He said to them: And what are His deeds? They said to him: He stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth; His voice hews out flames of fire; He shatters mountains and breaks rocks; His bow is fire, His arrows a flame, His spear a torch, His shield clouds, His sword lightning; He forms mountains and hills; He covers the mountains with grasses; He sends down rains and dews; He makes the green herbs sprout; He answers the beasts; He fashions the embryo in its mother's womb and brings it forth into the air of the world. He said to them: From the very start you speak falsehood, for I am the lord of the world, and I created myself and the Nile, as it is said: "My river is my own, and I have made myself" (Ezekiel 29:3).
The Warrior God
Shemot Rabbah 5:14
אָמַר לָהֶם וּמַה מַּעֲשָׂיו, אָמְרוּ לוֹ: נוֹטֶה שָׁמַיִם וְיֹסֵד אָרֶץ, קוֹלוֹ חוֹצֵב לַהֲבוֹת אֵשׁ, מְפָרֵק הָרִים וּמְשַׁבֵּר סְלָעִים, קַשְׁתּוֹ אֵשׁ, חִצָּיו שַׁלְהֶבֶת, רוֹמְחוֹ לַפִּיד, מָגִנּוֹ עֲנָנִים, חַרְבּוֹ בָּרָק, יוֹצֵר הָרִים וּגְבָעוֹת, מְכַסֶּה הָרִים בַּעֲשָׂבִים, מוֹרִיד גְּשָׁמִים וּטְלָלִים, מַפְרִיחַ דְּשָׁאִים, וְעוֹנֶה חַיּוֹת, צָר אֶת הָעֻבָּר בִּמְעֵי אִמּוֹ וּמוֹצִיאוֹ לַאֲוִיר הָעוֹלָם. אָמַר לָהֶם, מִתְּחִלָּה שֶׁקֶר אַתֶּם אוֹמְרִים, כִּי אֲנִי הוּא אֲדוֹן הָעוֹלָם וַאֲנִי בָּרָאתִי עַצְמִי וְאֶת נִילוּס, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לִי יְאֹרִי וַאֲנִי עֲשִׂיתִנִי.
Themes
Original Sources
- Exodus Rabbah 5:14
- B. Sanhedrin 95b
- Y. Sota 88
- Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael, be-Shalah
- Midrash Tehillim 18:15, 18:17