The Bonds of Grace and the Seven Dedications of Light

Another interpretation: to one who was walking and saw another and they became attached — how far? Until he gave him authority [over himself]. It is said here "grace," and it is said there, "And Esther obtained grace" (Esther 2:15). To one who was walking on the road and saw another and they became attached — how far? Until he gave him his daughter. It is said here "grace," and it is said there, "And I will pour upon the house of David... a spirit of grace and supplication" (Zechariah 12:10). [Noah's righteousness extended] to knowing which animal is fed at two hours of the day and which animal is fed at three hours of the day. We have found that the Holy One, blessed be He, does kindness with the later ones in the merit of the earlier; and from where that He does kindness with the earlier ones in the merit of the later? "And Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" — by what merit? By the merit of his descendants, "These are the generations of Noah" (Genesis 6:9). Enosh son of Seth: in his days the creatures began to provoke their Maker with idolatry. He was the third generation, and they provoked with three transgressions, as it is said, "the father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle" (Genesis 4:20) — and worshiped in secret (mikneh read as ke-kana, in jealousy/secret). They returned to provoke openly and made their voices heard, as it is said, "the father of all who handle the harp and pipe" (Genesis 4:21). They returned to making images and calling them by the name of their Creator, as it is said, "then men began to call upon the name of the LORD" (Genesis 4:26). They returned to mixing it with all manner of provocation, as it is said, "Tubal-Cain and the sister of Tubal-Cain" (Genesis 4:22) — that they returned to be seasoned (le-hitabel) in licentiousness, as in the matter that is said, "they wrought confusion (tevel)" (Leviticus 20:12). And three decrees were decreed against them corresponding to the provocation with which they provoked: one, that the Ocean was torn open and flooded a third of the dry land; one, that the whole world had been level plain and valley, and it was made mountains and crags and hills, and in the time to come it will return to a plain, as it is said, "all the land shall be turned into a plain" (Zechariah 14:10) as it was; and one, that their stature was diminished, as it is said, "and the lofty shall be brought low" (Isaiah 10:33). "And his days shall be a hundred and twenty years" (Genesis 6:3) — for the Holy One, blessed be He, grieved much over the flood generation that they not perish, therefore He warned them a hundred and twenty years, and they kept provoking exceedingly. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish expounded: there are seven dedications [of light]. The first: "In the beginning God created... and God said, Let there be light" (Genesis 1:1-3) — behold, one lamp. On the second day, "And there was evening and there was morning"; a parable to an architect who sought to fix a beam and took a lamp and it gave light — so the Torah gave light, as it is said, "For the commandment is a lamp and the Torah is light" (Proverbs 6:23). On the third day the trees were created and the olive oil that gives light, as it is said, "and they shall take to you olive oil" and so forth (Exodus 27:20). On the fourth day the luminaries were created and the throne of David, as it is said, "and his throne as the sun before Me" (Psalms 89:37), and it is written, "I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have set up a lamp for My anointed" (Psalms 132:17). On the fifth day the lightnings were created, as it is said, "the voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; the lightnings lit up the world" (Psalms 77:19). On the sixth day Adam and Eve were created, as it is said, "the lamp of the LORD is the soul of man" (Proverbs 20:27). On the seventh day you find no lamp. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: a parable to a king who was betrothing his daughter and stood within the bridal canopy — you must ask whether it was all light. And from where do you say that all seven days were light? As it is said, "And the light of the moon shall be" and so forth (Isaiah 30:26). Once Rabbi Abbahu was walking on the road and gentiles joined him. They said to him: it is written in the Torah, "And the LORD God commanded the man" (Genesis 2:16) — the man was commanded not to sin, but the woman was not commanded. He said to them: what does Scripture say about the man, "saying" — what is "saying"? To his limbs; and Eve was created from his ribs. "And God finished on the seventh day" (Genesis 2:2). You find no night on the Sabbath. Of every single day it is written, "And there was evening," but on the Sabbath there is no night there. Why? Because it was all light.