In Jewish tradition, even a single letter can unlock hidden depths." It's a difference that, according to some rabbinic interpretations, can tell us what's being included and what's being left out.
The Shemot Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic homilies on the Book of Exodus, delves into this very question. Rabbi Abahu points out a fascinating pattern: whenever the word ve'eleh is used, it adds to what came before. But when it's just eleh, it excludes something. It's like a subtle code built into the very fabric of the Torah.
So, how does this work in practice? Let's look at some examples.
The creation story in Genesis says, "Eleh are the generations of the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 2:4). Rabbi Abahu asks, what is being rejected here? Well, the Midrash (rabbinic interpretive commentary) suggests that God experimented with different versions of heaven and earth, ones that didn't quite meet his standards, before settling on this one. Those earlier attempts? They're not part of the final, enduring legacy.
Similarly, "Eleh are the generations of Noah" (Genesis 6:9). This excludes, according to the Shemot Rabbah, the generations of Enosh, the generation of the Flood, and others deemed unworthy. The Torah then goes into great detail about Noah’s descendants, while the preceding generations receive far less attention. It's as if the Torah is drawing a line in the sand, saying, "These are the ones who matter, the ones whose story continues."
Now, contrast that with instances of ve'eleh. "Ve'eleh are the generations of Ishmael" (Genesis 25:12). This adds to what was previously mentioned. The text then refers back to the children born to Abraham by Keturah, implying a connection, even a similarity, between them and the descendants of Ishmael. The Shemot Rabbah even suggests they were wicked like them!
Another instance: "Ve'eleh are the generations of Isaac" (Genesis 25:19). This adds to what came before – the sons of Ishmael. So, does that mean Jacob, too, is lumped in with the not-so-righteous Esau? Here’s where it gets even more interesting.
The text notes that the word for "generations" – toledot – is usually written in a shortened, or "defective," form in the Torah. Except in two places: "toledot of the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 2:4) and "toledot of Peretz" ((uth 4:1)8). Why?
The Shemot Rabbah offers a powerful reason. The creation of the world was complete and perfect, without the presence of the Angel of Death. And the lineage of Peretz is significant because the Messiah will emerge from his line, and in the Messianic era, death will be swallowed up forever, as it says in Isaiah (25:8), "He will eliminate death forever." So, these two instances of toledot are written in full, symbolizing completeness and the ultimate triumph over death.
Back to Isaac. The fact that toledot is written defectively in "ve'eleh are the generations of Isaac" is interpreted to exclude Jacob from the negative association with Esau. The Messiah can be traced back to Jacob as well, but the text makes a point to separate him, at least in this context.
We see this pattern repeated. "Ve'eleh are the names of the children of Israel" (Exodus 1:1) adds to the previous narrative, linking these individuals to those listed earlier in Genesis (46:8-27) who went down to Egypt. Similarly, "Ve'eleh are the generations of Aaron" (Numbers 3:1) connects them to the righteous individuals counted by Moses and Aaron (Numbers 1:44).
And finally, we arrive at "Ve'eleh are the ordinances" (Exodus 21:1), the very verse that sparked this whole exploration. What does it add to? It adds to the statutes and ordinances established earlier (Exodus 15:25). The Shemot Rabbah beautifully illustrates this by comparing the Torah to a noblewoman walking with armed guards on either side. Justice precedes it, as seen in the earlier ordinances, and justice follows it, in the form of the laws that come after. It's a Torah framed by righteousness.
So, what do we take away from all this? It's more than just a grammatical exercise. It's a reminder that words matter. That even seemingly small choices in language can reveal profound theological and moral insights. And it encourages us to look closely, to ask questions, and to appreciate the layers of meaning woven into the sacred texts we inherit. What else might we be missing, hidden in plain sight?
Another matter, “these are [ve’eleh] the ordinances,” Rabbi Abahu said: Every place where ve’eleh is written, it adds to the previous matter, and every place that eleh is written it rejects the previous matter. How so? “This is [eleh] the legacy of the heavens and the earth on the day that they were created” (Genesis 2:4). What did it reject? He had been creating heavens and earth and examining them. They were not pleasing to Him, and He would restore them to emptiness and disorder. When He saw this heavens and earth, they were pleasing to Him. He said: “This is the legacy of the heavens and the earth,” but what came before was not a legacy. Similarly, “this is [eleh] the legacy of Noah” (Genesis 6:9). What did it reject? It rejected the generation of Enosh, the generation of the Flood, and Keinan and his counterparts. Therefore it says: “The sons of Yefet, Gomer and Magog” (Genesis 10:2).9The Torah enters into great detail when enumerating the descendants of Noah, but not with the preceding generations. Similarly, “this is [ve’eleh] the legacy of Ishmael son of Abraham” (Genesis 25:12), adds to the previous matter. Who are they? What is written beforehand, as it is stated: “She bore him10Ketura bore for Abraham. Zimran and Yokshan” (Genesis 25:2). Here, too, “this is [ve’eleh] the legacy of Ishmael son of Abraham…the firstborn of Ishmael is Nevayot” (Genesis 25:12–13). They were wicked like them.11The sons of Ishmael were wicked like the sons of Ketura. Similarly, “this is [ve’eleh] the legacy [toledot] of Isaac son of Abraham” (Genesis 25:19) adds to the previous matter, to what was written beforehand: “The sons of Ishmael” (Genesis 25:16). Who was it? It was Esau and his sons, for he was a son of Isaac. If so, it may be said that since only “this is [ve’eleh] the legacy” is written, Jacob, too, who was part of the legacy of Isaac, is included with Esau? You find that every [time the word] toledot appears in the Bible it is written defectively,12It is written without a vav between the tav and lamed or without a vav between the dalet and the tav. except for: “This is the legacy [toledot] of the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 2:4), and “this is the legacy [toledot] of Peretz” (Ruth 4:18). And there is a compelling reason why it says: “This is the legacy [toledot] of the heavens and the earth” in full. It is because the Holy One blessed be He created His world and there was no angel of death in the world. That is why it is complete. When Adam and Eve sinned, the Holy One blessed be He minimized all the toledot in the Bible. When Peretz arose, his toledot became full, because the Messiah will emerge from him, in whose days the Holy One blessed be He will eliminate death, as it is stated: “He will eliminate death forever” (Isaiah 25:8). That is the reason that toledot of the heavens and earth and toledot of Peretz are full. This is the reason that toledot of Isaac is defective, to exclude Jacob from the category of the wicked.13The Messiah can also be traced back to Jacob, and therefore the word toledot should have been written regarding Isaac with the vav. It is written without the vav as an indication that it is referring only to Esau and not to Jacob. Similarly, “this is [eleh] the legacy of Jacob” (Genesis 37:2), it rejected the chieftains of Esau. Similarly, “these are [ve’eleh] the names of the children of Israel” (Exodus 1:1), adds to the previous matter. Who were they? Those who were written beforehand: The children of Reuben and the children of Simeon.14This is a reference to the listing of the descendants of Jacob who came down to Egypt (see Genesis 46:8–27). Similarly, “this is [ve’eleh] the legacy of Aaron” (Numbers 3:1) adds to the previous matter. Who were they? Those who were written beforehand: “These are the counted, that Moses and Aaron…counted” (Numbers 1:44). Just like those beforehand were righteous, so, too, these were righteous.15Although the verses regarding Aaron proceed to list Nadav and Avihu, who were killed due to the offering of a strange fire before God (see Numbers 3:2–4), on the whole they were still considered righteous. Here, too, “these are [ve’eleh] the ordinances” adds to the previous matter, that which was written beforehand: “There He instituted for it statutes and ordinances” (Exodus 15:25). Another matter, “these are [ve’eleh] the ordinances.” What is written before this portion? “They shall judge the people at all times” (Exodus 18:22). And it says here: “These are the ordinances,” and the [Ten] Commandments are in the middle. This is analogous to a noblewoman who was walking, an armed guard on this side and an armed guard on that side, and she was in the middle. So, too, the [giving of the] Torah had justice before it and justice after it and it was in the middle. Likewise it says: “I walk on the path of righteousness” (Proverbs 8:20). The Torah says: In which path do I walk? I will walk in the path of those who perform righteousness. “In the midst of the paths of justice” (Proverbs 8:20), the Torah in the middle and justice before it and after it; before it, as it is stated: “There He instituted for it statutes and ordinances,” justice after it, as it is stated: “These are the ordinances.”
