Midrash su Genesi 21:33

(Gen. 21, 33) And Abraham planted a tamarisk-tree in Beer'sheba. Said Resh Lakish: "Infer from this that he made an orchard and planted in it every kind of delicacies." R. Juda and R. Nechemia both differ as to the explanation of this passage. One says that the passage refers to an orchard and the other says that it refers to an inn. It is evidently right according to the one who explains it an orchard; for the passage says, Vayita, (and he planted) but as to the one who explains it an inn, what is the meaning of Vayita? (and he planted)? Such an expression we find in the following passage (Dan. 11, 45) Vayita, he will pitch the tents of his palace between seas and glorious holy mountains. (Gen. 12, 33) And called there on the name of the Lord. Said Resh Lakish: "Do not read Vayikra and he called it, but Vayakri (Ib. b) and he caused it to be called." Infer from this that Abraham caused every traveler to call the name of the Holy One, praised be He! How was this done? After they had eaten and drunk they would stand up to bless Abraham, whereupon Abraham would say to them: "Have you then eaten from mine? You have eaten from that which belongs to the God of the Universe; therefore praise and bless Him who spoke and the world came in existence."

[(Gen. 24:1:) NOW ABRAHAM WAS OLD.] This text is related (to Prov. 31:10): WHO CAN FIND A GALLANT WIFE?¹¹Cf. Tanh., Gen. 4:4. About whom were the words spoken? < They were spoken about Sarah > since it is written above (in Gen. 23:2): AND ABRAHAM PROCEEDED TO MOURN FOR SARAH AND WEEP FOR HER, < i.e., > he began to weep and eulogize. So he said: When shall I be able to get < another wife > like you?¹²The midrash is interpreting Prov. 32:10ff. as Abraham’s eulogy over Sarah. (Prov. 31:10:) A GALLANT WIFE. This was Sarah, as stated (in Gen. 12:11): SEE HERE NOW, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE A BEAUTIFUL-LOOKING WOMAN. (Prov. 31:10, cont.:) HER VALUE WAS FAR BEYOND THAT OF RUBIES, in that you came from afar. Thus it is stated (in Is. 46:11): SUMMONING A BIRD OF PREY FROM THE EAST, MY CONFIDANT FROM A FAR COUNTRY. (Prov. 31:11:) HER HUSBAND'S HEART HAD CONFIDENCE IN HER: This was Sarah, as stated (in Gen. 12:13): [PLEASE SAY YOU ARE MY SISTER] SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH ME BECAUSE OF YOU. (Prov. 31:11, cont.:) AND HE HAS NO LACK OF PROFIT. This refers to our father Abraham, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 13:2): NOW ABRAHAM WAS VERY RICH. (Prov. 31:12:) SHE DID GOOD FOR HIM AND NOT EVIL. This refers to Sarah, since it is stated (in Gen. 12:16): AND BECAUSE OF HER, IT WENT WELL WITH ABRAHAM. (Prov. 31:13:) SHE LOOKS FOR WOOL AND FLAX, < in choosing > between < flaxen > Ishmael and < the pure wool of > Isaac. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 21:9f.): THEN SARAH SAW THE SON OF HAGAR THE EGYPTIAN … AND SAID TO ABRAHAM: CAST OUT THIS SLAVE WOMAN < AND HER SON >…. (Prov. 31:14:) SHE WAS LIKE THE MERCHANT SHIPS, in that she was moving from place to place and from country to country. Like such a vessel which goes from place to place on the sea (according to Prov. 31:14, cont.): SHE BRINGS HER FOOD FROM AFAR. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 20:16): THEN HE SAID UNTO SARAH: SEE, I HAVE GIVEN YOUR BROTHER A THOUSAND SILVER PIECES. (Prov. 31:15:) SHE ALSO AROSE WHILE IT WAS STILL NIGHT AND GAVE FOOD TO HER HOUSEHOLD. When? (In Gen. 22:3:) SO ABRAHAM AROSE EARLY IN THE MORNING…. (Prov. 31:15, cont.:) AND GAVE FOOD TO HER HOUSEHOLD, EVEN A STATUTE¹³The usual translation here is PORTION, but STATUTE better fits the Tanhuma context. FOR HER YOUNG WOMEN. (Gen. 17:26:) ON THAT VERY DAY ABRAHAM WAS CIRCUMCISED…. Now STATUTE can only mean circumcision, as shown (in Ps. 105:10): AND HE ESTABLISHED IT (i.e., Abraham's covenant) FOR JACOB AS A STATUTE, FOR ISRAEL AS AN EVERLASTING COVENANT.¹⁴Of course, Abraham’s EVERLASTING COVENANT meant circumcision. (Prov. 31:16:) SHE SET HER MIND ON A FIELD AND BOUGHT IT. Thus, while she was alive, she had her mind on obtaining the cave of Machpelah AND BOUGHT IT, for here she is buried in it (cf. Gen. 23). (Prov. 31:16, cont.:) FROM THE FRUIT OF HER HANDS SHE PLANTED A VINEYARD, as stated (in Gen. 21:33): AND HE PLANTED A TAMARISK TREE. What is the meaning of AND HE PLANTED? < It is > as you say (in Gen. 9:20): AND HE PLANTED A VINEYARD. (Prov. 31:17:) SHE GIRDED HER LOINS WITH VIGOR, when Abraham said to her (in Gen. 18:6): HURRY UP WITH THREE SEAHS OF FINE MEAL…. (Prov. 31:18:) SHE PERCEIVED THAT HER MERCHANDISE WAS GOOD; AND (in Gen. 21:7) SHE SAID: WHO WOULD HAVE SAID TO ABRAHAM THAT SARAH WOULD SUCKLE CHILDREN? (Prov. 31:18, cont.:) HER LAMP WOULD NOT GO OUT AT NIGHT. When? (In Gen. 14:15:) THEN HE DEPLOYED < HIS FORCES > AGAINST THEM BY NIGHT.¹⁵The verse assumes that Sarah was waiting up for Abraham to return from battle. (Prov. 31:21:) SHE WOULD NOT BE AFRAID FOR HER HOUSEHOLD BECAUSE OF SNOW. When? When the Holy One showed him Gehinnom (with its snow), she foretold that none of her children would go down into its midst. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 15:17): THERE APPEARED A SMOKING OVEN AND A FLAMING TORCH. Why? Because they fulfilled two commandments, (as shown in Prov. 31:21, cont.): BECAUSE ALL HER HOUSEHOLD ARE CLOTHED TWOFOLD,¹⁶The traditional text vocalizes TWOFOLD to mean CRIMSON. i.e., with the Sabbath and with circumcision. (Prov. 31:22:) SHE MADE COVERINGS FOR HERSELF. When? When they said to him (in Gen. 18:9): WHERE IS YOUR WIFE SARAH? He said to her: You have received good news that you are to bear < children >, and from them will go forth high priests who will serve in the Tent of Meeting. (Prov. 31:22, cont.:) HER CLOTHING IS LINEN AND PURPLE, as stated (in Exod. 26:31): < AND YOU SHALL MAKE A VEIL OF > {LINEN} [BLUE] AND PURPLE…. (Prov. 31:23:) HER HUSBAND WAS KNOWN IN THE GATES. When Sarah died, old age sprang upon Abraham and he was called elderly. Now it is stated (in Gen. 23:6, after the report of Sarah's death): HEAR US, MY LORD, YOU ARE A PRINCE OF GOD IN OUR MIDST. Ergo, HER HUSBAND WAS KNOWN IN THE GATES; < and the verse continues > immediately: AS HE SAT AMONG THE ELDERS OF THE LAND. He had become old; therefore, it is stated (in Gen. 24:1): NOW ABRAHAM WAS OLD.

(Devarim 1:8) "which the L-rd swore to your fathers": Why need it be mentioned (in addition to this) "to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob"? (To stress that) each one was worthy of this in himself. An analogy: A king gives his servant one field as a gift, as it is. The servant goes and improves it, not leaving it as it is, but planting a vineyard and bequeaths it to his son — who does not leave it as it is, but improves it and bequeaths it to his son — who does not leave it as it is, but improves it. Thus, when the Holy One Blessed be He gave the land to our father Abraham, He gave it to him only as it was, viz. (Bereshith 13:17) "Arise, walk in the land in its length and its breadth, for to you shall I give it." Abraham arose and improved it, viz. (Ibid. 21:33) "And he planted a fruit grove in Beersheva." Isaac arose and improved it, viz. (Ibid. 26:12) "And Isaac sowed in that land and he found in that year a hundredfold." Jacob arose and improved it, viz. (Ibid. 33:19) "And he bought the part of the field where he had pitched his tent." If so, why need "to your fathers" be written? If in respect to the oath to the fathers, this is already written. This refers to the covenant with the tribes, viz. (Habakkuk 3:9) "the oaths to the tribes, an enduring word."

After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram (Gen. 15:1). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: The wicked earneth false wages, but he that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward (Prov. 11:18). The wicked earneth false wages refers to the evil Nimrod, who erected idols and led mankind astray. Idolatry is coupled with falsehood, as it is said: His molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them (Jer. 10:14). But he that soweth righteousness hath a sure reward alludes to Abraham, who sowed righteousness by feeding passers-by and travelers, as it is said: And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and called thereupon the name of the Lord, the everlasting God (Gen. 21:33).

“While the king was at his feast, my nard released its fragrance” (Song of Songs 1:12).
“While the king was at his feast,” Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Meir says: While the King of kings was at His feast, in the firmament, Israel released a foul odor and said to the calf: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). Rabbi Yehuda said to him: ‘Enough, Meir, one does not expound Song of Songs disparagingly, but rather, favorably, as Song of Songs was given only in praise of Israel. What is: “While the king was at his feast”? While the King of kings was at His feast, in the firmament, Israel released a fine fragrance before Mount Sinai, and said: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform and we will obey” (Exodus 24:7).
According to the opinion of Rabbi Meir, it should have said: My stench released its odor.²⁶⁸Since the verse was referring to the Golden Calf, it should have referred to stench rather than the fragrance of the sweet-smelling nard. Rather, a treatise ascended in their hand from the Diaspora,²⁶⁹The midrash is citing an ancient tradition recorded in a treatise that was transported from Babylon during the Return to Zion to build the second Temple. and they taught in its regard that He skipped the incident of the calf for them and the act of the Tabernacle preceded it.²⁷⁰The sin of the Golden Calf (Exodus chap. 32) should have been recorded in the Torah immediately following the events of the revelation at Sinai. Instead, it is preceded by the commandments concerning the building of the Tabernacle (Exodus chapters 25–31), to indicate that even when Israel sinned, they were still beloved in the eyes of the God. Therefore, the verse characterizes their odor as nard.
Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Akiva, and Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Eliezer says: “While the king was at his feast,” while the King of kings was at His feast, in the firmament, Mount Sinai was already enveloped in flames, as it is stated: “The mountain was burning with fire” (Deuteronomy 4:11). Rabbi Akiva says: While the King of kings was at His feast, in the firmament, already, “the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai” (Exodus 24:16). Rabbi Berekhya says: While Moses was at his feast in the firmament,²⁷¹While he was still on Mount Sinai. as he is called king, as it is stated: “He became king in Yeshurun, when the heads of the people were assembled” (Deuteronomy 33:5), already, “God spoke all these matters saying” (Exodus 20:1).
Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov and the Rabbis, Rabbi Eliezer says: While the King of kings was at His feast, in the firmament, Mikhael, the great prince, had already descended from the heavens and rescued Abraham our patriarch from the fiery furnace. The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He descended and rescued him, as it is stated: “I am the Lord who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 15:7). When did Mikhael descend? It was in the days of Ḥanaya, Mishael, and Azarya.²⁷²Mikhael is identified as the angel who descended to rescue Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya from the fiery furnace (see Daniel 3:25).
Rabbi Tavyomei said: While Jacob our patriarch was lying [mesev] in his bed, ²⁷³The expression “at his feast [bimsibo]” in the verse is interpreted as a reference to Jacob lying on his deathbed. the Divine Spirit gleamed in him, and he said to his sons: “God will be with you” (Genesis 48:21). He said to them: ‘He is destined to rest His Divine Presence in your midst.’ Rav Naḥman said: It is written: “Israel and everything that he had traveled and came to Beersheba” (Genesis 46:1). Where did he go? He went to chop down the cedars that Abraham our patriarch had planted in Beersheba, as it is stated: “He planted a tamarisk in Beersheba” (Genesis 21:33).²⁷⁴Jacob chopped them down in order to take them to Egypt. Rabbi Levi said: It is written: “The central bar inside the planks extending from end to end” (Exodus 26:28). The bar was thirty-two cubits long. From where did they have it in their possession at that moment?²⁷⁵Where did they get such a long piece of wood in the wilderness, just when they needed it to build this part of the Tabernacle? It teaches that they were hidden with them from the days of Jacob our patriarch. That is what is written: “And everyone with whom acacia wood was found” (Exodus 35:24); “acacia wood was found,” is not written here, but rather, “with whom…it was found”—from the outset.
Rabbi Levi bar Ḥiyya said: They chopped them down in Magdala of the dyers²⁷⁶This was the name of a place in the Land of Israel. and took them with them down to Egypt. They had no knots and no cracks. There were acacia trees in Magdala and the custom was to prohibit [using] them due to the sanctity of the Ark.²⁷⁷Even in the times of the Sages of the midrash, acacia trees grew in Magdala, but due to the tradition that the wood eventually used for the Ark and the rest of the Tabernacle had been cut from there, the people of Magdala would not make use of the acacia trees. They came and asked Rav Ḥananya, colleague of the Rabbis, and he said to them: Do not deviate from the custom of your ancestors.

Hospitality. For it is said: And he planted a tamarisk tree (ibid., v. 33). R. Nehemiah stated: “Tamarisk tree” (alef-shin-lamed) contains the same letters as the word “ask” (shin-alef-lamed).²³On this word-play, see Bereshit Rabbah 54:6. Whenever a man approached him, Abraham would say: “Ask what you desire, and I will give it to you.” And he built an inn at the crossroads.

(Gen. 15:1:) AFTER THESE THINGS. This text is related (to Prov. 11:18): A WICKED ONE DOES THE WORK OF FALSEHOOD.⁶⁹Tanh., Gen. 3:12; Gen. R. 44:2. This refers to Nimrod the Wicked, who used to make images and lead astray the children of Adam; for idolatry resembles falsehood, as stated (in Jer. 10:14): FOR HIS MOLTEN IMAGE IS FALSEHOOD AND THERE IS NO BREATH IN THEM. (Prov. 11:18, cont.:) THE ONE WHO SOWS RIGHTEOUSNESS HAS A TRUE REWARD. This refers to our father Abraham, who did sow righteousness when he would serve food to those who passed back and forth,⁷⁰Gen. R. 43:7; M.Ps. 110:1. as stated (in Gen. 21:33): THEN HE PLANTED AN INN⁷¹Although Eshel is usually translated “tamarisk,” the word is interpreted here by notrikon, i.e., a method of interpretation which understands each letter of a word as an initial letter for a whole word. In this case the three Hebrew letters in Eshel are understood as the initial letters for “eating,” “drinking,” and “spending the night,” i.e., what one does at an inn. IN BEERSHEBA. The Holy One said to him: By your life you have a true reward, as stated (in Gen. 15:1, end): FEAR NOT, ABRAM!… [YOUR REWARD SHALL BE VERY GREAT].

Abraham was first with aging,⁶⁶BM 87a; Gen. R. 65:9; 97 (Vatican MS) on Gen. 48:1 (= pp. 1241—1243 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); Tanh., Gen. 5:1; PRE 52. See also above, 5:5. with trials, with an inn,⁶⁷Gk.: pandokeion. and with a legatum.⁶⁸The Latin word means “bequest.”
• With aging: When the father and the son would enter a city, no one knew whom to honor. The Holy One said: By your life, I am beginning < the aging process > with you, as stated (in Gen. 24:1): NOW ABRAHAM WAS AGED.⁶⁹Heb.: zaqen. In Scripture (Gen. 18:11) Abraham and Sarah are the first persons to whom this word is applied.
• With trials: Where is it shown? Abraham said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, if you had not given contentment to the generation of the flood, they would not have provoked you to anger. But, if you had brought trials upon them, they would not have rebelled against you. The Holy One said to him: With you I am beginning to have one suffer trials through his child. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 21:8.): SO THE CHILD (Isaac) GREW AND WAS WEANED.⁷⁰The passage goes on to show how the weaning led in vs. 11 to Abraham being distressed. {R. Joshua} [R. Osha'ya] and R. Abbin differed.⁷¹Gen. R. 53:10. The one said that he was weaned from trials. The other said that he was weaned from the evil drive to the good drive.
• With an inn, according to what is written (in Gen. 21:33): AND AT BEER-SHEBA HE PLANTED AN ESHEL, i.e., an inn.⁷²Eshel, which is commonly translated here as “tamarisk tree,” can also mean “inn.” Gen. R. 54:6; Sot. 10a.
• With a legatum {i.e., a gift}: Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 25:6): BUT TO ABRAHAM'S SONS BY CONCUBINES ABRAHAM GAVE GIFTS.

o “Of David. A psalm. The LORD said to my lord, “Sit at My right hand…” This is what the verse says “Who awakened one from the east whom righteousness met wherever he set his foot?” (Isaiah 41:2) The nations of the world we as if asleep, failing to take shelter beneath the wings of the Divine presence. Who awakened them to come and take shelter? Avraham, as it says: Who awakened one from the east. And not only the nations, but even righteousness itself was sleeping until Avraham awakened it. How did Avraham do this? He made an inn and opened doors in every direction in order to receive all those passing by, as it says “He planted a tamarisk (eshel) at Beer-sheba…” (Genesis 21:33) R’ Azaria said: what is this eshel (אשל)? It is an acronym for eating (אכילה), drinking (שתייה) and escorting one’s guests (לוייה). This is “righteousness met wherever he set his foot…”