Midrasch zu Bereschit 29:34
וַתַּ֣הַר עוֹד֮ וַתֵּ֣לֶד בֵּן֒ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר עַתָּ֤ה הַפַּ֙עַם֙ יִלָּוֶ֤ה אִישִׁי֙ אֵלַ֔י כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי ל֖וֹ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֑ים עַל־כֵּ֥ן קָרָֽא־שְׁמ֖וֹ לֵוִֽי׃
Und sie fühlte sich wiederum Mutter und gebar einen Sohn, und sie sprach: Nun endlich wird mein Mann sich mir anschließen, denn ich habe ihm drei Söhne geboren; daher nannte man ihn Levi.
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
R. Jose b. R. Hanina said: There are people [whose names are handsome and whose deeds are ugly;] <There are> those whose names are ugly and whose deeds are handsome; there are those whose names are handsome and whose deeds are handsome; there are those whose names are ugly and whose deeds are ugly.4Below, Numb. 4:6; Tanh., Numb. 4:6; Gen. R. 71:3; Numb. R. 16:10. There are those whose names are handsome and whose deeds are ugly: Such is Absalom (whose name means "father of peace"), of whom it is stated (in II Sam. 16:22): AND ABSALOM WENT UNTO HIS FATHER'S CONCUBINES. Those whose names are ugly and whose deeds are handsome: These are the ones who went up <from> exile, of whom it is stated (in Ezra 2:53 = Neh. 7:55): THE CHILDREN OF {BARKOM} [BARKOS],5Perhaps the midrash understands the name as designating Bacchus, the Roman god of drinking, or perhaps the name is understood to mean “son of Kos,” Kos being a pagan god. THE CHILDREN OF SISERA (cf. Jud. 4–5), THE CHILDREN OF TEMAH.6Understood as coming from the verb MHH, which means “destroy.” Those whose names are ugly and whose deeds are ugly: These are the spies. What is written (in Numb. 13:13)? FROM THE TRIBE OF ASHER, SETHUR (a name which means "disheveled") BEN MICHAEL. Those whose names are handsome and whose deeds are handsome: These are the tribes, of which it is stated (in Exod. 1:1–2): NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL…: REUBEN, SIMEON, LEVI, AND JUDAH.7For an explanation of how these names are handsome, see Gen. R. 71:3, according to which Reuben means “See, a son” outstanding among all sons; and Simeon means “He heeds” the voice of his father in heaven. But cf. Gen. 29:32–33, for somewhat different etymologies. On the etymologies of Levi and Judah, see Gen. 29:34–35.
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