Bereshit Rabbah, a classic collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Genesis, delves into this very idea, exploring how God’s mercy permeates everything.
The verse from (Psalms 145:9), “The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is upon all His works,” serves as the springboard for a fascinating discussion. Rabbi Levi sees this as a direct connection: God is good because everything is His creation, His maasav. Rabbi Shmuel takes it a step further, arguing that mercy is simply God's inherent attribute, His very nature. It’s who He is.
But here's where it gets really interesting. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin, in the name of Rabbi Levi, suggests that God imparts some of this mercy to us, His creations. We become partners in this divine attribute, tasked with practicing compassion among ourselves. What happens when we fall short?
Rabbi Tanhuma and Rabbi Abba bar Avin, quoting Rabbi Aha, offer a powerful insight. Imagine a drought, a time of scarcity and hardship. In such times, people naturally develop compassion for one another. And, they suggest, this very human compassion stirs divine mercy in return, bringing forth the life-giving rain.
This idea is beautifully illustrated in a story about Rabbi Tanhuma himself. During a severe drought, the community implored him to decree a fast. He did so, not just once, but three times – and still, no rain. Rabbi Tanhuma then urges the people to fill themselves with mercy for one another, believing that this will, in turn, invoke God’s mercy. As they distributed charity, they noticed a man giving money to his former wife. Now, Jewish law at the time frowned upon such interactions. But when questioned, the man explained he saw her distress and was moved to compassion. At that moment, Rabbi Tanhuma, witnessing this act of unexpected kindness, turned to the heavens and pleaded, “Master of the universe, if this man, who has no obligation to support her, saw her in distress and became filled with compassion for her, then regarding You, of whom it is written: ‘Gracious and merciful,’ and us, who are the descendants of Your beloved ones… all the more so that You should become filled with compassion for us.” And then, the rain came.
It’s a potent reminder that our actions can ripple outwards, influencing not only our immediate surroundings but even the divine response.
But what about when we don't show compassion? The text offers another poignant story, this time about Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, often simply referred to as "Our Rabbi," a central figure in Jewish history and the compiler of the Mishnah (the earliest code of rabbinic law).
He was once absorbed in Torah study when a calf, destined for slaughter, passed by, lowing in distress. Rabbi, unmoved, simply said, "What can I do? It was for this purpose that you were created." Shortly after, Rabbi was afflicted with terrible toothaches for thirteen years. Interestingly, during those thirteen years, no woman in the land of Israel miscarried or suffered during childbirth. Rabbi Yosei bar Avin suggests that Rabbi's suffering served as atonement for others. Later, when Rabbi saw his daughter about to kill a small creature, he stopped her, reminding her that “His mercy is upon all His works.” According to the text, Rabbi Yehuda came to believe that his suffering was a direct result of his earlier callousness towards the calf.
It's a powerful lesson about the interconnectedness of all living things and the importance of extending compassion even when it's difficult.
The text then veers into a seemingly unrelated anecdote about Rabbi's humility and his interactions with Rabbi Hiyya the Great, a prominent scholar. It highlights the importance of showing deference to those deserving of respect, even when one holds a higher position. It also underscores the value of Torah study and the lengths to which scholars would go to preserve and transmit Jewish knowledge. It's fascinating how these seemingly disparate stories are woven together, each contributing to the larger theme of compassion and its impact on the world.
Finally, Bereshit Rabbah offers a contrasting perspective: Rabbi Shmuel bar Nahmani observes that the wicked can transform God's attribute of mercy into strict justice, while the righteous can soften God's attribute of justice into mercy. He illustrates this point by contrasting how God is referred to in different situations. When describing acts of wickedness, the text uses the name "Lord" (associated with mercy) in contexts of regret and destruction. Conversely, when describing acts of righteousness, the text uses the name "Elohim" (associated with justice) in contexts of remembrance and covenant. Noah is remembered, the text suggests, not just because he was righteous, but because of his compassion for the animals in the ark.
So, what are we left with? Bereshit Rabbah 33 paints a compelling picture of a world shaped by compassion, both human and divine. It reminds us that we have the power to influence the flow of mercy in the world, either by embracing it or by turning away from it. It's a call to action, urging us to cultivate compassion in our own lives and to recognize its transformative potential.
“The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is upon all His works [maasav]” (Psalms 145:9) – Rabbi Levi said: “The Lord is good to all, [and His mercy is] upon” everything, because they are “His works.”5God is beneficent and good to everyone, because they are all His creations. Rabbi Shmuel said: “The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is upon” everyone, because that is His attribute, that He is merciful.6He interprets maasav to mean: This is His attribute. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The Lord is good to all” and imparts some of His mercy to His creations [maasav].7Mercy is a divine attribute, but God imparts some of this trait to mankind, to practice among themselves. Rabbi Tanḥuma and Rabbi Abba bar Avin in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: Tomorrow a year of drought may come and [you will see that] people have compassion for one another, and the Holy One blessed be He [in turn] becomes filled with mercy upon them [and grants rain]. In the days of Rabbi Tanḥuma, the people of Israel needed to declare a fast [due to a drought]. They came to him and said to him: ‘Rabbi, decree a fast.’ He decreed a fast one day, a second day and a third day,8As prescribed in the Mishna (Taanit 1:5). but rain did not fall. He came in [to the synagogue] and preached to them, saying to them: My children, fill yourselves with mercy for one another, and the Holy One blessed be He will then become filled with mercy for you. While they were distributing charity to their poor, they saw someone who was giving money to his divorcée. They came to him [Rabbi Tanḥuma] and said to him: Rabbi, why are we sitting by while there is a transgression taking place here among us?9A man and his divorcée are not permitted to engage together in commercial transactions. He said to them: What is it that you saw? They said to him: We saw so-and-so giving money to his divorcée. He sent for them and brought them into the congregation. He said to him: What is this woman to you? He said to him: She is my divorcée. He said to him: Why were you giving her money? He said to him: Rabbi, I saw that she was in distress, and I became filled with compassion for her.10So I gave her charity. At that moment, Rabbi Tanḥuma lifted his face heavenward and said: Master of the universe, if this man, who has no obligation to support her [his divorcée], saw her in distress and became filled with compassion for her, then regarding You, of whom it is written: “Gracious and merciful” (Psalms 145:8), and us, who are the descendants of Your beloved ones, the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – all the more so that You should become filled with compassion for us. Thereupon rain fell, and the thirst of the world was quenched. Our Rabbi11Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, often referred to as simply “Rabbi.” was once occupied in Torah study in front of the synagogue of the Babylonians in Tzippori. A certain calf passed by him. It was going off to be slaughtered, and began lowing, as if to say: Save me. He said to it: ‘What can I do for you? It was for this purpose that you were created.’ Rabbi suffered from toothaches for thirteen years. Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said: All those thirteen years that Rabbi suffered from toothaches, no woman in the land of Israel miscarried, and women in childbirth suffered no pain.12Rabbi Yehuda’s suffering served as an atonement for all of them. Sometime later, a small creeping animal passed in front of his daughter, and she was going to kill it. He said to her: ‘My daughter, leave it, as it is written: “His mercy is upon all His works”’ (Psalms 145:9).13Rabbi Yehuda felt that his suffering was due to his having been callous towards that calf instead of feeling pity for it. Our Rabbi was exceedingly humble, and he would say: Anything a person might ask me to do [to show him deference] I would do, except for what the sons of Beteira did to my ancestor,14Hillel the Elder (see Pesaḥim 66a). when they stepped down from their prominent positions and promoted him [in their stead]. But if Rav Huna the Exilarch15The supreme leader of Babylonian Jewry. were to come up to here,16From Babylon. I would stand up before him.17Even though my position is more eminent than his. Why? Because he is from [the tribe of] Judah,18And dominion over Israel rightly belongs to Judah (Genesis 49:10). The exilarch was a descendant of the House of David. and I am from Benjamin; he is from the males of Judah, and I am from the females.19Hillel’s mother was of Davidic ancestry. Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great said to him: ‘Why, he is standing right outside.’ Rabbi’s face became ashen. When he [Ḥiyya] saw that his face had become ashen, he said to him: ‘It is his coffin.’20Rav Huna had died, and his body had been sent for burial in the land of Israel. He [Rabbi] said to him [Rabbi Ḥiyya]: ‘Someone wants you outside, go out and see who it is.’ He went outside and did not find anyone there. He realized that he had been placed under admonishment [by Rabbi],21For having discomfited him. and admonishment lasts for no fewer than thirty days. Rabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Avin said: All those thirty days during which Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great was under admonishment from our Rabbi, he taught his nephew Rav22The founder of Talmudic scholarship in Babylon. all the principles of the Torah, and those are the Torah principles that comprise Babylonian halakha. At the conclusion of thirty days, Elijah of blessed memory came to our Rabbi in the guise of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great, placed his hand on his tooth and it was cured. When Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great came before Our Rabbi, he [Rabbi Ḥiyya] said to him: ‘What did you do to your tooth?’23He noticed that Rabbi was no longer suffering from toothaches. He said to him: ‘From the time that you placed your hand on it, it was cured.’ He said to him: ‘I do not know anything about that.’ When he [Rabbi] heard this,24He realized that Elijah had presented himself as Rabbi Ḥiyya. he began treating him with respect, and when he would gather students, he would position him in the inner circle. Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Yosei said: ‘[Will he be placed] even closer [to you] than I?’ He said to him: ‘God forbid, such a thing shall not be done in Israel.’25An expression from II Samuel 13:12. Our Rabbi used to relate the praises of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great before Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Yosei. He said to him: ‘He is a great man, a holy man.’ One time, he saw him in the bathhouse, and he [Rabbi Ḥiyya] did not show him deference. He [Rabbi Yishmael] said to him [Rabbi]: ‘That student of yours whom you praise, I saw him in the bathhouse and he did not show deference to me.’ He said to him [to Rabbi Ḥiyya]: ‘Why did you not show deference to him?’ Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him: ‘I was deep in thought about the aggada of Psalms [and did not notice him].’ When he [Rabbi] heard this, he appointed for him two students who would enter with him to the caldarium, so that he would not tarry there26Since he was given to becoming distracted in his studies. and have his life compromised. Another interpretation: “The Lord is good to all…” (Psalms 145:9); “God remembered Noah….” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: Woe unto the wicked, as they transform [God’s] attribute of mercy into the attribute of strict justice. Everywhere that “the Lord” is stated, it refers to the attribute of mercy – “the Lord, the Lord, merciful and gracious God” (Exodus 34:6); yet it is written: “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth” (Genesis 6:5); “the Lord regretted that He had made man” (Genesis 6:6); “the Lord said: I will obliterate…” (Genesis 6:7).27Even God’s attribute of mercy (indicated by the name “the Lord”) became hardened as a result of these evildoers. Fortunate are the righteous, as they transform the attribute of strict justice into the attribute of mercy. Everywhere that God [Elohim] is stated, it refers to the attribute of justice. “You shall not curse judges [elohim]” (Exodus 22:27); “the please of both of them shall come to the judges [elohim]” (Exodus 22:8); yet it is written: “God [Elohim] heard their groan, and God [Elohim] remembered His covenant…” (Exodus 2:24); “God [Elohim] remembered Rachel…” (Genesis 30:22); “God [Elohim] remembered Noah.”28Even God’s attribute of strict justice (indicated by “Elohim”) is softened on behalf of the righteous. What [favorable] memory did [God] remember to his credit? It was that he fed and sustained them [the animals] all twelve months in the ark.29That is what is meant by “God remembered Noah, and all the beasts, etc.” “God remembered Noah” – and it is only reasonable that it was [also] due to the merit of the kosher animals that he took with him.30Noah took seven of each kosher animal, rather than two, in order to offer them as sacrifices, and it was this merit that was remembered to his credit. This is derived from “God remembered Noah…and all the animals that were with him in the ark.” Rabbi Eliezer says: He [Noah] got his name from the offering [he made to God], as it is stated: “The Lord smelled the pleasing [niḥoaḥ] aroma” (Genesis 8:21). Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: He got his name from the resting of the ark, as it is stated: “The ark rested [vatanaḥ] in the seventh month…” (Genesis 8:4). Rabbi Yehoshua says: “[Planting and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night] shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22) – the implication is that they had ceased [during the Flood]. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The constellations did not function all twelve months [of the Flood]. Rabbi Yonatan said to him: They functioned, but their effect was not noticeable.
