Midrash for Proverbs 8:26

(Fol. 10) Our Rabbis were taught: "The land of Israel was created first of all and the rest of the world later; as it is said (Prov. 8, 26) While as yet he had not made the land and open fields." Our Rabbis were taught: "The land of Israel is watered first, and the rest of the world is being watered by the residue within the clouds. This may be likened unto a man who makes cheese; he uses what is edible, and leaves the refuse. "The land of Israel is watered by the Lord Himself, while the rest of the world is watered by a messenger; as it is said (Job 5, 10) Who giveth rain upon the surface the face of the fields." R. Joshua b. Levi, however, said that the entire world is of the earth, and sendeth out waters over watered by the drains of Eden; as it is said (Gen. 2, 10) And a river went out of Eden to water the garden and from there it was parted and became four principal streams. In a Baraitha we have been taught: "The sap of a field of the capacity of a Kur of seed is enough to water a field of the capacity of a Tarkab (one-sixtieth)."

“And the earth abides forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said: The verse should have said only: “The earth passes and the earth comes, but the generation abides forever.”²⁸This would indicate that the earth is transient, and the people last forever. Which was created for the sake of the other, was the earth created for the sake of the generation, or was the generation created for the sake of the earth? Was it not the earth [that was created] for the sake of the generation? Rather, because the generation did not perform the duties [assigned to it by] the Holy One blessed be He; therefore, it wastes away. The earth, because it performs the duties [assigned to it by] the Holy One blessed be He; therefore, it does not waste away.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: It is written: “For like the days of the tree will be the days of My people” (Isaiah 65:22). Tree means nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life for those who grasp it” (Proverbs 3:18). Which was created for the sake of the other; the Torah for the sake of Israel, or Israel for the sake of the Torah? Was it not the Torah [that was created] for the sake of Israel? Rather, the Torah that was created for the sake of Israel exists for ever and ever; Israel, for whose sake [everything] was created, all the more so. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A kingdom enters and a kingdom leaves, but Israel stands forever; that is: “The earth abides forever.” Rabbi Shmuel in the name of Rabbi Pelatya of Naveh derived it from this verse: “Yehonatan son of Gershom son of Menashe, he and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the day of the exile of the land” (Judges 18:30). Does a land go into exile or wander? Rather, these are Israel, who are called land, as it is stated: “All nations will praise you; as you will be a land of delight” (Malachi 3:12) – you will be called a land of delight.
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Everything that the Holy One blessed be He created in man, He created its parallel for the earth. Man has a head and the earth has a head [rosh], as it is stated: “[He had not yet made earth and fields, or] the beginning [rosh] of the dust of the world” (Proverbs 8:26). Man has eyes [einayim] and the earth has eyes, as it is stated: “They will cover the face [ein] of the earth” (Exodus 10:5). A person has ears and the earth has ears, as it is stated: “Listen, earth” (Isaiah 1:2). Man has a mouth and the earth has a mouth, as it is stated: “The earth opened its mouth” (Numbers 16:32). Man eats and the earth eats, as it is stated: “A land that consumes its inhabitants” (Numbers 13:32). Man drinks and the earth drinks, as it is stated: “[But the land]…by the rain of the heavens it drinks water” (Deuteronomy 11:11). Man vomits and the earth vomits, as it is stated: “So the land will not vomit [you out]” (Leviticus 18:28). Man has hands and the earth has hands [yadayim], as it is stated: “The land is spacious [raḥavat yadayim]” (Genesis 34:21). Man has thighs and the earth has thighs [yerekhayim], as it is stated: “I will gather them from the ends [miyarketei] of the earth” (Jeremiah 31:8). Man has a navel [tabbur] and the earth has a navel, as it is stated: “Dwellers in the middle of [betabbur] the earth” (Ezekiel 38:12). Man has nakedness and the earth has nakedness, as it is stated: “To see the nakedness of the land you have come” (Genesis 42:9). Man has feet and the earth has feet, as it is stated: “And the earth abides [omadet] forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4).²⁹The term omadet literally means standing, implying that it has feet.
What is omadet? Ma’amedet. Rabbi Aḥa and the Rabbis, Rabbi Aḥa said: It fulfills [ma’amedet] its duties. The Rabbis said: It produces [ma’amedet] its food. Rabbi Shimon ben Yosei ben Lakoneya said: Because in this world a person builds a building and another spends time in it, [a person] plants a sapling and another eats [its produce]. But in the future, they will not build and another will settle, they will not plant and another will eat, as it is stated: “For like the days of the tree will be the days of My people, and My chosen will outlive their handicraft” (Isaiah 65:22).

Another interpretation: "As these nations that you are about to dispossess, etc. but you not like this to you" (Deuteronomy 18:14). It is speaking about Avraham, as he saw through astrology that the constellation said to him that Avram and Sarai would not have a child. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do for them? Rabbi Yehudah beRabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Chanin, "It is written (Genesis 15:5), 'And He took him outside and said, "Observe towards the heavens."' He raised him above the dome of the firmament (above the skies)." As "out" can only [indicate] firmament, as it is stated (Proverbs 8:26), "Before He had made the land and the outside places." And it is also stated (Isaiah 33:7), "Behold the [angels of] Ariel yelled outward." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "That which you said (Genesis 15:3), 'Behold, the one over my household shall inherit me'; the matter is not like this, 'but rather the one who will come out of your innards will inherit you' (Genesis 15:4)." He said [back] to Him, "Are You telling me that I will have a child?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Leave your measure! Avram will not have a child, Avraham will have a child; Sarai will not have a child, Sarah will have a child." "And He took him outside." He said to him, "Behold, you are above the constellation. Who is greater than whom? Is it not you, as you are above it?" "Observe towards the heavens." It is not written, "Lift up your eyes towards the heavens," here, but rather "observe." [This] is like a man who observes [what is] below from above. So is it stated (Psalms 13:4), "Observe; answer me, Lord, my God." "And He said to him, 'So will be your seed'" (Genesis 15:5). Moshe said to them, "Just as Avraham left the constellation and did not occupy himself with it, also you." "The Lord, your God, did not give you like this" (Deuteronomy 18:14).

And also in the case of Pharaoh, he was gnashing his teeth against Moses. Now he had said to them (the Israelites, in Exod. 5:17): YOU ARE LAZY, LAZY! R. Judah b. R. Simon said: What is the meaning of LAZY? He said to them: You are holy. (Ibid., cont.:) THAT IS WHY YOU SAY: LET US GO AND SACRIFICE TO THE LORD. The Holy One said (in Exod. 9:13): GO EARLY IN THE MORNING and make known to Pharaoh that he is nothing. {See, he is going out to the water.} (Exod. 9:13, cont., & 14:) THUS SAYS THE LORD [THE GOD OF THE HEBREWS]: LET MY PEOPLE GO TO WORSHIP ME. FOR THIS TIME <I WILL SEND ALL MY PLAGUES UPON YOUR HEART >…. He said to them: LET MY PEOPLE GO TO WORSHIP ME. Then it will be good for you; but if not, <then> FOR THIS TIME <I WILL SEND ALL MY PLAGUES UPON YOUR HEART>…. It is written (in Job 36:22): WHO IS A TEACHER LIKE HIM (i.e., like the Holy One), who teaches the wicked to repent? He said to Pharaoh (in Exod. 9:19): NOW SEND <AND> BRING UNDER SHELTER YOUR LIVESTOCK <AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE>…. And what is written (in vs. 18)? BEHOLD, AT THIS TIME TOMORROW I WILL RAIN DOWN <VERY HEAVY HAIL>,…. Then after that I will bring the locust, as stated (in Exod. 10:4–5): BEHOLD, TOMORROW I WILL BRING LOCUSTS ON YOUR TERRITORY, AND THEY SHALL COVER THE EYE¹⁰²A more common translation would be SURFACE, but the midrash understands the Hebrew literally here to mean EYE. OF THE EARTH. Our masters have said: Just as a woman has a head, so does the earth have a head. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 8:26): <…> NOR THE HEAD OF THE DUST OF THE WORLD.¹⁰³In the context of Proverbs these words mean that the Holy One had not yet made A BEGINNING in creating THE DUST OF THE WORLD. Similarly other verses in this paragraph are understood more literally than in some translations. And just as a woman has ears, so does the earth have ears. Thus it is stated (in Is. 1:2): <HEAR, O HEAVENS, > AND GIVE EAR, O EARTH. And just as a woman has eyes, so does the earth have eyes. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 10:5): AND THEY SHALL COVER THE EYE OF THE EARTH. And just as a woman has a mouth, so does the earth have a mouth. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 16:32): AND THE EARTH OPENED ITS MOUTH <AND SWALLOWED THEM…>. And just as a woman has arms, so does the earth have arms. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 34:21): FOR BEHOLD, THE LAND HAS BROAD ARMS. And just as a woman has a navel, so does the land have a navel. Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 38:12): WHO DWELL ON THE NAVEL OF THE EARTH. Just as a woman conceives and gives birth, so does the earth. Thus it is stated (in Is. 66:8): CAN A LAND PASS THROUGH LABOR IN A SINGLE DAY? IS A NATION BORN ALL AT ONCE? <YET WHEN ZION WAS IN LABOR, SHE ALSO BORE HER CHILDREN. > This refers to Israel, because the Holy One brought them and had them enter Jerusalem ALL AT ONCE. And Jerusalem was astounded, as stated (in Is. 49:21): AND YOU WILL SAY IN YOUR HEART: WHO HAS BORNE ME {ALL} THESE? The Holy One said to them: By your life, in short while I am gathering your Dispersion, for so has Isaiah said (while addressing Zion in Is. 49:18): LIFT UP YOUR EYES ROUND ABOUT AND SEE. THEY ARE ALL ASSEMBLED, ARE COME TO YOU.

And thus you find with the ways of the L-rd — that whatever is more beloved (by the L-rd) precedes its neighbor. Torah, the most beloved of all, precedes all, as it is written (Proverbs 8:22) "The L-rd acquired me (Torah) in the beginning of His way, before His works of yore," and (Ibid. 23) "I was poured out from everlasting, from the beginning, from the origin of the earth." (The Temple, the most beloved of all (edifices), was created before all, viz. (Jeremiah 17:12) "The throne of glory, exalted from the first, the place of our sanctuary." Eretz Yisrael, the most beloved of all (lands), was created before all, viz. (Proverbs 8:26) "He had not yet made land and environs": "land" — the other lands; "environs" — deserts. (Ibid.) "and the chief of the class of tevel" — Eretz Yisrael, as it is written (Ibid. 31) "He rejoices His land with tevel."