Midras Mazmur 103:13: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, Bereshit Rabbah & Midrash Tehillim

R. Abahu used to lecture about the three kings. Becoming sick, he decided not to lecture about them any more. But after he was cured (Ib. b.) he lectured about them as before, and to the question of his disciples: "Have you not determined not to lecture any more about them?" he answered: "Did they then repent that I shall do so?" R. Ashi appointed a time for lecturing about the three kings, and said: "On the morrow we will begin our lecture about our colleague Manasseh." The latter then appeared to him in a dream, and said to him: "You call me a colleague and a colleague of your father? Answer me the question: "Where must one begin to cut the bread by the benediction of the hamotzi?" And he said: "I do not know." Manasseh then rejoined: "If you do not know the answer to even this which I question you, how can you call me a colleague." R. Ashi said to him: "Teach this to me, and tomorrow I will proclaim it in your name in the college." And he said: "From that part where it begins to bake when in the oven." Said R. Ashi again: "If you are so wise, why did you worship idols?" And Manasseh answered: "If you would have been living at that time you would have lifted up the edges of your dress [that they shall not impede you] to run after them to worship them." On the morrow said R. Ashi to the Rabbis: "Let us lecture about the great men. Achab — means Ach, a cause of grief to Heaven, and ab, a father (friend) of idolatry (I Kin. 16, 31) And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam." R. Jochanan said: "The minor sins committed by Achab were greater than the grave sins that Jeroboam committed, and why then does the Scripture make Achab dependent on Jeroboam? Because he initiated corruption." (Hos. 12, 12) Their altars also are as stone heaps. R. Jochanan said: "There was not one heap in the land of Israel upon which Achab had not placed an idol and bowed himself down to it."

Again after three years Abraham went to see his son Ishmael, having sworn to Sarah as on the first occasion that he would not descend from the camel in the place where Ishmael dwelt. He came there at midday, and found there Ishmael's wife. He said to her: Where is Ishmael? She replied to him: He has gone with his mother to feed the camels in the desert. He said to her: Give me a little bread and water, for my soul is faint after the journey of the desert. She fetched it and gave it to him. Abraham arose and prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, for his son, and (thereupon) Ishmael's house was filled with all good things of the various blessings. When Ishmael came (home) his wife told him what had happened, and Ishmael knew that his father's love was still extended to him, as it is said, || "Like as a father pitieth his sons" (Ps. 103:13). After the death of Sarah, Abraham again took (Hagar) his divorced (wife), as it is said, "And Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah" (Gen. 25:1). Why does it say "And he again"? Because on the first occasion she was his wife, and he again betook himself to her. Her name was Keturah, because she was perfumed with all kinds of scents.

“He placed the maidservants and their children first, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last” (Genesis 33:2).
“He placed the maidservants and their children first” – this is to say: The farther back one is, the more he is beloved.
“He passed before them and prostrated himself earthward seven times, until he reached his brother” (Genesis 33:3).
“He passed before them” – that is what is written: “As a father has mercy upon his son” (Psalms 103:13). Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: Like the most merciful of the patriarchs. Which is the most merciful of the patriarchs? Rabbi Yehuda said: This is Abraham. Abraham said: “Far be it from You to do a thing like this” (Genesis 18:25).¹⁶Abraham prayed to avert the destruction of Sodom. Rabbi Levi said: Jacob – “he passed before them.” He said: It is preferable that he harm me and not them.
“And prostrated himself earthward seven times” – why seven? It is based on: “The righteous man falls seven times and rises” (Proverbs 24:16).
Another matter: Why seven? He [Jacob] said to him [Esau]: ‘May you consider yourself as though you are situated behind seven partitions and sitting and judging, and I am being judged before you, and you are filled with mercy upon me.’
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Yitzḥak said: He did not cease prostrating and progressing, prostrating and progressing, until he introduced the attribute of justice into the attribute of mercy.¹⁷So that the attribute of justice would be subjected to the attribute of mercy.