Midras Yesaya 65:25: Midrash Tehillim, Midrash Tanchuma, Otzar Midrashim & Midrash Tanchuma Buber

“He shall be like a tree planted [besides streams of water]” (Psalms 1:3). [Continuing from the previous Midrash: this refers to Adam, since] the Holy One, blessed be He, took him and planted him in the Garden of Eden; “which yields its fruit in its season” (ibid.) — this refers to Cain; “whose foliage never fades” (ibid.) — this refers to Abel; “and all that it produces thrives” (ibid.) — this refers to Seth. “Not so the wicked” (Psalms 1:4) — this refers to the snake. “Therefor the wicked will not survive judgement” (Psalms 1:5). Everything [and everyone] will be healed [and repaired from the consequences of their sins] in the time to come; [all] except for the snake and the Gibeonites. As it is said: “The wolf and the lamb shall graze together, [and the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and the food of the snake will be dust]...” (Isaiah 65:25) [The snake is excluded from the transformation promised to the other animals, and the] Gibeonites [are also an exception to the principle that all things will be healed]; as it is said, “The workers in the city from all of the tribes of Israel shall cultivate it” (Ezekiel 48:19) — [which the Midrash creatively reads as a reference to the Gibeonites; replacing the world יעבדוהו with the almost homophonic word יאבדוהו to read: “they] shall be destroyed [from among the tribes of Israel].” The Holy One, blessed be He, gave three virtuous traits to the Israelites: mercy, bashfulness, and loving-kindness; as it is said: “[God] has given you mercy” (Deuteronomy 13:18); and it is written, “[God has come only in order to test you, and] in order that the fear of God should be upon your face, so that you not go astray” (Exodus 20:17). Because of this it is said, regarding anybody who has no shame, that his ancestors did not stand at Mount Sinai. And it is written, “And the Lord your God will guard for you the covenant and the loving-kindness that He swore to your fathers” (Deuteronomy 7:12) — [creatively read to be suggesting that God swore to give us the character trait of loving-kindness]. King David saw, regarding the Gibeonites, that they didn’t have a single one of these [virtues]; he arose and he distanced them [from the rest of Israel]. As it is said, “And the Gibeonites are not part of the Children of Israel” (2 Samuel 21:2). And Ezra also distanced them, as it is said: “The temple servants [who were Gibeonites] lived in Ophel” (Nehemia 11:21). [The point here might be that they were sent to live in a town that was far away from the Israelites. Moreover, there may be an additional play on words between עופל and אופל, to suggest that they were sent to live in darkness]. And even the Holy One, blessed be He, will distance them in the time to come, as it is said, “The workers in the city … shall cultivate it” (Ezekiel 48:19); [we read “cultivate it” but] “will be destroyed” is written [playing again with the almost homophonic switch between יעבדוהו and יאבדוהו]. As it is said, “And Joshua made them hewers of wood and drawers of water” (Joshua 9:27) [to leave us in no doubt that the workers referred to in Nehemia and Ezekiel are the Gibeonites]. [Our reading of Psalms 1 continues]: “For God knows the way of the righteous” (Psalms 1:6) — this refers to [the way of] Adam and Eve, “but the way of the wicked is doomed” (ibid.) — this refers to the [way of the] snake [and presumably, to the way of the Gibeonites] for whom there is no healing [or repair] in the future to come.

(Lev. 14:2:) “This shall be the law of the leper.” This text is related (to Prov. 18:21), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Everything depends on the tongue. [If] one is acquitted, he is acquitted for life; [if] one is not acquitted, he is condemned to death. [If] one is engaged in Torah with his tongue, he is acquitted for life, inasmuch as the Torah is a tree of life, as stated (in Prov. 3:18), “[Wisdom] is a tree of life to those who take hold of it.” It (i.e., the Torah) is also one's healing for the evil tongue (i.e., slander), as stated (in Prov. 15:4), “A healing tongue is a tree of life.” But if one is occupied with slander, his soul is condemned to death, since slander is more harmful than the shedding of blood. Thus whoever kills takes only one life, but the one who speaks slander kills three people: the one who tells it, the one who accepts it, and the one about whom it is told.⁹PRK 4:2; Lev. R. 26:2; Numb. R. 19:2; Deut. R. 5:10; M. Pss. 12:2; yPe’ah 1:1 (16a). Doeg spoke slander against Ahimelech; and he (i.e., Ahimelech) was killed, as stated (in I Sam. 22:16), “But the king said, ‘You shall surely die, Ahimelech.’” Saul also was killed, [as stated] (in I Chron. 10:13), “So Saul died for the treachery which he had committed against the Lord.” And thus did Saul say (in II Sam. 1:9, to a young man), “Please stand over me and slay me, for death throes have seized me.” [The young man was] the accuser¹⁰Gk.: kategoros. of Nob, the city of priests [against Saul]. Now death throes (shbts) can only denote priesthood, since it is stated (in Exod. 28:13 with reference to high-priestly dress), “And you shall make gold brocade (rt.: shbts).” Doeg also was uprooted (shrsh) from the life of this world and from all life in the world to come. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 52:7), “God will also tear you down for ever; He will seize you, tear you away from your tent, and uproot (shrsh) you from the land of the living. Selah,” [i.e., He will uproot you] from life in the world to come. Who is more severe? One who smites with the sword or [one who] smites with the dart? Say the one who smites with the dart. The one who smites with the sword is only able to kill his companion if he draws near to him and touches him; but in the case of one who smites with the dart, it is not so. Rather one throws the dart wherever he sees him. Therefore, one who speaks slander is comparable to the dart, as stated (in Jer. 9:7), “Their tongue is a sharpened dart; it speaks deceit.” It also says (in Ps. 57:5), “people, whose teeth are spears and darts, and whose tongue a sharp sword.” See how harmful slander is, in that it is more harmful than adultery, shedding blood and idolatry.¹¹M. Pss. 52:2. Of adultery it is written (in Gen. 39:9, where Joseph is addressing Potiphar's wife), “then how shall I do this great evil and sin against God?” Of shedding blood it is written (in Gen. 4:13), “My sin is greater than I can bear.” Of idolatry it is written (in Exod. 32:31, with reference to the golden calf), “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin.” But when it (i.e., Scripture) mentions slander, it does not say "great" (in the masculine singular, as in Gen. 4:13), or "great" (in the feminine singular, as in Gen. 39:9 and Exod. 32:31), but "great" (in the feminine plural). Thus it is written (in Ps. 12:4), “The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, [every] tongue speaking great things (in the feminine plural).” It is therefore stated (in Prov. 18:21), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” [Another interpretation (of Prov. 18:21), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”: Do not say, “Since I have license to speak, I am therefore speaking whatever I want.” See, the Torah has already warned you (in Ps. 34:14), “Keep your tongue from evil [and your lips from speaking deceit].” Perhaps you will say that you are suffering a loss. Are you not profiting instead? So the holy spirit proclaims (in Prov. 21:23), “The one who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from trouble (tsarot).” Do not read this as “from trouble.” Instead [read it as], "from leprosy (tsar'at).” Another interpretation (of Prov. 18:21), “Death and life are in the power of the tongue”: Slander is so harmful that one does not produce it from his mouth without denying the Holy One, blessed be He.¹²M. Ps. 52:2. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 12:5), “Those who say, ‘By our tongues we shall prevail; our lips are with us, who is to be our Lord?’” The Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, cried out against those who speak slander (in Ps. 94:16), “Who will stand for Me against evildoers…?” Who can stand against them? And who will stand against them? Geihinnom? But Geihinnom also cries out, “I am unable to stand against them.” [Then] the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I [will come at them] from above and you (Geihinnom), from below. I will hurl darts from above; and you will turn on them with burning coals from below.” Thus it is stated (in Ps. 120:4), “Sharp darts of the warrior along with burning coals of broom wood.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Do you want to be delivered from Geihinnom? Keep yourselves far away from the deceitful tongue. Then you will be acquitted in this world and in the world to come.” Thus it is stated (in Ps. 34:13), “Who is the one who desires life….” And it is [then] written (in vs. 14), “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit […].” Thus it is stated (in Lev. 14:2), “This shall be the law of the leper,” to teach you that one who speaks slander will have blemishes come to him, as it is stated, “This shall be the law of the leper (metsora'),” [i.e.] the one who proclaims evil (motsi' ra')¹³Above, 5:1; ySot. 2:1 (17d); ‘Arakh. 15b; Cf. Lev. R. 16:1. will find evil, in that he will have leprosy come upon him. See what is written about Miriam (in Numb. 12:1), “Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses.” Therefore (in vs. 10), “then Aaron turned unto Miriam, and there was [Miriam] with leprosy like the snow.” What is written elsewhere (in Deut. 24:9)? “Remember what the Lord your God did to Miriam […].” And is it not all the more so? For if Miriam had this happen, when she only spoke against her beloved brother when he was absent¹⁴I.e., she spoke privately to Aaron with no desire to be hostile to Moses. Cf. Sifre, Numb. 12:1 (99:2). and was only intending to return him to his wife, how much the more so in the case of one who utters slander against his colleague? What is written above on the matter (in Deut. 24:8)? “Take care with the plague of leprosy [to watch diligently and do according to all that the priests and Levites shall teach…].” So the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, also afflicted with it Aaron, who was high priest. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 12:9), “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, [i.e.] against Aaron and against Miriam.” Aaron, however, was healed immediately; but Miriam, after seven days, as stated (in Numb. 12:15), “So Miriam was shut up [outside of the camp] for seven days.” Ergo (in Lev. 14:2), “This shall be the law of the leper (metsora').” The one who proclaims evil (motsi' ra') is the one who finds evil (motse' ra'). And thus you find with the primeval serpent, because he spoke slander [to Eve] against his Creator, for that reason he became leprous.¹⁵Cf. Gen. R. 19:4. What did he say? R. Joshua ben Levi said (citing Gen. 3:5), “’For God knows that on the day that you eat from it, your eyes shall be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ He said to her, ‘Every artisan hates his fellow [artisan].¹⁶The saying is proverbial. See Gen. R. 32:2; M. Pss. 11:6. Now when [the Holy One, blessed be He,] wanted to create His world, He ate from this tree. So he created His world. You [two] also eat from it. Then you will be able to create like Him.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to [the serpent], ‘You have spoken slander. Your end is to be stricken with leprosy.’” It is so stated (in Gen. 3:14), “So the Lord God said unto the serpent, “Because you have done this, more cursed shall you be than all the beasts of the field.” With what did he curse ('araroh) him? With leprosy. Now a curse can only be leprosy, since it is stated (in Lev. 13:52), “for it is a malignant (mam'eret) leprosy.”¹⁷The argument assumes that ‘arirah and mam’eret share the same root. So also Exod. R. 3:13. R. Huna said in the name of R. Joshua ben Levi, “The scales which are on the snake are his leprosy.”¹⁸Gen. R. 20:4. And not only that, but when all the deformed are cured in the world to come, the snake shall not be cured.¹⁹Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 11:9; Tanh., Gen. 11:8; Gen. R. 95:1. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 3:14), “more cursed shall you be than all the beasts.” From here [we learn] that they all shall be healed, but [the serpent] shall not be healed. People shall be healed, as stated (in Is. 35:5), “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened….” It is also [written about] the wild beasts and the cattle (in Is. 65:25), “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion like the ox shall eat straw, but the serpent's food shall be dust”; as he will never be healed, because he [was the one who] brought all mortals down to the dust. And what caused him to have [this punishment]? [It happened] because he had spoken slander.

And ten upon the serpent: Its mouth was sealed shut. Its hands and feet were cut off. It eats dust. It sheds its skin and suffers like a woman in childbirth, and its voice carries from one end of the world to the other, yet its voice is not heard. "And I will put enmity..." (Genesis 3:15) Rabbi Chelfai said in the name of Rabbi Meir: Even if it eats delicacies and drinks the sweetest wine, it becomes dust in its mouth, as it says "and dust shall be the serpent's bread" (Isaiah 65:25). It gives birth every seven years. (Bechorot 8a) A person sees an animal or bird and is not bothered, but when he sees a snake he is bothered and curses it. Everything receives blessing but it remains accursed. Rabbi Meir would say a tradition: "And I will remove the evil beasts from the earth" (Leviticus 26:6) - this refers to the snake. And ten upon the earth: That it would absorb water on its own from now on: "And a mist rose up from the earth" (Genesis 2:6) That it is afflicted in its fruits. That it is afflicted with blight and mildew. That mountains and valleys were made upon it. That thornbushes and gravel were created upon it. That barren trees grew upon it. That thorns and thistles grew upon it. They plant a lot but it produces little. That it will testify about its dead in the future, as it says "And the land will reveal its blood, and will no longer cover its slain" (Isaiah 26:21). That it is destined to wear out like a garment, as it says "And the earth will wear out like a garment" (Isaiah 51:6). Why were these forty decrees? Corresponding to the 40 days that the fetus is formed. Another interpretation: Corresponding to these decrees, the Sages instituted 40 lashes in the court. How so? When a person stumbles in a sin that makes him liable for death by the hand of Heaven, they bring him to court and lash him, and immediately forgive him entirely. This is what is taught: "There are four death penalties by the court." (All those liable for excision who were lashed were exempted from their excision - Makkot 23a.) Rabbi Eliezer says: Adam was the blood of the world, and when Eve spilled it [by causing his death], she became liable for the blood of menstruation. Adam was the challah of the world, and when Eve defiled it [through sin], she became liable for separating challah. Adam was the light of the world, and when Eve extinguished it [through sin], she became liable to light the Shabbat candles. This corresponds to what was taught: "For three sins women die in childbirth: menstruation, challah, and lighting the candles" (Shabbat 31b).