Midras Kejadian 1:7: Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Midrash Tehillim, Devarim Rabbah & Midrash Tanchuma

(Gen. 1:1:) IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. It is written (in Ps. 104:3): WHO ROOFS HIS UPPER ROOMS IN THE WATERS, WHO SETS THE CLOUDS AS HIS CHARIOT…. R. Johanan said:¹Gen. R. 1:3; PRE 4; M. Pss. 104:7. See below, sec. 1:12; M. Pss. 24:4. Heaven and earth were created on the first day, and on the second the Holy One²In this translation “the Holy One” (apart from biblical quotations) represents the Hebrew acronym, HQBH, which stands for “The Holy One Blessed be He.” A somewhat abbreviated form is called for because this acronym has become the common midrashic name of the Deity and is treated as a single word. The full title would be awkward and only appears in the translation where the full title occurs in the Buber text. created the firmament and the angels. Where is it shown that they were created on the second day? Where it is stated (ibid.): WHO ROOFS HIS UPPER ROOMS IN THE WATERS,³The midrash interprets this roof as the firmament of Gen. 1:6-8. Thus Ps. 104:3f. is seen as a reference to the second day of creation. WHO SETS THE CLOUDS AS HIS CHARIOT, WHO WALKS ON THE WINGS OF THE WIND (ruah). And what is written next (in vs. 4)? WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS SPIRITS (ruah).⁴Cf. Hebrews 1:7. R. Hanina said: The angels were created on the fifth day. Thus it is written concerning the fifth (in Gen. 1:20): AND LET FOWL FLY (ye'ofef) ABOVE THE EARTH. Now the word ye'ofef only refers to the flying of angels, as it is used (in Is. 6:2): AND WITH TWO HE DID FLY (ye'ofef). And why were the angels not created on the first day? So that the heretics (minim) would not say: Michael was standing in the north with Gabriel in the south, and together they spread out the heavens and the earth. So who did create them? The Holy One by himself, as stated (in Gen. 1:1): IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED < THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH >. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah disagree. R. Judah says: The world was being created for six days. Thus it is written concerning the work of each and every day (in Gen. 1:7, 9, 11, 15, 24, 30): AND IT WAS SO. That is R. Judah's opinion, but R. Nehemiah says: The whole world was created on the first day. R. Judah said to him: What is the meaning of what is written concerning the work of each and every day: [AND IT WAS SO]? R. Berekhyah said concerning R. Nehemiah's opinion: (According to Gen. 1:24) GOD SAID: LET THE EARTH BRING FORTH. The expression LET BRING FORTH is only used of something that was prepared from IN THE BEGINNING, as stated concerning the first day (in vs. 1): IN THE BEGINNING.

“Therefore the wicked will not survive judgment, [nor will sinners [survive], in the assembly of the righteous]” (Psalms 1:5). This [relates] to that which is said in Scripture, “The lips of the wise sow [the seeds] of knowledge; [not so the hearts of the foolish]” (Proverbs 15:7). [The Midrash is now going to focus on the phoneme, זר, which appears in the verb “to sow,” which appeared in the verse from Proverbs.] This refers to the Israelites because they made a זר for the ark of the covenant [which, in this context, means a rim], as it is said “And you shall make upon it a golden rim” (Exodus 25:1). “Not so the hearts of the foolish” (Proverbs 15:7) – this refers to the idolatrous nations who have become estranged [זרים] from the Omnipresent. Alternatively, “The lips of the wise sow [the seeds] of knowledge,” (Proverbs 15:7) – this refers to the Israelites who constantly coronate the Omnipresent, each day, and unify His name every evening and morning [This is again a play on the phoneme זר which is related to the word for a crown, זיר]. “Not so the hearts of the foolish” (ibid.) – these are the apostates who say that the universe is a self-moving power [which is to say, it wasn’t created by anything external to itself. The word that appears in the Midrash here for “self-moving power” is טומטום (a word for a person whose genitals are hidden or under-developed), but our translation follows Marcus Jastrow. He argues that טומטום, in this context, is a consequence of a scribal error, and that the original word must have been אַבְטוֹמְטוֹס, from the Greek αὐτόματος (automatos)]. Another interpretation of “Not so the hearts of the foolish” (Proverbs 15:7). Rabbi Yuden and Rabbi Pinchas say, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the wicked, “I created the world, as it is said, “And it was so,” (Genesis 1:7), and you say that “it isn’t so.” Therefore, by your lives, [I swear, that] “the wicked will not survive judgement” (Psalms 1:5). [The Midrash understands this verse to be saying that they won’t be present on Judgement Day at all]. And it is [actually] good for them that they don’t stand and face judgement like a person, of whom it is said, So-and-so stood trial and he didn’t have a leg to stand on. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said [that our verse – “Therefore the wicked will not survive judgement nor will sinners [survive] in the assembly of the righteous” (Psalms 1:5) – discusses the] wicked [in the plural, which suggests at least] two [sources of wickedness]; and sinners [in the plural, which also suggests at least] two [sinners]. These are the four kingdoms that, come Judgement Day, will not have a leg to stand on. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said that a single affliction destroys [a wicked person], and there is Scriptural support for this: “Therefore the wicked will not survive judgement” (Psalms 1:5) – it doesn’t say “judgements” but rather “judgement” [as if to suggest that a single judgement will suffice to destroy them]. This [accords with] what is written, “they are both dull and foolish” (Jeremiah 10:8) [which, given the Hebrew wording, the Midrash is able to creatively re-read to be saying, “in one fell swoop they are burnt and brought to folly;” [and the point is also evident in the verse,] “the wicked will perish in misfortune” (Psalms 34:22) [which is read as “one single misfortune will be enough for the wicked to perish.”] “For seven times a righteous person falls and gets up, while the wicked are tripped up by misfortune” (Proverbs 24:16) – by a single misfortune and not two.

“For who is a great nation that has God near it, as is the Lord our God in all of our calling to Him.” The heretics asked Rabbi Simlai: ‘How many authorities created the world?’ He said to them: ‘Let you and me inquire into the six days of Creation.’ They said to him: ‘Is it written: “In the beginning God [Elo’ah]²⁰Singular created”? It is written: “In the beginning God [Elohim]²¹Plural created”’ (Genesis 1:1). He said to them: ‘Is created [baru]”²²Plural written? “Created [bara]”²³Singular is written. And is it written: “God said [vayomeru]²⁴Plural let there be a firmament” (Genesis 1:7); “[God said:] Let the water…be gathered” (Genesis 1:9); “[God said:] Let there be lights” (Genesis 1:14)? “Said [vayomer]”²⁵Singular is written.’ When they reached the action of the sixth day, they rejoiced. They said to him: ‘But is it not written: “Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26)?’ He said to them: ‘It is not written here, “They created man in their images,” but rather, “God created man in His image”’ (Genesis 1:27). They said to him: ‘But is it not written: “For who is a great nation that has God near [kerovim]²⁶Plural it”?’ He said to them: ‘But is it written: “As is the Lord our God in all of our calling to them”? It is written, “[As is the Lord our God] in all of our calling to Him.”’