Midrash sur Daniel 4:32

(Ib. b) We are taught in a Baraitha, in accordance with the opinion of Rab: "What was the message of Gabini, the herald? 'Rise, priest, to your service; Levites, to your chanting; and Israel, to your standing.' And his voice was heard at a distance of three parsaoth. It once happened that King Agrippa, being on the road, heard Gabini's voice at the distance of three parsaoth. When he returned home, he sent him many gifts." Nevertheless, the voice of the High-priest surpassed in strength that of Gabini, the herald. Because, the master said, once it happened that the High-priest said, I pray Thee, O Lord, and his voice was heard at Jericho; and Rabba b. b. Chana, in the name of R. Jochanan, said that between Jericho and Jerusalem the distance is ten parsaoth, and this, despite the fact that on the Day of Atonement, the High-priest was weak from fasting, and that it was during the daytime [that he recited the prayers], whereas the herald used to make announcements only at night [when a voice is more audible]. For R. Levi said: "Why is not a human being's voice audible by day as well as by night?" Because the spherical sun sweeps through the sky as a carpenter saws cedars, and the sun motes are called La. In reference to this, Nebuchadnezzar said (Dan. 4, 32) And all the inhabitants of the earth are regulated as naught (K'la.)." Our Rabbis were taught: "Were it not for the noise caused by the globular sun, the voice of the multitude of Rome would have been heard; and were it not for the voice of the multitude of Rome, the noise caused by the globular sun would have been heard." Our Rabbis were taught: "Three voices can be heard from one end of the world to the other: The sound emitted from the spherical sun; the hum and din of the city of Rome, and the voice of anguish uttered by the soul when it quits the body (Fol. 21 ) ." Others add, the voice of a woman in confinement; still others, the voice of the Angel Ridia." The Rabbis prayed that the voice of the soul when departing from the body should be spared [of this torture], and they succeeded in having it suspended.

(Exod. 18:1:) NOW JETHRO PRIEST OF MIDIAN, <…>, HEARD. He was a priest for idolatry.¹⁷Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Amaleq, 3. (Exod. 18:9:) AND JETHRO REJOICED (rt.: YHD), in that he professed (YHD) the name of the Holy One. Another interpretation (of Exod. 18:9:) AND JETHRO REJOICED (rt.: YHD). <It was> that he became a Jew (rt.: YHD). (Vs. 10:) SO JETHRO SAID: BLESSED BE THE LORD. Jethro said: I did not leave a deity alone without serving him, but I have found no deity like the God of Israel. (Vs. 11:) NOW I KNOW THE LORD IS GREATER THAN ALL GODS. Four children of Adam said four things. If someone else had said them, they would have laughed at them.¹⁸Eccl. R. 3:11:1. And who were they? Moses, Jethro, Solomon, and Nebuchadnezzar. Moses said (in Deut 32:4): THE ROCK!—HIS WORK IS PERFECT, [BECAUSE ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUSTICE]. [If someone else had said it, they would have laughed at him, saying: From where does this one know the ways of the Holy One? However,] because it is written (in Ps. 103:7): HE MADE HIS WAYS KNOWN TO MOSES, it is therefore stated (in Deut. 32:4): THE ROCK!—HIS WORK IS PERFECT, BECAUSE ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUSTICE. Then Solomon said (in Eccl. 3:11): HE HAS MADE EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME. If someone else had said it, they would have laughed at him, saying: Who has made known to this one what is beautiful and what is not beautiful? But, <in the case of> Solomon, whose table lacked nothing, he knew what was beautiful. R. Jose bar Hanina said: Solomon's table did not even lack bitter herbs¹⁹Tanh., Exod. 5:7, and Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34 read “ice” here. of Tammuz nor melopepones {i.e., radish and lettuce}²⁰The Greek word means “melons.” of Tishri. Nebuchadnezzar said (in Dan. 4:32 [35]): ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH ARE OF NO ACCOUNT. If another had said it, they would have laughed at him: Over what does this man rule? He does not even rule over a gnat. But in the case of Nebuchadnezzar it was fitting for him to say so, since it is stated concerning him (in Dan. 2:38): AND [INTO YOUR HAND HE HAS GIVEN] THE CHILDREN OF ADAM, [THE WILD BEASTS OF THE FIELD, AND THE FOWL OF HEAVEN,] WHEREVER THEY MAY DWELL; [AND HE HAS HAD YOU RULE OVER ALL OF THEM]. Jethro said (in Exod. 18:11): NOW I KNOW THE LORD IS GREATER THAN ALL GODS, because among all his gods he did not see one as great as the Lord. (Ibid., cont.:) YES, BY THE THING WHICH <THE EGYPTIANS> PLOTTED AGAINST THEM.²¹PRK 11:5. R. Eleazar said: By that with which the Egyptians intended to destroy Israel, <i.e.,> by water, by that they were destroyed. So they were drowned in the midst of the sea.

(Lev. 5:1:) “And if a soul sins in that it hears a voice swearing […, if he does not speak out, he shall bear his iniquity].” This text is related (to Eccl. 5:1), “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart hasten to bring forth a word before God.” These [words refer to] people who vilify the name of the Holy One, blessed be He. Come and see, when the celestial beings were created, those below were created with half of the [divine] name, as stated (in Is. 26:4), “for through Yh,³⁸YH is the first half of the divine name, which the Hebrew spells out where the translation reads THE LORD. the Lord formed the worlds.”³⁹The midrash interprets tsur ‘olamim as FORMED THE WORLDS (i.e., this world and the world to come) rather than as the more usual EVERLASTING ROCK. For similar interpretations, see yHag. 2:1 (77c); Men. 29b; Gen. R. 12:10; M. Pss. 62:1; 114:3; cf. also M. Pss. 118:14. But why were they not created with all of it? So as not to mention the full name [of the Holy One, blessed be He] with him. Woe to those creatures who vilify the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, in vain. See what is written about offerings (in Lev. 1:2), “When one of you presents an offering to the Lord.” It does not say "to the Lord, an offering," but “an offering to the Lord” (so that who changes his mind about an offering in mid-sentence not mention God’s name for no reason).⁴⁰Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 1:6; Ned. 10ab; Sifra to Lev. 1:2, Wayyiqra, Parashah 2; Sifre, Deut.32:3 (306); Gen. R. 1:13. And [yet] people vilify the name of the Lord in vain. It is therefore stated (in Eccl. 5:1), “Do not be rash with your mouth…. for God is in heaven and you are on earth.” For who would say that God is not in heaven and that people are not on earth? [Accordingly], Solomon has said, “Every time that the weakest of the weak is above, he defeats the warrior below.” Go and learn from Abimelech (in Jud. 9:53), “But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and cracked his skull.”⁴¹Since the woman was above the warrior Abimelech in the tower of Thebez, her killing him is an example of a relatively weak person defeating a warrior from above. And if he was a warrior among warriors and there was none like him, and [yet] a woman [was able to] kill him from above, how much the more so in the case of the Holy One, blessed be He! See what is written about Him (in Dan. 4:32), “All the inhabitants of the earth are of no account, and He does as He wishes [with the host of heaven and with the inhabitants of the earth].” It is also written (in Ps. 47:3), “For the Lord most high is awesome, a great King over all the earth,” and people are below. (Eccl. 5:1:) “Therefore let your words be few.” So what is there for you to do? To put your hand upon your mouth and upon your ear in order to neither speak nor hear. Ergo (in Lev. 5:1), “If a soul sins.”⁴²These words also appear in Lev. 5:21 [6:2]. (Lev. 5:1:) [“And if a soul sins in that it hears a voice swearing,] when he is a witness to what he has either seen or come to know, [if he does not speak out, he shall bear his iniquity].” This text is related (to Prov. 29:24), “The one who shares with a thief hates his own soul; he hears swearing and does not speak out.” What has caused anyone to say of him, “If a soul sins?” [It is] simply because he did not come and tell a sage, “So-and-so blasphemed the name of the Holy One, blessed be He.” He therefore shares his iniquities with him, as stated (in Lev. 5:1), “if he does not speak out, he shall bear his iniquity.” Therefore Solomon has said (in Prov. 29:24), “The one who shares with a thief hates his own soul.” Just as when the thief is caught, his partner is convicted along with him;⁴³Cf. Lev. R. 6:2. so whoever hears blasphemy of the Holy One, blessed be He, and does not speak out is convicted along with him. And let no one say, “What denunciation (lashon hara’ah) do I say?” The Holy One, blessed be He, has said (in Lev. 5:1ff.), “’On every matter,’ there is a denunciation in it. [But] with cursing the name, there is no denunciation.” Why? Because [it is] just like a case of a person cursing his companion. When he hears him, it is of no concern to him. But if he has cursed his father in his presence, he puts his life on the line and says, “You have cursed my father.” Moses said (in Deut. 32:6), “Is He not your Father who created you?” (Lev. 5:1:) [“And if a soul sins in that it hears a voice swearing,] when he is a witness to what he has seen.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “If you want to bear witness, bear witness; but if not, I will bear witness.” Thus it is stated (ibid.), “when he (He) is a witness.” And where is it shown that the Holy One, blessed be He, is called a witness? Where it is stated (in Jer. 29:23), “I am the One who knows and bears witness, says the Lord.” Come and see. All the parashioth written in this book have “mistake” written in them, except for this parashah, in which “mistake” is not mentioned.⁴⁴In fact, MISTAKE (shegagah), i.e., UNINTENTIONAL SIN, does appear in this parashah (in 5:15, 18). Elsewhere in Lev. the word only appears in 4:2, 22, 27; 22:4.) About him Solomon has said (in Eccl. 5:5), “Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not say before the angel that it was a mistake,” (in Eccl. 5:1), “for God is in the heavens.” It is comparable to two people who threw stones at an image of a king.⁴⁵Gk.: eikonion, a diminutive form of eikon. One was drunk, and one was in possession of his senses. Both of them were caught and went to trial. [The judge] rendered a [guilty] verdict⁴⁶Gk.: apophasis. against the one with his senses and acquitted the one who was drunk. So it is in the case of whoever sins. It is concerning him that “mistake” is written (in Lev. 4:2) – “When a soul sins by mistake (rt.: shgg) [against any of the Lord's commandments]….”; (and likewise in Lev. 4:13) “And if the whole congregation of Israel should err (rt.: shgg).” And [about] all of them; because they sinned by mistake, they bring an offering and it shall be forgiven them. It is so stated (in Numb. 15:26), “The whole congregation of the Children of Israel and the stranger who resides in their midst shall be forgiven because [it happened] to all the people by mistake.” But the one who blasphemes receives a [guilty] verdict, as stated (in Lev. 24:16) “And the one who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death.” It is also written (in Jer. 4:2), “And you shall swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness; then shall nations bless themselves in Him, and Him shall they glory.” Scripture also says (in Deut. 10:20), “The Lord your God you shall fear, Him you shall serve, to Him you shall hold fast”; then after that, “and by Him you shall swear.”⁴⁷See Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 9:1; Numb. R. 9:1. (Ibid.:) “The Lord your God you shall fear,” so that you will be like those three of whom it is written, “he feared God (yr' 'lhym)”: Abraham, Joseph and Job. About Abraham it is written (in Gen. 22:12), “for now I know that you fear God (yr' 'lhym).” About Joseph it is written (in Gen. 42:18), “I fear (yr') God ('lhym).” About Job it is written (in Job 1:2), “he feared God (yr' 'lhym) and shunned evil.” (Deut. 10:20, cont.:) “Him you shall serve,” in that you will be busy with the Torah and with [fulfilling] the commandments. (Ibid. cont.:) “To him you shall hold fast,” in that you will honor the Torah scholars and benefit them with your property. Moses said to Israel, “Do not think that I have allowed you to swear by His name, even in truth. It is only, if all these conditions (mentioned earlier in the verse) abide with you, that you are entitled to swear; and if not, you are not entitled to swear [by His name], even in truth.” You shall not be like those of whom it is written (in Jer. 7:9), “[Will you …] swear falsely and sacrifice to Baal?” Rather, fulfill all these conditions and after that you are Mine, as stated (in Jer. 4:1), “If you return, O Israel, says the Lord, if you return unto Me [….]” Then after that [it says] (in vs. 2), “And you shall swear, ‘as the Lord lives’….” Our masters have said, “Even in truth one cannot swear.” Why? Thus have our masters taught (in Dem. 2:3): Let not someone from Israel be unrestrained in vows⁴⁸See also Ned. 20a. or in jesting, (or to lead one's companion astray with an oath by saying it is not an oath). There is a story about the royal mountain where there were two thousand towns, and all of them were destroyed because of a truthful oath that was unnecessary.⁴⁹Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 9:1; Numb. R. 9:1; cf. also Git. 57a. Now if one who swears in truth has this happen, how much the more so in the case of one who swears to a lie? How did they act? One would utter an oath to his companion that he was going to such and such a place to eat and drink. Then they would go and act to fulfill their oath. It is therefore stated (in Lev. 5:1), “If a soul sins in that it hears a voice swearing.” Now when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to judge all people in the world to come, He will judge them along with sorcerers and adulterers. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Mal. 3:5), “Then I will draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against those who swear to a lie (in My name).” And I am finding them guilty and bringing them down to Gehinnom. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “With the mouth that I gave you to be praising and glorifying My name, you are reproaching, blaspheming, and swearing to a lie in My name? Since I created all people to praise Me, as stated (in Prov. 16:4), “The Lord has made everything for His own purpose.” So is it not enough for you that you do not praise Me, but [that] you blaspheme [Me as well]! The Scripture has said (in Is. 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, [for it cannot rest (rt.: shqt)].” [They are] just like this [kind of] sea which has waves in its midst exalting themselves upward. When each and every one of them reaches the sand, it is broken and returns (hozer).⁵⁰The word also means “repents.” And its companion also looks at it breaking, and [yet] exalts itself upward without repenting (hozer). So are the wicked, who look at one another and exalt themselves. Therefore, they are likened to the sea, as stated (in Is. 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea….” So did all the generations, the generation of Enosh, the generation of the flood, and the generation of the dispersion (i.e., of the Tower of Babel), not learn from each other. Instead they were exalting themselves. Therefore they are compared to the sea (in Is. 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea.” (Is. 57:20, cont.:) “For it cannot rest (rt.: shqt).” The wicked have no rest in the world, but the righteous have serenity (shqt), as stated (in Jer. 30:10), “and Jacob shall again have peace (shqt) and quiet with none to make him afraid.” Another interpretation (of Is. 57:20), “But the wicked are like the troubled sea.” Just as the sea has its dirt and mud in its mouth, so the wicked have their stench in their mouth. Thus it is stated (at the end of Is. 57:20), “and its waters toss up slime and mud.” It is not from choice that one hears blasphemies and invectives, but from the midst of the sins which are within him. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 5:1), “If a soul sins and hears a voice swearing….”⁵¹Most translations equate the sinning with the swearing. This more literal translation illustrates the point that the swearing comes from a soul which has already sinned. You find [that there are] three things under human control and three things not under human control ….⁵²Tanh., Gen. 6:12 (i.e., Toledot 12); Gen. R. 67:12. And not only [now] but even in the world to come. [So it is stated] (in Job 12:23), “He exalts (msgy') nations and destroys them.” The written text (ketiv) is “mshg'” (which means, misleads).⁵³In unpointed Hebrew the Sin (S) and the Shin (Sh) look alike. Since MShG’, which is pointed mashge’, can also be spelled with the extra yod (i.e., Y), the two words are interchangable in an unpointed text. Then He destroys them [and] brings them down to Abaddon,⁵⁴Abbadon is a name for Hell, which means “destruction.” while the righteous watch them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 66:24), “Then they shall go out and look at the corpses of the people who have rebelled against Me; their worms shall not die nor shall their fire be quenched”.

Nebuchadnezzar said: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and He doeth according to His will in the hosts of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand, nor say unto Him: What doest thou? (Dan. 4:32). If anyone else had said this, they would have ridiculed him, saying: “How does this wicked one know this?” But it was fitting for him to say it, since it is written about him: And wheresoever the children of men, the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven dwell, hath He given them into thy hand, and hath made thee to rule over them all (ibid. 2:38). Jethro said: Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods; yea, for by the things they planned to do evil (they were destroyed) against them (Exod. 18:11). This may be compared to the man who loaded his ass, only to have the load fall upon him. This happened to the Egyptians. They intended to destroy the Israelites in the water, and they themselves were drowned in the water. Thus it is written: For by the thing they planned to do evil against them.

“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.

(Lev. 5:1:) AND IF A SOUL SINS IN THAT IT HEARS A VOICE SWEARING…, <IF HE DOES NOT SPEAK OUT, HE SHALL BEAR HIS INIQUITY>. This text is related (to Eccl. 5:1 [2]): DO NOT BE RASH WITH YOUR MOUTH, AND LET NOT YOUR HEART HASTEN TO BRING FORTH A WORD BEFORE GOD. These < words refer to> the children of Adam who vilify the name of the Holy One.⁵⁰Tanh., Lev. 1:7. Come and see. When the celestial beings were created, those below were created with half of the name, as stated (in Is. 26:4): FOR THROUGH YH,⁵¹YH is the first half of the divine name, which the Hebrew spells out where the translation reads THE LORD. THE LORD FORMED THE WORLDS.⁵²The midrash interprets tsur ‘olamim as FORMED THE WORLDS (i.e., this world and the world to come) rather than as the more usual EVERLASTING ROCK. For similar interpretations, see yHag. 2:1 (77c); Men. 29b; Gen. R. 12:10; M. Pss. 62:1; 114:3; cf. also M. Pss. 118:14. But why were they not created with all of it? So that none of them would repeat the full name of the Holy One. Woe to those creatures who vilify the name of the Holy One in vain. See what is written about offerings (in Lev. 1:2): WHEN ONE OF YOU PRESENTS AN OFFERING TO THE LORD. It does not say "To the Lord, an offering," but AN OFFERING TO THE LORD;⁵³Above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 1:6; Ned. 10ab; Sifra to Lev. 1:2, Wayyiqra, Parashah 2; Sifre, Deut.32:3 (306); Gen. R. 1:13. so the Children of Adam vilify the name of the Lord in vain. It is therefore stated (in Eccl. 5:1 [2]): DO NOT BE RASH WITH YOUR MOUTH…. [FOR GOD IS IN HEAVEN AND YOU ARE ON EARTH.] For who would say that God is not in Heaven and that the children of Adam are not on earth? However, Solomon has said: Every time that the weakest of the weak is from above, he defeats the warrior from below. Go and learn from Abimelech (in Jud. 9:53): BUT A CERTAIN WOMAN DROPPED AN UPPER MILLSTONE [ON ABIMELECH'S HEAD AND CRACKED HIS SKULL].⁵⁴Since the woman was above the warrior Abimelech in the tower of Thebez, her killing him is an example of a relatively weak person defeating a warrior from above. And how much the more so in the case of a warrior among warriors from above! See what is written about him (in Dan. 4:32 [35]): ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH ARE OF NO ACCOUNT, [AND HE DOES AS HE WISHES WITH THE HOST OF HEAVEN AND WITH THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH]. It is also written (in Ps. 47:3 [2]): FOR THE LORD MOST HIGH IS AWESOME, A GREAT KING OVER ALL THE EARTH. But the children of Adam are below. (Eccl. 5:1 [2]:) THEREFORE LET YOUR WORDS BE FEW. So what is there for you to do? To put your hand upon your mouth and upon your ear in order to neither speak nor hear. Ergo (in Lev. 5:1): IF A SOUL SINS.⁵⁵These words also appear in Lev. 5:21 [6:2].