מדרש על בראשית 9:23

Another interpretation (of Lev. 6:2), “Command Aaron.” What is the function of Aaron here? Israel was bringing offerings whereas Aaron is mentioned, and Scripture says here, “Command Aaron.” But note, it is written (in Numb. 28:2), “Command the Children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘My offering, My bread,’” but here it says (in Lev. 6:2), “Command Aaron […], ‘This is the Torah of the one who ascends (h'lh).’”⁴The masoretic text vocalizes this word as ha’olah, which means, THE BURNT OFFERING, but the midrash interprets the word as though it were vocalized ha’oleh, which means, “The one who ascends,” with the ascending implying self-exaltation. So also Lev. R. 7:6. The Holy One, blessed be He, said (to warn Aaron and his sons), “Whenever someone raises (rt.: 'lh) himself up, his end is to go in the fire.”⁵M.Ps. 11:5. It is so stated (in Lev. 6:2, cont.), “that is the one which ascends upon the burning place.” The generation of the flood [suffered] because of what they said (in Job 21:15), “What is the Omnipresent that we should serve Him?” For that reason they were sentenced to the fire (of Gehinnom), as stated (Job 6:17), “at the time that they were heated, they were burnt in His heat,” and it is written (Job 22:20), “and the fire consumed their remnant.” And likewise the Sodomites, [as stated] (in Gen. 19:24), “Then the Lord rained down upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire.” When Pharaoh said (in Exod. 5:2), “Who is the Lord, [that I should heed His voice],” he exalted (rt.: 'lh) himself and said (in Ezek. 29:3), “my Nile is my own and I made it myself.” [He is] therefore (in the words of Lev. 6:2) “upon the burning place.” For so it says (in Ps. 18:14), “The Lord thundered in the heavens,” (Ps. 18:13), "From the illumination in front of Him, His clouds were pierced by hail and coals of fire.” And also when Sennacherib exalted (rt.: 'lh) himself and said (in II Kings 19:23 = Is. 37:24), “it is I who have ascended (rt.: 'lh) the mountain heights to the remotest parts of Lebanon.” And what happened to him? (II Kings 19:35:) “The angel of the Lord went out and smote [one hundred and eighty-thousand] in the camp of Assyria.” He had blasphemed (according to II Kings 19:23: cf. 18:17–35) through a messenger (mal'akh);⁶The parallel in Is. 37:24 reads “servant” instead of “messenger.” therefore (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36 // II Chron. 32:21) “the angel (mal'akh) of the Lord went out and smote.” What did he do to him? (Is. 10:16), “And under his glory there shall burn a burning like the burning of fire.” What is the meaning of “under his glory?” That it burned them from within and left alone their clothes on the outside, since a person's glory is his garment.⁷Cf. Sanh. 94a. And why did the Holy One, blessed be He, leave their clothes behind? Because they were descendants of Shem, as stated (in Gen. 10:22), “The sons of Shem are Elam, Asshur (Assyria)….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I am indebted to their father Shem, because he took the garment and covered his father's nakedness, as stated (in Gen. 9:23), “Then Shem and Japheth took the garment… [and they covered their father's nakedness].”⁸Cf. Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:21, which interprets the verse to show that Shem took the lead in this act. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, left their clothes alone and burned [only] their body. This is as it is written (Lev. 6:2), “that (i.e. the person who exalts himself) is the one which ascends (ha'oleh) upon the burning place.” And so too Nebuchadnezzar exalted (rt.: 'lh) himself and said (in Is. 14:14), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) upon the heights of a cloud; I will become like the Most High (rt.: 'lh).” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Upon your life, was it not enough that you said in your heart (in vs. 13), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) to the heavens; above the stars of God I will set my throne,” but that you should say (in vs. 14), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) upon the heights of a cloud, I will become like the Most High (rt.: 'lh)?” And so he (i.e., Nebuchadnezzar) said to Hananiah and his friends (in Dan. 3:15), “’Now who is the God who shall deliver you out of my hand?’ I have burned His house and exiled His people. He did not stand against me in His house; so will He overcome me in my house?” What did he do? He threw them into the fiery furnace. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He gave a sign to the furnace and it became a highway.⁹PLTYA, from the Gk.: plateia. Buber suggests emending to PLNTYH, from the Gk.: planetes, i.e., “planets.” Whoever was designated to be burned was not burned and whoever was not designated to be burned was burned. So the fire went forth and burned half of the peoples. Thus you find, when they assembled for the dedication of the image, at first there were eight peoples, as stated (in Dan. 3:3), “Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the provincial officials assembled.” That makes eight peoples; but when they came in to see Hananiah and his friends, there were only four peoples written there (in vs. 27), “The satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the royal companions assembled.” So where were [the other] four peoples?] It is simply that (in vs. 22) “the flame of the fire slew them.” Now Nebuchadnezzar also was burned by the fire, and the fright (i.e., repulsiveness) of [a body disfigured by] burning was put upon him.¹⁰For this interpretation, Jastrow, s.v., ‘immus. Why was all of him not burned? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Leave this evil man half of himself so that he may know against Whom he blasphemed.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “O wicked one, did you not say, ‘I do not want to live with the children of Adam, but (in Is. 14:14), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) upon the heights of a cloud?”’ By your life, (according to Dan. 4:22) ‘You shall be driven away from humans and your domicile will be with the wild animals outside.’” Just as He brought the plagues upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt, so did He bring [punishment] upon Nebuchadnezzar. It is so stated (in Dan. 3:32), “The signs and wonders which the most high God has worked for me [it seemed good to me to make known].” This fright of [a body disfigured by] burning fell upon him. Therefore it is stated (in Lev. 6:2), “that is the one which ascends (h'lh) upon the burning place.” (Lev. 6.2) “That is the one which ascends upon the burning place.” This is the kingdom of Edom (Rome), which exalted (rt.: 'lh) itself, as stated (in Obad. 1:4), “Though you make [your abode] as high as the eagle, and though [your nest is set] among the stars,” and will be judged by fire, as stated (in Dan. 7:11), “I looked on until the beast was slain and its body destroyed, given over for burning in the fire.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Obad. 1:18), “The House of Jacob shall be fire, and the House of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau shall be straw; [… for the Lord has spoken].” And what did he say? Through Moses (in Lev. 6:2), “that is the one which ascends (ha'olah, rt.: 'lh) upon the burning place.” Then after that [Scripture says] (in Obad. 1:21), “Then saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mountain of Esau.” Sisera also [was punished by fire] because he blasphemed. Thus it is written about him (in Jud. 4:3), “and he oppressed the Children of Israel with might,” [i.e.] with blasphemies and invectives.¹¹See M. Ps. 2:1, which derives this interpretation of WITH MIGHT (rt.: HZQ) from Mal. 3:13: YOUR WORDS HAVE BEEN MIGHTY (rt.: HZQ) AGAINST ME. See also below, 9:7. He was therefore punished by fire, as stated (in Jud. 5:20), “The stars fought from the heavens; from their courses they fought with Sisera.”¹²See Pes. 118b, according to which the stars descended and heated the iron implements in Sisera’s army. And in the world to come, when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to exact retribution from Esau, what [will] Esau do? Wrapped in a prayer shawl like an elder, he comes and takes his seat beside Jacob. It is so stated, (in Obad. 1:4), “and though your nest is set among the stars.” Stars can only mean Israel, since it is stated (in Gen. 15:5), “look toward the heavens and count the stars …; so shall your seed be.” Jacob says to him, “My brother ('hy), you shall not be like me.” Thus it is stated (in Hos. 13:14), “my brother ('hy),¹³The unemended reading below, given in braces, shows that the midrash is reading the he in ‘HY as a het, so that the WHERE of the Masoretic Text cited here is to be interpreted as MY BROTHER. your words¹⁴Devarekha. YOUR WORDS is the translation required by the midrash. In the biblical context devarekha should be rendered, YOUR PLAGUES. are death; my brother ('hy), your descent (qtb) is to Sheol.”¹⁵A traditional translation of the line would read: WHERE IS YOUR PESTILENCE, O SHEOL? Your words are decrees which you decreed over me. You decreed two-edged decrees against me, that I should serve idols. If I had done so, I would have been condemned to death at the hands of Heaven; and if I had not served them, you would have killed me. Ergo (in Hos. 13:14), “my brother, your words are death.” (Ibid., cont.) “My brother ('hy), your descent (qtb) is to Sheol.” [Qtb] is a Hellenistic¹⁶From the Gk. adverb: Hellenisti. word, meaning to descend to Sheol.¹⁷Thus QTB is understood as coming from the Greek, kataba, an aorist imperative meaning, “descend.” When Esau descends to Sheol, Jacob will remain by himself. It is therefore stated (in Zech. 13:8), “And it shall come to pass throughout all the land, says the Lord, that two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one-third shall remain in it.” Now the one-third can only be Israel, since it is stated (in Is. 19:24), “Israel shall be a third.” So Israel – because they made themselves despised and lowly, as stated (Malachi 2:9), “And I also made you despised and lowly” – are avenged and redeemed by fire; as stated (in Zech. 2:9), “And I Myself, says the Lord, will be a wall of fire around it (i.e., around Jerusalem).” When Esau departs from the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel remain, as stated (in Cant. 6:9), “[Only] one is my dove, my perfect one.” It also says (in Deut. 32:12), “The Lord alone did lead him, and there was no foreign God with Him.”

Another interpretation (of Lev. 6:2 [9]): COMMAND AARON…. What is the function of Aaron here?⁷Tanh., Lev. 2:2. Israel was bringing offerings while Aaron waited. So the Scripture says here: COMMAND AARON. Note also, it is written (in Numb. 28:2): COMMAND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM: MY OFFERING, MY BREAD FOR MY FIRE OFFERING < … YOU SHALL TAKE HEED TO OFFER ME IN ITS DUE SEASON >, but here it says (in Lev. 6:2 [9]): COMMAND AARON < … >: THIS IS THE TORAH OF THE ONE WHO ASCENDS (H'LH).⁸The masoretic text vocalizes this word as ha’olah, which means, THE BURNT OFFERING, but the midrash interprets the word as though it were vocalized ha’oleh, which means, “The one who ascends,” with the ascending implying self-exaltation. So also Lev. R. 7:6. The Holy One said: Whenever someone raises (rt.: 'LH) himself up, his end is to go in the fire.⁹M.Ps. 11:5. [It is so stated (in Lev. 6:2 [9], cont.):] THAT IS THE ONE WHICH ASCENDS UPON THE BURNING PLACE…. The generation of the flood < suffered > because of what they said (in Job 21:15): WHAT IS THE ALMIGHTY THAT WE SHOULD SERVE HIM? AND WHAT DO WE PROFIT WHEN WE PRAY TO HIM? For that reason they were sentenced to the fire (of Gehinnom). And likewise the Sodomites, as stated (in Gen. 19:24): THEN THE LORD RAINED DOWN UPON SODOM AND UPON GOMORRAH BRIMSTONE AND FIRE. When Pharaoh said (in Exod. 5:2): WHO IS THE LORD, [THAT I SHOULD HEED HIS VOICE]? he exalted (rt.: 'LH) himself and said (in Ezek. 29:3): THE NILE IS MY OWN AND I MADE MYSELF. < He is > therefore (in the words of Lev. 6:2 [9]) UPON THE BURNING PLACE, for so it says (in Ps. 18:14 [13]): THE LORD THUNDERED {FROM HEAVEN} [IN THE HEAVENS], AND THE MOST HIGH GAVE FORTH HIS VOICE, HAIL AND COALS OF FIRE. And also when Sennacherib exalted (rt.: 'LH) himself and said (in II Kings 19:23 = Is. 37:24): IT IS I WHO HAVE ASCENDED (rt.: 'LH) THE MOUNTAIN HEIGHTS TO THE REMOTEST PARTS OF LEBANON…, what happened to him? (II Kings 19:35:) THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE < ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THOUSAND > IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA…. (According to II Kings 19:23: cf. 18:17–35) he had blasphemed through a messenger (mal'akh);¹⁰The parallel in Is. 37:24 reads “servant” instead of “messenger.” therefore (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36 // II Chron. 32:21:) THE ANGEL (mal'akh) OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE < ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THOUSAND > IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA. What did he do to him? (Is. 10:16): AND UNDER HIS GLORY THERE SHALL BURN A BURNING LIKE THE BURNING OF FIRE. What is the meaning of UNDER HIS GLORY? That it burned him from within and left alone his clothes on the outside, since a person's glory is his garment.¹¹Cf. Sanh. 94a. Why did the Holy One leave their clothes behind? Because they were descendants of Shem, as stated (in Gen. 10:22): THE SONS OF SHEM ARE ELAM, ASSHUR,…. The Holy One said: I am indebted to their father Shem, because he took the garment and covered his father's nakedness, as stated (in Gen. 9:23): THEN SHEM AND JAPHETH TOOK A GARMENT…, < AND THEY COVERED THEIR FATHER'S NAKEDNESS >.¹²Cf. Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:21, which interprets the verse to show that Shem took the lead in this act. Therefore, the Holy One left their clothes alone and burned < only > their body. (Lev. 6:2 [9]:) THAT (i.e. the person who exalts himself) IS THE ONE WHICH ASCENDS (ha'oleh) UPON THE BURNING PLACE…. And so < it was in the case of > [Nebuchadnezzar, < who > he exalted (rt.: 'LH) himself. He said (in Is. 14:14): I WILL ASCEND (rt.: 'LH) UPON THE HEIGHTS OF A CLOUD; I WILL BECOME LIKE THE MOST HIGH (rt.: 'LH). The Holy One said to him: O wicked one, was it not enough that you should say (in vs. 13): I WILL ASCEND (rt.: 'LH) < TO THE HEAVENS >; ABOVE THE STARS OF GOD I WILL SET MY THRONE, but that you should say (in vs. 14): I WILL ASCEND (rt.: 'LH) UPON THE HEIGHTS OF A CLOUD, on high (rt.: 'LH)? And so he (i.e., Nebuchadnezzar) said to Hananiah and his friends (in Dan. 3:15): {WHO IS} [NOW WHO IS] THE GOD WHO SHALL DELIVER YOU OUT OF MY HAND? I have burned his house and exiled his people. He did not stand against me in his house; so will he overcome me in my house? What did he do? He threw them into the fiery furnace. What did the Holy One do? He gave a sign to the furnace and it became a highway.¹³PLTYA, from the Gk.: plateia. Buber suggests emending to PLNTYH, from the Gk.: planetes, i.e., “planets”. Whoever was designated to be burned [was not burned and whoever was not designated to be burned] was burned. So the fire went forth and burned half of the peoples. Thus you find, when they assembled for the dedication of the image, at first there were eight peoples, as stated (in Dan. 3:3): THEN THE SATRAPS, THE PREFECTS, AND THE GOVERNORS, THE COUNSELORS, THE TREASURERS, THE JUDGES, THE MAGISTRATES, AND ALL THE PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS ASSEMBLED. That makes eight peoples; but when they came in to see Hananiah and his friends, there were only four peoples written there (in vs. 27): THE SATRAPS, THE PREFECTS, THE GOVERNORS, AND THE ROYAL COMPANIONS ASSEMBLED. {That makes four peoples.} [So where were four peoples?] It is simply that (in vs. 22) THE FLAME OF THE FIRE SLEW THEM. Now Nebuchadnezzar also was burned by the fire, and the fright (i.e., repulsiveness) of < a body disfigured by > burning was put upon him.¹⁴For this interpretation, Jastrow, s.v., ‘immus. Why was all of him not burned? The Holy One said: Leave this evil man half of himself so that he may know against whom he blasphemed. The Holy One said to him: O Wicked One, did you not say: I do not want to live with the children of Adam, but (in Is. 14:14): I WILL ASCEND (rt.: 'LH) UPON THE HEIGHTS OF A CLOUD? [By your life,] (according to Dan. 4:22 [25]) YOU SHALL BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM HUMANS. Just as he brought the plagues upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt, so he brought < punishment > upon Nebuchadnezzar. It is so stated (in Dan. 3:32 [4:2]): THE SIGNS AND WONDERS WHICH THE MOST HIGH GOD HAS WORKED FOR ME IT SEEMED GOOD TO ME TO MAKE KNOWN. This fright of < a body disfigured by > burning fell upon him. Therefore it is stated (in Lev. 6:2 [9]): THAT IS THE ONE WHICH ASCENDS (H'LH) UPON THE BURNING PLACE….

R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite said: In the Hebrew language the name < for wine > is YYN, and in the Aramaic language its name is HMR. By gematria²⁵Gk.: geometria or grammateis. Gematria is an exegetical method in which an interpretation is reached from the sum of the numerical value of the letters in a word. HMR becomes two hundred and forty-eight, corresponding to the < number of > parts in a human being. The wine enters into each and every member, so that the body becomes weakened and knowledge becomes confounded. When wine enters, knowledge departs. And so Eleazar haQappar has taught: Wine (YYN), with a numerical value of seventy enters; and secrets (SWD), with a numerical value of seventy,²⁶S (= 60), W (= 6), and D (= 4) add up to 70. depart.²⁷Cf. Sanh. 38a, which attributes the teaching to R. Hiyya. Therefore, the High Priest was commanded not to drink wine during the time of the service, lest it confound his knowledge; for he preserves the Torah (and preserves the service) and the knowledge. Thus it is stated (in Mal. 2:6): THE TRUE TORAH WAS IN HIS MOUTH, AND NO INJUSTICE WAS FOUND ON HIS LIPS. It also says (in vs. 7): FOR THE LIPS OF A PRIEST PRESERVE KNOWLEDGE. Therefore the Holy One commanded Aaron (in Lev. 10:9): DRINK NO WINE OR INTOXICATING LIQUOR…. [Moreover < this injunction includes > not only yourself, but (ibid., cont.:) YOUR CHILDREN AS WELL. And] do [not] think that I may have commanded you < only > for the past in the beginning at a time when the Temple was standing and you were ministering in it, since it is stated (ibid., cont.): WHEN YOU COME UNTO THE TENT OF WITNESS…. [Rather,] you shall also keep yourselves from wine forever, as stated (ibid., cont.:): IT SHALL BE A STATUTE FOREVER THROUGHOUT YOUR GENERATIONS. Therefore, keep yourselves from wine, because wine is a sign²⁸Gk.: semeion. of a curse. In the case of Noah, what is written about him (in Gen. 9:21): THEN HE DRANK OF THE WINE AND BECAME DRUNK. What is written (in vs. 25)? AND HE SAID: CURSED BE CANAAN. Therefore (in Lev. 10:9): DRINK NO WINE OR INTOXICATING LIQUOR.

And he planted a vineyard (Gen. 9:20). Where did he obtain the shoots for the vineyard? He obtained them from the grape seeds he had brought into the ark.²⁴See Pesikta Rabbati 23. The grapes came from the Garden of Eden. And Shem and Japheth took a garment (Gen. 9:23). Since the singular, “he took,” is written in this verse and not the plural, “they took,” we may deduce that Shem was the first to perform the righteous deed (covering his father). They went backward (ibid.) implies that they walked backwards as they approached Noah. And they covered the nakedness of their father (ibid.) indicates that they went toward him with their faces turned away.²⁵Turning their backs to their father would have been an act of disrespect. How did the Holy One, blessed be He, reward them? He rewarded Shem with the commandment to wear the purple strings upon the tallit since he had covered him with a tallit, and He granted Japheth the privilege of burial in the land of Israel.²⁶According to some sources, Shem received a tallit and Japheth was given a cloak fastened with buckles, as a sigh of his importance. See Bereshit Rabbah 36:6, Buber Tanhuma, Noah 21.

Another explanation: "And it was in the middle of the night" - David said (Psalms 77:7), "I recall my music at night:" The congregation of Israel said, "I recall the breakings, that You broke the enemies for my sake at night." And [the term], 'my music' (niginati) only means breaking, as you would say (Lamentations 3:63), "I am their song." And I [would also] say (Genesis 14:20), "who gave over (migen) your enemies into your hand." Sancheriv came against us - You broke him at night, as it is stated (II Kings 19:35), "And it was on that night and the angel of the Lord came out and he smote in the camp of Assyria." Rabbi Nechemia said, "Come and see the love of the Holy One, blessed be He for Israel; as behold, the ministering angels - who are mighty of strength, doers of His will - the Holy One, blessed be He, made them guardians over Israel. And who are they? Michael and Gavriel, as it is stated (Isaiah 62:6), 'Upon your walls Jerusalem, I have appointed guardians.' And when Sancheriv came, Michael went out and smote them; and Gavriel, from the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, saved Chanania and his friends." Why was it like that? Rather the Holy One, blessed be He, made a condition with them. When? When He wanted to go down to save Avaraham from the fiery pit: Michael and Gavriel said in front of Him, "We will go down to save him." He said [back] to them, "If [even] one of you would go down there to the pit, you would save him, but [since Avraham] went down for My name, then I will go down and save him," as it is stated (Genesis 15:7), "I am the Lord who took you out of the Ur Kasdim (understood here as the fire of Kasdim);" "but I will give you a time [to go down and save others."] When did they go down? "Since you were prepared to save him for My honor, you, Michael [will descend] against the camp of Assyria; and you, Gavriel [will descend] against the camp of Kasdim (the Chaldeans)." When Gavriel went down to save Chanania, Mishael and Azaria, he tore the fire and came out and set aflame all those that had thrown them in, as it is stated (Daniel 3:22), "those men that raised Shadrakh, Meshakh, etc." And some say, "Four nations died there: At first, it is written (Ibid. 3), 'Then were gathered the satraps, the prefects, the governors[, etc.]' and the advisers of the king and, here, four [of them] are lacking, as it states (Ibid. 27), 'And the satraps gathered.'" Hence Chanania said (Psalms 117:1), "Praise the Lord, all nations;" Mishael said (Ibid.), "exalt him all peoples;" and Azaria said (Ibid. 2), "Since His kindness has overwhelmed us;" and the angel said (Ibid.), "'and the truth of the Lord is forever' - what He said to me when I went down to save Avraham is true." And so [too with] Michael, [God] did what He told him, as it is stated (II Kings 19:35), "And it was on that night and the angel of the Lord came out." It was taught, "All of the commanders and the dukes were drinking wine and left their receptacles thrown out. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Sancheriv, 'You have done yours,' as it is stated (Ibid. 23), 'By the hand of your messengers have you cursed;' 'I too [will act] by the hand of my messenger.'" What did He do to him? "And under his glory there shall be kindled a burning like the burning of fire." (Isaiah 10:16) What is [meant by] "and under his glory?" That He burned his body from the inside and left his clothing on the outside, since the glory of a person is his clothing. And why did He leave his clothing? Rather, since they were the descendants of Shem, as it is stated (Genesis 10:22), "The sons of Shem were Eilam and Ashur (Assyria)." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "I am indebted to Shem, their father, as he and Yafet took their clothing and covered the nakedness of their father," as it is stated (Genesis 9:23), "And Shem and Yafet took the cloak." Hence, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Michael, "Leave their clothing and burn their souls." What is written there? "And they arose in the morning and, behold, dead corpses." This is [the meaning of] that which is written (Psalms 101:8), "In the mornings, I will annihilate the evildoers of the world." And Hizkiyahu and Israel were sitting and saying Hallel (Psalms of praise recited on festivals), as it was the night of Pesach, and they were afraid to say [it] now - Jerusalem was being conquered by his hand. When they woke up early in the morning to stand and read the Shema and to pray, they found their enemies were dead corpses. Hence, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Yeshaya (Isaiah 8:3), "'and call his name, "quick take booty, fast loot"' and be quick to loot booty; and the [other] one call 'with us is the Power (Imanuel),' to say that I am with him," as it is stated (II Chronicles 32:8), "with him is the forearm of flesh but with us is the Lord, our God." And just like the Holy One, blessed be He, acted in this world by the hand of Michael and Gavriel, so [too] in the future to come, he will act through them, as it is stated (Obadiah 1:21), "And the saviors will come up on Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esav" - this is [referring to] Michael and Gavriel. And our Holy Rabbi said, "This is Michael by himself, as it is stated (Daniel 12:1), 'And at that time, Michael will stand, the great minister who stands for the children of Your people.'" As he [is the one that] demands the needs of Israel and speaks for them, as it is stated (Zechariah 1:12), "And the angel of the Lord answered and said, 'Lord of hosts, until when when will you not have mercy on Jerusalem?'" And I will [also] say (Daniel 10:21), "and none is being strong with Me except for Michael, your minister." Rabbi Yose said, "To what are Michael and Samael similar? To a defender and a prosecutor standing in court. This one is speaking and that one is speaking. [When] this one finished his words and that one his words, that defender knows that he has won. [Then] he begins to praise the judge, that issues the verdict. That prosecutor [then] requests to add something. The defender [then] says to him, 'Be quiet and let us hear from the judge.' So is it that Michael and Samael stand in front of the Divine Presence; and the Satan [Samael] prosecutes and Michael deliberates on the merit of Israel, and [then] the Satan comes to speak and Michael silences him. Why? As it is stated (Psalms 85:9), 'I will hear what the Power, the Lord, will speak, as He will speak peace about His people.'" This is [the meaning of] "I recall my music at night" - about the miracle of Hizkiyahu. Another explanation: "I recall my music at night" - I recall what you have done for us in Egypt, and the plots (menagnin) that you did to the Egyptians. How is it? At first, when the Holy One, blessed be He, requested to bring plagues upon the Egyptians, He said to bring the plague of the firstborn first, as it is stated (Exodus 4:23), "behold I am killing your son, your firstborn." [Pharaoh] started to say (Exodus 5:2), "Who is the Lord that I should listen to His voice?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said [to Himself], "If I bring the plague of the firstborn first, he will send them [right away], but rather I will bring other plagues upon him (first). And in its heels (beekev zot), I will bring them all," as it is stated, "And the Lord smote every firstborn." Hence David praises (Psalms 90:11), "Who knows the boldness of Your anger" - who knows your plots that You do in the sea, as it is stated (Psalms 77:20), "In the sea is Your way and Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps (eekvotekha) were not known" - things that you do afterward (beekev), who [can] know?

(Gen. 9:23:) THEN HE, SHEM AND JAPHETH, TOOK A GARMENT. R. Johanan said: "Then they took" is not stated here, but THEN HE TOOK.⁸⁰Tanh., Gen. 2:15; Gen. R. 36:6. Shem first showed his courage [in the worthy act] and afterwards Japheth. Ergo: THEN HE, SHEM AND JAPHETH, TOOK A GARMENT.

(Ibid.:) AND THEY WALKED BACKWARDS. Thus they were walking with their backs forward so that their coming was the same as their going. (Ibid., end:) AND THEY DID NOT SEE THEIR FATHER'S NAKEDNESS. He gave them their reward,⁸¹The Hebrew words for reward (SKR) and for being drunk (ShKR) are similar. a fringed < Jewish > shawl for Shem and a Greek cloak⁸²Lat.: fibula, i.e., the pallium fibulatum. for Japheth.

Noah found a vine which was lying there, which had come out of the garden of Eden. It had its clusters with it, and he took of its fruit and ate, and rejoiced in his heart, as it is said, "My wine, which cheereth God and man" (Judg. 9:13). He planted a vineyard with it. On the selfsame day it produced and became ripe with its fruits, as it is said, "In the day of thy planting thou dost make it grow, and in the morning thou makest thy seed to blossom" (Isa. 17:11). He drank wine thereof, and he became exposed in the midst of the tent, as it is said, "And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent" (Gen. 9:21). Canaan entered and saw the nakedness of Noah, and he bound a thread (where the mark of) the Covenant was, and emasculated him. He went forth and told his brethren. Ham entered and saw his nakedness. He did not take to heart the duty of honouring (one's father). But he told his two brothers in the market, making sport of his father. His two brothers rebuked him. What did they do? They took the curtain of the east with them, and they went backwards and covered the nakedness of their father, as it is said, "And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness" (Gen. 9:23).

"And Shem and Yafet took a garment (Gen. 9:23)". R. Yochanan said: Shem began the mitzvah, then Yafet came and listened to him. Therefore Shem was granted a tallit and Yafet a phallium [circumcision]. 'And laid it upon both their shoulders and went backwards and covered their father's nakedness' but since it is written 'went backwards' don't we [already] know that they did not see their father’s nakedness? This comes to teach that they covered their faces with their hands and walked backwards, giving him the respect due from a son to a father. Said the Holy One of Blessing to Shem: ‘You covered your father’s nakedness! By your life [I swear that] I will reward you 'When these men are bound in their cloaks (be-sarbelehon),’ etc. (Dan. 3:21). Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Huna disagree [on what ‘be-sarbelehon’ means]: Rabbi Yudan said: It means in their prayer cloaks; Rabbi Huna said: It means in their robes of state. The Holy One of Blessing said to Yafet: ‘You covered your father’s nakedness! By your life [I swear that] I will reward you 'for it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give to Gog a place fit for burial in Israel’ (Ezek. 39:11) The Holy One of Blessing said to Ham: ‘You brought your father’s nakedness to disgrace: By your life [I swear that] I will punish you: 'So shall the king of Assyria lead away the captives of Egypt, and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, naked and barefoot, and with buttocks uncovered to the shame of Egypt’ (Isa. 22:4).