Yalkut Shimoni on Nach Reader

"This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from upon you" (Joshua 5:9). For Pharaoh had seen by his astrology, and he said to Israel, "See that evil is set before your faces." He said to them, "I see by my astrology one star rising toward you, and its name is Evil, and it is a sign of blood and slaughter." And when Israel sinned in the wilderness with the calf, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to kill them, Moses asked in his prayer, "Why should the Egyptians say, He brought them out with evil intent?" (Exodus 32:12). This is what we told you: "See that evil is set before your faces." "And the LORD relented from the evil which He had spoken" (Exodus 32:14), and He turned the blood into the blood of circumcision, with which Joshua circumcised them. This is the meaning of "This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt," for they had been saying, "We see blood upon you."

"And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover" (Joshua 5:11). They asked Rav Kahana: The omer that Israel offered when they entered the land, from where did they bring it? If you say it came from grain in a gentile's possession, the Merciful One said "your harvest" (Leviticus 23:10), and not the harvest of a gentile. And from where do we know that they offered it at all? Perhaps they did not offer it? Do not let this enter your mind, for it is written, "And they ate of the produce of the land on the day after the Passover" (Joshua 5:11). "On the day after the Passover" they ate; beforehand they did not eat, because they offered the omer and only then ate. From where did they bring it? He said to him: from anything that had not yet reached a third of its growth in a gentile's possession. But perhaps such grain had entered the land yet they had no clear reckoning of it? Rather, they did have a reckoning; here too they had a reckoning. But perhaps it had not entered the land at all? Rather, they had a reckoning; here too they had a reckoning. But perhaps it had not entered at all, yet where grain had entered as a quarter or a sixth of its growth, between a third and less than a third they had no clear reckoning. Do not let this enter your mind, for it is written, "And the people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth of the month" (Joshua 4:19); and if it should enter your mind that it had not entered at all, could it have ripened in five days? Rather, granting that it entered at a quarter or a sixth, could it have ripened in five days? Rather, what is there for you to say? It is written of it, "a land of beauty" (Daniel 11:16); here too it is written of it, "a land of beauty."

"And the manna ceased on the day after" (Joshua 5:12). As long as Moses was alive, the manna came down for them. When he died, what does it say? "And the manna ceased on the day after." Yet it was not that the manna depended on his life alone, but even in his death, for from the manna they had gathered on the seventh of Adar they ate thirty-nine days, until the sixteenth of Nisan, and they offered the omer at Gilgal, as it is said, "And the children of Israel ate the manna forty years" (Exodus 16:35). Since there is no need for the verse to say "until they came to an inhabited land," what does it teach by saying "until they came"? It teaches that had the manna not ceased, they would not have wished to eat from the produce of the land. Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah offered a parable. To what is the matter like? To a king of flesh and blood who said to his servant, "Mix me hot water." The servant said, "I have no hot water." He said to him, "Then mix me cold water."

Another interpretation. A proverb says to a person: Why do you eat barley bread? Because I have no wheat bread. Why do you eat carobs? Because I have no dried figs. So too, had Israel still held even that single handful which they had gathered on the day Moses died, they would not have wished to eat from the produce of the land of Canaan. And in that year that they went out from the land of Egypt, the manna came down for them on the sixteenth of Iyar, and it ceased on the seventh of Adar, and it was finished in their hands on the sixteenth of Sivan, as it is said, "And they ate of the produce of the land of Canaan in that year" (Joshua 5:12).

It was taught: Rabbi Yehoshua says, Israel ate the manna forty days after the death of Moses. How so? On the seventh of Adar Moses died, and they ate from it the twenty-four remaining days of Adar and the sixteen of Nisan, as it is said, "And the manna ceased on the day after" (Joshua 5:12). Rabbi Elazar of Modi'in says seventy days. How so? Moses died on the seventh of Adar, and they ate from it the twenty-four remaining days of the first Adar, and the thirty days of the second Adar, for it was a leap year, and the sixteen of Nisan. Rabbi Eliezer says seventy days: Moses died on the seventh of Shevat, and they ate from it the twenty-four remaining of Shevat, the thirty of Adar, and the sixteen of Nisan, and that year was not a leap year. Rabbi Yose says fifty-four years. Israel ate the manna forty years in the lifetime of Moses and fourteen years after his death, as it is said, "And the children of Israel ate the manna forty years" (Exodus 16:35). Since there is no need for the verse to say, "And they ate the manna until they came to an inhabited land," rather these are the fourteen years after the death of Moses, the seven years that they conquered the land and the seven years that they divided it.

Three good leaders were given to Israel. These are Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. And three good gifts were given through them: the manna, the pillar of cloud, and the well. The manna was in the merit of Moses, the pillar of cloud in the merit of Aaron, the well in the merit of Miriam. When Miriam died, the well ceased, as it is written, "And Miriam died there" (Numbers 20:1), and it is written afterward, "And there was no water for the congregation" (Numbers 20:2); and it returned in the merit of Moses and Aaron. When Aaron died, the pillar of cloud ceased, as it is written, "And all the congregation saw that Aaron had died" (Numbers 20:29). And Rabbi Abahu said: Do not read "they saw" but "they were seen" [the people were now exposed to view], for the cloud that had hidden them was gone. The two returned in the merit of Moses. When Moses died, all three ceased, as it is written, "And I cut off the three shepherds in one month" (Zechariah 11:8). But did they die in one month? Miriam died in Nisan, Aaron in Av, and Moses in Adar. Rather, the three good gifts that were given through them ceased in one month. And in the time to come, all three are destined to return, as it is said, "They shall neither hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun strike them" (Isaiah 49:10). "They shall not hunger," this is the manna. "Neither thirst," this is the well. "Neither shall the heat nor the sun strike them," this is the pillar of cloud. "And by springs of water shall He guide them" (Isaiah 49:10): it does not say "a spring" but "springs." In the time to come twelve springs are destined to come forth for Israel, corresponding to the twelve tribes.

"And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho" (Joshua 5:13). But is it not written that "Jericho was shut up tightly" (Joshua 6:1)? Rather, this teaches that he was at the outskirts of the city, which counts as part of the city. And we have learned in the Mishnah: One who places his eruv in the outskirts of a city has done nothing at all. "And he said: Are you for us or for our adversaries?" (Joshua 5:13). But how could Joshua do such a thing? Did not Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi say: It is forbidden for a person to give a greeting of peace at night, lest the one he greets be a demon? It is different there, for the figure said to him, "I am captain of the host of the LORD." But perhaps he was lying? It is an accepted tradition that demons do not utter the name of Heaven in vain.

When the figure said to Joshua, "Are you for us?" he began to cry out from beneath the soles of his feet. He said to him: Twice I have come to give Israel possession of the Land. I came in the days of Moses your teacher, and he pushed me away, as it is said, "Now I have come" (Joshua 5:14) [implying: but earlier I came too]. Yet Moses pushed me away, as it is said, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not carry us up from here" (Exodus 33:15).

Rabbi Abba bar Pappa said: Joshua was punished only because he caused Israel to neglect, for one night, the duty of being fruitful and multiplying, as it is said, "And he said, No" (Joshua 5:14) [understood as the angel's rebuke]. The captain of the host of the LORD said to him: Last evening you neglected the daily afternoon offering, and now you have neglected the study of Torah. Joshua said to him: For which of these have you come? He said to him: "Now I have come" (Joshua 5:14) [that is, for the present neglect of Torah]. Immediately, "Joshua lodged that night in the midst of the valley" (Joshua 8:9). Rabbi Yochanan said: This teaches that he lodged in the depths of the law. And it is an accepted tradition that as long as the Ark and the Divine Presence are not in their place, Israel is forbidden marital relations. And Rabbi Shmuel bar Abba said in the name of Rav: The study of Torah is greater than the offering of the daily sacrifices, as it is said, "Now I have come" [for the Torah]; and this refers to the study of Torah of the many, not of an individual.

"You shall circle the city seven times" (Joshua 6:4). One does not lay siege to gentile cities less than three days before Shabbat. This that you say applies to an optional war; but in an obligatory war one may besiege even on Shabbat, for so we find that Jericho was captured only on Shabbat, as it is said, "And on the seventh day you shall circle the city seven times" (Joshua 6:4), and it is written "until it falls" (Deuteronomy 20:20), meaning even on Shabbat.

It is written, "Ephraim is the stronghold of my head" (Psalms 60:9). If a person says to you, Why did Joshua profane the Shabbat? say to him: The Holy One, blessed be He, told him to, as it is said, "And you shall circle the city... thus shall you do six days... and on the seventh day..." (Joshua 6:3-4), and there are no seven days without a Shabbat. Rabbi Shimon ben Chalafta said: He did one more thing of his own accord, which the Holy One, blessed be He, did not command him. Since he captured it on Shabbat, Joshua said: The Shabbat is holy, and everything we have captured on Shabbat shall be holy. Rabbi Berekhiah said: He treated it like a condemned idolatrous city. But is not a condemned city forbidden in benefit? Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi bar Shalom said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua: It is written, "The first of your dough you shall give to the LORD" (Numbers 15:21); since we captured it first, let us make it a dough-offering to the Holy One, blessed be He.

"And the city shall be devoted" (Joshua 6:17). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Just as it enters into the two hundred forty-eight limbs, so it departs from the two hundred forty-eight limbs. Just as it enters, as it is written "devoted" (cherem), which in gematria equals two hundred forty-eight, so it departs, as it is written "in wrath remember mercy" (rachem) (Habakkuk 3:2), which in gematria comes to the same number.

"And the people shouted, and they blew with the shofars" (Joshua 6:20). This teaches that they did not have the trumpets that Moses made, for those were hidden away, as it is said, "Make for yourself two silver trumpets" (Numbers 10:2): for you do you make them, and they are entrusted to your hand, and not to Joshua your disciple. And they were hidden away even during the lifetime of Moses, as it is said, "Assemble to me all the heads of your tribes and your officers" (Deuteronomy 31:28), and the trumpets, where were they? They were hidden away, to fulfill what is said, "There is no authority over the day of death" (Ecclesiastes 8:8).

"And the wall fell down" (Joshua 6:20). Our rabbis taught: One who sees the wall of Jericho that was swallowed up must recite a blessing. But did it not fall, as it is written, "And the wall fell down"? Since its breadth and its height became equal to one another, for that reason it was swallowed, being swallowed up [into the ground].

"And the young men, the spies, went in and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brothers, and all that she had; and they brought out all her families" (Joshua 6:23). What does Scripture teach by saying "and all her families"? Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai taught: that even if there were two hundred people in her family, and they had gone and attached themselves to two hundred other families, all of them were saved by her merit. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I said, "But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, then those whom you allow to remain shall be as thorns in your eyes and as pricks in your sides" (Numbers 33:55), "for you shall utterly destroy them" (Deuteronomy 7:2). Yet they did not do so; rather, "and Rahab the harlot, and her father's household, and all that she had, Joshua kept alive" (Joshua 6:25). Behold, Jeremiah was of the descendants of Rahab, and he did to Israel things that were as thorns in their eyes, as it is said, "The words of Jeremiah" (Jeremiah 1:1).

"And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying: Cursed be the man before the LORD" (Joshua 6:26). It was taught: in [the word] "cursed" there is excommunication, there is cursing, there is an oath. In it there is excommunication, as it is written, "Curse Meroz" (Judges 5:23); and Ulla said, with four hundred shofar blasts did Barak place Meroz under the ban. In it there is cursing, as it is written, "And these shall stand upon the curse" (Deuteronomy 27:13), and it is written, "Cursed be the man who makes a graven image" (Deuteronomy 27:15). In it there is an oath, as it is written, "And Joshua adjured them at that time," and it is written, "And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had laid an oath upon the people" (1 Samuel 14:24). "Who rises up and builds this city, namely Jericho" (Joshua 6:26). From the implication of what is said, "this city," do I not know that it is Jericho? What does Scripture come to teach by saying "namely Jericho"? That Jericho should not be built under the name of another city, and that another city should not be built under the name of Jericho.

"And the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land" (Joshua 6:27). There are four for whom coinage went out into the world. These are: Abraham, Joshua, David, and Mordecai. Abraham, as it is written, "And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great" (Genesis 12:2). And what was his coinage? An old man and an old woman on one side, and a young man and a young woman on the other. Joshua, as it is written, "And the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land." And what was his coinage in the world? A staff and a wallet on one side, and a tower on the other, on the basis of "like the tower of David is your neck" (Song of Songs 4:4). Mordecai, as it is written, "For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out through all the provinces" (Esther 9:4), for coinage went out for him into the world. And what was his coinage? Sackcloth and ashes on one side, and a crown of gold on the other.

"And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-Aven, on the east side of Beth-El" (Joshua 7:2). Formerly they called it Beth-El [House of God], and now they call it Beth-Aven [House of Iniquity]. Rabbi Shmuel and Rabbi Abbahu in the name of Rabbi Elazar: of dung [tzo'ah] you say "his dung," his foulness. Whatever they call "face of my lord" they call "face of a dog"; "the eye of all" they call "the eye of a thorn"; a lion they call something rolled away. It was taught in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: he did not wish to call it Amalah [a name of honor], so he calls it Amadah. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: there they call a good worker amalah, and a stench of urine-waters amrah. The Rabbis said: "You shall utterly detest it" (Deuteronomy 7:26), detest it, declare it foul.

"And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men of them" (Joshua 7:5). This is Jair son of Manasseh, who was weighed as equal to the majority of the Sanhedrin. "And Joshua tore his garments" (Joshua 7:6). Rabbi Pinchas in the name of Rabbi Oshaya: the tribes caused their father to tear, as it is written, "And Jacob tore his garments" (Genesis 37:34); and where were they repaid? In Egypt, as it is said, "And they tore their garments" (Genesis 44:13). Joseph caused the tribes to tear; therefore "and Joshua tore his garments." Manasseh caused the tribes to tear; therefore his inheritance was torn, half in the land across the Jordan and half in the land of Canaan. Benjamin caused the tribes to tear; therefore he was repaid in Shushan the capital, as it is said, "And Mordecai tore his garments" (Esther 4:1).

"And they put dust upon their heads" (Joshua 7:6). Rabbi Elazar said: they began to invoke the merit of Abraham our father, as it is said, "And I am but dust and ashes" (Genesis 18:27). They said: did not Abraham build an altar in Ai? Was it not so that his children might not fall in Ai?

"And would that we had been content and dwelt beyond the Jordan" (Joshua 7:7). Rabbi Nachman said in the name of Rabbi Mana: what is the meaning of "The poor man speaks supplications, but the rich man answers boldly" (Proverbs 18:23)? "The poor man speaks supplications" is Moses; "but the rich man answers boldly" is Joshua. What is the reason? If you say it is because it is written, "And he cast them down before the LORD" (Joshua 7:6), and Rav Nachman said: he came and flung them down before the Omnipresent, saying before Him, "Master of the universe, for these You would slay the majority of the Sanhedrin?" But did not Phinehas do likewise? For it is written, "Then Phinehas stood up and executed judgment" (Psalms 106:30), and Rabbi Elazar said he entered into judgment with his Maker, came and flung them down before the Omnipresent and said before Him, "Master of the universe, for these shall twenty-four thousand of Israel fall?" as it is written, "And those who died in the plague were twenty-four thousand" (Numbers 25:9). Rather, it is from the verse "Why have You brought this people over the Jordan?" (Joshua 7:7). But Moses also says such a thing, for it is written, "Why have You dealt ill with Your servant?" (Numbers 11:11). Rather, it is from here: "And would that we had been content and dwelt beyond the Jordan."

"And what will You do for Your great Name?" (Joshua 7:9). Resh Lakish in the name of Rabbi Yannai said: the Holy One, blessed be He, joined His Name with Israel. A parable: to a king who had keys to a small palace. The king said, if I leave them as they are, they will be lost; rather, I will make a small chain, so that if it is lost, the chain will give evidence about it. So the Holy One, blessed be He, said: if I leave Israel as they are, they will be swallowed up among the nations; rather, I will join My great Name among them, and they will live, as it is written, "What will You do for Your great Name?" the one joined with us. Immediately, "And the LORD said to Joshua: Arise" (Joshua 7:10) -- "Arise for yourself," referring to that which you mentioned.

"Why are you falling on your face?" (Joshua 7:10). Rabbi Eleazar said: A distinguished man is not permitted to fall on his face [in supplication before the public] unless he is answered as Joshua was answered, as it is said, "And the LORD said to Joshua, Get up" (Joshua 7:10).

"And the LORD said to Joshua, Get up" (Joshua 7:10). Rabbi Shila expounded: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, Your case is harder than theirs. I said, When you cross the Jordan you shall set up the stones (Deuteronomy 27:4), yet you went sixty miles past. After he left, Rav set up an interpreter beside him and expounded: "As the LORD commanded Moses His servant, so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses" (Joshua 11:15). If so, why does Scripture say "Get up"? He said to him: You caused this to them. This is what He said to him, "Go up and do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king; only its spoil and its cattle you may take as plunder for yourselves" (Joshua 8:1-2). Another interpretation of "Get up": Did not Moses say, He shall pass before the people (Deuteronomy 31:3)? If he crosses, they cross; if not, they do not. If he gives inheritance, they inherit; if not, they do not. Yet you sent and did not go with them. "Israel has sinned" (Joshua 7:11). Our Rabbis taught: One intercalates the year only with those invited for it. There was an incident with Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel, who said, Have seven of us rise early to the upper chamber. He rose early and found eight. He said, Who came up without permission? Let him go down. Shmuel the Younger rose and said, I am the one who came up without permission, and I did not come up to intercalate the year but because I needed to learn the law in practice. He said to him, Sit, my son, sit; all the years would be fit to be intercalated through you, but the Sages said one intercalates only with those invited. And it was not Shmuel the Younger but another man, and out of shame he did this [taking the blame on himself]. This is like the case where Rabbi sat expounding and smelled garlic. He said, Whoever ate garlic, let him leave. Rabbi Chiyya rose and left; they all rose and left. In the morning Rabbi Shimon bar Rabbi found Rabbi Chiyya and said to him, Are you the one who distressed my father? He said to him, Heaven forbid that there be such a thing in Israel [that I would shame him]. And from whom did Rabbi Chiyya learn this? From the deed of Rabbi Meir, as it is taught: There was an incident with a woman who came before the study house of Rabbi Meir. She said, Rabbi, one of these men betrothed me by intercourse. Rabbi Meir rose and wrote her a bill of divorce; they all rose and wrote her one. And from whom did Rabbi Meir learn it? From Shmuel the Younger. And from whom did Shmuel the Younger learn it? From Shecaniah ben Yechiel, as it is written, "And Shecaniah ben Yechiel of the sons of Elam answered and said to Ezra, We have trespassed" (Ezra 10:2). And from whom did Shecaniah ben Yechiel learn it? From Joshua, as it is written, "And the LORD said to Joshua, Get up; why are you falling on your face? Israel has sinned" (Joshua 7:10-11). He said before Him, Master of the universe, who sinned? He said, Am I an informer to you? Cast lots. And if you wish, say he learned it from Moses our teacher, as it is written, "How long do you refuse?" (Exodus 16:28). "Israel has sinned": Rabbi Abba bar Zavda said in the name of Rava, Even though it has sinned, it is still Israel. Rabbi Pappa said, This is what people say: A myrtle that stands among thorns, its name is still myrtle and it is called myrtle.

This is what Scripture says: "I call to God Most High, to God who fulfills for me" (Psalms 57:3). Rabbi Yehoshua said: Three things the court below decreed and the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed from above, and these are they. One, in the days of Ezra: when Israel came up from Babylon, the Holy One, blessed be He, wished to release them from the tithes; what did they do? They imposed the tithes upon themselves, as it is said, "And our dough offerings and our heave offerings and the fruit of every tree" (Nehemiah 10:38). What did they do? They wrote it in a document and placed it in the sanctuary. The next day they entered and found it sealed, as it is said, "And because of all this we make a firm covenant and write it, and upon the sealed document" (Nehemiah 10:1). And one in the days of Mordecai, as it is written, "The Jews confirmed and accepted" (Esther 9:27): they confirmed above what they accepted below. And one in the days of Joshua, when they entered the land: Joshua said, "The city shall be devoted" (Joshua 6:17), and we do not find that the Holy One, blessed be He, told him so. And how do we know He agreed by his hand? As it is said, "Israel has sinned and also transgressed My covenant" (Joshua 7:11). And so too Jacob: when his sons came in for blessing he began to apportion gifts to them. And how do we know the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed by his hand? You find that the blessings with which Jacob blessed them, He blessed them from the mouth of the Almighty. And some say, even the greeting of peace in the Name, as it is said, "And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem and said to the reapers, The LORD be with you" (Ruth 2:4). And how do we know the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed by his hand? As it is said, "The LORD is with you, mighty man of valor" (Judges 6:12).

"And also they have transgressed My covenant" (Joshua 7:11). Rabbi Yehudah said in the name of Rabbi Yehudah bar Misparta: This teaches that Achan transgressed the five books of the Torah, for it says five times "also." And Rabbi Ila said in the name of Rabbi Yehudah bar Misparta: Achan drew his foreskin forward [to undo his circumcision]. It is written here "and also they have transgressed My covenant," and it is written there, "he has broken My covenant" (Genesis 17:14). This is obvious; what might you have said? That he was brazen regarding the commandment but not brazen regarding his own body. It teaches us otherwise. "And because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel" (Joshua 7:15). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: He had relations with a betrothed maiden. It is written here "because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel," and it is written there, "for she has done a disgraceful thing in Israel" (Deuteronomy 22:21). This is obvious; what might you have said? That he would not be so brazen as all that. It teaches us otherwise. Ravina said: His sentence was like that of a betrothed maiden, by stoning.

Rabbi Akiva says: The ban is the oath and the oath is the ban. Whoever breaks the oath is as one who breaks the ban, and one who breaks the ban breaks the oath. And whoever knows a matter and does not tell it, the ban comes upon him and consumes him and his timber and his stones, as it is said, "I send it forth, says the LORD, and it shall come to the house of the thief and to the house of the one who swears falsely by My name, and it shall lodge within his house and consume it, its timber and its stones" (Zechariah 5:4). Know the power of the ban: come and see from Joshua bin Nun, who placed Jericho and all that was in it under the ban. Achan was there, and he saw the teraphim and the silver they were offering before it, and the mantle spread before it, and one tongue of gold that was within its mouth, and he coveted them in his heart and took them, and went and buried them in his tent. And on account of his trespass thirty-six men died. Joshua went and rent his garments and fell on his face to the ground before the Ark of the Covenant. He sought repentance, and the Holy One, blessed be He, was reconciled to him and said to Joshua, The children of Israel have trespassed in the ban, as it is said, "Israel has sinned" (Joshua 7:11). Joshua looked at the twelve stones upon the High Priest that correspond to the twelve tribes; each tribe that had done a righteous deed, its stone would brighten its light, and each tribe that had done a transgression, its stone would dim its light. He saw that the stone of Judah was dimming its light, and he knew that the tribe of Judah had trespassed in the ban. He cast lots among them and Achan was taken. Joshua took Achan and the silver and the mantle and the tongue [of gold] and his sons and his daughters and all that was his, and brought them up to the Valley of Achor. And it is written, "Fathers shall not be put to death for sons, and sons shall not be put to death for fathers" (Deuteronomy 24:16); but because they knew of the matter and did not tell, he stoned them and burned them. If stoning, why burning, and if burning, why stoning? Rather, stoning because they knew of the matter and did not tell, burning because righteous men were killed on his account. And because he gave thanks to the great Name of the Holy One, blessed be He, he has a portion in the world to come, as it is said, "The LORD shall trouble you this day" (Joshua 7:25): this day you are troubled, but you are not troubled in the world to come.

Achan said to Joshua: For this matter that you speak of, am I to die? Why do you cast lots between me and my household? I too will cast lots between you and Phinehas. If the lot does not fall upon the two of you, I too will believe. He said to him, Tell me what you did. Achan said to him, You too, what did you do? Immediately a quarrel broke out in Israel, and the tribe of Judah rose and killed in Israel group upon group. When Achan saw this, he said in his heart: Whoever sustains one soul of Israel is as one who sustains a whole world, and through me all those souls are being killed. Immediately he confessed and said, "Truly I have sinned" (Joshua 7:20). Achan said to Joshua: Has not Moses our teacher been asleep [dead] only thirty or forty days? Did not Moses your teacher teach you, By the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses shall the condemned be put to death (Deuteronomy 17:6)? You have begun to err! Joshua foresaw by the Holy Spirit that the land was destined to be divided by lot. He said: If they hold their ground now [in challenging the lot], all Israel will say, In capital cases [the verdict] held by lots; in monetary cases, how much more so. He began to appease him, "My son, give now honor" (Joshua 7:19).

Our Rabbis taught: "Give now honor to the LORD" (Joshua 7:19). "Now" (na) is nothing but an expression of request. When the lot fell upon Achan, Joshua said to him: With a lot you come against me? You and Eleazar the priest, you are the two great ones of the generation; if I cast a lot upon you, it would fall upon one of you. He said to him: I beg of you, do not cast aspersion on the lots, for the land of Israel is destined to be divided by lot, as it is said, "Surely by lot shall the land be divided" (Numbers 26:55); so give Him thanks. Ravina said: He bribed him with words [appeasing him]. Do I ask of you anything but a confession? Give Him thanks and be dismissed. Immediately, "And Achan answered Joshua and said, I have sinned against the LORD" (Joshua 7:20). Rabbi Chama bar Chanina said: This teaches that Achan trespassed in three bans, two in the days of Moses and one in the days of Joshua, as it is said, "Truly I have sinned against the LORD, and thus and thus I have done" (Joshua 7:20). Rabbi Yochanan in the name of Rabbi Eleazar bar Rabbi Shimon: Five, four in the days of Moses and one in the days of Joshua, as it is said, "I have sinned against the LORD, and thus and thus I have done." And until now, what is the reason he was not punished? Because they were not punished for hidden things until they crossed the Jordan, as it is said, "The hidden things belong to the LORD our God, and the revealed things to us and to our children forever" (Deuteronomy 29:28). Why are there dots over "to us and to our children" and over the ayin of "forever"? It teaches that they were not punished for hidden things until they crossed the Jordan; these are the words of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Nechemiah said to him: But did He ever punish for hidden things? Has it not already been said "forever"? Rather, just as they were not punished for hidden things, so they were not punished for revealed punishments until they crossed the Jordan. But then why was Achan punished? Because his wife and his sons knew of it.

"And I saw among the spoil" (Joshua 7:21). I saw what is written in the Torah, "And you shall eat the spoil of your enemies" (Deuteronomy 20:14). Immediately, "And Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent" (Joshua 7:22), so that the tribe of Judah would not steal them and add to the quarrel.

"A goodly mantle of Shinar" (Joshua 7:21) means a Babylonian purple robe. Rav said: a fine woolen cloak. Samuel said: a felted garment of Tzerifa. And what is Babylon doing here? Rather, any king or ruler who held no dominion over the Land of Israel was reckoned as nothing; and the king of Babylon kept his vice-regent seated in Jericho, and this one would send the other dates and the other would send this one gifts. It is written, "And he laid his hand upon his hand the second time," and "it came to pass as he drew back his hand," and "the one whose hand was" the second — how many "hands" are written here? Rabbi Yudan says: four, corresponding to the four bans that he [Achan, or his lineage] was destined to stretch out his hand against — the ban of Amalek, the ban of Sihon and Og, the ban of Jericho, and the ban of the Canaanites. Rabbi Huna said: corresponding to the four things he was destined to take from the devoted spoil, as it is said, "and I saw among the spoil" and so forth (Joshua 7:21). "A mantle of Shinar" — Shinar is Babylon, which is shaken out [meno'eret, a wordplay on "Shinar"] of the commandments: without heave-offering, without tithes, without the Sabbatical year. Shinar, whose officers die in convulsion. Shinar, whose officers die young [ne'arim]. Shinar, whose children peer into Torah while they are still young. Babylon — Rabbi Yochanan said: it is blended [belulah, a play on "Babel"] in Scripture, blended in Mishnah, blended in Talmud.

Rabbi Elazar said: a person should always offer prayer before trouble arrives. For had Abraham our father not anticipated trouble with prayer between Beth-El and Ai, not a remnant or a survivor of Israel would have been left. And so it says, "Will your cry avail, that you be not in distress?" (Job 36:19).

"And Joshua took Achan son of Zerah, and the silver, and the mantle, and the wedge of gold, and his sons and his daughters" (Joshua 7:24). The Exilarch said to Rav Huna: if he sinned, what did his sons and daughters do [to deserve this]? He said to him: by your reasoning, if he sinned, what did all Israel do, as it is written, "and all Israel with him"? Rather, they were brought to make them witness [the punishment]; here too, to make them witness. "And they burned them with fire, and they stoned them with stones" (Joshua 7:25) — two [forms of execution]? Ravina said: the one fit for burning, to burning; the one fit for stoning, to stoning.

"Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah" (Joshua 7:1). Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: [sometimes] they are mentioned and left, and [sometimes] they are mentioned and made sport of [their ancestry recited to shame them]. Mentioned and left: "See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah." Mentioned and made sport of: "Achan son of Carmi... son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah." Mentioned and left: "There was a certain man of Ramathaim-Zophim." Mentioned and made sport of: "There was a certain man of Mount Ephraim, and his name was Micah." Mentioned and left: "Number the sons of Levi." Mentioned and made sport of: "I have remembered what Amalek did to you." Mentioned and left: "And David was the son of that Ephrathite." Mentioned and made sport of: "And Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephrathite." Mentioned and left: "There was a certain Jew in Shushan the capital." Mentioned and made sport of: "an adversary and an enemy." Mentioned and left: "for Mordecai the Jew." Mentioned and made sport of: "for Haman son of Hammedatha." Mentioned and left: "and with him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan." Mentioned and made sport of: "Shelomith daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan." [The shame of a wicked man is] a disgrace to him, a disgrace to his father, a disgrace to his mother, a disgrace to his family, a disgrace to his tribe from which he came. But when a man is righteous, it is praise to him, praise to his father, praise to his mother, praise to his family, praise to his tribe from which he came.

"Indeed I have sinned" (Joshua 7:20). Our rabbis taught: when the condemned man was about ten cubits from the place of stoning, they would say to him, "Confess," for it is the way of all who are put to death to confess, since everyone who confesses has a share in the World to Come. And if he does not know how to confess, they say to him, "Say: may my death be an atonement for all my sins." For so we find with Achan, that Joshua said to him, "My son, give now glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make confession to Him" (Joshua 7:19), "and Achan answered Joshua and said, Indeed I have sinned" (Joshua 7:20). And how do we know that his confession atoned for him? As it is said, "And Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? The LORD shall trouble you this day" (Joshua 7:25) — this day you are troubled, but you are not troubled in the World to Come.

It is written, "And the sons of Zerah: Zimri and Ethan and Heman and Calcol and Dara, five of them in all" (1 Chronicles 2:6). What is "five of them in all"? They are all five [destined] for the World to Come. It is written "Zimri" and it is written "Achan." Rav and Samuel [differ]: one said his name was Achan, and why was he called Zimri? Because he committed a deed like that of Zimri. And one said his name was Zimri, and why was he called Achan? Because he troubled [achan, a play on the name] the sins of Israel [bringing them to a head]. Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Acha: "Whoever offers a thanksgiving sacrifice honors Me, and to him who orders his way I will show the salvation of God" (Psalms 50:23) — this is Achan, who slaughtered his evil inclination as a thanksgiving offering, and "orders his way" [ve-sam derekh] means that he showed the way to penitents [those who return].

"And they stoned him with stones, him alone" (Joshua 7:25) — "and they burned them with fire," Scripture speaks of his sons and his daughters, for so it had been said to him from the mouth of the Almighty: "and he that is taken with the devoted thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has" (Joshua 7:15). If so, why does Scripture say "and they stoned him"? It comes to teach you that Achan confessed that he had stolen on the Sabbath, and so he was stoned for desecrating the Sabbath and burned for trespassing against the devoted ban.

"Then Joshua built an altar" (Joshua 8:30). It was taught, Rabbi says: from here is a hint to the resurrection of the dead from the Torah. It does not say "built" but "will build" [yivneh]. Similarly you say, "Then Moses will sing" (Exodus 15:1) — it does not say "sang" but "will sing"; from here is a refutation of those who say there is no resurrection of the dead from the Torah. "Whole stones" (Deuteronomy 27:6) — because the altar was created to lengthen a person's days and iron shortens a person's days, it is not right that what shortens should be lifted over what lengthens. And further, because the altar makes peace between Israel and their Father in Heaven. And the matter is an argument from the lesser to the greater: if of stones, which do not see and do not hear and do not speak, the Torah said "you shall not lift iron over them" because they make peace between Israel and their Father in Heaven, then one who makes peace between a man and his fellow, between husband and wife, between family and family, between city and city, between nation and nation — how much more so shall no calamity come upon him.

"And half of them stood opposite Mount Ebal" (Joshua 8:30). What is meant by "and half"? Rav Kahana said: just as they were divided here, so they were divided over the stones of the ephod (this is written in remez 861). They raised an objection: there were two precious stones, and so forth, down to: this refutes Rav Kahana. Rather, what is meant by "and half"? It is taught: the half belonging to Mount Gerizim was greater than the half belonging to Mount Ebal, because Levi was below. The objection is raised: on the contrary, since Levi was below, they were fewer! This is what it means: even though Levi was below, the sons of Joseph were with them, as it says, "And the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua" (and so forth). It is taught: Rabbi says: it is impossible to say that Levi was below, since it already says above; and it is impossible to say that Levi was above, since it already says below. How then? The elders of the priesthood and Levites were below, and the rest were above. Rabbi Yoshiyah says: anyone fit for the service was below, and the rest were above. Rabbi says: both these and those were standing below; they turned their faces toward Mount Gerizim and opened with the blessing, then toward Mount Ebal and opened with the curse. And what is the meaning of "upon" ["al"]? "Upon" means near. As it is taught: "And you shall place upon the row pure frankincense" (Leviticus 24:7) - Rabbi says: "upon" means near. Or does it not mean literally upon it? When it says, "And you shall cover upon the ark the veil" (Exodus 40:21), you must say that "upon" means near.

"And they gathered together to fight with Joshua" (Joshua 9:2). Rabbi Aibu said in the name of Rabbi Eleazar son of Rabbi Yose the Galilean: in three places the inhabitants of the world contended against the Holy One, blessed be He. One was in the generation of the Dispersion: "And the whole earth was of one language" (Genesis 11:1). And what is meant by "and of one speech" ["devarim achadim"]? They were speaking words of blasphemy against the Holy One, blessed be He [reading "achadim" as words aimed at the One]. And one was in the days of Gog and Magog: "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His anointed" (Psalms 2:2). And one was in the days of Joshua, as it says, "And they gathered together to fight with Joshua and with Israel with one mouth ["peh echad"]." What is meant by "one mouth"? That they contended against the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning whom it is said, "Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is One" (Deuteronomy 6:4).