Midrasch zu Schemot 8:78

(Exod. 27:20:) AND YOU SHALL COMMAND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL…. This text is related (to Cant. 1:15): AH, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, MY BELOVED…. R. Aqiva said: All of the whole world and its fullness was not as worthy as the day on which the Torah of Song of Songs was given to Israel; for while all of the writings are holy, the Song of Songs is the holiest of the holy.¹Yad. 3:5; Tanh., Exod. 8:1; Cant. R. 1:1:11. R. Eleazar ben Azariah said: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who took a se'ah of wheat and gave it to a baker. He said to him: Take from it so much fine flour, so much crushed grain, so much bran. Similarly all the Writings are holy, but the Song of Songs is the holiest of the holy. Rabbi said: See how the Holy One praises the assembly of Israel in it (i.e., in Cant. 1:15). AH, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, MY BELOVED. AH, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL in works.²Cf. Cant. R. 1:15:1. AH, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL in the work of your ancestors. AH, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL in the house. AH, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL in the field. In the house (according to Deut. 6:9): UPON THE DOORPOSTS OF YOUR HOUSE. In the field through priestly shares, tithes, gleaning the forgotten sheaf (of Deut. 24:19), and through the pe'ah (of Lev. 19:9). (Cant. 1:15:) AH, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL on the roof (according to Deut. 22:8): YOU SHALL MAKE A PARAPET FOR YOUR ROOF. (Cant. 1:15:) AH, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL in this world. AH, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL in the world to come.

Another matter, “have you seen a man diligent…,” this is Moses in the labor of [constructing] the Tabernacle; therefore, “he will stand before kings,” this is Pharaoh, as it is stated “Arise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh” (Exodus 8:16). “He will not stand before dark ones,” this is Yitro. Rabbi Neḥemya said: You have rendered the sacred profane; rather, “he will stand before kings,” this is the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “He was there with the Lord forty days” (Exodus 34:28). “He will not stand before dark ones,” this is Pharaoh, as it is stated: “There was a thick darkness [in the entire land of Egypt]” (Exodus 10:22).²Pharaoh is referred to as dark because his land became dark. Alternatively, the reference is due to the fact that Moses announced that he would no longer come to see Pharaoh after the plague of darkness (see Exodus 10:29).

“See, Lord, for I am in distress, my innards burn, my heart overturned within me, for I have been defiant. Outside the sword bereaves; in the house, it is like death” (Lamentations 1:20).
“See, Lord, for I am in distress, my innards burn [ḥamarmaru],” Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Ḥanina said: He rendered them filled with parasitic worms [morot]. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: He rendered them filled with clumps.²¹¹The term ḥamarim can mean piles or clumps (see Exodus 8:10). “My heart overturned within me.” Why? “For I have been defiant.” “Outside the sword bereaves; in the house, it is like death.” This is what Moses said: “Outside, the sword will bereave, and terror within” (Deuteronomy 32:25).

Another interpretation (of Numb. 8:2): [WHEN YOU SET UP THE LAMPS.] This text is related (to Is. 42:21): THE LORD WAS DELIGHTED BECAUSE OF HIS <SERVANT'S> RIGHTEOUSNESS TO MAGNIFY AND GLORIFY TORAH. The Holy One, as it were, said to Moses: Say to Israel: It was not because I need your light that I am telling you to light a lamp.⁶Below Numb. 3:7; Tanh. Numb. 3:2; Numb. R. 15:2. Rather <I am doing so> in order to have you acquire merit (by fulfilling a commandment), and so it says (in Is. 42:21): THE LORD WAS DELIGHTED BECAUSE OF HIS <SERVANT'S> RIGHTEOUSNESS. It is written about him, as it were, (in Dan. 2:22): HE KNOWS WHAT IS IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE LIGHT DWELLS WITHIN HIM; and similarly it says (in Ps. 139:12): EVEN DARKNESS IS NOT DARK TO YOU; [FOR NIGHT SHINES AS THE {LIGHT} [DAY], AND DARKNESS BECOMES LIKE THE LIGHT]. <Scripture says these things> to inform you that I do not need you. You yourself know <this truth>. Come and see. When a person builds a house and makes windows within [his house], he wants the light to enter. <So> he makes windows narrow on the outside and broad on the inside. Why? So that the light will enter from the outside and shine on the inside. But when Solomon built the Temple, he did not make the windows like that.⁷See above Exod. 8:5; PRK 21:5; Lev. R. 31:7. Rather they were narrow on the inside and broad on the outside so that the light would go out from the Temple and shine outside. It is so stated (in I Kings 6:4): AND FOR THE HOUSE HE MADE WINDOWS BROAD AND NARROW.⁸Literally: CLEAR and CLOSED. While the Hebrew is obscure the translation here follows the Targum in order to fit the midrashic context. <This text> is to inform you that all light is his and that he has no need for some of your <light>. So why did I command you <to set up the lamps>? In order to have you acquire merit (by fulfilling a commandment). It is therefore stated (in Numb. 8:2): WHEN YOU SET UP THE LAMPS.⁹Beha‘aloteka et-hanerot. These words can also mean: IN ELEVATING YOU WITH THE LAMPS. Ergo (in Is. 42:21): THE LORD WAS DELIGHTED BECAUSE OF HIS <SERVANT'S> RIGHTEOUSNESS. And not only that, but if you are careful to light lamps for my sake, I will shine a great light for you in the world to come, as stated (in Is. 60:1, 3): ARISE SHINE FOR YOUR LIGHT IS COME [….] AND NATIONS SHALL WALK BY YOUR LIGHT, EVEN KINGS BY THE BRIGHTNESS OF YOUR RISING.

(Numb. 8:2:) “When you set up the lamps.” This text is related (to Is. 42:21), “The Lord was delighted because of His [servant's] righteousness to magnify and glorify Torah.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, It was not because I need your light that I am telling you to light a lamp.³Below Numb. 3:5; Numb. R. 15:2. Rather [I am doing so] in order to have you acquire merit (by fulfilling a commandment).” It is likewise written, (in Dan. 2:22), “and the light dwells within Him”; and [similarly] it says (in Ps. 139:12), “Even darkness is not dark to You; for night shines as the day, and darkness becomes like the light.” [Scripture says these things] to inform you that He does not need the lamps of flesh and blood. You yourself know [this truth]. When a person builds a house and makes windows within [his house], he makes windows narrow on the outside and broad on the inside, so that the light will enter from the outside and shine on the inside. But when Solomon built the Temple, he did not make the windows like that.⁴See above Exod. 8:5; PRK 21:5; Lev. R. 31:7. Rather they were narrow on the inside and broad on the outside so that the light would go out from the Temple and shine outside. It is so stated (in I Kings 6:4), “And for the house he made windows broad and narrow.”⁵Literally: CLEAR and CLOSED. While the Hebrew is obscure the translation here follows the Targum in order to fit the midrashic context. [This text] is to inform you that He is all light and that He has no need for its light. So why did He command you [to set up the lamps]? In order to have you acquire merit (by fulfilling a commandment). It is therefore stated (in Numb. 8:2), “When you set up the lamps.”⁶Beha‘aloteka et-hanerot. These words can also mean, IN ELEVATING YOU WITH THE LAMPS. Ergo (in Is. 42:21), “The Lord was delighted because of His [servant's] righteousness.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Be careful to light lamps for My sake, and I will shine a great light for you in the future to come.” It is so stated (in Is. 60:3), “And nations shall walk by your light, even kings by the brightness of your rising.”

[(Exod. 27:20:) AND YOU SHALL COMMAND….] This text is related (to Cant. 7:6 [5]): YOUR HEAD UPON YOU IS LIKE CARMEL, <AND THE LOCKS (dallah) OF YOUR HEAD (rosh) ARE LIKE PURPLE>. The poor (dallim) and the needy (rashim) who are among you are as dear to me as Daniel.⁸See Tanh., Exod. 8:6; Lev. R. 31:4; Cant. R. 7:6:1, all of which cite Dan. 5:29: AND THEY CLOTHED DANIEL IN PURPLE. [(Ibid., cont.:) A KING IS CAPTIVATED BY THE TRESSES (rehatim).] The Holy One, as it were, said to them: I am bound <by an oath>⁹The added words appear in all the parallel versions except Yalqut Shim’oni, Cant., 992. to be among you. By virtue of what? By virtue of the races that Abraham ran for me, as stated (in Gen. 18:6–7): ABRAHAM HASTENED TO THE TENT <…> THEN ABRAHAM RAN UNTO THE HERD.¹⁰On the three races of Abraham, see above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 4:5, and the note there. Ergo (in Cant. 7:6 [5]): A KING IS CAPTIVATED BY THE TRESSES (rehatim).¹¹The root of rehatim (i.e., RHT) can mean “run.” R. Levi said: By virtue of Jacob, of whom it is written (in Gen. 30:38): < AND HE SET UP THE RODS WHICH HE HAD PEELED> IN THE TROUGHS (rehatim), IN THE WATER RECEPTACLES.

Another interpretation (of Cant. 7:6 [5]): A KING IS CAPTIVATED BY THE TRESSES (rehatim). The Holy One said to Moses: Moses, I have made you a king. Just as the king issues decrees, and they act; so you issue decrees¹²The Buber text reads GZWR, but this reading is probably a misreading of GWZR due to metathesis. The reading, gwzr, which is the one translated here, is found in the parallel text of Tanh., Exod. 8:6. over them, and they shall act. (Exod. 27:20:) AND YOU SHALL COMMAND <THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL>….

(Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” This text is related (to Prov. 29:23), “One's pride will bring him low, but the low in spirit will obtain honor.” Whenever anyone pursues [a position of] authority, authority flees from him, but whenever anyone flees from [a position of] authority, authority will pursue him. Saul fled from authority when he came to reign, as stated (in I Sam. 10:22), “So they inquired of the Lord again, ‘Has anyone else come [here]?’ And the Lord said, ‘Here he is hiding among the baggage.’” What does it (the word “baggage”) mean? When they came and brought him word of his kingship, he told them, “I am not worthy of kingship. Rather inquire by means of urim and thummim whether I am worthy; and if not, leave me alone.” Immediately (ibid.), “So they inquired of the Lord again (i.e., this second time),” [and] immediately he hid himself until they had inquired of urim and thummim. (Ibid. cont.:) “And the Lord said, ‘here he is hiding among the baggage (literally: instruments).’” Thus have our masters taught: These instruments were urim and thummim. This man fled from authority, and it pursued him, as stated (in I Sam. 10:24), “Do you see the one whom the Lord has chosen, that there is no one like him among all of this people?” But Abimelech ben Jerubbaal pursued authority, and it fled from him, as stated (in Jud. 9:1), “But Abimelech ben Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brothers…,” and killed them all upon one stone and ruled over the masters of Shechem. But in the end (according to Jud. 9:23), “Then [God] sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the masters of Shechem,” and a woman killed him. Moses also fled from authority when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Exod. 3:10), “Come, I will send you unto Pharaoh, (Exod. 14:13) “But he said, ‘Pray Lord, please make someone else Your agent.” R. Levi said, “For seven days did the Holy One, blessed be He, prevail upon Moses in the thornbush in order to send him,¹³Lev. R. 11:6; Numb. R. 21:15; M. Pss. 18:22; cf. Exod. R. 3:14; also PR 7:2. and he was answering him, ‘Please make someone else Your agent.’” Thus it is stated (in Exod. 4:10), “Then Moses said unto the Lord, ‘Pray, Lord, I have never been a man of words, either in the past or now that You have spoken unto Your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “By your life, in the end you shall go.” When he did go [and] said, (in Exod. 5:1), “Thus says the Lord, the God of (the Hebrews) [Israel], ‘Let My people go and they shall serve Me,’” [and] that wicked man said (in vs. 2), “Who is the Lord,”¹⁴Cf. Numb. R. 13:3. Moses began to say, “I have already fulfilled my mission.” [So] he went and sat down. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Are you sitting down? (Exod. 6:11:) ‘Go and speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt.’” And so too for each and every oracle (as in Exod. 7:15), “Go unto pharaoh”; (and Exod. 8:16) “Rise up early in the morning.” [These verses are] to teach you that he fled from authority. In the end he led them forth, divided the sea for them, brought them into the desert, brought down the manna for them, brought up the well for them, brought over the quails for them, and made the tabernacle. Then he said, “From now on what is there for me to do?” He got ready and sat down. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, now you have a greater work than any that you have done, [i.e.,] to teach My children clean and unclean, to enlighten them on how to offer sacrifices to Me,” as stated (in Lev. 1:1–2), “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses […], ‘Speak unto the Children of Israel […], “When one of you presents an offering.”’” Moshe fled from authority and it pursued him, in fulfillment of what is stated (in Prov. 29:23), “One's pride will bring him low, but the low in spirit will obtain honor.” This is Moses, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 8:6), “For You have made him a little less than divine, and crowned him with glory and majesty.” (Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” This text is related (to Ps. 89:20), “Then you spoke to Your saints in a vision and said, ‘I have conferred help upon one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people.’” Although the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke with the first Adam and commanded him concerning the tree of knowledge, he was alone in the world. So also in the case of Noah; although He spoke with him, he [alone] “was upright in his generations.” And so it was in the case of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were unique in the world. But in the case of Moses, how many righteous ones [were in the world]? Seventy elders, Bezalel, Uri, Aaron and his sons, and the [tribal] princes. Yet of them all, He called only Moses. Ergo, it says (in Ps. 89:20), “I have exalted one chosen from the people.” This is Moses, as stated (in Ps. 106:23), “had not Moses His chosen one […].”

(Exod. 25:2): SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, <AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE>. It is not written here: "And let them take a priestly share," but AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME (li) A PRIESTLY SHARE. Anything about which li ("to me" or "for me") is used, <belongs to the Holy One> in this world and in the world to come.¹³Lev. R. 2:2; Sifre to Numb. 11:16 (92); cf. Numb. R. 15:17; cf. below, Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 8:9. (Lev. 25:23:) BUT THE LAND MAY NOT BE SOLD PERMANENTLY, FOR [THE LAND] BELONGS TO ME (li), in this world and in the world to come. [(Numb. 8:17:) FOR EVERY FIRST-BORN AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BELONGS TO ME (li), in this world and in the world to come. (Numb. 8:14:) AND THE LEVITES SHALL BELONG TO ME (li), in this world and in the world to come.] So also the priestly share <belongs to the Holy One> in this world and in the world to come.

Our sages of blessed memory said: The Holy One, blessed be He, followed the military tactics employed by kings when inflicting the plagues upon them. When the people of a province rebel, a human king dispatches his legions to surround them. First he dams up their water supply. If the people repent, well and good; but if not, he orders thunderous noises to be directed against them. If they are contrite, good; but if not, he commands that arrows be shot at them. If they relent (their actions), well and good; but if not, he sends barbarians against them. If they retract, good; but if not, he orders other reprisals to be taken against them. If they are contrite, well and good; but if not, he orders naphtha to be hurled upon them. If they are repentant, good; but if not, he catapults stones upon them. If they repent, good; but if not, he turns a large population against them. If they retract, good; but if not, he imprisons them. If they relent, good; but if not, he destroys their leaders. The Holy One, blessed be He, attacked Egypt with the tactics employed by a king. The first thing He did was to cut off their water supply, as it is said: And he turned their rivers into blood. They were not contrite, and He therefore brought tumultuous noises upon them. These were the frogs. R. Yosé the son of Hanina said: Their croaking was harder to bear than the havoc they wrought. Still they did not repent, and so he shot arrows at them. These were the gnats, as it is said: And there were gnats upon man, and upon beast (Exod. 8:13). They penetrated the bodies of the Egyptians like spears. However, they did not become contrite, and so He sent barbarians against them. These were the swarms, as it is said: And there came grievous swarms of beasts (ibid., v. 20). Still they did not relent, and so He took other reprisals against them. He brought the murrain: And all the cattle of Egypt died (ibid. 9:6). Nevertheless, they did not repent, and so He poured naphtha over them. These were the boils, as it is said: And a boil breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast (ibid., v. 9). Still they were not contrite, and so He catapulted projectiles upon them. This was the hail. But even then they did not repent, and so he stirred up a large population against them, that is, the locusts. Even so, they did not mend their ways, and so He imprisoned them. This was the darkness, as it is said: And there was a thick darkness (ibid. 10:22). When they refused to repent, He killed their important men, as it is said: The Lord smote all the firstborn (ibid. 12:19).

(Exod. 10:21:) STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND TOWARD THE HEAVENS. The Holy One brought the plagues upon them in the order¹³Gk.: taxis. of a flesh-and-blood [king]. In the case of a flesh-and-blood king, when a state revolts against him, what does he do? He sends out legions¹⁴Lat.: Legiones. which surround it. First he {smashes} [dams up] their aqueduct.¹⁵Tanh., Exod. 3:4; PRK 7:11; PR 17:7; cf. Exod. R. 17:27. If they repent, well and good; but if not, he brings <war> cries against them. [If they repent, well and good; but if not, he shoots arrows at them. If they repent, well and good; but if not, he brings <the> legions against them. If they repent, well and good; but if not, he brings hand-to-hand combat¹⁶Gk.: dorimachos, literally: “fighting with the spear.” against them.] If they repent, well and good; but if not, he hurls naphtha¹⁷Gk.: naphtha. at them. If they repent, well and good; but if not, he hurls stones at them from a catapult.¹⁸Gk.: balistra. Then, if they repent, well and good; but if not, he stirs up {six legions} a lot of troops¹⁹Gk.: ochloi, i.e., “crowds.” against them. If they repent, well and good; but if not, he binds them in prison. If they repent, well and good; but if not, he kills their noble ones. So did the Holy One come against the Egyptians in the order of kings. First he {smashed} [dammed up] their aqueduct, as stated (in Ps. 78:44): HE TURNED THEIR NILES²⁰The word ye’orehem here would normally be translated “rivers,” but ye’orehem in the singular is also the proper name of the river Nile and reinforces the Egyptian context. INTO BLOOD <SO THAT THEIR STREAMS WERE UNDRINKABLE>. When they did not repent, he brought <war> cries against them. These were the frogs, as stated (in Exod. 8:8): <THEN MOSES CRIED OUT TO THE LORD> ABOUT THE MATTER OF THE FROGS…. Then, when they did not repent, he brought arrows upon them. These were the gnats, as stated (in Exod. 8:13 [17]): AND THERE WERE GNATS [UPON HUMAN AND UPON BEAST], for <each of them > entered an Egyptian body like an arrow. [Then, when they did not repent, he brought <the> legions upon them. These were swarms of flies, as stated (in Ps. 78:45): HE SENT SWARMS OF INSECTS AMONG THEM TO DEVOUR THEM. Then, when they did not repent, he brought hand-to-hand combat upon them, as stated. This is the plague.]²¹Cf. Tanh., Exod. 3:4, which adds here: “And it killed their livestock.” Then, when they did not repent, he hurled naphtha at them. <This corresponds to> the boils. Then, when they did not repent, he hurled stones at them from a catapult. This is the hail. Then when they did not repent even after that, he stirred up a lot of troops against them. These were the locusts. Then after that he put them in prison. [This is the darkness,] as stated (in Exod. 10:21): DARKNESS THAT CAN BE TOUCHED…. Then, when they did not repent, he killed all their eldest sons, as stated (in Exod. 12:29): THAT THE LORD SMOTE ALL THE FIRST-BORN.

(Exod. 10:21:) STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND TOWARD THE HEAVENS. The Holy One brought the plagues upon them in the order¹³Gk.: taxis. of a flesh-and-blood [king]. In the case of a flesh-and-blood king, when a state revolts against him, what does he do? He sends out legions¹⁴Lat.: Legiones. which surround it. First he {smashes} [dams up] their aqueduct.¹⁵Tanh., Exod. 3:4; PRK 7:11; PR 17:7; cf. Exod. R. 17:27. If they repent, well and good; but if not, he brings <war> cries against them. [If they repent, well and good; but if not, he shoots arrows at them. If they repent, well and good; but if not, he brings <the> legions against them. If they repent, well and good; but if not, he brings hand-to-hand combat¹⁶Gk.: dorimachos, literally: “fighting with the spear.” against them.] If they repent, well and good; but if not, he hurls naphtha¹⁷Gk.: naphtha. at them. If they repent, well and good; but if not, he hurls stones at them from a catapult.¹⁸Gk.: balistra. Then, if they repent, well and good; but if not, he stirs up {six legions} a lot of troops¹⁹Gk.: ochloi, i.e., “crowds.” against them. If they repent, well and good; but if not, he binds them in prison. If they repent, well and good; but if not, he kills their noble ones. So did the Holy One come against the Egyptians in the order of kings. First he {smashed} [dammed up] their aqueduct, as stated (in Ps. 78:44): HE TURNED THEIR NILES²⁰The word ye’orehem here would normally be translated “rivers,” but ye’orehem in the singular is also the proper name of the river Nile and reinforces the Egyptian context. INTO BLOOD <SO THAT THEIR STREAMS WERE UNDRINKABLE>. When they did not repent, he brought <war> cries against them. These were the frogs, as stated (in Exod. 8:8): <THEN MOSES CRIED OUT TO THE LORD> ABOUT THE MATTER OF THE FROGS…. Then, when they did not repent, he brought arrows upon them. These were the gnats, as stated (in Exod. 8:13 [17]): AND THERE WERE GNATS [UPON HUMAN AND UPON BEAST], for <each of them > entered an Egyptian body like an arrow. [Then, when they did not repent, he brought <the> legions upon them. These were swarms of flies, as stated (in Ps. 78:45): HE SENT SWARMS OF INSECTS AMONG THEM TO DEVOUR THEM. Then, when they did not repent, he brought hand-to-hand combat upon them, as stated. This is the plague.]²¹Cf. Tanh., Exod. 3:4, which adds here: “And it killed their livestock.” Then, when they did not repent, he hurled naphtha at them. <This corresponds to> the boils. Then, when they did not repent, he hurled stones at them from a catapult. This is the hail. Then when they did not repent even after that, he stirred up a lot of troops against them. These were the locusts. Then after that he put them in prison. [This is the darkness,] as stated (in Exod. 10:21): DARKNESS THAT CAN BE TOUCHED…. Then, when they did not repent, he killed all their eldest sons, as stated (in Exod. 12:29): THAT THE LORD SMOTE ALL THE FIRST-BORN.

Moses also fled from authority when the Holy One said to him (in Exod. 3:10): {ARISE} [COME], I WILL SEND YOU UNTO PHARAOH…. (Exod. 14:13): BUT HE SAID: PRAY LORD, PLEASE MAKE SOMEONE ELSE YOUR AGENT. R. Levi said: For seven days the Holy One prevailed upon Moses in the thornbush in order to send him,¹⁶Lev. R. 11:6; Numb. R. 21:15; M. Pss. 18:22; cf. Exod. R. 3:14; also PR 7:2. and he was answering him: PLEASE MAKE SOMEONE ELSE YOUR AGENT. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 4:10): THEN MOSES SAID UNTO THE LORD: <PRAY, LORD,> I HAVE NEVER BEEN A MAN OF WORDS, EITHER IN THE PAST OR NOW THAT YOU HAVE SPOKEN UNTO YOUR SERVANT, FOR I AM SLOW OF SPEECH AND SLOW OF TONGUE. The Holy One said to Moses: By your life, in the end you shall go. When he did go, he said: (in Exod. 5:1): THUS SAYS THE LORD, THE GOD OF {THE HEBREWS} [ISRAEL]: <LET MY PEOPLE GO>…. That wicked man said (in vs. 2): WHO IS THE LORD, THAT I SHOULD HEED HIS VOICE?¹⁷Cf. Numb. R. 13:3. Moses began to say: I have already fulfilled my mission. He went and sat down. The Holy One said to him: Are you sitting down? (Exod. 6:11:) GO AND SPEAK UNTO PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT. For each and every oracle (as in Exod. 7:15), GO UNTO PHARAOH. (Exod. 8:16 [20]:) RISE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING. <These verses are> to teach you that he fled from authority. In the end he led them forth, divided the sea for them, brought them into the desert, brought down the manna for them, brought up the well for them, brought over the quails for them, and made the Tabernacle. Then he said: From now on what is there for me to do? He got ready and sat down. The Holy One said to him: By your life, now you have a greater work than any that you have done, <i.e.,> to teach my children clean and unclean, to enlighten them on how to offer sacrifice to me, as stated (in Lev. 1:1–2): THEN <THE LORD> CALLED UNTO MOSES <…> [SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL <…>: WHEN ONE OF YOU PRESENTS AN OFFERING.] Abimelech pursued authority and it fled from him, in fulfillment of what is stated (in Prov. 29:23): ONE'S PRIDE WILL BRING HIM LOW. (Ibid., cont.: BUT THE LOW IN SPIRIT WILL OBTAIN HONOR. This is Moses, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 8:6 [5]): FOR YOU HAVE MADE HIM A LITTLE LESS THAN DIVINE, AND CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND MAJESTY.

(Exod. 27:21:) IN THE TENT OF MEETING OUTSIDE THE VEIL <… AARON AND HIS SONS SHALL SET IT (the lamp) UP>. Lest your <evil> drive mislead you, saying: He needs light, see what is written (ibid.): OUTSIDE THE VEIL.¹⁶Tanh., Exod. 8:7. The menorah only needed to be put inside of the veil with the ark, but it was put OUTSIDE THE VEIL in order to inform you that he does not need a light. Why did he tell you <to set it up>? Because you are worthy of the light. Another interpretation: By universal custom, <when> a king of flesh and blood makes himself a couch and table, he sets the menorah to his left; but it was not like this in the Temple. Instead the menorah was placed to the right of the table in order to inform you that he does not need a lamp of yours. Why did he tell you <to set it up>? To give you light in the world to come, when darkness shall come upon the peoples of the world, as stated (in Is. 60:2): FOR BEHOLD DARKNESS SHALL COVER THE EARTH, AND THICK CLOUDS THE PEOPLES. THEN THE LORD WILL SHINE UPON YOU AND HIS GLORY WILL APPEAR OVER YOU.

Now all the plagues which the Holy One brought upon the Egyptians, he is going to bring upon Edom (i.e., Rome). It is so stated (in Is. 23:5): <AS AT THE REPORT CONCERNING EGYPT, > THEY SHALL TREMBLE AT THE REPORT OF TYRE (TsR).²⁴Although the Buber text reads TsWR, the midrashic interpretation here requires TsR, which is the reading of the Masoretic text. R. Eleazar has said: When Tyre is written with a vowel letter (i.e., TsWR), what is written is speaking about the region of Tyre. But in every place in which it is written as TsR without the W, what is written is speaking about this wicked Roman Empire, because it is oppressing Israel (rt.: TsRR).²⁵Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 2:15; Tanh., Exod. 2:13; 3:4; Exod. R. 9:13; PRK 7:11; PR 17:8. In Egypt he brought the plague of blood upon them. So also shall it be in Edom (i.e., Rome), as stated (in Joel 3:3–4 [2:30–31]): THEN I WILLSET PORTENTS IN THE HEAVENS AND ON THE EARTH: BLOOD, FIRE, <AND PILLARS OF SMOKE; THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS > AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD. In Egypt he brought frogs upon them because their voice (qol) was strong. So also shall it be in Edom, as stated (in Is. 66:6): A SOUND (qol) OF TUMULT FROM THE CITY, <A NOISE (qol) FROM THE TEMPLE! THE THUNDER (qol) OF THE LORD IS REPAYING RETRIBUTION TO HIS ENEMIES>. In Egypt he brought gnats upon them. [So] also shall it be in Edom, [as stated] (in Is. 34:9): ITS²⁶The pronoun refers to Edom. STREAMS SHALL BE TURNED TO PITCH AND ITS DUST TO BRIMSTONE DUST can only mean gnats, just as it says (in Exod. 8:12 [16]): <HOLD OUT YOUR ROD> AND STRIKE THE DUST OF THE EARTH, AND IT SHALL BECOME GNATS < THROUGHOUT THE LAND OF EGYPT > …. In Egypt he brought swarms of flies ('RWB, rt.: 'RB) upon them. So also shall it be in Edom, as stated (in Is. 34:11): BUT THE PELICAN AND THE BITTERN SHALL POSSESS IT (i.e., Edom), [EVEN THE OWL AND THE RAVEN ('WRB, rt.: 'RB) SHALL DWELL IN IT.] In Egypt he brought pestilence upon them. So also shall it be in Edom, as stated (in Ezek. 38:22): I WILL ENTER INTO JUDGMENT AGAINST HIM WITH PESTILENCE. In Egypt he brought boils upon them. So also shall it be in Edom, as stated (in Zech. 14:12): AND THIS SHALL BE THE PLAGUE…: THEIR FLESH SHALL ROT AWAY. In Egypt he brought hail upon them. So also shall it be in Edom, as stated (in Ezek. 38:22): AND I WILL POUR TORRENTIAL RAIN, HAILSTONES <… UPON HIM…>. In Egypt he brought locusts upon them. So also shall it be in Edom, as stated (in Ezek. 39:17): SON OF MAN,[… ] SAY TO EVERY WINGED BIRD < AND TO EVERY LIVING CREATURE OF THE FIELD: ASSEMBLE, COME AND GATHER>…. In Egypt he brought darkness. So also shall it be in Edom (in Is. 34:11, cont.): AND HE SHALL STRETCH OVER IT THE MEASURING LINE OF THE EMPTINESS <AND WEIGHTS OF NOTHINGNESS>.²⁷The Hebrew words for EMPTINESS and NOTHINGNESS echo the VOID AND WITHOUT FORM in Gen. 1:2. In Egypt he smote their first-born. So also shall it be in Edom, as stated (in Ezek. 32:30): THERE ARE ALL THE PRINCES OF THE NORTH <AND THE ALL THE SIDONIANS WHO HAVE GONE DOWN WITH THE SLAIN…>. R. Meir says (citing Is. 34:7, which refers to Edom): AND THE WILD OXEN SHALL COME DOWN WITH THEM….²⁸Cf. Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34 which adds the interpretation that these WILD OXEN (re’emim) are the Romans. Just as in Egypt, when he had exacted retribution from their gods, he afterwards exacted retribution from them; in Edom (rt.: 'DM) also, when he has exacted retribution from their prince, he shall afterwards exact retribution from them. It is so stated (in Is. 24:21): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THAT DAY THAT THE LORD SHALL PUNISH THE HOST OF HEAVEN IN HEAVEN AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH (rt.: 'DM) {IN} [ON] THE EARTH (rt.: 'DM).

... Another explanation. “And all the work that king Solomon had wrought in the house of the Lord was finished.” (Melachim I 7:51) What does ‘all the work’ mean? It was built by itself, rising and floating up – thus it does not say when the house was built, but rather “And the house, when it was in building…” (Melachim I 6:7) “…was built of stone finished at the quarry (masa)…” (ibid.) What does ‘finished at the quarry’ (masa nivne) mean? R’ Brechia said: the stone picked itself up (nosah atzma), rose up and was built by itself. This is what Shlomo said in his song “I have surely built You a house to dwell in…” (Melachim I 8:13) He says ‘I have surely built’, meaning ‘I built a building and the stones rose up and flew into place themselves’. If you are shocked that the Holy One would do such a thing for a single righteous person, “And a stone was brought and placed on the mouth of the pit…” (Daniel 6:18) And where did they get a rock in Bavel? Our Rabbis said that it rolled all the way from the land of Israel and came in an instant. So if the Holy One did such a thing for flesh and blood, are you surprised that He would do so for the building of a house to the Holy One?

Another interpretation (of Exod. 27:20): CLEAR OIL OF <BEATEN> OLIVES. You find that whoever is put in the darkness sees whatever is in the light, and whoever is put in the light does not see whatever is in the darkness.¹⁷Tanh., Exod. 8:8. However, the Holy One sees whatever is in the darkness and whatever is in the light. Daniel said (in Dan. 2:22): HE REVEALS THE DEEP AND SECRET THINGS; HE KNOWS WHAT IS IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE LIGHT DWELLS WITH HIM. R. Judah bar Il'ay said: The sun is put in the midst of his bosom, as stated (in Ps. 19:5 [4]): HE PLACED IN THEM (i.e., in the heavens) A TENT FOR THE SUN.¹⁸Cf. M. Pss. 19:11; PRK 29:1 (supplement 2:1). At the summer solstice (June 21) it goes forth from the midst of his bosom to ripen the fruit, but the world cannot withstand it. Why? Because it is <too> strong on account of its light. The Holy One said. Since you cannot look at <this light that is>¹⁹The bracketed words follow the parallel text of Tanh., Exod. 8:8. a <mere> creation of mine, do I have need for a light of yours?²⁰See below, Numb. 2:34. Then why did I tell you <to set up the menorah>? For the world to come.

(Lev. 19:23:) NOW WHEN YOU COME INTO THE LAND AND PLANT ANY TREE FOR FOOD. This text is related (to Zech. 8:11–12): BUT NOW < I WILL NOT TREAT THE REMNANT OF THIS PEOPLE > AS IN THE FORMER DAYS…; FOR AS THE SEED OF PEACE, THE VINE SHALL YIELD ITS FRUIT, THE EARTH SHALL YIELD ITS HARVEST…. What is the meaning of NOT… AS IN THE FORMER DAYS? When Israel went forth from Egypt and was walking in the desert, he brought down manna for them, brought over quails for them, and raised up the well for them.²⁶The well in question is the well of Numb. 21:16–20, which according to traditional interpretations was movable and followed the children of Israel during the forty-year wanderings. See below, Numb. 1:2; 6:35, 47–50; Tanh., Numb. 1:2; Numb. R. 1:2; 9:14; 13:20; 19:26; Seder ‘Olam Rabbah 5, 9–10; TSuk. 3:11–13; Pseudo-Philo 10:7; 11:15; also TSot. 11:1; Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Wayassa‘ 6; Sifre Deut. 32:14(305); Shab. 35a; Ta‘an. 9a; Eccl. R. 1:2; M. Prov. 14; the various targums to Numb. 21:16–20; and I Corinthians 10:4. Then each and every tribe made itself a conduit for water, which [drew < the water > from the well and] brought it in to them. Moreover, [each and every one] planted fig trees, vines, and pomegranates, which yielded fruit on the same day, just as it was from the beginning at the creation of the world (according to Gen. 1:11): FRUIT TREE BEARING FRUIT ACCORDING TO ITS KIND. If the children of Adam had been worthy, it would have remained so until now. A person would plant a tree, and it would bear fruit immediately. When Adam sinned, the ground was cursed (according to Gen. 3:17): CURSED IS THE LAND BECAUSE OF YOU. From now on (ibid., cont.:) IN TOIL YOU SHALL YOU EAT OF IT ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE. He sowed wheat and it sprouted thistles, as stated (in vs. 18): THORNS AND THISTLES SHALL IT SPROUT FOR YOU. When they went forth from Egypt, [the Holy One] raised up the well for them. Then they made plantings beside its water, and the trees bore fruit on the same day. When the well disappeared, [all the bounty disappeared.] What is written there (in Numb. 20:5)? A PLACE WITH NO SEEDS, FIGS, VINES, OR POMEGRANATES. The Holy One said to Moses: Say to these Israelites: When you enter the land of Israel, I am restoring all the bounty to you, as stated (in Deut. 8:7–9): FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS BRINGING YOU UNTO A GOOD LAND, < A LAND WITH STREAMS OF WATER >…; A LAND OF WHEAT AND BARLEY, OF VINES, FIGS, AND POMEGRANATES…; A LAND < IN > WHICH < YOU SHALL EAT BREAD > WITHOUT STINT. When they came into the land of Israel they began sinning (rt.: HT'), as stated (in Jer. 2:7): BUT YOU CAME AND DEFILED (rt.: HT') MY LAND. So it did not bear fruits as was appropriate. They planted much and brought in little, as stated (in Hag. 1:6): YOU HAVE SOWN MUCH AND BROUGHT IN LITTLE.²⁷Above, Exod. 8:10. Why? Because they ceased < offering > the firstfruits. (Ibid., cont.:) YOU HAVE EATEN WITHOUT HAVING ENOUGH, after {the first fruits} [the shewbread] ceased. (Ibid., cont.:) YOU HAVE DRUNK WITHOUT HAVING ENOUGH, after the libation of wine ceased. (Ibid., cont.:) YOU HAVE PUT ON CLOTHES, WITHOUT BEING WARM, after the vestments of priesthood were abolished. (Ibid., cont.:) THE WAGE EARNER HAS EARNED WAGES FOR A BAG WITH HOLES, after almsgiving ceased. (Zech. 8:10:) A PERSON HAD NO EARNINGS, after pilgrims (going up to Jerusalem) ceased. (Ibid., cont.:) AND THE CATTLE EARNED NOTHING, after the offerings ceased. But in the age to come, the Holy One will not act so. Thus it is stated (in Zech. 8:11–12): BUT NOW I WILL NOT TREAT THE REMNANT OF THIS PEOPLE AS IN THE FORMER DAYS, SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS; FOR AS THE SEED OF PEACE, THE VINE SHALL YIELD ITS FRUIT, THE EARTH SHALL YIELD ITS HARVEST, THE HEAVENS SHALL YIELD THEIR DEW, AND I WILL BEQUEATH ALL THESE THINGS TO THE REMNANT OF THIS PEOPLE….

(Exod. 29:1:) AND THIS IS THE THING WHICH YOU SHALL DO TO THEM <TO SANCTIFY THEM FOR SERVING ME AS PRIESTS >. This text is related (to Prov. 3:35): THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. These are the Israelites.²³Tanh., Exod. 8:11; Numb. R. 11:1. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT FOOLS TAKE AWAY SHAME. These are the peoples of the world. Now when did²⁴The past tense here follows Tanh., Exod. 8:11. The Buber text reads “shall.” Israel inherit the glory? When they received the Torah from Sinai. R. Johanan said: Sixty myriads of ministering angels descended with the Holy One to Sinai, and they put crowns on the head of each and every one from Israel.²⁵Above, Exod. 2:9. PR 10:6; 21:7; 33:10. R. Abba bar Kahana said: When Israel stood at Mount Sinai and said (in Exod. 24:7): WE WILL CARRY OUT AND OBEY, the Holy One immediately loved them and gave two angels to each and every one of them. The one girded on his armor (zayin),²⁶Cf. Gk.: zone, or Lat.: zona (“girdle”). and the other set a crown for him on his head. R. Simon said: They clothed them in purple,²⁷Gk.: porphura. as stated (in Ezek. 16:10): I CLOTHED YOU WITH EMBROIDERED GARMENTS. R. Simeon ben Johay said: They gave them implements of war (zayin) with the Ineffable Name engraved thereon.²⁸Below, Exod. 9:15. Ergo (in Prov. 3:35): THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. These are the Israelites, because they received the Torah. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT FOOLS TAKE AWAY SHAME. These are the peoples of the world. The Holy One put them to shame. R. Samuel said: (Prov. 3:35): THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. These are David and Solomon, who built the Temple. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT FOOLS TAKE AWAY SHAME. These are the peoples of the world who destroyed it. The Holy One puts them to shame. R. Nahman said: See what is written (in Ps. 73:20): O LORD, IN THE CITY²⁹This is the meaning of ba’ir assumed in the midrash. A more common interpretation would be: ON BEING AROUSED. YOU DESPISE THEIR IMAGE.³⁰Esther R. 3:14. Why IN THE CITY? The proverb is simply saying: In the place where the robber³¹Gk.: lestes. The last letter of this word should certainly be S, as in the traditional Tanhuma, instead of the M of the Buber text. commits robbery, there he is hung. For that reason IN THE CITY is written.

[(Exod. 29:1): AND THIS IS THE THING….] This text is related (to Ps. 119:89): FOREVER, O LORD, DOES YOUR WORD STAND FIRM IN THE HEAVENS.³⁵Tanh., Exod. 8:12; Exod. R. 38:6. R. Berekhyah the Priest said: From time immemorial you have treated us with the measure of mercy.³⁶Cf. PR 40:2. When? When our father Abraham was cast into the fiery furnace, the angels quarreled with each other.³⁷Exod. R. 18:5. Michael said: I am going down to rescue him,³⁸Cf. Gen. R. 44:13. but Gabriel said: I am going down and rescue him.³⁹Pes. 118a. The Holy One said: I am going down in my glory to rescue him, as stated (in Gen. 15:7): I AM THE LORD WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT FROM UR OF THE CHALDEES…. He said to them (the angels): You shall rescue his children's children. When Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah descended into the fiery furnace, the angel went down to rescue them.⁴⁰See Deut. R. 1:12; cf. Pes. 118ab; PR 35:2; M. Pss. 117:3, according to which the angel was Gabriel. Then the angels said (in Ps. 119:89–90): FOREVER, O LORD, DOES YOUR WORD STAND FIRM IN THE HEAVENS…. YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED THE EARTH AND IT STANDS FIRM. You are the foundation of the world.

(Exod. 29:1:) AND THIS IS THE THING WHICH YOU SHALL DO TO THEM. To them you shall do it and not to others.⁴³Tanh., Exod. 8:13. He began to teach them how they would keep <themselves> in a state of purity and eat the sacrifices, how they would immerse and eat the priestly share. (Ibid., cont.:) TO SANCTIFY THEM FOR SERVING ME (li) AS PRIESTS. R. Mani said in the name of R. Eliezer: Wherever TO ME (li) is stated, <it means> "forever and forevermore."⁴⁴Cf. above, Exod. 7:3; below, Numb. 3:20; Tanh., Exod. 7:3. The first-born < remains > forever, since it is stated (in Numb. 3:13 = 8:17): FOR ALL THE FIRST-BORN ARE MINE (li). Silver and gold <remain> forever, since it is stated (in Hag. 2:8): THE SILVER IS MINE (li), AND THE GOLD IS MINE (li). The kingship <remains> forever, since it is stated (in I Sam. 16:1): FOR I HAVE CHOSEN A KING FOR MYSELF (li) AMONG HIS (Jesse's) SONS. The land <remains> forever, since it is stated (in Lev. 25:23): FOR THE LAND BELONGS TO ME (li). Israel <remains> forever, since it is stated (in Lev. 25:55): FOR TO ME (li) THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL <ARE SERVANTS>. The Levites <remain> forever, since it is stated (Numb. 3:12): AND THE LEVITES SHALL BE MINE (li). The priesthood <remains> forever, since it is stated (Exod. 29:1): FOR SERVING ME (li) AS PRIESTS.

Similarly you say (in Ps. 50:7): HEARKEN, O MY PEOPLE, AND LET ME SPEAK, O ISRAEL, SO THAT I MAY ADMONISH YOU: I AM GOD, YOUR GOD. When Israel stood at Mount Sinai (according to Exod. 24:7): THEY SAID: ALL THAT THE LORD HAS SPOKEN WE WILL CARRY OUT AND OBEY. R. Johanan said: Sixty myriads of angels came down and put crowns on their heads.⁶⁰Below, Exod. 8:7; Numb. 4a:1; PR 10:6; 21:7; 29/30A(from MS Parma, 197a-198a):3; 33:10; M. Pss. 103:8; also Septuagint, Deut. 33:2 and Ps. 67:18; Josephus, Ant. 15:136; Acts 7:38, 53; Hebrews 2:2; but cf. Galatians 3:19, according to which these angels lessened the importance of the giving of Torah. R. Simay said: He clothed them in purple.⁶¹Gk.: porphyra or porphyrion. Rav Huna of Sepphoris said: He girded them with girdles.⁶²Gk.: zonai. R. Simeon said: They gave them weapons. The great name was inscribed on them; and, as long as it was in their hands, the angel of death was unable to prevail over them.⁶³Cf. Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Bahodesh 9; AZ 5a. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 32:16): INSCRIBED ON THE TABLETS. What is the meaning of INSCRIBED (HRWT)? R. Judah says: Freedom (HRWT) from the empires.⁶⁴Avot 6:2; ARN, A, 2:3; ‘Erub. 54a; PRE 46; below, 9:12; Tanh., Numb. 4:13 [12]; Exod. R. 32:1; 41:7; 51:8; Lev. R. 18:3; Numb. R. 10:8; 16:24; Cant. 8:6:2. R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest said in the name of R. Johanan, <who spoke > in the name of R. Eleazar the Son of R. Jose [the Galilean]: <The Holy One said:>⁶⁵On these added words, see Midrash Tanhuma (Jerusalem: Eshkol, n.d.), vol. 1, appendix, p. 92, n.5. If the angel of death should come and say to me: Why was I created, I should say to him: Surely I created you to be over the nations of the world and not over my children. Why? Because I made them gods, as stated (in Ps. 82:6): I SAID: YOU ARE GODS; EVEN ALL OF YOU ARE CHILDREN OF THE MOST HIGH. Therefore, when he came to give them the commandments, he said to them: Heed what I am saying to you. For this reason it is stated (in Ps. 50:7) HEARKEN, O MY PEOPLE, AND LET ME SPEAK, O ISRAEL, SO THAT I MAY ADMONISH YOU: I AM GOD, YOUR GOD. See, the Holy One said to Moses here: Although I made you a god, I am <still> your God. You are a god only to Pharaoh. It is so stated (in Exod. 7:1): SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH.

(Exod. 29:1:) AND THIS IS THE THING WHICH YOU SHALL DO TO THEM…: TAKE A YOUNG BULL OF THE HERD, <acquired> through purchase and not from plunder.⁴⁵Cf. PRK 27:6, which applies the same caution to procuring a lulav. (Ibid., cont.:) AND TWO RAMS <WITHOUT BLEMISH>, a ram on either side and the bull in the middle. Why three < animals >? To correspond to the three glories of the world (i.e., the patriarchs). The bull corresponds to Abraham (in Gen. 18:7): THEN ABRAHAM RAN UNTO THE HERD. (Exod. 29:1): AND TWO RAMS [WITHOUT BLEMISH]. <These> [correspond to] Isaac and Jacob. (Ibid., cont.:) ALSO UNLEAVENED BREAD. By their merit I will bless their bread. R. Hiyya bar Abba said: When the offerings used to be brought, an Arbelian se'ah <of wheat> produced a se'ah of fine flour, a se'ah of regular flour, a se'ah of coarser meal,⁴⁶Lat.: cibarium. a se'ah of coarse bran, <and> a se'ah of variegated flour; but now one brings a se'ah of wheat to grind and only takes away as much as he brought plus a little extra.⁴⁷yPe’ah 7:4 (20a); ySot. 1:8 (17b); 9:14 (24b). Why? Because the shewbread has ceased. See how the offerings which were offered upon the altar were beneficial for them! For whatever was offered from a species blessed that species. R. Hiyya bar Abba said: Even the establishment of an altar was done only for the atonement of Israel. Why was it named an altar (MZBH)? M, because it pardons (mohel) the sins of Israel; Z, because it is a good memorial (zikkaron) for Israel; B, because it is a blessing (berekhah) for Israel; <and> H, because it is life (hayyim) for Israel. The unleavened bread and the shewbread blessed the bread, and the first fruits blessed the fruit of the tree. <There is> a story about R. Johanan ben Eleazar, who dwelt under a fig tree; and the fig tree was full of beautiful figs. A dew came down and the figs absorbed honey. The wind kneaded them with the dust. A certain goat came and dripped milk in the honey. Then he called his students and said to them: Come and see an example⁴⁸Gk.: deigma. resembling the world to come. And why all this? Because the offerings were brought <to the altar>. <There is> a story about a certain scribe, who went up to Jerusalem each and every year. Now the people of Jerusalem knew him to be mighty in the Torah. They said to him: Take fifty gold coins each and every year and dwell with us. He said to them: I have one vine which is for me the most beautiful of them all, and it bears me three crops⁴⁹Gk: diphoros (“bearing fruit twice in the year”). in each year. So it bears six hundred barrels in each year. The first bears three hundred; the second, two hundred; and the third, one hundred. So I sell them at a very dear price, but all this gain is <attributable> to Jerusalem, on account of the libation of wine which they offer. When they abrogated it, all these good things were withheld. So you find that, when Israel was exiled to Babylon, Ezra said to them: Go up to the land of Israel. But they were unwilling. The Holy One said: When you offered the shewbread, you sowed little and brought in much. Now, however, (as in Hag. 1:6) YOU HAVE SOWN MUCH AND BROUGHT IN LITTLE; YOU EAT WITHOUT HAVING ENOUGH.⁵⁰Below, Tanh. (Buber), Lev. 7:7. (Ibid., cont.:) YOU DRINK WITHOUT HAVING ENOUGH, ever since the libation of wine has ceased,⁵¹So Tanh., Exod.8:13. The Buber text writes the verb with an added Y and would be translated: “Ever since he has abrogated libation of wine.” (Ibid., cont.:) YOU HAVE PUT ON CLOTHES, WITHOUT BEING WARM, ever since they abrogated the vestments of priesthood. The prophet has said (in Hab. 3:17): FOR THE FIG TREE SHALL NOT BLOSSOM, ever since they abrogated the first fruits. (Ibid., cont.:) THERE IS NO YIELD ON THE VINES, ever since they abrogated the drink offerings. (Ibid., cont.:) THE WORK OF THE OLIVE HAS FAILED, ever since they abrogated the oil of olives for the light. (Ibid., cont.:) AND FIELDS OF GRAIN PRODUCE NO FOOD. What is the meaning of AND FIELDS OF GRAIN (WShDMWT)? AND FIELDS OF CATTLE (WShDY BHMWT). <Therefore, THE FIELDS PRODUCE NO CATTLE >, ever since they abrogated the < commandments pertaining to> firstlings. (Ibid., cont.:) THE FLOCK HAS BEEN CUT OFF FROM THE FOLD, ever since they have abrogated the daily sacrifices. (Ibid., cont.:) THERE IS NO HERD IN THE STALLS, ever since they abrogated the bulls <which they offered>.⁵²The bracketed words are from Tanh., Exod. 8:13. R. Simeon ben Gamaliel said (in Sot. 9:12): SINCE THE DAY THAT THE TEMPLE WAS DESTROYED THERE HAS BEEN NO DAY IN WHICH THERE WAS NO CURSE. It is so stated (in Ps. 7:12 [11]): AND GOD IS ANGRY EVERY DAY. In the world to come, however, the Holy One will restore the blessings which <the land> had acquired, as stated (in Ezek. 36:8): BUT YOU, O MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL, SHALL BRING FORTH YOUR BRANCHES AND RAISE UP YOUR FRUIT FOR MY PEOPLE ISRAEL, BECAUSE THEY ARE SOON TO COME.

(Lev. 17:3:) “If any single person from the House of Israel.” This text is related (to Ps. 51:20–21), “Make Zion prosper in Your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then You shall delight in sacrifices of righteousness, burnt offerings, and whole offerings….” To what is the matter comparable? To a rich and noble man, who has no wife. His house was not [really] a house. Why? When the tenants came, he said to them, “Go rest in another place.” Why? Because he had neither house nor wife. He took a wife. He said to them, “Whatever you bring me, from now on bring them up to the house.” Thus all the days before Moses erected the tent of meeting, they offered sacrifices [in] any place, as stated (in Exod. 24:5), “Then he sent youths of the Children of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings….” And so it says (in Exod. 8:23), “Let us go a distance of three days into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God.” When the tabernacle was raised, the [Holy One, blessed be He,] said to Moses, “From now on you are only permitted to offer sacrifice in the tent of meeting”; and there they offered up the [gift]⁶⁷Gk.: doron. to the Holy One, blessed be He. It is so stated (in Deut. 12:13-14), “Take heed that you do not offer up your burnt offerings in any place that you see. But only in the place that the Lord will choose.” And where did the Holy One, blessed be He, choose? Jerusalem, as stated (in Ps. 132:13), “For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling.” Moses therefore warns Israel, saying (in Lev. 17:3-4), “If any single person from the House of Israel [slaughters an ox, a lamb, or a goat in the camp]…. And does not bring it unto the entrance of the tent of meeting to offer it as a sacrifice… [bloodguilt shall be imputed to that person].“ The Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that the Temple was going to be destroyed; so the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “As long as the Temple exists, you shall sacrifice within it, [and] there will be atonement for you; but when the Temple does not exist, how will there be atonement for you? Occupy yourselves with the words of Torah, because they are comparable with offerings, and they will atone for you.” Thus it is stated (ibid.), “This is the thing (literally: word).” So also the prophet says (in Hos. 14:3), “Take words with you, and return unto the Lord.” The words of Torah resemble all the offerings. One offers wine as a libation upon the altar, as stated (in Numb. 15:5), “And a quarter hin of wine for a libation”; and Torah resembles wine, as stated (in Prov. 9:5, where wisdom says), “and drink of the wine I have mixed.” One offers bread upon the altar, as stated (in Numb. 28:2), “My offering, My bread for My fire offering; and so it says (in Exod. 25:30), “And you shall set the [show]bread upon the table before Me always”; and Torah resembles bread, as stated (in Prov. 9:5, where wisdom says), “Come and eat of my bread.” One offers oil upon the altar, as stated (in Lev. 2:5), “fine flour mixed with oil”; and Torah resembles oil, as stated (in Eccl. 9:8), “Always let your clothes be white, and let there be no lack of oil upon your head.”⁶⁸Cf. Eccl. R. 9:8:1, which also understands this verse as referring to Torah.

HASHEM said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your hand . . . " R. Tanchum said, The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses, "The waters that protected you at the time that you were cast into the [Nile] river should not be smitten by you." AARON STRETCHED OUT HIS HAND . . . Why did [God] bring frogs upon [the Egyptians]? Because they would oppress Israel and say to them, "Bring us abominable creatures and creeping creatures!" Therefore, [God] brought frogs upon them, and at the time that they woudl prepare a cup, it would become filled with frogs. AND THE FROG ASCENDED AND COVERED, ETC. It was taught, R. Akiva said: There was one frog and it produced a swarm of frogs and it filled the land of Egypt (with frogs). R. Elazar ben Azaryah said to [R.Akiva], "Akiva, what so you have to do with Aggadah? Cease your discourses and focus on Negaim and Oholot! (Rather, what happened was that) There was originally one frog and it croaked and they (the others) came. THE NECROMANCERS DID THE SAME THROUGH THEIR INCANTATIONS...the necromancers thought that [the frogs] were the product of demons.

(Numb. 28:1–2:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING: COMMAND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM: MY OFFERING, MY BREAD FOR MY FIRE OFFERING, <MY SWEET AROMA, YOU SHALL TAKE HEED TO OFFER ME IN ITS DUE SEASON>. Let our master instruct us: Regarding the meal offerings that were offered upon the altar, how were they offered?⁴¹Tanh., Numb. 8:12. Thus have our masters taught (in Men. 5:1–2):⁴²See above, Lev. 1:7. ALL MEAL OFFERINGS WERE OFFERED UNLEAVENED EXCEPT THE LEAVENED <CAKES> IN THE THANK OFFERING AND THE TWO LOAVES (of Pentecost) WHICH WERE OFFERED LEAVENED. R. MEIR SAYS: THE LEAVEN IS SEPARATED FROM THEIR OWN <DOUGH>, AND <IT IS FROM THIS THAT> THEY ARE LEAVENED. R. JUDAH SAYS: EVEN THAT IS NOT THE BEST <METHOD>; ONE SHOULD BRING THE LEAVEN, PUT IT INTO THE MEASURE, AND FILL THE MEASURE <WITH THE FLOUR>. <THE SAGES> SAID TO HIM: EVEN THAT <METHOD> RESULTED TOO LITTLE OR TOO MUCH. ALL MEAL OFFERINGS WERE KNEADED IN LUKEWARM WATER AND ONE WATCHED THEM LEST THEY BECOME LEAVENED; AND IF THE REST OF IT BECAME LEAVENED, ONE TRANSGRESSED A NEGATIVE COMMANDMENT, AS STATED (in Lev. 2:11): NO MEAL OFFERING WHICH YOU OFFER TO THE LORD SHALL BE MADE WITH LEAVEN. THUS ONE MAY BECOME CULPABLE IN THE KNEADING OF <LEAVEN>, IN ROLLING IT, AND IN BAKING IT. Of all the offerings none is more pleasing to you than the thank offering. The Holy One said to Moses: Say to those Israelites: I did not tell you to offer me sacrifices because I have need of them, since the whole world is mine.⁴³Numb. R. 21:16; see Men. 110a; PRK 6:1; PR 16:1; 48:3; Tanh., Exod. 8:14. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 50:12): IF I AM HUNGRY, I WOULD NOT TELL YOU, FOR THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING IN IT BELONG TO ME.

(Numb. 11:16:) “Then the Lord said unto Moses, ‘Gather Me seventy men from the elders of Israel….” Let our master instruct us: Within how many cubits is one obligated to stand up in the presence of an elder when he sees him?³²Numb. R. 15:17. Thus have our masters taught: Within four cubits one is obligated to stand up in the presence of an elder.³³Qid 33b; cf also yBik. 3:3 (65c). Thus it is stated (in Lev. 19:32), “You shall rise in the presence of³⁴To be in one’s presence is to be within four cubits. a gray head [...].” One also bows down before him and asks after his welfare [when] within four cubits. And about which honor did the Torah say (ibid. cont.), “you shall honor the presence of an elder?” That one should not stand in his place or contradict his words. Also when one asks [about] a law (halakhah), one should ask with reverence and not rush to respond or interrupt his words. Whoever does not behave toward his teacher (rav) according to all these rules is labeled a wicked person before the Omnipresent, his learning is forgotten, his years are shortened, and in the end he comes to poverty, as stated (in Eccl. 8:13), “It shall not go well with the wicked one, nor shall he prolong his days; [they are] like a shadow, because he is not in fear before God.” In regard to this fear I do not know [exactly] what it is; [but] when it says (in Lev. 19:32), “You shall rise in the presence of a gray head, [you shall honor the presence of an elder,] and you shall fear your God,” note that it is [really] saying, this is the fear of [students toward] sages.³⁵Since GRAY HEAD and ELDER are understood to refer to the sages. [But I might say that this is a fear of] usury and of [false] weights, as fear is stated about them [also].³⁶In Lev. 25:36; 19:36. So why say that it refers to a sage? It is simply that R. Eleazar has said, “It is stated here, ‘[you shall honor] the presence (pny) of the elder, and you shall fear your God’; while it is stated in the other passage (in Eccl. 8:13), ‘he is not in fear before (pny) God.’” Hence, one is obligated to greet him before everyone when entering and leaving and to treat him with fear and honor. It is so stated (in Deut. 6:13), “You shall fear (et)³⁷This word generally denotes that what follows is a direct object but at times the word means “along with.” In this latter sense the et implies that one should honor someone along with the Lord your God. For an example of et indicating further inclusions, see Tanh. (Buber) Gen. 1:8. the Lord your God.” And we have learned, “[The et must refer] to [fear of] the master scholars of Torah since you have no other trait like it.” And so it says (in Deut. 1:15), “[So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and well-known people,] and appointed them heads over [you].” From here you learn that you should treat him in a princely manner, [i.e.,] stand in his presence, and give him precedence in every matter of dignity. R. Abba bar Pappa the Priest said, “When I would see a certain group of people, I would walk by another route so as not to be a bother for them, lest they see me and stand for me. [However] when I told of the matter to R. Jose bar Zevida, he said to me, ‘You must pass before them, so that they will see you and stand in your presence. Then you will bring them to the point of fearing Heaven, as stated (in Lev. 19:32), “You shall rise in the presence of a gray head, [you shall honor the presence of an elder,] and you shall fear your God.”’” Why? Because the rise of the righteous is a rise in which there is no decline. But the rise of Esau³⁸Esau stands for any Roman. the wicked is a rise which is wholly decline. Today he is a governor;³⁹Gk.: eparchos. tomorrow an assistant [governor]; the next day a captain.⁴⁰Gk.: stratiotes (“citizen soldier”). And thus it is with all their great ones. So also the prophet says (in Obad. 1:4), “Though you make your abode as high as the eagle, and though [your nest is set] among the stars, I will bring you down from there.” The rise of Jacob, however, is a rise which has no decline, and their holiness is never desecrated. And so you find that the elders are one of thirteen things which are written down [as belonging] to the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. These [thirteen] are the following: (1) The silver and gold, (2) the priests, (3) the Levites, (4) Israel, (5) the first-born, (6) the altar, (7) the priestly share, (8) the oil for anointing, (9) the tent of meeting, (10) the Davidic dynasty, (11) the offerings, (12) the Land of Israel, and (13) the elders. Where is it shown in reference to silver and gold? As stated (in Hag. 2:8), “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine.”⁴¹See above Exod. 8:9. Where is it shown in reference to the priests? As stated (in Exod. 29:1), “to sanctify them for serving Me as priests.” Where is it shown in reference to the Levites? As stated (in Numb. 3:12), “and the Levites shall be Mine.” Where is it shown in reference to Israel? As stated (in Lev. 25:55), “For to Me the Children of Israel [are servants].” Where is it shown in reference to the first-born? As stated (in Numb. 3:13 = 8:17), “For all the first-born are Mine.” Where is it shown in reference to the altar? As stated (in Exod. 20:21), “An altar of earth you shall make for Me.” Where is it shown in reference to the priestly share? As stated (in Exod. 25:2), “And let them take for Me a priestly share.” Where is it shown in reference to the oil for anointing? As stated (in Exod. 30:31), “This oil for anointing shall be holy to Me.” Where is it shown in reference to the tent of meeting? As stated (in Exod. 25:8), “And let them make Me a sanctuary.” Where is it shown in reference to offerings? As stated (in Numb. 28:2), “My offering, My bread for My fire offering.”⁴²Note that this reference to offerings and the following reference to the Davidic dynasty are reversed in order from the list given above. Where is it shown in reference to the Davidic dynasty? As stated (in I Sam. 16:1), “for I have chosen a king for Myself among his (i.e. Jesse's) sons.” Where is it shown in reference to the Land [of Israel]? As stated (in Lev. 25:23), “for the land belongs to Me.” Where is it shown in reference to the elders? As stated (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men [from the elders of Israel].”
Another interpretation (of Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men.” This text is related (to Amos. 9:6), “Who builds His upper chambers in the heavens and founds His celestial vault (aguddah) upon earth.” To what is the matter comparable?⁴³Numb. R. 15:18; Sifre to Deut. 33:5 (346). To a palace⁴⁴Lat.: palatium. that was built upon boat[s]. For as long a time that the boats are connected, the palace that is upon them will stand. Hence, it is stated (in Amos 9:6), “Who builds His upper chambers in the heavens.” When is His throne, as it were, established⁴⁵Cf. the Gk. noun basis which means “ground” or “pedestal.” above?⁴⁶See M. Sam. 5. When Israel becomes one society (aguddah). It is therefore stated (ibid.), “Who builds His upper chambers in the heavens.” When? When (ibid. cont.) “He founds His celestial vault (aguddah, which also means society) upon earth.”⁴⁷Men. 27a. And so it says (in Deut. 33:5), “Then He became King in Jeshurun [when the heads of the people assembled, the tribes of Israel together].” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men.” Why? Because a gathering of righteous people is enjoyment for them and enjoyment for the world, but a gathering of wicked people is an offense to them and an offense to the world.

(Numb. 28:1–2:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, ‘Command the Children of Israel, [and say unto them], “My offering, My bread for My fire offering….”’” Let our master instruct us: Regarding the meal offerings that were offered upon the altar, how were they offered? Thus have our masters taught (in Men. 5:1–2):³³See above, Lev. 1:7. All meal offerings were offered unleavened except the leavened [cakes] in the thank offering and the two loaves (of Pentecost) which were offered leavened. R. Meir says, “The leaven is separated from its own [dough], and [it is from this that] they are leavened.” R. Judah says, “Even that is not the best [method]; one should bring the leaven, put it into the [measure], and fill the measure [with flour].” [The sages] said to him, “Even that [method] resulted in too little or too much.” All meal offerings were kneaded in lukewarm water and one watched them lest they become leavened; and if the remnants of it became leavened, one transgressed a negative commandment, as stated (in Lev. 2:11), “No meal offering which you offer to the Lord shall be made with leaven.” Thus one may become culpable in the kneading of [leaven], in rolling it, and in baking it. There is nothing more pleasing for you than the offerings. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Say to those Israelites, ‘I did not tell you to offer me sacrifices because I have a need for them, since the whole world is Mine, and I created the animal from which you offer a sacrifice in front of Me.’”³⁴Numb. R. 21:16; see Men. 110a; PRK 6:1; PR 16:1; 48:3; Tanh., Exod. 8:14. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it belong to Me.” R. Judah bar Simon said, “It is not that I require to eat anything which I commanded you to offer as My offering, My bread; as there is not eating or drinking in front of Me.” R. Simon said, “There are thirteen attributes of mercy that are written about the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Exod. 34:6), ‘And the Lord passed over his face….’ Is there a merciful one that delivers his victuals to a cruel one?” Ergo (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.” R. Judah bar Simon said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I have delivered ten [kinds of] clean animals to you (for food).³⁵See also PR 16:1; Numb. R. 20:5; 21:16. Three are in your possession, and seven are not in your possession. Now these are those which are in your possession (according to Deut. 14:4), “the bull, the sheep, and the goat.” And these are those which are not in your possession (according to Deut. 14:5), “The deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.” I did not burden you to have you seek them in the mountains and the hills, in order to bring Me a sacrifice from those [which are not in your possession]. Rather [your sacrifices come] from those which are in your possession, which grew up at your feeding trough.’” Ergo (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.” R. Isaac said, “It is written (in Numb 28:2), ‘My offering, My Bread, for My burnt offering.’ Is there eating and drinking in front of Me? And if you say there is eating and drinking in front of Me, [you should] learn from the ministering angels, as stated (in Ps. 104:4), ‘His servants flaming fire.’” From what are they [then] sustained? R. Judan said in the name of R. Isaac, “They are nourished from the radiance of the Divine Presence, as stated (in Prov. 16:15), ‘The light of the king’s face is light.‘” R. Simeon ben Laqish said, [Regarding (Numb. 28:6),] “The regular burnt offering done at Mount Sinai,” “And did they do it at Mount Sinai? It is simply that if you will say that that there is eating and drinking in front of Him, learn from Moshe, our teacher. Observe what is written about him (in Exod. 34:28), ‘And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water.’ If there was eating and drinking in front of Me, he would have eaten and drank from what I eat and drink. And if Moses who [only] fulfilled the errand of God, ‘neither ate bread nor drank water,’ all the more so is it true of the Holy One, blessed be He.” Ergo (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.” R. Hiyya bar Abba said, “So did the Holy One blessed be He say: ‘My [other] creatures do not need My creatures (people). In your days have you heard one saying, “Let this vine produce wine,” and it produces much wine, [or] “Let this olive tree produce oil,” and it produces much wine. My creatures do not need My creatures and I should need My creatures?’” R. Jannai said, “It is customary that when a man is walking by a river, it is impossible for him not to drink two or three log. Now all the water that is in the world would fill the hollow of My hand, as stated (in Is. 40:12), ‘Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand?’ But [yet] I have written about your log (in Numb. 28:7), ‘to be poured in the sacred precinct as an offering of fermented drink to the Lord,’ which is an expression of drinking, an expression of satiation, an expression of inebriation.” I have created one animal in My world, and you are not able to support its victuals. And which is it? That is (in Psalms 50:10), “the behemoths on a thousand mountains.” R. Johanan, R. Joshua ben Levi and the Sages [disagreed about this]. R. Johanan said, ‘It was one animal crouching on a thousand mountains and it would pasture on a thousand [different] mountains each day, as stated, (in Job 40:20), ‘The mountains yield him produce.’” R. Joshua ben Levi says, “It was one animal crouching on a thousand mountains and a thousand mountains would produce many types of food, for the righteous to eat in the future to come, as stated (in Is. 65:10), ‘Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, And the Valley of Achor a place for cattle to lie down.’” And the Sages say, “It crouches upon the thousand mountains, and the thousand mountains produce animals every day and it eats [them].” What is the explanation? As it states (in Job 40:20, cont.), “and all the beasts of the field play there.” Is it possible for a grazing animal to eat a grazing animal? R. Tanchuma says, “Great is the work of our God and how great are His acts.” And from where does it drink? R. Joshua ben Levi and the Sages [disagreed about this]. R. Joshua ben Levi says, “It drinks up with one swallow all that the Jordan produces in six months, as stated (in Job 40:23), ‘He can restrain the river from its rushing; [he is confident the Jordan will gush at his command].’ [And the sages say, “Twelve months….”]³⁶See Numb. R. 21:18. But it only has a moistening of the mouth [from it].” And [so] from where does it drink? R. Shimon ben Gamliel taught (form Gen. 2:10), “’A river issues from Eden to water the garden’ and its name is Yuval, as stated (in Jer. 17:8), ‘sending forth its roots by a stream (yuval),’ and it drinks from it.” R. Chiya taught in the name of R. Meir (from Job 12:7), “’But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the sky, they will tell you’: ’But ask the beasts,’ this is the behemoth; ‘the birds of the sky,’ this is the ziz of the Omnipresent (a giant bird). (Job 12:8:) ‘Or speak to the earth, it will teach you; the fish of the sea, they will inform you’: ‘Or speak to the earth,’ this is the Garden of Eden; ‘The fish of the sea,’ that is the leviathan. (Job 12:9:) ‘Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?’” You have one king and his name was Solomon, as stated (about the lavishness of his meals in I Kings 5:2-3), “Solomon’s daily provisions consisted of thirty kor of semolina, and sixty kor of [ordinary] flour, ten fattened oxen….” R. Yehuda bar Zvidah said, “Solomon had a thousand wives and each and every one would make him like this every day, as she thought he would eat with her. [And] Nehemiah the governor did not [even] have the ability to reckon his meal, as stated (in Neh. 5:18), ‘And although what was prepared for each day came to one ox….’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘My children, it is not because there is eating and drinking in front of Me. Rather it is because of the smell, that you shall be pleased and give the pleasant smell in front of Me.’”

And it shall be when thy son asketh thee tomorrow: “What is this?” (Exod. 13:14). Sometimes tomorrow means the next day, and sometimes it means the time to come. In the verse When thy son asketh thee tomorrow saying: “What is this?”, tomorrow means in the time to come. But the verse Tomorrow shall this sign be (Exod. 8:19) actually refers to the next day. In the verse Tomorrow will I stand upon the top of the hill (ibid. 17:9), tomorrow refers to the next day, but the verse Tomorrow your children might speak unto our children (Josh. 23:24) refers to the time to come. What is this? This refers to the laws of Passover. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go (Exod. 13:15). One might understand this to mean that he became hardened of his own accord, therefore Scripture says: And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh (ibid. 9:12). That the Lord slew all the firstborn (ibid. 13:15). From this they taught: The firstlings of cattle are sacrificed because of what happened to the firstborn men in Egypt, and the firstborn of man is redeemed because of what happened to the firstborn of cattle in Egypt.

(Numb. 11:16:) “Gather Me seventy men from the elders of Israel.” But where were those former ones?⁵⁴Numb. R. 15:21. This text is related (to Job 34:24), “He shatters mighty ones without inquiry and raises up others in their stead.” When Israel was in Egypt, they had seventy elders as stated (in Exod. 3:16), “Go and gather the elders of Israel”; and with them they went out of Egypt. [Moreover] when Moses went up [on Sinai] to receive the Torah, they were [still] with him, as stated (in Exod. 24:9), “Then there went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel,” [and then] (in Exod. 24:14) “But unto the elders he had said, ‘Wait [for us] here […].’” When Moses had gone up, he had agreed with Israel to come down at the end of forty days. When he delayed coming down, all Israel came together to the elders. [He delayed,] even as it is stated (in Exod. 32:1), “When the people saw that Moses delayed (boshesh).”⁵⁵Cf. Shab. 89a. Now boshesh can only mean a delay since it is stated (in Judg. 5:28), “Why is his chariot late (boshesh) in coming; why are the hoof-beats of his chariots delaying?” They said to them, Moses agreed with us that he would come down in forty days. Now here it is forty days and he has not come down. And in addition, six hours more [have passed];⁵⁶Cf. Exod. R. 41:7, which derives boshesh from ba’u shesh, which means: “Six hours have come.” See Gen. R. 18:6. yet we do not know what has happened to him. So (in the words of Exod. 32:1 cont.) ‘Arise and make a god for us.’” When they heard that, they said to them, “Why are you angering Him, you for whom He performed all the miracles and wonders?” [But] they did not heed them and killed them. Then because Hur had stood ('md) up to them with harsh words, they (rt.: 'md) rose up against him and killed him [as well]. Then all of Israel gathered around Aaron with great pomp, as stated (ibid.), “and the people gathered unto Aaron...,” [saying,] “Why are you sitting?” R. Isaac said, “The holy spirit cried out (as in Psalms 26:5), ‘I detest the company of evil men, and do not consort with the wicked.’” [They said to him] (again in the words of Exod. 32:1 cont.) “’Arise and make a god for us’; and if not, ‘as (like) this,’ we will do like this to you. In the same way that we rose up against Hur and killed him, so will we do to you, if you prevent us [from our demand].” Once Aaron saw what they did to the elders and to Hur, he was very afraid, as stated (Exodus 32:5), “And Aaron saw and he built an altar (vayiven mizbeach) in front of it,” [meaning that] he built from the killing (vayiven mizvoach). Where is it shown that they killed the elders and Hur?⁵⁷On the killing of Hur, see also Tanh. Exod. 8:10; Exod. R. 42:1; 48:3; 51:8; Lev. R. 10:2; Numb. R. 9:45; PRE 45. Where Jeremiah rebuked Israel, as stated (in Jer. 2:34), “On your skirts there is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor; you did not find them breaking in; yet for of all these.” What is the significance of “for all these (elleh)?” [It is] because of (the statement in Exod. 32:4), “These (elleh) are your gods O Israel.” What [punishment] did he repay them? (As stated in Exod. 32:35), “Then the Lord sent a plague upon the people.” After a time, when the Holy One, blessed be He, had forgiven them, He said to Moses (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men, in place of those who were killed for the sanctification of My name.” That is what is written (in Job 34:24), “He shatters mighty ones without inquiry [and raises up others in their stead].”

And the Lord said unto Moses: “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh from the water” (Exod. 8:16). Why did Pharaoh go to the waters early in the morning? Because the wicked one boasted that since he was a god, he had no need to go to the water to relieve himself. Therefore he went out early in the morning so that no one would see him performing a demeaning act. That is why the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Rise up early in the morning, when he must (go out), and say unto him: Thus saith the Lord, the God of the Hebrews … for I will this time send all My plagues upon thy person, etc. (Exod. 9:14). Ordinarily, when a man desires to harm his enemy, he does so unexpectedly lest he be forewarned, but the Holy One, blessed be He, warned the wicked Pharaoh before each plague, as it is said: Behold, I will cause it to rain (ibid., v. 18), Behold, tomorrow will I bring locusts into thy border (ibid. 10:5). And He did so in each instance.

Why were the gnats brought upon them? Because they had forced Israel to become sweepers in their streets and their marketplaces. Therefore He turned the dust into gnats so that even though they dug many cubits into the earth, they found no soil. As it is said: And all the dust of the earth became gnats (ibid., v. 13). And the magicians did so with their secret arts … but they could not (ibid., v. 14). R. Johanan said: Belateihem (“with their secret arts”) refers to the work of demons, and the belehatim (ibid. 7:11) refers to works of sorcery. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh: “This is the finger of God” (Exod. 8:14), since no demon can produce anything smaller than the size of a barley.

[Another interpretation (of Lev. 17:3): IF ANY SINGLE PERSON FROM THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. This text is related (to Ps. 51:20–21 [18–19]): MAKE ZION PROSPER IN YOUR GOOD PLEASURE; REBUILD THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM. THEN YOU SHALL DELIGHT IN SACRIFICES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, BURNT OFFERINGS, AND WHOLE OFFERINGS….⁸⁰Tanh., Lev. 6:10. To what is the matter comparable? To a rich and noble bachelor, who has no wife. His house was not < really > a house. Why? When the tenants came, he said to them: Go to the store. Why? Because he had neither house nor wife. He took a wife. He said to them: Whatever you bring me, from now on bring them up to the house. Thus all the days before Moses erected the tent of meeting, they offered sacrifices {from} [in] any place, as stated (in Exod. 24:5): THEN HE SENT YOUTHS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND THEY OFFERED BURNT OFFERINGS…. And so it says (in Exod. 8:23): LET US GO A DISTANCE OF THREE DAYS INTO THE WILDERNESS AND SACRIFICE TO THE LORD OUR GOD. When the Tabernacle was raised, the [Holy One] said to Moses: From now on you are only permitted to offer sacrifice in the Tent of Meeting; and there they offered up the {gifts} [gift]⁸¹Gk.: doron. to the Holy One. It is so stated (in Deut. 12:13–14): TAKE HEED THAT YOU DO NOT OFFER UP YOUR BURNT OFFERINGS [IN ANY PLACE THAT YOU SEE], BUT ONLY IN THE PLACE THAT THE LORD WILL CHOOSE [WITHIN ONE OF YOUR TRIBES. THERE SHALL YOU OFFER UP YOUR BURNT OFFERINGS]. And where did the Holy One choose? Jerusalem, as stated (in Ps. 132:13): FOR THE LORD HAS CHOSEN ZION; [HE HAS DESIRED IT FOR HIS DWELLING]. Moses therefore warns Israel, saying (in Lev. 17:3–4): IF ANY SINGLE PERSON FROM THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL < SLAUGHTERS AN OX, A LAMB, OR A GOAT IN THE CAMP >…, AND DOES NOT BRING IT UNTO THE ENTRANCE OF THE TENT OF MEETING TO OFFER IT AS A SACRIFICE…, < BLOODGUILT SHALL BE IMPUTED TO THAT PERSON >.

[(Exod. 33:12:) AND MOSES SAID UNTO THE LORD.] What is written above on the matter (in vs. 5)? AND THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES: SAY UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: YOU ARE A STIFF-NECKED PEOPLE…. NOW THEN, REMOVE YOUR ORNAMENTS. What is the meaning of YOUR ORNAMENTS? R. Simeon said: The weaponry which the Holy One gave them with the Ineffable Name inscribed upon it.⁶⁰Above, Exod. 8:7. Immediately (in vs. 6), SO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL STRIPPED THEMSELVES OF ORNAMENTS (i.e., their weapons). When Moses saw that they had lost the good gift, he became angry with them.

When He desired it to happen, He said: Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together (Gen. 1:9). And when He was so inclined, He made the sea become dry and turn into land, as is said: And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea, upon the dry ground (Exod. 14:22). Therefore, whatsoever the Lord pleased, that hath He done, etc. With regard to the heavens, it is said: Stretch forth thy hand toward heaven that there may be hail (ibid. 9:22), and in reference to the earth it is stated: Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the earth (ibid. 8:12). What is written above concerning this matter? For now I have stretched out My hand … But in very deed for this cause have I made thee to stand (ibid. 9:16), so that you will not die as a result of the first plague, and so that My name may be declared throughout all earth (ibid., v. 36).

2 (Is. 42:21) “The Lord was delighted because of His [servant's] righteousness to magnify and glorify Torah”: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, It was not because I need your light that I am telling you to light a lamp. Rather [I am doing so] in order to have you acquire merit (by fulfilling a commandment).” It is likewise written, (in Dan. 2:22), “and the light dwells within Him”; and [similarly] it says (in Ps. 139:12), “Even darkness is not dark to You; for night shines as the day, and darkness becomes like the light.” [Scripture says these things] to inform you that He does not need the lamps of flesh and blood. You yourself know [this truth]. When a person builds a house and makes windows within [his house], he makes windows narrow on the outside and broad on the inside, so that the light will enter from the outside and shine on the inside. But when Solomon built the Temple, he did not make the windows like that.¹See above Exod. 8:5; PRK 21:5; Lev. R. 31:7. Rather they were narrow on the inside and broad on the outside so that the light would go out from the Temple and shine outside. It is so stated (in I Kings 6:4), “And for the house he made windows broad and narrow.”²Literally: CLEAR and CLOSED. While the Hebrew is obscure the translation here follows the Targum in order to fit the midrashic context. [This text] is to inform you that He is all light and that He has no need for its light. So why did He command you [to set up the lamps]? In order to have you acquire merit (by fulfilling a commandment). It is therefore stated (in Numb. 8:2), “When you set up the lamps.”³Beha‘aloteka et-hanerot. These words can also mean, IN ELEVATING YOU WITH THE LAMPS. Ergo (in Is. 42:21), “The Lord was delighted because of His [servant's] righteousness.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Be careful to light lamps for My sake, and I will shine a great light for you in the future to come.” It is so stated (in Is. 60:3), “And nations shall walk by your light, even kings by the brightness of your rising.”

21 (Numb. 11:16) “Gather Me seventy men from the elders of Israel”: But where were those former ones? This text is related (to Job 34:24), “He shatters mighty ones without inquiry and raises up others in their stead.” When Israel was in Egypt, they had seventy elders as stated (in Exod. 3:16), “Go and gather the elders of Israel”; and with them they went out of Egypt. [Moreover] when Moses went up [on Sinai] to receive the Torah, they were [still] with him, as stated (in Exod. 24:9), “Then there went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel,” [and then] (in Exod. 24:14) “But unto the elders he had said, ‘Wait [for us] here […].’” When Moses had gone up, he had agreed with Israel to come down at the end of forty days. When he delayed coming down, all Israel came together to the elders. [He delayed,] even as it is stated (in Exod. 32:1), “When the people saw that Moses delayed (boshesh).”⁴⁵Cf. Shab. 89a. Now boshesh can only mean a delay since it is stated (in Judg. 5:28), “Why is his chariot late (boshesh) in coming; why are the hoof-beats of his chariots delaying?” They said to them, Moses agreed with us that he would come down in forty days. Now here it is forty days and he has not come down. And in addition, six hours more [have passed];⁴⁶Cf. Exod. R. 41:7, which derives boshesh from ba’u shesh, which means: “Six hours have come.” See Gen. R. 18:6. yet we do not know what has happened to him. So (in the words of Exod. 32:1 cont.) ‘Arise and make a god for us […].’” When they heard that, they said to them, “Why are you angering Him, you for whom He performed all the miracles and wonders?” [But] they did not heed them and killed them. Then because Hur had stood ('md) up to them with harsh words, they (rt.: 'md) rose up against him and killed him [as well]. Then all of Israel gathered around Aaron with great pomp, as stated (ibid.), “and the people gathered unto Aaron...,” [saying,] “Get up! Why are you sitting? Get up!” R. Isaac said, “The holy spirit cried out (as in Psalms 26:5), ‘I detest the company of evil men.’” [They said to him] (again in the words of Exod. 32:1 cont.) “’Arise and make a god for us’; and if not, ‘as (like) this,’ we will do like this to you. In the same way that we rose up against Hur and killed him, so will we do to you, [if you prevent us from our demand].” Once Aaron saw what they did to the elders and to Hur, he was very afraid, as stated (Exodus 32:5), “And Aaron saw and he built an altar (vayiven mizbeach) in front of it,” [meaning that] he understood from the one killed before him (vayiven me’mi she’zavuach lefaniv). Where is it shown that they killed the elders and Hur?⁴⁷On the killing of Hur, see also Tanh. Exod. 8:10; Exod. R. 42:1; 48:3; 51:8; Lev. R. 10:2; Numb. R. 9:45; PRE 45. Where Jeremiah rebuked Israel, as stated (in Jer. 2:34), “On your skirts there is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor; you did not find them breaking in; yet for of all these.” What is the significance of “for all these (elleh)?” [It is] because of (the statement in Exod. 32:4), “These (elleh) are your gods O Israel.” What [punishment] did He repay them? (As stated in Exod. 32:35), “Then the Lord sent a plague upon the people.” After a time, when the Holy One, blessed be He, had forgiven them, He said to Moses (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men, in place of those who were killed for the sanctification of My name.” That is what is written (in Job 34:24), “He shatters mighty ones without inquiry and raises up others in their stead.”

“My beloved is mine, and I am his, who herds among the lilies” (Song of Songs 2:16).
“My beloved is mine, and I am his,” He is God for me, and I am a nation for Him. He is God for me, “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2). I am a people and a nation for Him, as it is stated: “Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation” (Isaiah 51:4). He is a father to me, and I am a son to Him. He is a father to me, “For You are our Father” (Isaiah 63:16). I am a son to Him, “My son, My firstborn, Israel” (Exodus 4:22). He is a shepherd to me, “Shepherd of Israel, listen” (Psalms 80:2). I am His flock, “you, My flock, flock of My pasture” (Ezekiel 34:31). He is my guardian, “Behold, the Guardian of Israel does not slumber and does not sleep” (Psalms 121:4). I am His vineyard, as it is stated: “For the house of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 5:7).
He is for me against those who provoke me, and I am for Him against those who anger Him. He is for me against those who provoke me, as He smote the firstborn of Egypt, as it is stated: “I will pass in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12); “it was at midnight and the Lord smote every firstborn” (Exodus 12:29). I am for Him against those who anger Him, as I slaughtered the gods of Egypt, and likewise, “against all the gods of Egypt I will administer punishment” (Exodus 12:12), and I slaughtered them to Him, as it is stated: “Behold, will we slaughter the abomination of Egypt before their eyes, and they will not stone us?” (Exodus 8:22). Likewise, “they shall each take for them a lamb for each patrilineal home” (Exodus 12:3).
He said to me: ‘Let the proportion [hamazeg] not be skewed,’ as it is stated: “Your navel is a moon-shaped goblet, may it not lack mixed wine [hamazeg]” (Song of Songs 7:3). I said to Him: ‘You are my good beloved, if only Your goodness will never be lacking from me,’ just as it says: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I will not lack” (Psalms 23:1).
Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Ilai said: He sang to me and I sang to Him; He lauded me and I lauded Him. He called me: “My sister, My love, My faultless dove” (Song of Songs 5:2), and I said to Him: “This is my beloved and this is my companion” (Song of Songs 5:16). He said to me: “Behold you are fair my love” (Song of Songs 4:1), and I said to Him: “Behold, you are fair, my beloved, pleasant too” (Song of Songs 1:16). He said to me: “Happy are you Israel, who is like you?” (Deuteronomy 33:29). I said to Him: “Who is like You among the powers, Lord?” (Exodus 15:11). He said to me: “Who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the land” (I Chronicles 17:21). I declare the unity of His name twice daily: “Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). When I require something, I seek it only from His hand, as it is stated: “It was during those many days, that the king of Egypt died; [the children of Israel sighed due to the bondage, and they cried out, and their plea rose to God due to the bondage.] God heard their groaning…God saw the children of Israel” (Exodus 2:23–25). When He requires something, he seeks it only from me and from my hand, as it is stated: “Speak to the entire congregation of Israel, saying: [In the tenth day of this month they shall take for themselves every man a lamb]” (Exodus 12:3). When I require something, I seek it only from His hand, as it is stated: “Pharaoh approached and the children of Israel raised [their eyes and…the Egyptians were traveling after them… the children of Israel cried out to the Lord]” (Exodus 14:10). When He requires something, He seeks it only from me, as it is stated: “Speak to the children of Israel and let them take a gift for Me” (Exodus 25:2). When I had trouble, I sought [salvation] only from Him: “The Children of Israel cried out to the Lord, as he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the Children of Israel forcefully…” (Judges 4:3). What is forcefully? It was with cursing and blaspheming. When He required something, He sought it only from me, as it is stated: “They shall make a sanctuary for Me” (Exodus 25:8).

The verses My soul hath them still in remembrance and is bowed down within me (Lam. 3:20) and It may be that the Lord will look on mine eyes (II Sam. 16:12) were amended by the men of the Great Synagogue. They are called scribes because they counted every letter in the Torah and interpreted it.¹²Sofer (“scribe”) is derived from safar (“to count”). Thus they amended And lo, they put the branch unto My nose (Exod. 8:17) to read their nose. Likewise, they altered the verse we are discussing Surely he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of My eye (ibid.) to read His eye. This was to teach us that everyone who rises up against Israel is considered as rising up against the Shekhinah. Hence it says: Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord (Judg. 5:23).

Where is it shown in reference to silver and gold? Where it is stated (in Hag. 2:8): THE SILVER IS MINE, AND THE GOLD IS MINE.⁷⁵See above Exod. 8:9.
[Where is it shown] in reference to the priests? [Where it is stated] (in Exod. 29:1): TO SANCTIFY THEM FOR SERVING ME AS PRIESTS.
[Where is it shown] in reference to the Levites? [Where it is stated] (in Numb. 3:12): AND THE LEVITES SHALL BE MINE.
[Where is it shown] in reference to Israel? [Where it is stated] (in Lev. 25:55): FOR TO ME THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL <ARE SERVANTS>.
[Where is it shown] in reference to the first-born? [Where it is stated (in Numb. 3:13 = 8:17): FOR ALL THE FIRST-BORN ARE MINE.
[Where is it shown] in reference to the altar? [Where it is stated] (in Exod. 20:24): AN ALTAR OF EARTH YOU SHALL MAKE FOR ME.
[Where is it shown] in reference to the priestly share? [Where it is stated(in Exod. 25:2): AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE.
[Where is it shown] in reference to the oil for anointing [Where it is stated] (in Exod. 30:31): THIS <OIL FOR ANOINTING> SHALL BE HOLY TO ME.
[Where is it shown] in reference to the tent of meeting? [Where it is stated] (in Exod. 25:8): AND LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY.
[Where is it shown] in reference to offerings? [Where it is stated] (in Numb. 28:2): MY OFFERING, MY BREAD FOR MY FIRE OFFERING, [MY SWEET AROMA, YOU SHALL TAKE HEED TO OFFER ME <IN ITS DUE SEASON>].⁷⁶Note that this reference to offerings and the following reference to the Davidic dynasty are reversed in order from the list given above. Note also that the Buber text omits the second square bracket.
[Where is it shown] in reference to the Davidic dynasty? [Where it is stated] (in I Sam. 16:1): FOR I HAVE CHOSEN A KING FOR MYSELF AMONG HIS (i.e. Jesse's) SONS.
[Where is it shown] in reference to the land [of Israel? Where it is stated (in Lev. 25:23): FOR THE LAND BELONGS TO ME.
[Where is it shown] in reference to the elders? From what they read on the subject (in Numb. 11:16): GATHER ME <SEVENTY PEOPLE FROM THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL>.

17 (Numb. 28:2) “My offering, My bread”: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Say to those Israelites, ‘It is not that I have a need for the sacrifices, since the whole world is Mine, and I created the animals from which you offer a sacrifice in front of Me.’”¹⁷See Men. 110a; PRK 6:1; PR 16:1; 48:3; Tanh., Exod. 8:14. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.” There is not eating or drinking in front of Me. R. Simon said, “There are thirteen attributes of mercy that are written about the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Exod. 34:6), ‘And the Lord passed over his face and called, “the Lord, ….”’ Is there a merciful one that delivers his victuals to a cruel one?” Ergo (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.” R. Judah bar Simon said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I have delivered ten [kinds of] clean animals to you (for food).¹⁸See also PR 16:1 Three are in your possession, and seven are not in your possession. And I did not burden you to have you seek them in the mountains and the hills, in order to bring Me a sacrifice from those which are not in your possession. Rather [your sacrifices come] from those which are in your possession, which grew up at your feeding trough.’” Ergo (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.” R. Isaac said, “It is written (in Numb 28:2), ‘My offering, My bread, for My burnt offering.’ Is there eating and drinking in front of Me? Learn from the ministering angels, as stated (in Ps. 104:4), ‘His servants flaming fire.’” From what are they [then] sustained? R. Judan said in the name of R. Isaac, “They are nourished from the radiance of the Divine Presence, as stated (in Prov. 16:15), ‘The light of the king’s face is light.‘” R. Simeon ben Laqish said, [Regarding (Numb. 28:6),] “’The regular burnt offering done at Mount Sinai.’ If you will say that that there is eating and drinking [in front of Him], learn from Moses, our teacher. Observe what is written about him (in Exod. 34:28), ‘And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water.’ If there was eating and drinking in front of Me, he would have eaten and drank. Ergo (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.”

It is written (in Exod. 9:32): BUT THE WHEAT AND THE SPELT WERE NOT HURT BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE. R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest and R. Judah bar Shallum differ.¹¹⁷Tanh., Exod. 2:16; Exod. R. 12:6. R. Pinhas says: What is the meaning of BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE (rt.: 'PL)? The Holy One performed miracles (rt.: PL') through them. But R. Judah says: They were late crops. R. Pinhas said to him: But look, it is written (in Exod. 9:25): THE HAIL SMOTE EVERY HERB OF THE FIELD; yet you say: Because they were tiny they were not smitten. Rather the Holy One performed miracles through them. At that time, when Pharaoh saw this, he said to Moses: Pray for me. He said to him: {(Exod. 8:5 [9]:) YOU MAY HAVE THIS TRIUMPH OVER ME; so I will let them go.} In the first plague you said to me: Pray for me and I will let them go. Then I prayed, but you did not let them go. {(Exod. 8:5 [9], cont.:) FOR WHAT TIME SHALL I MAKE SUPPLICATION FOR YOU…?} Pharaoh said to him (in Exod. 9:27): [THIS TIME] I HAVE SINNED {AGAINST THE LORD YOUR GOD AND AGAINST YOU.} Now I will let them go. As soon as Moses heard this, what is written (in vs. 33)? SO LEAVING PHARAOH, MOSES WENT OUT OF THE CITY AND SPREAD OUT HIS HANDS UNTO THE LORD. <THEN THE THUNDER AND THE HAIL CEASED>… See how dear the righteous are to the Holy One! For whatever they decide to do, the Holy One does <for them>. Our masters have said (in Ta'an. 3:8):¹¹⁸See also yTa‘an. 3:8–12 (66d-67a); Ta’an. 23a. Once upon a time Honi the Circle-Drawer prayed for rain to fall. He drew a circle and stood within it. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, your children have set their faces upon me, for here I am like a house child (i.e., a close friend) before you. I swear by your great name that I will not move from here until you have compassion upon your children. Immediately the rains came down. Now if Honi the Circle-Drawer, who was from the children of the children of Moses < could do> this, how much the more so in the case of Moses himself. Ergo (ibid.): THEN THE THUNDER AND THE HAIL CEASED, [AND NO RAIN CAME POURING DOWN TO EARTH]. And where is it to be found? Our masters have said: It is suspended in the air¹¹⁹Gk.: aer. until Gog and Magog come.¹²⁰Exod. R. 12:7; cf. Ber. 54b. It is so stated (concerning Gog in Ezek. 38:22): AND I WILL POUR TORRENTIAL RAIN, HAILSTONES, <FIRE, AND BRIMSTONE UPON HIM AND HIS HOSTS AND THE MANY PEOPLES THAT ARE WITH HIM>.¹²¹On Gog and Magog, see above, note 68. Immediately (after Exod. 9:33 it says in vs. 34): BUT WHEN PHARAOH SAW THAT THE RAIN AND THE HAIL <AND THE THUNDER> HAD CEASED, HE REVERTED TO SINNING.¹²²Tanh., Exod. 2:17. So it is with the wicked. When they see that trouble has come upon them, they humble themselves; but as soon as the trouble passes and one feels relief, they return to their evil deeds. When Nebuchadnezzar saw trouble come upon him, he began giving praise to the Holy One. (Dan. 4:34 [37]:) SO NOW I, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, PRAISE, EXALT, AND HONOR THE KING OF HEAVEN…. R. Berekhyah the Priest said in the name of R. Helbo, <who spoke> in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman: Were it not for the fact that the Holy One judges the hearts and thoughts, would Nebuchadnezzar have given praise with one verse, just as David gave praise in his whole book? When Nebuchadnezzar saw himself <to have> greatness, he began to boast (in Dan. 4:1 [4] and 27 [30]): I <AM> NEBUCHADNEZZAR,… IS NOT THIS BABYLON THE GREAT < WHICH I HAVE BUILT >…? The Holy One said to him: You wicked man, what are you boasting about? (Vs. 28 [31]:) THE WORDS WERE STILL ON THE KING'S LIPS, <WHEN A VOICE FELL FROM HEAVEN…: THE KINGDOM HAS PASSED FROM YOU>…. As long as the wicked see trouble coming upon them they are humble. When they see that it is going <away>, they return to their wickedness. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 9:34): BUT WHEN PHARAOH SAW THAT <THE RAIN AND THE HAIL AND THE THUNDER> HAD CEASED, <HE REVERTED TO SINNING>. The nations of the world continue to sin, but as for Israel (according to Lam. 4:22): YOUR INIQUITY IS ENDED, O DAUGHTER OF ZION. When? When he attends to the iniquity of the house of Edom, as stated (ibid., cont.): HE HAS ATTENDED TO YOUR INIQUITY, O DAUGHTER OF EDOM. From now on Israel shall never go into exile.¹²³Heb. golim. The word also connotes being exposed or uncovered. Rather the Holy One shall gather them to Jerusalem, as stated (in Ps. 107:2–3): LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO, THOSE WHOM HE HAS REDEEMED FROM THE HAND OF ADVERSITY; FOR HE HAS GATHERED THEM FROM THE LANDS, FROM THE EAST AND FROM THE WEST, FROM THE NORTH AND FROM THE SEA.

(Numb. 11:16:) GATHER ME <SEVENTY PEOPLE FROM THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL>…. But where were those former ones?⁸⁸Tanh. 3:14; Numb. R. 15:21. This text is related (to Job 34:24): HE SHATTERS MIGHTY ONES WITHOUT INQUIRY [AND RAISES UP OTHERS IN THEIR STEAD]. When the princes (i.e. the people of Israel) were in Egypt, they had seventy elders as stated (in Exod. 3:16): GO AND GATHER THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL; and with them they went out of Egypt. Moreover when Moses went up <on Sinai> to receive the Torah, they were <still> with him, as stated (in Exod. 24:9): THEN THERE WENT UP MOSES AND AARON, NADAB, ABIHU, AND THE SEVENTY ELDERS OF ISRAEL. (Exod. 24:14:) BUT UNTO THE ELDERS HE HAD SAID: WAIT [FOR US] HERE…. When Moses had gone up, he had agreed with Israel to come down at the end of forty days. When he delayed coming down, even as it is stated (in Exod. 32:1): WHEN THE PEOPLE SAW THAT MOSES WAS LATE (boshesh) < … >.⁸⁹Cf. Shab. 89a. Now boshesh can only mean a delay since it is stated (in Judg. 5:28): WHY IS HIS CHARIOT LATE (boshesh) IN COMING; WHY ARE THE HOOF-BEATS OF HIS CHARIOTS DELAYING? All Israel came together to the elders. They said to them: Moses agreed with us that he would come down in forty days. Now here it is forty days and he has not come down. And in addition, six hours more <have passed>;⁹⁰Cf. Exod. R. 41:7, which derives boshesh from ba’u shesh, which means: “Six hours have come.” See Gen. R. 18:6. yet we do not know what has happened to him. So (in the words of Exod. 32:1 cont.) ARISE AND MAKE A GOD FOR US. When they heard that, they said to them: Why are you making him angry, you for whom he performed all the miracles and wonders? They rose up against them and killed them. Then because Hur had stood ('MD) up to them with harsh words, they (rt.: 'MD) rose up against him and killed him. [Where is it shown that they killed the elders and Hur?]⁹¹On the killing of Hur, see also Tanh. Exod. 8:10; Exod. R. 42:1; 48:3; 51:8; Lev. R. 10:2; Numb. R. 9:45; PRE 45. Where Jeremiah has said (in Jer. 2:34-35): MOREOVER ON YOUR SKIRTS THERE IS FOUND THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE INNOCENT POOR. YOU DID NOT FIND THEM BREAKING IN; YET FOR OF ALL THESE <YOU SAY: I AM INNOCENT>. [What is the significance of FOR ALL THESE (elleh)?] <It is> because of (the statement in Exod. 32:4): THIS (elleh) IS YOUR GOD O ISRAEL. After a time, when the Holy One had forgiven them, he said to Moses (in Numb. 11:16): GATHER ME SEVENTY PEOPLE <FROM THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL> in place of those who were killed for the sanctification of my name. That is what is written (in Job 34:24): HE SHATTERS MIGHTY ONES WITHOUT INQUIRY [AND RAISES UP OTHERS IN THEIR STEAD].

(Exod. 16:29:) OBSERVE THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE SABBATH. What is the meaning of OBSERVE (re'u)? R. Isaac said: OBSERVE (re'u) how you reply to the peoples of the world. So if they say to you: Why do you keep the Sabbath? What miracles were done for you? OBSERVE THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE SABBATH. Say to them: On every day there came down one portion of manna; but on the day before the Sabbath, two portions. It is so stated (in Exod. 16:5): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS ON THE SIXTH DAY, THAT WHEN THEY PREPARE WHAT THEY BRING, IT WILL BE TWOFOLD…. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF TWOFOLD (MShNH)? If you say two, is it not already so stated (in Exod. 16:22): TWO OMERS APIECE? Hezekiah bar Hiyya said that it was different (MShNH) in its taste, in its aroma, and in its appearance. And not only that, but on every day, whoever had some of it left over from evening until morning caused a stench; yet concerning the Sabbath, it is written (in vs. 24): IT DID NOT HAVE A STENCH. Ergo, they gathered bread TWOFOLD (in the sense that it was different). [(Exod. 16:22:) THEN ALL THE PRINCES OF THE CONGREGATION CAME AND TOLD MOSES.] At that time he remembered that he had forgotten to tell them the section of Torah on the Sabbath, as the Holy One had told him. As soon as they came and spoke to him, Moses said to them (in vs. 23): THIS IS WHAT THE LORD HAS SPOKEN: TOMORROW IS A COMPLETE REST, A SABBATH HOLY TO THE LORD…. Jeremiah said (in Jer. 2:29): WHY DO YOU COMPLAIN AGAINST ME…? Even Moses, when I told him to tell them the section of Torah on the Sabbath, forgot and did not tell them. (Ibid., cont.:) ALL OF YOU HAVE SINNED AGAINST ME. R. Judah says: The Holy One honored the Sabbath in that on every day the manna came down, but on the Sabbath it did not come down. It is so stated (in Exod. 16:27): AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT ON THE SEVENTH DAY SOME OF THE PEOPLE WENT OUT TO GATHER < MANNA > AND FOUND NOTHING. Moses said to them: Whoever takes an omer per capita should not take more than that, as stated (in Exod. 16:19–20): LET NO ONE LEAVE ANY OF IT <UNTIL MORNING >. BUT THEY DID NOT HEED MOSES, AND <CERTAIN> PEOPLE LEFT SOME OF IT <UNTIL MORNING >. These were Dathan and Abiram.⁷⁷Below, Exod. 8:7; Exod. R. 1:29; 25:10. R. Joshua [of Sikhnin] said in the name of R. Levi: When they left some manna, worms came out from their tents (i.e., the tents of Dathan and Abiram) and entered the tents of Israel. So the Holy Spirit cries out and says over them: Do you think that you act in secret without it being revealed to me? (Jer. 23:24:) IF SOMEONE HIDES IN SECRET PLACES, SHALL I NOT SEE HIM? <SAYS THE LORD>…. The Holy One said: In this world you have eaten manna through the merit of your ancestors; but in the world to come I will feed you cattle, <i.e.,> Ziz and Leviathan. You will eat through your own merit. Thus it is stated (concerning Leviathan in Job 40:30 [41:6]): SHALL TRADE ASSOCIATES MAKE A BANQUET OF HIM? SHALL THEY DIVIDE HIM UP AMONG MERCHANTS?

"and Your mighty hand": These are the ten plagues that the Holy One Blessed be He brought upon the Egyptians in Egypt, viz. (Shemoth 8:1) "Stretch forth your hand, etc."

(Numbers 7:54:) "On the eighth day, the prince of the Children of Manasseh." R. Abbin Berabbi the Levite said, “As Joseph was offering his praise, his master saw him murmuring with his mouth.¹²²Numb. R. 14:3. He said to him, ‘What are you saying.’ Then he answered and said to him, ‘I am offering praise to the Holy One, blessed be He.’ He said to him, ‘I want to see Him.’ Joseph said to him, ‘Consider the sun, [who is merely] one of His several attendants.¹²³In an unvowelled Hebrew text “sun” (shemesh) and “attendant” (shammash) would have the same spelling, i.e., ShMSh. [Since] you cannot look at [His attendant], how much the less [can you look at] His own glory.’¹²⁴See above. Exod. 8:6; below, Numb. 3:15. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘By your life, because of you I am appearing to him.’ Thus it is stated (in Gen. 39:3), ‘When his master saw that the Lord was with him.’” R. Chaninah said, “What is the meaning of (Ps. 24:10), ‘Who is this King of glory]?’ [It is] since He shares His glory with those who fear Him.¹²⁵Above, Exod. 2:7, and the other parallels listed there. In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one [else] uses his scepter; but the Holy One, blessed be He, gave his scepter to Moses, as stated (in Exod. 4:20), ‘and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.’ In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one [else] sits on his throne; but it is written about Solomon (in I Chron. 29:23), ‘Then Solomon sat upon the throne of the Lord.’ In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one [else] rides on his horse; but Elijah ride on the horse of the Holy One, blessed be He. Now which horse belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He? Storm and whirlwind. Thus it is stated (in Nahum 1:3), ‘the Lord is in the whirlwind, and the storm is His road.’ And He gave it to Elijah. So it is written (in II Kings 2:11), ‘and Elijah went up in a whirlwind into the heavens.’ In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one [else] wears his attire; but the Holy One, blessed be He has put his attire on the messianic king. And what is the attire of the Holy One, blessed be He? Honor and majesty, as stated (in Ps. 104:1), ‘You have put on honor and majesty.’ And it is written (in Ps. 21:6), ‘honor and majesty do You bestow upon him.’” What is written about the Holy One, blessed be He (in Is. 59:18)? “According to their deeds, so shall He repay.”¹²⁶Biblical translations commonly render “RECOMPENSE” (gemulot) as “THEIR DEEDS.” What is the meaning of “[He] shall repay […] He shall repay” (twice)? That He repays the good according to their good [deeds] and the evil according to their evil [deeds]. What is written about Joseph (in Gen. 49:22)? “Joseph is a fruitful son.”¹²⁷So literally. Biblical translations usually render “son” (ben) by a word like “bough” or “vine.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Joseph, there shall be peace upon the eye which you closed and did not look at any of the Egyptian women.”¹²⁸Cf. Gen. R. 98(99):18. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.), “daughters¹²⁹Again English versions generally read “boughs” or the like. step upon the wall (i.e., to gaze).” R. Abbin said, “What is the meaning of ‘upon the wall ('ly shwr)’?¹³⁰Numb. R. 14:6. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘It is for me ('ly) to pay a reward (skr) for that eye.’” Our masters have taught (in Zev. 14:4, 5, 6, 7, 8) that they would eat in the Temple within the curtains, but in Shiloh (which lay in Ephraimite territory) [they would eat outside the sanctuary as far away as the eye could see,¹³¹See Zev. 118b. as] the Holy One, blessed be He, rewarded Joseph for what he did. What is written [about Joseph (in Gen. 39:12)? “And he left his cloak [in her hand].” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, when the Children of Israel go out from Egypt in the future, the sea is going to see your coffin and flee.”¹³²See Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Beshallah, 4; Gen. R. 84:5; M. Pss. 114:9. It is so stated (in Ps. 114:3), “The sea saw and fled […].” What did it see? It saw that Joseph had kept all of the Ten Commandments. Simeon, the man of Kitron, says, “It saw the bones of Joseph.”¹³³Gen. R. 87:8). And in addition, Joseph's coffin (aron) proceeded before the ark (aron). And the peoples of the world saw it and said, “What is the nature of this ark which is proceeding before the ark of the Torah?” Then Israel said, “This is a coffin of a dead man that is proceeding before the ark of the Torah, since this [man] fulfilled everything that was written in this [Torah], before the Torah was given. And therefore he merited to proceed with it.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Joseph, “Joseph, although I have rewarded you with a little reward in this world, the main fund remains for you in the world to come, when Israel is redeemed with an everlasting redemption. Through the merit of Jacob and through your merit, they will be redeemed, as stated (in Ps. 77:16), “With Your mighty arm You redeemed Your people, the Children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.”

R. Abbin [Berabbi] the Levite said: As Joseph was offering his praise, his master saw him murmuring with his mouth.¹⁴⁵Tanh., Numb. 2:30; Numb. R. 14:3. He said to him: Joseph, what are you saying. Then he answered and said to him: I am offering praise to the Holy One. He said to him: I want to see your God. Joseph said to him: Consider Helios, <who is merely> one of his several attendants.¹⁴⁶In an unvowelled Hebrew text “sun” (shemesh) and “attendant” (shammash) would have the same spelling, i.e., ShMSh. If you cannot look at <his attendant>, how much the less <can you look at> his own glory.¹⁴⁷See above. Exod. 8:6; below, Numb. 3:15. The Holy One said to him: Because of you I am appearing to him. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 39:3): WHEN HIS MASTER SAW THAT THE LORD WAS WITH HIM…. R. Abbin Berabbi the Levite said: What is the meaning of {(Ps. 24:8 or 10): WHO IS THIS <KING OF GLORY>?} [(Ps. 24:9:) AND THE KING OF GLORY SHALL COME IT]? The one who shares some of his glory with those who fear him, i.e., the Holy One.¹⁴⁸Above, Exod. 2:7, and the other parallels listed there. In the case of a king of flesh and blood, no one <else> uses his scepter, but the Holy One gave his scepter to Moses, as stated (in Exod. 4:20): AND MOSES TOOK THE ROD OF GOD IN HIS HAND. Moreover, no one <else> sits on his throne, [but the Holy One had Solomon sit on his throne], as written (in I Chron. 29:23): THEN SOLOMON SAT UPON THE THRONE OF THE LORD AS KING. No one <else> rides on his horse, [but the Holy One had Elijah ride on his horse]. Now which horse belongs to the Holy One? Storm and whirlwind. Thus it is stated (in Nahum 1:33): THE LORD IS IN THE WHIRLWIND, AND THE STORM IS HIS ROAD. So it is written (in II Kings 2:11): AND ELIJAH WENT UP IN A WHIRLWIND INTO THE HEAVENS. Ergo: The Holy One shares his glory with those who fear him. He has also given his attire to the Messianic King, as stated (in Ps. 21:6 [5]): HONOR AND MAJESTY YOU BESTOW UPON HIM; for the attire of the Holy One is HONOR AND MAJESTY, [as stated] (in Ps. 104:1): YOU HAVE PUT ON [HONOR AND MAJESTY]. What is written about the Holy One (in Jer. 51:56)? [FOR THE LORD IS A GOD] OF RECOMPENSE;¹⁴⁹Biblical translations commonly render “RECOMPENSE” (gemulot) as “THEIR DEEDS.” HE SHALL REPAY IN FULL,] for he repays the good according to their good <deeds> and the evil according to their evil <deeds>. What is written about Joseph (in Gen. 49:22)? JOSEPH IS A FRUITFUL SON.¹⁵⁰So literally. Biblical translations usually render “son” (ben) by a word like “bough” or “vine.” The Holy One said to him: Joseph, there shall be peace upon the eye which closed and did not look at any of the Egyptian women.¹⁵¹Cf. Gen. R. 98(99):18. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.): DAUGHTERS¹⁵²Again English versions generally read “boughs” or the like. STEP UPON THE WALL (i.e., to gaze). R. Reuben said: what is the meaning of UPON THE WALL ('LY SHwr)?¹⁵³Numb. R. 14:6. The Holy One said: It is for me ('LY) to pay a reward (SKR) for that eye. Our Masters have taught (in Zev. 14:4, 5, 6, 7, 8) that they would eat in the sanctuary inside the hangings, but in Shiloh (which lay in Ephraimite territory) <they would eat outside the sanctuary> as far away as the eye could see.¹⁵⁴See Zev. 118b. Whatever Joseph did, the Holy One rewarded him. What is written (in Gen. 39:12)? AND HE LEFT HIS CLOAK {WITH HER} [IN HER HAND], FLED, AND WENT OUTSIDE]. The Holy One said ot him: [By your life,] when the children of Israel go out from Egypt, the sea is going to see your coffin and flee.¹⁵⁵See Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Beshallah, 4; Gen. R. 84:5; M. Pss. 114:9. It is so stated (in Ps. 114:3): THE SEA SAW <IT> AND FLED. What did it see? [It saw] that Joseph had kept all of the Ten Commandments. Simeon, the man of Kitron, says: It saw the bones of Joseph.¹⁵⁶Gen. R. 87:8). And in addition, when Joseph's coffin (aron) proceeded before the ark (aron), the peoples of the world saw it and said: What is the nature of this ark which is proceeding along with the ark of the Torah? Then Israel answered them and said: This confirms what is written in this <ark>. And what was in the ark? The Ten Commandments. Now Joseph fulfilled all of them before they were given from Sinai. The Holy One said to Joseph: Joseph, although I have rewarded you with a little reward in this world, the main fund remains for you in the world to come, when Israel is redeemed with an everlasting redemption. Through the merit of Jacob and through your merit, they will be redeemed, a stated (in Ps. 77:16 [15]): WITH YOUR MIGHTY ARM YOU REDEEMED YOUR PEOPLE, THE DESCENDANTS OF JACOB AND JOSEPH. SELAH.

THE GOLDEN CALF
RABBI SIMEON BEN JOCHAI said: When the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed to Moses out of the thorn-bush, in order to send him to Egypt, Moses spake before the Holy One, blessed be He (saying): Sovereign of all the worlds! Swear to me that all things which I desire to do, Thou wilt do, so that I should not speak words before Pharaoh, and Thou wilt not fulfil them, for then will he slay me. And He swore unto him that "whatsoever thou || desirest to do, I will do, except with reference to two things," (namely,) to let him enter the land (of Canaan), and (to postpone) the day of (his) death. Whence do we know that He swore unto him? Because it is said, "By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, the word is gone forth from my mouth in righteousness" (Isa. 45:23). When Israel received the commandments they forgot their God after forty days, and they said to Aaron: The Egyptians were carrying their god, and they were singing and uttering hymns before it, and they saw it before them. Make unto us a god like the gods of the Egyptians, and let us see it before us, as it is said, "Up, make us a god" (Ex. 32:1).

And at the end of two years the Lord sent Moses once more unto Pharaoh, to bring forth the ‎children of Israel and to send them away from the land of Egypt; and Moses came to the ‎house of Pharaoh and he spoke unto him according to the words of the Lord, but Pharaoh ‎would not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah, and the Lord concluded to show his might in ‎Egypt, on Pharaoh and his servants. And God smote Pharaoh and his people with very terrible ‎plagues, and he turned by the hands of Aaron all the waters of Egypt into blood, and when an ‎Egyptian came to drink and drew water and he looked into his pitcher, behold it was turned ‎into blood, and also when a woman kneaded her bread or cooked her meals, all had the ‎appearance of blood. And the Lord sent again, and he caused all the waters to produce frogs, ‎so that the frogs came into the houses of the Egyptians, and when the Egyptians drank the ‎water, their stomachs were filled with frogs, and they leaped within them like in the river. And ‎all the water they used for cooking and drinking turned into frogs, and when they lay upon ‎their beds, they perspired frogs from their body. But for all that the anger of the Lord did not ‎turn from them, and his hand was still out stretched upon all Egypt, to smite them with all the ‎terrible plagues; and he sent and turned their dust into lice, so that the ground of Egypt was ‎covered with lice two cubits in height. And the lice were also upon the flesh of man and beast ‎among all the people of Egypt, and also upon the king and the queen, and Egypt was greatly ‎afflicted on account of the lice. But for all that the anger of the Lord did not turn, and his hand ‎was still outstretched over Egypt, and the Lord sent all the beasts of the field, and they came ‎and destroyed man and beast, and the trees, and all that was in Egypt. Then the Lord sent fiery ‎serpents, and scorpions, and mice, and rats, and weasels, and other vermin, that creepeth in ‎the dust, as also flies and fleas and all sorts of insects, and they came and tortured the ‎Egyptians, entering even their eyes and their ears. Then the hornets came over them also, and ‎they drove them to hide in their innermost chambers, and the Egyptians had to hide ‎themselves from the swarms of vermin and they locked the doors after them. But the Lord ‎commanded the Tulzoth, the great monster of the sea to come up and invade Egypt; and she ‎had very long arms, ten cubits in length according to the cubits of a man, and she went up and ‎unroofed their houses, and she put forth her arms into the houses and removed the bolts and ‎bars and opened the houses of the Egyptians, and the swarm of animals filled the houses of ‎the Egyptians, to torture them exceedingly.‎

But for all that the anger of the Lord did not turn from Egypt, and his arm was still outstretched ‎upon them, and he sent the pestilence to rage in Egypt amongst horses, and asses, and ‎camels, and oxen, and sheep, and man, and when the Egyptians rose up in the morning to ‎drive their cattle to pasture, they found it dead. And there remained only one out of ten of ‎the cattle of the Egyptians, but of the cattle belonging to the Israelites in Egypt not one died. ‎And God sent burning heat into the bodies of the Egyptians that their flesh burst and turned ‎into malignant sores on all the Egyptians from the soles of their feet to the crowns of their ‎heads, and they had ulcers all over their bodies that their flesh sloughed away in stench. But ‎the Lord’s anger did not turn for all this, and his hand was still outstretched upon Egypt, and he ‎sent a heavy hail storm which smote their vines, and injured their fruit trees, so that they dried ‎up and finally fell upon the people. And every green herb became blighted and destroyed, for ‎fire was mingled with the hail, and therefore the fire and hail consumed all things on the field, ‎also man and beast that were found in the streets, so that the villages became depopulated. ‎Then the Lord brought into Egypt all sorts of locusts in great numbers, and they devoured all ‎that was left after the hail. Then all the Egyptians were pleased with the locusts, although they ‎consumed all the productions of the field, for the Egyptians caught them in great numbers and ‎salted them for food; but the Lord turned a mighty sea wind which carried away all the locusts, ‎even those that were salted, and cast them into the Red Sea, and not a single locust remained ‎within the boundaries of Egypt. And the Lord sent darkness over Egypt, and the whole land of ‎Egypt was so dark for three days that a man could not see his hand when he put it even to his ‎mouth. In those days many of the children of Israel died, all those that had rebelled against the ‎Lord, and would not hearken unto Moses and believed not that God had sent him, and said: ‎We will not go away from Egypt to die of starvation in the barren wilderness. And the Lord ‎punished them in those days of darkness, and the children of Israel buried them in those days, ‎so that the Egyptians should not know and rejoice over them; and the darkness was so intense ‎in Egypt for three days, that any man who stood up when the darkness came had to remain ‎standing in his place, and he that was sitting had to remain sitting, and he that was lying had to ‎keep on lying, and he that was walking remained fixed to the ground, and thus it was with all ‎the Egyptians until the darkness had subsided.‎

(Moses) put his hand into his bosom, and brought it forth leprous like snow, and the magicians also put their hands in their bosoms, and brought them forth leprous like snow. But they were not healed till the day of their death. Every plague which the Holy One, blessed be He, brought upon them, they also produced every plague until He brought upon them the boils, and they were not able to stand and to do likewise, as it is said, "And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils" (Ex. 9:11).

Rabbi Ishmael said: The five fingers of the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, all of them appertain to the mystery of the Redemption. He showed the little finger of the hand to Noah, (pointing out) how to make the ark, as it is said, "And this is how thou shalt make it" (Gen. 6:15). With the second finger, which is next to the little one, He smote the firstborn of the Egyptians, as it is said, "The magicians said unto Pharaoh, || This is the finger of God" (Ex. 8:19). With how many (plagues) were they smitten with the finger? With ten plagues. With the third finger, which is the third (starting from) the little finger, He wrote the tables (of the Law), as it is said, "And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him… tables of stone, written with the finger of God" (Ex. 31:18). With the fourth finger, which is next to the thumb, the Holy One, blessed be He, showed to Moses what the children of Israel should give for the redemption of their souls, as it is said, "This they shall give… half a shekel for an offering to the Lord" (Ex. 30:18). With the thumb and all the hand the Holy One, blessed be He, will smite in the future all the children of Esau, for they are His foes, and likewise (will He smite) the children of Ishmael, for they are His enemies, as it is said, "Let thine hand be lifted up above thine adversaries, and let all thine enemies be cut off" (Mic. 5:9).

Then Pharaoh, king of Egypt, approached Moses and Aaron and part of the children of Israel ‎that were with them in that place, and he entreated them, saying: Rise up and get you forth ‎from among my people, and take your brethren, all the children of Israel that are in the land, ‎with their sheep and oxen, and all belonging unto them, leave nothing here, but pray ye unto ‎the Lord in my behalf. And Moses said unto Pharaoh: Behold, thou art the first born of thy ‎mother, but fear thou not as thou shalt not die, for the Lord hath commanded that thou ‎shouldst live, in order to show unto thee his great might and his outstretched arm. And ‎Pharaoh commanded that all the children of Israel be sent away, and the Egyptians were ‎urgent upon the people to send them away in haste, for they said: We be all dead men. And all ‎the Egyptians sent the children of Israel away with great riches, with sheep, and oxen, and ‎valuables, according to the oath of our Lord between him and Abraham our father. But the ‎children of Israel were unwilling to depart at night, and when the Egyptians came to cause ‎them to leave they said unto them: Are we thieves to leave at night? And the children of Israel ‎asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment, and they spoiled the ‎Egyptians. And Moses hastened and brought up from the river of Egypt the coffin of Joseph, ‎and he took it with him, and the children of Israel brought up likewise every one of them the ‎coffins of his ancestors, and the coffins of the tribe of his people. And the children of Israel ‎from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside their ‎children and wives. And a mixed multitude went up also with them, and flocks and herds, even ‎very much cattle. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt in servitude ‎was two hundred and ten years, and at the end of two hundred and ten years the Lord ‎delivered them from Egypt with a strong hand, and the children of Israel journeyed from ‎Egypt, and from Goshen and from Rameses, and they encamped in Succoth on the fifteenth ‎day of the first month. And the Egyptians buried all the first born whom the Lord had slain, and ‎the Egyptians buried their dead for three days. And the children of Israel journeyed from ‎Succoth and encamped in Etham, at the end of the wilderness. And on the third day, after the ‎Egyptians had buried all their first born, many men among the Egyptians rose up and they ‎went after the children of Israel to bring them back into Egypt, for they were sorry to have ‎sent away the children of Israel from their servitude, and they said to each other: Surely, ‎Moses and Aaron spoke unto Pharaoh, saying: Only a three days journey will we go into the ‎wilderness, and we will bring sacrifices to the Lord our God. Let us therefore rise up in the ‎morning to bring them back, and if they actually return unto Egypt to their masters, then will ‎we know that there is faith in them, but should they refuse to return, then we will cause them ‎to come back, with great force and with a powerful arm.‎