Midrash su Isaia 55:26

“Cast your bread on the surface of the water, for after many days you will find it (Ecclesiastes 11:1).
“Cast your bread on the surface of the water” – Rabbi Beivai said: If you sought to perform charity, perform it with those who toil in Torah study, as water stated here is nothing other than words of Torah, as it is stated: “Anyone thirsty, go to water” (Isaiah 55:1).¹This verse is interpreted as using the term water to refer to Torah, as implied by the continuation: “Incline your ear and come to Me, hear and your soul shall live” (Isaiah 55:3). Rabbi Akiva said: When I was coming by sea, I saw a ship that sank in the sea, and I was very sorry about a certain Torah scholar who was on it and [must have] drowned. When I arrived at the province of Kapotkeya, I saw him, that he was sitting before me and asking questions. I said to him: ‘My son, how did you ascend from the sea?’ He said: ‘Rabbi, due to your prayer, each wave cast me to another, and another to another until they caused me to reach dry land.’ I said to him: ‘My son, what deeds do you have to your credit?’ He said: ‘When I boarded the ship, a certain unfortunate man encountered me. He said to me: Perform charity for me, and I gave him a loaf. He said to me: Just as you gave me my life with your gift, so may your life be given to you.’ I read in his regard: “Cast your bread on the surface of the water.”
There was an incident involving a certain large ship that set sail in the Mediterranean Sea. The wind took hold of it and brought it to a place where there was no flowing water.²The water currents in that location swirled in such a way that the ship was unable to progress. When they realized that they were in serious trouble, they said: Let us share our supplies. If we die, all of us will die. If we live, all of us will live. The Omnipresent enlightened their eyes and they took a goat, roasted it, and suspended it on the west side of the ship. A great beast came after its aroma and began dragging [the ship] until it cast it into flowing water and they traveled on. When they arrived and entered Rome, they recounted the incident to Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua. They read in their regard: “Cast your bread on the surface of the water.”
Bar Kappara was digging³Some commentaries contend that the text should read: Bar Kappara was strolling (Matnot Kehuna; Etz Yosef). on the coast at Caesarea. He saw a ship that had sunk in the sea and a governor ascending from it unclothed. When [bar Kappara] saw him, he approached him, inquired after his welfare, and gave him two sela. What [else] did he do? He took him into his house, fed him, gave him to drink, and gave him an additional three sela. He said to him: ‘A prominent man like you will [need to] spend an additional three sela.’ Sometime later, Jews were incarcerated in Safefasa. They said: ‘Who will go and appease [the authorities] on our behalf?’ They said to each other: ‘Bar Kappara, as he is esteemed by the government.’ He said to them: ‘You know that this kingdom does nothing for free.’ They said to him: ‘There are five hundred dinars here; take them and appease them on our behalf.’ He took five hundred dinars and ascended to the governmental authorities. When the governor saw him, [the governor] stood on his feet and inquired after his welfare. [The governor] said to him: ‘Why did the Rabbi trouble himself to come here?’ [Bar Kappara] said to him: ‘I am requesting from you that you have mercy on these Jews.’ [The governor] said to him: ‘You know that this kingdom does nothing for free.’ [Bar Kappara] said to him: ‘I have with me five hundred dinars. Take them and be appeased in our regard.’ [The governor] said to him: ‘Let these dinars be payment to you for the five sela that you gave me, and [the members of] your nation will be freed in exchange for the food and the drink that you fed me and gave me to drink in your house, and go you in peace, with great honor.’ They read in his regard: “Cast your bread on the surface of the water.”
Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua was strolling on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. He saw a ship that was being tossed in the sea, and in an instant, it sank along with everything that was on it. He saw one man who was sitting on one of the planks of the ship. [His plank was tossed] from one wave to another; he ascended to dry land when he was naked, and he hid on the seacoast. It was the season when Jews ascend to Jerusalem for the pilgrimage festival. He said to them: ‘I am from the descendants of Esau your brother. Give me some minimal garments, and I will cover my nakedness, as the sea stripped me bare and I was left with nothing.’ They said to him: ‘May your entire nation be stripped bare in this manner.’ He lifted his eyes and saw Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua strolling among them. He said: ‘I see that you are an elderly and respected man in your nation, and you are wise in the ways of the dignity of people. Perform charity for me and give me a covering, for the sea stripped me bare.’ Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua had on him seven cloaks. He removed one and gave it to him. He led him to his house, fed him, gave him to drink, gave him two hundred dinars, transported him fourteen parasangs, and accorded him great honor until he brought him into his [own] house.
Sometime later, the evil emperor died, and they appointed a king in his place. He decreed on that province that all the men were to be executed and all the women to be plundered.⁴The new king was the man who had been saved from the ship. He issued the decree because the Jews of that province had treated him so poorly in his time of need. They said to Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua: ‘Go and appease them on our behalf.’ He said to them: ‘You know that this kingdom does nothing for free.’ They said to him: ‘There are four thousand dinars here; take them and appease them on our behalf.’ He took them and ascended, and stood at the gate of the royal palace.
He said to them: ‘Go and say to the king: One Jewish man is standing at the gate and he wishes to ask after the welfare of the king.’ [The king] said: ‘Bring him in.’ When the king saw him, he threw himself off his throne and fell on his face. He said: ‘What business does my master have here, and why did my master trouble himself to come here?’ [Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua] said: ‘It is so you will have mercy on that province and abrogate that decree.’ He said to him: ‘Is there any untruth written in the Torah?’ He said to him: ‘No.’ He said to him: ‘Is it not written in your Torah: “An Amonite and a Moavite shall not enter into the assembly of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 23:4)? Why? “Because they did not greet you with bread and with water” (Deuteronomy 23:5). And it is written: “Do not despise an Edomite, as he is your brother” (Deuteronomy 23:8). Am I not a descendant of Esau your brother?⁵The Edomites were descendants of Esau. This man was Roman, and the Sages identified Rome as descendants of the Edomites. But they did not treat me with kindness. One who violates the Torah incurs liability to be executed.’
Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua said to him: ‘Even though they have incurred liability toward you, pardon them and have mercy on them.’ He said to him: ‘You know that this kingdom does nothing for free.’ He said to him: ‘I have with me four thousand dinars. Take them and have mercy on them.’ He said to him: ‘Let these four thousand be given to you in exchange for the two hundred that you gave me, and the entire province will be pardoned because of you, in exchange for the food and the drink that you fed me and gave me to drink. Go into my treasury and take for yourself seven cloaks of garments in exchange for the cloak that you gave to me. Go in peace to your people, and I will pardon them because of you.’ They read in his regard: “Cast your bread on the surface of the water.”
There was an incident involving a certain man who each day would take one loaf and cast it into the Mediterranean Sea. One day he went and purchased a fish. He cut it open and found a jewel in it. They said to him: This is the man who received a return for his loaves. They read in his regard: “Cast your bread on the surface of the water.”
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: There was an incident involving a merchant who was walking along the way along with a certain soldier. As they were walking together they developed a fondness for one another. When they entered the city, [the merchant] brought him in with him, fed him, and gave him to drink. Sometime later this merchant was arrested for selling garments stained with blood.⁶The suspicion was that he had attacked travelers and stolen their garments. That soldier heard, and he came to him. He said to [the merchant]: ‘What are you doing here?’ [The merchant] recounted the incident to him. [The soldier] said to him: ‘When you go out to be tried, say to them that so-and-so knows to speak in my favor.’ When he went out to be tried, he said: ‘So-and-so knows to speak in my favor.’ They said to [the soldier]: ‘What favorable [considerations] do you know about this [individual]?’ He said to them: ‘The brother of someone who was killed owed me [money], but he did not have anything to give. He gave me his⁷The garments of his dead brother. garments, and I gave them to this one to sell them for me.’ They said: ‘A trustworthy one received it from a trustworthy one,’ and he was freed. They read in his regard: “Cast your bread on the surface of the water.”
Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Simai interpreted it regarding Abraham our patriarch. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: You said: “I will take a loaf of bread [and you shall sustain your heart]” (Genesis 18:5); by your life, I will repay your descendants in the wilderness, in the settlement, and in the future. In the wilderness, as it is stated: “Behold I will rain bread down to you from the heavens” (Exodus 16:4). In the settlement, as it is stated: “A land of wheat and barley” (Deuteronomy 8:8). And in the future as it is stated: “There will be an abundance of grain in the land” (Psalms 72:16).
You said: “And wash your feet” (Genesis 18:4); by your life, I will repay your descendants in the wilderness, in the settlement, and in the future. In the wilderness, as it is stated: “I will wash you in water…” (Ezekiel 16:9).⁸The verse means that God cleansed them of the impurity of Egypt. In the settlement, as it is stated: “Wash and be purified” (Isaiah 1:16). And in the future as it is stated: “When the Lord will have washed away the excrement of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 4:4).
You said: “Please let a little water be taken” (Genesis 18:4); by your life, I will repay your descendants in the wilderness, in the settlement, and in the future. In the wilderness, as it is stated: “Arise, well, [give voice for it]” (Numbers 21:17).⁹Israel recited this expression of praise and gratitude for the miraculous well that provided water for them in the wilderness. In the settlement, as it is stated: “A land of streams of water…” (Deuteronomy 8:7). And in the future as it is stated: “It will be on that day, the mountains will drip nectar and the hills will flow with milk; all the streams of Judah will flow with water…” (Joel 4:18).
You said: “Recline under the tree” (Genesis 18:4); by your life, I will repay your descendants in the wilderness, in the settlement, and in the future. In the wilderness, as it is stated: “He spread a cloud for a screen” (Psalms 105:39). In the settlement, as it is stated: “You shall dwell in booths seven days; every native in Israel shall dwell in booths” (Leviticus 23:42). And in the future as it is stated: “It will be a shelter for shade by day…” (Isaiah 4:6).

A Tale of Rabbi Kahana: Rabbi Kahana and his wife were blessed by God with a (only) son, whom they named Saliq. And when the boy was just five years old, Rabbi Kahana seized him with his hand and wished to take him from their home to the House of Study to learn Torah. The boy's mother spoke up and said to [Rabbi Kahana] "where are you taking my boy?" [Rabbi Kahana] replied "we must entrust him to someone who is able to teach him Torah." She responded to him "it would be far better for both of us to die than for for us to witness our son's departure. He must not leave us, neither to study Torah nor to pursue a trade." Her husband replied "quickly, fetch your marriage contract and I will read it and pay what is stipulated in it per the conditions of a divorce settlement." She said to him "what blemish do you see in me that you wish to divorce me. For is it not written: "If a man marries a woman and it happens that she does not find favor in his eyes for he has found something indecent about her, and he will write for her a certificate of divorce..." (Deuteronomy 24:1). Her husband replied and said "there is no greater blemish than your action, for you preventing my son from drinking the Living Waters (i.e., the words of Torah). And "water" is none but Torah. As it is written "all those who are thirsty, come to the waters" (Isaiah 55:1). And it is written "For they are life to those who find them" (Proverbs 4:22). The wife then said "let us make a compromise between you and I." Says he, "how so?" She replied "go to the marketplace and find us an expert rabbi, and offer an agreement for him to teach our son at home for many days and years, and I will attend to him honorably, and [prepare his meals and launder his clothes]." Immediately, the husband ran to the marketplace and found a wise man sitting and tying his tzitzit (tassels) in seven loops. [Rabbi Kahana] said to the [Wise Man] "peace be upon you, Rabbi." The [Wise Man] replied "peace be upon you, my lord." [Rabbi Kahana] asked "what is your name?" The [Wise Man] replied "my name is Eliezer the Small One." [Rabbi Kahana] then asked "do you have a wife and children?" The [Wise Man] replied "indeed, and they are here with me. My wife is the Torah." As it is written "enjoy happiness with a woman you love all the fleeting days of life that have been granted to you under the sun—all your fleeting days. For that alone is what you can get out of life and out of the means you acquire under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 9:9). The Wise Man continued "And the children of my master are my students, they are now men of Torah." And indeed, each person is obligated to teach their child Torah once they reach the age of six or seven. As it is written "This people I formed for Myself so that they will declare My praise." (Isaiah 43:21). [The Hebrew word "this" (זו) contains the numbers six (ו) and seven (ז)]. Immediately, the woman said to the Wise Man "you will teach my son at our home and my son Saliq will not leave the entrance of my home." The Wise Man replied "I accept your proposal." Immediately, Rabbi Kahana wrote an employer's contract for Rabbi Eliezer. And similarly, Rabbi Eliezer wrote an employee's contract for Rabbi Kahana and taught [Rabbi Kahana's] son Saliq. And so it happened that from the day of his birth from his mother's womb, Saliq never once crossed the doorway of his home. Instead, he remained and studied for twenty-five years, until he reached the age of thirty. And Rabbi Kahana paid Rabbi Eliezer the Small one thousand measurements of gold.

R. Jochanan said in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai: "What does the passage (Is. 32, 20) Happy are ye that sow beside all waters, freely sending forth the feet of the ox and the ass, mean? Those who occupy themselves with the study of the Torah with loving kindness will be rewarded with the inheritance of two tribes; as it is said (Ib., ib., ib.) Happy are ye who sow. Sowing, refers to charity, as it is said (Hos. 10, 12) Sow then for yourselves after righteousness, that you may reap [the fruit] of kindness. Water, refers to the Torah, as it is said (Is. 55, 1) Ho, everyone of ye that thirsteth, come ye to the water — will be rewarded with the inheritance of two tribes; i.e., he will be rewarded with a canopy [of honor] as Joseph was, concerning whom it is written (Ex. 79, 22) Joseph is a canopy [of honor] … the daughters [of Egypt] run over the walls; and he will also be rewarded with the inheritance of Issachar, concerning whom it is written (Ib.) Issachar is a strong-boned ass. Others explain this to mean that he will overcome his enemies as the tribe of Joseph, concerning whom it is written (Ib., ib. 17) With them shall he push nations together to the ends of the earth — and he acquires understanding as the tribe of Issachar, concerning whom it is written (I. Chr. 12, 32) And of the children of Issachar, those who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do."

R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said in the name of R. Jonathan: "Whoever performs a merthe world to come, as it is said (Is. 58, 8) And before thee shall go thy righteousness, the glory of the Lord shall be thy reward. And whoever commits a crime in this world, it clings to him and goes before him on the day of judgment, as it is said (Job. 6, 18) "It will cling to him the paths of their ways." R. Elazar said: "It clings unto him like a dog does cling unto his master, as it is said (Gen. 39, 10) And he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her; i.e., to lie by her, in this world; or to be with her, in the world to come.

That is what is written: “Your sons will be in the stead of your fathers” (Psalms 45:17). You find a righteous person begetting a righteous person, a wicked person begetting a wicked person, a righteous person begetting a wicked person, and a wicked person begetting a righteous person. Each of them has [an allusion in] the Bible, has [an allusion in a popular] proverb, and has [an allusion in] common parlance. A righteous person begetting a righteous person has [an allusion in] the Bible and has [an allusion in] a proverb. The Bible, as it is written: “Your sons will be in the stead of your fathers.” It has a proverb: A scion¹¹The scion (a shoot or twig of a plant used to form a graft) of a fig tree. that established a fig tree. A wicked person begetting a wicked person has [an allusion in] the Bible, has [an allusion in] a proverb, and has [an allusion in] common parlance. The Bible, as it is written: “Behold, you have risen in the stead of your fathers, [a brood of sinful men]” (Numbers 32:14). A proverb, [as it is written]: “as the ancient proverb says: From the wicked, wickedness will emerge” (I Samuel 24:14). [In] common parlance, from where? What does the beetle bear? Ticks that are worse than it. A righteous person begetting a wicked person has [an allusion in] the Bible: “Thistles will emerge in the stead of wheat” (Job 31:40). A proverb, [as it is written]: They¹²Partridges. beget fledglings that are not like them; they raise those that are not similar to them. A wicked person begetting a righteous person has [an allusion in] the Bible: “In the stead of a brier, a cypress will rise” (Isaiah 55:13). [And] a proverb: From the thorn, a rose will emerge.
But Solomon was a king, son of a king; a wise man, son of a wise man; a righteous man, son of a righteous man; a nobleman, son of a nobleman. You find that everything that is written regarding this one is written regarding that one. David reigned forty years, and that one [Solomon] reigned forty years. David reigned over Israel and Judah, and his son reigned over Israel and Judah. His father [David] built the foundations [of the Temple] and he [Solomon] built the superstructure. His father reigned from one end of the earth to [the other] end, and that one reigned from one end of the earth to [the other] end. David wrote books and Solomon wrote books. David recited songs and Solomon recited songs. David said vanities and Solomon said vanities.¹³They instructed the people not to chase after temporal pleasures, which are mere vanities (Midrash HaMevoar). David said words and Solomon said words.¹⁴They spoke words of wisdom inspired by the Divine Spirit. David stated proverbs and Solomon stated proverbs. David lauded with “then” and Solomon lauded with “then.” David built an altar and Solomon built an altar. David sacrificed an offering and Solomon sacrificed an offering. David took up the Ark and Solomon took up the Ark.
David reigned forty years, as it is stated: “The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years” (I Kings 2:11). Solomon reigned forty years, as it is stated: “Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, over all Israel, for forty years” (II Chronicles 9:30). David reigned over Israel and Judah, as it is stated: “The Lord, God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father [to be king over Israel forever, for He has chosen Judah]” (I Chronicles 28:4). Solomon reigned over Israel and Judah, as it is stated: “Judah and Israel were numerous...” (I Kings 4:20).¹⁵The passage is discussing the reign of Solomon, and begins: “Solomon was king over all Israel” (I Kings 4:1). Thus, the verse cited in the midrash specifically mentions Israel and Judah because he was king over both. David built the foundations [of the Temple], as it is stated: “King David rose on his feet [and said: …it was in my heart to build a resting place for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and I prepared to build]” (I Chronicles 28:2). Solomon built the superstructure, as it is stated: “I have built an abode for You” (I Kings 8:13). David said words, as it is stated: “These are David’s last words” (II Samuel 23:1). Solomon said words, as it is stated: “The words of Kohelet ben David, king in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1). David said vanities, as it is stated: “Indeed, everyone is vanity, every standing man, Selah” (Psalms 39:6). Solomon said vanities, as it is stated: “Vanity of vanities, said Kohelet; vanity of vanities, everything is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). David stated proverbs, as it is stated: “As the ancient proverb says: From the wicked, wickedness will emerge” (I Samuel 24:14). Solomon stated proverbs, as it is stated: “The proverbs of Solomon son of David” (Proverbs 1:1). David wrote books, as Psalms is attributed to him. Solomon wrote books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. David lauded with “then,” as it is stated: “Then our mouths will be filled with laughter, and our tongues with song. Then the nations will say…” (Psalms 126:2). Solomon lauded with “then,” as it is stated: “Then Solomon said: The Lord said…” (I Kings 8:12). David took up the Ark, as it is stated: “David, and the elders of Israel […were walking to take up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord]” (I Chronicles 15:25). Solomon took up the Ark, as it is stated: “Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel… [to take up the Ark of the Covenant…]” (I Kings 8:1). David recited songs, as it is stated: “David spoke to the Lord the words of this song…” (II Samuel 22:1). Solomon recited songs, as it is stated: “The Song of Songs that is Solomon’s.”
Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan of Bet Guvrin in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Since you equate them, equate them regarding all aspects. Just as his [Solomon’s] father was forgiven for all his iniquities, as it is stated: “The Lord has also put away your sin; you shall not die” (II Samuel 12:13), so, too, in his regard. Moreover, the Divine Presence rested upon him and he composed three books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.

"And God spoke to Moses in the Sinai Wilderness" (Numbers 1:1). Why the Sinai Wilderness? From here the sages taught that the Torah was given through three things: fire, water, and wilderness. How do we know it was given through fire? From Exodus 19:18: "And Mount Sinai was all in smoke as God had come down upon it in fire." How do we know it was given through water? As it says in Judges 5:4, "The heavens dripped and the clouds dripped water [at Sinai]." How do we know it was given through wilderness? [As it says above,] "And God spoke to Moses in the Sinai Wilderness." And why was the Torah given through these three things? Just as [fire, water, and wilderness] are free to all the inhabitants of the world, so too are the words of Torah free to them, as it says in Isaiah 55:1, "Oh, all who are thirsty, come for water... even if you have no money." Another explanation: "And God spoke to Moses in the Sinai Wilderness" — Anyone who does not make themselves ownerless like the wilderness cannot acquire the wisdom and the Torah. Therefore it says, "the Sinai Wilderness."

R. Jonathan would begin [his Purim lecture] with this passage (Ib. 14, 22) I will cause to rise up against them, etc., And I will cut from Babylon name and remnant, and son and grandson, saith the Lord; i.e.. Name, refers to the art of writings; remnant, refers to their language; and son, refers to the kingdom; grandson, refers to Vashti. R. Samuel b. Nachmeni [when he came to lecture] would begin with the passage (Is. 55, 13) Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle; i.e., instead of the thorn, instead of Haman the wicked, who made himself an idol, as it is written (Ib. 7, 19) And upon all thorns. Shall come up the cypress (Brosh); i.e., Mordecai, who was the essence of all the spices, as it is said (Ex. 30, 23) And thou, take unto thyself the chief (Rosh) spices, of flowing myrrh; this is translated in the Targum Onkeles Mordecai; and instead of the brier, i.e., Vashti the wicked, the grand-daughter of Nebuchadnezzar, the wicked, who had burnt the house of God, concerning whom it is written (Son. 3, 10) Its cover-lid is gold; shall come up the Hadassa (myrtle), referring to Esther the upright, who was called Hadassa, as it is said (Esther 2, 7) And he had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther; and it is also written (Zech. 1, 8) And he was standing among the myrtle-trees; (Ib.) And it shall be unto the Lord for a name, refers to the days of Purim; (Ib.) For a sign of everlasting that shall not cut off, refers to the reading of the Megilla."

Our Rabbis were taught: The evil inclination of a man is so wicked that it is called so even by its Creator (Gen. 8, 21) For the inclinaiion of man's heart is evil from his youth. R. Isaac said: "The [evil] inclination renews its fight upon man every day, as it is said (Gen. 6, 5) And that every inclination of the thought of his heart was only evil all day long." (Ib. b) R. Simon b. Lakish said: "The evil inclination of man renews its fight upon man, and desires to slay him, as it is said (Ps. 37, 23) The wicked looketh out for the righteous, and seeketh to slay him; and were it not for the help of the Holy One, praised be He, man would not resist it, as it is said further: The Lord will not leave him in his hand, and will not condemn him when he is judged." In the college of R. Ishmael it was taught: My son, if that ugly (the tempter) meet thee, drag it into the house of learning (overcome it through study); if it is of stone it will be shattered; and if it is of iron it will be melted, as it is said (Jer. 23, 29) Is not thus my words like the fire? saith the Lord, and like a hammer that shattered the rock?

R. Jochanan said in the name of R. B'na'a: "What is the meaning of the passage (Is. 32, 20) Happy are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth freely the feet of the ox and the ass? [This means] Happy is Israel! For at the time when they are occupied with the study of the Torah and with loving kindness, the evil spirit is delivered into their hands, and not vice versa; for it is said, Happy are ye that sow beside all waters. The word, sow, refers to charity, as it is said (Hos. 10, 12) Sow to yourselves according to righteousness; and water refers to the Torah, as it is said (Is. 5, 1) Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye for water. Concerning that send forth freely the feet of the ox and the ass, it was taught at the college of Elijah: One should always consider himself in his relations to the laws of the Torah, as an ox to its yoke, and an ass to its load.

It is because of the reward given to those who devote themselves to the Torah that Isaiah declared: Happy are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth freely the feet of the ox and the ass (ibid. 32:20). The words that sow beside all waters refer to those who devote themselves to the study of the Torah, which is compared to water, as it is said: Ho! Everyone that thirsteth, come ye for water (ibid. 55:1); the word ox alludes to the Messiah of the House of Joseph,⁷A descendant of the house of Joseph will precede the coming of the Davidic Messiah. Cf. B. Sukkah 52a. who is compared to an ox; and the ass refers to the Messiah of the House of David, for it is said of him: Lowly and riding upon an ass (Zech. 9:9).

R. Idi, the father of R. Jacob b. Idi, had the habit of being on the road for three months, and one day in college. The students of the college called him "The one-day student." He soon became discouraged, applying the following verse to himself (Job 12, 4) I am one that is a laughing-stock to his neighbor, a man that called upon God, and He answered him. R. Jochanan then said to him: "I pray thee, do not cause the Rabbis to be punished [by Heaven on accoimt of you]." He thereupon lectured: (Is. 58, 2) Yet Me do they ever seek day by day, and to know My ways do they always desire. Do they then seek only by day, and not by night? This is to teach us that he who studies the Torah even one day in the year. Scripture considers it as if he had studied the whole year; and so also does the passange concerning evil compensation read (Num. 14, 34) After the number of days in which ye spied out the lands, forty days, yea, each one day for a year, shall ye bear for your iniquities, for forty years. Did they sin forty years, is it not a fact that they sinned but forty days? But this is to teach us that he who violates but one command, and this once in a year, the Scripture regards it as though he transgressed the whole year.

R. Samuel b. lnya said in the name of Rab: "Whence do we know that a decree against a community is not confirmed." Is that true? Behold, it is written (Jer. 2, 22) The stain of thy sin remains before Me. But this is what he meant: Whence do we know that a decree issued against a community, even if confirmed, may nevertheless be cancelled? From the passage (Deut. 4, 7) As the Lord, our God, in all things that we call upon Him for. But it is also written (Isa. 55, 6) Seek ye the Lord while He may be found. Hence, is there a difference? The latter passage refers to an individual, the former to a community. When is the proper time for an individual [to repent]? R. Nachman, in the name of Rabba b. Abahu, said: "The ten days of repentence, between New Year's Day and the Day of Atonement." (I Sam. 25, 38) And it came to pass, in about ten days thereafter, that the Lord smote Nabal. What is the reason for the ten days' waiting? R. Juda, in the name of Rab, said: "It corresponds to the ten meals which Nabal gave to David's servants." And R. Nachman, in the name of Rab, said: "This refers to the ten days of penitence [given to Nabal in which to repent]."

R. Chanina b. Papa raised a contradictory objection: "It is written (Is. 21, 14) Toward him that is thirsty bring water; and further it is written (Ib. 51, 1) Every one of ye that thirsteth, come ye to the water; this implies that if one is a worthy scholar, the passage applies: toward him that is thirsty bring water [the teacher should even go to him]; but if he is not a worthy scholar, then the passage applies: every one of ye that thirsteth, come ye to the water, [only if he comes to the master should he be taught.]" R. Chanina b. Chama pointed out another contradiction: "It is "written (Prov. 5, 16) Let thy springs overflow abroad; and further it is written (Ib. 17) They will be thy own only; implying that if one is a worthy scholar, [his teachings should be allowed] to spread abroad; but if not, they should remain his own only." R. Chanina b. Idi said: "Why are the words of the Torah compared to water? It is written (Is. 21, 14) Toward him that is thirsty bring water. This teaches that just as water runs down from a higher place to a lower one, so the words of the Torah can only be retained by one who possesses a humble mind [thinks of his shortcomings]." R. Oshiya said: "Why are the words of the Torah likened unto the three liquids — water, wine, and milk? It is written (Ib.) Toward him that is thirsty bring water; and it is written (Is. Iv. 1) Yea, come, buy without money and without price wine and milk. This is to teach you, that as those three liquids can best be kept in common utensils, such as wooden or earthen vessels, so the Torah can only be restrained by those who possess a humble mind." And it is this that the daughter of Caesar once said to R. Joshua b. Chanania: "O how unbecoming that ugly vessel with glorious wisdom!" Whereupon he said to her: "My daughter, in what does the king, your father, keep his best wine?" "In earthen vessels," was her answer. And he rejoined: "The common people keep it in earthen vessels, and your father also in earthen vessels, — how is that! "In what, then, shall it be kept?" she innocently asked. "You, who are wealthy," R. Joshua remarked, "ought to keep it in silver and golden vessels!" She then told her father, and he commanded that his wine should be kept in vessels of silver and gold. Consequently it became sour. When Caesar was informed of this, he asked his daughter: "Who told you to do so?" "R. Joshua b. Chanania," she answered. Thereupon the king sent for R. Joshua b. Chanania. "Why hast thou advised her so?" he was asked. And he rejoined: "This was only an answer to the question of the princess." "But are there not men who are handsome and at the same time very scholarly?" Caesar asked. (Ib. b) "Believe me," said the Rabbi, "had they been ugly, they would have been still greater scholars." Another explanation may be given [why the words of the Torah are likened unto water, wine and milk]. Just as these three liquids, [unlike honey or oil, which, on account of its thickness, can easily be separated if anything falls in to it], are apt to become spoiled through diverted attention [should anything fall into it], so also does the Torah become forgotten by diverting attention from it (i.e., by neglect of study).

(18) R. Samuel b. lnya said in the name of Rab: "Whence do we know that a decree against a community is not confirmed." Is that true? Behold, it is written (Jer. 2, 22) The stain of thy sin remains before Me. But this is what he meant: Whence do we know that a decree issued against a community, even if confirmed, may nevertheless be cancelled? From the passage (Deut. 4, 7) As the Lord, our God, in all things that we call upon Him for. But it is also written (Isa. 55, 6) Seek ye the Lord while He may be found. Hence, is there a difference? The latter passage refers to an individual, the former to a community. When is the proper time for an individual [to repent]? R. Nachman, in the name of Rabba b. Abahu, said: "The ten days of repentence, between New Year's Day and the Day of Atonement." (I Sam. 25, 38) And it came to pass, in about ten days thereafter, that the Lord smote Nabal. What is the reason for the ten days' waiting? R. Juda, in the name of Rab, said: "It corresponds to the ten meals which Nabal gave to David's servants." And R. Nachman, in the name of Rab, said: "This refers to the ten days of penitence [given to Nabal in which to repent]."

[partial transl.] - [regarding II Sam. 23:1] [regarding II Sam. 23:1] "The utterance of is David the son of Ishai, and he utterance of the person who stands" on the mountains of learning, who accepted upon themselves the yoke of Torah and the yoke of mitzvot. What is your payment in front of Me? That you will be called 'the anointed of the God of Yaakov, and the sweet singer of Israel'. Happy is the person who sets themselves as an ox to the yoke, and as a donkey to the burden, and sits and meditates every day in Torah, always, immediately the Spirit of God rests on them, and the their Torah gets inside them, as it is written "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come for water" (Isaiah 55:1), and any mention of water really means Torah. How so? Explanation: a person reads Torah, prophets, writings, Mishnah, Halakhot, Agadot, and Midrash; and spends much time sitting, and little time in business, immediately the spirit of God is within that person, and His message are in that person's tongue, as it is written "The spirit of Ad-nai has spoken through me, His message is on my tongue" (II Sam 23:2). Happy is the person that plays with the words of the Torah and sits and chews on them like an animal that chews the cud on the field. ...

5. "An angel of the LORD appeared to him." It is written: "I sleep, but my heart is awake" (Song of Songs 5:2). I am sleeping [from performing] the commandments, but my heart is awake to perform them. "My undefiled [tamati]" (ibid.) at Sinai, for they attached themselves [nitmemu] to Me at Sinai and said: ‘"Everything the LORD had spoken we will do and obey’" (Exodus 24:7). R. Yannai said: Just as twins [te'omim] feel one another's s headaches, [so too] God said, as it were [as if He were our twin]: "’I am with him in sorrow" (Psalms 91:15). Another explanation: What is [the meaning of] "I am with him in sorrow"? When they have sorrows they only call out to the Holy One, Blessed be He. In Egypt, [as it is written] "And their cry came up unto God" (Exodus 2:23). By the sea [as it is written] "And the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord" (ibid. 14:10) and there are many other examples like these. And it says: "In all their sorrows He [too] was in sorrow" (Isaiah 63:9). The Holy One, Blessed be He said to Moses, You do not sense that I too dwell in sorrow just as Israel dwells in sorrow. But you should know: from the place I speak to you from within the thorn-bush, [that is a sign] as it were that I too am a partner in their sorrow. "An angel of the LORD appeared." R. Yohanan said: This is Michael. R. Hanina said, it was Gabriel. Whenever they saw R. Yose the tall, they used to say, There is our holy Rabbi! So too wherever Michael appears, he is the Glory of the Shechinah. "To him." What does ’"to him" [imply]‘? To teach that other men were with him, yet only Moses saw [the angel]. So too it is written regarding Daniel: "And only I Daniel saw the vision." (Daniel 10:7). "In a flame of fire..." to embolden him, so that when he would come to Sinai and saw the fires he should not be afraid of them. Another explanation of "In a flame [labat] of fire" - from the upper half of the bush, jut as the heart ([leb] is in the upper half of a man. "From within the bush." A Gentile once asked R. Joshua b. Karhah: Why did the Holy One, Blessed be He, see fit to speak to Moses from within a thorn-bush? [R. Joshua retorted]: If it had been a carob tree or a sycamore tree, would you not have asked the same question. However to send you away you without any answer is not possible, [so] why from within a thorn-bush? To teach you that there is no empty place devoid of the Shechinah, not even a [lowly] thorn-bush. "In a flame of fire." At first only one angel descended and stood in the center of the fire as an intermediary. Only afterwards did the Shechinah descend and spoke with him from within the thorn-bush. Rabbi Eliezer said: Just as the thorn-bush is the lowliest of all trees in the world, so too Israel were lowly and downtrodden in Egypt. Therefore the Holy One, Blessed be He revealed Himself to them and redeemed them, as it says (Exodus 3:8) "And I will go down and save them from the Egypt." Rabbi Yossi said: Just as the thorn-bush is the hardest of all the trees, and any bird that enters into it does not come out unharmed, so too the servitude in Egypt was harsher to God more than any other servitude in the world, as it says (Ibid. 7) "And the LORD said seen I have seen the poverty of My people." Why does the verse say "see I have seen" twice? For after they drowned them in the river they would then bury them in a building. This can be compared to someone who took a staff and hit two people, and the two of them received [a lashing] with a whip and know its suffering. So too the suffering and the servitude of Israel was revealed and known to the One who spoke and thereby was the world, as it says "For I know their pains." Rabbi Yohanan said: Just as this thorn-bush is used as a fence for a garden, so too Israel is a fence for the world. Alternatively, just as the thorn-bush grows near any water, so too Israel only grows in the merit of Torah which is called water, as it says (Isaiah 55:1) "Ho any thirsty one go to water." Alternatively, just as the thorn-bush grows in a garden or in a river, so too Israel are in this world and the next world. Alternatively, just as the thorn-bush produces thorns and roses, so too Israel contains righteous and wicked people. Rabbi Pinhas ha-Kohen the son of Rabbi Hama said: Just as this thorn-bush, if someone puts his hand in he does not feel anything, but when he takes it out it gets scratched; so too when Israel went down to Egypt no one noticed anything, but when they went out "The Lord plagued Pharaoh" (Genesis 12:17). Alternatively, "From with in the thorn-bush." Rabbi Nahman the son of Rabbi Shmuel the son of Nahman said: of all the trees, some produce one leaf, some two or three. A myrtle produces three, as it says (Leviticus 23:40) "A plaited tree". A thorn-bush however has five leafs. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Moses, Israel will only be redeemed in the merit of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and in your and Aaron's merit. Alternatively, "From with in the thorn-bush." He hinted to him [Moses] that he would live 120 years, the numerical value of the thorn-bush [הסנה - ה=5 ס=60, נ=50, ה=5]. "And he saw and behold the thorn-bush was consumed by fire." From here they said, Heavenly fire raises palm branches and burns but does not consume and is black. Earthly fire does not raise palm branches and is red, consumes and does not burn. And why did the Holy One, Blessed be He reveal Himself to Moses in this way? Because he [Moses] thought in his heart, saying, Maybe the Egyptians will destroy Israel. Therefore the Holy One, Blessed be He revealed Himself in a thorn-bush that was burning but not consumed. He said to him, just as the thorn-bush is burning but is not consumed, so too the Egyptians will not be able to destroy Israel. Alternatively, since the Holy One, Blessed be He was talking with Moses and he did not want stop his task [of minding the sheep], He showed him this thing so he would turn his face and see Him. You find this [intimated] from the beginning [of the verse]: "An angel of the LORD appeared to him" - yet Moses did not go. Once he stopped doing his task and went to see, immediately "God called him" (Exodus 3:4).

Another matter, “as your love is better than wine”—matters of Torah were analogized to water, to oil, to honey, and to milk. To water, “ho, everyone who is thirsty, go to water” (Isaiah 55:1); just as water [extends] from one end of the earth to the other, as it is written: “To the One who spreads the earth over the water” (Psalms 136:6), so too, Torah, [extends] from one end of the earth to the other, as it is stated: “Its measure is longer than the earth” (Job 11:9). Just as water provides life to the world, as it is stated: “A garden spring, a well of living water” (Song of Songs 4:15), so too, Torah provides life to the world, as it is stated: “They are life for those who find them” (Proverbs 4:22), and it is written: “Go, purchase and eat” (Isaiah 55:1).¹³⁵This phrase is interpreted as referring to Torah, and comparing it to food, which sustains life. Just as water is from the heavens, as it is stated: “At the sound of his placement of plenteous water in the heavens” (Jeremiah 10:13), so too, Torah is from the heavens, as it is stated: “That I spoke to you from the heavens” (Exodus 20:19). Just as water [rains down] with thunderous sound, as it is stated: “The voice of the Lord is on the water” (Psalms 29:3), so too, the Torah [was given] with thunderous sound, as it is stated: “It was on the third day when it was morning, there was thunder and lightning” (Exodus 19:16). Just as water restores the soul, as it is stated: “God split the hollow that was in Lehi, [and water emerged from it. He drank, and his spirit returned]” (Judges 15:19), so too, Torah: “The Torah of the Lord is complete, restoring the soul” (Psalms 19:8). Just as water purifies a person from impurity, as it is stated: “I will sprinkle pure water upon you, and you will be purified” (Ezekiel 36:25), so too, Torah purifies the impure from his impurity, as it is stated: “The words of the Lord are pure words” (Psalms 12:7). Just as water purifies the body, as it is stated: “He shall immerse his flesh in water [and become pure]” (Leviticus 14:9), so too, Torah purifies the body, as it is stated: “Your saying is extremely pure” (Psalms 119:140).
Just as water covers the nakedness of the sea, as it is stated: “As the water covers the seabed” (Isaiah 11:9), so too, Torah covers the nakedness of Israel, as it is stated: “Love covers all transgressions” (Proverbs 10:12). ¹³⁶The Torah renders those who engage in it beloved to God. Just as water descends drop by drop but becomes streams upon streams, so too, Torah, a person studies two halakhot today and two tomorrow, until he becomes a flowing stream. Just as water, if a person is not thirsty, it is not pleasant for his body, so too, Torah, if one does not exhaust himself [in its study], it is not pleasant for his body. Just as water forsakes an elevated place and goes to a low place, so too, Torah forsakes one who is arrogant and cleaves to one who is self-effacing. Just as water is not preserved in vessels of silver and gold, but rather, in the lowliest of the vessels, so too, Torah is preserved only in one who renders himself like an earthenware vessel. Just as regarding water, a great man is not ashamed to say to his inferior: ‘Give me water to drink,’ so too, in matters of Torah, a great man is not ashamed to say to his inferior: ‘Teach me one chapter, one matter, one verse, or even one letter.’ Just as water, when a person does not know how to sail on it, he will ultimately capsize, so too, in matters of Torah, if a person does not know how to navigate them and to issue rulings in them, ultimately, he will capsize.
Rabbi Ḥanina of Caesarea said: Just as water is drawn to gardens, orchards, lavatories, and bathhouses, could it be that the same is true of matters of Torah? The verse states: “For the ways of the Lord are straight” (Hosea 14:10). Rabbi Ḥama bar Ukva said: Just as water causes the plants to grow, so too, matters of Torah cause anyone who exerts himself sufficiently in their study to grow.
If so, just as water becomes spoiled and foul in the jug, is the same true regarding matters of Torah? The verse states: “[better than] wine”—just as wine, the longer it ages in the jug it improves, so too matters of Torah, the longer they age in the body of a person, the greater they become. If so, just as water is not recognizable in the body, is the same true regarding matters of Torah? The verse states: “Wine”—just as wine is recognizable in the body, so too, matters of Torah are recognizable in the body. [People] motion, point, and say: ‘This is a Torah scholar.’ If so, just as water does not cause the heart to rejoice, is the same true of matters of Torah? The verse states: “Wine”—just as wine causes the heart to rejoice, as it is stated: “Wine will cause the heart of a person to rejoice” (Psalms 104:15), so too, matters of Torah cause the heart to rejoice, as it is stated: “The precepts of the Lord are upright, causing the heart to rejoice” (Psalms 19:9).
If so, just as wine is sometimes harmful to the head and the body, is the same true regarding matters of Torah? The verse states “oil” (Song of Songs 1:3) just as oil is pleasant for the head and the body, so too, matters of Torah are pleasant for the head and the body, as it is stated: “Your word is a lamp to my feet” (Psalms 119:105). If so, just as oil is bitter at its outset and sweet at its culmination, is the same true regarding matters of Torah? The verse states: “Honey and milk” (Song of Songs 4:11); just as they are sweet, so too, matters of Torah are sweet, as it is stated: “Sweeter than honey” (Psalms 19:11). If so, just as honey has waste,¹³⁷This is a reference to the wax of the honeycomb, and to the elements that are found mixed in with honey before it is purified. is the same true regarding matters of Torah? The verse states: “Milk,” just as milk is pure, so too, matters of Torah are pure, as it is written: “Gold and glass cannot equal it” (Job 28:17). If so, just as milk is bland, is the same true regarding matters of Torah? The verse states: “Honey and milk.” Just as honey and milk when they are mixed do not harm the body, so it is with matters of Torah, as it is stated: “It will be healing for your navel” (Proverbs 3:8), “as they are life for those who find them” (Proverbs 4:22).
Another matter, “as your love is better,” these are the patriarchs; “than wine,” these are the princes.
Alternatively, “as your love is better,” these are the offerings; “than wine,” these are the libations. Rabbi Ḥanina said: Had Moses known how beloved the offerings would be when the Israelites performed that deed,¹³⁸The sin of the Golden Calf. he would have sacrificed all the offerings in the Torah. Instead, he ran to the merit of the patriarchs, as it is stated: “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob your servants” (Exodus 32:13).
Another matter, “as your love is better,” these are the Jewish people; “than wine [yayin],” these are the gentiles; yod, ten, yod, ten, nun, fifty, the seventy nations,¹³⁹The numerical value of yod is ten and of nun is fifty, such that the numerical value of the word yayin (yod-yod-nun) is seventy, which corresponds to the seventy nations of the world. to teach you that Israel is more beloved to the Holy One blessed be He than all the nations.

And it shall be if you truly listen (Deuteronomy 28:1): This is that which was stated in the verse (Song of Songs 1:3), "Your ointments yield a sweet fragrance, your name is like finest oil." Rabbi Yannai said in the name of Rabbi Shimon, "You gave the aroma of commandments to the early ones: To the children of Noach, seven [commandments]; Avraham arose, You gave him circumcision; to Yaakov, You gave [the prohibition of eating] a limb from a living [animal. But] when we stood in front of Mount Sinai, you gave us commandments like a man pouring from the mouth of a barrel." "Your name is like finest (turak) oil." What is [the meaning of] "turak?" Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Shila, "That bring alacrity to the one that does His will. And the expression turak can only be a weapon, as it is stated (Genesis 14:14), 'and he armed (vayarek) his retainers.'" Another interpretation [of] "Your name is like finest (turak) oil." The Torah is compared to oil and it is compared to water. To water, as it is written (Isaiah 55:1), "Ho, all who are thirsty, come for water." Just like the world cannot stand without them and a man purifies himself in them, so too can the world not stand without Torah, and the Torah teaches man how to purify himself. And just like water, a man does not plant a tree and does not build a house if he has no water, so too can the world not stand without Torah. And just like water is life to the world, so too is Torah life to the world. Just like [with] water, anyone who does not know how to swim in it will cause himself to be lost from the world, so too anyone who is not able to find words of Torah is lost from the world. Just like water can be drawn to any place one wants, so too is the Torah drawn in all of the world. Just like water is not preserved in silver containers nor in gold containers but rather in ones of clay, so too is Torah not preserved in the haughty, but in one with a humble spirit. And Rabbi Acha says, "'But from where (which can also be read as, from nothing) can wisdom be found.' What is [the meaning of] 'from nothing?' From those who make themselves like nothing." And just like this water no one supervises [to demand a price], so is the Torah. You find that it is [also] compared to honey, as it is written (Psalms 19:11), "sweeter than honey, than drippings of the comb." Just like honey is not polluted, so is the Torah not polluted, as stated (Proverbs 8:8), "All my words are just, none of them perverse or crooked." And the Torah is compared to oil. Just like oil brings light to the whole world, so too is the Torah light to the world. And just like this oil is crushed and the more it is crushed, the better it is; so too [with] the Torah, [the more] one [exerts] himself upon it, the better it is to its Owner. You find that with all liquids, you can counterfeit them and put other liquids in them; but [with] this oil, he [can] put it in any liquid that he wants, and it rises to the top. So too is Israel; even if they are placed at the bottom, behold they are like this oil that [rises] to the top, as stated (Deuteronomy 28:1), "the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth."

(Lev. 26:3:) “If you walk in My statutes.” This text is related (to Prov. 1:20), “Wisdom shouts for joy in the street; in the squares she raises her voice.” R. Samuel bar Nahman questioned R. Johanan ben Eleazar, when he was standing in the market. He said to him, “Recite one chapter (of Mishnah) for me.” He said to him, “Go to the house of study, and I will recite it for you there.” He said to him, “Rabbi, did you not teach me (Prov. 1:20), ‘Wisdom shouts for joy in the street?’” He said to him, “You know how to read (Scripture), but you do know how to recite (Mishnah). What is the meaning of ‘Wisdom shouts for joy in the street?’ In the street of Torah. In the case of a pearl,³Gk.: margelis. where is it sold? In [its] street. In the case of jewels and pearls, where are they sold? In the known place. They are not brought to the owners of vegetables, onions and garlic, but rather to the place of merchants. Simply in [its] street. Similarly Torah is said in the street [of Torah], as stated, ‘Wisdom shouts for joy in the street; in the squares.’” And what is the meaning of (Prov. 1:20, cont.) “in the squares (rt.: rhb)?” In the place where one amplifies (rt.: rhb) it. And where do they amplify it? In the synagogues and in the study halls. Therefore it is stated (in Prov. 1:20), “in the squares she raises her voice.” (Prov. 1:21:) “At the head of the roaring hosts she calls (rt.: qr').” At the head (r'sh) of the roaring hosts she is the one calling (rt.: qr'). How so? From the beginning (rt.: r'sh) of Torah, how many hosts⁴Gk. ochloi (“crowds”). does she destroy? The generation of the flood, the generation of the dispersion (i.e., of the tower of Babel) and the generation of Sodom. Hence, from the beginning of Torah she calls. Ergo, “At the head of the roaring hosts she calls.” [(Prov. 1:21:) “At the head of the roaring hosts (as if from mwt)⁵The actual root is HMH. she calls.”] At the head of death (mwt) she is calling concerning the first Adam, as stated (in Gen. 2:17)? “For on the day that you eat from it, you shall surely die.” Ergo (in Prov. 1:21), “At the head of the roaring hosts (as if from mwt) she calls.” (Prov. 1:21, cont.:) “In the entrance of the city gates she speaks her words.” In the beginning they made synagogues on the heights of a city, to fulfill what was said (ibid.), “in the entrance of the city gates she speaks her words.”⁶In the ancient world, it was the city heights that were enclosed in a wall and would therefore be entered through its gates. If you have spoken on matters of Torah, never say, “I have already spoken”; but rather speak again; for it is written (ibid.), “she speaks her words” (which can also be read as a future imperative form, “[you,] speak her words”). R. Abba said, “She speaks what is good and she speaks what is bad. (In Lev. 26:3-4) ‘If you walk in My statutes […] Then I will give you your rains in their season.’ Here is the good. ‘But if you do not heed, […] I will make your skies like iron’ (according to Lev. 26:14, 19). Here is the bad.” Another interpretation (of Lev. 26:3) “If you walk in My statutes”: What is written there (in vs. 11)? “Then I will set My dwelling place in your midst.” If you fulfill My commandments, I will leave the heavenly beings and come down to dwell among you, as stated (in Exod. 29:45), “And I will dwell in the midst of the Children of Israel.” So they came forth from Egypt on this condition: that they build the dwelling place, so that the Divine Presence might dwell among them, as stated (in vs. 46), “And they shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out from the land of Egypt, so that I might dwell in their midst.” Now if they have done My will, My Divine Presence shall not move from their midst. Why? R. Samuel bar Abba said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, desired that, just as He has an abode above, so He would have an abode below, for so He said to the first Adam, ‘If you are worthy, just as I am King over the heavenly beings, so I will make you king over the lower beings.’”⁷Cf. Tanh., Numb. 2:16; Gen. R. 3:19. It is so stated (in Gen. 2:15), “Then the Lord God took the human.” Now the word, “took” can only be a word of exaltation, just as you say (in Gen. 12:15), “and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house.”⁸Cf. Gen. R. 16:5. And it also says (in Esth. 2:16), “So Esther was taken unto King Ahasuerus, unto his royal palace.” But He (the Holy One, blessed be He,) did not do so. Rather, when Adam sinned, He removed his Divine Presence from him. Then when Israel arose, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “You shall only go forth from Egypt on condition that you make a dwelling place for Me, so that My Divine Presence may dwell among you,” as stated (in Exod. 25:8), “Let them make Me a sanctuary [that I may dwell among them].” So also He said to Solomon (in I Kings 6:12–13), “With regard to this house which you are building, if you walk in My statutes […] Then I will dwell in the midst of the Children of Israel [and will never abandon My people Israel].” [However] (in I Kings 9:6-7) “If you and your children turn away from following Me […]. Then I will cut off Israel from upon [the face of] the land.” Why? Because those are [the] terms between Me and them, as stated (in Lev. 26:3. 14), “If you walk in my statutes…. But if you do not heed me;” what is written there (in vs. 31)? “Then I will make your sanctuaries desolate.” What did Solomon do? He had a lot of wives and horses; and it is written (in I Kings 11:4), “Now it came to pass in Solomon's old age that his wives led his heart astray.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I have given you the Torah [for you] to carry out its commandments, and you have seen the terms which I prescribed to you in it”; and it is written (in Ps. 72:1), “To Solomon, O God, give Your statutes to the king.” And [so] it is written (in I Kings 11:11), “Because this has been with you, and you did not keep My covenant and My statutes.” So what do I do? (According to Is. 55:11) “So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth: it shall not return unto Me empty.” Manasseh arose to make the image and bring it into the holy of holies, as stated (in II Chron. 33:7; cf. II Kings 21:7), “And he set up a sculptured image, which he had made, in the house [of God].” Then the Holy One, blessed be He, called unto Jeremiah and said to him (in Lam. 4:3), “Even snakes⁹The midrash follows the ketiv (tannin). The qere reads tannim (“jackals”). extend a breast to nurse their young; [the daughter of My people has become cruel].” When the snake (tannin) comes to nurse from its mother, she sees it from afar and extends her breasts for it to nurse; for it would not see her breasts [if] covered, and would not nurse. Now My children do not act like this. Instead, when they saw Me entering the house, Manasseh came and brought in the image in order to force Me out of it. At first they made a single face,¹⁰Gk.: prosopon. and set it up to the west. The Divine Presence went, as it were, to another corner, a place where the image would not be seen. When Manasseh saw that, he made four faces so that the Divine Presence would see them and depart. Thus it is stated (in Is. 28:20), “For the couch is too short for stretching out, and the molten image¹¹Massekhah. Most biblical translations render the word as denoting a kind of covering here and in Is. 25:7, but massekhah generally refers to an image. In any case, the image concept must have suggested the use of the verse in this context. too narrow (tsar) for curling up.” Ergo I would say, “Unlike the snakes (in Lam. 4:3), they did not extend a breast to nurse their young.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “What am I doing here? (Hos. 5:15) ‘I am going. I will return to my place.’” "I will go and return" is not written here, but “I am going. I will return.” Now if had been written, "I will go and return (to the heavenly abode)," there would have been no hope for Israel; however, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Although I am going, let them repent, and I will return.” It is therefore written, “I am going. I will return to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face. In their distress (tsar) they will search diligently for Me.” Out of the midst of distress, when it comes upon them, they shall repent, and I will return and they shall seek My face. R. Yehuda says, “If Israel does not repent, they will not be redeemed, since it is stated (in Is. 30:15), ‘In stillness (shuva, which can be read as return or repentance) and calm you shall be saved; [… but you were unwilling ].’”¹²yTa‘an. 1:1 (63d-64a); Sanh. 97b. R. Shimon says, “Whether they repent or do not repent, when the end arrives, they will be redeemed immediately, since it is stated (in Is. 60:22), ‘I the Lord will hasten it in its time.’” R. Elazar said, “If they do not repent on their own, the Holy One, blessed be He, will raise over them an evil king, whose decrees are as harsh as [those of] Haman. Then he shall enslave them, and for that reason they shall repent, since it is stated (in Is. 59:19), ‘for distress shall come like a stream, with the wind of the Lord driving it onward.’ At that time (according to vs. 20), ‘Then a redeemer shall come to Zion.’”

R. Berekhyah applies to <the evil drive> (Prov. 25:21): IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, GIVE HIM BREAD TO EAT.⁵See M. Pss. 34:2. This <ENEMY> is the evil drive. GIVE HIM BREAD TO EAT from the bread of Torah, just as it says (of wisdom in Prov. 9:5): COME AND EAT OF MY BREAD. (Prov. 25:21, cont.:) AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM WATER TO DRINK from the waters of Torah, just as it says (in Is. 55:1): HO, ALL WHO ARE THIRSTY, COME TO THE WATERS. For what reason? (Prov. 25:22:) BECAUSE YOU WILL BE HEAPING BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD. Ergo (in Prov. 16:7): WHEN THE LORD IS PLEASED WITH ONE'S WAYS. This refers to the good drive. (ibid., cont.:) HE MAKES EVEN HIS ENEMIES TO BE AT PEACE WITH HIM. This refers to the evil drive. David said (in Ps. 35:10): ALL MY BONES SHALL SAY: LORD, WHO IS LIKE YOU? YOU DELIVER THE POOR FROM ONE STRONGER THAN HE, <i.e.,> the good drive from the evil drive.

The Rock, His action is perfect: Yishaiyahu said, "Pursue the Lord in His being found" (Isaiah 55:6), and David said, "Pursue the Lord and His might, etc." (I Chronicles 16:11). Why did he [continue to] say, "seek His face always?" To teach you [that] the Holy One, blessed be He - may His name be blessed - sometimes appears and sometimes does not appear; sometimes hears and sometimes does not want to hear; sometimes answers and sometimes does not answer; sometimes is pursued and sometimes is not pursued; sometimes is found and sometimes is not found; sometimes is close and sometimes is not close. How is this? He appeared to Moshe, as it is stated (Exodus 33:11), "And the Lord spoke to Moshe." He went back and disappeared from him, when he said to Him, "Please show me Your glory" (Exodus 33:18). And so [too,] He appeared to Israel at Sinai, as it is stated (Exodus 24:10), "And they saw the God of Israel," and it states (Exodus 24:17), "And the appearance of the glory of the Lord." [But] He went back and disappeared from them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:15), "since you did not see any picture," and it states (Deuteronomy 4:15), "the voice of words do you hear." And when Israel were in Egypt in torturous subjugation, "And God heard their moaning" (Exodus 2:24). [But] when they sinned, "The Lord did not hear your voice and did not listen to you" (Deuteronomy 1:45). He answered Shmuel at Mitspeh, as it is stated (I Samuel 7:9), "and Shmuel cried out to the Lord [...] and the Lord answered Shmuel." [But] He went back and did not answer Him, as it is stated (I Samuel 16:1), "And the Lord said to Shmuel, 'Until when are you mourning for Shaul.'" He answered David - and it stated (Psalms 34:5), "I have pursued the Lord and He answered me." [But] He went back and did not answer him, as it is stated (II Samuel 12:16), "and David fasted a fast, and he went in and laid down on the ground," and it is written (II Samuel 12:14), "also the child that is born to you will surely die." And at the time that Israel repents, He is found for them, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:29), "And from there, you will seek the Lord, your God [and you will find Him]." But if they do not repent, "They will go with their sheep and cattle to seek the Lord, but they will not find Him; He has cast them off" (Hosea 5:6). Sometimes He is close, as it is stated (Psalms 145:18), "Close is the Lord to all who call to Him"; [but] sometimes He is not close, as it is stated (Proverbs 15:29), "Far from evildoers is the Lord." And it is written (Numbers 6:26), "And the Lord shall lift His face"; but [another[ verse states (Deuteronomy 10:17), "Who does not lift the face." [Only] if [one] repents, He lifts His face to him. It is possible [that He does this] for all. [Hence] we learn to say "to you" (Numbers 6:26) - but not to another nation; as it is stated (Jeremiah 4:14), "Wash your heart from evil, Jerusalem, in order that you be saved" - if they repent. But if not, "Even if you wash with natron [... your iniquity is before Me]" (Jeremiah 2:22). Hence Yishaiyahu said, "Pursue the Lord in His being found; call to Him in His being close." [There is a relevant] parable: To what is the matter similar? To a king who said to his servants, "Go out and announce in all of my dominion that I am sitting and judging financial cases. Anyone who has an issue with his fellow - let him come in front of Me, and I will judge him favorably, [now] before I sit to judge capital cases." And so [too,] did the Holy One, blessed be He - may His name be blessed - say to Israel, "My sons, Know that I judge the world at these four periods: At Pesach about the grain; at [Shavouot] about the fruit of the trees; at Rosh HaShanah, all those that come to the world come in front of me like bnei Maron; and at [Sukkot] about the water. On three of these periods, I sit to judge financial cases, to make wealthy or make poor, to increase or to decrease. But on Rosh HaShanah, I judge capital cases, whether for death or life - as you say in the shofar blows of Rav, 'And upon it is said, about the provinces, etc.' But if you repent with a full heart, I will accept you and judge you favorably. As the gates of the Heavens are open and I will hear your prayers, since I 'observe from the windows, peer through the lattice,' [now] before I seal the judgement on Yom Kippur." Hence it is stated, "Pursue the Lord in His being found." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said, "[There is a relevant] parable: To what is the matter similar? To a king who resided in a province and the people of the province were angering him. The king got angry and went outside of it [a distance of] ten mil and he stayed there. A man saw him, [and] he said to the people of the province, 'Know that the king is angry with you and he is seeking to send his legions upon the city to destroy it. Go out and appease him and he will return to you, before he distances himself from you.' A clever man was there, [and] he said to them, 'Fools, While the king was with you, you did not seek to appease him. And now before he distances himself, go out to him. Maybe he will accept you.'" Hence it is stated, "Pursue the Lord in His being found" - these are the ten days of repentance, that he is found among you, as so did Yechezkel say, "a wall between Me and them" (Ezekiel 43:8). This is "call to Him in His being close. Let the evildoer leave his path and a man his thoughts of iniquity and return to the Lord and He will have mercy upon him" (Isaiah 55:6-7).

(Fol. 49b) We are taught that Ben Azai says: "I found a secret scroll wherein it was written that a certain man was a Mamzer. It was also written there that the Mishnath of R. Eliezer b. Jacob is only a Kab (little in quantity), but well sifted. It was also written there that M'nashe executed Isaiah (the prophet)." Raba said: "He was tried before a court (of false prophets) where he was executed. He was asked: 'Moses thy master said (Ex. 33, 20) For no man can see me and live, and you said (Is. 6, 1) I saw the Lord sitting upon a high and exalted throne. Moses your master said (Deut. 4, 7) Who hath God so nigh unto it, as is the Lord our God at all times that we call upon Him, and you said (Is. 55, 6) seek ye the Lord, while He may be found. Moses your master said (Ex. 23, 26) The number of thy days will I make full, and you said (Is. 38, 5) I will add unto thy days fifteen years.' Isaiah then said to himself: I am quite sure that even should I offer him any explanation he will not accept it. If so, then why should I offer it altogether since it would merely cause him to commit [his crime] wilfully? Thereupon he uttered the Tetragrammaton and was swallowed up by a cedar tree. They brought the cedar and sawed it through, and when the saw reached Isaiah's mouth he died, because [of the sin he committed with his mouth when] he said (Is. 6, 5) "And in the midst of a people of unclean lips do I dwell."

But what of the above cited passages, which indeed contradict each other? I saw the Lord, is to be explained by the following Baraitha: All the other prophets contemplated [Deity] through a dim speculum, while Moses contemplated [Deity] through a lucid speclum. (Ib. 55, 6) See ye the Lord while He may be found, could be explained that it refers to an individual, while Moses refers to a community. And when is the time [to which Isaiah refers?] R. Nachman, in the name of Rabbi b. Abahu, said: "This refers to the ten days from New Year until the Day of Atonement." The number of thy days will I make full. This is explained by the following Tanaim, for we are taught in a Baraitha: All the other prophets contem make full. (Fol. 50) This refers to the years assigned to one when born, if one deserves through merits then he lives through the years due to him, but otherwise they are lessoned. This is according to the opinion of R. Akiba. But the other sages say that if one has merits, his years are added, and if one does not deserve by merits then his years are lessened. The sages then said to R. Akiba: "Behold the passage says And I will add unto thy days fifteen years, [hence it is more than his assigned portion?]" To which he replied: "This means that they were added from his own allotment [after their prior decision to have taken it off.] The following will prove [that the fifteen years were from his own allotment] for prior to that sickness the prophet delivered a prophecy saying (I Kings 13, 2) Behold, a child will be born unto the house of David. Josiah (Yeshiyahu) by name, although at the time of Ezekiah's sickness M'nashe has not yet been born by Ezekiah [hence he was originally destined to live these fifteen years.]" The Rabbis, however, argued: "Is it then written born unto Ezekiah? It is written unto the house of David, which refers either to Ezekiah or to some one else."

[Another interpretation (of Lev. 26:3:) IF YOU WALK IN MY STATUTES. What is written there (in vs. 11)? THEN I WILL SET MY DWELLING PLACE IN YOUR MIDST. If you fulfill my commandments, I will leave the heavenly beings and come down to dwell among you, as stated (in Exod. 29:45): AND I WILL DWELL IN THE MIDST OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. So they came forth from Egypt on this condition: That they build the dwelling place, so that the Divine Presence might dwell among them, as stated (in vs. 46): AND THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD THEIR GOD WHO BROUGHT THEM OUT FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT, SO THAT I MIGHT DWELL IN THEIR MIDST. Now if they have done my will, my Divine Presence shall not move from their midst. Why? R. Samuel bar Abba said: The Holy One desired that, just as he has an abode above, so he would have an abode below, for so he said to the first Adam: If you are worthy, just as I am king over the heavenly beings, so I will make you king over the lower beings.¹⁴Cf. Tanh., Numb. 2:16; Gen. R. 3:19. It is so stated (in Gen. 2:15): THEN THE LORD GOD TOOK THE HUMAN BEING < AND PUT HIM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO WORK IT AND PRESERVE IT >. Now the word TOOK can only be a word of exaltation, just as you say (in Gen. 12:15): AND THE WOMAN WAS TAKEN TO PHARAOH'S HOUSE.¹⁵Cf. Gen. R. 16:5. And it also says (in Esth. 2:16): SO ESTHER WAS TAKEN UNTO KING AHASUERUS, UNTO HIS ROYAL PALACE. But he (the Holy One) did not do so. Rather, when Adam sinned, he removed his Divine Presence from him. Then when Israel arose, the Holy One said to them: You shall only go forth from Egypt on condition that you make a dwelling place for me, so that my Divine Presence may dwell among you, as stated (in Exod. 25:8): LET THEM MAKE ME A SANCTUARY < THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM >. So also he said to Solomon (in I Kings 6:12–13): WITH REGARD TO THIS HOUSE WHICH YOU ARE BUILDING, IF YOU WALK IN MY TORAHS, {IF YOU} CARRY OUT MY ORDINANCES, AND OBSERVE ALL MY COMMANDMENTS TO WALK IN THEM, THEN I WILL {ESTABLISH YOU, AS} [FULFILL MY WORD WITH YOU, WHICH] I SPOKE UNTO YOUR FATHER DAVID. THEN I WILL DWELL IN THE MIDST OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND WILL NEVER ABANDON < MY PEOPLE ISRAEL >. (I Kings 9:6:) IF YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN TURN AWAY FROM FOLLOWING ME…, what will I do? (Vs. 7:) THEN I WILL CUT OFF ISRAEL FROM UPON [THE FACE OF] THE LAND WHICH I HAVE GIVEN THEM, AND I WILL CAST {THIS HOUSE} [THE HOUSE WHICH I HAVE CONSECRATED FOR MY NAME < FROM MY PRESENCE >…. ] Why? < Because > those are < the > terms which are stated (in Lev. 26:3): IF YOU WALK IN MY STATUTES…. THEN I WILL SET MY DWELLING PLACE IN YOUR MIDST…. (Vs. 14:) BUT IF YOU DO NOT HEED ME, what is written there (in vs. 31)? THEN I WILL MAKE YOUR SANCTUARIES DESOLATE. What did Solomon do? He had a lot of wives and horses; and it is written (in I Kings 11:4): NOW IT CAME TO PASS IN SOLOMON'S OLD AGE THAT HIS WIVES LED HIS HEART ASTRAY < AFTER OTHER GODS >. The Holy One said to him: I have given you the Torah < for you > to carry out its commandments, and you have seen the terms which I prescribed to you in it, as stated (in Ps. 72:1): TO SOLOMON. O GOD, GIVE YOUR ORDINANCES TO THE KING, AND YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS TO THE KING'S SON. It is also written (in I Kings 11:11): BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN WITH YOU, AND YOU DID NOT KEEP MY COVENANT AND MY STATUTES WHICH I COMMANDED YOU, I WILL SURELY REND THE {KINGDOMS} [KINGDOM] FROM YOU AND GIVE {THEM} [IT] TO YOUR SERVANT. So what do I do? (According to Is. 55:11) SO SHALL MY WORD BE WHICH GOES FORTH FROM MY MOUTH: IT SHALL NOT RETURN UNTO ME EMPTY. Manasseh arose to make the image and bring it into the Holy of Holies, as stated (in II Chron. 33:7; cf. II Kings 21:7): AND HE SET UP A SCULPTURED IMAGE WHICH HE HAD MADE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD, OF WHICH GOD HAD SAID UNTO DAVID AND UNTO HIS SON SOLOMON: IN THIS HOUSE AND IN JERUSALEM, WHICH I HAVE CHOSEN OUT OF ALL THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, I SHALL SET MY NAME FOREVER. Then the Holy One called unto Jeremiah and said to him (in Lam. 4:3): EVEN DRAGONS¹⁶The midrash follows the ketiv (tannin). The qere reads tannim (“jackals”). EXTEND A BREAST TO NURSE THEIR YOUNG; < THE DAUGHTER OF MY PEOPLE HAS BECOME CRUEL >. When the dragon (tannin) comes to nurse from its mother, she sees it from afar and extends her breasts for it to nurse; for it would not see her breasts, < if > covered, and would not nurse. Now my children do not act like this. Instead, when they saw me entering the house, Manasseh came and brought in the image in order to force me out of it. [At¹⁷This immediate bracketed section is added from Tanh., Lev. 10:3, and from Buber’s 5th Oxford ms (Hunt 74 Uri Hch NC No. 2337). first they made a single face,¹⁸Gk.: prosopon. and set it up to the west. The Divine Presence went, as it were, to another corner, a place where the image would not be seen. When Manasseh saw that, he made four faces so that the Divine Presence would see them and depart. Thus it is stated (in Is. 28:20): FOR THE COACH IS TOO SHORT FOR STRETCHING OUT, AND THE MOLTEN IMAGE¹⁹Massekhah. Most biblical translations render the word as denoting a kind of covering here and in Is. 25:7, but massekhah generally refers to an image. In any case, the image concept must have suggested the use of the verse in this context. TOO NARROW (tsar) FOR CURLING UP.] Also, unlike the dragons (in Lam. 4:3) they did not EXTEND A BREAST TO NURSE THEIR YOUNG. The Holy One said: What am I doing here? (Hos. 5:15:) I AM GOING. I WILL RETURN TO MY PLACE. "I will go and return" is not written here, but I AM GOING. I WILL RETURN. Now if had been written: "I will go and return (to the heavenly abode)," there would have been no hope; however, the Holy One said: Although I am going, let him repent, and I will return. It is therefore written: I AM GOING. I WILL RETURN TO MY PLACE, UNTIL THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR GUILT AND SEEK MY FACE. IN THEIR DISTRESS (tsar) THEY WILL SEARCH DILIGENTLY FOR ME. Out of the midst of distress, when it comes upon them, they shall repent, and I will restore my Divine Presence. R. Eliezer says: If Israel repents, they will be redeemed; but if Israel does not repent, they will not be redeemed, since it is stated (in Is. 30:15): IN STILLNESS AND CALM YOU SHALL BE SAVED; < IN QUIET AND CONFIDENCE SHALL BE YOUR STRENGTH. BUT YOU WERE UNWILLING >.²⁰yTa‘an. 1:1 (63d-64a); Sanh. 97b. R. Joshua says: Whether they repent or do not repent, when the end arrives, they will be redeemed immediately, since it is stated (in Is. 60:22): I THE LORD WILL HASTEN IT IN ITS TIME. R. Eleazar said: The Holy One will raise over them someone as evil as Haman. Then he shall enslave them, and for that reason they shall repent, since it is stated (in Is. 59:19): FOR DISTRESS SHALL COME LIKE A STREAM, WITH THE WIND OF THE LORD DRIVING IT ONWARD. At that time (according to vs. 20): THEN A REDEEMER SHALL COME TO ZION AND TO THOSE IN JACOB WHO TURN BACK FROM TRANSGRESSION, SAYS THE LORD…. So did R. Tanhuma Berabbi interpret.]

The clouds draw water from the depths, as it is said, "He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth" (Ps. 135:7), and in every place where the King commands them, there they cause rain (to fall), and forthwith the earth becomes fruitful and yields produce like a widow who becomes pregnant through debauchery. But when the Holy One, blessed be He, desires to bless the produce of the earth, and to give provision to the creatures, He opens the good treasuries in heaven and sends rain upon the earth, namely, the fructifying rain, and forthwith the earth becomes fruitful like a bride who conceives from her first husband and produces offspring of blessing, as it is said, "The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasury the heaven" (Deut. 28:12).

R. Isaac said: "The [evil] inclination renews its fight upon man every day, as it is said (Gen. 6, 5) And that every imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil all day long." (Ib. b) R. Simon b. Lakish said: "The evil inclination of man renews its fight upon man, and desires to slay him, as it is said (Ps. 37, 23) The wicked looketh out for the righteous, and seeketh to slay him; and were it not for the help of the Holy One, praised be He! man would not resist it, as it is said further: The Lord will not leave him in his hand, and will not condemn him when he is judged." In the college of R. Ishmael it was taught: "My son, if that ugly (the tempter) meet thee, drag it into the house of learning (overcome it through powder; and if it is iron, it will be split to powder, and if it is iron, it will be split to pieces. If a stone, it will be ground, as it is written (Job 14, 19) The water weareth out stones; and by water is meant the Torah, as it is said (Is. 55, 1) Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye for water. And if iron, it will be split into pieces, as it is said ( Jer. 23, 29) Is not my word like as fire? saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said, in the name of Jonathan: "The evil inclination tempts man in this world, and bears testimony against him in the world to come, as it is said (Prov. 29, 21) He that delicately bringeth up his servant from his youth, shalt have him become at length (Manun) violent. And in the Atbach- of R. Chiya, Sahada (witness) finds a substitute in Manun." R. Huna pointed out the following contradiction: "It is written (Hos. 4, 12) For the spirit of lewdness is in their bosom; i.e., at first it causes to err, and afterwards it remains in the bosom." Rab said: In the beginning he is called traveler, then guest, and then man, as it is said (II Sam. 12, 4) And there came a traveler unto a rich man; and he felt compunction to take from his own flocks and from his own heads to dress for the guest that was come to him; and it is written further: And he dressed it for the man that was come to him.

(Numb. 1:1:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses.” Fortunate are you, Moses!²⁵Numb. R. 1:6; cf. Lev. R. 1:1. Six hundred thousand were present with the priests, the Levites, and the elders. They were all present there; yet out of them all, He only spoke there with Moses, as stated (ibid.), “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses.” (Ibid., cont.) “In the Sinai desert.” Why in the Sinai desert?²⁶Numb. R. 1:7. From here our masters have taught, “The Torah was given through three things: through fire, through water, and through the desert.²⁷Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Bashodesh 5. Through fire, as stated (in Exod. 19:18), ‘Now all of Mount Sinai was emitting smoke because the Lord had descended upon it in fire, and the smoke from it arose like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled greatly.’ Through water, as stated (in Jud. 5:4), ‘Lord, when You went forth from Seir, when You marched [from the field of Edom, the earth trembled, even the heavens dripped, even the clouds dropped water].’ Through (i.e., in)²⁸In Hebrew the prefix b used here can be translated either “through” or “in.” the desert, as stated (in Numb. 1:1), ‘Then the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Sinai desert.’” And why was it given through these three things? It is that, just as these are free for all who come into the world, so too are the words of the Torah free for all who come to the world. Thus it is stated (in Is. 55:1), “Ho, all who are thirsty, come to the waters (of Torah); even if you have no money, come, buy food, and eat. So come, buy food, wine, and milk without money and without cost.” “In the Sinai Desert.” Why in the Sinai desert? It is that whoever does not make himself ownerless like the desert cannot acquire²⁹The Hebrew verb also means “buy.” the Torah.³⁰See ‘Eruv. 54a; Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Bashodesh 1. It is therefore stated, “in the Sinai desert.”

Another interpretation (of Numb. 1:1): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES. <How> blessed was Moses!³⁸Tanh., Numb. 1:6; Numb. R. 1:6; cf. Lev. R. 1:1. Six hundred thousand were present with the priests, the Levites, and the elders. They were were all present there; yet out of them all, he only spoke there with Moses, as stated (ibid.:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES. (Ibid., cont.:) IN THE SINAI DESERT. Why IN THE SINAI DESERT?³⁹Numb. R. 1:7. From here our masters have taught: The Torah was given through three things: through fire, through water, and through the desert.⁴⁰Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Bashodesh 5. Where is it shown <that it was given> through fire? Where it is stated (in Exod. 19:18): NOW ALL OF MOUNT SINAI WAS EMITTING SMOKE BECAUSE THE LORD HAD DESCENDED UPON IT IN FIRE. AND THE SMOKE FROM IT AROSE LIKE SMOKE FROM A FURNACE, AND THE WHOLE MOUNTAIN TREMBLED GREATLY. Where is it shown <that it was given> through water? Where it is stated (in Jud. 5:4): LORD, WHEN YOU WENT FORTH FROM SEIR, WHEN YOU MARCHED FROM THE FIELD OF EDOM, THE EARTH TREMBLED, EVEN THE HEAVENS DRIPPED, EVEN THE CLOUDS DROPPED WATER. Where is it shown <that it was given> through (i.e., in)⁴¹In Hebrew the prefix b used here can be translated either “through” or “in.” the desert? Where it is stated (in Numb. 1:1): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES IN THE SINAI DESERT. And why was it given through these three things. It is simply that, as these are free for all who come into the world, so the words of the Torah are free. Thus it is stated (in Is. 55:1): HO, ALL WHO ARE THIRSTY, COME TO THE WATERS (of Torah); EVEN IF YOU HAVE NO MONEY, COME, BUY FOOD, AND EAT. SO COME, BUY FOOD, WINE, AND MILK WITHOUT MONEY AND WITHOUT COST.

This is what Scripture says: "Your oils yield a sweet fragrance" (Songs 1:3) the sages say: "there are five things that are metaphors for Torah: water, and wine, and honey, and milk, and oil. Water, as it says: "Ho, all who are thirsty, go to water" (Isaiah 55:1). Wine, as it says: "Come, eat my food, and drink the wine that I have mixed" (Proverbs 9:5). Honey and milk, as it says: "Honey and milk under your tongue" (Songs 4:11). Oil, form where? " Your name is like finest oil" (Songs 1:3). Just as like with oil, which begins bitter and ends sweet, so too the words of Torah: a person suffers in the beginning, but in the end it is sweet for them, as it is written "Though your beginning be constricted/painful, in the end you will grow very great" (Job 8:7). Another interpretation: just as oil lives forever (never spoils) so too the words of Torah never spoil. Just as oil gives light to the world so too the words of Torah give light to the world. Another interpretation: just as oil does not mix with other liquids, so too Israel cannot mix with idolaters. From where do we get this? Because it is written "I have separated you from the [other] peoples to be mine!" (Lev. 20:26). Another interpretation: Just as oil, even if you put it in many different liquids, it comes on top, so too Israel are higher than the idolaters, just as it is written "" (Deut. 28:1). Another interpretation: "and it will be, if you hear" (Deut. 11:13) - Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin says, in the name of Rabbi Levi: the Holy Blessed One said - if you (singular) listen to My mitzvot, I will listen to your (singular) prayers. Another interpretation: Rabbi Yehoshua says, in the name of Rabbi Nachman - everyone who comes to the synagogue and listens to words of Torah will merit to sit among sages in the world to come, as it is written "A ear that listens the directions of life will dwell among sages" (Prov. 15:31).

And Bezalel made the ark of acacia-wood (Exod. 37:1). Because it was known to Him-who-spoke-and-the-world-came into-being that Israel will sin at Shittim, the Holy One, blessed be He, prepared shittim (acacia-wood) so that they might atone for what happened at Shittim.¹⁴In building the ark of shittim (acacia wood) they were able to obtain forgiveness for the sins perpetrated at Shittim. And he overlaid it with pure gold (ibid., v. 2). This alludes to the students of the Torah, for just as the wood was greatly adorned by the gold that overlaid it, so the students of the Torah are adorned by the Torah within their hearts. Just as men speak of pure gold, so the Torah purifies the heart and the kidneys of the scholar, as it is written: More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold (Ps. 19:11). And Bezalel made the ark. We find that when the Holy One, blessed be he, told Moses to construct the Tabernacle, He described every detail to him, saying: Thou shalt do, but with reference to the ark, He said simply: Make Me. Why? The Holy One, blessed be He, commanded all the Israelites to make it, so that not one of them would be able to humiliate his fellow Israelite by saying: “I contributed more for the building of the ark than you, therefore I am more learned and have a greater right to it than you do. And since you contributed little to the ark, you will have no portion in the Torah.” That is why the Torah is likened to water, as it is said: Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come you for water (Isa. 55:1). Just as no one should be ashamed to say to his companion: “Give me a drink of water,” no one should be ashamed to say to a person younger than himself: “Teach me the law, instruct me in this matter.” And just as one who desires to drink should be able to drink without cost, so all who desire to learn the law should be able to learn without cost and without price, as it is said: Yea, come without money and without price (ibid.).

“And you, write about the Jews as is pleasing in your eyes in the name of the king” (Esther 8:8), and send to all the provinces “to destroy and to kill and to eliminate” (Esther 8:11) all the enemies of the Jews, “on the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to have power over them and it was reversed” (Esther 9:1) for them: “It will be renown for the Lord” (Isaiah 55:13) – this is the miracle that the Holy one blessed be He performed, the like of which has never been performed. Was there ever in the world an event like this miracle where Israel extracted vengeance against the nations of the world and did to their enemies as they wished?

[(Gen. 38:1:) THAT JUDAH WENT AWAY.] This text is related (to Is. 55:8): FOR MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT YOUR THOUGHTS, AND YOUR WAYS ARE NOT MY WAYS. < The matter > is comparable to a king of flesh and blood when he sits down to judge someone. The judge says to him: Say whether you have killed or not killed. If he says to him: I killed, the judge kills him; but if he does not confess, he does not kill him. However, the Holy One is not like this. Over the one who confesses the Holy One has mercy, as stated (in Prov. 28:13): BUT WHOEVER CONFESSES AND FORSAKES < HIS TRANSGRESSIONS > SHALL OBTAIN MERCY. R. Simeon ben Halafta says: The Holy One said to Jerusalem: For what reason have I brought all these judgments upon you? Because you said: I have not sinned, as stated (in Jer. 2:35): BEHOLD, I AM BRINGING YOU TO JUDGMENT FOR SAYING: I HAVE NOT SINNED. However (according to Prov. 28:13): BUT WHOEVER CONFESSES AND FORSAKES < HIS TRANSGRESSIONS > SHALL OBTAIN MERCY. Ergo (in Is. 55:8): FOR MY THOUGHTS ARE NOT < YOUR THOUGHTS, AND YOUR WAYS ARE NOT MY WAYS >. R. Jose ben Qetsartah said: Flesh and blood makes a path on the mountain or in the valley. Could one possibly make < a path > in the waters? It is written of the Holy One, however, (in Ps. 77:20 [19]): YOUR WAY WAS IN THE SEA, [AND YOUR PATH IN THE GREAT WATERS]. He makes his way wherever he wants.

R. Samuel b. Inya said in the name of Rab: "Whence do we know that a decree against a community is not confirmed." Is that true? Behold, It is written (Jer. 2, 22) The stain of thy sin remains before Me. But this is what he meant: Whence do we know that a decree issued against a community, even if confirmed, may nevertheless be cancelled? From the passage (Deut. 4, 7) As the Lord, our God, in all things that we call upon Him for. But it is also written (Isa. 55, 6) Seek ye the Lord while He may be found. Hence, is there a difference? The latter passage refers to an individual, the former to a community. When is the proper time for an individual [to repent?] R. Nachman, in the name of Rabba b. Abahu, said: "The ten days of repentance, between New Year's Day and the Day of Atonement." (I Sam. 25, 38) And it came to pass, in about ten days thereafter, that the Lord smote Nabal. What is the reason for the ten days' waiting? R. Juda, in the name of Rab said: "It corresponds to the ten meals which Nabel gave to David's servants." And R. Nachman, in the name of Rab. said: "This refers to the ten days of penitence" [given to Nabal in which to repent].

Another interpretation (of Job 29:19): MY ROOT IS OPEN UNTO WATER. This refers to the Temple because its gates were open to the Torah. Thus it is stated (in Is. 55:1): HO, ALL WHO ARE THIRSTY, COME TO THE WATERS (of Torah). < It is > just as our masters have taught (in Sanh. 11 [10]:2):⁵³Cf. THag. 2:9; TSanh. 7:1; ySanh. 1:4 (19c); Sanh. 88b. THERE WERE THREE LAW COURTS THERE: ONE AT THE OPENING TO THE TEMPLE MOUNT, ONE AT THE OPENING TO THE TEMPLE COURT, AND ONE IN THE HALL OF HEWN STONES. Ergo (in Job 29:19): MY ROOT IS OPEN < UNTO WATER (of Torah) >…. What is the meaning (of ibid., cont.): AND DEW SHALL LODGE ON MY BRANCHES. That the dew does not [move] from there, as stated (in Ps. 133:3): LIKE THE DEW OF HERMON < WHICH COMES DOWN UPON THE HILLS OF ZION >.

"Command the Children of Israel" (Numbers 28:2). This is [the meaning of] that which was stated by the verse (Job 27:23), "The Omnipresent we have not found to be of great power"; and [yet] it is written (in Job 36:22), "It is true that God is beyond reach in His power." How are these two verses [resolved]? Rather [it is that] when He gives to Israel, He gives to them according to His power. But when He requests something from them, He only requests according to their power. See what is written, "As for the Tabernacle, make it of ten curtains." Hence it is written, "The Omnipresent we have not found to be of great power." But when He gives to them, He gives according to His power: In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will make a canopy from clouds of glory for each and every righteous person, as it is stated (in Is. 4:5), "The Lord will create over the whole shrine and meeting place of Mount Zion [cloud by day and smoke with a glow of flaming fire by night; indeed] over all the glory shall hang a canopy." And why is smoke in the canopy? Since anyone whose eyes were smoky and stingy with his students in this world will have his canopy filled with smoke in the world to come. Why is there fire in the canopy? [It is coming to] teach that each and every righteous person is lit up from the canopy of his fellow, that is more elevated than he, with light the radiance of which shines from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. Hence it is written, "It is true that God is beyond reach in His power." When He requested something from them, He only requested according to their power, as it is stated (Exodus 27:20), "And you shall command...." But when He lit up for them, it was according to His power, as it is stated (Exodus 13:21), "And the Lord went in front of them by day." [Moreover, about] the future to come, it is stated (Isaiah 60:1), "Arise, My light...." And it is [also] written (Isaiah 30:26), "And the light of the moon shall become like the light of the sun." Hence, "It is true that God is beyond reach in His power." When He requested something from them, He only requested according to their power, as it is stated (Exodus 23:19), "The choice first fruits of your land." But when He gives to them, it is according to His power, as it is stated (Ezekiel 47:12), "All kinds of trees for food will grow up on both banks of the stream; their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail; they will yield new fruit every month...." What is [the meaning of] "they will yield new fruit every month?" That each and every tree yields new fruit each and every month, [such that] the new fruit of this month is not like the new fruit of another month. When He requested something from them, He only requested according to their power, as it is stated (Leviticus 23:40), "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a beautiful true." But when He gives, it according to His power, as it is stated (Isaiah 41:19), "I will give in the wilderness cedar, acacia." And it is [also] written (Isaiah 55:13), "Instead of the brier, a cypress shall rise."

And they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water (Exod. 15:22). Some say that the water they had taken with them, from between the rocks, was exhausted by that time. Why does the Scripture say and found no water? Because there was no water even in their water containers, as is said in the verse: And the nobles send their lads for water; they come to the pits, and find no water; they are ashamed and confounded, and cover their heads (Jer. 14:3). Those who interpret the words of the Torah metaphorically hold that they had abstained from studying the Torah, which is compared to water, as it is written: Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye for water (Isa. 55:1).

(Exod. 34:28:) AND HE WAS THERE WITH THE LORD…. HE ATE NO BREAD. He ate from the bread of Torah. AND DRANK NO WATER. He drank from the water of Torah. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 9:5): COME AND EAT OF MY BREAD. And it says (in Is. 55:1): HO, ALL WHO ARE THIRSTY, COME TO THE WATERS (of Torah).

“Everything goes to one place; everything was from the dust, and everything returns to the dust” (Ecclesiastes 3:20).
“Everything goes to one place…” – Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Eliezer says: Everything that the Holy One blessed be He created in the heavens, their origins are from the heavens, and everything that the Holy One blessed be He created on the earth, their origins are from the earth. What is the reason [for Rabbi Eliezer’s opinion]? [It is based on the verses:] “Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the heights, praise Him all his angels” (Psalms 148:1–2) until: “Praise the Lord from the earth, sea creatures and all depths, fire and hail, snow and vapor” (Psalms 148:7–8), until the end of the psalm. Rabbi Yehoshua says: Everything that the Holy One blessed be He created in the heavens and on the earth, their origins are from the heavens. Snow, even though it is written in its regard: “For He said to the snow, be on earth” (Job 37:6), its origins are only from the heavens, as it is stated: “Because, just as the rain and the snow fall from the heavens…” (Isaiah 55:10).
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Yosef said: Everything that is in the heavens and on the earth, their origins are from the earth. Rain, even though it is written in its regard: “Because, just as the rain and the snow fall from the heavens…” – its origins are only from the earth. What is the reason? “A mist ascended from the earth [and watered the whole surface of the ground]” (Genesis 2:6). Rabbi Yudan cites it from here: “Everything goes to one place; [everything was from the dust].” Rabbi Naḥman said: Even the orb of the sun was created only from the earth, as it is stated: “Who says to the sun [ḥeres]⁸⁵Ḥeres, the term used in this verse for sun, typically means earthenware. not to shine…” (Job 9:7).

23 "Command the Children of Israel" (Numbers 28:2). This is [the meaning of] that which was stated by the verse (Job 27:23), "The Omnipresent we have not found to be of great power"; and [yet] it is written (in Job 36:22), "It is true that God is beyond reach in His power." How are these two verses [resolved]? Rather [it is that] when He gives to [Israel], He gives to them according to His power. But when He requests something from them, He only requests according to their power. See what is written (Exodus 26:1), "As for the Tabernacle, make it of ten curtains." But in the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, will make a canopy from clouds of glory for each and every righteous person, as it is stated (in Is. 4:5), "The Lord will create over the whole shrine and meeting place of Mount Zion cloud by day and smoke with a glow of flaming fire by night; indeed over all the glory shall hang a canopy." And why is smoke in the canopy? Since anyone whose eyes were smoky and stingy with his students in this world will have his canopy filled with smoke in the world to come. Why is there fire in the canopy? [It is coming to] teach that each and every righteous person is lit up from the canopy of his fellow, that is more elevated than he; with light the radiance of which shines from [one] end of the world to the [other] end. Hence it is written, "It is true that God is beyond reach in His power." When He requested something from them, He only requested according to their power, as it is stated (Exodus 27:20), "And you shall command [...]." But when He lit up for them, it was according to His power, as it is stated (Exodus 13:21), "And the Lord went in front of them by day." [Moreover, about] the future to come, it is stated (Isaiah 60:1-3), "Arise, My light [...]. But upon you the Lord will shine, and His Presence be seen over you. And nations shall walk by your light; kings, by your shining radiance. And it is written, (Isaiah 30:26), "And the light of the moon shall become like the light of the sun […]." Hence, "It is true that God is beyond reach in His power." When He requested something from them, He only requested according to their power, as it is stated (Exodus 23:19), "The choice first fruits of your land." But when He gives to them, it is according to His power, as it is stated (Ezekiel 47:12), "All kinds of trees for food will grow up on both banks of the stream; their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail; they will yield new fruit every month." What is [the meaning of] "they will yield new fruit every month?" That each and every tree yields new fruit each and every month, [such that] the new fruit of this month is not like the new fruit of another month. When He requested something from them, He only requested according to their power, as it is stated (Leviticus 23:40), "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of a beautiful true." But when He gives, it is according to His power, as it is stated (Isaiah 41:19), "I will give in the wilderness cedar, acacia […]." [And it is also written] (Isaiah 55:13), "Instead of the brier, a cypress shall rise."

(Exodus 15:22) "And they went out to the desert of Shur": This is the desert of Kazav. They said about the desert of Kazav that it was nine hundred parasangs by nine hundred parasangs — all full of serpents and scorpions, viz. (Devarim 8:15) "… who led you in the great, awesome desert of snake, fiery serpent, and scorpion, etc." And it is written (Isaiah 21:1) "A prophecy of the desert of the sea, etc.", and (Ibid. 30:6) "A prophecy of the beasts of the south in a land of affliction and oppression, lavi and layish (types of lions) among them, efeh and flying serpent, etc." "efeh" is a viper. It was said about this viper, that when it sees the shadow of a bird flying in the air and "links up" with its shadow, its limbs descend, in spite of which (Jeremiah 2:6) "they did not say 'Where is the L rd who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and tzalmaveth?'" What is "tzalmaveth"? "tzel" (a shadow) and (i.e., accompanied by) "maveth" (death). R. Akiva said: This was told to me by Rabbeinu Hakadosh (Rebbi): There was a man in Eretz Yisrael called "Merutah" ("torn"). Once he climbed a hill to collect wood, and he saw the snake, but the snake did not see him, when at once the hair of his head fell out and he had no hair until the day of his death — wherefore he was called Merutah." (Exodus 15:22) "and they went in the desert for three days without finding any water": R. Yehoshua says: This is to be taken literally. R. Elazar says: Wasn't there water under the feet of the Israelites, the earth floating on water, viz. (Psalms 136:6) "He spread the earth over the water"? (i.e., they could dig for it). What, then, is the intent of "without finding any water"? __ (He made them dig) in order to weary them (to test their faith). Others say: The water that Israel had taken in their vessels between the clefts (in the Red Sea) gave out at that time. What is the intent, then, of "without finding water"? Even in their vessels, as in (Jeremiah 14:3) "Their nobles sent their youths for water. They came to the cisterns, but found no water. They returned, their vessels empty." The expounders of metaphors said: They did not "find" words of Torah, which are compared to water. Where is this seen? (Isaiah 55:1) "Ho! all who thirst, go to the waters!" Because they separated from words of Torah for three days, they rebelled — wherefore the prophets and the elders instituted that they read in the Torah on Sabbath, Monday, and Thursday. How so? They read on Sabbath and pause on Sunday; they read on Monday and pause on Tuesday and Wednesday; they read on Thursday and pause on Friday (so that they do not go three consecutive days without reading Torah.)

"And you shall take (acquire) for yourselves on the first day" (Leviticus 23:40). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana opened [his discourse]: "'Accept my discipline rather than silver' - accept the discipline of Torah rather than silver. 'Why do you weigh money for what is not bread' (Isaiah 55:2) - why are you weighing money for the Children of Esav for what is not bread? Since you did not sate yourselves with the bread of Torah. 'Your toil is for what does not satisfy' (Isaiah 55:2) - why are you toiling, and the nations of the world satiated without satiation? Since you did not satiate yourselves from the wine of Torah, as it is written (Proverbs 9:5), 'and drink the wine that I have mixed.'" Rabbi Berakhiah and Rabbi Chiya his father said in the name of Rabbi Yose ben Nehoria, "It is written (Jeremiah 30:20), 'And I will remember all who press him' - even charity collectors - except for the wage of scribes and teachers of Mishnah who only take the wage of their idleness alone. But there is no creature that can give the wage of one thing of the Torah [commensurate to] its reward." It was taught, "The sustenance of a man is fixed from Rosh Hashanah, except for what he expends [for] Shabbat, holidays, Rosh Chodesh and what the infants take to the house of their teacher - if he adds [to this], it is added to him; if he lessens, it is lessened from him." Rabbi Yochanan was travelling, he left from Tiveria [to go] to Tsipporin, and Rabbi Chiya bar Abba was helping him. They reached a plot of farmland. [Rabbi Yochanan] said, "This farmland was mine, but I sold it in order to acquire Torah." They reached one that was a vineyard. He said, "This vineyard was mine, but I sold it in order to acquire Torah." They reached one that was an olive grove. He said, "This olive grove was mine, but I sold it in order to acquire Torah." Rabbi Chiya started to cry. Rabbi Yochanan said, "Why are you crying?" He said to him, "Since you did not leave anything for your old age." He said to him, "Is what I did light in your eyes, that I sold something created in six days and purchased something that was given over forty days, as it is stated (Exodus 34:28), 'And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights'; and it is written (Deuteronomy 9:9), 'and I dwelt on the mountain forty days and forty nights.'" When Rabbi Yochanan [died], his generation read about him (Song of Songs 8:7), "if a man offered all the wealth of his home for love" - as Rabbi Yochanan loved the Torah - "he would surely be scorned." When Rabbi Hoshaya, the man of Tirya [died], they saw his bier flying in the air; and his generation read about him (Song of Songs 8:7), "if a man offered all the wealth of his home for love" - as the Holy One, blessed be He, loved Abba Hoshaya, the man of Tirya - "he would surely be scorned." When Rabbi Elazar beRabbi Shimon [died], his generation read about him (Song of Songs 3:6), "Who is she that comes up from the desert like columns of smoke, in clouds of myrrh and frankincense, from all the powders of the merchant?" What is [the understanding of] "from all the powders of the merchant?" Rather [it is] since he read and studied, was a lyricist and an orator. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said "You learn the reward of purchasing from the reward of purchasing: About Egypt, it is written (Exodus 12:22), 'And acquire a bunch of hyssop.' What is its price? Four small coins. But it caused Israel to possess the spoils of the [Reed Sea], the spoils of Sichon and Og and the spoils of [the] thirty-one kings [of Canaan]. All the more so [is this true] of a lulav, which can become a man's for a little money and has several commandments with it. Hence Moshe warns Israel and says to them (Leviticus 23:40), 'And you shall take (acquire) for yourselves on the first day.'"

... Teach us oh, teacher: once the Ninth of Av has ended, is everything permitted? R’ Chiyah the Great taught like this: once the Ninth of Av has ended, one is permitted to do anything. Why? Because it is like the case of a person whose dead is laid out before him, who is forbidden to eat meat or drink wine. Once the dead is buried, the mourner is permitted to do so. So to on the Ninth of Av one is a mourner – once the day has ended one is permitted to do anything. Even though we are permitted, we must always have a sigh in our hearts until the Holy One returns to her. The Holy One said to them: by your lives! I burnt her, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) I will build her, as it says “Yet again will I rebuild you, then you shall be built, O virgin of Israel…” (Jeremiah 31:3) Zion said to Him: Behold, I have been sitting thus for many years! I have counted the days from old and I have not been redeemed, therefore I have despaired. She said that my master has abandoned me. And from where do we learn that Zion said this? From that which is written regarding it “And Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.’” (Isaiah 49:14) ... Another explanation. “And Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me…” (Isaiah 49:14) What is written before this? “Sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, and mountains burst out in song, for the Lord has consoled His people, and He shall have mercy on His poor.” (Isaiah 49:13) Once Zion saw that the prophet recalled His people and His poor, but did not mention Zion or Jerusalem she said ‘the Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me.’ Immediately the Holy One replied and said to her: just as it is impossible for a woman to forget her sucking child, so to I am not able to forget you, “Shall a woman forget her sucking child, from having mercy on the child of her womb?” (Isaiah 49:15) She said to Him: Master of the world! How is that possible? There is no end to the evils I have done! I caused Your Holy Temple to be destroyed and I killed the prophets. R’ Berachia the Kohen said in the name of Rebbe: the Holy One said to her, I will forget your evil but I will not forget your good. “…These too shall forget, but I will not forget you.” (ibid.) I have forgotten “"These are your gods, O Israel…” (Exodus32:4) but “I am the Lord, your God…” (Exodus 20:2) I will not forget.

Or, because it does drink irrigation water, but not snow-water, it is, therefore, written "From the rain of the heavens you will drink water." Let "water" not be written (i.e., it is superfluous). Why is it written? (To indicate) even snow-water. And thus is it written (Isaiah 55:10) "For as the rain and the snow descend from the heavens … and soaks the earth and makes it bring forth vegetation, etc.", and (Job 37:6) "For to the snow He says 'Descend to the earth, etc.'"

One verse states "The L-rd lift His countenance unto you," and another, (Devarim 10:17) "who does not lift the countenance" (i.e., who does not forgive) and who does not take a bribe." How are these two verses to be reconciled? When Israel do the L-rd's will — "The L-rd lift His countenance unto you"; when they do not do the L-rd's will — "who does not lift the countenance." Variantly: Before the decree has been sealed — "The L-rd lift His countenance unto you"; after the decree has been sealed — "who does not lift the countenance." One verse states (Psalms 65:3) "O, heeder of prayer, to You does all flesh come," and another, (Eichah 3:44) "You have covered Yourself with a cloud against the passing of prayer." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "heeder of prayer"; after the decree has been sealed — "You have covered Yourself with a cloud." One verse states (Psalms 145:18) "Close is the L-rd to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth," and another, (Ibid. 10:1) "Why, O L-rd, do You stand afar?" How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed" — "Close is the L-rd to all who call upon Him"; after the decree has been sealed, He is "afar." One verse states (Eichah 3:28) "From the mouth of the Most High there shall not issue forth the evils and the good," and another, (Daniel 9:14) "and the L-rd was anxious for the evil (to materialize)." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "From the mouth of the Most High there shall not issue forth the evils and the good"; after the decree has been sealed — "and the L-rd was anxious for the evil." One verse states (Jeremiah 4:14) "Wash your heart of evil, O Jerusalem, so that you be saved," and another, (Ibid. 2:22) "Though you wash yourself with niter and add borax, your sin is an (indelible) stain before Me." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "Wash your heart of evil, O Jerusalem"; after the decree has been sealed — "Though you wash yourself with niter and add borax, your sin is an (indelible) stain before Me." One verse states (Ibid. 3:22) "Return, you wayward sons," and another, (Ibid. 8:4) "If they (wish to) return, He will not return" (to accept them.) How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "Return, you wayward sons"; after the decree has been sealed — "If they return, He will not return." One verse states (Isaiah 55:6) "Seek the L-rd when He is found," and another, (Ezekiel 20:3) "As I live (says the L-rd), will I be sought out for you?" How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "Seek the L-rd when He is found"; after the decree has been sealed — "Will I be sought out for you?" One verse states (Ibid. 18:32) "For I do not desire the death of the dead one," and another (I Samuel 2:25) "… for the L-rd desired to kill them." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before the decree has been sealed — "For I do not desire the death of the dead one"; after the decree has been sealed — "for the L-rd desired to kill them." Variantly: One verse states "The L-rd lift His countenance unto you," and another (Devarim 10:17) "who does not lift the countenance." How are these two verses to be reconciled? "The L-rd lift His countenance" — in this world; "who does not lift the countenance" — in the world to come. Variantly: "The L-rd lift His countenance" — (Let Him) remove His anger from you. "and grant you peace": peace in your coming in and peace in your going out and peace with all men. R. Chanina, the adjutant high-priest says: "and grant you peace" — in your house. R. Nathan says: This is the peace of the Davidic kingdom, of which it is written (Isaiah 9:6) (the king) "who increases the governance (of the L-rd), and his peace will be endless. Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom" (shall this peace be). Variantly: This is the peace of Torah, of which it is written (Psalms 29:11) "The L-rd gives strength (Torah) to His people; the L-rd blesses His people with peace." Great is peace, the Holy One Blessed be He deviating from the truth for its sake in the instance of Sarah, who said "I am old" (see Bereshit 18:12-13). Great is peace, the angel deviating from the truth for its sake in the instance of Manoach for its sake (viz. Judges 13). Great is peace, the Name written in holiness being erased by the bitter waters (of the sotah) to make peace between a man and his wife. R. Elazar says: Great is peace, the prophets having exhorted all men for its sake. R. Shimon b Chalafta says: Great is peace, it being the only vessel which contains all of the blessings, it being written "The L-rd gives strength to His people; the L-rd blesses His people with peace." R. Elazar Hakappar says: Great is peace, all of the blessings being sealed with peace, viz.: "The L-rd bless you and keep you. The L-rd cause His countenance to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The L-rd lift His countenance unto you and grant you peace." R. Elazar the son of R. Elazar Hakappar says: Great is peace, for even if the idolators live in peace, the Holy One, as it were, does not "touch" them, as it is written (Hoshea 4:17) "Ephraim (Yisrael) has bound himself (in friendship to serve) idols — Let him be." But when they were divided amongst themselves, what is written of them? (Ibid. 10:2) "Their hearts are divided — Now they will be laid waste!" How great is peace! — How abhorrent is contention! Great is peace, for even in time of war, peace is needed, viz. (Devarim 20:10) "If you draw near a city to do battle with it, then you shall call out to it for peace," (Ibid. 2:26) "And I sent messengers from the desert of Kedemoth to Sichon, king of Moav, (with) words of peace," (Judges 11:12) "And Yiftach sent messengers …" What did he (the king of Ammon) say? (13) "And now, return them (the lands you took from us) in peace." Great is peace, for even the dead need peace, as it is written (Bereshit 15:13) "And you will come to your fathers in peace," and (Jeremiah 34:5) "In peace will you die, and as the burnings of your fathers, etc." Great is peace, which is given to the penitent, as it is written (Isaiah 57:19) "(I will) create (for him [the penitent a new]) expression of the lips:" Shalom Shalom! (And both will be alike, both) the far (i.e., one who had served the L-rd from his youth) and the near (i.e., one who had sinned and had just repented), etc." Great is peace, which was given in the portion of the righteous, as it is written (Ibid. 2) "Let him (the righteous one) come in peace (to the grave). Let them (the men of lovingkindness) rest (peacefully) where they lie." Great is peace, which was not given in the portion of the wicked, viz. (Ibid. 21) "There is no peace, says the L-rd, for the wicked." Great is peace, which was given to the lovers of Torah, viz. (Psalms 119:165) "Peace in abundance for the lovers of Your Torah." Great is peace, which was given to the humble, viz. (Ibid. 37:11) "and the humble will inherit the land and rejoice in an abundance of peace." Great is peace, which was given to the learners of Torah, viz. (Isaiah 59:13) "And all your children will be (as if) taught by the L-rd, and (there will be) an abundance of peace (among) your children." Great is peace, which is given to the doers of righteousness, viz. (Ibid. 32:7) "And the reward of righteousness will be peace." Great is peace, for the name of the Holy One Blessed be He is "Peace," viz. (Judges 6:24) "and he called it (the altar) 'the L-rd is Peace.'" R. Chanina, the adjutant high-priest says: Great is peace, which is over and against the entire creation, as it is written "who makes peace … and creates all" (viz. Isaiah 45:7). Great is peace, which is needed (even) by the celestial creations, viz. (Job 25:22) "Governance and fear is with Him: He makes peace in His heights." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If in a place where there is no enmity, or rivalry, or hatred, or hostility, peace is needed — how much more so, in a place where all of these obtain!

R. Yehudah says: An exemplary Torah scholar is like a sponge, which soaks up everything. One second to him is like a cotton wad which soaks up only what he needs — one who says "What my teacher taught me is enough for me." R. Shimon b. Yochai says: It is written (Proverbs 5:15) "Drink water (i.e., Torah) from borecha": from him (a Torah sage [though not necessarily a great one]) who is with you in your city ("be'ircha," like "borecha"), and afterwards from afar. And thus is it written (Ibid. 31:14) "She ('the woman of valor') was like the merchant's ships, bringing her bread (Torah) from afar." R. Shimon b. Menassia says: Drink water from borecha," from the waters (i.e., Torah) of borecha ("your Creator"); and do not drink "sullied" waters, lest you be drawn after the words of the heretics. R. Akiva says: It is written: "Drink waters from your pit." A pit, in the beginning, is unable to supply a drop of water of its own, containing, as it does, only what is put into it. So, a Torah scholar, in the beginning, has learned and reviewed only what his teacher has taught him. (Ibid.) "and flowing waters from your well": Just as a well flows living waters from all of its sides, so, disciples come and learn from him (the "flowing" Torah scholar). And thus is it written (Ibid. 16) "Your fountains will spread abroad." Words of Torah are compared to water. Just as water is life for the world, so, words of Torah, as it is written (Ibid. 4:22) "For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all of his flesh." And just as water raises a man from his uncleanliness, so, words of Torah raise a man from uncleanliness to cleanliness, as it is written (Psalms 19:10) "The fear of the L-rd is pure." And just as water restores a man's soul, so, words of Torah restore a man's soul from the path of evil to that of good, viz. (Ibid. 8) "The Torah of the L-rd is whole, restoring the soul." And just as water is free for the world, so words of Torah are free for the world, viz. (Isaiah 55:1) "Ho! all who thirst, go to the waters!" — But perhaps, just as water has no value, so Torah has no value; it is, therefore, written (Proverbs 3:15) "It is more precious than pearls, and all of your desires cannot be compared to it."

"For You, You alone, have I sinned . . . That You may be justified when You speak" (Ps. 51:6). To whom may David be compared? To a man who broke a limb, and came to a doctor. The doctor marveled and said: "How great is thy break! I am much distressed on your account." The man with the broken limb said: "Art you distressed on my account? Was not my limb broken for your sake, since the fee is to be yours?" Just so David said to the Holy One, blessed be He: For You, You only, have I sinned: If You receive me, then if You say to transgressors "Why haven't you repented?" all transgressors will submit to You, for all of them will behold me [David], and I shall surely bear witness that You receive the penitent. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Behold, I have given him [David] for a witness to the peoples (Isa. 55:4). And God gave as a witness not only me, David, but all Israel, since it is said You are My witnesses, said the Lord, and My servant whom 1 have chosen (Isaiah 43:10).

When Yosef came up to his brothers, they stripped Yosef of his tunic, the colorful tunic that was on him" (Genesis 37:23) Rabbi Elezar said: he [Yosef] came mocking them. "And they stripped Yosef" - this is when they took his traveling cloak. "His tunic" this is [them stripping off] his shirt. "The colorful tunic" this is the tunic itself. "That was on him" this is his breeches. "And they seized him" we read they seized him, but the word can be read as "he seized him" and who was that? Shimeon. When did Yosef pay him back for this? After: "And he took Shimeon from them". "And they tossed him in the pit, and the pit was empty, there was no water in it" - No water in it, but there were snakes and scorpions. There were two pits [in the area] one filled with stones and another with fiery snakes and scorpions. Rav Acha said: the pit was empty - Yaakov's pit emptied. There was no water in it - there were no words of Torah, that are compared metaphorically to water, such as you say "Oy, all who are thirsty come to water" (Isaiah 55:1). It is written "when a man is found stealing a person from his brothers" (Deut. 24:7) and here you are, selling your brother.

“Glorious things are said about you, the city of God, forever.” (Psalms 87:3) This refers to Hezekiah, as it says “…and how he made the conduit and the pool, and he brought the water into the city…” (Kings II 20:20) Hezekiah sealed up the waters of the Gihon spring and it says ‘he brought the water into the city’ because he was a collector of traditions and this verse is actually referring to words of Torah, which are compared to water, as it says “Ho! All who thirst, go to water…” (Isaiah 55:1) It also says “Come, partake of my bread…” (Proverbs 9:5) What would Hezekiah do? When he saw that it was well ordered, he brought it to the city; that it was well taught, he brought it to the city. This is what is written “These too are Solomon's proverbs, which the men of Hezekiah, king of Judah, maintained.” (Proverbs 25:1) Another explanation. ““Glorious things are said about you…” (Psalms 87:3) R’ Huna said in the name of R’ Idi: why did Israel express Gd’s name explicitly in the Holy Temple and use a cognomen outside of the Temple bounds? Because it is written “…to fear this glorious and awesome name, the Lord, your God.” (Deuteronomy 28:58) This is ‘glorious things are said about you.’ And where is it said? In the city of God, in the city of Zion. And where? “…the city of God, forever.” (Psalms 87:3)

But in the end, the peoples will praise Israel (for the fulfillment of their faith in the L-rd), viz.: "The nations will praise His people." And whence (do we derive the same for) heaven and earth? From (Isaiah 44:23) "Sing, O heavens, for the L-rd has wrought; shout (for joy), foundations of the earth!" And whence, mountains and hills? From (Ibid. 55:12) "The mountains and hills will break out in song before You, and all the trees of the field will clap hands." And whence, the (fore-) fathers and mothers? From (Ibid. 42:11) "The dwellers of the rock will sing; from the peaks of the mountains will they shout."