וַֽיְהִי־עֶ֥רֶב וַֽיְהִי־בֹ֖קֶר י֥וֹם שְׁלִישִֽׁי׃ (פ)
Jadilah petang dan jadilah pagi, hari ketiga.
Bereshit Rabbah
“It was evening and it was morning, a third day” (Genesis 1:13).
“It was evening and it was morning, a third [shelishi] day” – it was the day on which warriors were created,16The groundwork was laid for warriors to wage war. The earth was created on this day, and that includes iron. as it says: “Warriors [shalishim] and nobles, all of them riding horses” (Ezekiel 23:23). When iron was created, the trees began trembling. But it said to them: ‘Why are you trembling? If no wood of yours enters me none of you will be harmed.’17Without a wooden handle, the axe is useless against trees.
“It was evening and it was morning, a third [shelishi] day” – it was the day on which warriors were created,16The groundwork was laid for warriors to wage war. The earth was created on this day, and that includes iron. as it says: “Warriors [shalishim] and nobles, all of them riding horses” (Ezekiel 23:23). When iron was created, the trees began trembling. But it said to them: ‘Why are you trembling? If no wood of yours enters me none of you will be harmed.’17Without a wooden handle, the axe is useless against trees.
Vayikra Rabbah
Rabbi Tanḥuma and Rabbi Ḥiyya say, and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i: This midrash came up from the Diaspora in our possession. Wherever it is stated, “it was in the days,” it is nothing other than trouble.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman says: They are five. “It was in the days of Amrafel” (Genesis 14:1). What was the trouble there? “They waged war, etc.” (Genesis 14:2). This is analogous to the friend of a king who entered a province and, for his sake, the king attended to that province. Barbarians came and confronted him. When they came and confronted him, everyone said: ‘Woe unto us, for the king will not attend to the province the way that he once did.’ So too, Abraham our patriarch, the beloved of the Holy One blessed be He, in whose regard it is written: “[All the families of the earth] shall be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:3). For his sake, the Holy One blessed be He attended to the entire world. The Chaldeans came and confronted him. [People] said: ‘Woe unto us that the Holy One blessed be He will not attend to His world the way that He once did.’ That is what is written: “They returned and came to Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7). Rabbi Ḥiyya said: They sought to confront only the eyeball [galgal eino] of the world.14Abraham was as precious to the world as the eyeball is to a person. They sought to blind the eye [ayin] that confronted the attribute of justice in the world.15The name Ein Mishpat is interpreted as a reference to eye [ayin] and justice [mishpat]. “Which [hi] is Kadesh,” Rabbi Aḥa says: Hu16The word “which” is pronounced hi, but written hey-vav-aleph, such that it can be read hu, which literally means “he.” is written, [indicating that] it was he who sanctified [kiddesh] the name of the Holy One blessed be He, and descended into the fiery furnace. When the kings came to confront him, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai]; “it was [vayhi] in the days of Amrafel the king of [Shinar].”
“It was during the days of Aḥaz” (Isaiah 7:1). What trouble was there? “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west; [they devour Israel with an open mouth]” (Isaiah 9:11). This is analogous to a king who entrusted his son to a steward, but the steward hated him. He said: If I kill him, I will become liable to be executed by the king. Rather, I will withhold his wet nurse from him and he will die on his own. So too, Aḥaz said: If there are no kids, there are no goats, and if there are no goats, there is no flock, and if there is no flock, there is no shepherd, and if there is no shepherd, there is no world. So said Aḥaz: If there are no children, there are no students,17If there are no children at the beginning stages of their studies there will be no students at the intermediate level. and if there are no students, there are no scholars, if there are no scholars, there is no Torah, if there is no Torah, there are no synagogues and study halls, if there are no synagogues and study halls, the Holy One blessed be He will not rest His Divine Presence in the world. What did he do? He arose and locked all the synagogues and study halls. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).
Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Why was his name called Aḥaz? Because he seized [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: You may derive it from this [verse]: “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no time that was as grim as this time, in whose regard it is stated: “I will conceal My face on that day” (Deuteronomy 31:18). From that moment “I sought Him” (Isaiah 8:17), as it is written: “As it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21). What did [Aḥaz] accomplish? “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord gave me [are to become signs and wonders in Israel]” (Isaiah 8:18).18This is stated by the prophet Isaiah. Despite the attempts of Aḥaz, Torah would not be forgotten from Israel. But were they his children? Were they not merely his students? Rather, it is derived from here that a person’s student is called his son. Once everyone saw that he seized the synagogues and study halls, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai] – “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥaz.”
“It was during the days of Yehoyakim son of Josiah” (Jeremiah 1:3). What was the trouble there? “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder, [and the heavens, and their light is not]” (Jeremiah 4:23). This is analogous to letters of a king that entered a province. In each and every province that his letters would reach, the residents of the province would stand on their feet, bare their heads, and read them with reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling. But when they reached the king’s province, they read them, ripped them, and burned them. That is what is written: “It was, when Yehudi read three columns or four,” (Jeremiah 36:23). When they reached the fifth verse: “Its besiegers are ascendant” (Lamentations 1:5), immediately: “He cut it with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). When they saw this, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai] – “it was [vayhi] during the days of Yehoyakim.”
“It was during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1). What was the trouble there? It was “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). This is analogous to a king who had a vineyard and three enemies confronted him. The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began trimming the clusters, and the third began uprooting vines. Pharaoh began picking unripe grapes; that is what is written: “Every son who is born [you shall cast him into the Nile]” (Exodus 1:22). Nebuchadnezzar began trimming the clusters; that is what is written: “And the artisans and the smiths, one thousand” (II Kings 24:16).19This is a reference to the social elites, who were exiled in the exile of Yehoyakhin, eleven years before the destruction of the Temple. Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda and the Rabbi, Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda says: One thousand artisans and one thousand smiths, and the Rabbis say: Both together were one thousand. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon says: These are Torah scholars. Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak says: These are the benefactors. The Rabbis say: These are the counselors. The wicked Haman began uprooting the vines. That is what is written: “To destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). He sought to undermine the foundation of Israel. He sought to purchase every foundation.20A literal translation of the Hebrew is: “He sought to purchase every egg,” meaning to control and extinguish all future potential before it could be developed. When everyone saw that Aḥashverosh was selling and Haman purchasing, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai] – “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh.”
“It was during the days when the judges judged” (Ruth 1:1). What was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1). This is analogous to a province that owed a tribute to the king, and the king sent a tax collector to collect it. What did residents of the province do? They arose and hung him and appropriated it from him. They [then] said: ‘Woe unto us when the king becomes aware of these matters, that we did to the emissary of the king what he sought to do to us.’ So too, when one of the people of Israel would do something improper, they would take him to the judge, and what the judge sought to do to the defendant, the defendant would do to the judge. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You demean your judges; as you live, I will bring upon you a matter that you are unable to withstand.’ What is that? It is famine, as it is stated: “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1).
Shimon bar Rav Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: Wherever [the term] vayhi is stated, it refers to trouble or joy; if trouble, it is unparalleled trouble, if joy, unparalleled joy. Rabbi Yishmael came and suggested a different distinction: Wherever vayhi is stated there is no joy; wherever vehaya is stated, there is no trouble.
They raised an objection: “God said: Let there be light, and there was [vayhi] light” (Genesis 1:3). He said to them: That too, is not joy, as the world was not privileged to utilize that light, as Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: With the light that the Holy One blessed be He created on the first day a person could observe and see from one end of the world to the other. When the Holy One blessed be He saw that the actions of the generation of Enosh and the actions of the generation of the Flood were corrupt, He arose and concealed it from them. That is what is written: “The light is withheld from the wicked” (Job 38:15). Where did He conceal it? In the Garden of Eden; that is what is written: “Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright” (Psalms 97:11).
They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] evening [and it was morning, one day]” (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created on the first day is destined to come to an end. That is what is written: “As the heavens will be eroded like smoke and the earth [will be tattered like a garment]” (Isaiah 51:6).
They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day” (Genesis 1:8), [and] third, fourth, fifth, the sixth.21The same phrasing is used in the descriptions of the creation of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth days. See Genesis 1:13, 19, 23, 31. He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created during the six days of Creation require completion; wheat requires grinding, mustard requires sweetening, and lupines require sweetening.
They raised an objection: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph and he was a successful man” (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, for as a result, that wicked woman confronted him.
They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day [Moses summoned Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel]” (Leviticus 9:1). He said to them: That, too, was not joy, as on that day, Nadav and Avihu died. They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses concluded [erecting the Tabernacle]” (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That, too, was not joy, as on the day of the Temple’s construction, it was sequestered.22The Tabernacle was not permanent, and was hidden when the Temple was completed.
They raised an objection: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joshua” (Joshua 6:27). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as Ya’ir, who was equivalent [in stature] to the majority of the Sanhedrin, was killed. That is what is written: “The men of Ai smote them, approximately thirty-six men” (Joshua 7:5). Thirty-six men is not written, but rather approximately, or like, thirty-six; that is Ya’ir ben Menashe, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin.
They raised an objection: “David was [vayhi] successful in all his ways” (I Samuel 18:14). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it is written there: “Saul was hostile to David” (I Samuel 18:9).
They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] when the king had settled in his house, and the Lord had given him respite” (II Samuel 7:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day, Natan the prophet came and said to him: “It will not be you who will build [Me] a house” (I Chronicles 17:4).
They said to him: We said ours, now you say yours.23We have stated our objections; now you state the proofs to your position. He said to them, it is written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar” (Joel 4:18). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man shall keep alive a calf of the herd [and two sheep]” (Isaiah 7:21). “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge [from Jerusalem]” (Zechariah 14:8). “He will be [vehaya] like a tree planted near streams of water” (Psalms 1:3). “The remnant of Jacob will be [vehaya] among the nations, [in the midst of many peoples, as a lion among the flocks of sheep]” (Micah 5:7).
They raised an objection to him: “It was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: That, too, is not trouble, as on that day, Israel received retribution for its sins, as Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Naḥman said: Israel received great retribution on the day that the Temple was destroyed.24Israel was punished for its sins through the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Were it not for that, the entire populace would have been killed as a result of their sins (Etz Yosef). That is what is written: “Your sin is completed, daughter of Zion, and He will not continue to exile you” (Lamentations 4:22).
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman says: They are five. “It was in the days of Amrafel” (Genesis 14:1). What was the trouble there? “They waged war, etc.” (Genesis 14:2). This is analogous to the friend of a king who entered a province and, for his sake, the king attended to that province. Barbarians came and confronted him. When they came and confronted him, everyone said: ‘Woe unto us, for the king will not attend to the province the way that he once did.’ So too, Abraham our patriarch, the beloved of the Holy One blessed be He, in whose regard it is written: “[All the families of the earth] shall be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:3). For his sake, the Holy One blessed be He attended to the entire world. The Chaldeans came and confronted him. [People] said: ‘Woe unto us that the Holy One blessed be He will not attend to His world the way that He once did.’ That is what is written: “They returned and came to Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7). Rabbi Ḥiyya said: They sought to confront only the eyeball [galgal eino] of the world.14Abraham was as precious to the world as the eyeball is to a person. They sought to blind the eye [ayin] that confronted the attribute of justice in the world.15The name Ein Mishpat is interpreted as a reference to eye [ayin] and justice [mishpat]. “Which [hi] is Kadesh,” Rabbi Aḥa says: Hu16The word “which” is pronounced hi, but written hey-vav-aleph, such that it can be read hu, which literally means “he.” is written, [indicating that] it was he who sanctified [kiddesh] the name of the Holy One blessed be He, and descended into the fiery furnace. When the kings came to confront him, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai]; “it was [vayhi] in the days of Amrafel the king of [Shinar].”
“It was during the days of Aḥaz” (Isaiah 7:1). What trouble was there? “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west; [they devour Israel with an open mouth]” (Isaiah 9:11). This is analogous to a king who entrusted his son to a steward, but the steward hated him. He said: If I kill him, I will become liable to be executed by the king. Rather, I will withhold his wet nurse from him and he will die on his own. So too, Aḥaz said: If there are no kids, there are no goats, and if there are no goats, there is no flock, and if there is no flock, there is no shepherd, and if there is no shepherd, there is no world. So said Aḥaz: If there are no children, there are no students,17If there are no children at the beginning stages of their studies there will be no students at the intermediate level. and if there are no students, there are no scholars, if there are no scholars, there is no Torah, if there is no Torah, there are no synagogues and study halls, if there are no synagogues and study halls, the Holy One blessed be He will not rest His Divine Presence in the world. What did he do? He arose and locked all the synagogues and study halls. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).
Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Why was his name called Aḥaz? Because he seized [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: You may derive it from this [verse]: “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no time that was as grim as this time, in whose regard it is stated: “I will conceal My face on that day” (Deuteronomy 31:18). From that moment “I sought Him” (Isaiah 8:17), as it is written: “As it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21). What did [Aḥaz] accomplish? “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord gave me [are to become signs and wonders in Israel]” (Isaiah 8:18).18This is stated by the prophet Isaiah. Despite the attempts of Aḥaz, Torah would not be forgotten from Israel. But were they his children? Were they not merely his students? Rather, it is derived from here that a person’s student is called his son. Once everyone saw that he seized the synagogues and study halls, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai] – “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥaz.”
“It was during the days of Yehoyakim son of Josiah” (Jeremiah 1:3). What was the trouble there? “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder, [and the heavens, and their light is not]” (Jeremiah 4:23). This is analogous to letters of a king that entered a province. In each and every province that his letters would reach, the residents of the province would stand on their feet, bare their heads, and read them with reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling. But when they reached the king’s province, they read them, ripped them, and burned them. That is what is written: “It was, when Yehudi read three columns or four,” (Jeremiah 36:23). When they reached the fifth verse: “Its besiegers are ascendant” (Lamentations 1:5), immediately: “He cut it with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). When they saw this, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai] – “it was [vayhi] during the days of Yehoyakim.”
“It was during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1). What was the trouble there? It was “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). This is analogous to a king who had a vineyard and three enemies confronted him. The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began trimming the clusters, and the third began uprooting vines. Pharaoh began picking unripe grapes; that is what is written: “Every son who is born [you shall cast him into the Nile]” (Exodus 1:22). Nebuchadnezzar began trimming the clusters; that is what is written: “And the artisans and the smiths, one thousand” (II Kings 24:16).19This is a reference to the social elites, who were exiled in the exile of Yehoyakhin, eleven years before the destruction of the Temple. Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda and the Rabbi, Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda says: One thousand artisans and one thousand smiths, and the Rabbis say: Both together were one thousand. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon says: These are Torah scholars. Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak says: These are the benefactors. The Rabbis say: These are the counselors. The wicked Haman began uprooting the vines. That is what is written: “To destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). He sought to undermine the foundation of Israel. He sought to purchase every foundation.20A literal translation of the Hebrew is: “He sought to purchase every egg,” meaning to control and extinguish all future potential before it could be developed. When everyone saw that Aḥashverosh was selling and Haman purchasing, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai] – “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh.”
“It was during the days when the judges judged” (Ruth 1:1). What was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1). This is analogous to a province that owed a tribute to the king, and the king sent a tax collector to collect it. What did residents of the province do? They arose and hung him and appropriated it from him. They [then] said: ‘Woe unto us when the king becomes aware of these matters, that we did to the emissary of the king what he sought to do to us.’ So too, when one of the people of Israel would do something improper, they would take him to the judge, and what the judge sought to do to the defendant, the defendant would do to the judge. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You demean your judges; as you live, I will bring upon you a matter that you are unable to withstand.’ What is that? It is famine, as it is stated: “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1).
Shimon bar Rav Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: Wherever [the term] vayhi is stated, it refers to trouble or joy; if trouble, it is unparalleled trouble, if joy, unparalleled joy. Rabbi Yishmael came and suggested a different distinction: Wherever vayhi is stated there is no joy; wherever vehaya is stated, there is no trouble.
They raised an objection: “God said: Let there be light, and there was [vayhi] light” (Genesis 1:3). He said to them: That too, is not joy, as the world was not privileged to utilize that light, as Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: With the light that the Holy One blessed be He created on the first day a person could observe and see from one end of the world to the other. When the Holy One blessed be He saw that the actions of the generation of Enosh and the actions of the generation of the Flood were corrupt, He arose and concealed it from them. That is what is written: “The light is withheld from the wicked” (Job 38:15). Where did He conceal it? In the Garden of Eden; that is what is written: “Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright” (Psalms 97:11).
They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] evening [and it was morning, one day]” (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created on the first day is destined to come to an end. That is what is written: “As the heavens will be eroded like smoke and the earth [will be tattered like a garment]” (Isaiah 51:6).
They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day” (Genesis 1:8), [and] third, fourth, fifth, the sixth.21The same phrasing is used in the descriptions of the creation of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth days. See Genesis 1:13, 19, 23, 31. He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created during the six days of Creation require completion; wheat requires grinding, mustard requires sweetening, and lupines require sweetening.
They raised an objection: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph and he was a successful man” (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, for as a result, that wicked woman confronted him.
They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day [Moses summoned Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel]” (Leviticus 9:1). He said to them: That, too, was not joy, as on that day, Nadav and Avihu died. They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses concluded [erecting the Tabernacle]” (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That, too, was not joy, as on the day of the Temple’s construction, it was sequestered.22The Tabernacle was not permanent, and was hidden when the Temple was completed.
They raised an objection: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joshua” (Joshua 6:27). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as Ya’ir, who was equivalent [in stature] to the majority of the Sanhedrin, was killed. That is what is written: “The men of Ai smote them, approximately thirty-six men” (Joshua 7:5). Thirty-six men is not written, but rather approximately, or like, thirty-six; that is Ya’ir ben Menashe, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin.
They raised an objection: “David was [vayhi] successful in all his ways” (I Samuel 18:14). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it is written there: “Saul was hostile to David” (I Samuel 18:9).
They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] when the king had settled in his house, and the Lord had given him respite” (II Samuel 7:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day, Natan the prophet came and said to him: “It will not be you who will build [Me] a house” (I Chronicles 17:4).
They said to him: We said ours, now you say yours.23We have stated our objections; now you state the proofs to your position. He said to them, it is written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar” (Joel 4:18). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man shall keep alive a calf of the herd [and two sheep]” (Isaiah 7:21). “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge [from Jerusalem]” (Zechariah 14:8). “He will be [vehaya] like a tree planted near streams of water” (Psalms 1:3). “The remnant of Jacob will be [vehaya] among the nations, [in the midst of many peoples, as a lion among the flocks of sheep]” (Micah 5:7).
They raised an objection to him: “It was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: That, too, is not trouble, as on that day, Israel received retribution for its sins, as Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Naḥman said: Israel received great retribution on the day that the Temple was destroyed.24Israel was punished for its sins through the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Were it not for that, the entire populace would have been killed as a result of their sins (Etz Yosef). That is what is written: “Your sin is completed, daughter of Zion, and He will not continue to exile you” (Lamentations 4:22).
Bereshit Rabbah
Another interpretation, “it was in the days of Amrafel” – Rabbi Tanḥuma in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: The following exposition was brought with us in our hands when we came up from the Diaspora:11When the exiles of Israel returned to the land of Israel with Ezra from Babylon. Wherever it is stated: “It was [vayhi] in the days,” it indicates trouble.12Vayhi is seen as a combination of the words vay and hi, both expressions of woe and misfortune. “It was in the days of Amrafel” – what was the trouble there? “They waged war” (Genesis 14:2). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: There are five such instances.13For the other four instances, see: Isaiah 7:1; Jeremiah 1:3; Ruth 1:1; Esther 1:1.
This is analogous to a friend of a king who lived in a certain province, and for his sake the king took an interest in that province. Once some barbarians came to attack him, and they said: ‘Woe unto us, as the king will not show favor to the province as was his wont if they kill his friend.’ That is what is written: “They turned back, and came to Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7) – Rabbi Aḥa said: They came only to fight against the eyeball [ein] of the world;14Abraham is called the eyeball of the world, because it was only for his sake that God took an interest in and looked out for the benefit of the people of the world. they sought to blind the eye [ayin] that overcame the attribute of justice [mishpat] in the world. “Which is [hi] Kadesh” – Rav Aḥa said: Hu is written. It is he [hu] who sanctified [kiddesh] the name of the Holy One blessed be He in the fiery furnace. When the barbarians came to attack him, everyone began crying out: ‘Woe [vay].’ That is what is written: “It was [vayhi] in the days of Amrafel.”
“It was in the days of Aḥaz” (Isaiah 7:1) – what was the trouble there? “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west” (Isaiah 9:11).15Israel was under attack from all sides. This is analogous to a king’s son, whose caretaker resolved to kill him. He said: ‘If I kill him, I will be liable to execution by the king. Instead, I will take away his wet nurse from him, and he will die on his own.’ So, too, Aḥaz said: ‘If there are no kids, there will be no goats, and if there are no goats there will be no flock, and if there is no flock there will be no shepherd, and if there is no shepherd, there will be no world.’16That is, the world will not be able to function in its conventional manner. That is what Aḥaz thought to himself: ‘If there are no children [in school], there will be no students, if there are no students there will be no scholars, if there are no scholars there will be no elders, if there are no elders there will be no prophets, if there are no prophets the Holy One blessed be He will not rest His Divine Presence upon them [Israel].17Consequently, he closed all the schools. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).
Rabbi Ḥonya bar Rabbi Elazar said: Why was he named Aḥaz? It is because he locked up [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: Isaiah said: ‘“I will hope for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no moment that was as grim as that time, in whose regard it is stated: “I will conceal My face on that day” (Deuteronomy 31:18). But at that very time, I [Isaiah] hoped for Him, as it is written [immediately afterwards]: “For it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21).18When God said that He would hide His face from Israel, He continued, that nevertheless the Torah would never be forgotten by them. Of what use was it to him [Ahaz]?19Despite his best efforts, the Torah continued to be taught, as the Midrash goes on to explain. [Of no use, as Isaiah declared:] “Behold, I, and the children whom the Lord gave me, are to become signs and wonders in Israel”’ (Isaiah 8:18). Were they20The young men Isaiah was referring to. his children? Were they not actually his students? However, we learn from here that they [his students] were as beloved to him as sons. When he [Aḥaz] locked up the synagogues and study halls, people began crying out: ‘Woe [vay]’ – “it was [vayhi] in the days of Aḥaz.”
“It was in the days of Yehoyakim” (Jeremiah 1:3) – what was the trouble there? [It was as Jeremiah prophesied:] “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder” (Jeremiah 4:23). This is analogous to a king who sent a proclamation throughout the province. What did the residents of one province do to it? They took it, ripped it, and burned it in fire. Thus it is stated: “It happened that as Yehudi would read three or four sections…” (Jeremiah 36:23)21It was the Book of Lamentations that was being read. – this means three or four verses. When he reached the fifth verse, “Its besiegers have become dominant” (Lamentations 1:5) – “He cut it up with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). When everyone saw this, they began crying out: ‘Woe [vay]’ – “it was [vayhi] in the days of Yehoyakim.”
“It was in the days that the judges judged” (Ruth 1:1)22A more literal translation would be, “in the days of the judging of the judges.” – what was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1). This is analogous to a province that owed a tax to the king. The prince sent a tax collector to collect it. What did the residents of the province do to him? They took him and beat him. They then said: ‘Woe to us when the king becomes aware of these events; what he sought to do to us,23Subdue us. we did to him.’ So, too, in the days of the judging of the judges – when a person of Israel would engage in idol worship, and the judge sought to implement against him the attribute of strict justice,24And decree for him corporal punishment. he would come and flog the judge. He said: ‘What he sought to do to me, I did to him.’25“The judging of the judges” is interpreted to mean that the people committed acts of judgment and punishment against their judges. They said: ‘Woe [vay] to the generation that judges its judges.’ That is what is written: “It was [vayhi] in the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1).
“It was in the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1) – what was the trouble there? [Haman’s decree:] “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate [all the Jews]” (Esther 3:13). This is analogous to a king who had a certain vineyard, and three enemies rose up against it. The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began cutting off the clusters, and the third began uprooting the vines. So too, Pharaoh [said]: “Every son who is born you shall cast into the Nile…” (Exodus 1:22). Nebuchadnezzar [exiled] “the ḥarash and the masger,26These are two classes of Torah scholars (Gittin 88a). one thousand” (Jeremiah 29:2) – Rabbi Berekhya said: One thousand ḥarash and one thousand masger; the Rabbis said: They were one thousand altogether. Haman sought to uproot the entire vineyard, as it is stated: “To destroy, to kill, and to eliminate all the Jews…” (Esther 3:13). When everyone saw that it was so, they began crying out: ‘Woe [vay].’ That is what is written: “It was [vayhi] in the days of Aḥashverosh.”
Rabbi Shimon bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Everywhere that vayhi is stated it refers either to trouble or to joy; if the context is one of trouble, it is unparalleled trouble, if it is one of joy, it is unparalleled joy. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman came and made a distinction: Everywhere that vayhi is stated,27Even when it is not connected with “in the days of.” it alludes to trouble, and vehaya [alludes to] joy.
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “And there was [vayhi] light”? (Genesis 1:3). He said to them: That was nevertheless not complete joy, as the world was not privileged to use that light. Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Simon said: By the light that was created on the first day, a person could see from one end of the world to the other. When the Holy One blessed be He foresaw the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion, He hid it away for the righteous in the future. That is what is written: “But the path of the righteous is like a dawning light, growing brighter until the day is established” (Proverbs 4:18).
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, one day”? (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That was nevertheless not complete joy, as everything that was created on the first day is destined to wear away, as it is stated: “For the heavens will vanish like smoke and the earth will wear away like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6).
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day” (Genesis 1:8), “…a third day” (Genesis 1:13), “a fourth day” (Genesis 1:19), “a fifth day” (Genesis 1:23), “a sixth day”? (Genesis 1:31). He said to them: That was nevertheless not complete [joy], as everything that was created during the six days of Creation requires some act [to perfect it], e.g., mustard requires sweetening, wheat requires grinding, and lupines require sweetening.
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph”? (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That was nevertheless not complete joy, as that bear28Potifar’s wife. then accosted him.
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day, Moses summoned”? (Leviticus 9:1). He said to them: That was nevertheless not complete joy, as Nadav and Avihu died [that day].
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses completed assembling the Tabernacle”? (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That was nevertheless not [complete] joy, as it was hidden away with the building of the Temple.29Moses’ Tabernacle was stored away forever when the permanent Temple was built.
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joshua”? (Joshua 6:27). He said to them: That was nevertheless not [complete] joy, as it became necessary for him to rend his garments.30Joshua 7:6.
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “It was [vayhi] when the king31David. resided in his house, and the Lord had given him respite…”? (II Samuel 7:1). He said to them: It was nevertheless not complete joy, as Natan then came and said to him: “However, you will not build the House…for My name” (I Kings 8:19).
They said to him: We have said our [arguments], now you say yours. He said to them,32To prove his contention that vehaya always alludes to a joyous event. is it not written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge…” (Zechariah 14:8). It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man will keep a calf of the herd…” (Isaiah 7:21). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar” (Joel 4:18). “It will be on that day that the Lord will continue…[to acquire the remnant of His people]” (Isaiah 11:11). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, a great shofar will be sounded…” (Isaiah 27:13).
They raised an objection to him: “And it was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: That was nevertheless joyous, as on that day, Israel gained atonement for its sins, as Rav and Shmuel say: Israel gained great atonement for their iniquities on the day that the Temple was destroyed, as it is stated: “Your sin is completed, daughter of Zion, He will not continue to exile you again” (Lamentations 4:22).
This is analogous to a friend of a king who lived in a certain province, and for his sake the king took an interest in that province. Once some barbarians came to attack him, and they said: ‘Woe unto us, as the king will not show favor to the province as was his wont if they kill his friend.’ That is what is written: “They turned back, and came to Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7) – Rabbi Aḥa said: They came only to fight against the eyeball [ein] of the world;14Abraham is called the eyeball of the world, because it was only for his sake that God took an interest in and looked out for the benefit of the people of the world. they sought to blind the eye [ayin] that overcame the attribute of justice [mishpat] in the world. “Which is [hi] Kadesh” – Rav Aḥa said: Hu is written. It is he [hu] who sanctified [kiddesh] the name of the Holy One blessed be He in the fiery furnace. When the barbarians came to attack him, everyone began crying out: ‘Woe [vay].’ That is what is written: “It was [vayhi] in the days of Amrafel.”
“It was in the days of Aḥaz” (Isaiah 7:1) – what was the trouble there? “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west” (Isaiah 9:11).15Israel was under attack from all sides. This is analogous to a king’s son, whose caretaker resolved to kill him. He said: ‘If I kill him, I will be liable to execution by the king. Instead, I will take away his wet nurse from him, and he will die on his own.’ So, too, Aḥaz said: ‘If there are no kids, there will be no goats, and if there are no goats there will be no flock, and if there is no flock there will be no shepherd, and if there is no shepherd, there will be no world.’16That is, the world will not be able to function in its conventional manner. That is what Aḥaz thought to himself: ‘If there are no children [in school], there will be no students, if there are no students there will be no scholars, if there are no scholars there will be no elders, if there are no elders there will be no prophets, if there are no prophets the Holy One blessed be He will not rest His Divine Presence upon them [Israel].17Consequently, he closed all the schools. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).
Rabbi Ḥonya bar Rabbi Elazar said: Why was he named Aḥaz? It is because he locked up [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: Isaiah said: ‘“I will hope for the Lord, who conceals His face from the house of Jacob” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no moment that was as grim as that time, in whose regard it is stated: “I will conceal My face on that day” (Deuteronomy 31:18). But at that very time, I [Isaiah] hoped for Him, as it is written [immediately afterwards]: “For it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21).18When God said that He would hide His face from Israel, He continued, that nevertheless the Torah would never be forgotten by them. Of what use was it to him [Ahaz]?19Despite his best efforts, the Torah continued to be taught, as the Midrash goes on to explain. [Of no use, as Isaiah declared:] “Behold, I, and the children whom the Lord gave me, are to become signs and wonders in Israel”’ (Isaiah 8:18). Were they20The young men Isaiah was referring to. his children? Were they not actually his students? However, we learn from here that they [his students] were as beloved to him as sons. When he [Aḥaz] locked up the synagogues and study halls, people began crying out: ‘Woe [vay]’ – “it was [vayhi] in the days of Aḥaz.”
“It was in the days of Yehoyakim” (Jeremiah 1:3) – what was the trouble there? [It was as Jeremiah prophesied:] “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder” (Jeremiah 4:23). This is analogous to a king who sent a proclamation throughout the province. What did the residents of one province do to it? They took it, ripped it, and burned it in fire. Thus it is stated: “It happened that as Yehudi would read three or four sections…” (Jeremiah 36:23)21It was the Book of Lamentations that was being read. – this means three or four verses. When he reached the fifth verse, “Its besiegers have become dominant” (Lamentations 1:5) – “He cut it up with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). When everyone saw this, they began crying out: ‘Woe [vay]’ – “it was [vayhi] in the days of Yehoyakim.”
“It was in the days that the judges judged” (Ruth 1:1)22A more literal translation would be, “in the days of the judging of the judges.” – what was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1). This is analogous to a province that owed a tax to the king. The prince sent a tax collector to collect it. What did the residents of the province do to him? They took him and beat him. They then said: ‘Woe to us when the king becomes aware of these events; what he sought to do to us,23Subdue us. we did to him.’ So, too, in the days of the judging of the judges – when a person of Israel would engage in idol worship, and the judge sought to implement against him the attribute of strict justice,24And decree for him corporal punishment. he would come and flog the judge. He said: ‘What he sought to do to me, I did to him.’25“The judging of the judges” is interpreted to mean that the people committed acts of judgment and punishment against their judges. They said: ‘Woe [vay] to the generation that judges its judges.’ That is what is written: “It was [vayhi] in the days when the judges judged, there was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1).
“It was in the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1) – what was the trouble there? [Haman’s decree:] “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate [all the Jews]” (Esther 3:13). This is analogous to a king who had a certain vineyard, and three enemies rose up against it. The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began cutting off the clusters, and the third began uprooting the vines. So too, Pharaoh [said]: “Every son who is born you shall cast into the Nile…” (Exodus 1:22). Nebuchadnezzar [exiled] “the ḥarash and the masger,26These are two classes of Torah scholars (Gittin 88a). one thousand” (Jeremiah 29:2) – Rabbi Berekhya said: One thousand ḥarash and one thousand masger; the Rabbis said: They were one thousand altogether. Haman sought to uproot the entire vineyard, as it is stated: “To destroy, to kill, and to eliminate all the Jews…” (Esther 3:13). When everyone saw that it was so, they began crying out: ‘Woe [vay].’ That is what is written: “It was [vayhi] in the days of Aḥashverosh.”
Rabbi Shimon bar Abba in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Everywhere that vayhi is stated it refers either to trouble or to joy; if the context is one of trouble, it is unparalleled trouble, if it is one of joy, it is unparalleled joy. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman came and made a distinction: Everywhere that vayhi is stated,27Even when it is not connected with “in the days of.” it alludes to trouble, and vehaya [alludes to] joy.
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “And there was [vayhi] light”? (Genesis 1:3). He said to them: That was nevertheless not complete joy, as the world was not privileged to use that light. Rabbi Yehuda son of Rabbi Simon said: By the light that was created on the first day, a person could see from one end of the world to the other. When the Holy One blessed be He foresaw the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Dispersion, He hid it away for the righteous in the future. That is what is written: “But the path of the righteous is like a dawning light, growing brighter until the day is established” (Proverbs 4:18).
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, one day”? (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That was nevertheless not complete joy, as everything that was created on the first day is destined to wear away, as it is stated: “For the heavens will vanish like smoke and the earth will wear away like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6).
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day” (Genesis 1:8), “…a third day” (Genesis 1:13), “a fourth day” (Genesis 1:19), “a fifth day” (Genesis 1:23), “a sixth day”? (Genesis 1:31). He said to them: That was nevertheless not complete [joy], as everything that was created during the six days of Creation requires some act [to perfect it], e.g., mustard requires sweetening, wheat requires grinding, and lupines require sweetening.
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph”? (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That was nevertheless not complete joy, as that bear28Potifar’s wife. then accosted him.
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day, Moses summoned”? (Leviticus 9:1). He said to them: That was nevertheless not complete joy, as Nadav and Avihu died [that day].
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses completed assembling the Tabernacle”? (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That was nevertheless not [complete] joy, as it was hidden away with the building of the Temple.29Moses’ Tabernacle was stored away forever when the permanent Temple was built.
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joshua”? (Joshua 6:27). He said to them: That was nevertheless not [complete] joy, as it became necessary for him to rend his garments.30Joshua 7:6.
They raised an objection to him: But is it not written: “It was [vayhi] when the king31David. resided in his house, and the Lord had given him respite…”? (II Samuel 7:1). He said to them: It was nevertheless not complete joy, as Natan then came and said to him: “However, you will not build the House…for My name” (I Kings 8:19).
They said to him: We have said our [arguments], now you say yours. He said to them,32To prove his contention that vehaya always alludes to a joyous event. is it not written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge…” (Zechariah 14:8). It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man will keep a calf of the herd…” (Isaiah 7:21). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar” (Joel 4:18). “It will be on that day that the Lord will continue…[to acquire the remnant of His people]” (Isaiah 11:11). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, a great shofar will be sounded…” (Isaiah 27:13).
They raised an objection to him: “And it was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: That was nevertheless joyous, as on that day, Israel gained atonement for its sins, as Rav and Shmuel say: Israel gained great atonement for their iniquities on the day that the Temple was destroyed, as it is stated: “Your sin is completed, daughter of Zion, He will not continue to exile you again” (Lamentations 4:22).