Midrasch zu Ijow 38:25

(Ib. 9, 17) He that bruiseth me with s'arah (storm) and multiplieth my wounds without a cause. Rabba said: "Job, when blaspheming, used the word S'arah (stormanger), and he was also answered with S'arah. He blasphemed with S'arah, as it is written: He that bruiseth me with S'arah (storm). He thus said before the Holy One, praised be He! 'Sovereign of the Universe! Perhaps a storm wind passed before Thee and changed to Thee the word Iyob (Job) to Oyeb (enemy); and he was also answered with S'arah, as it is written (Ib. 38, 1) And the Lord answered Job from the S'arah." "Do not gird up like a mighty man thy loins; and I will ask thee, and do thou inform Me. So said He: "I have created many hairs on human beings, and for each hair I have created a separate pore; for if two should be nourished from one pore, it would blind the eyes of men; now from one pore to another, between these pores I did not make a mistake, and from lyob to Oyeb [you say that I have made a mistake]. (Ib., ib. 25) What hath divided off water-courses, etc. There are many drops that I have created in the clouds, and for each drop there is a separate place; for if two drops should go into one, they would make the earth too soft and it could not produce. Between this I did not make a mistake, and from lyob to Oyeb [you say that] I made a mistake! … And a way for the lightning that is followed by thunders. Many thunders have I created in the clouds, and for each thunder there is a separate path; for if two should go along the same path, they would destroy the world. Between these paths I did not make a mistake, and from Ilob to Oyeb [you say that] I made a mistake! (Ib. 39, 1)! Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou work when the hinds do calve? The wild goat of the rock is cruel towards its offspring, and when the time (Ib. b) of bearing comes she ascends to the top of the mountain, so that the offspring should fall down and die. And I summon an eagle which receives it with its wings, and places them before her. This must happen at the exact moment, for should it occur a second earlier or a second later the children would die. Now between one and the other I did not make a mistake, and from lyob to Oyeb [you say that] I did make a mistake. Or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? The hind has a narrow womb, and when the time of bearing comes I procure a snake that bites her womb, so that she is able to bring forth her offspring. This must happen at the exact moment, for if it occurs a second later the mother would die. Now from one second to the other I do not make a mistake; and from lyob to Oyeb [you say that] I made a mistake?" (Ib. 24, 35) job hath not spoken without knowledge, and his words are without intelligence. Raba said: "From this it may be deduced that a man is not taken to account for what he speaks in his distress."

(Lev. 13:2:) “When anyone has [on the skin of his flesh a swelling or a sore or a bright spot].” This text is related (to Job 38:25), “Who split open a channel for the flow (shtp) and a path to move the sounds?” R. Joshua of SIkhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “In Arabia they call the hair (s'r) a flood (shtp'). Thus¹⁷I.e., interpreting Job 38:25 to mean, WHO SPLIT OPEN A CHANNEL FOR THE HAIR? for each and every hair that a person has, the Holy One, blessed be He, has created its own separate follicle (literally, well).”¹⁸Cf. Lev. R. 15:3; BB 16a. Because Job uttered a complaint and said, (in Job 9:17), “’For He crushes me with a tempest (rt.: s'r)¹⁹The Targum and Peshitta both read, FOR A HAIR. and multiplies my wounds for no reason,’ [i.e.] for no reason He has brought all these afflictions upon me.” Elihu said to him (in Job 34:10), “Heaven forbid! May wickedness be far from God and injustice from the Almighty.” Rather (in vs. 11), “’For he repays a person according to his actions, [and provides for one according to his ways].’ He brings everything [upon a person] according to his [own] measure (of what he does).” R. Abbin the Levite said in the name of R. Abba bar Kahana, “The Holy One, blessed be He, does not measure out [reward and punishment] in a basket. Rather everything is with justice, as stated (in Ps. 75:8), ‘For it is God who judges]; one He puts down, and another He lifts up.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Job, “Even with regard to the hair which is upon you, I have made a follicle for it and made a measure for it, as stated (in Job 38:25), ‘Who split open a channel for the flow (i.e., for the hair).’” There is a story about a certain priest who examined leprosy spots. When he became poor, he wanted to go abroad. He called his wife [and] said to her, “Because people used to come to me to show their leprosy spots, it is hard from me to leave them. Rather come and let me teach you, so that you may examine the leprosy spots. If you see a person's hair with its follicle dried up, you will know that [such a person] is stricken; because for each and every hair the Holy One, blessed be He, has created its own separate follicle [from which it drinks. If] its follicle dries up, the hair dries up.” His wife said to him, “But surely if for each and every hair the Holy One, blessed be He, has created its own separate follicle [from which it drinks], in your case, since you are a human being, with so many hairs on you and with your children being supported²⁰PRHS, perhaps related to the Gk. adj. pronoos (“prudent”). by you, is it not all the more certain that the Holy One, blessed be He, will summon support for you?” Therefore, she did not allow him to go abroad. Another interpretation (of Job 38:25), “Who split open a channel for the flow”: When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the human, He created him with wisdom. How? If He had created him with a lot of water and a little blood, he would have become frail.²¹Gk.: asthenes, i.e., “weak” or “sick.” If He had created him with a lot of blood and a little water, he would have become a leper. [He therefore created him with] half water and half blood, [thereby] a perfect human.

(Lev. 13:1–3:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON, SAYING: WHEN ANYONE HAS ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH < A SWELLING OR A SORE OR A BRIGHT SPOT, AND IT BECOMES ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH THE PLAGUE OF LEPROSY, HE SHALL BE BROUGHT UNTO AARON THE PRIEST…. AND THE PRIEST SHALL INSPECT THE PLAGUE ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH >…. This text is related (to Job 38:25): WHO SPLIT OPEN A CHANNEL FOR THE FLOW (ShTP)? R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: In Arabia they call the hair (S'R) a flood (ShTP'). Thus²⁶I.e., interpreting Job 38:25 to mean, WHO SPLIT OPEN A CHANNEL FOR THE HAIR? for each and every hair that a person has the < Holy One > has created its own separate follicle (literally: well).²⁷Tanh., Lev. 4:6; cf. Lev. R. 15:3; BB 16a. Because Job uttered a complaint and said: (in Job 9:17): FOR HE CRUSHES ME WITH A TEMPEST (rt.: S'R)²⁸The Targum and Peshitta both read, FOR A HAIR. [AND MULTIPLIES MY WOUNDS FOR NO REASON], < i.e. > for no reason he has brought all these afflictions upon me; Elihu said to him (in Job 34:10): Heaven forbid! MAY WICKEDNESS BE FAR FROM GOD AND INJUSTICE, FROM THE ALMIGHTY. Rather (in vs. 11): FOR HE REPAYS A PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS ACTIONS, [AND PROVIDES FOR ONE ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS]. He brings everything < upon a person > according to measure. R. Abbin the Levite said in the name of R. Abba bar Kahana: The Holy One does not measure out reward and punishment {with a respite} [in a basket]. Rather everything is with justice, as stated (in Ps. 75:8 [7]): [FOR IT IS GOD WHO JUDGES]; ONE HE PUTS DOWN, AND ANOTHER HE LIFTS UP. The Holy One said to Job: Even with regard to the hair which is upon you, I have made a follicle for it and made a measure for it, as stated (in Job 38:25): WHO SPLIT OPEN A CHANNEL FOR THE FLOW (i.e., FOR THE HAIR). There is a story about a certain priest who examined leprosy spots. When he became poor, he wanted to go abroad. He called his wife < and > said to her: Because people used to come to me to show their leprosy spots, come and let me teach you, so that you may examine the leprosy spots. If you see a person's hair with its follicle dried up, you will know that < such a person > is stricken, because for each and every hair the Holy One has created its own separate follicle [from which it drinks]. < If > its follicle dries up, the hair dries up. His wife said to him: But surely if for each and every hair the Holy One has created its own separate follicle [from which it drinks], in your case, since you are a human being, with so many hairs on you and with your children being supported²⁹PRHS, perhaps related to the Gk. adj. pronoos (“prudent”). by you, is it not all the more certain that the Holy One will summon support for you?³⁰Cf. Matthew 10:29–31 // Luke 12:6–7. Therefore, she did not allow him to go abroad.

Another interpretation (of Job 38:25): WHO SPLIT OPEN A CHANNEL FOR THE FLOW? When the Holy One created the human, he created him in wisdom. How? If he had created him with a lot of water and a little blood, he would have become frail.³¹Gk.: asthenes, i.e., “weak” or “sick.” If he had created him with a lot of blood and a little water, he would have become a leper. < He therefore created him with > half water and half blood. [Hence, this] is a perfect human.