Midrasch zu Bereschit 33:2

You may be assured that the ark is beloved (by God), for just as the Throne of Glory is beloved, so too is the ark beloved, for the Torah was placed within it. Because the Torah was located at the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is said: At His right hand was a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2), therefore the ark was precious because the Torah was placed within it. As it is said: The tables were the work of God (Exod. 32:16).

And he gave unto Moses when he had made an end of speaking (Exod. 31:18). Scripture states with reference to this verse: A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men (Prov. 18:16). The gift a man gives out of his own possessions resounds to his advantage, as is told about Abun Ramaah,²⁰See Deut. R. chapter 4, sect. 8, where he is called Abin the deceiver, not deceitful, simply cunning in giving charity. who resided in Bozrah.²¹An Idumean town in which a number of scholars lived. Our rabbis went there to obtain a contribution from him. However, he refused to contribute anything at all until all the men of the community had made their contributions. Then he contributed an amount equal to all the others. That is why he was called Abun, the deceiver. What did our rabbis do after that? They sat him amongst themselves to fulfill what is written: A man’s gift maketh room for him. Another explanation of And He gave unto Moses is contained in the verse: Thou hast also given me Thy shield of salvation, and Thy right hand hath holden me up; and Thy condescension hath made me great (Ps. 18:26). Thou hast given me Thy shield of salvation refers to the Israelites, who trust in the Holy One, blessed be He; Thy right hand hath holden me up alludes to the Torah, as it says: At His right hand a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2); And Thy condescension hath made me great relates to the condescension of the Holy One, blessed be He.

You find that when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah, it was entirely of fire, as it is said: At His right hand was a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2). Our sages stated: The law was of fire, the parchment was of fire, its writings were of fire, the thread was of fire, as it is said: At His right hand was a fiery law. The face of the agent (Moses) became fiery, as is said: And they were afraid to come nigh him (Exod. 34:30). The angels who descended with it were of fire, as it is said: Who makes winds Thy messengers (Ps. 104:4). The mountain burned with fire (Deut. 4:11), and it was given within a fire consuming fire, as it is said: For the Lord thy God is a devouring fire (ibid. 4:24). And upon the earth He made thee to see His great fire (ibid., v. 36). The Divine Word also came forth from the midst of fire. When they beheld the lightning and the burning letters, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Do not imagine that they have much power, and He began to recite the words I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no other gods (Exod. 20:2).¹⁸The Ten Commandments. Cf. above, “In the Beginning,” n. Why were they described as gods? R. Yosé said: He did so in order not to give the people of the world the opportunity to say that they were not called by His name because if He had done so, it would have acknowledged that they had power. But they were called by His name, and yet have no power. When were they first called by His name? In the days of Enoch the son of Seth, as it is said: Then began man to call in the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:25). It was then that the Mediterranean Sea rose and inundated a third of the world, and the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Ye have done a new thing in calling yourself by My name, and so I will do something new and call Myself by My name. Therefore Scripture says: That calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth, the Lord is His name (Amos 5:8).

“Wisdom is better than instruments of battle, and one sinner destroys much good” (Ecclesiastes 9:18).
“Wisdom is better than instruments of battle” – this is the wisdom of Jacob; “than instruments of battle” – of Esau the wicked. Rabbi Levi said: He armed them¹¹¹Jacob armed his sons and the other members of his camp. with weapons on the inside and dressed them in white garments on the outside, and he prepared himself for three matters: for prayer, for a gift, and for war. For prayer, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “Please rescue me from the hand of my brother” (Genesis 32:12). For a gift, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “You shall say: From your servant Jacob, it is a gift sent” (Genesis 32:19). For war, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “He placed the maidservants [and their children first, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last.] He passed before them and prostrated himself earthward” (Genesis 33:2–3). He said: It is preferable that he harm me and not my children.¹¹²Thus, Jacob was prepared for the fact that Esau might act violently upon their encounter. “Esau returned on that day on his way to Se’ir” (Genesis 33:16). Why to Se’ir? Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani, Rabbi Elazar said: It was due to a promissory note.¹¹³The descendants of Isaac were to receiv the Land of Israel and were to be enslaved in Egypt. Esau preferred to forgo the Land of Israel and forgo the enslavement in Egypt. The midrash refers to the coming enslavement as though it were a debt set forth in a promissory note. Rabbi Shmuel said: It was due to shame.¹¹⁴He was ashamed for having sold his birthright. “And one sinner destroys much good” – this is Esau who lost all the goodness and the gifts of the World to Come.