God's Original Plan

Of us, who walk in wholeness, it is written: "The integrity of the upright shall guide them" (Proverbs 11:3). Of those people who walk in crookedness it is written of them: "But the perverseness of the treacherous shall destroy them" (Proverbs 11:3). Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: What is the meaning of that which is written, "You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride; you have ravished my heart with one of your eyes" (Song of Songs 4:9)? At first with one of your eyes; when you complete it, with both your eyes. Ulla said: Wretched is the bride who plays the harlot within her wedding canopy. Rav Mari the son of Shmuel's daughter said: What is the verse? "While the king sat at his table, my spikenard," and so forth (Song of Songs 1:12). Rav said: And still affection for us remained, for it is written "gave forth" and it is not written "turned foul." Our Rabbis taught: Those who are insulted and do not insult, who hear themselves reviled and do not reply, who act out of love and rejoice in suffering, of them Scripture says: "But let those who love Him be like the sun going forth in its might" (Judges 5:31). Rabbi Yochanan said: What is the meaning of that which is written, "The LORD gives the word; the women that announce the tidings are a great host" (Psalms 68:12)? Every single utterance that went forth from the mouth of the Almighty was divided into seventy languages. The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: "And like a hammer that shatters the rock" (Jeremiah 23:29): just as this hammer is divided into many sparks, so too every single utterance that went forth from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, was divided into seventy languages. Rav Chananel bar Pappa said: What is the meaning of that which is written, "Hear, for I will speak princely things" (Proverbs 8:6)? Why are the words of Torah likened to a prince (nagid)? To tell you: just as this prince has the power to put to death and to give life, so too the words of Torah have within them the power to put to death and to give life. This is what Rava said: For those who are right-handed with it, it is a drug of life; for those who are left-handed with it, it is a drug of death. Another interpretation: "Princely things" (negidim): every single utterance that went forth from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, bound two crowns to it. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: What is the meaning of that which is written, "My beloved is to me a bundle of myrrh, that lies between my breasts" (Song of Songs 1:13)? The Assembly of Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, even though my Beloved distresses me and embitters me, He "lies between my breasts." "My beloved is to me a cluster of henna (kofer) in the vineyards of Ein Gedi" (Song of Songs 1:14): He to whom everything (ha-kol) belongs atones (mekhaper) for me for the sin of the kid (gedi) that I gathered up for myself. And how do we know that this word "karmei" [vineyards] is an expression of gathering? Mar Zutra the son of Rav Nachman said: as we learned in a mishnah: "The launderer's stool upon which one gathers (kormim) the garments." And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: What is the meaning of that which is written, "His cheeks are like a bed of spices" (Song of Songs 5:13)? With every single utterance that went forth from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, the whole world was filled with fragrant spices. And since with the first utterance it was already filled, where did the second utterance go? The Holy One, blessed be He, brought forth the wind from His storehouses and would carry away each one in turn, as it is said: "His lips are like lilies, dropping flowing myrrh" (Song of Songs 5:13). And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: With every single utterance that went forth from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, the souls of Israel departed, as it is said: "My soul went forth when He spoke" (Song of Songs 5:6). And since with the first utterance their souls departed, how did they receive the second utterance? He brought down the dew with which He is destined to revive the dead, and revived them, as it is said: "You poured down a bountiful rain, O God; You established Your inheritance when it was weary" (Psalms 68:10). And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: With every single utterance that went forth from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, Israel recoiled backward twelve mil, and the ministering angels would lead them along, as it is said: "The angels of hosts flee, they flee (yiddodun yiddodun)" (Psalms 68:13). Do not read "yiddodun" [they flee], but rather "yedaddun" [they lead]. And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: At the hour when Moses ascended on high, the ministering angels said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, what is one born of woman doing among us? He said to them: He has come to receive the Torah. They said before Him: A treasured thing that has been hidden away with You nine hundred and seventy-four generations before the world was created, You seek to give to flesh and blood? "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You think of him?" (Psalms 8:5). "O LORD our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have set Your glory above the heavens!" (Psalms 8:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Return them an answer. He said before Him: Master of the Universe, I am afraid lest they consume me with the breath of their mouths. He said to him: Take hold of My throne of glory and return them an answer, as it is said: "He holds back the face of His throne, spreading His cloud over it" (Job 26:9). And Rabbi Nachum said: This teaches that the Almighty spread the radiance of His Presence and His cloud over him. He said before Him: Master of the Universe, the Torah that You are giving me, what is written in it? "I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt" (Exodus 20:2). He said to them: Did you go down to Egypt? Were you enslaved to Pharaoh? Why then should the Torah be yours? Again: what is written in it? "You shall have no other gods" (Exodus 20:3). Do you dwell among the nations who worship