Midrasch zu Jeschijahu 3:6

R. Ketina said: "Even at the period of Jerusalem's downfall (of her moral decay) men of faith did not fail her, as it is said (Is. 3, 6) When a man will seize his brother in the house of his father [saying] thou hast a nice garment, thou shalt be our ruler; i.e., things which cause people to hide themselves under cover, like a garment, seem to be well under thy hand (thou art a scholar). And let this stumbling be under thy hand; i.e., things of which a man never gets at the true sense unless he first stumbles over it (the Torah) let this be under thy hand; (Yisa) He will lift up his hand on this day, saying I will not be a chief; etc. The words He will lift up his hand, refers to swearing, and so it says (Ex. 20, 7) Thou shalt not lift up thy hand to swear in the name of God. I will not be a chief; i.e., I will not be confined in the house of study. And in my house is neither bread nor clothing; i.e., I master neither Scripture nor Mishnah nor Gemara." Perhaps in that case, it is different, because if he would say "I did learn," beople might ask him, "Tell us what you know?" [Therefore he is bound to tell the truth.] But he might say that he learned and forgot. [Thus no one will be able to contradict him.] Why does he say that he never knew a thing? [We must therefore say that they really were trustworthy.] But has not Raba said: "Jerusalem would not have been destroyed were it not because men of faith ceased to exist, as it is said (Jer. 5, 1) Roam about through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that dealt justly, that seeketh truth; and I will pardon her." This is not difficult to explain. R. Ketina deals with men faithful in affairs of learning, and Rab deals with trustworthy men in business.

(Fol. 43) Rabba b. R. Huna expounded: "Just as the law concerning one who betroths a woman on condition that only one half should be betrothed to him, makes the betrothal unlawful, so also does the law hold concerning a woman being a half slave and a half free, that betrothal shall not be applied to her." R. Chisda then said to him: "How can you compare these two things? In the former case something has been left unbought, while in the latter case everything was bought [since she is only one-half free."] Thereafter Rabba b. R. Huna caused his interpreter to announce the reverse of his former decision, and he expounded in the following passage (Is. 3, 6) And let this stumbling he under thy hand; i.e., a man never gets at the true sense of the Torah unless he first stumbles over it. Although the Rabbis say that if one betroths a woman on condition," etc. (And he agreed with R. Chisda).

(Lev. 16:1:) “Now the Lord spoke unto Moses after the death [of Aaron's two sons].” This is what Elihu said (to Job 37:1), “At this also my heart trembles and leaps.” Elihu was observing how the sons of Aaron went in to sacrifice and came out destroyed by fire.⁵⁵Cf. PRK 26(27):5; Lev. R. 20:5. He was amazed and said (ibid.), “At this also my heart trembles and leaps.” What did he see for him to say this? He said, “At a time when the priesthood had become weak in the hand of Aaron, what is written there (in Numb. 17:21)? ‘Then Moses spoke unto the Children of Israel; and their princes gave him a staff, a staff for each prince.’ So he wrote the name of each and every tribe on its staff. He also wrote the name of Aaron on the staff of Levi and put it in the middle, lest the Children of Israel say, ‘It smelled the Divine Presence and bore fruit.’ Moses said, ‘See, I am putting it in the middle so as not to give a pretext,’ as stated (in Numb. 17:21, cont.), ‘and the staff of Aaron was in the midst of their staffs.’ What is written there (in vs. 22-23)? ‘Then Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the testimony. And it was on the morrow that Moshe came to the tent of testimony, and the staff of Aaron had sprouted […] and had borne almonds.’ The scriptural text lacked nothing. Why then, ‘and had born (rt.: gml) almonds (rt.: shqd)?’⁵⁶Numb. R. 18:23. It repaid (rt.: gml) anyone who was bent on (rt.: shqd) evil against the tribe of Levi. So while (in Numb. 17:16-24) even dry pieces of wood emitted an aroma among those who live in the world, sprouted blossoms, came out alive, and produced fruits; [yet] the sons of Aaron, who entered there alive, came out destroyed by fire.” So when Elihu beheld the one and the other, he said (in Job 37:1), “At this also my heart trembles.” When? (Lev. 16:1:) “Now the Lord spoke unto Moses after the death of Aaron's two sons.” As [all] four of [Aaron's sons] deserved to die; but Moses prayed for them, and his prayer produced half [a response]. When? When Israel made the calf, what is written there (in Deut. 9:20)? “And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to destroy (rt.: shmd) him.” Destruction (rt.: shmd) can only be annihilation of children. Thus it is stated (in Amos 2:9), “I destroyed (rt.: shmd) their (the Amorites') fruit above […].” When Moses prayed, his prayer produced half [a response]. (Lev. 16:1:) “After the death of Aaron's two sons.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Aaron, did I not write this in My Torah (in Exod. 22:8), ‘In every case of misappropriation, whether for a bull, for an ass or for a sheep….’ Do you not remember what you did with the bull, as stated (in Ps. 106:20), ‘Thus they exchanged their glory for the image of a bull?’”⁵⁷See Numb. R. 9:47. For alternate interpretations of Exod. 22:8 that use the same form, see BQ 54b. (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “For an ass.” This refers to the Egyptians, about whom it is written (in Ezek. 23:20), “whose flesh is like the flesh of asses.” They (the Egyptians among them) made for them a calf, whom Israel worshiped, as stated (in Numb. 11:4), “Then the rabble⁵⁸I.e., the Egyptians who joined Israel in the Exodus. which was in their midst.” (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “For a sheep (seh).” This refers to Israel, as stated (in Jer. 50:17), “Israel is a scattered flock (seh).” (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “For a garment,” [i.e.] that one about which it is written (in Is. 3:6), “you have a garment; you shall be our leader.”⁵⁹According to Numb. R. 9:47, the allusion is to Israel having made the golden calf their king. (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “Or any loss,” since it is written of them (i.e., of Israel in Jer. 50:6), “My people were lost sheep.” (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “Of which one says, ‘This is it.” [This refers to] them when they said (in Exod. 32:8), “These are your gods, O Israel.” (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “The case of both parties shall come before God (the powers).” This refers to Moses of whom it is written (in Exod. 7:1), “See, I have set you as a power to Pharaoh,” [in that] Moses sat in judgment over them. (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “The one whom God (the powers) condemns.” This refers to the judges.⁶⁰See above, Exod. 2:1, and the note there. (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “Shall pay his neighbor double.” This refers to the two sons of Aaron. Ergo (in Lev. 16:1), “after the death of Aaron's two sons.”

[(Lev. 16:1:) AFTER THE DEATH OF AARON'S TWO SONS.] The Holy One said to him: Aaron, did I not write this in my Torah (in Exod. 22:8 [9]): IN EVERY CASE OF MISAPPROPRIATION, WHETHER FOR A BULL…. Do you not remember what you did with the bull, as stated (in Ps. 106:20): THUS THEY EXCHANGED THEIR GLORY FOR THE IMAGE OF A BULL?⁶¹See Numb. R. 9:47. For alternate interpretations of Exod. 22:8 [9] that use the same form, see BQ 54b. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) FOR AN ASS. This refers to the Egyptians, about whom it is written (in Ezek. 23:20): WHOSE FLESH IS LIKE THE FLESH OF ASSES. You (Egyptians)⁶²The parallel account in Numb. R. 11:47 explains that it was the Egyptians who enticed Israel to make the golden calf. made for them a calf, whom they worshiped, [as stated] (in Numb. 11:4): THEN THE RABBLE⁶³I.e., the Egyptians who joined Israel in the Exodus. WHICH WAS IN THEIR MIDST. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) FOR A SHEEP (seh). This refers to Israel, as stated (in Jer. 50:17): ISRAEL IS A SCATTERED FLOCK (seh). (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) FOR A GARMENT. < i.e. > that one about which it is written (in Is. 3:6): YOU HAVE A GARMENT; YOU SHALL BE OUR LEADER.⁶⁴According to Numb. R. 9:47, the allusion is to Israel having made the golden calf their king. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) < OR > ANY LOSS, since it is written of them (i.e., of Israel in Jer. 50:6): MY PEOPLE WERE LOST SHEEP. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) OF WHICH ONE SAYS: THIS IS IT. < This refers to > them when they said (in Exod. 32:8): {THIS IS YOUR GOD} [THESE ARE YOUR GODS], O ISRAEL. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) THE CASE OF BOTH PARTIES SHALL COME BEFORE GOD. This refers to Moses of whom it is written (in Exod. 7:1): SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH, < in that > Moses sat in judgment over them. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) THE ONE WHOM GOD CONDEMNS. This refers to the judges, of whom it is written (in Exod. 22:27 [28]): YOU SHALL NOT CURSE A GOD < NOR A RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.⁶⁵See above, Exod. 2:1, and the note there. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) SHALL PAY HIS NEIGHBOR DOUBLE. This refers to the two sons of Aaron. Ergo (in Lev. 16:1): AFTER THE DEATH OF AARON'S TWO SONS.

R. Ulla said: "Jerusalem would not have been destroyed but for the sin of being devoid of shame, as it is said (Jer. 6, 15.) They should have been ashamed, because they had committed an abomination; but they neither felt the least shame," etc. R. Isaac said: "Jerusalem would not have been destroyed but for the sin of making no distinction between great and small, as it is said (Is. 24, 2.) And it shall be with the people as with the priest, etc; immediately following which, is written, Empty, emptied out shall be the land." R. Amram, the son of R. Simon b. Abba, in the name of R. Simon b. Abba, who spoke in the name of R. Chanina, said: "Jerusalem would not have been destroyed but for their sin in failing to admonish one another, as it is written (Lam. 1, 6.) Her princes are become like harts that have found no pasture, i.e., as the harts in a herd walk, one's head between the other's rump, so Israel of that generation pressed their faces into the ground and did not dare to admonish each other." R. Juda said: "Jerusalem would not have been destroyed but for the sin of spurning scholars, as it is written (II Chr. 36, 16.) But they had mocked at the messengers of God, and despised His words, and scorned His prophets, until the fury of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy." What is meant by Till there was no remedy? R. Juda, in the name of Rab, said: "It means this: 'Whoever spurns a scholar will find no remedy for his affliction.'" R. Juda, in the name of Rab, said: "What is meant by the passage (Ps. 105, 15.) Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm, i.e., Touch not my anointed, refers to the school children," and Do my prophets no harm, refers to the scholars." Resh Lakish in the name of R. Juda the Nasi said: "The world would not be sustained if it were not for the breath of [praise coming forth from] the school children." "What about mine and thine?" said R. Papa unto Abaye. Whereupon Abaye replied: "The breath [of praise] which comes forth from one who might have sinned is not like the breath [of praise] that is uttered by one who is incapable of committing sin." Resh Lakish in the name of R. Juda the Nasi said further: "School children should not be withheld from school even by reason of the building of the Temple." Resh Lakish said to R. Juda, the Nasi: "Thus have I a tradition from my ancestors, and according to others, from your ancestors: 'Every town which has no school for children will eventually be destroyed.'" Rabina said [the tradition was]: "It shall be placed under the ban [until a school is provided]." And Raba said further: "Jerusalem would not have been destroyed were it not because men of faith ceased to exist, as it is said (Jer. 5, 1.) Roam about through the streets of Jerusalem and see now, and notice, and search in its broad places: and if ye can find one man, if there be one that executeth justice, that searcheth for truth, then I shall pardon it." Is it so? Has not R. Ketina said: "Even at the period of Jerusalem's downfall (of her moral decay) men of faith did not fail her, as it is said (Is. 3, 6.) When a man will seize his brother in the house of his father [saying] thou hast a nice garment, thou shalt be our ruler, (Fol. 120a) i.e., things which cause people to hide themselves under cover, like a garment, seem to be well under thy hand (thou art a scholar). And let this stumbling be under thy hand, (Ib.) i.e., things of which a man never gets at the true sense unless he first stumbles over it (the Torah) let this be under thy hand; (Yisa) He will lift up his hand on this day, saying I will not he a chief. etc., (Ib.) i.e., the words, He will lift up his hand, apply to nothing else but to swearing and so it says (Ex. 20, 7.) Thou shalt not lift up thy hand to swear in the name of God. I will be a chief, (Ib.) i.e., I will not be confined in the house of study. And in my house is neither bread nor clothing, i.e., I master neither Scripture nor Mishnah nor Gemara." [Hence it shows that they were truthful]. Perhaps in that case, it is different, because if he would say 'I did learn,' people might ask him, 'Tell us what you know?' [Therefore he is bound to tell the truth]. But he might say that he learned and forgot it. [Thus no one will be able to contradict him]. Why does he say that he never knew a thing? [We must therefore, say that they really were trustworthy]. This is not difficult to explain. Rab deals with trustworthy men in business affairs and R. Ketina deals with men faithful in affairs of learning.