Midrash su Esodo 11:8

[Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE, THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY.] What is the meaning of THE TESTIMONY? This is the Torah in which they would labor.¹⁸Tanh., Exod. 11:8; Exod. R. 51:7. The Holy One said to them: By virtue of the Torah and by virtue of the offerings, I am saving you from Gehinnom. Also in the case of their father Abraham, the Holy One showed him the Torah, the offerings, Gehinnom, and the empires (all of which were revealed to him in the theophany of Gen. 15):¹⁹PRK 5:2; PR 15:2; Gen. R. 44:21; M. Pss. 52:8; Mikhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Bahodesh 9; cf. Lev. R. 13:5. Torah (in Gen. 15:17): AND A FLAMING TORCH;²⁰Cf. Exod. R. 51:7, which relates this verse to the lightning on Mt. Sinai in Exod. 20:15 [18]. the offerings (in vs. 9): AND HE SAID UNTO HIM: BRING ME A THREE-YEAR-OLD HEIFER; Gehinnom (in vs. 17): A SMOKING OVEN; the empires (in vs. 12): AND LO, A GREAT DARK DREAD <FELL UPON HIM>. The Holy One said to him: As long as your children are engaged in <the first> two, they shall be saved from <the other > two. As long as they are engaged in the Torah and the offerings, they shall be saved from Gehinnom and from the empires. Now the Temple is going to be destroyed, and the offerings shall cease. Therefore, how do you say that your children should be enslaved? By Gehinnom or by the empires? Abraham chose the empires. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, Let them be enslaved by the empires, and let not one of them go down into Gehinnom. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 32:30): <HOW SHOULD ONE HAVE ROUTED A THOUSAND, OR TWO PUT TEN THOUSAND TO FLIGHT, > UNLESS THEIR ROCK HAD SOLD THEM? Now THEIR ROCK can only be their father Abraham, since it is stated (in Is. 51:1): LOOK UNTO THE ROCK OUT OF WHICH YOU WERE HEWN. (Deut. 32:30, cont.:) AND THE LORD HAD GIVEN THEM UP, because the Holy One had concurred with him (i.e., with Abraham in his decision to be enslaved by the empires). R. Hanina said: Abraham was standing in bewilderment, and did not know what to choose. The Holy One said to him: Make the decision. At that time the Holy One gave him a hint to choose the empires.²¹According to Exod. R. 51:7, the hint is found in Ps. 66:12. See also Tanh., Exod. 11:8. Ergo (in Exod. 38:21): THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE <…> OF THE TESTIMONY, <a testimony that> as long as Israel was engaged in the Torah and in the offerings, they would not go down into Gehinnom. The Holy One said to Israel: In this world you have been enslaved in the hands of empires, but in the world to come I will save you from Gehinnom by virtue of the Torah, which is called a fire, as stated (in Deut. 33:2): AT HIS RIGHT HAND THERE A FIERY LAW (dat) FOR THEM. So the fire (of Torah) puts out the fire (of Gehinnom), as stated (in Is. 43:2): WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE, YOU SHALL NOT BE SCORCHED, NEITHER SHALL THE FLAME BURN YOU.

(Lev. 10:8-9:) “And the Lord spoke unto Aaron, [saying], ‘Drink no wine or intoxicating liquor.’” Why did He give a commandment concerning wine?¹³Lev. R. 12:1; cf. Numb. R. 10:2; M. Prov. 23. Because anyone who drinks wine will have boils, sores, shame, and reproach come upon him. So the holy spirit cries out (in Prov. 23:29-35), “Who has woe; who has sorrow; who has contentions; who has talk; who has unexplained sores; who has redness of eyes? Those who tarry over wine [….] Do not stare at wine when it is red, [when it gives its color to the cup….] In the end it will bite like a snake; [….] Your eyes will see strange things; [….] You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, [….] They struck me, but I felt no hurt.” (Vs. 29) “Who has woe; who has sorrow” [means,] about whom do they say, “Woe?”; “who has contentions,” [means,] about whom do they say [that he is a master of] quarrels. [(ibid., cont.) “Who has talk, means,] and about whom do they talk? (ibid., cont.) “Who has unexplained sores,” [means,] whom [do they say] has boils on his face? [(ibid., cont.) “Who has redness of eyes ('ayin),” [means,] and about whom do they say that his eyes ('ayin) are bleary and red from wine? About whom do they say all these evils? (Vs. 30) “Those who tarry over wine.” (Vs. 31) “Do not stare at wine when it is red.” Its end is blood. It is fine on the outside and bad on the inside; so never say that it is beautiful on the inside, just as [it appears] on the outside. (According to ibid., cont.,) “When it gives its color ('ayin) to the cup (kos).” [This is the oral text (the qere).] The written text (ketiv) [says] “to the purse (kis).” The drunkard sets his eye on the cup, but the shopkeeper [sets his eye] on the purse. “When it gives its color to the cup.” When one sees his comrade drinking, he says, “Pour one for me to drink.” Then he drinks and defiles himself in dung and urine. (Ibid., cont.) “He/it¹⁴In the Biblical context it is the wine that goes down smoothly. goes down smoothly.” He ends in selling all the objects in his house and all his useful implements. Thus he [is left with] no clothes and no useful implements for the house, so that [he is left] with nothing and the house is empty from [having] everything. “He/it goes down smoothly.” In the end he declares transgressions permissible and makes them something accessible [to all] like a commons. He converses with a woman in the market place where he talks obscenely and says evil things in a drunken state without being ashamed, because he is confused and knows neither what he is saying nor what he is doing. (Prov. 23:32) “In the end it will bite like a snake.” When the snake bites a person, he does not feel it for a time; but after he goes home, [the poison in] the wound permeates him. “In the end it will bite like a snake,” most certainly like a snake. Just as in the case of the snake, [the Holy One, blessed be He,] cursed the land on account of it, as stated (in Gen. 3:17), “cursed is the land because of you”; so in the case of wine, Canaan, who was a third of the world was cursed on account of it, as stated (in Gen. 9:24-25), “Then Noah awoke from his wine…, [And he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan].’”¹⁵As Enoch Zundel explains in his commentary on Tanh., Lev. 3:5, Canaan’s curse comes through his father Ham, upon whom the curse actually fell. Since Ham represented a third of Noah’s sons, a third of the world came from him. So also Numb. R. 10:2. Ergo (in Prov. 23:32), “In the end it will bite like a snake….” (Vs. 33) “Your eyes will see strange things.” See what wine causes one who drinks it! “Your eyes will see strange things” [is a reference to], (Ps. 81:10) “There shall not be a strange god with you.” It causes him to serve idols. So it says (in Is. 28:7), “These also reel with wine and stagger with strong drink.” What is the meaning of these? [These of] which it is spoken (in Exod. 32:4), “These are your gods, O Israel.” Thus it is stated (in Exod. 32:6), “and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to engage in amorous sport.” [It was] because of wine that they said (in Exod. 32:4), “These are your gods, O Israel.” Therefore (in Prov. 23:33), “and your heart will speak deceitful things.” Thus it causes four things: idolatry, uncovering of nakedness, shedding of blood, and evil speech. See how strong wine is! So it is written (in Hab. 2:5), “And moreover, wine betrays an arrogant man.” It is also written (in Prov. 21:24), “An insolent and arrogant one, scorner is his name.” Now “insolent” must mean idolatry. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 119:21), “You rebuke the cursed insolent ones.” Moreover, “insolent ones” must [also] refer to the uncovering of nakedness. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 86:14), “O God, insolent ones have risen up over against me…”; and it says (in Ps. 19:14), “Also keep your servant from insolent ones.” Moreover, when one drinks and transgresses, he sees the whole world as a ship. It is so stated (in Prov. 23:34), “You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea.” When he lies down they smite him, but he does not feel it. Thus it is stated (in vs. 35), “They struck me, but I felt no hurt; they beat me, but I did not know it.” So when he is unknowing and unashamed, he uncovers himself. Then afterwards he returns and seeks it (i.e., wine). [Thus it is stated (ibid.),] “when I wake up, I seek it yet again.” See how evil is the end of those who drink wine. [Isaiah said (in Is. 5:11),] “Woe to those who rise early in the morning to pursue strong drink; who remain behind in the evening for wine to inflame them.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Inasmuch as wine causes such [evils], it is right for Me to command the priests not to drink wine when they minister before Me. Ergo (in Lev. 10:9:), “Drink no wine or intoxicating liquor.” Solomon said (in Prov. 23:20), “Do not be among those who imbibe wine.” Do not cause yourself to drink [wine (yyn), which implies] seventy. Then you would face seventy [judges of the Sanhedrin] and fall into the hands of death. Y (= 10) plus y (= 10), for a subtotal of 20, plus n (= 50) results in seventy.¹⁶Cf. Sanh. 38a. So you would face seventy [members of] the Sanhedrin¹⁷Gk.: Synedrion. and cause your own death. See what is written (in Deut. 21:18-19), “If one has a defiant and rebellious son…, his father and mother shall take hold of him [and bring him out unto the elders of his town]….” Then the sentence shall be passed over him; and (in vs. 21) “[All the people of his own town] shall stone him [to death] with stones.” Why? Because he is (according to vs. 20) “a glutton and a drunkard.” So Solomon has said (in Prov. 23:20), “Do not be among those who imbibe wine, who gorge themselves on meat,”¹⁸See also Prov. 23:22, which adds an admonition to obey parents. lest you bring stoning upon yourself, the most weighty of the executions.
R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite said, “In the Hebrew language the name [for wine] is yyn, and in the Aramaic language its name is hmr. By gematria¹⁹Gk.: geometria or grammateis. Gematria is an exegetical method in which an interpretation is reached from the sum of the numerical value of the letters in a word. hmr becomes two hundred and forty-eight, corresponding to the [number of] parts in a human being. The wine enters into each and every limb, so that the body becomes weakened and knowledge becomes confounded. When wine enters, knowledge departs.” And so Eleazar Haqappar has taught, “Wine (yyn), with a numerical value of seventy enters; and secrets (swd), with a numerical value of seventy,²⁰S (= 60), W (= 6), and D (= 4) add up to 70. depart.”²¹Cf. Sanh. 38a, which attributes the teaching to R. Hiyya. Therefore, the high priest was commanded not to drink wine during the time of the service, lest it confound his knowledge; for he preserves the Torah (and preserves the service) and the knowledge. Thus it is stated (in Mal. 2:6), “The true Torah was in his mouth, and no injustice was found on his lips.” It also says (in vs. 7), “For the lips of a priest preserve knowledge.” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Aaron (in Lev. 10:9), “Drink no wine or intoxicating liquor, you and your children as well.” And do [not] think that I may have commanded you [only] for the past in the beginning, at a time when the Temple was standing and you were ministering in it, since it is stated (ibid., cont.), “when you come unto the tent of witness….” [Rather,] you shall also keep yourselves from wine forever, as stated (ibid., cont.), “it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations.” Therefore, keep yourselves from wine, because wine is a sign²²Gk.: semeion. of a curse. In the case of Noah, what is written about him? (In Gen. 9:21), “Then he drank of the wine and became drunk.” Cham entered and saw his nakedness. What did [Noah] say to him? He cursed his son (in vs. 25), “And he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan.’” Therefore (in Lev. 10:9), “Drink no wine or intoxicating liquor.” And so you find that the ten tribes went into exile only from wine.²³Cf. Lev. 5:3; Numb. 10:3. See what [scripture] says (in Amos 6:1), “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,” because they were dwelling at ease in pleasure palaces. (Ibid., cont.) “and who have confidence in the mountain of Samaria,” because they were dwelling confidently in [Sebaste].²⁴The city built by Herod on the site of old Samaria. (Ibid., cont.:) “The notables of the leading nation, the ones to whom the House of Israel comes.” In what sense? The peoples of the world would sit and talk. They would say, “Who is the mightiest in Israel?” And they would answer, “Samson.” Then again they would say, “Who is the mightiest among the gentiles?” And they would answer, “Goliath,” about whom it is written (in I Sam. 17:4), “his height was six cubits and a span.” Ergo (in Amos 6:1), “The notables of the leading nation, the ones to whom the House of Israel comes.” Then again they would say, “Who is the wealthiest among the peoples of the world?” And they would answer, “Hadrian.” Then, “Who is the wealthiest in Israel?” And they would answer, “Solomon.” And these would agree with those that Solomon was the wealthiest, as stated (in I Kings 10:27), “And the king made silver [in Jerusalem as plentiful as stones].” Come and see, each and every tribe had its own May festival.²⁵Gk. Maioumas. When one wanted to go to his May festival, he would take his herd with him, so that he would eat fatlings from his flock. It is so stated (in Amos 6:4, 6), “and they would eat lambs from the flock…. Those who drink [straight] from the wine bowls….” What is their end? (Amos 6:7) “Therefore they shall now go at the head of the exiles.” Why? Because they had a passion for wine. For this reason he warns Aaron (in Lev. 10:9), “Drink no wine or intoxicating liquor.” Blessed is the one who does not have a passion for wine, for you find such to be the case with the children of Jonadab ben Rechab, in that their ancestor had commanded them, “Do not drink wine, you and your children forever” (Jer. 35:6). But what was his reason for saying, “Do not drink wine, you and your children?” It is simply that he had heard Jeremiah prophesying that the Temple would be destroyed. He said to them, “From now on, (Jer. 35:6-7), ‘Do not drink wine… You shall not build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, [or own such things]; but you shall dwell in tents all your days.” Now they had mourned and observed the commandments of their ancestor; but when Jeremiah was prophesying to Israel [and] telling them to repent, they were not doing so. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jeremiah, “You are telling them to repent, and they are not doing so. Now in the case of the children of Jonadab ben Rechab, when their ancestor gave them a simple commandment, they observed it; but when I tell Israel to repent, they do not observe [My commandment].” It is so stated (in Jer. 35:14), “The words of Jonadab ben Rechab have been upheld. He commanded his children not to drink wine, and to this day they have not drunk it…. But I spoke to you from early morning to late evening, [and you did not hearken unto me].” What is written there? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jeremiah, “Say to them, ‘By your life, whereas you have heeded this commandment, your lineage shall never disappear from before Me, even as it is written (in vs. 19), “Therefore, thus says the Lord [of hosts, the God of Israel], ‘Someone belonging to Jonadab ben Rechab shall not (ever) be cut off [from standing] before Me for ever.’”’” He therefore enlightens them concerning wine (in Lev. 10:9), “Drink no wine or intoxicating liquor.” Isaiah said (in is. 24:11), “There is a cry over wine in the streets; all gladness is obscured.” What is the meaning of “all gladness is obscured (rt.: 'rb)?”²⁶Above, Exod. 11:8. [That ] all gladness has become dark, just as you say (in Gen. 1:5),²⁷Also Gen. 1:8, 13, 19, 23, 31. “and there was evening ('rb).” (Is. 24:11, cont.:) “The joy of the earth has [departed], because Zion has come to an end.” Thus it is written (in Ps. 48:3), “Beauteous landscape, joy of the whole earth, [even Mount Zion].” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “In this world wine is a sign of a curse, but in the world to come I will make it into fresh grape juice. Thus it is stated (in Joel 4:18), “And it shall come to pass on that day the mountains shall flow with fresh grape juice….”

Blessed is the one who does not have a passion for wine, for you find such to be the case with the children of Jonadab ben Rechab, in that their ancestor had commanded and told them not to drink wine. But what was his reason for not drinking wine? It is simply that he had heard Jeremiah prophesying that the temple would be destroyed. He said to them: From now on you are to be in mourning. (Jer. 35:7:) YOU SHALL NOT BUILD A HOUSE, [SOW SEED,] PLANT A VINEYARD, OR OWN SUCH THINGS; BUT YOU SHALL DWELL IN TENTS ALL {THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE} [ALL YOUR DAYS]. Now they had observed the commandments of their ancestor; but when Jeremiah was prophesying to Israel < and > telling them to repent, they were not doing so. The Holy One said to Jeremiah: You are telling them to repent, and they are not doing so. Now in the case of the children of Jonadab ben Rechab, when their ancestor gave them a simple commandment, they observed it; but when I tell Israel to repent, they do not observe < my commandment >. It is so stated (in Jer. 35:14): THE {WORD} [WORDS] OF JONADAB BEN RECHAB HAVE BEEN UPHELD. HE COMMANDED HIS CHILDREN NOT TO DRINK WINE, AND TO THIS DAY THEY HAVE NOT DRUNK IT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE {OBSERVED} [OBEYED] THE COMMANDMENTS OF THEIR ANCESTOR. BUT I SPOKE {TO YOU} [UNTO YOU] {FROM EARLY MORNING TO LATE EVENING} [CONSTANTLY], AND YOU DID NOT HEARKEN UNTO ME. What is written there? The Holy One said to Jeremiah: Say to them: By your life, whereas you have heeded this commandment, your lineage shall never disappear from before me, even as it is written (in vs. 19): THEREFORE, THUS SAYS THE LORD [OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF ISRAEL]: SOMEONE BELONGING TO JONADAB BEN RECHAB SHALL NOT {EVER} BE CUT OFF [FROM STANDING] BEFORE ME FOR EVER. He therefore enlightens them concerning wine (in Lev. 10:9): DRINK NO WINE OR INTOXICATING LIQUOR. Isaiah said (in Is. 24:11): THERE IS A CRY OVER WINE IN THE STREETS; ALL GLADNESS IS OBSCURED. What is the meaning of ALL GLADNESS IS OBSCURED (rt.: 'RB)?³³Above, Exod. 11:8. < That > all gladness has become dark, just as you say (in Gen. 1:5):³⁴Also Gen. 1:8, 13, 19, 23, 31. AND THERE WAS EVENING ('RB). (Is. 24:11, cont.:) THE JOY OF THE EARTH HAS {COME TO AN END} [DEPARTED], because Zion has come to an end. Thus it is written (in Ps. 48:3 [2]): BEAUTEOUS LANDSCAPE, JOY OF THE WHOLE EARTH, < EVEN MOUNT ZION >. The Holy One said to Israel: In this world wine is a sign of a curse, but in the world to come I will make it into fresh grape juice. Thus it is stated (in Joel 4:18 [3:18]): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS ON THAT DAY THE MOUNTAINS SHALL FLOW WITH FRESH GRAPE JUICE….

(Fol. 102) R. Janai said: "Always shalt thou feel the respect of the king upon thee, for it is written (Ex. 11, 8) And all these thy servants shall come down unto me." R. Jochanan said: "We infer it from the following (I Kings 18, 46) And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Achab."

"And it was in the middle of the night" (Exodus 12:29) - this is [the meaning of] what is written (Isaiah 44:26), "He fulfills the word of His servant and completes the counsel of His messengers:" Rabbi Abahu said, "'He fulfills the word of His servant' - this [refers to] Moshe as it is stated (Numbers 12:7), 'Not so My servant Moshe.'" And how is it that He fulfilled it? Rather, when He brought the plague of darkness upon them, Pharaoh began to cry out (Exodus 10:24), "Go and serve the Lord, but your sheep and cattle must stay." Moshe said to him, "Upon your life! 'And also our livestock we will take, not one hoof will remain' (Ibid. 26)." What is [meant by] a hoof? Even an animal that belongs completely to an Egyptian and has one hoof that belongs to a Jew, [Moshe] will not leave. "Since from them shall we take" (Ibid.) - after he said, "from them shall we take," he went back and said "and we do not know with what we will serve the Lord." He said to him, "If with you, who are flesh and blood, [and] people die if they transgress your commands; [nonetheless] if you put out a proclamation in front of you and you say, collect this and that for me, the world can stand in front of you [and fulfill your proclamation]; but with us, perhaps God will say to us, 'sacrifice a sacrifice [that includes all of the sacrifices] of two hundred and ten years.'" That is [what is meant by] "and we do not know." Pharaoh said to him, "Until when will you enter here? 'Go away from me; guard yourself, do not see my face again!' (Ibid. 28)" Moshe said [back] to him, "you have spoken well; 'I will not see your face again.'" The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "What is still required for me? To inform Pharaoh of one plague." Immediately, He went into the palace of Pharaoh for Moshe - who said to [Pharaoh], "I will not see your face again" - so that he would not be found to be a fabricator. And you find that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not speak with Moshe in the house of Pharaoh except for that time. From where [do we know this]? As it is stated (Exodus 9:29), "When I leave the city, I will raise my hands to the Lord;" and now the Holy One, blessed be He, hastened and spoke with Moshe, as it is stated (Exodus 11:1), "still one plague will I bring upon Pharaoh, etc." Once Moshe heard [this], he rejoiced and became great, as it is stated, (Ibid. 3) "and also the man, Moshe, was very great." He begin to cry out in public (Ibid. 4), "'so did the Lord say, "at the middle of the night."' You have spoken well, 'I will not see your face again.' I, myself, will not come again to you, but rather you will come to me; and your general that is standing with you - and he is your head officer - and all of these [in] your palace retinue will come to me with you and request of me - and bow down to me - that we should leave from here;" as it is written (Ibid. 8), "And all of your servants will come down to me and bow down to me saying" - he did not want to say, 'and you will bow down to me' because of the honor of the king. When the middle of the night arrived, as Moshe said; immediately, "And it was the middle of the night and the Lord smote every firstborn." Hence, "He fulfills the word of his servant. And completes the counsel of His messengers" - that He made a counsel (agreement) with Avraham because of this thing. When? When the kings came and he pursued them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "It is enough for you until the middle of the night - come, let us split the night, you and I;" as it is stated, "And he divided against them at night (understood here as 'and He divided the night for them')." When the time came, he completed his counsel. That is [the meaning of] "And it was in the middle of the night." Thus is it written, "And completes the counsel of His messengers."