Shir HaShirim Rabbah Reader

Another matter: “Your hair is like a flock of goats that streams down [shegaleshu] from Mount Gilad” (Song of Songs 4:1) – the mountain from whose midst you took away [shegelashten], I rendered a memorial for the nations of the world. Which is this? These are the sacrificial offerings. What is it that you took from its midst?

“Your teeth are like a flock of ordered ewes” (Song of Songs 4:2) – defined matters, “the one lamb you shall offer in the morning, [and the second lamb you shall offer in the afternoon]” (Numbers 28:4). “That have come up from bathing” (Song of Songs 4:2) – that continually atone for Israel. “That are all paired” (Song of Songs 4:2) – as we learned: A ram is offered with eleven…with fifteen (Yoma 26b).58The mishna states that when a ram is brought as a burnt-offering, eleven priests participate in bringing the different parts of the offering to the altar.

It then states that twenty-four priests would participate in the offering of a bull, of which fifteen would assist in carrying the limbs of the bull to the altar. The midrash is calling attention to the fact that there were clear guidelines delineating all of these aspects of the offerings, and that the guidelines were tailored to the particular offering under discussion. “And there is none missing among them” (Song of Songs 4:2) – as we learned: The intestines, the fine flour, and the wine are carried by three each (Yoma 26b).

“Let us exult and rejoice in you.” Ten expressions of joy are employed in Israel’s regard: Gila, sisa, simḥa, rina, pitzḥa, tzahala, alatza, elza, ḥedva, terua. Gila, “rejoice [gili] greatly, daughter of Zion” (Zechariah 9:9); sisa, “I will be gladdened [sos asis] in the Lord” (Isaiah 61:10); simḥa, “rejoice [simḥu] with Jerusalem” (Isaiah 66:10); rina, “sing [roni] and rejoice, daughter of Zion” (Zechariah 2:14); pitzḥa, “burst [pitzḥi] into song and rejoice” (Isaiah 54:1); tzahala, “shout [tzahali] and sing” (Isaiah 12:6); alatza, “my heart rejoices [alatz] in the Lord” (I Samuel 2:1); elza, “my heart exults [vaya’aloz], and with my song I give thanks to Him” (Psalms 28:7); ḥedva, “the children of Israel…performed [the dedication of this House of God with joy [beḥedva]]” (Ezra 6:16); terua, “shout with joy [hariu] to the Lord, all the earth” (Psalms 98:4), “shout [hariu] to God with a joyous voice” (Psalms 47:2).

There are some who remove terua and insert ditza, just as you say: “Anguish rejoices [tadutz] before it” (Job 41:14); it dances like that mudfish.

Another matter: “Your hair is like a flock of goats” (Song of Songs 4:1) – the mountain from whose midst you took away, I rendered a memorial for the nations of the world. Which is this? This is the Sanhedrin. What is it that you took from its midst?

“Your teeth are like a flock of ordered ewes” (Song of Songs 4:2) – defined matters, these exonerate and these convict.59The Sanhedrin is compared to “ordered ewes” because there were a specific number of judges and specific guidelines for arriving at a verdict when the judges were split in their decision. “That have come up from bathing” (Song of Songs 4:2) – who exonerate Israel. “That are all paired” (Song of Songs 4:2) – as we learned: If they found in his favor they exonerate him.

But if not they delay to the following day, and spend [the time in] pairs (Sanhedrin 40a).60In cases of capital punishment, the judges would spend the interval in the case in pairs, deliberating about whether there was any way to exonerate the accused. “And there is none missing among them” (Song of Songs 4:2) – Rabbi Levi said: They infer one matter from another matter. Rabbi Abba said: That the halakha is not unclear to them.

“Your lips are like a scarlet thread” (Song of Songs 4:3) – Rabbi Yudan said: The decree of the court is like the decree of the king; with their mouths they command stoning, burning, beheading, and strangulation. Rabbi Ḥunya said: Blood,61Rabbi Ḥunya interprets the phrase “your lips are like a scarlet thread” as praising Israel for their observance of the laws of sacrificial offerings. as we learned: A red line encircled in the middle [of the altar] to separate between the blood of the upper part [of the altar] and the blood of the lower part (Midot 3:1).

Rabbi Azarya [said] in the name of Rabbi Yuda: Just as the red line separates between the upper and the lower blood, so the Sanhedrin distinguishes between impurity and purity, between the prohibited and the permitted, between exemption and liability.

Another matter, “let us exult and rejoice in you.” We learned there: If a man marries a woman and stays with her ten years and she has not given birth, he may not remain idle.177He must take another wife in addition to or instead of the first wife in order to fulfill the mitzva of procreation. Rabbi Idi said: There was an incident involving a certain woman in Sidon who stayed with her husband ten years and did not give birth.

They came to Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai and sought to separate from one another. He said to them: ‘By your lives, just as you came together with food and drink,178At your wedding feast. so too, you shall separate only with food and drink.’ They followed his advice and made a celebration for themselves, made a great feast, and she got him to drink in excess.179She hoped that he would agree to keep her as his wife even when he married another.

When he was in good spirits, he said to her: ‘My daughter, see any good item that I have in the house, take it, and go to your father’s house.’ What did she do? After he fell asleep, she motioned to her servants and maidservants and said to them: ‘Carry him in his bed and take him to my father’s house.’ At midnight he awakened from his slumber after his wine had abated.

He said to her: ‘My daughter, where am I?’ She said to him: ‘In my father’s house.’ He said to her: ‘What am I doing in your father’s house?’ She said to him: ‘Is this not what you said to me in the evening: See any good item that I have in the house, take it, and go to your father’s house? There is no item in this world better for me than you.’

They went to Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai and he stood and prayed for them and they were remembered,180She conceived. to teach you that just as the Holy One blessed be He remembers the barren, so too, the righteous cause the barren to be remembered. And [additional] matters may be inferred a fortiori: If a flesh and blood [woman], because she said to another of flesh and blood ‘there is no item in this world better for me than you,’ was remembered, Israel, who are waiting for the salvation of the Holy One blessed be He every day, and say: ‘There is nothing good in the world other than You,’ all the more so.

That is, “let us exult and rejoice in you.” [This is analogous] to a noblewoman whose husband the king, her sons, and her sons-in-law went to a country overseas. [Her servants] told her: ‘Your sons have come [home].’ She said: ‘What do I care? Let my daughters-in-law rejoice.’ They said to her: ‘Your sons-in-law have come.’

She said: ‘What do I care? Let my daughters rejoice.’ They said to her: ‘Your husband the king has come.’ She said: ‘This is complete joy, joy compounded by joy.’

So too, in the future, the prophets will come and say to Jerusalem: “Your sons will come from afar” (Isaiah 60:4), and it will say to them: What do I care? “Your daughters are carried on the side” (Isaiah 60:4), and it will say to them: What do I care? When they say to it: “Behold, your king is coming to you, righteous and victorious” (Zechariah 9:9), it says: This is complete joy, as it is written: “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion, [behold your king is coming to you]” (Zechariah 9:9), and it is written: “Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion [for behold I am coming]” (Zechariah 2:14). At that moment, it says: “I will be gladdened in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God” (Isaiah 61:10).

Another matter: “Your lips are like a scarlet thread” (Song of Songs 4:3) – this is the strip of crimson wool.62The reference is to the strip of crimson wool that would be tied to the scapegoat on Yom Kippur (see Yoma 41b). “Your speech is lovely” (Song of Songs 4:3) – this is the scapegoat. Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, we do not have the strip of crimson wool and the scapegoat.63After the destruction of the Temple these were discontinued.

How, then, does Israel achieve atonement? He said to them: “Your lips are like a scarlet thread” (Song of Songs 4:3) – the murmuring of your mouth is as beloved to Me as the scarlet thread of crimson wool. Rabbi Abbahu said about this: “We will pay bulls with our lips” (Hosea 14:3). What will we pay in lieu of bulls and in lieu of the scapegoat?

It is our lips. “Your speech [midbarekh] is lovely” (Song of Songs 4:3) – your wilderness [midbarekh] is fine, your utterances [midabrotayikh] are fine.64Just as God is pleased with the ritual of sending the scapegoat to the wilderness, He is pleased with words of prayer and repentance in the absence of the ritual of the scapegoat. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Even though [the Temple] is desolate, one is liable for [entering] its boundary now when it is destroyed, just as one is liable for [entering] its boundary when it is standing.

Rabbi Levi said: The Holy One blessed be He said: In its destruction it produced for Me righteous people and when it was standing it produced for Me wicked people. In its destruction it produced for Me righteous people: Daniel and his associates, Mordekhai and his associates, Ezra and his associates. When it is standing it produced for Me wicked people such as Aḥaz and his associates, Menashe and his associates, Amon and his associates.

Rabbi Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan regarding this [statement] of Rabbi Levi: “For the children of the desolate are more than the children of the married woman” (Isaiah 54:1). That is, it produced more righteous people for Me in its destruction than the righteous people it produced for Me when it was standing. “Your temple is like a pomegranate slice” (Song of Songs 4:3) – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Aḥa: one said: The most empty in the three rows65The three rows of Sages who sat before the Sanhedrin is packed with Torah like this pomegranate, and it goes without saying: “Behind your braid” (Song of Songs 4:3) – regarding [the Sages of] the Sanhedrin itself.

And one said: The most empty in the Sanhedrin is packed with Torah like this pomegranate, and it goes without saying: “Behind your braid” (Song of Songs 4:3) – regarding those who sit beneath the olive tree and beneath the vine and the fig tree and engage in matters of Torah.66These scholars were unburdened by the responsibilities of the Sanhedrin and could thus be even more focused in advancing in their Torah study (Etz Yosef).

“Your neck is like the tower of David” – this is the Temple. Why does [the verse] liken it to a neck? It is because all the days that the Temple was constructed and in existence, Israel’s neck was extended67They held their heads up high proudly. among the nations of the world. Once the Temple was destroyed, it is as though Israel’s neck was bowed.

That is what is written: “I will break the power of your might” (Leviticus 26:19) – this is the Temple. Another matter: Just as the neck is situated at the height of the person, so too, the Temple is situated at the height of the world. Just as the neck has the most jewelry suspended from it, so priesthood is from the Temple and the Levites are from the Temple.68The uniqueness of the priests and the Levites was apparent only when they were able to perform their functions in the Temple.

Just as the neck, if it is removed the person has no life, so too, from when the Temple was destroyed there is no life for the enemies of Israel.69This is a euphemism for Israel, to avoid saying there is no life for Israel. “Built magnificently [letalpiyot]” (Song of Songs 4:3) – with four sides.70There were entrances [piyot] from all four directions. Ḥiyya ben Rabbi Bon said: It was beauty [yofi], and it became a mound [tel].

The Holy One blessed be He said: It is I who rendered it a mound in this world, and it is I who is destined to render it beautiful in the World to Come. Another matter: “Magnificently [talpiyot]” – a mound [tel] toward which all mouths [piyot] pray; from here they said: Those standing outside the Land of Israel and praying should turn their faces toward the Land of Israel, as it is stated: “They will pray to you by way of their land” (I Kings 8:48).

Those standing in the Land of Israel turn their faces toward Jerusalem and pray, as it is stated: “They shall pray to you by way of this city” (II Chronicles 6:34). Those standing and praying in Jerusalem turn their faces toward the Temple, as it is stated: “He shall pray toward this house” (I Kings 8:42). Those standing on the Temple Mount turn their faces toward the Holy of Holies, as it is stated: “They shall pray toward this place” (I Kings 8:35).

Thus, those standing in the north, their faces are to the south; those standing in the south, their faces are to the north; those standing in the east, their faces are to the west; and those standing in the west, their faces are to the east. The result is that all of Israel are praying toward one place. From where is it derived that all of Israel pray toward one place? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: “This is the Sanctuary to the front [lifnai]” (I Kings 6:17) – this is the Sanctuary toward which all the faces [hapanim] are directed.

To this point, when it is standing;71It has been proven that one prays facing the Temple when it is standing. in its destruction, from where is it derived? Rabbi Avin said: “Built magnificently [letalpiyot]” – this is the Sanctuary, as all mouths [piyot] pray toward it. In Shema, one recites Builder of Jerusalem.72In the second blessing following Shema in the evening prayer: Who spreads a canopy of peace…and over Jerusalem.

In the Amida prayer, one recites Builder of Jerusalem. In Grace after Meals, one recites Builder of Jerusalem. Thus, all mouths pray for it before the Holy One blessed be He. He is destined to rebuild it and to rest His Divine Presence in it.

One verse says: “My eyes and My heart will be there always” (I Kings 9:3), and one verse says: “I will go and return to My place” (Hosea 5:15).73In this verse, God says that He will return to heaven rather than rest His presence on earth. How can these two verses coexist? Rather, His face is on High and His heart is below, as it is taught: A person should direct his heart toward the Holy of the Holies.

Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta: Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great said: Toward the supernal Holy of Holies; and Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: Toward the earthly Holy of Holies. Rabbi Pinḥas said: I will uphold both of your statements: Toward the supernal Holy of Holies, which is aligned with the earthly Holy of Holies. That is what is written; “The place [makhon] You fashioned for Your dwelling, Lord” (Exodus 15:17) – it is aligned [mekhuvan] with your dwelling place, this is the supernal Temple.

Mount Moriah – Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Yannai: one said: Because bitterness [mara] emerged to the world from there;74It is called Mount Moriah because bitterness was destined to emerge from there due to the destruction of the Temple. and the other said: Because awe emerged to the world from there. Ark [aron] – Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yannai: one said: Because light [ora] emerged from there to the world; and one said: Because a curse [arira] emerged from it to the nations of the world.75The ark holds the Torah, and the nations of the world are at a disadvantage because they refused to accept the Torah.

Sanctum [devir] – Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Yannai: one said: Because a plague [dever] emerged from there to the nations of the world.76This is because they demeaned the Torah and destroyed the Temple. One said: Because the precepts [diberot] emerged from there to the world. “One thousand bucklers are hung upon it” – Rabbi Berekhya said: The Holy One blessed be He said: I shortened one thousand generations and I brought them that protection that their hearts desired.77The Torah was meant to be given after one thousand generations, but it was given after twenty-six generations.

Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Abraham said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, You have been a shield for me, but will You not be a shield for My children?78This question was in light of God’s statement to Abraham: “I am a shield for you” (Genesis 15:1), in which He did not mention Abraham’s descendants.. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: I have been one shield for you, as it is stated: “I am a shield for you” (Genesis 15:1), but for your children I will be many shields.

That is what is written: “One thousand bucklers are hung upon it, all the shields of the mighty” – this is the priesthood and the monarchy.

Another matter, “let us exult and rejoice in you.” Rabbi Avin began: “This is the day that the Lord has made, we exult and rejoice in Him [bo]” (Psalms 118:24). Rabbi Avin said: We do not know regarding what to rejoice, whether the day, or the Holy One blessed be He.181The word bo in the phrase “we exult and rejoice bo” can alternatively be translated “in it,” meaning the day, or “in Him,” referring to God.

Solomon came and specified: “Let us exult and rejoice in You,” in the Holy One blessed be He. In You, in Your salvation; in You, in Your Torah; in You, in fear of You.182This is in line with the verse: “Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling” (Psalms 2:11) (Rabbi David Luria). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “In You [bakh],” with the twenty-two letters that You wrote for us in the Torah, beit, two, kaf, twenty, that is bakh.

“We will recount your love through wine [miyayin],” through the wine of the Torah; the laws of Passover on Passover, the laws of Shavuot on Shavuot, the laws of Sukkot on Sukkot.183Part of the joy of the festivals will be through studying the laws that pertain to that festival. Alternatively, “we will recount your love through wine,” through the wine of the patriarchs;184In the version of this midrash cited in Yalkut Shimoni (Shir HaShirim 982), it states that the actions of the patriarchs were more pleasing to God than the wine libations performed in the Temple (Etz Yosef). what actions did Adam the first man perform before You? Who performed actions before You like Abraham? Who performed actions before You like Isaac? Who performed actions before You like Jacob?

“Sincerely [meisharim] do they love you.” How upright [yashiryan] are the ones You love.185The patriarchs. How powerful are the ones You love. Rabbi Aivu said: Our patriarchs did everything that they did before You with great uprightness.

Rabbi Ḥanin said: “That because you have done this thing” (Genesis 22:16); it was the tenth ordeal and you call it a “thing”?186As this was the last of Abraham’s ten ordeals, the verse should have used a plural term to refer to all of them rather than a singular term. Had he not accepted this matter upon himself, he would have ruined and nullified all the previous ones; that is, “sincerely do they love you.”187The ordeal of the binding of Isaac was so great that it outweighed all of Abraham’s other ordeals put together. By passing that ordeal, he demonstrated his great love and loyalty for God.

“I am black but lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon” (Song of Songs 1:5). “I am black but lovely,” black in terms of my actions but lovely in terms of the actions of my ancestors. “I am black but lovely,” the congregation of Israel said: I am black in terms of myself,188I acknowledge my sins and demand of myself that I improve in my service of God (Maharzu). and am, therefore, lovely before my Creator, as it is written: “Are you not like Kushites to Me, children of Israel [– the utterance of the Lord]” (Amos 9:7), you are like Kushites in terms of yourselves, but to Me you are the children of Israel – the utterance of the Lord.

Another matter, I was black in Egypt and I was lovely in Egypt. I was black in Egypt; “they defied Me and were unwilling to heed Me” (Ezekiel 20:8). I was lovely in Egypt, with the blood of the Paschal offering and the blood of circumcision, as it is written: “I passed you, and I saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you: In your blood, you shall live” (Ezekiel 16:6); this is the blood of the Paschal offering; “I said to you: In your blood, you shall live” (Ezekiel 16:6); this is the blood of circumcision.

Another matter, I was black at the sea, as it is stated: “They rebelled at the sea, at the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7). And I was lovely at the sea, as it is stated: “This is my God and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2). I was black at Mara, as it is stated: “The people complained against Moses, saying: What will we drink?” (Exodus 15:24). And I was lovely at Mara, as it is stated: “He cried to the Lord and the Lord showed him a tree and he cast it into the water and the waters were sweetened” (Exodus 15:25).

I was black in Refidim, as it is stated: “He called the name of the place Masa and Meriva” (Exodus 17:7).189Masa and Meriva literally translate to “trial” and “dispute.” And I was lovely in Refidim, as it is stated: “Moses built an altar, and he called its name: The Lord is my banner” (Exodus 17:15). I was black at Ḥorev, as it is stated: “They crafted a calf at Ḥorev” (Psalms 106:19). And I was lovely at Ḥorev, as it is stated: “Everything that the Lord stated we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).

I was black in the wilderness, as it is stated: “How much they defied Him in the wilderness” (Psalms 78:40). And I was lovely in the wilderness with the establishment of the Tabernacle, as it is stated: “On the day the Tabernacle was established” (Numbers 9:15). I was black with the scouts, as it is stated: “They issued a slanderous report” (Numbers 13:32). And I was lovely with Joshua and Caleb, as it is stated: “Except Caleb ben Yefuneh the Kenizite [and Joshua son of Nun]” (Numbers 32:12).

I was black in Shitim, as it is stated: “Israel settled in Shitim [and the people began engaging in harlotry]” (Numbers 25:1). And I was lovely in Shitim, as it is stated: “Pinḥas stood and prayed” (Psalms 106:30). I was black regarding Akhan, as it is stated: “The children of Israel trespassed regarding the proscribed spoils” (Joshua 7:1). And I was lovely regarding Joshua, as it is stated: “Joshua said to Akhan: My son, please give honor [to the Lord, God of Israel]” (Joshua 7:19).

I was black regarding the kings of Israel and I was lovely regarding the kings of Judah. If with the black that I had, I was lovely, among My prophets, all the more so.190Many commentaries suggest that the text should read “lovely ones [na’im]” rather than “prophets [neviim]” (see, e.g., Maharzu; Etz Yosef). One interpretation of this statement is: If even at the places where I was black I was also lovely, how much more so in the places where I was not black.

“Support me with raisin cakes, cushion me with apples, for I am lovesick” (Song of Songs 2:5). “Support me with raisin cakes [ba’ashishot],” with two fires [ishot], a heavenly fire and an earthly fire. Alternatively, “support me with raisin cakes [ba’ashishot],” with two fires [ishot], the written Torah and the oral Torah.51The word of God is analogized to fire (see Deuteronomy 33:2 and Jeremiah 23:29).

Alternatively, “support me with raisin cakes [ba’ashishot],” with many fires [ishot]; with the fire of Abraham,52This is a reference to the fiery furnace into which Nimrod cast Abraham; see Bereshit Rabba 38:13. of Moriah,53Abraham took materials with which to make a fire at the binding of Isaac, which took place on Mount Moriah; see Genesis 22:7. of the bush, of Elijah,54On Mount Carmel; see I Kings 18:38. and of Ḥanaya Mishael and Azarya.55See Daniel chapter 3.

Another matter, “support me with raisin cakes [ba’ashishot],” these are the halakhot, which are well-founded [hame’ushahshot].56These are halakhot that resulted from a rigorous process of deliberation. “Cushion me with apples,” these are the aggadot, whose fragrance and taste are like apples. “For I am lovesick,” the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, all the maladies that you inflict upon me are in order to make me beloved to You.’57They are designed to cause me to return me to the path of righteousness.

Alternatively, “for I am lovesick,” the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, all the maladies that the nations of the world afflict upon us are due to the fact that I love You.’ Alternatively, “for I am lovesick,” even though I am ill,58Sinful. I am beloved to Him. It is taught: Until a person becomes ill, he eats whatever he finds.

When he becomes ill, he seeks to eat all sorts of delicacies.59Food that is easier for him to chew and digest while he is ill, or food that tastes good and provides him with some enjoyment to counteract the discomfort of his illness. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: In the past, the Torah was accessible, and [people] would seek to hear a passage of the Mishna and a passage from the Talmud. Now that the Torah is not accessible, they seek to hear a passage from the Bible or a passage from aggada.

Rabbi Levi said: In the past, money was available and a person desired to hear a passage from Mishna, halakha, and the Talmud. Today that money is not available, and especially because they are ill due to subjugation, they seek to hear only words of blessing and consolation.

“Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, that graze among the lilies” (Song of Songs 4:5). “Your two breasts” – these are Moses and Aaron. Just as the breasts are the splendor and the glory of a woman, so too, Moses and Aaron are the splendor and the glory of Israel. Just as the breasts are the beauty of the woman, so too, Moses and Aaron are the beauty of Israel.

Just as the breasts are the honor and praise of a woman, so too, Moses and Aaron are the honor and the praise of Israel. Just as the breasts are filled with milk, so too, Moses and Aaron fill Israel with Torah. Just as the breasts, everything that the woman eats, the baby eats and suckles from them, so too, all the Torah that Moses our master studied, he taught to Aaron; that is what is written: “Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord” (Exodus 4:28).

The Rabbis say: He revealed to him the ineffable name. Just as the breasts, one of them is not larger than the other, so it was with Moses and Aaron. That is what is written: “That Moses and Aaron” (Exodus 6:27), and it is written: “That Aaron and Moses” (Exodus 6:26). Moses was not greater than Aaron, and Aaron was not greater than Moses in Torah.

Rabbi Abba said: [This is analogous] to a king who had two fine pearls, and he placed them on the pans of a balance scale; this one was not greater than that one and that one was not greater than this one. So too, Moses and Aaron were equal. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: Blessed is the Omnipresent who selected these two brothers, who were created only for the Torah and for the glory of Israel. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: There were two families of priests in Alexandria; the body temperature of one was cold and [that] of the other one’s was hot.

There was an incident where doctors sent for some of them and they prepared a suspension from them with which they would heal.79They took tissue from bodies in each family, and the combination was just right and could be used as a healing ointment. So too, Moses and Aaron complemented each other in leading Israel. Rava in the name of Rabbi Shimon: Flesh and blood does not prepare a dressing until he sees the wound; however, He who spoke and the world came into being is not so, but rather He prepares the dressing and then strikes.

That is what is written: “Behold I am bringing it a remedy and a cure, and I will heal them…” (Jeremiah 33:6),80He prepared the cure for Jerusalem before He struck it. and it is written: “When I will heal Israel” (Hosea 7:1). The Holy One blessed be He said: I came to heal the iniquities of Israel, “and the iniquity of Ephraim and the evils of Samaria will be revealed” (Hosea 7:1).81Only after preparing the cure will they be taken to task for their wickedness.

However, the nations of the world, He strikes them and only then heals them, as it is stated: “The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing” (Isaiah 19:22). Striking by means of Aaron and healing by means of Moses. Blessed are these two brothers who were created only for the glory of Israel. That is what the prophet Samuel said: “The Lord who produced Moses and Aaron” (I Samuel 12:6). That is “your two breasts” – these are Moses and Aaron.

“I arose to open for my beloved; my hands were dripping with myrrh, and my fingers with myrrh passing onto the handles of the latch” (Song of Songs 5:5). “I arose to open for my beloved” – I arose, and not the nations of the world. Rabbi Yaakov bar Avuna interpreted before Rabbi Yitzḥak: It is written: “[Then arose] the heads of the patrilineal families of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites…[to go up to build the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem]” (Ezra 1:5); “of Judah” – as he is king; “and Benjamin” – as the Temple is in his portion; the priests because of the Temple service; and the Levites because of the platform.25The verse specifies these groups for the reasons mentioned above, but in fact Israelites of all types went up to build the Second Temple.

This is in contrast to the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin (see Ezra 4:2), who presented themselves as wanting to assist in building the Temple but in fact had malicious intentions. “To open for my beloved” – in repentance. “My hands were dripping with myrrh [mor]” – bitterness [merarim]. Cyrus issued a decree: Whoever has crossed the Euphrates has crossed, and whoever has not crossed shall not cross.

Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “The sun will be dark when it rises” (Isaiah 13:10) – if only it had been dark on that day and did not shine. Cyrus emerged to walk in the province, and he saw that the province was deserted. He said: Why is this province deserted? Where are the goldsmiths, where are the silversmiths?

They said to him: Are you not the one who decreed and said: Let all the Jews go out and build the Temple? It was they who were the goldsmiths and the silversmiths, and they have ascended to build the Temple. At that moment he decreed: Whoever has crossed the Euphrates has crossed, and whoever has not crossed shall not cross. Daniel and his associates and his comrades ascended.

At that time they said: It is preferable for us to eat a meal of the Land of Israel and recite the blessing of the Land of Israel. Ezra and his associates and his comrades did not ascend at that time. Why did Ezra not ascend at that time? It was because he needed to clarify his studies before Barukh ben Neriya.

So let Barukh ben Neriya ascend. Rather, they said: Barukh ben Neriya was a large, elderly man, and he could not even be loaded onto a sedan chair. Reish Lakish said: It was due to the sanctity of the Temple that Ezra did not ascend at that time, as had Ezra ascended at that time, the accuser would be able to incite strife and say, it would be preferable to have Ezra serve in the High Priesthood rather than have Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak serve as the High Priest.26The heavenly accuser was already accusing Yehoshua (see Zechariah 3:1), and this would have added to his accusations.

But Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak was a High Priest son of a High Priest, and although Ezra was a righteous man, he was not as worthy to serve in the High Priesthood as [Yehoshua] was. Rabbi Simon said: Abolishing hereditary rights is problematic before the Holy One blessed be He. “Onto the handles of the latch” – it was from there that the Euphrates was blocked before them. Another matter: “I arose to open for my beloved” – I arose and not the nations of the world.

“To open for my beloved” – in repentance. “My hands were dripping with myrrh [mor]” – bitterness [merarim], this is the sin of the Golden Calf, “this is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). “And my fingers with myrrh passing” – nevertheless “myrrh passing [mor over],” He overlooked my bitterness [avar al merari], as it is stated: “The Lord reconsidered the evil…” (Exodus 32:14). “Onto the handles of the latch” – it was from there that it was locked before them so that they would not enter the Land of Israel.

“Avert your eyes from me, as they excite my arrogance. Your hair is like a flock of goats that streams down from Gilad” (Song of Songs 6:5). “Avert your eyes,” Rabbi Azarya [said] in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon: [This is analogous] to a king who was angry at the queen and banished her, expelling her from the palace. What did she do?

She went and concealed her face behind a pillar outside the palace. When the king passed, the king said: ‘Remove her from before me, as I am unable to bear [her suffering].’ So too, when the rabbinical court convenes and decrees fasts and the individuals fast, the Holy One blessed be He says: ‘I am unable to bear it.’16God is unable to bear their distress and therefore alleviates the suffering or ends the drought that was the cause of their fasting.

“As they excite my arrogance”—they caused Me to extend My hand against My world.17It is due to the merit of the righteous individuals that I displayed My dominance over the world by redeeming Israel from Egypt. When the rabbinical court convenes and decrees fasts and the children fast, the Holy One blessed be He says: ‘I am unable to bear it.’ “As they excite my arrogance,” they crowned Me as king over them, and said: “The Lord will reign for ever and ever” (Exodus 15:18).

When they decree fasts and the elderly fast, the Holy One blessed be He says: ‘I am unable to bear it.’ “As they excite my arrogance [hirhivuni],” they accepted My kingdom over them at Sinai, and said: “Everything that the Lord says we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), and it is written: “To those of my acquaintance, I mention Rahav18In this verse, too, the word Rahav is a term indicating exaltedness or kingship, as the word hirhivuni, which shares the same root as Rahav, is understood in the midrash. and Babylon…” (Psalms 87:4).

Rabbi Pinḥas [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina bar Pappa: It is written: “Even the rebellious You captured to dwell over, Lord God” (Psalms 68:19); even the rebellious, the Holy One blessed be He rests His Divine presence in their midst. By what merit? By the merit of: “Everything that the Lord says we will perform and we will heed.” “Your hair is like a flock of goats,” just as the goat is contemptible,19This is because its tail does not cover its sexual organs. so, too, Israel was contemptible in Shitim, as it is stated: “Israel was living in Shitim, [and the people began to engage in licentiousness with the daughters of Moav]” (Numbers 25:1).

“Your neck is like an ivory tower; your eyes are pools in Ḥeshbon, by the gate of Bat Rabim; your nose is like the tower of Lebanon overlooking Damascus” (Song of Songs 7:5). “Your neck is like an ivory tower.” It is written: “Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell upon his neck, and kissed him [vayishakehu] [and they wept]” (Genesis 33:4). The entire word32The word vayishakehu is written in the Torah scroll with a dot over each of the letters. is dotted.

Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: Everywhere that you find the script more numerous than the dots, adopt the script and ignore the dots. If the dots are more numerous than the script, adopt the dots and ignore the script. However, here, neither is the script more numerous than the dots, nor are the dots more numerous than the script, but rather it is dotted above vayishakehu in its entirety. This teaches that he did not come to kiss him, but rather to bite him.

Jacob’s neck became as hard as marble and the teeth of that wicked one became dull and melted like wax. Why does the verse state: “And they wept”? This one was crying over his neck, and that one was crying over his teeth. Rabbi Abahu in the name of Rabbi Elazar cites it from this: “Your neck is like an ivory tower.”

It is written: “Pharaoh heard this matter and he sought to kill Moses. Moses fled” (Exodus 2:15). Is there a person who is able to flee from the king? Rather, it teaches that he was standing and was sentenced on that same day, and they condemned him to beheading.

Rabbi Evyatar said: The sword glanced off the neck of Moses and sliced the neck of the wicked executioner. That is what is written: “For the God of my father was my help, and He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh” (Exodus 18:4). He delivered me, but did not deliver the executioner. Rabbi Bon would apply to him the verse: “The righteous is extricated from trouble, and the wicked comes in his place” (Proverbs 11:8).

Rabbi Berekhya said: “The wicked is ransom for the righteous” (Proverbs 21:18). Bar Kappara said: It teaches that an angel descended in the guise of Moses, and they apprehended the angel and left Moses, and he fled. Rabbi Abba son of Rav Pappi and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: At that moment all of Pharaoh’s advisors, some of them became mute, some of them deaf, some of them blind, and some of them disabled.

They said to the mutes: Where is Moses? But they could not speak. To the blind, but they could not see. To the deaf, but they could not hear.

To the disabled, but they could not walk, as it is stated: “The Lord said to him: Who gives a mouth to a person, or who renders one mute or deaf, or sighted or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?” (Exodus 4:11). Is it not I who did all these? “Now go and I will send you to Pharaoh” (Exodus 3:10).

“Who is that ascending from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? Under the apple tree I roused you; there your mother was in travail with you; there she who bore you was in travail” (Song of Songs 8:5). “Who is that ascending from the wilderness” – [Israel’s] ascent was from the wilderness, its decline was from the wilderness, and its death was from the wilderness. That is what it says: “In this wilderness they will expire, and there they will die” (Numbers 14:35).

“Leaning [mitrapeket] upon her beloved” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Because it will resolve sections of the Torah and issues of kingdom in the future.5Mitrapeket when rearranged is a portmanteau of matir perek – resolves a section. In the future, Israel will resolve all questions relating to Torah, and will reestablish its monarchy. “Under the apple tree I roused you” – Pelatyon of Rome expounded and said: Mount Sinai was detached and positioned in the supernal heavens, and Israel was situated beneath it, as it is stated: “You approached and stood beneath the mountain” (Deuteronomy 4:11).

Another matter: “Under the apple tree I roused you” – this is Sinai. Why is it likened to an apple tree? Just as the apple tree produces fruit in the month of Sivan, so too, the Torah was given in Sivan. Alternatively, “under the apple tree I roused you” – why not a nut tree or a different tree?

Each tree typically grows its leaves first and then its fruit, but the apple tree grows its fruit first and then grows its leaves. Similarly, Israel put performing before hearing, as it is stated: “We will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).6Although translated here as “heed,” the term nishma can be translated “hear.” The point here is that Israel committed to following God’s commands even before hearing what they were.

The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If you accept My Torah upon yourself, fine, but if not, I will lower this mountain upon you and kill you.’ “There your mother was in travail with you” – was it there that she was in travail? Rabbi Berekhya said: This is analogous to one who went to a dangerous place and was saved. His friend encountered him and said to him: ‘Did you pass through that dangerous place?

How much danger you experienced! It is as though you were now borne by your mother. How much suffering you experienced! Now it is as though you were created as a new creation.’

Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: “There [your mother] was in travail [ḥibela]” and there she had collateral taken from her [ḥubela]; “was in travail” – at the moment that they said: “Everything that the Lord spoke we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). She had collateral taken from her – at the moment that they said to the calf: “This is your God, Israel” (Exodus 32:4), they had collateral taken.

Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The weapon that was given to Israel at Ḥorev had the ineffable name etched upon it.7This is stated in explanation of the adornment mentioned in the verse: “The children of Israel were stripped of their adornment from Mount Ḥorev” (Exodus 33:6). When they sinned it was taken from them. Rabbi Aivu and the Rabbis: Rabbi Aivu said: It was peeled on its own. The Rabbis say: An angel descended and peeled it.

Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: Wretched is the bride who sins under the wedding canopy. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: They lost the good counsel that was given them at Sinai, as it is stated: “You hollowed all my counsel” (Proverbs 1:25), and counsel is nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “Counsel and resourcefulness are mine” (Proverbs 8:14). Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: It is written: “At Ḥorev you provoked [hiktzaftem] the Lord” (Deuteronomy 9:8).

The Holy One blessed be He said: I came to bless you and found your palate pierced and unable to hold a blessing, as it is stated: “Moses saw the people that it was parua (Exodus 32:25), and parua means nothing other than hollowed, just as you say: “You hollowed [vatifre’u] all my counsel” (Proverbs 1:25). Rabbi Levi said: You made the Holy One blessed be He as though He was mourning over you. There are places that call the house of mourning the house of wrath [beit ketzofa].

“I am black,” this is referring to Ahab, as it is stated: “It was when Ahab heard these matters that he rent his garments [and placed sackcloth upon his flesh, and he fasted]” (I Kings 21:27). How much did he fast? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Three hours. If he was accustomed to eat his meal at three hours, he ate at six, and if he would eat at six, he ate at nine.

“He lay in sackcloth, and walked slowly” (I Kings 21:27). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: He walked barefoot.191One who walks barefoot often walks more slowly than usual. The point here is that although Ahab was a wicked king, and is therefore called “black,” he humbled himself before God and his repentance was accepted (see I Kings 21:29), and is therefore also “lovely.” [Similarly,] regarding Yehoram, what is written?

“The people saw, and behold, the sackcloth was upon his flesh underneath” (II Kings 6:30). Rabbi Levi Bar Ḥaita said three approaches in regard to this [verse]: I am black all the days of the week and I am lovely on Shabbat. I am black all the days of the year and I am lovely on Yom Kippur. I am black regarding the Ten Tribes and I am lovely regarding the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. I am black in this world and I am lovely in the World to Come.

Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: When the Israelites departed from Egypt, to what were they comparable? To the son of a king who recovered from his illness. His caretaker said to him: ‘Let your son go to the academy.’ The king said to him: ‘My son has not yet regained his radiance, which changed due to his illness.

Rather, let my son be pampered and enjoy himself for three months with food and drink, and then he will go to the academy.’ So too, when the Israelites departed from Egypt, there were those among them who were marred from subjugation with mortar and bricks. The ministering angels said to Him: ‘This is the time, give them the Torah.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘My children have not yet regained their radiance as a result of mortar and bricks.

Let them be pampered up to three months with spring water, manna, and quail, and thereafter I will give them the Torah.’ When? “In the third month” (Exodus 19:1).

“Twins of a gazelle” – Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: Just as these twins, when one of them withdraws from the breast, the breast is blocked, so it is written: “I will eliminate the three shepherds in a single month” (Zechariah 11:8).82This is a reference to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. But is it not so that they died only within the same year?83They died in one year, but not in the same month.

Rather, in a single month, the decree was issued regarding the three of them. That is what is written: “The great ones of the people were gathered” (Psalms 47:10). Rabbi Yosei says: Three great providers arose for Israel, and these are: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Through their merit, three great gifts were given to them: The well, the manna, and the clouds of glory.

The manna, through the merit of Moses; the well through the merit of Miriam; and through the merit of Aaron, the clouds of glory. Miriam died and the well ceased, and they said: “Not a place of seed, fig [and pomegranate, and there is no water to drink]” (Numbers 20:5). But it was restored due to the merit of Moses and Aaron. Aaron died, and the clouds of glory disappeared.

That is what is written: “The entire congregation saw [vayiru] that Aaron had perished” (Numbers 20:29). Do not read it as “they saw [vayiru],” but rather as “they feared” [vayire’u].”84They were afraid because the protection of the clouds of glory had disappeared. They were restored through the merit of Moses. Moses died and all three of them disappeared and they were not restored.

The hornet did not cross the Jordan with them85God promised to send hornets to assist in expelling the Canaanite nations (see Exodus 23:28). However, in the absence of Moses they did not cross the Jordan and assisted with Israel’s battles only east of the Jordan. and Israel did not experience peace of mind from that time forward. “That graze [haro’im] among the lilies” – Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: Miriam and Yokheved were the midwives of Israel, and they would provide for [ro’ot] Israel as their hearts were as soft as lilies.

Where was the pasture of Israel? It was in Egypt until the Red Sea.86It was there that Miriam and Yokheved tended to the needs of the birthing mothers and their offspring.

“Your eyes are pools in Ḥeshbon.” “Your eyes,” these are the Sanhedrin, who are the eyes of the congregation, just as it says: “It shall be, if from the eyes of the congregation” (Numbers 15:24). There are two hundred and forty-eight limbs in a person and all of them follow the eyes. So too, Israel is unable to do anything without its Sanhedrin.

“Pools in Ḥeshbon,” matters of calculation [ḥeshbon]; thirty-six exonerate and thirty-five convict.33The seventy-one members of the Sanhedrin would vote on a given case. If the majority, thirty-six, would exonerate, the defendant would be acquitted. “By the gate of Bat Rabim,” this is the halakha that emerges from the gatehouse and is disseminated to the multitudes. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi says: It is attributed to: “Inclining after the majority [rabim]” (Exodus 23:2).

“Daughters of Jerusalem,” the Rabbis say: Do not read it as “daughters of [benot] Jerusalem, but rather, builders of [bonot] Jerusalem. This is the Great Sanhedrin of Israel, which convenes and instructs them with regard to every question and judgment. Another matter, “daughters of [benot] Jerusalem,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Jerusalem is destined to become a metropolis for all countries, and to draw [people] to it in streams, for its glory, as it is stated: “Ashdod, its towns, [benoteha] and its surrounding areas; Gaza, its towns, and its surrounding areas up to ”192The word Lasha does not appear in the verse and its inclusion in the text of the midrash appears to be an error (Etz Yosef). (Joshua 15:47).

This is the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “I will give them to you as daughters [levanot] and not due to your covenant” (Ezekiel 16:61). What is “levanot”? Towns. What is “not due to your covenant”?

It is not due to your contract, but rather due to My contract.193It is not because you have kept all of the responsibilities incumbent upon you due to our covenant; it is rather a gift from Me. Alternatively, the nations who will come to show honor to Jerusalem are not just the ten nations promised to Abraham in the Covenant of the Pieces, but rather are additional nations (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Beivai said in the name of Rabbi Reuven: “Sing, barren one, [who did not bear]” (Isaiah 54:1).

What song is there for barrenness? Rather, “sing, barren one,” who did not bear children for Gehenna. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Israel was likened to a female, just as a female takes one-tenth of the property from her father and leaves, so, too, Israel inherited the land of the seven nations, which is one-tenth of the seventy nations. Because they inherited like a female, they sang songs in the feminine, as it is stated: “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song [hashira hazot]194These terms are in the feminine form. to the Lord” (Exodus 15:1).

But, in the future, they are destined to inherit like a male, who inherits all his father’s property; that is what is written: “From the eastern side to the western side, Judah, one portion” (Ezekiel 48:7). “Dan one portion…Asher one portion” (Ezekiel 48:1–2), and all of them so, and they speak in the masculine, as it is stated: “Sing to the Lord a new song [shir ḥadash]” (Psalms 96:1); shira ḥadasha is not written, but rather shir ḥadash.

Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi [said]: Why was Israel likened to a female? Just as a female loads and unloads,195This means that she becomes pregnant and gives birth. loads and unloads, and then unloads and does not load again, so, too, Israel is enslaved and redeemed, enslaved and redeemed, and is then redeemed and is never enslaved again. In this world, because their trouble is like the trouble of a female who gives birth,196Their redemption is not permanent. they sing songs in the feminine; however, in the World to Come, where their trouble is not like the trouble of one who gives birth, they sing songs in the masculine. That is what is written: “On that day this song [hashir] will be sung” (Isaiah 26:1).

At the end of the persecution,60After the death of Hadrian, emperor of Rome, who had outlawed Torah study and made other repressive decrees, and who had crushed the Bar Kokhva revolt. our Rabbis assembled in Usha; they were: Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Meir, Rabbi Yosei, Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili, and Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov. They sent to the elders of the Galilee and said: ‘Anyone who is learned, let him come and teach, and anyone who is not learned, let him come and study.’

They assembled, studied, and did everything that they needed to do. When the time arrived to take their leave, they said: ‘Are we to leave empty the place in which we were received?’61Will we leave without honoring and expressing our appreciation for the residents of the host city? They accorded honor to Rabbi Yehuda, who was a resident of the city; not that he was greater than they were in Torah, but rather because a person’s place entitles him to honor.

Rabbi Yehuda entered and expounded: “Moses would take the Tent and pitch it outside the camp at a distance from the camp… [and anyone who would seek the Lord would go out to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp]” (Exodus 33:7). “At a distance” is stated here, and there it is stated: “There shall be a distance between you and it a measure of approximately two thousand cubits” (Joshua 3:4). Just as “distance” that is stated here is two thousand cubits, so “distance” stated there is two thousand cubits.

“And anyone who would seek Moses” is not written here, but rather, “who would seek the Lord.” From here we have learned that anyone who welcomes Torah scholars, it is as though he received the Divine Presence. You, our brethren, our Rabbis, Torah luminaries, those of you who suffered [by traveling] ten mil, or twenty, or thirty, or forty, in order to hear matters of Torah, all the more so that the Holy One blessed be He will not withhold your reward in this [world] and in the [World] to Come.

Rabbi Neḥemya entered and expounded: “An Amonite or Moavite shall not enter the congregation of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 23:4). It is taught: Two great nations were denied entrance into the congregation of the Lord. Why? “Due to the fact that they did not greet you with bread and water” (Deuteronomy 23:5).

Did Israel need it at that time? Is it not so, that all forty years that Israel was in the wilderness, the spring would rise for them, the manna would fall for them, quail was available for them, the clouds of glory enveloped them, and the cloud pillar traveled before them, and you say: “that they did not greet you with bread and water”? Rabbi Elazar said: Proper etiquette is that when one comes from travel one greets him with food and drink.

Come and see what the Holy One blessed be He repaid these two nations: “An Amonite or Moavite shall not enter the congregation of the Lord.” You, residents of Usha, who welcomed our Rabbis with your food, your drink, and your beds, the Holy One blessed be He will repay you a fine reward. Rabbi Meir entered and expounded: “A certain elderly prophet was residing in Beit El” (I Kings 13:11). Who was this?

This was Amatzya, the priest of Beit El. Rabbi Yosei said: 'Meir, there is much confusion here. Who was this? This was Yonatan ben Gershom ben Moses [Moshe].

That is what is written: “Yehonatan ben Gershom ben Menashe” (Judges 18:30). The nun in Menashe is suspended.62It is written in a suspended manner, smaller than the other letters and not extending to the bottom of the line. If he merited, “ben Moshe”; if not, “ben Menashe.”63If he were to repent, he would merit to be called the son of Moses, or Moshe; if the letter nun is removed from the name Menashe, what is left is Moshe.

If he did not repent, he would be referred to as the son of Menashe. This is a prophetical reference to Menashe son of Hezekiah, who was a notoriously wicked king of Judah. The students raised a question before Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, they said to him: A priest to idol worship lived all those years?64The Yehonatan mentioned in Judges was a priest to idol worship. If he was the grandson of Moses, and also the priest of Beit El mentioned in Kings, by what merit would he have lived from the time of Judges until the time of the events in Kings?

He said to them: Yes, because he was discouraging vis-à-vis idol worship. How so? A person would come to worship, and he would say to him: ‘How old are you?’ He would say to him: Forty years old, or fifty, or sixty, or seventy years old, or however old he was.

He would say to him: ‘How old are you, forty years old, or fifty, or sixty, or seventy, or eighty years, and this idol was crafted only five or twelve years ago, and you seek to forsake your God and worship it? That is contemptible.’ [The visitor] would then become embarrassed and would leave. A certain contemptible individual came, and [Yehonatan] said this to him. He said to [Yehonatan]: ‘Why are you sitting here and worshipping it?’

He said: ‘I take my salary and mislead him.’65Yehonatan said that his employer, Mikha, believed that he worshipped the idol, but that was not actually the case. When David heard of him, he sent and brought him, and he said to him: ‘You are the grandson of that righteous one and you engage in idol worship?’ He said to him: ‘This is the tradition that I receive from the house of my grandfather: Sell yourself for idol worship but do not be beholden to people.’66Take a job pertaining to idolatry if necessary, but do not be financially dependent on others.

He said to him: ‘Heaven forbid, it is not so, but rather sell yourself to a labor that is foreign67The confusion stemmed from the fact that the literal translation of avoda zara, the term used to connote idol worship, is foreign labor. to you, but do not be beholden to people.’ When David saw how fond he was of money, he appointed him officer of the treasury. They say: When David died, he returned to his evil ways.

That is what is written: “I, too, am a prophet like you…kiḥesh lo” (I Kings 13:18). What is kiḥesh lo? He lied to him. What did he lie to him?

He fed him the bread of falsehood.68He gave the prophet from Judah food, which the prophet from Judah ate for sustenance, but in fact that meal led to his death. It is written: “As they were sitting at the table, the word of the Lord was to the prophet who had caused him to return” (I Kings 13:20). Can the matters not be inferred a fortiori? If this one, who lied and fed him the bread of falsehood, was privileged to have the Divine Spirit rest upon him, you, our brethren, residents of Usha, who welcomed our Rabbis with the food of truth, and drink, and a bed, all the more so that the Holy One blessed be He will pay you a fine reward.

Rabbi Yosei entered and expounded: “The Ark remained in the house of Oved Edom the Gittite [for three months]” (II Samuel 6:11). “It was told to King David saying: The Lord has blessed the house of Oved Edom and everything that is his” (II Samuel 6:12). By what merit? “Because of the Ark of God” (II Samuel 6:12).

With what did He bless him? With children; that is what is written: “[Oved Edom had sons: Shemaya the first…] Amiel the sixth and Yisakhar the seventh” (I Chronicles 26:4–5), and likewise it says: “All these were of the sons of Oved Edom, they and their sons” (I Chronicles 26:8). They said: He had eight sons and he had eight daughters-in-law and each one of them would give birth to two each month.

How so? She was impure for seven [days] and pure for seven [days] and she would give birth.69She would conceive on the night of her purification and miraculously give birth after a gestation period of seven days. Impure seven and pure seven and she would give birth. Sixteen each month for three months, that is forty-eight.

And six of his own,70He himself had another six children in those three months. that is fifty-four. And the eight of them, that is sixty-two. Is that not what is written: “Sixty-two for Oved Edom (I Chronicles 26:8). The students raised a question before Rabbi Yoḥanan, they said to him: What is that which is written: “Peuletai the eighth” (I Chronicles 26:5)?

He said to them: It is because he performed a great service for the Torah. What service did he perform for the Torah? He would kindle before the Ark one lamp in the morning and one lamp in the afternoon. The matters can be inferred a fortiori: If the Ark of God, which does not eat, drink, or speak, but there were two stone tablets in it, and he kindled one lamp on its behalf and he merited to be blessed for honoring it, you, our brethren, residents of Usha, all the more so.

Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai entered and expounded: “It was one day that Elisha traveled to Shunem and there was a prominent woman and she implored him to eat bread” (II Kings 4:8). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said to him: Because it wrote “she implored him to eat bread,” she merited having her son revived. Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Ze’eira, and Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai, said: So great is sustenance that it causes the revival of the dead to occur not at its appointed time.

The woman from Tzorfat, because she fed Elijah, merited having her son revived. The Shunamite, because she fed Elisha, merited having her son revived. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai said: Even lamps, even wicks, Elijah would take from place to place so as not to impose upon any person. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Did he eat from her food?

Did not both she and he eat from his food, as it is written: “She and he ate” (I Kings 17:15). “He and she” is written.71According to tradition, the verse is written such that it states “he and she ate,” but when reading the verse one reads it as though it states “she and he ate.” This is because she was the host, but the sustenance was provided by God in Elijah’s merit. Rather, because she welcomed him hospitably and served him, she merited having her son revived.

And you, residents of Usha, who perform acts of kindness, all the more so. Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili entered and expounded: “Saul said to the Kenite: Go, withdraw, descend from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you performed kindness with all the children of Israel when they ascended from Egypt’" (I Samuel 15:6). Did Yitro,72The Kenites are identified as the descendants of Yitro. in fact, perform kindness with all the children of Israel?

Was it not with Moses alone that he performed it? Rabbi Elazar said: Yitro certainly performed kindness with Moses; that is what is written: “Call him and let him eat bread” (Exodus 2:20). Rabbi Simon said: That is not so. He fed him as his wages.

As it is written: “He also drew water for us [and watered the flock]” (Exodus 2:19).73The verse states “drew water” with a double Hebrew term, dalo dala. The midrash expounds the significance of that double term. Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda said: He drew for us and for our fathers.74The daughters of Yitro had their own sheep in addition to the sheep of their father Yitro (Etz Yosef).

Rabbi Neḥemya said: He drew for us and for the shepherds. The Rabbis say: He drew for us due to the merit of our fathers75The reason for the contentiousness with the shepherds was that Yitro had forsaken Midianite idolatry. and he drew for the shepherds to make peace between them. And you say that he performed kindness with all of Israel? Rather, it is to teach you that anyone who performs kindness for one of the prominent leaders of Israel, they ascribe him credit as though he did so to all of Israel, and you, our brethren, residents of Usha, all the more so.76You residents of Usha performed kindness for numerous prominent scholars, and you did not owe them a previous debt of gratitude like Yitro owed Moses.

Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov entered and expounded: “Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel, saying: Pay attention and hear Israel, this day you have become a people [to the Lord your God]” (Deuteronomy 27:9). Was it that day that they received the Torah? Had it not been forty years already since they received the Torah, and you say “this day”? Rather, it teaches that since Moses reviewed the Torah for them and they received it welcomingly, the Torah ascribed them credit as though they had received it that day from Mount Sinai.

That is why it is stated: “This day you have become a people to the Lord your God.” And you, our brethren, residents of Usha, who hospitably welcomed our Rabbis, all the more so.

“Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon,” just as the nose is located at the highest part of a person, so the Temple is located at the highest part of the world. Just as the nose has much jewelry suspended from it,34Although people generally do not suspend much jewelry from their nose, it was customary to include one’s most beautiful jewel in a nose ring (Yefei Kol). Alternatively, the term nose [af] in this instance includes the area up to the forehead, from which people would suspend various types of chains and jewelry (Matnot Kehuna). so do priesthood, Levitical status, and kingship descend from Jacob.

“Like the tower of Lebanon,”35Many commentaries (see, e.g., Matnot Kehuna) assert that the text should read: “Like the tower of Lebanon,” this is the Temple, as it is stated… as it is stated: “This good mountain and the Lebanon” (Deuteronomy 3:25). Rabbi Tavyomi said: Because it whitens [malbin] the iniquities of Israel like snow, as it is stated: “If your sins will be like scarlet they will become white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).

Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Because all the hearts [levavot] rejoice there, as it is stated: “Beautiful in its view, joy of all the land” (Psalms 48:3). The Rabbis say: [It is so called] because of [what is stated]: “My eyes and My heart [libi] will be there for all days” (I Kings 9:3). “Overlooking Damascus,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Jerusalem is destined to reach until the gates of Damascus, as it is stated: “A prophecy, the word of the Lord: Ḥadrakh [and Damascus]” (Zechariah 9:1).

What is Ḥadrakh? Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥamya, Rabbi Yehuda said: There is a place that is called Ḥadrakh. Rabbi Yosei ben Durmaskit said to him: By the Temple service, I am from Damascus and there is a place there named Ḥadrakh. Rabbi Neḥemya said: This is the messianic king who is sharp [ḥad] and gentle [rakh]; sharp to the nations and gentle to Israel.

Another matter, Ḥadrakh, this is the messianic king who is destined to guide [lehadrikh] all mankind in repentance before the Holy One blessed be He. “Damascus is His resting place” (Zechariah 9:1). Is Damascus His resting place? But is His resting place not the Temple, as it is stated: “This is My resting place forever” (Psalms 132:14)?

He said to him: Jerusalem is destined to expand on all its sides until it reaches the gates of Damascus, and all the exiles will come and rest under its auspices, to realize what is stated: “Damascus is His resting place,” His resting place will reach Damascus. How does Rabbi Yoḥanan realize: “The city will be rebuilt on its mound” (Jeremiah 30:18)?36This verse implies that it will be rebuilt upon its original location, but will not expand significantly beyond its original location.

Like a fig tree that is narrow below and wide above, so Jerusalem is destined to expand on all its sides, and all the exiles will come and rest under its auspices, to realize what is stated: “For you will spread right and left” (Isaiah 54:3). This is lengthwise; from where is it derived [that it will expand] widthwise? The verse states: “From the Tower of Ḥananel to the winepresses of the king” (Zechariah 14:10).

Rabbi Zakkai the Great said: Until the pits of Rifa,37Some assert that the correct reading is “the pits of Jaffa” (see Etz Yosef). In any event, the reference is to a location on the Mediterranean coastline in the land of Israel. until the winepresses that the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, dug out;38This is a reference to the oceans. that is lengthwise and widthwise. From where is upward [that it will expand] derived?

The verse states: “The side-chambers widened and wound about higher and higher” (Ezekiel 41:7). It is taught: Jerusalem is destined to expand and ascend and reach the Throne of Glory, until you will say: “The place is crowded for me” (Isaiah 49:20).39Even when Jerusalem expands so greatly in all directions, it will still be crowded due to all the exiles who will return there. Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Yirmeya said: We have still not learned the praise of Jerusalem.

From where do you learn its praise? From its walls, as it is stated: “I will be for it, the utterance of the Lord, a wall of fire all around” (Zechariah 2:9).

“Like the tents of Kedar,” just as the tents of Kedar appear externally to be ugly, black, and in tatters, but internally they are gems and pearls, so too Torah scholars, even though they appear ugly and black in this world, internally there is Torah in them, Bible, Mishna, Midrash, halakhot, Talmud, Tosefta, and aggada. If so, just as tents of Kedar do not require laundering, perhaps the same is true of Israel; the verse states: “Like the curtains of Solomon”—just as these curtains of Solomon are soiled and laundered, and are again soiled and laundered, so, too, Israel, even though they are soiled with sins all the days of the year, Yom Kippur arrives and atones for them, as it is stated: “For on this day He will atone for you” (Leviticus 16:30), and it is written: “If your sins will be like scarlet, they will be whitened as snow; if they will be reddened like crimson, they will be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

If so, just as the tents of Kedar are moved from place to place, perhaps the same is true of Israel. The verse states: “Like the curtains of Solomon [Shelomo],” like the curtains197The heavens. of the One [of Whom it may be stated] that the peace is His, the One Who spoke and the world came into being, that from the moment He spread them, they did not move from their place. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov taught: “A tent that will not be displaced [yatzan]” (Isaiah 33:20); it will not emerge [yetze] and will not move [yanua].198Yatzan is an acronym of yetze and yanua.

Just as the tents of Kedar are not subject to the yoke of any creature,199The reference is to nomads who live in the wilderness. so too, Israel, in the future, will not be subject to the yoke of any creature. Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “I led you upright” (Leviticus 26:13); with an upright stature, without fear of any creature.200Although the verse cited is stated regarding the exodus from Egypt, it is understood as also alluding to the future redemption.

Rabbi Yudan said: Like Joseph; just as Joseph was sold to the tents of Kedar, as it is stated: “They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites… [and they brought Joseph to Egypt]” (Genesis 37:28), and he then purchased his purchasers, as it is stated: “Joseph purchased all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 47:20), so too Israel: “They will be captors of their captors” (Isaiah 14:2).

“Do not look at me that I am dark, that the sun has tanned me. My mother’s sons were incensed at me; they placed me as guard of the vineyards; I did not guard my own vineyard” (Song of Songs 1:6). “Do not look at me that I am dark.” Rabbi Simon began: “Do not slander a servant to his master” (Proverbs 30:10).

Israel were called servants, as it is stated: “For the children of Israel are servants to Me” (Leviticus 25:55), and the prophets were called servants, as it is stated: “Unless He has revealed His secret to His servants, the prophets” (Amos 3:7). So said the congregation of Israel to the prophets: ‘Do not see me in my darkness.’201Even when Israel is guilty, the prophet must not demean them because of their sins.

There is none who rejoiced more in my sons than Moses, and because he said: “Hear me now, defiant ones” (Numbers 20:10), it was decreed upon him that he would not enter the land. Another matter, there is none who rejoiced more in my sons than Isaiah, but because he said: “I live in the midst of a people with impure lips” (Isaiah 6:5), the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Isaiah, you are permitted to say about yourself: “For I am a man with impure lips” (Isaiah 6:5), that is fine; perhaps [you think it is acceptable to also say] “I live in the midst of a people with impure lips”?

I am astonished! Come see what is written there: “One of the seraphim flew to me and in his hand a coal [ritzpa]”’ (Isaiah 6:6). Rav Shmuel said: Ritzpa [is a conjunction of the words] rotz peh, smash the mouth of one who slandered My children. It is written similarly in Elijah’s regard, as it is stated: “He said: I have been zealous for the Lord, God of hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant; [they have destroyed Your altars and killed Your prophets by sword.

I alone remain and they have sought my life, to take it]” (I Kings 19:14). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘My covenant; is it perhaps your covenant?’202Why are you so zealous toward Israel? Is it your covenant they have forsaken? “They have destroyed Your altars,” He said to him: ‘My altars; are they perhaps your altars?’

“And killed Your prophets by sword,” He said to him: ‘My prophets; why do you care?’ “I alone remain and they have sought my life, to take it.” Come, see what is written there? “He looked and behold, near his head, a cake baked on coals [retzafim]” (I Kings 19:6).

What are retzafim? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Ritzpa, rotz peh, smash the mouth of anyone who slandered My children. Rabbi Yoḥanan cites it from this: “A prophecy of Damascus: Behold, Damascus…. Abandoned are the cities of Aroer” (Isaiah 17:1–2).

Why is he standing in Damascus and mentioning Aroer? Is Aroer not within the boundaries of the land of Moav?203It is strange that the prophet mentions Aroer, a Moavite city, in a prophecy about Damascus, which was in the kingdom of Aram. Rather, there were three hundred and sixty-five houses of idol worship in Damascus, corresponding to the days of the solar year, and they would worship in each and every one of them on its day.

They had one day when they would visit all of them on that day and worship them [all]. Israel made all [the idols] jointly sovereign over them and worshipped them, as it is stated: “The children of Israel continued to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, and they served the Be'alim [and the Ashtarot, and the gods of Aram, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moav, and the gods of the children of Amon, and the gods of the Philistines]” (Judges 10:6).

When Elijah slandered Israel, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Elijah, instead of indicting these, come and indict those.’ That is what is written: “Go, return on your path to the wilderness of Damascus” (I Kings 19:15).204God indicated to Elijah that he should speak in an accusatory manner regarding Damascus rather than regarding Israel. Rabbi Abahu and Reish Lakish were entering one of the neighborhoods of Caesarea.

Rabbi Abahu said to Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: ‘Why is it that we have entered into a neighborhood of cursers and blasphemers?’ Reish Lakish dismounted from his donkey and collected sand and placed it in [Rabbi Abahu’s] mouth. [Rabbi Abahu] said to him: ‘Why did you do that?’ He said to [Rabbi Abahu]: ‘The Holy One blessed be He does not want one who slanders Israel.’

“His left is under my head and his right embraces me” (Song of Songs 2:6). “His left is under my head,” these are the first tablets; “and his right embraces me,” these are the second tablets. Alternatively, “his left is under my head,” these are ritual fringes; “and his right embraces me,” these are phylacteries. Alternatively, “his left is under my head” this is the reciting of Shema; and his right embraces me,” this is the Amida prayer.

Alternatively, “his left is under my head,” this is sukka; “and his right embraces me,” this is the cloud of the Divine Presence in the future. That is what is written: “The sun will no longer be for you the light of day and the glow of the moon will not illuminate for you” (Isaiah 60:19). Who illuminates for you? “The Lord will be for you an eternal light” (Isaiah 60:19).

Alternatively, “his left is under my head,” this is mezuza.” Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house” (Deuteronomy 6:9), when you enter from the marketplace to your house.77It is on the right of the person entering the house, which is the left of the person exiting. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “You shall position the table outside the curtain [and the candelabrum opposite the table, on the side of the Tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side]” (Exodus 26:35).78Since the Divine Presence emanated from the Holy of Holies, the candelabrum was to its right and the table was to its left.

But that is not the case; a person places a candelabrum on the left so it will not restrict the right. A person does not place the left under the head and embrace with the right.79The unusual placement of the candelabrum and the table reflect the fact that God’s embrace of Israel is not, as it were, for His comfort, but rather in order to support them (Midrash HaMevoar; cf. Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Aḥa said: Rabbi Yoḥanan cites it from this verse: “To love the Lord your God…and to cleave to Him” (Deuteronomy 30:20). What is this cleaving? “His left is under my head.”

“Who is this ascending from the wilderness like columns of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, and with all the powders of the merchant?” (Song of Songs 3:6). “Who is this ascending from the wilderness,” its ascent was in the wilderness;40Israel was elevated in the wilderness, as the midrash goes on to explain. its removal 41The division of the camp based on tribal units, which would eventually become the basis of the distribution of the Land of Israel to the tribes. was in the wilderness; its death was in the wilderness, just as it says: “In this wilderness they will cease to exist” (Numbers 14:35).

Torah [was given] from the wilderness, the Tabernacle from the wilderness, Sanhedrin from the wilderness, priesthood from the wilderness, Levites from the wilderness, royalty from the wilderness, as it is stated: “You will be for Me a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6); and all the fine gifts that the Holy One blessed be He gave to Israel were from the wilderness. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: In the wilderness they loaded,42They received the Torah. and in the wilderness they unloaded.43When they sinned. Prophecy is from the wilderness. That is, its ascent is from the wilderness.

“Until the day is great and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense” (Song of Songs 4:6). “Until the day is great” – Rabbi Abbahu and Rabbi Levi: one said: When Abraham our patriarch circumcised himself, his sons, and the members of his household, he made a hill of their foreskins, and the sun shone upon it and they became infested with worms. Their scent ascended before the Holy One blessed be He like the fragrance of the incense of spices and like the fragrance of the handful of frankincense that is burned upon the fires.87It was as pleasing to God as the scent of the incense and the frankincense burned together with a portion of the meal offering in the Temple.

The Holy One blessed be He said: When this one’s descendants will commit sins and evil deeds, I will remember this scent and I will be filled with mercy toward them and I will transform the attribute of justice into the attribute of mercy. What is the reason? “I will go to the mountain of myrrh [and to the hill of frankincense].” Rabbi Levi said: When Joshua circumcised the children of Israel, he made a hill of their foreskins, and the sun shone upon it and they became infested with worms.

Their scent ascended before the Holy One blessed be He like the fragrance of the incense of the spices and like the fragrance of the handful of frankincense that is burned upon the fires. At that moment the Holy One blessed be He said: When the descendants of these will commit sins and evil deeds, I will remember this scent and I will be filled with mercy over them and I will transform the attribute of justice into the attribute of mercy.

What is the reason? “I will go to the mountain of myrrh [and to the hill of frankincense].” It is written: “On that very day, Abraham was circumcised” (Genesis 17:26). Rabbi Berekhya said: Had Abraham circumcised himself at night, his generation would have said: Had we seen him we would not have allowed him.

Instead, “on that very day Abraham was circumcised” – anyone who is bothered by it, let him speak. Rabbi Abbahu bar Kahana and Rabbi Levi:88These Sages address the question of why the verse states that Abraham “was circumcised” rather than stating that he circumcised himself. Rabbi Abbahu said: He felt it and he suffered,89The verse states that Abraham “was circumcised” in order to indicate that he suffered like anyone else who undergoes circumcision. so that the Holy One blessed be He would multiply his reward.

It is written: “One born in your house or purchased with your money shall be circumcised [himol yimol]” (Genesis 17:13). The Holy One blessed be He said: Shall one impure come and tend to one who is pure; is that possible?90Shall an uncircumcised person circumcise one who is in the process of purification? Rather, one who is circumcised [hamul] shall circumcise [yimol]. I am pure and Abraham is pure; it is appropriate for the pure to tend to the pure.

Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Shimon: The Holy One blessed be He joined His right hand to Abraham’s and circumcised him, as it is stated: “You established the covenant with him” (Nehemiah 9:8).

“I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had slipped away and gone. My soul departed when he spoke. I sought him, but did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me” (Song of Songs 5:6). “I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had slipped away and gone [avar]” – He was appeased, and then He became filled with wrath [evra] toward me.27The midrash interprets the phrase “I opened for my beloved” as an expression of Israel’s attempt to begin the process of repentance.

God initially was appeased with this opening and responded by orchestrating Cyrus’s first decree allowing the building of the Temple. Then, God became angry over the lack of further progress in Israel’s repentance, and the result was Cyrus’s second decree. “My soul departed when he spoke” – upon the speech of Cyrus who decreed: Whoever has not crossed the Euphrates shall not cross. “I sought him, but did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.”28After that second decree, I sought God and called to Him, but the seventy years of the Babylonian exile had not yet been completed, and He did not answer me.

Another matter: “I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had slipped away and gone” – He was appeased, and then He became filled with wrath [evra] toward me like a pregnant [uberet] woman.29The midrash is interpreting this verse as pertaining to the years the Israelites spent in the wilderness. At first God was appeased by them and communicated directly with them at Sinai. After the sin of the Golden Calf, He was filled with anger toward them.

My soul departed when he spoke” – with His speech, from the sound of His first commandment, when He said: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2). “I sought him, but did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.”30During the thirty-eight years following the sin of the scouts, God refused to allow the Israelites into the Land of Israel and did not communicate with them.

“Your teeth are like a flock of ewes that are ascending from being washed, that are all paired, and there is none missing among them” (Song of Songs 6:6). “Your teeth are like a flock of ewes.” Just as the ewe is modest,20This is because its tail covers its sexual organs. so too, Israel was modest and upright in the Midyanite war. Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: That not one of them donned the phylacteries of the head before the phylacteries of the arm, as had one of them donned the phylacteries of the head before the phylacteries of the arm, Moses would not have praised them and they would not have ascended from there21The Midyanite war. in peace.

You must say that they were extremely righteous. “That are all paired,” as they would enter in pairs to the woman.22The war against Midyan was undertaken in response to a plague that killed thousands of Israelites. The plague was a result of their sins with Moavite and Midyanite women (see Numbers chapter 25), who were sent to seduce them. Consequently, when the Israelite soldiers conquered the Midyanites, they would enter a tent in which there was a woman only in pairs, so that there would be no doubt that they would repeat the same sins which had brought about the plague in the first place.

One of them would blacken her face and one of them would remove her jewelry. [The women] would say to them: ‘Are we not among the creations of the Holy One blessed be He, that you do this to us?’ The Israelites would say to them: ‘Is it not enough for you that our people received their punishment because of you?’ That is what is written: “The Lord said to Moses: Take all the leaders of the people, and hang them” (Numbers 25:4).23This was one of the disastrous consequences of the Israelites’ sins with the Midyanite women. “And there is none missing among them,” that not one of them was suspected of committing a transgression.

“Your head is upon you like the Carmel, and the locks of your head are like purple wool; the king is bound in the tresses” (Song of Songs 7:6). “Your head is upon you like the Carmel,” the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: “Your head [roshekh] is upon you like the Carmel”—the indigent [rashim] among you are as dear to Me as Elijah who climbed Mount Carmel, as it is stated: “Elijah climbed to the peak of the Carmel and he placed his face between his knees” (I Kings 18:42).

Why did he place his face between his knees? He said before the Holy One blessed be He: We have no merit, look to the covenant.40He put his head between his knees as an allusion to the covenant of circumcision. “And the locks [dalat] of your head [roshekh] are like purple wool.” The Holy One blessed be He said: The poor [dalim] and the indigent [rashim] in Israel are as dear to me as David, as it is stated: “The feeble among them will on that day be like David” (Zechariah 12:8).

Some say like Daniel, about whom it is written: “They clothed Daniel in purple wool” (Daniel 5:29). “The king is bound in the tresses,” this is the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, in whose regard it is written: “The Lord reigns, He is clothed in grandeur” (Psalms 93:1). “Bound in the tresses [barehatim],” as He bound Himself with an oath that He would rest His Divine Presence in the midst of Israel, in the beams [barehatim] of Jacob our patriarch.

By whose merit? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Levi, one said: By the merit of Abraham our patriarch, as it is stated: “Abraham ran41The Aramaic translation of “ran” is rahat. to the cattle” (Genesis 18:7). And one said: By the merit of Jacob our patriarch, in whose regard it is written: “He displayed the rods [that he had peeled in the troughs [barehatim]]” (Genesis 30:38). Rabbi Berekhya said: “King,” this is Moses, as it is stated: “He became king in Yeshurun” (Deuteronomy 33:5).

“In the tresses [barehatim],” as it was decreed upon him that he would not enter the Land of Israel.42In that sense Moses was “bound” by the decree against him. For what reason? It was due to the water troughs [barehatim] of the waters of contention. That is what is written: “They are the waters of contention” (Numbers 20:13).

Rabbi Neḥemya said: “King,” this is Moses, as it is stated: “He became king in Yeshurun” (Deuteronomy 33:5). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I appointed you king over Israel and it is the way of a king to issue decrees and have others fulfill them. Thus, you shall issue decrees upon Israel and they will fulfill them.’ That is what is written: “Command the children of Israel” (Leviticus 24:2).

“Place me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is as intense as death, jealousy is as cruel as the grave; its sparks are the sparks of fire, a great conflagration” (Song of Songs 8:6). “Place me as a seal” – Rabbi Meir said: Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, do what You thought in Your heart to do to us,’ as Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer, son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: When Israel stood before Mount Sinai and said: “We will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), at that moment the Holy One blessed be He called the Angel of Death and said to him: ‘Even though I appointed you chief executioner for the whole world, you are to have no involvement with this nation.’

That is what is written: “It was when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness” (Deuteronomy 5:20). Is there darkness On High? But is it not written: “The light rests with Him” (Daniel 2:22)? What then is “from the midst of the darkness”?

This is the Angel of Death, who is called darkness. And it is stated: “The tablets were the work of God and the script was the script of God, engraved [ḥarut] upon the tablets” (Exodus 32:16) – do not read it as engraved [ḥarut], but rather as freedom [ḥerut]. Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis: Rabbi Yehuda said: Freedom from the Angel of Death. Rabbi Neḥemya said: Freedom from the [gentile] kingdoms. And the Rabbis say: Freedom from suffering.

“That the sun has tanned me,” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great: It is written: “For My people have performed two evils” (Jeremiah 2:13). Did they not forsake many more [than two commandments]? Rather, it teaches that they performed one that is as severe as two, as they prostrated themselves to idols while exposing themselved toward the Temple. That is what is written: “He brought me to the inner courtyard of the House… [twenty-five men, their backs toward the Sanctuary of the Lord and their faces to the east…to the sun]” (Ezekiel 8:16).

Just as you say: “Their corruption is in them, a blemish is in them” (Leviticus 22:25). Another matter, “that the sun has tanned me,” because I prepared horse-drawn chariots for the sun, as it is written: “He abolished the horses that the kings of Judah had designated for the sun, from going to the House of the Lord” (II Kings 23:11). 205The kings of Judah had horse-drawn chariots rush toward the rising sun as a form of honor and worship.

“Like columns of smoke.” Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yosei ben Zimra: When Israel was wandering from journey to journey, the pillar of cloud would descend and the pillar of fire would ascend, and the smoke from the arrangement of wood [on the altar] would ascend like two sparks of fire.44From the two altars, the copper altar used for sacrificial offerings and the gold altar used for incense.

They would emerge from between the two staves of the Ark and burn before them snakes, fiery serpents, and scorpions. The nations of the world would see and say: ‘They are gods and all their actions are performed with fire.’ Due to their terror of Israel, fear and trembling would beset them. That is what is written: “Terror and fear will beset them” (Exodus 15:16).

“Beset them” is not written, but rather “will beset them”—from here and on. “Perfumed with myrrh,” this is our patriarch Abraham. Just as myrrh is the first of all the spices,45See Exodus 30:23. so too, Abraham our patriarch was the first of all the righteous. Just as myrrh, anyone who gathers it, his hands have a bitter residue, so too, Abraham our patriarch would embitter and torment himself with suffering.

Just as myrrh emanates its fragrance only in fire, so Abraham divulged his good deeds only in the fiery furnace.46Abraham was thrown into a fiery furnace due to his rejection of idolatry (see Bereshit Rabba 38:13). “And frankincense,” this is our patriarch Isaac, who was sacrificed like a handful of frankincense on the altar. “With all the powders of the merchant,” this is Jacob our patriarch, whose bed was unflawed and no waste was found among them.47In contrast to Abraham and Isaac, all of Jacob’s sons were righteous.

Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Just as there are all kinds of spices in the peddler’s box, so too, priesthood is from Jacob, and Levites and royalty from Jacob. Isaac, Abraham gave him everything that was his, as it is stated: “Abraham gave everything that was his to Isaac” (Genesis 25:5). However, all of Jacob’s wares were only from the dust that was beneath his feet.48He solidified his hold on the blessings he received only in the aftermath of his struggle with Esau’s angel, symbolized by dust [avak], as the verse states: “A man wrestled [vaye’avek] with him there” (Genesis 32:25).

See Genesis 32:25–30. (Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Yudan said two [statements]. Rabbi Yudan said: All the wares with which Israel engages and is successful in this world are due to the merit of that dust of Jacob our patriarch. Rabbi Yudan said another: All the merchandise49The midrash is using the term merchandise to refer to large-scale business, as opposed to “wares,” which is seen as small-scale peddling. that Israel produces and succeeds with in this world are due to the merit of that dust of Jacob our patriarch.

Rabbi Azarya said two [statements]: All the wars in which Israel engages and succeeds are due to the merit of that dust of Jacob our patriarch. Rabbi Azarya said another: All the Torah that Israel performs in this world is due to the merit of Jacob our patriarch. Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Simon [said] in the name of Rabbi Abahu: That dust, the Holy One blessed be He took it and placed it under His throne of glory.

That is what is written: “The Lord, his way is in the tempest and in the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet” (Nahum 1:3).

Another matter: “Place me as a seal [upon your heart]” – Rabbi Berekhya said: This is the reciting of Shema, as it is stated: “These matters…shall be upon your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6). “As a seal upon your arm” – these are phylacteries, just as it says: “You shall bind them as a sign upon your arm” (Deuteronomy 6:8). Rabbi Meir said: “Place me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm” – like Yehoyakhin.

As Rabbi Meir said: The Holy One blessed be He took an oath that He would sever the kingdom of the House of David from him. That is what is written: “As I live, the utterance of the Lord, for if Konya son of Yehoyakim,8Konya was another name of Yehoyakhin. king of Judah, would be a signet ring upon My right hand, then from there I would sever you [etkenka]” (Jeremiah 22:24). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: From there I would sever the kingdom of the House of David.

Alternatively, it is not written here anatekkha, but rather, “etkenka”;9The expression “I would sever you” is not written with the more common Hebrew term anatekkha, but rather with the word etkenka. This word can also be vocalized atakenkha, which means I will rectify you. I will rectify you [atakenkha] with repentance. From the place of your severance, there will be your rectification.

Rabbi Ze’eira said: I heard the voice of Rabbi Yitzḥak as he was sitting and expounding this matter, but I do not know what it was.10I heard him state the aforementioned teaching regarding Yehoyakhin, but I do not know how he derived it. Rabbi Aḥa Arikha said to him: They say that this is it: It is written: “Write this man childless, a man who will not succeed in his days” (Jeremiah 22:30). In his days he will not be successful, but in the days of his son he will be successful, as it is written: “On that day, the utterance of the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubavel son of She’altiel, My servant, the utterance of the Lord, and I will place you like a signet…” (Hagai 2:23).

Rabbi Aḥa bar Rabbi Avun bar Binyamin said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa son of Rav Pappi: Great is the power of repentance, as it nullifies the decree and nullifies the oath. Nullifies the decree, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Write this man childless, [a man who will not succeed in his days, sitting upon the throne of David and ruling any more in Judah]” (Jeremiah 22:30), and it is written: “On that day, the utterance of the Lord of hosts, I will take you, Zerubavel son of She’altiel, My servant, the utterance of the Lord, and I will place you like a signet; for I have chosen you, the utterance of the Lord of hosts]” (Hagai 2:23).

Nullifies the oath, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “As I live, the utterance of the Lord, for if Konya son of Yehoyakim, king of Judah, would be a signet ring upon My right hand, [then from there I would sever you]” (Jeremiah 22:24). And it is written: “The sons of Yekhonya:11Yekhonya is another name for Yehoyakhin. Asir, She’altiel his son…” (I Chronicles 3:17).12The passage continues by listing Zerubavel, who became governor of Judah, as a descendant of Yekhonya (verse 19).

Thus, the oath to end the royal line with Yekhonya was nullified. Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Yirmeya said: Asir, because he was incarcerated in prison;13The word asir means prisoner. Yekhonya was imprisoned, and some say that Asir was conceived or even born in prison (see Radak, I Chronicles 3:17). She’altiel, because the kingdom of the House of David was replanted [hushtela] from him.

Alternatively, Asir, as the Holy One blessed be He prohibited [asar] Himself by means of an oath;14He took an oath that He would not grant Yekhonya children. She’altiel, because He requested [shaal] from the supernal court and they dissolved His vow.

Rabbi Yitzḥak interpreted the verse regarding the war with Midyan.206This war was conducted to avenge the fact that twenty-four thousand Israelites died in a plague as a result of idolatry they committed after being seduced by Moavite and Midyanite women. See Numbers chapter 25. You find that when Israel went out to the war with Midyan, they would enter in pairs to a woman, and one would blacken her face and one would remove her jewelry.

She would say to them: ‘Are we not creations of the Holy One blessed be He, that you are doing this to us?’ The Israelites would say to them: ‘It it not enough for you that we received our punishment because of you?’ That is what is written: “The Lord said to Moses: Take all the leaders of the people, and hang them for the Lord opposite the sun, [and the enflamed wrath of the Lord will be withdrawn from Israel]” (Numbers 25:4).

Rabbi Aivu said: What was the sin? “They cleaved to Baal Peor” (Psalms 106:28). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: There was an incident involving a certain provincial woman, who had a Kushite maidservant who descended to draw water from the spring, she and her friend. She said to her friend: ‘My friend, tomorrow my master is going to divorce his wife and take me as a wife.’ [The friend] said to her: ‘Why?’ [The maidservant answered:] ‘Because he saw her hands blackened with coal.’ [The friend] said to her: ‘What a world-class fool, let your ears here what your mouth is saying.

If his wife, who is exceedingly beloved to him, you say that he wishes to divorce her because he saw her hands blackened with coal, you who are completely black from your mother’s womb [and will be black] all your life, all the more so.’ So too, because the nations of the world taunt Israel and say: ‘This nation has exchanged their Glory,’ as it is stated: “They exchanged their glory [for the cast image of a grass-eating bull]” (Psalms 106:20), Israel says to them: ‘If we, who did so for a single moment, are liable in this manner, you, all the more so.’

Moreover, Israel says to the nations of the world: ‘We will tell you to what we are comparable; to the son of kings who went out to the wilderness outside the city and the sun beat down on his head and his face darkened. He entered the city, and with a little water and a little bathing from the bathhouse, his body whitened and he regained his previous beauty. So it is with us; [even] if the sun of idol worship has darkened us, you are darkened from your mother’s womb, for even when you were in your mother’s womb you worshipped idols.

How so? When a pregnant woman enters her house of idol worship, she bows and prostrates herself to the idol, she and her son.’

Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo: It is written: “A man wrestled with him” (Genesis 32:25). We do not know who was dominated by whom; whether the angel was dominated by Jacob or Jacob was dominated by the angel, except from what is written: “He said: Release me, as dawn has broken” (Genesis 32:27). The angel said to Jacob: ‘Release me, as the time for my lauding has arrived.’ Thus, the angel was dominated by Jacob.

In what guise did he appear to him? Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: He appeared to him in the guise of Esau’s guardian angel. That is what is written: “For I have therefore seen your face like seeing the face of an angel” (Genesis 33:10). [Jacob] said to [Esau]: ‘Your face is like that of your angel.’ This is analogous to a king who had a tamed lion and a wild dog.

What did the king do? He brought the lion and incited it against his son. He would say: If the dog comes upon my son, my son will say: If I overcame the lion will I not be able to overcome the dog? So too, when the nations of the world come upon Israel, the Holy One blessed be He says to then: ‘Your guardian angel was not able to withstand their ancestor, will you be able to overcome them?’

Rabbi Huna said: He appeared to him as a herdsman; this one had flocks and that one had flocks, this one had camels and that one had camels. He said to him:50The angel said to Jacob. ‘Cross mine and I will cross yours.’51Help me cross the stream with my livestock, and I will help you cross with your livestock. Some suggest that the text should read: Cross yours and I will cross mine. This is consistent with the version of the text in Bereshit Rabba 77:3 and with the continuation of the midrash here (Etz Yosef).

After Jacob our patriarch crossed his, he said: ‘Let us return and see, perhaps we forgot something.’ Once he returned, “a man wrestled with him.”52The angel, appearing as a herdsman, fought with Jacob under the pretense that after crossing his own livestock, Jacob had come to take some of his livestock. Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Shimon ben Rabbi were engaged in commerce and were dealing silk fabric.

They entered Tyre and engaged in their labor. When they exited the city gates, they said: ‘Let us return and see, perhaps we forgot something.’ They returned and found a bundle of silk fabric. They said: This matter is from Jacob our grandfather, as it is written: “A man wrestled with him.”53This event occurred after Jacob had returned to see if he forgot anything.

They derived from Jacob’s behavior that checking if one forgot anything is a good habit. The Rabbis say: He appeared to him as an arch robber; this one had flocks and that one had flocks, this one had camels and that one had camels. He said to him: Cross mine and I will cross yours. The angel crossed Jacob’s flocks in the blink of an eye.

Our patriarch Jacob was crossing the flocks of the angel, and he was returning and finding other flocks all that night. What did Jacob our patriarch do? Rabbi Pinḥas said: At that moment, Jacob wrapped a soft woolen scarf around his neck. He said to him: ‘Sorcerer, sorcerer, you are a wizard, but wizardry is not effective at night.’

Rabbi Huna said: At that moment the angel said: ‘Shall I not inform him with whom he is dealing?’ What did he do? He placed a finger on a rock and it began bursting into flames. [Jacob] said to him: ‘With this you are seeking to frighten me? I am constituted entirely from it,’ as it is stated: “The house of Jacob will be fire” (Obadiah 1:18).

Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Esau’s guardian angel: ‘Are you standing against him? He is coming against you with five amulets in his hand: His merit, the merit of his father, the merit of his mother, the merit of his grandfather, and the merit of his grandmother. Assess yourself relative to him, as you are unable to stand even against his own merit.’ Immediately, “he saw that he could not overcome him” (Genesis 32:26).

Rabbi Levi said: He saw in the Divine Presence that he could not overcome him. [This is analogous] to an arch robber who was struggling with the son of a king. He lifted his eyes and saw that his father the king was standing over him, and he submitted to him. So too, when the angel saw the Divine Presence standing over Jacob, he submitted before him. That is what is written: “He saw that he could not overcome him.”

Rabbi Levi said: He saw in the Divine Presence that he could not overcome him. “He touched the socket of his thigh” (Genesis 32:26), the righteous men and the righteous women and the prophets and the prophetesses who were destined to emerge from him and his sons. What is that? It is the generation of persecution.54The generation that lived after the destruction of the Temple, when the Romans persecuted the residents of the Land of Israel.

“The socket of Jacob’s thigh was dislocated [vateka]” (Genesis 32:26), Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Eliezer says: He smoothed it.55The bone that protrudes from the thigh no longer protruded. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rav Asi:56The Hebrew text says Ravasa, which is short for Rav Asi. He fractured it like [one splits] a fish.57Lengthwise. Rabbi Naḥman bar Yaakov said: He dislocated it, just as you say: “My soul was alienated [vateka] from her” (Ezekiel 23:18).

Rabbi Aivu said: There were two matters that Israel requested of the Holy One blessed be He but they did not request properly, and the prophets arose and corrected them. Israel said: “He will come to us like the rain” (Hosea 6:3). The prophets said to them: ‘You did not request properly, as these rains are an imposition upon the world. Wayfarers suffer from them, seafarers suffer from them, roof repairers suffer from them, wine stompers suffer from them, loaders of the threshing floor suffer from them, one whose cistern is full of water and whose winepress is full of wine suffer from them, and you say: “He will come to us like the rain”?’

The prophets arose and corrected them: “I will be like dew for Israel” (Hosea 14:6). Moreover, Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: “Place me as a seal upon Your heart, as a seal upon Your arm.” The prophets said to them: ‘You did not request properly, as the heart is sometimes visible and sometimes not visible, and its seal is not visible.15The arm is similarly covered at times by one’s garment.

What would be proper? “You will be a crown of splendor in the hand of the Lord”’ (Isaiah 62:3). Rabbi Simon ben Kuzit said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Neither you nor your prophets requested properly and appropriately. A king of flesh and blood passes, and the crown falls off his head along with the royal diadem that is upon it.

What would be proper? That is what is written: “Behold I have engraved you upon My palms, your walls are always before Me” (Isaiah 49:16). Just as it is impossible for a person to forget his palms, so too, “even these may forget, but I will not forget you”’ (Isaiah 49:15).

“My mother’s sons were incensed at me.” Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yosei. Rabbi Meir says: “My mother’s sons [benei imi]”—the members of my nation [benei umati]; these are Datan and Aviram, “were incensed at me [niḥaru bi]”—they assailed me [nitgaru bi], they filled the Judge with enflamed wrath against me.207They caused Israel’s enslavement in Egypt to be extended longer than it would have otherwise been.

This midrash is presented as though stated by Israel. “They placed me as guard of the vineyards”—because [they caused Moses] to settle the dispute between the daughters of Yitro,208The dispute between the daughters of Yitro and the Midyanite shepherds (see Exodus 2:16–17). Datan and Aviram are identified as the individuals who told Pharaoh that Moses had killed an Egyptian taskmaster, and thereby caused Moses to flee to Midyan (see Exodus 2:13–15; Shemot Rabba 1:29). he could not settle the dispute between me and my brethren who were in Egypt.

That is: “I did not guard my own vineyard.” Rabbi Yosei says: “My mother’s sons were incensed at me”—the members of my nation, these are the scouts. “Were incensed at me”—they assailed me; they filled the Judge with enflamed wrath against me. “They placed me as guard of the vineyards.”

Because I tarried in the wilderness for forty-two journeys, I was not able to enter the Land of Israel. That is: “I did not guard my own vineyard.” Another matter, “my mother’s sons were incensed at me”—the members of my nation, this is Yerovam ben Nevat. “Were incensed at me”—they assailed me; they filled the Judge with enflamed wrath against me.

“They placed me as guard of the vineyards,” the guarding of Yerovam’s two calves, “I did not guard my own vineyard,” I did not maintain the priestly and Levite watches. That is: “I did not guard my own vineyard.” Rabbi Levi said: On the day that Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh Nekho, [the angel] Mikhael, the great prince, descended from the heavens and inserted a large reed into the sea. Mud arose on this side and that, and made that place like a thicket.

It became the location of Rome. On the day that Yerovam ben Nevat established the two golden calves, two towers were built in Rome. They would build them and they would collapse, build them and they would collapse. There was one elderly man there named Abba Kolon.

He said to them: ‘Unless you bring water from the Euphrates River, mix it with the mortar, and build them, they will not remain standing.’ They said to him: ‘Who can do that?’209They knew that the authorities in the Land of Israel would not allow water from the Euphrates to be transported. He said to them: ‘I can.’ He presented himself as a wine merchant.

He would enter a city and leave a city, enter a province and leave a province until he arrived there. When he arrived there, he went and brought water from the Euphrates.210He transported it in the empty wine barrels. They mixed it with mortar and built them and they remained standing. From that time, they would say: Any province where there is no Abba Kolon cannot be called a province.

They would call it Babylonian Rome.211The Euphrates was in Babylon. On the day that Elijah, of blessed memory, departed [from the world], a king assumed power in Edom. That is what is written: “There was no king in Edom, a prefect was king” (I Kings 22:48).212For many years, Edom was subservient to Israel and was ruled by a prefect who was controlled by Israel. When Elijah departed from the world, Edom appointed a king and became politically independent.

It should be noted that the Sages generally identify Edom as the forebear of Rome. Another matter, “my mother’s sons were incensed at me”—the members of my nation, this is Ahab. “Were incensed at me,” they assailed me; they filled the Judge with enflamed wrath against me. “They placed me as guard of the vineyards,” he would pamper and feed Tzidkiya ben Kenaana and his cohorts,213False prophets. and I had one true prophet, this is Mikhaihu, and this is what he commanded and said: “Feed him scant food and scant water until I return in peace” (I Kings 22:27).

“That is: “I did not guard my own vineyard.” Another matter, “my mother’s sons”—[members of] my nation, this is Jezebel. “Were incensed at me”—they assailed me; they filled the Judge with enflamed wrath against me. “They placed me as guard of the vineyards”—she would pamper and feed the prophets of the Baal and the Ashera.

And to Elijah the prophet, of blessed memory, who was a true prophet, she sent and said to him: “At this time tomorrow I will render your life like the life of one of them” (I Kings 19:2).214She threatened to have him killed. That is: “I did not guard my own vineyard.” Another matter, “my mother’s sons,” this is King Zedekiah. “Were incensed at me”—they assailed me; they filled the Judge with enflamed wrath against me.

“They placed me as guard of the vineyards,” he would pamper Pashḥur ben Malkiya and his cohorts.215False prophets. And I had one true prophet, this is Jeremiah, and he wrote in his regard:216Jeremiah wrote what Zedekiah did for him. “They gave him a loaf of bread daily from the bakers' street” (Jeremiah 37:21). What is “from the bakers’ street [ḥutz]”?

Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This is coarse bread, which is black and made from barley bran, which is sold outside [ḥutz] the bakers’ marketplace. That is: “I did not guard my own vineyard,” because I did not guard my own vineyard.217I did not protect the true prophets.

Rabbi Yoḥanan interpreted the verse: “Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, and with all the powders of the merchant” regarding the incense of the house of Avtinas,58The incense in the Temple was prepared by the priestly house of Avtinas; see, e.g., Mishna Shekalim 5:1; Yoma 3:11. and this is one of the eleven spices that they would place in it.59The reference is to myrrh, although frankincense, which is also mentioned in the verse here, was also an ingredient in the incense.

Rav Huna interpreted it: “The Lord said to Moses: Take spices for you” (Exodus 30:34), that is two;60The word spices is plural, indicating at least two spices. “stacte, onycha, and galbanum” (Exodus 30:34), that is five; “spices” (Exodus 30:34), if you say that this is two, but did it not already say “spices”? “Each part shall be equal” (Exodus 30:34), these are five corresponding to the five, that is ten.61Based on the phrase “each part shall be equal,” the midrash interprets the second mention of “spices” to refer to an additional five types of spices.

“And pure frankincense” (Exodus 30:34), these are eleven spices. From here the Sages examined and found that only these eleven spices are ideal for incense. It is taught: The house of Avtinas were experts in the preparation of the incense, in the blending of the incense, and it would generate a column of smoke, but they were unwilling to teach it.62They were unwilling to teach others how to prepare the incense such that it would rise in a straight column of smoke.

The Sages sent and brought craftsmen from Alexandria who were expert in the preparation of the incense, but were not expert in generating a column of smoke. That of the house of Avtinas would rise and ascend like a cluster until the rafters, and would then spread and descend like a rod.63The text should be reversed to read: It rose like a rod to the rafters and would then spread and descended like a cluster (Etz Yosef).

That of [the craftsmen from] Alexandria would spread and descend downward immediately. When the matter became known to the Sages, they said: ‘Everything that the Holy One blessed be He created, He created only for His glory, as it is stated: “Everything that is called by My name, for My glory I created it”’ (Isaiah 43:7),64It was not befitting the glory of God for the smoke of the incense to spread out rather than rising straight up. and they restored the house of Avtinas to its position.

They sent for them, but they did not want to come until they doubled their wages. They had been receiving twelve maneh each day and they then received twenty-four maneh, in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yuda says: They had been receiving twenty-four maneh each day and they then received forty-eight maneh.65Some interpret this passage to mean that the sums mentioned were paid per year, on behalf of their preparation of the incense to be offered each day (Rashash, Yoma 38a).

They said to them: ‘Why did you see fit not to teach?’ They said: ‘We have a tradition from our ancestors that the Temple is destined to be destroyed, and we did not wish to teach so that they would not become accustomed to offering it before their idols in the manner that we do so before the Holy One blessed be He.’ Regarding this matter, they are commended; moreover, no woman from among them or child from among them ever went out perfumed.

And when they would marry a woman from another place they would make an agreement with her that she would never perfume herself, so that Israel would not say that they were perfuming themselves from the blending of the incense, to fulfill what is stated: “You shall be vindicated before God and before Israel” (Numbers 32:22), and it says: “you will find grace and good favor in the eyes of God and man” (Proverbs 3:4).

Rabbi Akiva said: Shimon ben Loga related to me: I and a child from the descendants of the house of Avtinas were gathering herbs in the field, and I saw that he cried and laughed. I said to him: ‘My son, why did you cry?’ He said to me: ‘Due to the honor of my patrilineal home that has been diminished.’ ‘Why did you laugh?’ He said to me: ‘Because it is preserved and designated for the righteous, and ultimately, the Holy One blessed be He is destined to bring joy to His children in the near future.’

What did you see?’66What did you see that reminded you of the incense that your family would prepare in the days of the Temple? He said to me: ‘Is this not a substance that generates a column of smoke before me?’ I said to him: ‘Show me.’ He said to me: ‘We have a tradition to never show it to any person.’

They said: Not many days elapsed in the world until that child died.67This was a punishment for having divulged the little that he divulged. Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri said: One time I was walking along the way and I found a certain elder of the house of Avtinas who had in his hand a scroll [containing a list] of spices. I said to him: ‘What is that in your hand?’ He said to me: ‘When they were discreet, the members of my patrilineal house would pass the scrolls one to another, but now, here it is for you, but be careful with it, as it is a scroll of spices.’

When I came and related the matters before Rabbi Akiva, his tears flowed. He said to me: ‘From now on, we are no longer permitted to denounce them.’68Since the elder did not find anyone in his family worthy of these secrets, he had passed them on to Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Nuri. This made it clear that all along they had acted for the sake of heaven (Etz Yosef).

“For love is as intense as death” – the love that the Holy One blessed be He has for you is as intense as death. That is what is written: “I have loved you, said the Lord…” (Malachi 1:2). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – when they infuriate the Holy One blessed be He with their idol worship, as it is stated: “They would infuriate Him with strange gods” (Deuteronomy 32:16). Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that Isaac had for Esau; that is what is written: “Isaac loved Esau” (Genesis 25:28).

“Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – the jealousy Esau had for Jacob, as it is stated: “Esau hated Jacob [because of the blessing with which his father blessed him]” (Genesis 27:41). Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that Jacob had for Joseph, as it is stated: “Israel loved Joseph more than his sons” (Genesis 37:3). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – the jealousy that his brothers had for him, as it is stated: “His brothers were jealous of him” (Genesis 37:11).

Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that Jonathan had for David, as it is stated: “Jonathan loved him as himself” (I Samuel 18:1). “Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – the jealousy that Saul had for David, as it is stated: “Saul eyed David with suspicion” (I Samuel 18:9). Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that a man has for his wife, as it is stated: “Enjoy life with a woman whom you love” (Ecclesiastes 9:9).

“Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – the jealousy that he has regarding her when he says to her: Do not speak with so-and-so, and she goes and speaks with him, and immediately, “a spirit of jealousy passes over him and he is jealous of his wife” (Numbers 5:14). Another matter: “For love is as intense as death” – the love that the generation of persecution had for the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “For we are killed all day long for You” (Psalms 44:23).

“Jealousy is as cruel as the grave” – as the Holy One blessed be He is destined to have great zealotry on behalf of Zion. That is what is written: “So said the Lord [of hosts]: I became zealous for Zion with great zealotry” (Zechariah 8:2). “Its sparks are the sparks of fire, a great conflagration” – Rabbi Berekhya said: Like the supernal fire; the fire does not quench water and the water does not extinguish fire.