Creation From A Mold

What did he expound? Rabbah bar bar Hana said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: "And he came from the myriads of holiness" (Deuteronomy 33:2) means he is a sign [distinguished] among his myriad. And Rabbi Abbahu said: "Distinguished above a myriad" (Song of Songs 5:10) means he is an example [distinguished] among his myriad. And Resh Lakish said: "The LORD of hosts is His name" (Isaiah 48:2) means He is a master among His host. And Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yohanan: "The LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice" (1 Kings 19:11-12), and "Behold, the LORD passed by." Our Rabbis taught: Six things were said concerning the demons: in three respects they are like the ministering angels, and in three respects like human beings. In three respects they are like the ministering angels: they have wings like the ministering angels; they fly from one end of the world to the other like the ministering angels; and they know what will be in the future like the ministering angels. Should it enter your mind that they know? Rather, they hear from behind the curtain like the ministering angels. And in three respects they are like human beings: they eat and drink like human beings; they reproduce and multiply like human beings; and they die like human beings. Six things were said concerning human beings: in three respects they are like the ministering angels, in three respects like a beast. In three respects they are like the ministering angels: they have understanding like the ministering angels; they walk upright like the ministering angels; and they speak in the holy tongue like the ministering angels. In three respects they are like a beast: they eat and drink like a beast; they reproduce and multiply like a beast; and they relieve themselves like a beast. Whoever looks at four things, it would have been fitting for him had he not come into the world, and so on. It is well concerning what is above, what is below, what is behind. But concerning what is in front, what was, was? Rabbi Yohanan and Rabbi Elazar both said: This may be compared to a king of flesh and blood who said to his servants: Build me a great palace upon the dunghill. They went and built it for him. It is not the king's wish that the name of the dunghill be mentioned. Whoever has no regard for the honor of his Maker, it would have been fitting for him had he not come into the world. What is this? Rabbi Abba said: This is one who looks at the rainbow. Rav Yosef said: This is one who transgresses a sin in secret. One who looks at the rainbow, as it is written: "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on a day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD" (Ezekiel 1:28). Rav Yosef said: This is one who transgresses a sin in secret, in accordance with Rabbi Yitzhak. For Rabbi Yitzhak said: Whoever transgresses a sin in secret is as though he pressed the feet of the Divine Presence, as it is said: "Thus says the LORD: The heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool" (Isaiah 66:1). Is that so? But Rabbi Ila the Elder said: If a person sees that his evil inclination is overpowering him, let him go to a place where he is not recognized, and put on black garments and wrap himself in black, and do what his heart desires, but let him not profane the name of Heaven in public! It is no difficulty: this case is where he is able to overcome his inclination, that case is where he is not able to overcome his inclination. Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Nahmani, the interpreter of Resh Lakish, expounded: Whoever looks at three things, his eyes grow dim: at the rainbow, at the prince, and at the priests. At the rainbow, as it is written: "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on a day of rain, this is the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD" (Ezekiel 1:28). At the prince, as it is written: "And you shall put of your honor upon him" (Numbers 27:20). Looking at the priests refers to the time when the Temple was standing, when they would stand on their platform and bless Israel with the explicit Name. Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Nahmani, the interpreter of Resh Lakish, expounded: What is the meaning of that which is written, "Trust not in a friend, put no confidence in a chief" (Micah 7:5)? If the evil inclination says to you, Sin, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will forgive, do not believe it, as it is said: "Trust not in a friend [rea]" and "friend" [rea] here means none other than the evil inclination [rendering rea as ra, the evil inclination], as it is said: "For the inclination of man's heart is evil" (Genesis 8:21). And "chief" [aluf] here means none other than the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: "You are the friend [aluf] of my youth" (Jeremiah 3:4). Lest you say, Who will testify against me? The stones of a person's house and the beams of his house testify against him, as it is said: "For a stone shall cry out from the wall, and a beam out of the woodwork shall answer it" (Habakkuk 2:11). And the Sages say: A person's soul testifies against him, as it is said: "From her who lies in your bosom guard the doors of your mouth" (Micah 7:5). What is the thing that rests in a person's bosom? You must say: this is the soul. Rabbi Zerika says: The two ministering angels that accompany him, they testify against him, as it is said: "For He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways" (Psalms 91:11). And the Sages say: A person's limbs testify against him, as it is said: "And you are My witnesses, says the LORD, and I am God" (Isaiah 43:12). Mishnah: Yose ben Yoezer says not to lay on hands; Yosef ben Yohanan says to lay on hands. Yehoshua ben Perahyah says not to lay on hands; Nittai the Arbelite says to lay on hands. Yehudah ben Tabbai says not to lay on hands; Shimon ben Shatah says to lay on hands. Shemayah says to lay on hands; Avtalyon says not to lay on hands. Hillel and Menahem did not disagree. Menahem went out, Shammai came in. Shammai says not to lay on hands; Hillel says to lay on hands.