Midrash su Deuteronomio 11:21

R. Levi said: "Whoever has a synagogue in his town, and does not go there to pray, is to be called a wicked neighbor, as it is said (Jer. 12, 14.) Thus hath said the Lord against all my wicked neighbors; moreover by his actions he causes exile to himself and his children, as it is said (Ib.) I will pluck them out of their land, and the house of Judah will I pluck out from the midst of them." They told R. Jochanan. that there are aged people in Babylon, and he remarked wonderingly, "It is written (Deu. 11, 21.) In order that your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children in the land which the Lord swore unto your fathers, but not outside of Palestine." But when he was informed [of the fact] that they come early to the synagogue, and leave it late, then he said: "Aye, it is this which helps them, as R. Jochanan b. Levi said unto his children, 'Come early and remain late in the synagogue, in order that you may live long.'" R. Acha the son of R. Chanina said: "From what Biblical passage [do we learn this]? Happy is the man that hearkeneth unto me, watching day by day at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors (Pr. 8, 34), and after this is written. For he who finds me, finds life." R. Chisda said: "A man shall always enter two doors to the synagogue." What does he mean by "two doors"? He means that a man should wait as long as it takes to walk the length of two doors, and then begin to pray.

(Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” From where did He call him? From the tent of meeting. May His name be blessed forever, because He left the upper world and chose to dwell below in the tabernacle out of love for Israel. Solomon said (in I Kings 8:27), “For will God really dwell on the earth; even the heavens and the heavens above the heavens cannot contain You?” Is there a potter who yearns for a clay pot, as it were? (Jer. 10:16) “For He has formed everything.” However, out of love (according to Ps. 84:3), “My soul longs for and even pines for [the courts of the Lord].” And so it says (in Lev. 1:1), “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses [and spoke unto him] from the tent of meeting.” Moses was great. See what is written (in Gen. 1:5), “And God called the light day.” There is a "calling" for the one (in Gen. 1:5), and there is a "calling" for the other (in Lev. 1:1). Who is greater, the captor or the captive? You must say, “The [captor] (captive).”¹⁵See ‘Etz Yosef here on Tan., Vayikra 1:4. Cf. Gen. R. 78:1; M. Pss. 91:6; 104:3; Sifre, Deut. 11:21 (47); also Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Neziqin 18. See what is written. “And God called the light day.” Now there is no light but Torah, as stated (in Prov. 6:23), “For the commandment is a lamp, and Torah is a light.” Moses captured the Torah, as stated (of him at Sinai in Ps. 68:19), “You ascended on high; you captured a captive.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “In this world I have made you head over all Israel; but in the world to come,¹⁶This formula normally ends a parashah. Perhaps the fact that the next section jumps to vs. 7 encourages the midrash to use the formula here. when the righteous come to receive their reward, you will come at the head of them all.” It is so stated (in Deut. 33:21), “and he came at the head of the people….”¹⁷This translation is required by the midrash.

(Lev. 1:1:) THEN <THE LORD> CALLED UNTO MOSES. From where [did he call him]?¹⁸Tanh., Lev. 1:4. From the Tent of Meeting. May his name be blessed forever, because he left the upper world and chose to dwell below in the Tabernacle out of love for Israel. Solomon said (in I Kings 8:27): FOR WILL {THE LORD} GOD REALLY DWELL ON THE EARTH? [EVEN THE HEAVENS AND THE HEAVENS ABOVE THE HEAVENS CANNOT CONTAIN YOU, HOW MUCH LESS THIS HOUSE THAT I HAVE BUILT!] Is there a potter who yearns for vessels of clay? <It is the Holy One>, as it were, (in Jer. 10:16): FOR HE HAS FORMED EVERYTHING. However, out of love (according to Ps. 84:3 [2]): MY SOUL LONGS FOR AND EVEN PINES FOR <THE COURTS OF THE LORD>…. And so it says (in Lev. 1:1): THEN <THE LORD> CALLED UNTO MOSES <AND SPOKE UNTO HIM FROM THE TENT OF MEETING>. Moses was great. See what is written (in Gen. 1:5). AND GOD CALLED THE LIGHT DAY. [There is a "calling" for the one (in Gen. 1:5), and there is a "calling" for the other (in Lev. 1:1). Who is greater, the captor or the captive? You must say: The captive.¹⁹Cf. Gen. R. 78:1; M. Pss. 91:6; 104:3; Sifre, Deut. 11:21 (47); Luke 22:27; also Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Neziqin 18. See what is written. AND GOD CALLED THE LIGHT DAY.] Now there is no light but Torah, as stated (in Prov. 6:23): FOR THE COMMANDMENT IS A LAMP, AND TORAH IS A LIGHT. Moses captured the Torah, as stated (of him at Sinai in Ps. 68:19 [18]): YOU ASCENDED ON HIGH; YOU CAPTURED [CAPTIVES…. The Holy One said to him: In this world I have made you head <over all Israel >;²⁰The bracketed words come from the traditional Tanh., Lev. 1:4. but in the world to come,²¹This formula normally ends a parashah. Perhaps the fact that the next section jumps to vs. 7 encourages the midrash to use the formula here. when the righteous come to receive their reward, you will come at the head of them all. It is so stated (in Deut. 33:21): AND HE CAME AT THE HEAD OF THE PEOPLE….²²This translation is required by the midrash.