Midras 1 Raja-raja 18:22: Midrash Tanchuma, Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Bamidbar Rabbah & Vayikra Rabbah

(Numb. 19:2:) “This is the statute of the Torah.” R. Tanhum bar Hanila'i opened [his discourse] (with Ps. 12:7), “The sayings of the Lord are pure sayings.”³⁶Lev. R. 26:1; PRK 4:2; PR 14:4. Are the sayings of the Lord [true] sayings, but the sayings of flesh and blood not [true] sayings? Now by universal custom, when a king of flesh and blood enters a province, the inhabitants of the province praise³⁷Rt.: QLS. Cf. Gk.: kalos (“beautiful”). him; and their praise is pleasing to him. He says to them, “Tomorrow I am building bath houses³⁸Dimosa’ot: The translation derives its meaning from the Gk. demosia (“public buildings”), but Jastrow, s.v., demosia, understands the plural of this word more specifically to mean “public baths”, a meaning that well fits this context. for you, and I am building baths for you and I am bringing in a water carrier for you.” [Then] he goes to sleep and never gets up. Where is he [now], and where are his promises (literally, statements)? The Holy One, blessed be He, however, is not like this. Rather the statement of God is true, as (in Jer. 10:10), “He is a living God and an everlasting King.” R. Joshua ben Levi said, “We find that the Torah has twisted two or three words in the Torah, so as not to bring forth something unclean from His (i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He's) mouth.³⁹In addition to the parallels for the last section, see Gen. R. 32:4; also cf. M. Pss. 12:5; also Pes. 3b. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 7:2), ‘From the clean beast and from the beast which is not clean.’ So it is not written, ‘of the unclean beast.’" R. Judan said, “When He came to introduce the signs of an unclean beast, He only began with the signs of purity. It is not written here (in Lev. 11:4), ‘the camel, because it does not have a cloven hoof,’ but “[the camel] because it chews its cud [but does not have a cloven hoof].’ It is not written here (in Lev. 11:6), ‘The hare, because it does not have a hoof,’ but ‘[The hare], because it chews its cud [but does not have a cloven hoof].’ It is not written (in Lev. 11:7), ‘The pig, because it does not chew its cud,’ but ‘[the pig], because it has a cloven hoof [and is cleft footed, but does not chew its cud].’” R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “The infants who lived in the days of David, [even] before they had a gotten a taste of sin, knew how to interpret the Torah with forty-nine reasons for declaring an object unclean and forty-nine reasons for declaring an object clean.⁴⁰Lev. R. 26:2; Numb. R. 19:2; Cant. R. 2:4:1; PRK 4:2; PR 14:10; 21:10; M. Pss. 7:7; 12:4; cf. PR 14:6; see also below. So David prayed for them and said (in Ps. 12:8), ‘You, O Lord, will keep them; You will guard each [of them] from this generation unto eternity.’ (ibid.:) ‘You, O Lord, will keep them,’ [i.e.,] watch over their instruction in their hearts; (ibid., cont.) ‘You will guard each [of them from this generation unto eternity],’ from the generation which is worthy of destruction. But after all this praise, they went out to war and fell, because there were slanderers⁴¹Lat.: delatores (“informers”). among them. This is what David says (in Ps. 57:5), ‘My soul is in the midst of lions, I lie down among those who are aflame, men whose teeth are spears and darts, and whose tongues are a sharp sword.’ (ibid.:) ‘My soul is in the midst of lions,’ these are Abner and Amasa, who were lions with the Torah⁴²Although lions, they did not support David when they should have. See Ps. 17:12.; (ibid., cont.) ‘I lie down among those who are aflame,’ these are Doeg and Ahithophel, who were aflame to slander [David]⁴³On Doeg, see I Sam. 22:8-10; Ps. 52:1. On Ahithophel, see II Sam. 17:1-23.; (ibid., cont.) ‘men whose teeth are spears and darts,’ these are the people of Keilah, of whom it is stated (in I Sam. 23:12), ‘Will the people of Keilah surrender me?’ (Ps. 57:5, cont.:) ‘And whose tongue is a sharp sword,’ these are the Ziphites, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 54:2), ‘When the Ziphites came and said to Saul, “Is not David hiding among us […]?”’ At that time David said (in Ps. 57:6), ‘”Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,” remove your Divine Presence from among them.’ The generation of Ahab, however, were all worshipers of idols; yet because there were no slanderers among them, they went out to war and won.⁴⁴Deut. R. 5:10; cf. Meg. 11a, according to which Ahab was one of three who ruled over the whole world. The other two were Ahasuerus and Nebuchadnezzar. That [freedom from informers] is what [enabled] Obadiah to say to Elijah (in I Kings 18:13), ‘Has it not been told to my lord what I did [when Jezebel slew the prophets, how I hid a hundred prophets of the Lord …, and provided them with bread and water?’ If bread [is mentioned], why [mention] water? Simply because it was more difficult to bring them the water than the bread.⁴⁵Because of the drought, the greater difficulty in obtaining water would advertise what he was doing. And yet Elijah made his proclamation⁴⁶Rt.: KRZ; see Gk.: keryssein. on Mount Carmel and said (in vs. 22), ‘I am the only prophet of the Lord left,’ and [even though] all the people knew [about Obadiah’s prophets], they did not expose it to the king.” R. Samuel b. R. Nahman said, “They said to the serpent, ‘Why is it that you are found among the fences?’ It said to them, ‘I made a breach in the fence of the world.’⁴⁷I.e., brought sin into the world. They said to it, ‘Why is it that you move along with your tongue slavering?’⁴⁸See also yPe’ah 1:1 (16ab); cf. ‘Arakh. 15b. It said to them, ‘That [tongue] caused me [to make the breach].’ They said to it, ‘Why is it that, when all the [other] animals bite, they do not kill; but when you bite, you do kill?’ It said to them (in Eccl. 10:11), ‘”If a snake bites without being under a spell, the owner of the tongue (i.e., one able to charm the snake) has no advantage.” Is it possible for me to do anything without me being told from on High?’ ‘Then why is it that, when you bite one limb, all the limbs feel [the pain]?’ It said to them, ‘Are you asking me? Ask a slandering informer,⁴⁹Literally: “Master of the tongue.” the one who [remains] here and [yet] slays in Rome.’” Why is the slandering informer named a "third?”⁵⁰See Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on Lev. 19:16. The targumist translates rakhil, which came to be interpreted as “slanderer” or “informer,” with lishan telita’e (“triple tongue”). Because [such a slanderer] kills three people: the one who speaks it, the one who accepts it, and the one about whom it is spoken.⁵¹Also ‘Arakh. 15b; M. Pss. 12:2. In the days of Saul it killed four: Doeg, who spoke it⁵²I Sam 22:9-10 and II Sam. 1:15, as interpreted by Rashi on II Sam. 1:2.; Saul, who received it⁵³See Rashi on II Sam. 1:9, who knows a midrash, according to which Saul was slain for slaying the priests of Nob.; Ahimelech, about whom it was spoken⁵⁴In I Sam. 22:16-19.; and Abner ben Ner. Now why was Abner ben Ner slain? Joshua ben Levi said, “[He was slain] because he had his [own] name precede the name of David. This is what is written (in II Sam. 3:12), ‘Then Abner sent messengers unto David where he was, saying, “To whom does the land belong?”’ [In the message] he wrote, ‘From Abner to David.’”⁵⁵Instead of “to David from Abner.” R. Simeon ben Laqish said, “[He was slain] because he made the blood of young men [a matter of] amusement (rt.: shq), as stated (in II Sam. 2:14), ‘Please let the young men arise and play (rt.: shq) before us.’” Our masters have said, “[He was slain] because he did [not] wait for Saul to be reconciled⁵⁶Rt.: PYS. Cf. the Gk. noun, peisis, which designates the softer feelings. with David, where it is stated (in I Sam. 24:12, with David addressing Saul), ‘See, my father, see the corner of your cloak in my hand; for when I cut off the corner of your cloak, I did not kill you].’ [Saul] said to him, ‘Abner, what do you want [to understand] from the cloak? You said, “It was caught on a thorn.”’ When [David] came toward wagons around the camp, he said to him (in I Sam. 26:14), ‘“Abner, will you not answer?’ As for the corner of the cloak, you said was caught on a thorn. Were [the] spear and [the] water jar (of I Sam. 26:11) caught on a thorn?’” There are also some who say, “[Abner was slain] because he had the power to protest about Nob, the city of priests, but did not protest.”

[(Ps. 12:7 [61], cont:) REFINED SEVENFOLD.] R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: The infants who lived in the days of David, <even> before they had a gotten a taste of sin, knew how to interpret the Torah with forty-nine reasons for declaring an object unclean and forty-nine reasons for declaring an object clean.⁵⁰Tanh, Numb. 6:4, cont.; Lev. R. 26:2; Numb. R. 19:2; Cant. R. 2:4:1; PRK 4:2; PR 14:10; 21:10; M. Pss. 7:7; 12:4; cf. PR 14:6; see also below, Numb. 6:18. So David prayed for them and said (in Ps. 12:8 [7]): YOU, O LORD, WILL KEEP THEM; YOU WILL GUARD EACH <OF THEM> FROM THIS GENERATION UNTO ETERNITY. (ibid.:) YOU, O LORD, WILL KEEP THEM, <i.e.,> watch over their instruction in their hearts. (Ibid., cont.:) YOU WILL GUARD EACH <OF THEM> FROM THIS GENERATION UNTO ETERNITY. [From the generation] which is worthy of destruction. Moreover, after all this glory, they went out to war and fell, [because there were slanderers⁵¹Lat.: delatores (“informers”). among them.] This is what David says (in Ps. 57:5 [4]): MY SOUL IS IN THE MIDST OF LIONS, I LIE DOWN AMONG THOSE WHO ARE AFLAME, THE CHILDREN OF ADAM WHOSE TEETH ARE SPEARS AND DARTS, AND WHOSE TONGUE IS A SHARP SWORD. (ibid.:) MY SOUL IS IN THE MIDST OF LIONS. These are Abner and Amasa, who were lions in the Torah.⁵²Although lions, they did not support David when they should have. See Ps. 17:12. (Ibid., cont.:) I LIE DOWN AMONG THOSE WHO ARE AFLAME. These are Doeg and Ahithophel, who were aflame to slander <David>.⁵³On Doeg, see I Sam. 22:8-10; Ps. 52:1. On Ahithophel, see II Sam. 17:1-23. (Ibid., cont.:) THE CHILDREN OF ADAM WHOSE TEETH ARE SPEARS AND DARTS. These are the people of Keilah, of whom it is stated (in I Sam. 23:12): WILL THE PEOPLE OF KEILAH SURRENDER ME? (Ps. 57:5 [4], cont.:) AND WHOSE TONGUE IS A SHARP SWORD. These are the Ziphites, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 54:2 [1]): WHEN THE ZIPHITES CAME AND SAID TO SAUL: IS NOT DAVID HIDING AMONG US <…>? At that time David said (in Ps. 57:6 [5]): BE EXALTED, O GOD, ABOVE THE HEAVENS. Remove your Divine Presence from among them. The generation of Ahab, however, were all worshipers of idols; yet because there were no slanderers among them, they went out to war and won.⁵⁴Deut. R. 5:10; cf. Meg. 11a, according to which Ahab was one of three who ruled over the whole world. The other two were Ahasuerus and Nebuchadnezzar. That <freedom from informers> is what <enabled> Obadiah to say to Elijah (in I Kings 18:13): HAS IT NOT BEEN TOLD TO MY LORD WHAT I DID <WHEN JEZEBEL SLEW THE PROPHETS, HOW I HID A HUNDRED PROPHETS OF THE LORD> …, AND PROVIDED THEM WITH BREAD AND WATER? If bread <is mentioned>, why <mention> water? Simply because it was more difficult to bring them the water than the bread.⁵⁵Because of the drought, the greater difficulty in obtaining water would advertise what he was doing. Even though Elijah made his proclamation⁵⁶Rt.: KRZ; see Gk.: keryssein. on Mount Carmel and said (in vs. 22): I AM THE ONLY PROPHET OF THE LORD LEFT, and even though all the people knew it, they did not expose⁵⁷Rt.: PRSM; see Gk.: parresiazesthai (“to speak freely”). him to the king.

“This is the statute of the Torah” – “the sayings of the Lord are pure sayings […refined seven times]” (Psalms 12:7). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: We find that the Holy One blessed be He added two or three words in the Torah so as not to express a matter of impurity from His mouth: “From the pure animals, and from the animals that is not pure” (Genesis 7:8); “and of the animals that are not pure” (Genesis 7:2).⁵Rather than employ the term impure [teme’a] the Torah employs the term “not pure [lo tehora].”
Rabbi Yudan said: When it [the Torah] came to introduce the signs of the impure animal, it also opened with the signs of purity. It is not written here, “the camel, because it does not have split hooves,” but rather, “[the camel,] because it brings up the cud [but does not have split hooves]” (Leviticus 11:4). It is not written here, “and the hare, because it does not have split hooves,” but rather, “[and the hare,] because it brings up the cud [but does not have split hooves]” (Leviticus 11:6). It is not written here, “and the pig, because it does not bring up the cud,” but rather, “[and the pig,] because it has split hooves […but does not bring up the cud]” (Leviticus 11:7).
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Children who were in the era of David, before they experienced the taste of sin they were able to expound the Torah forty-nine aspects impure and forty-nine aspects pure.⁶This expression means that they could analyze a question and give forty-nine reasons to explain why something should be considered pure and forty-nine reasons to explain why it should be considered impure. David would pray for them and say: “You, Lord, preserve them” (Psalms 12:8) – keep their Torah in their heart. “Keep them secure, from this generation, forever” (Psalms 12:8).
After all this praise, they would go out to war and fall, because there were slanderers in their midst. That is what David said: “Amid lions, I lie among the eager, [men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are a honed sword]” (Psalms 57:5). “Amid lions” – this is Avner and Amasa, who were lions in Torah. “I lie among the eager” – these are Do’eg and Aḥitofel, who were eager for slander. “Whose tongues are a honed sword” – these are the Zifites, as it is stated: “When the Zifites came and said to Saul [is not David hiding in our midst?]” (Psalms 54:2). At that moment David said: “Rise above the heavens, God” (Psalms 57:6) – remove Your Divine Presence from their midst.
But the generation of Ahab were all idolaters, but because there were no slanderers in their midst they would go out to war and prevail. This is what Ovadya said to Elijah: “Was it not told to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord? I concealed [the Lord’s prophets…and I provided them with bread and water” (I Kings 18:13) – if bread, why water? Rather, it teaches that it was more difficult to bring the water than the bread.⁷This is a parenthetical clause. – But Elijah proclaims on Mount Carmel: “I alone remain a prophet of the Lord” (I Kings 18:22), and the entire people knows but do not reveal it to the king.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: They said to the serpent: ‘Why are you found between fences.’ It said: ‘I breached the fence of the world.’ ‘And why do you proceed with your tongue slobbering?’ It said: ‘It is what caused it to me.’ ‘Why is it that every beast bites and does not kill, but you bite and kill?’ It said to them: “If the serpent bites without a whisper,⁸From Heaven. there is no advantage to the charmer [baal halashon]” (Ecclesiastes 10:11) – ‘is it possible that I would do anything that was not stated to me from on High?’ ‘Why do you bite one limb and all the limbs feel it?’ It said to them: ‘You say it to me? Say it to the master of the tongue [baal halashon],⁹The slanderer. who is here and kills in Rome.’
Why is it¹⁰Slander called third?¹¹Slander is referred to as lishna telita’i, a triple tongue. See, for example, Targum Yonatan, Leviticus 19:16. It is because it kills three: The one who speaks it, the one who receives it, and the one about whom it is spoken. During the era of Saul, four: It killed Do’eg, who spoke it; Saul, who received it; Aḥimelekh, about whom it was spoken; and Avner son of Ner.¹²The last explanation of why Avner was killed connects him to the punishment for slander. Why was he killed? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It is because he gave precedence to his name over that of David. That is what is written: “Avner sent messengers to David from his place, saying: Whose is the land?” (II Samuel 3:12). He [Avner] wrote: From Avner to David. Reish Lakish said: It is because he made a game of the blood of the lads, as it is stated: “Avner said to Yoav: Let the lads rise now and play before us” (II Samuel 2:14).
The Rabbis say: It is because he did not wait for Saul to reconcile with David, as it is stated: “My father, see, indeed, see the corner of your robe [in my hand, for as I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you…]” (I Samuel 24:11). Avner said to him [Saul]: What do you seek to prove from the [corner of] your garment?¹³Do you seek to prove that David does not want to kill you? It was severed with a thorn.¹⁴By saying so, Avner prevented reconciliation between Saul and David. When they came to the circle,¹⁵The circle of soldiers sleeping around the king, who was in the middle of the circle (I Samuel 26:7). he said to him: “Will you not answer, Avner?” (I Samuel 26:14). Regarding the corner, you said it was severed by a thorn. Were the spear and the jug also severed by a thorn? Some say: It is because he should have protested regarding Nov but he did not protest.
Rabbi Ḥanan ben Pazi interpreted the verse regarding the portion of the heifer, in which there are seven of everything: Seven heifers,¹⁶Heifer is mentioned seven times. seven burnings,¹⁷Seven items must be burned. seven sprinklings,¹⁸Numbers 19:4. seven immersions,¹⁹Seven individuals involved in the process must immerse themselves. seven impure,²⁰Seven people who require sprinkling of the purification water. seven pure,²¹Seven are thereby purified. seven priests.²²Priest is mentioned seven times. If a person will say to you: They are five,²³The word priest is written only five times. say to him: Moses and Aaron are included, as it is stated: “The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: This is the statute of the Torah” (Numbers 19:1–2).