Hebrew Bible Study
Hebrew Bible Study

Midrash for Job 2:12

וַיִּשְׂא֨וּ אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶ֤ם מֵרָחוֹק֙ וְלֹ֣א הִכִּירֻ֔הוּ וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ קוֹלָ֖ם וַיִּבְכּ֑וּ וַֽיִּקְרְעוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מְעִל֔וֹ וַיִּזְרְק֥וּ עָפָ֛ר עַל־רָאשֵׁיהֶ֖ם הַשָּׁמָֽיְמָה׃

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and threw dust upon their heads toward heaven.

Vayikra Rabbah

Another interpretation: "This shall be the law for a leper" - this is what is written (Job 20:6), "If his height ascends to the heavens and his head reaches the clouds." "His height" - on high. "To the clouds" - to the clouds. "He shall perish forever like his own dung" (Job 20:7) -- just as this dung stinks, so to he stinks. "Those who have seen him will ask, 'Where is he?'" (ibid.) -- they will see him but not recognise him, since so it is written of the friends of Job (Job 2:12) "They lifted up their eyes from afar and did not recognise him." Rabbi Yochanan and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish [disagreed]. Rabbi Yochanan said, it is forbidden to walk within four cubits to the east of a metzora, and Rabbi Shimon said even one hundred cubits. They did not [in fact] disagree -- the one who said four cubits [referred to] a time when the wind is not blowing, and the one who said one hundred, [referred to] a time that the wind is blowing. Rabbi Meir would not eat in the offshoots of the alley of a metzora. Rabbi Amei and Rabbi Asei would not ascend to the alley of a metzora. Reish Lakish when he saw one of them was in the city, he stoned them with stones and said to them "Go to your place and do not stink up [the outside/creation]. As Rabbi Chiya taught (Leviticus 13:46) - "Alone he shall dwell" - on his own he shall dwell. Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Shimon saw one of them and hid from them, as it is written: "This is the law of the metzora" - the one who brings out a bad name [MoTzi shem Ra]
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Previous VerseFull ChapterNext Verse