Midrash su Esodo 18:78

Now Jethro heard (Exod. 18:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: And so I saw the wicked buried, and they came into their rest; but they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city; this also is vanity (Eccles. 8:10). Is it really so that wicked buried come and go at will? R. Simon declared: These are the wicked, who are considered as dead and buried while still living, as it is said: The wicked man travails with pain all his days (Job 15:20). What is the meaning of mitholel (“travails with pain”)? The wicked man, even in his lifetime, is considered as met (“dead”) and halal (“slain”) even while alive.

(Exod. 18:1:) NOW JETHRO <PRIEST OF MIDIAN, MOSES' FATHER-IN-LAW>, HEARD <ALL THAT GOD HAD DONE FOR MOSES>…. This text is related (to Eccl. 8:10): AND THEN I SAW THE WICKED BURIED, AND THEY CAME BACK. Are there wicked buried who [come back] and go about?¹Tanh., Exod. 5:1. <It is even> as Solomon said (ibid.): BURIED, AND THEY CAME BACK. However, R. Simon has said: These are wicked, in that they are dead and buried during their lifetimes.²Eccl. R. 8:10:1; see Ber. 18b; Gen. R. 39:7. Thus it is stated (in Job 15:20): A WICKED PERSON WRITHES IN TORMENT ALL HIS DAYS. What is the meaning of WRITHE IN TORMENT (mitholel)? That he is dead (met) and writhing (holel).

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

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

“And we will gaze upon you.” The nations of the world say to Israel: Until when will you die for the sake of your God and be devoted to Him? That is what is written: “Therefore the young women love you” (Song of Songs 1:3). And until when will you be killed for His sake? As it is written: “For we are killed for Your sake all day” (Psalms 44:23). And until when will you perform acts of kindness on His behalf, and for Him Himself, while He repays you with harshness? Come over to us and we will appoint you dukes, governors, and generals. “And we will gaze [veneḥezeh] upon you,” you will be the focus [meḥezyatei] of the world. That is what is written: “You shall discern [teḥezeh] from among the entire people [capable men… to be leaders of thousands…]” (Exodus 18:21).
Israel responds to them: “Why will you gaze at the Shulamite like at a dance of two companies?” Have you ever heard that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob engaged in idol worship, such that their descendants would engage in idol worship in their wake? Our ancestors did not engage in idol worship and we, in their wake, will not engage in idol worship. But what can you do for us? [You can perform] a dance like that performed for Jacob our patriarch when he departed from the house of Lavan.³You cannot accord us honor after we become idolators, because that will never happen, but you can accord us honor nonetheless. The reference to dance is due to the conclusion of the verse: “like a dance of two companies.” Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Six hundred thousand angels were dancing and frolicking before Jacob our patriarch upon his departure from the house of Lavan. The Rabbis say: One million and two hundred thousand; that is what is written: “Jacob said when he saw them: This is the camp [maḥaneh] of God” (Genesis 32:3), this is six hundred thousand;⁴“The camp of God” refers to a camp in which God rests His presence. The model for such a camp is the Israelite camp in the wilderness, in which there were six hundred thousand men, and in which God rested His presence (see Bereshit Rabba 74:17). “he called the name of that place Maḥanayim” (Genesis 32:3),⁵Maḥanayim literally means two camps. this is one million and two hundred thousand.
Or can you perhaps perform for us a dance like that performed for our ancestors at the sea, as it is stated: “The angel of God traveled” (Exodus 14:19). Or can you perhaps perform for us a dance like that performed for Elisha, as it is stated: “The attendant of the man of God arose early and he set out, and behold, an army was surrounding the city, with horse and chariot. His attendant said to him: Alas, my master, what shall we do? (II Kings 6:15). And it is written: “He said: Fear not, as there are more who are with us than who are with them” (II Kings 6:16). Immediately, “Elisha prayed and he said: Lord, please open up his eyes and he will see. The Lord opened the attendant's eyes and he saw, and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and a chariot of fire, surrounding Elisha” (II Kings 6:17).
Or can you perhaps perform for us a dance like that which the Holy One blessed be He is destined to perform for the righteous in the future? Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥelbo, Ulla of Birya and Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: In the future, the Holy One blessed be He is destined to lead a dance for the righteous, as it is stated: “Pay attention to its ramparts [leḥeila]” (Psalms 48:14); to the dance [leḥola] is written.⁶The word is in fact written leḥeila. See Rabbi David Luria’s commentary to Vayikra Rabba 11:9. And they will point to Him with their finger, as it is stated: “For this is God, our God, for ever and ever, He will guide us beyond death [al mut]” (Psalms 48:15), like young women [alamot], like the dance of the righteous.

R. Ami and R. Assi were accustomed to sit between the pillars [of the academy] and every now and then to rap [the bolt of the door] and say: "Is there any one who requires adjustment of a dispute? Let him come in." _ _„R. Chisda and Rabba b. R. "Huna were holding court the entire day and were becoming weak. R. Chiya b. Raba of Difty recited to them the passage: And the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening. (Ex. 18, 8.) How can we imagine that Moses was holding court the entire day? When did he study? We must therefore say that a Judge who, even for one hour, passes judgment according to its true equity, is credited by Scripture as if he had become a partner of God in the creation of the world, for it is written here (Ex. 18, 13.) From the morning unto the evening, and it is written, And it was morning and it was evening the first day. [Hence you need not hold court the entire day.] Until when should the work of justice continue? R. Shesheth said: "Until mealtime." Rami b. Chama said: "What is the Biblical passage for it? Woe to thee, O Land. when thy king is low-minded, and when thy princes eat in the morning. Happy art thou, O Land, when thy king is noble-spirited, and thy princes eat at the proper time for strengthening and not for gluttony (Ecc. 10, 16.) i.e., for strengthening of the Torah and not for the gluttony of wine." Our Rabbis taught: "The first hour [of the day] is the time when the Lydians eat; during the second hour robbers eat; during the third hour (rich) heirs eat; during the fourth hour laborers eat; during the fifth hour the people in general eat." Is this so? Has not R. Papa said that during the fourth hour the people in general eat? We must therefore say that "During the fourth hour the people in general eat; during the fifth hour laborers eat; during the sixth hour scholars eat; from this hour on eating is like throwing a stone into a skin-bottle (it has no effect)." Abaye said: "This applies only to a case where nothing was tasted in the morning; but if something were tasted in the morning then it matters little [how late he eats]."

R. Ami and R. Assi were accustomed to sit between the pillars [of the academy] and every now and then to rap [the bolt of the door] and say: "Is there any one who requires adjustment of a dispute? Let him come in." _ _„R. Chisda and Rabba b. R. "Huna were holding court the entire day and were becoming weak. R. Chiya b. Raba of Difty recited to them the passage: And the people stood about Moses from the morning unto the evening. (Ex. 18, 8.) How can we imagine that Moses was holding court the entire day? When did he study? We must therefore say that a Judge who, even for one hour, passes judgment according to its true equity, is credited by Scripture as if he had become a partner of God in the creation of the world, for it is written here (Ex. 18, 13.) From the morning unto the evening, and it is written, And it was morning and it was evening the first day. [Hence you need not hold court the entire day.] Until when should the work of justice continue? R. Shesheth said: "Until mealtime." Rami b. Chama said: "What is the Biblical passage for it? Woe to thee, O Land. when thy king is low-minded, and when thy princes eat in the morning. Happy art thou, O Land, when thy king is noble-spirited, and thy princes eat at the proper time for strengthening and not for gluttony (Ecc. 10, 16.) i.e., for strengthening of the Torah and not for the gluttony of wine." Our Rabbis taught: "The first hour [of the day] is the time when the Lydians eat; during the second hour robbers eat; during the third hour (rich) heirs eat; during the fourth hour laborers eat; during the fifth hour the people in general eat." Is this so? Has not R. Papa said that during the fourth hour the people in general eat? We must therefore say that "During the fourth hour the people in general eat; during the fifth hour laborers eat; during the sixth hour scholars eat; from this hour on eating is like throwing a stone into a skin-bottle (it has no effect)." Abaye said: "This applies only to a case where nothing was tasted in the morning; but if something were tasted in the morning then it matters little [how late he eats]."

Another interpretation (of Eccl. 8:10): <BUT THEY ARE FORGOTTEN (yishtakkehu) >. They take pride (yishtabbehu) in that they take pride (mishtabbehim) in their good deeds.⁴See Git. 56b. (Ibid., cont.:) THIS ALSO IS VANITY. Is this not vanity when the peoples of the world see them, <when they see> how they come, convert to Judaism, and enter under the wings of the Divine Presence, while they < themselves > do not convert to Judaism? THIS ALSO IS VANITY. Who was this person who came and converted to Judaism as a true proselyte? This was Jethro, as stated (in Exod. 18:1): NOW JETHRO <PRIEST OF MIDIAN, MOSES' FATHER-IN-LAW>, HEARD⁵In Hebrew this verb also tends to imply heeding and obeying. <ALL THAT GOD HAD DONE FOR MOSES>….

There was one who used to say: "Happy is he who hears [himself abused] and minds it not; he will escape a hundred evils." Said R. Samuel to R. Juda: "This is written in the Scripture (Ps. 17, 14) As one letteth loose a stream of water so is the beginning of strife." There was another man who used to say: "A thief is not killed for stealing two or three times." And Samuel said to R. Juda: "This is also written in a passage (Am. 2, 5) Thus hath said the Lord, for three transgressions of Israel, and for four, will I not turn away their punishment." There was another man who used to say: "Seven pits are open for the righteous man [and he escapes]; but one for the evil doer into which he falls." Samuel said to R. Juda; "This also is written in a passage (Prov. 24, 16) For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; but the wicked stumble under adversity." There was another man who used to say: "Let him whose cloak the court has taken away, sing a song and go on his way." Samuel said to R. Juda: "This is also written in the Scriptures (Ex. 18, 23) The whole of this people [including the loser] will come to its place in peace." There was another man who used to say: "When she slumbers, the basket [upon her head] drops — i.e., laziness begets ruin." Samuel again said to R. Juda: "This is written in the Scriptures (Ecc. 10, 18) Through slothful hands the rafters will sink," etc. There was another man who used to say: "The man on whom I relied lifted up his club and stood against me." Samuel said to R. Juda. "This is written in the following passage (Ps. 41, 10) Yea, even the man that should have sought my welfare, in whom I trusted, who eateth my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."

(Fol. 18) Our Rabbis were taught (Ex. 18, 21) And place these over them, as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens — i.e., rulers of thousands, six hundred; rulers of hundreds, six thousand; rulers of fifties, twelve thousand; and rulers of tens, sixty thousand. Hence the total number of the judges in Israel was seventy-eight thousand and six hundred.

Now Jethro heard (Exod. 18:1). Some hear and lose (their reward), while others hear and are rewarded. Joash heard and lost (his reward), just as it is said: Then the king hearkened unto him (II Chron. 24:17), but after that is written: So they executed judgment upon Joash (ibid., v. 24). Similarly, the peoples have heard and they tremble (Exod. 15:14). However, Jethro heard and was rewarded. Though he had been an idolatrous priest, he joined Moses, and entered under the wings of the Shekhinah. For that he became worthy of adding the portion dealing with judges to the Torah of Israel, when he told Moses: The thing that thou doest is not good (ibid. 18:18).

[(Exod. 18:10:) NOW JETHRO <PRIEST OF MIDIAN, MOSES' FATHER-IN-LAW>, HEARD.] This text is related (to Cant. 1:3): YOUR OILS HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FRAGRANCE.⁶Tanh., Exod. 5:3. R. Jannay said: To the ancestors you gave the fragrance of commandments. To Adam you gave seven commandments. To Noah and his children you gave seven commandments. You gave them the fragrance of commandments. But when we came to Sinai, like one who pours from the mouth of a bottle, you poured out all the commandments for us, as stated (in Cant. 1:3): YOUR OILS HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FRAGRANCE.

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

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

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

Another interpretation (of Cant. 1:3): THEREFORE DO THE WORLDS LOVE YOU. These are the peoples of the world, who converted to Judaism. Who was this? Jethro. When he heard what miracles were done for Israel, he came and converted to Judaism, as stated (in Exod. 18:1): NOW JETHRO < PRIEST OF MIDIAN, MOSES' FATHER-IN-LAW >, HEARD <ALL THAT GOD HAD DONE FOR MOSES…. >

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Now Jethro heard (Exod. 18:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance; thy name is an ointment poured forth; therefore do the maidens love thee (Song 1:3). R. Yannai the son of R. Simeon the son of Yohai said: The earlier generations merely chanted pleasant songs before You, but when we reached the sea we left unuttered no words of praise with which to extol You. Hence it is said: Thine ointments have a goodly fragrance.

What is written above on the matter (in Exod. 17:8–16)? The downfall of Amalek. Then afterwards (comes Exod. 18:1): NOW JETHRO <PRIEST OF MIDIAN, MOSES' FATHER-IN-LAW>, HEARD <ALL THAT GOD HAD DONE FOR MOSES….> This text is related (to Prov. 19:25): BEAT THE SCOFFER, AND THE SIMPLETON WILL BECOME CLEVER.⁸PRK 3, at the beginning (according to some texts, including S. Buber’s edition; but cf. Wm. G. Braude, who in his translation of Pesikta de-Rab Kahana, p. 39, n. 1, expresses some doubt over whether the passage, which he numbers 3:a-e, belongs to this Pesiqta). (Ibid.:) BEAT THE SCOFFER. This is Amalek. (Ibid., cont.:) AND THE SIMPLETON WILL BECOME CLEVER. This is Jethro. When Amalek fought with Israel, what is written (in Exod. 17:8)? THEN AMALEK CAME AND FOUGHT WITH ISRAEL AT REPHIDIM. What is the meaning of IN REPHIDIM (RPYDYM)? <It is so named> because their hands YDYM had let go (rt.: RPY)⁹In the Hebrew word order, the root rpy immediately precedes YDYM. of the commandments. And how had their hands let go? It is written (in vs. 7): AND THEY CALLED THE NAME OF THE PLACE MASSAH AND MERIBAH¹⁰MASSAH means “a testing,” and MERIBAH means “a contention.” < BECAUSE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE IN CONTENTION AND BECAUSE THEY TESTED THE LORD, SAYING: IS THE LORD PRESENT AMONG US OR NOT?>¹¹See Sanh. 106a; Bekh. 5b; cf. Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Wayassa‘, 7. He began to cry out: How long will you test me? How long will you contend with me? And Moses also cried out (in Exod. 17:2): WHY DO YOU CONTEND WITH ME? WHY DO YOU TEST THE LORD? And how did they test <him>? R. Judah and R. Nehemiah disagree.¹²Below, Deut. 6:15. R. Judah says: They murmured and said this: If he satisfies us with food [as a king who, when he enters a province where they praise him and honor him, satisfies them with food], we will serve him; but if not, we will not serve him. R. Nehemiah says: Israel said this: If he does what we need for us [as a king who, when he enters a province where they praise him and honor him, does for them everything they need], we will serve him; but if not, we will not serve him. And our masters have said this: They reflected and said: Here we are reflecting in our heart. If he knows what we are reflecting, we will serve him; but if not, we will not serve him. Thus it is stated [(in Exod. 17:7): <THEY TESTED THE LORD, SAYING: > IS THE LORD PRESENT AMONG US <OR NOT>?] R. Berekhyah said: They may have spoken in their heart, but the Holy One granted them their petition, as stated (in Ps. 78:18): THEY TESTED GOD IN THEIR HEART [BY ASKING FOOD FOR THEMSELVES.] What is written (in vs. 29): SO THEY ATE AND WERE VERY FULL. The Holy One said this: You reflected in your heart. By your life I am informing you: Here is Amalek before you, as stated (in Exod. 17:8): THEN AMALEK CAME.

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

Now Jethro heard (Exod. 18:1). Jethro was known by seven names. He was called Jethro (yitro) because he added (yater) a chapter to the law, that is, the chapter dealing with judges. He was called Hobab (hobab) because he loved (hiba) the law. When he came to the Holy Land, they offered him the fields of Jericho, but he said: “I brought none of my possessions with me, and I abandoned all I owned in order to study the Torah, shall I now sow and reap when I should be studying Torah?” They told him: “There is a man studying the law in a certain area that is in a desolate place in the desert, and it lacks even wheat.” When they heard this, they went there, as it is said: And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up out of the city of the palm trees with the children of Judah, unto the wilderness of Judah, which is in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt with the people (Judg. 1:16).⁷See Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews 3:76. The descendants of Jethro devoted themselves to Torah study. They went there and found Jabez sitting in the house of study, and the priests, the Levites, and the rulers were sitting with him, and all the Israelites were sitting there. And so they said to him (Jabez): “We are converts, how can we sit there among them?” Thereupon they seated themselves at the entrance to the school and listened and learned, as it is said: The families of scribes that dwelt at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, the Succathites. These are the Kenites (I Chron. 2:55). They were called tiratim (Tirathites) because they sat at the gate (sha’ar), shime’atim (Shimeathites) because they listened (from shama, “to hear”) and learned, and sukhatim (Succathites) because the Israelites made it clear to them (from mesakhim, “looked after them”). Another explanation (of Tirathites). Whenever the Israelites were confronted by danger they would blow (matri’in) their shofars, and they (Kenites) would hear them.

(Ib. b) "Neither should one be investigated beyond the investigation which qualified one to the Sanhedrion." What is the reason? R. Joseph was taught that just as the judges ought to be pure in their perfect conduct so also ought they to be pure in the blemish of their family relations. Said M'remar: "What is the passage to prove this? (Songs 4, 7) Thou art altogether beautiful, my beloved, and there is no blemish on thee." But perhaps this blemish means literally a bodily blemish, but not as to the genealogy? Said R. Acha b. Jacob: "The following passage will explain it (Num. 11, 16) And they shall stand there with thee; i.e.; with thee [just as Moses was perfect in every thing, so also were the seventy who qualified for the Sanhedrion]." But perhaps this is because of the Shechina. Said R. Nachman: "There is another passage (Ex. 18, 22) When they shall bear thee; i.e., in comparison with thee."

Now Jethro heard (Exod. 18:1). Scripture says elsewhere: Thine own friend and thy father’s friend forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity; better is a neighbor that is near than a brother far off (Prov. 27:10). Thine own friend is the Holy One, blessed be He, who called Israel brother and friend, as it is said: For My brethren and friends’ sakes (Ps. 122:8). Thy father’s friend is Abraham, as is said: The seed of Abraham my friend (Isa. 41:8). Forsake not implies that if you would forsake God, remember what happened to the house of your brothers, Ishmael and Esau.⁹Better to rely on God than on brethren who betray you, as the descendants of Esau and Ishmael did at the destruction of the First Temple; see below.

(Exod. 18:1:) NOW JETHRO PRIEST OF MIDIAN, <…>, HEARD. He was a priest for idolatry.¹⁷Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Amaleq, 3. (Exod. 18:9:) AND JETHRO REJOICED (rt.: YHD), in that he professed (YHD) the name of the Holy One. Another interpretation (of Exod. 18:9:) AND JETHRO REJOICED (rt.: YHD). <It was> that he became a Jew (rt.: YHD). (Vs. 10:) SO JETHRO SAID: BLESSED BE THE LORD. Jethro said: I did not leave a deity alone without serving him, but I have found no deity like the God of Israel. (Vs. 11:) NOW I KNOW THE LORD IS GREATER THAN ALL GODS. Four children of Adam said four things. If someone else had said them, they would have laughed at them.¹⁸Eccl. R. 3:11:1. And who were they? Moses, Jethro, Solomon, and Nebuchadnezzar. Moses said (in Deut 32:4): THE ROCK!—HIS WORK IS PERFECT, [BECAUSE ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUSTICE]. [If someone else had said it, they would have laughed at him, saying: From where does this one know the ways of the Holy One? However,] because it is written (in Ps. 103:7): HE MADE HIS WAYS KNOWN TO MOSES, it is therefore stated (in Deut. 32:4): THE ROCK!—HIS WORK IS PERFECT, BECAUSE ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUSTICE. Then Solomon said (in Eccl. 3:11): HE HAS MADE EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME. If someone else had said it, they would have laughed at him, saying: Who has made known to this one what is beautiful and what is not beautiful? But, <in the case of> Solomon, whose table lacked nothing, he knew what was beautiful. R. Jose bar Hanina said: Solomon's table did not even lack bitter herbs¹⁹Tanh., Exod. 5:7, and Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34 read “ice” here. of Tammuz nor melopepones {i.e., radish and lettuce}²⁰The Greek word means “melons.” of Tishri. Nebuchadnezzar said (in Dan. 4:32 [35]): ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH ARE OF NO ACCOUNT. If another had said it, they would have laughed at him: Over what does this man rule? He does not even rule over a gnat. But in the case of Nebuchadnezzar it was fitting for him to say so, since it is stated concerning him (in Dan. 2:38): AND [INTO YOUR HAND HE HAS GIVEN] THE CHILDREN OF ADAM, [THE WILD BEASTS OF THE FIELD, AND THE FOWL OF HEAVEN,] WHEREVER THEY MAY DWELL; [AND HE HAS HAD YOU RULE OVER ALL OF THEM]. Jethro said (in Exod. 18:11): NOW I KNOW THE LORD IS GREATER THAN ALL GODS, because among all his gods he did not see one as great as the Lord. (Ibid., cont.:) YES, BY THE THING WHICH <THE EGYPTIANS> PLOTTED AGAINST THEM.²¹PRK 11:5. R. Eleazar said: By that with which the Egyptians intended to destroy Israel, <i.e.,> by water, by that they were destroyed. So they were drowned in the midst of the sea.

(Exod. 18:1:) NOW JETHRO PRIEST OF MIDIAN, <…>, HEARD. He was a priest for idolatry.¹⁷Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Amaleq, 3. (Exod. 18:9:) AND JETHRO REJOICED (rt.: YHD), in that he professed (YHD) the name of the Holy One. Another interpretation (of Exod. 18:9:) AND JETHRO REJOICED (rt.: YHD). <It was> that he became a Jew (rt.: YHD). (Vs. 10:) SO JETHRO SAID: BLESSED BE THE LORD. Jethro said: I did not leave a deity alone without serving him, but I have found no deity like the God of Israel. (Vs. 11:) NOW I KNOW THE LORD IS GREATER THAN ALL GODS. Four children of Adam said four things. If someone else had said them, they would have laughed at them.¹⁸Eccl. R. 3:11:1. And who were they? Moses, Jethro, Solomon, and Nebuchadnezzar. Moses said (in Deut 32:4): THE ROCK!—HIS WORK IS PERFECT, [BECAUSE ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUSTICE]. [If someone else had said it, they would have laughed at him, saying: From where does this one know the ways of the Holy One? However,] because it is written (in Ps. 103:7): HE MADE HIS WAYS KNOWN TO MOSES, it is therefore stated (in Deut. 32:4): THE ROCK!—HIS WORK IS PERFECT, BECAUSE ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUSTICE. Then Solomon said (in Eccl. 3:11): HE HAS MADE EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME. If someone else had said it, they would have laughed at him, saying: Who has made known to this one what is beautiful and what is not beautiful? But, <in the case of> Solomon, whose table lacked nothing, he knew what was beautiful. R. Jose bar Hanina said: Solomon's table did not even lack bitter herbs¹⁹Tanh., Exod. 5:7, and Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34 read “ice” here. of Tammuz nor melopepones {i.e., radish and lettuce}²⁰The Greek word means “melons.” of Tishri. Nebuchadnezzar said (in Dan. 4:32 [35]): ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH ARE OF NO ACCOUNT. If another had said it, they would have laughed at him: Over what does this man rule? He does not even rule over a gnat. But in the case of Nebuchadnezzar it was fitting for him to say so, since it is stated concerning him (in Dan. 2:38): AND [INTO YOUR HAND HE HAS GIVEN] THE CHILDREN OF ADAM, [THE WILD BEASTS OF THE FIELD, AND THE FOWL OF HEAVEN,] WHEREVER THEY MAY DWELL; [AND HE HAS HAD YOU RULE OVER ALL OF THEM]. Jethro said (in Exod. 18:11): NOW I KNOW THE LORD IS GREATER THAN ALL GODS, because among all his gods he did not see one as great as the Lord. (Ibid., cont.:) YES, BY THE THING WHICH <THE EGYPTIANS> PLOTTED AGAINST THEM.²¹PRK 11:5. R. Eleazar said: By that with which the Egyptians intended to destroy Israel, <i.e.,> by water, by that they were destroyed. So they were drowned in the midst of the sea.

… it is written there “Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You…” (Melachim I 8:27) and here it is written “…the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.” (Shemot 40:35) R’ Yehoshua of Sachnin said in the name of R’ Levi ‘to what is this likened? To an open cave at the edge of the sea. When the sea storms the cave is filled, but the sea is not reduced. So too, even though it is written that ‘the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle’ the upper and lower worlds did not lose anything of the brilliance of the glory of the Holy One, just as it is written “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? says the Lord.” (Yirmiyahu 23:24) Therefore it is written here ‘And it was’. Just as the Divine Presence was here below at the beginning of the creation of the world but withdrew to above, now it returned to be below as it had been “And it was that on the day that Moses finished…” (Bamidbar 7:1) ... [Another explanation. “And it was that on the day that Moses finished erecting the Mishkan…” (Numbers 7:1)] R’ Simon said: at the time when the Holy One told Israel to erect the Tabernacle, He hinted that when the Tabernacle below is erected, the Tabernacle above is erected, as it says “And it was that on the day that Moses finished…” (ibid.) It does not say ‘erecting the Tabernacle’ but rather ‘erecting this (et) the Tabernacle.’ This refers to the Tabernacle above. The Holy One said: in this world, when the Tabernacle was erected, I commanded Aharon and his sons that they bless you. In the time to come I, in my glory, will bless you. So it is written “May the Lord bless you from Zion, He Who made heaven and earth.” (Psalms 134:3)

“Your neck is like an ivory tower; your eyes are pools in Ḥeshbon, by the gate of Bat Rabim; your nose is like the tower of Lebanon overlooking Damascus” (Song of Songs 7:5).
“Your neck is like an ivory tower.” It is written: “Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, fell upon his neck, and kissed him [vayishakehu] [and they wept]” (Genesis 33:4). The entire word³²The word vayishakehu is written in the Torah scroll with a dot over each of the letters. is dotted. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: Everywhere that you find the script more numerous than the dots, adopt the script and ignore the dots. If the dots are more numerous than the script, adopt the dots and ignore the script. However, here, neither is the script more numerous than the dots, nor are the dots more numerous than the script, but rather it is dotted above vayishakehu in its entirety. This teaches that he did not come to kiss him, but rather to bite him. Jacob’s neck became as hard as marble and the teeth of that wicked one became dull and melted like wax. Why does the verse state: “And they wept”? This one was crying over his neck, and that one was crying over his teeth.
Rabbi Abahu in the name of Rabbi Elazar cites it from this: “Your neck is like an ivory tower.” It is written: “Pharaoh heard this matter and he sought to kill Moses. Moses fled” (Exodus 2:15). Is there a person who is able to flee from the king? Rather, it teaches that he was standing and was sentenced on that same day, and they condemned him to beheading. Rabbi Evyatar said: The sword glanced off the neck of Moses and sliced the neck of the wicked executioner. That is what is written: “For the God of my father was my help, and He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh” (Exodus 18:4). He delivered me, but did not deliver the executioner. Rabbi Bon would apply to him the verse: “The righteous is extricated from trouble, and the wicked comes in his place” (Proverbs 11:8). Rabbi Berekhya said: “The wicked is ransom for the righteous” (Proverbs 21:18). Bar Kappara said: It teaches that an angel descended in the guise of Moses, and they apprehended the angel and left Moses, and he fled. Rabbi Abba son of Rav Pappi and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: At that moment all of Pharaoh’s advisors, some of them became mute, some of them deaf, some of them blind, and some of them disabled. They said to the mutes: Where is Moses? But they could not speak. To the blind, but they could not see. To the deaf, but they could not hear. To the disabled, but they could not walk, as it is stated: “The Lord said to him: Who gives a mouth to a person, or who renders one mute or deaf, or sighted or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?” (Exodus 4:11). Is it not I who did all these? “Now go and I will send you to Pharaoh” (Exodus 3:10).

(Exod. 18:1:) NOW JETHRO PRIEST OF MIDIAN, <…>, HEARD. He was a priest for idolatry.¹⁷Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Amaleq, 3. (Exod. 18:9:) AND JETHRO REJOICED (rt.: YHD), in that he professed (YHD) the name of the Holy One. Another interpretation (of Exod. 18:9:) AND JETHRO REJOICED (rt.: YHD). <It was> that he became a Jew (rt.: YHD). (Vs. 10:) SO JETHRO SAID: BLESSED BE THE LORD. Jethro said: I did not leave a deity alone without serving him, but I have found no deity like the God of Israel. (Vs. 11:) NOW I KNOW THE LORD IS GREATER THAN ALL GODS. Four children of Adam said four things. If someone else had said them, they would have laughed at them.¹⁸Eccl. R. 3:11:1. And who were they? Moses, Jethro, Solomon, and Nebuchadnezzar. Moses said (in Deut 32:4): THE ROCK!—HIS WORK IS PERFECT, [BECAUSE ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUSTICE]. [If someone else had said it, they would have laughed at him, saying: From where does this one know the ways of the Holy One? However,] because it is written (in Ps. 103:7): HE MADE HIS WAYS KNOWN TO MOSES, it is therefore stated (in Deut. 32:4): THE ROCK!—HIS WORK IS PERFECT, BECAUSE ALL HIS WAYS ARE JUSTICE. Then Solomon said (in Eccl. 3:11): HE HAS MADE EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME. If someone else had said it, they would have laughed at him, saying: Who has made known to this one what is beautiful and what is not beautiful? But, <in the case of> Solomon, whose table lacked nothing, he knew what was beautiful. R. Jose bar Hanina said: Solomon's table did not even lack bitter herbs¹⁹Tanh., Exod. 5:7, and Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34 read “ice” here. of Tammuz nor melopepones {i.e., radish and lettuce}²⁰The Greek word means “melons.” of Tishri. Nebuchadnezzar said (in Dan. 4:32 [35]): ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH ARE OF NO ACCOUNT. If another had said it, they would have laughed at him: Over what does this man rule? He does not even rule over a gnat. But in the case of Nebuchadnezzar it was fitting for him to say so, since it is stated concerning him (in Dan. 2:38): AND [INTO YOUR HAND HE HAS GIVEN] THE CHILDREN OF ADAM, [THE WILD BEASTS OF THE FIELD, AND THE FOWL OF HEAVEN,] WHEREVER THEY MAY DWELL; [AND HE HAS HAD YOU RULE OVER ALL OF THEM]. Jethro said (in Exod. 18:11): NOW I KNOW THE LORD IS GREATER THAN ALL GODS, because among all his gods he did not see one as great as the Lord. (Ibid., cont.:) YES, BY THE THING WHICH <THE EGYPTIANS> PLOTTED AGAINST THEM.²¹PRK 11:5. R. Eleazar said: By that with which the Egyptians intended to destroy Israel, <i.e.,> by water, by that they were destroyed. So they were drowned in the midst of the sea.

You find that everything written in praise of Jethro is mentioned to the discredit of Esau. In reference to Esau it is written: They have ravished the women in Zion (Lam. 5:11), but about Jethro it says: And he gave Moses, Zipporah, his daughter (Exod. 2:21). Concerning Esau it is written: Who eat up My people as they eat bread (Ps. 14:4), while of Jethro it is said: Call him that he may eat bread (Exod. 2:20). It is written about Esau: And he feared not God (Deut. 25:18), but about Jethro it is written: And thou shalt provide out of all the people, able men, such as fear God (Exod. 18:21). It is stated about Esau that he abolished the sacrifices (when Rome destroyed the Second Temple), but of Jethro it is said: And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt-offering and sacrifices (ibid., v. 12). Esau heard of their troubles and attacked them, as it is said: Because of the striving of the children of Israel, and because they tried the Lord (ibid. 17:7), and it is written elsewhere: And Amalek came. However, when Jethro heard about Israel’s goodness, he joined them, as it is said: Now Jethro heard.

Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard (Exod. 18:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: The wise shall inherit honor; but as for the fools, they carry away shame (Prov. 3:35). The wise shall inherit honor refers to Jethro at the time he came to Moses. How very great, indeed, was the honor accorded him! And He said unto Moses: “I, thy father-in-law, Jethro” (Exod. 18:6). R. Joshua held that Jethro sent a messenger to inform him (of his coming). R. Eleazar of Modi’im declared: He sent him a letter stating: “Do it (welcome me) for my sake, but if not for my sake, do it for the sake of your wife, but if not for her sake, then do it for the sake of your children.”

(Exod. 18:5–6:) NOW JETHRO, MOSES' FATHER-IN-LAW CAME…. AND HE SAID UNTO MOSES: I AM YOUR FATHER-IN-LAW…. Who said to Moses: I AM YOUR FATHER-IN-LAW? He was unable to come to Moses. What did he do? He wrote a letter and tied it on an arrow. Then he shot, and the arrow came to Moses. Moses read it and went out to him, as stated (in vs. 7): SO MOSES WENT OUT TO MEET JETHRO. He entered the camp along with him. What is written (in vs. 12)? AND AARON CAME WITH ALL THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL TO EAT BREAD <BEFORE THE LORD WITH MOSES' FATHER-IN-LAW >. When they had eaten with him, he said: Give me permission to go to my <own> place. Moses said to him (in Numb. 10:32): IT SHALL BE THAT, IF YOU COME WITH US, IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT WHATEVER GOOD THE LORD DOES FOR US WE WILL DO FOR YOU. <Jethro> said to him: I want to go and utter the Holy One's praise in my own place. Immediately (in Exod. 18:27): MOSES SENT HIS FATHER-IN-LAW AWAY…. Now when the Holy One does miracles for Israel, they praise him [and the nations of the world praise him]. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 138:4): {THESE PEOPLES} ALL THE KINGS OF THE EARTH SHALL GIVE THANKS TO YOU, [O LORD,] FOR THEY HAVE HEARD THE WORDS OF YOUR MOUTH.

(Exod. 18:5–6:) NOW JETHRO, MOSES' FATHER-IN-LAW CAME…. AND HE SAID UNTO MOSES: I AM YOUR FATHER-IN-LAW…. Who said to Moses: I AM YOUR FATHER-IN-LAW? He was unable to come to Moses. What did he do? He wrote a letter and tied it on an arrow. Then he shot, and the arrow came to Moses. Moses read it and went out to him, as stated (in vs. 7): SO MOSES WENT OUT TO MEET JETHRO. He entered the camp along with him. What is written (in vs. 12)? AND AARON CAME WITH ALL THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL TO EAT BREAD <BEFORE THE LORD WITH MOSES' FATHER-IN-LAW >. When they had eaten with him, he said: Give me permission to go to my <own> place. Moses said to him (in Numb. 10:32): IT SHALL BE THAT, IF YOU COME WITH US, IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT WHATEVER GOOD THE LORD DOES FOR US WE WILL DO FOR YOU. <Jethro> said to him: I want to go and utter the Holy One's praise in my own place. Immediately (in Exod. 18:27): MOSES SENT HIS FATHER-IN-LAW AWAY…. Now when the Holy One does miracles for Israel, they praise him [and the nations of the world praise him]. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 138:4): {THESE PEOPLES} ALL THE KINGS OF THE EARTH SHALL GIVE THANKS TO YOU, [O LORD,] FOR THEY HAVE HEARD THE WORDS OF YOUR MOUTH.

Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard (Exod. 18:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: The wise shall inherit honor; but as for the fools, they carry away shame (Prov. 3:35). The wise shall inherit honor refers to Jethro at the time he came to Moses. How very great, indeed, was the honor accorded him! And He said unto Moses: “I, thy father-in-law, Jethro” (Exod. 18:6). R. Joshua held that Jethro sent a messenger to inform him (of his coming). R. Eleazar of Modi’im declared: He sent him a letter stating: “Do it (welcome me) for my sake, but if not for my sake, do it for the sake of your wife, but if not for her sake, then do it for the sake of your children.”

R. Eliezer maintained that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Moses, I am He who commanded the world to come into existence, and I am He who draws (people) near and does not keep (them away), as it is said: Am I a God near at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off (Jer. 23:23); I am He who brought Jethro near and did not keep him far off, and so when a man comes to you to be converted, bring him near, do not keep him far off. Thereupon Moses went out to meet his father-in-law (Exod. 18:7). Our sages say that Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and all the elders of Israel accompanied him. Hence it is said: The wise shall inherit honor.

R. Eliezer maintained that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Moses, I am He who commanded the world to come into existence, and I am He who draws (people) near and does not keep (them away), as it is said: Am I a God near at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off (Jer. 23:23); I am He who brought Jethro near and did not keep him far off, and so when a man comes to you to be converted, bring him near, do not keep him far off. Thereupon Moses went out to meet his father-in-law (Exod. 18:7). Our sages say that Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and all the elders of Israel accompanied him. Hence it is said: The wise shall inherit honor.

And place such over them to be officers of thousands and officers of hundreds, officers of fifties and officers of tens (Exod. 18:21). The officers of thousands were six hundred in number, the officers of hundreds were six thousand, the officers of fifties were twelve thousand, and the officers of tens were sixty thousand. Thus we find that the total number of men who acted as judges in Israel were seventy-eight thousand six hundred in all. It is taught that R. Eliezer the son of Jacob said: I heard that the court has applied punishments and fines that were not derived from the Torah. This was not done to transgress the Torah but to fashion a fence around the Torah.

And Jethro rejoiced (Exod. 18:9). Do not read this word as vayihad (“and he rejoiced”) but rather vayihed (“and he became a yehudi [a Jew]”). Why did Jethro say: Blessed be the Lord (Exod. 18:10)? Jethro said: I have not neglected to worship any idol in this world, but I have found no god like the God of Israel. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods (ibid. 11).

(Numb. 16:15, cont.:) “And he said unto the Lord, ‘Pay no attention unto their meal offering.’” Do not accept them in repentance.³²Numb. R. 18:10, cont. Scripture should have said, “Pay no attention unto their service"? What is the meaning of “their meal offering?” This is what Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, I know that these have a share in that meal offering that Israel offers every day. [But] in as much as these have withdrawn from Your children, do not pay attention to their portion. Let the fire leave it alone and not consume it.” (Numb. 16:15, cont.:) “I have not taken one donkey from them.” That which I had [a right] to take I did not take. By universal custom, one who works in the sanctuary receives wages from the sanctuary. [In my case, however,] when I went down from Midian to Egypt I had a right to take a donkey from them, since it was on behalf of their needs that I was going down [there]; but I did not take [one]. Similarly also did Samuel the righteous say (in I Sam. 12:3), “Here am I, testify against me before the Lord and before His anointed; whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken?” When I sacrificed an ox for their offerings to seek mercy for them and likewise for anointing a king over them, it belonged to me, as stated (in I Sam. 16:2), “Take a heifer with you […].” And similarly it says (in I Sam. 9:12), “because the people have a sacrifice today at the high place (bamah).” But I took nothing from what belonged to them. Also when I sought to handle their lawsuits and their [other] needs, and when I made the circuit of the cities, as stated (in I Sam. 7:16), “And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all those places;” [although] by universal custom litigants go to the judge, I went around from city to city and from place to place.³³The midrash is also making a point that he traveled on his own donkey. Now even Moses said to Israel (in Exod. 18:16), “When they have a matter, it comes unto me.” But I (Samuel) did not act in this way. Instead I took the trouble to go to them. (Numb. 16:15, cont.:) “’And I have not harmed a single one of them,’ in that I neither convicted the innocent nor acquitted the guilty.” When Moses saw that they continued in their pride and in their rebellious acts, then (according to Numb. 16:16-18) “Moses said unto Korah, ‘[Tomorrow] you and all your company [are to be present before the Lord: [you, they, and Aaron]; And let each one take his censer […].’ So each one took his censer.” Then Korah went about all that night and led Israel astray. Now he would say to them, “What do you suppose? That I am busy obtaining greatness for myself? I wish for greatness to go the rounds to all of us, while Moses has taken kingship for himself and has given the high priesthood to his brother Aaron as an eternal statute.” So did he go about seducing each and every tribe as it suited them, until they joined him. How is it shown that when they entered and approached, they were all speaking? It is so stated (Numb. 16:19), “And Korah gathered all the congregation against them.” When they entered and came with him, immediately (we read in Numb. 16:20–21), “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ‘Separate yourselves from the midst of this evil congregation, [so that I may consume them in a moment].’” (Numb. 16:22:) “But they fell on their faces and said, ‘O God, the God of all human spirits, [shall one person sin and You become angry with the whole congregation]?’” They said to him,³⁴Numb. R. 18:11. “Master of the world, in the case of a king, when a province rebels against him, when they persist in cursing the king or his deputies, ten or twenty of them, he sends out his legions³⁵Lat.: legiones. and carries out reprisals³⁶Gk.: androlempsia (=androlepsia). against it. So he kills the good with the evil, because he does not know who among them has rebelled and who has not rebelled, who has honored the king and who has cursed him. You, however, know the thoughts of every person, even what the hearts and the reins counsel. So You know who has sinned and who has not sinned, for You know the spirit of each and every person.” It is therefore stated (in Numb. 20:22), “O God, the God of all human spirits.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “You have spoken well. I am making the matter known, who has sinned and who has not sinned.”

(Numb. 16:15, cont.:) “And he said unto the Lord, ‘Pay no attention unto their meal offering.’” Do not accept them in repentance.³²Numb. R. 18:10, cont. Scripture should have said, “Pay no attention unto their service"? What is the meaning of “their meal offering?” This is what Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, I know that these have a share in that meal offering that Israel offers every day. [But] in as much as these have withdrawn from Your children, do not pay attention to their portion. Let the fire leave it alone and not consume it.” (Numb. 16:15, cont.:) “I have not taken one donkey from them.” That which I had [a right] to take I did not take. By universal custom, one who works in the sanctuary receives wages from the sanctuary. [In my case, however,] when I went down from Midian to Egypt I had a right to take a donkey from them, since it was on behalf of their needs that I was going down [there]; but I did not take [one]. Similarly also did Samuel the righteous say (in I Sam. 12:3), “Here am I, testify against me before the Lord and before His anointed; whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken?” When I sacrificed an ox for their offerings to seek mercy for them and likewise for anointing a king over them, it belonged to me, as stated (in I Sam. 16:2), “Take a heifer with you […].” And similarly it says (in I Sam. 9:12), “because the people have a sacrifice today at the high place (bamah).” But I took nothing from what belonged to them. Also when I sought to handle their lawsuits and their [other] needs, and when I made the circuit of the cities, as stated (in I Sam. 7:16), “And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all those places;” [although] by universal custom litigants go to the judge, I went around from city to city and from place to place.³³The midrash is also making a point that he traveled on his own donkey. Now even Moses said to Israel (in Exod. 18:16), “When they have a matter, it comes unto me.” But I (Samuel) did not act in this way. Instead I took the trouble to go to them. (Numb. 16:15, cont.:) “’And I have not harmed a single one of them,’ in that I neither convicted the innocent nor acquitted the guilty.” When Moses saw that they continued in their pride and in their rebellious acts, then (according to Numb. 16:16-18) “Moses said unto Korah, ‘[Tomorrow] you and all your company [are to be present before the Lord: [you, they, and Aaron]; And let each one take his censer […].’ So each one took his censer.” Then Korah went about all that night and led Israel astray. Now he would say to them, “What do you suppose? That I am busy obtaining greatness for myself? I wish for greatness to go the rounds to all of us, while Moses has taken kingship for himself and has given the high priesthood to his brother Aaron as an eternal statute.” So did he go about seducing each and every tribe as it suited them, until they joined him. How is it shown that when they entered and approached, they were all speaking? It is so stated (Numb. 16:19), “And Korah gathered all the congregation against them.” When they entered and came with him, immediately (we read in Numb. 16:20–21), “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ‘Separate yourselves from the midst of this evil congregation, [so that I may consume them in a moment].’” (Numb. 16:22:) “But they fell on their faces and said, ‘O God, the God of all human spirits, [shall one person sin and You become angry with the whole congregation]?’” They said to him,³⁴Numb. R. 18:11. “Master of the world, in the case of a king, when a province rebels against him, when they persist in cursing the king or his deputies, ten or twenty of them, he sends out his legions³⁵Lat.: legiones. and carries out reprisals³⁶Gk.: androlempsia (=androlepsia). against it. So he kills the good with the evil, because he does not know who among them has rebelled and who has not rebelled, who has honored the king and who has cursed him. You, however, know the thoughts of every person, even what the hearts and the reins counsel. So You know who has sinned and who has not sinned, for You know the spirit of each and every person.” It is therefore stated (in Numb. 20:22), “O God, the God of all human spirits.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “You have spoken well. I am making the matter known, who has sinned and who has not sinned.”

And Joseph made ready his chariot (Gen. 46:29). R. Yudan said in the name of R. Aibu: Two men were accorded more homage than any other men in all the world; they were Jethro and Jacob. It is written that when Jethro came to Moses, Moses went out to meet his father-in-law (Exod. 18:7). Who would imagine Moses going out and other people not going out with him? Would not the leaders of the thousands and the hundreds go out, and would not the seventy elders and Aaron, the high priest, go out? Indeed, if he went out, would not all Israel go out with him to meet Jethro? Similarly, when Jacob came to live with Joseph, it is written: Joseph made ready his chariot and went out. Who, upon observing Joseph going out to meet his father, would fail to accompany him? Would not Pharaoh’s servants go out, would not the elders of his household and the elders of Egypt go out? He went out to fulfill the verse The wise shall inherit honor (Prov. 3:35).

And Jethro rejoiced (Exod. 18:9). Do not read this word as vayihad (“and he rejoiced”) but rather vayihed (“and he became a yehudi [a Jew]”). Why did Jethro say: Blessed be the Lord (Exod. 18:10)? Jethro said: I have not neglected to worship any idol in this world, but I have found no god like the God of Israel. Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods (ibid. 11).

Nebuchadnezzar said: And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and He doeth according to His will in the hosts of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand, nor say unto Him: What doest thou? (Dan. 4:32). If anyone else had said this, they would have ridiculed him, saying: “How does this wicked one know this?” But it was fitting for him to say it, since it is written about him: And wheresoever the children of men, the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven dwell, hath He given them into thy hand, and hath made thee to rule over them all (ibid. 2:38). Jethro said: Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods; yea, for by the things they planned to do evil (they were destroyed) against them (Exod. 18:11). This may be compared to the man who loaded his ass, only to have the load fall upon him. This happened to the Egyptians. They intended to destroy the Israelites in the water, and they themselves were drowned in the water. Thus it is written: For by the thing they planned to do evil against them.

“The king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written in accordance with everything that Haman had commanded the king’s satraps, and the governors who were over every province, and the princes of every people; to every province in its script, and to every people in its language. It was written in the name of King Aḥashverosh, and it was sealed with the king's ring” (Esther 3:12).
“The king’s scribes were summoned...and it was written in accordance with everything that Haman had commanded.” It is written: “Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying: Every son who is born, you shall cast him into the Nile…” (Exodus 1:22). Pharaoh commanded, but the Holy One blessed be He did not command. You [Haman], what power do you have? “Who is this, who said and it occurred, if the Lord did not command?” (Lamentations 3:37). What did He command? “For with a powerful hand he will send them out” (Exodus 6:1); and so it happened to him. Moreover, “He tossed Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea” (Psalms 136:15).
Similarly, “in accordance with everything that Haman had commanded” – he commanded, but the Holy One blessed be He did not command. Haman commanded “to destroy, to kill and to eliminate” (3:13), but the Lord did not command. What did He command? “May his evil plot that he had devised against the Jews return upon his head” (Esther 9:25), and so it happened to him, “and they hanged him and his sons on the gibbet” (Ibid.).
It is written: “He who elevates his entrance seeks destruction” (Proverbs 17:19). One who elevates the pronouncements of his mouth and utters inappropriate matters from his mouth, the Holy One blessed be He breaks him, and in the pot in which he cooked, he is cooked. Likewise, with Yitro it says: “As it was in the matter that they conspired against them” (Exodus 18:11).

“The king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written in accordance with everything that Haman had commanded the king’s satraps, and the governors who were over every province, and the princes of every people; to every province in its script, and to every people in its language. It was written in the name of King Aḥashverosh, and it was sealed with the king's ring” (Esther 3:12).
“The king’s scribes were summoned...and it was written in accordance with everything that Haman had commanded.” It is written: “Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying: Every son who is born, you shall cast him into the Nile…” (Exodus 1:22). Pharaoh commanded, but the Holy One blessed be He did not command. You [Haman], what power do you have? “Who is this, who said and it occurred, if the Lord did not command?” (Lamentations 3:37). What did He command? “For with a powerful hand he will send them out” (Exodus 6:1); and so it happened to him. Moreover, “He tossed Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea” (Psalms 136:15).
Similarly, “in accordance with everything that Haman had commanded” – he commanded, but the Holy One blessed be He did not command. Haman commanded “to destroy, to kill and to eliminate” (3:13), but the Lord did not command. What did He command? “May his evil plot that he had devised against the Jews return upon his head” (Esther 9:25), and so it happened to him, “and they hanged him and his sons on the gibbet” (Ibid.).
It is written: “He who elevates his entrance seeks destruction” (Proverbs 17:19). One who elevates the pronouncements of his mouth and utters inappropriate matters from his mouth, the Holy One blessed be He breaks him, and in the pot in which he cooked, he is cooked. Likewise, with Yitro it says: “As it was in the matter that they conspired against them” (Exodus 18:11).

(Numb. 19:2, cont:) “That they bring unto you [a red heifer without blemish].” R. Jose bar Hanina said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses. ‘To you I am revealing the reason for the heifer, but to others it is an unquestioned statute.’”⁸⁸PRK 4:7; PR 14:13; Numb. R. 19:6. As Rav Huna said, “It is written (in Ps. 75:3), ‘For I will set a time, when I Myself will judge with equity.’ It is also written (in Zech. 14:6), ‘On that day there shall be no light of cold (yqrot) and frost.’⁸⁹See also Pes. 50a. Things that are hidden from you in this world are going to be clear to you in the world to come, as with the blind person who gains his sight. Thus it is stated (in Is. 42:16), ‘I will lead the blind by a road they do not know, [… these things I have done].’ ‘I will do’ is not stated here, but ‘I have done,’ in that I have already done them for R. Aqiva and his colleagues.” Another interpretation: Things that were not revealed to Moses were revealed to R. Aquiva and his colleagues (as found in Job 28:10), “his eye sees every precious thing.” R. Jose bar Hanina said, “It was implied (in Numb. 19:2) was that all heifers perish, but [Moses’] lasts forever.” R. Aha said in the name of R. Jose bar Hanina, “When Moses ascended into the firmament, he heard the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, sitting and being occupied with the parashah of the [red heifer], and he was reciting a halakhah (i.e., a passage of oral Torah) in the name of its author (from Parah 1:1), ‘My son, Eliezer says, “The calf [whose neck is to be broken]⁹⁰See Deut. 21:3-4. is to be one year old, but the [red] heifer is to be two years old.”’⁹¹See Braude’s translation of PR, 14:13 p. 290, n. 91, which records a suggestion of Mordecai Margulies, who notes that R. Eliezer would have begun his instruction with this mishnah. Moses said, ‘Master of the world, do not the realms above and below belong to you? Now you are citing a halakhah in the name of flesh and blood?’ He said to him, ‘A righteous man is going to arise in my world and is first going to begin [his teaching] with the parashah of the [red] heifer, R. Eliezer says, “The calf [whose neck is to be broken] is to be one year old, but the [red] heifer is to be two years old.”’ He told Him, ‘Master of the universe, may it be [Your] will that he come from my loins.’ He said to him, ‘By your life, he is to be from your loins.’ Thus it is stated (of Moses' offspring in Exod. 18:4), ‘And the name of the one⁹²So literally. In the biblical context the translation would normally read: AND THE NAME OF THE OTHER WAS ELIEZER. was Eliezer,’ [i.e.,] the name of that particular one [who would begin his teaching with Tractate Parah] was Eliezer. A certain stranger questioned Rabban Johanan ben Zakkay, “These things which you do seem like a kind of sorcery.⁹³Numb. R. 19:8; PRK 4:7; PR 14:14. You bring a heifer, burn it, pound it, and take its ashes. Then [when] one of you is defiled by a corpse, they sprinkle two or three drops on him, and you say to him, ‘You are clean.’” He said to him, “Have you ever had a bad spirit of madness enter you?” He told him, “No.” He said to him, “Perhaps you have seen someone into whom a bad spirit has entered?” He told him, “Yes.” He said to him, “So what did you do for him?” He said to him, “They bring roots and burn them beneath him. Then they sprinkle water on [the spirit], and it flees.” He said to him, “Let your ears hear what you are uttering with your mouth. Similarly is this spirit an unclean spirit. Thus it is stated (in Zech. 13:2), ‘and I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.’ They sprinkle the purifying water upon him, and he flees.” After the gentile had left, [R. Johanan's] disciples said to him, “Our master, you repelled this one with a [mere] reed [of an answer]. What have you to say to us?” He said to them, “By your lives, a corpse does not defile, nor does a heifer purify, nor does water purify. Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, has said, ‘I have enacted a statute for you. I have issued a decree, [and] you are not allowed to transgress against my decree.’” Thus it is written (in Numb. 19:2), “This is the statute of the Torah.” And for what reason are all the sacrifices male and female, while that one is [only] female?⁹⁴PRK 4:8. R. Ayyevu said, “It is comparable to the son of a female slave who defiled a king's palace.⁹⁵Lat.: praetorium Gk.: praitoriom. The king said, ‘Let his mother come and clean up the excrement.’ Similarly has the Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘Let a heifer come and atone for the incident of the [golden] calf.’”

If thou lend money to any of my people (Exod. 22:24). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: He that putteth not out his money on interest (Ps. 15:5). Come and observe that every wealthy man who gives charity to the needy and does not lend out his money on interest is considered to have fulfilled all the commandments, as it is said: He that doeth these things shall never be moved (ibid.). Who was one such person? Obadiah, the wealthy overseer of Ahab’s household, as it is said: And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly (I Kings 18:3). He fed the prophets out of his own resources during that famine (which Elijah produced) and even borrowed money on interest from Joram the son of Ahab to do so. Obadiah fulfilled the verse He that putteth not out his money on interest, but concerning Joram who loaned money on interest, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Until now he has survived, but Jehu will come and slay him, as it is written: He hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? (Exod. 18:13). It is also written: And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot (II Kings 9:24). This occurred because he had become hard of heart and sought interest. Thus the prophesy of Ezekiel was fulfilled: He hath given forth upon interest and hath taken increase; shall he then live? (Ezek. 18:13).

(Fol. 64a) R. Abin the Levite said: "He who forces time will in return be pressed by time; but to him who gives way to time (yielding patiently to circumstances), time will give way. [We know it] from the incident of Rabba and R. Joseph, for R. Joseph was called Sinai (Erudite scholar) and Rabba was called Okar Harim (Dialectician). One of them was wanted [to become the head of an academy] so they sent into Palestine [to in-inquire to which one the office should be offered]: "Sinai or Okar Harim, which one is the better?" Whereupon they were answered that Sinai should be preferred, because all need the possessor of wheat (versed in the Mishnah and the Baraitha). And yet R. Joseph did not accept, for the Chaldeans (soothsayers) foretold unto him, "Thou wilst reign only twelve years." So Rabba became the head and after reigning twenty-two years, R. Joseph became head for twelve and a half years. During all the years in which Rabba was the head, R. Joseph [never conducted himself in any manner of domination]. Not even a barber did he call into his house. Again said R. Abin the Levite: "What is meant by that which is written (Ps. 20, 2) May the Lord answer thee in the day of distress. He should strengthen thee, the God of Jacob; The God of Jacob and not the God of Abraham and Isaac? We infer from this that the owner of the beam must take hold at the thickest part of it [if he desire to remove it successfully]." Further said R. Abin the Levite: "He who enjoys a meal at which a learned man is present is considered as if he were enjoying of Divine Glory, for it is said (Ex. 18, 12.) And Aaron came, with all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with the father-in-law of Moses, before God. Were they then eating before God? Behold it was before Moses that they ate? But we learn from this that whoever partakes of a meal at which a learned man is present, is considered to be enjoying the Divine Glory."

(Gen. 28:20:) IF GOD IS WITH ME. (Cf. Exod. 13:21:) AND THE LORD WENT BEFORE THEM BY DAY.
(Gen. 28:20, cont.:) PROTECTS ME. Thus I protected them from Pharaoh and his associates, and I overthrew Pharaoh and his whole army. So also with Amalek (in Exod. 17:13): AND JOSHUA OVERTHREW AMALEK AND HIS PEOPLE.
(Gen. 28:20, cont.:) AND GIVES ME FOOD TO EAT. (Cf. Exod. 16:4:) BEHOLD, I WILL RAIN DOWN BREAD FROM THE HEAVENS FOR YOU.
(Gen. 28:20, cont.:) AND CLOTHING TO PUT ON. (Cf. Deut. 8:4:) YOUR CLOTHING DID NOT WEAR OUT ON YOU.
(Gen. 28:21:) AND IF I RETURN SAFELY. (Cf. Exod. 18:23:) ALL THIS PEOPLE SHALL ALSO COME TO ITS PLACE SAFELY.

“He made everything beautiful in its time; the world, too, He has placed in their heart, but so that man will not discover the work that God has performed from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
“He made everything beautiful in its time.” Rabbi Tanḥhuma said: The world was created at its appointed time; it was not fit to have been created earlier, but at its proper time it was created, as it is stated: “He made everything beautiful in its time.” Rabbi Abbahu said: From here [it is derived] that the Holy One blessed be He created worlds and destroyed them, created worlds and destroyed them, until he created this [world], and said: ‘These please Me and those did not please Me.’ Rabbi Elazar says: This opening is open to the depths,³⁷The following is a clear proof to what Rabbi Abbahu stated above (Maharzu). as it is stated: “God saw everything that He made, and, behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).
Had another said: “He made everything beautiful in its time,” I would say: This one, who never ate a piece of bread in his life, says: “He made everything beautiful in its time”? However, Solomon, because it is written in his regard: “Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty kor of choice flour…” (I Kings 5:2), for him it is appropriate to say: “He made everything beautiful in its time.”³⁸Others who did not experience luxury might be easily impressed; if Solomon, who lived a life of incredible luxury, praised all that God created, that is a more significant compliment.
Another matter, had another said: “Vanity of vanities, said Kohelet…” (Ecclesiastes 1:2), I would have said: This one, who never acquired even two perutot worth [of property] in his life, he ridicules all the property in the world and says: “Vanity of vanities”? However, this one, Solomon, of whom it is written: “The king made the silver in Jerusalem as stones…” (I Kings 10:27), but they were not stolen, as they were ten cubit stones and eight cubit stones. The weights during the reign of Solomon were made of gold, as it is stated: “None of silver, as it was not considered anything during the reign of Solomon” (I Kings 10:21), for him it is appropriate to say: “Vanity of vanities.” Why did he say: “Vanity of vanities”? He saw the world and what would ultimately occur.
Had another said: “All residents of the earth are considered as nothing” (Daniel 4:32),³⁹This was stated by Nebuchadnezzar in praise of God. I would have said: Is it appropriate for this one, who has never had dominion over two flies to say: “All residents of the earth are considered as nothing”? It is more [significant now that] it was [stated by] the wicked Nebuchadnezzar, who had dominion over the entire world, as it is stated: “I have given him all the beasts of the field, as well” (Jeremiah 28:14) to serve him. [This is also evident] from what is written [regarding Nebuchadnezzar]: “Everywhere the sons of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens dwell, He has given into your hand and established your rule over all of them” (Daniel 2:38). For this one it is appropriate to say: “All residents of the earth are considered as nothing.”
Had another of the wise men of the nations of the world said the verse: “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods” (Exodus 18:11), I would have said: This one, who does not know the nature of idol worship, says: “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods”? However, it is Yitro who said: “Now I know that the Lord is greater [than all gods],” [although] he engaged in many forms of idol worship, as Rabbi Yishmael taught: Reuel, who is Yitro, did not leave any form of idol worship in the world that he did not seek and serve, as it is written: “Woe unto us. Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods [that smote the Egyptians]” (I Samuel 4:8).⁴⁰This verse was stated by the Philistines when preparing to face the Israelites in battle, upon realizing that the ark of the covenant was brought to the Israelite camp. Thus, it is not immediately clear what this verse adds to the midrash, and there are some commentaries who suggest it should be removed. Some suggest that this verse is offered as a contrast to Jethro. The Philistines recognized God and His power, yet assumed that He was just one of many gods, and therefore perhaps other gods to deliver them from Him. Jethro, on the other hand, repudiated all other gods (Matnot Kehuna). [Yitro] then said: “[Now I know that the Lord is greater] than all gods,” and ultimately converted and conceded to the Holy One blessed be He; for him it is appropriate to say: “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods…” – He repented before the Holy One blessed be He, and He accepted him and established him [as a model] for Israel for the generations.
Had a prophet and wise man arisen and said: “The Rock, His actions are perfect [for all His ways are justice]” (Deuteronomy 32:4) other than Moses our master, [one might have said that he does not really know God’s ways. But in the case of Moses] because it is written in his regard: “He informed Moses of His ways, the children of Israel of His feats” (Psalms 103:7), for this one it is appropriate to say: “The Rock, [His actions] are perfect.”
Had another person come and rebuked Israel, I would have said: Shall a person who ate and drank from them and derived benefit from them, rebuke them? Rather, Moses, in whose regard it is written: “I have not taken one donkey from them” (Numbers 16:15), for this one it is appropriate to rebuke Israel. That is what is written: “These are the words that Moses spoke to all of Israel beyond the Jordan…” (Deuteronomy 1:1).⁴¹All the places mentioned in the continuation of this verse are allusions to events for which Moses reprimanded the children of Israel.

(Numb. 2:2:) “Each with his standard, under the banners [for their fathers' houses….]” This text is related (to Cant. 6:10), “Who is this woman that shines through like the dawn, as beautiful as the moon.” Holy and grand was Israel by her standards!⁵¹Numb. R. 2:4. So all the nations were looking at them, as they said in astonishment (ibid), “Who is this woman that shines through?” The nations said to them (in Cant. 7:1), “Return, return, O Shulammite (i.e., O Israel). Cling to us and come to us; then we will make you sultans, generals,⁵²Lat.: duces. and commanders,”⁵³Gk.: hegemones. [as stated] (in ibid., cont.), “Return, return that we may look upon you.” Now “we may look (rt.: hzh)” can only [refer to giving] authority, for so Jethro said to Moses (in Exod. 18:21), “You shall also seek out (rt.: hzh) [able men].” Then Israel said to them (in Cant. 7:1, cont.), “What will you see (rt.: hzh) in the Shulammite?” And what grandeur are you giving to us? [It is] perhaps (ibid., cont.) “like a dance of the camps?”⁵⁴MHNYM. The voweling of the Masoretic text understands MHNYM as a dual, i.e., as TWO CAMPS; but the context here assumes more than two. Can you possibly give us anything like the grandeur which the Lord our God gave us in the desert? [There he gave us] the standard of the camp of Judah, the standard of the camp of Reuben, the standard of the camp of Ephraim, the standard of the camp of Dan. Are you able to do so for us? (Cant. 7:1), “What will you see (rt.: hzh) in the Shulammite? It is perhaps (ibid., cont.) “like a dance (meholat) of the camps”; [in] that when we sin, He pardons (mohel) us and says to us (in Deut. 23:15 [14]), “and your camp shall be holy?” So also Balaam the wicked beheld them and his eyes popped out as he faced them, because he could not touch them; as stated (in Numb. 24:2), “Then Balaam raised his eyes and saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe.” He began to say, “Who can touch these people, when each and every one dwells by his standard.”

(Exod. 19:1:) ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. What is written above on the matter? The parashah about Jethro, in which he taught Moses (in Exod. 18:21): YOU SHALL ALSO SEEK OUT <ABLE MEN> FROM AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE.³²PRK 12:16. And after that (in vs. 27): THEN MOSES SENT HIS < FATHER-IN-LAW > AWAY. And after that (in Exod. 19:1): ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. Solomon said (in Prov. 14:10): THE HEART KNOWS ITS OWN BITTERNESS…, and therefore (according to the rest of the verse) NO OUTSIDER SHALL INTERVENE IN ITS JOY. The Holy One said: My children were enslaved with clay and bricks while Jethro was dwelling quietly within his house. So shall he come to behold the joy of the Torah along with my children? Then after that (in Exod. 19:1): ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. Why so? Moses interpreted <the matter on the principle of > qal wahomer (i.e., a fortiori): If in the case of a single precept, when the Holy One was going to give the precept on Passover, Torah said (in Exod. 12:43): NO FOREIGNER SHALL EAT OF IT; in the case of six hundred and thirteen commandments which he wanted to give to Israel, should Jethro be there to behold them? Therefore (in Exod. 18:27): MOSES SENT HIS <FATHER-IN-LAW> AWAY; and after that (in Exod. 19:1): ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. Why ON THE THIRD NEW MOON, and not on the second new moon, or the seventh new moon, or on another new moon?³³PRK 12:17. Our masters have said: R. Osha'ya said: R. Hiyya the elder taught me: A female proselyte, a female captive, or an emancipated female slave may neither marry nor be betrothed for three new moons.³⁴Yev. 35a (bar); Ket. 37a (bar). So <it was with> Israel. They were called proselytes (gerim), as stated (in Lev. 19:34): FOR YOU WERE STRANGERS (gerim) IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. <They were called> captives, as stated (in Is. 14:2): THEY SHALL TAKE THEIR CAPTORS CAPTIVE. <They were called> emancipated slaves, as stated (in Lev. 26:13): I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT TO BE THEIR SLAVES NO MORE…. The Holy One said: I will wait three new moons for them and after that I will give them the Torah.

(Numb. 2:2:) EACH WITH HIS STANDARD, UNDER THE BANNERS <FOR THEIR FATHERS' HOUSES….> This text is related (to Cant. 6:10): WHO IS THIS WOMAN THAT SHINES THROUGH [LIKE THE DAWN, AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE MOON, CLEAR AS THE SUN…?] Holy and grand was Israel by her standards!⁶⁹Tanh., Numb. 11; Numb. R. 2:4} So all the nations were looking at them, as they said in astonishment (ibid): WHO IS THIS WOMAN THAT SHINES THROUGH? The nations said to them (in Cant. 7:1 [6:13]): RETURN, RETURN, O SHULAMMITE (i.e., O Israel). Cling to us and come to us; then we will make you sultans, generals,⁷⁰Lat.: duces. and commanders,⁷¹Gk.: hegemones. [as stated] (in ibid., cont.): RETURN, RETURN THAT WE MAY LOOK UPON YOU. [Now WE MAY LOOK (rt.: HZH) can only <refer to giving> authority, for so Jethro said to Moses (in Exod. 18:21): YOU SHALL ALSO SEEK OUT (rt.: HZH) <ABLE MEN> FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE…]; <AND YOU SHALL SET THESE OVER THEM AS COMMANDERS OF THOUSANDS, COMMANDERS OF HUNDREDS, COMMANDERS OF FIFTIES, AND COMMANDERS OF TENS>. Then Israel said to them (in Cant. 7:1 [6:13], cont.): WHAT WILL YOU SEE (rt.: HZH) IN THE SHULAMMITE? And what grandeur are you giving to us? <It is> perhaps (ibid., cont.) LIKE A DANCE OF THE CAMPS?⁷²MHNYM. The voweling of the Masoretic text understands MHNYM as a dual, i.e., as TWO CAMPS; but the context here assumes more than two. Can you possibly give us anything like the grandeur which the LORD our God gave us in the desert? <There he gave us> the standard of the camp of Judah, the standard of the camp of Reuben, the standard of the camp of Ephraim, the standard of the camp of Dan. Are you able to do so for us? (Cant. 7:1 [6:13]): WHAT WILL YOU SEE (rt.: HZH) IN THE SHULAMMITE? It is perhaps (ibid., cont.) LIKE A DANCE (meholat) OF THE CAMPS, in that when we sin, he pardons (mohel) us and says to us (in Deut. 23:15 [14]): AND YOUR CAMP SHALL BE HOLY? So also Balaam the Wicked beheld them and his eyes popped out as he faced them, because he could not touch them, as stated (in Numb. 24:2): THEN BALAAM RAISED HIS EYES AND SAW ISRAEL DWELLING TRIBE BY TRIBE. He began to say: Who can touch these people, when each and every one dwells by his standard.

(Exod. 19:1:) ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. What is written above on the matter? The parashah about Jethro, in which he taught Moses (in Exod. 18:21): YOU SHALL ALSO SEEK OUT <ABLE MEN> FROM AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE.³²PRK 12:16. And after that (in vs. 27): THEN MOSES SENT HIS < FATHER-IN-LAW > AWAY. And after that (in Exod. 19:1): ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. Solomon said (in Prov. 14:10): THE HEART KNOWS ITS OWN BITTERNESS…, and therefore (according to the rest of the verse) NO OUTSIDER SHALL INTERVENE IN ITS JOY. The Holy One said: My children were enslaved with clay and bricks while Jethro was dwelling quietly within his house. So shall he come to behold the joy of the Torah along with my children? Then after that (in Exod. 19:1): ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. Why so? Moses interpreted <the matter on the principle of > qal wahomer (i.e., a fortiori): If in the case of a single precept, when the Holy One was going to give the precept on Passover, Torah said (in Exod. 12:43): NO FOREIGNER SHALL EAT OF IT; in the case of six hundred and thirteen commandments which he wanted to give to Israel, should Jethro be there to behold them? Therefore (in Exod. 18:27): MOSES SENT HIS <FATHER-IN-LAW> AWAY; and after that (in Exod. 19:1): ON THE THIRD NEW MOON. Why ON THE THIRD NEW MOON, and not on the second new moon, or the seventh new moon, or on another new moon?³³PRK 12:17. Our masters have said: R. Osha'ya said: R. Hiyya the elder taught me: A female proselyte, a female captive, or an emancipated female slave may neither marry nor be betrothed for three new moons.³⁴Yev. 35a (bar); Ket. 37a (bar). So <it was with> Israel. They were called proselytes (gerim), as stated (in Lev. 19:34): FOR YOU WERE STRANGERS (gerim) IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. <They were called> captives, as stated (in Is. 14:2): THEY SHALL TAKE THEIR CAPTORS CAPTIVE. <They were called> emancipated slaves, as stated (in Lev. 26:13): I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT TO BE THEIR SLAVES NO MORE…. The Holy One said: I will wait three new moons for them and after that I will give them the Torah.

Another matter, “He made everything beautiful in its time” – Rabbi Bon stated two approaches regarding the following. Rabbi Bon said: Abraham was worthy to have been created before Adam, the first man, but the Holy One blessed be He said: If I create Abraham first, if he sins, there will be no one to come to make amends after him. Rather, I will create Adam, and if he sins, Abraham will come after him and make amends.⁴²This is based on the verse: “He made everything beautiful in its time.” Rabbi Bon said another [source for this idea]: It is written: “The greatest man among the giants” (Joshua 14:15).⁴³This is interpreted as a reference to Abraham. Abraham was worthy to have been created first, as it is stated: “The greatest man among the giants.” Why is he called “greatest”? It is because he was worthy to have been created first, but the Holy One blessed be He said: If I create Abraham first, if he sins, there will be no one to come after him to make amends. Rather, I will create Adam, the first man, and if he sins, Abraham will come and make amends after him.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Some cite a parable; to what is this matter analogous? [It is analogous] to one who had a substantial beam in his residence, in his house. Where would he place it? Would he not place it in the middle of the great hall, so that it would be able to support the beams in front of it and the beams that are behind it? So too, why did the Holy One blessed be He create Abraham our patriarch in the middle? So that he could provide support for the generations that preceded him and the generations that succeeded him. Rabbi Levi said: One brings a proper wife into the house of an improper wife, but one does not bring an improper wife into the house of a proper wife.⁴⁴Similarly, Abraham was created after Adam in order to have a positive impact on the world that Adam had previously tarnished. Had Abraham been created first, Adam would have negated the positive impact that Abraham made on the world.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Adam the first man was worthy to have had the Torah given through him, as it is stated: “This is the book of the generations of Adam. [On the day that God created man, in the likeness of God He made him]” (Genesis 5:1).⁴⁵The midrash interprets the “book” in the verse as a reference to the Torah. The Holy One blessed be He said: Adam is my handiwork, will I not give him the Torah so that he may toil in it? Then He said: If six mitzvot were given him and he was unable to keep them and observe them, were I to give him six hundred and thirteen mitzvot – two hundred and forty-eight positive commandments and three hundred and sixty-five prohibitions – all the more so will he not keep them. That is why it is written: “He said to Adam [la’adam]” (Job 28:28) – not Adam [lo adam], I will not give them to Adam. To whom will I give them? I will give them to his descendants.
Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanan said: Adam the first man was worthy of having twelve tribes emerge from him, as it is written: “This [zeh] is the book of the generations of Adam” (Genesis 5:1) – zayin – seven, heh –five, twelve tribes, this is the numerical value of “zeh is the book of the generations of Adam.” The Holy One blessed be He said: Adam is My handiwork, will I not give him twelve tribes? He then said: If I gave him two sons and one rose and killed his brother, had I given him twelve sons, all the more so. That is why it written: “He said to Adam [la’adam]” (Job 28:28), not Adam [lo adam], I will not give them to Adam. To whom will I give them? I will give them to Jacob the righteous.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: At the time when they departed from Egypt, The Israelites were worthy for the Torah to have been given to them immediately, but the Holy One blessed be He said: The radiance of My children has not yet come; they have emerged from the enslavement of mortar and bricks and cannot receive the Torah immediately. To what is this matter comparable? [It is comparable] to a king whose son arose from his illness and they said to him: ‘Let your son go to his academy.’ He said: ‘The radiance of my son has not yet come; rather, let him be indulged for two or three months with food and drink and recover, and then he will go to his academy.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘The radiance of my children has not yet come, they have emerged from the enslavement of mortar and bricks, and I will give them the Torah? Rather, let My children be indulged for two or three months with manna, a spring, and quails, and then I will give them the Torah.’ When? In the third month.
Rabbi Beivai, Rabbi Aivu, and Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon: At the time when they departed from Egypt, the Israelites were worthy to enter the Land immediately, but the trees were ancient, from the days of Noah. The Holy One blessed be He said: Shall I bring the Israelites into a wasteland? Rather, I will take them on a circuitous path through the wilderness for forty years so that the Canaanites will rise and chop down the old ones and plant new ones, so [the Israelites] would enter the land and find it filled with blessings.
Rabbi says: Even for matters of transgression it is “beautiful in its time.”⁴⁶“He made everything beautiful in its time” alludes to the fact that even the effect of a transgression is influenced by its timing.

It was taught in the name of R. Pepiyas: Indeed it is a disgrace for Hezekiah and his associates not to have recited any song until the earth opened its mouth and sang, as it is said, (Is. 24) From the edge of the earth we heard songs, Glory be to the righteous. Similar to this we find a passage (Ex. 18, 10) Blessed be the Lord who hath delivered you. It was taught in the name of Pepiyas: It is indeed a shame for Moses and the six hundred thousand Israelites with him who didn't say this benediction till Jethro came and said Blessed be the Lord (Ib. ib. 9) Vayichad (rejoiced) Jethro. Rab and Samuel both explain this word. Rab said: "It means that he passed a sharp razor upon his body." [He performed the ceremony of circumcision]. And Samuel said "It means that his whole body pained as if struck with sharp needles." Rab said: "This is what people say: "A proselyte, even until the tenth generation, do not despise in his presence a heathen." (Is. 10, 15) Therefore will the Lord, the Eternal of hosts, send forth among his bmashmanov (fat ones) leanness. What is meant by the term bmashmanov? The Lord said: "Let Hezekiah who has eight names come and take revenge on Sennacherib who has also eight names." Hezekiah had eight names, as it is written (Ib. 9, 5) For a child is born unto us, a son hath been given unto us, and the government is placed on his shoulders and his name is Pete, Yoez, El, Gibor, Abbi, Ad, Sar, Shalom. And what about the name Hezekiah? This means that the Lord strengthened him; according to others, it means, that he caused the strengthening of Israel unto their Heavenly Father. And concerning Sennacherib, it is written (II Kings, 15, 9) Thiglath-pilesser (I Chron. 5, 20) Pilnesser, (II Kings, 17, 3) Shalmanesser, (Ib. ib. 17) Pul, (Isa. 20, 1) Sargon, and (Ezra 4, 70) Assnaper, Rabha, V'yaquira. And what about the name Sennacherib? This means that he said vile words against Heaven. R. Jochanan said: "Why did that wicked one deserve to be called the honored and the great? Because he did not speak evil of the land of Israel, as it is said (II Kings, 18, 32) Until I come and take you away to a land like your own, etc." Rab and Samuel differ in the following: One says he was a clever king, and the other, he was a foolish king. According to the one, he was a clever king, because if he would have said that he would take them to a better land than theirs they would have considered him a liar. And according to the other he was a fool, for what use could it be for them to go to a land which was not better than their own? Whereto did he exile the ten tribes of Israel? Mar Zutra said, to Africa, and R. Chanina said, to the mountains of Slug. However, the ten tribes of Israel slandered the land of Israel, for when they reached the city of Sus they said that it was like their own land. And when they came to the city of Elmin they said that it is like our Elmin (Jerusalem), and when they reached the second Sus they said that it was much better than their own land.

What is written about one who takes interest? He that hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live (Exod. 18:13). This may be compared to a king who makes his treasures available to a certain individual who later begins to oppress the poor, kill the widows, embarrass the needy, despoil the naked, do violence and theft, indulge in falsehood, and squander the king’s treasures. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, opens His treasure to the wealthy, with all that He possesses in it, as it is said: Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold (Hag. 2:8). Then the rich man begins to loan money on interest. And he starts to taunt the widows and oppress them with interest, to embarrass the poor, and to humiliate the naked who seek charity from him, even though the Holy One, blessed be He, had declared: Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker (Prov. 17:5). If a man’s neighbor is in debt to him for a hundred zuzim, he beats him, strips him, does violence to him, steals from him, and destroys the pledges he entrusted to him. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, says: Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou was not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! When thou hast ceased to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled (Isa. 33:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, gave him wealth from His treasure house, which was a treasure house of truth, and he made it into a treasure house of falsehood, as it is said: Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity, ye have eaten the fruit of lies, for thou didst trust (Hos. 10:13). Hence, when the whirlwind passeth, the wicked is not more (Prov. 10:25). And that is why Solomon proclaimed: Rob not the weak, because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause (ibid. 22:22).

(Fol. 116) The following Tannaim differ in this point: (Ex. 18, 1) Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' fahter-in-law, heard. What was the news which he heard that caused him to go to Moses and become a proselyte? R. Joshua says: "He heard of the war with Amalek; this caused him to come to Moses; for next to this is written (Ib. 17) And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of his sword." R. Elazar the Modite said: "He heard of the giving of the Torah; this caused him to come and visit Moses; for when the Holy One, praised be He! gave the Torah unto Israel, His voice rang from one end of the globe to the other, and caused all the idolatrous kings to tremble in their palaces and they sang praises [for him], as it is said (Ps. 29, 9) And in His temple all say, 'Glory.' They all assembled around Bil'am saying to him: 'What do these voices refer to? Perhaps He is bringing a flood upon the world, as it is said (Ib.) "Yea, the Lord sitteth as King forever, i.e., for long since He had already sworn not to bring a flood upon the world." They then said to Bil'am: "Perhaps He cannot bring a flood of water [on account of his oath] but He is bringing now a flood of fire, as it is said (Is. 66, 16) For by fire will the Lord judge." Whereupon Bil'am replied: "Long since He had already sworn not to destroy all the flesh." 'What then mean all these voices?' asked they again. Whereupon he replied: 'A precious treasure which the Holy One, praised be He! kept in His treasure, which was preserved with Him for nine hundred and seventy-four generations before the creation; this treasure He wants to give to His children, as it is said (Ib.) The Lord will give strength unto His people.' Whereupon they all responded: "The Lord will bless His people with peace.' " R. Elazar b. Jacob said: "Jethro heard of the division of the Red Sea, as it is said (Josh. 5, 1) And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites heard, etc., how the Lord dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel, until they were passed over, that their hearts melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel." So also said Rachab the harlot unto the messengers of Joshua (Ib. 2, 10) For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, etc. And as soon as we had heard it, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you."

“Awake, north wind, and come, south wind; blow upon my garden, that its perfume will spread. Let my beloved come to his garden and eat his delicious fruits” (Song of Songs 4:16).
“Awake, north wind, and come, south wind” – Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina: Rabbi Elazar said: The descendants of Noah sacrificed peace offerings. Rabbi Yosei said: The descendants of Noah sacrificed burnt offerings.¹⁶¹All agree that Noah and his descendants sacrificed burnt offerings, as this is explicit in the text (see, e.g., Genesis 8:20). The dispute is whether they also sacrificed peace offerings. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection to Rabbi Yosei: “Abel, too, brought from the firstborn of his flock and from the choicest of them [umeḥelvehen]” (Genesis 4:4).¹⁶²The understanding is that Abel sacrificed offerings from which only the fats [ḥelev] are burned, i.e., peace offerings. What does Rabbi Yosei do with this? He says: From the fattest among them. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection to Rabbi Yosei: “He sent the young men of the children of Israel [and they offered up burnt offerings and they slaughtered peace offerings [shelamim] of oxen to the Lord]” (Exodus 24:5).¹⁶³This verse explicitly states that they offered peace offerings, despite the fact that this took place before the giving of the Torah, when even the Israelites were considered no more than descendants of Noah (Etz Yosef). What does Rabbi Yosei do with this? Their bodies were whole [shelemim], without flaying and cutting.¹⁶⁴This is in contrast to standard burnt offerings, which require flaying and cutting. Rabbi Elazar raised an objection: It is written: “Yitro took…a burnt offering and a peace offering” (Exodus 18:12), a burnt offering for the sake of a burnt offering and a peace offering for the sake of a peace offering.¹⁶⁵The offerings were sacrificed properly. If an offering is sacrificed with the understanding that it is a different offering, e.g., if an animal designated as a burnt offering is sacrificed as a peace offering, one has not fulfilled one’s vow to bring the burnt offering. What does Rabbi Yosei do with this? He would say to you: Two amora’im disagree. One says: Yitro came after the giving of the Torah;¹⁶⁶When there were both burnt offerings and peace offerings. the other says: Yitro came before the giving of the Torah. The one who said Yitro came before the giving of the Torah [must hold that] the descendants of Noah sacrificed peace offerings. The one who said: Yitro came after the giving of the Torah [holds that] the descendants of Noah sacrificed [only] burnt offerings.
This supports Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina: “Awake, north wind, and come, south wind.” “Awake north wind” – this is the burnt offering, which is slaughtered in the north.¹⁶⁷The north side of the Temple Courtyard. Why was the term “awake” addressed to it? [Because] it is something that was asleep and awakened.¹⁶⁸The patriarchs sacrificed burnt offerings, but the Israelites did not sacrifice burnt offerings while they were in Egypt. “Come, south wind” – this is the peace offering, which is slaughtered in the south.¹⁶⁹Unlike the burnt offering, the peace offering could be slaughtered anywhere in the Temple Courtyard. Why was the term “come” addressed to it? Because it was something new.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana, Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa, and Rabbi Yehoshua say in the name of Rabbi Levi: This verse, too, supports Rabbi Yosei. “This is the law of the burnt offering; it is the burnt offering” (Leviticus 6:2) that the descendants of Noah sacrificed initially. When it arrives at the peace offering, it says: “This is the law of the peace offering [that one shall offer to the Lord]” (Leviticus 7:11). It is not written here, “that they offered,” but rather, that they shall offer, from here forward.
How does Rabbi Elazar interpret this verse: “Awake, north wind, and come, south wind”? When the exiles situated in the north will awaken and they will come and encamp in the south, just as it says: “Behold, I am bringing them from the land of the north, and I will gather them from the ends of the earth” (Jeremiah 31:7). When Gog and Magog, which are situated in the north, will awaken and come and fall in the south, just as it says: “I will lead you astray and I will entice you, and I will take you up” (Ezekiel 39:2). When the messianic king, who is situated in the north, will awaken and come build the Temple, which is located in the south, just as it says: “I have roused one from the north and he came” (Isaiah 41:25).
“Blow upon my garden, that its perfume will spread” – Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Rabbi Binyamin bar Levi: Because in this world when the southern wind blows the northern wind does not blow, and when the northern wind blows the southern wind does not blow. However, in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will bring an unusual wind to the world, and it will lead two winds simultaneously and both will serve. That is what is written: “I will say to the north: Give, and to the south: Do not withhold” (Isaiah 43:6).
“Let my beloved come to his garden” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Torah teaches you proper etiquette, that a bridegroom should not enter the wedding canopy until the bride gives him permission. What is the reason? “Let my beloved come to his garden.”¹⁷⁰The next verse begins “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride,” which is an indication that he came only after receiving permission from his bride.

10 (Numb. 16:12) Then Moses sent to summon Dathan and Abiram: They also persisted in their wickedness and did not care to answer him (ibid., cont.), “and they said, ‘We will not come up.’” Their [very] mouths tripped up [these] wicked men, for a covenant is made with the lips. So they died and went down to the nethermost Sheol, after they had gone down alive to Sheol. (Numb. 16:13) “Is it so small a matter that you have brought us up [from a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert], that you must also lord it over us”: They said to him, “On what basis do you assume superiority over us? What good have you done with us? You brought us out of the land of Egypt, which was (according to Gen. 13:10) ‘like the garden of the Lord’; but you have not brought us into the land of Canaan. Rather here we are in the desert, where the plague is sent among us; (according to Numb. 16:14) ‘would you put out the eyes of these people….’” (Numb. 16:15) “Now Moses was very angry”: He was very anguished. Why? When a man argues with his companion and reasons with him; when he answers him, he has peace of mind; but if he does not answer him, then this involves anguish. (Numb. 16:15, cont.) “And he said unto the Lord, ‘Pay no attention unto their meal offering’”: Do not accept them in repentance. Scripture should have said, “Pay no attention unto their service"? What is the meaning of “their meal offering?” This is what Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, I know that these have a share in that meal offering that [Israel offers every day], as stated (Numb. 29:19), ‘in addition to the daily burnt offering, and its meal offering.’ And it is offered from all of Israel. [But] in as much as these have withdrawn from Your children, do not pay attention to their portion. Let the fire leave it alone and not consume it.” (Numb. 16:15, cont.) “I have not taken one donkey from them”: That which I had [a right] to take I did not take. By universal custom, one who works in the sanctuary receives wages from the sanctuary. [In my case, however,] when I went down from Midian to Egypt I had a right to take a donkey from them, since it was on behalf of their needs that I was going down [there]; but I did not take [one]. Similarly also did Samuel the righteous say (in I Sam. 12:3), “Here am I, testify against me before the Lord and before His anointed; whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken?” When I sacrificed an ox for their offerings to seek mercy for them and likewise for anointing a king over them, it belonged to me, as stated (in I Sam. 16:2), “Take a heifer with you […].” And similarly it says (in I Sam. 9:12), “because the people have a sacrifice today at the high place (bamah).” But I took nothing from what belonged to them. Also when I sought to handle their lawsuits and their [other] needs, and when I made the circuit of the cities, as stated (in I Sam. 7:16), “And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, [Gilgal, and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all those places];” [although] by universal custom litigants go to the judge, I went around from city to city and from place to place and the donkey was mine. Now even Moses said to Israel (in Exod. 18:16), “When they have a matter, it comes unto me.” But I (Samuel) did not act in this way. Instead I took the trouble to go to them. (Numb. 16:15, cont.) “And I have not harmed a single one of them,” in that I neither convicted the innocent nor acquitted the guilty. When Moses saw that they continued in their pride, then he said to them (according to Numb. 16:17,) “‘[Tomorrow] you and all your company [are to be present before the Lord].” Then Korah went about all that night and led Israel astray. Now he would say to them, “What do you suppose? That I am busy obtaining greatness for myself? I wish for greatness to go the rounds to all of us, while Moses has taken kingship for himself and has given the high priesthood to his brother Aaron.” So did he go about seducing each and every tribe as it suited them, until they joined him. It is so stated (Numb. 16:19), “And Korah gathered all the congregation against them.” When they all entered, they were speaking with him; immediately (we read in Numb. 16:20–22), “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ‘Separate yourselves from the midst of this evil congregation, [so that I may consume them in a moment].’ But they fell on their faces.”

(Numb. 16:15, cont.:) <Moses continued:> I HAVE NOT TAKEN ONE DONKEY FROM THEM. That which I had a right to take I did not take. By universal custom, one who works in the sanctuary receives wages from the sanctuary.³⁷See I Corinthians 9:13. <In my case, however,> when I went down from Midian to Egypt I had a right to take a donkey from them, since it was on behalf of their needs that I was going down <there>; but I did not take <one>. Similarly also did Samuel the Righteous say (in I Sam. 12:3): HERE AM I;³⁸The translation follows the Masoretic Text. Buber’s HERE ARE WE is almost certainly in error. TESTIFY AGAINST ME BEFORE THE LORD AND BEFORE HIS ANOINTED. WHOSE OX HAVE I TAKEN? OR WHOSE DONKEY HAVE I TAKEN? When I sacrificed an ox for their offerings to seek mercy for them and likewise for anointing a king over them, it belonged to me, as stated (in I Sam. 16:2): TAKE A HEIFER WITH YOU…. And similarly it says (in I Sam. 9:12): BECAUSE THE PEOPLE HAVE A SACRIFICE TODAY AT THE HIGH PLACE. But I took nothing from what belonged to them. Also when I went back to handle their lawsuits and their <other> needs, and when I made the circuit of the cities, as stated (in I Sam. 7:16): AND HE WENT <ON A CIRCUIT> YEAR BY YEAR <TO BETHEL, GILGAL, AND MIZPAH; AND HE JUDGED ISRAEL IN ALL THOSE PLACES, although> by universal custom litigants go to the judge, I went around from city to city and from place to place.³⁹The midrash is also making a point that he traveled on his own donkey. Now even Moses said to Israel (in Exod. 18:16): WHEN THEY HAVE A MATTER, IT COMES UNTO ME. But I (Samuel) did not act in this way. Instead I took the trouble to go to them. (Numb. 16:15, cont.:) AND I HAVE NOT HARMED A SINGLE ONE OF THEM, in that I neither convicted the innocent nor acquitted the guilty. When Moses saw that they continued in their pride and in their rebellious acts, THEN (according to Numb. 16:16–18) MOSES SAID UNTO KORAH: <TOMORROW> YOU AND ALL YOUR COMPANY <ARE TO BE PRESENT BEFORE THE LORD: YOU, THEY, AND AARON >; AND LET EACH ONE TAKE HIS CENSER…. SO EACH ONE TOOK HIS CENSER…. Then Korah went about all that night and led Israel astray. Now he would say to them: What do you suppose? That I am busy obtaining greatness for myself? I wish for greatness to go the rounds to all of us, while Moses has taken greatness for himself and has given the high priesthood to his brother Aaron as an eternal statute.⁴⁰Below, Numb. 5a:2. So did he go about seducing each and every tribe as it suited him, until they took his side. How is it shown? Because when (according to vs. 19) they entered and came with him, immediately (we read in Numb. 16:20–22): THEN THE LORD SPOKE <UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON, SAYING>: SEPARATE YOURSELVES <FROM THE MIDST OF THIS CONGREGATION, SO THAT I MAY CONSUME THEM IN A MOMENT>. BUT THEY FELL ON THEIR FACES AND SAID: O GOD, THE GOD OF ALL HUMAN SPIRITS, <SHALL ONE PERSON SIN AND YOU BECOME ANGRY WITH THE WHOLE CONGREGATION>? They said to him:⁴¹Tanh., Numb. 5:7, cont.; Numb. R. 18:11. Sovereign of the World, in the case of a king, when a province rebels against him, when they persist in cursing the king or his deputies, ten or twenty of them, he sends out his legions⁴²Lat.: legiones. and carries out reprisals⁴³Gk.: androlempsia (=androlepsia). against it. So he kills the good with the evil, because he does not know who among them has rebelled and who has not rebelled, who has honored the king and who has cursed him. You, however, know the thoughts of every person, even what the hearts and the reins counsel. So you know who has sinned and who has not sinned, for you know the spirit of each and every person. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 20:22): O GOD, THE GOD OF ALL HUMAN SPIRITS. The Holy one said to them: You have spoken well. I am making the matter known, who has sinned and who has not sinned.

...R. Acha in the name of R. Chanina said: At the time when Moses ascended to the heavenly heights, he heard the voice of the Holy One, Blessed Be He, who was sitting and studying the [Torah portion of] the Red Heifer, and uttering a halakhah in the name of the one who spoke it. "R. Eliezer said: a calf [when written in the Torah] is one year old, and a cow is two [years old]." [Moses] said before Him: "Master of All the Worlds! May it be Your will that he [R. Eliezer] would be from my loins [i.e. would be my descendant]." [God] said to him: "By your life [i.e. assuredly] he is from your loins! For so it says in Scripture (Exodus 18:4): "...and the name of the other [son of Moses] was 'Eliezer'...", the same particular name.

Go, get thee down (Exod. 32:7). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Mankind has already compelled Me to descend from this place to witness its degradation, as is said: And the Lord came down to see the city … Come, let us go down (Gen. 11:5, 7), and I will go down and see (ibid. 18:21). Hence you too must go down, for it behooves a servant to behave like his master. When Moses heard that, he said to himself: Truly, there is no forgiveness for them. The Holy One, blessed be He, was aware of what was transpiring in Moses’ heart, and so He said to him: Have I not already told thee at the thorn bush that I have surely seen (Exod. 3:7)? You saw but one vision, but I have seen two. I saw them coming to Sinai and accepting My Torah, and I also saw that I would descend at Sinai on My chariot with four animals and they would examine it and unhitch one of them in order to provoke Me, as it is said: And they four had the face of an ox, etc. (Ezek. 1:10), and it is written elsewhere: Thus they exchanged their glory for an ass that eateth grass (Ps. 106:20).

R. Jose bar Hanina said: His (Moses') implication (in Numb. 19:2) was that all heifers perish, but his lasts forever. R. Aha said in the name of R. Jose bar Hanina: When Moses ascended into the firmament, he heard the voice of the Holy One sitting and being occupied with the parashah of the <Red Heifer>, and he was reciting a halakhah (i.e., a passage of Oral Torah) in the name of its author (from Parah 1:1): R. ELIEZER SAYS: THE CALF <WHOSE NECK IS TO BE BROKEN>¹²²See Deut. 21:3-4. IS TO BE ONE YEAR OLD, BUT THE <RED> HEIFER IS TO BE TWO YEARS OLD.¹²³See Braude’s translation of PR, 14:13 p. 290, n. 91, which records a suggestion of Mordecai Margulies, who notes that R. Eliezer would have begun his instruction with this mishnah. Moses said, Sovereign of the World, do not the realms above and below belong to you? Now you are citing a halakhah in the name of flesh and blood! He said to him: A righteous person is going to arise in my world and is first going to begin <his teaching> with the parashah of the <Red> Heifer: R. ELIEZER SAYS: THE CALF <WHOSE NECK IS TO BE BROKEN> IS TO BE ONE YEAR OLD, BUT THE <RED> HEIFER IS TO BE TWO YEARS OLD. He to him: Sovereign of the World, may it be <your> will that he come from my loins. He said to him: By your life, he is to be from your loins. Thus it is stated (of Moses' offspring in Exod. 18:4): AND THE NAME OF THE ONE¹²⁴So literally. In the biblical context the translation would normally read: AND THE NAME OF THE OTHER WAS ELIEZER. ELIEZER, <i.e.,> the name of that particular Eliezer, <who would begin his Mishnah teaching with tractate Parah>.

Another interpretation: "And Yitro Heard": He was called by seven names. Yeter was his name while he was yet an idolater. As it says: "He returned to Yeter his father-in-law"(Exodus 4:18). Once he converted, an extra letter (vav) was added to his name, just as was done to Avraham, and he was then called Yitro. Another interpretation: Yitro, because he increased (yiter) a section of the Torah, i.e. "And you shall see from amongst the people" (Exodus 18:21). Hobab, because he cherised (hibeb) the Torah, as written in the section "Moshe said to Hobab" (Numbers 10:29)

Another interpretation: "And Yitro Heard": He was called by seven names. Yeter was his name while he was yet an idolater. As it says: "He returned to Yeter his father-in-law"(Exodus 4:18). Once he converted, an extra letter (vav) was added to his name, just as was done to Avraham, and he was then called Yitro. Another interpretation: Yitro, because he increased (yiter) a section of the Torah, i.e. "And you shall see from amongst the people" (Exodus 18:21). Hobab, because he cherised (hibeb) the Torah, as written in the section "Moshe said to Hobab" (Numbers 10:29)

And the children of Israel journeyed from Rephidim and encamped in the wilderness of Sinai, ‎in the third month after their going out of Egypt. At that time Reuel, the father-in-law of ‎Moses, came with Zipporah his daughter and her two sons, for he had heard of the wonders ‎which the Lord had done in behalf of Israel, that he delivered them from the hand of Egypt; ‎and Reuel came to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped on the mountain of ‎God; and Moses went to meet his father-in-law with great honors, and all Israel went with ‎him, and Reuel with his children remained for many days in the midst of the children of Israel, ‎and he knew the Lord from that day on. And in the third month after the children of Israel ‎went forth from Egypt, in the sixth day of the month, the Lord gave the commandments unto ‎Israel on Mount Sinai, and all Israel heard these commandments, and they all rejoiced greatly ‎in the Lord on that day. And the glory of the Lord was resting upon Mount Sinai, and he called ‎unto Moses from the midst of the cloud, and Moses came in the midst of the fire and went up ‎the mount. And Moses was upon the mount forty days and forty nights, he ate no bread, ‎neither did he drink water, and the Lord gave him statutes and judgments to teach the ‎children of Israel. And the Lord wrote the ten commandments, which he had commanded ‎unto the children of Israel, upon two tables of stone, to give them unto Moses, in order to ‎command them unto the children of Israel. And at the end of forty days and forty nights, when ‎the Lord had ceased speaking unto Moses on Mount Sinai, the Lord gave unto Moses the ‎tables of stone, written with the finger of God. And when the children of Israel saw that ‎Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together ‎unto Aaron and said: As for this man Moses we wot not what is become of him, now ‎therefore, up, make us gods which shall go before us, lest thou shalt die. And Aaron was ‎greatly afraid of the people, and he commanded, and they brought unto him gold, and he ‎made a molten calf unto the people. And the Lord said unto Moses before he had gone down ‎from the mountain: Go, get thee down, for the people which thou broughtest out of the land ‎of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have made a molten calf and have bowed down to ‎it. Now therefore, let me alone, that I may consume them from the earth, for they are a stiff ‎necked people. And Moses entreated the Lord, and he prayed to the Lord in behalf of the ‎people, concerning the calf which they had made, and after wards he went down from the ‎mount with the two tables which God had given unto him to command unto the Israelites. And ‎when Moses approached the camp and beheld the calf which the people had made, Moses’ ‎anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands and broke them beneath the mount. ‎And Moses entered the camp, and he took the calf and burnt it in fire and ground it to ‎powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.‎

(Bamidbar 10:29) "And Moses said to Chovav (Yithro) the son of Reuel the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses": Was Chovav the father-in-law of Moses, or Reuel, viz. (Shemot 2:8) "And they came to Reuel, their father, etc."? — (Judges 4:11) "And Chever the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, from the children of Chovav, the father-in-law of Moses" (indicates that) his name was Chovav and not Reuel. How, then, are we to understand "And they came to Reuel their father"? We are hereby apprised that the young children called their father's father "father." R. Shimon b. Menassia says: His name was Reuel, "the friend (re'a) of G-d," viz. (Shemot 5:12) "And Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before G-d." R. Dostai says: His name was Keini, for he had separated from the provocative deeds of the kanai ("the provokers"), who provoke the L-rd, viz. (Devarim 32:21) "They provoked Me (kinuni) with a no-god," and (Ezekiel 8:3) "where was the seat of the provocative image of provocation ("semel hakinah hamekaneh"). R. Yossi says: His name was Keini, for he had acquired (kanah) Torah for himself. R. Yishmael b. R. Yossi says: His name was Reuel, for he had befriended G-d, viz. (Proverbs 27:10) "Your Friend and the Friend of your father do not forsake." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: He had two names — Chovav and Yithro. "Yithro," because he added a section ("Yithro") to the Torah, viz. (Shemot 18:21) "And (Yithro said) you shall see from all the people men of valor, etc." Now were these things (of appointing judges) not known to Moses from Sinai, viz. (Ibid. 23) "If you do this thing and G-d commands you"? And why did they escape Moses? To credit the thing to Yithro. "Chovav," because he loved ("chivev") the Torah. For we find no other proselyte who loved the Torah as Yithro did. And just as Yithro loved the Torah, so did his descendants love the Torah, viz. (I Chronicles 2:55) "and the families of scribes who dwelt in Yabetz: Tirathim, Shimathim, Suchathim. (These were the Kenites, etc.") "Tirathim" — because they heard the teruah from Mount Sinai. "Tirathim" — because they cried out ("mathri'im) and fasted. "Tirathim" — because they did not shave themselves ("ta'ar" is a blade). "Tirathim" — because they sat in the gates ("tara" is a gate) of Jerusalem. "Shimathim" — because they did not anoint themselves with oil (because of their mourning over the destruction of the Temple). "Suchathim" — because they dwelt in succoth. "who dwelt in Yabetz": They left Yericho and went to Yabetz, to the desert of Judah in the south of Arad to learn Torah from him (Yabetz), viz. (Ibid. 4:10) "And Yabetz called out to the G-d of Israel … and G-d granted him what he requested." They were chassidim, who entreated G-d for someone to learn from, and he was a chassid who entreated G-d for someone to teach. The chassidim came to learn from the chassid, as it is written (Judges 1:16) "And the sons of the Keini, the father-in-law of Moses, etc.", and (Jeremiah 25:12) "Go to the house of the Rechavim and speak to them, and bring them to the house of the L-rd, etc.", and (Ibid. 6) "And they said: We will not drink wine for Yonadav the son of Rechav our father commanded us, saying … and a house you shall not build and seed you shall not sow … so that you may live many years on the land where you live" — Since this house (the Temple) is destined to be destroyed, see it as if it is already destroyed. (Ibid. 8-10) "And we heeded the vice of Yonadav ben Rechav our father … and we live in tents, for we heeded and did according to everything that Yonadav our father commanded us." And whence is it derived that the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav were of the sons of the sons of Yithro? For it is written (I Chronicles 2:55) "These were the Keinites, who descended from Chammath, the father of the house of the Rechavim." And what was their reward for this? (Jeremiah 35:18) "And to the Rechavim Jeremiah said: Thus said the L-rd of hosts, the G-d of Israel: Because you have heeded the command of Yonadav your father … (19) there will not be cut off from Yonadav ben Rechav one who stands before Me all of the days." R. Yehoshua says: Now may proselytes enter the sanctuary? Rather, they sat in the Sanhedrin and taught Torah. Others say: Some of their daughters were wed to Cohanim and their descendents entered the sanctuary. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If those, who drew near (to Israel), were thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near!) And thus do you find with Rachav Hazonah. What is written (of her)? (I Chronicles 4:21) "And the families of the house of the linen work, of the house of Ashbea": "the families" — Rachav Hazonah ("the feeder"), who kept an inn to feed her family. "the linen work" — She hid the spies among the linens. "the house of Ashbea" — The spies swore ("nisb'u") to her (to spare her family). Eight prophets, issued from Rachav Hazonah: Yirmiyahu, Chilkiyahu, Serayah, Machseyah, Baruch, Neriah, Chanamel, and Shalom. R. Yehudah says: Chuldah the prophetess was also of the descendants of Rachav Hazonah, as it is written (II Kings 22:14) "And Chilkiyahu the Cohein and Achikam and Achbor and Shafan and Asayah went to Chuldah the prophetess, the wife of Shalom the son of Tikvah, etc." And it is written (Joshua 2:18) "behold, when we (the spies) come to the land, you (Rachav) shall bind this line (tikvah) of scarlet thread, etc." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If she, who came from a people of whom it is written (Devarim 20:16) "You shall not spare any soul," because she drew near (to Israel), was thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near!) And thus do you find with the Giveonites. What is written of them? (I Chronicles 4:22) "And Yokim and the men of Chezeva. "And Yokim" — Joshua fulfilled ("kiyem") for them his oath (to spare them). "Chezeva" — they deceived ("kizvu") Joshua, saying (Joshua 9:9) "From a very distant land did your servants come," and not from Eretz Yisrael." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If these, who came from a people consigned to destruction, because they drew near (to Israel), were thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near)! And thus do you find with Ruth the Moavitess. What did she say to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16-17) "Your people is my people, and your G-d is my G-d. Where you will die, I will die." The L-rd said to her: You have lost nothing. kingdom is yours in this world and in the world to come. What is written (of her)? (I Chronicles 4:22) "and Yoash and Saraph, who had dominion in Moav." Yoash and Saraph are Machlon and Kilyon (viz. Ruth 1:2-6) "Yoash" — they despaired (nithya'ashu) of redemption. "Saraph" — they were liable to (the penalty of) burning, to the L-rd. "who had dominion over Moav" — they married Moavite women and left Eretz Yisrael and went and sojourned in the field of Moav. (I Chronicles, Ibid.) "and Yashuvilechem" — this is Ruth the Moavitess, who returned and dwelt in Beth Lechem. (Ibid.) "And these are ancient things" — each is discussed in its place. (Ibid. 23) "These are 'the keepers'" — the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav, who kept the oath of their father. "and the dwellers among the plants" — Solomon, who was like a (flourishing) plant in his kingdom. "and gedeirah ("the fence") — Sanhedrin, who sit and delimit the "fences" of Torah. "With the king in his work they sat there" — Ruth the Moavitess did not die until she saw Solomon, the grandson of her grandson (Yishai) sitting on his throne of kingdom, as it is written (I Kings 2:19) "And he (Solomon) sat on his throne, and he placed a seat for the mother of the king" — the mother of kingdom (i.e., Ruth). "and she sat at his right hand": as he busied himself with the work of the Temple, viz.: (I Chronicles, Ibid.) "with the king in his work they sat there. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If she, who was of the people of whom it is written (I Kings 11:2) "You shall not come into them, and they shall not come into you," because she drew near (to Israel), she was drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so! And if you would ask: But where do we see this (that the L-rd draws them near) with Israel? It is written (Shemot 1:15) "And the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, the first of whom was named Shifrah; and the second, Puah": Shifra is Yocheved (Moses' mother). Puah is Miriam (Moses' sister). "Shifra" — because she "beautifies (meshapereth) the child. "Puah" — because she "coos" (poeh) to the child. Variantly: "Shifra" — because Israel was fruitful (paru) and multiplied in her days. "Puah" — because she moaned (poah) and wept over her brother, as it is written (Ibid. 2:4) "And his sister stood from afar to know what would be done with him." (Ibid. 1:16) "And he (Pharaoh) said: When you deliver the Hebrew women … (17) and the midwives feared G-d … (21) and He made for them (the midwives) houses": I would not know what these "houses" were if not for (I Kings 9:10) "And it was at the end of twenty years that Solomon built the two houses — the house of the L-rd and the house of the king." "the house of the L-rd" — the priesthood; "the house of the king" — royalty. Yocheved attained to priesthood, and Miriam, to royalty. As it is written (I Chronicles 4:4) "These were the sons of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-lechem": "Efrathah" — Miriam, who married Calev, viz.: (I Chronicles 2:19) "And Calev took Efrath, and she bore to him Chur," and (Ibid. 50) "These were the sons of Calev, the son of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-lechem. "Efrathah" — This is the (royal) house of David, as it is written (I Samuel 17:12) "And David was the son of an Efrati man of Beth-lechem."

(Bamidbar 10:29) "And Moses said to Chovav (Yithro) the son of Reuel the Midianite, the father-in-law of Moses": Was Chovav the father-in-law of Moses, or Reuel, viz. (Shemot 2:8) "And they came to Reuel, their father, etc."? — (Judges 4:11) "And Chever the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, from the children of Chovav, the father-in-law of Moses" (indicates that) his name was Chovav and not Reuel. How, then, are we to understand "And they came to Reuel their father"? We are hereby apprised that the young children called their father's father "father." R. Shimon b. Menassia says: His name was Reuel, "the friend (re'a) of G-d," viz. (Shemot 5:12) "And Aaron and all the elders of Israel came to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before G-d." R. Dostai says: His name was Keini, for he had separated from the provocative deeds of the kanai ("the provokers"), who provoke the L-rd, viz. (Devarim 32:21) "They provoked Me (kinuni) with a no-god," and (Ezekiel 8:3) "where was the seat of the provocative image of provocation ("semel hakinah hamekaneh"). R. Yossi says: His name was Keini, for he had acquired (kanah) Torah for himself. R. Yishmael b. R. Yossi says: His name was Reuel, for he had befriended G-d, viz. (Proverbs 27:10) "Your Friend and the Friend of your father do not forsake." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: He had two names — Chovav and Yithro. "Yithro," because he added a section ("Yithro") to the Torah, viz. (Shemot 18:21) "And (Yithro said) you shall see from all the people men of valor, etc." Now were these things (of appointing judges) not known to Moses from Sinai, viz. (Ibid. 23) "If you do this thing and G-d commands you"? And why did they escape Moses? To credit the thing to Yithro. "Chovav," because he loved ("chivev") the Torah. For we find no other proselyte who loved the Torah as Yithro did. And just as Yithro loved the Torah, so did his descendants love the Torah, viz. (I Chronicles 2:55) "and the families of scribes who dwelt in Yabetz: Tirathim, Shimathim, Suchathim. (These were the Kenites, etc.") "Tirathim" — because they heard the teruah from Mount Sinai. "Tirathim" — because they cried out ("mathri'im) and fasted. "Tirathim" — because they did not shave themselves ("ta'ar" is a blade). "Tirathim" — because they sat in the gates ("tara" is a gate) of Jerusalem. "Shimathim" — because they did not anoint themselves with oil (because of their mourning over the destruction of the Temple). "Suchathim" — because they dwelt in succoth. "who dwelt in Yabetz": They left Yericho and went to Yabetz, to the desert of Judah in the south of Arad to learn Torah from him (Yabetz), viz. (Ibid. 4:10) "And Yabetz called out to the G-d of Israel … and G-d granted him what he requested." They were chassidim, who entreated G-d for someone to learn from, and he was a chassid who entreated G-d for someone to teach. The chassidim came to learn from the chassid, as it is written (Judges 1:16) "And the sons of the Keini, the father-in-law of Moses, etc.", and (Jeremiah 25:12) "Go to the house of the Rechavim and speak to them, and bring them to the house of the L-rd, etc.", and (Ibid. 6) "And they said: We will not drink wine for Yonadav the son of Rechav our father commanded us, saying … and a house you shall not build and seed you shall not sow … so that you may live many years on the land where you live" — Since this house (the Temple) is destined to be destroyed, see it as if it is already destroyed. (Ibid. 8-10) "And we heeded the vice of Yonadav ben Rechav our father … and we live in tents, for we heeded and did according to everything that Yonadav our father commanded us." And whence is it derived that the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav were of the sons of the sons of Yithro? For it is written (I Chronicles 2:55) "These were the Keinites, who descended from Chammath, the father of the house of the Rechavim." And what was their reward for this? (Jeremiah 35:18) "And to the Rechavim Jeremiah said: Thus said the L-rd of hosts, the G-d of Israel: Because you have heeded the command of Yonadav your father … (19) there will not be cut off from Yonadav ben Rechav one who stands before Me all of the days." R. Yehoshua says: Now may proselytes enter the sanctuary? Rather, they sat in the Sanhedrin and taught Torah. Others say: Some of their daughters were wed to Cohanim and their descendents entered the sanctuary. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If those, who drew near (to Israel), were thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near!) And thus do you find with Rachav Hazonah. What is written (of her)? (I Chronicles 4:21) "And the families of the house of the linen work, of the house of Ashbea": "the families" — Rachav Hazonah ("the feeder"), who kept an inn to feed her family. "the linen work" — She hid the spies among the linens. "the house of Ashbea" — The spies swore ("nisb'u") to her (to spare her family). Eight prophets, issued from Rachav Hazonah: Yirmiyahu, Chilkiyahu, Serayah, Machseyah, Baruch, Neriah, Chanamel, and Shalom. R. Yehudah says: Chuldah the prophetess was also of the descendants of Rachav Hazonah, as it is written (II Kings 22:14) "And Chilkiyahu the Cohein and Achikam and Achbor and Shafan and Asayah went to Chuldah the prophetess, the wife of Shalom the son of Tikvah, etc." And it is written (Joshua 2:18) "behold, when we (the spies) come to the land, you (Rachav) shall bind this line (tikvah) of scarlet thread, etc." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If she, who came from a people of whom it is written (Devarim 20:16) "You shall not spare any soul," because she drew near (to Israel), was thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near!) And thus do you find with the Giveonites. What is written of them? (I Chronicles 4:22) "And Yokim and the men of Chezeva. "And Yokim" — Joshua fulfilled ("kiyem") for them his oath (to spare them). "Chezeva" — they deceived ("kizvu") Joshua, saying (Joshua 9:9) "From a very distant land did your servants come," and not from Eretz Yisrael." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If these, who came from a people consigned to destruction, because they drew near (to Israel), were thus drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so (will He draw them near)! And thus do you find with Ruth the Moavitess. What did she say to her mother-in-law (Ruth 1:16-17) "Your people is my people, and your G-d is my G-d. Where you will die, I will die." The L-rd said to her: You have lost nothing. kingdom is yours in this world and in the world to come. What is written (of her)? (I Chronicles 4:22) "and Yoash and Saraph, who had dominion in Moav." Yoash and Saraph are Machlon and Kilyon (viz. Ruth 1:2-6) "Yoash" — they despaired (nithya'ashu) of redemption. "Saraph" — they were liable to (the penalty of) burning, to the L-rd. "who had dominion over Moav" — they married Moavite women and left Eretz Yisrael and went and sojourned in the field of Moav. (I Chronicles, Ibid.) "and Yashuvilechem" — this is Ruth the Moavitess, who returned and dwelt in Beth Lechem. (Ibid.) "And these are ancient things" — each is discussed in its place. (Ibid. 23) "These are 'the keepers'" — the sons of Yonadav ben Rechav, who kept the oath of their father. "and the dwellers among the plants" — Solomon, who was like a (flourishing) plant in his kingdom. "and gedeirah ("the fence") — Sanhedrin, who sit and delimit the "fences" of Torah. "With the king in his work they sat there" — Ruth the Moavitess did not die until she saw Solomon, the grandson of her grandson (Yishai) sitting on his throne of kingdom, as it is written (I Kings 2:19) "And he (Solomon) sat on his throne, and he placed a seat for the mother of the king" — the mother of kingdom (i.e., Ruth). "and she sat at his right hand": as he busied himself with the work of the Temple, viz.: (I Chronicles, Ibid.) "with the king in his work they sat there. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If she, who was of the people of whom it is written (I Kings 11:2) "You shall not come into them, and they shall not come into you," because she drew near (to Israel), she was drawn near by the L-rd, then Israelites, who do the will of the L-rd, how much more so! And if you would ask: But where do we see this (that the L-rd draws them near) with Israel? It is written (Shemot 1:15) "And the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, the first of whom was named Shifrah; and the second, Puah": Shifra is Yocheved (Moses' mother). Puah is Miriam (Moses' sister). "Shifra" — because she "beautifies (meshapereth) the child. "Puah" — because she "coos" (poeh) to the child. Variantly: "Shifra" — because Israel was fruitful (paru) and multiplied in her days. "Puah" — because she moaned (poah) and wept over her brother, as it is written (Ibid. 2:4) "And his sister stood from afar to know what would be done with him." (Ibid. 1:16) "And he (Pharaoh) said: When you deliver the Hebrew women … (17) and the midwives feared G-d … (21) and He made for them (the midwives) houses": I would not know what these "houses" were if not for (I Kings 9:10) "And it was at the end of twenty years that Solomon built the two houses — the house of the L-rd and the house of the king." "the house of the L-rd" — the priesthood; "the house of the king" — royalty. Yocheved attained to priesthood, and Miriam, to royalty. As it is written (I Chronicles 4:4) "These were the sons of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-lechem": "Efrathah" — Miriam, who married Calev, viz.: (I Chronicles 2:19) "And Calev took Efrath, and she bore to him Chur," and (Ibid. 50) "These were the sons of Calev, the son of Chur, the first-born of Efrathah, the father of Beth-lechem. "Efrathah" — This is the (royal) house of David, as it is written (I Samuel 17:12) "And David was the son of an Efrati man of Beth-lechem."

(Bamidbar 10:30) "And he said: I pray ("na") you, do not leave us." "Na" is a term of imploration. He said to him: If you do not take it upon yourself (to remain with us), I decree it upon you. For now, (if you leave,) Israel will say: Yithro became a proselyte not out of love, but only in expectation of a portion in the land, which, seeing not to be forthcoming, he abandoned us. Variantly: (Moses said to him:) You think you are increasing G-d's honor (by planning to make conversions in your land.) You are only diminishing it! How many (prospective) proselytes would take shelter under the wings of the Shechinah (if you remained.) But now, you are closing the door against them. They will say: If Yithro, the father-in-law of the king, did not take it upon himself (to remain with Israel), how much more so, we! "inasmuch as you have known our camping ('chanothenu') in the desert": Moses said to him: If another, who had not seen the miracles and wonders wrought for us in the desert, up and left, it might befit him, but you, who have seen them, can you do so? R. Yehudah says you who saw the "chein" ("favor" [a homiletic reading of "chanothenu"]) bestowed upon our fathers in Egypt, viz. (Shemot 12:36) "And the L-rd placed the favor of the people in the eyes of Egypt," would you pick up and leave? "and you have been 'eyes' for us": And not that alone, but in all things that were concealed from our eyes, you enlightened us, viz. (Ibid. 18:21) "And you shall see from all the people, etc." Now were these things (of appointing judges) not known to Moses from Sinai, viz. (Ibid. 23) "If you do this thing and G-d commands you, then you will be able to bear up"? And why did they escape Moses? To credit the thing to Yithro. Variantly ("and you have been 'eyes' for us"): that he (the proselyte) be as beloved by us as the apple of our eye, viz. (Devarim 10:19) "And you shall love the stranger," (Shemot 22:2) "And a stranger you shall not taunt and you shall not oppress."

(Bamidbar, Ibid. 4) "And the L-rd said suddenly": R. Shimon b. Menassia said: Moses was frightened by "suddenly" (viz. [Shemot 3:6]), and (here) G-d spoke "suddenly." "The three of you go out to the tent of meeting!": We are hereby apprised that the three of them were called by a single utterance, something which (within the framework of nature) the mouth is not capable of uttering nor the ear of hearing. And thus is it written (Shemot 20:1) "And the L-rd spoke all of these things, saying" — (Psalms 62:12) "One (thing) has G-d spoken; two (things) have I heard," (Jeremiah 23:29) "Behold, My word is like fire, declares the L-rd, (and like a hammer that shatters rock.") (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "And the L-rd went down in a pillar of cloud": not as the measure of flesh and blood. The measure of flesh and blood: When he goes out to war, he goes out with many men, and when he goes out to peace, he goes out with only few. But the Holy One Blessed be He, when He goes out to war, only He goes out, as it is written (Shemot 18:3) "The L-rd is a man of war"; and when He comes in peace, He comes with thousands and ten thousands, viz. (Psalms 68:18) "G-d's chariots are myriads upon myriads, thousands upon thousands." (And here He comes to make peace, accompanied by "a pillar of cloud.") (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "And He called Aaron and Miriam, and the two of them came forth." Scripture here comes to teach us proper conduct — that when one wishes to speak to someone not in the presence of another, he should not ask the other to leave, but should draw near to him the one he wishes to speak to and talk to him. And why did He not call Moses with them? So that Israel not say that Moses, too, was the object of the L-rd's anger. Variantly: So that Moses not hear the (L-rd's) criticism of Aaron. Variantly: A man (Moses, in this instance) is not to be praised to his face. R. Elazar b. Azaryah says: We find that part of a man's praise is stated to his face. For thus do we find with Noach, (the L-rd saying to him, Bereshit 7:1) "For you have I found to be righteous before Me in this generation," whereas not to his face He says (Ibid. 6:9) "These are the progeny of Noach: Noach was a completely righteous man in his generations." R. Elazar the son of R. Yossi Haglili says: We find that one mentions (only) part of the praise of Him who spoke and brought the world into being "to His face," as it is written (Psalms 66:3) "Say to G-d: How awesome are Your deeds!" How much more so is this true (that only partial praise is thus mentioned) with flesh and blood.