Midrasch zu Jechezkiel 32:78

(Lev. 14:2:) “This shall be the law of the leper.” Let our master instruct us: How many people have no share in the world to come?¹Numb. R. 14:1; PR 6:4; ARN, A, 36; Midrash on Proverbs, 22. Thus have our masters taught (in Sanh. 10:1-2): These are they who have no share in the world to come…. Three kings and four commoners²Gk.: idiotes. have no share in the world to come. The three kings are Jeroboam, Ahab, and Manasseh.³See Sanh. 101b-104a. R. Judah ben Shallum said, “The sages of the Mishnah wanted to teach that there were four kings and reckon Solomon with them; however, a heavenly voice (bat qol) came forth and said (in the words of Ps. 105:15), ‘Touch not my anointed.’ Nevertheless they returned one day to teaching [as before]. Fire from the heavens came and destroyed their benches. [The heavenly voice] returned and said (according to Job 34:33), ‘Should He repay as you would, when you have refused?’” All the same, why did they so teach? Because it is written (in I Kings 11:1, 6), “Now King Solomon loved many foreign wives […]. And Solomon did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.” (Sanh. 10:2, at the end:) The four commoners are Balaam, Doeg, Ahithophel and Gehazi. You find that these were condemned to Geihinnom on account of the words of their mouths. In the case of Balaam, he was driven into Geihinnom because of his speech, as stated (in Numb. 23:7), “From Aram has Balak brought me, the king of Moab,”⁴Numb. R. 20:19; also below, Numb. 7:17. [meaning] I was one of the exalted ones;⁵Heb.: MRMYM, which the midrash seems to understand as related to M’RMYM, i.e., “one of the Arameans.” I was one of the division of the patriarchs, [but] Balak brought me (yanheni) and cast me into Geihinnom.” Now brought me (yanheni, rt.: nhh) can only imply Geihinnom, since it is stated (in Ezek. 32:18), “Son of man, lament over (rt.: nhh)⁶The Buber text reads the middle letter in this root as a het in agreement with Numb. 23:7; but the parallels in Numb. R. 20:19, and the Masoretic Text all read the middle letter as a he, a reading which together with the preposition ‘al, requires the translation, LAMENT OVER. [the masses of Egypt and cast them down… unto the lowest part of the nether world].” So also was Doeg banished because of his speech. When? When David fled to Nob, the city of priests where Ahimelech received him, Saul noticed and gathered all his servants. He said to them, “A fine way you are treating me! For David does whatever he wishes, and not one of you has put a word in my ear.” It is so stated (in I Sam. 22:8), “Is that why all of you have conspired against me? For no one is putting a word in my ear when my son is making a deal with the son of Jesse….” Doeg began to utter evil speech, as stated (in vs. 9), “Then Doeg the Edomite, who was standing among the servants of Saul, answered and said, ‘I saw the son of Jesse come to Nob….’” It was also by his hand that eighty-five priests who wear the ephod and Ahimelech the High Priest were slain. “And he smote Nob the city of priests with the edge of the sword” (I Samuel 22:19). R. Eleazar said, “Anyone who becomes merciful upon the cruel one will end by being cruel to the merciful: It is written (I Samuel 15:9), ‘But Saul had pity upon Agag and upon the best of the sheep and the cattle’; and it is [also] written (I Samuel 22:19) about Nob the city of priest, ‘And he smote Nob the city of priests with the edge of the sword.’“ So also was Ahithophel banished because of his speech. Thus it is stated (in II Sam. 17:23), “So when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not heeded… and he set his house in order and hanged himself.” Gehazi also was banished on account of his speech. When Naaman became leprous and was healed at the hands of Elisha, Naaman began to give silver, gold and gifts⁷Gk.: dora. to Elisha, but he did not want to accept them. Now Gehazi was ministering to Elisha. He saw the silver, the gold, and the clothes; so he said (in II Kings 5:20), “My Lord has spared that Aramean Naaman without accepting what he brought; as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” Certainly he took [something; he took] his deformity. Thus it is stated (in vs. 27), “And the leprosy of Naaman shall cleave to you and to your seed forever.” Why [did Elisha not want anything]? Because it is stated (in Deut. 13:18), “And let nothing cleave to your hand of that which is devoted.” Now Naaman and the king of Aram served idols; and it is written (in Deut. 7:26), “Do not bring an abomination unto your house.” R. Pedat said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, has made a covenant with the world that anyone who utters evil speech receives leprosy.” Where is it shown? From what is written on the matter (in Lev. 14:2), “This shall be the law of the leper (hametsora'),” [ i.e. ] the one who proclaims evil (hamotsi' ra').⁸Below, 5:5; ySot. 2:1 (17d); ‘Arakh. 15b; Cf. Lev. R. 16:1. Our masters have said, “Plagues only affect a person on account of the evil speech which comes out of his mouth.” So the holy spirit cries out (in Eccl. 5:5), “Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin,” [ i.e. ] to afflict your body; (ibid., cont.) “and do not say before the angel that it was a mistake,” [ i.e. ] and do not say before the angel who is appointed over you, “By mistake I brought forth the word from my mouth.” For every word which issues from your mouth, whether good, evil, by mistake, or on purpose, is written in a book. Where is it shown that it is so? Where it is stated (in Mal. 3:16), “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another; the Lord has hearkened and listened, and a book of remembrance has been written before Him […].” And so with the trait of calamity, David said (in Ps. 139:2), “You know when I sit down and when I stand up, You discern my thoughts from afar.” Job also said (in Job 14:16), “For You count my footsteps,” and (Job 13:27) “You look closely over the treading of my feet.” (Eccl. 5:5, cont.:) “Why should God be angry over your voice and destroy the work of your hands?” These are the hands and the body when they are afflicted by leprosy. Another interpretation (of Eccl. 5:5), “Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin”: The Torah has spoken to you euphemistically. If your wife has told you that she is menstruating (niddah), do not cause your body to sin by touching her. Do not say before the angel who is appointed over the formation of the fetus, “’I made a mistake and did not know.” (Ibid., cont.:) “Why should God be angry over your voice and destroy the work of your hands?” This refers to the children who are afflicted with leprosy. R. Aha said, “If a man has intercourse with his wife when she is menstruating, the children will be afflicted with leprosy. How? [If] he has intercourse on the first day of her menstruating, the child which is born shall be afflicted after ten years. [If] he has intercourse with her on the second day, it shall be afflicted after twenty years. On the third day it shall be afflicted after thirty years. On the fourth day it shall be afflicted after forty years. On the fifth day it shall be afflicted after fifty years. On the sixth day it shall be afflicted after sixty years. On the seventh day it shall be afflicted after seventy years, corresponding to the seven days of her menstruation. Moreover, he shall not depart from the world before he has seen his fruit spoiled. Now the days of a person's life are only seventy years, for so David says (in Ps. 90:10), ‘The days of our life comprise seventy years, and’ [only if] one merited, ‘eighty.’ Therefore if a man has intercourse with a menstruating woman on the seventh day, the fetus is afflicted at seventy years of age, so that he does not depart from the world until he has seen his fruit spoiled. This punishment, as it were, does not come from Me. I have already testified to you and told you (in Lev. 14:2,) ‘This shall be the law of the leper.’” Another interpretation (of Eccl. 5:5), “Do not let your mouth [cause your flesh to sin, and do not say before the angel (mal'akh) that it was a mistake]”: If you have acted with malice aforethought and led astray a high priest, who is called an angel (mal'akh), as stated (in Mal. 2:7), “For the lips of a priest preserve knowledge, and they should seek Torah from his mouth; for he is the messenger (mal'akh) of the Lord of hosts”; then do not say, “I sinned by mistake,” [ i.e. ] (in Eccl. 5:5), “ do not say before the angel (i.e., before the high priest) that it was a mistake.” Why? You are leading yourself astray. You are afflicting yourself. The voice which you send forth from your mouth will destroy the work of your hands. (Eccl. 5:5) “Why should God be angry over your voice [and destroy the work of your hands]?” This refers to the children who are afflicted with leprosy.

(Lev. 14:2:) THIS SHALL BE THE LAW OF THE LEPER. Let our master instruct us: How many children of Adam have no share in the world to come?¹Tanh., Lev. 5:1; Numb. R. 14:1; PR 6:4; ARN, A, 36; Midrash on Proverbs, 22. Thus have our masters taught (in Sanh. 10:1–2): THESE ARE THEY WHO HAVE NO SHARE IN THE WORLD TO COME…. THREE KINGS AND FOUR COMMONERS²Gk.: idiotes. HAVE NO SHARE IN THE WORLD TO COME. THE THREE KINGS ARE JEROBOAM, AHAB, AND MANASSEH.³See Sanh. 101b-104a. R. Judah ben Shallum the Levite said: The sages of the Mishnah wanted to teach that there were four kings and reckon Solomon with them; however, a heavenly voice (bat qol) came forth and said (in the words of Ps. 105:15): TOUCH NOT MY ANOINTED. Nevertheless they returned one day to teaching < as before >. Fire from the heavens came and destroyed their benches. < The heavenly voice > returned and said (according to Job 34:33): SHOULD HE REPAY AS YOU WOULD, WHEN YOU HAVE REFUSED? All the same, why did they so teach? Because it is written (in I Kings 11:1, 6): NOW KING SOLOMON LOVED MANY FOREIGN WIVES < …. > AND SOLOMON DID WHAT WAS EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD. (Sanh. 10:2, at the end:) THE FOUR COMMONERS ARE BALAAM, DOEG, AHITHOPHEL AND GEHAZI. You find that these were condemned to Gehinnom on account of the words of their mouths. In the case of Balaam, he was driven into Gehinnom because of his speech, as stated (in Numb. 23:7): FROM ARAM HAS BALAK BROUGHT ME, THE KING OF MOAB < FROM THE HILLS OF THE EAST: COME, CURSE JACOB FOR ME…. >⁴Numb. R. 20:19; also below, Numb. 7:17. < He said: > I was one of the exalted ones;⁵Heb.: MRMYM, which the midrash seems to understand as related to M’RMYM, i.e., “one of the Arameans.” I was one of the division of < the > patriarchs. BALAK BROUGHT ME (yanheni) and cast me into Gehinnom. Now BROUGHT ME (yanheni, rt.: NHH) can only imply Gehinnom, since it is stated (in Ezek. 32:18): SON OF ADAM, BRING (rt.: NHH)⁶The Buber text reads the middle letter in this root as a het in agreement with Numb. 23:7; but the parallels in Tanh., Lev. 5:1; Numb. R. 20:19, and the Masoretic Text all read the middle letter as a he, a reading which together with the preposition ‘al, requires the translation, LAMENT OVER. THE MASSES OF EGYPT AND CAST THEM DOWN… < UNTO THE LOWEST PART OF THE NETHER WORLD ALONG WITH THOSE WHO GO DOWN TO THE PIT >. So also was Doeg banished because of his speech. When? When David fled to Nob, the city of priests {to Ahimelech}, where Ahimelech received him, Saul noticed and gathered all his servants. He said to them: A fine way you are treating me! For David does whatever he wishes, and not one of you has put a word in my ear. It is so stated (in I Sam. 22:8): IS THAT WHY ALL OF YOU HAVE CONSPIRED [AGAINST ME? FOR NO ONE IS PUTTING A WORD IN MY EAR] < WHEN MY SON IS MAKING A DEAL WITH THE SON OF JESSE >…. Doeg began to utter evil speech, as stated (in vs. 9): THEN DOEG THE EDOMITE, WHO WAS STANDING AMONG THE SERVANTS OF SAUL, < ANSWERED AND SAID: I SAW THE SON OF JESSE COME TO NOB…. > It was also by his hand that eighty-five priests who wear the ephod and the high priest Ahimelech were slain. And he smote Nob the city of priests with the edge of the sword. So also was Ahithophel banished because of his speech. Thus it is stated (in II Sam. 17:23): SO WHEN AHITHOPHEL SAW THAT HIS COUNSEL WAS NOT HEEDED…. THEN HE SET HIS HOUSE IN ORDER AND HANGED HIMSELF. Gehazi also was banished on account of his speech. When Naaman became leprous and was healed at the hands of Elisha, Naaman began to give silver, gold and gifts⁷Gk.: dora. to Elisha, but he did not want to accept them. Now Gehazi was ministering to Elisha. He saw the silver, the gold, and the clothes; so he said (in II Kings 5:20, 21, 27): MY LORD HAS SPARED < THAT ARAMEAN > NAAMAN…. < THEN GEHAZI CHASED AFTER NAAMAN…. > THEREFORE THE LEPROSY OF NAAMAN [SHALL CLEAVE TO YOU AND TO YOUR SEED FOREVER]. Why? Because it is stated (in Deut. 13:18): AND LET NOTHING CLEAVE TO YOUR HAND OF THAT WHICH IS DEVOTED. Now Naaman and the king of Aram served idols; and it is written (in Deut. 7:26): DO NOT BRING AN ABOMINATION UNTO YOUR HOUSE…. Since you said (in II Kings 5:20): AND I WILL ACCEPT SOMETHING FROM {HIS HAND} [HIM], by your life, you shall < also > take his deformity. Thus it is stated (in vs. 27): THEREFORE THE LEPROSY OF NAAMAN SHALL CLEAVE TO YOU. R. Pedat said: The Holy One has made a covenant with the world that anyone who utters evil speech receives leprosy. Where is it shown? From what is written on the matter (in Lev. 14:2): THIS SHALL BE THE LAW OF THE LEPER (hametsora'), < i.e. > the one who proclaims evil (hamotsi' ra').⁸Below, 5:5; ySot. 2:1 (17d); ‘Arakh. 15b; Cf. Lev. R. 16:1.

(Fol. 10) Antoninus (the Caesar of Rome) said to Rabbi: "I would like that Asurius, my son, should reign after me, and also that Tiberius should be free from duty. However, I am aware that should I ask my people to do me one favor, they will, but two they will not. [What have I to do?]" Rabbi [who did not desire to give him a direct answer] brought a man, mounted him upon the shoulder of another one, and gave him a dove. He then said to the one beneath: "Tell the one who is mounted upon you to let the dove free." Antonius then said: "I understand that Rabbi intends to tell me that I should first request my people to proclaim my son king after me, and to instruct afterward my son that he should set Tiberius free." Once he said to Rabbi: "The officers of Rome irritate me. [What shall I do?]" Rabbi took him in the garden, and each day he would tear out the large radishes of the beds, planting smaller ones instead. Antoninus then said: "I understand that he intimates the necessity of removing the old officers by little and not all at once, so as to prevent a rebellion." (Ib. b) But why did not Rabbi answer him directly? (Ib. b) He thought perchance the officers of Rome might hear of it and harm him. Then he should have told him secretly! Because the passage says (Ecc. 10) For a bird of the air shall carry the voice. The same Caesar had a daughter by the name Girah, and it happened that she sinned. Antoninus then sent to Rabbi white mustard, which is called in Aramaic gargira (drag) [Rabbi understood that something had happened with Girah]. He sent him in answer a seed by the name of khusbratha [the meaning of which in Aramaic is chus bratha (remove the daughter)]. Antoninus again sent him garlic, named in Aramaic karthi [from which Rabbi understood that he questioned him: Shall I cut off my child?] And in answer he sent him lettuce [which is named Chassa, which means have mercy with her]. Antoninus used to send to Rabbi frequently pieces of pure gold in leather sacks covered with wheat. And to the objection of Rabbi: I have too much of my own, he explained: Leave them to him who will substitute thee, that he shall spend it to please those who will reign after me. From the house of Antoninus, there was a cave which reached the house of Rabbi, and each time that he went to the house of Rabbi through this cave, he would take with him two slaves. One he used to kill at the gate of Rabbi, and the other when he returned, at his own gate. He, however, told Rabbi that at the time of his visit no one should be found with him. It once happened that he found R. Chanina b. Chama with him, and to his question "Did I not say that no one should be found with you during my visit?" Rabbi answered: 'This is not a human being." Said Antoninus to R. Chanina: "Go and call for me the slave who sleeps at the gate." R. Chanina b. Chama went, and seeing that he was killed, he deliberated what to do: 'Shall I go to tell him that he is dead?" There is a rule that one needs not go back [to the sender] to bring bad news; "shall I leave him and go away?" This would be a disgrace to the king. He thereupon prayed, and the dead became alive, and he then sent him to his master. Said Antoninus to Rabbi: "I am aware that even the smallest of you is able to bring the dead to life. However, I wish that when I come here, I should not find a living soul with you." He used to serve Rabbi in all his needs, and he once questioned him if he would have a share in the world to come, to which Rabbi answered, "Yea." He said to Rabbi: "Is it not written (Ab. 1, 18) And there shall not be anyone remaining of the house of Esau?" "This means," replied Rabbi, "he who acts like Esau." "But there is another passage (Ez. 32, 29) There are Edom, her kings and all her princes." Rabbi again replied: "It reads kings, but not all her kings. Princes, but not all of them. So also have we learned in the following Baraitha: Her kings, but not all of them. This excludes Antoninus b. Asudius and his associates. Her princes, but not all of them. This excludes K'tiha b. Salum."

There was pestilence in Egypt, and about Edom it says: I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood (Ezek. 38:22). In Egypt, boils were inflicted, and in Edom: Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their sockets, and their tongues shall consume away in their mouths (Zech. 14:12). In Egypt there was hail, and upon Edom: An overflowing shower and great hailstones (Ezek. 38:22). Locusts afflicted Egypt, and in the case of Edom: Son of man … Speak unto the birds of every sort, and to every beast of the field: Assemble yourselves (Ezek. 39:17). Darkness befell Egypt, and with regard to Edom: He shall stretch over it the line of confusion and the plummet of emptiness (Isa. 34:11). In Egypt He smote their firstborn, and in Edom: There are the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Sidonians (Ezek. 32:30).

(Lev. 12:3:) “And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.” It is not written here that one lays out expenses over circumcision. See how much Israel loves the commandments, how many expenses they lay out in order to observe them! The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “You make the commandments joyful; I am increasing your joy, as stated (in Is. 29:19), ‘Then the humble shall increase their joy in the Lord.’” Beloved is circumcision, such that the Holy One, blessed be He, swore to Avraham that anyone who is circumcised will not descend to Geihinnom, as stated (Genesis 15:18), “On that day, the Lord made a covenant with Avram, saying.” And who does descend there? See what is written below (Gen. 15:19), “The Kenite, the Kenizzite ….” And so did Ezekiel see, as stated (Ezekiel 32:18-30), “Son of man, wail upon the masses of Egypt and make it descend, and the daughters of mighty nations, to the lowest lands and those that fall in the pit. Who do you surpass in pleasantness, go down and lay with the uncircumcised…. Assyria is there with all of her congregation, its graves are around it…. Meshech and Tubal and all their masses are there, its graves are surrounding it, they are all uncircumcised…. The princes of the North are there….” And so does Isaiah says (Isaiah 5:14), “And so does the pit widen itself and opened wide its mouth without measure (chok),” to he that doesn't have a statute [the words — "without measure" — can also be rendered "to he that doesn't have a statute"]. And where [do we see that] it (the commandment to circumcise) is called a statue? As it says (Ps. 105:10) "And He established it unto Jacob for a statute, to Israel for an everlasting covenant," because the Holy One, blessed be He, placed His name with Israel. And what is the name and the seal that He placed in them? It is Shaddai, the shin is placed on the nose, the dalet on the hand, and the yud on the circumcision. Therefore when he goes to his eternal home, there is an angel appointed in the Garden of Eden who takes him and brings him into the Garden of Eden. And regarding the heretics and sinners, The Holy One, “blessed be He, commands the angel to pull his foreskin (i.e. reverse his circumcision), as it says (Ps. 55:21) "He hath put forth his hands against them that were at peace with him; he has profaned his covenant." It happened that Tyrannus Rufus the wicked asked R. Aqiva, “Which works are the more beautiful? Those of the Holy One, blessed be He, or those of flesh and blood?” He said to him, “Those of flesh and blood are the more beautiful.” Tyrannus Rufus the wicked said to him, “Look at the heavens and the earth. Are you able to make anything like them?” R. Aqiva said to him, “Do not talk to me about something which is high above mortals, things over which they have no control, but about things which are usual among people.” He said to him, “Why do you circumcise?” He said to him, “I also knew that you were going to say this to me. I therefore anticipated [your question] when I said to you, ‘A work of flesh and blood is more beautiful than one of the Holy One, blessed be He.’ Bring me wheat spikes and white bread.”¹⁶Qeluska’ot, from the Gk.: kollikes (“long rolls of coarse bread”) or kollikia (the diminutive of kollikes). He said to him, “The former is the work of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the latter is the work of flesh and blood. Is not the latter more beautiful?” Tyrannus Rufus said to him, “Inasmuch as He finds pleasure in circumcision, why does no one emerge from his mother's belly circumcised?” R. Aqiva said to him, “And why does his umbilical cord come out on him? Does not his mother cut his umbilical cord? So why does he not come out circumcised? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, only gave Israel the commandments in order to purify them. Therefore, David said (in II Sam. 22:31 = Ps. 18:31), ‘the word of the Lord is pure.’”

(Exodus 15:5) "so that the depths should cover them": Now are there depths there (at the bottom of the sea)? Is it not dry ground? What, then, is the intent of "should cover them"? __ The lower depths (under the earth) ascended to the upper depths and the torrents embattled them. Thus, "the depths should cover them." (The water) covered the firmament over them and darkened the stars over them, viz. (Ezekiel 32:8) "All the lights of the heavens I will darken above you, and I will bring darkness to your land," and (Isaiah 13:10) "For the stars of heavens and their constellations will not give their light. (For) the sun will be dark when it rises, etc." And it is written (Ezekiel 30:18) "And in Techafnefess the day will be darkened when I break there the power of Egypt… (For) a cloud shall cover it. And (Isaiah 13:11) "and I shall requite to the world (its) evil, etc." Jonah descended to one depth, viz. (Jonah 2:6) "The depth surrounded me," and they descended to two depths, viz. (Exodus 15:5) "The depths covered them." Jonah descended into one metzulah (whirlpool, viz. Jonah 2:4), and they descended into two, (Exodus, Ibid.) "metzuloth." And it is written (Nechemiah 9:11) "And their pursuers You cast into metzuloth, as a stone into raging waters." (Exodus, Ibid. "They descended into the metzuloth": Now are there metzuloth there? Is it not dry land? We are hereby apprised that the Great Sea (the Mediterranean) burst into it (the Red Sea) and the torrents embattled them. Thus, "They descended into the metzuloth." "as a stone": "As one metes it out, so, is it meted out to him." They said (Exodus 1:16) "and you see upon the (birth;) stones, etc." — wherefore You, likewise made the waters like stones to them, and the waters struck them upon the stones. Thus, "as a stone." Variantly: "as a stone": This was the middle state. The wicked among them were tossed about like stubble (viz. 7); the "moderate," like stone (here); the "better," like lead (viz. 10). Variantly: "as a stone": because their hearts were hard as stone. But Your goodness and Your many lovingkindnesses and Your mercies are upon us, and Your right hand is stretched out to all who enter the world, "Your right hand," being written twice (viz. 15:6). (Psalms 44:4) "… but Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance — for You favored them," and (Isaiah 45:23) "By Myself I have sworn. From My mouth has gone forth righteousness, a word that will not turn back." (Exodus 15:6) "Your right hand, O L rd, is grand in power": ("nedari bakeach") Comely (na'eh) are You, and grand (adir [acronym of "nedari"]) in power. For You gave a grace period to the generation of the flood to repent. And they did not repent, as it is written (Genesis 6:3) "My spirit shall not contend (in Me) forever, etc." And You did not decree (destruction upon them) until they had consummated their evil before You. And thus do you find with the men of the tower (of Bavel), that You gave them a grace period for repentance and they did not repent. As it is written (Ibid. 11:6) "Behold, they are one people, and all of them have one language, and this is what they begin to do! And now, etc. "Now" connotes (an opening for) repentance, viz. (Devarim 10:12) "And now, O Israel, what does the L rd your G d ask of you" (but to repent). And You did not decree destruction upon them (the men of the tower) until they had consummated their evil before You. And thus do you find with the men of Sodom, that You gave them a grace period for repentance and they did not repent. As it is written (Genesis 18:20-21) "And the L rd said: The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because it has become great … I shall go down now and I shall see, etc." (Ibid. 19:24) "And the L rd rained down upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire": If they repent — rain; if not, brimstone and fire. It is written here "rain," and elsewhere (Psalms 11:6) "rain." Just as there (ab initio) "rain," so, here, (ab initio) "rain." — But perhaps, just as here, "brimstone and fire," there, too, brimstone and fire! __ It is, therefore, (to negate this) written (Genesis, Ibid.) "from the L rd, from heaven" (and evil does not descend [ab initio] from the L rd.) And You did not decree (destruction) upon them until they had consummated their evil. And thus with Egypt. You brought ten plagues upon Egypt, and You did not decree destruction upon them until they had consummated their evil. Variantly: "Your right hand, O L rd, is grand in power. Your right hand" — twice. When Israel do the will of the L rd, they, as it were, convert the "left" to the "right." And when they do not do the will of the L rd, they convert the "right" to the "left," viz. (Eichah 2:3) "He has turned back His right hand before the foe." When Israel do His will, there is no sleep before Him, viz. (Psalms 121:9) "He does not slumber and He does not sleep." And when they do not do His will, there is, as it were, "sleep" before Him, viz. (Ibid. 78:66) "Then the L rd woke as a sleeper, as a warrior rousing himself from wine." And when Israel do His will, there is no wrath before Him, viz. (Isaiah 27:4) "I have no wrath." And when they do not do His will, there is wrath before Him, viz. (Devarim 11:17) "and the wrath of the L rd will burn against you." When Israel do His will, He wars for them, viz. (Exodus 14:14) "The L rd will war for you." And when they do not do His will, He wars against them, viz. (Isaiah 63:10) "And He turned into a foe of theirs; He warred against them." (Exodus 15:6) "Your right hand, O L rd, will break the foe": It is not written "broke the foe," but "will break the foe," in the future, viz. (Habakkuk 3:12) "In fury You will tread the earth; in wrath You will trample nations." "breaks the foe": This is Pharaoh, viz. (Exodus 15:9) "The foe (in this context, Pharaoh) said, etc." Variantly: This is Esav, viz. (Ezekiel 36:2) "Because the foe has said against you 'He'ach!', etc."

In the past, Pharaoh's servants said to him (Exodus 10:7) "How long will this one be a stumbling block to us?" and now (Ibid. 14:5) "What is this that we did in sending Israel away from serving us?" They said to him: If we were smitten and we had not sent him away, that would have been enough for us. Or if we were smitten and had sent him away and he had not taken our wealth from us, that would have been enough for us. But we have been smitten, and we have sent him away, and he has taken our wealth from us! An analogy: A man sent to his servant: Go and bring me a fish from the marketplace. He goes and buys him a rotten fish, at which the master says to him: Either eat the fish, or receive a hundred lashes, or pay me a hundred maneh. The servant: I'll eat it. He begins eating, but does not finish before saying: I'll take the lashes. He receives sixty lashes, and does not finish before saying: I'll pay the hundred maneh. In the end, he has eaten the fish, received the lashes, and paid the hundred maneh! Thus, with Egypt: They were smitten, and they sent Israel away, and their wealth was taken! Variantly: "And the heart of Pharaoh was reversed": Scripture hereby apprises us that when Israel left Egypt, its kingdom came to an end, as it is written (Ezekiel 32:19) "Whom have you (Egypt) surpassed in beauty? Descend and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised!"

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).

All the great luminaries of the stars are situated in the south except Ursa Major, which is placed in the north. All the Mazziḳin which move in the firmament and the angels who fell from their holy place (even) from heaven, (when) they ascend to hear the (Divine) Word behind the veil they are pursued with a rod of fire, and they return to their place.

[(Exod. 13:17, cont.:) THAT GOD DID NOT HAVE COMPASSION (NHM).] <One should read the verse in this way,>¹⁹The Masoretic Text reads NHM as naham (LEAD THEM), but the midrash understands the word as niham (HAVE COMPASSION). because the Holy One said to the Prophet (Ezek. 32:18): SON OF ADAM, LAMENT OVER THE MASSES OF EGYPT…. Pharaoh began vaunting himself, and he said: Am I going down to them (in the grave)? He said to him (in Ezek. 32:19): WHOM DO YOU SURPASS IN LOVELINESS? Whom do you surpass in beauty? Are you better than the king of Assyria or the king of Tyre and Sidon? (Ibid., cont.:) GO DOWN AND BE LAID WITH THE UNCIRCUMCISED. (Vs. 22:) THERE IS ASSYRIA WITH ALL ITS COMPANY. (Vs. 24:) THERE IS ELAM AND ALL ITS MASSES. (Vs. 26:) THERE ARE MESHECH AND TUBAL WITH ALL THEIR MASSES. (Vs. 29:) THERE IS EDOM WITH ITS KINGS AND ALL ITS PRINCES. (Vs. 30:) THERE ARE THE PRINCES OF THE NORTH. When Pharaoh saw them, he was consoled (rt.: NHM), as stated (in vs. 31): [THESE] SHALL PHARAOH SEE, AND HE SHALL BE CONSOLED (NHM) [OVER ALL THESE MASSES SLAIN BY THE SWORD, PHARAOH AND ALL HIS ARMY.] The Holy One said to him: Pharaoh, you shall not be consoled because of what you did to my children. [Ergo:] GOD DID NOT HAVE COMPASSION (NHM).

[(Exod. 13:17, cont.:) THAT GOD DID NOT HAVE COMPASSION (NHM).] <One should read the verse in this way,>¹⁹The Masoretic Text reads NHM as naham (LEAD THEM), but the midrash understands the word as niham (HAVE COMPASSION). because the Holy One said to the Prophet (Ezek. 32:18): SON OF ADAM, LAMENT OVER THE MASSES OF EGYPT…. Pharaoh began vaunting himself, and he said: Am I going down to them (in the grave)? He said to him (in Ezek. 32:19): WHOM DO YOU SURPASS IN LOVELINESS? Whom do you surpass in beauty? Are you better than the king of Assyria or the king of Tyre and Sidon? (Ibid., cont.:) GO DOWN AND BE LAID WITH THE UNCIRCUMCISED. (Vs. 22:) THERE IS ASSYRIA WITH ALL ITS COMPANY. (Vs. 24:) THERE IS ELAM AND ALL ITS MASSES. (Vs. 26:) THERE ARE MESHECH AND TUBAL WITH ALL THEIR MASSES. (Vs. 29:) THERE IS EDOM WITH ITS KINGS AND ALL ITS PRINCES. (Vs. 30:) THERE ARE THE PRINCES OF THE NORTH. When Pharaoh saw them, he was consoled (rt.: NHM), as stated (in vs. 31): [THESE] SHALL PHARAOH SEE, AND HE SHALL BE CONSOLED (NHM) [OVER ALL THESE MASSES SLAIN BY THE SWORD, PHARAOH AND ALL HIS ARMY.] The Holy One said to him: Pharaoh, you shall not be consoled because of what you did to my children. [Ergo:] GOD DID NOT HAVE COMPASSION (NHM).

"The foe said, etc.": How did Israel know what Pharaoh thought of them in Egypt? The Holy Spirit reposed upon them and they knew it. Pharaoh said: It really does not befit us to pursue Israel, but the silver and gold that they took warrants it. When some of the people saw that (only) a small part of their possessions had been taken, they said: What will we gain by pursuing them? When Pharaoh saw this, he said: We will all share equally in the spoils, viz. (Ibid.) "I shall divide the spoils." And, what is more, I shall open up the treasure stores — silver, gold, precious stones and jewels — and I will distribute them to you. "The foe (Pharaoh) said": And he did not know what he was saying, viz. (Mishlei 16:1) "To a man are the musings of his heart, but to the L rd is the meaning of the tongue." (He said:) "I shall pursue, I shall overtake, I shall divide," (but what he "meant" was) I shall be pursued by them, I shall be overtaken by them, my spoils and my wealth shall be divided by them. It is not written "My soul shall be filled with them," but "My soul shall fill them" — They shall fill themselves with it. It is not written "torishem" ("My hand shall inherit them"), but "torishemo" — I shall bequeath my wealth and glory to them. In the past, you (the Jews) would rob them (the Egyptians) and I would prosecute you by royal edict, but now, my hand will permit it. In the past, you would kill them and I would prosecute you by royal edict, but now, "I shall sheathe my sword." Others say: It is not written "I will draw my sword," but "I will empty my sword." He desired to cohabit with their males ("sword" here being a euphemism for the male organ,) as in (Ezekiel 28:7) "and they will draw their sword against the beauty of your wisdom," the idea being that they will empty their "sword." And because his heart swelled in pride, the Holy One Blessed be He demeaned him and all of the peoples degraded him. The Egyptians comprised three factions at the sea: One said: Let us take their money and not kill them; a second: Let us kill them and not take their money; the third: Let us kill them and take their money. Re those who said: Let us take their money and not kill them — "I shall divide spoil." Re those who said: Let us kill them and not take their money — "I shall fill my soul with them." Re those who said: Let us kill them and take their money — "My hand shall impoverish them." With five things (i.e., utterances) did Pharaoh stand and blaspheme in the midst of the land of Egypt, viz. "The foe (Pharaoh) said: I shall pursue (and) I shall overtake; I shall divide spoil; My soul shall be filled with them; I shall empty my sword; My hand shall impoverish them." And, corresponding to these, the Holy Spirit responded, viz.: "You blew with Your breath … they plummeted like lead in the mighty waters; Your right hand, O L rd breaks the foe; and in the greatness of Your grandeur, You destroy those who rise up against You; You send forth Your wrath — it consumes them as stubble; You inclined Your right hand — the earth swallowed them up." An analogy: A renegade stands and blasphemes behind the king's palace: If I find the king's son, I will seize him and slay him. I will impale him and kill him with a terrible death. Thus Pharaoh stood and blasphemed in the land of Egypt: I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide spoil. And the Holy Spirit mocks him and says: "You blew with your breath" — "the sea covered them"; "you inclined your right hand" — "the earth swallowed them." And thus is it written (Psalms 2:1) "Why do the nations rage … (4) The Dweller in the heavens shall laugh", (Ibid. 59:8) "They spout with their mouths … (9) You, O L rd, will laugh at them." And it is written (Ezekiel 38:18) "And it will be on this day, on the day that Gog comes against the land of Israel .. (20) the fishes of the sea will quake before Me." All of those thousands and ten thousands plummeted like lead. (Exodus 15:10) "in the mighty waters": Four are called "mighty": The Holy One Blessed be He — (Psalms 93:4) "Mighty on high is the L rd"; Israel — (Ibid. 16:3) "the mighty, the object of all My desire"; Egypt — (Ezekiel 32:18) "and the daughters of the mighty nations (Egypt)"; and the waters — "They plummeted like lead in the mighty waters."

R. Chanina said: "Ben David will not come until such a time when a piece of fish will be sought for a sick one, and it will not be found, as it is said (Ez. 32, 14) Then will I make clear their waters, and cause their rivers to flow like oil. And there is also another verse (Ib. 29, 21) On that day will I cause to grow a horn for the house of Israel, and unto thee will I open the mouth in the midst of them." R. Chama b. Chanina said: "Ben David will not appear until even the slightest trace of tyranny against Israel will be removed, as it is said (Is. 18, 5) He will both cut off the tendrils with pruning-knives, and the sprigs he will remove and cut down." And thereafter, it is written, At that time shall be brought as a present unto the Lord of Hosts a people pulled and torn." And Zera, in the name of R. Chanina said: "Ben David will not come until the presumptuous men of Isarel will cease to exist, as it is said (Zeph. 3, 11) For then will I remove out of the midst of thee, those that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt never more be haughty again on My mount. And thereafter it is written, I will leave, remaining in the midst of thee, a humble and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord." R. Simlai said, in the name of R. Elazar b. Simon: "Ben David will not come unless there will cease to be judges and officers of Israel, as it is said (Is. 1, 25) And I will turn My hand against thee, and purge as with lye thy dross, and remove all thy tin. And I will restore thy judges as at first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning, etc."

(Numb. 23:4:) “Then God encountered Balaam.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “You evil man! What are you doing?” (Ibid., cont.:) “And [Balaam] said unto him, ‘I have prepared the seven altars [and offered a ram and a bull on each altar].’” [The matter] is comparable to a money-changer who lies about the weights. When the head of the marketplace came, he noticed him. He said to him, “What are you doing inflating and lying about the weights?” [The money changer then] said to him, “I have already sent a gift⁴⁶Gk.: doron. to your house.” So also it was in the case of Balaam. The holy spirit cried out to him. It said to him, “You evil man! What are you doing.” He said to it (in Numb. 23:4), “I have prepared the seven altars [and offered a ram and a bull on each altar].” It said to him (in Prov. 15:17), “’Better a meal of vegetable greens [where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred in it].’ Better the dinner of unleavened bread and bitter herbs which Israel ate in Egypt, than bulls which you offer with hands of [hatred].” (Numb. 23:5:) “So the Lord put a word (davar) in Balaam's mouth,” which twisted his mouth and pierced it,⁴⁷Both “twisted” and “pierced” connote the use of a bit on a horse. as one would drive a nail into a board. R. Eliezer (understanding davar as word) says, “An angel was speaking.” But R. Joshua says, “[It was] the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated, (in Numb. 23:5), “Return unto Balak and speak thus.” (Numb. 23:6:) “So he returned unto him, and there he was standing beside his burnt offerings with all the ministers of Moab,” who stood anxiously awaiting [the time] when he would come and speak. (Numb. 23:7:) “So he took up his theme and said, ‘From Aram, Balak the king of Moab has brought me, from the hills of the east.’” I was one of the exalted ones,⁴⁸Ramim. The midrash links this word with ARAM in Numb. 23:7. but Balak has brought me down to the pit of corruption.⁴⁹Numb. R. 20:19; also above, Lev. 5:1 and the notes there. (Ibid.:) “Brought me (yanheni, rt.: nhh),” [is to be understood] just as you say (in Ezek. 32:18), “bring (rt.: nhh) the masses of Egypt [and cast them down… unto the lowest part of the netherworld along with those who go down to the pit].”⁵⁰Thus Numb. 23:7 comes to mean that Balak BROUGHT (rt.: NHH) Balaam down to the grave. The unusual Biblical translation is necessary to fit the sense of the midrash. Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:7), “From Aram.” I was with the highest (ram) of the high, and Balak has brought me down from my glory. [The matter] is comparable to one who was walking with the king. When he saw [some] robbers,⁵¹Gk.: lestai. he left the king and toured along with the robbers. When he returned to be with the king, the king said to him, “Go with whomever you have toured with, because it not possible for you to walk with me again.” Similarly Balaam had been bound to the holy spirit. When he paired himself with Balak, the holy spirit departed from him. So he returned to being a diviner as in the beginning. Thus it is stated (at his execution in Josh. 13:22), “Balaam ben Beor the diviner….” Therefore did he say, “I was high up (ram), and Balak brought me down.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:7), “From Aram, Balak the king of Moab has brought me, from the hills of the east.” [Balaam] said to [Balak], “We are alike, even both of us, for being ungrateful, because were it not for our father Abraham, there would have been no Balak. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 19:29), ‘And it came to pass that when God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot away.’ Except for Abraham, he would not have delivered Lot from Sodom; and you are one of the children of the children of Lot.⁵²As a Moabite, Balak was descended from Moab, the son of Lot. See Gen. 19:37. Moreover, if it were not for their father Jacob, I should not have been present in the world, because Laban had sons only through the merit of Jacob, since it is written at the beginning (in Gen. 29:9), ‘Rachel came with the sheep.’ Now if he had sons, how was his daughter a shepherdess? As soon as Jacob came there, sons were given to him, as stated (in Gen. 31:1), ‘Now he heard the things that Laban's sons [were saying].’⁵³Jewish tradition gives three views on Balaam’s relation to Laban: That he was Laban himself, that he was Laban’s nephew, and that he was Laban’s grandson. See Ginzberg, vol. III, p. 354; vol.. V, p. 303, n. 229; vol. VI, pp. 123f., nn. 722f.; p. 130, n. 764. And it also says [that Laban said] (in Gen. 30:27), ‘I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.’ So if it were not for their ancestors, you and I would not have been present in the world”. (Numb. 23:7, cont.:) “Come, curse Jacob for me.” Whoever curses the Children of Jacob is cursing himself, since it is stated (in Gen. 12:3), “and the one who curses you, I will curse.” It also says (in Gen. 27:29), “cursed be those who curse you,⁵⁴See above, Gen. 6:16. and blessed be those who bless you.” (Numb. 23:7:) “Come, curse [Jacob] for me.” If you had told me to curse another people, for example, the Children of Abraham from the concubines, I would have been able [to do so]. But Jacob? When a king selects a portion for himself, and someone else gets up and speaks disparagingly about it, will he keep his life? Now these people are the Holy One, blessed be He’s, heritage, His portion, and His treasure. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 32:9), “For the Lord's share is His people; Jacob the portion of His heritage.” And it is written (in Exod. 19:5), “and you shall be My treasure.” (Numb. 23:7, cont.:) “And come, denounce Israel.” When a king takes a crown and puts it on his head, and someone says of it that it is nothing, will he keep his life? Now in regard to these people it is written about them (in Is. 49:3), “Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” (Numb. 23:8:) “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” When they deserved to be cursed, they were not cursed, when Jacob went in to receive the blessings. It is written (in Gen. 27:16), “Then [she clothed his arms and the hairless part of his neck] with the skins of goat kids.” His father said to him (in Gen. 27:18), “Who are you?” He said to him (in vs. 19), “I am Esau, your first-born.” Does not the one who puts forth a lie with his mouth deserve to be cursed? Yet not only [was he not cursed], but he was blessed; as stated (in Gen. 27:33), “he shall also be blessed.” So how do I curse them? (In the words of Numb. 23:8) “God has not cursed.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:8), “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” According to universal custom, when a legion⁵⁵Lat.: legio. rebels against the king, it incurs the penalty of death. Now since these denied and revolted against Him, when they said to the calf (in Exod. 32:4), “This is your God, O Israel,” did they not, therefore, deserve to have Him destroy them at that time? [Still] He did not cease to cherish them. Instead He had clouds of glory accompany them. Nor did He withhold the manna and the well from them. And so it says (in Neh. 9:18-20), “Even though they had made themselves a molten calf […], You in Your great mercies did not abandon them in the desert […]; and You did not withhold Your manna from their mouth […].” How can I curse them? This [question] is related (to Numb. 23:8), “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” When He commanded them concerning the blessings and the curses, He mentioned them (as the people) in connection with the blessings where it is stated (in Deut. 27:12), “These shall stand [on Mount Gerizim] for blessing the people;” but He did not mention them in connection with the curses. Thus it is stated (in vs. 13), “And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse.” Moreover, when they sin and He plans to bring a curse upon them, it is not written that He Himself is bringing them (i.e., the curses); but with respect to the blessings, He Himself is blessing them; for so it says (in Deut. 28:1, 8), “And it shall come to pass that, if you diligently obey […], the Lord your God will set you high [over all the nations of the earth]. The Lord will command the blessing to be with you.” But with respect to the curses, it is written (according to Deut. 28:15), “And it shall come to pass that, if you do not obey […], then [all these curses] shall come upon you,” [i.e.,] of their own accord. Ergo (in Numb. 23:8), “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” (Numb. 23:9:) “For from the top of the rocks I see him,” in order to make the hatred of that evil man (i.e., Balaam) known to you. As from his blessing you may know his thoughts. To what is he comparable? To someone who came to chop down a tree. One who is not an expert chops off the branches one at a time and becomes tired, but the clever one exposes the roots and [then] chops it down. Similarly that wicked man said, “How shall I curse each and every tribe? Rather I will go to their roots.” When he came to touch them, he found them hard [to cut]. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 23:9), “For from the top of the rocks I see him.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:9), “For from the top of the rocks,” these are the patriarchs; (ibid., cont.) “and from the hills I behold him,” these are the matriarchs. (Numb. 23:9, cont.:) “Here is a people dwelling alone.” When He makes them rejoice, no nation rejoices along with them. Rather they are all afflicted, [as stated (in Deut. 32:12),] “The Lord alone did lead him, and there was no foreign god with him.” (Numb. 23:9, cont.:), “And they shall not be reckoned (rt.: hshb) among the nations.” But when the nations are rejoicing in this world, they (i.e., the Children of Israel) eat with each and every kingdom, and no one is charging [such pleasures] against their account (rt: hshb).⁵⁶In other words the pleasures that Israel enjoys in this world are not to be deducted from their pleasures in the world to come. It is so stated (in Numb. 23:9, cont.), “and they shall not be reckoned (rt.: hshb) among the nations.” (Numb. 23:10:) “Who has counted the dust of Jacob?” Who is able to count the commandments which they carry out upon the dust: (In Deut. 22:10,) “You shall not plow with an ox and an ass together”; (in Deut. 22:9,) “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed”; (in Numb. 19:9,) “Then someone clean shall gather the ashes of the heifer”; (in Numb. 5:17,) “[Then the high priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel] and some of the dust which is on the floor of the tabernacle”; (in Lev. 19:23,) “[Moreover, when you come into the land and plant any tree for food, you shall count its fruit as forbidden,] three years it shall be forbidden to you, [it shall not be eaten]”; and so on with all of them. (Numb. 23:10, cont.:) “Or numbered the sand (rb') of Israel,” [i.e.,] their copulations (rt.: rb').⁵⁷For this interpretation, cf. Nid. 31a. Who can number the masses⁵⁸Gk.: ochloi. that have emerged from them, from those women who seize on and cherish the commandments (of procreation), as stated (in Gen. 30:15), “But she said to her, ‘Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband?’” [And so too (in Gen. 30:3, 9),] “Here is my maid Bilhah; go into her.” “When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, [she took her maidservant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife].” [And so too (in Gen. 16:3),] “So Abraham's wife Sarai took her maidservant Hagar the Egyptian… [and gave her to her husband Abraham as a wife].” (Numb. 23:10, cont.:) “Let me die the death of the upright.” The matter is comparable to a butcher who came to slaughter a cow that belonged to a king. The king began to take notice. When [the butcher] realized [what was happening], he began by discarding the knife, then giving [the cow] a rubdown [and] filling the feeding trough for it. He began to say, “Let my life be forfeit for coming to slaughter it; but observe that I have [now given it sustenance].” Similarly Balaam said, “Let my life be forfeit for coming to curse, but I will bless [them].” Ergo (in Numb. 23:10), “let me die the death of the upright!”

(Fol. 104) On the day that Rabbi died the Rabbis proclaimed a day of fast and prayers. They also said: "Whoever should announce the mournful fact that Rabbi is dead should be killed with a sword." The servant of Rabbi went upon the roof and said thus: "Up in Heaven Rabbi is demanded, and down on the earth Rabbi is demanded. May it be the will that those here below should conquer those above." As soon as she noticed that Rabbi had so much pain, in taking off his phylacteriss and putting them on again, she said: "May it be the will that those above should conquer those below." The Rabbis, however, did not stop from offering prayers for his health, so the servant took a dish, and threw it down from the roof, causing the Rabbis to stop from offering prayers. At that moment Rabbi died. The Rabbis then said to Bar Kapara: "Go, find out what his condition is." The latter went and found that he was dead. He tore his clothes and turned them behind, and began saying: "Mortals and angels long have striven the tables of the covenant to gain, each champion to defeat now driven, weep for the treasures, that no more remain." At the moment when Rabbi was dying he lifted up his ten fingers and said: "Sovereign of the Universe, it is known and revealed to Thee that with my ten fingers I have labored unceasingly in the law, and did not enjoy the worldly profit in so much as my little finger. May it therefore please Thee that there may be peace in my rest!" Whereupon a Heavenly voice went forth and said (Is. 57, 2) He shall come to his father in peace: they shall repose in their resting place. It should have been said, in thy resting place. This will support the opinion of R. Chiya b. Gamda, who quoted R. Josi b. Saul: "In the moment when the righteous takes leave of the world, the ministering angels say before the Holy One, praised be He! 'Sovereign of the Universe, the righteous is coming to us.' Whereupon He says: 'Let the righteous go out to meet him, and greet him that he shall come in peace, and they shall repose in their resting place.' " R. Elazar said: "At the moment when the righteous takes leave of the world three groups of ministering angels are sent out to meet him. One group says: Came in peace. The other group says: Everyone that walketh in his uprightness. The third group says: He shall come in peace, they repose in their resting place. But, at the moment when a wicked is destroyed from the world, three groups of destroying angels go out to meet him. One says (Ib. 48, 22) There is no peace saith the Lord unto the wicked. The second one says (Ib. 50, 11) In pains shall ye lie down, and the third one says (Ez. 32, 32) Go down and be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised."

(ibid.:) BROUGHT ME (yanheni, rt.: NHH) <is to be understood> just as you say (in Ezek. 32:18): BRING (rt.: NHH) THE MASSES OF EGYPT AND CAST THEM DOWN … <UNTO THE LOWEST PART OF THE NETHERWORLD ALONG WITH THOSE WHO GO DOWN TO THE PIT>.⁶¹Thus Numb. 23:7 comes to mean that Balak BROUGHT (rt.: NHH) Balaam down to the grave. The unusual biblical translation is necessary to fit the sense of the midrash.

Circumcision is so precious to the Holy One, blessed be He, that He assured Abraham that no one who had been circumcised would descend unto Gehenna, as it is said: In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying: “Unto thy seed I have given this land” (ibid. 15:18). Who will descend to Gehenna? The verse that follows informs us that the Kenites, the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, etc., will descend into Gehenna, since they were all uncircumcised. Ezekiel observed the uncircumcised descending to Gehenna, as it is said: Son of man, wail for the multitudes of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, with the daughters of the mighty nations, unto the nether parts of the earth…. go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword…. Asshur is there and all her company … There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude; all round about her are her graves; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword (Ezek. 32:18–30).

19 (Numb. 23:7) “So he took up his theme and said, ‘From Aram, Balak the king of Moab has brought me, from the hills of the east.’” I was one of the exalted ones,³¹Ramim. The midrash links this word with ARAM in Numb. 23:7. but Balak has brought me down to the pit of corruption. (Ibid.) “Brought me (yanheni, rt.: nhh),” [is to be understood] just as you say (in Ezek. 32:18), “bring (rt.: nhh) the masses of Egypt [and cast them down [… unto the lowest part of the netherworld along with those who go down to the pit].”³²Thus Numb. 23:7 comes to mean that Balak BROUGHT (rt.: NHH) Balaam down to the grave. The unusual Biblical translation is necessary to fit the sense of the midrash. Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:7), “From Aram”: I was with the highest (ram) of the high, and Balak has brought me down from my glory. [The matter] is comparable to one who was walking with the king. When he saw [some] robbers,³³Gk.: lestai. he left the king and toured along with the robbers. When he returned to be with the king, the king said to him, “Go with whomever you have toured with, because it not possible for you to walk with me again.” Similarly Balaam had been bound to the holy spirit. When he paired himself with Balak, the holy spirit departed from him. So he returned to being a diviner as in the beginning. Thus it is stated (at his execution in Josh. 13:22), “Balaam ben Beor the diviner….” Therefore did he yell out, “I was high up (ram), and Balak brought me down.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:7), “From Aram, he has brought me”: [Balaam] said to [Balak], “We are alike, even both of us, for being ungrateful, because were it not for their father Abraham, there would have been no Balak. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 19:29), ‘And it came to pass that when God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot away.’ Except for Abraham, he would not have delivered Lot from Sodom; and you are one of the children of the children of Lot.³⁴As a Moabite, Balak was descended from Moab, the son of Lot. See Gen. 19:37. Moreover, if it were not for their father Jacob, I should not have been present in the world, because Laban had sons only through the merit of Jacob, since it is written at the beginning (in Gen. 29:9), ‘Rachel came with the sheep.’ Now if he had sons, how was his daughter a shepherdess? As soon as Jacob came there, sons were given to him, as stated (in Gen. 31:1), ‘Now he heard the things that Laban's sons [were saying].’³⁵Jewish tradition gives three views on Balaam’s relation to Laban: That he was Laban himself, that he was Laban’s nephew, and that he was Laban’s grandson. See Ginzberg, vol. III, p. 354; vol.. V, p. 303, n. 229; vol. VI, pp. 123f., nn. 722f.; p. 130, n. 764. And it also says [that Laban said] (in Gen. 30:27), ‘I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.’” (Numb. 23:7, cont.) “Come, curse Jacob for me”: Whoever curses [the Children of Jacob] is cursing himself, since it is stated (in Gen. 12:3), “and the one who curses you, I will curse.” It also says (in Gen. 27:29), “cursed be those who curse you.” (Numb. 23:7) “Come, curse [Jacob] for me […].” If you had told me to curse another people, for example, the Children of Abraham and Isaac, I would have been able [to do so]. But Jacob? When a king selects a portion for himself, and someone else gets up and speaks disparagingly about it, will he keep his life? Now these people are the Holy One, blessed be He’s, heritage, His portion, and His treasure. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 32:9), “For the Lord's share is His people; Jacob the portion of His heritage.” And it is written (in Exod. 19:5), “and you shall be My treasure.” (Numb. 23:7, cont.) “And come, denounce Israel:” When a king takes a crown and puts it on his head, and someone says of it that it is nothing, will he keep his life? Now in regard to these people it is written about them (in Is. 49:3), “Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” (Numb. 23:8) “How shall I curse [the one] whom God has not cursed”: When they deserved to be cursed, they were not cursed: When Jacob went in to receive the blessings, he went it with deception. As it is written (in Gen. 27:16), “[Then she clothed his arms and the hairless part of his neck] with the skins of goat kids.” His father said to him (in Gen. 27:18), “Who are you?” He said to him (in vs. 19), “I am Esau, your first-born.” Does not the one who puts forth a lie with his mouth deserve to be cursed? Yet not only [was he not cursed], but he was blessed; as stated (in Gen. 27:33), “he shall also be blessed.” So how do I curse them? (In the words of Numb. 23:8) “God has not cursed.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:8), “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” According to universal custom, when a legion³⁶Lat.: legio. rebels against the king, it incurs the penalty of death. Now since these denied and revolted against Him, when they said [about the calf] (in Exod. 32:4), “This is your god, O Israel,” was it not necessary to have Him destroy them at that time? [Still] He did not cease to cherish them. Instead He had clouds of glory accompany them. Nor did He withhold the manna and the well from them. And so it says (in Exod. 32:4), “When they made a molten calf,” (in Neh. 9:18-20), “You in Your great mercies did not abandon them in the desert […]; and You did not withhold Your manna from their mouth […].” How can I curse them? (Numb. 23:8) “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed” When He commanded them concerning the blessings and the curses, He mentioned them (as the people) in connection with the blessings where it is stated (in Deut. 27:12), “These shall stand [on Mount Gerizim] for blessing the people;” but He did not mention them in connection with the curses. Thus it is stated (in vs. 13), “And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse.” Moreover, when they sin and He plans to bring a curse upon them, it is not written that He Himself is bringing them (i.e., the curses); but with respect to the blessings, He Himself is blessing them; for so it says (in Deut. 28:1, 8), “And it shall come to pass that, if you diligently obey […], the Lord your God will set you high [over all the nations of the earth]. The Lord will command the blessing to be with you.” But with respect to the curses, it is written (according to Deut. 28:15), “And it shall come to pass that, if you do not obey […], then [all these curses] shall come upon you,” [i.e.,] of their own accord. Ergo (in Numb. 23:8), “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” (Numb. 23:9) “For from the top of the rocks I see him,” in order to make the hatred of that evil man (i.e., Balaam) known to you. As from his blessing you may know his thoughts. To what is he comparable? To someone who came to chop down a tree. One who is not an expert chops off the branches one at a time and becomes tired, but the clever one exposes the roots and [then] chops it down. Similarly that wicked man said, “Why shall I curse each and every tribe? Rather I will go to their roots.” When he came to touch them, he found them hard [to cut]. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 23:9), “For from the top of the rocks I see him.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:9): “For from the top of the rocks,” these are the patriarchs; (ibid., cont.) “and from the hills I behold him,” these are the matriarchs. (Numb. 23:9, cont.) “Here is a people dwelling alone”: When He makes them rejoice, no nation rejoices along with them. But when the nations are rejoicing in this world, they (i.e., the Children of Israel) eat with each and every kingdom, and no one is charging [such pleasures] against their account (rt: hshb).³⁷In other words the pleasures that Israel enjoys in this world are not to be deducted from their pleasures in the world to come. It is so stated (in Numb. 23:9, cont.), “and they shall not be reckoned (rt.: hshb) among the nations.” (Numb. 23:10) “Who has counted the dust of Jacob”: Who is able to count the commandments which they carry out upon the dust: (In Deut. 22:10,) “You shall not plow with an ox and an ass”; (in Deut. 22:9,) “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed”; (in Numb. 19:9,) “Then someone clean shall gather the ashes of the heifer”; (in Numb. 5:17,) “[Then the high priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel] and some of the dust which is on the floor of the tabernacle”; (in Lev. 19:23,) “[Moreover, when you come into the land and plant any tree for food, you shall count its fruit as forbidden,] three years it shall be forbidden to you, [it shall not be eaten]”; and so on with all of them. (Numb. 23:10, cont.) “Or numbered the sand (rb') of Israel,” [i.e.,] their copulations (rt.: rb')³⁸For this interpretation, cf. Nid. 31a. Who can number the masses³⁹Gk.: ochloi. that have emerged from them, from those women who seize on and cherish the commandments (of procreation), as stated (in Gen. 30:15), “But she said to her, ‘Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband?’” [And so too (in Gen. 30:3, 9),] “Here is my maid Bilhah; go into her.” “When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, [she took her maidservant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife].” [And so too (in Gen. 16:3),] “So Abraham's wife Sarai took her maidservant Hagar the Egyptian… [and gave her to her husband Abraham as a wife].” (Numb. 23:10, cont.) “Let me die the death of the upright”: The matter is comparable to a butcher who came to slaughter a cow that belonged to a king. The king began to take notice. When [the butcher] realized [what was happening], he began by discarding the knife, then giving [the cow] a rubdown [and] filling the feeding trough for it. He began to say, “Let my life be forfeit for coming to slaughter it; but observe that I have [now given it sustenance].” Similarly Balaam said, “Let my life be forfeit for coming to curse, but I will bless [them].” Ergo (in Numb. 23:10), “let me die the death of the upright!” (Numb. 23:14) “So he took him to the Field of Zophim at the top of Pisgah”: He saw that [Israel would be] breached there, for it was there that Moses died, as stated (in Deut. 3:27), “Go up to the top of Pisgah …, [for you shall not cross over this Jordan].” Is there a breach greater than this? What he saw was through divinations, and he was of the opinion that because of him they would fall there.

(Bamidbar 12:6) "And He said: Hear, I pray you ("na"), My words": "Na" is a term of imploration. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If He who spoke and brought the world into being speaks (thus) with the terrestrial creatures, how much more so flesh and blood (speaking to one another)! R. Shimon b. Yochai says: What is the intent of "Hear, I pray you, My words"? They wished to enter into the words of the L-rd, whereupon He asked them to wait until He had finished. How much more so should one not enter into the words of his neighbor, (who may thereby lose his "train of thought.") (Ibid.) "If there be prophets (among you), 'the L-rd' (i.e., the immanence of My name) I invest him with in a vision; in a dream I speak to him." — But perhaps, just as I speak with the prophets in a dream and a vision, so I speak with Moses. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 7) "Not so, My servant Moses. In all of My household, he (alone) is to be trusted": aside from the ministering angels. R. Yossi says: even more than the ministering angels. (Ibid. 8) "Mouth to mouth I spoke to him": Mouth to mouth I told him to separate from his wife. (Ibid.) "and in (clear) revelation": This refers to the revelation of His words. You say: the revelation of his words; but perhaps (it refers to) the revelation of the Shechinah. It is, therefore, (to negate this) written (Shemot 33:20) "You shall not be able to see My face, for no man can see My face and live." R. Akiva says: "no man" — literally. "and live" (i.e., "and the live ones"): This refers to the ministering angels, who live forever (i.e., They, too, cannot see His face.) R. Shimon says: I do not rule out the words of my master; I add to them, viz.: "and live": Even the holy creatures, who bear the throne (of glory), do not see the glory. R. Elazar b. R. Yossi says: Not only do they not see it, they do not even know where it is, as it is written (Ezekiel 2:12) "Then a spirit lifted me and I heard behind me a sound of great tumult. Blessed is the glory of the L-rd from His place" (wherever it may be). R. Dossa says: "For a man will not see Me vachai": "When he lives" ("vachai") he cannot see Me, but he sees Me when he dies. And thus is it written (Psalms 22:20) "Before Him shall bow down all who go down to dust, whose spirit does not live." (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "and not in riddles": What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Ezekiel 17:2) "Son of man, propound a riddle," then just as I speak to the prophets in riddles, I (sometimes) speak to Moses in riddles; it is, therefore, written "and not in riddles." (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "and the configuration of the L-rd does he behold." This is a vision of His "back." You say it is a vision of His back, but perhaps it is a vision of His "face." It is, therefore, written (Shemot 33:23) "And I will remove My hand and you will see My back, but My face will not be seen." Moses sought to understand the ways of the Holy One Blessed be He — whereupon He said to him: "and you will see My back, etc.": My ways in the world to come, I will reveal to you; but, as to My ways in this world — "You shall not be able to see My face," as it is written (Ezekiel 2:10) "And He spread it (the scroll in the "hand" of G-d) before me, and it was written face and back." Now don't even the light-minded and commoners do this, writing face and back? Why mention it then? (The intent is:) "face" — (what transpires) in this world; "back" — (what transpires) in the world to come. "face" — the serenity of the righteous and the affliction of the wicked in this world; "back" — the reward of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked in the world to come. (Ezekiel, Ibid.) "and written upon it were "kinnim, hegeh, and hi": "kinnim" — the afflictions of the righteous in this world, viz. (Ibid. 32:16) "This is a kinah (a dirge) and intone it"; "hegeh" — the reward of the righteous in the world to come, viz. (Psalms 92:4) "(Rejoice) on an assor (a ten-stringed instrument), on a psaltery, on higayon (like 'hegeh') and harp"; "and hi" — the punishment of the wicked in the world to come, viz. (Ezekiel 7:26) "hoveh (like 'hi') upon hoveh shall come." (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "And why did you not fear to speak against My servant, against Moses": Let it not be written "against My servant." (The intent is) that in speaking against Moses, it is as if You have spoken against Me. (for he is "My servant"). An analogy: A king had a governor in a province, and the people speak against him. The king says to them: You have not spoken against My servant, but against Me! And if you say (that you are not speaking against Me), but that I do not know his (evil) ways, this (i.e., to say that I am ignorant of his ways) is even worse than your first (offense)!

(Bamidbar 15:30) "And the soul who acts with a high hand": This is one who perverts the Torah, like Menasheh ben Chezkiah, who would sit and cast ridicule in the face of the L-rd, saying (for example): He should not have written in the Torah (Bereshit 30:14) "And Reuven went in the days of the wheat harvest." And He should not have written (Ibid. 36:22) "And the sister of Lotan was Timna." Of one such as he it is written in the Tradition (Psalms 50:20) "You sit and speak against your brother; you cast ridicule against your mother. These you have done and I have kept silent. You thought I was one such as you": (i.e.), you thought that perhaps as the ways of flesh and blood are the ways of the L-rd. (Ibid.) "I will reprove you and set (them) forth before your eyes." And of one such as he, Isaiah writes in the tradition (Isaiah 5:18) "Woe unto those who pull transgressions to themselves with strands of deceit, and sin as with the ropes of a wagon": In the beginning, sin is like the strands of a spider's web, and, in the end, sin is as ("stout" as) wagon ropes. Rebbi says: If a man does one mitzvah lishmah (for the sake of Heaven), let him rejoice not only in that mitzvah alone; for in the end, it will "pull along" many mitzvoth. And if a man commits one transgression, let him not despond over it alone, for in the end, it will pull along many transgressions. For mitzvah "tows" mitzvah, and transgression, transgression. (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "It is the L-rd whom he blasphemes (megadef)." R. Eliezer b. Azaryah says: As a man would say to his neighbor: "You have scraped out the dish (of food) and 'scraped' ('megaref,' similar to 'megadef') the 'dish' itself." (i.e., this is the ultimate insult). Issi b. Akiva says: As one would say to his neighbor: "You have scraped out the entire dish and left nothing in it." (Ibid.) "and that soul will be cut off": "cutting-off" connotes cessation (of the family line, i.e., he will be childless). "that soul": who acts deliberately. "from the midst of its people": but its people will remain at peace. (Ibid. 31) "For the word of the L-rd he has despised": This is a Sadducee. "and His commandment he has broken": This is a heretic. Variantly: "For the word of the L-rd he has despised": This is one who distorts the Torah. "and His commandment he has broken": This is one who breaks the covenant of the flesh (circumcision, i.e., one who does not circumcise his sons.) From here R. Elazar Hamodai said: One who desecrates the offerings, and cheapens the festivals, and breaks the covenant (of circumcision) of our father Abraham — even if he has performed many mitzvoth, it were best to "thrust" him from the world! Variantly: "For the word of the L-rd he has despised": this is one who says there is no Torah from Heaven. And even if he says: The entire Torah is from the mouth of the Holy One (except for) this thing that Moses said on his own — And even if he said: The entire Torah I accept, except for this inference, this kal vachomer (a fortiori argument) — this is "For the word of the L-rd he has despised." Variantly: "For the word of the L-rd he has despised": This is one who learns, but does not teach others. R. Nechemiah says: This is one who is able to learn but does not. R. Nathan said: This is one who paid no heed at all to words of Torah. R. Yishmael says: The verse speaks of idolatry, as it is written "For the word of the L-rd he has despised" — the first commandment of the Omnipotent One — (Shemot 20:2-3) "I am the L-rd your G-d … There shall be unto you no other gods before Me." (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "cut off shall be cut off": "cut off" — in this world; "shall be cut off" — in the world to come. These are the words of R. Akiva. R. Yishmael says: But is it not already written (Ibid. 30) "It is the L-rd whom he blasphemes; and that soul shall be cut off'? Are there three worlds? Rather, "and that soul shall be cut off" — in this world. "cut off" — in the world to come. "cut off shall be cut off" — Torah speaks in the language of man. (Ibid. 31) "its transgression is in it": All who die are atoned for by death; but this one, "its transgression is in it." As it is written (Ezekiel 32:27) "And their transgressions shall be upon their bones." — Even if they have repented? — It is, therefore, written (when) "its transgression is in it," and not when he has repented. Similarly, (Devarim 32:5) "They have corrupted themselves — not His children — their blemish" — When their blemish is in them, they are not His children. When their blemish is not in them, they are His children. R. Yishmael says: "its transgression is in it": What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Shemot 20:5) "He visits the iniquity of the fathers upon sons," I might think that (the father's sin of) idolatry, too, is visited upon sons "until the third and fourth generation"; it is, therefore, written (here, in respect to idolatry) "its transgression is in it" — in it (the soul of the doer) the transgression inheres, and it is not visited upon the sons, and not on the third and on the fourth generation. R. Nathan says: This ("its transgression is in it") is a good sign for a man, (indicating) that his transgressions are exacted of him after his death, (so that he may merit life in the world to come.) If a dead one is not eulogized or buried, or if he is eaten by an animal, or if rain descended upon it — this is a good sign, (indicating that his transgressions are being exacted of him after his death.) And even though there is no (Scriptural) proof for this, it is intimated in (Jeremiah 8:1-2) "At that time, says the L-rd, they will remove the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of its officers … And they will spread them out under the sun and the moon, etc." R. Shimon b. Elazar said: From here ("its transgression is in it") I have exposed (as false) the books of the Samaritans. For they say: The dead do not live — whereupon I said to them: But it is written "That soul shall be cut off; its transgression is in it." Let this not be stated (i.e., What purpose does it serve?) — It indicates that it (the soul) is destined to give an accounting on the day of judgment.

Variantly: "When the Most High caused nations to inherit": When the Lord caused the nations to inherit the world, he apportioned to them the purgatory, as it says (Ezekiel 32:23-30) "Assyria is there with all her company ... Elam and all her masses ... all the princes of the north and all the Sidonians are there". And who will receive the wealth and honor of all these? Israel! Therefore it states "He set the bounds of the peoples".