Midrash su Isaia 40:25

[(Exod. 35:30:) SEE, THE LORD HAS CALLED BEZALEL <…> BY NAME.] This text is related (to Is. 40:25–26): THEN UNTO WHOM WILL YOU LIKEN ME THAT I SHOULD BE EQUAL? SAYS THE HOLY ONE. LIFT UP YOUR EYES ON HIGH <AND SEE: WHO CREATED THESE? >…. The Holy One said: THEN UNTO WHOM WILL YOU LIKEN ME? If <a person of> flesh and blood is walking in the darkness, when someone comes and gives him light, should he not be grateful to him?⁸Tanh., Exod. 10:4; Exod. R. 48:2. Now you are asleep at night when I cause the light to rise for you. Should you not be grateful to me? (Is. 40:26:) LIFT UP YOUR EYES ON HIGH <AND SEE; WHO CREATED THESE?>…. By virtue of what do they stand? THESE (in Gen. 2:4:): THE GENERATIONS OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH?⁹These words would be more commonly rendered: THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. By virtue of THESE (in Exod. 1:1): THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.¹⁰These words would be more commonly rendered: NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. And these are by virtue of whom? By virtue of THESE (in Deut. 4:45): THE TESTIMONIES, THE STATUTES, AND THE JUDGMENTS.¹¹The words would be more commonly rendered: THESE ARE THE TESTIMONIES, THE STATUTES, AND THE JUDGMENTS.

See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel (Exod. 35:30). Scripture says elsewhere: To whom then will ye liken Me, that I should be equal? saith the Lord. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who hath created these? (Isa. 40:25–26).

(Lev. 27:1–2:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING: SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL [AND SAY UNTO THEM]: WHEN ANYONE EXPLICITLY VOWS TO THE LORD THE VALUE (rt.: 'RK) OF HUMAN BEINGS (NPShWT). This text is related (to Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE (rt.: 'RK) TO THE LORD, [IS LIKE THE LORD AMONG THE CHILDREN OF GODS]? The Holy One said: Whoever performs deeds like mine shall be like me.²¹Tanh., Lev. 10:4. R. Levi said: < The matter > is comparable to a king who built a city and lit two lanterns²²Gk.: phanoi, also panoi. within it. The king said: When anyone lights two lanterns like these, I will call him Augustus²³Agustah, from the Lat.: Augusta. and not be jealous of him. Similarly, the Holy One created the heavens and set in them [two lanterns, to give light to the world], the sun and the moon, as stated (in Gen. 1:17): AND GOD SET THEM IN THE FIRMAMENT OF THE HEAVENS TO GIVE LIGHT UPON THE EARTH. The Holy One said: Whoever makes < lights > like these shall be equal to me. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE (rt.: 'RK) TO THE LORD? These words can only be words < referring to > light, since it is stated (in Lev. 24:4): HE SHALL SET (rt.: 'RK) UP < THE LAMPS > UPON THE UNALLOYED LAMPSTAND. [Ergo²⁴The bracketed section, which extends to the end of this section (6), is missing from Buber’s main Oxford ms. He has added it from Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34, and from the traditional published editions of Tanh., Lev. 1:3. (in Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE (rt.: 'RK) TO THE LORD, IS LIKE THE LORD AMONG THE CHILDREN OF GODS? That is what it is written (in Is. 40:25): THEN UNTO WHOM WILL YOU LIKEN ME THAT I SHOULD BE EQUAL? SAYS THE HOLY ONE. < The term > HOLY is applied to him just as HOLY is applied to me.