Midras Kejadian 32:32: Shir HaShirim Rabbah, Otzar Midrashim, Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition) & Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer

Rabbi Azarya, and some say Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Elazar says: This is analogous to a king who had a wine cellar. One came, the first guest; he poured him a cup and gave it to him. The second came, and he poured him a cup and gave it to him. When the king’s son came, he gave him the entire cellar. So too, Adam, the first man, was commanded with seven commandments.⁹⁰The commentaries write that the text should state “six commandments,” as the midrash goes on to list only six. This is also consistent with the text of Bereshit Rabba 16:6 (see Matnot Kehuna). That is what is written: “The Lord God commanded the man, saying: From all the trees in the Garden you shall eat” (Genesis 2:16). “He commanded [vaytzav],” this is [the prohibition against] idol worship, just as you say: “Because he willingly followed an order [tzav]” (Hosea 5:11).⁹¹In this verse, the prophet is expressing that the kingdom of Israel is oppressed because of the sin of idolatry. “The Lord,” this is [the prohibition against] blaspheming the name, as it is stated: “One who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely die” (Leviticus 24:16). “God [Elohim],” this is [the commandment to appoint] judges, as it is stated: “The statement of the two of them shall come to the judges [elohim]” (Exodus 22:8). “The man,” this is [the prohibition against] bloodshed, as it is written: “One who spills the blood of the man [by man shall his blood be shed]” (Genesis 9:6). “Saying,” these are forbidden sexual relations, as it is stated: “Saying: If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him [and becomes another man’s wife, may he return to her again?]” (Jeremiah 3:1). “From all the trees in the Garden,” this is robbery, as it is written: “[Did you eat] from the tree that I commanded you [not to eat?]” (Genesis 3:11).
Noah, [the prohibition against eating] a limb [detached] from a living animal was added for him, as it is written: “But flesh with its life, its blood [you shall not eat]” (Genesis 9:4). Abraham was commanded regarding circumcision. Isaac inaugurated it on the eighth day.⁹²Isaac was the first to have been circumcised on the eighth day of his life (see Genesis 21:4). Jacob [was commanded] regarding the [prohibition against eating the] sciatic nerve, as it is stated: “Therefore, the children of Israel shall not eat the sciatic nerve” (Genesis 32:33). Judah [was commanded] regarding [levirate marriage with] a childless sister-in-law, as it is stated: “Judah said to Onan: Consort with your brother's wife, and consummate levirate marriage with her” (Genesis 38:8). [The children of] Israel [were commanded] regarding all the positive commandments and the negative commandments.
Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina and the Rabbis say: This is analogous to a king who would distribute provisions to his troops by means of dukes, governors, and commanders. When his son came, he gave it to him directly.⁹³Similarly, God gave the commandments to Adam and Noah without direct and public Divine revelation, but He gave the Torah to Israel with direct and public Divine revelation. Rabbi Yitzḥak says: This is analogous to a king who was partaking of fine pastry; when his son came, he gave it to him directly.⁹⁴He shared the fine royal pastry with his son, and gave it to him directly. So too, God gave Israel the Divine Torah, and did so through direct revelation. The Rabbis say: This is analogous to a king who was partaking of slices [of food]; when his son came, he gave it to him directly.⁹⁵The king gave his son a slice of food from his own plate. Some say that he took it from his mouth and gave it to him, as it is stated: “For the Lord grants wisdom; from His mouth are knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).
Rabbi Abahu, and some say Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Neḥemya said: [This is analogous to] two friends who were engaged in a halakhic matter. This one says the source of the halakha and that one says the source of the halakha.⁹⁶Each one provided a source for his opinion as to the halakhic conclusion in the matter under discussion. The Holy One blessed be He says: ‘Their passion comes from Me.’⁹⁷Their commitment to arrive at the true halakha is for the sake of Heaven, and therefore, are the words of the living God (see Eiruvin 13b). Rabbi Neḥemya explains the meaning of the phrase: “Let him kiss me [yishakeni] with the kisses of his mouth” as related to “their passion” [shukeyotehon]. Rabbi Yehuda said: Even the vanity that emerges from his mouth,⁹⁸Even if those discussing the halakhic matter are mistaken in their analysis and claims. as it is stated: “Job opens his mouth in vanity” (Job 35:16), the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘His passion is from Me.’
The Rabbis say: The souls of these are destined to be taken with a kiss. Rabbi Azarya said: We find that the soul of Aaron was taken only with a kiss; that is what is written: “Aaron the priest ascended Mount Hor at the command of [al pi] God and he died there” (Numbers 33:38).⁹⁹The midrash interprets the phrase al pi according to its literal meaning, such that the verse states “with the mouth of God,” meaning with a Divine kiss. From where is it derived that the soul of Moses [also departed with a kiss]? As it is stated: “Moses, servant of the Lord, died there…at the command of [al pi] God” (Deuteronomy 34:5). From where is it derived that [the soul of] Miriam [departed with a kiss]? As it is written: “Miriam died there” (Numbers 20:1). Just as “there” that is written below, was with the mouth of God, so, too, here, it is the same, but it is improper to state it explicitly.¹⁰⁰Since the word “there” appears regarding the death of Moses, who died with a kiss, the use of the term “there” regarding the death of Miriam implies that she died in the same manner. However, the verse did not state this explicitly regarding Miriam because it would have been improper to indicate the kiss regarding a woman (see Bava Batra 17a). The rest of the righteous, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Let him kiss me from the kisses of his mouth.” If you engaged in matters of Torah that kiss your lips, ultimately, everyone will kiss you on the mouth.¹⁰¹So too, God will collect your soul with a Divine kiss (Midrash HaMevoar).
Another matter, “let him kiss me [yishakeni] with the kisses”—He will arm me, He will purify me, He will cleave to me.¹⁰²All of these are connoted by the word yishakeni, as the midrash will explain. Yishakeni, He will arm me, from what is written: “Armed [noshekei] with bows, right-handed and left-handed” (I Chronicles 12:2). Rabbi Shimon bar Naḥman said: Matters of Torah were likened to weapons. Just as these weapons serve their owners in times of war, so, too, matters of Torah serve one who exerts sufficient effort in their study. Rabbi Ḥana bar Aḥa cites it from here: “Exaltation of God [is in their throats, and a double-edged [pifiyot] sword is in their hand]” (Psalms 149:6); just as this sword cuts with both its edges,¹⁰³It can thereby save the life of its owner on two planes. so too, Torah provides life in this world and life in the World to Come.
Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis. Rabbi Yehuda says: The Torah that was stated by one mouth [peh] is stated by many mouths [piyot].¹⁰⁴This is based on the verse from Psalms cited above, which compares Torah to a double-edged [pifiyot] sword. Originally it was stated to Israel by Moses, and then all of the children of Israel spoke about it. Similarly, throughout the generations, when a scholar teaches a Torah insight, it is later repeated by his students (Maharzu). Rabbi Neḥemya said: Two Torahs were stated, one oral and one written.¹⁰⁵This is a continuation of the previous statement. The written Torah is stated in one matter, compared to one mouth, whereas the oral Torah, which was not given with one exact text, is communicated in different forms by different people. This is comparable to a plurality of mouths (Maharzu). The Rabbis say: They decree on the supernal, and they perform, on the earthly, and they perform.¹⁰⁶The Sages have multiple mouths in the sense of multiple audiences, as the angels and human beings both observe their decrees. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The reason of the Rabbis is as it is written: “As there were princes of sanctity and princes of God” (I Chronicles 24:5). “Princes of sanctity,” these are the ministering angels, as it is written: “I profaned the princes of sanctity” (Isaiah 43:28). “Princes of God, these are Israel, as it is written in their regard: “I said: You are divine” (Psalms 82:6), as they decree on the heavenly, and they perform, on the earthly, and they perform, when they conduct themselves in purity.
Another matter, “let him kiss me [yishakeni] with the kisses of his mouth”—let him purify me, like a person who causes two pools to meet [mashik] each other and unites them,¹⁰⁷If there is not enough water in one or both of the pools to serve as a ritual bath, which purifies, joining them together can allow them to serve in this capacity. as it is stated: “Like the meeting [mashak] of cascading pools he joins it” (Isaiah 33:4).
Another matter, “let him kiss me [yishakeni] with the kisses of his mouth”—yishakeni, He will cleave to me, as it is stated: “The sound of the wings of the creatures would touch [mashikot] one another” (Ezekiel 3:13). Alternatively, “let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,” He will put forth for me the sound of kisses¹⁰⁸He will speak to me lovingly. from His mouth.

The author of Rav Pealim [Vilna Gaon] wrote about the Socher Tov of Midrash Tehillim and said: I found in the book, Ohel Yosef by Rabbi Yosef the Sefaradi on Parashat Vayikra, on the verse, on the side of the altar (Leviticus 1:11), that Ibn Ezra wrote: And likewise, the sides of the north (Psalms 48:3); for many err and say that the tower of Zion was in the midst of Jerusalem. To here are his [words]. And the aforementioned R. Yosef wrote — and these are his words: He explained on Psalms 48 (3) on the verse, Beautifully situated, the joy of the whole earth, Mount Zion, the sides of the north, and explained there that Mount Zion is to the north of Jerusalem. And he said that by way of logic. Yosef said this is not true! Rather Mount Zion is to the south of Jerusalem. And the proof of this is from Midrash Tehillim, as they expounded from that psalm, Mount Zion, the sides of the north, "And is it in the north? Is it not that it is not, etc." And it is well known that Rabbi Yochanan composed it in the land of Israel. And since he lived there, hence his words can be relied upon. And further, since I, the one commenting, lived in Jerusalem many years and I saw that it was like the words of R. Yochanan. And that is where I wrote this commentary. Whereas Rabbi Ibn Ezra only came to Jerusalem after he composed the commentary on the Torah and also his commentary on Psalms. And the testimony to this is that he wrote in Parashat Vayishalch on the verse, And the sun shone for him (Genesis 32:32), that he composed [the commentary on] the Torah in Luba which is in the kingdom of Lombardy, close to greater Rome. And in the fourth approach at the beginning of his commentary, he mentioned that he composed [the commentary on] the book of Psalms before he composed the commentary on the Torah. And he left Spain to go to the land of Israel and came to Luba on his way, before he got to Jerusalem, and then he composed his commentary there. And all of this is an indicator that he only saw Jerusalem after he composed the commentary on the Torah. So he came [to it] by way of logic; hence he erred. And one should not be surprised, as behold Rabbi Shlomo [Rashi] erred like this about the burial of Rachel. As it is within the border of the land of Israel, like a point within a circle, but he said that she is buried outside of the land. And he followed the teaching [drash], and the secret of the teaching is well known. To here are his [words]. And I have already shown you to know that R. Yochanan's intention was to include all of the baraitot in the Yerushalmi, and all of the midrashim in Midrash Rabbah, which is the Jerusalemite Aggadah. And in Midrash Socher Tov [Midrash Tehillim], he grouped and shortened all of the midrashim that were composed before his time, as you can see in Chapter 1 of Midrash Tehillim. So he begins with the verse, He who seeks the good [Socher tov] (Proverbs 11:27), and opened with his teaching. And afterward, Rabbi Yudan opened and said, "Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence (Proverbs 25:6), etc." Rabbi Pinchas worked an extended passage; he opened, I understand more than my elders (Psalms 119:100), etc. Rabbi Nechemiah opened, Wisdom gives strength to the wise(Ecclesiastes 7:19), etc. And the content is as we explained, that R. Yudan, R. Pinchas, and R. Nechemiah all [composed] a midrash on Psalms, and each one opened in a different style; and Rabbi Yochanan gathered them in his study hall and shortened them and added what he had heard on his own. And accordingly, in Chapter 4, He cites, "R. Yudan said a different approach: Flesh and blood have patrons, etc." (Rav Pealim, p. 108)

(Gen. 32, 25) And Jacob was left alone. R. Elazar said: "This means that he was left alone on account of little pitchers [which he desired to take along]. Infer from this that the righteous consider their wealth even dearer than their own bodies — and why so? Because they do not put their hands unto robbery [hence they earn with hard labor]. (Ib.) And there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. "Infer from this," said R. Isaac, "that a scholar must not go out at night alone." R. Abba b. Cahana said: "From here (Ib. b) we infer the above (Ruth 3, 2) Behold, he winnoweth Barley tonight in the threshingfloor." R. Abahu said: "From here (Gen. 22, 3) And Abraham rose early in the morning, etc. "The Rabbis say: "From here (Ib. 37, 13) Go now, see whether it is well with thy brethren, and well with the flock." Rab said: "From here (Ib. 32, 32) And the sun rose upon him."