Shemot Rabbah Reader

Another interpretation: “…in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:1) – it is analogous to one who found a snake and smashed its head with a rock and cut off its tail; from now on, what good is it? So, the Egyptians arose and enslaved Israel, which is intolerable, and the same is true for Edom. What did the Holy One blessed be He do to Egypt? He exacted retribution against them, as it is stated: “He tossed Pharaoh and his army in the sea” (Psalms 136:15).

Regarding Edom it is written: “I have trodden a winepress alone” (Isaiah 63:3). The Divine Spirit said: “Egypt shall be desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness” (Joel 4:19). And the Holy One blessed be He is destined to redeem Israel from Edom. [Israel said to God:] ‘“Jerusalem and Your people have become a disgrace to all our surroundings” (Daniel 9:16), and You are not redeeming us?’

He said to them: ‘Yes’ [I will redeem you]. They said to Him: ‘Swear to us;’ He swore to them that just as He redeemed us from Egypt, so too, He will redeem us from Edom. Moreover, the great ones of the nations will see a lowly one of Israel and desire to bow before them due to the name that is inscribed on each and every one, as it is stated: “So said the Lord, Redeemer of Israel, its Holy One, to the despised person, to the abhorred by nations, to the slave of rulers: Kings will see and stand up, [and princes will prostrate themselves]” (Isaiah 49:7).

It is analogous to fine wood that was located in a bathhouse. A high official entered to bathe, he and all his servants, and they trampled the wood, and all the villagers, as well as everyone else, were eager to step on it. After several days, he [the emperor] sent a bust to that city, to [serve as a model to] make a statue of him, but they did not find any [suitable] wood other than what was in the bathhouse.

The craftsmen said to the governor: ‘If you wish to set up the statue, bring the wood that is in the bathhouse, as there is none better.’ They brought it and prepared it appropriately and gave it to the sculptor, and he sculpted the image onto it, and he placed it in the palace. The governor came and bowed before it, so did the duke, so did the prefect, so did the provost, so did the legionaries, so did the council, and so did everyone.

Those craftsmen said to them: ‘Yesterday, you were trampling this wood in the bathhouse, and now you are prostrating yourselves to it?’ They said to them: ‘We are not bowing to it for its own sake, but to the image of the king that is inscribed on it.’ So do Gog’s men say: Until now we have been doing to Israel what is intolerable, as it is stated: “To the despised person, to the abhorred by nations, [to the slave of rulers: Kings will see and stand up, and princes will prostrate themselves]” (Isaiah 49:7),46Israel is despised and abhorred. and now we are prostrating ourselves to Israel?

The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Yes, it is due to My name that is inscribed on them, as it is stated: “Because of the Lord who is faithful” (Isaiah 49:7).’ So does Moses say: “All the peoples of the earth will see that the name of the Lord is called upon you…” (Deuteronomy 28:10). When the Holy One blessed be He took Israel out of Egypt, He would take the lamp and go before them, as it is stated: “And the Lord was going before them during the day” (Exodus 13:21).

So He is destined to do when He takes them out of Edom, and so Isaiah said: “For the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard” (Isaiah 52:12). And it is written: “Behold, the former things have come to pass [and I relate new ones. Before they sprout I will let you hear of them]” (Isaiah 42:9), to fulfill what is written: “Egypt shall be desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness” (Joel 4:19).

Another interpretation: “In the land of Egypt” – for whose sake did the Holy One blessed be He reveal Himself? It was for His own sake. It is analogous to an apprentice who was seized for the sake of his master47He was taken to ensure that the master would pay a debt. and confined. His master said to him: ‘Have no fear, I will come and take you out.’

He sent his servant to take him out, but the innkeeper [where he was confined] did not want to let him go. He [the master] said: The innkeeper did well, as I said to him that I would take him out, and I did not tell him that I would send my servant. So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Your descendants are destined to be enslaved in Egypt, and then I will redeem them,’ as it is stated: “Know that your descendants will be strangers [in a land that is not theirs, and they shall be enslaved to them and they shall oppress them, four hundred years]” (Genesis 15:13), and it is written: “Also that nation, whom they will serve, I will judge” (Genesis 15:14).

The Holy One blessed be He sent Moses to redeem them, but Pharaoh did not want [to let them go]. The Holy One blessed be He said: Pharaoh acted appropriately, as I said to Abraham: “[Also the nation that they will serve] I will judge.” Is Moses “I”? Is Aaron “I”? I said only: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt” (Psalms 81:11).

Another interpretation: For whose sake did the Holy One blessed be He reveal Himself? It was for Moses’s sake. Rabbi Nissim said: It is analogous to a priest who had a fig orchard, and in that orchard there was a grave that had been plowed over.48A priest is forbidden to become ritually impure through contact with a dead body. In this case, since it is uncertain whether there are bones in the soil, the priest is prohibited from entering the orchard.

He wanted to eat figs. He said to someone: ‘Go tell the sharecropper that the owner of the orchard says to you to bring him two figs.’ He went and told him that. The sharecropper replied to him: ‘Who is the owner of the orchard?

Go back to work.’ The priest said to him: ‘I will go to the orchard.’ They said to him: ‘You are going to an impure place.’ He said to them: ‘Even if there are one hundred sources of impurity there, I will go, and my emissary will not be disgraced.’

So, when Israel was in Egypt, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Go and I will send you to Pharaoh” (Exodus 3:10). He went, and he [Pharaoh] said to him: “Who is the Lord that I should heed His voice [to let Israel go]? I do not know the Lord” (Exodus 5:2); “go to your burdens” (Exodus 5:4). The Holy One blessed be He said: I will go to Egypt, as it is stated: “A prophecy of Egypt: [Behold, the Lord is riding upon a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt]” (Isaiah 19:1).

The ministering angels said to Him: ‘You are going to Egypt, to a place of impurity?’ He said to them: ‘I will go, and My emissary Moses will not be disgraced.’ That is what is written: “The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying.”

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” – why did the Holy One blessed be He say this to Moses and Aaron? It is because sanctification of the month is [done] with three. When the Holy One blessed be He sought to sanctify the month, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses and Aaron: I and [the two of] you will sanctify the month. That is what is written: “The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron.”

However, intercalation of the year49Adding a month to the year to synchronize the lunar calendar with the solar calendar. is done by ten elders. When our Rabbis assembled to intercalate the year, ten expert elders would assemble in the study hall, and the Av Beit Din [the senior member of the court] was among them. They would lock the doors and deliberate over the matter all night. At midnight, they would say to the Av Beit Din: ‘We seek to intercalate the year so that this year will be thirteen months; will you join us in this decree?’

He would say to them: ‘I am with you in your opinion.’ At that moment, light would emerge from the study hall and come before them, and they would know that God has consented to them, as it is stated: “To the upright He shines a light in the darkness” (Psalms 112:4). What they decree, the Holy One blessed be He agrees with them, as it is stated: “I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes it for me” (Psalms 57:3).

May the name of the Holy One blessed be He be praised, that creatures decree and He consents, as it is stated: “The righteous rules with the fear of God” (II Samuel 23:3). From where is it derived to convene with ten elders? It is as it is stated: “Wisdom bolsters the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city” (Ecclesiastes 7:19). Likewise, during the reign of Solomon, when Solomon would intercalate the year, he would assemble seven elders before him, as it is stated: “A wise man is lazy in his eyes, more than seven who respond sensibly” (Proverbs 26:16).

What is “A wise man is lazy in his eyes?” It is that Solomon would keep his mouth closed, so as not to speak before one who is greater than he, and so it says: “When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider well what is before you” (Proverbs 23:1), and it says: “Put a knife to your throat, if you are a man with self-control” (Proverbs 23:2). Solomon, Natan the prophet, and Gad the seer were there, for a total of ten.

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” (Exodus 12:2) – that is what is written: “Behold, the former have come to pass and the new I declare” (Isaiah 42:9). Is there anything new in the future? Is it not written: “What was, that is what will be” (Ecclesiastes 1:9)? Rather, we find that there are ten things that the Holy One blessed be He is destined to introduce in the future.

The first is that He is destined to illuminate the world, as it is stated: “The sun will no longer be for you for light by day [and the glow of the moon will not illuminate for you; the Lord will be your eternal light and your God will be your glory]” (Isaiah 60:19). Is it possible for a person to gaze at the Holy One blessed be He? Rather, what does the Holy One blessed be He do to the sun? He has it illuminate forty-nine portions of light, as it is stated: “The light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold” (Isaiah 30:26).50The midrash assumes that there is a fixed ratio of 1:7 between the light of the moon and the light of the sun.

Therefore, if the light of the moon increases sevenfold and has seven portions of light and the light of the sun is seven times greater than that, the sun has 49 portions of light. Even [for] an ill person, the Holy One blessed be He will command the sun and it will heal, as it is stated: “But for you who fear My name, a sun of righteousness, and healing with its rays will shine” (Malachi 3:20). The second: He will bring spring water out of Jerusalem and heal everyone who has an illness, as it is stated: “Every living creature that swarms, any over whom the rivers will come, will live…” (Ezekiel 47:9).

The third: He will make trees produce their fruit every month, and a person will eat from them and will be healed, as it is stated: “Along the river on its bank, on this side and on that side…it will produce new fruit every month, because its waters emerge from the Temple, [and its fruit will be for food, and its leaf for healing]” (Ezekiel 47:12). The fourth: That they will rebuild all the ruined cities, and there will be never again be places in ruins.

Even Sodom and Gomorrah will be rebuilt in the future, as it is stated: “Your sisters Sodom and its daughters will return to their former state” (Ezekiel 16:55). The fifth: That He will build Jerusalem with sapphire stones, as it is stated: “I will set your stones in fair colors” (Isaiah 54:11), and it is written: “I will make your windows of rubies” (Isaiah 54:12). Those stones will shine like the sun, and the idolaters will come and see the glory of Israel, as it is stated: “Nations will walk by your light” (Isaiah 60:3).

The sixth: “Cow and bear will graze, [together will their young lie]” (Isaiah 11:7). The seventh: That He will bring all the beasts, all the birds, and all the creeping creatures and make a covenant with them and with all of Israel, as it is stated: “On that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the birds of the heavens, [and with the creeping creatures of the ground]” (Hosea 2:20).

The eighth: That there will no longer be crying and wailing in the world, as it is stated: “The sound of weeping and the sound of crying will no longer be heard in it” (Isaiah 65:19). The ninth: There is no more death in the world, as it is stated: “He will eliminate death forever; and the Lord God will wipe tears from upon all faces; and the disgrace of His people He will remove” (Isaiah 25:8). The tenth: That there will be no sighing, no groaning, and no despair, but rather, everyone will rejoice, as it is stated: “The redeemed of the Lord will return, and will come to Zion with song [and everlasting joy]” (Isaiah 35:10).

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” – that is what is written: “He made the moon for festivals; the sun knows its setting” (Psalms 104:19). There are many [of God’s] deeds that Moses recorded in the Torah that are unclear and David arose and explained them. We find in the act of Creation, that when He created the heavens and the earth, He created light, as it is stated: “In the beginning God created [the heavens and the earth]” (Genesis 1:1), and afterward: “God said: Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3).

David explained it: After God created light, He created the heavens, as it is stated: “He covers Himself with light like a garment” (Psalms 104:2), and then, “He stretches the heavens like a curtain” (Psalms 104:2). Here we have learned that after He created light He created the heavens. Three creations preceded the world: Water, air [ruaḥ],51The Hebrew word ruaḥ can mean air, wind, or spirit. and fire.

Water became pregnant and gave birth to darkness. Fire became pregnant and gave birth to light. Air became pregnant and gave birth to wisdom. With these six creations the world is conducted, with spirit, with wisdom, with fire, with light, with darkness, and with water.

That is why David said: “May my soul bless the Lord. Lord my God, You are very great” (Psalms 104:1). A person sees a beautiful pillar and says: Blessed is the quarry from which this was quarried. The world is beautiful; blessed is the Omnipresent who quarried it and created it with speech, happy are you O world, that the Holy One blessed be He reigns over you. [A person of] flesh and blood etches [tzar] his image on a wooden tablet, and the tablet is larger than his image.

God, may His name be blessed, is great, and His image is great. The world is small, and He is greater than the world, as it is stated: “For the Lord is God, an everlasting Rock [tzur olamim]” (Isaiah 26:4).52In contrast to an image created by flesh and blood, where the image is necessarily smaller than the object upon which it is drawn, God’s image is greater than the world. What is taught when Scripture states: Tzur olamim?

Relative to Him, the two worlds [olamim]53This world and the World to Come. are considered nothing. That is why it is stated: “Lord my God, You are very great.” After He covered Himself with light, He then created the world, as it is stated: “He covers Himself with light like a garment; [He stretches the heavens like a curtain]” (Psalms 104:2). [A person of] flesh and blood, after he builds the house, he builds the upper story.

God is not like that; after He built the roof, He built the upper story, and after He built the upper story, He positioned it on the atmosphere of the world, on nothing. Then He installed His chariots, clouds; and then His dais on the storm. Who informs you about all these matters? It is David, who explained the deeds of God to inform all humanity of His might, as it is stated: “He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot” (Psalms 104:3); not from copper, not from iron, but with balconies of water.

Then He constructed the upper stories, not from stone and not from hewed stone, but from layers of water, as it is stated: “He lays the beams of Your upper chambers in the waters.” [A person of] flesh and blood makes his chariot strong to bear his entire burden, and he makes it from iron, bronze, silver, or gold. But God, may His name be blessed, a cloud has no substance, and He makes clouds His chariots, as it is stated: “He makes the clouds His chariot.”

Flesh and blood, if there was a muddy path before him, he walks on stones that are hard. But God is not so; rather, He leaves the visible cloud and walks on the invisible wind, as it is stated: “Who walks upon the wings of the wind” (Psalms 104:3). Flesh and blood conscripts strong, powerful soldiers capable of wearing helmets, and armor, and weapons. But the Holy One blessed be He conscripted His soldiers that are invisible, as it is stated: “Who makes winds His messengers” (Psalms 104:4).

The wind emerges, followed by lightning, as it is stated: “The flaming fire His servants” (Psalms 104:4). After He created the sky, He created angels on the second day, and on that same day He created Gehenna, as “that it was good,” is not written about it [the second day]. Like [a person of] flesh and blood who acquires slaves and says [to his associates]: ‘Make swords.’ They say to him: ‘Why?’

He says to them: ‘So if they rebel, they will receive a death sentence.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He said: I created Gehenna [on the second day], about which “that it was good” is not written, so if people sin, they will descend into it. From where is it derived that Gehenna was created on the second day? It is as the prophet explains: “For Hell has been prepared from yesterday” (Isaiah 30:33), from the day that a person could say yesterday.

When would a person be able to say yesterday? It is on the second day, as the first day of the week precedes it. Afterward, He created dry land on the third day, as it is stated: “He established the earth upon its foundations” (Psalms 104:5). At that moment, one was naked and one was clothed, like [a person of] flesh and blood who has two servants; he stripped the garment off of one and clothed the other with it.

So, God said: “Let the waters be gathered” (Genesis 1:9) – He exposed the earth and covered the depths. So said David: “You covered the depths as with a garment” (Psalms 104:6). “From Your rebuke they flee” (Psalms 104:7) – like flesh and blood who saw his winepress filled with grapes and a vineyard to harvest. People said to him: ‘Where will you put the rest of the grapes, since the winepress is small?’

He said to them: ‘I will make a winepress that will hold all the grapes in the vineyard.’ What did he do? He trampled the grapes and trod on one [pile] after another, and then brought the grapes that were in the vineyard, and the winepress held all the grapes.54The winepress could not contain all the grapes at once but could contain all the juice. So, the entire world was filled with water, and the earth was immersed in the water.

The Holy One blessed be He said: “Let the dry land appear” (Genesis 1:9). The waters said: ‘We fill the world, and until now it is crowded for us; where will we go?’ May His name be blessed, He kicked Ocean and killed it, as it is stated: “With His power, He calmed the sea, and with His understanding, He crushed [maḥatz] Rahav” (Job 26:12). Maḥatz means nothing other than killing, as it is stated: “She crushed [maḥatza] and pierced his temple” (Judges 5:26).55This is a description of how Yael killed Sisera.

When he killed it, some say that it is crying until today, as it is stated: “Have you entered into the springs of [nivkhei]56The midrash reads nivkhei as though it derives from the term bekhi, weeping. the sea?” (Job 38:16). Why did He kill them? It is because a house that holds one hundred living people holds one thousand dead. That is why Ocean is called the Dead Sea; but the Holy One blessed be He is destined to heal it, as it is stated: “To the sea it will flow, and the water will be healed” (Ezekiel 47:8).

When the rest of the waters saw that He kicked Ocean, its fellows fled at the sound of its scream. It is like a donkey driver of flesh and blood who was walking and there were two servants in front of him; [when the donkey driver whips the donkeys], those [servants] in front [of the donkeys] run and flee. So, the rest of the water in the world fled at the sound of the scream of Ocean, as it is stated: “From Your rebuke they flee.”

They fled, but they did not know to where they were fleeing, as it is stated: “They rose to the mountains, descended in the valleys, to this place You established for them” (Psalms 104:8). It is like a servant of flesh and blood to whom his master said: ‘Wait for me in the marketplace,’ but did not tell him where to wait. The servant began saying: Perhaps he told me to wait for him near the basilica, perhaps he told me near the bathhouse, or perhaps he told me alongside the platform.

He [the master] entered [the city], found him and slapped him. He said to him: ‘I sent you to the gate of the prefect’s palace.’ So, the waters were wandering, when they heard that He said to them: “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered to one place” (Genesis 1:9). He did not say to them to the north or to the south, but rather they scattered, “they rose to the mountains, descended in the valleys.”

The Holy One blessed be He slapped them. He said to them: ‘I said to you to go to the place of the leviathan.’ From where that it is so? It is as it is stated: “To this place You established for them” (Psalms 104:8), and that is the place of leviathan, as it is stated: “This leviathan, whom You created to frolic in it [the sea]” (Psalms 104:26).

“You set a boundary that they may not cross” (Psalms 104:9). Like flesh and blood that put his animal into a pen and locked the gate before it so it would not go out and graze on the grain. So, the Holy One blessed be He locked the sea with sand and administered an oath to it that it would not go beyond the sand, as it is stated: “That I placed the sand as the boundary of the sea” (Jeremiah 5:22).

“Who sends springs through the ravines” (Psalms 104:10) – like [a person of] flesh and blood who has baskets [for the pressing] of olives. He pressed the beam onto them, and the oil came out from above and oil descended below. So, the mountain from this side and the mountain from that side press on the springs and they burst forth and emerge from between the mountains. That is why it is written: “Who sends springs through the ravines.”

Afterward, what did David say? “He made the moon for festivals” (Psalms 104:19) – the Holy One blessed be He created three hundred and sixty-five windows in the firmament; one hundred and eighty-three in the east and one hundred and eighty-two in the west; some of them He created for the sun and some of them He created for the moon, so that the world would follow it. The sun goes through all of them, as does the moon except for eleven windows that the moon does not enter any of them.

This is like a prefect and a duke who were receiving gifts. The prefect took commensurate with his honor and the duke commensurate with his honor. So, the sun is called great and the moon is called small. This is why the sun is called great, because it is eleven days greater than the moon.57The solar year is roughly eleven days longer than twelve lunar months.

This is why He created the moon for the festivals, so that Israel would increase and decrease like the moon [waxes and wanes]. But this [waxing and waning] is not harmful to it [the moon], but it is for the setting of the festivals.58Similarly, though Israel’s fortunes increase and diminish, it will ultimately prevail. All the years are counted by the sun [by the solar calendar], the years of the world and the years of [the lives of] people, and it [the sun] knows the span of every person, how long he saw the sun.

All this to say that He created the moon for the festivals? David rose and explained: “He made the moon for the festivals.” They said to David: ‘While we were in Egypt, we received [the consecration of] the month by the moon’; that is what is written: “This month shall be for you” (Exodus 12:2).

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” (Exodus 12:2) – that is what is written: “They will be for you alone, and there is nothing for strangers with you” (Proverbs 5:17). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘I do not caution idolaters against idol worship, but only you, as it is stated: “You shall not make idols for yourself” (Leviticus 26:1). I gave justice only to you, as it is stated: “Hear this, priests, and hearken, house of Israel, and listen, house of the king, as justice is yours” (Hosea 5:1).

Righteousness is for you, as it is stated: “It will be righteousness for you” (Deuteronomy 24:13). Mercy is yours, as it is stated: “He will give you mercy and will be merciful to you and increase you” (Deuteronomy 13:18). Sabbatical Years and Jubilee Years are yours, as it is stated: “You shall sanctify the fiftieth year” (Leviticus 25:10), and it says: “It is a jubilee; it shall be holy for you” (Leviticus 25:12).

I gave the mitzvot only to you, as it is stated: “It shall be, if you heed My commandments that I command you today” (Deuteronomy 11:13). The tithes and the firstborn are for you, as it is stated: “You shall eat before the Lord your God…the tithe of your grain…[and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock]” (Deuteronomy 14:23). The offerings are for you, as it is stated: “You shall sacrifice upon it your burnt offerings” (Exodus 20:21).

Blessings are for you, as it is stated: “May God bless you and keep you” (Numbers 6:24), and likewise, “I will command My blessing for you” (Leviticus 25:21). The Land of Israel is for you, as it is stated: “To give you the land of Canaan” (Leviticus 25:38); and not the Land of Israel alone, but also all the surrounding lands, as it is stated: “Every place on which your foot will tread [I have given to you]…” (Joshua 1:3).

I gave the Torah only to you, as it is stated: “For I have given you a good teaching, My Torah…” (Proverbs 4:2). I have given you ritual fringes, as it is stated: “It shall be a fringe for you” (Numbers 15:39). I have given you festival days, as it is stated: “There shall be a holy convocation for you” (Leviticus 23:7). I have given you Yom Kippur, as it is stated: “For it is the Day of Atonement [to provide atonement for you before the Lord your God]” (Leviticus 23:28).

Sukka is for you, as it is stated: “Every native resident in Israel [shall dwell in booths [sukkot]]” (Leviticus 23:42). I have given light only to you, as it is stated: “Arise, shine, for your light has arrived” (Isaiah 60:1). I have given the first of the month only to you, as it is stated: “This month shall be for you.” The paschal lamb is for you, as it is stated: “You shall hold it in safekeeping” (Exodus 12:6); that is, “they will be for you alone, and there is nothing for strangers with you”’ (Proverbs 5:17).

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” (Exodus 12:2) – one who sees the moon, how should he recite the blessing? At the time when Israel was sanctifying the month,59I.e., rather than automatically following astronomical calculations as is done today, each month witnesses would come to the High Court and testify that they had seen the new moon. Based on this testimony, the court would proclaim which day was sanctified as the first of the month. some Rabbis would say: Blessed…who renews months, some of them would say: Who consecrates months, and some of them would say: Who consecrates Israel, since if Israel does not consecrate it, the consecration is nothing.

Do not wonder about this, as the Holy One blessed be He consecrated Israel, as it is written: “You shall be holy to Me, as I, the Lord, am holy” (Leviticus 20:26); since they are consecrated to Heaven, what they consecrate is consecrated. If you would like to know, go and learn from the service vessels. Moses consecrated the Tabernacle and all its vessels. Who consecrated them [vessels introduced afterwards]?

Could Moses come and consecrate them? Rather, what would they do? The priest would receive a sacred item in it and the vessel would be consecrated, just as Moses consecrated them with blood for the altar, libation wine, or a meal offering. He would pour it into a non-sacred vessel and the non-sacred vessel would be consecrated.

If a non-sacred vessel is consecrated when filled with sacred items, all the more so that Israel, who are sacred, may consecrate the month. The Holy One blessed be He said: I am sacred; do I sanctify for Myself? Rather, I sanctify Israel and they sanctify Me. That is why it is written: “You shall be holy to Me” (Leviticus 20:26), “for I am the Lord who sanctifies you” (Leviticus 21:8).

And so did David say: “You, enthroned upon the praises of Israel, are holy (Psalms 22:4). When did Israel begin to consecrate the month? It was in Egypt. That is what is written: “This month shall be for you.”

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” (Exodus 12:2) – that is what is written: “He declares His word to Jacob” (Psalms 147:19); that [word] is the Torah. “His statutes and His ordinances to Israel” (Psalms 147:19) – these are the consecration of the months in which there are statutes and ordinances. “Statutes” – these are the festivals, on which ordinances are dependent; “His statutes” are nothing other than festivals, as it is stated: “For it is a statute for Israel” (Psalms 81:5).

How are ordinances dependent on it [the setting of the festivals]?60The festivals are fixed by the monthly setting of the calendar by the High Court’s consecration of the New Moon. A person sells a field, a house, or a slave, or borrows or lends to another; if a person wishes to steal from another, he produces a document and the judges examine how he wrote to him and from when he wrote to him this text, from what month, what day of the month.

Likewise, the judges examine him and say to the thief: ‘You may not steal from him.’ That is: “His statutes and His ordinances to Israel” – the judges examine the months, as the judges judge on the basis of the months.61The use the date to ascertain whether the document is authentic.

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you [the first of months]” (Exodus 12:2) – that is what is written: “In his days let the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more” (Psalms 72:7). Before the Holy One blessed be He took Israel out of Egypt, He made it known to them by allusion that their royalty would endure for them for thirty generations, as it is stated: “This month shall be for you the first of months.”

The month is thirty days, and your royalty will be thirty generations. On the first of Nisan, the moon begins to shine, and it gradually increases its light until the fifteenth day, and its orb becomes full. From fifteen until thirty days, its light wanes, and on the thirtieth it is not seen. So Israel, for fifteen generations from Abraham until Solomon.

Abraham began to give light, as it is stated: “Who has risen from the east, righteousness attends his footsteps” (Isaiah 41:2). Isaac came, and he also gave light, as it is stated: “Light is sown for the righteous” (Psalms 97:11). Jacob came and added light, as it is stated: “The light of Israel shall be fire” (Isaiah 10:17). And then Judah, Peretz, Ḥetzron, Ram, Aminadav, Naḥshon, Salmon, Boaz.

Oved, Yishai, David. When Solomon came, the orb of the moon became full, as it is stated: “Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king” (I Chronicles 29:23). Can a person sit on the throne of the Holy One blessed be He, of whom it is stated: “His throne was fiery flames” (Daniel 7:9)? Rather, just as the Holy One blessed be He rules from one end of the world to the other end, and He rules over all the kings, as it is stated: “All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to You” (Psalms 138:4), so, Solomon ruled from one end of the world to the other end, as it is stated: “And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon…and each of them brought his gift” (II Chronicles 9:23–24).

That is why it is stated: “Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king.” The garb of the Holy One blessed be He is majesty and glory, and He granted Solomon royal majesty, as it is stated: “He bestowed upon him royal majesty” (I Chronicles 29:25). Regarding the throne of the Holy One blessed be He it is written: “As for the likeness of their faces, the face of a man, and the face of a lion […and the face of an ox from the left for the four of them]” (Ezekiel 1:10), and regarding Solomon it is written: “And on the borders that were between the frames were lions, oxen” (I Kings 7:29), and another verse says: “Like the work of the chariot wheel” (I Kings 7:33).

No evil touches the throne of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Evil will not reside with You” (Psalms 5:5); regarding Solomon, it is written: “There is neither adversary nor evil occurrence” (I Kings 5:18). The Holy One blessed be He made six heavens, and He sits in the seventh, and regarding the throne of Solomon it is written: “The throne had six steps” (I Kings 10:19), and he sat on the seventh step.

The orb of the moon thereby became full, and from there the kings began diminishing: “The son of Solomon, Reḥavam” (I Chronicles 3:10), the son of Reḥavam, Aviya, his son Asa, Yehoshafat, Yehoram, Ahaziah, Yoash, Amatzyahu, Uzziah, Yotam, Hezekiah, Menashe, Amon, Josiah, Yehoyakim. When Zedekiah came, as it is written: “He blinded the eyes of Zedekiah” (Jeremiah 52:11), the light of the moon was lacking.

All those years, even though Israel was sinning, the patriarchs were praying for them and making peace between Israel and the Omnipresent, as it is stated: “Let the mountains bear peace to the people” (Psalms 72:3), and the mountains are nothing other than the patriarchs, as it is stated: “Hear, O heights, the Lord’s grievance” (Micah 6:2). Until when were the patriarchs praying for them? Until Zedekiah lost his eyes and the Temple was destroyed, as it is stated: “And abundance of peace, until the moon is no more,” until thirty generations that Israel had royalty.

From that moment until now, who makes peace for Israel? It is the Lord, as it is stated: “May the Lord lift His countenance to you and grant you peace” (Numbers 6:26).

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” (Exodus 12:2) – that is what is written: “You shall say to Pharaoh: So said the Lord: Israel is My firstborn son. I have said to you: Let My son go, and he will serve Me; and you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your firstborn son.” (Exodus 4:22–23). May the name of the Holy One blessed be He be exalted, as He “declares the end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10).

Regarding Abraham it says: “Also that nation, whom they will serve, I will judge [dan]” (Genesis 15:14). What is dan? The plague of the firstborn, which is called an affliction [nega], as it is stated: “One further affliction [nega] [will I bring upon Pharaoh and Egypt; afterward he will send you forth from this]” (Exodus 11:1). What is: “I [anokhi] will judge?”62The question is about the use of the word anokhi for the first person singular.

The Holy One blessed be He said: “I will exact retribution from them with the plague of the firstborn, as it is stated: “Behold, I [anokhi] will kill your firstborn son.” The Holy One blessed be He passed this sign to Abraham, and Abraham to Isaac, Isaac to Jacob, Jacob to Levi, Levi to Kehat, Kehat to Amram, and Amram to Moses. Moses kept it as he proceeded. What is: “Israel is My firstborn son?”

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Sons whose fathers blessed them with their actions. That is Abraham as it is stated: “Blessed is Abram to God the Most High” (Genesis 14:19). Alternatively: “Israel is My firstborn son” – sons of he who took the birthright.63A reference to Jacob, who bought the birthright from Esau. See Genesis 25:29–34.

Alternatively: “Israel is My firstborn son” – the Holy One blessed be He said to the wicked Pharaoh: ‘Do you not know how much I value the firstborn, as I wrote in My Torah: “Do not work your firstborn ox” (Deuteronomy 15:19). Anyone who works it is beaten, and you extended your hand against My firstborn; justice demands that you will be beaten.’ The Holy One blessed be He brought ten plagues upon him corresponding to the ten trials with which Abraham was tested and he withstood them all.

He brought them through Moses and through Aaron and by Himself. This is analogous to a king against whom ten provinces rebelled. He took with him two generals and went and conquered them. The king said: If I record them [the victories] in my name, how can I accord them honor?

If I record them in their names, I exclude myself. Rather, I will divide them into three,64Three provinces for each of them. and there is one extra, and I will divide it among the three of us. Thus, the plague of boils was performed by the three of them. What does it say regarding the boils: “Upon the magicians [baḥartumim]” (Exodus 9:11), is defective,65It is without a yod, as though baḥartumam is written, meaning their magician. meaning that it afflicted their angel on high, so they would have no ability to resist.

He brought ten plagues upon them like a military campaign.66See Tanḥuma, Bo 4. The frogs were especially hard on them, as it is stated: “Frogs that destroyed them” (Psalms 78:45), as they wounded their bodies and castrated them [the Egyptians], as it is stated: “And into your bedchamber, and onto your bed” (Exodus 7:28). The frogs said to them: ‘The image of their God67The Egyptians had tried to prevent Israel from procreating, and having children is, as it were, reproducing the image of God. is nullified, and yours [your ability to procreate] remains intact?’

Therefore: “That destroyed them [vatashḥitem],” as it says: “And he spilled it [veshiḥet] on the ground” (Genesis 38:9).68Referring to Onan, who spilled his seed on the ground rather than procreate with Tamar. From where [is the proof] that they [the frogs] spoke [medabberot]: “Regarding [al devar] the frogs that He had brought upon Pharaoh” (Exodus 8:8). Moreover, He brought upon them the plague of wild beasts [arov], because they were all intermingled [me’urbavin]; one man consorted with ten women, and ten men consorted with one woman; therefore, He brought a mixture [irbuvya]69Irbuvya and me’urbavin are from the same root as arov. upon them.

When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “One further affliction [nega] will I bring upon Pharaoh” (Exodus 11:1), Moses said: The sign has arrived [higia]. “One was Abraham” (Ezekiel 33:24) – behold, it is the affliction of the “one”.70Abraham is described as one, and the fact that God said “one further affliction” rather than simply: A further affliction, alluded to the fact that it was the plague that Abraham had been told about.

Since they [Israel] were firstborn, He therefore killed the firstborn, as it is stated: “Behold, I will kill your firstborn son” (Exodus 4:23). That is the sign to Abraham: “I will judge” (Genesis 15:14) Another matter: Why is Israel called “My firstborn son”? Because it is written in the Torah: “Rather, he shall acknowledge the firstborn son of the hated, giving him a double portion” (Deuteronomy 21:17); so too, Israel inherits two worlds, this world and the World to Come.

That is why the Holy One blessed be He gave the secret of [calculating the waxing and waning of] the moon to Israel, that they should count on its basis, but the idolaters count on the basis of the sun; that is to say, just as the sun rules only during the day, so too, they rule only in this world, and just as the sun is made of fire, so, they are destined to be punished in it, as it is stated: “Behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace” (Malachi 3:19).

And just as the moon is seen during the day and at night, so, Israel rules in this world and in the World to Come. And just as the moon is made of light, so, Israel inherits the light, as it is stated: “Light is sown for the righteous” (Psalms 97:11), and it says: “Arise, shine, for your light has arrived” (Isaiah 60:1). That is why it says: “This month shall be for you” (Exodus 12:2) – it shall be yours, because you are of the same type [as the moon].

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” (Exodus 12:2) – this is one of the four matters that the Holy One blessed be He showed Moses with His finger,71In the four cases listed in this midrash, Scripture uses the indicative “this.” The midrash takes it to be a literal case of indicating, pointing. because he was having difficulty with them. He showed him the preparation of the anointing oil, as it is stated: “This shall be a holy anointing oil for Me…” (Exodus 30:31).

He showed him the crafting of the Candelabrum, as it is stated: “This is the work of the Candelabrum” (Numbers 8:4). He showed him the swarming creatures, as it is stated: “And this is impure for you [among the swarming things that swarm on the earth]” (Leviticus 11:29), and the moon, as it is stated: “This month shall be for you.” He shook the seas and showed him the crocodile,72Which hides in the water and is difficult to see. as it is stated: “The voice of the Lord is on the water” (Psalms 29:3).

He shook the inhabited world and showed him the turtle,73Which hides from people and is not readily visible. as it is stated: “The voice of God breaks the cedars” (Psalms 29:5). He shook the wilderness and showed him the du’ar,74A legendary poisonous creature that lives in the desert, the product of the mating of a snake and a turtle. Also known as the arod, and the ḥavarvar. See Ḥullin 127a. as it is stated: “The voice of God shakes the wilderness” (Psalms 29:8).

He shook the fire and showed him the salamander,75According to legend, salamanders are born of fire. as it is stated: “The voice of God hews the flames of the fire” (Psalms 29:7). When did He do this for him? In the context of: “And this is impure for you.”76The list of impure animals. He shook the world and showed him the moon, as it is stated: “The voice of the Lord is powerful” (Psalms 29:4).

He shook the world and showed him the crafting of the Candelabrum, as it is stated: “The voice of the Lord is glorious” (Psalms 29:4). He shook the world and showed him the preparation of the anointing oil, as it is stated: “The voice of the Lord causes deer to give birth [yeḥolel]” (Psalms 29:9);77Yeḥolel can also mean shake. “and He bared the forests” (Psalms 29:9) – these are the spices of the incense.78Most of the spices are plant-based and are found in forests.

“And in His Sanctuary all say glory” (Psalms 29:9) – all the kings, each one of them speaks of the glory of the Holy One blessed be He, and they all began giving Him praise, as it is stated: “All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to You” (Psalms 138:4).

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” (Exodus 12:2) – the ways of the Holy One blessed be He is not like the ways of flesh and blood. The way of flesh and blood is that two stand before the king; one prosecutes him [the accused] and one defends him. Not everyone who prosecutes defends, and one who defends does not prosecute. But the Holy One blessed be He is not so; He defends and He prosecutes.

The mouth that said: “Alas, a sinful nation” (Isaiah 1:4), is the mouth that said: “Open the gates, and let the righteous nation enter” (Isaiah 26:2). The mouth that said: “A people laden with iniquity” (Isaiah 1:4), is that which said: “Your people shall all be righteous” (Isaiah 60:21). The mouth that said: “Children who deal corruptly” (Isaiah 1:4), is that which said: “And all your children will be disciples of the Lord” (Isaiah 54:13).

The mouth that said: “Evildoing descendants” (Isaiah 1:4), is that which said: “Their descendants will be renowned among the nations” (Isaiah 61:9). The mouth that said: “Even if you increase your prayers, I will not hear” (Isaiah 1:15), is the mouth that said: “It will be, before they call, I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24). The mouth that said: “Your New Moons and your festivals My soul despises” (Isaiah 1:14), is the mouth that said: “It will be that on every New Moon […all flesh will come to prostrate themselves to Me]” (Isaiah 66:23).

Why does it say: “Your New Moons” [i.e., the celebration of the first of the month]? It is because the months are a gift to Israel, as it is stated: “This month shall be for you.”

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” – this is analogous to a king who had treasuries filled with gold, silver, gems, and pearls. He had one son. As long as the son was young, his father kept everything. When the son grew and became an adult, his father said to him: ‘As long as you were young, I kept everything; now that you have become an adult, everything is given to you.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He kept everything, as it is stated: “And they will be for signs, and for festivals” (Genesis 1:14). When Israel arose, He gave them everything, as it is stated: “This month shall be for you.”

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” – this is analogous to a king who betrothed a woman and wrote her [a marriage contract endowing her] minimally. When [the time] came to marry her, he wrote her [a contract endowing her with] numerous gifts, as a husband. So, this world is betrothal, as it is stated: “I will betroth you to Me forever” (Hosea 2:21), and He gave them only the moon, as it is stated: “This month shall be for you.” However, in the days of the Messiah, it will be marriage, as it is stated: “For your Husband is your Maker” (Isaiah 54:5). At that time, He will give them everything, as it is stated: “The wise will shine like the brightness of the sky; and those who lead the many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).

“Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said to them: Draw, and take for yourselves lambs for your families, and slaughter the paschal offering” (Exodus 12:21). “Moses called all the elders of Israel” – that is what is written: “With the aged is wisdom and with the length of days understanding” (Job 12:12). Why did the elders merit that Israel was redeemed through them? When the Holy One blessed be He appeared to Moses at the bush, He said to him: “Go, and gather the elders of Israel” (Exodus 3:16).

When Moses came, immediately: “Moses and Aaron went and gathered all the elders of the children of Israel” (Exodus 4:29), and it says: “The people believed” (Exodus 4:31). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I will repay the elders for causing Israel to believe in My name. When Moses said: “And I say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:13), had the elders not accepted Moses’ statement, all of Israel would not have accepted it either.

Rather, the elders accepted it first, and drew all of Israel after them, and caused them to believe in the name of the Holy One blessed be He. I, too, will accord them honor, and the redemption of Israel will be through them, as Israel will slaughter their paschal offering through them, as it is stated: “Moses called all the elders of Israel.” Therefore, the verse praises them: “With the aged is wisdom.”

“Draw, and take for yourselves lambs” – that is what is written: “With stillness and pleasantness you will be saved” (Isaiah 30:15). We learned: One may heal himself with anything except for idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed. How so? If they will say to a person: ‘Come and kill a person and you will be healed,’ he may not heed them, as it is written: “One who sheds the blood of a man, his blood will be shed by man” (Genesis 9:6).

Since “one who sheds the blood of a man, his blood will be shed by man,” how could the ill person be healed by means of bloodshed? Forbidden sexual relations, how so? If they will say to a person: ‘Engage in forbidden sexual relations and you will be healed,’ he may not heed them, as it is prohibited for a person to engage in forbidden sexual relations. You find two adjacent Torah portions, the portion of the nazirite, and the portion of the sota.1The laws of the sota appears in Numbers 5:11–31.

The laws of the nazirite appear in Numbers 6:1–21. The nazirite vows not to drink wine. The Holy One blessed be He says to him: ‘You vowed not to drink wine in order to distance yourself from transgression. Do not say: I will eat grapes and it will not be a sin.’

The Holy One blessed be He says to him: ‘Since you vowed to refrain from wine, I will teach you not to sin before Me.’ He said to Moses: ‘Teach Israel the laws of naziriteship, as it is stated: “If a man explicitly vows…from wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain…he shall not eat anything that is made of the grapevine” (Numbers 6:2–4). When he does so, he is like an angel, “all the days of his naziriteship, he is holy to the Lord” (Numbers 6:8), as you say: “A watcher and a holy one [came down from Heaven]” (Daniel 4:10).

Likewise, a woman is called a grapevine, as it is stated: “Your wife is like a fruitful vine” (Psalms 128:3). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Do not say: Since it is prohibited for me to engage in relations with the woman, I will grab her and it will not be a sin for me, I will fondle her and it will not be a sin for me, or I will kiss her and it will not be a sin for me.’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Just as if a nazirite has vowed not to drink wine, it is prohibited [for him] to eat moist and dry grapes, and food that is soaked in wine, and anything that emerges from the grapevine; so, too, a woman who is not your wife, you may not touch her at all, as Solomon says: “Can a man stoke fire in his bosom and his garments not be burned…so one who goes in to his neighbor's wife; anyone who touches her will not be absolved” (Proverbs 6:27–9).

This is why the Holy One blessed be He [wrote] the portion of the nazirite adjacent to the portion of the sota, because they are similar to one another. And anyone who touches a woman who is not his wife brings death upon himself, as it is stated: “For she has felled many corpses” (Proverbs 7:26), and it is written: “Her feet descend to death; her steps support one to the grave” (Proverbs 5:5). Since she has all these attributes, how can she give life to the ill?

Therefore, one may not heal himself through her. Idol worship, how so? If a person of Israel is ill and they say to him: ‘Go to such and such idol and be healed,’ it is prohibited to go, as it says: “One who sacrifices to gods shall be destroyed, except to the Lord alone” (Exodus 22:19). Since everyone who worships idols shall be destroyed, it is preferable for him to die from the illness than to perform an act for which he will be destroyed in this world.2In addition to suffering in the next world.

Not only that [act of idol worship] is prohibited, but it is prohibited to heal oneself with anything associated with idol worship. If they say to a person: ‘Take from what they are burning to idols, or take from a tree worshipped as idolatry and make it into an amulet and be healed,’ do not take it, as it is written: “Nothing of the banned items shall cleave to your hand” (Deuteronomy 13:18). This [prohibition] is [referring to anything used for] idolatry.

And it says: “You shall not bring an abomination into your home and become banned like it” (Deuteronomy 7:26). Why? It is because they have no substance and they are to no avail, as it is stated: “Do not fear them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good” (Jeremiah 10:5). Likewise, you find that Jeremiah said to his generation: ‘I am going to enter into a confrontation with idol worship, and I will state its actions and the actions of God, and the differences between the Holy One blessed be He and idol worship will be known.’

You find four times on one page that Jeremiah demonstrated the denigration of idol worship and praise of God, as it is stated: “So said the Lord: Do not learn the way of the nations…as the customs of the peoples are vanity” (Jeremiah 10:2–3); “they beautify it with silver and with gold… they are like a date palm, a block of wood, [and they do not speak; they are carried because they do not walk]” (Jeremiah 10: 4–5).

You have heard the denigration of idol worship, come and hear the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “There is no one like You, Lord” (Jeremiah 10:6); “who would not fear You, king of nations” (Jeremiah 10:7). You have heard the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, come and hear the denigration of idol worship, as it is stated: “But they are altogether brutish and foolish…silver beaten into plates will be brought from Tarshish…” (Jeremiah 10:8–9).

You have heard the denigration of idol worship, come and hear the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord God is true” (Jeremiah 10:10). You have heard the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, come and hear the denigration of idol worship, as it is stated: “So you shall say to them: The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens” (Jeremiah 10:11).

You have heard the denigration of idol worship, come and hear the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “He made the earth with His power…at the sound of His giving a multitude of water in the heavens” (Jeremiah 10:12–13). You have heard the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, come and hear the denigration of idol worship, as it is stated: “Every man is proved to be foolish, without knowledge… they are vanity, a work of delusion” (Jeremiah 10:14–15).

You have heard the denigration of idol worship, come and hear the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Not like these is the portion of Jacob; for He is the Maker of all things…” (Jeremiah 10:16). The Holy One blessed be He said: Since it is like an inanimate stone and lacks substance, and others guard it so it will not be stolen, how can it give life to an ill person? Therefore, it is prohibited to heal oneself with anything associated with it.

Likewise you find regarding Israel when they were in Egypt, they would worship idols and they would not forsake them, as it is stated: “Each man did not cast away the abominations of their eyes” (Ezekiel 20:8). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘As long as Israel is worshipping the gods of Egypt they will not be redeemed. Go and say to them that they should abandon their evil deeds and repudiate idol worship.’

That is what is written: “Draw, and take for yourselves” (Exodus 12:21), meaning draw your hands away from idol worship and “take for yourselves lambs” and slaughter the gods of Egypt and perform [the rite of] the paschal offering, as thereby, the Holy One blessed be He will pass over you; that is: “With stillness and pleasantness you will be saved” (Isaiah 30:15).

Another interpretation, “draw, and take for yourselves lambs” – that is what is written: “All who serve graven images shall be shamed” (Psalms 97:7). When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses to slaughter the paschal offering, Moses said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, how can I do so? Do You not know that lambs are the gods of Egypt?’ As it is stated: “Behold, were we to sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, would they not stone us?” (Exodus 8:22).

The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘By your life, Israel will not depart from here until they slaughter the god of Egypt before their eyes, as I will thereby inform them that their gods are nothing.’ And we find that He did so, as on that night He smote the firstborn of Egypt, on that night Israel slaughtered their paschal offerings and ate them, and the Egyptians saw their firstborn killed and their gods slaughtered and they were unable to do anything, as it is stated: “The Egyptians were burying they whom the Lord had smitten among them, all their firstborn, and upon their gods the Lord administered punishments” (Numbers 33:4); that is: “All who serve graven images shall be shamed.”

Another interpretation, “draw, and take for yourselves lambs” – that is what is written: “A just balance and scales are the Lord's” (Proverbs 16:11), and likewise we find that Moses and Samuel are equal, and it is stated: “Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among those who call His name” (Psalms 99:6). Come and see how many differences there are between Moses and Samuel. Moses would enter before the Holy One blessed be He to hear the [divine] speech, while with Samuel, the Holy One blessed be He would come [to him], as it is stated: “The Lord came and stood” (I Samuel 3:10).

Why was it so? The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘With justice and righteousness I interact with the person.’ Moses would sit, and anyone who had a case would come before him and be judged, as it is stated: “It was on the next day that Moses sat to judge the people” (Exodus 18:13). But Samuel would take the trouble to go to each and every province and judge, so they would not need to inconvenience themselves to come to him, as it is stated: “He would go each and every year […and he judged Israel in all those places]” (I Samuel 7:16).

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Moses, who would sit in one place and judge Israel, will come to Me to the Tent of Meeting to hear the [divine] speech. But Samuel, who would go to Israel in the towns and judge them, I will go and speak to him, to fulfill what is stated: “A just balance and scales are the Lord's.”’ Likewise, we found regarding Judah; because he saved three lives, Tamar and her two sons, from the fire, the Holy One blessed be He saved three of his descendants from the fire.

Who were they? Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya. That is, “a just balance and scales are the Lord's.” Likewise in Egypt, Israel was enslaved for eighty years.3This is referring to the harshest period of enslavement, beginning from the decree to kill the baby boys, which was issued shortly before the birth of Moses. Moses was eighty when Israel was redeemed from Egypt (Midrash HaMevoar).

An Egyptian would go into the wilderness, catch a deer or gazelle and slaughter it, place the pot on the fire, cook and eat, and Israel would see and would not taste it, as it is stated: “When we sat by the fleshpot, when we ate bread to satiation” (Exodus 16:3). It does not say: When we ate from the fleshpot, but rather, “when we sat [by the fleshpot],” as they would eat their bread without meat.

The Holy One blessed be He said to them [the Egyptians]: ‘You caused My children to drool [from hunger] with the meat that you would eat, and you would not give them any; I, too, will arrange for My children to slaughter the lambs to which you prostrate yourselves. They will eat and you will be envious. Why? Because I am the true judge.’ That is: “A just balance and scales are the Lord's.” That is why it is stated: “Draw, and take for yourselves lambs.”

“You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin; and you shall not go out, each from the door of his house, until the morning” (Exodus 12:22). “You shall take a bunch of hyssop” – that is what is written: “Everything the Lord has done is for His purpose” (Proverbs 16:4). You find that everything that the Holy One blessed be He created during the six days of Creation, He created only for His glory and to perform His will with them.

On the first day, He created the heavens and the earth, and He created them, too, for His glory, as it is stated: “So said the Lord, the heavens are My throne” (Isaiah 66:1), and it says: “The heavens relate the glory of God” (Psalms 19:2). Likewise, the light that He created was for His glory, as it is written: “He covers Himself with light as with a garment” (Psalms 104:2). What was created on the second day?

The firmament, and He created it for His glory, so that the angels would stand there and laud him, as it is stated: “Praise Him in the firmament of His power” (Psalms 150:1). What did He create on the third day? Grasses and trees, and we found that the grasses laud the Holy One blessed be He as it is stated: “They shout for joy, they even sing” (Psalms 65:14). From where is it derived that the same is true of the trees?

It is as it is stated: “Then the trees of the forest will sing before the Lord” (I Chronicles 16:33). You find that the Holy One blessed be He issued a command to perform mitzvot with the trees. Regarding the red heifer, He issued a command to cast into its conflagration cedar wood and hyssop; He issued a command to perform the sprinkling of the waters of sprinkling with hyssop;1After the red heifer is burned, its ashes are mixed with spring water and a priest uses hyssop to sprinkle the mixture on people or objects that have become impure due to contact with a corpse.

See Numbers 19:17–18. and He commanded to perform the purification of the leper with cedar wood and hyssop. Likewise, in Egypt, He issued a command to apply the blood to the lintel and the two doorposts with hyssop, as it is stated: “You shall take a bunch of hyssop.” Likewise, He created the water on the third day, as He collected it from covering the earth. From there, His laudation ascends, as it is stated: “From the sound of much water, the mighty breakers of the sea, [the Lord on high is mighty]” (Psalms 93:4).

What was created on the fourth day? The lights, and He created them for His glory, as it is stated: “Praise Him, sun and moon; [praise Him, all stars of light]” (Psalms 148:3). On the fifth day, He created the birds for His glory, to sacrifice an offering from them, as it is stated: “If his offering is a burnt offering from the birds…” (Leviticus 1:14). What was created on the sixth day?

Animals, for His glory, and He commanded to sacrifice an offering from them, as it is stated: “A person among you who sacrifices an offering to the Lord from the animal, from the cattle” (Leviticus 1:2). And He created man for His glory, as it is stated: “Praise the Lord, from the earth, sea creatures…[young men…elders…let them praise the name of the Lord]” (Psalms 148:7, 12–13); that is: “Everything the Lord has done is for His purpose.”

Another matter: “You shall take a bunch of hyssop” – that is what is written: “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest [so is my beloved]” (Song of Songs 2:3). Why is the Holy One blessed be He likened to an apple tree? It is to say to you: Just as the apple tree appears to the eye with nothing,2It does not have many leaves when its fruit first appear. but it has taste and fragrance, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “His palate is sweet; all of Him is lovely” (Song of Songs 5:16).

He appeared to idolaters but they did not wish to accept the Torah, and the Torah was in their eyes like a matter lacking substance, but [in fact] it has taste and aroma. Taste [ta’am], from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Consider [ta’amu] and see that the Lord is good” (Psalms 34:9). It has food, as it is written: “My fruit is better than gold, than fine gold” (Proverbs 8:19).

It has fragrance, as it is stated: “The fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon” (Song of Songs 4:11). Israel said: We know the power of Torah; therefore, we will not move from the Holy One blessed be He and his Torah, as it is stated: “In its shadow I delighted and sat, and its fruit was sweet to my palate” (Song of Songs 2:3). Likewise, there are items that appear to be lowly, and the Holy One blessed be He issued a command to perform several mitzvot with them.

The hyssop appears to a person to be insignificant, but its power is great before God, as in several places He analogizes it to the cedar: In the purification of the leper, the burning of the heifer, and in Egypt he issued a command to perform a mitzva with the hyssop, as it is stated: “You shall take a bunch of hyssop.” Likewise, regarding Solomon it is stated: “He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that emerges from the wall” (I Kings 5:13), to teach that large and small are equal before the Holy One blessed be He.

With small items He performs miracles, and by means of the hyssop, which is the lowliest of the trees, he redeemed Israel; that is: “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest.”

Another matter, “you shall take a bunch of [agudat] hyssop,” – in other words, I will render you an association [aguda] for Myself, even though you are lowly like the hyssop, as it is stated: “And you will be My treasure from all the peoples” (Exodus 19:5). “And dip it in the blood that is in the basin.” What did the Holy One blessed be He see [that led Him] to protect them with blood? It was in order to evoke for them the blood of Abraham’s circumcision.

It was with two bloods that Israel was rescued from Egypt; the blood of the paschal offering and the blood of circumcision, as it is stated: “I said to you: With your blood, live; I said to you: With your blood, live” (Ezekiel 16:6) – with the blood of the paschal offering and the blood of circumcision. “And touch the lintel,” – due to the merit of Abraham; “and on the two doorposts,” – due to the merit of Isaac and Jacob.

Due to their merit, He will see the blood “and will not allow the destroyer to come to your houses to smite you” (Exodus 12:23).

“The Lord will pass to smite Egypt” – some say by means of an angel, and some say the Holy One blessed be He Himself. What is it that is stated: “To smite [lingof]”? It teaches that even the pregnant women miscarried and the mothers died, and the destroyer emerged and harmed everything that it found. Lingof refers to nothing other than pregnant women, as it is stated: “And they strike [venagefu] a pregnant woman” (Exodus 21:22).

The Holy One blessed be He was destroying the firstborn of Egypt, and Israel was performing everything that the Holy One blessed be He said to them, as it is stated: “The children of Israel went and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron” (Exodus 12:28). To what were the Holy One blessed be He and Israel comparable? To a king who travelled with his sons by sea, and pirate ships surrounded them.

He said to them: Here are my giant spears, all prepared, with which I pass over the sea waves and do battle. So, the Holy One blessed be He was with His children in Egypt, and the Egyptian camps were plotting against them all night. The Holy One blessed be He said to them: Such wicked ones, are you plotting against My children? My giant spears are prepared, as it is stated: “He saved them for His name’s sake” (Psalms 106:8). [The Israelites] were engaged in roasting [the paschal offering], and the Holy One blessed be He was killing the firstborn of Egypt; they were sprinkling [blood] on their entrances, and His great name was standing over their entrances.

They were engaged in Hallel, and the laws of the paschal offering, and God was distinguishing so that the blood of the impure would atone for the blood of the pure,3The death of the Egyptian firstborn atoned for the firstborn of Israel. as it is stated: “The Lord redeems the soul of His servants” (Psalms 34:23). They were engaged in their matzot, as they were grinding and kneading, and the Holy One blessed be He was uprooting the plants4The reference is to the Egyptian firstborn, who were killed even in utero. of Egypt, as it is stated: “Arise, Lord, in your anger [lift Yourself up in indignation [be’avrot]5The midrash expounds be’avrot, indignation, as though it were be’ubarot, meaning fetuses. against my adversaries]” (Psalms 7:7).

“The Lord will pass to smite Egypt, and He will see the blood on the lintel, and on the two doorposts, and the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come to your houses to smite you” (Exodus 12:23). “The Lord will pass to smite Egypt” – that is what is written: “What shall I do when God rises? When He reckons, what shall I answer Him?” (Job 31:14). Who stated this verse?

It was the angel who oversees the world who said it, even though Job said it regarding himself. Likewise, all mankind are destined to say thus. We find regarding the generation of the flood that God judged them while sitting, as it is stated: “The Lord sat enthroned at the flood” (Psalms 29:10). What is written in their regard?

“He blotted out all existence” (Genesis 7:23). But, in Egypt, He judged them while passing, as it is stated: “The Lord will pass to smite Egypt,” and it is written: “I will pass in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12). However, in the future, He will stand and judge His world while standing, as it is stated: “And His feet will stand on that day” (Zechariah 14:4), and it is written: “Therefore wait for Me, said the Lord, until the day that I rise up forever; [for My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them My indignation, all My fierce anger; for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of My jealousy]” (Zephaniah 3:8).

Mankind will say: If while sitting He judged the generation of the flood and blotted them out, and He judged the Egyptians while passing and killed their firstborn, when He stands in the future to judge His world, who will be able to withstand it? Therefore, it is written: “What shall I do when God rises?” Why is He destined to stand? It is because of the outcry of the poor, as it is stated: “For the oppression of the poor, for the sigh of the needy, now I will rise, says the Lord” (Psalms 12:6).

“It was at midnight, and the Lord smote all firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of cattle” (Exodus 12:29). “It was at midnight” – that is what is written: “Who fulfills the word of His servant and performs the counsel of His messengers” (Isaiah 44:26). Rabbi Abahu says: “Who fulfills the word of His servant,” this [servant] is Moses, as it is stated: “My servant Moses is not so, [he is trusted in all My house]” (Numbers 12:7).

How did He fulfill [the word of Moses]? When He brought the plague of darkness upon them, Pharaoh began screaming: “Go serve the Lord; only your flocks and your herds will remain…” (Exodus 10:24). Moses said to him: ‘By your life, “no hoof will remain”’ (Exodus 10:26). What is “hoof”?

Even an animal which belongs entirely to an Egyptian, but it has one hoof that belongs to an Israelite, he will not leave it. “As we will take from them” (Exodus 10:26) – after saying: “As we will take from them,” he then said: “And we will not know with what we will serve the Lord” (Exodus 10:26). You, who are flesh and blood, people die if they violate your commands, and if you issue an edict and say: ‘Collect for me such and such,’ the world will be able to fulfill your edict; however, we, perhaps God will say to us, ‘sacrifice an offering of two hundred and ten years’1During all those years we did not sacrifice any offerings. – that is: “And we will not know.”

Pharaoh said to him: ‘Until when will you enter here? “Go from me, beware, do not see my face anymore”’ (Exodus 10:28). Moses said to him: “You have spoken well; I will not see your face anymore” (Exodus 10:29).The Holy One blessed be He said: What do I still need to inform Pharaoh? It is one plague.

Immediately, God rushed to him, as it were, and entered into Pharaoh’s palace on Moses’s behalf, who said to him: “I will not see your face anymore,” so he would not be found to be a liar. You find that the Holy One blessed be He spoke to Moses in Pharaoh’s palace only at that time. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “As I leave the city, I will spread my hands to the Lord” (Exodus 9:29).2Moses did not want to pray in Pharaoh’s palace or even in the city, due to the presence of idols there.

Similarly, God did not speak to Moses there. See Shemot Rabba 12:5 and 15:5. But now, the Holy One blessed be He rushed and spoke with Moses, as it is stated: “One more plague I will bring upon Pharaoh…” (Exodus 11:1). When Moses heard, he rejoiced and was exalted, as it is stated: “Moreover the man Moses was very great” (Exodus 11:3).

He began shouting publicly: “So said the Lord: About midnight, [I will emerge in the midst of Egypt]” (Exodus 11:4). “You have spoken well; I will not see your face anymore.” ‘I will not come to you anymore, but you will come to me. This general that is standing with you, and this prefect of yours, and all the officers of your palace, will come to me with you, requesting of me, and prostrating themselves to me, so that we will depart from here, as it is written: “All these, your servants, will come down to me, and prostrate themselves to me, saying: [Go out, you and all the people that follow you]” (Exodus 11:8).

He did not want to say “you will prostrate yourself to me” as a show of deference to the kingdom. When midnight arrived, as Moses had said, immediately: “it was at midnight, and the Lord smote all the firstborn” – therefore [the verse states], “Who fulfills the word of His servant.” “And performs the counsel of His messengers,” for [God] consulted with Abraham concerning this matter. When?

It was when the kings came and [Abraham] pursued them, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘It is sufficient for you [to pursue them] until midnight. Come let us divide the night between Me and you,’ as it is stated: “And he divided the night between them” (Genesis 14:15).3This phrase is commonly translated: “He divided himself against them by night,” but the midrash is offering an alternate interpretation.

Once the hour arrived, the counsel was complete;4Once midnight arrived on the night of the plague of the firstborn, God completed the plan He had discussed with Abraham. that is: “it was at midnight” – that is what is written: “And performs the counsel of His messengers.”

Another matter, “it was at midnight” – that is what is written: “At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You because of the ordinances [mishpetei] of Your righteousness” (Psalms 119:62). At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You for the judgments [mishpatim] that You performed in Egypt, and the righteousness that You performed for us. How so? Since Moses said: “I will smite all firstborn” (Exodus 12:12), there were some [Egyptians] who were afraid and some who were not afraid.

One who was afraid would take his firstborn to an Israelite and would say to him: ‘Take this one and let him stay the night with you.’ When midnight arrived, the Holy One blessed be He killed all the firstborn. For those who were located in the houses of the Israelites, the Holy One blessed be He would step between the Israelite and the Egyptian and would take the soul of the Egyptian and leave the soul of the Israelite.

The Jew would awaken and find the Egyptian dead between each and every one [of his sons], as it is stated: “I will pass over you, and there will be no plague upon you” (Exodus 12:13). The Israelites began saying: “At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You.” That is why it is stated: “Because of the ordinances of Your righteousness.”

Another matter, “it was at midnight” – that is what is written: “She perceives that her merchandise is good; [her lamp] does not extinguish [at night]” (Proverbs 31:18). You find that the verse states: “As there was no house in which there was no one dead” (Exodus 12:30). How so? You calculate each and every drop that an Egyptian would expel to each and every woman,5If it was the woman’s firstborn, even if it was not the man’s firstborn, he would die. or that the first drop is a firstborn6The man’s firstborn even if it is not the woman’s firstborn. and all the sons would die, as it is written: “He smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first potency in the tents of Ham” (Psalms 78:51).

The females who were firstborn, they, too, died, except for Bitya, daughter of Pharaoh, for whom a good advocate was found; this is Moses, as it is stated: “She saw him, that he was good” (Exodus 2:2). Therefore, Solomon said: “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” “She arises while it is still night” (Proverbs 31:15). On which night? “It was at midnight.”7On the night of the plague of the firstborn.

Another matter, “it was at midnight” – Elihu said: “In a moment they die, at midnight” (Job 34:20). When they died, everyone began screaming, as it is stated: “Pharaoh rose during the night, he, all his servants, and all of Egypt, [and there was a great cry in Egypt]” (Exodus 12:30). Immediately, [Pharaoh] “called for Moses and Aaron” (Exodus 12:31). Moses said to Him: ‘What does Pharaoh seek? Who comes to whom, you to me or me to you?’ [Pharaoh] said to him: ‘Please, “rise, depart from the midst of my people”’ (Exodus 12:31). Why? “He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength; who has challenged Him and prospered?” (Job 9:4).

Another matter, “it was at midnight” – David said: “I will remember my song during the night” (Psalms 77:7). The congregation of Israel said: ‘We remember the disasters with which you would overcome the enemies on our behalf at night.’ “My song” means nothing other than disaster, as you say: “…I am their song [manginatam], [exact retribution against them, Lord]” (Lamentations 3:63–4), and it says: “Blessed is God Most High, who has delivered [migen] your enemies into your hand” (Genesis 14:20).8The term for “delivered,” migen, is related to the word for “song,” negina.

Sennacherib came against us and You overcame him at night, as it is stated: “It was that night, the angel of the Lord emerged, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians” (II Kings 19:35). Rabbi Neḥemya said: Come and see the love of the Holy One blessed be He, for Israel, as the Holy One blessed be He rendered the ministering angels, who are “mighty in strength who fulfill His word” (Psalms 103:20), guardians of Israel.

Who are they? Mikhael and Gavriel, as it is stated: “Upon your walls, I have set watchmen” (Isaiah 62:6). When Sennacheribcame, Mikhael emerged and smote them; and Gavriel rescued Ḥananya and his compatriots at the command of the Holy One blessed be He. Why is it so?

The Holy One blessed be He had set conditions with them. When? When He prepared to descend to rescue Abraham from the fiery furnace, Mikhael and Gavriel said before Him: ‘We will descend to rescue him.’ He said to them: ‘If [Abraham] had descended to the furnace for the sake of one of you, you would rescue him, but he descended for the sake of My name, and I will descend to rescue him,’ as it is stated: “I am the Lord who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 15:7).9The term Ur can also mean fire.

This verse alludes to the fact that God saved Abraham from the fiery furnace. ‘But because you were prepared to rescue him for the sake of My name, I will set a time for you when you will descend; you, Mikhael, against the Assyrian encampment and you, Gavriel, against the Chaldean encampment.10The Chaldeans are associated with the Babylonians, who threw Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya into the fiery furnace.

See Daniel chapter 3. When Gavriel descended to rescue Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, he decreed to the fire, and it emerged and burned all those who had cast them in, as it is stated: “The flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, [and Abednego]” (Daniel 3:22).11Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were the Babylonian names of Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya (Daniel 1:7). Some say: Four classes [of officers] died there; at first, it is written: “Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, and the king’s ministers…were assembled” (Daniel 3:3).12In this verse there are actually eight different officials listed.

It should be noted that “the king’s ministers” are not included in this verse, but rather in verse 27. Here, [following this event,] four were missing, as it is stated: “And the satraps assembled…” (Daniel 3:27).13In this verse there are only four different types of official listed. Therefore, Ḥananya said: “Praise the Lord, all nations” (Psalms 117:1). Mishael said: “Laud Him, all the peoples” (Psalms 117:1).

Azarya said: “For His mercy is great toward us” (Psalms 117:2). The angel said: “And the truth of the Lord endures forever” (Psalms 117:2); it is true what He said to me when I descended to rescue Abraham. Likewise, Mikhael did what He told him, as it is stated: “It was that night, that the angel of the Lord emerged [and smote in the camp of the Assyrians…]” (II Kings 19:35). It was taught: All the generals and the commanders were drinking wine and they left their jugs cast aside.

The Holy One blessed be He said to Sennacherib: ‘You did yours,’14You did it by means of messengers. as it is stated: “By your messengers you taunted” (II Kings 19:23); ‘I, too, [will act] by means of My messengers.’ What did He do to him? “And instead of his glory, a burning will be kindled like the burning of fire” (Isaiah 10:16). What is “instead of his glory”?

It is that He burned their bodies from within and left their garments [intact] on the outside, as the glory of a person is his garment. Why did he leave their garments [intact]? It is because they were the descendants of Shem, as it is stated: “The children of Shem: Eilam and Ashur…” (Genesis 10:22). The Holy One blessed be He said: I am indebted to their ancestor Shem, as he and Yefet took their garments and covered their father’s nakedness, as it is stated: “Shem and Yefet took the garment” (Genesis 9:23); that is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Mikhael: ‘Leave their garments intact and burn their souls.’

What is written there? “They awoke early in the morning, and behold, they were all dead corpses” (II Kings 19:35). That is what is written: “Each morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land” (Psalms 101:8). The people of Israel and Hezekiah were sitting and reciting hallel, as it was the [first] night of Passover, and they were afraid, saying: ‘Now Jerusalem will be conquered by his hand [Sennacherib].’

When they awoke in the morning to stand and recite Shema and pray, they found their enemies “dead corpses.” That is why the Holy One blessed be He said to Isaiah: “Call his name Maher Shalal Ḥash Baz” (Isaiah 8:3),15This means: Plunder hastens, spoils quicken. and he quickly plundered their spoils. And he called the name of the other one: “Immanu El” (Isaiah 7:14),16Literally, God is with us. saying that I am with him, as it is stated: “With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God” (II Chronicles 32:8).

Just as the Holy One blessed be He acted in this world through Mikhael and Gavriel, so too, in the future, He will act through them, as it is stated: “Saviors will ascend to Mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau” (Obadiah 1:21) – these are Mikhael and Gavriel. Our saintly Rabbi17Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi. says: This [verse refers to] Mikhael himself, as it is stated: “At that time, Mikhael the great angel, who stands for the members of Your people, will stand” (Daniel 12:1), as he is an advocate for the needs of Israel, and speaks on their behalf, as it is stated: “The angel of the Lord spoke and said: Lord of hosts, how long will You not have compassion on Jerusalem…” (Zechariah 1:12), and it says: “And there is no one who helps me against these, except for Mikhael, your prince” (Daniel 10:21).

Rabbi Yosei said: To what are Mikhael and Samael comparable? To an advocate and a prosecutor standing at trial. This one speaks and that one speaks. This one completes his contentions and that one his contentions.

That advocate knows that he prevailed; he begins praising the judge [and imploring him] to issue his ruling. The prosecutor seeks to add to his statement, and the advocate says to him: ‘Be silent and let us hear the judge.’ So Mikhael and Samael stand before the Divine Presence, and the adversary18Samael. prosecutes and Mikhael speaks in defense of Israel. The adversary comes to speak and Mikhael silences him.

Why? It is as it is stated: “I will hear what God the Lord will speak, as He will speak peace to His people” (Psalms 85:9); that is: “I will remember my song during the night,” regarding the miracle of Hezekiah. Another matter, “I will remember my song [neginati],” – I remember what You did on our behalf in Egypt, and the strategies [menagenin] that You employed in Egypt. How so?

Initially, when the Holy One blessed be He sought to bring plagues on the Egyptians, He intended to bring the plague of the firstborn first, as it is stated: “Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn” (Exodus 4:23). [Pharaoh] began saying: “Who is the Lord that I should heed His voice?” (Exodus 5:2). The Holy One blessed be He said: If I bring the plague of the firstborn first, He will let them go; rather, I will bring other plagues upon him [first], and in the wake of this, I will bring them all, as it is stated: “And the Lord smote all the firstborn.”19The verse specifies that during the plague of the firstborn, God killed the firstborn of Pharaoh along with all the other firstborn of Egypt.

Thus, God waited until after all the other plagues to kill Pharaoh’s firstborn (Etz Yosef). Therefore, David lauds: “Who knows the power of Your anger?” (Psalms 90:11). Who knows Your strategies that you employed at the sea, as it is stated: “Your way in the sea, Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps [ikvotekha] were not known” (Psalms 77:20); who knows the matters that You do at the end [akev]?20Who knows what God is doing to carry out His plans, and the great calculations that go into His actions?

God said to Moses: ‘Tell Israel what you [all] should be doing, [and say:] You should know that He will smite Egypt,’ as it is stated: “The Lord will pass to smite Egypt, [and He will see the blood on the lintel, and on the two doorposts, and the Lord will pass over the door, and will not allow the destroyer to come to your houses to smite you]” (Exodus 12:23). Rabbi Levi said: What is “the Lord will pass [ve’avar]”?

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I will renege [over] on what I said.’ This is analogous to a king whose son went to a barbaric foreign country. The barbarians stood and received him and crowned him king over them. The king heard and said: ‘What honor can I accord to these [people] who exalted my son and crowned him king over them?

I will call the name of that province after my son.’ Sometime later, they reconsidered and cursed the king’s son and enslaved him. The king said: ‘I will renege on the honor that I accorded them; I will go out and wage war against them and rescue my son.’ Similarly, Joseph descended to Egypt and they received him and crowned him king over them, as it is stated: “Joseph was the ruler over the land” (Genesis 42:6).

They honored Jacob, as it is stated: “Egypt wept for him seventy days” (Genesis 50:3). The Holy One blessed be He said: What honor will I accord Egypt? I will call it by the name of the Garden of Eden, as it is stated: “Like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt” (Genesis 13:10). When they changed their minds and enslaved [the Israelites], the Holy One blessed be He said: “I will pass through the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12).

I am reneging on that honor and I will render it desolation, as it is stated: “Egypt will become desolation” (Joel 4:19).

What is written above? “And the Lord will pass over the door” (Exodus 12:23) – at that moment, as it were, He stood at the entrance.21Since God Himself was present, what need was there to put the sign of the blood on the lintel in order that the destroyer would not kill the Israelite firstborn? The way of the world is that, just as a slaughterer brings in his flock, and each lamb or sheep that he wants to slaughter, he takes red paint and marks it so he will recognize which to slaughter and which not to slaughter; so, “He will see the blood” (Exodus 12:23) – as it were, He stood at the entrance and repelled the destroyer so that it would not smite Israel.

God said to them: “You shall observe this matter as an ordinance for you and for your sons forever” (Exodus 12:24). Just as I did for you now, so I am destined to do for you in the future, as it is stated: “For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace, [and all the proud, and all who perform evil, will be stubble; and the day that comes will set them ablaze…]” (Malachi 3:19), but you, “I will have mercy on them, as a man has mercy on his son” (Malachi 3:17).

Rabbi Ḥalafta said: May the name of the Holy One blessed be He be blessed, as there is nothing like His miracles and His wonders, and nothing like His might and His deeds, as it is stated: “Great is our Lord, and very powerful” (Psalms 147:5). The Holy One blessed be He is holy and pure, and extends His hand against the impure. Why? It is because He is great and awesome, and for the sake of Israel He informed [the world] of His strength. Why for the sake of Israel? It is because He said to Jacob: “I will descend with you to Egypt [and I will take you up again]” (Genesis 46:4). He wages Israel’s wars. One angel overturned Sodom, but here, “The Lord will emerge as a warrior, He will arouse jealousy” (Isaiah 42:13).

Another matter, “it was at midnight” – this is analogous to a king whose province departed [from the norm] and imposed [unusually harsh] servitude on the captives that came to them, and [the king] too diverted the course of justice against [the officials of that province] and killed them. Similarly, Egypt departed [from the norm and] imposed [unusually harsh] edicts on Israel to work day and night, and by assigning man’s work to a woman, and woman’s work to a man.

So, too, God diverted the course of justice against them and killed them at night, as it is stated: “It was at midnight.”22Despite the fact that judgement in court, and executions, are generally carried out by day. Just as He overturned Sodom at night, so He killed the firstborn of Egypt at night. This is why David said: “You, You are awesome; who may stand before You when You are angry?” (Psalms 76:8).

The Holy One blessed be He performed many miracles on behalf of Israel. He killed the firstborn of Egypt, who were likened to an animal, as it is stated: “Whose flesh is the flesh of donkeys” (Ezekiel 23:20). He killed the firstborn of the captives, as they [the Egyptians] would say to the [non-Israelite] captive who was incarcerated in prison: ‘Is it your wish to be freed and Israel will be redeemed?’ he would say: ‘We will never leave here, so that Israel will not leave.’

Therefore, He judged them with [the Egyptians]. ”From the firstborn of Pharaoh…to the firstborn of the captive” – this is analogous to a king who made a celebration for his son and killed his enemies. The king said: Let anyone who is happy for me come to the celebration of my son, and anyone who hates me will be killed with the enemies. Similarly, God made a celebration for Israel when He redeemed them.

God said: Let anyone who loves My son come and celebrate with My son. The virtuous Egyptians came and performed the paschal offering with Israel, and departed with them, as it is stated: “A mixed multitude ascended with them” (Exodus 12:38). Anyone who wanted Israel not to be redeemed died with the firstborn, as it is stated: “He smote all the firstborn in Egypt” (Psalms 78:51). “Pharaoh rose during the night, he, all his servants, and all of Egypt; and there was a great cry in Egypt, as there was no house in which there was no one dead” (Exodus 12:30).

They all screamed, as it is stated: “There was a great cry in Egypt.” They all came to kill Pharaoh.23They blamed him for what had happened. At that moment, “the Egyptians urged the people, [to hastily send them from the land]” (Exodus 12:33). [The Israelites] were reciting hallel, and Pharaoh announced to his warriors: ‘Come, let us call Moses and Aaron.’ God said to him: ‘Will you expel My children at night?

You will not expel My children at night, but rather they will depart overtly at noon.’ Israel dispersed throughout Egypt at that time, as it is stated: “The children of Israel acted in accordance with the word of Moses; and they asked from the Egyptians…” (Exodus 12:35). Moses was occupied with Joseph’s bones and the Tabernacle vessels that our patriarch Jacob had prepared.24Jacob had prepared materials for use in the Tabernacle.

See Shemot Rabba 33:8. So, [King] David said: “The righteous shall rejoice when he sees vengeance” (Psalms 58:11).25The Israelites saw that their oppressors were being punished as they were being redeemed, and they rejoiced.

“The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Sukkot, approximately six hundred thousand men on foot, beside children” (Exodus 12:37). “The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses.” Rabbi Shmuel says: Once they departed, they baked the dough that they kneaded, as it is stated: “They baked the dough” (Exodus 12:39). “It was at the end of four hundred and thirty years, it was on that very day that the entire host of the Lord departed from the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:41).

“It was at the end of four hundred and thirty years” – from the moment that the decree was issued against them,26When God told Abraham his descendants would experience servitude and affliction in a foreign land; see Genesis 15:13. as they were in Egypt only two hundred and ten years. On the day that they descended to Egypt, on that very day [years later] they ascended [from Egypt], and on that very day Joseph had emerged from prison.

Therefore, that night is a celebration for all Israel, as it is stated: “It was a night of vigil for the Lord” (Exodus 12:42). In this world, He performed a miracle for them at night, as it was a transient miracle;27Israel would experience additional tragedies and suffering in the future. Thus, the redemption from Egypt was transient. however, in the future, the night will turn into day, as it is stated: “The light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold…” (Isaiah 30:26) – like the light that the Holy One blessed be He created initially, and He stored it in the Garden of Eden.

“It was a night of vigil for the Lord to take them out of the land of Egypt; it is a night for the Lord, a vigil for all the children of Israel throughout their generations” (Exodus 12:42). What did He see that led Him to call it a night of vigil [shimurim]? It is a night during which He performs great deeds for the righteous, just as He performed [great deeds] for Israel in Egypt. On that [night] He rescued Hezekiah, and on it He rescued Ḥananya and his counterparts, and on it He rescued Daniel from the lions’ den, and on it Messiah and Elijah the prophet will be exalted, as it is stated: “The watchman said: The morning comes, and also the night” (Isaiah 21:12).

This is analogous to a woman who was awaiting her husband who had embarked to a country overseas. He said to her. ‘Let this sign be for you. When you see this sign, know that I am coming, and I am coming soon.’ So, Israel has been waiting from the time that Edom arose.28Israel has been awaiting redemption since the time Edom, associated with Rome, arose and destroyed the Second Temple.

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘This sign will be for you: On the day that I performed salvation for you, know that on that same night I will redeem you. If not, do not believe,29If you see possible indications of the redemption but not on the aforementioned date, do not believe that they are real indications of redemption. as the time has not yet come,’ as it is stated: “I, the Lord, in its time, I will hasten it” (Isaiah 60:22), and it says: “Another one, it is in a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth…I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms…” (Haggai 2:6, 22).

Just as I overthrew Egypt, so I will overthrow the idolaters, as it is stated: “The nations will be devastated” (Isaiah 60:12), and it says: “To take hold of the ends of the earth [and shake the wicked out of it]” (Job 38:13).

“The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: This is the statute of the paschal offering; no foreigner shall eat of it” (Exodus 12:43). “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: This is the statute of the paschal offering” – that is what Scripture said: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul; and in its joy no stranger can meddle” (Proverbs 14:10). Why is it so? It is only that just as the heart senses the trouble that it experiences, so, too, when a person rejoices, the heart rejoices first, as it is stated: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul.”

Likewise, David said: “My heart flutters, my strength fails me” (Psalms 38:11). In my joy, my heart rejoices first, as it is stated: “Therefore, my heart is glad and my glory rejoices” (Psalms 16:9), and so it says: “For my sighs are many and my heart is faint” (Lamentations 1:22). In the future, the Holy One blessed be He brings [relates to] all the limbs but first consoles only the heart, as it is stated: “I will speak to her heart” (Hosea 2:16).

Another interpretation: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” – that is Hannah, who suffered greatly, as it is stated: “She was bitter of soul” (I Samuel 1:10); she, by herself.1Hannah was barren but her husband had children by his other wife. When she was remembered,2When she bore a son. God remembered her by herself, as it is stated: “And in its joy no stranger can meddle” (Proverbs 14:10); and it is written: “My heart exults in the Lord…because I rejoice in Your salvation” (I Samuel 2:1); I exulted by myself but no other will exult with me.

Another interpretation: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” – that is the Shunamite woman. When? It was when her son died and she went to complain to Elisha. What is written?

“Geḥazi came to push her away, but the man of God said: Release her, for her soul is bitter within her…” (II Kings 4:27). When he sent Geḥazi to revive her son and said to him: “Take my staff in your hand” (II Kings 4:29), the Shunamite said to him: ‘“By the life of the Lord and by your life” (II Kings 4:30), you abided in God’s mysteries. At first, you gave me a son; now, again abide in God’s mysteries, and revive him’ – that is: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul.”

Another interpretation: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” – that is David. When he went down to Akhish3The Philistine king of Gath. to assist him, he was there for three days, and the Amalekites came and took his [David’s] wives and his children captive and burned Tziklag, David began crying, as it is stated: “David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him” (I Samuel 30:6).

They did not do so, but rather they rescued their wives, their sons, and their daughters and came to the Land of Israel and took up the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place. What is written there? “Also David the king rejoiced with great joy” (I Chronicles 29:9). Another interpretation: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul” – that is Israel, who were subject to enslavement in Egypt.

When they came to leave, and the Holy One blessed be He decreed for them to perform the paschal offering, the Egyptians came to eat with them. God said to them: Heaven forbid! “No foreigner shall eat of it;” that is: “The heart knows the bitterness of its soul; and in its joy no stranger can meddle.”

Another interpretation: “This is the statute of the paschal offering” – that is what Scripture states: “Let my heart be whole in Your statutes” (Psalms 119:80). David said: ‘Master of the universe, when I engage in Your statutes, let the evil inclination not have permission to look at me, as it is stated: “Teach me, Lord, Your way, I will walk in Your truth” (Psalms 86:11). [Do this] so that the evil inclination will not mislead me, and I will be ashamed before the righteous.

Moreover, because it misleads me, I neglect the words of the Torah, and when I come to exhibit my learning before You and those who are lesser than I, they respond and say to me that it is not so, and I am ashamed. Rather, make my heart one, so it will engage in Torah wholely.’ That is what is written: “Let my heart be whole in Your statutes, so that I will not be put to shame” (Psalms 119:80). Another interpretation: “Let my heart be whole in Your statutes” – these are the statute of the paschal offering, and the statute of the red heifer.

Why? It is because they are similar to one another. About this [the paschal offering] it is stated: “This is the statute of the paschal offering,” about that [the red heifer] it is stated: “This is the statute of the Torah” (Numbers 19:2),4This passage recounts the laws of the red heifer, whose ashes are used to purify a person from ritual impurity imparted by contact with a dead body. and you cannot know which statute is greater than the other.

It is analogous to two similar noblewomen who were walking together and looked the same. Which of them is greater than the other? It is the one who is accompanied by the other to her home, and the other walks behind her. So, regarding the paschal offering “statute” is stated and regarding the [red] heifer “statute” is stated.

Which is greater? It is the heifer, as those who partake of the paschal offering need it, as it is stated: “They shall take for the impure from the ashes of the burning of the purification” (Numbers 19:17). That is: “No foreigner shall eat of it.”5The midrash understands the foreigner to be a person who is ritually impure.

Our Rabbis said: Moses did three things in which his judgment was [later] confirmed by the judgment of the Omnipresent. At Mount Sinai he expounded, saying: If Israel, who have not been designated [to hear divine] speech, He [nevertheless] said to them: “Do not come near a woman” (Exodus 19:15), I, who is designated [to hear divine] speech, is it not logical that I separate myself from woman? The Holy One blessed be He agreed with him, as it is stated: “But you, stand here with Me” (Deuteronomy 5:28).

The second he expounded in the Tent of Meeting, saying: If at Sinai, whose sanctity was limited only to the revelation at Sinai, I ascended only with permission, as it is stated: “The Lord called to him from the mountain saying” (Exodus 19:3), then how can I enter the Tent of Meeting, which is for the generations, unless the Holy One blessed be He summons me? He agreed with his judgment, as it is stated: “The Lord called to Moses, and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting” (Leviticus 1:1).

The third he expounded regarding the statute of the paschal offering: When Israel made the calf, he said: If, regarding the paschal offering, which was a one-time observance in Egypt, He said to me: “This is the statute of the paschal offering: no foreigner shall [eat of it],” Israel, who worshipped idols [with the Golden Calf], can they receive the Torah? Immediately, “He broke them [the tablets] at the foot of the mountain” (Exodus 32:19).

Another interpretation: “This is the statute of the paschal offering [no foreigner shall eat of it]” – that is what is written: “The foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord shall not speak, saying: The Lord has separated me from His people” (Isaiah 56:3).6The verse quoted prohibits foreigners from partaking of the paschal offering. However, a later verse presents the possibility of that foreigner joining himself to Israel and then partaking of the offering: “When a stranger will reside with you, and will perform the paschal offering to the Lord, circumcise all his males, and then he may draw near and perform it; and he will be like a native of the land; and all uncircumcised shall not eat of it.

There shall be one law for the native, and for the stranger who resides with you (Exodus 12:48–9). Job said: “The stranger shall not spend the night outside” (Job 31:32). The Holy One blessed be He does not reject any creature, but rather, He accepts everyone. The gates open at all times, and anyone who seeks to enter may enter.

That is why it says: “The stranger shall not spend the night outside,” corresponding to: “The stranger who is within your gates” (Deuteronomy 31:12). “I opened My doors to the road” (Job 31:32), [is said] of the Holy One blessed be He, that He tolerates His creations. Rabbi Berekhya said: Corresponding to whom did He say: “The stranger [hager] shall not spend the night outside” (Job 31:32)? Rather, converts [gerim]7The Biblical word for stranger, ger, also means convert in Rabbinic Hebrew. are destined to be priests serving in the Temple, as it is stated: “The stranger [hager] will join himself with them, and they will be appended to the house of Jacob” (Isaiah 14:1).

Appended [venispeḥu] means nothing other than priesthood, as it is stated: “Append me [sefaḥeni], please, to one of the priestly watches” (I Samuel 2:36). They are destined to partake of the showbread, for their daughters will marry into the priesthood. And so did Akilas the proselyte ask our Rabbis. He said to them: ‘That which is written: “He loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing” (Deuteronomy 10:18) – are all the promises that He promised to the stranger that He would give him food and clothing?’

One [of the Rabbis] said to him: ‘That is what Jacob, whose name is Israel, requested from the Holy One blessed be He: “…and will give me food to eat, and clothing to wear” (Genesis 28:20). You, who have come among us, it is not enough for you that you are like us, but it should be sufficient for you to be like Jacob, the firstborn of the Holy One blessed be He.’ Ultimately, you should not suppose that Jacob requested food and clothing.

Rather, Jacob said: The Holy One blessed be He promised me that He will be with me, and that He will establish the world from me. When will I know that He is with me and that he is protecting me? When He establishes from me sons who are priests partaking of the showbread and wearing priestly vestments, as it is stated: “And will give me food to eat,” that is the showbread; and clothing to wear, those are the priestly vestments, as it is stated: “You shall clothe Aaron in the holy vestments” (Exodus 40:13).

Here, too, “He loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing” – in other words, He provides children to the stranger who will eat showbread and wear priestly vestments. That is, “the stranger shall not spend the night outside.” The Holy One blessed be He said: After all the honor that I am destined to accord to the penitents, you are complaining? That is: “The foreigner, who has joined himself to the Lord, shall not speak…” (Isaiah 56:3).

Alternatively, “the foreigner…shall not speak” – that is what is written: “Sing and rejoice daughter of Zion” (Zechariah 2:14), and it is written: “Many nations will join themselves to the Lord” (Zechariah 2:15). The Holy One blessed be He said: If I say so about converts, all the more so about Zion and Israel. “The foreigner…shall not speak.” The Holy One blessed be He said to the converts: You are concerned because I disqualified you and said regarding the paschal offering: “No foreigner shall eat of it?”

Why don’t you ask the Givonites how I acted favorably to them? They are people who behaved deceitfully; acting out of fear [they] approached My children and took an oath to them. [Nevertheless,] what did I do to Saul and his household because he sought to kill them [the Givonites]?8See II Samuel 21:1 and Yevamot 78b. They [the Givonites] killed seven of his descendants, as it is stated: “The king took the two sons of Ritzpa…and the five sons of Mikhal” (II Samuel 21:8).9These descendants of Saul were handed over to the Givonites to be executed.

The Holy One blessed be He said: If regarding the Givonites, who were Emorites, who acting out of fear behaved deceitfully with Israel, I accepted them, acted favorably to them, and I gave them satisfaction from My children; the converts who come in love, and serve for the sake of My name, won’t I accept them and exalt them? Therefore, “the foreigner, who has joined himself to the Lord shall not say” (Isaiah 56:3) – these are the circumcised converts.

The idolaters, however, have uncircumcised hearts, for thus the Holy One blessed be He disqualifies those with uncircumcised hearts and takes them down to Gehenna, as it is stated: “Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and take them down” (Ezekiel 32:18). Likewise, Isaiah says: “Therefore, the grave expanded itself, and opened its mouth without measure [ḥok]” (Isaiah 5:14) – for an idolater who scorns the statute [ḥok] of circumcision, as it is stated: “He established it for Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant” (Psalms 105:10).

Israel, who are circumcised, do not go down to Gehenna. Rabbi Berekhya said: In order that the heretics and the wicked of Israel will not say: ‘Since we are circumcised, we will not descend to Gehenna,’ what does the Holy One blessed be He do? He sends an angel who extends their foreskin [rendering them uncircumcised] and they descend to Gehenna, as it is stated: “He extended his hands…profaned his covenant.” (Psalms 55:21).

When Gehenna sees that the foreskin is connected to them, it opens its mouth and consumes them in fire; that is: “And opened its mouth without measure [ḥok].”