Midrash su Esodo 11:78

(Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE…. This text is related (to Prov. 28:20): A FAITHFUL PERSON WILL RECEIVE MANY BLESSINGS, [BUT ONE WHO HASTENS TO BECOME RICH WILL NOT GO UNPUNISHED]. In the case of whoever is faithful, you find that the Holy One brings blessings through him; but whoever is unfaithful AND HASTENS TO BECOME RICH WILL NOT GO UNPUNISHED.¹Tanh., Exod. 11:5; Exod. R. 51:1; Jellinek, Beth ha-Midrasch, op. cit., vol. 6, p. 105.

It is written (Ps. 119, 62.) At midnight do I constantly rise to give thanks unto Thee. Did David rise at midnight? Behold! He arose at the beginning of the night, for it is said, (Ib. ib. 147.) I came before thee in the twilight of night. And how do we know that the meaning of Neshef is the beginning of night? For it is written (Pr. 7, 9.) In the Neshef, in the evening of day. R. Oshiya said: "Thus [said David], 'I never passed half a night in sleep.'" R. Zerika said: "Until midnight he slumbered like a horse, thereafter he strengthened himself [fought sleep] like a lion." R. Ashi said: "Until midnight he was engaged in the study of the Torah; after that [he spent his time] in songs and praises." And do you say Neshef means the beginning of night? Why do we find it used as the dawn of morning? For it is written (I. Sam. 30. 37.) And David smote them from the Neshef even unto the evening of the next day. Is it not meant from morning until evening? "Nay, from evening to evening." If so, then let it be written Me-haneshef Ad Haneshef or instead of Me-ha'ereb Ad Ha'ereb! [Why are the two words Neshef and Ereb, used for the same idea?] "But," says Raba, "Neshef means originally, 'The transition of anything' hence, night ends and day comes, the day ends and night comes." But how did David know the exact time at midnight? Behold! If Moses our teacher did not know it, for it is written (Ex. 11, 4.) Thus hath the Lord said, about midnight, etc. Why [does he come to say] about midnight? Should we say that he was told so by the Holy One, praised be He! Is there any possibility of God being in doubt? We must therefore explain it that Moses was told At midnight [as it really happened]; but Moses [on his own recognizance] said About midnight; consequently we infer that Moses was in doubt. And how did David know it? David had a sign [which indicated the exact time at midnight to him], for R. Chana b. Bizna said in the name of R. Simon the Pious that: a harp was hanging over David's bed and, as soon as midnight arrived, a northerly wind blew in upon the strings of the harp and caused it to play. Thereupon, David arose and studied the Torah until dawn. At dawn the sages of Israel visited David and said to him: "Our Lord, O King! Israel, thy people need a living!" "Go and support yourselves by dealing with one another," replied David. "But," said they, "a handful does not satisfy the lion nor can a pit be filled with its own earth! [i. e., a community cannot live on its own resources]." Whereupon David said to them: "Go ye and stretch your hands out as a band [of warriors]. Immediately they held counsel with Achi'tophel and took advice from the Sanhedrin and inquired of the Urim and Tummim. R. Joseph said: "What is the passage [that refers to this]? It is written (I Chr.27, 34.) And after Achi'tophel (came) Joho'yada, the son. of Bena'yahu, and Ebya'thar, and the captain of the king's army was Joab, i.e., 'Achi'tophel' is the adviser; as it is said (II Sam. 16, 23.) And the council of Achi'tophel, which he counseled in those (Fol. 4a) days was as if a man had asked advice of the word of God: 'Jehoyada the son of Bena'yahu,' refers to the Sanhedrin; 'Ebyathar' refers to the Urim and Tummim; as the passage said (Ib. 20, 23.) And Bena'yahu, the son of Jeho'yada was over the Kareithi and Peleithi. But why are the Sanhedrin called 'Kareithi?' Because they cut their words clearly; and 'Peleithi?' Because their acts were wonderful [predestined]. And why was the name Urim given to the stones? Because they enlightened their words; 'Tummim?' Because they finished their words.' And after this, they applied to Joab, the king's captain." R. Isaac b. Ada said: "What biblical passage relates to this? [That the harp was hanging over David's bed.] Awake! my spirit, awake! my psaltry and harp; I will wake up the morning dawn! (Ps. 57, 9)." R. Zera said: "Moses, our teacher, knew very well [the exact time at midnight] and so did David; the harp was used not to tell him the time at midnight, but to awaken him from sleep. The reason for Moses' statement About midnight is that he feared lest the astrologers of Pharaoh might err in the time and would afterwards say that Moses lied; as the master has said, Use thy tongue to say, I do not know lest you be found mistaken and deceived!' " R. Ashi said: "The time when Moses spoke was midnight (between the thirteenth and the fourteenth day of Nisan) and thus he said to Pharaoh: 'The Holy One, praised be He! said, 'To-morrow, at this time, will I go out in the midst of Egypt.'"

...It is written (Ps. 119:62) At midnight do I constantly rise to give thanks unto Thee. Did David rise at midnight? Behold! He arose at the beginning of the night, for it is said, (Ib. ib. 147.) I came before thee in the twilight of night. And how do we know that the meaning of Neshef is the beginning of night? For it is written (Pr. 7, 9.) In the Neshef, in the evening of day. R. Oshiya said: "Thus [said David], 'I never passed half a night in sleep.'" R. Zerika said: "Until midnight he slumbered like a horse, thereafter he strengthened himself [fought sleep] like a lion." R. Ashi said: "Until midnight he was engaged in the study of the Torah ; after that [he spent his time] in songs and praises." And do you say Neshef means the beginning of night? Why do we find it used as the dawn of morning? For it is written (I. Sam. 30. 37.) And David smote them from the Neshef even unto the evening of the next day. Is it not meant from morning until evening? "Nay, from evening to evening." If so, then let it be written Me-haneshef Ad Haneshef or instead of Me-ha'ereb Ad Ha'ereb! [Why are the two words Neshef and Ereb, used for the same idea?] "But," says Raba, "Neshef means originally, 'The transition of anything' hence, night ends and day comes, the day ends and night comes." But how did David know the exact time at midnight? Behold! If Moses our teacher did not know it, for it is written (Ex. 11:4) Thus hath the Lord said, about midnight, etc. Why [does he come to say] about midnight? Should we say that he was told so by the Holy One, praised be He! Is there any possibility of God being in doubt? We must therefore explain it that Moses was told At midnight [as it really happened] ; but Moses [on his own recognizance] said About midnight; consequently we infer that Moses was in doubt. And how did David know it? David had a sign [which indicated the exact time at midnight to him], for R. Chana b. Bizna said in the name of R. Simon the Pious that: a harp was hanging over David's bed and, as soon as midnight arrived, a northerly wind blew in upon the strings of the harp and caused it to play. Thereupon, David arose and studied the Torah until dawn. At dawn the sages of Israel visited David and said to him : "Our Lord, O King! Israel, thy people need a living!" "Go and support yourselves by dealing with one another," replied David. "But," said they, "a handful does not satisfy the lion nor can a pit be filled with its own earth! [i. e., a community cannot live on its own resources]." Whereupon David said to them : "Go ye and stretch your hands out as a band [of warriors]. Immediately they held counsel with Achi'tophel and took advice from the Sanhedrin and inquired of the Urim and Tummim. R. Joseph said: "What is the passage [that refers to this]? It is written (I Chr.27, 34.) And after Achi'tophel (came) Joho'yada, the son. of Bena'yahu, and Ebya'thar, and the captain of the king's army was Joab, i.e., 'Achi'tophel' is the adviser; as it is said (II Sam. 16:23) And the council of Achi'tophel, which he counseled in those (Fol. 4a) days was as if a man had asked advice of the word of God : 'Jehoyada the son of Bena'yahu,' refers to the Sanhedrin; 'Ebyathar' refers to the Urim and Tummim ; as the passage said (Ib. 20, 23.) And Bena'yahu, the son of Jeho'yada was over the Kareithi and Peleithi. But why are the Sanhedrin called 'Kareithi ?' Because they cut their words clearly; and 'Peleithi?' Because their acts were wonderful [predestined]. And why was the name Urim given to the stones? Because they enlightened their words ; 'Tummim?' Because they finished their words.' And after this, they applied to Joab, the king's captain." R. Isaac b. Ada said : "What biblical passage relates to this? [That the harp was hanging over David's bed.] Awake! my spirit, awake! my psaltry and harp; I will wake up the morning dawn! (Ps. 57:9)." R. Zera said : "Moses, our teacher, knew very well [the exact time at midnight] and so did David; the harp was used not to tell him the time at midnight, but to awaken him from sleep. The reason for Moses' statement About midnight is that he feared lest the astrologers of Pharaoh might err in the time and would afterwards say that Moses lied ; as the master has said, Use thy tongue to say, I do not know lest you be found mistaken and deceived !' " R. Ashi said: "The time when Moses spoke was midnight (between the thirteenth and the fourteenth day of Nisan) and thus he said to Pharaoh: 'The Holy One, praised be He ! said, 'To-morrow, at this time, will I go out in the midst of Egypt.'"...

Speak. (I beg thee) in the ears of the people (Ex. 11, 2). It was said in the school of R. Janai: "The word Nah, means nothing else but request; the Holy One, blessed he He! said unto Moses. 'I pray thee go and tell them (Israel) that I request of them they shall ask from the Egyptians silver vessels and golden vessels, lest that righteous one (Abraham) shall not say, Aye, the decree, (Geu. 13, 13.) And they will make them serve and they will afflict them, was indeed fulfilled for them; but [the other half of the decree] And afterwards shall they go out with great substance was not fulfilled.' [When Moses informed Israel of this] they said to Him: 'O that we might go out ourselves.'" This may be likened unto a man detained in prison, who when told by the people that he would be set free the next morning and would receive a large sum of money, said to them: "I pray of you, take me out immediately; that is all I wish." And they caused to give unto them, what they required (Ib.). R. Ami said: We infer from this, that it was given to them against their will." Some say against the will of the Egyptians, and others say against the will of the Israelites; those who say against the will of the Egyptians, infer this from (Ps. 68, 13.) Yet she that tarried at home (Egypt that tarried at home), divided the spoil; and those that say against the will of the Israelites, because of the burden of carrying them; And they emptied out Egypt. (lb.) R. Ami said: "We learn from this that they left her (Egypt) like a net without grain," and Resh Lakish said: "They left her like a depth without fishes."

[(Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE]. This text is related (to II Kings 12:16 [15]): AND THEY DID NOT ASK AN ACCOUNTING FROM THE ONES INTO WHOSE HANDS THEY GAVE THE MONEY TO GIVE TO THOSE DOING THE WORK, BECAUSE THEY WERE ACTING IN GOOD FAITH. This is the generation of King Joash, which did act in good faith.²Tanh., Exod. 11:5; Exod. R. 51:2. Our masters have taught: Whoever entered the Temple treasury to make a withdrawal did not enter in a hemmed tunic³Gk.: paragaudes (“purple-bordered garment”); Lat.: paragauda (“laced garment”). or with a money girdle,⁴Lat.: funda (“moneybag”). for if he became wealthy, they would say he became rich from what belonged to the Temple treasury.⁵Cf. Sheq. 3:2; Yev. 102b. Thus a person must satisfy the people just as he satisfies Heaven, as stated (in Numb. 32:22): SO YOU SHALL BE BLAMELESS BEFORE THE LORD AND BEFORE ISRAEL…. Now Moses was sole treasurer over the business of the Tabernacle. When the Holy One said to Moses (in Exod. 25:8): MAKE ME A SANCTUARY, Moses said to all the children of Israel (in Exod. 35:4–5): THIS IS THE THING WHICH THE LORD HAS COMMANDED <…:> TAKE FROM AMONG YOU AN OFFERING…. R. Johanan said: In two mornings they brought < building materials > for the whole Tabernacle, so that they had more than enough.⁶For R. Johanan’s reasoning, see above, 7:3, and the note there. (Exod. 36:6–7:) THEN MOSES COMMANDED, AND THEY HAD IT PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE CAMP…: FOR THEY HAD SUFFICIENT SUPPLIES…. Moses said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, We have done all the work for the Tabernacle, and we have more than enough. What shall we do with the surplus? He said to them: Go and make a tabernacle for the commandments. He went and made a tabernacle for the commandments. When he came to give the accounting, he said to them (i.e., to the Israelites) thus and so was spent for the <actual> Tabernacle, and with the rest I made a tabernacle for the testimony. It is so stated (in Exod. 38:21): THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE, THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY. What is the meaning of TABERNACLE (MShKN), TABERNACLE (MShKN), <with the word repeated> two times?⁷Exod. R. 51:3. R. {Simeon} [Samuel] said: It was mortgaged (NTMShKN) two times for them.⁸The two mortgages are the two destructions of the Temple, when the Holy One took it in pledge for payment of Israel’s sins. So Exod. R. 31:10. R. Ishmael said: This < usage > is a sign⁹Gk.: semeion. for all who come into the world that there is only forgiveness for Israel alone.¹⁰Tanh., Exod. 11:6; Exod. R. 51:4. THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY is testimony for all who come into the world that the Holy One has been reconciled with Israel. A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who took a wife and loved her excessively. He became angry with her and left her. Her woman neighbors said to her: He will not return to you. After some days the king was reconciled to her and entered his palace¹¹Lat.: palatium; Gk.: palation. [with her], where he ate and drank. Now her neighbors would not believe that he had been reconciled to her; but when there was an aroma in the heavens over her, they immediately knew that the king had been reconciled to her. Similarly the Holy One loved Israel, brought them to Mount Sinai, gave them the Torah, and called them kings (in Exod. 19:6). At the end of forty days they made the calf and said (in Exod. 32:4): THIS IS YOUR GOD, O ISRAEL. In that hour the peoples of the world said: The Holy One will never again be reconciled to them. When Moses arose and prayed for them, the Holy One said to him (in Numb. 14:20): I HAVE PARDONED THEM AS YOU ASKED.¹²Jellinek, Beth ha-Midrasch, op. cit., vol. 6, p. 105. And not only that but I have had my Divine Presence dwell over them and among them, so that everyone may know that I have forgiven them. It is so stated (in Exod. 25:8): AND LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY [THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG YOU].

[(Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE]. This text is related (to II Kings 12:16 [15]): AND THEY DID NOT ASK AN ACCOUNTING FROM THE ONES INTO WHOSE HANDS THEY GAVE THE MONEY TO GIVE TO THOSE DOING THE WORK, BECAUSE THEY WERE ACTING IN GOOD FAITH. This is the generation of King Joash, which did act in good faith.²Tanh., Exod. 11:5; Exod. R. 51:2. Our masters have taught: Whoever entered the Temple treasury to make a withdrawal did not enter in a hemmed tunic³Gk.: paragaudes (“purple-bordered garment”); Lat.: paragauda (“laced garment”). or with a money girdle,⁴Lat.: funda (“moneybag”). for if he became wealthy, they would say he became rich from what belonged to the Temple treasury.⁵Cf. Sheq. 3:2; Yev. 102b. Thus a person must satisfy the people just as he satisfies Heaven, as stated (in Numb. 32:22): SO YOU SHALL BE BLAMELESS BEFORE THE LORD AND BEFORE ISRAEL…. Now Moses was sole treasurer over the business of the Tabernacle. When the Holy One said to Moses (in Exod. 25:8): MAKE ME A SANCTUARY, Moses said to all the children of Israel (in Exod. 35:4–5): THIS IS THE THING WHICH THE LORD HAS COMMANDED <…:> TAKE FROM AMONG YOU AN OFFERING…. R. Johanan said: In two mornings they brought < building materials > for the whole Tabernacle, so that they had more than enough.⁶For R. Johanan’s reasoning, see above, 7:3, and the note there. (Exod. 36:6–7:) THEN MOSES COMMANDED, AND THEY HAD IT PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE CAMP…: FOR THEY HAD SUFFICIENT SUPPLIES…. Moses said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, We have done all the work for the Tabernacle, and we have more than enough. What shall we do with the surplus? He said to them: Go and make a tabernacle for the commandments. He went and made a tabernacle for the commandments. When he came to give the accounting, he said to them (i.e., to the Israelites) thus and so was spent for the <actual> Tabernacle, and with the rest I made a tabernacle for the testimony. It is so stated (in Exod. 38:21): THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE, THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY. What is the meaning of TABERNACLE (MShKN), TABERNACLE (MShKN), <with the word repeated> two times?⁷Exod. R. 51:3. R. {Simeon} [Samuel] said: It was mortgaged (NTMShKN) two times for them.⁸The two mortgages are the two destructions of the Temple, when the Holy One took it in pledge for payment of Israel’s sins. So Exod. R. 31:10. R. Ishmael said: This < usage > is a sign⁹Gk.: semeion. for all who come into the world that there is only forgiveness for Israel alone.¹⁰Tanh., Exod. 11:6; Exod. R. 51:4. THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY is testimony for all who come into the world that the Holy One has been reconciled with Israel. A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who took a wife and loved her excessively. He became angry with her and left her. Her woman neighbors said to her: He will not return to you. After some days the king was reconciled to her and entered his palace¹¹Lat.: palatium; Gk.: palation. [with her], where he ate and drank. Now her neighbors would not believe that he had been reconciled to her; but when there was an aroma in the heavens over her, they immediately knew that the king had been reconciled to her. Similarly the Holy One loved Israel, brought them to Mount Sinai, gave them the Torah, and called them kings (in Exod. 19:6). At the end of forty days they made the calf and said (in Exod. 32:4): THIS IS YOUR GOD, O ISRAEL. In that hour the peoples of the world said: The Holy One will never again be reconciled to them. When Moses arose and prayed for them, the Holy One said to him (in Numb. 14:20): I HAVE PARDONED THEM AS YOU ASKED.¹²Jellinek, Beth ha-Midrasch, op. cit., vol. 6, p. 105. And not only that but I have had my Divine Presence dwell over them and among them, so that everyone may know that I have forgiven them. It is so stated (in Exod. 25:8): AND LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY [THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG YOU].

“It is the sound of my beloved knocking” – by means of Moses when he said: “Moses said: So said the Lord: At about midnight, I will emerge in the midst of Egypt” (Exodus 11:4). “Open for me” – Rabbi Yasa said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: My children, open for Me one opening of repentance like the eye of the needle, and I will open for you openings that wagons and carriages enter through it.
Rabbi Tanḥuma, Rabbi Ḥunya, and Rabbi Abbahu [said] in the name of Reish Lakish: It is written: “Desist, and know that I am God…” (Psalms 46:11) – the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: Desist from your evil actions and know that I am God. Rabbi Levi said: Were Israel to repent even one day, they would be redeemed immediately and the son of David would come immediately. What is the reason? “For He is our God, and we are the people of His flock and the sheep under His hand; today, if you heed His voice” (Psalms 95:7). Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Levi say: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: Desist from your wicked actions and repent in the blink of an eye, “and know that I am God.”¹⁵Earnest repentance, even for a very short time, will lead to redemption, which will itself cause widespread recognition of God.
“My sister [aḥoti]” – as they were stitched [nitaḥu] to Me in Egypt with the blood of the paschal offering and the blood of circumcision. That is what is written: “I passed you and saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you, in your blood you shall live” (Ezekiel 16:6) – this is the blood of the paschal offering. “I said to you, in your blood you shall live” – this is the blood of circumcision (Ezekiel 16:6).
“My love [rayati]” – as they fell in love [sheriu] with Me at the sea and said: “This is my God and I will exalt Him” (Exodus 15:2), “the Lord will reign for ever and ever” (Exodus 15:18). “My dove” – at Mara, as from there they were commanded and became distinctive through all the mitzvot, acts of charity, and good deeds, like the dove that is distinctive.¹⁶A dove recognizes its mate, distinguishing it from among the other doves. That is what is written: “There He instituted for it statutes and ordinances” (Exodus 15:25). “My faultless [tamati]” – My wholehearted ones [tamuti], as they were wholehearted with Me at Sinai, and said: “Everything that the Lord said, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).
Rabbi Yannai said: My twin [teomati], as it were; I am not greater than it and it is not greater that I am.¹⁷God is as assiduous regarding the honor of the righteous of Israel as He is of His own honor. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: My twin [teomati], just as with twins, if one has a headache his counterpart feels it. So too, as it were, the Holy One blessed be He says: “I am with him in times of trouble” (Psalms 91:15).
“For my head is filled with dew” – on the basis of: “The earth quaked, the heavens dripped” (Psalms 68:9). “My locks, drops of night” – on the basis of what is stated: “The clouds dripped water” (Judges 5:4).

(Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE. When Hadrian entered the Holy of Holies of the Temple, he became arrogant there and blasphemed the Holy One.¹³Exod. R. 51:5; Tanh., Exod. 11:4. R. Hiyya bar Abba said: David said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, may you consider <the matter > for yourself in this way: If they had been able to make ladders and ascend on high (lema'la), they would have ascended < against you>. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 74:5): LET HIM APPEAR AS ONE WHO WIELDS AXES UPWARD (lema'la) IN A THICKET OF WOOD. However, because they were unable, they left you and came back against us, as stated (in Ps. 79:1): O GOD, THE GENTILES HAVE COME AGAINST YOUR INHERITANCE (i.e., against Israel); THEY HAVE DEFILED YOUR HOLY TEMPLE.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 25:2): AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME (li) A PRIESTLY SHARE. Every offering concerning which li ("to me") is used contains a blessing.¹⁴Tanh., Exod. 7:4. The priestly share contains a blessing. R. Johanan said: Israel brought everything for working on the Tabernacle on two mornings.¹⁵Below, Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 11:2; Numb. 2:29; Tanh., Exod. 11:5; Numb. 2:27; Deut. 4:5; Exod. R. 41:2; 51:2; Numb. R. 2:10; 12:16; M. Pss. 101:4. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Exod. 36:3): AND THEY STILL BROUGHT FREEWILL OFFERINGS UNTO HIM IN THE MORNING, IN THE MORNING.¹⁶So in literal translation, which conveys R. Johanan’s understanding of the verse. A more usual translation would read: AND THEY STILL BROUGHT FREEWILL OFFERINGS UNTO HIM EVERY MORNING. So a blessing was given in the priestly share of the Tabernacle. (Exod. 25:2) AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 25:2): AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME (li) A PRIESTLY SHARE. Every offering concerning which li ("to me") is used contains a blessing.¹⁴Tanh., Exod. 7:4. The priestly share contains a blessing. R. Johanan said: Israel brought everything for working on the Tabernacle on two mornings.¹⁵Below, Tanh. (Buber), Exod. 11:2; Numb. 2:29; Tanh., Exod. 11:5; Numb. 2:27; Deut. 4:5; Exod. R. 41:2; 51:2; Numb. R. 2:10; 12:16; M. Pss. 101:4. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Exod. 36:3): AND THEY STILL BROUGHT FREEWILL OFFERINGS UNTO HIM IN THE MORNING, IN THE MORNING.¹⁶So in literal translation, which conveys R. Johanan’s understanding of the verse. A more usual translation would read: AND THEY STILL BROUGHT FREEWILL OFFERINGS UNTO HIM EVERY MORNING. So a blessing was given in the priestly share of the Tabernacle. (Exod. 25:2) AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE.

(Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE. Whatever Moses did he did through others, as stated (ibid.): <THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE, THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY, WHICH WERE DRAWN UP AT MOSES' BIDDING,> THE WORK OF THE LEVITES BY MEANS OF ITHAMAR <BEN AARON >.¹⁴Exod. R. 51:6. He only did <the accounting > after the work on the Tabernacle was finished. He said to them: Come and let me make an accounting before you. All Israel gathered while he sat and made calculations. He forgot one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, of which he had made hooks for the pillars.¹⁵Tanh., Exod. 11:7. He said to them (in vs. 28): AND OF THE ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIVE < SHEKELS > [HE (Ithamar) MADE HOOKS FOR THE PILLARS]. At that time Israel was mollified¹⁶A form of piyyes, which may come from the Gk. aorist, peisai (“to persuade”). over the building of the Tabernacle. And who brought it about for him? <It was> because he < himself> sat down and mollified them. (Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE. But why did he make an accounting with them when the Holy One trusted him? It is so stated (in Numb. 12:7): NOT SO WITH MY SERVANT MOSES; [HE IS TRUSTED IN ALL MY HOUSE]. Yet Moses said: Come and make an accounting with me. It was simply that Moses had heard Israel speaking behind his back, as stated {in Exod. 33:9): AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT WHEN MOSES WOULD GO [TO THE TENT], THE PILLAR OF CLOUD WOULD DESCEND…, AND THE LORD WOULD SPEAK WITH MOSES.} [(in Exod. 33:8): AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT WHEN MOSES WOULD GO OUT UNTO THE TENT, <ALL THE PEOPLE WOULD RISE>… AND STARE AFTER MOSES.] And what were they saying?¹⁷Cf. yBik. 3:3 (65c); ySheq. 5:3 (49a), which in what follows omit the attributions to named authorities; also Tanh., Exod. 9:27, which reverses the views of R. Isaac and R. Hama. Exod. R. 51:6 reads R. Johanan instead of R. Isaac. R. Isaac says: They were saying in his favor: Blessed is she who bore this man. All his days the Holy One speaks with him; all his days he genuinely belongs to the Holy One. (Exod. 33:8:) <ALL THE PEOPLE WOULD RISE …> AND STARE AFTER MOSES. But R. Hama said: They were saying to his shame: Look at the <fat> neck; look at the <fat> thighs. Moses is eating from what belongs to Jews and drinking from what belongs to Jews, for everything he possesses comes from the Jews. Then an associate of his would reply: Would you not want a person in charge of the work on the Tabernacle to be wealthy? As soon as Moses heard that, he said to them: By your life, after the Tabernacle is finished, I am making an accounting with you. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE….

Another interpretation (of Gen. 28:10): AND JACOB SET OUT. It is written (in Is. 26:20): GO, MY PEOPLE, ENTER INTO YOUR CHAMBERS AND SHUT [YOUR DOORS] BEHIND ME.¹⁶The MT reads BEHIND YOU. HIDE JUST FOR A MOMENT UNTIL MY ANGER PASSES. When you see a fateful hour, do not stand against it but give way to it. Thus it is stated: GO, MY PEOPLE, ENTER INTO YOUR CHAMBERS. Look at me, as it were, for I have perceived an hour < made > fateful through your sins. I did nothing. Instead I gave way to it, as stated (in Lam. 2:3): HE HAS WITHDRAWN HIS RIGHT HAND…. So also you, GO MY PEOPLE. Thus, the one who stands against the hour will fall into its hand; but whoever gives way to the hour will have the hour fall into his hand. Naboth stood against the hour {and stood against it} [and fell into its hand]. When Ahab said to him (in I Kings 21:2): GIVE ME YOUR VINEYARD SO THAT I MAY HAVE IT FOR A VEGETABLE GARDEN. What did he do? He said (in vs. 3): THE LORD FORBID < THAT I SHOULD GIVE YOU MY ANCESTORS' INHERITANCE >. What happened to him? He fell into the hand of the hour, as stated (in vs. 13): AND THE MEN OF BELIAL TESTIFIED AGAINST [NABOTH BEFORE THE PEOPLE…. AND THEY STONED HIM TO DEATH WITH STONES]. Abraham gave way to the hour and fled from Nimrod, the king of the Chaldeans. So the hour returned and fell into his hand when he killed sixteen kings. It is so stated (in Gen. 14:15): THEN HE DEPLOYED < HIS FORCES > AGAINST THEM BY NIGHT. Isaac also gave way to the hour when the Philistines said to him (in Gen. 26:16): GO AWAY FROM US. Immediately < the passage continues > (in vs. 17): SO ISAAC WENT AWAY FROM THERE. Then the hour returned and fell into his hand, as stated (in Gen. 26:26-28): THEN ABIMELECH CAME UNTO HIM FROM GERAR…. SO ISAAC SAID UNTO THEM: WHY HAVE YOU COME UNTO ME …? AND THEY SAID: WE HAVE CLEARLY SEEN THAT THE LORD IS WITH YOU…. Joseph also gave way to the hour. When his brothers sold him, was he not able to say: I am your brother? But he gave way to the hour, and the hour returned and fell before him, as stated (in Gen. 50:18): THEN HIS BROTHERS ALSO WENT AND FELL DOWN BEFORE HIM. Moses gave way to the hour, as stated (in Exod. 2:15): BUT MOSES FLED FROM PHARAOH. So the hour returned and fell into his hand, as stated (in Exod. 11:3): {AND} [ALSO] THE MAN MOSES WAS VERY GREAT IN THE EYES OF PHARAOH'S [SERVANTS] AND IN THE EYES OF HIS PEOPLE. David also gave way to the hour, as stated (in I Sam. 20:1): BUT DAVID FLED FROM NAIOTH. It is also written (in Ps. 3:1): WHEN HE FLED FROM HIS SON ABSALOM. And it is written (in Ps. 57:1): [WHEN HE FLED] FROM SAUL IN THE CAVE. So the hour returned and fell into his hand when Saul said to him (in I Sam. 24:21 [20]): [PLEASE] LOOK, I KNOW THAT YOU SHALL SURELY REIGN AND IN YOUR HAND THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL SHALL ARISE. So < it was > also < with > Jacob, who fled from the hour. (Hosea 12:13 [12]:) THEN JACOB FLED TO THE LAND OF ARAM. And the hour fell into his hand, as stated (in Gen. 36:6): THEN ESAU TOOK HIS WIVES < … > AND WENT INTO A LAND AWAY FROM HIS BROTHER JACOB. Ergo (in Is. 26:20): GO, MY PEOPLE, ENTER INTO YOUR CHAMBERS.

[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….”

And it came to pass in the middle of the night, that the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (Exod. 12:29). The Creator of the night divided the night precisely. The Lord smote all the first born. It was the Lord Himself who smote the firstborn and not His emissary (Moses). In fact, even though a man was elsewhere, and his firstborn was in Egypt, he died. How do we know that the firstborn of the Cuthites, Puthites, and Ludites were also slain? It is said: And smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham (Ps. 78:51).⁸Ham was the ancestor of Cush, Put, and Lud (Gen. 10:15). Only the firstborn of the Pharaoh remained alive in fulfillment of the verse However, it was for this that I raised you up (Exod. 9:16). And Ba’al Saphon was the only idol remaining, to mislead them, in fulfillment of the verse He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them (Job 12:23). Unto the firstborn of the captives (Exod. 12:29). Why were the firstborn of the captives punished? Because they had rejoiced in the decrees promulgated against Israel. Hence it is written: He that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished (Prov. 17:5). You must not be of the opinion that only the captives reacted in that manner, for the slaves and handmaidens did likewise, as is said: Even unto the firstborn of the maidservants that is behind the mill (Exod. 11:5); that is, even those who were legally bound to the millers. Even their firstborn cattle were destroyed lest the people assert: “Our deities are powerful, and that is why punishment was imposed upon them (and not upon us).”

3. [God] confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers; that saith of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inhabited'; and of the cities of Judah: 'They shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof';(Is 44:26) R. Berekiah said in the name of R Levi: Whoever confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers, do we not [therefore also] know that he will say of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inhabited'; and of the cities of Judah: 'They shall be built?' Rather [the apparent repetition may be understood by another text]: an angel appeared to our father Jacob and said to him, 'What is thy name?' And he said: 'Jacob.' And he said: 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel;(Gen 32:28-29). The Kadosh Baruch Hu appeared [afterwards] to our father Jacob to fulfill the decree of the angel [in another verse]: And God said unto him: 'Thy name is Jacob: [thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name'; and He called his name Israel.] (Gen 35:10) Jerusalem, of which all the prophets prophesied that it will be built, all the more so! Another interpretation: “[God] confirmeth the word of His servant” refers to Moses, [as he is called in another verse]: My servant Moses is not so. (Num 12:7) “Performeth the counsel of His messengers” refers to Moses, [as he is called in another verse]: [God] sent a messenger, and brought us forth out of Egypt. (Num 20:16) The Kadosh Baruch Hu said to Moses, “Go, tell the people Israel that I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, [and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt.]” (Ex. 12:12) Moses went and said to Israel, “Thus saith the LORD: About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt.” (Ex 11:4) The Kadosh Baruch Hu said, “Already I have made my promise to Moses, And I said of him 'My servant Moses is not so; he is trusted in all My house.' (Num 12:7) Should I make a liar out of My servant Moses? No, instead Since Moses said “About midnight,” then I will go out at midnight. So it happened that it came to pass at midnight, [that the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.]

5. R. Shimon Ben Yochai taught: Moses could not have known the exact moment, nor the approximate minute, nor the general time at night. This is why he said “About midnight.” (Ex 11:4) However, the Kadosh Baruch Hu knew the exact moment, and the approximate minute, and the general time at night. That is why God entered [without being early or late] by a hair's breadth. So who was it that divided [the hours of the night]? R. Benjamin bar Jafet in the name of R. Yohanan, the night divided itself. Our Rabbis say that the Creator divided it. Here it says, “And it came to pass at midnight” (Ex 12:29) and elsewhere it says, “And he divided the night against them.” (Gen 14:15) Rabbi Tanchuma said: Your father set out with Me at midnight, and I will set out with his children and midnight. The Rabbis said: the Kadosh Baruch Hu said, “your father set out with Me from last night until midnight, and I will set out with his children from midnight until the morning.” R. Yonatan said: The angel guarding over Egypt cannot fall except during the day. What is the reasoning? [From the verse] At Tehaphnehes also the day shall withdraw itself, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt, and the pride of her power shall cease in her; [as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity.](Ez 30:18) [Elsewhere it also] says, In that day there shall be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language [of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called the city of destruction. ] (Is 19:18) Which five cities are these? R. Hilkiah said in the name of R. Simon: Noa, Noph, Tehaphnehes, the City of Destruction, and the City of the Sun; Noa is Alexandria, Noph is Memphis, Tehaphnehes is Hophnias, the City of Destruction is Sharakani, and the City of the Sun is Heliopolis. R. Yohanan ben Zakkai said: We have found both night and day referred to as “day,” as it is written: And there was evening and there was morning, one day. (Gen 1:5) R. Joshua bar R. Nechamah understood [the same claim] from this: Even the darkness is not too dark for Thee, but the night shineth as the day; the darkness is even as the light.(Ps 139:12) Darkness is [the same as] lightness to Me, and [only] human beings consider it night. This is what is meant [by saying] it was on the day that the firstborn of Egypt died [although it was midnight]. This is how [it happened]: They were afflicted with the deadly curse in evening time, then their bodies shook all night, and then they died in the day time. What is the reasoning? [Because] It is not written “All of us have all died,” but rather “All of us are dying ” (Ex 12:33) Then they went and died . As it is written: On the day that I struck down all the first-born [of the Land of Egypt] (Num 3:13), and further on it says, on the day that I sanctified all the firstborn to Me (paraphrase of Num 8:17 ). On this basis one may conclude that it was on the very same day that the firstborn of Egypt died, which [God said], “on this day I have sanctified to me the firstborn [of the Israelites].”

(Cant. 2:12:) THE BLOSSOMS HAVE APPEARED IN THE LAND. These are the redeemers (i.e., Moses and Aaron).³²Cant. R. 2:12:1. (Ibid., cont.:) THE TIME OF PRUNING (rt.: ZMR) HAS ARRIVED, <i.e.,> The time for the foreskin to be pruned (rt.: ZMR) has arrived, as stated (in Exod. 15:2): THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND MY CIRCUMCISION (rt.: ZMR).³³So has the midrash understood the text. More common translations would be either THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND MY MIGHT OR THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SONG. Cf. PR 15:11, which finds the concept of pruning in the idea of the sea dividing (Exod. 14:21). Cf. also PR 15:12, which alludes to the Canaanites being cut down and the land being divided (Numb. 26:53). The time for Torah to be given has arrived, since there is written concerning it (in Ps. 119:54): YOUR LAWS HAVE BEEN MY SONGS (rt.: ZMR).³⁴Cf. Sot. 35a. (Cant. 2:12, cont.:) AND THE VOICE OF THE TURTLEDOVE IS HEARD IN OUR LAND. R. Johanan said: This VOICE OF THE TURTLEDOVE (TWR) refers to Moses,³⁵Cf. PR 15:11, which adds here that Moses led Israel through the turnings (TYYRI) of their wanderings. Cf. also PRK 5:9. since it is stated (in Exod. 11:4): THEN MOSES SAID: THUS SAYS THE LORD: ABOUT MIDNIGHT <I SHALL GO FORTH INTO THE MIDST OF EGYPT>…. (Cant. 2:13:) AND THE FIG TREE SHEDS³⁶Heb.: Hanetah. Although this rare verb can mean “enbalm” (as in Gen. 50:2, 26), here the biblical context suggests a translation such as “give form to,” “put forth,” “fill with juice,” or “ripen.” The midrash, however, understands the word in a more negative sense such as “overripen” or “shed.” ITS GREEN FIGS. These are the wicked Israelites who died during the three days of darkness. (Ibid., cont.:) AND THE BLOOMING VINES GIVE OFF AN AROMA. These are the mediocre ones who have been accepted through <the aroma of> repentance. The Holy One said to them: Why are you sitting <there>? (In the words of Cant. 2:10) ARISE. The wicked are dead and the mediocre ones have repented. ARISE, (for in the words of Exod. 12:2): In THIS MONTH you are being redeemed.

What is written above (in Exod. 11:9) on the matter? NOW THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO MOSES: PHARAOH WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO YOU…. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah disagree. R. Judah says: This parashah says at the beginning of the plagues (in Exod. 7:4): PHARAOH WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO YOU. But R. Nehemiah says: <The warning> is stated in its <present> place (in Exod. 11:9, which continues): <IN ORDER THAT MY WONDERS MAY BE MULTIPLIED IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, > in the sea more than in Egypt. (Exod. 11:10) SO MOSES AND AARON PERFORMED ALL THESE WONDERS…. The Holy one wished to credit this parashah to Moses alone.³⁷See Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34, which gives the following marginal addition: R. Jacob said: A defense (Gk.: synegoria) was entered before the Holy One. It said to him: Sovereign of the Universe, (according to Exod. 11:10) MOSES AND AARON PERFORMED….; yet you wish to credit this parashah to Moses alone! The Holy One said to it: You have taught well. As you (Moses and Aaron) live, I am crediting it to both of you. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 12:1): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON …

What is written above (in Exod. 11:9) on the matter? NOW THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO MOSES: PHARAOH WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO YOU…. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah disagree. R. Judah says: This parashah says at the beginning of the plagues (in Exod. 7:4): PHARAOH WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO YOU. But R. Nehemiah says: <The warning> is stated in its <present> place (in Exod. 11:9, which continues): <IN ORDER THAT MY WONDERS MAY BE MULTIPLIED IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, > in the sea more than in Egypt. (Exod. 11:10) SO MOSES AND AARON PERFORMED ALL THESE WONDERS…. The Holy one wished to credit this parashah to Moses alone.³⁷See Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34, which gives the following marginal addition: R. Jacob said: A defense (Gk.: synegoria) was entered before the Holy One. It said to him: Sovereign of the Universe, (according to Exod. 11:10) MOSES AND AARON PERFORMED….; yet you wish to credit this parashah to Moses alone! The Holy One said to it: You have taught well. As you (Moses and Aaron) live, I am crediting it to both of you. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 12:1): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON …

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….

5.

“A locked garden is my sister, my bride; a locked fountainhead, a sealed spring. Your branches are an orchard of pomegranates, with delicious fruit, henna with nard” (Song of Songs 4:12–13).
“A locked garden is my sister, my bride” – Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: [This is analogous] to a king who had two daughters, one older and one younger, and he did not devote attention to arranging their marriages. The king left them for many years and went overseas. The girls arose and asserted themselves and married themselves to men. Each of them would take her husband’s seal and his signet. Years later, the king returned from overseas and he heard the voices of the people slandering his daughters and saying that the king’s daughters had engaged in licentiousness. What did he do? He issued a proclamation and said: The entire people shall go out to the assembly hall. He came and sat in the vestibule. He said to them: ‘My daughters, is this what you have done; have you tainted yourselves?’ Immediately, each of them produced her husband’s seal and his signet. He called his son-in-law and said to him: ‘To whom are you a bridegroom?’ He said to him: ‘I am your first son-in-law, [married] to your older daughter.’ He said to him: ‘What is this?’ He said to him: ‘This is my seal and this is my signet,’ and likewise [occurred with] the second [son-in-law].
At that moment, the king said: My daughters are sheltered from immorality and you slander and demean them? By your lives, I will administer justice against you. So it is with the nations, because they would taunt Israel and say: “Egypt enslaved the children of Israel [with harshness]” (Exodus 1:13); if they compelled them to perform labor, all the more so [they must have dominated] their bodies and their wives. At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He said: My sister, My bride, a locked garden. What is a locked garden? The Holy One blessed be He said: My garden is locked and it is being condemned?¹³³This is a metaphor meaning: The women of Israel have not had relations with anyone other than their husbands, and yet they are being maligned? Rabbi Pinḥas said: At that moment the Holy One blessed be He called the angel appointed over pregnancy and said: Go and shape [the children] with all the features of their fathers. Who did the fathers themselves resemble? The paterfamilias of the families. That is what is written regarding Reuben: “The families of the Reubenites [haReuveni]” (Numbers 26:7). Rabbi Hoshaya said: Reuben, Reubenite [haReuveni], Simeon, Simeonite [haShimoni].¹³⁴See Numbers 26:14. The members of the tribes are referred to in this way in order to imply that they looked like Reuben and Simeon. This was proof that they were actually the descendants of their fathers. Rabbi Marinos ben Rabbi Hoshaya said: Like you say: Baronite, Savronite, Sivoyite.¹³⁵These were names common at the time of the writing of the midrash. Just as Baronite means a member of the Baron family, the same is true of Reubenite. Alternatively, Rabbi Marinos is disputing Rabbi Hoshaya’s point and saying that just as members of any family can be referred to in this manner, the term Reubenite does not mean anything special (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Idi: Heh at the beginning of the word and yod at the end; God [yod-heh] attests for them that they were indeed the sons of their fathers.
Rabbi Pinḥas said: “A locked garden” – these are the virgins. “A locked fountainhead” – these are the non-virgins.¹³⁶Although there is an opening – gal means door in Aramaic – it remains locked before men other than her husband. “A sealed spring” – these are the males.¹³⁷They did not engage in illicit sexual activity. It was taught in the name of Rabbi Natan: “A locked garden, a locked fountainhead” – why was it [written] twice? Rather, it connotes two acts of intercourse for the woman; one in the typical manner and one in the atypical manner.¹³⁸Vaginal intercourse and anal intercourse.
Rabbi Huna said in the name of bar Kappara: By virtue of four matters, Israel was redeemed from Egypt: That they did not change their name, they did not change their language, they did not speak slander, and not one of them was steeped in licentiousness. They did not change their name: Reuben and Simeon descended [to Egypt]; Reuben and Simeon ascended. They did not call Reuben Rufus, they did not call Simeon Luleyani, Joseph, Listis, or Benjamin, Alexandra.
They did not change their language. There, it is written: “The survivor came and told Abram the Hebrew” (Genesis 14:13), and here it is written: “The God of the Hebrews has called upon us” (Exodus 5:3), and it is written: “That it is my mouth speaking to you” (Genesis 45:12), in the sacred tongue.
They did not speak slander, as it is stated: “Speak now in the ears of the people, and let them ask each man from his neighbor” (Exodus 11:2). You find that this matter had been entrusted to them for twelve months, and not one of them was found to have informed on his counterpart.¹³⁹The Israelites knew twelve months before the Exodus that they would ask to borrow goods from the Egyptians and that they would then leave Egypt never to return. Nonetheless, none of them told the Egyptians about this plan.
Not one of them was steeped in licentiousness, as it is stated: “The son of an Israelite woman, [whose father was an Egyptian.…] the son of the Israelite woman blasphemed” (Leviticus 24:10–11), to apprise in praise of Israel that not one of them was found except for this one, and the verse publicized her.¹⁴⁰The verse specifies that this woman had conceived from an Egyptian man in order to emphasize that she was the exception; no other Israelite women had intercourse with Egyptian men.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Sarah descended to Egypt¹⁴¹See Genesis 12:10–20. and sheltered herself from licentiousness, and all the [Israelite] women were sheltered by her merit. Joseph descended to Egypt and sheltered himself from licentiousness, and all the males were sheltered by his merit.
Rabbi Pinḥas in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya: The sheltering from licentiousness was itself sufficient that by its merit Israel would have been redeemed from Egypt. What is the reason? “A locked garden is my sister, my bride.” What is written thereafter? “Your branches [shelaḥayikh]¹⁴²They merited to be sent [lehishalaḥ] from Egypt. are an orchard of pomegranates.”
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: [This is analogous] to one to whom an inheritance fell at the site of a garbage dump. The heir was indolent and he sold it at a minimal price. The purchaser went and industriously excavated there and found a treasure. He built a large palace. The purchaser began walking in the marketplace with servants following him [all due] to the treasure that he had purchased there. The seller saw and was sorrowful, saying: Woe is me over what I lost. So too, when Israel was in Egypt, they were enslaved in mortar and bricks and they were contemptible in the eyes of the Egyptians. When they saw their flags encamped at the sea in the array of a royal army, the Egyptians became sorrowful, saying: Woe are we, what did we send from our land? This is as it is stated: “It was [vayhi] when Pharaoh sent (Exodus 13:17).¹⁴³Pharaoh shouted woe [vay] is me.
Rabbi Yonatan said: [This is analogous] to one who had a field capable of producing a kor, and he went and sold it at a minimal price. The purchaser went and excavated springs and planted gardens and orchards there. The seller saw and was sorrowful, saying: Woe is me over what I lost. So too, when Israel was in Egypt, they were enslaved in mortar and bricks and they were contemptible in the eyes of the Egyptians. When they saw their flags encamped at the sea in the array of a royal army, the Egyptians became sorrowful, saying: Woe are we, what did we send from our land? This is as it is stated: “It was [vayhi] when Pharaoh sent” (Exodus 13:17).
Rabbi Yosei said: [This is analogous] to one who had chopped-down cedars, and he sold it at a minimal price. The purchaser went and crafted from them trunks, closets, chests, and wagons. The seller saw and was sorrowful, saying: Woe is me over what I lost. So too, when Israel was in Egypt, they were enslaved in mortar and bricks and they were contemptible in the eyes of the Egyptians. When they saw their flags encamped at the sea in the array of a royal army, the Egyptians became sorrowful, saying: Woe are we, what did we send from our land? This is as it is stated: “It was [vayhi] when Pharaoh sent” (Exodus 13:17).

“The blossoms have appeared in the land, the time of the nightingale has arrived, and the sound of the turtledove is heard in our land” (Song of Songs 2:12).
“The blossoms [hanitzanim] have appeared in the land,” the administrators [hanatzoḥot] have appeared in the land; these are Moses and Aaron, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying” (Exodus 12:1).¹¹⁰This is the month of redemption and they would be the leaders who facilitate that redemption.
“The time of the nightingale [hazamir] has arrived,” the time for Israel to be redeemed has arrived, the time for the foreskin to be cut off [shetizamer] has arrived, the time for Egypt to be cut off has arrived, the time for their idol worship to be uprooted has arrived, as it is stated: “And I will administer punishments against all the gods of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12). The time for the sea to have its water split has arrived, as it is stated: “The water split” (Exodus 14:21). The time for song has arrived, as it is stated: “Then Moses…sang” (Exodus 15:1). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: The time to compose paeans to the Holy One blessed be He has arrived, as it is stated: “The Lord is my strength and my song [vezimrat ya]” (Exodus 15:2); paeans to the Lord [zemirot ya]. Rabbi Beivai said: “Your statutes were paeans to me” (Psalms 119:54). ”The sound of the turtledove [hator] is heard in our land,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The voice of a good explorer [tayar] was heard in our land; this is Moses, at the time that he said: “Moses said: So said the Lord: At about midnight” (Exodus 11:4).

(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."

(Exod. 7:10:) SO MOSES AND AARON CAME… It was proper for Aaron to enter first because he was three years older than < Moses >, but in the eyes of the Egyptians Moses was greater, as stated (in Exod. 11:3): {AND} ALSO THE MAN MOSES WAS VERY GREAT IN THE LAND OF EGYPT….

Another matter, “there was a small city” – this is Egypt, “and few men in it” – these are the Israelites, as it is stated: “With seventy people your ancestors descended to Egypt…” (Deuteronomy 10:22). “And a great king came against it” – this is Pharaoh. “And surrounded it and built a great siege upon it” – as he issued edicts, one harsher than the one before: He prevented them from engaging in marital relations, he pulled their foreskins,⁹⁵He forced the Israelite men to conceal their circumcisions. and had them grow a forelock.⁹⁶This was a hairstyle common among the Egyptians. Pharaoh was trying to force the Israelites to assimilate into Egyptian culture. “He found in it a poor, wise man” – this is Moses, as it is stated: “Moses said: So said the Lord: About midnight…” (Exodus 11:4).⁹⁷God had stated that the plague of the firstborn would take place at midnight. Moses, when warning Pharaoh of the impending plague, said it would take place “about midnight.” This was due to his wisdom, as he reasoned that if the Egyptians would err in calculating exactly when midnight was, they might rationalize that this was not performed by God, or that Moses did not know exactly what God would do (Midrash HaMevoar, based on Berakhot 4a). “And he saved the city in his wisdom” – as he said: “They shall take of the blood…” (Exodus 12:7).⁹⁸By instructing the Israelites as to the performance of the paschal offering, Moses caused them to be saved from the plague of the firstborn. “But no one remembered that poor man”⁹⁹The Israelites complained about Moses in the wilderness and did not take into account that he had saved them in Egypt. – the Holy One blessed be He said: You did not remember him; I remember him, as it is stated: “He remembered the days of old, Moses, His people” (Isaiah 63:11).

(Numb. 7:1), “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.” Rav says, “Every place where it is stated, ‘So it came to pass (wayehi),’ [is referring to] something new”; but R. Simeon says, “Every place where it says, ‘So it came to pass (wayehi)’ [is referring to] something which existed, has ceased [to exist] for a long time, and has returned to be as it was.⁹⁰Numb. R. 12:6; PR 5:7. This text is related (to Cant. 5:1), “When I come to my garden, my sister bride.” R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He longed to have an abode below just as He had on high.⁹¹Cf. PR 5:5; PRK 1:1; Numb. R. 13:2. Having created Adam, He commanded and said to him (in Gen. 2:16–17), ‘You may freely eat of any tree in the garden; But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you may not eat of it.’ Then he transgressed against his commandment.⁹²Tanh., Exod. 11:6. The Holy One, blessed be He, said this to him, ‘This is what I longed for, that just as I have a dwelling on high, I would likewise have one below. Now when I have given you one command, you have not kept it. Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, removed His Divine Presence [up] to the first firmament. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 3:8), “Then they heard the voice of the Lord God moving about in the garden.” [Now when they transgressed His commandment, He had [only] removed His divine presence to the first firmament.] [When] Cain arose and killed Abel, He immediately removed His Divine Presence from the first firmament to the second firmament…. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I created seven firmaments, and up to now there are wicked ones [still] arising upon [the world].’ What did He do? He folded away all the generations of the wicked and raised up our father Abraham. When our father Abraham arose and performed good works, the Holy One, blessed be He, immediately descended from the seventh firmament to the sixth. [When] Isaac arose and stretched out his neck upon the altar, He descended from the sixth firmament to the fifth…. [When] Moses arose, he brought down [the Divine Presence] to earth, as stated (in Exod 19:20), ‘And the Lord came down onto Mount Sinai.’” And [so] it is written (in Cant. 5:1), “When I come to my garden, my sister bride.” When? When the Tabernacle was set up.

Another interpretation (of Is. 44:26): <HE> CONFIRMS THE WORD OF HIS SERVANT. This is Moses, about whom it is stated (in Numb. 12:7): NOT SO⁶⁹I.e., unlike other prophets with whom (according to Numb. 12:6) the Holy One speaks in a vision or dream. WITH MY SERVANT MOSES <…. WITH HIM I WILL SPEAK MOUTH TO MOUTH….> (Is. 44:26, cont.:) AND FULFILLS THE COUNSEL OF HIS MESSENGERS. This is Moses of whom it is stated (in Numb. 20:16): AND HE (the Holy One) SENT A MESSENGER WHO BROUGHT US OUT FROM EGYPT. The Holy One said to Moses (in Exod. 12:12): Go! Say to Israel: I WILL PASS THROUGH THE LAND OF EGYPT <ON THIS NIGHT AND WILL SMITE EVERY FIRST-BORN IN THE LANDOF EGYPT…. > Moses went and said to Israel (according to Exod. 11:4): ABOUT MIDNIGHT.⁷⁰Thus Moses specified the time on his own. The Holy One said: Now have I not already promised Moses and said (in Numb. 12:7): NOT SO WITH MY SERVANT MOSES; <HE IS TRUSTED IN ALL MY HOUSE>? Did I not say so? And is my servant Moses to seem like a liar? Rather, even as Moses said (in Exod. 11:4): ABOUT MIDNIGHT, so I will act at midnight to confirm the decree of Moses. Ergo (in Is. 44:26): <HE> CONFIRMS THE WORD OF HIS SERVANT. Therefore (in Exod. 12:29): AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. <Exod. 11:4; 12:29 also> teaches that the night <generally> divides on its own, but he (i.e., the Holy One) divided it like a thread of hair.⁷¹I.e., while Moses could only approximate and say: ABOUT MIDNIGHT, the Holy One could act IN the exact MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. See Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Pisha 13; PRK 7:5; also 7:2.

Resh Laqish said: It teaches that before the plague (makkah) there was another blow (makkah). How so? Whenever the Holy One wished to bring a plague upon the Egyptians, he would dispatch Moses and say to him: Go and tell them that I am bringing such and such and such a plague upon them. So when the plague of the first-born was coming, Moses said to them (in Exod. 11:4): ABOUT MIDNIGHT <….>

"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."

"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."

"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."

(Cant. 5:2:) I SLEEP, BUT MY HEART IS AWAKE.⁷²PRK 5:6; PR 15:6; Cant. R. 5:2:1-2. The congregation of Israel said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the Universe, I SLEEP without the Holy Temple, BUT MY HEART IS AWAKE in the synagogues and in the academies. I SLEEP without the sacrifices, BUT MY HEART IS AWAKE in the commandments and almsgiving. I SLEEP without the good deeds, BUT MY HEART IS AWAKE for performing them. I SLEEP without the end time, BUT MY HEART IS AWAKE for the redemption. I SLEEP without the redemption, BUT MY HEART IS AWAKE for the Holy One when he redeems me. R. Hiyya bar Abba said: {How} [Where] do we find that the Holy One is called the Heart of Israel? In this scripture (Ps. 73:26): GOD IS THE ROCK OF MY HEART AND MY PORTION FOREVER. (Cant. 5:2, cont.:) THE SOUND OF MY BELOVED KNOCKING. This refers to Moses, since it is stated (in Exod. 11:4): THEN MOSES SAID: THUS SAYS THE LORD: ABOUT MIDNIGHT < I SHALL GO FORTH INTO THE MIDST OF EGYPT >. (Cant. 5:2, cont.:) OPEN FOR ME. R. Jose said: The Holy One said: Make an opening for me as with the point of a needle so that I may open up [an opening] for you through which tents and {siege fortifications} [< even > a camp]⁷³Lat.: castra. can pass. (Cant. 5:2, cont.:) MY SISTER (rt.: 'H), < so named > in Egypt, where they became grafted (rt.: 'HH) to me by < performing > two commandments through the blood of the paschal offering and through the blood of circumcision. (Ibid., cont.:) MY BELOVED (rt.: R'H): They became beloved (rt.: R'H) to him at the sea and said (in Exod. 15:18): THE LORD SHALL REIGN FOR EVER AND EVER. (Cant. 5:2, cont.:) MY DOVE, < so named > in Marah where they were given orders for me⁷⁴The translation follows MS 1240 of the De Rossi Library in Parma, which is similar to PRK 5:6. The Buber text reads: “I myself was given orders.” like a dove through commandments (see Exod. 15:23-25) (Cant. 5:2, cont.:) MY INNOCENT, because they became innocent to me at Sinai and said (in Exod. 24:7): ALL THAT THE LORD HAS SPOKEN WE WILL DO AND OBEY. (Cant. 5:2, cont.:) FOR MY HEAD IS DRENCHED WITH DEW, since it is stated (in Jud. 5:4): EVEN THE HEAVENS DRIPPED.

(Exod. 11:5:) AND EVERY FIRST-BORN <IN THE LAND OF EGYPT> SHALL DIE. All the first-born came together with their fathers.⁷³PRK 7:6/9; PR 17:5. <The first-born> said to < their fathers >: Whatever Moses has said he has brought upon us. Do you not wish us to live? Rather come and let us have these {slaves} [Hebrews] go away from among us; for if we do not, we are dead. They answered them and said to them: Even if all the Egyptians die, they will not go away from here. What did they do? All the first-born came together and went to Pharaoh. They cried out unto Pharaoh and said to him: Please have this people go away, for because of them evil will come {over them and over him} [over us and over you]. He said to his servants: Get going and beat those <people> on the legs. What did the first-born do? Immediately, when they had gone out, each and every one of them took his sword and killed his father. It is so stated (in Ps. 136:10): TO THE ONE WHO SMOTE EGYPT THROUGH THEIR FIRST-BORN. "To the one who smote the first-born of Egypt" is not written here, but TO THE ONE WHO SMOTE EGYPT THROUGH THEIR FIRST-BORN. After they had killed their fathers, the Holy One appeared [over them] and killed them, as stated (in Exod. 12:29): <AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT > THAT THE LORD SMOTE ALL THE FIRST-BORN, <FROM THE FIRST-BORN OF PHARAOH, WHO WAS SITTING UPON HIS THRONE, TO THE FIRST-BORN OF THE CAPTIVE WHO WAS IN THE DUNGEON, AND ALL THE FIRST-BORN OF THE CATTLE.> If the first-born of the Egyptians had sinned, how had the captives sinned?⁷⁴Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Pisha 2; Tanh., Exod. 3:7. It is simply that they had {said and rejoiced} [rejoiced and said]: We may remain in slavery, but do not let Israel get away from here. For that reason he killed them (according to Exod. 12:29): TO THE FIRST-BORN OF THE CAPTIVE. <The same applies> all the more to first-born of the bondmaid, since they were oppressors. But why were THE FIRST-BORN OF THE CATTLE killed? Because the Egyptians were bowing down to the lambs. <It was> so they would not say: Our idolatry is too strong for him to have dominion over it with divine retribution. [Therefore (in Exod. 12:29): AND ALL THE FIRST-BORN OF THE CATTLE.]

"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."

(Ibid., cont.:) BECAUSE THERE WAS A GREAT CRY…. How so? When an Egyptian marries five women, he has five first-born from them; and likewise when a woman is married to five men, she has from them five first-born {from them}. So all of them died. It was in order to confirm what is stated (in Exod. 11:5): AND EVERY FIRST-BORN <IN THE LAND OF EGYPT> SHALL DIE. Moreover, a house in which there was no first-born had an outcry {greater than the house} [as great as in the house] in which there was a first-born, because the master of the house was <himself> a first-born,⁷⁶I.e., by virtue of his status the head of the house was considered a first-born. as stated (in Ps. 89:28 [27]): I WILL ALSO APPOINT HIM FIRST-BORN. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 12:30): BECAUSE THERE WAS A GREAT CRY IN EGYPT; FOR THERE WAS NO HOUSE WHERE THERE WAS NOT SOMEONE DEAD.

Moses immediately hearkened to God and went to divide the sea, but the sea refused to comply, exclaiming, "Shall I split at your behest? Am I not greater than you, since I was created on the third day and you on the sixth?" When Moses heard this, he went and informed God, "The sea refuses to part."

Another interpretation (of Numb. 7:1): SO IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED. Rabbi <Judah the Prince> says: Every place where it is stated: SO IT CAME TO PASS (wayehi), [<is referring to> something new; but R. Simeon b. Johay says: Every place where it says: SO IT CAME TO PASS (wayehi)] <is referring to something which existed, has ceased <to exist> for a long time, and has returned to be as it was.¹⁰⁸Tanh., Numb. 2:16; Numb. R. 12:6; PR 5:7. This text is related (to Cant. 5:1): WHEN I COME TO MY GARDEN. When the Holy One created the world, he longed to have an abode below just as he had on high.¹⁰⁹Cf. PR 5:5; PRK 1:1; Numb. R. 13:2. Having called Adam, he commanded and said to him (in Gen. 2:16–17): YOU MAY FREELY EAT OF ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN; BUT AS FOR THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, YOU MAY NOT EAT OF IT. Then he transgressed against his commandment.¹¹⁰Tanh., Exod. 11:6. The Holy One said this to him: This is what I longed for: Just as I have a dwelling on high, I would likewise have one below. Now when I have given you one command, you have not kept it. Immediately the Holy One removed his Divine Presence <up> to the firmament. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 3:8): THEN THEY HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD GOD MOVING ABOUT IN THE GARDEN AT THE BREEZE TIME OF DAY. [Now when they transgressed his commandment, he had <only> removed his Divine Presence to the first firmament.] <When> Cain arose and killed Abel, he immediately removed his Divine presence from the first firmament to the second firmament. <When> the generation of Enosh arose and became servers of idols, as stated (in Gen. 4:26): THEN THERE WAS PROFANATION IN CALLING <OTHER GODS> BY THE NAME OF THE LORD, he removed his presence from the second to the third <firmament>. The generation of the flood arose, and it is written of them (in Job 21:14): YET THEY SAID TO GOD: LEAVE US ALONE. Immediately he removed his Divine Presence from the third firmament to the fourth. When the generation of the dispersion <of the nations> arose, they said: He has no right to choose the upper regions for himself and give us the lower regions. What did they say (in Gen. 11:4)? COME, LET US BUILD OURSELVES A CITY. But what did the Holy One do to them (according to vs. 8)? SO THE LORD DISPERSED THEM OUT OF THERE. He arose and removed his Divine Presence from the fourth firmament to the fifth. When the Sodomites arose, what is written of them (in Gen. 13:13)? NOW THE PEOPLE OF SODOM WERE EVIL AND SINFUL [AGAINST THE LORD, EXCEEDINGLY SO]. They were EVIL to each other, SINFUL in sexual matters, AGAINST THE LORD in idolatry, and EXCEEDINGLY SO in bloodshed.¹¹¹Above, Gen. 4:8. Immediately the Holy One removed his Divine Presence from the fifth firmament to the sixth. The Philistines arose and provoked the Holy One; <so> he immediately removed his Divine Presence from the sixth firmament to the seventh. The Holy One said: I created seven firmaments, and up to now there are wicked ones <still> arising. What did the Holy One do? He folded away all the generations of the wicked and raised up our father Abraham. When our father Abraham arose and performed good works, the Holy One immediately descended from the seventh firmament to the sixth. <When> Isaac arose and stretched out his neck upon the altar, he descended from the sixth firmament to the fifth. <When> Jacob arose, he descended from the fifth to the fourth. <When> Levi arose, whose works were comely, he descended from the fourth to the third. <When> Kohath (the son of Levi and Grandfather of Moses) arose, he descended from the third <firmament> to the second. <When> Amram arose, he brought him down from the second to the first firmament. <When> Moses arose, he brought down the Divine Presence <to earth>. When? When the Tabernacle was set up. The Holy One said (in Cant. 5:1): WHEN I COME TO MY GARDEN for something for which I was longing. And this is (the context of Numb. 7:1): SO IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED. Hence R. Simeon ben Johay said: SO IT CAME TO PASS (wayehi) can only be something which existed, has ceased <to exist> for a long time, and has returned <to be> as it was.

Rabbi Joshua, son of Ḳorchah, said: In that night when our mother Sarah was taken, it was Passover night, and the Holy One, blessed be He, brought upon Pharaoh and upon his house great plagues, to make known that thus in the future would He smite the people of his land, as it is said, "And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues" (Gen. 12:17). Concerning the Egyptians it is written, "Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt" (Ex. 11:1). Was this a plague? Was it not (the slaying of) the first-born of the Egyptians? But the slaying is compared with the plagues, therefore it is said, "And the Lord plagued || Pharaoh" (Gen. 12:17).

... Said the Holy One: You are indebted/obligated/chayavim to the dogs, for in the hour that I killed the firstborn of Egypt . . . the Egyptians were sitting all night and burying their dead, and the dogs barked at them, and at Israel they didn’t bark. . . therefore . . . “to the dog you will

Rabbi Hun stated in the name of Bar Kappara: Israel were redeemed from Egypt on account of four things; because they did not change their names, they did not change their language, they did not go tale-bearing, and none of them was found to have been immoral. 'They did not change their name', having gone down as Reuben and Simeon, and having come up as Reuben and Simeon. They did not call Reuben 'Rufus' nor Judah 'Leon', nor Joseph 'Lestes', nor Benjamin 'Alexander'. 'They did not change their language', as may be inferred from the fact that it is written elsewhere, 'And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew' (Genesis 14:13), while here it is written, 'The God of the Hebrews has met with us' (Exodus 15:3), and it is written 'It is my mouth that speaks unto you' (Genesis 45:12), which means that he spoke in Hebrew.

And when the days of darkness were over, the Lord sent Moses to the children of Israel, ‎saying: Celebrate ye your feast and prepare your passover, for behold I will come at midnight ‎in the midst of the Egyptians, and I will slay all their first born, from the first born of man to the ‎first born of beast, and when I will see your passover I will pass over you; and the children of ‎Israel did according to all that the Lord had commanded unto Moses. And at midnight the Lord ‎passed through Egypt, and he slew all the first born of the Egyptians, from the first born of ‎man to the first born of beast; and Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all ‎the Egyptians, and there was a great crying in Egypt; for there was not one house where there ‎was not one dead; and even the likenesses of the first born, which were engraved upon the ‎walls of their houses, fell broken to the ground, and the bones of their first born, which had ‎died before and lay buried in their houses, were raked up by the dogs of Egypt in that night, ‎and dragged about before the eyesight of the Egyptians. And when the Egyptians saw the ‎great evil which had befallen them so suddenly, they cried with a loud voice, so that all the ‎families of Egypt were weeping in that night, one for his son and one for his daughter, their ‎first born, and the consternation and noise of Egypt resounded in the distance on that night. ‎And Bathia, Pharaoh’s daughter, went forth with the king in search of Moses, and they found ‎him eating and drinking and rejoicing with all the Israelites, and Bathia said unto Moses: Shall ‎this be the reward for my kindness towards thee, for raising and elevating thee, that thou ‎bringest now upon me and upon the house of my father this evil? And Moses answered unto ‎her: Behold the Lord hath brought ten plagues over Egypt, and hath ever one annoyed thee? ‎And she said: No. And Moses said: Behold, although thou art the first born of thy mother thou ‎shalt not die, neither shall any evil befall thee. And she replied: Of what good is that to me ‎after I see my brother, the king, and all the household of my father, and all his servants in that ‎great evil, for their first born perish with all the first born of Egypt? And Moses said unto her: ‎Surely, thy brother and his household and his servants, the families of Egypt refused to listen ‎to the words of God and therefore this evil hath come over them. ‎

(Bamidbar 12:3) "And the man Moses was extremely humble": "humble" in his mind (i.e., complaisant). You say humble in his mind, but perhaps (the meaning is) "humble" in his wealth; it is, therefore, (to negate this) written (Shemot 11:3) "The man Moses, also, was very great" (in context, in wealth). We find that the second tablets made by Moses were of sapphire, it being written (Devarim 10:1) "Carve out for yourself ([the fragments of the first tablets were vouchsafed to Moses]) two tablets of stone like the first." Just as the first were of sapphire, so, these. And whence is it derived that the first were of sapphire? From (Shemot 32:16) "And the (first) tablets were the work of G-d," and (Ibid. 24:10) "… and under His feet, as the work of a pavement of sapphire." "work" is likened to "work." Just as "work" there (24:10) is of sapphire, so, "work" here (32:16). "more" (humble) than any man on the face of the earth": but not (more humble) than the forefathers. R. Yossi says: Even (more humble) than the forefathers. And what is the intent of than any man on the face of the earth"? — but not (more humble) than the angels.

"For in haste did you leave the land of Egypt.": I might think the haste of both Israel and Egypt. It is, therefore, written (Shemoth 11:7) "And against all the children of Israel a dog shall not sharpen its tongue" — Say, then, it was only Egypt that was in haste.

"This is the thing": We are hereby apprised that just as the prophets prophesied by "Thus said the L-rd," so did Moses, viz. (Shemot 11:4), and, in addition, "This is the thing, etc." Variantly: This is the "word" (for the absolution of vows.) A husband "annuls" ("mefer" [his wife's vows, viz. Bamidbar 30:9]), but a sage does not annul. A sage "permits" ("matir" [viz. Bamidbar 30:3]) but a husband does not permit. For would it not follow otherwise, viz.: If he who does not annul, permits, then he who does annul, how much more so should he permit. And if he who does not permit, annuls, then he who does permit, how much more so should he annul! It is, therefore, written "This is the 'word' that the L-rd has commanded": The husband "annuls," and a sage does not annul. A sage "permits," and the husband does not permit.