Midrash su Genesi 47:32

(Gen. 47:28:) AND JACOB LIVED IN THE LAND OF EGYPT < SEVENTEEN YEARS >…. Why is this parashah more closed¹Normally a new section (or parashah) has a space of nine letters, while a subsection begins after a space of three letters. This section begins after a space of one letter. than all < other > parashiyyot?²Gen. R. 96:1. Because, as soon as Jacob died, the servitude of Israel began. But another reason is that he desired to reveal the end of days, but it was closed off from him.³See below, 12:9; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Gen. 49:1. And another reason is that he closed off all the troubles in the world from him.

And Jacob sat in the land (Gen. 37:1). Whenever Scripture uses the expression and he sat (also translated “and he dwelt”), it connotes misfortune: And Israel sat in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, … and the time drew near that Israel must die (Gen. 47:29); And the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to make merry (Exod. 32:37); And there fell of the people on that day three thousand men (Exod. 38:28); And they sat down to eat bread; and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites (Gen. 37:25); And Judah and Israel sat safely (I Kings 5:5); And the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon (ibid. 11:14); And Israel sat among the cedars, etc., and the people began to commit harlotry (Num. 25:1). You may explain every other use of “and he sat” with this negative implication. In this instance And Jacob sat is followed by and Joseph brought evil report of them unto his father (Gen. 37:2).

And the time drew near that Israel must die (Gen. 47:29). It is stated in Scripture in reference to this verse: For we are strangers before Thee, and sojourners, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no hoping (I Chron. 29:15). Our days are as a shadow. Would that they were as the shadow of a wall or a tree,¹That our days might be as permanent as a wall. but the fact is that they are as the shadow of a bird, as it is said: His days are as a shadow that passeth away (Ps. 144:14).

Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age (Gen. 37:3). The “son of his features” (ikunim, playing on zikunim, “old age”), for he resembled his father very closely. R. Ishmael said: He was called the son of his old age because Joseph sustained his father and his brethren (ibid. 47:12). That is, he fulfilled a son’s obligation to his aged father. Because Joseph foresaw in his dream that he was destined to rule, and related this fact to his father, his brothers were incensed at him.

And the time drew near that Israel must die (Gen. 47:29). Scripture states elsewhere in allusion to this verse: There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver him that is given to it (Eccles. 8:8). R. Joshua of Sikhnin declared in the name of R. Levi: Prior to the death of Moses, the Holy One, blessed be He, hid the shofars that Moses had fashioned in the wilderness, lest some person (Moses) might blow upon them and cause all the Israelites to assemble before him.²In an attempt to postponse his death. Some copies of the parallel passage Bereshit Rabbah 96:3 imply that the subject of “should not blow them” is Moses. He did this to fulfill the verse Neither hath he power over the day of death.

(Gen. 47:29:) THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR ISRAEL TO DIE DREW NEAR…. This text is related (to I Chron. 29:15): FOR WE ARE SOJOURNERS BEFORE YOU AND TRANSIENTS LIKE ALL OUR ANCESTORS; {FOR} OUR DAYS UPON EARTH ARE [LIKE] A SHADOW, AND THERE IS NO HOPE.⁴Gen. R. 96:2; Tanh., Gen. 12:1. And < they are > not like the shadow of a wall or like the shadow of a tree. Rather they are like the shadow of a bird, as stated (in Ps. 144:4): {OUR} [HIS] DAYS ARE LIKE A PASSING SHADOW.⁵Eccl. R. 1:2:1. (I Chron. 29:15, end:) AND THERE IS NO HOPE: There is no one who does not expect to die. All know that they are going to die. Abraham said (in Gen. 15:2): FOR I AM GOING (i.e., dying) CHILDLESS. Isaac said (in Gen. 27:4): BEFORE I DIE. Jacob said (in Gen. 47:30): WHEN I SLEEP WITH MY ANCESTORS. When? When he was on the point of death (according to Gen. 47:29): THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR ISRAEL TO DIE DREW NEAR.

(Gen. 47:29:) THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR ISRAEL TO DIE DREW NEAR…. This text is related (to I Chron. 29:15): FOR WE ARE SOJOURNERS BEFORE YOU AND TRANSIENTS LIKE ALL OUR ANCESTORS; {FOR} OUR DAYS UPON EARTH ARE [LIKE] A SHADOW, AND THERE IS NO HOPE.⁴Gen. R. 96:2; Tanh., Gen. 12:1. And < they are > not like the shadow of a wall or like the shadow of a tree. Rather they are like the shadow of a bird, as stated (in Ps. 144:4): {OUR} [HIS] DAYS ARE LIKE A PASSING SHADOW.⁵Eccl. R. 1:2:1. (I Chron. 29:15, end:) AND THERE IS NO HOPE: There is no one who does not expect to die. All know that they are going to die. Abraham said (in Gen. 15:2): FOR I AM GOING (i.e., dying) CHILDLESS. Isaac said (in Gen. 27:4): BEFORE I DIE. Jacob said (in Gen. 47:30): WHEN I SLEEP WITH MY ANCESTORS. When? When he was on the point of death (according to Gen. 47:29): THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR ISRAEL TO DIE DREW NEAR.

"that they return and encamp before Pi Hachiroth": What were these "chiroth"? (Two rocks, which were) not slanting, but straight; not open (between them), but surrounded (by stones, not affording passage between them); not round, but square; not man-made, but Heaven-made; with (the figure of) open eyes; one (in the figure of) a male, and (the other in the figure of) a female. These are the words of R. Eliezer. R. Yehoshua says: Hachiroth on one side, Migdol on the other side; the sea before them and Egypt behind them. Variantly: "Chiroth" connotes the place of their (Israel's) freedom ("cheruthan"), a choice place for them (the Egyptians), the place of their idolatry. In the past it was called Pithom, viz. (Exodus 1:11) "And it (Israel) built treasure cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Ramses." They (the Egyptians) stopped (calling it Pithom) and called it Pi Chachiroth because it disappointed ("me'achereth" [lit., "delayed"]) its worshippers (by not stopping Israel from escaping). And the children of Israel journeyed from Ramses to Succoth, and from Succoth to Eitam, and from Eitam to Pi Hachiroth. On the fifth day (of the week) they journeyed from Egypt, and they came to Ramses. On the sixth day and on the Sabbath they rested there, and on the first day of the week, the fourth day of their journeying, Israel began to prepare their vessels and preparing their beasts to leave, at which their (Egyptian) emissaries said to them: Your time has arrived to return to Egypt (viz. [5:3] "Let us go a three days' distance, etc."), whereupon Israel said to them: When we left, was it by leave of Pharaoh? (viz. Numbers 33:3) "On the morrow of the Pesach the children of Israel went out with a high hand") — to which the emissaries retorted: Whether you like it or not, you must fulfill the royal decree! At this, Israel rose up against them. Some they killed, some they wounded, some fled and reported to Pharaoh. At this, Moses said to them: Turn back, so that Pharaoh not say that you are fleeing. When he blew the shofar for return the faint-hearted among them began to tear their hair and rend their garments — until Moses said to them: The L rd has said to me that you are free. Thus, "Let them return and encamp before Pi Hachiroth." "between Migdol and the sea": There, was their greatness ("gedulathan," as in "Migdol"). There, was their glory and their splendor. There, Joseph had gathered their silver and their gold, viz. (Genesis 47:14) "And Joseph collected, etc." "before Ba'al Tzefon": Only Ba'al Tzefon remained of all their idolatries. "Over against it shall you encamp by the sea": to deceive the Egyptians into believing that it had rescued itself, viz. (Iyyov 12:23) "He deceives (homiletically, "mashgi") the nations to destroy them."

R. Tachlipha, brother of Rabanai Huzanah, taught (Fol. 16): "All the necessities of a man are definitely assigned to him by Heaven during the ten days between New Year and the Day of Atonement, except the expenses for the Sabbath, the festivals, and for educating his children; for these purposes, one who spends little is assigned little; but one who spends much gets a big assignment." R. Abahu said: "Where is the passage to prove this? (Ps. 81, 4) Blow the horn at the new moon while it (the moon) is hidden on the day of our feast. What festival is that on which the new moon is hidden (seen only by a few)? This is New Year's. Immediately following the above is the passage. For this is chok (a statute) for Israel, an ordinance by the God of Jacob. How do we know that the word chok refers to maintenance? It is written (Gen. 47, 22) And they ate their (chok) portion which Pharaoh gave them. Mar Zutra said: From here we learn it (Pr. 30, 8) Let me eat the bread Chuki (appointed to me). We are taught in a Baraitha: It is told about Shammai, the senior, that every day of the week he ate in honor of the Sabbath. When he found a good animal, he would say: "This shall be for the Sabbath." And when he found a better one, he ate the former, and left the better one for the Sabbath; but Hillel, the Elder, had another habit: Because all his deeds were for the sake of Heaven, as it is said (Ps. 68, 20) Blessed be the Lord! day by day. We are also taught so in the following Baraitha: Beth Shammai say: "Prepare from every day for the Sabbath," but Beth Hillel say: "Praised be the Lord day by day."

2) "Then I shall give your rains in their proper times": (but) not the rains of all the lands. How, then, am I to understand (Bereshith 28:14) "And all the families of the earth will bless themselves in you and in your seed"? That there will be plenty in Eretz Yisrael and famine in all the lands. And they will come and buy from you and enrich you with money, as it is written (Bereshith 47:14) "And Yosef gathered in all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for the food that they bought." And (Devarim 33:25) "As your days, your flow" — All of the lands will "flow" money and bring it to Eretz Yisrael.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 44:18): THEN JUDAH DREW NEAR UNTO HIM. This text is related (to Job 41:8 [16]): ONE IS SO NEAR TO THE OTHER THAT NO AIR CAN COME BETWEEN THEM. This refers to Judah and Joseph, for in whatever Joseph prided himself, Judah came and vanquished, as stated (in Gen. 45:1): JOSEPH COULD NOT RESTRAIN HIMSELF. To what were they comparable?⁹Tanh., Gen. 11:3. To a bull that went out; and, when all the beasts fled from him, he kicked (rt.: B'T) at one and gored at another. Then came the lion, but he did not stand up to him. Rather, when the lion appeared and sought out the bull, he was not to be found. So Joseph is likened to the bull, as stated (in Deut. 33:17): LIKE A FIRSTLING BULL HE HAS MAJESTY. The tribes also have been likened to beasts, and Joseph was priding himself as being over them and despising (rt.: B'T) them. (According to Gen. 42:7) HE BECAME A STRANGER TO THEM. Then goring at a particular one, (according to Gen. 42:24) HE TOOK SIMON FROM THEM. He acted so only until the lion came, < for > (according to Gen. 49:24) JUDAH IS A LION'S WHELP. He sought him out as the bull, but he was not to be found. Rather (according to Gen. 45:1): JOSEPH COULD NOT RESTRAIN HIMSELF. Why? (Prov. 30:30:) THE LION IS THE MIGHTIEST AMONG THE BEASTS, AND RETREATS BEFORE NONE, even because it is written of him (in Gen. 47:12): AND < JOSEPH > SUSTAINED < HIS FATHER AND HIS BROTHERS >.¹⁰One would expect some saying about Judah. Buber’s note here suggests that SUSTAINED be read as two words, apart from the biblical context, and interpreted as “All in all,” i.e., the lion is “all in all” in the world of beasts. Cf. Tanh., Gen. 11:3: “Who has stood facing a bull? The lion, as stated (Gen. 44:18): THEN JUDAH DREW NEAR UNTO HIM.” Also in the world to come a fighting Messiah is going to arise from Joseph, but a Messiah who is to arise from Judah will be stronger than he, as stated (in Zech. 10:6): I WILL STRENGTHEN THE HOUSE OF JUDAH, < BUT THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH I WILL SAVE >.

(Deut. 7:12:) “And it shall come to pass if you heed [these statutes].” What is written above the matter (in Deut. 7:7)? “It is not because you are the most numerous of all the peoples [that the Lord desired you and chose you. Rather you are the least of all the peoples].” It is not because you are the most numerous of all the nations,” and it was not because you fulfilled more commandments than they; for the nations do more commandments that they were not commanded than you, and they magnify My name more than you. Thus it is stated (in Mal. 1:11-12), “For from the rising of the sun until its setting My name is great among the nations, [and in every place incense is offered to My name, even a pure oblation; for My name is great among the nations]…. But you desecrate it when you say the table of the Lord is defiled, and its special food is treated with scorn [like ordinary] food.” (Deut. 7:7:) “Rather you were the least of all the peoples.” Rather, because you diminish yourselves for Me, therefore I love you.’ And so it says (in Mal. 1:2-3), “’I have loved you,’ says the Lord …. ‘But I have hated Esau….’” It also says (in Hos. 14:5), “I will heal their veering and love them voluntarily….” My soul has volunteered to love them, even though they were not worthy; and so it says (in Deut. 7:8), “Because the Lord loves you […].” It is written (in Is. 2:2), “And it shall come to pass that in the latter days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains….” This text is related (to Job 8:7), “Though your beginning was trifling (rt.: ts'r), [your end shall greatly flourish].” [This verse is here] to teach you that everyone who is troubled (rt.: ts'r) from his beginning will have it well at his end. You have no one who was more troubled (rt.: ts'r) than Abraham, who was cast into a fiery furnace and went into exile from his ancestral home. Moreover, sixteen kings pursued him. He also stood the test of ten trials and buried Sarah. Yet in the end he had rest, as stated (Gen. 24:1), “Now Abraham was old, advanced in years, and the Lord blessed [Abraham in all things].” So too was Isaac troubled (rt.: ts'r) in his youth, for the Philistines were jealous of him, [as stated] (in Gen. 26:16), “And Abimelech said unto Isaac, ‘Go away from us, [for you have become have become too powerful for us].’” But in the end they begged him [for mercy], as stated (in vs. 27-28), “And Isaac said unto them, ‘Why have you come unto me…?’ And they said, ‘We have clearly seen….’” Jacob also was troubled (rt.: ts'r) in his youth, as stated (in Ps. 129:1), “’They have harassed me greatly from my youth,’ let Israel now say.” While he was in his mother’s belly, Esau sought to kill him, as stated (in Gen. 25:22), “But the children struggled [within her].” [Moreover,] when he received the blessings (according to Gen. 27:41), “Then Esau hated Jacob …, and Esau said in his heart, ‘Let the days of mourning for my father come, [and I will kill my brother Jacob]’.” So he fled to Laban and was troubled (rt.: ts'r) over his daughters, and after that Laban sought to kill him, as stated (in Deut. 26:5), “An Aramean would have destroyed my ancestor.”⁹This is required sense by the midrash. A more usual translation would read: A WANDERING ARAMEAN WAS MY ANCESTOR. He went away from him and encountered Esau, as stated (in Gen. 33:1), “Now Jacob raised his eyes and saw Esau coming….” There came upon him the trouble over Dinah, the trouble over Rachel and the trouble over Joseph. But in the end he had rest, [as stated] (in Gen. 47:12), “And Joseph sustained his father [and his brothers]….” Ergo (in Job 8:7), “Though your beginning was trifling (rt.: ts'r), your end shall greatly flourish.” Another interpretation (of Is. 2:2), “the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains… and Mount Tabor shall become very tall.” A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To the palace¹⁰Palterin. Gk.: praitorion; Lat. praetorium. children of a king. They went down from the city and killed lions, tigers, and bears in the forest. Then they brought them and hung them opposite the city gate, so that all the people in the city were amazed from those lions. The Holy One, blessed be he, did so with Sisera. [When] Sisera came against Israel on Mount Tabor; (according to Jud. 5:20), “The stars fought from the heavens; from their courses they fought with Sisera.”¹¹Cf. Pes. 118b, according to which the stars descended and heated the iron implements in Sisera’s army. All began to be amazed, for there had never been an event like this, when the stars came down from the heavens to make war with flesh and blood. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world the stars have fought on your behalf, but in the world to come (according to Zech. 14:3-4), ‘Then the Lord will come forth and fight with those nations [as when He fights in the day of battle]. And His feet shall stand in that day [upon the Mount of Olives]….’ And [so on through] all that section (of Zechariah).” Then everyone will see and point Him out with the finger, as stated (in Is. 25:9), “In that day they shall say, ‘See, this is our God; [we waited for Him, and He delivered us. This is the Lord; we waited for Him. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation].’”

And he called his son Joseph (Gen. 47:29). Why did he not summon Reuben or Judah? After all, Reuben was the firstborn, while Judah was a king. He ignored them and called Joseph instead. He did so to teach us that one must pay homage to the person who is in power at the moment; moreover, Joseph had the power to fulfill his desires. And he said to him: “If now I have found favor in thy sight … bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt (Gen. 47:29). It was for your sake that I descended to Egypt, and it was because of you that I said: Now let me die. Even the soul of a man who dies on shipboard joins his fathers, and so when I sleep with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying-place (ibid., v. 30).” They cherished their burial place. The grave that I have digged (ibid. 50:5). And deal kindly and truly with me (ibid. 47:29). Is there false kindness that he should say to him kindly and truly? The proverb says: When your friend’s son dies, share his sorrow; but when your friend dies, cast off your sorrow.⁷A cynical proverb. Console him on the death of his son, for he will console you if your son dies. However, if he dies, cast off your sorrow, for his son will not be concerned about you or your sympathy. He said to him, in other words: “If you are kind to me after my death, that will be true kindness. Bury me not in Egypt, for it will eventually be smitten with vermin, and they will swarm over me.” Hence it says: Bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt.

[(Genesis 47:29:) THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR ISRAEL TO DIE DREW NEAR.] This text is related (to Eccl. 8:8): NO HUMAN HAS CONTROL OVER THE WIND TO CONTAIN THE WIND, NOR IS THERE CONTROL ON THE DAY OF DEATH. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: In regard to the trumpets which Moses made in the desert (according to Numb. 10:1-10) when he was at the point of death, the Holy One hid them lest he blow on them (the trumpets) for them (the Israelites) to come to him. < This act was > to fulfill what is stated (in Eccl. 8:8): < NO HUMAN HAS CONTROL OVER THE WIND TO CONTAIN THE WIND >, NOR IS THERE CONTROL ON THE DAY OF DEATH.⁶Tanh., Gen. 12:2; Gen. R. 96:3; Numb. R. 15:15; Eccl. R. 8:8:1.

And Moshe was a shepherd and a gentleman in a fire out of the bush. Rashbi tells what God Almighty discovered from my name and would talk to Moshe out of the bush, what this bush is tougher than any tree in the world and every bird that enters it does not go right out of it but cuts limb organs, so that Egyptian labor is difficult before the place of every slave in the world. A slave or slave Ben Horin never left Egypt but only Hagar said (Genesis 2: 2) and Pharaoh would go on him and send him and his wife and all that he had: Merom and he would talk to Moshe out of the bush as long as Israel was in such trouble

And also in the case of David, it is written of him (in I Kings 1:1): NOW KING DAVID WAS OLD. Then, when he was about to die, what is written (in I Kings 2:1)? THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR DAVID TO DIE DREW NEAR. "King David" is not written here but THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR DAVID < TO DIE > DREW NEAR.⁸I.e., David lost the royal title shortly before his death. Deut. R. 9:3. And also in the case of Jacob, when he was at the point of death, he began humiliating himself with Joseph and said (in Gen. 47:29): PLEASE, IF I HAVE FOUND FAVOR IN YOUR EYES. When? When he was approaching death (according to the beginning of the verse): THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR ISRAEL TO DIE DREW NEAR.

But when I sleep with my fathers (Gen. 47:30). Jacob said to Joseph: “If you will do as I have asked, well and good, but if not, my soul shall depart at once.” “I shall do it,” he answered. “Swear unto me,” said Jacob. And he swore unto him. And Israel bowed down before the Shekhinah that hovered over him. What is written after he passed away? His sons did unto him as he commanded them (ibid. 50:12). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Death does not permit man to rejoice in this world, but in the world-to-come He will swallow up death forever (Isa. 25:8). When He does swallow up death, then I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying (Isa. 65:19).

Another interpretation (of Gen. 47:29). What is the meaning of DREW NEAR? Resh Laqish said: The Holy One said to him (Jacob): By your life, you are being hidden (from the world), but you are not dying.⁹Gen. R. 96:4. (Gen. 47:29:) THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR ISRAEL TO DIE DREW NEAR.¹⁰I.e., since the time only DREW NEAR but never fully arrived, Jacob did not quite die. Thus, in the description of his so-called death (in vs. 31), Jacob merely BOWED DOWN UPON THE HEAD OF THE BED. Cf. Ta‘an. 5b, according to which Jacob lived on through his offspring.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 47:29). What is the meaning of DREW NEAR? The day (of your death) cries out against you for saying that it should stand still. < The situation > is like someone who says: So-and-so has drawn near < to fight > against his friend. Ergo (in Gen. 47:29): DREW NEAR.¹¹“Draw near” can be used in the sense of “attack” in Hebrew. The midrash here is picturing a person’s last day crying out against any attempt to extend life by trying to keep the day from ending.

Our masters have said: Everyone about whom a drawing near was stated never attained the age of his ancestors. It is written (in I Kings 2:1): THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR DAVID TO DIE DREW NEAR; so he did not attain the age of his ancestors Boaz, Obed, and Jesse. Our masters have said: They lived more than four hundred years < in all > ; David only lived seventy years. He did not reach the age of his ancestors; therefore, a drawing near was written about him. Amram was alive a hundred and thirty {-three} [-seven] years, but Moses (his son) only lived to a hundred and twenty. Therefore, a drawing near is written about him (in Deut. 31:14): BEHOLD, THE DAYS ARE DRAWING NEAR FOR YOU TO DIE. And in the case of Jacob, a drawing near is written about him because he did not attain the age of his ancestors. Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years; Isaac, a hundred and eighty; but Jacob, a hundred and forty-seven. Therefore, a drawing near is written about him (in Gen. 47:29): THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR ISRAEL TO DIE DREW NEAR.

These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man … Noah walked with God (Gen. 6:9). Why is Noah’s name repeated three times in this single verse? Because he was one of the three men privileged to experience three changes that occurred in the world. The three were Noah, Daniel, and Job. Noah saw the world inhabited, he witnessed its destruction, and finally he beheld it reinhabited. Daniel saw the first Temple intact, he beheld its destruction, and then he witnessed the erection of the second Temple. Job saw his household established, he beheld its destruction, and he finally witnessed its reestablishment. Noah was a righteous man. Noah was called righteous because he fed the creatures of the Holy One, blessed be He. Two men were called righteous because they fed the creatures of the Holy One, blessed be He. They were Noah and Joseph. It is written concerning Joseph: Because they sell the righteous for silver (Amos 2:6), and of Joseph it is also said: And Joseph fed (Gen. 47:12).

It is written (in Is. 2:2): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT IN THE LATTER DAYS THE MOUNTAIN OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD SHALL BE ESTABLISHED <AS THE HIGHEST OF THE MOUNTAINS>…. This text is related (to Job 8:7): THOUGH YOUR BEGINNING WAS TRIFLING (rt.: Ts'R), <YOUR END SHALL GREATLY FLOURISH>. <This verse is here> to teach you that everyone who is troubled (rt.: Ts'R) from his beginning has rest at his end. You have no one who was more troubled (rt.: Ts'R) than Abraham, who was cast into a fiery furnace and went into exile from his ancestral home. Moreover, sixteen kings oppressed him. He also stood the test of ten trials and buried Sarah. Yet in the end he had rest. (Gen. 24:1) NOW ABRAHAM WAS OLD, ADVANCED IN YEARS, AND THE LORD BLESSED ABRAHAM <IN ALL THINGS>. Isaac was troubled (rt.: Ts'R) in his youth, for the Philistines were jealous of him, [as stated] (in Gen. 26:16): AND ABIMELECH SAID UNTO ISAAC: GO AWAY FROM US, FOR YOU HAVE BECOME HAVE BECOME TOO POWERFUL FOR US. In the end they begged him for mercy, [as stated] (in vs. 27): AND ISAAC SAID UNTO THEM: WHY HAVE YOU COME UNTO ME…. Jacob also was troubled (rt.: Ts'R) in his youth, as stated (in Ps. 129:1): THEY HAVE HARASSED ME GREATLY FROM MY YOUTH, LET ISRAEL NOW SAY. While he was in his mothers belly, Esau wanted to kill him, as stated (in Gen. 25:22): BUT THE CHILDREN STRUGGLED WITHIN HER…. [Moreover, when he received the blessings, (according to Gen. 27:41:) THEN ESAU HATED JACOB …, AND ESAU SAID IN HIS HEART: <LET THE DAYS OF MOURNING FOR MY FATHER COME, AND I WILL KILL MY BROTHER JACOB>. So he fled to Laban and was troubled (rt.: Ts'R) over his daughter, and after that Laban wanted to kill him, as stated (in Deut. 26:5): AN ARAMEAN WOULD HAVE DESTROYED MY ANCESTOR.¹³This is required sense by the midrash. A more usual translation would read: A WANDERING ARAMEAN WAS MY ANCESTOR. He went away from him and encountered Esau, as stated (in Gen. 33:1): NOW JACOB RAISED HIS EYES AND SAW ESAU COMING…. There came upon him the trouble over Dinah and the trouble over Joseph. Yet in the end he had rest, [as stated] (in Gen. 47:12): AND JOSEPH SUSTAINED HIS FATHER <AND HIS BROTHERS>…. Ergo (in Job 8:7): THOUGH YOUR BEGINNING WAS TRIFLING (rt.: Ts'R), <YOUR END SHALL GREATLY FLOURISH>.

(Gen. 47:29, cont.:) HE SUMMONED HIS SON JOSEPH. Why did he not call Reuben and Judah?¹²Tanh., Gen. 12:3; Gen. R. 96:5. Reuben was the first-born, and Judah was a king; yet he left them alone and called Joseph. < It is > simply because the power to act was in his hand. Therefore: HE SUMMONED HIS SON JOSEPH.

(Gen. 47:29, cont.:) AND SAID [TO HIM]: PLEASE, IF I HAVE FOUND FAVOR IN YOUR EYES, < PLEASE PUT YOUR HAND UNDER MY THIGH > AND ACT TOWARD ME WITH FIDELITY AND TRUTH. But is there a false fidelity for him to say WITH FIDELITY AND TRUTH? Why < then did he speak > so? A common¹³Gk.: idiotes, which means “amateur.” < Aramaic > proverb says: When your friend's son dies, suffer < with him >; when your friend dies, cut loose < from sorrow >. < Jacob > said to him: If you act towards me with fidelity after my death, that is true fidelity.

(Gen. 47:29, cont.:) PLEASE DO NOT BURY ME IN EGYPT. Why? Because the end of Egypt is to be smitten with lice, and they would be swarming under my body.¹⁴Gen. R. 96:5(6). Therefore: PLEASE DO NOT BURY ME IN EGYPT.

“Like the tents of Kedar,” just as the tents of Kedar appear externally to be ugly, black, and in tatters, but internally they are gems and pearls, so too Torah scholars, even though they appear ugly and black in this world, internally there is Torah in them, Bible, Mishna, Midrash, halakhot, Talmud, Tosefta, and aggada. If so, just as tents of Kedar do not require laundering, perhaps the same is true of Israel; the verse states: “Like the curtains of Solomon”—just as these curtains of Solomon are soiled and laundered, and are again soiled and laundered, so, too, Israel, even though they are soiled with sins all the days of the year, Yom Kippur arrives and atones for them, as it is stated: “For on this day He will atone for you” (Leviticus 16:30), and it is written: “If your sins will be like scarlet, they will be whitened as snow; if they will be reddened like crimson, they will be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).
If so, just as the tents of Kedar are moved from place to place, perhaps the same is true of Israel. The verse states: “Like the curtains of Solomon [Shelomo],” like the curtains¹⁹⁷The heavens. of the One [of Whom it may be stated] that the peace is His, the One Who spoke and the world came into being, that from the moment He spread them, they did not move from their place. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov taught: “A tent that will not be displaced [yatzan]” (Isaiah 33:20); it will not emerge [yetze] and will not move [yanua].¹⁹⁸Yatzan is an acronym of yetze and yanua.
Just as the tents of Kedar are not subject to the yoke of any creature,¹⁹⁹The reference is to nomads who live in the wilderness. so too, Israel, in the future, will not be subject to the yoke of any creature. Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “I led you upright” (Leviticus 26:13); with an upright stature, without fear of any creature.²⁰⁰Although the verse cited is stated regarding the exodus from Egypt, it is understood as also alluding to the future redemption. Rabbi Yudan said: Like Joseph; just as Joseph was sold to the tents of Kedar, as it is stated: “They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites… [and they brought Joseph to Egypt]” (Genesis 37:28), and he then purchased his purchasers, as it is stated: “Joseph purchased all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 47:20), so too Israel: “They will be captors of their captors” (Isaiah 14:2).

Another interpretation (of Gen. 49:29, cont.): Jacob said: So that the Egyptians would not be redeemed through me, since they are likened to the ass. It is so stated (in Ezek. 23:20): WHOSE FLESH IS LIKE THE FLESH OF ASSES. And I have been likened to the flock, where it is stated (in Jer. 50:17): ISRAEL IS A SCATTERED FLOCK. It is also written (in Exod. 34:20): BUT THE FIRSTLING OF AN ASS YOU SHALL REDEEM WITH A LAMB. Lest they be redeemed through me, for that reason (according to Gen. 47:29), PLEASE DO NOT BURY ME IN EGYPT.

R. Isaac began [his discourse] (with Eccl. 7:23), “All this I tested with wisdom; I thought I could fathom it, but it eludes me.” It is written (in I Kings 5:9), “So God gave Solomon wisdom and discernment in great measure, with understanding....” R. Johanan said a parable in the name of R. Simeon ben Yehozedek, “This is comparable to a king who had a friend, and the king loved him exceedingly. The king said to him, ‘Ask me anything you want and I will give it to you.’ And that friend was very wise. He said [to himself], ‘If I ask him to make me a duke, it [alone] will come to me. If I ask him to make me a duke, it [alone] will come to me.” Rather I will ask him for something that is attached to all the advantages.’ Immediately he answered and said to the king, ‘Since you asked that I should ask for something in front of you, I am asking from you that you marry off your daughter to me.’ The king said, ‘By your life, I want this. Behold my daughter is [given] into your house.’ So [too] at the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Solomon (in I Kings 3:5), ‘Ask what I should give to you,’ Solomon said [to himself], ‘What shall I ask; If I ask for silver and gold, it [alone] will come to me. If I ask for the monarchy, it [alone] will come to me. Rather I will ask for something that is attached to all the things.’ Immediately he said in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Master of the World, I only request from you wisdom.’ [Then] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘You have asked well in asking for wisdom, as all the things are attached to it. Silver and gold are attached to it, as stated (in Prov. 8:19), “My fruit is better than gold, fine gold, and my produce than choice silver.” Monarchy is attached to it, as stated (in Prov. 8:15), “Through me kings reign.” Behold everything is given to you.’” Hence it is written (in I Kings 5:9), “So God gave Solomon wisdom,” as He gave him wisdom as a gift. (I Kings 5:9, cont.:) “As vast as the sand of the sea.” The rabbis say, “[This] teaches that He gave him as much wisdom as all Israel, who are compared to the sand, as stated (in Hos. 2:1), ‘The number of the Children of Israel shall be like that of the sands of the sea.’ How is this? The sages have knowledge, the elders of knowledge and the children have knowledge, but they are different, one from the other. And [so] if all of Israel would be on one side and Solomon on the other side, his wisdom would be greater than theirs.”⁶⁴Numb. R. 19:3; Eccl. R. 7:23:1; PRK 4:3; PR 14:8. R. Levi said, “Just as sand is a wall and a fence for [the sea], that it not go out and flood the world; so that his wisdom stand in front of his [evil] impulse, that he not sin.” The proverb says, “If you lack knowledge, what have you gained? If you have gained knowledge, what do you lack?” Like (in Prov. 25:28) “A city broken into with no walls,” so “is a person who does not restrain his spirit.” (I Kings 5:10:) “Now Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the East.” And what was the wisdom of the peoples of the East?⁶⁵Above, Gen. 7:24; PR 14:9. [In that] they knew about astrology and were astute at divination (from birds). Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said, “I like three things about the people of the East: They do not kiss on the mouth, but only on the hand; When they cut meat, they cut only with a knife and not on the back of the hand; And when they take counsel, they take it only in the field.
It is therefore stated (in Gen. 31:4), ‘So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flock was.’” (I Kings 5:10, cont.:) “From all the wisdom of Egypt.” What was the wisdom of Egypt? You find that when Solomon wanted to build the Temple, he sent to Pharaoh Necho and said to him, “Send me craftsmen [to work] for a wage, for I want to build the Temple.” What did Pharaoh do? He gathered all his astrologers⁶⁶Gk.: astrologoi. and said to them, “Foresee which people are going to die this year and send them to him. So that I can come to him with a grievance and say to him, ‘Give me the value of the craftsmen that you killed.’” When they came to Solomon, he foresaw through the holy spirit that they would die during that year. He [therefore] gave them shrouds and sent them [back] to [Pharaoh]. He sent to him, saying, “Do you not have shrouds to bury your dead? Here they are for you with their shrouds. Go and bury your dead.” Hence it is stated, (I Kings 5:10, cont.) “from all the wisdom of Egypt.” (I Kings 5:11:) “And he was wiser than any man, than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalkol, and Darda the sons of Mahol.” “Wiser than any man (literally, than all of Adam),” than the first Adam. And what was his wisdom? You find that, when the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to create the first Adam, he consulted with the ministering angels. He said to them (in Gen. 1:26), “Let us make humankind (Adam) in Our image.” They said to him (in Ps. 8:5), “What is a human that You are mindful of him?” He said to them, “This Adam that I want to create Adam shall have wisdom greater than yours.” What did He do? He gathered all cattle, wild beasts, and fowl pass before them. He said to them, “What are the names of these [beings]?” They, however, did not know. When He had created Adam, He made them pass before him. He said to him, “What are the names of these [beings]?” He said, “It is fitting to call this one an ox, this one a lion, this one a horse, [...]” and so on for all of them. It is so stated (in Gen. 2:20), “So Adam recited names for all the cattle.”⁶⁷The understanding of the midrash is that the creatures implicitly already possessed names. He said to him, “And you, what is your name?” Adam said to him, “Adam, because I was created out of the ground (adamah).” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I, what is My name?” He said to him, “The Lord, because you are Lord over all creatures,” namely as written (in Is. 42:8), “I am the Lord, that is My name,” which the first Adam gave me.⁶⁸Above, Lev. 3:11. “That is my name,” the one which I have agreed to [for use] between Me and My creatures. (I Kings 5:11, cont.:) “[Wiser] than Ethan the Ezrahite.” This is Abraham, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 89:1), “A maskil (a psalm of erudition) of Ethan the Ezrahite.”⁶⁹It is assumed, of course that Abraham wrote the Psalm, an assumption based on a comparison of Ps. 89:1 and Is. 41:2: WHO HAS RAISED UP RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM THE EAST?. See BB 15a. The Ezrahite (‘ezrahi) of Ps. 89:1 is understood in the sense of “Easterner,” and Ethan (which means “steadfast”) is regarded as equivalent to “righteous.” For another argument identifying Ethan and Abraham, see PR 6:5. (I Kings 5:11, cont.:) “And Heman (rt.: 'mn).” This is Moses, of whom it is stated (in Numb. 12:7 with reference to Moses), “he is trusted (rt.: 'mn) in all My house.” (I Kings 5:11, cont.:) “Calcol (klkl).” This is Joseph, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 47:12), “And joseph sustained (rt.: klkl) [his father and his brothers].” The Egyptians said, “Has this slave come to rule over us for any reason but because of his wisdom?” What did they do to him? They brought seventy tablets⁷⁰Gk.: piyyakia; Lat.: pittacia. and wrote on them in seventy tongues. Then when they cast them before him. He read each and every one in its own tongue. And not only that, but he spoke in the holy tongue, which they did not have the ability to understand, as stated (in Ps. 81:6), “He made it a statute upon Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known.” (I Kings 5:11, cont.:) “Darda (drd')].” This is the generation (dor) of the desert, which had knowledge (de'ah). (I Kings 5:11, cont.:) “The children of Mahol,” i.e., the Children of Israel whom the Divine Presence forgave (rt.: mhl) for the deed of the calf. (I Kings 5:12:) “Moreover he composed three thousand proverbs.” R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “We have gone over all of the scriptures and have found that Solomon only uttered prophetically close to eight hundred verses.⁷¹See Cant. R. 1:1:11. Then what is meant by three thousand? [This number] teaches that each and every verse that he spoke contains two [or] three interpretations, just as it says (in Prov. 25:12), ‘Like an earring of gold, a necklace of fine gold, [so is a wise reprover to a listening ear].’”⁷²The midrash understands the WISE REPROVER TO BE Solomon himself, who is likened to both a golden earring and a golden necklace. But the rabbis say, “Every verse has three thousand proverbs, while each and every proverb has a thousand and five interpretations.” [(I Kings 5:12, cont.:) “And his song numbered a thousand and five.”] “Songs” is not written here, but “song,” the song of the proverb. (I Kings 5:13:) “And he spoke with/concerning ('al)⁷³The point of the midrash in this and in the following chapter concerns whether to understand ‘al as “with” or “concerning.” the trees.” Is it possible that a person would speak with the trees? Solomon merely said, “For what reason is a leper cleansed through the tallest among the trees (the cedar) and through the lowest of the low (the hyssop); through (according to Lev. 14:4) cedar wood, [crimson stuff,] and hyssop?’ It is simply because he had exalted himself like the cedar, that he was stricken with leprosy. As soon as he humbled himself like the hyssop, he was therefore cured through hyssop”. (I Kings 5:13, cont.:) “He also spoke with/concerning ('al) the cattle and the fowl.” Is it possible that [a person] would speak with cattle and with fowl? Rather [the passage is concerned with] why the cattle are permitted [as food] with [the cutting of] two organs⁷⁴Gk.: semeia (“signs,” “omens”). (the gullet and the windpipe); but the fowl, with [the cutting of] one organ (i.e., the gullet or the windpipe).⁷⁵See Hul. 2:1; Hul. 27b. Because cattle were created from the dry land, as stated (in Gen. 1:14), “Let the earth bring forth the living creatures after its kind, cattle, creeping things,” they are permitted with two organs. But in regard to fowl, because they were created from the mud, they were permitted with one organ. As one text says [they came] from the dry land, while another text says [they came] from the sea. [The text stating fowls came] from the dry land is what is written (in Gen. 2:19), “So from the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the heavens.” The other text says (in Gen. 1:20), “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures and the fowl fly above the earth.”⁷⁶This unusual translation of Gen. 1:20 is required by the midrash. Bar Qappara said, “They were created from the mud which is in the sea.” R. Abbin said the name of R. Jose the Galilean said, “Nevertheless, the feet of the cock resemble the scaly skin⁷⁷Reading HSPNYT’ with the parallel in Yalqut Shim‘oni, Kings, 178, for Buber’s HRTsPYTYH. of the fish.”⁷⁸A fish of the genus anthias. (I Kings 5:13, cont.:) “And with/concerning ('al) the creeping things.” Is it possible that one would speak with a creeping thing? Solomon simply said, “What is the reason that in the case of the eight swarming creatures which are in the Torah, one is culpable for hunting or injuring them (on the Sabbath)⁷⁹Shab. 14:1.; but in the case of the rest of the swarming creatures, one is exempt?⁸⁰Shab. 14:1. For the reason that they (i.e. the former) have skins.”⁸¹Shab. 107ab, explains that in the case of skin, as distinct from the flesh, a wound does not completely heal but leaves a scar. Thus part of the animal’s life is lost. See yShab. 14:1 (14b); also Hul. 9:2. Cf. Rashi on Shab. 14:1, according to whom cutting the skin causes blood to color it in a form of dying, an act forbidden on the Sabbath. (I Kings 5:13 cont.:) “And with/concerning ('al) the fish.” Is it possible that one would so speak? Solomon merely said, “For what reason do cattle, beasts, and birds require ritual slaughtering, while fish do not require ritual slaughtering?” Jacob the man of Kefar Gibburayya taught in Tyre with respect to fish, that they do require ritual slaughtering. When R. Haggai heard, he sent for him to come. He said to him, “On what basis did you decide this?” He said to him, “From here (in Gen. 1:20), ‘Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let the fowl fly.’ Just as fowl require ritual slaughtering, so do the fish require ritual slaughtering.” He said to them (i.e., those standing by), “Lay him down to receive lashes.” He said to him, “Shall a person who speaks words of Torah be lashed?” He said to him, “You did not decide [the law] well.” He said to him, “On what basis?” He said to him, “From here (in Numb. 11:22), ‘Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them; are there enough fish in the sea to gather for them?’ The former require ritual slaughtering, while the latter [is taken] through gathering.” He said to him, “Give [me] your beating, as it is good for retention.” And again did Jacob the man of Kefar Gibburayya teach in Tyre, [this time] with respect to an Israelite man, who came upon a foreign woman and had her bear him a son, that he should be circumcised on the Sabbath. When R. Haggai heard, he sent for him to come. He said to him, “On what basis do you hold this?” He said to him, “[From this which is written] (in Numb. 1:18) ‘then they registered their lineages according to their families according to the house of their fathers.’” He said to them (i.e., those standing by), “Lay him down to receive lashes.” He said to him, “Shall a person who speaks words of Torah be lashed?” He said to him, “You did not decide [the law] well.” He said to him, “Where is it shown?” He said to him, “Lie down and listen.” He said to him, “If one of the gentiles came to you in order to become a proselyte on condition that you circumcise him on the Sabbath day or on the Day of Atonement, would you profane the Sabbath on account of him or not?” He said to him, “One does not profane the Sabbath or the Day of Atonement for him but only for the son of an Israelite woman.” He said to him, “On what basis do you hold this?” He said to him (in Ezra 10:3), “So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all (foreign) wives and (anyone] born of them […].” He said to him, “Would you lash me on the basis of [a non-Mosaic text]?” He said to him, “It is written (ibid.), ‘let it be done [according to] the Torah.’” He said to him, “From which [piece of] Torah?” He said to him, “From that of R. Johanan, when he said in the name of R. Simeon ben Johay, ‘It is written (in Deut. 7:3), “You shall not intermarry with them; do not give your daughters to their sons.” Why? (Deut. 7:4:) “Because they will turn your children away from following me.” Your child that comes from an Israelite woman is called "your child"; but that which comes from a foreign woman is called, not "your child," but "her child,” as stated (in Gen. 21:13), “And I will also make the son of the maidservant into a nation.”’" He said to him, “Give [me] your beating, as it is good for retention.” Solomon said, “About all these things I have knowledge; but in the case of the parashah on the red heifer, I have investigated it, inquired into it, and examined it. Still (at the end of the verse in Eccl. 7:23), ‘I thought I could fathom it, but it eludes me.’” (Eccl. 8:1:) “Who is like the wise person, and who knows the explanation of a saying?” (Eccl. 8:1:) Who is like the wise person? This is the Holy One, blessed be He, since it is stated about Him (in Prov. 3:19), “Through wisdom the Lord founded the earth.”⁸²Numb. R. 19:4; Eccl. R. 8:1:1; PRK 4:4; PR 14:10. (Eccl. 8:1, cont.:) “And who knows the explanation of a saying?” This [also] is the Holy One, blessed be He, who explained the Torah for Moses. (Eccl. 8:1, cont.:) “A person's wisdom lights up his face.” R. Judan said, “Great is the power of the prophets, as they [are able to] compare the Almighty above to the form of a man, as stated (Daniel 8:16), ‘And I heard the voice of a man.’” And R. Judah bar Simon says [the proof] is from here (in Ezekiel 1:26), “and on the image of a chair was an image of a man.” (Eccl. 8:1, cont.:) “And the radiance ('oz) of his face is changed (for the better),” in that he changes the principle of judgment into a principle of mercy with respect to Israel. R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “Over each and every word that the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to Moses, He spoke to him of its [related] uncleanness and of its purification.⁸³See Numb. R. 19:4. When he made known the Parashah (starting with Lev. 21:1), ‘Speak (Emor) unto the priests,’ [Moses] said to him, ‘Master of the world, if a priest becomes unclean (through touching a human corpse), what means is there for his purification?’ When [the Holy One, blessed be He,] did not answer, at that time the face of Moses turned yellow (with shame). Then when the Holy One, blessed be He, reached the parashah on the [red] heifer, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘Moses, [when I gave you] that saying which I spoke to you (in Lev. 21:1), “Go, speak unto the priests,” then you said to me, “If one becomes unclean, what means will there be for his purification,” I did not answer [you at that time. Now] this is his purification (in Numb. 19:17), “They shall take some ashes from the burning of the sin offering (i.e., the red heifer).”‘”

And it came to pass after these things (Gen. 48:1). What is written previously on this subject? And the time drew near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph (Gen. 47:29). He called his son Joseph because he (Joseph) was in a position of authority at that time.

(Gen. 47:30:) WHEN I SLEEP WITH MY ANCESTORS…. Why do all the ancestors search for and cherish burial in the land of Israel?¹⁵Gen. R. 96:5(7). R. Hananiah said: R. Joshua ben Levi said: There is a reason for this (in Ps. 116:9): I WILL WALK BEFORE THE LORD IN THE LANDS OF THE LIVING. Our masters have said two things in the name of R. Helbo: Why did the ancestors cherish the land of Israel for burial? Because the dead in the land of Israel shall be the first to revive in the days of the Messiah and enjoy the messianic years.¹⁶See above, 7:23, and the references noted there. R. Hama b. R. Hanina said: The one who dies outside of the land and is buried there has two deaths. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Jer. 20:6): YOU ALSO, PASHUR, AND ALL WHO DWELL IN YOUR HOUSE SHALL GO INTO CAPTIVITY. SO YOU SHALL COME TO BABYLON, WHERE YOU SHALL DIE AND WHERE YOU SHALL BE BURIED, YOU ALONG WITH ALL YOUR FRIENDS TO WHOM YOU PROPHESIED FALSELY.¹⁷The burial outside Israel is seen here as the second death. R. Simon said: If so, are the righteous who are buried outside the land at a disadvantage? So what does the Holy One do? He {goes back to} [bores through] the land before them and makes them like skin bottles¹⁸See yKet. 12:3 (35b); cf. the parallel in Tanh., Gen. 11:3: “He makes cavities for them in the land and makes them (the cavities) like these caverns….” Cf. also Ket. 111b. so that they come rolling < on through > until they arrive in the land of Israel. Then, when they arrive in the land of Israel, he puts the spirit of life in them; and they arise. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ezek. 37:12): BEHOLD, I WILL OPEN YOUR GRAVES … < O MY PEOPLE, AND BRING YOU UNTO THE LAND OF ISRAEL >. Then afterwards (in vs. 14): AND I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT WITHIN YOU SO THAT YOU SHALL LIVE. Resh Laqish said: Scripture clearly states that, when they arrive in the land of Israel, the Holy One puts breath in them, as stated (in Is. 42:5): WHO GIVES BREATH TO THE PEOPLE UPON IT¹⁹The antecedent of IT is ha’arets, which is usually translated here as THE EARTH but can also mean THE LAND. AND SPIRIT TO THOSE WHO WALK THEREON.

Another comment on I have been young, and now am old. This verse suggests that the Holy One, blessed be He, will never abandon the righteous during a time of famine, neither they nor their descendants. In fact, when a disaster envelops the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, decrees how they will survive. You find this to be so in the case of Elijah, whom He told how to survive, as it is said: Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Sidon, and dwell there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain thee (I Kings 17:9). Similarly you find: Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there (ibid., vv. 3–4). And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine (Gen. 26:1); and there was a famine in the land; and Abraham descended (ibid. 12:10). Similarly, when the famine came upon Jacob, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to him that Joseph would feed him in Egypt, as it is said: And Joseph fed his father and his brothers (Gen. 47:12). Hence, Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt.

He said to him (in Gen. 24:2): PLEASE PUT YOUR HAND < UNDER MY THIGH >. See how they loved circumcision! And Jacob also, when he had Joseph swear, said to him (in Gen. 47:29): [PLEASE] PUT [YOUR HAND UNDER MY THIGH]. For what reason did they love circumcision? Because they knew that it was going to save their children from Gehinnom in the world to come.²⁶See Gen. R. 48:8; Exod. R. 19:4; Tanh., 5:6; cf. M. Ps. 1:20; 6:1; cf. also Gen. R. 21:9. Thus it is stated (in Is. 5:14): THEREFORE SHEOL HAS OPENED WIDE ITS GULLET [AND PARTED ITS MOUTH < FOR ONE > WITHOUT A STATUTE].²⁷A more traditional translation would read: PARTED ITS MOUTH BEYOND MEASURE. What is the meaning of WITHOUT A STATUTE? There is no statute but circumcision. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 105:9f.): < THE COVENANT > WHICH HE CUT WITH ABRAHAM…. AND WHICH HE ESTABLISHED FOR JACOB AS A STATUTE. But the Israelites, because they are circumcised, are saved from it. Thus it is stated (in Is. 43:2): WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE WATERS, < I WILL BE WITH YOU >.

(Gen. 47:30:) WHEN I SLEEP WITH MY ANCESTORS. Jacob said to Joseph: If you do for me as I tell you, well and good; but, if not, my soul shall depart from me. He said to him: I am doing so for you! He said to him (in vs. 31): SWEAR < … >! AND HE SWORE TO HIM. When he had departed, what is written (in Gen. 50:12)? SO HIS CHILDREN DID FOR HIM [JUST] AS HE HAD COMMANDED THEM. The Holy One said: In this world death does not allow one to rejoice, but in the world to come (according to Is. 25:8): HE WILL SWALLOW UP DEATH FOREVER…. When death departs, what is written (Is. 65:19)? I WILL ALSO SHOUT FOR JOY IN JERUSALEM AND REJOICE IN MY PEOPLE. THEN NEVER AGAIN SHALL BE HEARD THERE THE SOUND OF WEEPING AND THE SOUND OF CRYING OUT.

This may be compared to a slave to whom a king entrusted all his possessions. When the slave was about to die, he summoned his sons to tell them where the will and writ of manumission were to be found so that they could become free men. The king discovered this and remained at his bedside. When he saw the king, he set aside the thing he wished to reveal to them, and admonished them instead, saying: “You are the king’s slaves, honor him as I have all my life.” Similarly when Jacob summoned his sons to reveal to them what would transpire in the Messianic age, the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared before him and said: You have summoned your sons, but you did not summon Me. And thus Isaiah said: Yet thou hast not called me, O Jacob; neither hast thou wearied thyself about Me, O Israel (Isa. 43:22). When Jacob saw Him, he began to tell his sons: I implore you to honor the Holy One, blessed be He, just as my ancestors honored Him, as is said: The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk (Gen. 48:50). They replied: We know what is in thy heart, and they declared together: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One (Deut. 6:4). Upon hearing this, Israel bowed down upon the bed’s head (Gen. 47:31), and began to say in a whisper: Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: It is the glory of God to conceal a thing; but the glory of kings is to search out the matter (Prov. 25:2). Apparently you do not possess this attribute, For he that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter (Prov. 11:13).

Said Raba to Rabba bar Mari: "Whence do we deduce the following people's saying: With the shrub the cabbage is smitten (the good suffer with the bad)?" He answered: "From the following verse (Jer. 2, 29) Wherefore will ye contend with me? Ye all (including the righteous) have transgressed against Me, saith the Lord." "You deduce it from this verse," said he to him, "but I deduce it from the following (Ex. 16, 28) How long refuse ye to keep My commandments," etc. (Ye includes also Moses and Aaron). Raba said again to Rabba bar Mari: "It is written (Gen. 47, 2) And from among his brothers, he took five men. Who were the five?" He replied: "Thus said R. Jochanan: Those whose names were mentioned twice in the benediction of Moses." But is not Judah's name also mentioned twice? Judah's name was mentioned twice for another purpose, as R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said in the name of R. Jonathan concerning the passage (Deut. 33, 6)

... “And David went and he took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh- gilead… And he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son…” (Shmuel II 21:12-13) What did David do? He went and gathered all the elders and great ones of Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and came to Yavesh-gilead. He found the bones of Shaul and his son Yonatan, placed them in a casket and crossed back over the Jordan, as it says “And they buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father and they did all that the king commanded…” (Shmuel II 21:14) What does ‘in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father’ mean? It comes to teach us that they brought them to the border of Jerusalem and buried them there. Zela is next to Jerusalem, as it says “And Zelah, Eleph, and the Jebusite, which is Jerusalem…” (Yehoshua 18:28) ‘and they did all that the king commanded’ And what did the king command? He commanded that they carry Shaul’s casket from tribe to tribe. As Shaul’s casket entered each tribe’s territory all the men, women and children came out in order to perform an act of loving kindness to Shaul and his sons and thereby all of Israel would fulfill its obligation to loving kindness. This went on until they reached the land of his portion on the border of Jerusalem. Since the Holy One saw that they did loving kindness to Shaul and fulfilled the judgement of the Givonites He was immediately filled with mercy and sent rain upon the land, as it says “And God was entreated for the land after that.” (Shmuel II 21:14) From this we learn how close the Holy One brings those that are far away, even though they converted not for the sake of heaven. There is no need to even mention how he draws near righteous converts, “O Lord, all the kings of the earth will acknowledge You…” (Tehillim 138:4)

...

[(Gen. 49:1:) THEN JACOB CALLED HIS SONS.] This text is related (to Job 12:20): HE DEPRIVES THE TRUSTWORTHY OF SPEECH AND TAKES AWAY THE REASON OF ELDERS.³²Tanh., Gen. 12:8; Gen. R. 96, New Version, on Gen. 49:1 (= pp. 1276—1277 in the Theodor-Albeck edition); also Gen. R. 99 (another version):5 (= pp. 1200—1202 in the Theodor-Albeck edition). This refers to Isaac and Jacob, in that both of them wanted to reveal a mysterion³³The Greek word means “secret thing” or “mystery.” of the Holy One (i.e., his secret). Isaac called for Esau. He wanted to reveal the end to him, but the Holy One concealed it from him, as stated (in Gen. 27:1): HE CALLED FOR HIS ELDER SON, ESAU; < AND HE SAID UNTO HIM: MY SON; AND HE SAID: HERE AM I >….³⁴Since both patriarchs used the same verb (CALLED) when death was near, the midrash assumes that the purpose for the calling is the same here as in Gen. 49:1. Isaac, however, got no further in his revelation than MY SON. Jacob also wanted to reveal the end to his sons,³⁵See above, 12:1; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Gen. 49:1. as stated (in Gen. 49:1): < THEN JACOB CALLED HIS SONS AND SAID >: GATHER TOGETHER AND LET ME TELL YOU < WHAT SHALL HAPPEN TO YOU IN THE LATTER DAYS >. To what is the matter comparable? To a slave whom the king trusted with everything that he had.³⁶PR 21:13. When that slave came to die, he called for his sons in order to make them free and tell them where their manumission document³⁷Gk.: diatheke (“testament”). was. The king stood over him. When he saw him standing < there >, he discarded the thing which he had wanted to reveal to them. He began saying to them: Will you slaves of the king please honor him in the same way that I have honored him all my life? Similarly (according Gen. 49:1), Jacob called for his sons to inform them when the end would be. Immediately the Holy One was revealed over him. He said to him: You called for your sons but did not call for me. < It is so stated > (in Is. 43:22): BUT YOU HAVE NOT CALLED ME, O JACOB. When he saw the Holy One revealed over him, he immediately began saying to them: Will you please honor the Holy One just as my ancestors have honored him. It is so stated (in Gen. 48:15): THE GOD BEFORE WHOM MY ANCESTORS < ABRAHAM AND ISAAC > WALKED…. They said to him (the Shema' of Deut. 6:4): HEAR, O ISRAEL, THE LORD IS OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE.³⁸Deut. R. 2:6; cf. Sifre to Deut. 6:4 (31). Immediately (according to Gen. 47:31): ISRAEL BOWED DOWN UPON THE HEAD OF THE BED. He began to say in a whisper: Blessed be the name of his glorious kingdom forever and ever.³⁹These words follow the first line of the Shema‘ in the liturgy before “And you shall love….” According to yBer. 5:8 (or 9) (14c) (bar.), the words were used after benedictions instead of Amen in the Temple. See also Pes. 56a, where R. Judah maintains that the words used to be omitted. The Holy One said to him (in Prov. 35:2): IT IS THE GLORY OF GOD TO CONCEAL A MATTER.

When the pillar of cloud left, Moshe went to Yehoshua and said: What did God say to you?

R. Nechemiah opened in honor of the one who exercised hospitality [toward strangers] and preached: And Saul said unto the Kenite, 'Go. depart, get you down from the midst of Amalekites lest I destroy thee with them, whereas ye acted kindly with the children of Israel at their coming up out of Egypt (I Sam. 15, 6). "Behold, can this not be concluded through the rule of a fortiori? If Jethro who did not come near Moses for anything else but his own honor was so rewarded, how much more then should a man he rewarded, who takes learned men in his house, feeds them, gives them drink and lets them enjoy of his wealth?' R. Jose opened in honor of the one who is hospitable and preached: Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is thy brother; thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian, because thou wert a stranger in his land (Deu. 23, 8). "Can this not be concluded through the rule of a fortiori? If the Egyptians who came nigh unto Israel for their own benefit only, as is said (Gen. 47, 6.) And if thou knowest that there are among them men of activity, then appoint them rulers over my cattle, were so protected; how much more then, should he be protected who takes in a learned man and gives him food and drink and lets him enjoy of their wealth?" R. Elazar, the son of R. Jose, the Galilean opened in honor of him who is hospitable to the stranger: And the Lord blessed ObedEdom. and all his household, (II Sam. 6, 11). "Behold, we can infer this through the rule of a fortiori; if keeping the house clean, in honor of the Holy Ark with the Tablet, which neither eats nor drinks, was blessed, how much more will he be blessed who keeps a learned man and gives him food and drink and permits him to enjoy of his wealth?" Of what did the blessing (of Obed-Edom) consist? R. Juda b. Zabida said: "It was that Chamoth and her eight daughters-in-law each gave birth to six at a time, as it is said (I Chr. 26, 5.) Pe'ulthai the eighth because God blessed him, etc., sixty-two were all that Obed-Edom had."

R. Juda, in the name of Samuel, said: "All the silver and gold of the world Joseph accumulated and brought to Egypt, as it is said (Gen. 47, 17) And Joseph gathered up all the silver that was found in the land of Egypt. From this we infer that he accumulated only that of the land of Egypt; whence do we infer that he gathered up the silver and gold of Canaan and all other countries as well? It is therefore said (Ib. 57, 41) And all the countries came into Egypt. And when Israel went forth from Egypt they took along all this wealth, as it is said (Ex. 12, 36) And they emptied out Egypt." R. Simon b. Lakish said they left her like a net without gram. All this wealth was in Israel's possession until the days of Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, when Shishak, king of Egypt, invaded Jerusalem and took them away from Rehoboam, as it is said (I Kings 14, 25) And it came to pass in the fiftieth year of King Rehoboam that Shishak, the king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem. And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house, yea, everything did he take away. And he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. Then Zarah, the king of Ethiopia, invaded Egypt and took it away from Shishak, king of Egypt; later Assa, king of Israel, took it away from Zarah, king of Ethiopia, and sent it unto Hadrimon b. Tabrimon; and when the Ammonites invaded Syria they took it away from Hadrimon b. Tabrimon. Again Joshaphat came and took it from the Ammonites, where it remained until the days of king Achaz, when Sancherib came and took it away from Achaz. When Ezekiah fought Sennacherib, he took it away from him, and it remained with the former until the days of Zedekiah, when the Chaldeans invaded Judea and took it away from Zedekiah. The Persians later took it away from the Chaldeans, and Greece took it away from Persia. Finally the Romans came and took it away from Greece, and it is still hidden in Rome."

“I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, and the war is not to the valiant; also bread is not to the wise, and also wealth is not to the clever, and also favor is not to the knowledgeable, but rather, time and chance befalls them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11).
“That the race is not to the swift” – this is Jacob our patriarch; yesterday: “Jacob lifted his feet [and went to the land of the children of the east]” (Genesis 29:1), and today it is written: “He gathered his feet onto the bed [and expired]” (Genesis 49:33). “And the war is not to the valiant” – this is Jacob; yesterday, “he rolled the stone off the mouth of the well” (Genesis 29:10), and Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Like a person removing the stopper from the mouth of a flask,⁶¹This demonstrates Jacob’s great strength, as the stone was heavy enough that generally multiple people had to lift it together (see Genesis 29:8). and today, “the sons of Israel transported Jacob their father” (Genesis 46:5), his body, and he could not be carried even [sitting] in a litter.⁶²Jacob was so weak that his sons had to carry him themselves as they traveled.
“Also bread is not to the wise” – this is Jacob; yesterday, “Jacob sacrificed an offering on the mountain…[and called his brethren to eat bread] and they ate bread” (Genesis 31:54). Were they his brethren? He had one brother, and if only he had buried him.⁶³His only brother, Esau, wanted to kill him; it would have been better for Jacob had Esau died. Were they not his sons? Rather, once they reached his shoulders he likened them to himself and called them brethren. Today, “Return and purchase a little food for us…” (Genesis 43:2).⁶⁴Jacob asked his sons to return to Egypt to purchase food. Instead of him providing for them, he asked them to provide food for him.
“And also wealth is not to the clever” – this is Jacob; “the man became exceedingly prosperous [vayifrotz]” (Genesis 30:43). Rabbi Simon teaches in the name of Rabbi Shimon that he had a microcosm of the World to Come, as it is stated: “The one who breaks through [haporetz] will have ascended before them” (Micah 2:13).⁶⁵Just as the Messiah, the subject of that verse, will break the laws of nature, God broke the laws of nature in causing Jacob’s flocks to multiply in order to grant him wealth. But today, “Joseph sustained his father and his brothers…” (Genesis 47:12).
“And also favor is not to the knowledgeable” – this is Jacob. Yesterday, “I know my son, I know” (Genesis 48:19). I know about the incident of Judah and Tamar, the incident of Reuben and Bilha. If the matters that were not revealed to you, were revealed to me, the matters that were revealed to you, all the more so. But today, he said to him: “If I have found favor in your eyes…do not bury me in Egypt (Genesis 47:29).⁶⁶Jacob was more knowledgeable than Joseph, as indicated in Genesis 48:19, yet he had to ask for Joseph’s favor so that he could be buried in the land of Israel.
Another matter, “the race is not to the swift” – this is Asael, as it is stated: “Asael was light on his feet, like one of the antelopes…” (II Samuel 2:18). How was his lightness manifest? He would run over the awns of the stalks and they would not break. Yesterday, “Asael was light on his feet,” and today, “Avner struck him with the back of the spear” (II Samuel 2:23).
“And the war is not to the valiant” – this is Avner, as it is written: “Are you not a man? Who is your equal in Israel…” (I Samuel 26:15). As Rabbi Asi said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: It is easier for a person to move a six-cubit-wide wall than one of Avner’s legs; but today, “shall Avner die the death of a scoundrel?” (II Samuel 3:33).⁶⁷David said this after Yoav tricked Avner and killed him.
“Also bread is not to the wise” – this is Solomon. Yesterday, “Solomon’s daily provision was thirty kor of fine flour and sixty kor of flour” (I Kings 5:2), and it is written: “Ten fattened bulls…” (I Kings 5:3). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Likewise, each and every day, and likewise each and every one of his wives would prepare a meal for him, under the impression that he would dine with her. But today, “this was my portion from all my toil” (Ecclesiastes 2:10). There is one who says: [All he had was] his bowl, there is one who says: [All he had was] his walking stick, and there is one who says: [All he had was] his belt.⁶⁸This is an allusion to the midrash (Kohelet Rabba 2:10) that Solomon was displaced from his throne and made to wander as a commoner with almost nothing.
“And also wealth is not to the clever” – this is Job. Yesterday, “his livestock was seven thousand sheep…” (Job 1:3), “and his livestock spread [paratz] in the land” (Job 1:10). Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: He breached [paratz] the boundaries of the world. Everywhere, the way of the world is that wolves kill the goats; however, with Job, the goats would kill the wolves. But today, “pity me, pity me, you are my friends…” (Job 19:21).
“And also favor is not to the knowledgeable” – this is Joshua. Rabbi Aḥva son of Rabbi Zeira said: There are two matters that Joshua spoke before Moses, but they did not find favor in his eyes, and these are: One regarding the appointment of the elders, and one in the incident of the [Golden] Calf. In the appointment of the elders, as it is written: “My lord Moses, incarcerate them [kela’em]” (Numbers 11:28); he said to him: Put an end to them [kalem] and remove them from the world. “Moses said to him: Are you zealous on my behalf?” (Numbers 11:29). [Moses] said to him: ‘Joshua, am I jealous of you?⁶⁹According to rabbinic tradition, Joshua’s statement to Moses about two elders, Eldad and Medad, was made after the latter prophesied that Moses would die and Joshua would lead the nation in the land of Israel (Sanhedrin 17a). That is the backdrop of this midrash, in which Joshua demanded that these elders be punished for their lack of respect toward Moses, and Moses responded that he was not insulted by their prophecy (Rabbi David Luria). If only my son could be like you, if only all Israel could be like you, “would that all the people of the Lord would be prophets” (Numbers 11:29).’
And one regarding the [Golden] Calf, as it is stated: “Joshua heard the sound of the people in their uproar [and he said to Moses: There is a sound of war in the camp]” (Exodus 32:17). Moses said to him: ‘A person who is destined to assert authority over six hundred thousand [men] does not know to distinguish between one sound and another sound? “It is not the sound of a cry of strength [gevura]” (Exodus 32:18),’ as it is stated: “Israel prevailed [vegavar]” (Exodus 17:11); ‘“and it is not the sound of a cry of weakness” (Exodus 32:18),’ as it is stated: “Joshua weakened [Amalek]” (Exodus 17:13); ‘“the sound of a cry, I hear” (Exodus 32:18).’ Rabbi Asi said: It is the sound of praise of idol worship, I hear. Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Asi: You do not have any generation that did not take one ounce of the calf.⁷⁰The punishment for this sin is distributed over all the generations.

“I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, and the war is not to the valiant; also bread is not to the wise, and also wealth is not to the clever, and also favor is not to the knowledgeable, but rather, time and chance befalls them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11).
“That the race is not to the swift” – this is Jacob our patriarch; yesterday: “Jacob lifted his feet [and went to the land of the children of the east]” (Genesis 29:1), and today it is written: “He gathered his feet onto the bed [and expired]” (Genesis 49:33). “And the war is not to the valiant” – this is Jacob; yesterday, “he rolled the stone off the mouth of the well” (Genesis 29:10), and Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Like a person removing the stopper from the mouth of a flask,⁶¹This demonstrates Jacob’s great strength, as the stone was heavy enough that generally multiple people had to lift it together (see Genesis 29:8). and today, “the sons of Israel transported Jacob their father” (Genesis 46:5), his body, and he could not be carried even [sitting] in a litter.⁶²Jacob was so weak that his sons had to carry him themselves as they traveled.
“Also bread is not to the wise” – this is Jacob; yesterday, “Jacob sacrificed an offering on the mountain…[and called his brethren to eat bread] and they ate bread” (Genesis 31:54). Were they his brethren? He had one brother, and if only he had buried him.⁶³His only brother, Esau, wanted to kill him; it would have been better for Jacob had Esau died. Were they not his sons? Rather, once they reached his shoulders he likened them to himself and called them brethren. Today, “Return and purchase a little food for us…” (Genesis 43:2).⁶⁴Jacob asked his sons to return to Egypt to purchase food. Instead of him providing for them, he asked them to provide food for him.
“And also wealth is not to the clever” – this is Jacob; “the man became exceedingly prosperous [vayifrotz]” (Genesis 30:43). Rabbi Simon teaches in the name of Rabbi Shimon that he had a microcosm of the World to Come, as it is stated: “The one who breaks through [haporetz] will have ascended before them” (Micah 2:13).⁶⁵Just as the Messiah, the subject of that verse, will break the laws of nature, God broke the laws of nature in causing Jacob’s flocks to multiply in order to grant him wealth. But today, “Joseph sustained his father and his brothers…” (Genesis 47:12).
“And also favor is not to the knowledgeable” – this is Jacob. Yesterday, “I know my son, I know” (Genesis 48:19). I know about the incident of Judah and Tamar, the incident of Reuben and Bilha. If the matters that were not revealed to you, were revealed to me, the matters that were revealed to you, all the more so. But today, he said to him: “If I have found favor in your eyes…do not bury me in Egypt (Genesis 47:29).⁶⁶Jacob was more knowledgeable than Joseph, as indicated in Genesis 48:19, yet he had to ask for Joseph’s favor so that he could be buried in the land of Israel.
Another matter, “the race is not to the swift” – this is Asael, as it is stated: “Asael was light on his feet, like one of the antelopes…” (II Samuel 2:18). How was his lightness manifest? He would run over the awns of the stalks and they would not break. Yesterday, “Asael was light on his feet,” and today, “Avner struck him with the back of the spear” (II Samuel 2:23).
“And the war is not to the valiant” – this is Avner, as it is written: “Are you not a man? Who is your equal in Israel…” (I Samuel 26:15). As Rabbi Asi said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: It is easier for a person to move a six-cubit-wide wall than one of Avner’s legs; but today, “shall Avner die the death of a scoundrel?” (II Samuel 3:33).⁶⁷David said this after Yoav tricked Avner and killed him.
“Also bread is not to the wise” – this is Solomon. Yesterday, “Solomon’s daily provision was thirty kor of fine flour and sixty kor of flour” (I Kings 5:2), and it is written: “Ten fattened bulls…” (I Kings 5:3). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Likewise, each and every day, and likewise each and every one of his wives would prepare a meal for him, under the impression that he would dine with her. But today, “this was my portion from all my toil” (Ecclesiastes 2:10). There is one who says: [All he had was] his bowl, there is one who says: [All he had was] his walking stick, and there is one who says: [All he had was] his belt.⁶⁸This is an allusion to the midrash (Kohelet Rabba 2:10) that Solomon was displaced from his throne and made to wander as a commoner with almost nothing.
“And also wealth is not to the clever” – this is Job. Yesterday, “his livestock was seven thousand sheep…” (Job 1:3), “and his livestock spread [paratz] in the land” (Job 1:10). Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: He breached [paratz] the boundaries of the world. Everywhere, the way of the world is that wolves kill the goats; however, with Job, the goats would kill the wolves. But today, “pity me, pity me, you are my friends…” (Job 19:21).
“And also favor is not to the knowledgeable” – this is Joshua. Rabbi Aḥva son of Rabbi Zeira said: There are two matters that Joshua spoke before Moses, but they did not find favor in his eyes, and these are: One regarding the appointment of the elders, and one in the incident of the [Golden] Calf. In the appointment of the elders, as it is written: “My lord Moses, incarcerate them [kela’em]” (Numbers 11:28); he said to him: Put an end to them [kalem] and remove them from the world. “Moses said to him: Are you zealous on my behalf?” (Numbers 11:29). [Moses] said to him: ‘Joshua, am I jealous of you?⁶⁹According to rabbinic tradition, Joshua’s statement to Moses about two elders, Eldad and Medad, was made after the latter prophesied that Moses would die and Joshua would lead the nation in the land of Israel (Sanhedrin 17a). That is the backdrop of this midrash, in which Joshua demanded that these elders be punished for their lack of respect toward Moses, and Moses responded that he was not insulted by their prophecy (Rabbi David Luria). If only my son could be like you, if only all Israel could be like you, “would that all the people of the Lord would be prophets” (Numbers 11:29).’
And one regarding the [Golden] Calf, as it is stated: “Joshua heard the sound of the people in their uproar [and he said to Moses: There is a sound of war in the camp]” (Exodus 32:17). Moses said to him: ‘A person who is destined to assert authority over six hundred thousand [men] does not know to distinguish between one sound and another sound? “It is not the sound of a cry of strength [gevura]” (Exodus 32:18),’ as it is stated: “Israel prevailed [vegavar]” (Exodus 17:11); ‘“and it is not the sound of a cry of weakness” (Exodus 32:18),’ as it is stated: “Joshua weakened [Amalek]” (Exodus 17:13); ‘“the sound of a cry, I hear” (Exodus 32:18).’ Rabbi Asi said: It is the sound of praise of idol worship, I hear. Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Asi: You do not have any generation that did not take one ounce of the calf.⁷⁰The punishment for this sin is distributed over all the generations.

[(Numb. 2:2:) EACH WITH HIS STANDARD, UNDER THE BANNERS FOR THEIR FATHERS' HOUSE. This text is related] (to Job 36:3): I WILL FETCH MY KNOWLEDGE FROM AFAR, AND JUSTIFY MY MAKER. It was only necessary to say: "Each under his standard"; [under the banners shall the children of Israel camp.]⁷³Tanh., Numb. 1:11; Numb. R. 2:8. Then what is the significance of saying (in Numb. 2:2:) WITH HIS STANDARD, UNDER THE BANNERS [FOR THEIR FATHERS' HOUSE]. Simply that when our father Jacob departed from this world, he said to them (in Gen. 47:30): WHEN I SLEEP WITH MY ANCESTORS, YOU ARE TO TAKE ME UP FROM EGYPT AND BURY ME IN THEIR GRAVE. He went around to all his sons, blessed them, and gave them a charge. He said to them: When you take me, you are to take me with reverence and honor. Let no other person, neither one of the Egyptians nor one of your children, touch my bier, because there are some among them who have taken <wives> from the daughters of Canaan.⁷⁴Cf. Gen. R. 84:21; PRK 39, according to which there was no such intermarriage. And so it says (in Gen. 50:12-13): SO HIS CHILDREN DID FOR HIM JUST AS HE HAD COMMANDED THEM, [IN THAT HIS CHILDREN BROUGHT HIM UP TO THE LAND OF CANAAN]. His children, but not his grandchildren (who were forbidden to touch the bier)! {(Gen. 50:13): IN THAT HIS CHILDREN BROUGHT HIM UP TO THE LAND OF CANAAN.} How did he charge them? He said to them: Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun shall carry my bier on the east; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, on the south; Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, on the west; Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, on the north. Joseph is not to carry <at all>, because he is a king; but you must impart honor to him. Nor is Levi to carry. Why? Because he carries the ark (aron), and whoever carries the ark of the One who Lives Forever is not to carry a coffin (aron) of the dead. If you do this and carry my bier, just as I have charged you, the Holy One is going to have you encamp by the various standards. When he passed away, they carried him just as he had charged them. It is so stated (in Numb. 5:12): SO HIS CHILDREN DID FOR HIM JUST AS HE HAD COMMANDED THEM. What is written next (in vs. 13)? HIS CHILDREN BROUGHT HIM UP TO THE LAND OF CANAAN, when Israel went forth from Egypt. The Holy One said: Now is the time for them to make standards, just as their father had proclaimed to them that they were going to make standards. Immediately the Holy One said to Moses: Make those standards for my name. Immediately Moses began to be concerned. He said: There is going to be dissension among the tribes. If I tell the tribe of Judah to encamp in the east, they will say: It is impossible for us to encamp anywhere but in the south. And so each and every tribe <would act> like that one. The Holy One said to him: [What concern is that to you?] They do not need you in this matter. They will recognize their dwellings by themselves. Why? Because their father's will was in their hand on how to encamp by the standards. I am not establishing something new. They already have their father's arrangements⁷⁵Gk.: taxeis. in their hands. Just as they have taken positions around his bier, so let them take positions around the Tabernacle. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Numb. 2:2): EACH WITH HIS STANDARD, UNDER THE BANNERS [FOR THEIR FATHERS' HOUSE].

(Numb. 2:2:) “Each with his standard, under the banners for their fathers' house.” [This text is related] (to Job 36:3), “I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and justify my maker.” It was only necessary to say, "under the banners shall the Children of Israel camp.⁵⁵Numb. R. 2:8. Then what is the significance of saying (in Numb. 2:2), “under the banners [for their fathers' house].” Simply that when our father Jacob departed from this world, he said to them (in Gen. 47:30), “When I sleep with my ancestors, you are to take me up from Egypt and bury me in their grave.” He went around to all his sons, blessed them, and gave them a charge. He said to them, “When you take me, you are to take me with reverence and honor. Let no other person, neither one of the Egyptians nor one of your children, touch my bier, because there are some among them who have taken [wives] from the daughters of Canaan.⁵⁶Cf. Gen. R. 84:21; PRK 39, according to which there was no such intermarriage. And so it says (in Gen. 50:12-13), “So his children did for him just as he had commanded them. And his children brought him up to the land of Canaan.” His children, but not his grandchildren (who were forbidden to touch the bier)! How did he charge them? He said to them, “Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun shall carry my bier on the East; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, on the South; Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, on the West; Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, on the North. Joseph is not to carry [at all], because he is a king; and you must impart honor to him. Nor is Levi to carry. Why? Because he will carry the ark (aron), and whoever carries the ark of the One who lives forever is not to carry a coffin (aron) of the dead. If you do this and carry my bier, just as I have charged you, the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to have you encamp by the various standards.” When he passed away, they carried him just as he had charged them. It is so stated (in Gen. 50:12), “So his children did for him just as he had commanded them.” What is written next (in vs. 13)? “And his children brought him up to the land of Canaan.” When Israel went forth from Egypt, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Now is the time for them to make standards, just as their father had proclaimed to them that they were going to make standards.” Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Make those standards for my name.” Immediately Moses began to be concerned. He said, “There is going to be dissension among the tribes. If I tell the tribe of Judah to encamp in the East, they will say, ‘It is impossible for us to encamp anywhere but in the South.’ And so each and every tribe [would act] like that one.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “What concern is that to you? They do not need you in this matter. They will recognize their dwellings by themselves. Why? Because their father's will was in their hand on how to encamp by the standards. I am not establishing something new. They already have their father's arrangements⁵⁷Gk.: taxeis. in their hands. Just as they have taken positions around his bier, so let them take positions around the tabernacle.” Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Numb. 2:2), “Each with his standard, under the banners [for their fathers' house].” How were they encamped? The Levites camped around the tabernacle of witness, with Moses, Aaron, and his children on the East.⁵⁸See Numb. R. 2:10. It is so stated (in Numb. 3:38), “Those who camped before the tabernacle, in front before the tent of meeting to the East, were Moses, Aaron, and his children.” And adjacent to them were Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Hence they said, “Fortunate is the righteous person and fortunate are his neighbors.”⁵⁹Suk. 56b. See below, Numb. 5:8. This refers to the three tribes (rt.: shbt) which were adjacent to Moses and Aaron.⁶⁰Gen. R. 3:13; Numb. R. 3:12. They became great in the Torah, as stated (in Gen. 49:10), “The scepter (shbt) shall not depart from Judah, nor the inscriber from between his feet.” In the case of Issachar it is written, (in I Chron. 12:33), “And from the Children of Issachar, those who had an understanding of the times,⁶¹The midrash regards UNDERSTANDING as synonymous with Torah. to know what Israel should do; their heads numbered two hundred and all their kindred under their command ('al pihem),” because they harmonize law (halakhah) at their command ('al pihem). [Of Zebulun it is written] (in Jud. 5:14), “and from Zebulun those who wield the scribal pen.” Because they were neighbors [of Torah, embodied by Moses] they all became children of Torah (i.e., Torah scholars). Now on the South were the Children of Kohath (ben Levi), and adjacent to them were Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. Hence they say, “Woe to the wicked person; and woe to his neighbor.”⁶²Suk. 56b; Numb. R. 18:5; ARN, A, 9:1; see Avot 1:7. These are the three tribes which were neighbors of Korah (the grandson of Kohath) and his community in the South. These were destroyed with him in his dissension (as stated in Numb. 16:32), “And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, every person that belonged to Korah, and their property.” On the West were the Children of Gershom (i.e., Gershon ben Levi), with Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin being adjacent to them. And on the North were the Children of Merari (ben Levi), with Dan, Naphtali, and Asher being adjacent to them. Seven clouds of glory were surrounding them, and this was their [method] of travel: There was a sign⁶³Gk.: semeion. for Moses in the cloud when it departed. When it departed, he would say (in Numb. 10:35), “Rise up, O Lord, and may Your enemies be scattered.” Then the cloud would depart. When the cloud departed, they all prepared to travel and put away their implements. Whoever had a domestic beast put them on it; and if [a person] had none, the cloud took the remainder. When they were settled, they blew the trumpets. Then Judah and its standard moved out, first its prince and his tribe after him.⁶⁴CF. Numb. R. 2:7. And as signs for each and every prince there was a flag.⁶⁵Lat. (from the Punic): mappa And from them the empire learned to make a flag. There was also a color for each and every flag, like the color of the precious stones which were on the heart of Aaron. Each and every tribe had its flag dyed like the color of its stone. Then over them were the clouds. Until they were settled, they blew the trumpets. They traveled, and likewise the clouds [traveled over them]. Moreover, something like a kind of beam came out of the cloud, so that they would know in which direction they would be traveling. So was the journey of each and every standard. [When] they finished going to where it wanted them to camp, [since] that cloud which appeared like a kind of beam had, as it were, been traveling independently, they knew that they would camp in that place. [When] clouds of glory stood still for them, they began putting [things] away in their tents where they were to rest. Then the cloud which was over the tabernacle, moved over the camp of the Levites in the middle of the camps. First it stood still. When it stood still, the Children of Kohath and the Children of Levi set up the tabernacle in the presence of all the camps before they came, as stated (in Numb. 10:21), “And they would set up the tabernacle before they came.” When they had set up the tabernacle, each and every one set up [camp] in his [proper] place. Then the clouds of glory stood over them. This was grandeur in the hands of Moses, for the cloud of the glorious Divine Presence did not come down to the tabernacle, until Moses had said (in Numb. 10:36), “Return, O Lord, to the myriad thousands of Israel.” Then the clouds of glory encompassed them. Moreover, the holy spirit says through Solomon (in Cant. 6:4), “You are as beautiful my darling, as (ke) tirzah.” What is the meaning of “ketirzah (ktrtsh, rt.: rtsh)?” That I am pleasing (mtrtsh, rt.: rtsh) to you.⁶⁶Numb. R. 2:5. Another interpretation (of Cant. 6:4), “Ketirzah" (rt.: rtsh) [means] just as you are pleasing (rt.: rtsh) to Me in the sacrifices. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 1:4), “And it shall be pleasing (rt.: rtsh) for Him to atone for him.” (Cant. 6:4, cont.,) “As comely as Jerusalem (yrushlym),” [means] like these ministering angels, in that they feared (rt.: yr') [Me] and were reconciled (rt.: shlm) to Me. (Ibid., cont.,) “Awesome as [hosts] with standards,” like the standards which I gave you. So when David sees [them], he says (in Ps. 147:20), “He has not done so for any nation,” only for it.

(I Kings 5:11 [4:31], cont.:) <WISER> THAN ETHAN THE EZRAHITE. This is Abraham, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 89:1): A MASKIL (a psalm of erudition) OF ETHAN THE EZRAHITE.⁸¹It is assumed, of course that Abraham wrote the Psalm, an assumption based on a comparison of Ps. 89:1 and Is. 41:2: WHO HAS RAISED UP RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM THE EAST?. See BB 15a. The Ezrahite (‘ezrahi) of Ps. 89:1 is understood in the sense of “Easterner,” and Ethan (which means “steadfast”) is regarded as equivalent to “righteous.” For another argument identifying Ethan and Abraham, see PR 6:5. (I Kings 5:11 [4:31], cont.:) <WISER THAN … > HEMAN (rt.: 'MN). This is Moses, of whom it is stated (in Numb. 12:7 with reference to Moses): HE IS TRUSTED (rt.: 'MN) IN ALL MY HOUSE. (I Kings 5:11 [4:31], cont.:) <WISER THAN … > CALCOL (KLKL). This is Joseph, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 47:12): AND JOSEPH SUSTAINED (rt.: KLKL) <HIS FATHER AND HIS BROTHERS>. The Egyptians said: Has this slave come to rule over us for any reason but because of his wisdom? What did they do to him? They brought seventy tablets⁸²Gk.: piyyakia; Lat.: pittacia. and wrote on them in seventy tongues. Then when they cast them⁸³The Buber text has the singular “it” here. before him. He read each and every one in its own tongue. And not only that, but he spoke in the Holy Tongue, which they did not have the ability to understand, as stated (in Ps. 81:6 [5]): HE MADE IT A STATUTE IN JACOB, WHEN HE WENT OUT OVER THE LAND OF EGYPT. I HEAR A LANGUAGE I HAD NOT KNOWN. (I Kings 5:11 [4:31], cont.:) <WISER THAN … > DARDA (DRD')]. This is the generation (dor) of the desert, which had knowledge (de'ah). (I Kings 5:11 [4:31], cont.:) <WISER THAN … > THE CHILDREN OF MAHOL, i.e., the children whom the Divine Presence forgave (rt.: MHL) for the deed of the calf.

(Gen. 47, 30) Thou shall carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place. Said Karna: "Something unusual is meant by these words. Jacob our Patriarch knew very well that he was a perfectly righteous man, and since the dead which are buried outside of the land of Israel will also revive, then why did he trouble his children so much? We must say that it was only because of the trouble to walk through the underground passages up to the land of Israel." Similar to this may the following be explained (Ib. 50, 25) And Joseph caused the children of Israel to swear, etc. Said R. Chanina: "Something unusual is meant by this oath. Joseph knew very well that he was a perfectly righteous man, and since the dead which are buried outside of the land of Israel will also revive, then why did he trouble his brothers to carry him four hundred miles? Because he did not want to subject himself to walking through the underground passage up to the land of Israel. "Jacob knew very well that he was a perfectly righteous," etc. Illpha adds more things which Raba said to his brother: "There was once a man who fell in love with a certain woman who lived outside of the land of Israel, and he desired to go out and live there in order to marry her; but as soon as he heard the above things [that it is prohibited], he overcame his love, and remained single until the day of his death." And another thing [did he send]: "Although thou art a great sage, nevertheless the knowledge is not so good when one studies by himself as when one studies from his teacher; and if you will say that there is no teacher, you should know that here is a teacher for vou, and this is R. Jochanan. And should you finally decide not to come here, then be strict with the following three things: Do not sit too much, because sitting affects the viscera; do not stand too much, because standing affects the heart; do not walk too much, because walking affects the eyes. A third of your time spend in sitting, a third in standing and a third in walking. Standing is better than sitting on any seat that has not something to lean on." How can you say that standing is better than sitting? We must therefore say that standing (Ib. b) with something to lean on is preferable to sitting without leaning.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 39:1): WHEN JOSEPH WAS TAKEN DOWN < TO EGYPT, POTIPHAR … BOUGHT HIM >. What is the meaning of WHEN JOSEPH WAS TAKEN DOWN? That he moved the Egyptians from place to place. < It is > just as you say (in Gen. 47:21): HE REMOVED THE PEOPLE BY CITIES < FROM ONE END OF EGYPT'S BORDER TO THE OTHER >. Thus he was taking them up from here and putting them there so that they would not taunt the Israelites by calling them exiles < and > children of exiles.⁴⁸Hul. 60b; Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Gen. 47:21; Frag. (Jerusalem) Targum, Gen. 47:21.

3 (Numb. 19:2) “This is the statute of the Torah”: R. Isaac began [his discourse] (with Eccl. 7:23), “All this I tested with wisdom; I thought I could fathom it, but it eludes me.” It is written (in I Kings 5:9), “So God gave Solomon wisdom [...].” What is the meaning of (I Kings 5:9, cont.,) “As vast as the sand of the sea.” The rabbis say, “[This] teaches that He gave him as much wisdom as all Israel, who are compared to the sand, as stated (in Hos. 2:1), ‘The number of the Children of Israel shall be like that of the sands of the sea. R. Levi said, “Just as sand is a wall and a fence for [the sea], that it not go out and flood the world; so was wisdom a fence for Solomon.” The proverb says, “If you lack knowledge, what have you gained? If you have gained knowledge, what do you lack?” Like (in Prov. 25:28) “A city broken into with no walls,” so “is a person who does not restrain his spirit.” (I Kings 5:10) “Now Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the East”: And what was the wisdom of the peoples of the East?²⁹Above, Gen. 7:24; PR 14:9. [In that] they were astute at divination (from birds). Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said, “I like three things, etc.” (I Kings 5:10, cont.) “From all the wisdom of Egypt”: What was the wisdom of Egypt? You find that when Solomon wanted to build the Temple, he sent to Pharaoh Necho and said to him, “Send me craftsmen [to work] for a wage, for I want to build the Temple.” What did Pharaoh do? He gathered all his astrologers³⁰Gk.: astrologoi. and said to them, “Foresee which people are going to die this year and send them to him.” When they came to Solomon, he foresaw through the holy spirit that they would die during that year. He [therefore] gave them shrouds and sent them [back] to [Pharaoh]. He sent to him, saying, “Do you not have shrouds to bury your dead? Here they are for you with their shrouds.” (I Kings 5:11) “And he was wiser than any man (literally, than all of Adam),” than the first Adam. And what was his wisdom? You find that, when the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to create the first Adam, He consulted with the ministering angels. He said to them (in Gen. 1:26), “Let us make humankind (Adam) in Our image.” They said to him (in Ps. 8:5), “What is a human that You are mindful of him?” He said to them, “This Adam that I want to create Adam shall have wisdom greater than yours.” What did He do? He gathered all cattle, wild beasts, and fowl to pass before them. He said to them, “What are the names of these [beings]?” They, however, did not know. When He had created Adam, He made them pass before him. He said to him, “What are the names of these [beings]?” He said, “It is fitting to call this one an ox, this one a lion, this one a horse, [...]” and so on for all of them. It is so stated (in Gen. 2:20), “So Adam recited names”³¹The understanding of the midrash is that the creatures implicitly already possessed names. He said to him, “And you, what is your name?” Adam said to him, “Adam, because I was created out of the ground (adamah).” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I, what is My name?” He said to him, “The Lord, because you are Lord over all creatures,” namely as written (in Is. 42:8), “I am the Lord, that is My name,” which the first Adam gave me. It is the one which I have agreed to [for use] between Me and Myself; it is the one which I have agreed to [for use] between Me and My creatures. (I Kings 5:11, cont.) “[Wiser] than Ethan the Ezrahite”: This is Abraham, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 89:1), “A maskil (a psalm of erudition) of Ethan the Ezrahite.”³²It is assumed, of course that Abraham wrote the Psalm, an assumption based on a comparison of Ps. 89:1 and Is. 41:2: WHO HAS RAISED UP RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM THE EAST?. See BB 15a. The Ezrahite (‘ezrahi) of Ps. 89:1 is understood in the sense of “Easterner,” and Ethan (which means “steadfast”) is regarded as equivalent to “righteous.” For another argument identifying Ethan and Abraham, see PR 6:5. (I Kings 5:11, cont.) “And Heman (rt.: 'mn)”: This is Moses, of whom it is stated (in Numb. 12:7 with reference to Moses), “[… he is trusted (rt.: 'mn) in all My house].” (I Kings 5:11, cont.) “Calcol (klkl)”: This is Joseph, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 47:12), “And joseph sustained (rt.: klkl) [his father and his brothers].” The Egyptians said, “Has this slave come to rule over us for any reason but because of his wisdom?” What did they do to him? They brought seventy tablets³³Gk.: piyyakia; Lat.: pittacia. and wrote on them in seventy tongues. Then when they cast them before him, he read each and every one in its own tongue. And not only that, but he spoke in the holy tongue, which they did not have the ability to understand, as stated (in Ps. 81:6), “He made it a statute upon Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known.” (I Kings 5:11, cont.) “Darda (drd')]:” This is the generation (dor) of the desert, which had knowledge (de'ah). (I Kings 5:11, cont.) “The children of Mahol,” i.e., the Children of Israel whom the Divine Presence forgave (rt.: mhl) for the deed of the calf. (I Kings 5:12) “Moreover he composed three thousand proverbs”: R. Samuel bar Nahmani said, “We have gone over all of the scriptures and have found that Solomon only uttered prophetically close to eight hundred verses.³⁴See Cant. R. 1:1:11. Then what is meant by three thousand? [This number] teaches that each and every verse that he spoke contains two [or] three interpretations, just as it says (in Prov. 25:12), ‘Like an earring of gold, a necklace of fine gold, [so is a wise reprover to a listening ear].’”³⁵The midrash understands the WISE REPROVER TO BE Solomon himself, who is likened to both a golden earring and a golden necklace. But the rabbis say, “Every verse has three thousand proverbs, while each and every proverb has a thousand and five interpretations.” [(I Kings 5:12, cont.) “And his song numbered a thousand and five”:] “His songs” is not written here, but “his song,” the song of the proverb. (I Kings 5:13) “And he spoke with/concerning ('al)³⁶The point of the midrash in this and in the following chapter concerns whether to understand ‘al as “with” or “concerning.” the trees”: Is it possible that a person would speak with the trees? Solomon merely said, “For what reason is a leper cleansed through the tallest among the trees (the cedar) and through the lowest of the low (the hyssop); through (according to Lev. 14:4) cedar wood, [crimson stuff,] and hyssop?’ It is simply because he had exalted himself like the cedar, that he was stricken with leprosy. As soon as he humbled himself like the hyssop, he was therefore cured through hyssop”. (I Kings 5:13, cont.) “He also spoke with/concerning ('al) the cattle and the fowl”: Is it possible that [a person] would speak with cattle and with fowl? Rather [the passage is concerned with] why the cattle are permitted [as food] with [the cutting of] two organs³⁷Gk.: semeia (“signs,” “omens”). (the gullet and the windpipe); but the fowl, with [the cutting of] one organ (i.e., the gullet or the windpipe).³⁸See Hul. 2:1; Hul. 27b. Because cattle were created from the dry land. But in regard to fowl, one text says [they came] from the dry land, while another text says [they came] from the sea. [The text stating fowls came] from the dry land is what is written (in Gen. 2:19), “So from the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the heavens.” The other text says (in Gen. 1:20), “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures and the fowl fly above the earth.”³⁹This unusual translation of Gen. 1:20 is required by the midrash. Bar Qappara said, “They were created from the mud which is in the sea.” R. Abbin said the name of R. Jose the Galilean said, “Nevertheless, the feet of the cock resemble the scaly skin⁴⁰Reading HSPNYT’ with the parallel in Yalqut Shim‘oni, Kings, 178, for Buber’s HRTsPYTYH. of the fish.”⁴¹A fish of the genus anthias. (I Kings 5:13, cont.) “And with/concerning ('al) the creeping things”: Is it possible that one would speak with a creeping thing? Solomon simply said, “What is the reason that in the case of the eight swarming creatures which are in the Torah, one is culpable for hunting or injuring them (on the Sabbath)⁴²Shab. 14:1.; but in the case of the rest of the swarming creatures, one is exempt?⁴³Shab. 14:1. For the reason that they (i.e. the former) have skins.”⁴⁴Shab. 107ab, explains that in the case of skin, as distinct from the flesh, a wound does not completely heal but leaves a scar. Thus part of the animal’s life is lost. See yShab. 14:1 (14b); also Hul. 9:2. Cf. Rashi on Shab. 14:1, according to whom cutting the skin causes blood to color it in a form of dying, an act forbidden on the Sabbath. (I Kings 5:13 cont.) “And with/concerning ('al) the fish”: Is it possible that one would so speak? Solomon merely said, “For what reason do cattle, beasts, and birds require ritual slaughtering, while fish do not require ritual slaughtering?” Rather it is from this verse (in Numb. 11:22), “Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them; [are there enough fish in the sea to gather for them]?” Jacob the man of Kefar Nibburayya taught in Tyre with respect to fish, that they do require ritual slaughtering. When R. Haggai heard, he sent for him to come. He said to him, “On what basis did you decide this?” He said to him, “From here (in Gen. 1:20), ‘Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let the fowl fly.’ Just as fowl require ritual slaughtering, so do the fish require ritual slaughtering.” He said to them (i.e., those standing by), “Lay him down to receive lashes.” He said to him, “Shall a person who speaks words of Torah be lashed?” He said to him, “You did not decide [the law] well.” He said to him, “On what basis?” He said to him, “From here (in Numb. 11:22), ‘Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them; are there enough fish in the sea to gather for them?’ The former require ritual slaughtering, while the latter [is taken] through gathering.” He said to him, “Give [me] your beating, as it is good for retention.” And again did Jacob the man of Kefar Nibburayya teach in Tyre, [this time] with respect to an Israelite man, who came upon a foreign woman and had her bear him a son, that he should be circumcised on the Sabbath. When R. Haggai heard, he sent for him to come. He said to him, “On what basis do you hold this?” He said to him, “[From this which is written] (in Numb. 1:18) ‘then they registered their lineages according to their families according to the house of their fathers.’” He said to them (i.e., those standing by), “Lay him down to receive lashes.” He said to him, “Shall a person who speaks words of Torah be lashed?” He said to him, “You did not decide [the law] well.” He said to him, “From where can you show me?” He said to him, “If one of the gentiles came to you in order to become a proselyte on condition that you circumcise him on the Sabbath day or on the Day of Atonement, would you profane the Sabbath on account of him or not? Is it not true that one does not profane the Sabbath or the Day of Atonement for him but only for the son of an Israelite woman.” He said to him, “On what basis do you hold this?” He said to him (in Ezra 10:3), “So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all (foreign) wives and (anyone] born of them […].” He said to him, “Would you lash me on the basis of [a non-Mosaic text]?” He said to him, “It is written (ibid.), ‘let it be done [according to] the Torah.’” He said to him, “From which [piece of] Torah?” He said to him, “From that of R. Johanan, when he said in the name of R. Simeon ben Johay, ‘It is written (in Deut. 7:3), “You shall not intermarry with them; do not give your daughters to their sons.” Why? (As in Deut. 7:4,) “Because they will turn your children away from following me.” Your child that comes from an Israelite woman is called "your child"; but that which comes from a foreign woman is called, not "your child," but "her child,” as stated (in Gen. 21:13), “And I will also make the son of the maidservant into a nation.”’" He said to him, “Give [me] your beating, as it is good for retention.” Solomon said, “About all these things I have knowledge; but in the case of the parashah on the red heifer, I have investigated it, inquired into it, and examined it. [Still] (at the end of the verse in Eccl. 7:23), ‘I thought I could fathom it, but it eludes me.’”

It is written (Leviticus 19:17) "Do not hate your brother in your heart." And of Joseph it is written (Genesis 50:21) "And he counseled them and he spoke to their hearts." It is written (Leviticus 19:18) "You shall not take revenge and you shall not bear a grudge," and (in respect to Joseph, Genesis 50:20) "And you contemplated evil against me, but G d contemplated it for the good." (Leviticus 25:36) "And let your brother live with you." (Genesis 47:12) "And Joseph sustained his father and his brothers, etc."

In what lies in the other ark it is written (Exodus 20) "I am the L rd your G d," and of Joseph it is written (Genesis 50:19) "Am I in the place of G d?" In what lies in this ark it is written (Exodus 20) "There shall not be before you any other gods," and of Joseph it is written (Genesis 42:18) "It is G d whom I fear." (Exodus 20) "You shall not take the name of the L rd your G d in vain." And of Joseph it is written (Genesis 42:15) "By the life of Pharaoh," (Joseph not swearing by "the life" of the L rd.) (Exodus 20) "Remember the Sabbath day." Joseph (Genesis 42:16) "slaughter an animal and prepare it," "prepare" alluding to Sabbath eve, it being written here "prepare," and elsewhere (Exodus 16:5) "And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare." (Exodus 20) "Honor your father." Joseph (Genesis 37:13) "And Israel said to Joseph: Are your brothers not grazing (the sheep) in Shechem? Go, and I will send you to them. And he said to him: Here I am" (at your service). Joseph knew that his brothers hated him, but he would not transgress the words of his father. (Exodus 20) "You shall not kill." He did not kill Potiphar (even though he could have.) (Exodus 20) "You shall not commit adultery." He did not commit adultery with the wife of Potiphar. (Exodus 20) "You shall not steal." He did not rob Pharaoh, viz. (Genesis 47:14) "And Joseph collected all of the money, etc." (Exodus 20) "You shall not testify falsely against your neighbor." Joseph did not tell his father what his brothers had done to him. Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If he did not testify (against them) even truthfully, how much more so, falsely! (Exodus 20) "You shall not covet." He did not covet Potiphar's wife.

R. Malai. in the name of R. Isaac, said further: "Since the day when Joseph departed from his brothers, he tasted no wine, as it is written (Gen. 47, 26.) And on the crown of the head of him who was separated from his brother." R. Jose b. Chanina said: "The brothers of Joseph also did not taste wine, for it is said (Ib. 43, 34.) And they drank and were merry with him. We infer that without him they did not drink." But the former (R. Malai) holds this refers to being drunk but not to tasting. R Malai further said: "As a reward [due to Aaron] for, And when he sees thee, he shall be glad in his heart (Ex. 4, 14) , he was given the Choshen Hamishpat on his heart."

“All this I attempted with wisdom; I said: I will become wise, but it is far from me” (Ecclesiastes 7:23).
“All this I attempted with wisdom.” It is written: “God granted wisdom to Solomon, [great discernment, and breadth of understanding like the sand on the seashore]” (I Kings 5:9). The Rabbis and Rabbi Levi, the Rabbis say: “Like the sand” – what is “like the sand”? He was granted wisdom corresponding to all of Israel.¹²⁴Israel is compared to the sand on the seashore; see Genesis 22:17. Rabbi Levi said: Just as this sand is a boundary for the sea, so, too, wisdom was a boundary for Solomon.¹²⁵It prevented him from sinning. The parable says: If you lack knowledge, what have you acquired? If you have acquired wisdom, what are you lacking?
It is written: “Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt” (I Kings 5:10). What was the wisdom of the people of the East? They were well-versed in astronomy, performed sorcery with birds, and were expert in augury. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: Regarding three matters I praise the people of the East: They do not kiss on the mouth, but rather on the hand; they do not bite [pieces of food from a larger piece] with their mouth but cut with a knife; and they seek counsel only in a spacious area, as they consult only in the field.¹²⁶This is to ensure that there are no eavesdroppers.
What was the wisdom of the Egyptians? You find that when Solomon sought to build the Temple, he sent to Pharaoh Nekho and said: ‘Send me craftsmen [and I will pay] their wage, as I seek to build the Temple.’ What did he [Pharaoh] do? He assembled all his astrologers, and they envisioned people who were destined to die during that year and he sent them to him. When they came to Solomon, he envisioned with the divine spirit that they were destined to die during that year. He gave them shrouds and sent them [back] to [Pharaoh Nekho], and said to him: ‘If you did not have shrouds for the needs of your dead, here they are with their shrouds; arise and bury them.’
“He was wiser than any man [ha’adam]” (I Kings 5:11) – than Adam the first man. What was the wisdom of Adam the first man? You find that when the Holy One blessed be He sought to create Adam the first man, He consulted with the ministering angels, and He said to them: “Let us make man” (Genesis 1:26). They said to him: ‘Master of the universe, “what is man that You remember him?”’ (Psalms 8:5). He said to them: ‘The man I seek to create, his wisdom is greater than yours.’ What did He do? He gathered all the animals, beasts, and birds, and stood them before them [the angels], and said to them: ‘Give them names.’ They remained [silent] and did not know [what to say]. He went to Adam and said to him: ‘What [should] the names of these [creatures be]?’ [Adam] said: ‘Master of the universe, it is fitting to call this one ox, this one lion, this one horse, this one camel, this one eagle,’ and so forth for all of them. [God] said to him: ‘What is your name?’ He said before Him: ‘Adam, because I was created from the ground [adama].’ [God said:] ‘And I, what is My name?’ He said before Him: ‘You are my Lord [adonai], because You are the Lord [adon] over all Your creations’ – that is what is written: “I am the Lord, it is My name” (Isaiah 42:8), it is My name that I was called by Adam the first man. It is My name that I stipulated between Me and Myself. It is My name that I stipulated between Myself and My creations and My ministering angels.
“[For he was wiser than all men: than Eitan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Kalkol, and Darda, the sons of Maḥol]” (I Kings 5:11). “Than Eitan the Ezrahite,” this is Abraham, as it is written: “A contemplation of Eitan the Ezrahite” (Psalms 89:1).¹²⁷Rabbinic tradition identifies Eitan the Ezrahite of Psalms as Abraham; see Bava Batra 15a. “And Heman,” this is Moses, as it is stated: “In all My house he is trusted [ne’eman]” (Numbers 12:7). “And Kalkol,” this is Joseph, as it is written: “Joseph provided [vaykhalkel]” (Genesis 47:12). The Egyptians said: ‘Is this slave not king over us due only to his wisdom?’ They took seventy notes¹²⁸Each note was written in a different language. and cast them before him and he would read each of them in its language. Moreover, he would speak in the sacred tongue, which they did not know, with which they were not familiar, and which they could not understand. So, it says: “He established it as a precept for Joseph [when he went out over Egypt; I learned a language I had not known]” (Psalms 81:6). “And Darda,” (I Kings 5:11), this is the generation [dor] of the wilderness, which was entirely knowledge [de’a]. “Sons of Maḥol,” (I Kings 5:11), these are the Israelites, whom the Holy One blessed be He forgave [maḥal] for the sin of the [Golden] Calf.

(Numb. 7:1:) “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.” R. Berekhyah the Priest Berabbi said,¹⁰¹Similarly Numb. R. 12:2. “Before the Tabernacle was erected, when Israel stood before Mount Sinai, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them an intimation that when His Divine Presence would dwell among them, He would then bless them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, ‘When I come unto you, I will come loaded with blessings.’” R. Berekhyah Berabbi [also] said (citing Job 4:17), “’Shall a human be more righteous than God […]?’ When Jacob went to Pharaoh, he did not depart from him until he had blessed him. And how did he bless him? He said to him [that] the Nile¹⁰²Gk.: Neilos; Lat.: Nilus. would rise to his foot. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 47:7), ‘and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘Also when I come unto you, I shall come loaded with blessings.’” And where did they have an intimation of [such blessings]? At Sinai, since it is stated (in Exod. 20:21), “An altar¹⁰³Of course, such an altar would naturally stand in the Tabernacle. of earth you shall make for Me… I will come unto you and bless you.” Then when He came unto them He blessed them, as stated (in Numb. 6:24), “The Lord bless you […].” When? On the day that the Tabernacle was erected. (Numb. 7:1:) “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished (kallot).” Kallat (which means "bride of") is [what is really] written.¹⁰⁴PRK 5:1; see especially Numb. R. 12:8, end, which greatly expands this interpretation. [Thus the passage would allude] to the day that [the] bride (kallah) entered the wedding canopy.¹⁰⁵In other words, Israel is the bride of the Holy One, and the Tabernacle, her wedding canopy.

This is what God said to Israel: My children what do I seek from you? I seek no more than that you love one another, and honor one another, and that you have awe for one another

[(Numb. 7:1:) SO IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT <MOSES> HAD FINISHED. R. Berekhyah the Priest Berabbi said:]¹¹³Tanh., Numb. 2:26; similarly Numb. R. 12:2. Before the Tabernacle was erected, when Israel stood before Mount Sinai, the Holy One gave them an intimation and said to them: When I come unto you, I will come loaded with blessings. R. Berekhyah the Priest Berabbi said (in Job 4:17): SHALL A HUMAN BE MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN GOD?…. When Jacob went to Pharaoh, he did not depart from him until he had blessed him. And how did he bless him? He said to him <that> the Nile¹¹⁴Gk.: Neilos; Lat.: Nilus. would rise to his foot. Where is is shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 47:7): AND JACOB BLESSED PHARAOH. So when I come unto you, I shall come loaded with blessings. And where did they have an intimation of <such blessings>? At Sinai, since it is stated (in Exod. 20:24): AN ALTAR¹¹⁵Of course, such an altar would naturally stand in the Tabernacle. OF EARTH YOU SHALL MAKE FOR ME … I WILL COME UNTO YOU AND BLESS YOU. Then when he came unto them he blessed them, as stated (in Numb. 6:24): <the Lord> bless you…. When? On the day that the tabernacle was erected. (Numb. 7:1:) SO IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED <SETTING UP THE TABERNACLE>.

(Numb. 7:1:) “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.” R. Berekhyah the Priest Berabbi said,¹⁰¹Similarly Numb. R. 12:2. “Before the Tabernacle was erected, when Israel stood before Mount Sinai, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave them an intimation that when His Divine Presence would dwell among them, He would then bless them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, ‘When I come unto you, I will come loaded with blessings.’” R. Berekhyah Berabbi [also] said (citing Job 4:17), “’Shall a human be more righteous than God […]?’ When Jacob went to Pharaoh, he did not depart from him until he had blessed him. And how did he bless him? He said to him [that] the Nile¹⁰²Gk.: Neilos; Lat.: Nilus. would rise to his foot. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 47:7), ‘and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘Also when I come unto you, I shall come loaded with blessings.’” And where did they have an intimation of [such blessings]? At Sinai, since it is stated (in Exod. 20:21), “An altar¹⁰³Of course, such an altar would naturally stand in the Tabernacle. of earth you shall make for Me… I will come unto you and bless you.” Then when He came unto them He blessed them, as stated (in Numb. 6:24), “The Lord bless you […].” When? On the day that the Tabernacle was erected. (Numb. 7:1:) “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished (kallot).” Kallat (which means "bride of") is [what is really] written.¹⁰⁴PRK 5:1; see especially Numb. R. 12:8, end, which greatly expands this interpretation. [Thus the passage would allude] to the day that [the] bride (kallah) entered the wedding canopy.¹⁰⁵In other words, Israel is the bride of the Holy One, and the Tabernacle, her wedding canopy.

And thus do we find that before Jacob's passing from the world he called his sons and rebuked them individually and then called all of them as one and said to them: Can it be that there is some reservation in your hearts about Him who spoke and brought the world into being? They answered "Hear, O Israel" (Jacob) — Just as there is no reservation in your heart, so there is none in ours, but (Devarim 6:4) "The L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is One!" — at which he said "Blessed is the Name of the glory of His Kingdom for ever and ever!" And this is the intent of (Bereshith 47:31) "And Israel bowed at the head of the bed." Is this to be taken literally? (Obviously not. The intent is:) He expressed thanks and praise (to the L-rd) that "base matter" had not issued from him (thus, "his bed"). Others say: Reuven repented. The Holy One Blessed be He said to Jacob: This is what you desired all of your days — that your sons "awake and retire" with the recitation of the Shema. This is the intent of (Devarim 6:4) "Hear, O Israel" (Jacob). Variantly: "Hear, O Israel": From here it was ruled that if one recited the Shema but did not make it audible to his ear, he did not fulfill his obligation.

— But perhaps it is being contrasted with its most demeaning feature; it is, therefore, written (Vayikra 18:3) "in which you dwelt" — the place in which you dwelt, of which it is written (Ibid. 47:6) "In the best (part) of the land settle your father, etc." But perhaps it is being contrasted only with the time of its demeaning (i.e., its being smitten with the plagues). It is, therefore, written "from which you went out." When you were there, it was blessed because of you, but not now that you are not upon it.

And thus do you find, that wherever the righteous go, blessing comes in their wake. Israel went down to Gerar — blessing came to Gerar, viz. (Bereshith 26:12) "And Israel sowed in that land, etc." Jacob went down to Lavan — blessing came down in his wake, viz. (Ibid. 30:27) "I have found through divination that the L-rd has blessed me for your sake." Joseph went down to Potifera — blessing came in his wake, viz. (Ibid. 39:5) "and the L-rd blessed the house of the Egyptian for Joseph's sake." Jacob went down to Pharaoh — blessing came down for his sake, viz. (Ibid. 47:10) "And Jacob blessed Pharaoh." In what way did he bless him? In that years of famine were withheld from him. And after the death of Jacob they returned, as it is written (Ibid. 50:21) "And now, do not fear, I (Joseph) will feed you and your little ones," and (Ibid. 45;11) "And I will feed you there." Just as "feeding" there was in the (projected) years of famine, so, the "feeding" here (50:21) was in the years of famine, (the famine having returned with Jacob's death). These are the words of R. Yossi.

Rabbi Tanchum said: Joseph commanded and they built the treasure-houses in each city, and he gathered all the produce of the lands into the treasure-houses. The Egyptians were scoffing at him, saying: Now the worms will eat the stores of Joseph. But no worm had any power over them; neither did the (stores) diminish until the day of his death. And he supported the land in the famine of bread, therefore was his name called Kalkol. And Kalkol is Joseph, as it is said, "And Joseph nourished" (Gen. 47:12). Moreover, he nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's house, in the famine with bread to their satisfaction. "And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families" (ibid.) ||

Rabbi Eliezer said: In the hour of the death of Jacob he called to his son Joseph, and said to him: O my son! Swear to me by the covenant of circumcision that thou wilt take me up to the burial-place of my fathers in the land of Canaan to the Cave of Machpelah. The ancients used to swear by the covenant of circumcision prior to the giving of the Torah, as it is said, "Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh" (Gen. 47:29), and "he sware unto him" (Gen. 47:31). He kept (the oath) and did (accordingly), as it is said, "And he said, Swear unto me" (ibid.). And all the mighty men of the kingdom went up with him to bury him, and to show loving-kindness to Jacob his father, as it is said, "And Joseph went up to bury his father" (Gen. 50:7). The camp of Israel numbered 5040 (people). All the (people of the) land were bringing food on account of the famine to the camp of Joseph. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Ye have shown loving-kindness to Jacob, My servant, I also will give you your reward, and also unto your children in this world. When the Egyptians died in the Reed Sea they did not die in the water, but they were deemed worthy to be buried in the earth. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Ye have submitted yourselves to the divine punishment; I also will give you a place of burial, as it is said, "Thou stretchedst forth thy right hand, the earth swallowed them" (Ex. 15:12).

Rabbi Eliezer said: In the hour of the death of Jacob he called to his son Joseph, and said to him: O my son! Swear to me by the covenant of circumcision that thou wilt take me up to the burial-place of my fathers in the land of Canaan to the Cave of Machpelah. The ancients used to swear by the covenant of circumcision prior to the giving of the Torah, as it is said, "Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh" (Gen. 47:29), and "he sware unto him" (Gen. 47:31). He kept (the oath) and did (accordingly), as it is said, "And he said, Swear unto me" (ibid.). And all the mighty men of the kingdom went up with him to bury him, and to show loving-kindness to Jacob his father, as it is said, "And Joseph went up to bury his father" (Gen. 50:7). The camp of Israel numbered 5040 (people). All the (people of the) land were bringing food on account of the famine to the camp of Joseph. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Ye have shown loving-kindness to Jacob, My servant, I also will give you your reward, and also unto your children in this world. When the Egyptians died in the Reed Sea they did not die in the water, but they were deemed worthy to be buried in the earth. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Ye have submitted yourselves to the divine punishment; I also will give you a place of burial, as it is said, "Thou stretchedst forth thy right hand, the earth swallowed them" (Ex. 15:12).

Variantly: "and you shall gather in your corn, and your wine, and your oil": Eretz Yisrael shall be full of corn, wine, and oil, and (the people of) all the lands will stream (there) to fill it with silver and gold, as it is written (Bereshith 47:14) "And Joseph gathered all the silver, etc." And it is written (Devarim 33:25) "And as your days (of doing the L-rd's will) will be your flow." We are hereby taught that all the lands will stream silver and gold into Eretz Yisrael.

Another answer: (op. cit. 145) "God supports all those who have fallen" - these are the barren, whose [status] have "fallen" within their households. And "straightens the bent" - when the Holy One, Blessed be He rewards them with children, they straighten up [in joy.] Similarly, Leah was hated by her household, and when the Holy One, Blessed be He visited her [and gave her pregnancy], she was straightened. That is the same concept by "And God saw that Leah was hated" - "that Leah was hated" - that she behaved in the manner of the "hated", since she was supposed to marry "the hater" [, Esav] (other mss. read "Assessed by the hater") since that was the custom, the firstborn [Esav] marry the firstborn [Esav] and the younger one [Ya'akov] marry the younger one [Rachel]. Therefore Leah cried and said: "May it be your will, God, that I do not become the possession of an evildoer." R' Huna said: Davening is a strong force, that it annulled the decree, and not only that, but that it made her come before her sister [for marriage. Because of this] everyone would mock her: The unemployed people mocked her, the travelers mocked her, and even the ladies behind their backs mocked her, saying, "This Leah, her inside is not like her outside; she appears righteous but is not really righteous. For if she were righteous she would not have cheated her sister [and would have let her marry first.] Rabbi Chanin in the name of Rabbi Shmuel son of Rabbi Yitzchak said: When Yaakov our Forefather saw matters, that Leah had "cheated" her sister, he made up his mind to divorce her, but when she was blessed with children, he said: "To the mother of these I am divorcing?" And in the end he admitted he was wrong, and that is the meaning of the verse: (Genesis 47) "And Yisrael [Yaakov] bowed low at the head of the bed," [and head of the bed is a euphemism for Leah, as she was the first one of his conjugal bed.] "And Rachel was barren," said Rabbi Yitzchak, Rachel was the main part of the household, as it says, "And Rachel was barren (akarah)" - It's main part (ikrah) was Rachel. Said Rabbi Abba son of Cahana, since most of the diners [at Ya'akov's table] were Leah's [progeny, as a courtesy] they named Rachel as the main part, as it says, "And Rachel was barren (akarah)" - It's main part (ikrah) was Rachel. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: Since all these matters [i.e. helping Leah cheat the system] were done by Rachel, therefore the Children of Israel were called by her name, (Jeremiah 31): "Rachel cries for her children," and there was no end to her name, as her children's names lived on, as it says in (Amos 5): "Perhaps the Lord of Hosts will have compassion on the remnant of Joseph [a son of Rachel]" - now her son's name was recalled. And her son's name did not die out either, as it says (Jeremiah 31) "How precious is my son Ephraim [, Joseph's son and Rachel's grandson."

AND HE LEFT ALL THAT HE HAD IN JOSEPH'S HAND; AND, HAVING HIM, HE KNEW NOT AUGHT SAVE THE BREAD THAT HE DID EAT (XXXIX, 6). This is a euphemism. [It refers to his wife.]

96:3 "And Israel approached the time of dying" (Gen 47:29). It is written, "No one rules over the wind to restrain the wind, and there is no ruling over the day of death" (Eccles 8:8). Rabbi Yehoshua of Sichnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The trumpets which Moses made in the wilderness were hidden by the Holy One, who is blessed, when Moses neared death so that no one else would sound them while they were coming to him, as it is written, "Gather to me all the elders of your tribes" (Deut 31:28), in order to fulfill what is stated, "And there is no ruling over the day of death"....And so too when Jacob neared death he began to lower himself before Joseph and said to him, "Please, if I have found favor in your eyes" (Gen 47:29). When [did he say this]? As he was approaching death, as it is stated, "And Israel drew near to the time of dying" (ibid.).

"and he went down to Egypt": Lest you say he went down to receive the crown of kingdom; it is, therefore, written "vayagar sham": We are hereby apprised that he went down there only to sojourn ("lagur") there. And thus is it written (Bereshith 47:4) "And they said to Pharaoh: 'To sojourn in the land did we come. For there is no pasture for your servants' flocks. For the famine is sore in the land of Canaan. And now, let your servants abide in the land of Goshen.'" I might think, in great numbers; it is, therefore, written "in scant number," viz. (Devarim 10:22) "With seventy souls did your fathers go down to Egypt."

(Devarim 33:18) "And of Zevulun he said": Because it is written (Bereshith 47:2) "And from the 'edge' of his brothers he (Joseph) took five men and presented them before Pharaoh," without specifying which men, here he does specify which (— those whose names were doubled.)

(Devarim 33:20) "And of Gad he said, etc.": Why is this written? Because it is written (Bereshith 47:2) "And from the 'edge' of his brothers he (Joseph) took five men and presented them to Pharaoh," here it is specified that he took them from those whose names were doubled, and Gad was one of them.

(Devarim, Ibid. 22) "And of Dan he said": Why is this written? Because it is written (Bereshith 47:2) "And from the 'edge' of his brothers he (Joseph) took five men and presented them to Pharaoh," here it is specified that he took them from those whose names were doubled, and Dan was one of them.

(Devarim, Ibid. 23) "And of Naftali he said": Why is this written? Because it is written (Bereshith 47:2, see above ["And of Gad he said"]).

"and as your days" (of fulfilling G-d's will) will be your flow": All of the lands will send their overflow of silver to Eretz Yisrael (to buy their produce), as it is written (Bereshith 47:14) "And Joseph gathered all the silver, etc."