Midrasch zu Bereschit 1:31

Is that so? Did not R. Mair say: "Whence do we know that even a Gentile who is occupied with the study of the Law, is likened to a high-priest? The passage says (Lev. 18, 5) Which if a man do, shall live by it. It does not specify priest, Levite, or Israelite, but states in general if a man, whence it may be inferred that a Gentile, too, who occupies himself with the study of the Law is equal to a high-priest. We must therefore say that they will not be rewarded for the observance equally with those who observe in accordance with their command; as R. Chanina said: "The reward for him who observes that which he is commanded, is greater than to him who observes the same without being commanded." The nations will then plead the following: 'Sovereign of the Universe, has then Israel, who has accepted the Torah, observed it?' To which, the Holy One, praised be He! will respond: 'I testify that Israel did observe the entire Torah.' 'Sovereign of the Universe,' the nations will say, 'is then a father fit to be a witness in the case of his son? Is not Israel called the son of the Eternal (Ex. 4, 22) My son, my first-born, is Israel.' His reply will be: 'Let heaven and earth testify that Israel observed the entire Torah.' Again they will object, saying: 'Sovereign of the Universe! The heaven and earth are also interested in this case, and therefore are not fit to be witnesses, for it is said (Jer. 33, 25) If My covenant be not … the appointed ordinance of heaven and earth, would not be established. And Resh Lakish said: 'What is the meaning of the passage (Gen. 1, 31) And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Why the article Hay in the word Hashishi? From this it may be inferred that the Holy One, praised be He! stipulated with all that had been created during the six days to the effect that if Israel would accept the Torah, well and good, but if not He would return all of them to chaos and ruin.' Then the Holy One, praised be He! will say: 'Men of your nations may come and testify that Israel has observed the Torah. Nimrod may testify that Abraham did not worship idols. Laban may testify that Jacob was not suspected of robbery. The wife of Potiphar may testify that Joseph was not guilty of adultery. Nebuchadnezzar may testify that Chananyah, Mishael and Azaryah did not bow themselves to the image; Darius of Daniel, that he did not abolish prayer; Eliphaz the Themanite, and Bildad the Schuchite, and Zophar the Na'amathite may say of all Israel that they observed all the Laws; as it is said (Is. 43, 9) Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified.' They will then exclaim: 'Sovereign of the Universe! give it to us now, and we will observe it!' To which the Holy One, praised be He! will answer: 'He who has prepared on the eve of Sabbath [for the Sabbath] will have to eat, but he who has not prepared, what then will he have to eat on Sabbath? However, I have one easy, meritorious act; it is the Succah, go and perform it.' But how can you say so [that they will be permitted to perform it in the world to come]? Has not R. Joshua b. Levi said: 'What is the meaning of the passage (Deut. 6, 6) Which I command thee this day to do? i.e., this day to do, but not tomorrow to do; this day to do, but not this day to be rewarded (in this world).' We must therefore explain, this, because the Holy One, praised be He! does not deal despotically with His creatures. (Why is it called easy? Because it requires no expense.) Immediately thereupon, everyone of them will prepare a Succah on his roof, and the Holy One, praised be He! will cause the sun to penetrate it. As soon as the sun heats them, they would kick the Succah with their feet, and go away, as it is said (Ps. 2, 3) Let us break their bands asunder, etc. Why cause the sun to penetrate? Have we not said above that the Holy One, praised be He! does not deal despotically with His creatures? This is because Israel has also to go through such inconvenience of the sun when the summer solstice is postponed until the month of Tishri [touching the feast of Tabernacles]. (Ib. b) But did not Raba say that he who is afflicted by performing the command of Succah, is exempt from that obligation? Yea, but not to kick at it. The Holy One, praised be He! will then smile upon them. Said R. Isaac: "There is no smiling with the Holy One, but on that day."

(Lev. 9:1) “And it came to pass on the eighth day….” This text is related (to Ps. 75:5), “I say to the merrymakers, ‘Do not make merry….’” What is the meaning of [the words], “I say to the merrymakers (rt.: hll), ‘do not make merry (rt.: hll)?’”⁴This root can also mean “act with abandon” and is to be taken in that sense here. For another interpretation of the word, see Lev. R. 20:2. [The verse refers] to whoever sings in a mahanaim dance (mahol),⁵As in Cant. 7:1 [6:13]. In comparing these two words, the midrash assumes that both words come from the root HLL and ignores the fact that in the first case the H is a he while in the second case the H is a het. and so it says (in Jud. 21:21), “to dance (lehol) in the dances.” [Because no happiness endures for a mortal] (Ps. 75:5), “I say to the merrymakers, ‘Do not make merry (rt.: hll).’” Why? The one who is happy today shall not be happy tomorrow; and the one who is depressed today shall not be depressed tomorrow. And so it says (in Eccl. 2:2), “Of laughter I said, ‘It is mad (rt.: hll)….’”⁶Cf. PRK 26:2–3. Are you willing to understand? As behold, even the happiness of the Holy One, blessed be He, did not endure. When? When the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world. He was very happy, as stated (in Ps. 104:31), “the Lord shall be happy in His works.” It also says (in Gen. 1:31), “Then God saw everything which He had made; and behold, it was very good.” [These verses are] to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be He, found pleasure in and took pride in His works. Then He gave the first Adam an easy commandment, but he did not fulfill it. Immediately He rendered him a verdict⁷Gk.: apophasis. [of death], as stated (in Gen. 3:19), “for dust you are, and unto dust you shall return.” So He, as it were, did not remain in His happiness but said, “I created everything only for the human, and now he dies. What pleasure is there for Me? [Now surely if the Holy One, blessed be He,] did not remain [happy], how much the less shall people [remain happy! It is therefore stated (in Ps. 75:5), “I say to the merrymakers, ‘do not make merry.’”] How happy Abraham was! He was blessed in the world, magnified, slew some kings and handed over heaven and earth to the Holy One, blessed be He. Also when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him a son at age one hundred, he circumcised him and reared him. Then finally he was told (in Gen. 22:2), “Please take your son, your only son…, [and go unto the land of Moriah,] and offer him there as a burnt offering.” So he made a three-day journey, as stated (in Gen. 22:4), “On the third day….” When he returned from Mount Moriah, he buried Sarah. He did not find a place to bury her until he bought one for four hundred silver shekels. Then after that, old age came upon him. Now surely if such was the case with Abraham the righteous, how much the more is it the case with the wicked! Isaac did not remain in his happiness: He escaped from the sword and from the men of Gerar. And [God] informed them about who he was, so that they came to him. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 26:26, 28), “Then Abimelech came unto him from Gerar […. And they said, ‘We have clearly seen that the Lord is with you.’]” But he did not remain in his happiness. Rather (according to Gen. 27:1), “Now it came to pass, that when Isaac was old and his eyes were too weak to see.” So just as [this loss of happiness] happened in the case of Isaac the burnt offering of the Holy One, blessed be He, (according to Gen. 22:2), how much the more does it happen in the case of the wicked! Jacob was the first-born of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Exod. 4:22), “Israel is My first-born son.” How happy he was! He saw a ladder, and (according to Gen. 28:12-13) “the angels of god were ascending and descending [….] And behold, the Lord stood upon it and said, I am the Lord….” Then he went to Laban, fled from Esau, became Laban's servant for twenty years and in the end became wealthy, sired children and returned in peace. He also met Esau and was saved from him, and paid his vow. But in the end he did not remain in his happiness. Instead (according to Gen. 34:1), “Now Dinah [the daughter whom Leah had borne to Jacob] went out…,” and was raped]. There also came upon him the trouble over Joseph. Now surely if Jacob the righteous – one to whom the Holy One, blessed be He, had said, “In whom I will be glorified,” as stated (in Is. 49:3), “Israel, in whom I will be glorified” – did not remain in his happiness, how much the less will the wicked [so remain! It is therefore stated (in Ps. 75:5), “I say to the merrymakers, ‘Do not make merry.’”] How happy Joshua was! He slew thirty-one kings, gave Israel the land to possess, and distributed it. In addition all Israel gave him a [helping] hand and said (in Josh. 1:18), “Anyone who disobeys your command… [shall be put to death.” Such an honor was] something of which [even] Moses our master did not merit. Still he (i.e., Joshua) did not remain in his happiness, but rather died childless. It is therefore stated (in Ps. 75:5), “I say to the merrymakers, ‘Do not make merry.’” How happy Eli was, when he was king, chief justice, and high priest! It is so stated (in I Sam. 1:9), “now Eli [the priest] was sitting on the throne by the doorpost of the Temple of the Lord.” “Now Eli the priest was sitting on the throne,” because he was king. [He was] “by the doorpost of the Temple of the Lord,” because he was chief justice. Still he did not remain in his happiness. Instead (according to I Sam. 4:18), “And it came to pass that when he (i.e., a messenger) mentioned the ark of God, he (i.e., Eli) fell backward from off the throne….” Moreover, his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas died. So just as this [shift in fortune] happened with Eli the righteous, how much the more [does it happen with] the wicked! You find neither man nor woman who saw joys like Elisheba bat Amminadab, [the wife of Aaron, as stated (in Exod. 6:23), “And Aaron took for a wife Elisheba bat Amminadab”].⁸PRK 26:2; Zev. 102a; Tanh. (Buber), Lev. 6:2. She saw her husband become high priest serving in the high priesthood and [as a] prophet. In addition, Moses, her husband's brother, was king and prophet. Moreover, her sons were deputies [to the high priest] in the priesthood, and her brother Nahshon was head of all of the princes of Israel.⁹According to Numb. 10:13, Nahshon was in command of the troops of Judah, and the troops of Judah headed those of the other tribes. See also Numb. 2:3; I Chron. 2:10. Still she did not remain in her happiness. Rather, when two of her sons went in to offer a sacrifice, (according to Lev. 10:2,) “Fire came forth from before the Lord and consumed them, so that they died before the Lord.” It is therefore stated (in Ps. 75:5), “I say to the merrymakers, ‘Do not make merry.’” And so Solomon said (in Eccl. 2:2), “Of laughter I said, ‘It is mad.’” There is a story about one of the great Babylonian [scholars], who married off his son,¹⁰PRK 26:2; Lev. R. 20:2. and made a great banquet for the sages. He said to his son, “Go up and bring us a jar of such and such a wine from the attic.” He went up to the attic. [There] a snake [from] among the jars bit him, and he died. His father remained with those who were reclining [at his table]. So he delayed and did not come. [Finally,] his father said, “Let me go up and see what my son is doing.” His father went up [and] found him cast down dead among the jars. What did that saint do? He waited by himself until the guests had eaten and drunk sufficiently. When they had finished, he said, “You came to say a bridegrooms' blessing over my son. [But instead] say a mourners' blessing over him. You came to bring my son to the wedding canopy. [Instead] bring him to [his] grave.” They said about R. Zakkay of Kabul and they opened about him (in the words of Eccl. 2:2), “Of laughter I said, ‘It is mad; and what does joy do?’”

 E também está dito [em Bereshit 1: 31] E Elohim viu tudo o que havia feito, e era muito bom [Estes versos pretendem] ensinar que, o SANTO – Bendito Seja – teve prazer e orgulhou-se de Suas obras. E então, outorgou ao Adam – o primeiro, uma Mitzvá fácil e ele não observou...

{Because no happiness endures for a mortal,} (Ps. 75:5 [4]): I SAY TO THE MERRYMAKERS: DO NOT MAKE MERRY (rt.: HLL). Why? The one who is happy today shall not be happy tomorrow; and the one who is depressed today shall not be depressed tomorrow. And so it says (in Eccl. 2:2): OF LAUGHTER I SAID: IT IS MAD (rt.: HLL)….⁷Cf. PRK 26:2–3. Are you willing to understand that even the happiness of the Holy One did not endure? When? When the Holy One created his world. He was very happy, as stated (in Ps. 104:31): MAY THE LORD BE HAPPY IN HIS WORKS. It also says (in Gen. 1:31): THEN GOD SAW EVERYTHING WHICH HE HAD MADE; AND BEHOLD, IT WAS VERY GOOD. < These verses are > to teach you that the Holy One found pleasure in and took pride in his works. Then he gave the first Adam an easy commandment, but he did not fulfill it. Immediately he rendered him a verdict⁸Gk.: apophasis. < of death >, as stated (in Gen. 3:19): FOR DUST YOU ARE, AND UNTO DUST YOU SHALL RETURN. So he, as it were, did not remain in his happiness but said: I created everything only for the human, and now he dies. What pleasure is there for me? [Now surely if the Holy One] did not remain < happy >, how much the less shall the children of Adam < remain happy >! [It is therefore stated (in Ps. 75:5 [4]): I SAY TO THE MERRYMAKERS: DO NOT MAKE MERRY.]

Rabbi Judah bar Simon said: it does not say, ‘Let there be evening,’ but ‘And it was evening.’ Hence we derive that there was a time-system prior to this. Rabbi Abbahu said: This teaches us that God created worlds and destroyed them, saying, ‘This one pleases me; those did not please me.’ Rabbi Pinhas said, Rabbi Abbahu derives this from the verse, ‘And God saw all that He had made, and behold it was very good,’ as if to say, ‘This one pleases me, those others did not please me.’

"And God made the firmament", this is one of the verses that Ben Zoma shook the world with. He made - how remarkable! sure it [came into existence] at [God's] word, [as it is written], "With the word of God the heavens were made and with the wind of His mouth all of their armies". why doesn't it say "it was good" on the second day of creation?r yochanan taught in the name of r yosi the son of r chalafta, because hell was created on the second day, as it says " the topheth has been ready for him since yesterday, a day that has a yesterday but not three days ago. another reason that it dose not say "it was good" on the second day, r channina says its because division was created on the second day, as it says: "and it (the heavens) should separate between the two body's of water". r tivyomi said if division that is for the sake of fixing the world does not have good all the more so division that is to mix up the world doesn't have good. r shmuel says because the creation of water wasnt finished, it was written on the third day "it was good" twice, one for the creation of water and one for the days work. a noble woman asked r yosi, why dosen't it say "and it was good on the second day? he answered her even so it was included in the end as it says: "and god saw all that he did and it was very good" she said back to him this is analogous to six people coming to you give each one a manna and to one of them you don't give anything, then you go back and give one manna to everyone, is it not true that 5 of them have a mana and a 1/6 manna and the last one only has 1/6? he said to her like r shmuel says because the creation of water wasnt finished, it was written on the third day "it was good" twice, one for the creation of water and one for the days work. r levi in the name of r tanchum the son of r chnelyayi said, it states in the verse:" he (god) tells the end in the beginning", from the beginning of creation god saw Moses who is called "good" and was ultimately was going to be punished from an issue regarding water and therefore did not write and it was good regarding the water. r simon in the name of r levi said it is analogous to a king who had a bad legion, the king said since this legion is no good my name shouldn't be called on it, so too god said, since these waters punished the generation of the flood, dor enosh, and haflaga it should not be written regarding them "forit was good"

Then again [let us ask], was then its fire created on the Sabbath eve? Behold, we are taught that R. Jose says: "The fire which the Holy One, praised be He! created on the second day of creation will never be quenched, for it is said (Is. 66, 24) And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me; for their worm shall not die nor shall their fire be quenched. And R. Bana'ah, the son of R. Ulla. said: "Why was it not said Ki tob (that it was good) for the second day of creation? Because on the second day of creation the fire of Gehenna was created to which the term 'good' cannot be applied;" and R. El'azar said: "Although 'Ki tob' was not said on the second day of creation, yet God included it in the sixth day of creation; for it is said (Gen. 1, 31) And God saw everything that He had made, and behold it was very yood. [Hence we see that the fire of Gehenna was created on the second day and not on the Sabbath eve, as said before.] We must therefore say thus: The formation of its interior was created before the creation of the world, but its fire was created on the second day of creation; ordinary fire was first thought of by God [as a necessity for the world] on the Sabbath eve, but was not created until the night following the Sabbath. As we have been taught in a Baraitha, R. Jose says: "There were two things which God first thought of creating on the eve of the Sabbath, but which were not created until the night following the Sabbath, when the Holy One, praised be He! inspired Adam, the first man, with wisdom that resembled Him above, and he [Adam] brought two stones and struck them against each other, thus bringing forth fire; and the second thing [He thought of creating] was the mule."

Job said (in Job 14:4), “Who can produce something clean out of something unclean, no one.” After the Holy One, blessed be He, permitted the cow and forbade the camel, who could declare clean or declare unclean? Who has done so? Is it not the One? Is it not the singular One of the world? Come and see: Originally at the creation of the world, everything was permitted, as stated (in Gen. 9:3), “as with the green grass, I have given you everything.” And it states (in Gen. 1:31), “And God saw everything that He had done, and behold, it was good.” Then after Israel stood by Mount Sinai, He increased Torah and commandments for them in order to give them a good reward. But if so, why did He not so command the first Adam? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “When I ordained an easy commandment for him, he transgressed against it. How could he fulfill all these commandments? On the very day on which it was commanded, on that day he transgressed against it. He was unable to remain obedient to the command for a single hour. How did the Holy One, blessed be He, create Adam? R. Judah ben Pedayah said, “[Twelve hours make up the day.] In the first hour the first Adam arose in the thought of the Holy One, blessed be He, [with a view] to creation.⁴⁵PRK 23:1; PR 46:2; M. Pss. 92:3; Lev. R. 29:1; cf. Sanh. 38b; ARN, A, 1; PRE 11. In the second He consulted with the ministering angels and said (in Gen. 1:26), ‘Let us make man in our image.’ In the third He gathered his dust. In the fourth He kneaded him. In the fifth He shaped him. In the sixth He stood him up as a golem. In the seventh He blew breath into him. In the eighth He brought him into the Garden of Eden. In the ninth He commanded him, ‘Eat of this, and do not eat of that.’ In the tenth [Adam] sinned. In the eleventh he was judged. In the twelfth he was expelled.” Thus you must conclude that he did not remain obedient to the commandment for even a single hour. R. Judah ben Pedayah said, “Would that someone remove the dust from your eyes, O first Adam, you who could not persevere in your temptation for even a single hour, while here your children are keeping all the commandments which were given to them and persevering in them!”⁴⁶Gen. R. 21:7; cf. Lev. R. 25:2. One of them rises to plant, till, weed, prune, take pains to irrigate, and see the fruits of his plantings when they produce first fruits. Then he folds his hands and does not taste them, in order to fulfill what is stated (in Lev. 19:23), “three years it shall be [forbidden] to you….” But in the case of the first Adam, it was told him, “Eat of this, and do not eat of that,” and he was not able to remain obedient to the commandment for a single hour. Instead (according to Gen. 3:6), “then she also gave some to her husband, and he ate,” but [when] your children were commanded to eat this and not to eat that, [they remained obedient to those commandments]. And [this obedience is] especially [evident] when someone from Israel takes a bovine, an ox, or a lamb, slaughters it ritually, skins it, washes it, and inspects its health. When it is found to be unfit, he holds back and does not eat it. Ergo (in II Sam. 22:31 = Ps. 18:31, cont.), “the word of the Lord is pure.” For that reason, the first Adam was not commanded, because it was revealed to the Holy One, blessed be He, that he could not remain obedient to many commandments; as behold, he was commanded [only] one commandment, and he did not persevere with it. But in the case of Israel, when the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them many commandments, they observed them. He therefore expanded the Torah and commandments for them, and said to them (in Lev. 11:2-7), “These are the creatures that you may eat…. These, however, you may not eat…: the camel […]; the rock badger […]; the hare […]; and the pig.” Another interpretation of (Lev. 11:4-7). The camel (rt.: gml) represents the kingdom of Babylon, since it is stated (in Ps. 137:8), “O Daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed, fortunate is the one who repays you the recompense (rt.: gml) [with which you recompensed (rt.: gml) us].” The rock badger represents the kingdom of Media, since it made Israel into a corner and ownerless (as in Esth. 3:6), “to exterminate, to kill and to destroy all [the Jews]…”;⁴⁷The exact relation of the rock badger (ha’arnevet) to Media is unclear. One possibility is suggested by Lev. 11:6, according to which the rock badger has marks of both uncleanness and cleanness. Lev. R. 13:5 reports two versions of such an interpretation. The Rabbis interpreted this mix to mean that Media produced a righteous as well as a wicked person (perhaps Haman and Mordecai or Haman and Darius the Mede of Dan. 11:1). According to R. Judah b. R. Simon, the last Darius was clean on the side of his mother Esther and unclean on his father’s side. and likewise, the name of Ptolemy’s wife was rock badger (arnevet). The hare alludes to Greece, since it brought low the Torah from the mouth of the prophets.⁴⁸Probably because prophecy ceased under Greek rule; but according to Lev. R. 13:5, “hare” alludes to the Greek kingdom, because Ptolemy’s mother was named “Hare.” Cf. yMeg. 1:11 (71d), according to which the Greek translators of Lev. 11:6 emended “hare” to “short-legged one” for the same reason. Cf. also Meg. 90b, according to which it was Ptolemy’s wife who was named Hare. In actuality the person named “Hare” (Gk.: Lagos) was Ptolemy’s father. As it is stated (in Amos 8:11), “Behold days are coming says the Lord, God, and I will send a hunger…”; and it is written (in Amos 8:12), “And they shall wander from sea to sea….” How is this? In the future to come the Holy One, blessed be He, will issue a proclamation: Whoever has been engaged in such and such a commandment may come and receive his reward. Then the gentiles also will say, “Give us our reward, for we have performed a commandment.” The Holy One, blessed be He, [however] has said, “Whoever has observed the [commandments of the] Torah may come and receive his reward.”

1. "And God saw all that He had made, and behold it was very good." (Bereshit 1:31), Rabbi Levi began: (Proverbs 25:2) "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, And the glory of a king to explicate a matter." Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Chama bar Chanina: From the beginning of the book to this point is Divine glory, a concealed matter. From this point on is kings' glory, explicated matters. The glory of the words of Torah, which are compared to kings, as it says, (Proverbs 8:15) "Through me [Wisdom] kings reign," are explicated matters.

3. Alternately, "And God saw all that He had made, and found it very good." Rabbi Yohanan said: When a mortal king builds a palace, he must separately observe the upstairs and the downstairs. But the Holy Blessed One observes both upper and lower at once. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said:

Rabbi Nahman said in Rabbi Samuel's name: 'Behold, it was good' refers to the Good Desire; 'And behold, it was very good' refers to the Evil Desire. (It only says 'very good' after man was created with both the good and bad inclinations, in all other cases it only says 'and God saw that it was good') Can then the Evil Desire be very good? That would be extraordinary! But without the Evil Desire, however, no man would build a house, take a wife and beget children; and thus said Solomon: 'Again, I considered all labour and all excelling in work, that it is a man's rivalry with his neighbor.' (Ecclesiastes 4:4).

Rav Huna said: "behold it was very good" (Genesis 1:31). Behold it was very good, this is the quality/function of suffering [present in the world]. And is suffering very good? Impossible! Rather, this means that through its hands, creation comes to the world to come. So Shlomo said: (Proverbs 6:23) 'and the way of life is admonishments and reproof'. You said: 'go and find out what is the way that brings a person to the world to come. I say - this is the quality of punishment.

Rabbi Ze'ira said: "behold it was very good" (Genesis 1:31) this is the Garden of Eden. "AND behold it was very good" this is Gehinom. And is Gehinom very good? Impossible! An allegory: a king had an orchard and put within it workers, and built a treasure-house at its entrance, and said: 'whoever works him/herself appropriately with the work of the orchard can come into the treasure-house, and whoever did not, can not. So too, whoever accustoms him/herself with mitzvot and good deeds, behold this is the Garden of Eden; and whoever does not, behold this is Gehinom.

Hezekiah said: "What is meant by the passage (Ps. 76, 9.) From heaven hast Thou caused (Thy) sentence to be heard; the earth feared and became silent. [How is it possible for both these things to happen simultaneously?] If it feared, it then trembled and was not silent? Or if it was silent, then it did not fear and tremble? We must conclude that it feared at the beginning but at the end it became silent." What caused the fear? As Resh Lakish said: What is meant by the passage (Gen. 1, 31) And it was evening and it was morning the sixth day. The Hay (the article) of the word Hashishi (the sixth) is unnecessary." We infer from this that the Holy One, praised be He! made a condition with Creation and said unto it, 'If Israel will accept the Torah, you shall endure, but if they do not I shall return you all into emptiness and void.' "

Rabbi Shmuel Bar Itzchak said: "behold it was very good" (Genesis 1:31) this is an angel of life. "AND behold it was very good" this is the Angel of Death. And is the Angel of Death very good? Impossible! Rather, [an allegory:] a king made a meal and invited the guests and put in front of them a tray filled with all good food, and said: whoever eats and blesses the king will eat and feel good, and whoever eats and does not bless the king, off with his head with a sword. So too, whoever accustoms him/herself with mitzvot and good deeds, behold this is an angel of life; and whoever does not, behold this is the Angel of Death.

Rabbi Shime'on bar Abba said: "behold it was very good" (Genesis 1:31) this is the quality/function of good [present in the world]. "AND behold it was very good" this is the quality/function of punishment [present in the world]. And is punishment very good? Impossible! Rather, [God] who is about to bring punishment, is careful on how He brings it. Rabbi Simon said, in the name of Rabbi Shime'on bar Abba: "all rules [regarding punishment] have been cancelled, the only one that was not cancelled is measure-for-measure. Rav Huna says in the name of Rabbi Yosi: At the beginning of the Creation of the world the Holy One of Blessing saw that by the measure one measures others, s/he will be measured. Therefore the sages said: "and behold it was very good" - this is the good measure.

The rabbis say [the following teaching] in the name of Rabi Chanina bar Idey and Rabbi Pinchas and Rabbi Chilkyah: good is the human being. The letters of one are the letters of the other, particularly about it is written "And God saw all that He had made, and it was very good" (Genesis 1:31). This is the human being....

Rabbi Shime'on Ben Lakish says: "Behold it was good" that is the Heavenly rule; "and behold it was very good"(Genesis 1:31) that is the Roman rule. And is the Roman rule very good? Impossible! Rather, [the Roman rule] takes up the cause of the wronged, as it is written "I made the land, and I created the human on it" (Isaiah 45:12)

And was night and was day, the sixth day (Genesis 1:31) Rabi Yudan said: this is the extra hour that we add from the common time to the holy time, and at that hour the work of creation was finished - that is why it says "the" sixth day. Said Rabi Simon bar Marta: up to here we counted the count of the universe, from here onward we count a different count.

“He made everything beautiful in its time; the world, too, He has placed in their heart, but so that man will not discover the work that God has performed from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
“He made everything beautiful in its time.” Rabbi Tanḥhuma said: The world was created at its appointed time; it was not fit to have been created earlier, but at its proper time it was created, as it is stated: “He made everything beautiful in its time.” Rabbi Abbahu said: From here [it is derived] that the Holy One blessed be He created worlds and destroyed them, created worlds and destroyed them, until he created this [world], and said: ‘These please Me and those did not please Me.’ Rabbi Elazar says: This opening is open to the depths,³⁷The following is a clear proof to what Rabbi Abbahu stated above (Maharzu). as it is stated: “God saw everything that He made, and, behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).
Had another said: “He made everything beautiful in its time,” I would say: This one, who never ate a piece of bread in his life, says: “He made everything beautiful in its time”? However, Solomon, because it is written in his regard: “Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty kor of choice flour…” (I Kings 5:2), for him it is appropriate to say: “He made everything beautiful in its time.”³⁸Others who did not experience luxury might be easily impressed; if Solomon, who lived a life of incredible luxury, praised all that God created, that is a more significant compliment.
Another matter, had another said: “Vanity of vanities, said Kohelet…” (Ecclesiastes 1:2), I would have said: This one, who never acquired even two perutot worth [of property] in his life, he ridicules all the property in the world and says: “Vanity of vanities”? However, this one, Solomon, of whom it is written: “The king made the silver in Jerusalem as stones…” (I Kings 10:27), but they were not stolen, as they were ten cubit stones and eight cubit stones. The weights during the reign of Solomon were made of gold, as it is stated: “None of silver, as it was not considered anything during the reign of Solomon” (I Kings 10:21), for him it is appropriate to say: “Vanity of vanities.” Why did he say: “Vanity of vanities”? He saw the world and what would ultimately occur.
Had another said: “All residents of the earth are considered as nothing” (Daniel 4:32),³⁹This was stated by Nebuchadnezzar in praise of God. I would have said: Is it appropriate for this one, who has never had dominion over two flies to say: “All residents of the earth are considered as nothing”? It is more [significant now that] it was [stated by] the wicked Nebuchadnezzar, who had dominion over the entire world, as it is stated: “I have given him all the beasts of the field, as well” (Jeremiah 28:14) to serve him. [This is also evident] from what is written [regarding Nebuchadnezzar]: “Everywhere the sons of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens dwell, He has given into your hand and established your rule over all of them” (Daniel 2:38). For this one it is appropriate to say: “All residents of the earth are considered as nothing.”
Had another of the wise men of the nations of the world said the verse: “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods” (Exodus 18:11), I would have said: This one, who does not know the nature of idol worship, says: “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods”? However, it is Yitro who said: “Now I know that the Lord is greater [than all gods],” [although] he engaged in many forms of idol worship, as Rabbi Yishmael taught: Reuel, who is Yitro, did not leave any form of idol worship in the world that he did not seek and serve, as it is written: “Woe unto us. Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods [that smote the Egyptians]” (I Samuel 4:8).⁴⁰This verse was stated by the Philistines when preparing to face the Israelites in battle, upon realizing that the ark of the covenant was brought to the Israelite camp. Thus, it is not immediately clear what this verse adds to the midrash, and there are some commentaries who suggest it should be removed. Some suggest that this verse is offered as a contrast to Jethro. The Philistines recognized God and His power, yet assumed that He was just one of many gods, and therefore perhaps other gods to deliver them from Him. Jethro, on the other hand, repudiated all other gods (Matnot Kehuna). [Yitro] then said: “[Now I know that the Lord is greater] than all gods,” and ultimately converted and conceded to the Holy One blessed be He; for him it is appropriate to say: “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods…” – He repented before the Holy One blessed be He, and He accepted him and established him [as a model] for Israel for the generations.
Had a prophet and wise man arisen and said: “The Rock, His actions are perfect [for all His ways are justice]” (Deuteronomy 32:4) other than Moses our master, [one might have said that he does not really know God’s ways. But in the case of Moses] because it is written in his regard: “He informed Moses of His ways, the children of Israel of His feats” (Psalms 103:7), for this one it is appropriate to say: “The Rock, [His actions] are perfect.”
Had another person come and rebuked Israel, I would have said: Shall a person who ate and drank from them and derived benefit from them, rebuke them? Rather, Moses, in whose regard it is written: “I have not taken one donkey from them” (Numbers 16:15), for this one it is appropriate to rebuke Israel. That is what is written: “These are the words that Moses spoke to all of Israel beyond the Jordan…” (Deuteronomy 1:1).⁴¹All the places mentioned in the continuation of this verse are allusions to events for which Moses reprimanded the children of Israel.

Another matter, “He made everything beautiful in its time” – Rabbi Bon stated two approaches regarding the following. Rabbi Bon said: Abraham was worthy to have been created before Adam, the first man, but the Holy One blessed be He said: If I create Abraham first, if he sins, there will be no one to come to make amends after him. Rather, I will create Adam, and if he sins, Abraham will come after him and make amends.⁴²This is based on the verse: “He made everything beautiful in its time.” Rabbi Bon said another [source for this idea]: It is written: “The greatest man among the giants” (Joshua 14:15).⁴³This is interpreted as a reference to Abraham. Abraham was worthy to have been created first, as it is stated: “The greatest man among the giants.” Why is he called “greatest”? It is because he was worthy to have been created first, but the Holy One blessed be He said: If I create Abraham first, if he sins, there will be no one to come after him to make amends. Rather, I will create Adam, the first man, and if he sins, Abraham will come and make amends after him.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Some cite a parable; to what is this matter analogous? [It is analogous] to one who had a substantial beam in his residence, in his house. Where would he place it? Would he not place it in the middle of the great hall, so that it would be able to support the beams in front of it and the beams that are behind it? So too, why did the Holy One blessed be He create Abraham our patriarch in the middle? So that he could provide support for the generations that preceded him and the generations that succeeded him. Rabbi Levi said: One brings a proper wife into the house of an improper wife, but one does not bring an improper wife into the house of a proper wife.⁴⁴Similarly, Abraham was created after Adam in order to have a positive impact on the world that Adam had previously tarnished. Had Abraham been created first, Adam would have negated the positive impact that Abraham made on the world.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Adam the first man was worthy to have had the Torah given through him, as it is stated: “This is the book of the generations of Adam. [On the day that God created man, in the likeness of God He made him]” (Genesis 5:1).⁴⁵The midrash interprets the “book” in the verse as a reference to the Torah. The Holy One blessed be He said: Adam is my handiwork, will I not give him the Torah so that he may toil in it? Then He said: If six mitzvot were given him and he was unable to keep them and observe them, were I to give him six hundred and thirteen mitzvot – two hundred and forty-eight positive commandments and three hundred and sixty-five prohibitions – all the more so will he not keep them. That is why it is written: “He said to Adam [la’adam]” (Job 28:28) – not Adam [lo adam], I will not give them to Adam. To whom will I give them? I will give them to his descendants.
Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanan said: Adam the first man was worthy of having twelve tribes emerge from him, as it is written: “This [zeh] is the book of the generations of Adam” (Genesis 5:1) – zayin – seven, heh –five, twelve tribes, this is the numerical value of “zeh is the book of the generations of Adam.” The Holy One blessed be He said: Adam is My handiwork, will I not give him twelve tribes? He then said: If I gave him two sons and one rose and killed his brother, had I given him twelve sons, all the more so. That is why it written: “He said to Adam [la’adam]” (Job 28:28), not Adam [lo adam], I will not give them to Adam. To whom will I give them? I will give them to Jacob the righteous.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: At the time when they departed from Egypt, The Israelites were worthy for the Torah to have been given to them immediately, but the Holy One blessed be He said: The radiance of My children has not yet come; they have emerged from the enslavement of mortar and bricks and cannot receive the Torah immediately. To what is this matter comparable? [It is comparable] to a king whose son arose from his illness and they said to him: ‘Let your son go to his academy.’ He said: ‘The radiance of my son has not yet come; rather, let him be indulged for two or three months with food and drink and recover, and then he will go to his academy.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The radiance of my children has not yet come, they have emerged from the enslavement of mortar and bricks, and I will give them the Torah? Rather, let My children be indulged for two or three months with manna, a spring, and quails, and then I will give them the Torah.’ When? In the third month.
Rabbi Beivai, Rabbi Aivu, and Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon: At the time when they departed from Egypt, the Israelites were worthy to enter the Land immediately, but the trees were ancient, from the days of Noah. The Holy One blessed be He said: Shall I bring the Israelites into a wasteland? Rather, I will take them on a circuitous path through the wilderness for forty years so that the Canaanites will rise and chop down the old ones and plant new ones, so [the Israelites] would enter the land and find it filled with blessings.
Rabbi says: Even for matters of transgression it is “beautiful in its time.”⁴⁶“He made everything beautiful in its time” alludes to the fact that even the effect of a transgression is influenced by its timing.

Another matter, “He made everything beautiful in its time” – Rabbi Berekhya said that Rabbi Abbahu said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: The schism that was between Reḥavam and Yerovam was fitting to have been between David and Sheva ben Bikhri, but the Holy One blessed be He said: The Temple has not yet been constructed and I am introducing a schism in the kingdom of the House of David? Rather, let the Temple be constructed and then, what will ultimately happen, will happen.
Rabbi Binyamin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The world, too, He has placed in their heart” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) – He placed in their heart love of the world. Rabbi Yonatan said: He has placed in their heart fear of the angel of death. Neḥemya, son of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman, said: “And behold it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). “And behold it was...good,” this is man; “and behold it was…good,” this is the good inclination, “very,” this is the evil inclination. Is the evil inclination “very good”? It is to teach you that were it not for the evil inclination, man would not build a house, would not marry a wife, and would not beget children, as Solomon says: “[I saw all toil and all skilled action;] that it is man’s envy of his neighbor” (Ecclesiastes 4:4).
Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Abbahu said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: “The world, too, He has placed in their heart” – He placed in their heart love of the world, He placed in their heart love of young children. To what is this matter analogous? [It is analogous] to a king who had two sons, one big and one small. The big one cleans and the small one sullies; nevertheless, he loves the small one more than the big one.
Rabbi Aḥva son of Rabbi Zeira said: “The world [ha’olam],” the ineffable name was concealed [ho’olam] from them.⁴⁷The word ha’olam is written in the verse without the vav such that it can be read ho’olam. This is analogous to a king who made a feast [and] invited guests. Once they ate and drank, they said to him: ‘Give us swords and spears and we will play with them.’ He gave them myrtle branches and they struck each other and wounded each other. The king said to them: ‘If, when I gave you myrtle branches, this is what you did, had I given you swords and spears, all the more so.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If, at a time when I concealed the ineffable name from them, they killed with appellations,⁴⁸By invoking names of God in cursing other people. had I given and revealed to them the ineffable name, all the more so.’ There was a Persian woman who cursed her son with one element of the ineffable name. Shmuel heard her and said: ‘Go prepare a shroud for him.’
Rabbi Ḥanina had knowledge of the ineffable name. When his death approached, he said: ‘Is there a person here to whom I can entrust it?’ They said: ‘Eneini bar Naḥshon is here.’ He sent for him and he came, and his own son entered and hid under the bed. When he was about to transmit it, that child sneezed. His father [Rabbi Ḥanina] said: ‘Go out of here. You are not worthy to hear it, and this one is not worthy to receive it.’⁴⁹Rabbi Ḥanina said to his son that he must leave because he is not worthy to hear it, and he also took this as a sign that he should not reveal the name to Eneini (Etz Yosef).
One doctor in Tzippori had knowledge of the ineffable name. When his death approached, he said: ‘Is there a person here to whom I can entrust it?’ They said: ‘Pinḥas bar Ḥama is here.’ He sent for him and he came. [The doctor] asked him [a question] and said to him: ‘Have you ever taken anything from a Jew?’ He said to him: ‘I have taken first tithe.’ [The doctor] resolved not to entrust it to him, saying: ‘Perhaps he will demand something from a person and he will not give it to him, and he will become angry with him and kill him.’ It is taught, one does not entrust the name to just any person, and not to one who has lived half his life, but rather, to one who has lived most of his life. In addition, one entrusts it only standing, and one entrusts it only in a place of purity, and near water. Initially, they would entrust it to any person. When the sinners became more prevalent, they instituted that it should be entrusted only to the modest among the priests, and the modest among the priests would obscure it in the melody of the priests.
Rabbi Tarfon said: One time I ascended to the platform with Samson, my mother’s brother, and I cocked my ear in the direction of the High Priest, but he obscured it in the melody of the priests. And Rabbi Tarfon said: One time I heard it and I fell on my face. Those nearby, when they hear it, fall on their faces and say: “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.” These and those⁵⁰Those nearby and those farther away would not move from there until the time when it was forgotten [shenitalem] from them, as it is stated: “This is My name forever [le’olam]” (Exodus 3:15), le’elem is written.⁵¹It is written without a vav, such that it can be read le’elem, meaning for concealment. To what purpose? “But so that man will not discover the work that God has performed from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).⁵²This is to prevent people from discovering the secrets of Creation.

... Shimon bar Rav Abba said, in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, that "vayehi" serves [to introduce] joy or suffering. If [it comes to introduce] suffering, then the suffering [in question] is unparalleled. If [it comes to introduce] joy, then the joy [in question] is unparalleled. Rabbi Yishmael came and made the [following] division. Every place where it says “vayehi” there is no joy [and every place where it says] “vehaya” there is no suffering. They challenged him [citing Genesis 1:3] “And God said, “let there be light”, and there was [vaheyi] light.” He said to them, “even this case isn’t joyous, since the world didn’t merit to use that light, for Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said [regarding] the light created by the Holy One, blessed be He, on the first day [of creation], [that] a person could use it to see from one end of the universe to the other [from the beginning of time, to the end of time]. When the Holy One, blessed be he, saw [by this light] the deeds of the generation of Enosh, and the deeds of the generation of flood, that they were destructive, [God] arose and confiscated [the light] from them, as it is written, “Their light is withheld from the wicked,” (Job 38:15). And where was it placed? In the Garden of Eden; at it is said (Psalms 97:11): “Light is sown for the righteous, radiance for the upright” [i.e., the light of the first day of creation is reserved for the righteous in the world to come].” They challenged him [citing Genesis 1:5, which describes the first day of creation]: “And there was [vayehi] evening, and there was [vayehi] morning; day one.” He said to them, “even this case isn’t joyous, since everything that was created on the first day is destined to be destroyed, as it is written (Isaiah 51:6): “when the heavens will melt away like smoke, and the earth wear out like a garment”.” They challenged him [citing all the other days of creation since it is written], “and there was [vayehi] evening, and there was [vayehi] morning” [regarding] the second, third, fourth, fifth, [and] sixth day. He said to them, “even this case isn’t joyous, since [the creation was incomplete such that] everything created in the six days of creation required [human] labour [in order that it should be completed]. The wheat needed grinding. Mustard needed sweetening. The Lupin bean needs sweetening. They challenged him [citing Genesis 39:2, and its description of Jospeh’s success in the house of Potiphar, which reads]: “And it was [vayehi] that God was with Joseph, and it was [vayehi] that he was a successful man.” He said to them: “even this case isn’t joyous since it was because of this [success] that that wicked woman [i.e. Potiphar’s wife] chanced upon him." They challenged him [citing Leviticus 9:1, and its description of the completing of the inauguration of the Tabernacle]: “And it was [vayehi] on the eighth day”. He said to them: “even this case isn’t joyous, since on that day, Nadav and Avihu died.”They challenged him [citing the description, in the book of Numbers (7:1), of Moses completing the building of the Tabernacle]: “And it was [vayehi] on the day that Moses completed the raising of the Tabernacle”. He replied to them: “even this case isn’t joyous, since on the day that it was built it [was also collapsed and] stored away.” [Rabbi Yishmael is alluding to the fact that the Tabernacle was a portable structure, and just as Moses constructed it on that day, he also tested it by taking it apart. Moreover, this symbolises that the Tabernacle was not to be permanent]." They challenged him [by citing the verse from the book of Joshua (6:27)]: “And it was [vayehi] that God was with Joshua”. He replied to them: “even this case isn’t joyous [since it comes just before the military defeat in the city of Ai, in which Yair [son of Menashe], who was equivalent in stature to the majority of a Sanhedrin, was killed. As it says (Joshua 7:5): “And the men of Ai smote about thirty-six of [the Israelites]”. It doesn’t say [that they killed] 36 [men]; rather, it says that they killed "about" 36 men [literally, it says that they killed "something like" 36 men]. Rabbi Yudan said that this refers to Yair son of Menashe who was equivalent to the majority of a Sanhedrin [which would have 71 members; by killing him, it was as if they had killed 36 men].” They challenged him [by citing the verse from I Samuel (18:14): “And it was [Vayehi] that David was successful in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him.” He replied to them: “even this case isn’t joyous since it is written regarding him, “From that day on Saul kept a jealous eye on David” (Ibid. 18:9).” They challenged him [by citing the verse from II Samuel (7:1)]: “And it was [vayehi] when the king was settled in his palace and God had granted him safety from all the enemies around him”. He replied to them: “even this case isn’t joyous because, on that very day, Nathan the prophet came and said to him, “Only, you will not build the Temple” (I Kings 8:19, and II Samuel 7:5).” They said to him, we have brought our own verses [as counter-examples to your theory. Now it’s your turn]. Say your own verses [as evidence for your theory]. He said to them [the following verses]: They said to him, we have brought our own verses [as counter-examples to your theory. Now it’s your turn]. Say your own verses [as evidence for your theory]. He said to them [the following verses]: “And it was [vehaya – this is an instance of the Prophetic Future Tense, when the Bible uses the past tense to describe the future, presumably because the prophetic future is as certain as the past], on that day: The mountains shall drip with wine, the hills shall flow with milk, and all the watercourses of Judah shall flow with water; A spring shall issue from the house of God and shall water the Wadi of the Acacias” (Joel 4:18); “And it was [vehaya], on that day: each man shall save alive a heifer of the herd and two animals of the flock” (Isaiah 7:21); “And it was [vehaya] on that day: fresh water shall flow from Jerusalem, part of it to the Eastern Sea and part to the Western Sea, throughout the summer and winter” (Zecharia 14:8); “He was [vehaya] like a tree planted beside streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, whose foliage never fades, and whatever it produces thrives” (Psalms 1:3); “The remnant of Jacob was [vehaya – once again used in the prophetic future tense] in the midst of many peoples, like dew from God, Like droplets on grass — Which do not look to any man nor place their hope in mortals” (Micah 5:6). They challenged him. “Is it not written “And it was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28)?” He said to them: “even this case contains no suffering, since on that day Israel received their judgement for their sins. For Rabbi Ishmael ben Rabbi Nachman said, “Israel took a complete judgement for their sins on the day that the Temple was destroyed. For so it is written (Lametation 4:22): “Your iniquity, Fair Zion, is expiated; He will exile you no longer.”