Midrash su Deuteronomio 16:78

(Deut. 16:18:) <YOU SHALL APPOINT> JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS <FOR YOURSELVES IN ALL YOUR GATES¹In biblical times court was generally held at the town gate, perhaps in one of the rooms like those built into either side of Solomonic gates at Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GIVING YOU FOR YOUR TRIBES, SO THAT THEY MAY JUDGE THE PEOPLE WITH RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT>. This text is related (to Ps. 147:19): HE DECLARES HIS WORDS TO JACOB, HIS STATUTES AND HIS ORDINANCES TO ISRAEL. HIS WORDS are the words of Torah,²Tanh., Deut. 5:1. HIS STATUTES are the expositions (midrsahot), AND HIS ORDINANCES are the judgments [TO ISRAEL]. The Holy One gave the Torah and the judgments to no one but TO ISRAEL alone. And where is it shown? You learn that when Israel and a star-worshiping gentile have a dispute with each other, it is forbidden for Israel to say to the gentile (goy): Go with me to your courts,³Arka’ot; cf. Gk.: archai (“authorities”) or [archeia (“town offices”). because he would be transgressing a prohibition, since it is stated (in Ps. 147:20): HE HAS NOT DONE SO FOR ANY NATION (goy); AND, AS FOR HIS ORDINANCES, THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THEM. But were not the peoples of the world commanded concerning litigations, since that is one of the seven commandments of the children of Noah?⁴Cf. I Corinthians 6:1–6. So what is the significance of (Ibid.): AND, AS FOR HIS ORDINANCES, THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THEM? These are the fine points of the law (din). So this is what we teach (in Sanh. 5:2): ONCE UPON A TIME BEN ZAKKAY CROSS-EXAMINED <WITNESSES> ON FIG STEMS.⁵The gemara (Sanh. 41a) explains that a capital offense was involved. Now the children of Noah are put to death on the evidence of a single witness, with a single judge, and without a warning. <That is> something which does not exist in Israel, since there are three judges in property cases, and there are twenty-three judges in capital cases.⁶Sanh. 4:1. Moreover, it is written (in Deut. 19:15): A SINGLE WITNESS SHALL NOT BE VALID AGAINST A PERSON…. <ONLY> ON THE EVIDENCE OF TWO <OR THREE> WITNESSES <SHALL A CASE BE VALID>. So there must be an investigation and an inquiry. How do they examine the witnesses? They bring them in and solemnly forewarn them. Then they would examine them again with seven inquiries:⁷Sanh. 5:1. 1. In what week,⁸I.e., week of years, Sabbatical year of the Jubilee cycle. 2. In what year? 3. in what month? 4. On what <day> of the month? 5. On what day (of the week)?⁹Cf. Sanh. 5:1 and Tanh., Deut. 5:1, both of which add here: In what hour? 6. In what place? 7. Have you forewarned him?¹⁰This last query is one of various supplemental questions listed in Sanh. 5:1 and Tanh., Deut. 5:1. And so you find among the leaders¹¹Parnas. Cf. Gk.: pronoi (“prudent ones”, “those who take forethought”). of Israel that they were praised only for their judging.¹²I.e., in various summary statements about Israel’s leaders, e.g., Judges 4:4; 10:2, 3; 12:7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14; 15:20; 16:31; I Sam. 4:18; 7:6, 15–17; 8:1, 5–6, 20; I Kings 3:9, it is the fact that they judged Israel that is specifically mentioned. This fact may not always be obvious in modern translations, because they do not always render ShPT as “judge” but by other English verbs, such as “govern” or “rule.” It is written concerning Samuel (in I Sam. 7:6): AND HE WENT ON A CIRCUIT YEAR BY YEAR <TO BETHEL, <GILGAL, AND MIZPAH;> AND HE JUDGED ISRAEL <IN ALL THOSE PLACES>. And David also was praised only for his judging, as stated (in I Chron. 18:14 // II Sam. 8:15): AND {DAVID}¹³The only difference between the versions of Chronicles and Samuel is that the name DAVID, which Buber chooses to bracket, appears only in the Samuel version. ADMINISTERED JUDGMENT AND RIGHTEOUSNESS TO ALL HIS PEOPLE.

(Deut. 16:18:) “[You shall appoint] judges and law officers.” This text is related (to Ps. 147:19), “He declares His words to Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances to Israel.” “His words” are the words of Torah; “His statutes” are the expositions (midrsahot); “and His ordinances” are the judgments [to Israel]. The Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah and the judgments to no one but to Israel alone. And where is it shown? You learn that when Israel and a star-worshiping gentile have a dispute with each other, it is forbidden for Israel to say to the gentile, “Go with me to your courts,”¹Arka’ot; cf. Gk.: archai (“authorities”) or [archeia (“town offices”). because he would be transgressing a prohibition, since it is stated (in Ps. 147:20), “He has not done so for any nation (goy); and, as for His ordinances, they have not known them.” But were not the peoples of the world commanded concerning litigations, since that is one of the seven commandments of the Children of Noah? So what is the significance of (ibid.), “and, as for His ordinances, they have not known them?” These are the fine points of the law (din). As so have we taught (in Sanh. 5:2), “There was once a case that Ben Zakkay cross-examined [witnesses] about fig stems.”²The gemara (Sanh. 41a) explains that a capital offense was involved. Now the Children of Noah are put to death on the evidence of a single witness, with a single judge, and without a warning. [Whereas that is] something which does not exist in Israel, since there are three judges in property cases, and there are twenty-three judges in capital cases.³Sanh. 4:1. Moreover, it is written (in Deut. 19:15), “A single witness shall not be valid against a person….” So there must be an investigation and an inquiry. How do they examine the witnesses? They bring them in and solemnly forewarn them. Then they would examine them again with seven inquiries:⁴Sanh. 5:1. 1. In what week?⁵I.e., week of years, Sabbatical year of the Jubilee cycle. 2. In what year? 3. In what month? 4. On what [day] of the month? 5. In what hour? 6. In what place? 7. Did you forewarn him?⁶This last query is one of various supplemental questions listed in Sanh. 5:1. This is as we say in Tractate Sanhedrin. And so you find among the leaders⁷Parnas. Cf. Gk.: pronoi (“prudent ones”, “those who take forethought”). of Israel that they were praised only for their judging.⁸I.e., in various summary statements about Israel’s leaders, e.g., Judges 4:4; 10:2, 3; 12:7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14; 15:20; 16:31; I Sam. 4:18; 7:6, 15–17; 8:1, 5–6, 20; I Kings 3:9, it is the fact that they judged Israel that is specifically mentioned. This fact may not always be obvious in modern translations, because they do not always render Shpt as “judge” but by other English verbs, such as “govern” or “rule.” It is written concerning Samuel (in I Sam. 7:6), “And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, [Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places].” And David also was praised only for his judging, as stated (in I Chron. 18:14 // II Sam. 8:15), “And David reigned over all of Israel and he administered judgment and righteousness to all his people.” And in the case of Jehoshaphat also, when he was installed in the kingship, he did not occupy himself with the business of kingship nor with honor but with the business of judging.⁹Note that Jehoshaphat’s name means, “The LORD has judged.” It is so stated (in II Chron. 17:1), “Then [his son] Jehoshaphat reigned [in his stead,] and he strengthened himself over Israel.” What is the meaning of “and he strengthened himself (rt.: hzq)?” That he strengthened himself, when he appointed judges. It also says (in II Chron. 17:6), “His heart was exalted in the ways of the Lord, and in addition he removed the high places and asherim from Judah.” Was there a haughty spirit within him, in that it says, “his heart was exalted?” It is simply that he had appointed judges over them who knew how to walk in the ways of the Lord, as stated (in Gen. 18:19), “and to keep the way of the Lord, to do what is just and right.” (II Chron. 19:6:) “Then he said unto the judges,” (in Deut. 1:17), “As justice belongs to God.” Now if Moses our master, who was not commanded concerning judges,—rather Jethro told him (in Exod. 18:21), “And you shall seek out [able men] from among all the people…,” — [if he] convened a Sanhedrin;¹⁰Gk.: synedrion. how much more [important is a Sanhedrin] in our case, when it has been commanded here in the Torah (in Deut. 16:18), “You shall appoint judges and law officers for yourselves.” Where is it shown that Moses convened a Sanhedrin? Where it is stated (in Exod. 18:25), “So Moses chose able men from all Israel [and appointed them as heads over the people].” And Jerusalem also was praised only because of the justice system, as stated (in Ezek. 16:14), “And your name shall be spread among the gentiles because of your beauty, [as you were crowned with adornment (rt.: hdr)].” And what adornment (rt.: hdr) is that? This is the justice system, since it is stated (in Exod. 23:3), “Nor shall you favor (rt.: hdr) someone poor in his lawsuit.” And Jerusalem was destroyed only over perversion of justice, since it is stated (in Ezek. 22:5), “you with a besmirched name; you who are full of commotion,” the name for justice that you had at first is besmirched. It is also written (in Is. 1:21), “she (i.e., Jerusalem) was full of justice, there righteousness dwelt; but now murderers.” Because “she was full of justice, there righteousness dwelt.” For this reason, Jeremiah said to them (in Lam. 4:12-13), “The kings of the earth did not believe, [… that foe or enemy would come through the gates of Jerusalem]. It was for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests [who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst].” At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, swore that He Himself would exact retribution from the judges, as stated (in Is. 1:24), “Therefore thus says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the Most Mighty of Israel, [‘Ah, I will exact vengeance from my foes]….’” Now “therefore” can only be a term [related to] an oath, since it is stated (in I Sam. 3:14), “And I therefore swear to the house of Eli.” Moreover, mighty can only be a term for the av bet din (head of the court), since it is stated (in I Sam. 21:8), “the most mighty of the shepherds [that belong to Saul].” [This is] to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be He, became an av bet din in order to exact vengeance from them. And where is it shown that the text is speaking about judges? See what is written after it (in Is. 1:26), “And I will restore your judges as in the beginning.” Therefore David has said (in Ps. 147:19), “He declares His words to Jacob, [His statutes and His ordinances to Israel].”

(Deut. 29:9:) “You are standing today.” This text is related (to Prov. 12:7), “The wicked are overturned (rt.: hpk) and are no more, but the house of the righteous shall stand.” Every time that the Holy One, blessed be He, looks at the works of the wicked and turns (rt.: hpk) them over (examines them), there is no recovery for them. He turned over the works of the generation of the flood, and there was no recovery for them, as stated (in Gen. 7:23), “And he wiped out all living things.” He turned over the works of the Sodomites, and there was no recovery for them, as stated (in Gen. 19:25), “And he overturned those cities.” He turned over the works of the Egyptians, and there was no recovery for them, as stated (in Exod. 14:28), “and not so much as one of them remained.” He turned over the works of Babylon, and there was no recovery for them, as stated (in Is. 14:22), “and from Babylon i will cut off name, remnant, offspring, and posterity.” Moreover, David has said about all of them (in Ps. 36:13), “There the evildoers have fallen; they are thrust down and cannot rise.” When Israel falls, however, it stands up [again], as stated (in Micah 7:8), “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall arise….” It also says (in Mal. 3:6), “For I the Lord do not change; [and you, O Children of Jacob, are not destroyed (rt.: klh).” R. Hanina bar Pappa said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I have never smitten a people and [restored] them, but (according to Mal. 3:6), “you Children of Jacob are not destroyed,”’ This is as stated (in Deut. 32:23), ‘I will use up (rt.: klh) My arrows on them,’ [meaning that] My arrows are used up (rt.: klh) but they are not destroyed (rt.: klh).” And so has the assembly of Israel said (in Lam. 3:12), “He has bent his bow; he has set me as a target for the arrow.” To what is the matter comparable? To a warrior who raises up the [target] post and shoots the arrows at them. The arrows are used up (rt.: klh), but the post stands. So it is also with Israel. Every time that afflictions came upon them, the afflictions ended, and they were standing in their place. Ergo it is stated (in Prov. 12:7), “The wicked are overturned and are no more.” Hezekiah the son of R. Hiyya said, “Why is this parashah next to the parashah about curses (i.e., Deut. 27:11-28:69)?¹Rashi on Deut. 29:12. Because Israel heard a hundred curses less two in this parashah, apart from the forty-nine which are uttered in the priestly Torah (i.e., in Leviticus). They immediately turned green in the face and said, ‘Who can withstand these [curses]?’ Moses called them immediately (in Deut. 29:1) and pacified them with [the words from Deut. 29:9].” What is written above the matter (in Deut. 29:1-2, 6)? “Then Moses summoned all of Israel [and said unto them, ‘You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt,] …. The great trials [which your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders]. When you came unto this place, [Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan came out to engage us in battle; but we defeated them].” And you did not heed My voice, and you uttered words before Me for which you deserved destruction. Still I did not wreak destruction upon you, when it is stated (in Ps. 106:7), “When our ancestors were in Egypt, they did not consider Your wondrous works….” And not only that, but they said of the calf (in Exod. 32:4), “This is your god, O Israel.” Now if you should say, “For what reason did the [other] nations deserve destruction, while we are remaining alive?” It is because when afflictions come upon them, they kick against them and do not mention the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Ps. 79:6), “Pour out your wrath upon the nations that have not known you, [upon the kingdoms that do not invoke Your name].” In the case of Israel, however, when afflictions come upon them, they make submit and pray, as stated (in Ps. 116:3-4), “I found trouble and sorrow, but I shall invoke the name of the Lord.” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Even though these maledictions come upon you, they [themselves] stand you up; and so it says (in Deut. 8:16), ‘in order to humble you and in order to test you, [so as to benefit you in the end].’” Thus did Moses say to Israel, “Even though afflictions come upon you, you have a standing.” It is therefore stated (in Deut. 29:9), “You are standing today, all of you.” Another interpretation (of Deut. 29:9), “You are standing (nizavim) today”: Why did Moshe make them into a pillar (mazevah)²A type of altar generally used for idolatry, but always forbidden by the Torah. See Deut. 16:22.? Because they would [change] from one opinion to another opinion: from the opinion of Moshe to the opinion of Joshua; from the opinion of Joshua to the opinion of the elders. And Joshua also made them into a pillar, as stated (in Josh. 24:1), “Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Schechem, [and he summoned Israel’s elders and commanders, magistrates and officers; and they presented (yityazvu) themselves].” And Samuel – since they [changed] from his opinion to the opinion of the kings – also made them into a pillar, as stated (in I Sam. 12:7), “And now stand (hityazvu) and I will judge you.” Another interpretation (of Deut. 29:9), “You are standing today”: Just as today (literally: the day) sometimes darkens and sometimes lightens, so it is with you. Although you have darkness, the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to shine on you with light eternal, as stated (in Is. 60:19), “for the Lord shall be your everlasting light.” When? When you all become one group, as stated (in Deut. 4:4), “are all alive today.” According to universal custom, if one takes a group of reeds, will he be able to break them at one stroke! But if he takes them one by one, even an infant can break them. So also you find that Israel was not redeemed until they became one group, as stated (in Jer. 50:4), “’In those days and at that time,’ says the Lord,’ the children of Israel, they and the children of Judah, shall come together.’” When they are united, they shall welcome the face of the Divine Presence.

(Exodus 15:1) "Az yashir Mosheh": Az ("then") sometimes signals the past and sometimes signals the future. The past: (Genesis 4:26) "Az men began", (Exodus 4:26) "Az she said", (Exodus 15:1) "Az Moses sang", (Numbers 21:17) "Az Israel sang", (Joshua 10:12) "Az Joshua spoke", (I Chronicles 15:2) "Az David said", (I Kings 8:12) "Az Solomon said." And sometimes "Az" signals the future, viz.: Isaiah 60:5) "Az you will see and flow", (Ibid. 58:8) "Az your light shall break forth as the morning", "Then there shall be opened", (Ibid. 35:6) "Az the lame man shall leap as a hart", (Ibid. 5) (Jeremiah 31:12) "Az the virgin will rejoice in the dance", (Psalms 126:2) "Az our mouth will be filled with laughter", (Ibid.) "Az they will say among the nations." Variantly: It is not written "Then Moses sang," but then Moses will sing" — whence we derive the resurrection from Scripture. (Exodus 15:1) "Moses and the children of Israel": Moses was equivalent to all of Israel, and all of Israel, to Moses, when they sang the song. Variantly: "Moses and the children of Israel": We are hereby apprised that Moses chanted the song opposite all of Israel (i.e., that his voice was over and against those of all of Israel.) "this song": There are ten "songs." The first, that sung in Egypt, viz. (Isaiah 30:29) "The song (of Sancherev's destruction [on Pesach night]) will be to you as that of the night on which you sanctified the festival (Pesach [in Egypt]), etc." The second, that of the sea — "Then Moses sang." The third, that of the well (Numbers 21:17) "Then Israel sang." The fourth, that of Moses, viz. (Devarim 31:22) "And Moses wrote this song (32:1-43). The fifth, that of Joshua, viz. (Joshua 10:12) "Then Joshua spoke to the L rd on the day the L rd delivered, etc." The sixth, that of Devorah and Barak, viz. (Judges 5:1) "And Devorah and Barak the son of Avinoam sang, etc." The seventh, that of David, viz. (II Samuel 22:1) "And David spoke to the L rd the words of this song, etc." The eighth, that of Solomon, viz. (Psalms 30:1) "A psalm, a song of the inauguration of the Temple of David." Now did David built it? Did not Solomon build it? viz. (I Kings 6:14) "And Solomon built the Temple." Why, then, is it written "A psalm, a song of the inauguration of the Temple of David? But because David devoted his life to building it, it was called by his name. Similarly, (Psalms 132:1-6) "Remember, O L rd, unto David, al of his tribulation (in seeking a place for Your sanctuary), which, (to find the place,) he swore to the L rd, vowed to the Strength of Jacob: Forefend that I came to the test of my habitation (my palace), that I go up on the bed spread out before me, that I give (superfluous) sleep to my eyes or slumber to my lids, before I find the (fore-ordained) place for (the Temple of) the L rd, the habitation of the Strength of Jacob. We had heard it (that place) to be in Efrat (the most select of places), and, lo, we have found it in the fields of the forest (in the boundary of Benjamin, who is likened to a beast of the forest" [viz. Genesis 49:27]). And what is written afterwards? (I Kings 12:16) "See your house, O David." Because David devoted his life to it, it was called by his name. And thus you find that whatever a man devotes his life to is called by his name. Moses devoted his life to three things, and they were (all) called by his name. He devoted his life to Torah and it was called by his name, viz. (Malachi 3:22) "Remember the Torah of Moses, My servant." Now is it not the Torah of G d? viz. (Psalms 19:8) "The Torah of the L rd is whole, restoring the soul." How, then, are we to understand "the Torah of Moses, My servant"? Because he devoted his life to it, it is called by his name. And whence do we find that he gave his life for Torah? In (Exodus 34:28) "And he was there with the L rd (to receive the Torah) … Bread he did not eat, etc." And it is written (Devarim 9:10) "And I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights, etc." — Because he devoted his life to Torah, it was called by his name. Because he devoted his life to Israel, they were called by his name, viz. (Exodus 32:7) "Go, descend, for your people have wrought corruptly." Now are they not the people of the L rd? viz. (Devarim 9:29) "For they are Your people and Your inheritance," and (Ezekiel 36:20) "… when it was said of them: These are the people of the L rd, and they came out of His land." How, then, are we to understand "Go, descend, for your people have wrought corruptly"? Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. And whence do we find that he devoted his life to them? In (Exodus 2:11) "And it was in those days that Moses grew, and he went out to his brothers and he saw their toils," and (bid. 12) "And he turned here and there (… and he smote the Egyptian, etc.") Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. He devoted his life to the judges, and they were called by his name, viz. (Devarim 16:18) "Judges and officers shall you appoint for yourself in all of your gates." Now is justice not the L rd's? How, then, are we to understand "shall you appoint for yourself"? Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. And whence is it derived that he devoted his life to them? From (Exodus 2:13-17) "And he went out on the second day … and he said "Who made you an officer and a judge over us? … And Pharaoh heard … And the priest of Midian had seven daughters … And the shepherds came and drove them away. Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. The ninth (song): (II Chronicles 20:21) "And he (Yehoshafat) took counsel with the people, and he set up singes to the L rd and lauders of (His) majestic holiness. When they went out before the vanguard (of the army) they said; 'Give thanks to the L rd, for His lovingkindness is forever!'" Why is this thanksgiving different from all the other sin the Torah, where it is written "Give thanks to the L rd for (the good, for His lovingkindness is forever"? __ It is to say, as it were, that there is no rejoicing before Him over the destruction of the wicked. If over that of the wicked there is no rejoicing, how much more so (is there grief) over that of the righteous, one of whom is over and against the entire world, viz. (Mishlei 10:25) "And the righteous one is the foundation of the world." The tenth (song) in time to come, viz. (Isaiah 42;10) "Sing to the L rd a new song, His praise from the end of the earth (Ibid. 48:42) "Say: The L rd has redeemed His servant Jacob. All of the (other) songs are denominated in the feminine ("zoth"). Just as a female bears (and then travails again), so, the past salivations were followed by subjugation. But the future (ultimate) redemption will not be followed by subjugation — wherefore it is denominated in the masculine ("zeh" [viz. Isaiah 26:1]). As it is written (Jeremiah 30:6) "Ask now and see if a male has ever given birth. Why, then, do I see that every man puts his hands upon his loins (as a woman giving birth?") For just as a male does not bear (and thus travail), so, the future redemption will not be followed by subjugation. As it is written (Isaiah 45:17) "Israel will be saved by the L rd, an eternal salvation. You will not be ashamed or abashed forever."

Rabbi asked Rabbi Betzalel: What is that which is written: “For their mother has committed harlotry” (Hosea 2:7)? Is it possible that Sarah our matriarch was a harlot? He said to him: ‘Heaven forbid; rather, when are matters of Torah rendered contemptible before the common people? It is when their owners debase them.’ Rabbi Yaakov bar Avdimi came and rendered it a [midrashic] dictum: When do matters of Torah become like harlots before the common people? When their owners debase them. Rabbi Yoḥanan derives it from here: “The poor man’s [misken] wisdom is contemptible” (Ecclesiastes 9:16). Was the wisdom of Rabbi Akiva, who was poor, contemptible? Rather, what is a misken? It is one who is contemptible in his words, like an elder who sits and teaches: “You shall not pervert justice” (Deuteronomy 16:19), and he perverts justice; “you shall not show partiality” (Deuteronomy 16:19), and he shows partiality; “you shall not afflict any widow or orphan” (Exodus 22:21) and he afflicts them. Samson followed his eyes, as it is stated: “Take her for me, as she is fitting in my eyes” (Judges 14:3). Gideon worshipped idols, as it is stated: “Gideon made it into an ephod” (Judges 8:27). Woe to a judge who shows partiality in judgment.
Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “You shall not do injustice in judgment” (Leviticus 19:15) – this teaches that a judge who corrupts judgment is called by five names: unjust, hated, detestable, proscribed, abomination. The Holy One blessed be He calls him five: wicked, blasphemer, violator of the covenant, one who infuriates, and defiant. He causes five results in the world; he defiles the land, desecrates the Name, expels the Divine Presence, causes Israel to fall by the sword, and exiles them from their land. Woe to the generation that is corrupted in this way.
Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “You shall not do injustice in judgment [in measure, in weight, or in volume]” (Leviticus 19:35) – in a judicial ruling. If it is about judicial rulings, it is already stated about judicial rulings!³⁵In the verse cited above, Leviticus 19:15: “You shall not do injustice in judgment.” If so, why is it stated, “…in judgment in measure [in weight, or in volume]”? It teaches that one who measures is called a judge, and if he falsifies, he is called five names and he causes five results. Woe is the generation whose measures are false, as Rabbi Benaya said in the name of Rabbi Huna: If you see a generation whose measures are false, a kingdom comes and besets that generation. What is the reason? “Scales of deceit are an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 11:1), and it is written: “Pride comes, shame comes” (Proverbs 11:2).
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba: It is written: “Will I find merit with scales of wickedness, [or with a pouch of deceitful weights?]” (Micah 6:11). Is it possible that a generation whose measures are false will find merit? Rather, “in a pouch of deceitful weights.”³⁶They will be left with a purse filled with counterfeit coins. The midrash is reading the second half of the verse, “or with a pouch of deceitful weights” not as the continuation of the rhetorical question, but as the answer to “Will I find merit with scales of wickedness?” Rabbi Levi said: Moses indeed alluded this to Israel in the Torah: “You shall not have in your purse [alternate weights]” (Deuteronomy 25:13); “you shall not have in your house alternate measures” (Deuteronomy 25:13), and if he did so, ultimately, a kingdom will come and beset them, as it is written: “As it is an abomination to the Lord anyone who does [oseh] so, anyone who does [oseh] injustice” (Deuteronomy 25:16), and it is written: “Remember what Amalek did [asah] to you, on the way, as you were leaving Egypt” (Deuteronomy 25:17).

(Fol. 8b) MISHNAH: No marriages may take place during the festival week, neither of virgins nor of widows; nor may one marry a Yebama [the childless widow of his deceased brother], as it is a cause of joy to him. But one may remarry his own divorced wife. GEMARA: And even if it is a cause of joy to him, what of it? R. Juda said in the name of Samuel, and so also did R. Elazar say in the name of R. Oshiya, and according to some in the name of R. Chanina: "Because you must not mix one joy with another." Rabba b. Huna said: "Because he might neglect the enjoyment of the festival on account of his rejoicing over his wife." "The statement of Rabba R. Huna," remarked Abaye to R. Joseph, "was originally made by Rab; for R. Daniel b. K'tina said in the name of Rab: 'Whence do we learn that it is not permitted to marry during the festival week? It is said (Deut. 16, 14) And thou shall rejoice on thy feast; i.e., Over thy feast thou shalt rejoice, but not over thy wife.'" Ula said: "The reason is, because there would be too much trouble [to prepare for the wedding]." R. Isaac Nafcha said: "The reason is, in order that all marriages should not be postponed until a festival."

(Fol. 4b) R. Juda says: "A man blind on one eye is exempt from the holocaust, because it is said (Deut. 16, 16) Shall appear; just as if one comes to see, it is with both eyes, so if he comes to be seen, he must have both his eyes."

(Ib. b) R. Elazar said: "Those who go on a religious mission, will not meet with evil either going to, or from, their duty." R. Elazar was in accord with the opinion of the Tanna, Issi b. Juda, who taught: "Since the Torah says (Ex. 34, 24) Yet shall no man desire thy land, it is to be implied that the cow shall feed in the pasture and no beast shall harm it, the chicken shall dig in the rubbish and no weasel shall harm it." Now, can this not be inferred a fortiori? If, regarding the things which are exposed to injury, it is promised that no harm will occur, how much the more so regarding things that are usually not exposed to injury? This conclusion I could only arrive at with reference to protection while on the way to perform [a meritorious act]. Whence, however, do we infer that even on the return, no harm will occur? It is said (Deu. 16, 7) And thou shall turn in the morning and go unto thy tents. From this passage we may learn that Thou wilt go and find thy tents in peace. Since even on the return [he will meet no evil], wherefore is it necessary to mention [the protection] on the way going to perform the religious duty? We must therefore say this statement is necessary for the reference to what R. Ami said: "Every man who has land is in duty bound to visit Jerusalem during the festivals, but a man who has no land need not visit Jerusalem during the festivals." R. Abin b. R. Adda said in the name of R. Isaac: "Why was there not Gennesar-fruit in the land of Israel? Lest those who visit Jerusalem during the festivals should say, 'Had we come here merely to enjoy of the Gennesar-fruit, it would have been sufficient. Hence their visit would become not as a matter of duty." The same said R. Dastoe b. Janai: "Why are not the hot springs of Tiberias located in Jerusalem? For the simple reason that those who visit Jerusalem during the festivals, should not say, 'Were it for nothing else than to bathe ourselves in the hot springs of Tiberias that we visited Jerusalem, it would have been sufficient.' Thus their visiting Jerusalem would turn out to be not as a matter of duty."

Resh Lakish said: "If one appoints a judge who is not fit to be such, he is considered as if he were planting a grove in Israel, as it is said (Deut. 16, 18) Judges and officers shalt thou appoint unto thyself; and immediately after this it is said: "Thou shalt not plant unto thyself a grove — any tree." R. Ashi added: "And if this were done in places where scholars were to be found, it is considered as if it would have been done at the altar; as it is said after this: Near the altar of the Lord thy God." . It is written (Ex. 20, 23) Gods of silver and gods of gold, etc. Is it only prohibited concerning gods of silver, and of wood is it permissible? R. Ashi said: "This refers to a judge who is appointed through the influence of silver and gold." Whenever Rab went to hold court, he said: "Of my own free will I go to meet death, (Divine punishment for wrong judgment), but the necessities of my household I do not attend (I neglect my own affairs); empty handed I come to my home again. O! were I but as clean when I leave as when I entered it!" When he noticed a crowd escorting him, he would say: (Job 20, 6-7) "Though his exaltation should mount up to the heavens, and his head should reach unto the clouds, yet when he but turneth round will he vanish forever." Mar Zutra, the Pious, when he was carried on the shoulders of his followers on the Sabbath before the festivals used to say (Prov. 27, 24): For strength endureth not forever, nor doth the crown remain for all generations."

“On his royal throne” – Rabbi Kohen in the name of Rabbi Azarya: “On his royal throne [kisse malkhuto],” malkhuto is written [without the vav]. He sought to sit on Solomon’s throne but they did not allow him to do so. They said to him: Any king who is not ruler of the world may not sit on it. He arose and made a throne of his own, in his image. That is what is written: “On his royal throne [kisse malkhuto],” malkhuto is written [without the vav].¹⁶The defective spelling symbolizes the incompleteness of his reign.
What throne was it? “The king [Solomon] made a great throne of ivory” (I Kings 10:18; II Chronicles 9:17). Rabbi Aḥa said: But isn’t it written: “Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria” (II Kings 10:1). Rabbi Hoshaya said: Just as he had seventy sons in Samaria, so he had seventy sons in Yizre’el. Each and every one had two palaces, one for the winter and one for the summer. That is what is written: “I will strike the winter house with the summer house” (Amos 3:15). Rabbi Yuda son of Rabbi Simon said: Four, as it is stated: “And the ivory houses will be demolished” (ibid.). The Rabbis said: Six, as it is stated: “And many houses will be destroyed – the utterance of the Lord” (ibid.). And here it says: “A great throne of ivory”? (I Kings 10:18; II Chronicles 9:17).
Rabbi Hoshaya the Great said: It was made according to the specifications of the chariot of the One who spoke and the world came into existence, the Holy One blessed be He. And so it says: “There were six stairs to the throne” (I Kings 10:19; II Chronicles 9:18) – six stairs corresponding to six heavens. But aren’t there seven? Rabbi Avun said: That where the King resides is separate.
Six [stairs] corresponding to six lands [i.e., types of lands]: Land, Ground, Earth, Valley, Desert, Desolation, and World,¹⁷World is the seventh ‘land,’ and is the place from which God judges the others. and it is written: “He will judge the world in righteousness, He will administer fair judgment to the nations” (Psalms 9:9).
Six corresponding to the six orders of the Mishna: Zera’im – Seeds; Moed – Appointed times; Nashim – Women; Nezikin – Damages; Kodashim – Consecrations; Teharot – Purities.
Six, corresponding to the six days of Creation.
Six corresponding to the six matriarchs: Sarah, Rebecca, Leah, Rachel, Bilha, Zilpa.
Rav Huna said: Six corresponding to the six mitzvot about which the king is cautioned and commanded, as it is written: “He shall not amass wives for himself” (Deuteronomy 17:17); “he shall not amass horses for himself” (Deuteronomy 17:16); “and silver and gold, he shall not amass greatly” (Deuteronomy 17:17); “You shall not distort judgment, you shall not give preference, and you shall not take a bribe” (Deuteronomy 16:19).
When he [Solomon] ascended the first step, the herald would proclaim and say to him: “He shall not amass wives for himself.” On the second, he would proclaim: “He shall not amass horses for himself.” On the third, he would proclaim: “And silver and gold, he shall not amass.” On the fourth, “you shall not distort judgment.” On the fifth, “you shall not give preference.” On the sixth, “you shall not take a bribe.” And so it says [about the throne which was on the sixth step]: “There were arm rests on this side and that side of the place of the seat” (I Kings 10:19). When he came to sit, he [the herald] would say to him: Know before whom you sit, before the He who spoke and the world came into existence.
They said: Once Solomon died, Shishak, king of Egypt, came and took it [the throne] from them. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Shishak is Pharaoh, and why is he called by the name Shishak? Because he came against Israel with enthusiasm [bishkikut] and said: I am taking it in payment for my daughter’s marriage contract. He waged war with Zeraḥ the Kushite and he took it from him. Asa waged war with Zeraḥ the Kushite who fell by his hand and he took it from him. It was taught: Asa and all the kings of Judah sat upon it. When Nebuchadnezzar came up and destroyed Jerusalem, he exiled it to Babylon, and from Babylon to Media, from Media to Greece, and from Greece to Edom [Rome]. Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei said: I saw its fragments in Rome. Nebuchadnezzar sat upon it, Cyrus sat upon it, Aḥashverosh sought to sit upon it but they did not allow him to do so. They said to him: Any king who has not become ruler of the world may not sit on it. He arose and made one of his own like it; that is what is written: “On his royal throne [kisse malkhuto],” malkhuto is written [without the vav].”
“And there was a round top to the throne, at its back” (I Kings 10:19) – Rabbi Aḥa said: Like this round headrest of an armchair. “There were arm rests on this side and that side of the place of the seat” (ibid.). He ascends the first step, and the lion extends its foreleg to him. On the second, the eagle extends its leg to him. “Of the place of the seat,” this is how they greeted him, and at the place of the seat, there was a golden scepter behind it, and a dove was set in its top with a golden crown in its mouth, so that the king would be sitting on the seat with a golden crown [suspended just above him], touching but not touching.

“Judah was exiled due to affliction and great enslavement. She settled among the nations, did not find rest; all her pursuers have overtaken her within the straits” (Lamentations 1:3).
“Judah was exiled.” Are the nations of the world not exiled? Rather, even though they are exiled, their exile is not exile. The nations of the world who eat of their bread and drink of their wine, their exile is not exile.⁸³They assimilate into their new surroundings, symbolized by the fact that they consume the bread and wine of the people in their new surroundings. Consequently, they do not experience exile as acutely as Jews experience it. Israel, who do not eat of their bread and do not drink of their wine, their exile is exile. The nations of the world, who walk in their garments,⁸⁴They adopt the mode of dress of their new surroundings. their exile is not exile, but Israel, who walk barefoot, their exile is exile. That is why it is stated: “Judah was exiled.” Here it is stated: “Judah was exiled [galeta],” and there it is stated: “Judah was exiled [vayegal] from upon its land” (Jeremiah 52:27),⁸⁵The verse in Jeremiah uses the feminine form while the verse in Lamentations uses the masculine form. for once they were exiled, their power waned like a female. That is why it is stated: “Judah was exiled [galeta].”
“Due to affliction [me’oni],” it is because they ate leavened bread on Passover, just as it says: “You shall not eat with it leavened bread; seven days you shall eat with it unleavened bread, the bread of affliction [oni]” (Deuteronomy 16:3). Alternatively, “due to affliction [me’oni],” because they took the collateral of a poor man [ani] into their homes, just as it says: “If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his collateral” (Deuteronomy 24:12). Alternatively, “due to affliction [me’oni],” because they withheld the wages of hired laborers, just as it says: “You shall not exploit a poor [ani] or indigent hired laborer” (Deuteronomy 24:14). Alternatively, “due to affliction [me’oni],” because they stole the gifts of the poor, just as you say: “You shall leave them for the poor [ani] and the stranger” (Leviticus 19:10, 23:22). Alternatively, “due to affliction [me’oni],” because they ate the tithe of the poor; Rabbi Beivai and Rabbi Huna [said] in the name of Rav: One who eats produce from which the tithe of the poor was not taken is liable to receive the death penalty. Alternatively, “due to affliction [me’oni],” because they engaged in idol worship, just as it says: “It is a sound of crying [anot] that I hear” (Exodus 32:18).⁸⁶Moses said this when he heard the sound of the people worshipping the Golden Calf. Rabbi Aḥa said: It is the sound of lauding idol worship that I hear.⁸⁷This is Rabbi Aḥa’s explanation of the phrase from Exodus 32:18. Rabbi Yehuda says in the name of Rabbi Yosei: There is no generation that does not receive [punishment] due to the sin of the Calf.

(Esth. 8, 16) For the Jews there was light, and joy and gladness and honor. R. Elazar, in the name of R. Juda, said: "Light, refers to the Torah, and so says the passage (Prov. 6, 23) For the commandment is a lamp, and the law is light. Joy, refers to a holiday, and so says the passage (Deut. 16, 14) And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast; gladness, refers to circumcision, and so says the passage (Ps. 119, 162) I am rejoiced over thy promise; honor, refers to Tephilin, and so says the passage (Deut. 28, 16) And all the nations of the earth shall see that thou are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall he afraid of thee. And we are taught in a Baraitha: R. Eliezer the Great said: 'This refers to the Tephilin on the head.' "

(Fol. 9a) R. Abba said: "All agree that the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt took place in the evening, as it is said (Deu. 16, 1.) Did the Lord, thy God, bring thee forth out of Egypt by night; and [they also agree] that they did not leave [Egypt] before the next morning, as it is said (Num. 33, 3.) On the morrow after the Passover sacrifice, the children of Israel went out with a high hand, but they differ as to the meaning of Chipazon (In haste, Ex. 12, 11). R. Elazar b. Azariah holds that Chipazon (In haste), refers to the Egyptians who [after realizing the plague of the first-born] hurried the children of Israel to leave; and R. Akiba holds Chipazon (In haste), refers to the Israelites [who were in haste to leave]." We have also a Baraitha to the same effect: Did the Lord, thy God, bring thee forth out of Egypt by night (Deu. 16, 1). "Did they really go out at night? Behold! it was in the morning, for it is said (Num. 33, 3.) On the morrow after the Passover sacrifice, did the children of Israel go out with a high hand. We must therefore say that the beginning of the deliverance was in the evening."

1)1(Vayikra 23:41) ("And you shall celebrate it at a festival to the L–rd, seven days a year, a statute forever throughout your generations; on the seventh month you shall celebrate it.") "And you shall celebrate it as a festival to the L–rd seven days": Because it is written "And you shall celebrate it as a festival to the L–rd seven days," I might think that one must bring a festive offering (chagigah) all seven days; it is, therefore, written you shall celebrate it" — one day alone.

(Deut. 16:18:) “[You shall appoint] judges and law officers,” “judges” are magistrates, and “law officers” are administrators that supervise the people.¹¹Cf. Sifre to Deut. 16:18 (144). R. Eleazar said, “If there is no law officer, there is no judge. How so? When someone is found by a court to have a legal obligation to his companion, if there is no law officer who will collect from him when he withdraws from the court, there is no power in the hands of the judge to do anything to him. If, however, [a law officer is present], he delivers him into the hand of the law officer, and the law officer extracts compliance from him.” R. Eleazar ben Pedat said, “If it had not been for the law-enforcing office¹²Siteno, which is being read as sitero, as suggested by Jastrow, s.v. of Joab, David could not have enforced justice.” And so it says (in I Chron. 18:14-15 // II Sam. 8:15-16), “So David administered judgment and righteousness to all his people. And Joab ben Zeruiah was over the army.” Were David and Joab judges together? It is simply that whenever someone did not heed the judge, they delivered him into the hands of Joab, and he extracted [compliance] from him against his will. And so Job said (in Job 29:16-17), “I was a father to the poor […]. I broke the jaws [of the evildoer].”

And in the case of Jehoshaphat also, when he was installed in the kingship, he did not occupy himself with the business of kingship nor with honor but with the business of judging.¹⁴Note that Jehoshaphat’s name means, “The LORD has Judged.” It is so stated (in II Chron. 17:1): [THEN <HIS SON> JEHOSHAPHAT REIGNED] <IN HIS STEAD,> AND HE STRENGTHENED HIMSELF OVER ISRAEL. What is the meaning of [AND HE STRENGTHENED HIMSELF (rt.: HZQ)]? That HE STRENGTHENED HIMSELF, when he appointed judges. It also says (in II Chron. 17:6): HIS HEART WAS EXALTED IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD, AND IN ADDITION HE REMOVED THE HIGH PLACES AND ASHERIM FROM JUDAH. Was there a haughty spirit within him, in that it says: HIS HEART WAS EXALTED? It is simply that he had appointed judges over them who knew how to walk IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD¹⁵The fact that the divine name (LORD) is used here, indicates a biblical citation. The expression is found in various places, but the midrash probably adopts the wording from the verse just cited (II Chron. 17:6), which begins: HIS (i.e., Jehoshaphat’s) HEART WAS EXALTED IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD. AND TO KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD.¹⁶The mention of keeping the WAY OF THE LORD, is found in various places, but this exact Hebrew citation only occurs in Gen. 18:19 with reference to Abraham’s posterity, a citation given more fully in the parallel from Tanh., Deut. 5:1. (II Chron. 19:6–7:) THEN HE SAID UNTO THE JUDGES: CONSIDER WHAT YOU ARE DOING, SINCE YOU JUDGE NOT FOR HUMANS BUT FOR THE LORD. SO NOW LET THE FEAR OF THE LORD BE UPON YOU. TAKE CARE WHEN YOU ACT, FOR WITH THE LORD OUR GOD THERE IS NO INJUSTICE, PARTIALITY, OR TAKING A BRIBE. Now if Moses our Master, who was not commanded concerning Judges,—rather Jethro told him (in Exod. 18:21): YOU SHALL SEEK OUT <ABLE MEN> FROM AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE…, —<if he> convened a sanhedrin¹⁷Gk.: synedrion. for Israel, how much more <important is a sanhedrin> in our case, when it has been commanded here in the Torah (in Deut. 16:18): YOU SHALL APPOINT JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS FOR YOURSELVES. Where is it shown that Moses convened a sanhedrin? Where it is stated (in Exod. 18:25): SO MOSES CHOSE ABLE MEN FROM ALL ISRAEL <AND APPOINTED THEM AS HEADS OVER THE PEOPLE>…. And Jerusalem also was praised only because of the justice system, as stated (in Ezek. 16:14): AND YOUR NAME SHALL BE SPREAD AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOUR BEAUTY. And what adornment (rt.: HDR) is that? This is the justice system, since it is stated (in Exod. 23:3): NOR SHALL YOU FAVOR (rt.: HDR) SOMEONE POOR IN HIS LAWSUIT. And Jerusalem was destroyed only over perversion of justice, since it is stated (in Ezek. 22:5): YOU WITH A BESMIRCHED NAME; YOU WHO ARE FULL OF COMMOTION. A name for justice that you had at first is besmirched. It is also written (in Is. 1:21): SHE (i.e., Jerusalem) WAS FULL OF JUSTICE; but Jeremiah said this to them (in Lam. 4:12–13): THE KINGS OF THE EARTH DID NOT BELIEVE, [ … ] <THAT FOE OR ENEMY WOULD COME THROUGH THE GATES OF JERUSALEM>. IT WAS FOR THE SINS OF HER PROPHETS AND THE INIQUITIES OF HER PRIESTS <WHO SHED THE BLOOD OF THE RIGHTEOUS IN HER MIDST>. At that time the Holy One swore that he himself would exact retribution from them and from their judges, as stated (in Is. 1:24): THEREFORE THUS SAYS THE LORD, THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE MOST MIGHTY OF ISRAEL: <AH, I WILL EXACT VENGEANCE FROM MY FOES>…. Now THEREFORE can only be a term <related to> an oath, since it is stated (in I Sam. 3:14): AND I THEREFORE SWEAR TO THE HOUSE OF ELI. Moreover, MIGHTY can only be a term for the Av bet Din, since it is stated (in I Sam. 21:8 [7]): THE MOST MIGHTY OF THE SHEPHERDS THAT BELONG TO SAUL. <This is> to teach you that the Holy One became an Av bet Din in order to exact vengeance from them. And where is it shown? Where the text speaks about judges. See what is written after it (in Is. 1:26): AND I WILL RESTORE YOUR JUDGES AS IN THE BEGINNING. Therefore David has said (in Ps. 147:19): HE DECLARES HIS WORDS TO JACOB, <HIS STATUTES AND HIS ORDINANCES TO ISRAEL>.

The Master said above: "They leave eternal life for temporary affairs." Is not enjoying the festival a meritorious duty? This is according to the opinion of R. Eliezer himself, who says that enjoyment on a festival is only optional, for we are taught in a Baraitha: R. Eliezer says: "A man has nothing to do on a festival but either to eat and drink the whole day, or to sit and study;" but R. Joshua says: "He must divide the day one-half for religious purposes, and one-half for eating and drinking." R. Jochanan said: "Both the above sages formed their opinions from the same Biblical passage: One passage says (Deut. 17, 8) On the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly unto the Lord thy God. Another passage says (Num. 29, 35) An assembly shall be unto you. How can both unto God and unto you be explained? R. Eliezer explains it thus: "The whole day shall be either for you or for the Lord"; but R. Joshua explains it thus: "Divide the day, one-half for the Lord and one-half for you." Who is meant in the above passage, Send portions unto him for whom nothing is prepared? R. Chisda said: It refers to those men who have not provided Erub Tabshilin. Others say: This refers only to one who did not have the food with which to provide Erub Tabshilin, but not for one who, through neglect, did not provide Eruh Tabshilin. What is meant by Let the joy of the Lord be your stronghold? R. Jochanan said in the name of R. Elazar b. Simon: "The Holy One, praised be He! said to Israel: 'My children, borrow on my account and celebrate the sanctity of the day, and trust to me, I shall pay it.' "

(Exodus 12:2) "The beginning of the months": We are hereby apprised that Nissan is the beginning for the months. And whence do we derive (the same for) the reign of kings? From (I Kings 6:1) "In the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv (Iyyar), the second month," (his reign having begun with the first month, Nissan). And whence do we derive (the same for) festivals (i.e., that one is not in transgression of delaying his vows until three consecutive festivals have passed)? From (Devarim 16:16) "… the festival of matzoth (in Nissan), and the festival of Shavuoth, and the festival of Succoth." We find, then, that Nissan is the beginning for months, for kings, and for festivals. R. Nathan and R. Tzaddok say: Also for house rentals (i.e., If one says: I am renting it to you for this year, the understanding is until the beginning of Nissan.) But this does not apply to (the reckoning of) years, shemitah, Yovloth, planting (in respect to arlah [viz. Leviticus 19:23]) or (the tithing of) greens, in which respect it is written (Devarim 31:10-11) "At the end of seven years, in the time of the year of the shemitah … when all of Israel, etc.", and (Exodus 34:22) "and the festival of the ingathering, the circuit of the year."

(Fol. 27b) Our Rabbis were taught: It once happened that R. La'yi went on a festival to Lud to pay his respects to his teacher R. Eliezer. "La'yi, art thou not of those who rest on the festival?" R. Eliezer asked him; for R. Eliezer used to say: "I praise the sluggards, who do not leave their houses on a festival, for it is said (Deut. 16, 14) And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, etc." Is this so? Did not R. Isaac say: "Whence do we learn that a man must pay respects to his teacher on the festival by visiting him? It is written (II Kings 4, 23) Wherefore art thou going to him to-day? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath? From this we infer that on a new moon and a Sabbath it is a duty for every one to visit his teacher." This is not difficult to explain: the latter deals with a case where one can go and return the same day [when the teacher lives in the same city]; and the former deals with a case where one cannot return on the same day [one should prefer the reunion with his family].

(Exodus 12:2) "It is the first": What is the intent of this? It is written (Devarim 16:1) "Observe the month of Aviv (spring) and offer the Pesach to the L rd your G d, etc." Observe Pesach for Aviv, and Aviv for Pesach, that Aviv fall out in its proper time. How so? Intercalate Adar, so that Aviv fall out in its proper time. If they intercalated Adar and Aviv did not fall out in its proper time, I might think that they should intercalate the New Moon of Nissan. R. Yishmael says: If you say this, you make Nissan twice; but the Torah has said: "It is the first (i.e., one) to you" (and not two). R. Nathan says "Observe the month of Aviv" — Observe the month which is closest to Aviv. And which is that? Adar. But we have not heard how many (days) are to be intercalated. From "Observe the month (of Aviv"), we infer that a month (of days, i.e., thirty) are to be intercalated. And this follows, viz.: A month is intercalated and a year is intercalated. Just as a month, (with) one of its units (i.e., days), so, a year, with one of its units (i.e., months). __ But perhaps, just as (with a) month — one thirtieth of it, so, (with) a year, one thirtieth of it? It is, therefore, written "Observe the month." (A month is intercalated and not one thirtieth of it. __ But perhaps, just as a year, one twelfth of it, so, a month, one twelfth of it? It is, therefore, written (Numbers 28:17) "And on the fifteenth day of this month" — You intercalate a day for a month, and not one twelfth of it. R. Yitzchak said: If you said this, the moon would already be in the middle of the sky (in the beginning of the month)! You must perforce revert, then, to the first formulation, viz.: A month is intercalated and a year is intercalated. Just as a month is added to only at its end, so, a year is added to only at its end. R. Yirmiyah says: Just as uncleanliness constrains (the offering of the Pesach [viz. Numbers 9:10] and (the advent of) spring constrains, then just as the (constraint in) the first is not less than thirty days, so, (that in) the second must be no less than thirty days. __ But perhaps (an intercalation is to be made backwards] even if spring arrives prematurely? It is, therefore, written (Exodus 13:10) "and you shall keep this statute (of Pesach) in its time" — You add to its time, but you do not subtract from it.

(Deut. 16:18:) <YOU SHALL APPOINT> JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS <FOR YOURSELVES>: JUDGES operate in courts, and LAW OFFICERS operate in the community.¹⁸Tanh., Deut. 5:2; cf. Sifre to Deut. 16:18 (144). R. Eleazar said: If there is no law officer, there is no judge. How so? When someone is found by a court to have a legal obligation to his companion, if there is no law officer who will collect from him when he withdraws from the judges, there is no power in the hands of the judge to do anything to him. If, however, <a law officer is present>, he delivers him into the hand of the law officer, and the law officer extracts compliance from him. R. Eleazar ben Pedat said: If it had not been for the law-enforcing office¹⁹Siteno, which is being read as sitero, as suggested by Jastrow, s.v. of Joab, David could not have enforced justice. And so it says (in I Chron. 18:14–15 // II Sam. 8:15–16): SO {DAVID}²⁰The only difference between the versions of Chronicles and Samuel is that the name DAVID, which Buber chooses to bracket, appears only in the Samuel version. ADMINISTERED JUDGMENT AND RIGHTEOUSNESS TO ALL HIS PEOPLE, WHILE JOAB BEN ZERUIAH WAS OVER THE ARMY. Were David and Joab judges? It is simply that whenever someone did not heed the judge, they delivered him into the hands of Joab, and he extracted compliance from him against his will. And so Joab said (in Job 29:16–17): I WAS A FATHER TO THE POOR…. I BROKE THE JAWS OF THE EVILDOER.

Judges and officials (Deuteronomy 16:18): The judges need to be men of strength through good deeds. As this is what Moshe did: "And Moshe chose men of valor" (Exodus 18:25), in Torah, in good deeds and in courage. And they need to be clean of any infraction, such that there not be a claim (literally, opening of the mouth) for a person against them. [This is] as with Moshe, who said to Israel (Numbers 16:15), "I have not raised up a donkey from one of them"; and Shmuel, who said (I Samuel 12:3), "Here I am, testify against me in the presence of the Lord and in the presence of His anointed one; whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, etc." I would thus say, "Judges and officials [appoint for yourself]," that there should not be any matter of disqualification in them. There was a case with Rabbi Chanina ben Elazar who had an inclining tree on his field, such that the branches were inclined over the field of someone else. A man came in front of him and complained and said, "The tree of x is inclined over my field." He said to him, "Go, and come back tomorrow." He said to him, "All the cases that come before you, you judge immediately. But my case you are delaying?" What did Rabbi Chanina do? He immediately sent workers to cut his tree that was in his field, but the branches were inclined over the field of someone else. The next day, that [plaintiff from the previous day] came for judgement. [Rabbi Chanina] said to his opponent, "You need to cut it." He [answered] him, "So why are the branches of your tree inclining over the field of someone else?" He said to him, "Go and see. The same way you see mine, so do to yours." He immediately went and did so. Hence it is written, "Judges and officials," that there should not be a matter of disqualification in the judge.

(Exodus 13:3) "And Moses said to the people: Remember this day when you went out of Egypt, etc." I know only that the exodus from Egypt is mentioned in the daytime. Whence do I derive (the same for) the evenings? From (Devarim 16:3) "… so that you remember the day of your going out of Egypt all the days of your life": "the days of your life" — the days; "all the days of your life" — (to include) the nights, as per Ben Zoma. The sages say: "the days of your life" — in this world; "all the days of your life" — to include the days of the Messiah. Ben Zoma said to them: Israel is destined not to mention the exodus from Egypt in time to come, it being written (Jeremiah 23:7-8) "Therefore, behold, days are coming, says the L rd, when it will no more be said: 'As the L rd lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, but as the L rd lives, who brought up and who brought the seed of the house of Israel from the land of the north.'" R. Nathan says: "who brought up and who brought": The exodus from Egypt is mentioned in time to come. And whence is it derived that we say "Blessed are You, O L rd our G d, and the G d of our fathers, the G d of Abraham, the G d of Isaac, and the G d of Jacob"? From (Exodus 3:15) "and G d said further to Moses: Thus shall you say to the children of Israel: The L rd, the G d of your fathers, the G d of Abraham, the G d of Isaac, and the G d of Jacob, sent me to you." And whence is grace over meals derived? From (Devarim 8:10) "and you shall eat and you shall be sated" — this is the first blessing. "for the land" — this is the second blessing. "the good" — this is "who builds Jerusalem," viz. (Ibid. 3:25) "the good land … and the Levanon." "that he gave you" — who gave all good to us (this is the blessing of "hatov vehametiv"). R. Chiyya b. Nachmani said in the name of R. Yishmael: It is already written (Ibid. 8:10) "and you shall eat and you shall be sated, etc." What would be lacking if it were not written "that He gave to you"? (It is written to signify that you must thank Him) both for His measure of good and for His measure of punishment. This tells me that a blessing is required after eating. Whence do I derive that it is required (also) before eating? R. Yishmael says: It follows a fortiori, viz.: If one who has eaten to satiety requires a blessing, how much more so, one who is hungry! R. Nathan says: It is written (I Samuel 9:13) "As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he ascends the mount to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, for he will first bless the offering, etc." R. Yitzchak says: It is written (Exodus 23:25) "And you shall serve the L rd your G d, and He will bless your bread and your water." When is it "your bread"? Before you have eaten it. This tells me only of food as requiring a blessing before it and after it. Whence do I derive (the same for) Torah? R. Yishmael says: It follows a fortiori, viz.: If food, which is only temporal, requires a blessing before and after it, how much more so Torah, which is eternal! R. Yehudah b. Betheira says: It is written (Devarim 8:10) "and you shall eat and you shall be sated and you shall bless … for the good land." What is lacking that "good" supplies? This ("good") is Torah, as it is written (Mishlei 4:2) "for a taking of 'good' have I given to you." R. Chanina, the son of the brother of R. Yehoshua says: It is written (Devarim 32:3) "When I call upon the name of the L rd" — the blesser; "give grandeur to our G d" — the answerers. And what do they answer? "Blessed is the L rd who is blessed forever." And when he mentions His name, they respond "Blessed is the name of the glory of His kingdom forever." And thus did David say (Psalms 34:4) "Exalt the L rd with me, and let us extol His name forever." Rebbi says (Mishlei 10:7) "the remembrance of the Tzaddik is for blessing": When he mentions the Tzaddik, "the Life of the worlds" — (Psalms 145:17) "the L rd is a tzaddik in all of His ways — let it be for blessing "Amen!"

(Exodus 13:3) "and chametz shall not be eaten": (The intent of the verse is) to equate the feeder (of chametz to minors) with the eater. __ But perhaps (the intent is) to forbid derivation of benefit from it? From (Devarim 16:3) "You shall not eat chametz upon it" we learn that benefit may be derived from it. How, then, am I to understand "chametz shall not be eaten"? To equate the feeder with the eater. These are the words of R. Yoshiyah. R. Yitzchak says: It is not needed (for this derivation). If with sheratzim, (creeping things), the less stringent, the feeder is equated with the eater, how much more so with chametz, the more stringent! How, then, am I to understand "chametz shall not be eaten"? To forbid derivation of benefit from it.

3) "the festival of Succoth, seven days to the L–rd": I might think that the chagigah (the festival offering) and the succah should be for the L–rd; it is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:13) "The festival of Succoth should you make for yourselves seven days." If (only) the latter (were written), I would think that both the chagigah and the succah reverted to the man; it is, therefore, written "the festival of Succoth, seven days to the L–rd." How is this to be reconciled? The chagigah, to the L–rd; the succah, to the man.

3) "the festival of matzoth to the L–rd, seven days, etc." What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Devarim 16:8) "Six days shall you eat matzoth and on the seventh day it is a cessation (atzereth) for the L–rd" — The seventh day was included in the general (mitzvah of matzoh, viz.: [Shemoth 13:6] "Seven days shall you eat matzoth; and it left that general category to serve as a paradigm, viz.: Just as (the eating of matzoth on) the seventh day is permitted (and not obligatory), so, all (of the days) are permitted (in this regard, and not obligatory.) I might think that (the eating of matzoth on) the first night, too, is permitted (and not obligatory); it is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:3) "Upon it shall you eat matzoth" — Scripture makes it mandatory.

3) "the festival of matzoth to the L–rd, seven days, etc." What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Devarim 16:8) "Six days shall you eat matzoth and on the seventh day it is a cessation (atzereth) for the L–rd" — The seventh day was included in the general (mitzvah of matzoh, viz.: [Shemoth 13:6] "Seven days shall you eat matzoth; and it left that general category to serve as a paradigm, viz.: Just as (the eating of matzoth on) the seventh day is permitted (and not obligatory), so, all (of the days) are permitted (in this regard, and not obligatory.) I might think that (the eating of matzoth on) the first night, too, is permitted (and not obligatory); it is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:3) "Upon it shall you eat matzoth" — Scripture makes it mandatory.

3) R. Yehudah b. Betheira says: "from the morrow of the Sabbath": from the morrow of the festival. I might think, from the morrow of the Sabbath of creation. "Seven weeks shall you count for yourself" (Devarim 16:9) — a count which depends upon the determination (of the advent of the festivals) by beth-din, to exclude the Sabbath of creation, which is not dependent upon (the count of beth-din, its advent being known to all men.

(Deut. 16:18:) YOU SHALL APPOINT <JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS> FOR YOURSELVES, and not for the peoples of the world.²¹Tanh., Deut. 5:5. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:18): YOU SHALL APPOINT <JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS> FOR YOURSELVES. <This> teaches that the judges were called in the name of Moses. Moreover, this is one of three things over which Moses risked his life and were called by his name.²²Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Shirata, 1 on Exod. 15:1; Exod. R. 30:4; Numb. R. 12:9. He offered his life over the Torah, [as stated (in Exod. 34:28): AND HE WAS THERE <WITH THE LORD> FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS; <HE ATE NO BREAD AND DRANK NO WATER>.] It was also called by his name, as stated (in Mal. 3:22 [4:4]): REMEMBER <THE> TORAH OF MY SERVANT MOSES. He offered his life over Israel, as stated (in Exod. 32:32): BUT NOW, IF YOU WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN, <WELL AND GOOD;> BUT IF NOT, PLEASE BLOT ME OUT <OF THE BOOK THAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN >. And where is it shown that they were called by his Name? Where it is stated (in Exod. 32:7, in which the Holy One tells Moses): FOR YOUR PEOPLE <WHOM YOU BROUGHT UP FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT> HAVE ACTED BASELY. He also offered his life over the judges, as stated (in Exod. 2:12–14): HE SMOTE THE EGYPTIAN <AND HID HIM IN THE SAND. WHEN HE WENT OUT ON THE SECOND DAY, HERE THERE WERE TWO HEBREW MEN FIGHTING>; SO HE SAID TO THE WICKED ONE: WHY WOULD YOU STRIKE YOUR COMRADE? <BUT HE SAID: WHO APPOINTED YOU²³In an unvoweled text APPOINTED YOU could be read as “your name.” A PRINCE AND A JUDGE OVER US?> For that reason they were called in his name, as stated (in Deut. 16:18): YOU SHALL APPOINT JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS FOR YOURSELVES IN ALL YOUR GATES.

Appoint for yourselves [in all of your gates] (Deuteronomy 16:18) You should appoint judges in all the gates; as courts convene twice a week in the cities, on Monday and on Thursday. And if the law was stuck in front of them (they were not able to determine it), they would ask the [high] court in the chamber of hewn stone. "And they shall judge the nation with righteous judgement," that they should incline the people towards righteousness. Rabbi Yehudah beRabbi Shalom said, "That they should incline towards and advocate merit for [the Jewish people] in front of the Holy One, blessed be He." From who do you learn [this]? From Gidon ben Yoash. As Israel was in distress in his days, and the Holy One, blessed be He, sought a person to advocate merit about them. But He did not find [anyone], as the generation was poor in commandments and in good deeds. Once he found the merit in Gidon, that he advocated merit about them, the angel immediately revealed himself to [Gidon]; as it is stated (Judges 6:12-14), "And the angel of the Lord [was revealed] to him.... And he said to him, 'Go with this strength of yours,'" with the strength of the merit that you advocated about My children. This is, "And they shall judge the nation with righteous judgement," that they should advocate merit for the generation.

(Ibid. 4) "You shall not make for yourself an idol (lit., "a carving")": I might think that he may not make one that projects but he may make one that is flat. It is, therefore, written "any likeness." I might think that he may not make a flat one, but that he may make (an idol of) a planting. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:25) "You shall not plant for yourself an asheirah." I might think that he may not plant one, but that he may make one of wood. It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "any wood." I might think that he may not make one of wood, but that he may make one of stone. It is, therefore, written (Leviticus 26:1) "And a covering stone, etc." I might think that he may not make one of stone, but that he may make one of silver. It is, therefore, written (Exodus 20:20) "gods of silver." I might think that he may not make one of silver, but that he may make one of gold. It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "and gods of gold." I might think that he may not make one of gold, but that he may make one of copper or tin or lead. It is, therefore, written (Exodus 34:13) "Molten gods you shall not make for yourself." I might think that he may not make for himself the likeness of all these but that he may make one of any form. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 4:16) "Lest you corrupt yourselves and make … of any form." I might think that he may not make one of any form, (of human being), but that he may make one of the likeness of an animal, beast, or bird. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 17) "the figure of any beast, etc." I might think that he may not make the likeness of all of these, but that he may make the likeness of fish, hoppers, reptiles, and creeping things. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 19) "any thing that creeps on the ground." I might think that he may not make the likeness of sun, moon, stars, and constellations. It is, therefore written (Ibid. 19) "And lest you lift your eyes to the heavens, etc." I might think that he may not make the likeness of any of these, but he may make the likeness of angels, cherubs, ofanim and chashmalim (angelic entities). It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 39) "in the heavens." If "in the heavens," I might think that he may not make the likeness (only) of sun, moon, and stars. It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "above" — neither the likeness of cherubs or ofanim. I might think that he may not make the likeness of all these, but he may make the likeness of the depths or of darkness. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 18) "which is in the waters beneath the earth." To include reflected images. These are the words of R. Akiva. Others say: To include shavririm (water creatures). So far did the Holy One Blessed be He pursue the yetzer hara (the evil inclination) to give it no pretext for permissiveness (in this area).

(Deut. 26:16:) WITH ALL YOUR HEART. R. Eliezer ben Jacob says: The text has come to warn Israel with regard to something else.⁷Cf. the parallel in Tanh., Deut. 7:2: “To warn the priests when they perform a service not to have two hearts, one in the presence of the Holy One and one for something else.” (Ibid., cont.:) AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL (nafsheka), even though <someone> takes your life (nafsheka). On one occasion <the Romans>⁸Although the parallel in the traditional Tanhuma identifies the persecution with the Greek kingdom, the mention of R. Aqiva suggests the persecution under Hadrian. decreed a religious persecution <against Israel>, in which they were not to occupy themselves with the Torah.⁹See Ber. 61b for a fuller version of this story. R. Aqiva proceeded to sit down and occupy himself with the Torah. When Pappus ben Judah found him, he said to him: See here, Rabbi, you are endangering yourself, when you transgress against a decree of the King. R. Aqiva said to him: Let me illustrate for you in a parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a fox. As he was walking near a river, he saw <some> fish there.¹⁰Ber. 61b explains that the fish were fleeing the nets of fishermen. He said to them: Get yourselves to me, and I will hide you in the clefts of the rocks. Then you shall not be afraid. They said to him: Are you the most clever of the animals? You are only a fool. All our lives have been <spent> only in the water. So would you tell us to walk onto the dry land! Similarly all the life of Israel exists only in the Torah, of which it is written (in Deut. 30:20): FOR THAT IS YOUR LIFE AND YOUR LENGTH OF DAYS; yet you are saying: You are endangering yourself. In a few days they arrested the both of them. He said to him: It would have been better for you to be arrested for the words of Torah.¹¹Cf. I Peter 3:17. Woe to that Pappus, who was arrested for vain words. Subsequently when they brought out R. Aqiva for execution, it was time to recite the Shema'. While they combed his flesh,¹²Tanh. 7:2; Ber. 61b adds: “With combs of iron.” he was calling out the recitation of the Shema'. About them David has said (in Ps. 17:14): OF THOSE WHO DIE BY YOUR HAND, O LORD < … THEIR PORTION IS LIFE.>¹³This interpretation of the verse is assumed by the midrash. R. Hanina bar Pappa said: Do not read: OF THOSE WHO DIE, but: "Those who kill,"¹⁴In Hebrew the difference between the two renderings is a matter of how one vowels the written text. because they kill themselves for the sake of the Torah, which was given <by your hand>. Therefore, when the children of Adam see them, they say to each other: They have sins on their hand; that is the reason they were killed. But they do not know that their portion is among the living in the world to come and that everything good is being kept in store for them. It is so stated (Ibid. cont.): MAY YOU FILL THEIR BELLY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE KEPT IN STORE FOR THEM. And not only that, but they attain merit for their children after them. Moreover, because <the children of> Israel lay down their lives for the Torah and for the sanctification of the name of the Holy One, for that reason the Holy One provides them with a blessing in the world, as stated (in Deut. 26:17): TODAY YOU HAVE HAD THE LORD PROMISE. Just as Israel declares [its love] for the Holy One, so does the Holy One declare [his love] for them, as stated (in vs. 18): THE LORD HAS PROCLAIMED YOU TODAY <TO BE FOR HIM A TREASURED PEOPLE….> R. Joshua ben Levi said: Just as the <collapsing> upper story crushes, so is Israel going to crush four empires. It is so stated (in Deut. 16:19): AND TO SET YOU ON HIGH OVER ALL THE NATIONS THAT HE HAS MADE IN PRAISE, IN NAME, AND IN HONOR.

4) R. Yossi says: "from the morrow of the Sabbath": from the morrow of the festival. I might think, from the morrow of the Sabbath of creation. Now is it written On the morrow of Sabbath on Pesach? Is it not written only "from the morrow of the Sabbath"? Isn't the entire year filled with Sabbaths? Go and figure which Sabbath is meant! And, furthermore, it is written here "from the morrow of the Sabbath," and, below, (Devarim 16:11), "from the morrow of the (seventh) Sabbath." Just as there, the reference is to a time period (i.e., the end of the seventh week) conjoined with the beginning of a festival (Shavuoth); here, too, the reference is to a time period (the omer) conjoined with the beginning of a festival (Pesach, which begins with the fifteenth day of Nissan).

(Deuteronomy 16:18) "You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment." - Halacha: Can one sit in judgement for one's relative? Such taught the sages: These are the relatives: his father, his brother, his paternal uncle, his maternal uncle, etc. Why is this so? Because just like a relative is invalid to testify [regarding him], so too he is invalid to judge. What did you see to say this? Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: It is written (Deuteronomy 21:5), "Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of the Lord, and by their word every dispute and every skin affliction shall be settled." - Come and see the relationship between skin afflictions and disputes. Just like skin afflictions [are examined] during the day, so too judgement [are done] during the day. Just like disputes are to the exclusion of relatives [as witnesses], so too skin afflictions are to the exclusion of relatives [as examiners]. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said: Do not mock the law, for it is one of the three legs of the world. Why? For the sages taught, (Pirkei Avot 1:18) "On three things the world stands: On law, on truth, and on peace." Pay attention that if you pervert the law, you have shocked the world, for it is one of its legs. Our rabbis say: The power of the law is fierce, for it is one of the legs of the Chair of Glory. How do we know? (Psalms 89:15) "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you." The Holy One, blessed be He, says: Since the punishment of the law is fierce, be careful. From where do we know this? From that which we read on the subject, (Deuteronomy 16:18) "Judges and officer

[(Deut. 16:18:) YOU SHALL APPOINT JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS> FOR YOURSELVES IN ALL YOUR GATES …,] in every single city, FOR YOUR TRIBES. Even when the whole city consists of a single family, appoint judges for yourselves.²⁴Cf. the parallel in Tanh, Deut. 5:6: “Appoint judges for it.” (Deut. 16:18, cont.:) SO THAT THEY MAY JUDGE THE PEOPLE WITH RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT. <This is> to teach you that one effects righteousness with both of them, with the innocent one who gets what belongs to him and with the guilty one from under whose hand they take away the stolen goods.

(Deut. 16:18:) “You shall appoint [judges and law officers] for yourselves”; and not for the peoples of the world. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:18), “You shall appoint [judges and law officers] for yourselves (literally, yourself)”: [This] teaches that the judges were called in the name of Moses. Moreover, this is one of three things over which Moses risked his life and were called by his name.¹³Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Shirata, 1 on Exod. 15:1; Exod. R. 30:4; Numb. R. 12:9. He offered his life over the Torah, [as stated (in Exod. 34:28),] “And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights.” And it was called by his name, as stated (in Mal. 3:22), “Remember [the] Torah of My servant Moses.” He offered his life over Israel, as stated (in Exod. 32:32), “But now, if You will forgive their sin, [well and good; but if not, please blot me out].” And they were called by his name, as stated (in Exod. 32:7, in which the Holy One, blessed be He, tells Moses), “Go down, for your people have acted basely.” He also offered his life over the judges, as stated (in Exod. 2:12-14), “he smote the Egyptian [and hid him in the sand]. When he went out on the second day, [there were two Hebrew men fighting; so he said to the wicked one, ‘Why would you strike your comrade?’] But he said, ‘Who appointed you a prince and a judge?’” For that reason they were called in his name, as stated (in Deut. 33:21), “He chose for himself the best… he executed the Lord’s judgments, and His decisions for Israel.”

This is what Scripture says, "Lazybones, go to the ant; study its ways and learn. Without leaders, officers, or rulers, it lays up its stores during the summer, gathers in its food at the harvest."(Proverbs 6:6-6:8) What did Solomon see to learn from the ant regarding the lazy person? Our rabbis say that the ant has three houses (or floors), and it does not congregate in the top (floor) because of rain, nor does in the bottom because of mud, but rather in the middle. And it only lives for six months. Why? Because anything that does not have sinews or bones only lives six months. And all of its food is a grain and a half. And it goes and gathers in the summer all that it finds, grain and barley and lentils. Rabbi Tanchuma said: All of its life is a grain and a half and (yet) it gathers these? And why does it do this? Because it says: Perhaps the Holy One Blessed Be He will decree life and it will be prepared for me to eat. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: It once happened that they found a pit of it (an ant) that had three hundred kor (of food grains). What they gather from the summer is for the winter, therefore Solomon said: "Lazybones, go to the ant; study its ways and learn." So to you shall fix for yourselves mitzvot from this world for the world to come. And what is "study its ways and learn"? Our rabbis say study its manners, because it flees from theft. Rabbi Shimon ben Halafta said: It once happened that a single ant dropped a grain. And all of them (the ants) were coming by and smelling it, and yet not one of them took it. The one who it belonged to came and took it. See the wisdom that there is in it (the ant). And all of this praise that it has it did not learn from a creation, and it does not have a judge or an officer. As it is stated, "Without leaders, officers, or rulers." You for whom I have designated judges and officers, all the more-so that you shall listen to them, and there will be judges and officers set for you in all of your gates.

Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:18): RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT. During the time that they judge righteously, they effect righteousness with the people, as stated (in Ps. 85:12 [11]): FAITHFULNESS SHALL SPRING UP FROM THE LAND WHILE RIGHTEOUSNESS LOOKS DOWN FROM HEAVEN. During the time that a faithful judgment springs up from the land, the Holy One effects righteousness with the people. He also saves them from divine punishment and afflictions, while good will comes into the world.

"shall you take": What is the intent of this? (i.e., it seems redundant.) It is written (Devarim 16:2) "And you shall slaughter the Pesach for the L rd your G d, sheep and cattle" — sheep for the Pesach (offering) and cattle for the chagigah (the festive offering.) You say this, but perhaps (the meaning is) both for the Pesach? And how would I understand (Exodus 12:5) "an unblemished lamb, a male"? As referring to the Pesach of Egypt, but Pesach for all the generations he could bring either (sheep or cattle). It is, therefore, written "Of the lambs or of the goats shall you take." Why (the redundant) shall you take?" That the Pesach for all the generations be brought only from the sheep or from the goats (but not from the cattle). These are the words of R. Yoshiyah. R. Yonathan says: sheep for the Pesach and cattle for the chagigah. You say this, but perhaps (the meaning is) both for the Pesach? And how would I understand (Exodus 12:5) "an unblemished lamb, a male"? As referring to the Pesach of Egypt, but the Pesach for all the generations he could bring either (sheep or cattle). It is, therefore, written Ibid. 13:5) "then (in Canaan) you shall perform this service (of Pesach) on this month" — As the service that you performed in Egypt (i.e., from the sheep or from the goats), thus shall you perform in all the generations. These are the words of R. Yonathan. R. Eliezer says: Sheep for the Pesach and cattle for the chagigah. You say this, but perhaps both are for the Pesach? And how would I understand "an unblemished lamb, etc."? As referring to the Pesach of Egypt, but for the Pesach of all the generations (I would say that he brings from both. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 12:24) "And you shall keep this thing as a statute for you and for your children forever." This refers to the Pesach of all the generations. How, then, am I to understand "And you shall slaughter the Pesach to the L rd your G d, sheep and cattle"? Sheep for the Pesach and cattle for the chagigah. R. Akiva says: One verse states "And you shall slaughter the Pesach to the L rd your G d, sheep and cattle," and another, "From the sheep and from the goats shall you take." How are these two verses to be reconciled? This is a (hermeneutical) rule, viz. If two verses in the Torah seem to be mutually contradictory, let them remain in their place until a third verse comes to decide between them. It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 12:21) "Draw forth and take unto yourselves sheep for your families and slaughter the Pesach." R. Yishmael says: That verse (Devarim 16:2) ("sheep and cattle") speaks of the chagigah that is brought on Pesach. You say this, but perhaps it speaks of the Pesach itself? "An unblemished lamb, a male" speaks of the Pesach itself. How, then, am I to understand "And you shall slaughter the Pesach to your G d (sheep and cattle)"? As referring to the chagigah that comes with the Pesach. Rebbi says: That verse is speaking of an offering that comes from either sheep or cattle, i.e., peace-offerings (shelamim) — whence they ruled: A Pesach "surplus" is used for peace-offerings. (i.e., in the instance of an intended Pesach offering which was lost and replaced by another, and then found.)

What is meant by "judges and officials"? The Rabbis say that the official should be like the judge, that deeds correspond to the stick and the lash and the one delivering the punishment should not need to receive lashes. Another matter: Rabbi Eliezer says, "In a place where there is justice, there is no judge; in a place where there is no justice, there is a judge." And what is this? Rather, says Rabbi Eliezer,"If we make justice below, there will be no justice above. And if we do not make justice below, there will be justice above."

“Her mother-in-law said to her: Where did you glean today and where did you work? Blessed be he who acknowledged you. She told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and she said: The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz” (Ruth 2:19).
“Her mother-in-law said to her: Where did you glean today?” It is taught in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua: More than the owner does for the poor person, the poor person does for the owner, as Ruth said to Naomi: “The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.” She did not say “who worked with me,” but rather “with whom I worked.” I performed many actions and many favors for him because he gave me one slice of bread.¹⁹⁶The mitzva of giving charity is more beneficial for the giver than the money is to the receiver. This is true not only in the World-to-Come but even in this world, as indicated by the word “today” in the verse (Etz Yosef). “[They will be punished for their iniquity] because [ya’an uvya’an] [they rejected my ordinances]” (Leviticus 26:43), yaan is ani.¹⁹⁷The punishment to which the verse refers will be administered due to mistreatment of the poor [ani – ayin, nun, yod] which is an anagram of yaan [yod, ayin, nun]. Rabbi Shilo of Naveh said: The destitute [haevyon], your wealth is dependent on him [honakh bei].¹⁹⁸Evyon is an acronym for yehav hon. If you do not support him, you will be forced to give away your wealth.
Rav Naḥman said: It is written: “[Give to him] because for [biglal] this matter [the Lord God will bless you]” (Deuteronomy 15:10) – there is a wheel [galgal] that spins over everyone in the world, like a water wheel;¹⁹⁹A wheel to which are attached buckets, which alternately fill with water and spill out their water. one that is full empties and one that is empty becomes filled.²⁰⁰Eventually the rich become poor and the poor become rich. Bar Kappara said: You do not have a person who does not experience this circumstance [poverty], and if not him, his son experiences it, and if not his son, his grandson experiences it. It was taught that Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov says: The vengeance against idolaters is in the hands of Israel, and the vengeance against Israel is in the hands of their poor. The vengeance against idolaters is in the hands of Israel, as it is stated: “I will place My vengeance upon Edom by means of My people Israel” (Ezekiel 25:14). The vengeance against Israel is in the hands of their poor, as it is stated: “He will cry to the Lord against you, and it will be a sin in you” (Deuteronomy 15:9). Rabbi Avun said: This poor person stands at your door and the Holy One blessed be He stands to his right. If you give to him, He who is standing to his right blesses you, and if not he will exact retribution from that man, as it is stated: “Because He will stand to the right of the indigent” (Psalms 109:31).
Rabbi Abbahu said: We must be grateful to the impostors among them. It was told that Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish descended into the bathhouse of Tiberias and a poor person encountered them. He said to them: ‘Give me charity.’ They said to him: ‘When we exit we will give you charity.’ When they exited, they found that he was dead. They said: ‘Since we did not give him charity during his lifetime, we will tend to him in his death.’ When they rose to wash him, they found a purse of dinars with him. They said: ‘Rabbi Abbahu spoke well: We must be grateful to the impostors among them, as were it not for the impostors among them, when a person sees one of them asking him for charity and he does not give him immediately, he would be punished with death.’

5) R. Shimon b. Elazar says: In one place (Devarim 16:8) it is written "Six days shall you eat matzoth," and, in another, (Shemoth 12:15) "Seven days shall you eat matzoth"! How is this to be resolved? Matzoh which cannot eat seven days from the new grain, (permission to eat of the new grain [chadash] beginning with the bringing of the omer on the second day of the festival), you can eat, seven from the old grain and six from the new. How, then, must I understand "from the morrow of the Sabbath? As from the morrow of the festival.

This month shall be unto you (Exod. 12:1). R. Ishmael said: He showed him the moon during night and said: Like this shall you examine the new moon; this shall be the law for future generations. Teach them the time of the new moon. He said to them: Until now I intercalated the year (adding an additional month in leap years), but now I turn this responsibility over to you. From now on you shall count (the days and designate the time) for the appearance of the new moon. This month. This is Nisan, and there is no other (i.e., no intercalated second Nisan to sere as the first month). With regard to Tishri it is written: And the feast of ingathering (Sukkot) at the turn of the year (the autumnal equinox) (Exod. 34:22). This teaches us that the month in which the festival called the feast of the ingathering at the turn of the year occurs is the month in which the year actually changes. However, Tishri is called the seventh month only because it comes seven months after Nisan. This month refers to Nisan. A hint of this (is the fact that it is the only month that is spoken of as the first month),⁷Nisan begins the secular year and therefore is counted as the first month. It marks the anniversary of the deliverance from Egyptian bondage. It is the month in which the reigns of kings begin, and the month from which the festivals are instituted. as Scripture states: In the first month, which is the month of Nisan (Est. 3:17), first for months, and first for festivals, since (Passover) is written first: The festival of Passover, the festival of Shavuot, the festival of Sukkot.

(Deut. 16:18:) “You shall appoint judges and law officers] for yourselves in all your gates,” in every single city; “for your tribes,” even when the whole city consists of a single family, appoint judges for it. (Deut. 16:18, cont.:) “So that they may judge the people with righteous judgment.” [This is] to teach you that one effects righteousness with both of them, with the innocent one who gets what belongs to him and with the guilty one from under whose hand they take away the stolen goods. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:18), “righteous judgment”: During the time that they judge righteously, they effect righteousness (charity) with the people, as stated (in Ps. 85:12), “Faithfulness shall spring up from the land [while righteousness looks down from Heaven].” During the time that a faithful judgment springs up from the land, the Holy One, blessed be He, effects righteousness (charity) with the people. He also saves them from divine punishment and afflictions, while goodwill comes into the world.

(Deut. 16:19:) YOU SHALL NOT TURN ASIDE JUSTICE; YOU SHALL NOT SHOW PARTIALITY; <YOU SHALL NOT TAKE A BRIBE, BECAUSE A BRIBE BLINDS THE EYES OF THE WISE>. <Here is> a warning for the prince not to place one suited to be low too high and one suited to be high too low.²⁵Tanh., Deut. 5:7.

Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19): YOU SHALL NOT TURN ASIDE <JUSTICE> because of wealth; YOU SHALL NOT SHOW PARTIALITY because of honor.

Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19). So that a poor person does not stand while a wealthy one sits.²⁶See James 2:1–3.

Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19): YOU SHALL NOT TURN ASIDE JUSTICE. Let the judges always feel as if the Divine Presence is among them, as stated (in Ps. 82:1): <GOD STANDS IN THE DIVINE CONGREGATION;> HE PRONOUNCES JUDGMENT IN THE MIDST OF GODS…. From here it follows for litigants that they conduct themselves in awe.

Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19): YOU SHALL NOT TURN ASIDE JUSTICE. <Here is> a warning for a wise person not to seat someone beside one who is unfit for jurisdiction. Moreover, if he should so seat someone, it is as though he had planted an Asherah. So near <this verse> is <the following> (in Deut. 16:21): YOU SHALL NOT PLANT FOR YOURSELVES ANY TREE AS AN ASHERAH <BESIDE AN ALTAR OF THE LORD YOUR GOD…. > There is a story about a certain person who had a lawsuit with a king, one of the kings of the Hasmonean dynasty.²⁷Sanh. 19a; cf. Josephus, Ant. 14:168–184, for a similar story about Herod being charged with murder. He came and stood before Simeon ben Shetah. He said to him: I have a lawsuit with the king. Simeon ben Shetah said to those judges who were judging along with him: If I send for the king, will you reprimand him? They told him: Yes. He sent for him. He came and put his throne beside Simeon ben Shetah. Simeon ben Shetah said to him: Stand on your feet and give satisfaction. He said to him: Are they judging the king? He turned to the right, and the judges <on the right> pressed their faces on the ground (to hide them). He turned to the left, and < those on the left> pressed their faces on the ground. The angel²⁸The parallel in Tanh., 5:7 identifies the angel with Gabriel. came and beat them on the ground, until their breath left them. Immediately the king trembled. Simeon ben Shetah said to him: Stand on your feet and give satisfaction, since you are not standing before us but before the one who spoke and the world came into being. He immediately stood on his feet and gave satisfaction. From here it follows that litigants conduct themselves in awe. They are rendering judgment, as it were, before the Holy One. Therefore Jehoshaphat said to the judges (in II Chron. 19:6): CONSIDER [WHAT YOU ARE DOING], SINCE YOU ARE NOT RENDERING JUDGMENT FOR HUMANS BUT FOR THE LORD. R. Hama bar Hanina said: Come and see! If there it no scriptural text written, it is not possible for him to say that flesh and blood judges its creator. The Holy One said to the Judges: Let them conduct themselves in awe, as if you were judging me. How? One fulfills a commandment before me. I have decreed over him to give him a hundred fields. If you pass judgment against him on one thing that I have decreed over him, I will give him other <fields> from what I possess; and I will credit it against you as though you had gotten it from me.

Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19): YOU SHALL NOT TURN ASIDE JUSTICE. <Here is> a warning for a wise person not to seat someone beside one who is unfit for jurisdiction. Moreover, if he should so seat someone, it is as though he had planted an Asherah. So near <this verse> is <the following> (in Deut. 16:21): YOU SHALL NOT PLANT FOR YOURSELVES ANY TREE AS AN ASHERAH <BESIDE AN ALTAR OF THE LORD YOUR GOD…. > There is a story about a certain person who had a lawsuit with a king, one of the kings of the Hasmonean dynasty.²⁷Sanh. 19a; cf. Josephus, Ant. 14:168–184, for a similar story about Herod being charged with murder. He came and stood before Simeon ben Shetah. He said to him: I have a lawsuit with the king. Simeon ben Shetah said to those judges who were judging along with him: If I send for the king, will you reprimand him? They told him: Yes. He sent for him. He came and put his throne beside Simeon ben Shetah. Simeon ben Shetah said to him: Stand on your feet and give satisfaction. He said to him: Are they judging the king? He turned to the right, and the judges <on the right> pressed their faces on the ground (to hide them). He turned to the left, and < those on the left> pressed their faces on the ground. The angel²⁸The parallel in Tanh., 5:7 identifies the angel with Gabriel. came and beat them on the ground, until their breath left them. Immediately the king trembled. Simeon ben Shetah said to him: Stand on your feet and give satisfaction, since you are not standing before us but before the one who spoke and the world came into being. He immediately stood on his feet and gave satisfaction. From here it follows that litigants conduct themselves in awe. They are rendering judgment, as it were, before the Holy One. Therefore Jehoshaphat said to the judges (in II Chron. 19:6): CONSIDER [WHAT YOU ARE DOING], SINCE YOU ARE NOT RENDERING JUDGMENT FOR HUMANS BUT FOR THE LORD. R. Hama bar Hanina said: Come and see! If there it no scriptural text written, it is not possible for him to say that flesh and blood judges its creator. The Holy One said to the Judges: Let them conduct themselves in awe, as if you were judging me. How? One fulfills a commandment before me. I have decreed over him to give him a hundred fields. If you pass judgment against him on one thing that I have decreed over him, I will give him other <fields> from what I possess; and I will credit it against you as though you had gotten it from me.

"ben ha'arbayim": I might think that this means at morning twilight. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:6) "There shall you slaughter the Pesach in the evening." I might think that this is to be taken literally. It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "at the time that you departed from Egypt." When was that? At midday, viz. (Exodus 12:41) "And it was in the middle of the day … that they left Egypt." R. Nathan says: Whence is it derived that "ben ha'arbayim" signifies midday? Even though there is no proof for this, it is intimated in (Jeremiah 6:4) "Prepare for battle against her. Arise and let us go up at noon (midday). Woe unto us for the day is declining, for the shadows of evening go forth!" R. Shimon b. Yochai says: The verse comes to apply the first (activity) to the last (time mentioned in the verse) and the last, to the first, viz.: "the time of your departing," to its slaughtering; "at sundown," to its roasting; "in the evening," to its eating. Ben Betheira says (Exodus 12:6) "ben ha'arbayim" [lit., "between the evenings"]: Slaughter it between the two evenings, (the "evening" of the day [i.e., after midday] and the "evening" preceding the night).

(Ib. b) We are taught: R. Eliezer says: "A man shall do nothing else on a holy day, but either eat and drink or sit and study." R. Joshua says: "A man must divide the holy day, one-half to be spent in eating and drinking, and the other half [in learning] at the house of study." "Both," said R. Jochanan, "make their deductions from the same passages. One passage says (Deu. 16, 8) A solemn assembly to the Lord, thy God, and another passage says (Num. 29, 35) 'Have ye' a solemn assembly. [How can both of these passages be reconciled? If it is to be solemn to 'the Lord,' then why say 'have ye'?] R. Eliezer, therefore, is of the opinion that this intends to suggest a celebration either for God or for yourself;" but R. Joshua is of the opinion that it means to divide the day, one-half for God and one-half for yourself." R. Eliezer said: "All agree that on the Shebouth festival, a certain part should also be devoted for yourself, because it is the day on which the Torah was given [hence we ought to rejoice on that occasion]." Rabba said: "All agree that the Sabbath should also be devoted for yourself. The reason of it is (Is. 58, 13) And thou shalt call the Sabbath rejoicing." R. Joseph said: "All agree that Purim should also be devoted for yourself; explanation is found in (Esther 9, 22) days of feasts and rejoicing." Mar, the son of Rabina, used to fast the whole year round except on Shebuoth (Feast of Weeks), Purim (Feast of Esther) and the day preceding Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement); on Shebuoth, being the day Israel received the Torah; Purim, concerning which it is written (Est. 9, 22) … days of feast and rejoicing; the day preceding Yom Kippur, because R. Chiya b. Rab, of Difthi, recited: (Lev. 23, 32) And ye shall afflict yourselves on the ninth day of the month. Do we fast on the ninth day? Behold it is only on the tenth that we fast! But this means to teach us that whoever eats and drinks on the ninth. Scripture accounts to his credit, as though he had fasted on both the ninth and tenth days.

6) "from the day that you bring": you shall count. I might think that he could bring (the omer) and count, and harvest whenever he wished; it is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:9) "from the time you put the sickle to the standing grain you shall begin to count. If "from the time you put the sickle," I might think that one could harvest and count, and bring the omer whenever he liked; it is, therefore, written "from the day that you bring … shall you count." If from the day that you bring. "If from the day that you bring," I might think that he must harvest and count and bring in the daytime. It is, therefore, written "seven complete Sabbaths shall they be." When are they "complete"? When he begins at night. I might then think that he harvests and brings and counts at night. It is, therefore, written "from the day that you bring." How is this realized? The harvesting and counting is at night, and the bringing in the daytime.

(Deut. 16:19, cont.:) YOU SHALL NOT TAKE A BRIBE. When the judge sets his heart on a bribe, he becomes blind to justice and he is unable to judge <a case> honestly.²⁹Tanh., Deut. 5:8. R. Eleazar said: It says here (in Ezek. 22:6): BEHOLD, THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL, EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS STRENGTH (literally: ARM), HAVE EXISTED AMONG YOU <FOR THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD>. Thus they stretched out³⁰Poshetim, which is intended as a pun on shofetim “judges”. Thus the verb implies that the judges are the ones who stretch out their arms for bribes. their arms under their robes to take a bribe. R. Abbahu said: Whoever takes the equivalent of a peruta (the smallest of coins) from his fellow is called wicked, as stated (in Prov. 17:23): [A WICKED ONE] TAKES A CONCEALED BRIBE.³¹Apart from the midrash, in the biblical context these words, which literally mean, A WICKED ONE TAKES A BRIBE FROM THE BOSOM, may well refer to the one who gives the bribe. R. Ishmael ben Elisha said: Come and see how harmful a bribe is. One time a certain person came and brought me the first fruits of the sheep shearing.³²See Deut. 18:4; also Ket. 105b. He also had a lawsuit before the judge, so I stood to one side. Now I said, <to myself>: If he pleads such and such before the judge, he will win the suit; for I was hoping for him to win. Even though he had only given me my due, and it was not a bribe, my heart was drawn to him every time I saw him. Furthermore, although had gone to the court, I asked about him whether he had won or not. <This incident serves> to make known to you how harmful a bribe is, since it makes the eyes blind. Now here is an argument a fortiori. If I, to whom he had <only> brought what was due and who <only> got what was due me, was hoping for him to win, how much the more so with one who gets a bribe.

(Deut. 16:19:) “You shall not turn aside justice; you shall not show partiality.” [Here is] a warning for the prince not to place one suited to be low, high; and one suited to be high, low. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19), “You shall not turn aside justice,” because of wealth; “you shall not show partiality,” because of honor, so that a poor person does not stand while a wealthy one sits. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19), “You shall not turn aside justice.” It is a warning to the sage not to seat someone beside him who is unfit for jurisdiction. Moreover, if he should so seat someone [like this], it is as though he had planted an asherah. So near [this verse] is [the following] (in Deut. 16:21), “You shall not plant for yourselves [any tree as] an asherah [beside an altar of the Lord your God…].” (Deut. 16:19) “You shall not turn aside justice.” Let the judges always feel as if the Divine Presence is among them, as stated (in Ps. 82:1), “[God stands in the divine congregation;] he pronounces judgment in the midst of powers.” From here it follows for litigants that they conduct themselves in awe. There is a story about a certain person who had a lawsuit with a king, one of the kings of the Hasmonean dynasty.¹⁴Sanh. 19a; cf. Josephus, Ant. 14:168-184, for a similar story about Herod being charged with murder. He came and stood before Simeon ben Shetah. He said to him, “I have a lawsuit with the king.” Simeon ben Shetah said to those judges who were judging along with him, “If I send for the king, will you reprimand him?” They told him, “Yes.” He sent for him. He came and put his throne beside Simeon ben Shetah. Simeon ben Shetah said to him, “Stand on your feet and give satisfaction." He said to him, “Do we judge a king?” [Simeon ben Shetah] turned to the right, and the judges [on the right] pressed their faces on the ground (to hide them). He turned to the left, and [those on the left] pressed their faces on the ground. The angel came and beat them on the ground, until their souls left them. Immediately the king trembled. Simeon ben Shetah said to him, “Stand on your feet and give satisfaction, since you are not standing before me, but before the One who spoke and the world came into being, as stated (in Deut. 19:17), ‘The two parties to the dispute shall stand before the Lord.’” He immediately stood on his feet and gave satisfaction. Hence the litigants need to conduct themselves in awe and the judges need to conduct themselves in awe; as they are rendering judgment, as it were, for the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore Jehoshaphat said to the judges (in II Chron. 19:6), “[Consider what you are doing], since you are not rendering judgment for humans but for the Lord.” R. Hama bar Hanina said, “Come and see! If there were no scriptural text written, it is not possible for him to say that flesh and blood judges its Creator. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the judges, ‘Let them conduct themselves in awe, as if you were judging Me. How? One fulfills a commandment before Me. [So] I have decreed over him to give him a hundred fields. If you pass judgment against him on one thing that I have decreed over him, I will give him other [fields] from what I possess; and I will credit it against you as though you had gotten it from Me.’”

(Deut. 16:19:) “You shall not turn aside justice; you shall not show partiality.” [Here is] a warning for the prince not to place one suited to be low, high; and one suited to be high, low. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19), “You shall not turn aside justice,” because of wealth; “you shall not show partiality,” because of honor, so that a poor person does not stand while a wealthy one sits. Another interpretation (of Deut. 16:19), “You shall not turn aside justice.” It is a warning to the sage not to seat someone beside him who is unfit for jurisdiction. Moreover, if he should so seat someone [like this], it is as though he had planted an asherah. So near [this verse] is [the following] (in Deut. 16:21), “You shall not plant for yourselves [any tree as] an asherah [beside an altar of the Lord your God…].” (Deut. 16:19) “You shall not turn aside justice.” Let the judges always feel as if the Divine Presence is among them, as stated (in Ps. 82:1), “[God stands in the divine congregation;] he pronounces judgment in the midst of powers.” From here it follows for litigants that they conduct themselves in awe. There is a story about a certain person who had a lawsuit with a king, one of the kings of the Hasmonean dynasty.¹⁴Sanh. 19a; cf. Josephus, Ant. 14:168-184, for a similar story about Herod being charged with murder. He came and stood before Simeon ben Shetah. He said to him, “I have a lawsuit with the king.” Simeon ben Shetah said to those judges who were judging along with him, “If I send for the king, will you reprimand him?” They told him, “Yes.” He sent for him. He came and put his throne beside Simeon ben Shetah. Simeon ben Shetah said to him, “Stand on your feet and give satisfaction." He said to him, “Do we judge a king?” [Simeon ben Shetah] turned to the right, and the judges [on the right] pressed their faces on the ground (to hide them). He turned to the left, and [those on the left] pressed their faces on the ground. The angel came and beat them on the ground, until their souls left them. Immediately the king trembled. Simeon ben Shetah said to him, “Stand on your feet and give satisfaction, since you are not standing before me, but before the One who spoke and the world came into being, as stated (in Deut. 19:17), ‘The two parties to the dispute shall stand before the Lord.’” He immediately stood on his feet and gave satisfaction. Hence the litigants need to conduct themselves in awe and the judges need to conduct themselves in awe; as they are rendering judgment, as it were, for the Holy One, blessed be He. Therefore Jehoshaphat said to the judges (in II Chron. 19:6), “[Consider what you are doing], since you are not rendering judgment for humans but for the Lord.” R. Hama bar Hanina said, “Come and see! If there were no scriptural text written, it is not possible for him to say that flesh and blood judges its Creator. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the judges, ‘Let them conduct themselves in awe, as if you were judging Me. How? One fulfills a commandment before Me. [So] I have decreed over him to give him a hundred fields. If you pass judgment against him on one thing that I have decreed over him, I will give him other [fields] from what I possess; and I will credit it against you as though you had gotten it from Me.’”

Rabban Johanan ben Zakkay said: (Mal. 3:5:) THEN I WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU IN JUDGMENT; [AND I WILL BE A SWIFT WITNESS AGAINST SORCERERS, AGAINST ADULTERERS, AGAINST THOSE WHO SWEAR TO A LIE, AGAINST THOSE WHO OPPRESS THE HIRED WORKER IN THEIR WAGES, THE WIDOW, THE ORPHAN AND THOSE WHO TURN ASIDE THE SOJOURNER]. Woe to us for the day of judgment! Woe to us for the day of retribution!³³Cf. Gen. R. 93:6; Numb. R. 10:2. Scripture compares (heqish) one who turns aside justice to all the worst transgressions. Therefore the Holy One warned (in Deut. 16:19): YOU SHALL NOT TURN ASIDE <JUSTICE>. R. Hama bar Osha'ya said: A person having a pain in his eye gives a lot of money to a physician, <when> it is doubtful whether he is being healed or not.³⁴Ket. 105a. But the one who takes a bribe corrupts justice, makes her eyes blind, causes exile for Israel, and brings hunger into the world. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 16:20): JUSTICE, JUSTICE YOU SHALL PURSUE SO THAT YOU MAY LIVE AND POSSESS <THE LAND>; and if not, you shall not possess it.

Rabban Johanan ben Zakkay said: (Mal. 3:5:) THEN I WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU IN JUDGMENT; [AND I WILL BE A SWIFT WITNESS AGAINST SORCERERS, AGAINST ADULTERERS, AGAINST THOSE WHO SWEAR TO A LIE, AGAINST THOSE WHO OPPRESS THE HIRED WORKER IN THEIR WAGES, THE WIDOW, THE ORPHAN AND THOSE WHO TURN ASIDE THE SOJOURNER]. Woe to us for the day of judgment! Woe to us for the day of retribution!³³Cf. Gen. R. 93:6; Numb. R. 10:2. Scripture compares (heqish) one who turns aside justice to all the worst transgressions. Therefore the Holy One warned (in Deut. 16:19): YOU SHALL NOT TURN ASIDE <JUSTICE>. R. Hama bar Osha'ya said: A person having a pain in his eye gives a lot of money to a physician, <when> it is doubtful whether he is being healed or not.³⁴Ket. 105a. But the one who takes a bribe corrupts justice, makes her eyes blind, causes exile for Israel, and brings hunger into the world. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 16:20): JUSTICE, JUSTICE YOU SHALL PURSUE SO THAT YOU MAY LIVE AND POSSESS <THE LAND>; and if not, you shall not possess it.

(Deut. 16:20): JUSTICE, JUSTICE YOU SHALL PURSUE, [<with JUSTICE repeated> two times]. From here they have maintained that one should pursue a worthy court.

Another interpretation of (Deut. 16:20): JUSTICE, JUSTICE YOU SHALL PURSUE, <with JUSTICE repeated> two times. <Here is> a warning for judges who judge capital cases not to render judgment on the same day as the trial. Rather let them suspend the judgment overnight (rt.: LWN), just as they suspend it overnight (rt.: LWN) in Jerusalem, since it is stated (in Is. 1:21): [SHE (i.e., Jerusalem) WAS FULL OF JUSTICE,] FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS LODGED (rt.: LWN) THERE.

(Deut. 16:20, cont.:) SO THAT YOU MAY LIVE <AND POSSESS THE LAND>. Everyone who judges a case with unvarnished truth merits life in the world to come, as stated (in Is. 56:1): THUS SAYS THE LORD: OBSERVE JUSTICE, AND PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS; <FOR SOON MY SALVATION SHALL COME, AND MY RIGHTEOUSNESS BE REVEALED>.

7) I might think, when all the fruits are gathered. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:13) "from your threshing floor and from your winepress." "From your threshing floor," and not all of your threshing floor; "from your winepress," and not all of your winepress. If "from your threshing floor and from your winepress, I would think (even the lesser) part of them; it is, therefore, written "when you gather the produce of the land." How so? Exert yourselves to intercalate the year in such a manner that the festival falls out with most of the gathering of all of the fruits.

7) Whence do we derive (the same for) the chagigah that comes with the Pesach (on the fourteenth of Nissan)? Because it is written (Devarim 16:4) "And there shall not remain of the flesh that you sacrifice towards evening on the first day until the morning," which teaches us about the chagigah of the fourteenth that it is eaten for two days and one night. I might think (that it is eaten) for one day and one night. It is, therefore, written "until the morning" — the morning of the second day. And how would I satisfy "a chagigah is eaten for two days"? (A different chagigah,) aside from this one. It is, therefore, written (to negate this, the redundant) "And if a vow or a gift."

Another interpretation (of Gen. 27:1): NOW IT CAME TO PASS, THAT WHEN ISAAC WAS OLD < AND HIS EYES WERE TOO WEAK TO SEE >. This text is related (to Prov. 17:8): A BRIBE IS A STONE OF GRACE (i.e., A PRECIOUS STONE) IN THE EYES OF THE ONE USING IT; WHEREVER HE TURNS, HE PROSPERS.²⁹Cf. Tanh., Gen. 6:8. Do not say it this way (i.e., with the word GRACE), but A BRIBE IS A STONE IN THE EYES OF THE ONE USING IT. Come and see what the Holy One's burnt offering (i.e., Isaac at his binding) has said: It is not seemly for him to be weak in the eyes. Should one who would give his life for the name of the Holy One and was bound upon the altar have had his eyes weakened? Nevertheless, the Holy One said: I have written in my Torah (in Exod. 23:8): AND DO NOT TAKE A BRIBE. Why? (Deut. 16:19:) BECAUSE A BRIBE BLINDS THE EYES OF THE WISE. So, when he received a bribe from Esau, I weakened his eyes. Now surely, if Isaac the Righteous had his eyes weakened because he took a bribe, how much the worse is it for < just > anyone who receives a bribe from others! It is therefore stated (in Prov. 7:8): A BRIBE IS A STONE OF GRACE. Therefore (in Gen. 27:1): NOW IT CAME TO PASS, THAT WHEN ISAAC WAS OLD AND < HIS EYES > WERE TOO WEAK < TO SEE >. The word "deception" was not mentioned here.

(Deut. 16:19, cont.:) “You shall not take a bribe.” When the judge sets his heart on a bribe, he becomes blind to justice and he is unable to judge [a case] honestly. R. Eliezer said, “It says here (in Ezek. 22:6), ‘Behold, the princes of Israel, each one according to his strength (literally, arm), have existed among you for the shedding of blood.’ Thus they stretched out¹⁵Poshetim, which is intended as a pun on shofetim “judges”. Thus the verb implies that the judges are the ones who stretch out their arms for bribes. their arms under their robes to take a bribe.” R. Abbahu said, “Whoever takes the equivalent of a peruta (the smallest of coins) from his fellow is called wicked, as stated (in Prov. 17:23), ‘A wicked one takes a concealed bribe.’”¹⁶Apart from the midrash, in the biblical context these words, which literally mean, A WICKED ONE TAKES A BRIBE FROM THE BOSOM, may well refer to the one who gives the bribe. R. Ishmael beRabbi Yose said, “Come and see how harmful a bribe is. One time a certain person came and brought me the first fruits of the sheep shearing.¹⁷See Deut. 18:4; also Ket. 105b. He also had a lawsuit before the judge, so I stood to one side. Now I said to him [that] if he pleads such and such before the judge, he will win the suit; for I was hoping for him to win. Even though he had only given me my due, and it was not a bribe, my heart was drawn to him every time I saw him. Furthermore, although he had gone to the court, I asked about him whether he had won or not. [This incident serves] to make known to you how harmful a bribe is, since it makes the eyes blind. Now here is an argument a fortiori: If I, to whom he had [only] brought what was due and who [only] got what was due me, was hoping for him to win, how much the more so with one who gets a bribe.” Rabban Johanan ben Zakkay would expound (about Mal. 3:5), “Then I will draw near to you in judgment; [and I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against those who swear to a lie, against those who oppress the hired worker in their wages, the widow, the orphan and those who turn aside the sojourner.” [He said,] “Woe to us for the day of judgment! Woe to us for the day of retribution,¹⁸Cf. Gen. R. 93:6; Numb. R. 10:2. as Scripture compares (heqish) one who turns aside the sojourner to all the worst transgressions!” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, warned (in Deut. 16:19), “You shall not turn aside justice.” R. Hama bar Osha'ya said, “A person having a pain in his eye gives a lot of money to a physician, [when] it is doubtful whether he is to be healed or not.¹⁹Ket. 105a. But the one who takes a bribe corrupts justice, blinds his eyes, causes Israel to be exiled from their land, and brings hunger into the world. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 16:20), ‘Justice, justice shall you pursue so that you may live and possess the land’; but if not, you shall not possess it.” (Deut. 16:20:) “Justice, justice shall you pursue,” (with justice repeated two times). From here they have maintained that one should pursue a worthy court. Another interpretation of (Deut. 16:20), “Justice, justice shall you pursue,” (with justice repeated) two times: [Here is] a warning for judges who judge capital cases not to render judgment on the same day as the trial. Rather let them suspend the judgment overnight (rt.: lwn), just as they suspend it overnight (rt.: lwn) in Jerusalem, since it is stated (in Is. 1:21), “she (i.e., Jerusalem) was full of justice, for righteousness lodged (rt.: lwn) there.” (Deut. 16:20, cont.:) “So that you may live.” Everyone who judges a case with unvarnished truth merits life in the world to come, as stated (in Is. 56:1), “Thus says the Lord, ‘Observe justice, and practice righteousness; [for soon My salvation shall come, and My righteousness be revealed].’”

(Deut. 16:19, cont.:) “You shall not take a bribe.” When the judge sets his heart on a bribe, he becomes blind to justice and he is unable to judge [a case] honestly. R. Eliezer said, “It says here (in Ezek. 22:6), ‘Behold, the princes of Israel, each one according to his strength (literally, arm), have existed among you for the shedding of blood.’ Thus they stretched out¹⁵Poshetim, which is intended as a pun on shofetim “judges”. Thus the verb implies that the judges are the ones who stretch out their arms for bribes. their arms under their robes to take a bribe.” R. Abbahu said, “Whoever takes the equivalent of a peruta (the smallest of coins) from his fellow is called wicked, as stated (in Prov. 17:23), ‘A wicked one takes a concealed bribe.’”¹⁶Apart from the midrash, in the biblical context these words, which literally mean, A WICKED ONE TAKES A BRIBE FROM THE BOSOM, may well refer to the one who gives the bribe. R. Ishmael beRabbi Yose said, “Come and see how harmful a bribe is. One time a certain person came and brought me the first fruits of the sheep shearing.¹⁷See Deut. 18:4; also Ket. 105b. He also had a lawsuit before the judge, so I stood to one side. Now I said to him [that] if he pleads such and such before the judge, he will win the suit; for I was hoping for him to win. Even though he had only given me my due, and it was not a bribe, my heart was drawn to him every time I saw him. Furthermore, although he had gone to the court, I asked about him whether he had won or not. [This incident serves] to make known to you how harmful a bribe is, since it makes the eyes blind. Now here is an argument a fortiori: If I, to whom he had [only] brought what was due and who [only] got what was due me, was hoping for him to win, how much the more so with one who gets a bribe.” Rabban Johanan ben Zakkay would expound (about Mal. 3:5), “Then I will draw near to you in judgment; [and I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against those who swear to a lie, against those who oppress the hired worker in their wages, the widow, the orphan and those who turn aside the sojourner.” [He said,] “Woe to us for the day of judgment! Woe to us for the day of retribution,¹⁸Cf. Gen. R. 93:6; Numb. R. 10:2. as Scripture compares (heqish) one who turns aside the sojourner to all the worst transgressions!” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, warned (in Deut. 16:19), “You shall not turn aside justice.” R. Hama bar Osha'ya said, “A person having a pain in his eye gives a lot of money to a physician, [when] it is doubtful whether he is to be healed or not.¹⁹Ket. 105a. But the one who takes a bribe corrupts justice, blinds his eyes, causes Israel to be exiled from their land, and brings hunger into the world. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 16:20), ‘Justice, justice shall you pursue so that you may live and possess the land’; but if not, you shall not possess it.” (Deut. 16:20:) “Justice, justice shall you pursue,” (with justice repeated two times). From here they have maintained that one should pursue a worthy court. Another interpretation of (Deut. 16:20), “Justice, justice shall you pursue,” (with justice repeated) two times: [Here is] a warning for judges who judge capital cases not to render judgment on the same day as the trial. Rather let them suspend the judgment overnight (rt.: lwn), just as they suspend it overnight (rt.: lwn) in Jerusalem, since it is stated (in Is. 1:21), “she (i.e., Jerusalem) was full of justice, for righteousness lodged (rt.: lwn) there.” (Deut. 16:20, cont.:) “So that you may live.” Everyone who judges a case with unvarnished truth merits life in the world to come, as stated (in Is. 56:1), “Thus says the Lord, ‘Observe justice, and practice righteousness; [for soon My salvation shall come, and My righteousness be revealed].’”

"uvashel": "bashel" (here refers to flesh that was) roasted (before, the understanding being that it is forbidden to cook it even if it had been roasted previously), as in (Devarim 16:7) "And you shall cook (i.e., roast) it and you shall eat it," and (II Chronicles 35:13) "And they cooked (i.e., roasted) the Pesach in fire as prescribed; and the holy (offerings) they cooked in pots, cauldrons, and pans, and they dispatched them to all the people." From here R.Yoshiyah said: If one takes a vow not to eat "mevushal," roasted (flesh) is (also) forbidden to him. "but roasted in fire": What is the intent of this? I might say: What is (more) fit for roasting should be roasted. It is, therefore, written "but (i.e., exclusively) roasted in fire,"

(Gen. 33:18:) NOW JACOB CAME WHOLE. Did he lack something? Indeed, when they said to him (in Gen. 32:7 [6]): MOREOVER HE (Esau) IS COMING TO MEET YOU, AND THERE ARE FOUR HUNDRED MEN WITH HIM; he arose and prepared a gift.⁴⁴Gk.: doron. (According to Gen. 32:15-16 [14-15]) he began by giving she-goats because they were tender. Afterwards < according to the text, there were > he-goats, ewes, rams, < and > THIRTY MILCH CAMELS WITH THEIR COLTS. [R. Levi said: If I went around among all the tents of Kedar (i.e., of the Ishmaelites) you would not have found THIRTY MILCH CAMELS WITH THEIR COLTS.] Look at Jacob's wealth! In addition (according to Gen. 32:16 [15]) he gave FORTY COWS AND TEN BULLS. R. Isaac said: < These did > not include precious stones and pearls. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 32:14 [13]): THEN HE TOOK FROM WHAT WAS IN HAND, < i.e., > things taken up in the hand. These would be precious stones and pearls. R. Judah b. R. Shallum said: All twelve months that he spent with him, he would so honor him (with gifts) on each day. In this regard Jacob said (in Deut. 16:19): FOR A GIFT BLINDS THE EYES OF THE (PRUDENT) [WISE]. < He reasoned > a fortiori, how much the more < would a gift blind > the wicked! Just consider this: I am honoring him so that he will not touch me.

(Exodus 12:11) "And thus shall you eat it": as those going on a journey. R. Yossi Haglili says: Scripture is hereby teaching proper deportment to those going on a journey — that they do things with despatch. "and you shall eat it in haste": This is the haste of the Egyptians (to make them leave). You say this. But perhaps it is the haste of the Jews (to leave)? (Devarim 16:3) "for in haste you left Egypt" already speaks of the haste of the Jews. How, then, am I to understand "and you shall eat it in haste"? As referring to the haste of Egypt. R. Yehoshua says: "and you shall eat in haste": This is the haste of Israel. You say this. But perhaps it is the haste of the Egyptians? (Exodus 12:39) already speaks of the haste of the Egyptians. How, then, am I to understand "in haste"? As referring to the haste of the Jews. Abba Channan says in the name of R. Elazar: This ("in haste") is the haste of the Shechinah. And even though there is no proof for this, it is intimated in (Song of Songs 2:8) "the voice of my Beloved, behold, it comes," (heralding the redemption, etc.), (Ibid. 9) "Behold, (seeking to redeem us), He stands behind our wall, etc." I might think that this will be so in the future, too. It is, therefore, written (Isaiah 52:12) "But not in haste will you leave, and you will not go out in flight. For the L rd walks before you, and your rear guard is the G d of Israel." "It is a Pesach (offering) to the L rd": All of their acts (in respect to it) are to be for the sake of Heaven.

Similarly, though Scripture states: And the priests shall kindle wood upon it every morning (Lev. 6:5), it is written: And Lebanon is not sufficient fuel (Isa. 40:16). This was stated so that one might receive a reward for doing so. Similarly, it says: The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning (Num. 28:4), though it has already been said: Nor the beasts thereof sufficient for burnt-offerings (Isa. 40:16). This indicates that you may receive a reward (for its observance). Let them make Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8) may be explained in a like manner. Has it not been written already Do not I fill heaven and earth (Jer. 23:24)? This commandment was imposed upon you so that you would receive a reward (for building a Sanctuary). And Moses said unto the people: Remember this day (Exod. 13:3). Scripture states elsewhere: That thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life (Deut. 16:3). Does this mean that they were to remember it only during the day and not at night? Ben Zoma interpreted the verse That thou mayest remember the day when thou came forth … all the days of your life to mean that the days of your life refers to the daytime, while all the days of your life alludes to night time.

Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and with gladness of heart, due to abundance of everything, you will serve your enemies…” (Deuteronomy 28:47–48) – had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance” (Exodus 15:17), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Let all their evil come before You [and do to them as You did to me]” (Lamentations 1:22).³³The term “You will bring them” in the verse in Exodus and the word “come” in the verse in Lamentations have the same root: tav, bet, alef.
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “Peoples heard, they were agitated” (Exodus 15:14), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “They heard that I am sighing” (Lamentations 1:21).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “I have seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt” (Exodus 3:7), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “See, Lord, for I am in distress, my innards burn” (Lamentations 1:20).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You shall proclaim on this very day” (Leviticus 23:21), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “I called my lovers; [they deceived me]” (Lamentations 1:19).³⁴The word “proclaim” in Leviticus and the word “called” in Lamentations have the same root: kuf, resh, alef.
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “Justice [tzedek], justice you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The Lord is righteous [tzadik], for I have defied His word” (Lamentations 1:18).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You shall open your hand [to your brother]” (Deuteronomy 15:11), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Zion spread its hands, [there is no comforter for it]” (Lamentations 1:17).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “These are the appointed times of the Lord” (Leviticus 23:4), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “For these I weep” (Lamentations 1:16).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “We will ascend on the highway [bamsila]” (Numbers 20:19), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The Lord trampled [sila] all my mighty” (Lamentations 1:15).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “I broke the bars of your yoke” (Leviticus 26:13), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The yoke of my transgressions is preserved in His hand” (Lamentations 1:14).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “A perpetual fire shall burn upon the altar” (Leviticus 6:6), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “From on high He sent fire into my bones” (Lamentations 1:13).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “[The Lord your God who goes before you, He shall fight for you according to all that He did for you.…] in the entire path [derekh] that you went” (Deuteronomy 1:30–31), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “May it not befall you, all passersby [ovrei derekh]” (Lamentations 1:12).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You will eat your bread to satiation” (Leviticus 26:5), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “All its people are sighing, seeking bread” (Lamentations 1:11).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “No man will covet your land” (Exodus 34:24), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The besieger spread his hand over all its delights” (Lamentations 1:10).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “For on this day he shall atone for you [to purify you]” (Leviticus 16:30), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Its impurity is on its skirts” (Lamentations 1:9).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “From all your sins you shall be purified before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:30), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Jerusalem has sinned” (Lamentations 1:8).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You shall be remembered before the Lord your God” (Numbers 10:9), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Jerusalem remembered in the days of its affliction” (Lamentations 1:7).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “I will walk in your midst” (Leviticus 26:12), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “All the glory of the daughter of Zion has gone” (Lamentations 1:6).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “The Lord will place you as a head [lerosh]” (Deuteronomy 28:13), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Its foes are ascendant [lerosh], its enemies are tranquil” (Lamentations 1:5).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “Three times a year [shall all your males appear before the Lord your God…on the festival]” (Deuteronomy 16:16), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The ways of Zion mourn [without festival pilgrims]” (Lamentations 1:4).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You will dwell securely” (Leviticus 26:5), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Judah has been exiled in affliction” (Lamentations 1:3).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “It is a night of watching of the Lord” (Exodus 12:42), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “It weeps at night” (Lamentations 1:2).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “How [eikha] can I bear alone” (Deuteronomy 1:12), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “How [eikha] does…sit solitary?” (Lamentations 1:1).

11) And whence is it derived that if one vowed to bring peace-offerings, he may do so only with chullin? From (Devarim 16:2): "And you shall offer a Pesach-offering to the L–rd your G d, sheep and cattle." Now does the Pesach offering not come only from lambs and kids? Why, then, is it written "sheep and cattle"? To liken everything that comes from sheep and cattle to the Pesach offering, viz.: Just as the Pesach offering is mandatory and comes only from chullin, (there having been no consecrations and no tithe at the time of the exodus from Egypt,) so, everything that is mandatory comes only from chullin — so that if one vowed to bring a thank-offering or a peace-offering, since they are mandatory, (having been vowed), they are to be brought only from chullin; and libations, in all instances, (even if he specified "from the tithe") are to be brought only from chullin, (their not having been likened to peace-offerings, as the thanksgiving loaves were).

Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and with gladness of heart, due to abundance of everything, you will serve your enemies…” (Deuteronomy 28:47–48) – had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You will bring them and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance” (Exodus 15:17), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Let all their evil come before You [and do to them as You did to me]” (Lamentations 1:22).³³The term “You will bring them” in the verse in Exodus and the word “come” in the verse in Lamentations have the same root: tav, bet, alef.
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “Peoples heard, they were agitated” (Exodus 15:14), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “They heard that I am sighing” (Lamentations 1:21).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “I have seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt” (Exodus 3:7), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “See, Lord, for I am in distress, my innards burn” (Lamentations 1:20).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You shall proclaim on this very day” (Leviticus 23:21), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “I called my lovers; [they deceived me]” (Lamentations 1:19).³⁴The word “proclaim” in Leviticus and the word “called” in Lamentations have the same root: kuf, resh, alef.
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “Justice [tzedek], justice you shall pursue” (Deuteronomy 16:20), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The Lord is righteous [tzadik], for I have defied His word” (Lamentations 1:18).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You shall open your hand [to your brother]” (Deuteronomy 15:11), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Zion spread its hands, [there is no comforter for it]” (Lamentations 1:17).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “These are the appointed times of the Lord” (Leviticus 23:4), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “For these I weep” (Lamentations 1:16).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “We will ascend on the highway [bamsila]” (Numbers 20:19), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The Lord trampled [sila] all my mighty” (Lamentations 1:15).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “I broke the bars of your yoke” (Leviticus 26:13), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The yoke of my transgressions is preserved in His hand” (Lamentations 1:14).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “A perpetual fire shall burn upon the altar” (Leviticus 6:6), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “From on high He sent fire into my bones” (Lamentations 1:13).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “[The Lord your God who goes before you, He shall fight for you according to all that He did for you.…] in the entire path [derekh] that you went” (Deuteronomy 1:30–31), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “May it not befall you, all passersby [ovrei derekh]” (Lamentations 1:12).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You will eat your bread to satiation” (Leviticus 26:5), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “All its people are sighing, seeking bread” (Lamentations 1:11).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “No man will covet your land” (Exodus 34:24), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The besieger spread his hand over all its delights” (Lamentations 1:10).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “For on this day he shall atone for you [to purify you]” (Leviticus 16:30), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Its impurity is on its skirts” (Lamentations 1:9).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “From all your sins you shall be purified before the Lord” (Leviticus 16:30), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Jerusalem has sinned” (Lamentations 1:8).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You shall be remembered before the Lord your God” (Numbers 10:9), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Jerusalem remembered in the days of its affliction” (Lamentations 1:7).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “I will walk in your midst” (Leviticus 26:12), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “All the glory of the daughter of Zion has gone” (Lamentations 1:6).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “The Lord will place you as a head [lerosh]” (Deuteronomy 28:13), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Its foes are ascendant [lerosh], its enemies are tranquil” (Lamentations 1:5).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “Three times a year [shall all your males appear before the Lord your God…on the festival]” (Deuteronomy 16:16), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “The ways of Zion mourn [without festival pilgrims]” (Lamentations 1:4).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “You will dwell securely” (Leviticus 26:5), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “Judah has been exiled in affliction” (Lamentations 1:3).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “It is a night of watching of the Lord” (Exodus 12:42), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “It weeps at night” (Lamentations 1:2).
Had you been worthy, you would have read in the Torah: “How [eikha] can I bear alone” (Deuteronomy 1:12), but now that you are not worthy, you read: “How [eikha] does…sit solitary?” (Lamentations 1:1).

... This is the [first] month to you ~ The first ancestors did not count it. Is it possible that the first ancestors did not count it? Behold, the Torah was not given in their days, but from the moment Torah was given and onward, the first comers (ie, the other nations) would count. No, this is not possible: the text says - "for you". You count it [as the first month], and the other nations do not.[First of] Months - Is it possible [that this is the first month] for [beginning of] years and shemittah [cycles] and Jubilee [cycles]? [No,] the text says "first of months" - for months it is the first, but it is not the first for the [beginning of] years, nor shemittah [cycles], nor Jubilee [cycles]. "It is first for you [all]" - and not for the tenth part of animals, and not for the fruits. Why is it the first for kings and festivals and donations of shekels and documents of houses? "It is first" - because of the general principle that is said: "guard the month of Aviv". How do you guard it? Add days to it. Is it possible that, if it was a year that lacks ten or twenty days one would complete it like that [with just ten or twenty days]? [No,] the text says "month" - there is no [adding] less than a month. Is it possible that, if it was a year that lacks forty or fifty days one would complete it like that [with forty or fifty days]? [No,] the text says "month" there is no adding more than a month. Is it possible to complete the year with Nisan? [No,] the text says "it is the first month to you" - one Nissan you make, and you do not make two Nissan. Is it possible to complete the year with Tishrei? [No,] the text says "guard the month of Aviv" - guard the month that is close to Aviv [spring], and which one is it? Adar. Is it possible that if it is an early year [ie, autumn comes early] you would add days to it? And similarly if it was a late year you would take away days from it? [No,] the text says "and you will guard this rule in its appointed time from year to year" - a year is never less than twelve months. "It is the first month for you of the months of the year" - a second Nisan should not be done.

And this is meant that whenever R. Chiya and R. Chanina used to quarrel with each other, that R. Chanina would say: "Art thou quarreling with me, who if the Torah should, God forbid, be forgotten in Israel, could be revised by me through my terse arguments?" Whereupon R. Chiya answered him: "I can bring it about that the Torah should not come to such a point of forgetfulness, for I bring flax twist out of its nets with which I capture deer. From its meat I feed the orphans. From its skin I prepare scrolls, which I bring to a town where there is no teacher. I write the five Scriptures of the Torah on five parchments, each one for a child. I then teach to six other children the six orders of the Mishnah, to each one an order, and I say to them: 'Study your order to your associate.' [Hence in a very short time all of these children knew the entire thing]." This is meant when Rabbi said: "How great are the deeds of Chiya!" When R. Simon b. Rabbi asked his father: "Is it even greater than yours?" "Yes," came the reply. R. Ishmael b. R. Geri asked him: "Is it even greater than my father's act?" Whereupon Rabbi replied: "This cannot happen in Israel." He then summoned his smaller son, whereupon R. Simon entered. He entrusted to him the ways of wisdom. Afterwards he summoned his elder son, whereupon R. Gamaliel entered. He said: "Conduct thy Exilarch office among the exalted (surround thyself with the best people), cast the bile among the students, (be austere against them)." Is this proper? Is there not a passage (Ps. 15, 4) He that honoreth these that fear the Lord, Upon which the master said elsewhere that this refers to Joshaphath, King of Juda, who, when he met a scholar, would arise from his chair, would embrace and kiss him, and call him Rabbi, Rabbi, Mori, Mori. This is not difficult to explain. The latter case refers to privacy [then one should love a scholar], but the former refers to publicly. We are taught in a Baraitha: Rabbi became sick in Sepphoris and his grave was destined to be in Beth She'arim. But was not Rabbi's household in Beth She'arim? We must therefore say that after he became sick he was brought to Sepphoris because of its elevated place and its wholesome climate.

...If the house is too small [to be for a lamb] - it teaches that they may decrease themselves in number continuously, provided that one from the fellowship remains, those are the words of R. Yehudah. Rabbi Yosi says: whether from the first or second fellowships, and provided that they do not leave behind any quantity of the Passover [sacrifice], the text says: '[being] for a lamb' - that is, [for maintaining it alive] for eating, and not for acquiring. Rabbi [Yehudah HaNasi] says: even for acquiring since if he does not have, he appoints others for his place, and [selects] coins for non-holy [purposes] that were taken at the outset only for this. "And he will take" - this teaches that each and every fellowship takes for itself, from here they said 'we do not slaughter the Passover [sacrifice] for an individual from the outset, as it is written "You are not to slaughter the Passover [sacrifice] in/for one (Deuteronomy 16:5), these are the words of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Yosi says: there are moments when he is only one, and we do slaughter for him, there are times when they are ten and we do not slaughter for them. How is it possible? If he is one, and is able to eat it all, we slaughter it for him; ten, and they cannot eat it all, we do not slaughter for them so that they won't invalidate the Passover [sacrifice]. "And his neighbor" - Ben Bag Bag says: [from this] I only understand [lit. hear] his neighbor in the fields, from where [do I derive] his neighbor under the same roofs? The text says "close to his house": door [next] to door. Rabbi [Yehudah HaNasi] says - three are spoken of: 'his neighbor' - this is his neighbor in the fields; 'and his neighbor' - this is his neighbor under the roof; 'close' this is the neighbor close to his house, next to the door. [In] The Egyptian Passover his neighbor [was] close to his house, and in the Passover for the other generations, his neighbor is not close to his house. Rabbi Shimeon says: Even in the Passover for the generations his neighbor is [defined as] close to his house, and the Torah only said this due to the ways of peace, so that a person would not settle one's friends, and one's close neighbors, and one's acquaintances, and one's more distant acquaintances, and one of the dwellers of his town, and then goes and does his Passover with other people so as to fulfill what is written: 'a close neighbor is better than a distant brother' (Ecclesiastes 27:10). "In proportion" [quota] - the only 'proportion' is a minian, and so He says "and the quota [levy] for Ad-nai thirty two people [lit. souls]' (Numbers 31:30). Is it possible that it is a mitzvah to slaughter to his minian and if he did not slaughter it to his minian he transgressed but it is still kosher? (No,) the text says "proportion" "you shall apportion" - the text teaches regarding him that (if he does this) it is pasul (contrary of kosher). From the fact that the text states "man" I only a male, from where do we include women and minors? The text says "persons [lit. souls]". If that is the case, why does the text say "man"? Just as a man is able to eat an olive size (of the sacrifice) so too a minor [is only considered a minor] if he is able to eat an olive size (of the sacrifice). Rabbi Yehudah says: 'just as a man knows to differentiate food, so too a minor (is only considered a minor) if he is able to differentiate food. And what is to differentiate food? Anyone to whom we give an egg and s/he keeps it; a stone, and s/he throws it. "Proportion" "you shall apportion" - this teaches that we are counted and we count for the minian. From here they said 'the participants in a fellowship that counted others for their portion, have the permission to do so. If they want to continue and count others in their portion, they have the permission to do so. One of the participants in a fellowship that counted another person for his portion, he has the permission to do so. If he wants to continue and count others in his portion, he has the permission to do so. "According to what each will eat" - this excludes a person who is sick, an uncircumcised and one whose ritual status is 'impure'. "On the lamb" - Ben Bag Bag says: I understand [lit. I hear] a live lamb or a slaughtered one, you make the decision. Here (v.4) it says "a lamb" and there it says "a lamb" (v.3), just as the lamb said there is alive and not slaughtered, here, too, it is alive. From here they said 'we always apportion according to the Passover sacrifice, and we prevent [lit. hold their hands back] them (from apportioning) until it is slaughtered.

One basin of silver – corresponding to the Torah which is compared to wine, as it is stated (Proverbs 9:5), “and drink from the wine that I have mixed.” And since it is the custom of wine to be drunk form a basin, as you say (Amos 6:6), “Who drink from wine basins” – therefore, he brought “a basin that is seventy shekel of the holy shekels.” Why? Just like the numerical equivalent of wine is seventy, so too are there seventy faces to the Torah. Why does it state “one” about the bowl? Corresponding to the Torah that must be one, as you say (Numbers 15:16), “One Torah and one statute shall there be for you.” Why does it state “one” about the basin? Because the words of the written Torah and the words of the Oral Torah were all given by one shepherd – all of them were stated by one God to Moshe at Sinai. Why were they of silver? Corresponding to the Torah, about which it is stated (Psalms 12:7), “The words of the Lord are pure words, silver purged in a crucible, etc.” Both of them filled with fine flour, etc. – Scripture and Mishnah are full, since one does not contradict its fellow. Fine flour – as you say (Psalms 19:11), “drippings (nofet) of the comb” – like flour that one can see on top of the sieve (napah). Mixed with oil – that is Torah, which is required to be mixed with good deeds; like that which we learned (Avot 2:2),” Excellent is the study of the Torah together with a worldly occupation; for the exertion [expended] in both of them causes sin to be forgotten.” That is for the offering – as at that time, he brings a pleasantness of spirit to his Creator, when a man is involved in Torah study and is a master of good deeds and guards himself from sin. One ladle – corresponding to the tablets that were written by the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, as you say (Exodus 32:16), “The tablets were God’s work, and the writing was God’s writing, etc.” Ten of gold – these are the ten statements (commandments) that were written on the tablets, as you say (Deuteronomy 10:4), “And He wrote on the tablets like the first writing, etc.” Gold – like you say (Song of Songs 5:14), “His hands are rods of gold”; and it states (Psalms 19:11), “More precious than gold, etc.” Full of incense – since the six hundred and thirteen commandments are mixed in them. And so do you find that there are six hundred and thirteen letters from “I” (the first word in the ten commandments) to “of your friend” (the last word), corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments; and there are seven letters lacking, corresponding to the seven days of creation – to teach you that the whole world was only created in the merit of the Torah. That is full of incense (ketoret) – since the [letter] kof changes to a dalet [in] at-bash gar-dak (switching the early letters in the aleph-bet with the corresponding later letters), and the [numerical] count of the word then comes to six hundred and thirteen. Another explanation: full of incense – as between each and every statement written on the tablets, the sections and the details were written. And it comes out like that which Chananiah the son of the brother of Rabbi Yehoshua said: “His hands are rods of gold” – these are the two tablets of the covenant upon which were written, ‘written by the finger of God.' “Rods of gold” – just like these rods, between one large rod and another large rod, there are small rods; so too, between each and every statement, the sections of the Torah were written and its details. One bull of the herd – corresponding to the priests; one ram – corresponding to the Levites; one lamb – corresponding to Israel, as they all accepted the Torah as Sinai. One goat for a sin offering – corresponding to the converts that would convert in the future and were there; as everyone is fitting, as it is stated (Leviticus 18: 5), “which a man shall do and live by them.” It does not state, “priests, Levites and Israelites,” but rather “a man.” [This] teaches that, behold, even an idolater that converts and is involved in Torah is like a high priest. And for peace offerings, two oxen (bakar) – corresponding to the two Torahs; as anyone who checks (mevaker) and sacrifices his inclination to do everything that is written in them is making peace twice – peace above and peace below; as it is stated (Isaiah 27:5), “But if he holds fast to My refuge, peace will he make with Me, with Me he will make peace.” Five rams, five he-goats, and five yearling lambs - corresponding to three verses of the Torah in which the six Orders of the Mishnah are [indicated]. And they are [each] of two sections, and each and every section is made of five words, and these are them (Psalms 19:8-10): “The Torah of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the decrees of the Lord, etc.... The ordinances of the Lord, etc.; the commandments of the Lord, etc.... The fear of the Lord, etc.; the judgments of the Lord, etc.” Hence they offered these three types of sacrifices as peace offerings, corresponding to the three verses in which the six Orders of the Mishnah are [indicated]. It comes out like that which Rabbi Tanchuma said: “The Torah of the Lord is perfect, [restoring the soul], etc.” – this is the Order of Women that warns a man to separate from sexual prohibitions in order to save him from death, like the one that says (Proverbs 5:19), “All who go to her cannot return and find again the paths of life.” And it states (Proverbs 5:16), “It will save you from the forbidden woman, etc.” “The decrees of the Lord [are trustworthy], etc.” – this is the Order of Seeds, as one has trust in the world’s Life and sows. “The ordinances of the Lord, [are just, rejoicing the heart], etc.” – this is the Order of Appointed Time that has all of the holidays in it, about which it is written (Deuteronomy 16:14), “And you shall rejoice in your holidays.” “The commandments of the Lord [are lucid, making the eyes light up,]. etc.” – this is the Order of Holy Things, which enlightens the eyes [to differentiate] between profane things and holy things. “The fear of the Lord [is pure], etc.” – this is the Order of Purities, which separates between purity and impurity. “The judgments of the Lord, etc.” – this is the Order of Damages, in which there are most of the laws. And hence they offered five of each type corresponding to the five words written for each and every Order. And why were five words written for each and every order? Corresponding to the Torah which is five books, [in order] to teach you that [the sections of the Mishnah] are bodies of Torah. Why is the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, written in [the section of the verse relating to] each and every Order? Since He testifies upon them, that He stated them to Moshe from His mouth, in the same way that He stated the five books of the Torah. That was the offering of Netanel, etc. - once the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that he brought offerings according to the Orders of the Torah, He began to praise his sacrifice – “that was the offering of Netanel son of Tzuar.”

(Exodus 23:14) "Three festivals shall you celebrate for Me in the year": What is the intent of this? Because it is written (Ibid. 17) "Three times, etc.", I might think at whatever place or time that one wishes; it is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:16) "on the festival of Matzoth, and the festival of Shavuoth, and the festival of Succoth." (Exodus 23:17) "shall be seen" (yod, resh, alef, heh, [which can also be read as "shall see"]) — to exclude the blind. "your males": to exclude women. "all your males": to exclude tumtum (one of indeterminate sex) and a hermaphrodite. (Devarim 31:11) "You shall read this Torah in the presence of all of Israel in their ears" — to exclude the deaf. (Ibid. 16:11) "And you shall rejoice" — to exclude one who is sick or a minor. (Ibid.) "before the L rd your G d" — to exclude one who is unclean — whence they ruled: All are obligated "to be seen" except a deaf-mute, a retard, a tumtum, a hermaphrodite, one who is blind, or sick, or aged.

"And you shall celebrate it as a festival for the L rd": This tells me only of the first day of the festival as requiring a chagigah (offering). Whence do I derive (the same for) the last day? It is, therefore, written (Ibid. 13:6) "and on the seventh day, a festival (chag) to the L rd." This tells me only of the first and the last days as requiring a chagigah. Whence do I derive the same for the intermediate days of the festival (chol hamoed )? It follows inductively, viz.: Since the first and the last days are called mikra kodesh ("a calling of holiness") and chol hamoed is called mikra kodesh, then if you have learned about the former that they require a chagigah, then the latter, too, require a chagigah. And, furthermore, it follows a fortiori, viz.: If the first and last days, which are not preceded or followed by holy days, require a chagigah, how much more so (the days of) chol hamoed , which are preceded and followed by holy days! R. Yossi Haglili says: It is written (Devarim 16:15) "Seven days shall you celebrate ('tachog') to the L rd your G d," to include the seven days of Pesach as requiring a chagigah. __ But perhaps it speaks only of Succoth? (This is not so, for Leviticus 23:41) "And you shall celebrate it as a festival of the L rd" already speaks of Succoth. How, then, are we to understand "Seven days shall you celebrate"? To include the seven days of Pesach as requiring a chagigah.

Rabbi Eliyahu interpreted the verse regarding the festival pilgrims. “Show me your appearance,” these are the festival pilgrims, as it is stated: “Three times a year they shall be seen” (Deuteronomy 16:16). “Let me hear your voice,” this is the melodious recitation of Hallel.” When Israel recites Hallel, their voice ascends On High. The parable says: The paschal offering is in the house and Hallel bursts outward. “And your appearance is lovely,” this is the platform.¹³²The platform on which the Levites would stand when they sang in the Temple.

When you go out to war, etc. (Deuteronomy 20:1): What is written above the matter? "And the judges shall make a thorough investigation" (Deuteronomy 19:18). From when the judges execute judgement, you [can] go out to war and you will be victorious. And so did David state (Psalms 119:121), "I have done justice and righteousness; do not abandon me to those who would wrong me." And it is [also] written (Psalms 119:122), "Guarantee Your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant wrong me." So too is the Holy One, blessed be He, only brought up in the world through judgement, as it is stated (Isaiah 5:16), "And the Lord of hosts is exalted by justice." Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says (Avot 1:18), "On three things the world stands: On justice, on truth and on peace, as it is said (Zachariah 8:16), 'Judge truth and the justice of peace in your gates.'" Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "And all of [these things] are dependent upon judgement, as through judgement is peace and truth established." Therefore when Israel is executing judgement, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings down their enemies in front of them, as it is stated (Psalms 81:14-15), "If only My people listens to Me, etc. Quickly I would subdue their enemies, etc." And what are the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He? Righteousness and justice, as it is stated (Genesis 18:19), "and they shall keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice." Therefore, it is written in the section of judges (Deuteronomy 16:18), "and they shall judge the people with righteous justice"; and afterwards, "When you go to war against your enemies." What is [the meaning of] "against your enemies?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Go forth against them like enemies: In the way that they do not have mercy upon you, so [too], do not have mercy upon them. See what they say: 'Let us wipe them out as a nation; Israel’s name will be mentioned no more.' [It is] that same name that I say (Psalms 106:48), 'Blessed is the Lord (the Name), the Lord of Israel.' Therefore go forth against them like enemies." Israel said, "Master of the world, until when will they stand against us," as it is stated (Psalms 86:14), "O God, arrogant men have risen against me; a band of ruthless men seek my life." He said [back] to them, "Not only against you have they risen, but also against Me, as it is stated (Psalms 2:2), 'Kings of the earth take their stand, and regents intrigue together against the Lord and against His anointed.' Rather see how they are enemies." Therefore, it is written, "When you go out to war against your enemies."

(Exodus 12:15) "Seven days shall you eat matzoth": I might think that all types of matzoth are understood (i.e., that all grains are permitted as matzoth). It is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:3) "Do not eat chametz upon it; (seven days shall you eat matzoth upon it"). Scripture speaks only of something that can become chametz (i.e., that can turn sour) — wheat, barley, rye, oat, and spelt. This excludes rice, millet, poppyseed, pulse, and sesame, which do not become chametz, but which putrefy. "Seven days shall you eat matzoth": I might think, even that which is cooked in a pot. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:3) "bread of affliction" (i.e., only what is baked in an oven).

It must, therefore, be written "Seven [and not six] days shall you eat matzoth." (Ibid. 15) "Only on the first day": This makes (the eating of matzoth on) the first day mandatory and the others optional. You say this, but perhaps (the intent is) to make the first optional and the others mandator? It is, therefore, written (18) "On the first day, on the fourteenth day of the month, in the evening shall you eat matzoth," whereby Scripture fixes the first day as mandatory. It is not the second assumption, then, which is to be accepted, but the first. One verse (15) states "Seven days shall you eat matzoth," and a second (Devarim 16:8) "Six days shall you eat matzoth." How are these two verses to be reconciled? The seventh day was in the general category (of eating matzoth), and it left that category (in verse 15) to teach about the entire category, viz.: Just as the seventh is optional, so all are optional. But perhaps (the meaning is) Just as the seventh is optional, so the first night is optional? It is, therefore, written (18) "On the first day, on the fourteenth day of the month shall you eat matzoth." Scripture established it as mandatory. It is not the second assumption, then, which is to be accepted, but the first. Variantly: One verse states "Six," and another "Seven." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Six from the new crop; seven from the old. (i.e., If he wishes to eat matzoth from the new crop, he can do so only for six days, it being forbidden on the first day, until after the offering of the omer [viz. Leviticus 23:15]).

A proof of the importance of incense is indicated in the fact the plague was halted by incense, as Moses said to Aaron: Take thy fire-pan, and put fire therein from off the altar, and lay incense thereon…. And Aaron took as Moses spoke and ran into the midst of the assembly; and behold, the plague was begun among the people (Num. 17:11–12). What is meant by the plague was begun? R. Judah the son of Simon stated: The angel administered the poison in sequence, neglecting neither the dead among the living nor the living among the dead. That is, he administered it in rotation. As it is said in the verse: The plague was begun among the people, and it is written elsewhere in the verse: From the time the sickle is first put to the standing corn thou shalt begin (Deut. 16:9).

"from the first day until the seventh day": Its punishment is for seven days; the exhortation against it obtains always. For it would follow (otherwise), viz.: Since (eating chametz is punishable by kareth, and (eating) forbidden fats is punishable by kareth, then if we have learned about forbidden fats that its punishment is equivalent (in time) to its exhortation, then the same applies to chametz. It is, therefore, written "from the first day until the seventh day" — Its punishment is seven days, but its exhortation obtains always. We have heard its punishment, but we have not heard its exhortation. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:3) "Do not eat chametz upon it."

“I said: Wisdom is better than courage, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded” (Ecclesiastes 9:16).
“I said: Wisdom is better than courage, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised.” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Was the wisdom of Rabbi Akiva, who was poor, despised? Rather, this is an elder who sits and is impoverished regarding his words,¹⁰⁵One who does not practice what he preaches. such as an elder who sits and teaches: “Do not give preference” (Deuteronomy 16:19), but he gives [preference]; “do not take a bribe” (Deuteronomy 16:19), but he takes [bribes]; do not lend with usury, but he lends [with usury]. Samson followed his eyes, “and he judged Israel for twenty years” (Judges 16:31).¹⁰⁶Samson followed his eyes and married a Philistine woman, despite the fact that the Torah states: “Do not go about after your heart and after your eyes” (Numbers 15:39). Thus, although he judged Israel and exhorted them to follow the Torah, he himself did not practice what he preached. Gideon, as it is stated: “Gideon made it into an ephod [and he displayed it in his city, in Ofra. All Israel strayed after it there]” (Judges 8:27), and he judged Israel.¹⁰⁷He preached against idol worship but his own action ultimately led Israel to engage in idol worship. That is, “poor” is only one who impoverishes his words.

(Deut. 14:29:) THEN THE LEVITE, BECAUSE HE HAS NO SHARE OR INHERITANCE … SHALL COME…. R. Judah b. R. Simon said: The Holy One said: As for you, you have four children in the house, and I have four grandchildren. (According to Deut. 16:14:) AND YOU SHALL REJOICE DURING YOUR FESTIVAL, YOU, AND YOUR SON, AND YOUR DAUGHTER, YOUR BOND SERVANT, AND YOUR BONDMAID. <These are> yours. (Ibid., cont.:) THE LEVITE AND THE SOJOURNER, THE ORPHAN AND THE WIDOW. <These are> mine. So they all are in a single verse. If you give joy to mine during the festival days that I have given you, I will give joy to yours in the Temple (literally: in the house of your choosing). It is so stated (in Is. 56:7): I WILL BRING THEM UNTO MY HOLY HILL AND GIVE THEM JOY IN MY HOUSE OF PRAYER….

(Deut. 14:22:) “You shall surely tithe.” Tithe ('sr) so that you may become rich ('shr),³⁵In Hebrew letters the roots translated “tithe” and “become rich” are identical. before you are in want (hsr).³⁶PRK 10:10. [Here is] a hint (remez) for those who sail the seas to take out one tenth for those who labor in Torah.³⁷This interpretation understands the ALL in the commandment as expressing the universality of the YOU rather than modifying the predicate of the sentence. See the commentary of Enoch Zundel, ‘Ets Yosef on Tanh., Deut. 4:18, who cites the Tosafot to Ta’an 9a (top); cf. Sifre, Deut. 14:22 (105). (Ibid., cont.:) “The produce of your seed.” If you are merit it, it shall go out to sow the field. But if not, the one who goes out to the field shall in the end engage in combat with you. This refers to Esau, of whom it is said (in Gen. 27:5), “and Esau had gone out into the field to hunt game.” Another interpretation (of Deut. 14:22), “the produce of your seed.” If you merit it, your end shall be that, when you go out to your field and see what is in need of rain, you shall pray and be answered.³⁸On granting of rain for tithes, see Mal. 3:10; PRK 1:4. But if not, it ends up that the enemies of Israel come out to bury their children in the field.³⁹A euphemism warning that neglected tithes will lead to Israel’s enemies burying Israel’s children. (Deut. 14:22:) “Year by year.” One does not set aside a tithe from one year for [the crops of] another.⁴⁰According to this the restriction applies only to the second tithe, which was set aside in the first, second, fourth, and fifth years of each septennial cycle. So Sifra to Lev. 27:30–34, 277: Behuqqotay, pereq 12 (115b). See Sifre, Deut. 14:22 (105 Ter. 1:5; TBekh. 7:1; RH 8a, 12b (bar.). [These are] the words of R. Aqiva. (Deut. 14:23:) “Then in the presence of the Lord your God, in the place where he shall choose to have His name dwell, you shall consume the tithes of your grain, [your new wine].” If you tithe, [it is] your grain. But if not, [it is] My grain, according to what is stated (in Hos. 2:11), “Therefore I will take back My grain in its time.” If you merit it [it is] your new wine. But if not, [it is] My new wine, [according to what is stated (ibid., cont.),] “and My new wine in its season.” Resh Laqesh said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I have told you to take your tithes from the choicest part. How so? When a Levite comes to you, if you give him a tithe from the choicest part, I will [also] give to you from the choicest part.’” Thus it is stated (in Deut. 28:12), “The Lord will open for you His finest storehouse.” But if you have given him some sword grass and some pulse, I have a right to give you something similar. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 28:24), “The Lord will make the rainfall of your land powder and dust.” (Deut. 14:29:) “Then the Levite, because he has no share or inheritance with you shall come….” R. Judah b. R. Simon said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘If you have four children in the house, you have (according to Deut. 16:14:) “And you shall rejoice during your festival, you, and your son, and your daughter, your bond servant, and your bondmaid.” And as for Me, I have four children in the house: (ibid., cont.:) “the Levite and the sojourner, the orphan and the widow.” [These are] mine. So they all are in a single verse. If you give joy to Mine during the festival days that I have given you, I will give joy to yours in the Temple (literally, in the house of choice). It is so stated (in Is. 56:7), “I will bring them unto My holy hill and give them joy in My house of prayer.”’ Amen, so may it be His will!”

(Ibid. 19) "In your houses": What is the intent of this? I might take (13:7) "in all of your boundaries," literally (i.e., even if the chametz is not yours); it is, therefore, written "in your houses." Just as your house is your domain, so "your boundaries" (applies only to chametz that is in your domain) — to exclude (from liability) the chametz of a Jew in the domain of a gentile. Even though he can remove it, it is not in his domain. And to exclude the chametz of a gentile in the domain of a Jew, and chametz under debris, where even though it is in his domain it cannot be removed. You say this, but perhaps the intent of the verse is that chametz is forbidden for "seven days" (viz. Ibid.), in the houses, and for all time, in the boundaries. It is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:4) "And chametz shall not be seen unto you in all of your border for seven days."

The precepts of the LORD are straightforward, making the heart rejoice (Psalm 19:9) refers to the order of Festivals, which has in it the sukkah, lulav, and festivals. As it is written in it, And you will rejoice in your festivals. (Deuteronomy 16:14). The commandment of the LORD is clear (Psalm 19:9) refers to the order of Holinesses, which clarifies the eyes to holy things. The judgements of the LORD are true and correct together (Psalm 19:10) refers to the order of Damages, which has in it all the judgements.

..."Do not fear him" - this is [the meaning of] that which Scripture stated (Proverbs 28:14), "Happy is the man who always fears." And this is the trait of the righteous: even though the Holy One, blessed be He, reassures them, they do not relinquish fear. And so [was it] with Jacob - "and Jacob feared" (Genesis 32:8). Why did he fear? He said, "Maybe I have been tarnished by something [when I was] with Laban... so the Holy One, blessed be He, abandoned me." And so too did Moses take hold of fear corresponding to his [fore] father. And why did he fear? He said, "Maybe Israel misappropriated [some goods] in the war with Sichon or became tarnished with a sin." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Do not fear"...

"In all of your habitations shall you eat matzoth": What is the intent of this? From (Devarim 14:23) "And you shall eat before the L rd your G d the tithe of your grain and wine and oil," I might think that if one brought up his second tithe to Jerusalem (and ate it there), he has fulfilled his obligation (of eating matzoh). It is, therefore, written "in all of your habitations" — to exclude this (tithe), which is not eaten in all places (but only in Jerusalem). And whence is it derived that he does not fulfill his obligation, neither with the show-bread, nor with the left-overs of meal-offerings, nor with the thanksgiving challoth, nor with the wafers of the Nazirite, nor with first-fruits? From "in all of your habitations shall you eat matzoth" — to exclude those, which are not eaten in all of your habitations. It would follow that I exclude the aforementioned, but I include spongy dough, honey dough, pasty dough, pan-cakes, and pressed-cake. It is, therefore (to negate this) written (Devarim 16:3) "bread of affliction." These are the words of R. Yishmael. The sages say: He fulfills his obligation with them and with second-tithe. And what is the intent of "bread of affliction"? That they are not to be kneaded with wine or oil or other liquids, but he may form it (the matzoh) with all of them. R. Eliezer says: He fulfills his obligation with all of them and with second-tithe. And what is the intent of "bread of affliction"? Just as with the bread of a poor man, his wife kneads it and he heats it in the oven, so, here. R. Yossi says: From "Seven days shall you eat matzoth" I understand, even (matzoth of) second-tithe. It is, therefore, written "bread of affliction," to exclude this (second-tithe), which is eaten only in joy.

(Numb. 21:25:) “Israel took all these towns….” This text is related (to Is. 61:8), “Because I the Lord love justice, I hate robbery with a burnt offering.”¹⁵²Numb. R. 19:30. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses (in Deut. 2:9), “Do not trouble Moab.” Now Heshbon had been part of Moab, since it is stated (in Numb. 21:26), “For Heshbon was a city of Sihon king of the Amorites,” but he had fought against the former king of Moab [and taken all his land away from him as far as the Arnon]. When Israel came, they took Heshbon, which belonged to Sihon and whatever [else] he had taken from the king of Moab. For if they had taken it from him [directly], they would have had major robbery on their hands. Instead Sihon took it from Moab, and Israel took it from Sihon. Thus they were acquitted from [the charge of] robbery. Therefore it is written (in Numb. 21:26), “For Heshbon was a city of Sihon.” (Numb. 21:27:) “Therefore those who speak in parables say.” This refers to Balaam and his father, whom Sihon had hired to curse Moab. And it was they who had said (Numbers 21:27-8), “[Come to Heshbon,] let it be built; let the city of Sihon be established. For a fire has come forth from Heshbon, [a flame from the city of Sihon]. It has devoured Ar [of Moab].” Thus they cursed Moab so that they might deliver it into [Sihon's] hand. (Numb. 21:29-31:) “Woe be to you, O Moab…. Yet we have cast them down; Heshbon has perished…. Thus Israel dwelt (in all the cities) [in the land of] the Amorites.” [Only] Jazer survived.¹⁵³Numb. R. 19:31. (Numb. 21:32:) “So Moses sent to spy out Jazer.” These spies were zealous. They said, “We have confidence in the prayer of Moses. [Yet] he has already sent messengers [that were] spies in the past and they brought a catastrophe. But we shall not do so. Rather, we will trust in the Holy One, blessed be He, and make war.” They then did so and slew the Amorites who were in [the city]. (Numb. 21:33), “Then they turned and went up […].” What is the meaning of “Then they turned and went up?” R. Johanan says, “The wars of Sihon took place in Elul. Then they celebrated the festival in Tishri,¹⁵⁴Numb. R. 19:32. then after the festival came the war with Og. [Just as you say with regard to the festival of Passover] (in Deut. 16:7), “and in the morning you shall turn to your tents.” (Numb. 21:33, cont.:) “And Og king of Bashan came out against them, he and all his people,” for the Holy One, blessed be He, had gathered [them all] before [Israel] in order to deliver [Og and his people] into their hand.

... Teach us o teacher: toward where should one who prays orient his heart? This is what our Rabbis taught: one should orient his heart toward the place of the Holy of Holies (Berachot 4:5). R’ Eliezer ben Yaakov says: if one is praying outside of the land, he should orient his heart to the land of Israel. If one is praying within the land of Israel, he should orient his heart to Jerusalem. If one is praying in Jerusalem, he should orient his heart to the Holy Temple. If one is praying in the Holy Temple, he should orient his heart to the Holy of Holies. R’ Avin the Levi said: “our neck is like the Tower of David, built as a model (talpiyot)…” (Song of Songs 4:4) What does talpiyot mean? The hill (tel) toward which all turns (peniyot) are directed. And after all this praise, it is written “Open your doors, O Lebanon, and let the fire consume your cedars.” (Zechariah 11:1) And so too they said “He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) Israel said to Him: Master of the World! How long will it be like this? Did You not write in Your Torah “…the one who ignited the fire shall surely pay” (Exodus 22:5)? And You are the one who ignited the fire, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) You need to rebuild it and to console us, not at the hands of an angel but You in Your glory. The Holy One said to them: by your life, so I will do! As it says “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2) And I am the one who consoles you. From where do we learn this? From that which they read in the prophets “I, yea I am He Who consoles you…” (Isaiah 51:12)

(Numb. 21:33): THEN THEY TURNED AND WENT UP. Some say the war of Sihon took place in Elul. Then they celebrated the festival in Tishri,²⁰⁹Numb. R. 19:32. then after the festival came the war with Og. [Just as you say] (in Deut. 16:7): AND IN THE MORNING YOU SHALL TURN,²¹⁰In the biblical context the turning denotes Israel turning to their tents after celebrating Passover. while it is written (in Numb. 21:33): THEN THEY TURNED AND WENT UP. Gezerah shawah (a verbal analogy): Just as <the turning comes> after the festival below (in Deut. 16:7), so also here (in Numb. 21:33): THEN THEY TURNED AND WENT UP. <Because of the similar use of the word TURNED, the contexts must have been similar; therefore the turning here in Numb. 21:33 must have taken place> after the festival.

Another opinion: “The Lord tests the righteous.” – This is Abraham – “Sometime after these things, God tested Abraham.” R. Avin expounded: (Ecclesiastes 8:4) “Since a king's word is supreme, who can say to him: ‘What are you doing?’” – R. Avin said: [This may be compared] to a teacher who commands his student, saying to him: (Deuteronomy 16:19) “You shall not judge unfairly,” but [the teacher himself] judges unfairly; (Deuteronomy 16:19) “Do not take a bribe,” but [the teacher himself] takes a bribe; Do not lend on interest, but [the teacher himself] lends on interest. His student said to him: Rabbi, you said to me: Do not lend on interest, but you lend on interest? [Is it] permitted to you but forbidden to me? [The teacher] said to him: I said to you: Do not lend on interest to a Jew, but you may lend on interest to an idol worshipper, as it is written: (Deuteronomy 23:21) “You may lend on interest to a foreigner, but you may not lend on interest to your brother [Israelite].” Thus Israel said before The Holy One Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, you wrote in your Torah: (Leviticus 19:18) “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge,” but you take vengeance and bear a grudge, as it is said: (Nahum 1:2) “The Lord is vengeful and fierce in wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on His enemies.” The Holy One Blessed be He said to them: I wrote in the Torah: (Leviticus 19:18) “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen,” but I take vengeance against idol worshippers – (Numbers 31:2) “Avenge the Israelite people on the Midianites.” It is written: (Deuteronomy 6:16) “Do not test the Lord” – [but] “God tested Abraham.”

"And Avraham called the name of the place "Ad-nai Yireh" [Ad-nai will see] (Gen. 22:14). Rabbi Yochanan said "he said to Him: 'Master of Worlds, at the hour that you said to me "Take please your son, your only son" (Gen. 22:2), I had what to respond. Yesterday You said "For through Itzchak [will I make your line great]" (Gen. 21:22) but now "Take please your son"!? And God forbid that I don't do as you've asked me; instead, I conquered my mercy to do Your will. May it be your will, Ad-nai our God, that in the hour when the sons of Itzchak come to do transgressions and bad deeds, that this very Binding [Akeidah] be remembered for them, and may You be filled with Mercy on them!' Avraham called it "Yireh", as it says "and Avraham called the name of the place Ad-nai Yireh." Shem called it Shalem, as it says "And Malchitzedek, the king of Shalem..."(Genesis 14:18) The Holy One of Blessing said "If I call it Yireh, as Avraham called it, then Shem, who was a righteous man, will become angry; and if I call it Shalem, Abraham, who was a righteous man, will be angry. Instead, I call it Yerushalayim [Jerusalem], as they called it together: Yireh Shalem. Jerusalem. Rabbi Berechiah said in Rabbi Helbo’s name: While it was Shalem, the Holy One of Blessing made for Godself a sukkah [booth] and prayed in it, since it says "In Shalem is set His tabernacle, and His dwelling-place in Tzion" (Psalms 76:3). And what did He say? ‘May it happen that I see the building of My house." Another interpretation: It [this verse] teaches that the Holy One of Blessing showed him the Temple destroyed and built, destroyed and build [a second time], since it says: "the name of that place Ad-nai Yireh" (Ad-nai sees): this is it built, as you say [the verse] "Three times in a year shall all your males be seen [yira'eh] (Deut. 16:16). "As it is said to this day in the Mountain of Ad-nai [is seen, Heb. yira'eh]" (Gen.22:14) This is it destroyed, as in the verse "on the mountain of Tzion, which is desolate" (Lam. 5:18). "Ad-nai is seen" this is it built and perfected in the future to come as the topic [in the verse] that is said: "When Ad-nai built Tzion, He will be seen in His glory" (Psalms 102:17).

(Bamidbar 9:2) "And the children of Israel shall offer the Pesach in its appointed time": Why is this stated? (i.e., Isn't it obvious?) From (Shemot 12:6) "and the whole congregation of Israel shall slaughter it (the Paschal lamb)," I might think, either on a weekday or on Sabbath (as the case may be). And how would I satisfy (Ibid. 31:14) "Its (Sabbath's) desecrators shall be put to death"? With other labors, other than slaughtering the Paschal lamb. — Or, even with slaughtering the Paschal lamb. And how would I satisfy "and they shall slaughter it"? (If it falls out) on other days, other than Sabbath. It is, therefore, written "And the children of Israel shall offer the Pesach in its appointed time" (— even on the Sabbath). These are the words of R. Yoshiyah. R. Yonathan (to R. Yoshiyah): This is not sufficient (for the derivation [i.e., "in its appointed time" may mean if it does not fall out on a Sabbath.]) R. Yoshiyah (to R. Yonathan): Rather, it is written (Bamidbar 28:2) "Command the children of Israel and say to them … to offer (the tamid) offering to Me in its appointed time." If (the intent of this is) to teach that the tamid offering overrides Sabbath, this is not needed; for it is already written (Ibid. 9) "And on the Sabbath day, (there are to be sacrificed) two lambs of the first year … (10) the burnt-offering of the Sabbath in its Sabbath in addition to the daily burnt-offering, etc." What, then, is the intent (of "in its appointed time")? It is "extra," to signal the formulation of an identity, viz.: it is written here "in its appointed time," and elsewhere (re the Paschal lamb) "in its appointed time." Just as "its appointed time" here overrides Sabbath, so, "its appointed time" there overrides Sabbath. "On the fourteenth day of this month, towards evening shall you offer it, in its appointed time.": What is the intent of this? Is it not already written "The children of Israel shall offer it in its appointed time"? Why, again, "in its appointed time"? Scripture hereby comes to teach us that just as the first Pesach (as opposed to Pesach Sheni) overrides the Sabbath, so it overrides (communal) uncleanliness. For (without this verse,) it would follow otherwise, viz.: If (the slaughtering of) the red heifer, which does not override the Sabbath overrides (communal) uncleanliness, the first Pesach, which overrides the Sabbath, how much more so should it override uncleanliness? — This is refuted by the second Pesach, which even though it overrides the Sabbath, does not override uncleanliness. And this would indicate of the first Pesach that even though it overrides the Sabbath, it does not override uncleanliness. It is, therefore, written "in its appointed time," to teach concerning the first Pesach that just as it overrides the Sabbath it overrides uncleanliness. (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "According to all of its statutes": These are the mitzvoth (directly) pertaining to its body, viz. (Shemot 12:5) "an unblemished lamb, a male, of the first year." "its ordinances": These are the mitzvoth attendant upon its body, viz. (Devarim 16:3) "Seven days shall you eat matzoth 'upon' it." "according to all its ordinances": to include mitzvoth not attendant upon its body — the eating of matzoh for seven days and the burning of chametz.

(Bamidbar 9:4) "And Moses spoke to the children of Israel to offer the Pesach": Why is this stated? It is already written (Vayikra 23:44) "And Moses declared the festivals of the L-rd to the children of Israel." What, then, is the intent of "And Moses spoke to the children of Israel to offer the Pesach"? Keep the Pesach in its appointed time (viz. Devarim 16:1), so that all of the festivals fall out in their proper season. Variantly: We are hereby taught that he heard the sections of the festivals at Sinai, related them to Israel, and repeated them before their performance. Variantly: He told them the halachoth of Pesach before Pesach, the halachoth of Shavuoth before Shavuoth, and the halachoth of Succoth before Succoth — whence they said: Moses instituted for Israel that they ask and expound re the festival (preceding the festival).

(Bamidbar 15:15-17) "And the L-rd spoke to Moses, saying: … upon your coming to the land whither I bring you there": R. Yishmael says: Scripture varied (linguistically) this "coming" from all the other "comings" in the Torah. For in all the other instances it is written "And it shall be, when you come to the land"; "And it shall be when the L-rd shall bring you" (all such expressions connoting permanent settlement), whereas here it is written "upon your coming" (connoting the moment of arrival), to teach that the mitzvah of challah (the Cohein's share of the dough) devolved upon them immediately upon their entering the land "whither I bring you there": From here you derive that produce grown outside the land which enters the land is subject to challah. It is from here (Eretz Yisrael) to there that R. Eliezer ruled it subject to challah, and R. Akiva exempts it. R. Yehudah says: Produce grown outside the land which entered the land — R. Eliezer exempts it, it being written (Ibid. 19) "and it shall be, when you eat of the bread of the land," and R. Akiva rules it subject to challah, it being written "there" (i.e., in Eretz Yisrael). What is the intent of "when you eat of the bread of the land"? From (Ibid 20) "the first of your dough," I would understand even other produce (as being subject to challah). You, therefore, reason: It is written here "bread" and elsewhere (Devarim 16:3) "bread." Just as "bread" there is of the five species: wheat, barley, rye, oats, and spelt, so, "bread" here. (Bamidbar, Ibid. 19) "that you shall separate an offering (terumah)": This speaks of the "great terumah" (taken from one's produce [viz. Devarim 18:4]) — But perhaps it speaks of the challah offering! — (This cannot be, for) (Bamidbar, Ibid. 20) "challah, you shall offer up an offering" already speaks of challah. How, then, is "you shall offer up an offering to the L-rd to be understood? As referring to the "great terumah," (which is taken before the challah is separated). (Devarim 18:4) "The first of your corn, your wine, and your oil … shall you give to him" (the Cohein). This is mandatory. You say that it is mandatory, but perhaps it is optional (i.e., if you separate it, you must give it to him, but you need not separate it.) It is, therefore, written "You shall separate terumah" — It is mandatory and not optional. I might think that flours, too, are subject to challah; it is, therefore, written "the first of your dough" — when it has become dough. [From here they ruled: One may eat a chance meal of started dough of wheat before it has been rolled out, or of barley before it had been well kneaded, (after which it becomes subject to challah). If one ate of it — of wheat flour, after it had been rolled out, or of barley flour after it had been well kneaded, (without taking challah) — he is liable to the death penalty. Once she had added the water, she must remove her challah, so long as there not remain there (in the kneading-trough) five quarter-kavs or more of flour that had not been mixed with water, (for if there did, they are subject to challah.)] For challah is not taken from (unprocessed) flour. If one had not taken challah from the dough, I might think he may not take it from the bread; it is, therefore, written (Bamidbar, Ibid. 19) "And it shall be when you eat of the bread of the land, you shall separate, etc." R. Akiva says: All (vis-à-vis the separation of challah) is contingent upon its forming a crust in the oven. (Ibid. 24) "As terumah of the threshing floor, so shall you offer it" (the challah). Just as with terumah, (the designated separation is) one (part) to a thousand, so, challah. And just as terumah of the threshing floor is "raised" (if it became intermixed) with one hundred and one times (its amount of non-terumah — which may then be eaten by non-Cohanim); and it creates a forbidden admixture for non-Cohanim if it fell into (only) a hundred of non-terumah; and it creates liability to the death penalty and to the one-fifth (chomesh) restitution penalty (viz. Vayikra 5:16) — so, with challah. These are the words of R. Yoshiyah. R. Yonathan "whispered" to him: You liken it to terumah of the threshing floor, (the percentage of) which is unspecified (in the Torah)? I will liken it to terumath ma'aser (Bamidbar 18:26), (the percentage of) which is explicit (in the Torah) — and one-tenth should be taken (as challah). He responded: It is written "As the terumah of the threshing floor, so shall you offer it." It is likened to terumah of the threshing floor, and not to terumath ma'aser.

(Bamidbar 15:21) "Of the first of your dough": Why is this written? (i.e., It is already written in the preceding verse.) From (the preceding verse) "The first of your dough," I might understand it to mean the first of (all) your doughs. It is, therefore, written "Of the first of your dough" — part of it and not all of it. (Ibid. 20) "The first of your dough": To include leket (Vayikra 19:9), shikchah (Devarim 24:19), and peah (Vayikra 19:9) as subject to challah. For it would follow (otherwise), viz.: If other produce (i.e., rice and millet), which is subject to ma'aser, is exempt from challah, then leket, shikchah, and peah, which are not subject to ma'aser, how much more so should they be exempt from challah! It is, therefore, written "the first of your dough," to include leket, shikchah, and peah as subject to challah. Or, let other produce be subject to challah, viz.: If leket, shikchah, and peah, which are exempt from ma'aser, are subject to challah, then other produce, which is subject to ma'aser, how much more so should it be subject to challah! It is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:3) "bread." Just as "bread" there, is of the five species, so, "bread" here (which is subject to challah) is of the five species. (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "The first of your dough": I would understand this to include the dough of terumah and the dough of second-tithe. It is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "challah shall you separate as an offering": (The connotation is:) What is separated is holy and what remains is mundane, and not (as in the above instance) where both are holy. But they said: The dough of second-tithe in Jerusalem is subject to challah, (for second-tithe may be eaten by the owner in Jerusalem, so that it is not "holy" there). (Ibid. 21) "shall you give to the L-rd as an offering": What is the intent of this? Because it is written (20) "challah shall you separate as an offering," but we have not been apprised of the amount of the challah, it is, therefore, written "shall you give to the L-rd as an offering" — so that it comprises a "gift" to the Cohein. From here we derive: The amount of challah for a private person — one (part) out of twenty-four; for a baker; one out of forty-eight. For the dough of a private person is little, and it (less than one twenty-fourth) does not constitute a "gift" to the Cohein, whereas the dough of a baker is (relatively) large and it (one forty-eighth) constitutes a "gift" to the Cohein. R. Yehudah says: This is not the reason; but a private person is generous with his dough and a baker is sparing of his dough, and when he minimizes, he should not minimize less than one forty-eighth. From here it was ruled: A private person who makes a feast for his sons — one twenty-fourth; and a woman who bakes and sells in the marketplace — one forty-eighth. If her dough became tamei unwittingly or under constraint — one forty-eighth. If it became tamei willfully (i.e., if she deliberately made it tamei in order to give less challah), she takes one twenty-fourth (even though the challah is to be burned), so that "the sinner not profit." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: Even if it came out to one-sixtieth, it is valid, so long as there was no (original) intent (for that amount). (Ibid. 21) "throughout your generations": to include the aftergrowths of shevi'ith (the sabbatical year) as being subject to challah. For it would follow (otherwise), viz.: If other produce, which is subject to the tithe is exempt from challah, then the after-growths of shevi'ith, which are exempt from the tithe, how much more so should it be exempt from challah! — (No,) this is refuted by leket, shikchah, and peah, which, though exempt from the tithe are subject to challah. — No, this may be true of leket, shikchah, and peah, whose kind (i.e., other produce, which is not leket, etc.) is subject to the tithe — for which reason they are subject to challah, as opposed to the dough of shevi'ith, whose kind is exempt from the tithe, (ownerless produce [hefker] being exempt from the tithe) — wherefore it (the dough) should be exempt from challah. It is, therefore, written "throughout your generations," to include the aftergrowths of shevi'ith as being subject to challah. From here they ruled: If one eats of the aftergrowths of shevi'ith before its challah has been taken, he is liable to the death penalty.

(Devarim 16:1) "Observe the month of Aviv": Observe the month close to Aviv, so that aviv (the springtide) fall out in its proper time.

(Devarim 16:1) "Observe the month of Aviv": In three places the section of festivals is mentioned: In Vayikra, because of their order;

(Devarim 16:1) "And you shall make the Pesach (offering)": Its "making" must be to that end. If he offered it not in its name, it is invalid.

(Devarim 16:2) "And you shall slaughter a Pesach": Its slaughtering must be in the name of Pesach; otherwise, it is unfit.

(Devarim 16:3) "You shall not eat upon it chametz": R. Yehudah says: Whence is it derived that if one eats chametz (on Pesach eve) from the sixth hour on he transgresses a negative commandment? From "You shall not eat upon it (i.e., from the time of the sacrifice of the Paschal offering, [from the sixth hour on]) chametz."

(Devarim 16:4) "And there shall not be seen unto you leaven in all of your border for seven days":

(Devarim 16:5) "You may not sacrifice the Pesach offering in one …": R. Yehudah says: Whence is it derived that the Pesach is not slaughtered for one (eater)? From "You may not sacrifice the Pesach offering in one."

(Devarim 16:6) "But to the place that the L-rd your G-d chooses — there shall you sacrifice the Pesach offering in the evening, etc.": R. Eliezer says: Towards evening (of the fifteenth of Nissan) you sacrifice it. When the sun sets, you start eating it. At the time of your starting to leave Egypt, (i.e., at midnight) you burn (what is left of) it.

(Devarim 16:9) "And you shall cook it and eat it, in the place, etc.": We are hereby taught that if pieces of it fell (from the oven), it is returned (to the oven) whole, and not piece by piece. These are the words of R. Yehudah. R. Yossi says: On the Sabbath, in any event it is forbidden. On yom tov, in any event it is permitted.

(Devarim 16:8) "and on the seventh day is a holding back (atzereth) for the L-rd your G-d. You shall do no work." I might think that one should be "held back" all day long in the house of study; it is, therefore, written "a 'holding back' shall there be for you." How are the verses to be reconciled? Devote a portion to the house of study and devote a portion to eating and drinking.

(Devarim 16:9) "Seven weeks shall you count for yourself": I might think that beth-din (is being exhorted to do the counting); it is, therefore, written (Vayikra 22:15) "And you shall count for yourselves" — each individual (is exhorted to do the counting).

(Devarim 16:10) "And you shall make a festival of weeks (shavuoth) to the L-rd your G-d": Because it is written (Shemoth 23:16) "And the festival of the harvest (Shavuoth) the (time of bringing the) first-fruits of your labor," I might think, if you "harvest, you make a festival, and if not, you do not make a festival; it is, therefore, written "and you shall make a festival of weeks to the L-rd your G-d" — Whether or not you have a harvest, you make a festival.

(Devarim 16:11) "And you shall rejoice before the L-rd your G-d": It is written here "rejoice," and elsewhere (Ibid. 27:7) "rejoice." Just as there, the rejoicing is with peace-offerings, here, too, it is with peace-offerings.

(Devarim 16:12) "And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and you shall take heed and observe these statutes": This teaches us that all (the obligations of rejoicing) which obtain on Atzereth (Shavuoth) obtain on Pesach and Succoth, (these, too, commemorating the exodus from Egypt.) — But perhaps all that obtains on Pesach and Succoth (e.g., matzoth, lulav, etc.) also obtain on Atzereth! It is, therefore, written "these statutes." These obtain on Atzereth, but not matzoh, succah, lulav, and seven (days).

(Devarim 16:13) "The festival of Succoth shall you make for yourself, seven days": Why is this stated? Because it is written (Vayikra 23:34) "the festival of Succoth, seven days, for the Most High," I might think (that it is being made for the L-rd); it is, therefore, written "shall you make for yourself."

(Devarim 16:14) "And you shall rejoice": in all kinds of rejoicing.

(Devarim 16:15) "Seven days shall you celebrate before the L-rd your G-d": I might think that he sacrifices the festive offering (chagigah) all seven days; it is, therefore, written (Vayikra 43:41) "And you shall celebrate it" (the first day), and not all seven days.

(Devarim 16:15) "Three times in the year": "times" signifies "festivals," as it is written (Isaiah 26:6) "the times" (i.e., festivals) of the poor," and (Song of Songs 7:3) "How beautiful are your (festival) times (of "steps" [to Jerusalem]) in sandals!"

(Devarim 16:16) "the presence ("pnei") of the L-rd your G-d": If you do thus, I will "free" ("poneh" [like "pnei"]) Myself of all My affairs and occupy Myself with you alone.

(Devarim 16:18) "Judges and officers shall you appoint for yourself": Whence is it derived that a beth-din is appointed for all of Israel? From "Judges … shall you appoint for yourself." And whence is it derived that (police) officers are appointed for all of Israel? From "… officers shall you appoint for yourself."

(Devarim 16:21) "You shall not plant for yourself an asheirah (a tree devoted to idolatry)": We are hereby taught that one who plants an asheirah transgresses a negative commandment. And whence is it derived that one who plants a tree in the Temple mount transgresses a negative commandment? From "You shall not plant for yourself … any tree beside the altar of the L-rd your G-d."

(Devarim 16:22) "And you shall not set up for yourself a monument (matzeivah), which the L-rd your G-d hates": This tells me only of a matzeivah. Whence do I derive (the same for) an asheirah and idolatrous images? It follows, viz.: If a matzeivah, which was "loved" for the fathers, is "hated" for the sons, then an asheirah and idolatrous images, which were "hated" for the fathers, how much more so are they hated for the sons!

(Bamidbar 28:16) "And in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, it is Pesach to the L-rd": Scripture (here) makes it mandatory (and not optional.) (Ibid. 28:17) "for seven days matzoth shall be eaten": I might think that any matzoth (may be eaten [e.g., even those made of rice]). It is, therefore, written (Devarim 16:3) "You shall not eat chametz with it. Seven days shall you eat matzoth with it." Only that which can be matzah (unleavened) or chametz (leavened) (is forbidden in the leavened state). These are the five varieties: wheat, barley, spelt, rye, or oats. This excludes rice, millet, sesame, paragim, which never become matzah or chametz, but only decay.

(Bamidbar 29:35) "On the eighth day, a withholding ("atzereth") shall there be for you": Scripture "withheld" him from leaving. If one brought his offerings from Beth Paggai (outside of Jerusalem) to Jerusalem, I might think that he could eat them in Jerusalem and sleep in Beth Paggai. It is, therefore, written "On the eighth day, an atzereth shall there be for you" — Scripture withheld him from leaving (until the morning of the next day [viz. Devarim 16:7]). "atzirah" connotes confinement, as in (Jeremiah 36:5) "I am atzur; I cannot go to the Temple of the L-rd" and (Ibid. 33:1) "Then the word of the L-rd came to Jeremiah a second time while he was still atzur in the prison yard." This tells me only of the last day of the festival that he is forbidden to leave. Whence do I derive (the same for) the first day? It follows inductively, viz. Since both are called "a calling of holiness," just as it is forbidden to leave the first day, so it is forbidden to leave the last day.