuel bar Abba said, “What is the meaning of ‘according to the purity of my hands?’

According to the purity of my hands, because I was pure through good works.” (Ps. 18:21:) “The Lord rewarded me.” How? When someone is poor, he trusts in the Holy One, blessed be He; but when he [becomes] wealthy, he trusts in his wealth and has no fear of [God]. However, when Joseph was a slave, he feared the Lord.

When his mistress enticed him with words, he said to her (in Gen. 39:9), “then how shall I do this great evil and sin against God?” Also when he became king he added [to his] fear [of the Holy One, blessed be He], as stated (in Gen. 42:18), “And Joseph said to them on the third day, ‘Do this and live, for I fear God.’” And when his brothers came down to him a second time (according to Gen. 43:16), “When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, [he said… ‘Slaughter and prepare (wehakhen) an animal, for the men will eat with me at noon].’” Now surely it is not customary for kings to prepare [food] one day ahead for the next.

R. Johanan said, “It was the Sabbath, as stated (in Gen 42:16, ‘and prepare.’ And prepare only means [preparation for] the Sabbath, as stated (in Exod. 16:5), ‘And it shall come to pass on the sixth day, that when they prepare.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “You have kept the Sabbath before it was given.

By your life, I will have the son of your son offer [his sacrifice] on the Sabbath day, as stated (in Numb. 7:48), “On the seventh day it was the prince of the Children of Ephraim.”

The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Abimelech son of Gideon: "Wicked one, see the honor that Abimelech showed to Abraham — yet you arose and killed your brothers, seventy men, upon one stone! Woe to that man." And so Solomon said, "Whoever digs a pit shall fall into it" (Ecclesiastes 10:8). Therefore he too was killed only by a stone, as it is said, "And a certain woman cast an upper millstone..." (Judges 9:53). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: "I wrote in My Torah, 'The fear of the LORD prolongs days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened' (Proverbs 10:27), and you killed your brothers. By your life, I shall shorten the years of that man!" Therefore he reigned only three years, as it is said, "And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years" (Judges 9:22).

[DO NOT CUT OFF (Numbers 4:18).] Let our master teach us: One who transgresses the offenses punishable by excision (karet) in the Torah, by what means do they obtain atonement and go out from their excision? Thus did our masters teach: All who are liable to excision and have been flogged are released from their excision, as it is said, "Then the judge shall make him lie down, and he shall be beaten in his presence... forty stripes he may give him, he shall not add... and your brother be degraded" (Deuteronomy 25:2-3); once he has been flogged, behold, he is your brother. And why forty? Because this human being was formed in forty days, and he transgressed against the Torah, which was given in forty days; let him be flogged forty and be released from his punishment. And so you find with the first Adam: when he was commanded and it was said to him, "Of the tree of knowledge [of good and evil you shall not eat...]" (Genesis 2:17), he became liable to death, and the world was struck with forty punishments: ten for Adam, ten for Eve, ten for the serpent, ten for the earth. Therefore, when a person transgresses one of the offenses, let him be flogged forty and go out from his punishment. And so you find concerning each and every matter that the Holy One commanded Moses, warnings and punishments. It is written concerning the Sabbath, "Remember the Sabbath day" (Exodus 20:8) — a warning; and the punishment, "Those who profane it shall surely be put to death" (Exodus 31:14). They came to the wilderness and found one gathering wood, and Moses did not know by what death he was to be put to death; rather, [they placed him in custody, that it might be declared to them by the mouth of the Lord (Leviticus 24:12)] [and they placed him in custody (Numbers 15:34)]. The Holy One said, "The man shall surely be put to death; pelt him with stones" (Numbers 15:35). Immediately Moses arose in prayer and said: Master of the Universe, if a person from Israel sins, is he thus to be stoned? Behold, they will be destroyed! Make for them a remedy. He said to him: Let them be flogged forty and go out from their excision. So too, when the sons of Aaron died, the tribe of Kohath saw them, and they began crying out at Moses, saying: Are we to die thus? The Holy One said to Moses: Just as I made a remedy for Aaron, as it is said, "By this shall Aaron come [into the holy place]" (Leviticus 16:3), so also for the families of Kohath I make such a remedy, that they not die when they come into the Holy of Holies: "And do this for them, that they may live and not die..." (Numbers 4:19). From where? From what they read on the matter: "Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites" (Numbers 4:18).

"Then I will come down and speak with you there" (Numbers 11:17). This is to inform you that the day of the appointment of the elders was as beloved before the Holy One, blessed be He, as the day of the giving of the Torah, as it is said, "For on the third day the LORD will come down" (Exodus 19:11); and likewise concerning the appointment of the elders, "I will come down" is written. To what may the matter be compared? To a king who had an orchard, and he hired a guard for it, and he gave him the wages of guarding so that he would guard the orchard. After a time the guard said to him, "I cannot guard all of it by myself; rather give me others to guard with me." The king said to him, "I gave you the entire orchard, all of it, to guard, and all the wages of its guarding I gave to you, and now you say to me, 'Go and bring others to guard with me'? Behold, I am bringing others to guard with you; but know that I am not giving them their wages from what is mine; rather, from your wages that I gave you they will take their wages." So too the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, when he said before Him, "I cannot do it alone." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "I placed in you understanding and knowledge to sustain My children, and I did not seek others, but only so that there would be strength and knowledge in you, and that you alone would be set apart in that greatness; and now you seek others. Know that they will take nothing from what is Mine, but rather from what is yours," as it is said, "And I will take away some of the spirit that is upon you" (Numbers 11:17). And even so, Moses lacked nothing. Know this, for after forty years He said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, and lay your hand upon him, and put some of your splendor upon him" (Numbers 27:18, 20). What is written concerning Joshua? "And Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom" (Deuteronomy 34:9). Why? "Because Moses had laid his hands upon him" (ibid.). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world, individuals have prophesied, but in the world to come all Israel will be prophets, as it is said, "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy" (Joel 3:1).

And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord (Exod. 4:29). Moses began to reveal to him everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, had told him, and that he was to go perform the miracles. Whereupon the two of them went to the elders, as it is said: And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel (Exod. 4:39). The elders are always held responsible for the survival of Israel. That is why Scripture says: And all Israel, and their elders and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side (Josh. 8:33). When do (the people of) Israel survive? When they have elders among them. Thus, when the Temple was erected, they consulted the elders, as is said: Ask thy father, and he will declare unto thee, thine elders, and they will tell thee (Deut. 32:7). Any one who consults his elders will not blunder. This is confirmed in the episode wherein Ben-hadad sent messengers to the king of Israel. “Thus saith Ben-hadad: Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also, and thy children, even the goodliest are mine.” The king of Israel answered and said: “It is according to thy saying, my lord, O king; I am thine, and all that I have” (I Kings 20:3). Later He sent another messenger to him saying: But I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about this time, and thy shall search thy house, and the houses of thy servants, and it shall be that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand and take it away (I Kings 20:6). Does this verse imply that the things he (Ben-hadad) demanded at first were not desirable? He had asked for silver and gold, and surely they are desirable, as it is said: And the choicest things of all nations shall come (Hag. 2:7). He had demanded women, and that, indeed, is good to possess, as it is said: Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes in a plague (Ezek. 24:16). He desired their children, and they surely are precious, as is said: Yet will I slay the beloved fruit of their womb (Hos. 9:6). The fact is that everything he wanted was desirable. What, then, is meant by And it shall be that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes? It refers to that which is most pleasant, the Torah, as it is said: More to be desired are they then gold, yea, then much fine gold (Ps. 19:11).

When the king of Israel heard these words, he said: This matter does not concern me alone. The elders must make the decision. Thereupon, the king of Israel assembled all the elders of the land and said: “Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief; for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.” And all the elders and all the people said unto him: “Hearken thou not, neither consent” (I Kings 20:8). He followed the advice of the elders, and the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Arameans with a great slaughter (ibid., v. 21). Therefore, one must always consult with elders. And thus it is written: Moses … and Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel (Lev. 9:1).

R. Akiba said: Why is Israel likened to a bird? Just as a bird cannot fly without wings, so Israel cannot survive without its elders. The influence of the elders is exceedingly great; if they are old, they are beloved by the Holy One, blessed be He, and if they are young, the children are attracted to them.

R. Simeon the son of Yohai taught: In numerous places we learn that the Holy One, blessed be He, paid homage to the elders. At the thornbush, since it is written: Go, and gather the elders of Israel (Exod. 3:16). And that is followed by: And they shall hearken unto thy voice. And thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt (ibid., v. 18). At Sinai, as it is written: And unto Moses he said: “Come up unto the Lord, thou, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel” (ibid. 24:1). In the Tent of Meeting whither Moses called Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel (Lev. 9:1). In the time-to-come, as it is said: For the Lord of hosts will reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before His elders shall be glory (Isa. 24:23).

R. Abin declared: In the future the Holy One, blessed be He, will establish the elders of Israel as a court, and He will appoint their head as chief judge of the Beth Din, and with them will judge the heathens, as it is said: The Lord will enter into judgment with the elders of his people, and the princes thereof (ibid. 3:14). It is not written “over the elders of His people” but with the elders of His people. That is, He will sit with them and judge the heathens. What will He say to them? You have eaten up the vineyard, namely, Israel, as it is said: For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel (Isa. 5:7); The spoil of the poor is in your houses (ibid. 3:14), for it is said: That the Lord hath founded Zion, and in her shall the poor of His people take refuge (ibid. 14:32).

It was customary for kings to preside in a circular courtroom, as it says: And now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in a threshing floor (I Kings 22:10). Did they actually sit on a threshing floor? No. We have learned that the Sanhedrin met in a semicircle, in order that each member might be able to see the others, while the two scribes sat before them to write down the testimony. Solomon said: I see him sitting with them and judging in their midst, as it is said: Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land (Prov. 31:23).

Hew these two tablets (Exod. 34:1). Scripture states elsewhere: The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich (Prov. 10:22). This refers to Elisha’s prayer for water, when he said: Thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not see rain, neither shall ye see wind, yet that valley shall be filled with water (II Kings 3:17). What else is written there? And it came to pass in the morning, about the time of making the offering (ibid., v. 20). One who says in the morning also says “the time of the morning offering.” R. Tanhuma said: A rain storm occurred in the south and the water reached (the Temple) at the time the offering was made. Hence, The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and toil addeth nothing thereto (Prov. 10:22). Though they did not experience either the rain or the wind, the valley was filled with water.

Another explanation of The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich. This refers to Elijah’s blessing in the home of (the widow of) Zarephath, as is said: The jar of meal shall not be spent, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the land (I Kings 17:14). Though many jars were filled and much meal was ground, yet the jar of meal shall not be spent, etc. Hence, the blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and toil addeth nothing thereto implies that she was blessed in her own home.

Another explanation of The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich. This refers to the blessing enjoyed by Moses when the Holy One, blessed be He, told him: Hew these two tablets. He revealed to him the quarry of sapphire that was in his tent. Hew these, He said: Hew some stone chips from it for yourself, and it will make you a ruler. From this you learn that everyone who devotes himself to the Torah acquires his sustenance from the Torah and becomes prosperous and successful. Thus He said to Joshua: For then thou shalt make thy ways prosperous (Josh. 1:8). And toil addeth nothing thereto indicates that it was not necessary for him to go elsewhere (to find it), for the Holy One, blessed be He, placed it in his tent.

"On the eighth day, the chieftain of the Children of Menashe" (Numbers 7:54). Teach us, our rabbi, what is [the status of] a light of Chanukah from the first day that has oil remain in it. Can [it] be lit on the second [day]? So did our rabbis teach: [Regarding] a light of Chanukah from the first day that has oil remain in it, one should add [at least] a tiny amount to it and light it on the second day.

And if there was [oil] left over on the second day, he adds upon it on the third day and lights. And so on with all of the days. But if there was [oil] left over on the eighth day, he makes it into a bonfire by itself. Why?

Since it was put aside for the commandment, it is forbidden to use it [for another purpose]. A person should not say, "I will not fulfill the commandments of the elders (rabbis), since they are not from the Torah." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "My children, you are not allowed to say this. Rather, observe anything that they decree upon you, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 17:10-11), 'And you shall do according to [...] the law that they shall instruct you.'"

Why? Because I also agree with their words, as it is stated (Job 22:28), "You will decree and it will be fulfilled for you." You should know, as behold what is written [about] Yaakov at the time that he blessed Menashe and Ephraim? "And he placed Ephraim before Menashe" (Genesis 48:20).

He made the younger [go] before the older; and the Holy One, blessed be He, fulfilled his decree. When? During the sacrifices of the chieftains, such that the tribe of Ephraim sacrificed first, as it is stated (Numbers 7:48), "On the seventh day, the chieftain of the Children of Ephraim," and [only] afterwards [was the sacrifice of] Menashe. From where [do we know this]?

From that what they read about the matter, "On the eighth day, the chieftain of the Children of Menashe" (Numbers 7:54).

"Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty" (Proverbs 18:12). This is Abimelech, who was not broken until he exalted himself and killed his brothers. "And before honor is humility" (ibid.). This is Gideon his father; for when they said to him, "Rule over us, you, also your son, also your son's son" (Judges 8:22), he said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you" (Judges 8:23). They said three things to him, and he said three things to them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You say thus? By your life, I will raise up from you a son who will reign three years, corresponding to the three things that you said. Thus, "and before honor is humility." Therefore, "And Abimelech ruled over Israel three years" (Judges 9:22).

(Numbers 4:18:) DO NOT CUT OFF. This is what Scripture said (in Psalms 33:18-19): BEHOLD, THE EYE OF THE LORD IS UPON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM, [… TO DELIVER THEIR SOUL FROM DEATH]. The verse speaks along many lines of thought; but as for what we need, it speaks about the tribe of Levi. And from where is it shown that the tribe of Levi is called those who fear the LORD? As it is said (in Malachi 2:5): AND I GAVE THEM TO HIM AS FEAR, AND HE FEARED ME. (Psalms 33:18:) UPON THOSE WHO WAIT FOR HIS STEADFAST LOVE, for they wait upon the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, at every moment. (Psalms 33:19:) TO DELIVER THEIR SOUL FROM DEATH AND TO KEEP THEM ALIVE IN FAMINE, through the twenty-four gifts that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave to them: ten in the sanctuary, ten within the borders, and four in Jerusalem. The ten in the sanctuary…

(Numbers 7:2:) AND THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL DREW NEAR TO OFFER. You find that, at the time when Moses proclaimed and said (Exodus 35:5), "Take from among you an offering," what did the princes do? They said: Did Moses not know to tell us that the Tabernacle was to be made? What did they do? They did not give a freewill offering. He (each prince) said: Let these (the people) make the Tabernacle, and to us he says that we should give a freewill offering! The Holy One, blessed be He, said: By your lives, you shall know that I do not need you. What is written there? "And they brought to him freewill offerings still, morning by morning" (Exodus 36:3). Rabbi Yohanan said: In two mornings they brought all the work of the Tabernacle, and there was more than enough, as it is said, "And the work was sufficient for them for all the work to make it, and more than enough" (Exodus 36:7). "And Moses saw all the work... and Moses blessed them" (Exodus 39:43). And with what blessing did he bless them? He said to them: May the Shekhinah rest upon the work of your hands. In this world Moses blessed them, but in the world to come the Holy One, blessed be He, will bless them, as it is said, "The Lord will bless you from Zion (Maker of heaven and earth), and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life, and may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel" (Psalms 128:5-6).

"And God sent an evil spirit" (Judges 9:23), and at the end it is written, "and the curse of Jotham ben Jerubbaal came upon them" (Judges 9:57). What is written there? "And they told Jotham, [and he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim]" (Judges 9:7). And why did he stand on the top of Mount Gerizim to curse, when the curses were given only on Mount Ebal? Rather, thus said Jotham: The Kutim are destined to say, "Mount Gerizim is ours, for there the blessings were given," and they do not know that there the curses are given. How is this so? Rather, those who were standing on Mount Ebal and cursing, whom were they cursing? Were they not cursing those who stood opposite them? And those who were blessing, whom were they blessing? Were they not blessing those who stood opposite them? It turns out that the curses come upon Mount Gerizim, and the blessings upon Mount Ebal. Therefore Jotham said, "I will not stand and curse my brother and the men of Shechem except on Mount Gerizim." He began saying, "The trees went forth" (Judges 9:8). Rabbi Misha said: These words that Jotham spoke are a parable. How so? "The trees went forth" (Judges 9:8) — these are Israel. "And they said to the olive tree" (ibid.) — this is Othniel ben Kenaz, who was of the tribe of Judah, as it is said, "a leafy olive tree" (Jeremiah 11:16). And what did Othniel say to them? "Should I leave my fatness" (Judges 9:9) — pure olive oil. They went to Deborah: "and [the trees] said to the fig tree" (Judges 9:10) — this is Deborah. She said to them, "Should I leave my sweetness" (Judges 9:11); "and Deborah sang" (Judges 5:1). "And the trees said to the vine" (Judges 9:12) — he said to them, "Should I leave my new wine" (Judges 9:13). "To the vine" — this is Barak and Gideon: "Rule over us, you also" (Judges 8:22); he said to them, "I will not rule" (Judges 8:23). When they saw this, "and all the trees said to the bramble" (Judges 9:14) — this is Abimelech. Just as this bramble is full of thorns, so was Abimelech full of evil deeds. When they said to him to reign, what did he say to them? "And remember that I am your bone [and your flesh]" (Judges 9:2). And the Holy Spirit cries out, "Many seek the ruler's favor" (Proverbs 29:26). What did he say to them? "Come, take refuge in my shade" (Judges 9:15) — Is it not better for you to make me king for myself alone, and not seventy men? Immediately, "and [the people] set him over them" (Judges 11:11). Jotham said to them, "If in truth" (Judges 9:16), and it is written, "and the curse of Jotham came upon them" (Judges 9:57). When? "And God sent an evil spirit" (Judges 9:23). Happy are the righteous, for in every place that they go, the Holy One, blessed be He, guards them, and they are distinguished among the nations, as it is said, "and their offspring shall be known among the nations" (Isaiah 61:9).

Hew these two tablets of stone (Exod. 34:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The wrath of a king is as messengers of death; but a wise man will pacify it (Prov. 16:14). The wrath of a king is as messengers of death alludes to the Holy One, blessed be He. After the people had made the golden calf the demons attacked Moses. He pleaded for mercy, recalling the merit of the patriarchs and they departed from him. When he broke the tablets his anger diminished. What did Moses witness that compelled him to break the tablets? It may be compared to a king who travels abroad while his wife remains at home with the servants. Because she was alone with them, rumors began to circulate concerning her behavior. The king heard them, and when he returned home, he wanted to kill her. His advisor learned this and tore up her marriage certificate. He said: “If the king should say, my wife has done such and such, we can reply, she is no longer your wife.” The king inquired about her and found that she had done nothing wrong. Only the maidservants had acted shamefully. He became reconciled with her immediately. His advisor then said to him: “Master, write another marriage contract, since the first one was torn up.” “You tore it up,” the king replied, “so now you must bring the parchment and I will write the document with my own hand.” So too here. When the Israelites made the calf, the Holy One, blessed be He, felt the same way. He said to Moses: Go, get thee down, for thy people have dealt corruptly. Whereupon he replied: They are Your people and Your inheritance. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: This act proves that The ox knoweth his owner (Isa. 1:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the calf: Who made you? The calf answered: The mixed multitude that departed from Egypt with the Israelites, for it is written about them: Whose flesh is as the flesh of asses (Ezek. 23:20). Then the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Did I not tell you: Go, get thee down, for thy people that thou broughtest up out of the land of Egypt have dealt corruptly (Exod. 32:7) and have made the golden calf. My people did not do it, as it is said: But Israel doth not know, My people doth not consider (Isa. 1:3). Immediately Moses arose and pleaded in their defense: O Lord God, destroy not Thy people and Thine inheritance that Thou hast redeemed through Thy greatness (Deut. 9:26). And he went ahead and broke the tablets. When the Holy One, blessed be He, became reconciled, He told him: Go, hew these two tablets of stone.

Why did he shatter them? R. Ishmael said: Moses arrived at his decision through an argument ad minorem. Since the paschal sacrifice, which is but one commandment, was not permitted to idolaters, as it is written: There shall no alien eat thereof (Exod. 12:43), how much more so would it not be fitting to give the entire law to idolaters! That is why he broke them.

R. Akiba stated: The Holy One, blessed be He, told him to break them. Our sages were of the opinion that while the writing was on the tablets Moses did not feel their weight, but when the writing flew away, they became heavy in his hands and he dropped them and they were broken. Another explanation of why he broke them. When Moses saw that they were doomed, he sought a pretext through which to save them. He said: It is written on the tablets that he who sacrifices to gods will be excommunicated, and so, I will break them and say to the Holy One, blessed be He: Until now they did not know the punishment for idolatry. If they had, they would not have done it.

(Numbers 7:54:) "On the eighth day, the prince of the Children of Manasseh." R. Abbin Berabbi the Levite said, “As Joseph was offering his praise, his master saw him murmuring with his mouth. He said to him, ‘What are you saying.’ Then he answered and said to him, ‘I am offering praise to the Holy One, blessed be He.’

He said to him, ‘I want to see Him.’ Joseph said to him, ‘Consider the sun, [who is merely] one of His several attendants. [Since] you cannot look at [His attendant], how much the less [can you look at] His own glory.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘By your life, because of you I am appearing to him.’ Thus it is stated (in Gen. 39:3), ‘When his master saw that the Lord was with him.’” R. Chaninah said, “What is the meaning of (Ps. 24:10), ‘Who is this King of glory]?’ [It is] since He shares His glory with those who fear Him. In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one [else] uses his scepter; but the Holy One, blessed be He, gave his scepter to Moses, as stated (in Exod. 4:20), ‘and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.’

In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one [else] sits on his throne; but it is written about Solomon (in I Chron. 29:23), ‘Then Solomon sat upon the throne of the Lord.’ In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one [else] rides on his horse; but Elijah ride on the horse of the Holy One, blessed be He. Now which horse belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He? Storm and whirlwind.

Thus it is stated (in Nahum 1:3), ‘the Lord is in the whirlwind, and the storm is His road.’ And He gave it to Elijah. So it is written (in II Kings 2:11), ‘and Elijah went up in a whirlwind into the heavens.’ In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one [else] wears his attire; but the Holy One, blessed be He has put his attire on the messianic king.

And what is the attire of the Holy One, blessed be He? Honor and majesty, as stated (in Ps. 104:1), ‘You have put on honor and majesty.’ And it is written (in Ps. 21:6), ‘honor and majesty do You bestow upon him.’” What is written about the Holy One, blessed be He (in Is. 59:18)?

“According to their deeds, so shall He repay.” What is the meaning of “[He] shall repay […] He shall repay” (twice)? That He repays the good according to their good [deeds] and the evil according to their evil [deeds]. What is written about Joseph (in Gen. 49:22)?

“Joseph is a fruitful son.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Joseph, there shall be peace upon the eye which you closed and did not look at any of the Egyptian women.” Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.), “daughters step upon the wall (i.e., to gaze).”

R. Abbin said, “What is the meaning of ‘upon the wall ('ly shwr)’? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘It is for me ('ly) to pay a reward (skr) for that eye.’” Our masters have taught (in Zev. 14:4, 5, 6, 7, 8) that they would eat in the Temple within the curtains, but in Shiloh (which lay in Ephraimite territory) [they would eat outside the sanctuary as far away as the eye could see, as] the Holy One, blessed be He, rewarded Joseph for what he did.

What is written [about Joseph (in Gen. 39:12)? “And he left his cloak [in her hand].” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, when the Children of Israel go out from Egypt in the future, the sea is going to see your coffin and flee.” It is so stated (in Ps. 114:3), “The sea saw and fled […].”

What did it see? It saw that Joseph had kept all of the Ten Commandments. Simeon, the man of Kitron, says, ���It saw the bones of Joseph.” And in addition, Joseph's coffin (aron) proceeded before the ark (aron). And the peoples of the world saw it and said, “What is the nature of this ark which is proceeding before the ark of the Torah?”

Then Israel said, “This is a coffin of a dead man that is proceeding before the ark of the Torah, since this [man] fulfilled everything that was written in this [Torah], before the Torah was given. And therefore he merited to proceed with it.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Joseph, “Joseph, although I have rewarded you with a little reward in this world, the main fund remains for you in the world to come, when Israel is redeemed with an everlasting redemption.

Through the merit of Jacob and through your merit, they will be redeemed, as stated (in Ps. 77:16), “With Your mighty arm You redeemed Your people, the Children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.”

(Genesis 21:1:) "And the LORD visited Sarah." Let our master teach us: If there was a quarrel between a person and his fellow, how is atonement made for him on the Day of Atonement? Thus our Rabbis taught: Transgressions that are between a person and the Omnipresent, the Day of Atonement atones; those that are between a person and his fellow, the Day of Atonement does not atone, until he appeases his fellow. If he went to appease him and he did not accept, what shall he do? Rabbi Yose ben Dormaskit said: Let this be a sign in your hand — so long as you show mercy upon your fellow, you have One who shows mercy upon you; and if you do not show mercy upon your fellow, you have none who shows mercy upon you. What shall he do? Rabbi Samuel bar Nachman said: Let him bring ten people and set them up in a single row (shurah), and say before them: "My brothers, there was a quarrel between me and so-and-so, and I went to appease him and he did not accept." Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, sees that he has humbled himself before him, and He shows mercy upon him, as it is said (Job 33:27): "He arranges a row [yashor] of people and says, I have sinned and perverted what was right [yashar]." What is written there (Job 33:28)? "He has redeemed his soul from passing into the pit." And it is written (Proverbs 28:13): "But he who confesses and forsakes shall obtain mercy." Rabbi Yehuda said: He who confesses on condition to forsake shall obtain mercy. And so you find: all the days that Job was insistent against his companions, and his companions against him, the measure of justice was stretched out against him, as it is said (Job 30:1): "But now they that are younger than I have me in derision." He said to Eliphaz: "And are you not the son of Esau? Had your father stood and asked that I set him to be fed among my dogs, I would have rejected him," (Job 30:1) "whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the dogs of my flock." And his companions said: "Are you the aged one to yourself alone? We too have aged ones," as it is said (Job 15:10): "[With us] are both the gray-headed and the aged." And when the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed to them, He said to them: "Why do you stand? Go and appease Job," as it is said (Job 42:8): "And now take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams... and My servant Job shall pray for you." Immediately they went and did so. What is written there? (Job 42:10) "And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job." When? (Job 42:10) "When he prayed for his companion." So too Abimelech (Genesis 20:17): "And Abraham prayed..." The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Abraham has sought mercy for Abimelech; I shall visit her immediately. (Genesis 21:1) "And the LORD visited Sarah."

[Another interpretation:] "Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathite" (Numbers 4:18). The Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that Korah was destined to arise and dispute over the priesthood. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: We will not destroy the Levites on account of Korah. "Do not cut off" — this is what Scripture says: "For the sake of My name I will defer My anger, and for My praise I will restrain Myself toward you, so as not to cut you off" (Isaiah 48:9). To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a son, and he became attached to the bandits, and they were seized, and his son was seized together with them. The king said: What shall I do? If I kill the bandits, it is possible that my son is among them; rather, for my son's sake I release them now. So too the Levites were bearing the Tabernacle, as it is said: "But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the holy things was upon them; they were to carry on the shoulder" (Numbers 7:9). And the Holy One, blessed be He, was looking upon Korah and his company, who were destined to dispute against Moses and Aaron. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: What shall I do to these? To kill them is impossible. Why? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, took half of His name and placed upon "the Kohathite" the YH. Therefore He says: "For the sake of My name I will defer My anger" etc., "so as not to cut you off."

(Numbers 7:48:) ON THE SEVENTH DAY, THE PRINCE OF THE CHILDREN OF EPHRAIM. This is what Scripture says (in Psalms 60:9): GILEAD IS MINE AND MANASSEH IS MINE, AND EPHRAIM IS THE STRONGHOLD OF MY HEAD; JUDAH IS MY LAWGIVER. Resh Lakish said: If the disputers should say to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not revive the dead, say to them: Behold, Elijah [bears witness] that He revived the dead [through his hand]. Thus: GILEAD IS MINE. AND MANASSEH IS MINE. If the disputers should say to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not receive those who repent, say to them: Behold, Manasseh bears witness that I received him in repentance, as it is stated (in II Chronicles 33:13): AND HE PRAYED TO HIM, AND HE WAS ENTREATED BY HIM [AND HEARD HIS SUPPLICATION] AND RESTORED HIM TO JERUSALEM, TO HIS KINGDOM. Thus: MANASSEH IS MINE. EPHRAIM IS THE STRONGHOLD OF MY HEAD. If the disputers should say to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not remember barren women, [say to them:] Behold, Elkanah [of Mount Ephraim] bears witness that I remembered Hannah his wife, as it is stated (in I Samuel 2:21): FOR THE LORD REMEMBERED HANNAH. Thus: EPHRAIM IS THE STRONGHOLD OF MY HEAD. JUDAH IS MY LAWGIVER. If a person should say to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not rescue from the fire, behold, Hananiah and his companions bear witness that I rescued them from the fire, as it is stated (in Daniel 1:6): AND AMONG THEM, OF THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH, WERE [DANIEL, HANANIAH, MISHAEL, AND AZARIAH]. Thus: JUDAH IS MY LAWGIVER.

"Carve for yourself." When did Moses come down from the mountain? Rabbi Yehudah bar Shalom said: One hundred and twenty days Moses spent with the Holy One, blessed be He. How so? "In the third month after the children of Israel went out," and so forth (Exodus 19:1). On the sixth of the month He gave them the Ten Commandments, and it is written concerning it: "And Moses went up to God" (Exodus 19:3). And he spent there forty days, twenty-four of Sivan and sixteen of Tammuz, behold, forty days. He came down on the seventeenth of Tammuz, saw the calf and broke the tablets, and chastised those who had gone astray on the eighteenth and nineteenth. And he went back up on the twentieth, as it is said: "And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said to the people, You have sinned a great sin, and now I will go up to the LORD," and so forth. And it is written: "And Moses returned to the LORD and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin," and so forth. He spent there ten days of Tammuz and the whole month of Av, behold, forty days. He went up on the first day of the month of Elul, when He said to him, "Carve for yourself, and be ready by the morning," and so forth; "and he carved, and Moses rose early in the morning and went up." He spent there all of Elul and ten days of Tishrei, and he came down on the tenth. And Israel were dwelling in prayer and fasting, and on that very day it was said to Moses: "I have forgiven according to your word" (Numbers 14:20). And the Holy One, blessed be He, established it as a day of pardon and forgiveness for the generations, as it is said: "For on this day He shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you" (Leviticus 16:30). And immediately He commanded Moses: "And they shall make Me a sanctuary." "Carve for yourself, and be ready by the morning." So it was at the first time: "And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning," and so forth (Exodus 19:16). And here: "and let no man be seen." The first tablets, because they were given in public, therefore the evil eye took hold of them and they were broken. And here the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: There is nothing more beautiful than modesty, as it is said: "And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly" (Micah 6:8).

[And the LORD remembered Sarah (Genesis 21:1).] This is what Scripture says: "Though the fig tree shall not blossom" (Habakkuk 3:17). Who is this? This is Abraham, as it is said, "Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers" (Hosea 9:10). "And there is no yield on the vines" (Habakkuk, there) — this vine is Sarah, as it is said, "Your wife is like a fruitful vine" (Psalms 128:3). "The work of the olive has failed" (Habakkuk, there) — were the words deceptive which the ministering angels announced as good tidings to Sarah, "I will surely return to you" (Genesis 18:10)? "The work of the olive": just as this olive gives light to the world, so the angels gave light with their words. "And the fields produce no food" (Habakkuk, there) — those breasts give suck to no one. "He has cut off a flock from the fold" (Habakkuk 3:17) — will you not raise up from her the assembly of Israel, which is called a flock, as it is said, "And you, My flock" (Ezekiel 34:17)?

Another interpretation: "Gilead is mine" (Psalms 60:9). If a person says to you: Why did Elijah build an altar on Mount Carmel and offer upon it, when the Temple was standing at that time, and Moses said, "Any man of the house of Israel who slaughters an ox or a lamb [or a goat] etc., and does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting [to offer it as an offering to the Lord before the Tabernacle of the Lord—bloodguilt shall be reckoned to that man etc.]" (Leviticus 17:3-4)—say to him: At that time Elijah acted for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He, and by command of the Almighty, as it is said, "And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening offering [that Elijah the prophet drew near, and said... and at Your word I have done all these things]" (1 Kings 18:36). Thus, "Gilead is mine." "Manasseh is mine"—if a person says to you: Behold, Gideon offered on a high place, and that was forbidden, for Shiloh was standing; and Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Gideon did seven things—he offered a bull that had been worshiped, and a bull set aside [for idolatry], and he built an altar, and he cut wood from the Asherah, and he offered at night, and without a priest, and it was among the priests [of idolatry]—and everything he did, he did by command of the Almighty, as it is said, "And it came to pass the same night, that the Lord said to him: Take the bull [etc.]" (Judges 6:25). Thus, "Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine." "Judah is my lawgiver"—and if a person says to you: Behold, David transgressed a negative commandment, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: He taught the tribes like a scribe teaching children, as it is said, "I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall return to You" (Psalms 51:15). Thus, "Judah is my lawgiver." "Ephraim also is the strength of my head"—if a person says to you: Why did Joshua profane the Sabbath at Jericho, say to him: He acted by command of the Almighty, as it is said, "And the Lord said to Joshua: See, I have given Jericho into your hand" (Joshua 6:2), and it is written, "And you shall encircle the city etc., thus shall you do six days; and seven priests etc., and on the seventh day you shall encircle the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets" (Joshua 6:3-4). And how do we know it was the Sabbath? For there are never seven days in the world without a Sabbath. And furthermore, Joshua did another thing of his own accord, which was not said to him: When Jericho was conquered, it was the Sabbath. He said: The Sabbath is entirely holy, and all that we have conquered on the Sabbath shall be holy to the Lord, as it is said, "And all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord etc." (Joshua 6:19). Rabbi Berechiah the priest, son of Rabbi, said: He made it like a condemned city, and behold, a condemned city is forbidden for benefit, as it is said, "And you shall burn with fire the city and all its spoil entirely, to the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 13:17). Rabbi Judah ha-Levi bar Shalom said: He taught Israel what the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, "The first of your dough [you shall set apart a portion as a gift]" (Numbers 15:20). Joshua said: Since we conquered it first, let us make it dough [a first-portion offering] to the Holy One, blessed be He; let us consecrate all its spoil to the Most High. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Since you have done so, behold, your offering supports your tribe and overrides the Sabbath, as it is said, "On the seventh day, the chieftain of the children of Ephraim" (Numbers 7:48).

Another interpretation: "and there be no herd" (Habakkuk 3:17) — this is the decree that You decreed concerning me when You said, "So shall your seed be" (Genesis 15:5). Would You destroy them, so that there is "no herd in the stalls" (Habakkuk 3:17)? Would You not raise up from her the tribe of Ephraim, about whom it is written, "And Ephraim is a trained heifer" (Hosea 10:11)? "There is no herd," said our mother Sarah; nevertheless, "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord" (Habakkuk 3:18). These say, Sarah does not bear, and those say, Abraham does not beget; nevertheless, she trusts in the Lord. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her: And in Me you place your trust; by your life, I will visit you, as it is said, "And the Lord visited Sarah" (Genesis 21:1).]

And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there (Exod. 34:5). How fortunate was Moses was that he could come before the Omnipresent while no angel or seraph was able to do so! Two people discussed this verse. One said that Moses was drawn into the cloud, and ascended into the firmament like a colias until he reached the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: And stood with him there.

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed (ibid., v. 6). He taught Moses how to plead in defense of Israel. He said to him: Tell Me about the merits of the patriarchs; remind Me of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, My servants. Were it not for their merit I would destroy them, but now and henceforth it will be said: The Lord, merciful and gracious (ibid.).

The Holy One, blessed be He, declared: I taught Moses to speak in their defense in this world, but in the future I that speak in victory, mighty to save, (Isa. 63:1); that is, I shall speak in their behalf.

"And the Lord visited Sarah" (Genesis 21:1). Let our master teach us: What is verbal wronging (onaah)? Thus our Rabbis taught: It is forbidden for a person to wrong his fellow. He must not say to him, "How much is this object worth?" when he has no need to buy it. And if he was a penitent, let him not wrong him and say to him, "Remember your former deeds." And if he was the child of converts, let him not say to him, "Remember the deeds of your ancestors," for indeed the flesh of a pig is bitten between their teeth. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: It is enough for you to be equal to Me. As it were, when I created My world, I did not seek to wrong any creature, and I did not publicize to those who come into the world what was the tree from which the first man ate. Come and see: whoever wrongs his fellow is punished first. And Sarah wronged herself, and she received her reward. She said to Abraham, "Behold now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing" (Genesis 16:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to her: You have wronged yourself; by your life, with the very language in which you spoke, I will visit you. You said "restrained me." What is written above? "For the Lord had completely restrained every womb" (Genesis 20:18). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Abraham prayed before Me on behalf of Abimelech the wicked, and I was filled with mercy upon him; behold, I visit Abraham together with him, as it is said, "And God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants, and they bore" (Genesis 20:17). What is written after it? "And the Lord visited Sarah."

[(Numbers 7:48:) ON THE SEVENTH DAY, THE PRINCE OF THE CHILDREN OF EPHRAIM. Rabbi Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi:] This is what Scripture says (Ecclesiastes 8:4-5): WHERE THE WORD OF A KING IS, THERE IS POWER, etc.; WHOEVER KEEPS A COMMANDMENT SHALL KNOW NO EVIL THING. And likewise it says (II Samuel 23:3): THE GOD OF ISRAEL SPOKE, THE ROCK OF ISRAEL SAID TO ME: ONE WHO RULES OVER MAN, RIGHTEOUS, RULING IN THE FEAR OF GOD. Who is this? This is the one who rules over his impulse (yetzer). And who was this? This was Joseph, the father of [Ephraim], the father of the father of Joshua son of Nun. What is written concerning him? AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS THAT HIS MASTER'S WIFE LIFTED UP HER EYES TO JOSEPH [etc.], BUT HE REFUSED, etc. (Genesis 39:7-8). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You did not listen to her; by your life, I will make you king over Egypt, and all shall be obedient to you, as it is said (Genesis 41:55): AND PHARAOH SAID TO ALL EGYPT: GO TO JOSEPH. And it says (Genesis 41:40): YOU SHALL BE OVER MY HOUSE — and the children of my palace shall do nothing apart from your knowledge. And it says (Genesis 42:6): AND JOSEPH WAS THE RULER OVER THE LAND. Because he ruled over his impulse, he was made ruler over the land. (Genesis 39:2:) AND HE WAS A SUCCESSFUL MAN (ish matzliach). It need only have said "a righteous man." Why is it written "a successful man"? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You attained what Adam the first man did not attain. "Successful" (matzliach) means nothing other than attainment, as it is said (II Samuel 19:18): AND THEY CROSSED OVER (tzalchu) THE JORDAN BEFORE THE KING. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: An individual's offering does not override the Sabbath; by your life, your son's offering shall override the Sabbath, on account of the commandment that you fulfilled. Hence (Numbers 7:48): ON THE SEVENTH DAY, THE PRINCE OF THE CHILDREN OF EPHRAIM, ELISHAMA SON OF AMMIHUD. Rabbi Azariah said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Joseph: You kept the commandment YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, and you fulfilled the Torah before I gave it; no tribe shall come between your two sons — rather, Ephraim on the seventh day and Manasseh on the eighth day.

And the Lord said unto Moses: “Write thou these words” (Exod. 34:27). May our masters teach us: Is one who writes two letters on the Sabbath (while unmindful of the prohibition or of the Sabbath) obligated (to bring a sin-offering)? Thus do our masters teach us: One who writes two letters thoughtlessly on the Sabbath is obligated (to bring a sin-offering) because he has made a mark and profaned the Sabbath. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: Be zealous of the glory of the Sabbath, for on that day I rested from the work of creation, as it is said: And He rested on the seventh day (ibid. 20:9).

It happened that the wicked Turnus Rufus encountered R. Akiba and asked him: “What difference is there between today and yesterday?” He responded: “What difference is there between one strong man and another?” Rufus retorted: “I asked you a question, yet you reply with another question.” R. Akiba then said: “You asked me what difference was there between the Sabbath and any other day, and I asked you what is the difference between Turnus Rufus and any other man.” “The king among kings wished to honor me,” he answered. R. Akiba replied: “It is the King of Kings who demands that Israel honor the Sabbath.” “If that is so,” he argued, why does He labor on the Sabbath?” “What labor does he perform on the Sabbath?” queried Akiba. “Exactly what He does during the week,” said Rufus. “He makes the winds to blow, the clouds to soar, the rain to fall, the sun and the moon to shine, the fruits to grow, and answers (the prayers) of women giving birth as they do on any other day of the week.” Akiba retorted: “I know that you are familiar with the law of eruv. Now if two men reside in one courtyard and one deposits an eruv while the other does not, you would not maintain that they are both permitted to walk about on the Sabbath.

However, if a man lived alone in a courtyard as large as Antioch itself, he could walk about that courtyard, for no one else shares the area with him. So, too, the Holy One, blessed be He, may His name and His memory be blessed, has His throne in heaven and the earth is His footstool, His glory fills the earth and no one shares it with him, hence He goes about in his world. Nevertheless those who ate the manna testify that it descended on weekdays and not on the Sabbath, as it is said: Eat that today; for today is a Sabbath (ibid. 16:25). Likewise, those who conjure up the dead through witchcraft testify that the dead arise on weekdays but not on the Sabbath. If you doubt this, consult your father’s (corpse), may his bones be ground to dust.”

He went to the sorcerer on the first day of the week and his father’s corpse was brought up. That occurred also on the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth day of the week, but on the Sabbath day it did not ascend. Then, on the first day of the next week, it reappeared. He asked his father’s corpse: “Now that you are dead, why do you behave as a Jew, observing the Sabbath?” He replied: “My son, everyone among you who does not observe the Sabbath as it is decreed will do so unwillingly when he arrives here.” He asked him: “What work do you do on weekdays? He answered: “On weekdays we are judged, but on the Sabbath we rest until the Sabbath ends and the Sabbath reading is completed. When the Sabbath reading is concluded, the angel in charge of souls comes and takes the souls of those people and casts them back into the pit of the earth that is called A land of thick darkness as darkness itself; a land of the shadow of death, without any order (Job 10:22).” What is meant by tzalmavet (“shadow of death”)? It means tze’u lemavet (“they go out to death”), since they have already completed reading the text for the Sabbath. He then asked him: “If that is so, then why does the Holy One, blessed be He, work on that day?” He replied: “He is like one who walks about a courtyard four cubits in size. Furthermore, the river Sabbatyon testifies to this fact, for it carries stones and sand throughout the week, but on the Sabbath it rests.” He said to him: “Do you intend to fob me off (with this answer)?” He said to him: “It is written: He rested on the seventh day from all His labors (Gen. 2:2) (My answer is intended seriously).”

R. Phinehas stated in the name of R. Joshua: Though it is written concerning Him that He rested from all His labors, it indicates merely that He rested from the work of creation, but not that He rests from considering the deeds of the righteous and the acts of the wicked. Rather, He works with them. He reveals to these (the righteous) the essential character of their deeds and to those (the wicked) the essential nature of their acts. How do we know that the punishment of the wicked is called work? It is said: The Lord hath opened His armory and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation; for it is a work that the Lord God of hosts hath to do (Jer. 50:25). How do we know that rewarding the righteous is considered work? It is said: Oh, how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou has wrought for them (Ps. 31:20).

Thus you learn that even the dead are aware of the Sabbath day. R. Joshua the son of Hanina declared: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: “Keep the Sabbath, for it is equal to the entire law.” About the Sabbath, it is written: Keep the Sabbath day (Deut. 5:12), and concerning the law it states: Ye shall diligently keep the commandments (ibid. 6:17). The Sabbath was given through Moses: See that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath (Exod. 16:29), and similarly, the law was given through Moses.

[And the LORD remembered Sarah (Genesis 21:1).] This is what Scripture says: "And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD…" (Ezekiel 17:24). Who are the trees of the field? Rabbi Jacob bar Aha said: These are human beings, as it is said, "for the human is the tree of the field" (Deuteronomy 20:19). "I have brought low the high tree" (Ezekiel, there) — this is Nebuchadnezzar. "I have made high the low tree" (Ezekiel 17:24) — this is Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were cast into the fiery furnace. "I have dried up the moist tree" (there) — this is Belshazzar. "I have made the withered tree flourish" (there) — this is Daniel.

[Another interpretation of (Numbers 7:48): "On the seventh day, the prince of the children of Ephraim, Elishama ben Ammihud."] Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Joshua ben Korhah used to expound the names. Elishama — "my God ('Eli) he heeded (shama)," but to his mistress he did not heed. Ben Ammihud — "he was with me ('immi)," but with her he was not. And likewise Gamaliel ben Pedahzur (Numbers 7:54): Joseph said, [Gamaliel] — "God (El) recompensed (gamal) my people with good recompenses (gemulim)." Ben Pedahzur — "the Rock (Tzur) redeemed (padah) him." And who caused this for him? "The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me" (Psalms 18:21). Rabbi Samuel bar Abba said: What is "the cleanness of my hands"? Like the purity (berirut) of my hands, for I was clear (barur) in the commandments. "The Lord rewarded me" — how? When a person is poor, he trusts in the Holy One, blessed be He; but when he is rich, he trusts in his wealth, and there is no fear upon him. But Joseph, when he was a slave, feared the Lord, for his mistress enticed him with words, and he said to her, "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9). And when he became king, he increased in fear, as it is said, "I fear God" (Genesis 42:18). And when his brothers came down to him a second time, "And Joseph saw them... and slaughtered an animal and prepared (hakhen), for the men shall eat with me at noon" (Genesis 43:16). Now is it not the case that it is not the way of kings to prepare from one day for the next? Rabbi Yohanan said: It was the Sabbath, and "preparing" (hakhen) is nothing other than the Sabbath day, as it is said, "And they shall prepare what they bring" (Exodus 16:5). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: You kept the Sabbath before it was given. By your life, for the son of your son I will bring it about that he shall offer on the Sabbath day, as it is said, "On the seventh day, the prince of the children of Ephraim."

And the Lord said unto Moses: “Write thou these words, for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel” (Exod. 34:27). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Though I write for him never so many things of My Law, they are accounted as stranger’s (Hos. 8:12). R. Judah the son of Shalum was of the opinion that when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses Write thou, Moses wanted to write the Mishnah as well. However, the Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that ultimately the nations of the world would translate the Torah into the Greek language and would claim: “We are the Israelites.”

Now the scales are balanced (as to who are His people). The Holy One, blessed be He, can say to the nations of the world: You claim that you are My children, but I know that only those who know My secrets are My children. Where are His secrets (to be found)? In the Mishnah, which was given orally, and from which everything can be derived.

R. Judah the son of Shalum said: The Holy One, blessed be He, asked Moses: Why do you wish the Mishnah to be written?’ What would be the difference, then, between the peoples of the world and Israel? That is why it is written: Though I write for him never so many things of My Law, they are counted as a stranger’s. Therefore give them the Scripture in writing and the Mishnah orally.

Write thou these words refers to Scripture, and after the tenor of these words alludes to the Mishnah, which was transmitted orally. Another comment on Write thou these words. They concluded from these words that one is forbidden to glance into the Torah and translate it (during the reading of the Torah in the synagogue), and that whoever is reading the Torah is prohibited from removing his eyes while reading it, since it was given in writing as it is said: And I will write upon the tablets the words (Exod. 34:1). One is prohibited from glancing into the Torah while translating it, for it is said: Write thou these words, but the Mishnah, concerning which it is stated: After the tenor of these words, may be interpreted freely because it was given orally.

R. Judah the son of Shalum said in reference to the verses Write thou these words and for after the tenor of these words: I have made a covenant with You both with the words write thee and with after the tenor of. If you fulfill that which is written in writing and that which was given orally with you mouth, then will I have made a covenant with you, but if you should reverse the two, I will not have made a covenant with you.

R. Abin the Levite [son of Rabbi] said: Joseph would offer blessing, and his master saw him whispering with his mouth. He said to him: Joseph, what are you saying? And he answered and said to him: I am blessing the Holy One, blessed be He. He said to him: I wish to see your God. Joseph said to him: Behold the sun, which is one of His many servants — you cannot gaze upon it; how much more so His glory! The Holy One, blessed be He, said: For your sake I am revealing Myself to him, as it is stated (Genesis 39:3), "And his master saw that the Lord was with him," and so forth. R. Abin the Levite son of Rabbi said: What is the meaning of (Psalms 24:9) "[Who is this] King of glory" — He who shares His glory with those who fear Him, this is the Holy One, blessed be He. A king of flesh and blood — no one else makes use of his scepter, but the Holy One, blessed be He, gave His scepter to Moses, as it is stated (Exodus 4:20), "And Moses took the staff of God in his hand." And no one else sits upon his throne, [but the Holy One, blessed be He, seated Solomon upon His throne], as it is written (1 Chronicles 29:23), "And Solomon sat upon the throne of the Lord as king." And no one else rides upon his horse, [but the Holy One, blessed be He, mounted Elijah upon His horse]. And what is the horse of the Holy One, blessed be He? Tempest and storm, as it is stated (Nahum 1:3), "The Lord — His way is in the whirlwind and in the storm," and it is written (2 Kings 2:11), "And Elijah went up in a whirlwind to heaven." Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, shares His glory with those who fear Him. And His garment He gave to the King Messiah, as it is stated (Psalms 21:6), "Honor and majesty You bestow upon him," and the garment of the Holy One, blessed be He, is honor and majesty, [as it is stated] (Psalms 104:1), "You have clothed Yourself with honor and majesty." What is written concerning the Holy One, blessed be He? (Jeremiah 51:56) "For the Lord is a God of recompense, He shall surely repay" — for He repays the good according to their good and the wicked according to their wickedness. What is written concerning Joseph? (Genesis 49:22) "Joseph is a fruitful son." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Joseph, let there be peace upon the eye that shut itself and did not look at any of the Egyptian women, as it is stated (ibid.), "Daughters stepped upon the wall." R. Reuben said: What is the meaning of "upon the wall" ('alei shur)? The Holy One, blessed be He, said: It is upon Me ('alai) to pay reward to that eye. Our Rabbis taught that they would eat in the Sanctuary within the curtains, but at Shiloh — as far as the eye could see. Whatever Joseph did, the Holy One, blessed be He, repaid him. What is written? (Genesis 39:12) "And he left his garment [in her hand and fled and went outside]." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: [By your life,] when the children of Israel go out from Egypt, the sea is destined to see your coffin and to flee, as it is stated (Psalms 114:3), "The sea saw and fled." And what did it see? [It saw] that Joseph had kept all Ten of the Commandments. Simeon, the man of Kitron, says: It saw the bones of Joseph. And moreover, the coffin of Joseph would proceed before the Ark, and the nations of the world would see it and say: What is the nature of this coffin that proceeds together with the Ark of the Torah? And Israel would answer them and say: The one in this coffin fulfilled what is written in this Ark. And what was in the Ark? The Ten Commandments. And Joseph fulfilled them all before they were even given at Sinai. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Joseph: Joseph, even though I have repaid you a portion of your reward in this world, the principal endures for you in the world to come, when Israel is redeemed with an everlasting redemption. By the merit of Jacob and by your merit they are redeemed, as it is stated (Psalms 77:16), "You redeemed Your people with Your arm, the children of Jacob and Joseph, Selah."

Another comment on write thee (Exod. 34:27). Scripture states elsewhere: Let them be thine only, and not a stranger’s with thee (Prov. 5:17). What does this verse refer to? When they made the golden calf, Moses prayed until the Holy One, blessed be He, became reconciled with them. Moses cried out: My Master, restore the law to them just as David proclaimed: Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation (Ps. 51:14). However, the Holy One, blessed be He, responded: How can I return it to them, when only yesterday they said at Sinai: All that the Lord hath spoken we will do (Exod. 24:17), and now, in the very place in which they committed themselves (to observe the law), they debased themselves, as it is said: They made a calf in Horeb (Ps. 106:19)? Despite all the miracles and wonders that I performed in their behalf in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and even though they beheld My Glory at Sinai, where myriads of angels descended and crowned them, as it is said: A beautiful crown upon thy head (Exod. 16:12), they erected a calf at Horeb. Indeed, within the blinking of an eye they forgot Me.

What is more, I preceded them into the desert as a quartermaster would: And the Lord went before them by day (ibid. 13:21). I lowered the high places for them and raised the valleys, I caused bread to rain down from the heavens and the sea to send up quail, as it is said: And brought across quails from the sea (Num. 11:31). Though they lacked nothing at all, they built the golden calf. I cannot restore the tablets to those idolaters. When he continued to plead, He said: Write thou, that is, I shall give the law to you, as it is said: Let them be thine own, and not a stranger’s with thee (Prov. 5:17); that is, not to the idolaters with you. Because He held Moses in the highest esteem, it is said: Remember ye the law of Moses My servant (Mal. 3:22).

This is one of the three things to which Moses devoted himself: the law, judgeships and Israel. R. Hiyya the son of Yosé said: Moses also was deeply involved in the building of the Tabernacle. And it is called by his name. R. Hiyya the son of Yosé said: Throughout the seven days of consecration, Moses took apart the Tabernacle twice each day and then assembled it. The elder R. Hiyya said: He did it three times each day, for it is said: Thou shalt rear up (Exod. 40:1), The Tabernacle was reared up (ibid., v. 17), and Moses reared up the Tabernacle (ibid., v. 18).

Observe how strenuously he worked at doing that. If you should be of the opinion that the tribe of Levi assisted him, the answer is no. Our sages of blessed memory said: Moses took it apart and assembled it by himself. Not a single Israelite aided him, as it is said: And it came to pass in the day that Moses had made an end of setting up the Tabernacle (Num. 7:1). “On the day that Israel made an end” is not written here, but rather Moses made an end. Because he did the work himself, it is called by his name. Similarly, because he devoted himself to working on the Torah alone, it is called by his name, as is said: Hew thee.

[And the LORD remembered Sarah (Genesis 21:1).] There are four keys: the key of sustenance, and the key of rain, and the key of graves, and the key of barren women; and the four of them are in the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He. The key of sustenance, from where? As it is said, "You open Your hand [and satisfy the desire of every living thing]" (Psalms 145:16). And the key of rain, from where? As it is said, "The LORD will open for you [His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season]" (Deuteronomy 28:12). And the key of graves, from where? As it is said, "When I open your graves [and bring you up out of your graves]" (Ezekiel 37:13). And the key of barren women, from where? As it is said, "And God remembered Rachel… and He opened her womb" (Genesis 30:22).

And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights (Exod. 34:28). How did Moses know when it was day? When the Holy One, blessed be He, taught him the Written Law he knew it was the day time, and when He taught him the Oral Law, the Mishnah and the Talmud, he was aware that it was night time. This was so because day and night are alike in the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He, as is said: And the light dwelleth with Him (Dan. 2:22).

And as it is also written elsewhere: Even the darkness is not too dark for Thee, but the night shineth as the day; the darkness even as the light (Ps. 139:12). In what other way did he distinguish between night and day? When he beheld the constellations kneeling and bowing (descending), he realized that it was day, and when he saw the sun bowing, he knew that it was night, as it is written: The host of heave worship Thee (Neh. 9:6).

"And the Lord remembered Sarah" (Genesis 21:1). What is written above on this matter? "And Abraham prayed" etc. (Genesis 20:17). A parable. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a friend whom he loved exceedingly, and whatever his friend would ask of him he would do. Since everyone knew that the king loved him exceedingly, anyone who sought an office would come to him, and he would ask the king, and he would do his desire for him. Yet to that friend he gave no office at all. The members of his palace said to him: "Our lord the king, this friend of yours asks for others, but for himself he asks nothing." Who is this friend? This is Abraham, as it is said: "The seed of Abraham My friend" (Isaiah 41:8). And when Abimelech took Sarah, the Holy One, blessed be He, stopped up all their fountains, as it is said: "For the Lord had completely closed up" (Genesis 20:18). But when Abimelech asked of Abraham, he was healed, for he prayed over him, as it is said: "And Abraham prayed to God" (ibid., ibid. 17). The ministering angels said before the Holy One, blessed be He: "Master of the universe, Abraham heals others, yet he himself needs healing. He healed Abimelech and his household, and they bore children, as it is said, 'And God healed' — and You do not heal him?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "He is worthy that I should give him children." See the deed of the Holy One, blessed be He, that it is not like the deed of flesh and blood. A man says he will give his fellow a gift; sometimes he gives, sometimes he does not give. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so: when He says He will do good, immediately He does good. Balaam said: "God is not a man, that He should lie" (Numbers 23:19), and then he said: "Hath He said, and shall He not do it?" (ibid.). Rabbi Shamshu'el bar Nachman said: This verse — its end does not correspond to its beginning, nor its beginning to its end, for he says "God is not a man, that He should lie" etc., and then he says "Hath He said, and shall He not do it?" Rather: it is a son of man who "has said, and shall not do it," but the Holy One, blessed be He, says and does, decrees and fulfills, as it is said: "And the Lord remembered Sarah" (Genesis 21:1).

And it came to pass, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai … Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent forth beams (Exod. 34:29). Why did Moses merit the beams of glory? Our sages of blessed memory said: Because of the incident at the rock, as it is said: And it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by (Exod. 33:22). The Holy One placed His Hand upon him, and because of that he merited the beams of glory. For so it says: Rays hath He at his side; and there is the hiding of His power (Hab. 3:4).

There are others who say that at the time the Holy One, blessed be He, taught him the Torah, sparks emanated from the countenance of the Shekhinah, and he received the beams of glory from them. R. Samuel the son of Nahman said: The tablets were six handbreadths long and three handbreadths thick, and Moses held them by two of the handbreadths, and the Holy One, blessed be He, held them by two, and Moses obtained the beams of glory from the two handbreadths in the middle.

R. Samuel said: After Moses wrote the Torah, a little ink was left in the pen, and when he passed it before his head, the beams of glory were formed upon him, as it is said: And Moses knew not that the skin of his face sent forth beams. All the glory he obtained was a reward (for what he had done), but You placed the beams, as it is said: Rays hath He at His side; and there is the hiding of His power. The righteous receive their reward in the world-to-come, but he received his reward at that time, as is said: Behold, the Lord will come as a Mighty One, and His arm will rule for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him (Isa. 40:10).

"And Sarah said: God has made laughter for me" (Genesis 21:6). This teaches that in the hour when Isaac was born, the sick were healed, the deaf were opened, and the blind were made to see; therefore it says, "God has made laughter for me." Rabbi Berekhyah the Priest said: What is the meaning of "everyone who hears will laugh for me"? Did everyone then hear? Rather, what is the meaning of "everyone who hears"? That the Holy One, blessed be He, added to the luminaries of the sun and the moon, as it is said, "And God made the two great lights" (Genesis 1:16). Therefore, "everyone who hears will laugh for me."

Our Rabbis said: All the children of the Egyptian women whom Sarah nursed, all of them became proselytes; and do not be astonished at this matter. And so you find in the case of Eliphaz son of Esau: because he was raised in the bosom of Isaac, he became righteous, and he merited that the Holy Spirit rested upon him, as it is said, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life" (Proverbs 11:30). R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon ben Yohai — R. Yose ben Halafta saw him and said to him: "You are from a root of righteous ones, yet you are not a man of Torah." He said to him: "What shall I do?" He said to him: "Do you wish to study?" He said to him: "Yes." He began to teach him one chapter, and a second, and a third. He brought him into the house of assembly. Rabbi saw him and said to him: "Is it this one whom you have brought in with you?" He said to him: "He comes from the stock of R. Simeon ben Yohai." R. Yose brought him up to Sepphoris and taught him. In another year he brought him down with him, and he entered the house of assembly, and he began to give answers there. And our holy Rabbi recited concerning him, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life." Who caused him to become a man of Torah? Was it not through R. Yose ben Halafta? So too the infants who nursed from Sarah our mother — all of them became proselytes. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this world, through the righteous, individuals became proselytes; but in the world to come I will draw the righteous near, and bring them under the wings of the Divine Presence, as it is said, "For then I will turn to the peoples a pure speech, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one accord" (Zephaniah 3:9).

(Genesis 22:1:) "Now it came to pass after these things, and so forth." This is what Scripture says (in Psalms 126:6): "Though he goes forth weeping, bearing the seed-bag, he shall surely come back with rejoicing, bearing his sheaves." "Though he goes forth": This is Abraham, at the hour when the Holy One tested him and said to him (in Genesis 22:2): "Please take, and so forth." Even so, in his heart he was weeping, yet with his mouth he said to Him (in Genesis 22:1): "Here I am." "Though he goes forth weeping" -- when? At the hour when he was "bearing the seed-bag," as it is said (in Genesis 21:12): "For in Isaac shall seed be called for you." "He shall surely come back with rejoicing, bearing his sheaves" -- (as in Genesis 22:19): "So Abraham returned to his young men." What caused him to receive a reward? Because he kept silent and made himself like one who is mute, as it is said (in Psalms 38:14): "But I am like a deaf man, I do not hear, [and like a mute man who does not open his mouth]." For he had occasion to open his mouth and say to Him: Yesterday You said to me, "For in Isaac shall seed be called for you," and now You say to me to slaughter him! Yet he said nothing and kept silent. Therefore, "he shall surely come back with rejoicing, bearing his sheaves."