Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer Reader

Rabbi Jochanan said: All the dead will arise at the resurrection of the dead, except the generation of the Flood, as it is said, "The dead shall not live, the deceased (Rephaim) shall not rise" (Isa. 26:14). "The dead (who) shall not live" refer to the heathens, who are like the carcase of cattle; they shall arise for the day of judgment, yet they shall not live; but the men of the generation of the Flood, even for the day of judgment they shall not arise, as it is said, "The Rephaim shall not rise" (ibid.).

All their souls become winds, accursed, injuring the sons of men, and in the future world the Holy One, blessed be He, will destroy them out of the world, so that they should not do harm to a single Israelite, as it is said, "Therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish" (ibid.).

Rabbi Zechariah said: The sleep at night is like this world, and the awakening of the morning is like the world to come. And just as || in the sleep of the night a man lies down and sleeps, and his spirit wanders over all the earth, and tells him in a dream whatever happens, as it is said, "In a dream, in a vision of the night… then he openeth the ears of men" (Job 33:15, 16), likewise (with) the dead, their spirit wanders over all the earth, and tells them all things that happen in the world, but they are silent and (yet) they give song and praise to God, who will quicken them in the future, as it is said, "Let the saints exult in glory" (Ps. 149:5).

The awakening in the morning is like the future world. A parable—unto what is the matter to be likened? To a man who awakens out of his sleep, in like manner will the dead awaken in the future world, as it is said, "O satisfy us in the morning with thy loving-kindness" (Ps. 90:14).

The voices of five (objects of creation) go from one end of the world to the other, and their voices are inaudible. When people cut down the wood of the tree which yields fruit, its cry goes from one end of the world to the other, and the voice is inaudible. When the serpent sloughs off its skin, its cry goes from one end of the world to the other and its voice is not heard. When a woman is divorced from her husband, her voice goeth forth from one end of the world to the other, but the voice is inaudible.

When the infant || comes forth from its mother's womb. When the soul departs from the body, the cry goes forth from one end of the world to the other, and the voice is not heard. The soul does not go out of the body until it beholds the Shekhinah, as it is said, "For man shall not see me and live" (Ex. 33:20).

Rabbi Ẓe'era said: All the souls go forth and are gathered, each man's soul to the generation of his fathers and to his people. The righteous with the righteous, and the wicked with the wicked, for thus spake the Holy One, blessed be He, to Abraham: "But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace" (Gen. 15:15). And when the soul goes forth from the body, then the righteous come to meet them, and say to them: Come unto peace! One verse says, "Therefore, behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace" (2 Kings 22:20).

Rab Huna said: All Israel who die outside the land (of Israel), their souls are gathered into the land (of Israel), as it is said, "Yet the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living" (1 Sam. 25:29). All the heathens who die in the land of Israel have their souls cast outside the land (of Israel), as it is said, "And the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling" (ibid.), (even) beyond the land (of Israel).

In the future world the Holy One, blessed be He, will take hold of the corners of the land of Israel, and shake it (free) from all unclean (things), as it is said, "That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, and the wicked be shaken out of it" (Job 38:13).

A man has three friends || in his lifetime, and they are: his sons and his household, his money, and his good deeds. At the hour of a man's departure from the world he gathers his sons and his household, and he says to them: I beg of you to come and save me from the judgment of this evil death. They answer him, saying to him: Hast thou not heard that there is no one who can prevail over the day of death? and is it not written thus, "None of them can by any means redeem his brother" (Ps. 49:7)?

"For the redemption of their soul is costly" (Ps. 49:8). And he has his money fetched, and says to it: I beseech thee, save me from the judgment of this evil death. It answers him, saying: Hast thou not heard, "Riches profit not in the day of wrath" (Prov. 11:4)? He (then) has his good deeds fetched, and he says to them: I beseech you, come and deliver me from the judgment of this evil death.

And they answer him and say to him: Before thou goest, verily, we will go in advance of thee, as it is said, "And charity delivereth from death" (ibid.). Does then charity deliver from death? (This refers) to an evil death only. Another Scripture says, "And thy righteousness shall go before thee, the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward" (Isa. 58:8).

All the seven days of mourning the soul goeth forth and returneth from its (former) home to its sepulchral abode, and from its sepulchral abode to its (former) home. After the seven days of mourning the body || begins to breed worms, and it decays and returns to the dust, as it originally was, as it is said, "And the dust returns to the earth as it was" (Eccles. 12:7). The soul goes forth and returns to the place whence it was given, from heaven, as it is said, "And the soul returns unto God who gave it" (ibid.).

And whence do we learn that the soul has been given from heaven? Come and see. When the Holy One, blessed be He, formed man, he did not have in him the spirit. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do?

He breathed with the spirit of the breath of His mouth, and cast a soul into him, as it is said, "And he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life" (Gen. 2:7).

Rabbi Ishmael said: All the bodies crumble into the dust of the earth, until nothing remains of the body except a spoonful of earthy matter. In the future life, when the Holy One, blessed be He, calls to the earth to return all the bodies deposited with it, that which had become mixed with the dust of the earth, like the yeast which is mixed with the dough, improves and increases, and it raises up all the body.

When the Holy One, blessed be He, calls to the earth to return all the bodies deposited with it, that which has become mixed with the dust of the earth, improves and increases and raises up all the body without water. Forthwith the earth quakes and the mountains tremble, and the graves are opened, and the stones of the graves are scattered about one from the other, as it is said, "And the Lord God shall save them || in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted on high over his land" (Zech. 9:16).

Rabbi Azariah said: All the souls are in the hands of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said, "In whose hand is the soul of every living thing" (Job 12:10). A parable—to what is the matter like? To a person who was going in the market with the key of his house in his hand. As long as the key is in his hand, all his money is in his hand. Likewise the Holy One, blessed be He, has the key of the graves, and the key of the treasure-houses of the souls; and He will restore every spirit to the body of flesh of man, as it is said, "Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the ground" (Ps. 104:30).

The soul is like its Creator. Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, sees and is not visible, so the soul sees and is not visible. Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, has no sleep in His presence, so the soul does not sleep. Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, bears His world, so the soul bears all the body. All souls are His, as it is said, "Behold, all souls are mine" (Ezek. 18:4).

Rabbi Jehudah said: From the day when the Temple was destroyed, the land (of Israel) is broken down on account of the wickedness of those who dwell therein; like a man who is sick and has no power to stand, so is the land broken down and is without power to yield her fruits, as it is said, "The earth also is polluted under the inhabitants thereof" (Isa. 24:5).

In the future life the Holy One, blessed be He, will cause the reviving dew to descend, and He will quicken the dead and renew all things, as it is said, "Thy dead shall live" (Isa. 26:19). They are the Israelites, who died trusting in His name. || "My dead bodies shall arise" (ibid.). They are the heathens, who are like the carcase of the beast; they shall arise for the day of judgment, but they shall not live.

"Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust" (ibid.). They are the righteous, for they dwell in the dust. "For thy dew is as the dew of light" (ibid.). The dew of the righteous is not the dew of darkness, but (it is) the dew of light, as it is said, "For thy dew is as the dew of light" (ibid.); and it gives healing to the earth, as it is said, "And the earth shall cast forth the dead" (ibid.). And what is the meaning of "And the earth shall cast forth the dead"?

Rabbi Tanchum said: On account of the seed of the earth, when it is commanded, (it) discharges the dew for the resurrection of the dead. From what place does it descend? From the head of the Holy One, blessed be He; for the head of the Holy One, blessed be He, is full of the reviving dew. In the future life the Holy One, blessed be He, will shake His head and cause the quickening dew to descend, as it is said, "I was asleep, but my heart waked… for my head is filled with dew, my locks with the drops of the night" (Cant. 5:2).

THE VISION OF JACOB AT BETHEL "BETTER is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof" (Eccles. 7:8). The first blessings wherewith Isaac blessed Jacob were concerning the dews of heaven, and concerning the corn of the earth, as it is said, "And God give thee of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth" (Gen. 27:28). The final blessings were the blessings of the foundation of the world, and in them there is no (interruption), either in this world or in the world to come, as it is said, "And God Almighty bless thee" (Gen. 28:3).

And he further added unto him the blessing of Abraham, || as it is said, "And may he give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee and to thy seed with thee" (Gen. 28:4). Therefore (say): "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof" (Eccles. 7:8). "Better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit" (ibid.). "Better is the patient in spirit"—this (saying) is applicable to our father Jacob, for every day he was patient in spirit, and he spake all kinds of words of entreaty. (The words) "than the proud in spirit" (ibid.) refer to the wicked Esau, because every day he was eating the flesh of that which he had hunted.

Owing to his pride he did not give any of his food to Jacob. Once he went out to hunt but he did not meet with any success. He saw Jacob eating lentil food, and he desired this in his heart, and he said to him: "Let me gulp down, I pray thee, some of that red pottage" (Gen. 25:30). Jacob said to him: Thou camest forth red at thy birth from thy mother; (now) thou dost desire to eat (this) red food; therefore he called his name "Edom" (red), as it is said, "And Esau said to Jacob" (ibid.).

Rabbi Eliezer said: Lentils are the food of mourning and sorrow. Know thou that this is so, for when Abel had been killed, his parents were eating lentil food (as a sign) of their mourning for him in mourning and sorrow. And Jacob was eating lentil food in mourning and sorrow because the kingdom, the dominion, and the birthright belonged to Esau. Moreover, on that day Abraham, his grandfather, died.

The Israelites eat lentil food in mourning and sorrow on account of the mourning || and sorrow for the Temple, and on account of the exile of Israel. Hence thou mayest learn that the children of Esau will not fall until a remnant from Israel shall come and give to the children of Esau lentil food in mourning and sorrow, and will take away from them the dominion of the kingdom and the birthright, which Jacob acquired from (Esau) by oath, as it is said, "And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him" (Gen. 25:33).

Rabbi ' Aḳiba said: Every place where our forefathers went, the well went in front of them, and they dug three times and found it before them. Abraham dug three times and found it before him, as it is said, "And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham" (Gen. 26:18). And Isaac dug in the land (of Canaan) four times, and found it before him, as it is said, "And Isaac's servants digged in the valley" (Gen. 26:19). And it is written about Jerusalem, "And it shall come to pass in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem" (Zech. 14:8). This refers to the well which will arise in Jerusalem in the future, and will water all its surroundings. Because they found (the well) seven times, he called it Shib'ah (seven).

Jacob was seventy-seven years old when he went forth from his father's house, and the well went before him. From Beer-Sheba as far as Mount Moriah is a journey of two days, || and he arrived there at midday, and the Holy One, blessed be He, met him, as it is said, "And he met in the place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set" (Gen. 28:11). Why is the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, called Maḳom?

Because in every place where the righteous are He is found with them there, as it is said, "In every place (Maḳom) where I record my name I will come unto thee, and bless thee" (Ex. 20:21). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Jacob! The bread is in thy bag, and the well is before thee, so that thou mayest eat and drink and sleep in this place. He said before Him: Sovereign of all the worlds!

Till now the sun has still fifty degrees to set, and I am lying down in this place. And (thereupon) the sun set in the west, although not in its proper time. Jacob looked and saw the sun setting in the west, and he tarried there, as it is said, "And he tarried there all night, because the sun was set" (Gen. 28:11).

Jacob took twelve stones of the stones of the altar, whereon his father Isaac had been bound, and he set them for his pillow in that place, to indicate to himself that twelve tribes were destined to arise from him. And they all became one stone, to indicate to him that all (the tribes) were destined to become one people on the earth, as it is said, "And who is like thy people Israel, a nation that is alone on the earth" (1 Chron. 17:21).

Rabbi Levi said: In that night the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him all the signs. He showed him a ladder standing from the earth to the heaven, as it is said, "And he dreamed, and behold || a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven" (Gen. 28:12). And the ministering angels were ascending and descending thereon, and they beheld the face of Jacob, and they said: This is the face like the face of the Chayyah, which is on the Throne of Glory. Such (angels) who were (on earth) below were ascending to see the face of Jacob among the faces of the Chayyah, (for it was) like the face of the Chayyah, which is on the Throne of Glory. Some (angels) ascended and some descended, as it is said, "And behold the angels of God were ascending and descending on it" (ibid.). The Holy One, blessed be He, showed him the four kingdoms, their rule and their destruction, and He showed him the prince of the kingdom of Babylon ascending [seventy rungs, and descending; and He showed him the prince of the kingdom of] Media ascending fifty-two rungs and descending; [and He showed him the prince of the kingdom of Greece ascending 180 ascents and descending;] and He showed him the prince of the kingdom of Edom ascending, and he was not descending, but was saying, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High" (Isa. 14:14). Jacob replied to him: "Yet thou shalt be brought down to Sheol, to the uttermost parts of the pit" (Isa. 14:15). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Even "though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle" (Jer. 49:16).

Jacob rose up early in the morning in great fear, and said: The house of the Holy One, blessed be He, is in this place, as it is said, "And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God" (Gen. 28:17). Hence thou canst learn that every one who prays in Jerusalem is (reckoned) as though he had prayed before the Throne of Glory, for the gate of heaven is there, and it is open to hear the prayers of Israel, as it is said, "And this is the gate of heaven" (ibid.).

And Jacob returned to gather the stones, and he found them all (turned into) one stone, and he set || it up for a pillar in the midst of the place, and oil descended for him from heaven, and he poured it thereon, as it is said, "And he poured oil upon the top of it" (Gen. 28:18). What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He placed (thereon) His right foot, and sank the stone to the bottom of the depths, and He made it the keystone of the earth, just like a man who sets a keystone in an arch; therefore it is called the foundation stone, for there is the navel of the earth, and therefrom was all the earth evolved, and upon it the Sanctuary of God stands, as it is said, "And this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house" (Gen. 28:22).

And Jacob fell upon his face to the ground before the foundation stone, and he prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: Sovereign of all worlds! If Thou wilt bring me back to this place in peace, I will sacrifice before Thee offerings of thanksgiving and burnt offerings, as it is said, "And Jacob vowed a vow, saying" (Gen. 28:20). There he left the well, and thence he lifted up his feet, and in the twinkle of the eye he came to Haran, as it is said, "And Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the children of the east" (Gen. 29:1); and the (text) says, "And Jacob went from Beer-Sheba, and went to Haran" (Gen. 28:10). "And the Holy God is sanctified in righteousness" (Isa. 5:16). The angels answered and said: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, the Holy God.

JACOB AND LABAN "WHEN thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and if thou runnest, || thou shalt not stumble" (Prov. 4:12).

Jacob's steps were not straitened, and his strength did not fail, and like a strong hero he rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, and the well came up, and spread forth water outside itself, and the shepherds saw and they all wondered, for all of them were unable to roll away the stone from the mouth of the well; but Jacob alone rolled the stone from off the mouth of the well, as it is said, "And Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth" (Gen. 29:10).

Rabbi 'Aḳiba said: Anyone who enters a city, and finds maidens coming forth before him, his way will be prosperous (before him). Whence dost thou know this? Know that it is so. Come and see from Eliezer, the servant of our father Abraham, who, whilst he had not yet entered the city, found maidens coming out before him, as it is said, "Behold, I stand by the fountain of water," etc. (Gen. 24:43). And He prospered his way.

Whence again dost thou learn this? Know that it is so. Come and see from Moses, for, although he had not yet entered the city, he found maidens coming out before him, as it is said, "Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came" (Ex. 2:16). And He prospered his way, and he redeemed Israel from Egypt.

Whence dost thou know this? Know that it is so. Come and see from Saul, for whilst he had not yet entered the city, he found maidens coming forth before him, as it is said, "As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out" (1 Sam. 9:11). And He prospered his way and he acquired the sovereignty. || And whence do we know this?

Know thou that it is so. Come and learn from Jacob, for whilst he had not yet entered the city, he found maidens coming forth before him, as it is said, "And, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh" (Gen. 29:6).

Rab Huna said: Everything is revealed and foreseen before the Holy One, blessed be He. Before Jacob came to Haran, what did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He sent a plague among the sheep of Laban, and few were left out of many, and Rachel was tending these, as it is said, "Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them" (Gen. 29:9). Whence do we know that few remained of the many?

Because it is said, "And Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks" (Gen. 30:86), "the rest" (which remained) after the plague, in order to increase and multiply Laban's flocks at the feet of Jacob. Hence (the sages) said: Sometimes the foot of man destroys the house, and sometimes the foot of man blesses the house, as it is said, "And the Lord hath blessed thee at my foot" (Gen. 30:80). Likewise Laban said to Jacob: "I have divined that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake" (Gen. 30:27).

When Laban heard the tidings of Jacob, the son of his sister, and the power of his might which he had displayed at the well, he ran to meet him, to kiss him, and to embrace him, as it is said, "And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob, his sister's son" (Gen. 29:13). "And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother" (Gen. 29:15). Was he then his brother? Was he not the son of his sister?

This teaches thee that the son of a man's sister is like his son, and the son of a man's brother || is like his brother. Whence do we learn (this)? From Abraham, our father, because it is said, "And Abram said to Lot, Let there not be strife… for we are brethren" (Gen. 13:8). Another verse (says), "And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive" (Gen. 14:14).

Was he his brother? Was he not the son of his brother? But it teaches thee that the sons of a man's brother are like his own brothers.

The sons of a man's sons are like his own sons. Whence do we learn (this)? From Jacob, because it is said, "Ephraim and Manasseh, even as Reuben and Simeon, shall be mine" (Gen. 48:5). Were they his sons? Were they not the sons of his son? But it teaches thee that the sons of a man's sons are as his own sons. And the sons of one's daughters are as one's own sons. Whence do we learn (this)? From Laban, because it is said, "And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, The daughters are my daughters, and the sons are my sons" (Gen. 31:43). Were they then his sons? Were they not the sons of his daughters? But it teaches thee that the sons of a man's daughters are like his own sons.

Jacob began to serve for a wife for seven years. He made a banquet and rejoicing for seven days, and married Rachel, as it is said, "Fulfil the week of this one" (Gen. 29:27). "And Jacob did so, and fulfilled the week of this one" (Gen. 29:28). All the men of the place were gathered together to show loving-kindness to our father Jacob, as it is said, "And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast" (Gen. 29:22).

The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Ye have shown loving-kindness to Jacob, My servant, I also will give || you and your sons your reward in this world, so that there be no reward for the wicked in the future world, as it is said, "Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Aram… because by him the Lord had given victory unto Aram" (2 Kings 5:1).

(Laban) took his two handmaids, and gave them to his two daughters. Were they his handmaids? Were they not his daughters? But according to the law of the land the daughters of a man by his concubines are called handmaids, as it is said, "And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her handmaid" (Gen. 29:29).

Rabbi Levi said: The Holy One, blessed be He, saw the sorrow of Leah, and He gave her power to conceive, (bringing) consolation to her soul; and she bare a male child, goodly in appearance, and wise; and she said: See ye a son which the Holy One, blessed be He, has given me, as it is said, "And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, Because the Lord hath looked upon my affliction" (Gen. 29:32). Therefore he called his name Reuben.

Rabbi Eliezer said: Leah bare her sons after seven months, and in seven years there were born unto Jacob eleven sons and one daughter. And all of them were born, each with his partner with him, except Joseph, whose partner was not born with him, for Asenath, the daughter of Dinah, was destined to be his wife, and (also) except Dinah, whose partner was not born with her. She said: This child is (according to) justice and judgment, therefore she called her name Dinah.

Rabbi Eliezer also said: Jacob fled in order to come to Laban, and he fled to get away from Laban. Whence do we know that he fled in order to come to Laban? Because it is said, "And Jacob fled || into the field of Aram" (Hos. 12:12). (Whence do we know that) he fled in order to get away from Laban? Because it is said, "And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled" (Gen. 31:22). Why did he flee? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Jacob! I cannot suffer My Shekhinah to dwell with thee outside the land, but "return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee" (Gen. 31:3). Therefore he fled. And Laban took all the men of his city, mighty men, and he pursued after him, seeking to slay him. The angel Michael descended, and drew his sword behind him, seeking to slay him. He said to him: Do not speak to Jacob, either good or bad, as it is said, "And God came to Laban the Aramæan in a dream of the night, and said unto him, Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad" (Gen. 31:24). Laban rose up early in the morning, and saw all that Jacob had, and he said (to him): All these are mine, and since thou hast taken all these, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my Teraphim, which I worshipped?

What are the Teraphim? They slay a man, a firstborn, and he is red (in colour). All that a man requires (to know) is not written here. This is impossible, since the men who dispute about the knowledge of making (the Teraphim) have increased.

Everyone who follows that knowledge will ultimately go down to Gehinnom. And they pinch off his head, and salt it with salt, and they write upon a golden plate the name of an unclean (spirit), and place it under his tongue, and they put it in the wall, and they kindle lamps || before it, and bow down to it, and it speaks unto them. Whence do we know that the Teraphim speak? Because it is said, "For the Teraphim have spoken vanity" (Zech. 10:2).

On that account had Rachel stolen them, so that they should not tell Laban that Jacob had fled, and not only that, but also to remove idolatrous worship from her father's house.

Now Jacob knew nothing of all this, and he said: Anyone who has stolen thy Teraphim shall die before his proper time; and the utterance of a righteous person is like the speech from the mouth of an angel, and (Rachel) bare and died, as it is said, "And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, for she died" (Gen. 35:18).

Rabbi Jehudah said: Three forefathers made covenants with the people of the land. (With reference to) Abraham (the circumstances were as follows). When the angels were revealed unto him, he thought that they were travellers (from among) the people of the land, and he ran to meet them, and he wished to prepare for them a great banquet, and he told Sarah to prepare cakes for them. When Sarah was kneading, she perceived that the manner of women was upon her, therefore he did not hand them any of the cakes. He ran to fetch a calf. But the calf fled from before him, and went into the Cave of Machpelah, and he went in there after it, and he found Adam and his help-meet lying there upon their beds, and they slept, and lights were kindled above them, and a sweet scent was upon them like a sweet savour, therefore he desired to have the Cave of Machpelah as a burial possession. He spoke to the sons of Jebus, in order to purchase from them the Cave of || Machpelah by a purchase with gold, and by a perpetual deed for a possession of a burying-place. Were they Jebusites? Were they not Hittites? But they were called Jebusites according to the name of the city of Jebus. The men did not accept (this request). He began to bow down and prostrate himself unto them, as it is said, "And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land" (Gen. 23:12).

They said to him: We know that the Holy One, blessed be He, will give to thee and to thy seed in the future all these lands; make a covenant with us by an oath that thy seed shall not take possession of the cities of Jebus, and we will sell unto thee the Cave of Machpelah by a purchase with gold and by a perpetual deed and for a perpetual possession. He made with them a covenant with an oath that the Israelites would not take possession of the city of Jebus save by the consent of the sons of Jebus, and afterwards he bought the Cave of Machpelah by a purchase with gold, and a perpetual deed, for a perpetual possession, (as it is said), "And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant" (Gen. 23:16).

What did the men of Jebus do? They made images of copper, and set them up in the street of the city, and wrote upon them the covenant of the oath of Abraham. When the Israelites came to the land (of Canaan), they wished to enter the city of the Jebusites, but they were not able (to enter), because of the sign of the covenant of Abraham's oath, as it is said, "And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem" (Judg. 1:21). || When David reigned he desired to enter the city of the Jebusites, (but) they did not allow him, as it is said, "And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; which spake unto David, saying, Thou shalt not come in hither" (2 Sam. 5:6).

(Although) the Israelites were like the sand of the sea, yet it was owing to the force of the sign of the covenant of Abraham's oath. David saw (this) and turned backwards, as it is said, "And David dwelt in the stronghold" (2 Sam. 5:9). They said to him: Thou wilt not be able to enter the city of the Jebusites until thou hast removed all those images upon which the sign of the covenant of Abraham's oath is written, as it is said, "Except thou take away the blind and the lame" (2 Sam. 5:6).

"The lame" refers to the images, as it is said, "Wherefore they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house" (2 Sam. 5:8). Lest thou shouldst say, The blind and the lame did not enter the Sanctuary, Heaven forbid (that we should say this), but these "blind and lame" refer to the images which have eyes and see not, feet and they walk not, (as it is said), "That are hated of David's soul" (ibid.).

Because David hated to hear of and to see idolatry, as it is said, "Wherefore they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house" (ibid.).

David said to his men: Whoever will go up first, and remove those images upon which the sign of the covenant of Abraham's oath is written, he shall be the chief. And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, went up, and he became the chief, as it is said, "And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, || and was made chief" (1 Chron. 11:6). Afterwards he bought the city of the Jebusites for Israel by a purchase with gold and with a perpetual deed for a perpetual possession. What did David do? He took from each tribe fifty shekels; verily all of them amounted to six hundred shekels, as it is said, "So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight" (1 Chron. 21:25).

Isaac made a covenant with the people of the land, when he sojourned in the land of the Philistines. He noticed that they turned their faces away from him. He went away from them in peace, and Abimelech and all his magnates came after him. He said to them: Ye turned aside your faces from me, and now ye come unto me, as it is said, "And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore are ye come unto me, seeing ye hate me?" (Gen. 26:27).

"And they said, We saw plainly that the Lord was with thee" (Gen. 26:28). They said: We know that the Holy One, blessed be He, will give to thy seed in the future all these lands; make a covenant of an oath with us, that thy seed will not take possession of the land of the Philistines. He made a covenant of an oath with them. What did Isaac do?

He cut off one cubit of the bridle of the ass upon which he was riding, and he gave it to them that it might be in their hands for a sign of the covenant of the oath.

When David reigned, he desired to enter the land of the Philistines, but he was unable (to do so) because of the power of the sign of the covenant oath of || Isaac, until he had taken from them the sign of the covenant of Isaac's oath, as it is said, "And David took the bridle of the cubit out of the hand of the Philistines" (2 Sam. 8:1), as it is written, "So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more within the border of Israel" (1 Sam. 7:13).

Jacob made a covenant with the people of the land, because Laban said to him: I know that the Holy One, blessed be He, will give to thy seed in the future all these lands; make a covenant of an oath with me, that the Israelites will not take possession of the land of Edom. He made with him a covenant with an oath, as it is said, "And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather ye stones" (Gen. 31:46). Were they his brethren? Were they not his sons? But this teaches thee that a man's sons are like his brethren. Laban said to him: If the Israelites obtain possession of the land (of Canaan), then they must not come into the land of Edom for an evil purpose, and if Edom obtain possession they must not come into the land of Israel for evil, as it is said, "That I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm" (Gen. 31:52).

When David reigned, he wished to come into the land of Edom, but he was unable on account of the power of the covenant of Jacob's oath until he had broken that pillar. Concerning this, Solomon said: "And break in pieces their pillars" (Ex. 23:24). Afterwards he conquered the land of Edom, as it is said, "David smote also Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his dominion at the river" (2 Sam. 8:3).

JACOB AND THE ANGEL "As if a man did flee from a lion || and a bear met him" (Amos 5:19). The "lion" means Laban, who pursued (Jacob) like a lion to destroy his life. The "bear" refers to Esau, who stood by the way like a bear bereaved by man, to slay the mother with the children. The lion is shamefaced, the bear is not shamefaced. Jacob arose and prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: Sovereign of all the Universe! Hast Thou not spoken thus unto me, "Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred, and I will be with thee"? (Gen. 31:3).

And behold, Esau, the evil one, has now come to slay me; but I fear him and he does not fear Thee. Hence (the sages) say: Do not fear an executive officer or a ruler, but (fear) a man who has no fear of Heaven. (Esau) stood by the way like a bear bereaved by man, to slay mother and child.

What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He sent an angel to him to deliver him, and to save him from the hand of Esau; and he appeared unto him like a man, as it is said, "And there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day" (Gen. 32:24). As soon as the dawn appeared, the angel said to him: Let me go, for the time has arrived when I must stand to sing and to chant praises before the Holy One, blessed be He. But Jacob did not wish to let him go. What did the angel do? He began to sing and to chant praises from the earth, || and when the angels (on high) heard the voice of the angel who was singing and praising from the earth, they said: Because of the honour of the righteous (one) do we hear the voice of the angel who is singing and praising from the earth; and concerning him the verse says, "From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, glory to the righteous" (Isa. 24:16).

Again the angel said to him: "Let me go" (Gen. 32:26). Jacob answered him: I will not let thee go until thou hast blessed me; and he blessed him, as it is said, "And he blessed him there" (Gen. 32:29). Again he said to him: "Let me go" (Gen. 32:26). He answered him: I will not let thee go until thou tellest me what thy name is.

And (the angel) called his name Israel like his own name, for his own name was called Israel. Jacob wished to prevail over the angel, and to throw him down upon the earth. What did the angel do? He took hold of the sinew of the hip, which was upon the hollow of Jacob's thigh, and he lifted the sinew of his hip (out of its place), and it became like the fat of the dead.

Therefore the children of Israel are forbidden to eat of the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the animal's thigh, as it is said, "Therefore the children of Israel eat not the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh" (Gen. 32:82).