Midrash sur Le Deutéronome 5:6

Our masters have said in the name of R. [Hanina] (Huna) the father of R. Aha, “The adulterer and adulteress transgress the Ten Commandments.”¹³Numb. R. 9:12. [They] said to [him], “In the case of nine, we concede [his transgressing them].” How is this? In the case of (Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:6:) “I [am the Lord your God],” because anyone who commits adultery with the wife of his acquaintance is, as it were, denying the Holy One, blessed be He. It is so stated (in Jer. 5:8, 12), “They have denied the Lord and said, ‘He does not exist.’” (Exod. 20:5 = Deut. 5:7:) [“You shall have no other Gods”], since it is written of Him (in Exod. 20:5 = Deut. 5:9), “for [I] the Lord your God am a jealous God.” Also it is stated two times concerning the adulteress (in Numb. 5:14), “If the spirit of jealousy came over him, and he is jealous of his wife.” But why two times? Because it (i.e., the meal offering of the next verse)¹⁴So Rashi on Numb. 5:15. excites jealousy for the Holy One, blessed be He, and for her husband, as stated (in Numb. 5:15), “for it is a meal offering of jealousies.” Thus it is a case of two jealousies. (Exod. 20:7 = Deut. 5:11:) “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God [in vain].” [One breaks this commandment] because he commits adultery and swears in vain that he has not done so. (Exod. 20:12 = Deut. 5:16:) “Honor your father.” When one commits adultery with the adulteress, she becomes pregnant from him. Then she says to her husband, “I am pregnant from you.” When the fetus is grown, it honors her husband, [since it] thinks that he is its father. Moreover, [the grown child] passes through the market and hits the adulterer, since he thinks that he is not his father. (Exod. 20:13 = Deut. 5:17:) “You shall not murder.” The adulterer goes in on condition that, if he is caught, he will kill or be killed. (Exod. 20:13, cont. = Deut. 5:17, cont.:) “You shall not commit adultery.” Obviously [this commandment is broken], because he is committing adultery. (Exod. 20:13, cont. = Deut. 5:17, cont.:) “You shall not steal.” [This commandment is broken] because he is stealing his neighbor's source (i.e., his wife's womb), and so it says (in Prov. 9:17), “Stolen waters are sweet […].” (Exod. 20:13, cont. // Deut. 5:17, cont.:) “You shall not bear [false witness] against your neighbor.” [The commandment is broken] in that [the adulteress] bears false witness [to her husband] and says, “I am pregnant from you.” (Exod. 20:14; cf. Deut. 5:18:) “You shall not covet your neighbor's house, and you shall not covet your neighbor's wife […].” [The commandment is broken] because whoever covets his friend's wife and commits adultery with her, covets everything that belongs to his friend.¹⁵Cf. Lev. R. 23:12. How? When the husband comes to depart from the world, he thinks that this son is his and writes him a will¹⁶Gk.: diatheke. of all his assets. So he bequeaths to him whatever he has without knowing that he is not his son. It turns out that the adulterer covets whatever belongs to his friend.
They said to R. Hanina, “Here we have told you nine [commandments]. In regard to] (Exod. 20:8; cf. Deut. 5:12:) ‘Remember [the Sabbath (day)],’ how does he transgress against it?” He said to them, “I will tell you: Sometimes when a priest has a priestly wife, and a [lay] Israelite adulterer has sexual intercourse with her, such that she bears [a child] from him, they consider him (i.e., the child) to be the son of a priest. Then when the baby goes on to minister in the Temple, arrange wood, and sacrifice on the Sabbath, he is found to be profaning the Sabbath. Hence the Ten Commandments are violated by the adulteress with the adulterer. Solomon also has said concerning her (in Eccl. 7:26), “And I find [the woman] more bitter than death, [(the woman) who has snares and nets (in her heart)].” What is the meaning of “snares (rt.: tswd)?” She lies in wait (rt.: tswd) in this world and for the world to come.¹⁷The inference is from the fact that SNARES is plural and implies a minimum of two. And “nets?” The net catches [prey] in the water but does not catch [any] on dry land. The woman, however, catches [her prey] in the sea and on the dry land.¹⁸Eccl. R. 7:26:3. (Eccl. 7:26:) “And I find [the woman] more bitter than death.” Not to be loud, arrogant of gait, or bawdy in laughter: This is the way of the daughters of Israel. But if [a woman] was bawdy in the presence of one of them, one would warn her on the evidence of two [witnesses] and say to her, “Why should you be laughing with so and so? Why should you be speaking with him?” If she has [merely] spoken [with him] up to now, she is allowed into her house and may eat the terumah. [If] she has entered with him in secret and lingered to be defiled, she is forbidden her house and eating the terumah.

(Lev. 19:2:) “Speak unto the whole congregation of the Children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘You shall be holy.’” What reason did He have to speak this parashah in an assembly?⁵ Lev. 7:3; Lev. R. 24:5. Why did He not say, “Speak unto the Children of Israel,” as in the rest of the parashiot,⁶I.e., in Exod. 14:2, 15; 25:2; 31:13 Lev. 1:2; 4:2; 7:23, 29; 12:2; 15:2; 18:2; 23:2, 10, 24, 34; 25:2; 27:2; Numb. 5:6, 12; 6:2; 9:10; 15:2, 18, 38; 17:17; 19:2; 33:51; 35:10. rather than “[Speak] unto the whole congregation of the Children of Israel?” Because all of the [ten] commandments are included within it. How? In the commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:6), “I [am] the Lord your God”; and here (in Lev. 19:2), “I [am] the Lord your God.” In the commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:3 = Deut. 5:7), “You shall have no [other gods beside Me]”; and here (in Lev. 19:4), “Do not turn unto idols.” In the commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:7 = Deut. 5:11), “You shall not take [the name of the Lord your God in vain]”; and here (in Lev. 19:12), “You shall not swear falsely by My name.” In the commandments it is written (Deut. 5:12), “Guard the Sabbath day”; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:3), “You shall keep My Sabbaths.” In the commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:12 = Deut. 5:16), “Honor your father and your mother”; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:3, cont.), “you each shall fear his mother and his father.” In the commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:13 = Deut. 5:17), “You shall not murder”; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:16), “you shall not stand over the blood of your neighbor.” in the commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:13 = Deut. 5:17), “you shall not commit adultery”; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:2), “You shall be holy.“ In the commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:13 = Deut. 5:17), “you shall not stea”l; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:11), “You shall not steal.” In the commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:13 = Deut. 5:17), “you shall not bear [false witness against your neighbor]”; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:16), “You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people.” In the commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:14 = Deut. 5:18), “You shall not covet”; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:13), “You shall not oppress your neighbor, and you shall not rob him.” Here all of the [ten] commandments are included within [it]. It is therefore stated (in Lev. 19:2), “Speak unto the whole congregation [of the Children of Israel].”

In the Commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:6): I < AM > THE LORD YOUR GOD; and here (in Lev. 19:2): I < AM > THE LORD YOUR GOD.
In the Commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:3 = Deut. 5:7): YOU SHALL HAVE NO < OTHER GODS BESIDE ME >; and here (in Lev. 19:4): DO NOT TURN UNTO IDOLS.
In the Commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:7 = Deut. 5:11): YOU SHALL NOT TAKE < THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IN VAIN >; and here (in Lev. 19:12): YOU SHALL NOT SWEAR FALSELY BY MY NAME.
In the Commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:8; cf. Deut. 5:12): REMEMBER [THE SABBATH DAY]; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:3): YOU SHALL KEEP MY SABBATHS.
In the Commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:12 = Deut. 5:16); HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:3, cont.): YOU EACH SHALL FEAR HIS MOTHER AND HIS FATHER.
In the Commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:13 = Deut. 5:17): YOU SHALL NOT MURDER; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:16): YOU SHALL NOT STAND OVER THE BLOOD OF YOUR NEIGHBOR.
In the Commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:13 [14] = Deut. 5:17): YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:2): YOU SHALL BE HOLY.
In the Commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:13 [15] = Deut. 5:17): YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:11): YOU SHALL NOT STEAL.
In the Commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:13 [16] = Deut. 5:17): YOU SHALL NOT BEAR < FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR >; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:16): YOU SHALL NOT GO AROUND AS A SLANDERER AMONG YOUR PEOPLE.
In the Commandments it is written (in Exod. 20:14 [17] = Deut. 5:18): YOU SHALL NOT COVET; and here it is written (in Lev. 19:13): YOU SHALL NOT OPPRESS YOUR NEIGHBOR, AND YOU SHALL NOT ROB HIM.

(Numb. 16:1:) “[Korah who is] the son of Izhar [who is] the son of Kohath [who is] the son of Levi betook himself.” But there is not written "the son of Jacob" [or] "the son of Israel."¹⁸Numb. R. 18:5; cf.Gen. R. 98:5. This text is related (to Gen. 49:6), “Let not my soul come into their council,” i.e., that of the spies; “and let not my glory be joined with their congregation,” i.e., that of Korah. Jacob said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, with reference to the spies and with reference to the dissension of Korah, let not my name be mentioned [in connection with] those evil men, who are going to cause provocation. So when should my name (Israel) be joined upon them? When they are joined together to stand on the dais (as Levitical singers), as stated (I Chron. 6:[17,] 22–23) ‘[These are the ones whom David put in charge of song in the house of the Lord….] The son of Assir [who is] the son of Ebiasaph [who is] the son of Korah [who is] the son of Izhar [who is] the son of Kohath [who is] the son of Levi [who is] the son of Israel.’” (Numb. 16:1, cont.:) “Along with Dathan and Abiram.” From here the sages said, “Woe to the wicked one, [and] woe to his neighbor.”¹⁹Numb. R. 18:5, cont.; see Neg. 12:6; Sifra to Lev.14:40 (157: Metsora‘, pereq 4); ARN, A, 9; cf. ARN, B, 16; Numb.R. 3:12; Suk. 56b; above, Numb.1:13. As see that Dathan and Abiram were destroyed by the dissent of Korah, because they were neighbors of Korah. As he was dwelling to the south (of the tabernacle), as stated (in Numb. 3:29), “The families of the Children of Kohath were to camp along the side of the tabernacle to the south.” The standard of Reuben was near them, as stated (in Numb. 2:10), “The standard of the camp of Reuben shall be to the south.” However, the standard of Judah was in the east, and with him were Issachar and Zebulun, as stated (in Numb. 2:3), “Now these camping in front to the east shall be the standard of the camp of Judah.” And near them were Moses, Aaron, and his children, as written (in Numb. 3:38), “Those who camped before the tabernacle, in front before the tent of meeting to the east, were Moses, Aaron, and his children.” Because these were near the Torah, they were therefore worthy to be Torah scholars, as written (in Ps. 60:9), “Judah is my lawgiver.”²⁰Mehoqeq. Most translations render the word as scepter, since kingship was what Judah actually attained. And it is [also] written (in I Chron. 12:33), “And from the Children of Issachar, those who had an understanding of the times.” And it is [also] written (in Jud. 5:14), “and from Zebulon those who wield the scribal pen.” But Dathan and Abiram, who were neighbors to Korah – the one responsible for the dissent – were struck with him and perished from the world. (Numb. 16:19:) “And Korah gathered [the whole community] against them.” He said to them (in Numb. 16:3), “’You have gone too far, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them.’²¹Numb. R. 18:6. Moreover, every one of them heard on Sinai (in Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:6), ‘I am the Lord your God.’ (Numb. 16:3, cont.:) ‘So why do you elevate yourselves?’” Immediately Moses trembled, because it was already the fourth transgression on their hands. It is comparable to a king's son who had transgressed against his father. Now his friend effected a reconciliation with him once,²²Rt.: PSY. See the Gk.: peithein, peisai in the aorist. twice, and three times. When he transgressed a fourth time, the king's friend became discouraged. He said, “How many times shall I bother the king?” So also [it was with] Moses towards Israel. They had sinned with the calf, and (according to Exod. 32:11) “Moses implored.” In the case of the murmurers, (according to Numb. 11:2) “Moses prayed.” In the case of the spies, (according to Numb. 14:13), “Moses said unto the Lord, when the Egyptians hear [what happened].” [So] in the case of Korah's dissension, he became discouraged. He said, “How often can I bother the Omnipresent?” Therefore (in Numb. 16:4), “When Moses heard this, he fell on his face.”

In the case of (Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:6:) I <AM THE LORD YOUR GOD>, because anyone who commits adultery with the wife of his acquaintance is, as it were, denying the Holy One. It is so stated (in Jer. 5:8, 12): <THEY WERE WELL-FED, LUSTY STALLIONS, EACH NEIGHING AT HIS NEIGHBOR'S WIFE…. > THEY HAVE DENIED THE LORD AND SAID: HE DOES NOT EXIST.
(Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:7:) <YOU> SHALL HAVE NO <OTHER GODS>, since it is written of him (in Exod. 20:5 = Deut. 5:9): FOR [I] THE LORD YOUR GOD AM A JEALOUS GOD. Also it is stated two times concerning the adulteress (in Numb. 5:14): IF THE SPIRIT OF JEALOUSY CAME OVER HIM, AND HE IS JEALOUS OF HIS WIFE. But why two times? Because it (i.e., the meal offering of the next verse)¹⁶So Rashi on Numb. 5:15. excites jealousy for the Holy One and for her husband, as stated (in Numb. 5:15): FOR IT IS A MEAL OFFERING OF JEALOUSY. Thus it is a case of two jealousies.
(Exod. 20:7 = Deut. 5:11:) YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD <IN VAIN>. <One breaks this commandment> because he commits adultery and swears in vain that he has not done so.
(On this commandment, see the end of the paragraph.)
(Exod. 20:12 = Deut. 5:16:) HONOR YOUR FATHER. When one commits adultery with the adulteress, she becomes pregnant from him. Then she says to her husband: I am pregnant from you. When the fetus is grown, it honors her husband, <since it> thinks that he is its father. Moreover, <the grown child> passes through the market and scorns the adulterer, since he thinks that he is not his father.
(Exod. 20:13 = Deut. 5:17:) YOU SHALL NOT MURDER. The adulterer goes in on condition that, if he is caught, he will kill or be killed.
(Exod. 20:13, cont. = Deut. 5:17, cont.:) YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY. Obviously <this commandment is broken>, because he is committing adultery.
(Exod. 20:13, cont. = Deut. 5:17, cont.:) YOU SHALL NOT STEAL. <This commandment is broken> because he is stealing his neighbor's spring (i.e., his wife's womb), and so it says (in Prov. 9:17): STOLEN WATERS ARE SWEET….
(Exod. 20:13, cont. // Deut. 5:17, cont.:) YOU SHALL NOT BEAR <FALSE WITNESS> AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR. <The commandment is broken> in that <the adulteress> bears false witness [to her husband] and says: I am pregnant from you.
(Exod. 20:14; cf. Deut. 5:18:) YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR's HOUSE, AND YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR's WIFE. <The commandment is broken> because whoever covets his friend's wife and commits adultery with her, covets everything that belongs to his friend.¹⁷Cf. Lev. R. 23:12; Matthew 5:28. How? When he continues committing adultery with her and she bears <a child> from him, her husband thinks that it came from himself. When he comes to depart from the world, he thinks that this son is his and writes him a will¹⁸Gk.: diatheke. of all his assets. So he bequeaths to him whatever he has without knowing that he is not his son. It turns out that the adulterer covets whatever belongs to his friend.

[(Deut. 16:18:) YOU SHALL APPOINT JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS> FOR YOURSELVES IN ALL YOUR GATES …,] in every single city, FOR YOUR TRIBES. Even when the whole city consists of a single family, appoint judges for yourselves.²⁴Cf. the parallel in Tanh, Deut. 5:6: “Appoint judges for it.” (Deut. 16:18, cont.:) SO THAT THEY MAY JUDGE THE PEOPLE WITH RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT. <This is> to teach you that one effects righteousness with both of them, with the innocent one who gets what belongs to him and with the guilty one from under whose hand they take away the stolen goods.

(Deut. 5:1) I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD. Why did <Moses> begin with the word <YOUR> in the singular and not say, "Your God" (with "your" in the plural)? Rabbi Simeon has said: In order to give a defence,¹⁷Gk.: synegoria. in which Moses argued a defence (before the Holy One) for the act of the <golden> calf. He said to him: Why are you angry? (Exod. 32:11:) WHY, [O LORD], DOES YOUR WRATH BURN AGAINST YOUR PEOPLE? Have you given them some commandment?¹⁸The making of the golden calf took place before the people had received any commandments at Sinai.

(Numb. 16:19): AND KORAH GATHERED <THE WHOLE COMMUNITY> AGAINST THEM. He said to them (in Numb. 16:3): <YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR,> FOR ALL THE CONGREGATION ARE HOLY, EVERY ONE OF THEM, [AND THE LORD IS IN THE MIDST OF THEM].²¹Tanh., Numb. 5:4, cont.; Numb.R. 18:6. Moreover, every one of them heard on Sinai (in Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:6): I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD. (Numb. 16:3, cont.:) SO WHY DO YOU ELEVATE YOURSELVES? Immediately Moses trembled, because it was already the fourth transgression on their hands. It is comparable to a king's son who had transgressed against his father. Now his friend effected a reconciliation with him once,²²Rt.: PSY. See the Gk.: peithein, peisai in the aorist. twice, and three times. When he transgressed a fourth time, the king's friend became discouraged. He said: How many times shall I bother the king. So also <it was with> Moses. They had sinned with the calf, AND (according to Exod. 32:11) MOSES IMPLORED <THE LORD HIS GOD>. In the case of the murmurers, (according to Numb. 11:2) MOSES PRAYED UNTO THE LORD. [In the case of the spies, (according to Numb. 14:13): MOSES SAID UNTO THE LORD:] WHEN THE EGYPTIANS HEAR <WHAT HAPPENED>….: In the case of Korah's dissension, he became discouraged. He said: How often can I bother the Omnipresent? Therefore (in Numb. 16:4): WHEN MOSES HEARD THIS, HE FELL ON HIS FACE.

6 (Numb. 16:19) “And Korah gathered [the whole community] against them”: He said to them (in Numb. 16:3), “’You have gone too far, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them.’ Moreover, every one of them heard on Sinai (in Exod. 20:2 = Deut. 5:6), ‘I am the Lord your God.’ (Numb. 16:3, cont.,) ‘So why do you elevate yourselves?’” If only you had heard, and they did not hear, you could have said [that you are more worthy]. But now they all heard, “so why do you elevate [yourselves]?” Immediately Moses trembled, because it was already the fourth transgression on their hands. It is comparable to a king's son who had transgressed against his father. Now his friend effected a reconciliation with him once,¹⁶Rt.: PSY. See the Gk.: peithein, peisai in the aorist. twice, and three times. When he transgressed a fourth time, the king's friend became discouraged. He said, “How many times shall I bother the king?” So also [it was with] Moses towards Israel. They had sinned with the calf, and (according to Exod. 32:11,) “Moses implored.” In the case of the murmurers, (according to Numb. 11:2,) “Moses prayed.” In the case of the spies, (according to Numb. 14:13,) “Moses said unto the Lord, when the Egyptians hear [what happened].” [So] in the case of Korah's dissension, he said, “How often can I bother the Omnipresent?” Therefore (in Numb. 16:4), “When Moses heard this, he fell on his face.”