Midrasch zu Bereschit 25:24

It is taught that Abba Benjamin says: "I was always sorry for two things, that my prayer should be in front of my bed, and my bed should be placed between the north and the south." My prayer should be in front of my bed. What is meant by 'in front of my bed'? Shall I say it means to pray near the bed? Has not R. Juda said in the name of Rab, and according to others it was R. Joshua b. Levi who said: "Whence do we learn that he who prays shall have nothing between him and the wall? It is said (Is. 38, 2.) Then did Hezekiah turn his face to the wall, and prayed unto the Lord." [Hence we see, that a man ought not to pray before his bed.] Do not say 'Before the bed,' but say 'Immediately after rising.' And what does he mean by 'My bed shall be placed between the north and the south'? This refers to what R. Chama the son of R. Chanina and according to others R. Isaac said: "He who places his bed between the south and the north will have male children; as it is said (Ps. 17, 14.) And whose belly thou fillest with thy hidden treasury they will be satisfied with sons." Rab. Nachman b. Isaac said: "It will also prevent his wife from having a mis-carriage; for it is written here. Thou fillest their belly, and it is written there (Gen. 25, 24.) And when her days to he delivered were fulfilled." It was taught that Abba Benjamin says: "Two entered the synagogue to pray; one of them finished his prayer first and went out without waiting for his friend; will his prayer be torn to pieces, as it is said (Job 18, 4.) He teareth himself in his anger: shall for thy sake the earth be forsaken? And moreover he causes [by his action] the Shechina to depart from Israel, as it is said (Ib. ib. ib.) And shall the Tzur move away out of His place? And the word Tzur, refers only to the Holy One, praised be He! as it is said (Deu. 32, 18.) Of the Rock (Tzur) that begot thee thou wast unmindful." And if he waits for his friend what shall his reward be? (Fol. 6a) R. Jose the son of R. Chanina said: "He will be worthy of the following blessings which are said (Is. 48, 18.) Oh, that thou hadst but listened to my commandments! Then would have been as a river thy piece. and as the waves of the sea, thy prosperity." We are taught that Abba Benjamin says: "The prayers of men are not heard [by God] save only when they come from the synagogue, for it is written (I Kin. 8, 28.) To listen, unto the song of Thy praise and unto Thy prayer, i.e., in the place where songs of praise are said, there should be the place of prayer." Rabin b. R. Ada said in the name of R. Isaac: "Whence do we learn that God frequents the synagogue? It is said (Ps. 82, 1.) God standeth in the Congregation of God; whence do we learn that when ten men are praying together the Sheehina rests with them? It is said (Ib.) God standeth in the congregation of God; whence do we learn that when three are sitting and discharging judgment, the Sheehina rests with them? It is said (Ib.) In the midst doth He judge. And whence do we learn that when two are sitting together and studying the Torah. the Sheehina is with them? It is said (Malachi 3, 16.) Then conversed they that feared the Lord, one with another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and there was written a book of remembrance before him for those who feared the Lord and for those who respect his name." What should be understood by the words. And for those who respect His name? R. Ashi said: "Even when one intended to observe a commandment but was accidentally prevented from doing so, it is credited to him as if he had actually observed it." And whence do we learn that even if one sits and studies the Torah, the Sheehina is with him? It is said (Ex. 20, 24.) In every place where I shall permit my name to be mentioned, I will come unto thee and I will bless thee. Now let us see, since we know that the Sheehina is even with one, why is it necessary to infer that it rests with two? Because if two study together the Sheehina inscribes their words in the book of remembrances; for one, however, it does not inscribe his words in the book of remembrances. Since we know that when two study, the Sheehina is with them, why do we need any inference for three? Because we should not think that discharging judgment is merely bringing peace and nothing else, and the Sheehina therefore is not with them. It informs us then that discharging judgment is as important as the Torah: and since we know that the Sheehina is with three, why do we need the inference concerning ten? Because in the case of ten people, the Sheehina precedes, but for three, the Sheehina does not appear until the three are together.

What is written above on the matter (in Gen. 38:13-14)? AND IT WAS TOLD TO TAMAR, SAYING: < HERE IS YOUR FATHER-IN-LAW COMING >…. SO SHE PUT HER WIDOW'S CLOTHES OFF [FROM HER] AND COVERED HERSELF WITH A VEIL. < THEN, HAVING WRAPPED HERSELF, SHE SAT DOWN AT THE ENTRANCE TO ENAIM >. Two women covered themselves with a veil and bore twins. These are Rebekah and Tamar.⁵³Gen. R. 60:15; 85:7. Of Rebekah it is written (in Gen. 24:65): SO SHE TOOK THE VEIL AND COVERED HERSELF. Then she bore twins, Esau and Jacob, as stated (in Gen. 25:24): BEHOLD, THERE WERE TWINS IN HER WOMB. As for Tamar, she covered herself with a veil and (according to Gen. 38:27-30) bore twins, Perez and Zerah.

“And her days to give birth were completed…” (Genesis 25:24) Below they were lacking, here they were full. Below where the word twins is written full, with the letter aleph, Peretz and Zerach were both righteous. Here it is written without an aleph, Yaakov was righteous and Esau was wicked. “And the first one emerged ruddy…” (Genesis 25:25) R’ Chaggai said in the name of R’ Yitzchak: in the merit of “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day…” (Leviticus 23:40) I will be revealed to you first, as it says “I am first and I am last” (Isaiah 44:6) and I will exact retribution on your behalf from the first who is Esau, as it is written “And the first one emerged” and I will build the first for you, which is the Holy Temple of which it is written “As a Throne of Glory, exalted from the beginning…” (Jeremiah 17:12) and I will bring for you the first who is the King Messiah of whom it is written “The first one to Zion, behold, behold them…” (Isaiah 41:27)