מדרש על בראשית 10:17

The Rock, His action is perfect: Yishaiyahu said, "Pursue the Lord in His being found" (Isaiah 55:6), and David said, "Pursue the Lord and His might, etc." (I Chronicles 16:11). Why did he [continue to] say, "seek His face always?" To teach you [that] the Holy One, blessed be He - may His name be blessed - sometimes appears and sometimes does not appear; sometimes hears and sometimes does not want to hear; sometimes answers and sometimes does not answer; sometimes is pursued and sometimes is not pursued; sometimes is found and sometimes is not found; sometimes is close and sometimes is not close. How is this? He appeared to Moshe, as it is stated (Exodus 33:11), "And the Lord spoke to Moshe." He went back and disappeared from him, when he said to Him, "Please show me Your glory" (Exodus 33:18). And so [too,] He appeared to Israel at Sinai, as it is stated (Exodus 24:10), "And they saw the God of Israel," and it states (Exodus 24:17), "And the appearance of the glory of the Lord." [But] He went back and disappeared from them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:15), "since you did not see any picture," and it states (Deuteronomy 4:15), "the voice of words do you hear." And when Israel were in Egypt in torturous subjugation, "And God heard their moaning" (Exodus 2:24). [But] when they sinned, "The Lord did not hear your voice and did not listen to you" (Deuteronomy 1:45). He answered Shmuel at Mitspeh, as it is stated (I Samuel 7:9), "and Shmuel cried out to the Lord [...] and the Lord answered Shmuel." [But] He went back and did not answer Him, as it is stated (I Samuel 16:1), "And the Lord said to Shmuel, 'Until when are you mourning for Shaul.'" He answered David - and it stated (Psalms 34:5), "I have pursued the Lord and He answered me." [But] He went back and did not answer him, as it is stated (II Samuel 12:16), "and David fasted a fast, and he went in and laid down on the ground," and it is written (II Samuel 12:14), "also the child that is born to you will surely die." And at the time that Israel repents, He is found for them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:29), "And from there, you will seek the Lord, your God [and you will find Him]." But if they do not repent, "They will go with their sheep and cattle to seek the Lord, but they will not find Him; He has cast them off" (Hosea 5:6). Sometimes He is close, as it is stated (Psalms 145:18), "Close is the Lord to all who call to Him"; [but] sometimes He is not close, as it is stated (Proverbs 15:29), "Far from evildoers is the Lord." And it is written (Numbers 6:26), "And the Lord shall lift His face"; but [another[ verse states (Deuteronomy 10:17), "Who does not lift the face." [Only] if [one] repents, He lifts His face to him. It is possible [that He does this] for all. [Hence] we learn to say "to you" (Numbers 6:26) - but not to another nation; as it is stated (Jeremiah 4:14), "Wash your heart from evil, Jerusalem, in order that you be saved" - if they repent. But if not, "Even if you wash with natron [... your iniquity is before Me]" (Jeremiah 2:22). Hence Yishaiyahu said, "Pursue the Lord in His being found; call to Him in His being close." [There is a relevant] parable: To what is the matter similar? To a king who said to his servants, "Go out and announce in all of my dominion that I am sitting and judging financial cases. Anyone who has an issue with his fellow - let him come in front of Me, and I will judge him favorably, [now] before I sit to judge capital cases." And so [too,] did the Holy One, blessed be He - may His name be blessed - say to Israel, "My sons, Know that I judge the world at these four periods: At Pesach about the grain; at [Shavouot] about the fruit of the trees; at Rosh HaShanah, all those that come to the world come in front of me like bnei Maron; and at [Sukkot] about the water. On three of these periods, I sit to judge financial cases, to make wealthy or make poor, to increase or to decrease. But on Rosh HaShanah, I judge capital cases, whether for death or life - as you say in the shofar blows of Rav, 'And upon it is said, about the provinces, etc.' But if you repent with a full heart, I will accept you and judge you favorably. As the gates of the Heavens are open and I will hear your prayers, since I 'observe from the windows, peer through the lattice,' [now] before I seal the judgement on Yom Kippur." Hence it is stated, "Pursue the Lord in His being found." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said, "[There is a relevant] parable: To what is the matter similar? To a king who resided in a province and the people of the province were angering him. The king got angry and went outside of it [a distance of] ten mil and he stayed there. A man saw him, [and] he said to the people of the province, 'Know that the king is angry with you and he is seeking to send his legions upon the city to destroy it. Go out and appease him and he will return to you, before he distances himself from you.' A clever man was there, [and] he said to them, 'Fools, While the king was with you, you did not seek to appease him. And now before he distances himself, go out to him. Maybe he will accept you.'" Hence it is stated, "Pursue the Lord in His being found" - these are the ten days of repentance, that he is found among you, as so did Yechezkel say, "a wall between Me and them" (Ezekiel 43:8). This is "call to Him in His being close. Let the evildoer leave his path and a man his thoughts of iniquity and return to the Lord and He will have mercy upon him" (Isaiah 55:6-7).

(Lev. 7:11:) “This is the law of the sacrifice for peace offerings." When they offered the sacrifice of the peace offerings, the Holy One, blessed be He, would lift up His face to (favor) them, as stated (in Numb. 6:26), “The Lord lift up His face unto you and grant you peace.” Is it possible for the Holy One, blessed be He, to [favor] mortals? Two verses contradict each other. One text says (in Ezek. 33:11), “Do I desire the death of the wicked?” The other text says (in I Sam. 2:25), “for the Lord took pleasure in slaying them.” How has He not taken pleasure in the death of the wicked? It is simply that before their verdict was sealed, He did not take pleasure; after a verdict was sealed, the Lord took pleasure in slaying them. And so Daniel said (in Dan. 10:21), “However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the record of truth.” Our masters have said, “There was a story about our Holy Rabbi (i.e., about R. Judah the Prince) that when he was passing through Simonia (where he lived), all the people of the city came out to meet him.¹⁹yYev. 12:6 (13a); Gen. R. 81:2; cf. Yev. 105:1. They wanted an elder from him to teach Torah. He gave them R. Levi ben Sisi. They said to him, ‘Our teacher, what is the meaning of what is written in Daniel (10:21), “However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the record of truth?” Is there something false in the Torah that it [must specifically] say truth [here]?’ [When] he did not find an answer to give them, he immediately went away [from there and came] to Rabbi. He said to him, ‘I could not stand up before them. They asked me one thing, and I could not find out what to answer them.’ He said to him, ‘What was the [one] thing?’ He said to him, ‘”However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the record of truth.” Is there something false in the Torah?’ He said to him, ‘There was a great answer for you to give them.’ He said to him, ‘You had something to tell them: When someone sins, the Holy One, blessed be He, inscribes death for him. [And if] he repents, the record is canceled. [But if] he does not repent, it is inscribed in the record of truth.’” Here also one text says (in Numb. 6:26), “The Lord lift up His face unto you”; while another text says (in Deut. 10:17), “who does not lift up His face.” If He lifts it up, why does He not lift it up? It is simply that for the idolaters, [He is one] “who does not lift up His face,” but for Israel, “The Lord lift up His face unto you.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Just as Israel [favors] me, so do I [favor] them. And how do they [favor] Me? [When] someone poor from Israel has four children, he takes one loaf. They sit down and eat all that loaf, but they are not satisfied from what there is in it, [yet] they recite a blessing. Yet the verse [only] says (Deut. 8:10), ‘When you shall eat and be full, you shall bless.’ I shall also favor them, [as stated] (in Numb. 6:26), ‘The Lord lift up His face unto you.’” It is therefore stated (in Lev. 7:11), “This is the law of the sacrifice for peace offerings.”

Another interpretation: Lest the nations of the world say: He behaves like a brute with you. That is to say: When the generation of the flood came, he destroyed them with water, as stated (in Gen. 7:6): WHEN THE FLOODWATERS CAME UPON THE EARTH. And similarly, when the generation of the dispersion came, he destroyed them. And similarly, when the Egyptians came, he drowned them in water. And also in the case of these whom he has called (in Exod. 4:22) ISRAEL, MY FIRST-BORN SON, here he is destroying (mekhalleh) them! <He is> like that Lilith (keLilit). When she does not find anything else, she turns on children. So (in Numb. 14:16): BECAUSE THE LORD WAS NOT ABLE TO BRING THIS PEOPLE INTO THE LAND WHICH HE HAS SWORN <TO GIVE> THEM, HE HAS SLAUGHTERED THEM IN THE DESERT. Moses said: Sovereign of the World, (according to vs. 14) THAT YOU, O LORD, ARE SEEN FACE TO FACE (literally: EYE TO EYE). What is the meaning of THAT <YOU> … ARE SEEN EYE TO EYE ('YN B'YN)?¹⁴Similarly Deut. R. 5:13. R. Simeon ben Laqish said: See, the scales are balanced (rt.: 'YN). You say (in Numb. 14:12): I WILL SMITE THEM WITH PESTILENCE AND DISPLACE THEM; but I am saying (in vs. 19): PLEASE PARDON. We shall see whose <utterance> will stand. The Holy One said to him: By your life, Moses, yours shall stand, while mine is null <and void>. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 14:20): THEN THE LORD SAID: I HAVE PARDONED THEM AS YOU ASKED. But nevertheless, the decree of the Holy One which he had uttered to Moses (in Numb. 14:12): THEN I WILL MAKE YOU INTO A NATION THAT IS GREATER AND MORE NUMEROUS THAN THEY, <that decree> was not repealed. He raised up from him sixty myriads, and in the world to come the Holy One shall gather them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 49:12): LOOK! THESE ARE COMING FROM AFAR. AND LOOK! THESE ARE FROM THE NORTH AND FROM THE SEA (i.e., FROM THE WEST), AND THESE FROM THE LAND OF SINIM. Moreover, the exiles shall come with them, also the tribes who are located beyond <the River> Sambatyon¹⁵Gk.: Sabbatikos (“Sabbatical”). See Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Exod. 34:10; ySanh. 10:6 or 5 (29c); Gen. R. 73:6; Lam. R. 2:5 (9); PR 31:10; above, Gen. 10:17, it was beyond, or on an island in, this legendary river that at least some of the ten tribes were exiled. See also Tanh., Exod. 9:33; Gen. R. 11:5, PR 23:8; according to which the river carried stones in its current during the whole week but rested on the Sabbath. See also Pliny, HN 31:18 (24); Sanh. 65b. Cf. Josephus, BJ 7:5:1 (96–99), according to whom the Sabbath was the only day on which the river flowed. and beyond the darkness.¹⁶Cf. Ezek. 34:12. They shall be gathered and come to Jerusalem. It is concerning them that Isaiah has said (in Is. 49:9): SAYING TO THE PRISONERS: GO FORTH, <i.e.,> to those who are located beyond the Sambatyon. (Ibid., cont.:) TO THOSE WHO ARE IN DARKNESS: SHOW YOURSELVES.¹⁷Higgalu. The verb can also mean “be exiled. These are those who are located beyond the cloud of darkness. (Ibid., cont.:) THEY SHALL PASTURE ALONG THE ROADS, AND {UPON} [IN ALL] THE HEIGHTS SHALL BE THEIR PASTURE. These are those who are located in Daphne near Antioch.¹⁸According to ySanh. 10:6 or 5 (29c) the exiles were divided into three parts: one beyond the Sambatyon River, one to Daphne at Antioch, and one into a cloud cover. At that time they shall be redeemed and come to Zion with gladness. Isaiah has said (in Is. 51:11): SO LET THOSE RANSOMED BY THE LORD RETURN AND COME TO ZION WITH EXALTATION, WITH JOY EVERLASTING UPON THEIR HEADS. LET THEM ATTAIN JOY AND GLADNESS; MAY SORROW AND SIGHING FLEE.