Midrash su Deuteronomio 26:15

(Deut. 26:16:) “This day the Lord your God is commanding you to perform.” This text is related (to Ps. 95:6), “Come, let us bow down and bend, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker!” But is not bending included in bowing down; and bowing down in bowing? So what does the instruction mean by “let us bow down and bend and kneel down?” Moses simply foresaw that the Temple was going to be destroyed and that the firstfruits were going to cease. He arose and arranged for Israel to pray three times on every day, because prayer is more pleasing to the Holy One, blessed be He, than all of the good works and all of the sacrifices. It is so written (Ps. 141:2), “Take my prayer as an offering of incense, my upraised hands as an evening sacrifice.” And when it was decreed for Moses not to enter the land in spite of all of his good works, he began to pray, and he said (in Deut. 3:25), “Please let me cross over and see [the good land].” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in vss. 26-27), “Enough from you; do not ever speak unto Me on this matter again. Go up to the top of Pisgah.” It is therefore stated (in 26:16), “[This day] the Lord your God is commanding you to perform….”¹I.e., to obey the command to go up to the top of Pisgah. Although the midrash understands the performance in reference to this one command, the simple understanding of the biblical text is that it is speaking about performing statutes and ordinances. What is written above the matter (in vs. 15)? “Look down from Your holy dwelling, [from the heavens and bless Your people].” R. Abbahu said in the name of R. Jose bar Hanina, “How spoiled and how great a pretext are given to those who perform the commandments [for doing so]: If someone has business with the empire, there are times when he gives some money, until they have him reach the king. When he does reach the king, he has doubts whether he will fulfill his request or not. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, is not like that. Rather when one goes down into his field [and] sees a [grape] cluster that has ripened early, a fig that has ripened early, a pomegranate that has ripened early, he puts it in a basket, goes to Jerusalem and enters and stands in the [Temple] courtyard; he [then] asks mercy for himself, for Israel, and for the land of Israel. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 26:15), ‘Look down from your holy dwelling, [from the heavens and bless your people].’ And not only that, but he would say, “I am not moving from here until You perform my requirements this day,’ as it is written next to it (in vs. 16), ‘This day the Lord your God is commanding you to perform.’” Resh Laqish said, “A heavenly voice (bat qol) comes forth and says, ‘You shall do it again on this day in the coming year.’ [He is] like one who gives fresh fruit to his friend, and [the friend] says to him, ‘Would that you would do this again, and give me some next year.’” R. Hiya bar Abba said, “How spoiled are those who perform the commandments in front of the Holy One, blessed be He. As the Holy One blessed be He, enacts a decree and the righteous ones annul it. As it is stated (Eccl. 8:4), ‘Inasmuch as a king’s command is authoritative, and who can say to him, “What are you doing.”’ Who is it [that can say it]? (Eccl. 8:5:) ‘One who obeys commandments will not know a bad thing,’ he can object to the Holy One, blessed be He.” And so with David, he said (II Sam. 23:3), “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke about me, ‘He that rules over men must be righteous, ruling in the fear of God.”¹See Moed Katan 16b, where this verse is explained as saying that the righteous one rules over God. [(Deut. 26:16:) “This day the Lord your God is commanding you to perform…].” What is the meaning of this day? Had the Holy One, blessed be He, not given a command to Israel until now? And was not this the fortieth year (since they left Egypt), as stated (in Deut. 1:3), “And it came to pass in the fortieth year….” Then what is the meaning of the words, “this day?” Simply that Moses spoke to Israel as follows, “On each and every day, let the Torah be dear to you, as if you had received it this day from Mount Sinai.” Moreover, it is written in another place (i.e., in Deut. 4:9), “make them known to your children….” Then it is written (in vs. 10), “The day that you stood before the Lord [your God at Horeb].” (Deut. 26:16, cont.:) “These statutes,” these are the midrashic commentaries; “and these ordinances,” these are the court decisions. Another interpretation (of Deut. 26:16), “these statutes and these ordinances: [They are meant] to include light and heavy [commandments], inferences from analogy, and fine points of scribal exegesis. (Deut. 26:16, cont.:) “So you are to be diligent in doing them.” R. Johanan said, “When anyone performs a single commandment truthfully, Scripture ascribes it to him as if it had been given [to him] from Mount Sinai, as stated (Deut. 26:16), ‘So you are to be diligent in doing.’” Then what is the meaning of (in Lev. 25:18), “and you shall do (which can also be read as, make) them?” Rather, anyone that observes the Torah and does it truthfully, it as if he arranged it and gave it from Mount Sinai. And R. Johanan also said, “Anyone who does [what is written in] the Torah truthfully, Scripture ascribes it to him as if he had made himself; as stated (in Deut. 4:14), ‘At that time the Lord commanded me to impart [to you laws and rules to make you do].’ It does not say, ‘to do them,’ but “to make you, do them.’ From here [we learn] that Scripture ascribes it to him as if he made and created himself.” (Deut. 26:16, cont.:) “With all your heart.” Behold Scripture warns Israel and says to them, “When you pray to the Holy One, blessed be He, you shall not have two hearts, one in the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He, and one for something else.”²See Ben Sira 1:28 (25).

(Deut. 26:16:) THIS DAY THE LORD YOUR GOD IS COMMANDING YOU TO PERFORM….⁴According to vs. 12, what the Holy One is commanding concerns the payment of tithes FOR THE LEVITE, THE SOJOURNER, THE ORPHAN, AND THE WIDOW. What is written above about the matter (in vs. 15)? LOOK DOWN FROM YOUR HOLY DWELLING, <FROM THE HEAVENS AND BLESS YOUR PEOPLE>. R. Abbahu said in the name of R. Jose bar Hanina: How much gratification are they given! For those who perform the commandments have a pretext <for doing so>. If someone has business with the Empire, there are times when he gives some money, until they have him reach the king. When he does reach the king, he has doubts whether he will fulfill his request or not. The Holy One, however, is not like that. Rather when one goes down into his field <and> sees a <grape> cluster that has ripened early, a fig tree that has ripened early, a pomegranate that has ripened early, he puts it in a basket, stands in the middle of the field and asks mercy for himself, for Israel, and for the land of Israel. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 26:15): LOOK DOWN FROM YOUR HOLY DWELLING, <FROM THE HEAVENS AND BLESS YOUR PEOPLE>. And not only that, but when he said: I am not moving from here until you perform my requirements this day, as written next (in vs. 16): THIS DAY THE LORD YOUR GOD IS COMMANDING YOU TO PERFORM…. Resh Laqish said: A heavenly voice (bat qol) comes forth and says: You shall do it again on this day in the coming year. <He is> like one who gives fresh fruit to his friend. Then he says: Would that you would do this again, and give me some next year.

We are taught in a Baraitha that R. Jose says: "Woe to the human beings who see and know not what they see; who stand and know not upon what they stand." Upon what does the earth stand? Upon the pillars, as it is said (Job 9, 6) Who shaketh the earth loose out of her place; The pillars stand upon the waters, as it is said (Ps. 136, 6) Who stretched out the earth above the waters; the waters upon the mountains, as it is said (Ib. 104, 6) Above the mountains stood the waters; the mountains upon the wind, as it is said (Amos 4. 13) He that wind, the wind upon the storm, as it is said (Ps. 148, 8) Stormy wind, fulfilled his word; the storm is suspended upon the supbort of the Holy One, praised be He! as it is said (Deut. 33, 27) And underneath are the everlasting arms. The sages however say: "The world stands upon twelve pillars, as it said (Ib. 32, 8) He set the bounds of the tribe according to the number of the sons of Israel." According to others, it stands upon seven pillars, as it is said (Prov. 9, 1) She had hewn out her seven pillars. R. Elazor b. Shamna says: "Upon one pillar, whose name is Zaddik (Righteous), as it is said (Ib. 10, 25) But the righteous (Zaddik) is an everlasting foundation." R. Juda said: "There are two firmaments, as it is said (Deut. 10, 14) Behold, to the Lord thy God belong the heavens and the heavens of the heavens." Resh Lakish said: "They are seven, viz.: Vilon (Curtain), Rakia (Expanse), Shchakim (Clouds), Zbul (Entertainment place), Maon (Dwelling), Machon (Residence), Araboth. Vilon serves no purpose whatever save that the luminaries enter through it in the morning and leave through it in the evening, by which means it renews daily the work of creation, as it is said (Is. 40, 22) … that stretched out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in. Rakia is that in which the sun and moon, the stars and constellations are set, as it is said (Gen. 1, 17) And God set them in the expansion of the heavens. Shehakim is that in which the millstones stand and grind manna for the righteous, as it is said (Ps. 78, 23) Then He ordained the skies from above, and the doors of heaven He opened and He let rain upon them manna to eat, and the corn of heaven gave He unto them. Zbul is that in which the heavenly Jerusalem and the Temple, and the altar are built there, where Michael the great [Arch-Angel] prince stands and offers sacrifices daily, as it is said (I Kings 8, 13) I have surely built Thee a house of habitation, a place for Thee to dwell in for ever, and whence do we know that the same is called Shamayim? It is said (Is. 63, 15) Look down from heaven (Misha-mayim) and behold, from the habitation (Zbul) of Thy Holiness, Maon is that in which are companies of ministering angels, who utter songs during the night and are silent during the day for the sake of the glory of Israel, as it is said (Ps. 42, 9) In the day time, the Lord will command His kindness, and in the night His songs shall be with me. (Resh Lakish said: "Whoever studies the Torah during the night time, the Holy One, praised be He! will stretch over him the thread of grace for the future world, which is compared unto day, as it is said: By the day the Lord gives His merciful command, and by night His song is with me." According to others Resh Lakish said: "Whoever studies the Torah in this world which is likened unto night, the Holy One, praised be He! will stretch over him the thread of grace in the world to come which is likened unto day, as it is said: By the day the Lord gives His merciful command, and by night His song is with me." R. Levi said: "Whoever interrupts his study of the Torah, and occupies himself with idle talk will, as a punishment, be fed with hot coals, as it is said (Job 30, 4) Who crops off mallows by the bushes, and have brumbush roots as their bread." And whence do we know that Maon refers to Heaven.? It is said (Deut. 26, 15) Look down from Thy habitation (Maon) of Thy holiness from the heavens. Machon is that in which are the treasures of snow and hail, and the upper chamber (store) of harmful dews and the upper chamber (store) of the raiins, and the chamber of the whirlwind and of the storm, and the retreat of noisome vabor; and their doors are made of fire, as it is said (Deut. 28, 12) The Lord will open unto thee His good treasure. Are then these treasures in Heaven? Behold, they are on the earth, for it is written (Ps. 148, 7) Praise the Lord from the earth, ye sea-monsters and all deeps; fire and hail; snow and vapor; the storm wind, that fulfill His word, hence everything exists on the earth? Said R. Juda in the name of Rab: "Originally they were situated in Heaven, but David prayed for them and caused them to be brought down, on the earth." He entreated Him: "Sovereign of the Universe! (Ib. 5, 5) For thou art not a God, that hath pleasure in wickedness; evil cannot abide with Thee, i.e., Thou art a righteous God! O God! and therefore evil cannot abide with Thee. And whence do we know that the Maon refers to heaven, it is said (I Kings 8, 43) Mayest Thou listen in Heaven, the place of Thy dwelling (Maon). Araboth is that place in which dwell righteousness. Justice and grace; the treasures of life, the treasures of blessing, and the souls of the righteous, as well as the spirits and souls which are about to be created, also the dew with which the Holy One, praised be He! will revive the dead. That there dwell righteousness and justice, we find in the following passage (Ps. 89, 15) Righteousness and justice are the prop of Thy throne. That there is grace, we infer from the following passage (Is. 59, 17) And He put on righteousness as a coat of mail. That the treasures of peace exist there, we infer from the following passage (Judges 6, 24) And He called it (the altar) Adonay-Shalom (the eternal of peace). That the treasures of life exist there we infer from the following passage (Ps. 36, 10) For with Thee is the source of life. That the treasures of blessing exist there, we infer from the following passage (I Sam. 25, 20) Yet will the soul of my lord, be bound in the bound of life with the Lord thy God. That the spirits and souls which are about to be created abide there, we infer from the following passage (Is. 57, 16) When the spirit from before Me is overwhelmed, and the souls which I have made. That there exists the dew with which the Holy One, praised be He! will survive the dead, we infer from the following passage (Ps. 68, 10) Rain of beneficience didst thou pour down, O God! There also are celestials and seraphim, and holy being and ministering angels and the Divine throne of glory, and the King, the living God, the high and exalted, sitting over them among the clouds, as it is said (Ib. ib. 5) Exalt Him who rideth upon the heavens; the everlasting is His name. And whence do we know that Araboth refers to heaven? A. Abahu said: "We infer from the similar words, Richiba, Richiba; it is written here, 'Exalt him who rideth (Rdchab) upon the heavens, and it is also written (Deut. 33, 26) Who rideth (Rochab) to help thee upon the heavens." And darkness and cloud and thick darkness surround Him, as it is said (Ps. 18, 12) He made darkness his hiding place, etc. Now is there darkness in the presence of the Lord? Is it not written (Dan. 2, 22) He is that revealeth what is deep and secret: He knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with Him? This presents no difficulty. (Fol. 13) The one refers to that which is within, the other to that which is without. R. Acha b. Jacob said: "There still is another firmament above the heads of the Holy being, for it is said (Ez. 1, 22) And the likeness of a vault was ever the head of the living creatures, shining like the glitter of the living crystal. So far hast thou permission to speak. Thenceforth thou hast not permission to speak. For thus it is written in the book of Ben Sira: "Search not into that which is concealed from thee; that which is hidden from thee do not try to penetrate; consider only that which thou hast permission. Thou must have nothing to do with mysteries."