Bibbia Ebraica
Bibbia Ebraica

Midrash su I Re 18:40

וַיֹּאמֶר֩ אֵלִיָּ֨הוּ לָהֶ֜ם תִּפְשׂ֣וּ ׀ אֶת־נְבִיאֵ֣י הַבַּ֗עַל אִ֛ישׁ אַל־יִמָּלֵ֥ט מֵהֶ֖ם וַֽיִּתְפְּשׂ֑וּם וַיּוֹרִדֵ֤ם אֵלִיָּ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־נַ֣חַל קִישׁ֔וֹן וַיִּשְׁחָטֵ֖ם שָֽׁם׃

Ed Elia disse loro: 'Prendi i profeti di Baal; non lasciare scappare nessuno di loro.'E li presero; ed Elia li portò giù nel ruscello Kishon e li uccise lì.

Kohelet Rabbah

Another matter: “Dead flies spoil [yavish] and froth [yabia] a perfumer’s oil” refers to the congregation of Koraḥ. Yesterday they were vilifying [mavishin] Moses and saying: Moses is not a true prophet, Aaron is not the High Priest, and Torah is not from Heaven, and today2After they were swallowed by the ground, Koraḥ and his congregation declared, from the depths of the earth, that Moses had been correct (see Bemidbar Rabba 18:20; Bava Batra 74a). they are expressing [mabi’im] matters before Moses and saying: Moses is a true prophet, Aaron is the High Priest, and Torah is from Heaven. “Weightier than wisdom, than honor” – this is prophecy; “a little folly”3This is expounded to refer to the punishment of Koraḥ and his congregation, which they received due to their folly. – this is the decree of Moses, who said: “But if the Lord will create a creation [and the ground will open its mouth and swallow them up…then you will know that these men have despised the Lord]” (Numbers 16:30).
Another matter: “Dead flies spoil and froth a perfumer’s oil…” refers to Do’eg and Aḥitofel. Yesterday, they were vilifying David with their words and saying: His lineage is flawed; does he not descend from Ruth the Moavite? Today they are expressing matters and are ashamed. “Weightier than wisdom, than honor” – this is the prophecy of David.4David’s former antagonists eventually admitted that he was a worthy king and prophet. “A little folly” – “You, God, bring them down to the pit of destruction…” (Psalms 55:24).
Another matter: “Dead flies spoil and froth a perfumer’s oil…” is speaking of the generation of Elijah, who would vilify him with their words and say: “Baal, answer us” (I Kings 18:26). Today they are expressing matters and saying: “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God” (I Kings 18:39). “Weightier than wisdom, than honor” – this is prophecy, this is the prophecy of Elijah. “A little folly” – “Elijah took them down to the Kishon Stream and slaughtered them” (I Kings 18:40).
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Pesikta Rabbati

... Teach us o teacher: toward where should one who prays orient his heart? This is what our Rabbis taught: one should orient his heart toward the place of the Holy of Holies (Berachot 4:5). R’ Eliezer ben Yaakov says: if one is praying outside of the land, he should orient his heart to the land of Israel. If one is praying within the land of Israel, he should orient his heart to Jerusalem. If one is praying in Jerusalem, he should orient his heart to the Holy Temple. If one is praying in the Holy Temple, he should orient his heart to the Holy of Holies. R’ Avin the Levi said: “our neck is like the Tower of David, built as a model (talpiyot)…” (Song of Songs 4:4) What does talpiyot mean? The hill (tel) toward which all turns (peniyot) are directed. And after all this praise, it is written “Open your doors, O Lebanon, and let the fire consume your cedars.” (Zechariah 11:1) And so too they said “He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) Israel said to Him: Master of the World! How long will it be like this? Did You not write in Your Torah “…the one who ignited the fire shall surely pay” (Exodus 22:5)? And You are the one who ignited the fire, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) You need to rebuild it and to console us, not at the hands of an angel but You in Your glory. The Holy One said to them: by your life, so I will do! As it says “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2) And I am the one who consoles you. From where do we learn this? From that which they read in the prophets “I, yea I am He Who consoles you…” (Isaiah 51:12)
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