Midrash sur La Genèse 1:24

(Gen. 1:1:) IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. It is written (in Ps. 104:3): WHO ROOFS HIS UPPER ROOMS IN THE WATERS, WHO SETS THE CLOUDS AS HIS CHARIOT…. R. Johanan said:¹Gen. R. 1:3; PRE 4; M. Pss. 104:7. See below, sec. 1:12; M. Pss. 24:4. Heaven and earth were created on the first day, and on the second the Holy One²In this translation “the Holy One” (apart from biblical quotations) represents the Hebrew acronym, HQBH, which stands for “The Holy One Blessed be He.” A somewhat abbreviated form is called for because this acronym has become the common midrashic name of the Deity and is treated as a single word. The full title would be awkward and only appears in the translation where the full title occurs in the Buber text. created the firmament and the angels. Where is it shown that they were created on the second day? Where it is stated (ibid.): WHO ROOFS HIS UPPER ROOMS IN THE WATERS,³The midrash interprets this roof as the firmament of Gen. 1:6-8. Thus Ps. 104:3f. is seen as a reference to the second day of creation. WHO SETS THE CLOUDS AS HIS CHARIOT, WHO WALKS ON THE WINGS OF THE WIND (ruah). And what is written next (in vs. 4)? WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS SPIRITS (ruah).⁴Cf. Hebrews 1:7. R. Hanina said: The angels were created on the fifth day. Thus it is written concerning the fifth (in Gen. 1:20): AND LET FOWL FLY (ye'ofef) ABOVE THE EARTH. Now the word ye'ofef only refers to the flying of angels, as it is used (in Is. 6:2): AND WITH TWO HE DID FLY (ye'ofef). And why were the angels not created on the first day? So that the heretics (minim) would not say: Michael was standing in the north with Gabriel in the south, and together they spread out the heavens and the earth. So who did create them? The Holy One by himself, as stated (in Gen. 1:1): IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED < THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH >. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah disagree. R. Judah says: The world was being created for six days. Thus it is written concerning the work of each and every day (in Gen. 1:7, 9, 11, 15, 24, 30): AND IT WAS SO. That is R. Judah's opinion, but R. Nehemiah says: The whole world was created on the first day. R. Judah said to him: What is the meaning of what is written concerning the work of each and every day: [AND IT WAS SO]? R. Berekhyah said concerning R. Nehemiah's opinion: (According to Gen. 1:24) GOD SAID: LET THE EARTH BRING FORTH. The expression LET BRING FORTH is only used of something that was prepared from IN THE BEGINNING, as stated concerning the first day (in vs. 1): IN THE BEGINNING.

(Lev. 12:2:) “When a woman emits her seed and bears a male.” This text is related (to Job 29:2), “O that I were as in the months of old, [as in the days when God watched over me]!” In regard to this verse, Job spoke it when the afflictions had come upon him. He said, “’O that I were as in the months of old,’ and would that I had the days which I had when I was in my mother's belly!” “As in the days when God watched over me!” [These words] teach that the infant is watched over while it is in its mother's belly. (Job 29:3:) “When His light shone over my head […].” From here you learn that the infant has light in its mother's belly. (Job 29:4:) “When I was in the days of my youth (horef),¹Horef also means “winter.” Buber notes here that in the following simile, the infant in the womb is being protected in the womb as the winter rain protects the soil. when God's company was over my tent.” [These words teach about the infant.] Just as the rain is at work in the soil for it to become muddy, so the infant is muddy in its mother's womb. Another interpretation [of] “when God's company was over my tent”: These words teach about the infant. Just as the infant gets muddy, so is a person muddied by sins, so that misfortunes come upon him. At that time [Job] said (in Job 29:2), “’O that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me,’ and would that I had the days which I had when I was in my mother's belly!” What does he finally say (in vs. 4)? “When I was in the days of my youth.” R. Abbahu said, “The infant comes out of the mother's belly covered with slime and covered with blood; yet everyone praises and cherishes it, especially when it is a male.”²Tanh., Lev. 8:11; PRK 9:6. Ergo (in Lev. 12:2), “When a woman emits her seed and bears a male.” (Lev. 12:2:) “When a woman emits her seed.” [This text is related to (Ps. 139:5),] “You have formed me behind and before.” The text speaks of the first Adam.³Cf. Gen. R. 8:1; 14:5; Lev. R. 14:1; M. Pss. 139:6. R. Johanan said, “It is written about him that there were two creations. There is a double y (i.e., a double yod in Gen. 2:7), ‘The Lord God formed (yytsr) the human.’ One formation is in this world, and one is for the world to come. But in the case of cattle, wild beasts, and birds, for them [only] one formation is written (without a double y in Gen. 2:19), ‘So out of the earth the Lord God formed (ytsr) all the wild beasts of the field [and all the birds of the heavens].’ It therefore says (in Ps. 139:5), ‘You have formed me behind and before.’” R. Simeon ben Laqish says, “Behind (in the sense of what comes] before the act of [his] creation. What is the reason? It is written (in Gen. 1:2), ‘and the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters’; this spirit was the soul of the first Adam. It therefore says (in Ps. 139:5), ‘You have formed me behind and before.’” R. Eleazar ben Pedat says, “Behind [refers] to an [later] event of the sixth day, and before [refers] to an [earlier] event of the sixth day. How so? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, created six things on the sixth day. They were these: (1) the soul; (2) wild beasts; (3) cattle; (4) beasts of the earth; (5) Adam; and (6) Eve. Now Adam's soul was created first, as stated (in Gen. 1:24), ‘a living soul.’ Living soul can only be the soul of Adam, since it is stated (in Gen. 2:7), ‘and the human (Adam) became a living soul.’ Hence, before [refers] to the [first] event of the sixth day, and behind [refers] to the sixth day, since [the Holy One, blessed be He,] was occupied with him all of the sixth day. Ergo (in Ps. 139:5), ‘You have formed me behind and before.’ Behind [refers] to an event of the sixth day, and before [refers] to an event of the sixth day.” R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “What is the meaning of ‘You have formed me behind and before?’ Having two faces, male and female. Hence it says (in Ps. 139:5), ‘You have formed me behind and before.’”⁴Ber. 61a; ‘Eruv. 18a. Adam said, “After the Holy One, blessed be He, had created all the cattle and wild beasts, He created me.” So it is with the infant. Before it comes forth from its mother's belly, the Holy One, blessed be He, commands it, “Eat of this, do not eat of that, (in Lev. 11:29) ‘this shall be unclean for you.’” Then after it takes upon itself in its mother's belly all the commandments which are in the Torah, [only] after that it is born. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 12:2), “When a woman emits her seed and bears a male.”

Another interpretation (of Lev. 12:2): WHEN A WOMAN EMITS HER SEED. This text is related (to Ps. 139:5): YOU HAVE FORMED ME BEHIND AND BEFORE, < AND YOU HAVE LAID YOUR HAND UPON ME >. The text speaks of the first Adam.⁴Tanh., Lev. 4:1; cf. Gen. R. 8:1; 14:5; Lev. R. 14:1; M. Pss. 139:6. [R. Johanan] said: It is written about him that there were two creations. There is a double Y (i.e., a double yod in Gen. 2:7): THE LORD GOD FORMED (YYTsR) THE HUMAN. One formation is in this world, and one is for the world to come. But in the case of cattle, wild beasts, and birds, for them < only > one formation is written (without a double Y in Gen. 2:19): SO OUT OF THE EARTH THE LORD GOD FORMED (YTsR) ALL THE WILD BEASTS OF THE FIELD < AND ALL THE BIRDS OF THE HEAVENS >. It therefore says (in Ps. 139:5): YOU HAVE FORMED ME BEHIND AND BEFORE. R. Simeon ben Laqish says: BEHIND (in the sense of what comes afterwards) < refers > to an event of the sixth day, and BEFORE < refers > to an event of the first day. What is the reason? {Resh Laqish said} [Thus has R. Simeon ben Laqish said] (in Gen. 1:2): AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS HOVERING OVER THE FACE OF THE WATERS. This SPIRIT was the soul of the first Adam. It therefore says (in Ps. 139:5): YOU HAVE FORMED ME BEHIND AND BEFORE. BEHIND < refers > to an event of the sixth day, and BEFORE < refers > to an event of the first day. R. Eleazar ben Pedat says: BEHIND < refers > to an event of the sixth day, and BEFORE < refers > to an event of the sixth day. How so? Because the Holy One created six things on the sixth day. They were these: (1) The soul, (2) wild beasts, (3) cattle, (4) creeping things, (5) beasts of the earth, and (6) Adam and Eve. Now Adam's soul was created first, as stated (in Gen. 1:24): LET THE EARTH BRING FORTH A LIVING SOUL. LIVING SOUL can only be the soul of Adam, since it is stated (in Gen. 2:7): AND THE HUMAN (adam) BECAME A LIVING SOUL. Hence, BEFORE < refers > to the < first > event of the sixth day, and BEHIND < refers > to the sixth day, since < the Holy One > was occupied with him all of the sixth day. Ergo (in Ps. 139:5): YOU HAVE FORMED ME BEHIND AND BEFORE. BEHIND < refers > to an event of the sixth day, and BEFORE < refers > to an event of the sixth day. R. Samuel bar Nahman said: What is the meaning of BEHIND AND BEFORE? Having two faces, male and female. Hence it says (in Ps. 139:5): YOU HAVE FORMED ME BEHIND AND BEFORE.⁵Ber. 61a; ‘Eruv. 18a. Adam said: After the Holy One had created all the cattle and wild beasts, he created me. So it is with the infant. Before it comes forth from its mother's belly, the Holy One commands it: Eat of this, do not eat of that, (in Lev. 11:29:) THIS SHALL BE UNCLEAN FOR YOU. Then after it takes upon itself in its mother's belly all the commandments which are in the Torah, < only > after that it is born. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 12:2): WHEN A WOMAN EMITS HER SEED AND BEARS A MALE.