Vayikra Rabbah
Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel, Beit Shammai say: The formation of the fetus in this world is not like its formation in the World to Come. In this world, it begins with skin and flesh and concludes with sinews and bones. But in the future, it begins with sinews and bones and concludes with skin, as it is written regarding the dead of Ezekiel: “I saw, and behold, there were sinews upon them, and flesh grew, and skin covered them from above, but there was no spirit in them” (Ezekiel 37:8). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: The portion of Ezekiel is no proof. To what are the dead of Ezekiel comparable? To one who entered a bathhouse – what he removed last, he dons first.
Beit Hillel say: Just as a fetus is formed in this world, it is formed in the World to Come. In this world, it begins with skin and flesh and concludes with sinews and bones, and in the future it is likewise, as Job says: “Please, remember that You have fashioned me like clay” (Job 10:9). “Have You not liquefied [tatikheni] me like milk?” (Job 10:10). It does not say hitakhtani, but rather, tatikheni.20The term hitakhtani is past tense and would have fit more naturally in the verse in Job. The word tatikheni is actually future sense, such that a literal translation is “You will liquify me.” This is taken as an allusion to the future resurrection of the dead. “And curdled me [takpieni] like cheese” (Job 10:10); it does not say hikpetani, but rather, takpieni.21Takpieni is in future tense, whereas hikpetani is past tense. “You clothed me [talbisheni] with skin and flesh” (Job 10:11); it does not say hilbashtani, but rather, talbisheni. “And covered me [tesokhekheni] with bones and sinews” (Job 10:11); it does not say sokhakhtani, but rather, tesokhekheni. That is, “You granted me life and grace” (Job 10:12).
A woman’s womb is filled with blood, and from there it emerges and goes to the place of her menstruation. By the will of the Holy One blessed be He, a refined drop goes and falls into it; immediately the fetus is formed. This is analogous to milk that is situated in a bowl. If one places rennet into it, it congeals and sets, and if not, it remains loose.
[This is analogous] to two painters, this one painted the image of that one, and that one painted the image of this one. The female is always from the man and the male is always from the woman.22It is the father who is primarily responsible for the gender of the child when it is a female, and the mother who is primarily responsible for the gender of the child when it is a male. From where is it derived that the male is from the woman? As it is stated: “And his Judean wife bore Yered” (I Chronicles 4:18), and it is written: “And his concubine, and her name was Reuma, she too bore [Tevah, Gaham, Tahash, and Raama]” (Genesis 22:24). That is what is written: “When a woman conceives and bears a male child” (Leviticus 12:2).23The verse portrays the woman as the active party in the birth of a male because it is she who is primarily responsible for his gender. The female is from the man, as it is stated: “And Betuel begot Rebecca” (Genesis 22:23); “and Dina his daughter” (Genesis 46:15); “And the name of Asher’s daughter, Saraḥ” (Numbers 26:46).24The verse portrays the man in the active party in the birth of a female because it is he who is primarily responsible for her gender. Rabbi Avin said: There is no barber who cuts his own hair. This is analogous to two who entered a bathhouse. The one who perspires first, emerges first.25The one who emits seed first completes his or her role in the act of relations and leaves it to the other to determine the gender of the child (cf. Nidda 31a).
Rabbi Abahu said: The Holy One blessed be He performed a great favor for the woman in this world in that He did not begin formation of the fetus with sinews and bones. Had He so begun, it would have breached her belly and emerged. Although in this world, the woman gives birth in pain, in the future, what is written? “Before she begins labor, she will give birth; before a pang comes to her, [she will deliver a male child]” (Isaiah 66:7).
Beit Hillel say: Just as a fetus is formed in this world, it is formed in the World to Come. In this world, it begins with skin and flesh and concludes with sinews and bones, and in the future it is likewise, as Job says: “Please, remember that You have fashioned me like clay” (Job 10:9). “Have You not liquefied [tatikheni] me like milk?” (Job 10:10). It does not say hitakhtani, but rather, tatikheni.20The term hitakhtani is past tense and would have fit more naturally in the verse in Job. The word tatikheni is actually future sense, such that a literal translation is “You will liquify me.” This is taken as an allusion to the future resurrection of the dead. “And curdled me [takpieni] like cheese” (Job 10:10); it does not say hikpetani, but rather, takpieni.21Takpieni is in future tense, whereas hikpetani is past tense. “You clothed me [talbisheni] with skin and flesh” (Job 10:11); it does not say hilbashtani, but rather, talbisheni. “And covered me [tesokhekheni] with bones and sinews” (Job 10:11); it does not say sokhakhtani, but rather, tesokhekheni. That is, “You granted me life and grace” (Job 10:12).
A woman’s womb is filled with blood, and from there it emerges and goes to the place of her menstruation. By the will of the Holy One blessed be He, a refined drop goes and falls into it; immediately the fetus is formed. This is analogous to milk that is situated in a bowl. If one places rennet into it, it congeals and sets, and if not, it remains loose.
[This is analogous] to two painters, this one painted the image of that one, and that one painted the image of this one. The female is always from the man and the male is always from the woman.22It is the father who is primarily responsible for the gender of the child when it is a female, and the mother who is primarily responsible for the gender of the child when it is a male. From where is it derived that the male is from the woman? As it is stated: “And his Judean wife bore Yered” (I Chronicles 4:18), and it is written: “And his concubine, and her name was Reuma, she too bore [Tevah, Gaham, Tahash, and Raama]” (Genesis 22:24). That is what is written: “When a woman conceives and bears a male child” (Leviticus 12:2).23The verse portrays the woman as the active party in the birth of a male because it is she who is primarily responsible for his gender. The female is from the man, as it is stated: “And Betuel begot Rebecca” (Genesis 22:23); “and Dina his daughter” (Genesis 46:15); “And the name of Asher’s daughter, Saraḥ” (Numbers 26:46).24The verse portrays the man in the active party in the birth of a female because it is he who is primarily responsible for her gender. Rabbi Avin said: There is no barber who cuts his own hair. This is analogous to two who entered a bathhouse. The one who perspires first, emerges first.25The one who emits seed first completes his or her role in the act of relations and leaves it to the other to determine the gender of the child (cf. Nidda 31a).
Rabbi Abahu said: The Holy One blessed be He performed a great favor for the woman in this world in that He did not begin formation of the fetus with sinews and bones. Had He so begun, it would have breached her belly and emerged. Although in this world, the woman gives birth in pain, in the future, what is written? “Before she begins labor, she will give birth; before a pang comes to her, [she will deliver a male child]” (Isaiah 66:7).
Bereshit Rabbah
“It was at that time; Judah descended from his brothers and turned to an Adulamite man, and his name was Ḥira” (Genesis 38:1).
“It was at that time; Judah descended from his brothers” – “Judah has betrayed, and an abomination has been performed…” (Malachi 2:11). [God] said to him: ‘You have denied, Judah; you have lied, Judah’ – “and an abomination has been performed in Israel” (Malachi 2:11).1Judah is portrayed as having denied and lied in that he betrayed his status as a member of Jacob’s household by marrying a Canaanite woman (Matnot Kehuna). This is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Neḥemya (see Bereshit Rabba 84:21). ‘Judah has become profane’ – “for Judah has profaned the holy of the Lord that He loves” (Malachi 2:11).
“It was at that time.” “I will yet bring to you a dispossessor, inhabitant of Maresha; [the glory of Israel] will come as far as Adulam” (Micah 1:15) – the King and Holy One of Israel.2God will come to Adulam to punish Israel (Yefe To’ar). [Alternatively,] should the glory of Israel have “come as far as Adulam”?3In this clause the midrash interprets “the glory of Israel” to refer to Judah himself. This sentence is to be read rhetorically; was it really fitting for Judah to come to Adulam and to marry a Canaanite woman? (see Yefe To’ar). “Come as far as Adulam” – as it is written: “And turned to an Adulamite man.”
“It was at that time” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman began: “For I have known the thoughts” (Jeremiah 29:11) – the tribes were engaged in the sale of Joseph, Joseph was engaged in his sackcloth and his fasting, Reuben was engaged in his sackcloth and his fasting, Jacob was engaged in his sackcloth and his fasting, Judah was engaged in taking a wife for himself, and the Holy One blessed be He was engaged in creating the light of the messianic king: “It was at that time, Judah descended from his brothers.”4Judah married the daughter of Shua, thereby establishing the family that would produce the Messiah.
“Before she begins labor, she will give birth” (Isaiah 66:7) – before the first one who would enslave [Israel] was born, the ultimate redeemer was born. “It was at that time” – what is written prior to the matter? “The Medanites sold him to Egypt” (Genesis 37:36).5As the events that would lead to Israel’s enslavement in Egypt were just beginning to unfold, God was already planting the seeds of the ultimate redemption.
“It was at that time; Judah descended from his brothers” – “Judah has betrayed, and an abomination has been performed…” (Malachi 2:11). [God] said to him: ‘You have denied, Judah; you have lied, Judah’ – “and an abomination has been performed in Israel” (Malachi 2:11).1Judah is portrayed as having denied and lied in that he betrayed his status as a member of Jacob’s household by marrying a Canaanite woman (Matnot Kehuna). This is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Neḥemya (see Bereshit Rabba 84:21). ‘Judah has become profane’ – “for Judah has profaned the holy of the Lord that He loves” (Malachi 2:11).
“It was at that time.” “I will yet bring to you a dispossessor, inhabitant of Maresha; [the glory of Israel] will come as far as Adulam” (Micah 1:15) – the King and Holy One of Israel.2God will come to Adulam to punish Israel (Yefe To’ar). [Alternatively,] should the glory of Israel have “come as far as Adulam”?3In this clause the midrash interprets “the glory of Israel” to refer to Judah himself. This sentence is to be read rhetorically; was it really fitting for Judah to come to Adulam and to marry a Canaanite woman? (see Yefe To’ar). “Come as far as Adulam” – as it is written: “And turned to an Adulamite man.”
“It was at that time” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman began: “For I have known the thoughts” (Jeremiah 29:11) – the tribes were engaged in the sale of Joseph, Joseph was engaged in his sackcloth and his fasting, Reuben was engaged in his sackcloth and his fasting, Jacob was engaged in his sackcloth and his fasting, Judah was engaged in taking a wife for himself, and the Holy One blessed be He was engaged in creating the light of the messianic king: “It was at that time, Judah descended from his brothers.”4Judah married the daughter of Shua, thereby establishing the family that would produce the Messiah.
“Before she begins labor, she will give birth” (Isaiah 66:7) – before the first one who would enslave [Israel] was born, the ultimate redeemer was born. “It was at that time” – what is written prior to the matter? “The Medanites sold him to Egypt” (Genesis 37:36).5As the events that would lead to Israel’s enslavement in Egypt were just beginning to unfold, God was already planting the seeds of the ultimate redemption.