בְּאֹ֣רֶךְ אַ֭פַּיִם יְפֻתֶּ֣ה קָצִ֑ין וְלָשׁ֥וֹן רַ֝כָּ֗ה תִּשְׁבָּר־גָּֽרֶם׃
Dengan kesabaran, seorang penguasa dapat dibujuk, dan lidah yang lembut dapat mematahkan tulang.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
Solomon thereupon sent Benayahu, the son of Yehoyadu, providing him with a chain and a ring, upon both of which the name of God was engraved. He also provided him with a fleece of wool and sundry skins of wine. Then Benayahu went and dug a pit below that of Ashmedai from which he drained off the water and plugged the duct between with the fleece. Then he set to work and dug another hole higher up which he provided with a channel leading into the emptied pit of Ashmedai, by which means the pit was filled with the wine he had brought. Having leveled the ground [so as not to arouse suspicion] he ascended a tree close by [to watch the result]. After a while Ashmedai came and examined the seal and seeing that everything was well he raised the stone, but [to his surprise] found wine in the pit. For a time he stood muttering: "It is written (Pr. 20, 1) Wine is a mocker; strong drink is riotous, and whosoever reeleth thereby is not wise. And again, (Hos. 4, 11) Harlotry, wine and new wine take away the heart. I shall therefore not drink it." But when he became thirsty he could no longer resist the temptation. He proceeded to drink therefrom when, becoming intoxicated, he lay down to sleep. Then Benayahu came forth [from his ambush] and fastened the chain around the sleeper's neck. Ashmedai. when he awoke, began to fret and fume, and would have torn off the chain that bound him, had not Benayahu warned him, saying: "The name of thy Lord is upon thee." As they journeyed along [while on their way to Solomon] they came to a palm tree, against which Ashmedai rubbed himself, until he uprooted it and threw it down. When they approached a hut, the poor widow who inhabited it came out and entreated him not to rub himself against it, upon which, as he suddenly bent himself back, he snapped a bone of his body, remarking, "This exemplifies the passage (Pr. 25, 15) And a gentle answer breaks the bone." Observing a blind man straying out of his way, he directed him aright. He did the same to a man who had been overcome with wine, directing him aright. At sight of a wedding party that passed rejoicing along, he wept; but he burst into a laughter when at a shoemaker's he heard a man order a pair of shoes that would last seven years; and when he saw a magician at his work he broke forth into cries of scorn.
Midrash Tanchuma
And the Lord spoke unto Moses: “Go, get thee down…. I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people” (Exod. 32:7–9). R. Tanhuma the son of Abba began the discussion with the verses: As vapors and wind without rain, so is he that boasteth himself of a false gift. By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded (Prov. 25:14–15). One who promises a gift to his friend but fails to fulfill his promise can be likened to vapors and wind without rain. The generation of the desert behaved in that fashion. It is said: All the people answered with one voice, and said: “All the words which the Lord hath spoken we will do” (Exod. 24:7), yet they violated every command He issued. When the Holy One, blessed be He, observed that, He ordered Moses: Go get thee down, thy people have dealt corruptly (ibid. 32:7). The word dealt corruptly refers to immoral acts, as it is said: Is corruption His? No, His children’s is the blemish (Deut. 32:5). Not only did they make the golden calf, they were also guilty of sexual crimes and shedding blood, as it is said: And the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to make merry (ibid., v. 6). The words make merry imply sexual crimes, as is stated: The Hebrew servant, whom thou hast brought unto us, came unto me to make merry (Gen. 39:17). They were also guilty of bloodshed, as it is written: Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us (II Sam. 2:14).
Shemot Rabbah
“The Lord spoke to Moses: Go descend; for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly” (Exodus 32:7).
“The Lord spoke to Moses: Go descend” – Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba began: “Clouds and wind but no rain, [is a man who glories in a false gift.] With patience, a commander is enticed” (Proverbs 25:14–15). One who says that he will give a gift to another but does not give it, to what is he comparable? To clouds, wind, and lightning that come, but rains do not fall. This was the generation of the wilderness. When they were in Sinai, they were six hundred thousand elders, a like number of young men, a like number of lads, and a like number of women.1The verse states that the children of Israel were “six hundred thousand men on foot besides children” (Exodus 12:37). The midrash asserts that the words “men on foot” serve to teach that there were a like number of elders, who could not travel on foot, as well as a like number of youth, who were not yet “men,” and a like number of women. When they arrived at Sinai and accepted the kingship of the Holy One blessed be He upon them, and they called out in a single voice: “Everything that the Lord spoke, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7); that was a voice that was a [strong, impressive] voice.2Comparable to the impressive sound of thunder that had accompanied the giving of the Torah. When they arrived at the wilderness, they violated everything and corrupted their actions.
When the Holy One blessed be He saw this, He said to Moses: “Go descend, for your people…have acted corruptly [shiḥet].” Shiḥet means nothing other than that they corrupted their actions, just as it says: “They behaved corruptly [shiḥet], not from Him; His children, it is their blemish” (Deuteronomy 32:5). Not only did they engage in idol worship, but they also engaged in forbidden sexual relations and bloodshed. The revelry [seḥok] stated here,3“They stood to revel [letzaḥek]” (Exodus 32:6). is nothing other than idol worship,4The midrash does not find it necessary to prove that the term seḥok can refer to idolatry, as it is clear from the context of the verse in Exodus that the people engaged in idolatry (see Maharzu). forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed. From where is it derived that seḥok is bloodshed? As it is stated: “Let the lads arise and play [visaḥaku] before us” (II Samuel 2:14). From where is it derived [that the term seḥok can refer to] forbidden sexual relations? As it is stated: “The Hebrew slave [whom you brought to us] came to me to mock [letzaḥek] me…” (Genesis 39:17). There was no one there greater than Ḥur, and they killed him. This is the approach of Abba, the expounder.5This is all stated by Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba, citing his father.
Another matter: “[The Lord spoke [vaydaber] to Moses:] go descend,” in anger. At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He spoke harsh words against him. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The speech [dibur] stated here is nothing other than harsh words, just as it says: “The man, lord of the land, spoke [diber] harshly with us” (Genesis 42:30). At that moment, Moses saw the ministering angels that were rising and seeking to go out and to harm all of Israel. Moses said: If I forsake Israel and descend, they will never recover. I will not move from here until I ask for mercy on their behalf. Immediately, he began speaking in their defense. He said to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘I have a claim to advance in their favor.’ He said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, remember in their regard that when You sought to give the Torah to the children of Esau, and they did not accept it, Israel accepted it,’ as it is stated: “All the people answered together [and said: Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform]” (Exodus 19:8). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘They transgressed regarding the performance,’ as it is stated: “They have quickly deviated from the path…” (Exodus 32:8). He said to Him: ‘Remember in their regard that when I went as Your emissary to Egypt and said Your name to them, they immediately believed and prostrated themselves to Your name,’ as it is stated: “The people believed” (Exodus 4:31), and immediately, “they bowed and prostrated themselves” (Exodus 4:31). He said to him: ‘They transgressed regarding the prostrating,’ as it is stated: “They prostrated themselves to it” (Exodus 32:8). ‘He said to Him: ‘Remember their young men whom I sent and they sacrificed offerings before You,’ as it is stated: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel [and they offered burnt offerings and they sacrificed feast offerings]” (Exodus 24:5). He said to him: ‘They transgressed regarding the sacrifice,’ as it is stated: “They sacrificed to it” (Exodus 32:8). He said to Him: ‘Remember for them what You said at Sinai: “I am the Lord your God”’ (Exodus 20:2). He said to him: ‘They violated it,’ as it is stated: “They said: This is your god” (Exodus 32:8). That is, “clouds and wind but no rain” (Proverbs 25:14). Moses immediately voided the punishment. That is, “with patience, [a commander is enticed]” (Proverbs 25:15).
“The Lord spoke to Moses: Go descend” – Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba began: “Clouds and wind but no rain, [is a man who glories in a false gift.] With patience, a commander is enticed” (Proverbs 25:14–15). One who says that he will give a gift to another but does not give it, to what is he comparable? To clouds, wind, and lightning that come, but rains do not fall. This was the generation of the wilderness. When they were in Sinai, they were six hundred thousand elders, a like number of young men, a like number of lads, and a like number of women.1The verse states that the children of Israel were “six hundred thousand men on foot besides children” (Exodus 12:37). The midrash asserts that the words “men on foot” serve to teach that there were a like number of elders, who could not travel on foot, as well as a like number of youth, who were not yet “men,” and a like number of women. When they arrived at Sinai and accepted the kingship of the Holy One blessed be He upon them, and they called out in a single voice: “Everything that the Lord spoke, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7); that was a voice that was a [strong, impressive] voice.2Comparable to the impressive sound of thunder that had accompanied the giving of the Torah. When they arrived at the wilderness, they violated everything and corrupted their actions.
When the Holy One blessed be He saw this, He said to Moses: “Go descend, for your people…have acted corruptly [shiḥet].” Shiḥet means nothing other than that they corrupted their actions, just as it says: “They behaved corruptly [shiḥet], not from Him; His children, it is their blemish” (Deuteronomy 32:5). Not only did they engage in idol worship, but they also engaged in forbidden sexual relations and bloodshed. The revelry [seḥok] stated here,3“They stood to revel [letzaḥek]” (Exodus 32:6). is nothing other than idol worship,4The midrash does not find it necessary to prove that the term seḥok can refer to idolatry, as it is clear from the context of the verse in Exodus that the people engaged in idolatry (see Maharzu). forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed. From where is it derived that seḥok is bloodshed? As it is stated: “Let the lads arise and play [visaḥaku] before us” (II Samuel 2:14). From where is it derived [that the term seḥok can refer to] forbidden sexual relations? As it is stated: “The Hebrew slave [whom you brought to us] came to me to mock [letzaḥek] me…” (Genesis 39:17). There was no one there greater than Ḥur, and they killed him. This is the approach of Abba, the expounder.5This is all stated by Rabbi Tanḥuma bar Abba, citing his father.
Another matter: “[The Lord spoke [vaydaber] to Moses:] go descend,” in anger. At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He spoke harsh words against him. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The speech [dibur] stated here is nothing other than harsh words, just as it says: “The man, lord of the land, spoke [diber] harshly with us” (Genesis 42:30). At that moment, Moses saw the ministering angels that were rising and seeking to go out and to harm all of Israel. Moses said: If I forsake Israel and descend, they will never recover. I will not move from here until I ask for mercy on their behalf. Immediately, he began speaking in their defense. He said to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘I have a claim to advance in their favor.’ He said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, remember in their regard that when You sought to give the Torah to the children of Esau, and they did not accept it, Israel accepted it,’ as it is stated: “All the people answered together [and said: Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform]” (Exodus 19:8). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘They transgressed regarding the performance,’ as it is stated: “They have quickly deviated from the path…” (Exodus 32:8). He said to Him: ‘Remember in their regard that when I went as Your emissary to Egypt and said Your name to them, they immediately believed and prostrated themselves to Your name,’ as it is stated: “The people believed” (Exodus 4:31), and immediately, “they bowed and prostrated themselves” (Exodus 4:31). He said to him: ‘They transgressed regarding the prostrating,’ as it is stated: “They prostrated themselves to it” (Exodus 32:8). ‘He said to Him: ‘Remember their young men whom I sent and they sacrificed offerings before You,’ as it is stated: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel [and they offered burnt offerings and they sacrificed feast offerings]” (Exodus 24:5). He said to him: ‘They transgressed regarding the sacrifice,’ as it is stated: “They sacrificed to it” (Exodus 32:8). He said to Him: ‘Remember for them what You said at Sinai: “I am the Lord your God”’ (Exodus 20:2). He said to him: ‘They violated it,’ as it is stated: “They said: This is your god” (Exodus 32:8). That is, “clouds and wind but no rain” (Proverbs 25:14). Moses immediately voided the punishment. That is, “with patience, [a commander is enticed]” (Proverbs 25:15).